(A/N): Okay, so this story takes place after season nine, but before the time jump. So about eight months after the cafe scene in the finale. And the main characters in the story are Alex, Mia, Chase, and Chris, but some of the other characters will appear every once in a while.

As you know, this story was inspired by Taylor Swift's album, "RED". Each chapter is inspired by, and named after, a song on the album. There are 19 songs, and therefore, there will be 19 chapters! I already have most of the story outlined but I'm not exactly sure how it's going to end. Hopefully though, I'll be able to satisfy Chia, Chalex, Chria, and Chralex shippers at one point or another in the story. I honestly don't know which ones will be endgame, so I guess I'll just see what you guys respond to and go from there!

Oh, and just a note, the chapters will not be in the same order the songs are on the album. And also, you don't need to know any of the songs to understand or enjoy the story. Them being named after the titles of the songs just seemed liked a nifty idea. :) So... enjoy!

Chapter 1: Red

Alex belted the last note of the final song in her set and bowed her head to the roar of the crowd. She looked at the audience and couldn't help but smile as they cheered for her. She took the microphone off the stand and spoke into it loudly, so she could be heard over the fanatic audience, "Thank you, Atlanta! You guys are amazing!" Alex took one last look at the crowd, smiled, and walked off stage. People from the label, the crew, and the band were all waiting for Alex to finish her set to congratulate her. Everyone complimented Alex on her performance and she thanked them, "I had a really great time up there. I'm kind of sad, though." Alex turned to her manager, "I only have a few performances left until the tour is over and then..."

"I know," Mike, Alex's manager, responded. "I could talk to someone at the label to see if we could get you an extension on the tour or something if you want."

Alex pursed her lips and showed a face of disinterest, "You don't have to do that."

"You could always talk to your agent. You've been talking about how you would like to do another movie."

"Maybe."

Mike sighed, "I know you don't want to go back to Tree Hill, but nobody is saying you have to. Once the tour is over, you could move back to L.A. and get a house. Maybe settle down or something?"

Alex smiled half-heartedly, "You know I'm not the settle-down type."

"I know."

"And anyway, I'll be fine. I'm just gonna really miss touring and being on the road."

"Well, like you said, we still have a few shows left." Alex nodded. "It's gonna be okay," Mike reassured her.

She nodded again, "Okay, well, I better go change and get back on the bus..." Alex started to walk off but Mike stopped her. "Yes?" Alex turned around, a little impatient.

"Don't you want to hang back a bit and say hi to your fans once the show's over?"

"I'm pretty sure most of these people aren't here to see the opening act, Mike."

"Well... you never know."

Alex sighed, "I'm actually kind of tired, I think I'm just gonna go change, okay?"

Mike inhaled sharply, "Okay."

Alex walked into her dressing room and put on much more casual clothing. It wasn't until she finished getting dressed when she noticed the vase of red roses on the vanity. She walked up to it to look at the card. It read:

I know you did amazing, tonight. Wish I was there.

"No name..." Alex observed. She wasn't sure who sent the flowers, but she was pretty positive it wasn't who she wished it was. She figured it was just one of the guys she had met and flirted with at one of the shows.

Alex took one last look at the flowers and decided to leave them behind. She walked out of the dressing room and out the back door to get on the tour bus.

xxxxx

Mia walked into the Red Bedroom studio with a bottle of water, frustrated. "Okay! Let's try this again..." Mia murmured to herself. She pushed the talk back button and spoke into the microphone, "All right, Chris... we have to sing it again."

Chris Keller leaned back and whined, "I don't want to! I am so tired."

Mia groaned, "I don't want to, either! But I just gave Haley the demo and she wants us to record it again."

"Why? What's wrong with the demo you gave her?"

"I don't know," Mia sighed, "why don't you ask Haley yourself?"

Chris stood up and walked out of the recording booth, "I'm gonna do just that! Where is she?!"

"She - "

Before Mia could finish, Haley walked in. "Where's who?" Everyone was silent. Haley gave Chris a puzzled look, "Yes?"

Chris looked down, "Uh..."

Haley turned to Mia, "What's going in here? Why aren't you guys recording?"

Mia sighed, "Because... Chris Keller here, is being a baby and doesn't want to."

Haley turned to Chris, "Why not?"

"Because jeez Haley," Chris groaned, "we've recorded it a hundred times already."

"Yeah, and you're gonna keep recording it until you get it right."

Mia looked at Haley, "Come on Haley, what's wrong with all the demos we gave you?"

Haley shrugged, "Nothing was wrong with them... it's just... they could have been better. You guys - "

"All right, all right. Listen," Chris interrupted, "Chris Keller has recorded all he can today. It's not my fault if Miss Lips can't hold her own on our duet."

