Chapter 1 Family Bonds
Disclaimer: WWE Superstars belong to the company not me. Also any mention of musical professionals, whether it is a single entertainer or a band are the sole property of their company or entertainer classification. I'm just letting them play in my mental sand box I promise that I will return them when I'm finished... The other names are mine- all mine ^_^
Jonathon heard though industry gossip that Angel's friend had stopped producing her work. He decided that he still wanted her to Join LEGNA whether it be as an artist or not, but this would be his last time to ask her. If she refused or backed out he would not ask again. He and Joshua had a few meetings and Joshua had thrown a few new ideas his way. Jonathon sends a letter to Angel requesting her presence at his new home in Dallas saying he would arrive shortly after she did and that they must talk. She called him upon receiving it and asked what it was about he told her business.
Since he'd given her a key Angel sits in her father's condo in Dallas. Jonathon had not said this was to be a one on one meeting only so Joshua sat on the sofa. Angel looks around. Her father really didn't have a lot of furnishings. She stands and looks at the few pictures he'd put up. He and Gloria his business partner stood together for a promo shot in front of the Ireland LEGNA building. Angel moves on to the picture over the fire place. It was a picture of her as a child sitting on Jonathon in a studio. Joshua walks over and says "wow how old were you there?"
Angel smiles at the picture "I think I was like 3 or 4 my dad must have been getting irritated at the camera man. He's smiling but his eyes were flat he was about to snap."
Jonathon walks in and greets them. "I didn't frame that photo for a shot of myself. For a long time it was the only picture I had of you. When Chase sent me your first letter he placed this picture in it." Jonathan pulls his wallet and shows her a 6th grade photo of herself. Joshua asks can he get a copy for his office saying this was about two years before they first met. Angel tells him no as she pushes the picture back in her father's hand.
"What gives I have other pictures of you in my office." Angel tells him that she wanted a picture of him, she reveals that the only pictures she had of him was ones they'd taken together or his high school senior pic. "Okay, so if I can find you a decent picture of me pre high school can I get a copy of that one?" she agrees with a huge smile on her face. "Wow, it is like trading cards with you. I'm sure I've given you more than just my senior pic." She says no because she would have put it in her photo album. "Babe, that's not a photo album if you're talking about the 7 inch thick binder you have on your entertainment center. It is a history of every person you have ever come in contact with in life." Angel tells him that she only put certain people in her book.
Jonathon says "Angel I've asked you here for two reasons. The first and foremost reason is I apologize for overreacting. I would like for you to not only join LEGNA as a performer but also, I want you to run this business one day so even if you no longer want to be a performer give it some thought don't give me an answer that you feel pressured to give." Angel goes to say something. He puts a finger on her lips "No, snap judgment does not work for us." he moves his finger and looks at the floor shaking his head. "I can't do that again. No matter what your choice is, know this I'll love you as I always have and always will." Jonathon walks to his desk and pulls a contract off of his fax machine. He sighs and hands it to her. "Look it over or have Sophie go over it with you and give me an answer when you're ready." Angel reads the contract puts it on the table and asks him for a pen. Joshua hands her one and she signs the contract. "Welcome to LEGNA"
Angel puts the contract in her father's hands she looks up into his eyes and quietly says "I want this to work. I didn't know how hard it would be not to have it until it wasn't going to be a choice. I won't let you down." Jonathon reaches out a hand to shake hers. Angel shakes his hand then hugs him. He hugs her back. He says he noticed she did not sign Angelic Impression. Angel bites her lip." I've been thinking about this for a while and when it was good, that was great, but I don't want to keep that name. Joshua and a few others have said that I could go solo. It was because of my lead role in Angelic Impression that made everything go wrong. Maybe band lead isn't one of my strong suits and I can't go through that again."
Joshua looks at Angel then meets Jonathon's eyes. "Hey don't go taking my words and twisting them to fit something that has nothing to do with your ability to lead a band. You did it for almost nine years what happened with you and Scott was you trying not hold him back if he had a better deal. How were you supposed to know he was a fucking liar? He needed someone to blame for his fuck ups in life and you were it. If the only reason you want to go solo is because of fear, you won't be happy."
