.:Chapter Three – Big Time Opening Night:.
A/N: This chapter is long because of all of the song lyrics that I have put into it. I recommend you listen to the songs at the same time they're being sang in the chapter. The part These Walls is from the story before, but they perform the same song in many concerts.
"Ok a couple of quick rules that you guys have before you go out to meet your fans," Kelly stated as she and Julius walked beside the two bands, who were on their way to a separate room of the arena to meet their fans. She scanned her clipboard before nodding. "You can't write anything profane."
"And that goes to you two," Julius added as he lightly flicked Riley and Rhuben on the forehead with his finger. Rhuben stuck out her tongue as Riley waved a hand in the air as if saying that it wasn't important. Julius scoffed and looked at Big Time Rush, who was laughing. "You should have seen what they put on this one kids' poster. They-"
"Hey!" Rhuben interrupted sharply. "It wasn't our fault that that kid was whiny and wouldn't stop asking the same question." She elbowed her sister in the side. "And if she wasn't PMSing at the time, then everything would have been fine."
"Who says I was PMSing?" Riley replied with a grin.
"EWW!" Carlos cried and shoved his fingers in his ears so he wouldn't have to listen to them. "Lalalalalala, I can't hear you!" he shouted, trying to make sure that he wouldn't be able to hear any girl talk.
"Carlos!" James grabbed onto his friends' arms and lowered them down to his sides. "They stopped." He rolled his eyes and brushed his hair out of his face and motioned for Kelly to continue. She shook her head, although she was used to the guys' antics but continued anyway.
"Rule number two," she cleared her throat as she looked at the clipboard again. "Try not to spend more than five minutes with one person because we're on a deadline and we don't want the concert to start late."
"And last but not least-"Julius started to say it but his brothers and sister cut him off, finishing the rule in a robotic tone.
"No signing intimate parts of a person's body," they said in unison and rolled their eyes, as if they had heard it a million times before.
"Don't look at us," Riley held her hands up defensively as Big Time Rush turned to look at her and Rhuben, who were usually the ones that caused things to have a rule put to it. "We're not that weird." She gave a half smile and pointed her thumb over towards Patrick, Noah, and Sydney. "It was those three; they're just too cute for their own good."
"No one ever said that that was a bad thing," Patrick replied teasingly as he put his arm around Riley's shoulders.
"It is when things get too indecent," Julius interrupted with a short laugh. "Kelly and I have to check on everything else, but have a good meet and greet guys."
"Yeah and you four," Kelly turned a narrowed gaze towards the guys. "When your meet and greet is done, you need to hurry up back to the dressing room so we can go over the set list, work on your vocals, and get your makeup done." She turned and fully glared at Carlos, who gave a sheepish smile and a finger-wave. "Especially you, Carlos, we're on a tight deadline."
"Got it." Carlos replied with a series of quick nods. "Yep. Got it."
"Did you get into candy again?" Logan asked as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He planted his hands on his hips. "Let me see your hands." He pulled Carlos' hands out of his pockets and inspected them. "Hmm," he checked Carlos' hands carefully. "Nothing." He took a step back and tapped his chin before snapping his fingers. "Open your mouth." Carlos did so and an evil glint appeared in his eye as he took a deep breath and then blew it out forcefully, causing Logan's eyes to water.
"Yegh," Logan coughed as he fanned the air in front of his face, making faces to show how bad Carlos' breath actually smelled. "When was the last time you brushed your teeth?" He held his breath as he waited for an answer.
"I don't know," Carlos shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "The last time I went to the dentist." Logan's eyes widened and Carlos looked back at him casually.
"That was months ago!" Logan looked completely appalled. "Ugh," he pinched his nose shut with his fingers. "How can Stephanie stand to kiss you?"
"I don't know," Carlos repeated, but this time smiled impishly. "'Cause she can't resist me?" He smirked and rapidly raised and lowered his eyes to add emphasis to the statement that he had just said. James and Kendall laughed as Logan looked immensely annoyed.
"You-"
"Logan," Rhuben interrupted and wound her arm through his, smiling sweetly. (He should have been had red flags going up at that moment, as Rhuben, or any of the Jacksons for that matter, only smile sweetly when they're up to something.) "Have I ever told you that your worrying about things like this is hot?"