"Excuse me?!" Mia asked, incredulously.

"You heard me." Chris snapped back.

"God! You are so arrogant! I can't hold my own?!"

"Uh, yeah, I believe that's what I said!"

Haley stepped in to put space between Chris and Mia, "Whoa, okay. Tensions are high. I get it, guys. I know it's late, but... calm down for a second, okay?" Mia stepped back and so did Chris. They both nodded. "All right, you two have been in the studio for a while today... you guys can just come back tomorrow to record the duet. Until then, both of you just go home and rest okay? You work too hard." Haley smiled, "I'll help you both with the duet tomorrow, all right?"

Mia sighed, "All right. Thanks, Haley. I'll see you tomorrow. I gotta go."

Haley smiled as she waved Mia off, "Bye, honey."

Once Chris was sure Mia left, he looked at Haley, "Okay, Haley... can you tell me again why Chris Keller has to record a duet for his album? And can you also tell me why it has to be with her?"

Haley sighed, "I already told you, Chris. The label wants you to have a duet on your album to merge fanbases with another artist. And you have to do it with Mia because she has to have a duet, and the label thinks you two have nice chemistry."

"Yeah, but I still don't know why it has to be with her. Chris Keller has chemistry with every girl. They really couldn't have picked anyone else?"

Haley shrugged, "Sorry. I know it's probably weird for you to sing a duet with Chase's ex-girlfriend, but - "

"Oh, no. Believe me, that's not the issue here. Trust me, it's much more weird for him."

"Yeah... I bet it is. How is he taking it?"

"Chase?" Haley nodded. "Yeah, he could be a lot better. Ever since she came back he's been kind of weird." Haley sighed.

xxxxx

Mia walked out of the studio and into TRIC, which was seemingly empty. Mia was about to leave until she heard a noise. She walked up to the bar and looked around, "Chase?"

"Yeah?" Chase answered as he walked out of the back room with some boxes.

Mia smiled and sighed in relief, "I thought I heard something."

"Oh, that was just me. Sorry."

"It's okay. I just didn't think you would be here. It's pretty late."

Chase looked at his wristwatch, "Yeah... I'm just closing up."

"Well, I'm glad you're here, because I need to talk to someone... unless, you're almost done?"

Chase looked at the bar, "Kind of, but if you need to talk..."

"Really?" Mia asked.

"Of course," Chase reassured her.

Mia pushed herself up onto a bar stool, "Thanks."

"Anytime." Chase smiled. "Um, do you want me to make you a drink... or something?"

Mia hesitated, "Uh, no... I'm good. I don't want to be any trouble."

"It's no trouble."

Mia smiled, "I'm fine, Chase."

"Oh. Okay. Uh... anyway... what did you want to talk about?"

"All right, well, you know how I have to sing a duet with Chris?"

Chase nodded as he began to pack up some boxes with bottles and glasses, "Mhmm..."

"Well," Mia sighed, "It's not like Chris is... impossible to work with, but... oh, my God! You know? He's just so... ugh."

Chase laughed, "Yeah, I... I know what you mean."

"And anyway, we have to sing this duet or the label won't take either of our albums which is just... outrageous."

"I'm sorry..." Chase said, not really knowing what else to say.

Mia sighed, "It's fine, but I just really want to record this duet and we keep trying to record it, and whenever I give Haley the demo to listen to it, she always gives it back because it's not good enough. And... Chris thinks I'm the problem."

Chase stopped packing up boxes and looked at Mia, "I don't think you're the problem."

"Well, Chris seems pretty sure that he's not doing anything wrong."

"That's just how he is. I really doubt you're doing anything wrong, Mia."

Mia looked at Chase and smiled, "Thanks, Chase." He smiled back. "Um, do you need any help closing up?"

Chase thought for a second, "No... I think I got it."

"All right, well, I better get going. I'll... see you tomorrow. Bye, Chase."

"Bye, Mia." Mia stepped off the barstool and started to walk out. Chase called after her, "Oh, Mia?" She turned around to face him. "I, uh... I just wanted to say that I'm... I'm really glad you came back. I missed you."

Mia smiled, "I missed you, too."

Chase smiled back and watched Mia as she walked away. Once she was gone, Chase continued packing up the boxes when Chris and Haley walked out of the studio. Chase looked over at the two as they were having a conversation.

Haley sighed, "I don't care, Chris. You're singing the duet. With Mia. And that's final. And anyway, it's not even up to me, so if you wanna argue with someone, argue with someone else."

Chris groaned, "Fine, fine! Have it your way."

Haley rolled her eyes and tried to end their conversation, "Bye, Chris. I'll see you tomorrow." Haley walked away from Chris and passed the bar, "You too, Chase."