Angel notices the look shared between her father and Joshua she knew they had been having meetings ever since he'd retuned after seeing about his father. He was right again her fear had almost fucked up this chance to work under her father's label and she would not put that look back in her father eyes. This was a second chance all around. "Okay yes I understand what you are saying at least I will be able to screen the band better."
"Aye this time as it says in your contract Joshua or I will be present for interviews. I do have one more suggestion. I did not feel it was appropriate without you being a part of the company. Joshua had a very well thought out plan that I think he should be the one to run it past you because it would involve intellectual property. Joshua?" Angel gives him a look. Jonathon points at Joshua
Joshua rubbed a hand over his face. "Of course this probably sounded better in my head on my way back home on the plane, but here it goes. Just like you wanted someone with name power when you first started it would not hurt Personal Touch to have some of the same. I've did the math and babe as great as Jonathon is about putting bands on the scene his contacts with bigger names has been the back bone of his success. I would not mind going the route we are right now opening for larger names it's the natural order of things but on my way back I felt that I had to at least ask. We sing well together please give it some thought Candy, Deon, and I would love it if you joined Personal Touch." She asked if he had really spoken to the other band members. "I know why you ask and yes, after getting Deon out of his parent's house last week for practice I spoke to them separately. Like I said give it some thought." Angel says she will. "That's all I ask." She asks about his position for a drummer and had he filled it yet saying she'd make up her mind after he had a full band. "Not yet I'm holding auditions tonight at the club. Want to come with?" he notices her hesitation but she tells him sure. The fact that she didn't let her hesitation lead her answer made him smile. Jonathon says he will be present as well. That seems to take some of the nervousness out of her gaze. He leans in and kisses her on the cheek whispering in her ear. "I'm proud of you."
Later that night at the Davenport Joshua, Angel and Jonathon sit in the front row waiting for the auditions to continue. His sound man walks in says in his deep southern tone "The name is Vash Williams" he sits at the drum set and points at Candy she starts one of their usual songs.
Joshua smirks knowing his sound man is just kidding around. He is about to put a stop to it and tell him to get the real next person to audition until Vash starts playing. When the song ends Joshua is so shocked he is speechless. Jonathon stands "Hidden talent you had right here under your nose." He says to Joshua and starts clapping along with the other audition seekers in the audience.
Joshua stands and walks up on stage. "Vash, I had no idea, when did you learn to play like that, man?"
Vash stands up runs his hands through his shoulder length black and greying hair and walks around the drum set. "I used to be in a band that did nothing but ACDC and Guns N' Roses cover songs. It fell apart about 20 years ago we all grew up and I thought I was done with music. I'm around it for 13 hours a day here, so I started practicing again just kidding around. I wasn't going to try out but Candy caught me one night and well you know her. She went cheerleader on my ass and well here I am."
"You think you know someone then they come and mess up your whole perception. Okay you move to level two as you know we have like three other drummers and someone to play lead for me when I am singing." Joshua looks at Angel when he says it and then tells her not to say a word with a big smile on his face.
Angel smirks at him and says "hungry why wait?" He tells her he'll get her later. She just smiles at him and says "Promises. Promises." They call the next few drummers up but only two of the seven that tried made it to Joshua's level 2. Before Joshua has level two he wants to hear from the people that are trying out for lead guitar. A female shreds like there's no tomorrow. Troy Thunder walks out on stage waves at Angel. Angel stands up "I've seen enough I'll be in your office." Troy walks to the edge of the stage as Angel is about to pass to the back hall. She stops walking meets his gaze, turns around and says to Joshua "On second thought I'm leaving will you walk me to my truck?" Angel wasn't going to do this shit again. Troy had told her he loved her. He'd trapped her in the corner she'd freaked out and escaped the trap of his body holding her hands over her head against the wall just to be back handed to the floor.
Joshua looks at Angel then up at Troy. He thought he'd seen the guy before he was her protector against Braden. He looks back at Angel something wasn't right. He walks her to her truck, before she opens the door he leans on it with arms crossed. "So I have heard you tell me how he would try to keep Braden off your ass. What's up? You're leaving, more importantly your running, why?"