"No," Logan beamed as he turned from Carlos and wrapped his arms around her, smiling down at her. "Why?"
"Just making sure I didn't," she replied and patted his stomach, ducking out from under his arm at the same time. "Or I would have been crazy."
"Ooh, burn." Noah stated as he smirked ay Logan's embarrassment. "Don't worry about it now," he added seriously as he stretched his arms over his head. "You have a show to open for." His smirk came back when he saw how nervous Big Time Rush suddenly became. "Don't be worried, just put your mind into the meet and greet and then the show. One thing at a time," he started to clap for emphasis. "Put your minds to it, and you'll be fine."
"Thanks," Kendall smiled and nodded in reply. He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "Let's get this meet and greet started."
"Good luck guys," Julius gave his brothers and sisters a hug before he and Kelly started to walk away. "Don't forget, only five minutes to a person." He called to everyone and the two bands continued towards the sitting room.
"So, is that really everything that we need to know?" Kendall asked as he matched his stride with Riley, who was talking to Patrick and Sydney, about what they had to do before they went on. "Like, what to do if there's a crazy fan?" he asked jokingly, earning a bout of laughter from his girlfriend.
"There are no crazy fans that we've ever encountered in the US," she replied as she turned her head to look at him. "Pretty much all you have to remember is to smile, not to let on that your hand starts to cramp up after you sign so many things, and give small talk."
"That's a lot," Kendall commented as he ran his hands through is hair nervously. "Anything else?"
"Yeah," Riley smirked as she stood on her tip-toes and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "You're mine and no one else's."
"She gets jealous." Patrick stage-whispered and laughed as he danced away from Riley's outstretched hand, where she was going to hit Patrick on the back of his head. He stuck his tongue out and took a running jump, landing on Noah's back. Noah easily adapted to the weight that suddenly landed on him and moved his arms under his twin brother's legs and held him up.
Kendall laughed at the two of them before addressing Riley. "I was already aware of that," Kendall replied and kissed his girlfriend on the side of the head. "But thanks for the reminder." He smiled at her again before smiling and waving towards the crowd of girls, and guys, that were lined up and patiently waiting for the two bands so they could start the meet and greet.
Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan waved towards their fans and tried to avert their gazes so they could keep from getting blinded by the camera flashing and sat down at the table that was set up for them, grabbing the felt tip markers that were set up for them.
"This is it guys," James was literally bouncing in his seat as a stage hand for the concert came up to the line and announced to the room the rules that they had about the meet and greet. (Pretty much the same rules that Kelly and Julius told had told the bands a few minutes ago. "The big time! Our first meet and greet! I can't wait!"
"If you're this excited when we're just opening for our friends, I can't wait to see how you'll be when we go on our first very big headlining tour." Logan commented sarcastically and then laughed when James shot an offended glare over at him. "I'm just kidding, dude." He punched his friend on the arm. "I'm almost as psyched as you are."
"Almost being the keyword there," Kendall agreed as he rolled his eyes. "Because we all know that James would keep trying to prove that he's the one that's the most excited out of all of us."
"You know it," James replied and then clenched his hands into fists to keep them from shaking out of excitement. "I've been dreaming of this moment ever since I wanted to become a famous singer-model-actor."
"Oh, so you mean the two minutes after you were born?" Carlos joked in reply and the four of them laughed as a young girl and her mother walked up to the table. "Hi there, cutie." He grinned at the little girl that was by her mother's side. "How are you today?" The girl made a whining sound and moved behind her mother's back.
"Oh she's a little shy," the mother smiled towards the four boys, who smiled politely in reply, and placed a poster onto the table. "Could you please sign this for her?" He gently pushed her daughter forward. "Don't be shy, dear."
"Oh it's no problem at all," Carlos smiled sweetly and grabbed the poster and uncapped his marker. "What's your name, cutie?"
"Amy." The girl replied quietly, still hiding behind her mother's skirt. Carlos smiled and signed the poster before moving it over to James, who signed it with flourish. As the poster kept getting passed down, Amy edged out from behind her mother's skirt, still looking a little shy. By the time Kendall had finished signing the poster, she was smiling widely, bouncing up and down on her tiptoes as he handed the poster back to her.
"There you go," Kendall smiled warmly as the girl grabbed the poster and hugged it to her chest, rocking back and forth.
