Chapter One: I'll Take Death for $600 Please
Author's Note: Well here it is the first Chapter in Another Promise! Sorry it took so long I just couldn't get it as good as I wanted it to be. A very big thank you and apology to Sterwolf59 for putting up with my excuses haha. I know this chapter doesn't really advance the plot much and I promise the rest of the story will be better. Oh and…4 songs in one chapter! Isn't it exciting?! Anyway, without any further delay here it is…
"Why do I feel like I should know you?" Keith asked as his "escort" was strapping him in the car. He felt ridiculous and was trying to ease his embarrassment. He was really glad the others were taking separate cars.
"I don't know…spend much time in a nuthouse?"
"Unfortunately more and more lately"
"Well up until about two weeks ago I used to be a security guard at one." Two weeks ago? That couldn't be a coincidence.
"You didn't happen…to come across…a Cameron Mitchell did you?"
"Why do you think they gave me this assignment? He's the reason I got fired."
"But if you are fired how can you be working now?"
"No more questions, we have to go."
"I wish I could tell you that I know exactly where life is going and that everything will be okay, but I don't. So as Keith would say let's just 'ride the wave'." Ryan said. Neil laughed even though he wanted to cry. "C'mon babe or Damian will think we eloped to Mexico."
"Don't tempt me." Neil chuckled as he got in the car.
The first thing Damian noticed when he got out of the car was how few cars were in the parking lot. He knew Cameron wasn't the most popular guy, but this was ridiculous.
"Damian? You okay?" George asked. Damian just nodded. They headed into the building while Emmet stayed to look for Keith, Neil, Ryan, and Paul. Damian looked at the sad faces of who he assumed were Cameron's parents and felt guilty. He needed something else to think about or there was no way he was going to make it through this. His eyes drifted to the ceiling then the floor and he almost laughed. This was not what Cameron would have wanted at all. He could almost hear Cameron saying "Damian…what is this? How old do they think I am? It looks like my grandma picked the carpet and don't even get me started on the ceiling. And they are all so serious…honestly nobody liked me enough for them to be this sad. This is crazy." Damian let a chuckle escape his mouth and he would have felt really bad for laughing but a waterfall of tears flowed out of his eyes. He barely noticed Keith sit next to him.
"Damo…" Keith didn't know how to finish that sentence. He wished more than anything he could just wrap Damian in a hug and never let go, but he was restricted by his strait jacket. He looked at everyone's faces and just knew what they were thinking "It's his fault Cameron's dead. HE killed him!". He turned to Lance hoping to find some relief of his thoughts and Lance looked at him with a look of understanding.
"Don't make me regret this." Lance said as he unhooked Keith.
"Thank you" As soon as he was free he reached over and put a hand on Damian's back. Damian looked up at Keith's touch. Neither one of them knew what to say. Never had either one of them imagined they would be sitting in a funeral, Damian with a cane and Keith in a strait jacket.
After about 10 minutes Keith found himself zoning out, not out of boredom but rather from exhaustion. It seemed like he was always tired these days. He looked at the pictures and flowers. It just wasn't right. Before he knew what was happening Keith found Damian standing next to him. Keith stood up.
"You gonna go up Keith?" Damian asked. Keith was lost, go up? "Look Keith, I know it's hard but you are just gonna feel worse if you don't say goodbye." Oh that, Keith had forgotten about that part. He nodded and went to walk but found his feet couldn't move. Damian grabbed his hand and they walked together. Keith held his breath as they walked towards the open coffin. Damian's eyes fell to Cameron's face. He looked peaceful and happier than he had been the last few weeks of his life. Damian wished they had put him in jeans and flannel instead of a suit and tie.
"Well buddy" Damian started his voice deeper than usual. "You were going places. You had talent, but more importantly you were my best friend. You put up with me through the good and bad times. The day you left the Glee Project was the hardest goodbye I ever had to say including the day I left CT. I-I don't think I ever thanked you for that. I feel completely responsible for your death. If I hadn't been so caught up in the negative aspects of life then maybe you wouldn't be dead. You have left a hole in my life that I can never fill. Rest for a little because I just know you will be rocking out in heaven. Keith?" Damian said turning to Keith. Tears were streaming out of his blue eyes and Keith wanted to die (how appropriate for a funeral). He couldn't form a coherent thought.
