Chapter one

1967

It was late in November, just one day after Thanksgiving. A local club was featuring one of the two most popular groups to come from the Malibu beach area for the next two weekends, and this night was the first night they were performing. The band had worked hard on their audition just to bag this gig, having beaten out the competing band by just one deciding vote. There was a rumor going around the club that this band got the winning vote simply because of the pretty red-headed female keyboard player. But whatever the reason for the vote, did not matter to the band. They were just happy that they got the gig over the other band.

The Nuggets had just set up their instruments and headed backstage. Trixie stepped away from the guys in order to gather her thoughts and to relax before they were to go on stage. She heard a soft whistle coming from the wings of the stage, followed by someone whispering her name. When she turned her head she smiled in delight to see who it was.

"Why if it isn't Micky Dolenz!"

"Hey Trix." He grinned "Come here."

Trixie walked over to where he was and wrapped her arms around him "Micky I haven't seen you in a while! What are you doing here?"

"I came to congratulate you and your band on taking this gig away from The Monkees. Oh and, uh, wish you luck."

"Micky!" She giggled "I can't believe it didn't occur to me that you were in The Monkees until now!"

"Small world isn't it?" He smirked

"So what have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you since… well since just before Halloween."

"Oh just the same ol' working hard to maintain the poor starving musician life style with the other guys in the group. So far that's going real well."

"I should say. Have you got any meat on those bones, Micky?"

"Oh like you're one to talk."

"Hey I at least fill out my sweater."

He eyed her up and down, focusing mainly on her chest. "And you do it so well." He smirked, keeping his eyes on her chest a little longer

Trixie placed her hand under Micky's chin, lifting his head up "Just keep your eyes on my face, Mr. Dolenz."

"I was trying! I can't help it if you're so short that my eyes have no choice but to look down." This statement was followed by a playful slap on his cheek, courtesy of Trixie's hand "Ow… What did I say?"

"I'm not short. Your six-foot frame is actually considered tall."

"Six-one."

"Oh well excuse me! Besides you won't fool anyone with that bit."

"Didn't think I would." He shrugged

Trixie looked towards someone else who had called her name before she looked back at Micky.

"I guess I gotta go onstage now. You going to be here for the show?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

"Maybe we could talk afterwards." She grinned

"That would be great. Hey good luck."

"Thank you Micky."

Micky grinned at her before walking away. He walked back to the other side of the stage where the tables were located. From there he sat down and watched as The Nuggets performed. Except for the few minutes he had caught during the audition, this was the first time he had ever seen The Nuggets perform. From what he was seeing he could tell why they were such a strong competition for The Monkees. The singer alone was incredible; belting out the notes of the songs with great ease. The long-haired drummer was a madman on the drums; beating on them like no one's business. The guitar player seemed to be in a world of his own as he went off into extraordinary lead riffs. The bass player almost had a hypnotic effect on the people in the audience and he seemed to ooze sexuality through his bass. And then there was Trixie. As she played the keyboard it was as though the music flowed straight from her fingers. She was far better a keyboard player than any other Micky had ever heard. And the fact that she was incredibly nice to look at was a bonus. Micky found himself with a permanent smile on his face the entire time he watched the band play.

After the show Micky made his way backstage to see Trixie. When he got back there he didn't see her. He asked one of the guys where she was he told him that she had just stepped outside for some fresh air. The moment that Micky walked out the door he saw Trixie standing there staring at the night sky. It was cold outside but Trixie didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. Micky, however, had begun to fight off shivers the moment the cold air had hit him. He went up behind her, not realizing that she didn't notice him there.

"Hey Trix!" He exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders

Right as he did this, she jumped and let out a scream. She then pulled away and turned to look at him.

"Micky!" She hit him on the chest "Don't do that! You scared the shit out of me!"

Micky laughed "Aw come on! You should have known that I was there! I'm not exactly a quiet guy, you know."

"Well I guess I just have my mind on things right now."

"What kind of things?"

She shook her head "I really don't want to…"

Trixie got cut off as another guy called her name. Micky and Trixie both looked behind them at the doorway where the singer stood.

"Who the hell are you talking to?"

Trixie rolled her eyes "Domino he's just a friend. Not like it's any of your business."

"I'll make it my business if I want to, bitch. Now get back in here and stop talking to guys I don't know!"

"I'm not your property, Domino. Go back inside."

Before Domino could say anything else, the guitar player, accompanied by the bass player, had pulled him back inside, closing the door behind them. Micky's eyes narrowed as he frowned at the closed door. He looked at Trixie, still with his frown.

"You actually put up with that bullshit?"

Trixie sighed and then rolled her eyes "He gets on my nerves, he's about as sharp as a marshmallow and he's always trying to control me. But we've been together for the past year."

"Babe you have got to be out of your mind for putting yourself through that for a whole year."

"Yeah well he wasn't always an ass."

"And yet… you're still with him."

She shrugged "He's a good lay."

"Not exactly something I cared to know. But hey, Trix, if you ever need an escape from that asshole, give me a call. I'll be more than happy to help you out."

She reached up and patted him on top of the head with a grin "I'm sure you would, Micky."

Trixie walked away, heading back inside. Micky took a few seconds to take in the natural swing of her backside as she walked away from him. However the moment that she was inside, Micky heard shouts coming from Domino and Trixie. The other three band members also began shouting and making an attempt to stop the fight between Trixie and Domino. Hearing some of the things being shouted between them made Micky's heart sink. He didn't know what to do as he stood there listening. He would have gone in there to break the fight up himself had it not been for the other three guys. Micky stood there staring at the closed door for another minute until he was sure that the fight had been brought to an end. Then, feeling as though there was no reason more for him to be there, Micky quietly turned around and walked to where the car was parked in the parking lot.

When he got in the car he sat there for a few minutes. There was a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that was nagging at him. He felt as though something bad was going to happen but he didn't want to even think about what that something could have been. All this feeling told him was that something was going to happen to Trixie that he wasn't going to be able to control. He sat there for a moment longer just quietly thinking. He thought that he should go back inside and get Trixie. At the same time he knew that it probably was better not to interfere where he really had no clue about the situation at hand. Micky took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before finally driving away from the club. As he drove home he could not shake the feeling that he wanted to rescue Trixie; but rescue her from what exactly he wasn't really sure at the moment.