"Thank you," the woman stated and grabbed Amy's hand and led her away from the table. Before anyone could comment on her, the next fan came up to the table and shoved stuffed bears into their hands before giving them a poster and a CD to sign. They stared; eyes and mouths wide open as the girl started squealing uncontrollably, and sounding like she was hyperventilating.
"You guys are so awesome!" she squealed, bouncing up and down on her toes. "My name is Sally and I love you guys so much!" She moved close to the table and the guys immediately backed up into their personal space. "I have all of your posters in my room!" She slapped a poster over to Carlos and he quickly started to write his name on it. "Even just little pictures of you in corners of magazines, I have them in my room! I love you so much!" Her eyes widened and she started to breathe erratically.
"You're not going to blow up are you?" James asked as he shielded his face, just in case. "Because I just got clean clothes and-"Logan slapped a hand over James' mouth to get him to stop talking.
"James shut up," Logan hissed, elbowing his friend in the side before noticing that she had pulled a small capsule out of her bag and had it in her mouth. "She has asthma stupid!"
"Sorry!" James hissed back and quickly signed the poster before giving it to Logan. "But none of the Jacksons act like that and they have asthma! How was I supposed to know?"
"Here you go, Sally." Kendall hesitantly gave the girl her poster and he cried out and pulled his hand back as she grabbed it as if she was a piranha.
"Oh my god, you said my name!" Sally's eyes were so wide they looked like they could be the size of dinner plates. At that moment, Kendall felt that he wanted to dive under the table for cover and he could tell from his best friends' expressions, they felt the same way. "I love you!"
The boys backed their chairs up as far as they could and huddled together in fear as Sally tried to dive across the table and hug at least one of them. One of the security guards that were on standby quickly moved forward and picked the girl up as if she was a feather and walked away with her still yelling 'I love you' to the guys as she was taken away.
The other fans after her were relatively normal (and sane as Carlos put it.) There were just as many guys as there were girls and because Logan was so smart, it was most likely because they wanted to get autographs from Riley and Rhuben, as well as their opening band. They signed a lot of t-shirts, posters, and CDs as well as receiving many gifts. They got gift baskets, stuffed animals, fan letters, food, bracelets, even shoes. Anything that you could think of getting as a gift, they were given. And then there were the photos. Flash after flash after flash went off into the boys' faces and they were smiling so hard that they were surprised that their cheeks hadn't gotten stuck in the position that they held it in. And even though they were still having so much fun, especially with the adrenaline rush that they were feeling as the time for the concert to start was getting closer and closer, Carlos wasn't as happy as he could be.
'Get a grip Carlos,' he scolded himself as he continued to sign autographs and smiled for pictures. 'All of these fans are here for you and for your friends, don't go getting so emotional over it' he tried to boost up his morale, but he knew deep down that it wasn't working. He could still see it as pictures were being taken, there were the people that wanted all four of them to be in the picture and then there were the ones that people wanted individually. He couldn't help but notice that his friends got asked for more solo pictures than he did.
And even though he had just talked to Stephanie about not worrying what other people, besides her, thought. It still hurt. And Carlos could tell that from the way that his friends were carrying on with the meet and greet, that they didn't notice that he wasn't smiling as hard. And that the smile wasn't reaching his eyes as usual. And that he wasn't signing each autograph with as much gusto or excitement that he had at the start of it. Sure, all of the guys were getting tired, but Carlos was acting differently.
And…it was as if they didn't notice…
'Of course they don't notice' Carlos thought as he continued to sign things, almost as if on auto-pilot. 'They're so busy trying to keep our fans happy that they aren't worrying about me.' Carlos gave a little shake of his head and then smiled as hard as he could without it hurting as he took the next CD and gift. 'Just suck it up for the fans, Carlos. Things will get better.'
The boys continued to sign things until the line dwindled down and there was no one left. They didn't get a chance to stop and stretch before Gustavo had grabbed them and hauled them into the makeup room, where they got make up put on as Gustavo and Kelly ran back and forth with different clothing options for them to wear for their show. And while that was going on, they were working on their vocals.
"Wow, you guys are working really hard here," Mrs. Knight commented with a laugh as she walked into the room with Katie, Stephanie, Camille, WayneWayne, and Jo trailing along behind her. They all had VIP passes around their necks. "We're not interrupting are we?"