"I-just-you" Damian looked at him.
"Come on Keith, it's not that bad just…say what you feel." Keith sighed.
"Cam,…I only knew you for a little while, but that was enough time to fall in love with you. I meant what I said, I do love you and wish you were still around. You were sadly mislabeled and made to believe you were crazy when, in reality, you were just confused and alone. I should have been there for you. I should have told Emmet to forget the socks. I should have stopped kissing you just to talk to you. It's my fault you are dead. I confused you further and pushed you away. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time and save you. But I can't…because you are gone…and you aren't coming back. It's time to accept that. Have fun in heaven buddy." He turned to walk away and noticed Damian was gone. He saw his leg disappearing around the corner and decided to follow him. Before he took a step someone whispered in his ear "You got a lot of nerve to show your face here." Keith turned around to see who was talking to him, but nobody was there. Damian was his priority now. He ran in the direction he had seen Damian go. His eyes darted left and right looking everywhere for Damian. Paul came up to him.
"Keith"
"Where's Damo?"
"Relax he's just outside"
"Honestly he has a cane and he can still beat me" Keith said. He took a few steps toward the door. Paul put his hand on his shoulder and Keith looked at him.
"Wait…Neil's out there with him. The poor lad he's really struggling."
"Damo or Neil?"
"Damian, although Neil wasn't doing great either."
"That's all the more reason I have to be with him, he needs me."
"No Keith I don't think you understand…he just needs Neil right now."
"Why Neil?" Keith said getting upset. What could Neil give him that he couldn't?
"Not necessarily Neil…just not…you" Keith felt approximately 2 inches tall.
"Oh" he said and walked back to his seat.
Meanwhile….
Damian came bursting out of the door. He was crying and panting.
"Damo?" Neil stood up. Damian jumped he didn't expect anyone to be here, let alone Neil. He quickly brushed the tears off of his face and tried to regain composure.
"Neil…oh…what are you doing out here?"
"I just couldn't be in there anymore." Neil said.
"I know what you mean." Neil sat back down on the bench and motioned for Damian to join him.
"Damian? Do you wanna talk?"
"I-just don't know anything anymore." Damian whined. "I miss Cameron so much. It's like I lost an arm and a leg…but that's not the problem. I know how to deal with that, you know it's only normal after you lose someone."
"So what is the problem?"
"It's…just…well I'm sure it's not really a problem it just feels wrong and-"
"Take a step back here Damo. What are you talking about?" Damian sighed.
"Keith" Neil blinked he wasn't expecting that.
"Damo you don't think that…he did it do you?"
"Not intentionally, but I know how he is and I tried to warn Cameron that he should be careful, but I also know how hard it is to resist Keith…"
"Damian this is serious, you need to discuss this with him."
"I can't…he gives me that look that says 'I need you Damo' and I need him too, but it's just weird…but I'm probably overreacting right? I mean he has a lot on his plate right now with the whole trial and possibly being crazy thing…"
"Damian…" Neil pulled him into a manly hug.
"He's just so different Neil." Damian sobbed into Neil's shoulder.
"If you will allow me to be a bit cliché and quote a song Damian, even heroes have the right to bleed, like you said he has a lot going on right now. I think you just need to relax and wait it out a bit and let things unfold, but most importantly I think you need to be there for him, he is only human." Damian nodded and pulled out of Neil's hug.
"You're right Neil, thanks." He said and wiped his eyes.
Keith was miserable. Why wouldn't Damian want to talk to him? What was wrong? How did Paul know? He turned in his seat and stared out the window at Damian and Neil. He glared as he saw Neil pull Damian into a hug. He let a choked sob escape his mouth before turning around.
"You seem pretty upset" Lance said. Keith jumped, for such a big guy Lance was pretty sneaky.
"I guess" Lance leaned over and Keith thought he was going to give him a hug, he could have really used a hug, but instead Lance grabbed his arms and hooked them to the back of his strait jacket again.