Angel tells him about her last meeting with Troy at Ivey Mansion. Joshua looks pissed off. "Joshua I never thought he would lose it, but he did, and I'm not going to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I'm not running, this is me giving him space because if he is going to be your lead when your singing I'm not going to be anywhere near him. He's probably where Scott got the tranquilizer gun from. His looked like a real gun and I thought he was going to shoot us. I ended up shooting him with it." Angel rubs her arms she was shivering. Thinking about the feeling she felt when she'd thought she'd killed Troy with his own gun. Glenn had reassured her that he was just asleep.
Vash walks outside and over to them. "The kid in there he's good not as good as you but with a little training he could come close." Vash shrugs Angel rubs her arms Vash asks her "Are you chilly?"
"I'll be fine once I get in the truck." Joshua gives her a look. "Hear me out please I'm not letting fear guide my future but common sense and not wanting to repeat anything just with a different asshole isn't on my to do list. Troy is a great guitarist but I'm not going down that road again. With Scott he could have had weapons with Troy I know he owns weapons."
Joshua curtly shakes his head no. "What, you think it's that hard of a decision you or him?" Vash tells Joshua if he wanted peace in the valley pick his wife. "You two know me. I'm about 2 seconds from going in there and ripping his face off. Angel, if he says anything to you. I want to know about it." Joshua says through clenched teeth. He turns on Vash "Stay out here with her I need to go take out the trash." Joshua storms back into the club. Vash just shakes his head. Joshua enters the club and walk towards the stage. "Troy Thunder, don't get comfortable." He watches Troy roll his eyes. "Get off my stage and get the hell out of here. I'll only ask you once."
Troy jumps down off the stage in to Joshua's face. Jonathon walks over and tells Troy "There is no win for you here boy-o just walk away." Troy looks up at Jonathon and leaves. "I am going to assume there is no love lost between him and Angel. He is an ex of hers?" Joshua walks over and goes through the audition applications he plucks two and crumples them up throwing them in the trash. He turns back to Jonathon and tells him what Angel had told him about Troy. "She had nothing to fear he would not have made it." Joshua asks how he could be so sure. "Troy is too much of just a cover performer he latches on to a style and will not relinquish it. That can cause issues especially since the person he is imitating works for me. He has no original technique. I like cover bands as you well know but if you had of done a cover the night you auditioned I don't know if I would have taken you seriously. Has Angel left for the evening?"
Outside Angel gets in her truck Troy storms out the door of the Davenport he looks over at her. Vash had got in and sat in the passenger seat. Troy walks towards her truck Angel starts it up. Vash looks at her as she looks back to back out of the space. Meeting her eyes he says "Look kiddo Joshua asked me to stay out here with you. Just stay calm."
Angel looks back at where Troy is "He's stopping at his car maybe he'll just leave" Troy put his guitar in his trunk and walks towards her truck. Angel hits the power windows and rolls them up. Vash gets out of the truck and stands in front of it making himself seen.
Troy flicks his 36 inches of deep brown hair out of his face and ties it in a low ponytail at the back of his head. As he walks over nods at Vash then looks back at Angel through the now rolled up window. He taps on the window. "What are you, her bodyguard?" Vash asks did she need one. "No I just want to talk to her that's it." Vash says it doesn't appear that she wishes to talk to him. Troy pulls his phone and calls her while looking at her. When he stuck his hand near his belt clip to unclasp his phone her eyes widened. He sighs and watches her answer her phone.
Angel hits a button to record the call. "This call is being recorded just so you know." She shows him the huge red light icon on her phone.
"What the hell do you think I'm going to say to you? I guess I deserve this level of trust. Anyway Angel I thought I was applying for your new band but I guess you withdrew the audition."
"I'm not going to sit here and lie to you there is no way in hell I would have selected you."
"Now you're just being mean so what did you tell the band lead in there? He came back in and put me out. I don't mind you not letting me perform with you. I let my feelings for you cloud my judgment and for that I'm sorry but Angel you know I'm good. Do not get me blackballed in this area."
"I sent your name to Scott Stapp from Creed like I promised I'd do. Didn't he contact you? I'm not out to get you I just don't want to work with someone I can't trust. "
"Yeah he did and you know what he told me?" she says no "he told me his offer was to you not me and for me to practice more and he'd think about it. I told him to go fuck himself. The LEGNA guy in there told me to walk away. Did you speak to him as well?" She says no "I believe you. Ok as long as you're not purposely trying to keep me out of the business we don't have an issue."