"YES, YOU ARE!" Gustavo shouted. He wasn't shouting because he could and he wasn't shouting because he was mad, he was shouting because he was afraid that the guys would be late for opening night, and that was not going to happen on his watch.
"No, you're not." Kelly replied with a sharp look towards Gustavo. One eyebrow raise from Kelly said everything that needed to be said, it wasn't different in this case.
"What's up mom?" Kendall's eyebrows furrowed together as he looked at his mother in the mirror that he was sitting at as his hair was brushed by a hair dresser. Mrs. Knight hesitated, her hand partly in her purse. She had a look in her eyes as if she didn't want to say something.
And that was definitely true, earlier that day she had gotten something in the mail that caused her blood to run cold and her entire body to freeze. But she put it away into her purse without a second thought, wanting to find some time to think about what it could say. And she knew that Kendall was perceptive, he always was, and most likely always will be. But she wasn't sure if that was such a good thing now. If she told him what was going on, he would be bummed before the tour even officially started and she didn't want that. She didn't want that for Katie either, who was really excited to see her brother perform for something so big.
"Nothing," Mrs. Knight smiled and walked over to her son and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm just proud of my baby."
"Thanks mom," Kendall replied with a smile, although he was blushing at the pet name. She smiled in reply and moved across the room to talk to Gustavo and Kelly.
"What's bothering you, girl?" Kelly asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. Mrs. Knight gave a small smile and shook her head. "Don't even think of denying that anything is wrong, I can tell." She turned and pointed towards Gustavo, who was messing with something on his phone. "Like, I know that Gustavo here, who's supposed to be on a diet, has been sneaking down in the middle of the night for some chicken."
"How could you possibly know that?" Gustavo asked, looking shocked and scared at the same time.
"I've got my ways," Kelly replied before turning back to Mrs. Knight and gently rubbing her arm. "Are you sure you're ok, Kacy? Do you want to talk about it?"
"And ruin the guys' big night?" Mrs. Knight shook her head as she turned to look at her son and his friends, who were huddled around each other, talking about the upcoming show and what they should or shouldn't wear. She was smiling gently as she turned back to Kelly and Gustavo, who was now looking at her in concern. "No, it can wait."
"If you're sure," Kelly replied with a smile and then winced, slapping her hands over her ears as the door to the dressing room opened and Gustavo started to yell.
"HEY, YOU FIVE, OUT!" He shouted, pointing at the Jacksons, who ignored him completely. Kelly and Gustavo (even though he wouldn't admit it) liked that about them, they didn't care that Gustavo would shout and scream at them, they were used to it, and so they ignored him. But from a conversation that Ronan had with Kelly, the five of them thought of Gustavo like a crazy uncle, someone who was weird, but cool to hang out with too. "What, do they not hear me?"
"We've never listened to what you had to say," Sydney replied and smiled as he grabbed onto the arm of Carlos' chair and twirled it around. "So why start now?" His smiled grew wider as Gustavo looked flabbergasted.
"Anyway," Noah got his friends attention. "We just wanted to say break a leg before you guys go on." He smiled gently. "We hope that you guys have a good run tonight?"
"What, are you too afraid to say good luck?" Katie asked and then raised an eyebrow as Big Time Rush, Jo, and Camille gasped loudly, covering their hands over their mouths. "What?" she looked annoyed and glanced over at Stephanie, who shrugged.
"Don't look at me," she raised her video camera. "I'm the one that stands behind the camera."
"Saying good luck before you go on stage gives someone bad luck" Jo replied and then threw her arms into the air. "Now you've pretty much doomed everybody into a bad concert."
"Cool." Katie smiled in excitement as she turned back to the Jacksons.
"Nah, not really," Patrick replied as he looked at his friends as if he was crazy. "We just like saying it because it's a joke towards me," he rolled his eyes as he gestured to himself. "Because one time we said 'break a leg' before we went onstage, I tripped…and broke a leg."
"Now we say that instead of good luck." Rhuben concluded. "Kind of stupid and weird, but," she wrapped an arm around Sydney's neck and pulled him towards her, both of them smiling with their teeth showing. "But you love us anyway."
"Not that we have a choice." James agreed and laughed as Riley reached over and punched him on the arm. "Kidding." He stated as he held his hands up defensively before rubbing his arm where she had punched him. "I'm kidding."