"Sorry son, but just in case you are actually bat shit crazy , with you getting so emotional and all…" Keith was stunned. What had he done so wrong to get in this situation? Damian came back in closely followed by Neil. Keith was fuming. Damian sat next to him. Luckily Neil was a few seats away from Keith.
"All hooked back up?" Damian said. Really? That was his choice? Keith thought.
"Unfortunately" Keith snapped.
"Keith look I-"
"Come on we have to go" Lance interrupted.
"Yeah we probably should get out of here" Ryan said he hooked his arm around Neil and they headed for the door.
"Wait guys" Keith said. He stood up. All of their eyes turned to him, "I don't expect to see all of you at the…hearing… so don't feel obligated to show up. I understand."
"Keith, of course we will be there for you. I mean if we aren't who's gonna be there to take you out for celebratory ice-cream after you are found innocent?" George said slapping him on the back. Keith grinned.
"Thanks George"
"I'll be there" Paul said.
"Me too" Neil added.
"I've got your back Keith" Ryan said.
"Even if I didn't have to be there to testify I would be there for you" Emmet said.
"of course I'll be there" Damian said in a quiet voice. Keith looked at him.
"Thanks guys, you have no idea how much I appreciate your support…I mean it. It takes true friends to believe that I am innocent even when the odds aren't in my favor."
"Of course we believe you Keith," Ryan said sounding truly surprised. "I mean there was never any doubt in any of our minds, not even for a second, we all saw the way…people acted…" Ryan said looking around, remembering where he was and who might be around. "It's completely plausible that what you said happened, plus we know you and none of us, not even Paul, would call you a killer." Paul chuckled. Things had been icy between them since Damian was in the hospital, but at least Paul hadn't punched Keith yet.
"Alright we really have to go" Lance said. Keith sighed. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to leave his friends and he really wanted to know what was on Damian's mind.
"Do we have to go?" Keith asked. He felt like a little kid.
"Yeah I thought we had you until 9 it's only…3:30" Neil pouted. Damian didn't say anything. Keith wanted him to say something, anything…
"I'm sorry I thought we were done here." Lance said.
"You know what we could do?" Damian said finally speaking up.
"What?" Neil asked. Damian sighed and started to explain.
An hour later…..
Keith looked at Damian, Damian looked at Neil, Neil looked at Ryan, Ryan looked at Emmet, Emmet looked at George, George looked at Paul, and Paul looked at Lance. Lance unhooked Keith and Emmet handed Keith Cameron's glasses which he still had from the parking lot. Keith took them with shaking hands. They all sat down in a circle. It was a good thing Damian hadn't moved apartments yet. Damian handed Keith one of Cameron's shirts and a marker.
"Well" Keith started. "I think that most of us really needed this proper goodbye for you Cameron. No offense to your family, but your funeral kind of sucked." It was a relief to hear the other guys' chuckle. "So here we are, sitting in your old apartment with a pair of your glasses and an old shirt. We were going to light a candle, but thought that would be too cliché. We're going to sing a song or two for you buddy. Here's to you Cam, you'll be missed." Tears slipped down Keith's face as he and Emmet began to sing
Keith: "The things we did, the things we said
Keep coming back to me and make me smile again
You showed me how to face the truth
Everything that's good in me I owe to you
EMMET: Though the distance that's between us
Now may seem to be too far
It will never separate us
Deep inside I know you are
BOTH: Never gone, never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close, everyday
Every step along the way
Even though for now we've gotta say goodbye
I know you will be forever in my life (yeah)
Never gone
KEITH: No no no
I walk alone these empty streets
There is not a second you're not here with me
The love you gave, the grace you've shown
Will always give me strength and be my cornerstone
(Somehow)
Somehow you found a way
To see the best I have in me
As long as time goes on
I swear to you that you will be
BOTH: Never gone, never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close (always close)
Everyday (everyday)
Every step along the way
Even though for now we've gotta say goodbye
I know you will be forever in my life (in my life yeah)
EMMET: Never gone from me
If there's one thing I believe (I believe)
I will see you somewhere down the road again
Never gone, never far
In my heart is where you are
Always close (always close)
Everyday (everyday)
Every step along the way
Even though for now we've gotta say goodbye (yeah yeah)
I know you will be forever in my life (in my life)
BOTH: Never gone, never far
In my heart (in my heart is where) is where you are (you are)
Always close, everyday
Every step along the way
Never gone, never far
In my heart is where you are
As they sang Keith ripped a piece of Cameron's shirt off and wrote "loved" on it. Emmet tore off a piece and wrote "missed" on it. Keith watched as the others tore off pieces of Cameron's shirt and wrote their words on it. Lance wanted to help, but sat in the back corner giving them their moment. Once everyone had their piece Emmet said,
"Okay who's singing next?"