Chase waved, "Later, Haley."

Chris watched Haley as she left and walked up to the bar to talk to Chase, "Can you believe that?"

"Believe what?"

"Haley just told me that if I don't sing this duet with Mia, the label is gonna fire me."

"So what? Just sing the duet."

Chris sighed, "No, no. You don't understand. Chris Keller doesn't sing duets."

"And why doesn't Chris Keller sing duets?" Chase asked, routinely.

"No one can keep up with me. I mean, what, I spent all day trying to sing this duet with Mia and we have gotten nowhere."

"Yeah, well... maybe you're the problem."

Chris leaned back, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing, it's just... Mia is really talented, I don't think she's the reason it's taking you guys so long to get a good demo."

"And you're saying I'm the reason it's taking us so long?" Chase didn't say anything. "Ohhh, I get it."

Chase sighed, "Get what?"

"You like her."

"Who? Mia? Of course I like her, we're friends."

Chris laughed, "No, I mean you like her the way an ex-boyfriend likes their ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him."

"We broke up almost three years ago, Chris." Chris nodded. "And besides... even if I did feel that way about her... she doesn't feel the same way, so - "

"Oh, my God."

"What?"

"You like her."

"I don't." Chase said firmly, trying to drop the subject.

Chris held up his hands as way to surrender, "All right, okay, you don't like her." Chris sighed and looked around, "Anyway... this place is kinda dead so I'm gonna take off. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Later," Chase replied.

xxxxx

Alex was sitting on the tour bus reading a magazine when someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Alex asked without looking up from her magazine.

"It's Mike."

Alex sighed, "Come in!" Mike turned the doorknob and opened the door. Alex looked over at him as he walked in and noticed he was carrying the vase of roses she left in her dressing room. "Mike, did you buy me those?" She asked, doubtful.

"Uh, no, but there's no name on the card so I don't know who did."

"Hmm, well, thanks for bringing them here."

"Any time..." Mike walked over to Alex and sat down. "How are you holding up?"

Alex shrugged, "Could be better, I guess. I don't know. I've been sitting here thinking about what I'm gonna do when we're done touring. I don't want to go back to Tree Hill, but I do miss all of my friends. I kind of cut off my ties with all of them when I left, and I kind of feel bad about it."

"You need to do whatever feels right."

Alex shook her head, "I don't think any decision I make will feel right."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. Anyway, Jim's gonna start the bus up in a few minutes and then we're leaving."

"Okay," Alex smiled, "thanks for letting me know."

Mike got up and walked off the bus, when he did, Alex pulled out her phone. She looked through her phonebook, it had gotten so much bigger since she had gone on the road. She didn't even know half these people. She sighed and kept scrolling until she reached Quinn James. Alex sighed, she hadn't spoken to Quinn and months, she didn't even know if she was awake, but she decided to call her anyway. If anyone was gonna help her make the right decision, it would be Quinn.

The phone started to ring. It rang six times and went to voice mail. Alex sighed and dialed again. It rang five times and Quinn picked up, "Hello? Who is this?"

"Alex."

"Alex?"

"Yeah, Alex Dupre, don't you remember me?"

Quinn laughed, "Of course! God, I feel like I'm talking to a stranger, how long has it been?"

"Awhile," Alex smiled. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too! I've kind of had my hands full, I feel bad for not calling."

"Oh, no, don't feel bad! I should feel bad. I could have called any time I wanted."

"It's fine. So, how's the tour?"

Alex sighed, "It's great, but... can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

"My tour is almost over... and I was wondering... should I come back to Tree Hill?"

"Yes, absolutely! I mean, if you want to. Why wouldn't you want to?"

She sighed again, "Chase."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well... if you think you can handle being around him, then you should come. If not, don't."

"I don't think I could handle it..."

"Then just do whatever makes you feel comfortable."

Alex took a deep breath, "I need some more time to think about it." She sighed, "Okay, well, I'm just gonna sleep on it and I'll call you in the morning."

"Okay, talk to you later."

Alex was about to hang up until she remembered something, "Wait, one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you heard anyone in Tree Hill saying anything about sending me flowers? Roses?"

Quinn thought about it for a second, "Um... no, not that I can remember. Why?"

"No reason. I just... no reason. Uh, anyway, I gotta go, talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye, Alex! It was nice talking to you!"

Alex smiled, "Nice talking to you, too." Alex ended the call and looked over at the roses on the table. She got up and examined them for just a moment before she knocked the whole vase into the trash bin.

(A/N): Yay! Chapter one! I hope you guys liked it! I'll try to post chapter two as soon as I can! Let me know what ships you would like to be endgame so I know what to write towards! Thanks for reading and please review! :)