"I'm sure." She replied, although she was smiling herself. "So are you guys ready?" she asked as she looked at her watch.
"Yeah, totally ready!" Logan replied and punched the air with his fists.
"Cool 'cause you only have two minutes left before you go on and-"
"I'm not ready!" Logan replied his eyes wide as he lowered his arms. "Oh my god, I don't remember the songs that we're doing!" he started to hyperventilate. "I don't remember the dance steps!" His eyes got even bigger. "I don't even know my name!" He looked around. "What's my name?" He grabbed Carlos by the shoulders and started to shake him. "WHAT'S MY NAME?"
"Logan!" Jo, Stephanie, Camille, and Katie shouted in unison.
"Dude, you gotta calm down." WayneWayne added as he moved over to his friend and put an arm around his shoulders, trying to get him to calm down. "Everybody out there loves you and they won't care whether or not you fall…" he trailed off and then looked over at Katie as he started to smile. "But we won't ever let you live it down." He burst out laughing along with Katie and the two high-fived. Camille frowned and grabbed onto WayneWayne's ear, pulling him towards her and away from Katie. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Let go of the ear!"
Camille smiled and nodded when he apologized. She let go of his ear and pulled her purse back up her shoulder. "You guys are going to be really good out there, we know it."
"Thanks Camille, that's really helpful." Carlos smiled warmly.
"Yeah, it's so sweet." Gustavo replied sarcastically and then looked at his watch. "But you're going on now!" He grabbed the boys out of their chairs and started to push them out of the room. "Say goodbye to your friends, and go out and DON'T SCREW UP!"
He flung open the door to the dressing room just as Julius was going to open it to tell them that they only had thirty seconds to get onstage. But because Gustavo had flung open the door at the same time, it hit Julius in the forehead, causing him to stumble backwards into the wall opposite of the door. He looked up at Gustavo as he passed with the boys and then looked into the dressing room, where Kelly, Mrs. Knight, his brothers and sisters, Camille, WayneWayne, Stephanie, Jo, and Katie were all leaning over and staring at him.
"That's gotta hurt." Patrick winced as he shook his head back and forth.
"Are you ok?" Sydney asked worriedly as a red spot rapidly started to form on his eldest brother's forehead. "That looks liked it really hurt." He moved forward and peered at Julius' forehead,reaching out to touch the spot, but Julius pushed his hand away.
"Nothing that I'm not used to from you guys," Julius replied as he pulled himself to his feet, brushing off his clothes. He winced as he lightly touched his forehead. "But I could use some ice." He pulled his hand away, sucking in a deep breath, looking like he was about to cry from the pain.
"I'll go get some for you," Mrs. Knight said as she hurried over to him and grabbed his arm. "I want to make sure that you don't pass out or anything." She started to lead him away, but Kelly's voice caused them to stop.
"It's better if I take him," Kelly interrupted, shaking her head as she left the dressing room. "That way you can make it to your seat before the boys go on." She explained and briefly let go of his arm to make sure that he wasn't going to fall down.
"Good idea," Julius agreed and turned to his brothers and sisters. "You guys are on in half an hour; you should start working on your vocals." He explained and they nodded in reply, showing that they weren't going to make fun of him or anything, like they usually would. It was almost showtime and they knew that it was time for them to get serious..
"Got it," Rhuben gave him thumbs up and then turned to her friends. "Hey, you guys better go get to your seats, we'll see you after the show." She gave each of them a quick hug before leaving the dressing room.
"Good luck," Katie said to Noah, smiling nervously. Noah smiled back at her as he swiveled his head to the side (much like James does) to get his hair out of his face. "Hope you have a good show." she added sweetly.
"Thanks," He crossed his arms over his chest. "Although I don't need it, we always have a good show." He smiled, showing his teeth. Katie looked at him as if he was crazy.
"So how is it that you can act like you own the world when you're going on stage?" She asked slowly, looking suspicious. "But then be extremely shy when you're not."
"Because I don't actually have to talk to people when I'm on stage," Noah replied as if it was obvious, and then his smile faded. "But seriously, thanks. It helps a lot." He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, causing her to smile and blush, ignoring the girls' stares at her. "I'll see you after the show, yeah?"