"We are" Damian said pointing to Neil and himself. "Ready Neil?" Neil nodded, he was still surprised that Damian chose him to sing with over Keith.
DAMIAN: What if I told you that your time was up
That as every second passes there's a moment gone
In 23 hours the sun was going to set forever
Would you hug a little tighter would you let go first
Would you focus on love and then forget the hurt
Live in the moment or wish your life away
NEIL: How would you spend your last night on earth
Would you kiss your enemies
Say sorry first
Would you take enough time to say your last goodbyes
All the little battles that you never won
All the music and the opera never sung
Emotions that were silent all these years
BOTH: You can't smell the roses when you're gone
You can't smell the roses
No it's not a rehearsal
You only got one life to make it right
You can't smell the roses when you're gone
So live every moment like it's the last night on earth
Because this is the last night on earth
What if I told you that I had regrets
I would trade in all my happiness for one last kiss
For a minute or two lying by you side
What if I chose the road nobody walked
If I honoured all my promises with empty talk
If I knew back then the things that I know now
DAMIAN:I would tell you that I love you that we all get low
There are peaks and there are valleys but you've got to know
A second chance, it rarely comes around
You can't smell the roses when you're gone
You can't smell the roses
No it's not a rehearsal
You only got one life to make it right
You can't smell the roses when you're gone
So live every moment like it's the last night on earth
If I could have my time again
I would make sure you knew just how I felt
Because I went away for much too long
And the seasons changed without me
NEIL: You can't smell the roses when you're gone
You can't smell the roses
No it's not a rehearsal
You only got one life to make it right
You can't smell the roses when you're gone
So live every moment like it's the last night on earth
As if it's the last night on earth
Because this is the last night on earth
"Wow" Paul said. "You know what I think?"
"I'm afraid to ask" Ryan said with a smile.
"I think Keith and Damo should sing a song together."
"Good idea, I mean they did know him the best" Ryan agreed.
"But what about you guys? " Keith asked.
"Come on Keith we didn't know him that well…" Paul said.
"Damo?" Keith asked. Damian sighed.
"Yeah, we can do it." They both looked at each other and knew what song to sing. "You can start Keith." Keith nodded.
KEITH: You will never get older and you will never feel pain
Or fill the room with laughter like you used to
And I won't hear you speaking or others call your name
In spite of this the world will still continue
BOTH: And you will always remain in my heart forever young
Sun and wind won't change you and you'll escape the hands of time
And now your beauty won't betray you and your future's paved with gold
But in my mind you are suspended and you will be forever young
[ Lyrics from: lyrics/d/darren_ ]
I'm a little bit hopeful that we all carry on
But part of me still thinks we're all just stardust
And from the highest mountain I went to make a sound
I thought that if I called out you would answer
But no one did
DAMIAN: And you will always remain in my heart forever young
Sun and wind won't change you and you'll escape the hands of time
And now your beauty won't betray you and your future's paved with gold
But in my mind you are suspended and you will be forever young
I know the rules of the game
For every sunset the light has to fade
But baby a light like yours was so glorious
Glorious
KEITH: And you will always remain in my heart forever young
Sun and wind won't change you and you'll escape the hands of time
And now your beauty won't betray you and your future's paved with gold
But in my mind you are suspended and you will be forever young.
"That was great guys" George said.
"Yes, it was, but that's enough seriousness." Emmet said. He smiled and pulled out a pair of plastic, thick-rimmed glasses with tape in the middle. "We all know Cameron would want us to laugh. So…" he put the glasses on and handed the other guys each a pair. "What was Cameron best known for?"