"Troy the CEO of LEGNA is not a cake walk he isn't dazzled by someone using Slash's old style. What Stapp said makes sense you are a great guitarist and just because you won't be in this band please don't blame me for not getting in there is no guarantee that you would have been selected."
"So your father has a thing against cover bands or just former members of Angelic Impression?"
Angel glares at him through the window and says "That's not fair he gave Scott Anthony a chance and it didn't go very well I'm hanging up now." Angel pushes end and throws her phone on the dash board. Troy steps closer to the truck knocking on the window when he tries to pull it open. Suddenly he is pulled backwards by his hair and slung away from the truck.
Jonathon had walked out to see if Angel was coming back in to listen to round 2 when he saw the drummer that was Joshua's sound man leaving the front of the truck walking towards Troy who was on the phone he walked silently up behind him to find out what was going on. The piss ant was taking pot shots at him for being her father. Troy tries to open Angel's door that was it. He grabbed the punk and slings him away from the truck. "Yes I'm her father and yes I have a problem with sneaky little bitching men pretending they really have fucking talent. To be perfectly honest you would not have been asked back anyway. Cover bands are fine but here is a tip, find a song that you play well and give it some original style that puts you apart from everyone else. Do you know how many times I've have heard that same damn solo over and over again. When you play and you are coming back up to cue you drop off. I can't fix that you need to work on it and I will refer you to another company. When you are ready send me a video of the changes fair enough?" Troy nods his head "If you send me that damn solo I will throw it away. Boy-o, walk away and stay away from my employees." Jonathon says baring his teeth in a ferociously evil grin.
Troy backs towards his car "Thanks that's all I wanted to know if you were making your judgment off of old shit then that's not cool but if my work is shit in this industry these days. I need to work on it. I won't send you the same song I played here tonight." He waves at Angel, gets in his car and drives off.
Vash walks over and tells Jonathon he would have handled the guy. "Of that I'm sure but I didn't want him to think his only issue was something that had to do with Angel and his past altercation. His work just needs too much work. He would not have made it past part 2. We have three shows to put together in two weeks." Jonathon turns to the truck and mouths "Am I invited?" Angel gets out of the truck. "I came out here originally to ask you if you were coming back in to listen to round 2 I thought he had left when I saw that he had not. My partner would say some of my polish slipped off. I'm Sorry if I embarrassed you."
"Dad you didn't embarrass me and yes. I'm just glad you gave him something to focus on besides me he asked me was I trying to get him blackballed from the industry in this area. I even told Joshua that Troy is good but I am not going to work with him I no longer trust him. I'm coming back in to see who lands a spot in Personal Touch."
Inside when Angel, Jonathon, and Vash returns Joshua plays guitar and the point of round two is to see who can keep up with his instruction. Vash volunteers to go last. Joshua stands down stage center and plays the female plays with him Joshua shreds she follows in the same tempo but keeps her signature style intact he plays faster and then slows it down and points at the drummer that was going against Vash The guy was fine but when Joshua told him faster the guy stops and ask why saying the song wasn't that damn fast. Vash drives his hands through his hair and walks up on stage. "Nick the reason doesn't matter but here it is. Joshua ends his songs fast to start the next one in the set so the last few seconds he might have you go faster so the tempo isn't thrown off especially if a faster song is to follow."
Joshua rolls his eyes and starts from the second to last verse the female keeps up and Nick plays faster when cued to do so. Jonathon gave the sign to stop and sighs "It's still a count of three just faster" Nick invites Jonathon to come and play it. Joshua tells him it's not Jonathon's job to play and he'd watch the tone if he were smart. "Stand to the side boy-o." Joshua tells him he has nothing to prove. Jonathon walks up on stage puts out his hand Nick passes the drum sticks to him. "I don't play I produce those that can." Jonathon hands the sticks to Vash. "Joshua, play your promo song Vash here will keep up correct?" By the end of the night Personal Touch had three new members Angel as second vocalist, Vash as the new drummer and Vivian Arrow as the new lead guitarist when Joshua was singing.
Authors Note: Happy reading please read, and review. End Note