"Being white and Nerdy!" they all chorused.
ALL: They see me mowin'
My front lawn
I know they're all thinking
I'm so White N' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Can't you see I'm white n' nerdy
Look at me I'm white n' nerdy!
I wanna roll with-
The gangsters
But so far they all think
I'm too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
I'm just too white n' nerdy
Really, really white n' nerdy
First in my class here at M.I.T.
Got skills, I'm a Champion of DND
MC Escher that's my favorite MC
Keep your 40
I'll just have an Earl Grey tea
My rims never spin to the contrary
You'll find they're quite stationary
All of my action figures are cherry
Steven Hawkings in my library
My MySpace page is all totally pimped out
I got people begging for my top 8 spaces
Yo I know Pi to a thousand places
Ain't got no grills but I still wear braces
I order all of my sandwiches with mayonnaise
I'm a whiz at minesweeper I can play for days
Once you see my sweet moves you're gonna stay amazed,
my fingers movin' so fast I'll set the place ablaze
There's no killer app I haven't run
At Pascal, well, I'm number 1
Do vector calculus just for fun
I ain't got a gat but I gotta soldering gun
Happy days is my favourite theme song
I can sure kick your butt in a game of ping pong
I'll ace any trivia quiz you bring on
I'm fluent in Java Script as well as Klingon
Here's the part I sing on
They see me roll on, my Segway!
I know in my heart they think I'm
white n' nerdy!
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Can't you see I'm white n' nerdy
Look at me I'm white n' nerdy
I'd like to roll with-
The gangsters
Although it's apparent I'm too
White n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
I'm just too white n' nerdy
How'd I get so white n' nerdy?
I've been browsing, inspectin'
X-men comics you know I collect 'em
The pens in my pocket
I must protect 'em
my ergonomic keyboard never leaves me bored
Shopping online for deals on some writable media
I edit Wikipedia
I memorized Holy Grail really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
I got a business doing websites
When my friends need some code who do they call?
I do HTML for them all
Even made a homepage for my dog!
Yo! Got myself a fanny pack
they were having a sale down at the GAP
Spend my nights with a roll of bubble wrap
POP POP! Hope no one sees me gettin' freaky!
I'm nerdy in the extreme and whiter than sour creme
I was in AV club and Glee club and even the chess team!
Only question I ever thought was hard
Was do I like Kirk or do I like Picard?
I spend every weekend
at the renaissance fair
I got my name on my under wear!
They see me strollin'
They laughin'
And rollin' their eyes 'cause
I'm so white n' nerdy
Just because I'm white n' nerdy
Just because I'm white n' nerdy
All because I'm white n' nerdy
Holy cow I'm white n' nerdy
I wanna bowl with-
the gangsters
but oh well it's obvious I'm
white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
Think I'm just too white n' nerdy
I'm just too white n' nerdy
Look at me I'm white n' nerdy! They all collapsed into fits of laughter.
"Cameron always said that was his theme song" Damian said. "I think he even had it as his ringtone"
"I hate to break this up, but we really have to go now." Lance said. Keith nodded. HE took of the glasses and stood up. The other guys pretended not to see Lance strap him back into place.
"Wait, we have to do this first" Ryan said holding up the bag with the pieces of Cameron's shirt they wrote on.
"Right" Damian said. He opened up the window.
"You should do it Damian" Neil said. Damian nodded. Ryan handed him the bag.
"Dear Cameron, buddy, you thought you were nobody, you thought you meant nothing, but in reality you are loved" he said pulling out the first piece of shirt and letting the wind take it from his hand. "Missed" he said pulling the second piece out and letting it go in the wind. He continued the process until all the pieces were gone. Everyone stood there in silence, just pretending, pretending that the pieces of Cameron's shirt really were going to make it to heaven, pretending that they didn't know that as soon as the wind stopped they would fall, just pretending.
Songs: Keith and Emmet's song Never Gone by The Backstreet Boys
Damian and Neil's song Roses by Darren Hayes
Keith and Damian's song Glorious by Darren Hayes
The last song White and Nerdy by Weird Al.