"C'mon lover boy!" Patrick grabbed his twin's arm and dragged him out of the room with his brother and sisters as the girls, Mrs. Knight, and WayneWayne hurried to their seats. Just as they got to the VIP section, along with some other fans that had bought the VIP package, the lights dimmed and girls started to scream as Kendall, Carlos, James, and Logan walked out on stage, looking more calm and collected than they had just been before.
"What's up San Diego?" Logan asked into his microphone, grinning at the screaming that he got in reply. "How are you doing tonight?"
"We're so glad to be able to open for our friends the DarkElements tonight," James added as he walked towards the front of the stage that had a built in catwalk that the Jacksons had specifically asked for. "And we're so glad to be able to perform for you guys tonight."
"The first song that we're going to start with is the song that helped us make it big and helped us realize that when you have the opportunity, you should follow what you believe in, big time." Carlos added with a laugh.
"This song is Big Time Rush," Kendall said into his microphone as James moved back with his friends to fall into the formation that the four of them were used to. The four of them split across the stage, two and two, as the backup band started to play the beat to their song.
"Make it count, play it straight, don't look back, don't hesitate." Kendall sang as he moved to the front of the stage with James as Carlos and Logan walked back and forth across the stage, clapping their hands to the beat, encouraging the audience to do the same.
"When you go big time" James sang as the four voices came together. "What you want, what you feel, never quit, and make it real." He pulled his microphone away from his mouth and danced a little bit before bring it back to his mouth again. "When you roll big time."
"Hey, hey, listen to your heart now" Kendall sang and then pointed over at James.
"Hey, hey, don't you feel the rush?" James sang back.
"Hey, hey, better take your shot now. Oh, oh, oh, oh." The four boys moved back together as they started the dance moves for the chorus. "Go on shake it up, what you gotta lose? Go and make your luck with the life you choose. If you want it all, lay it on the line. It's the only life you got, so you gotta live it big time."
The audience screamed as Logan handed Carlos his microphone, ran forward, and did a series of front flips across the stage. He landed cleanly and grinned as he hurried over to Carlos and grabbed his microphone again as the two of them moved towards the front of the stage. Kendall and James were also at the front, but they were bending down and touching their fans' hands.
"Step it up, getting gear, Go for broke, make it clear." Logan sang, the biggest smile that he had ever had on his face. He winked towards the crowd and smiled when three girls practically fainted on the spot. "Gotta go big time."
"Make it work, get it right, Change the world over night." Carlos sang, bouncing on his toes, he looked over towards the VIP section and waved at Stephanie, who grinned and waved back, swaying back and forth and clapping along with the beat of the song. All of the girls, including Mrs. Knight were dancing along with her; WayneWayne looked a little uncomfortable as he bobbed his head to the beat. "Gotta dream big time."
"Hey, hey, give it all you got now" Kendall sang into his microphone as the four of them grouped together again.
"Hey, hey, isn't it a rush?" James sang as he turned a questioning look towards his friends, laughing as well.
"Hey, hey, finish what you start now" Logan sang back. "Oh, oh, oh, oh"
As the boys moved through the chorus, they mentally got ready for the hardest part of the song. The footwork and the timing is that why where having the most trouble with for the past few days of rehearsal and even though they got it nearly perfect in the rehearsal that morning, they were afraid that they were going to somehow mess up.
"Look around, everyone is shining now, it's brighter somehow." Kendall sang as he moved into his position, looking over at his friends.
"Look around, nothing's really as it seems, nothing but dreams." James backed away from his friends, tucking his microphone into the waist band of his belt.
"You and I, gonna make a brand new sound, like we own this town." Logan sang and then moved next to Kendall, waiting for Carlos.
"We can fly," Carlos sang and then moved next to James, closing his eyes as the three moved into a step ladder shape. "Now our feet are off the ground and never look down." He, Kendall, and Logan sang as James took a running start, ran up their backs, and flipped off of Kendall's back, doing a butterfly twist. They had had trouble with that all day and now it was time to see if it was going to work.
Carlos' eyes flew open when he heard the screams of the crowd and he turned and saw James pulling his microphone out of the waistband of his pants, smiling as Kendall and Logan clapped him on the back as they moved by him. He made it, he seriously made it. Carlos could scarcely believe it, but knew he had to move quick before the rest of the song got messed up.
"Welcome to the big time" Carlos sang as he, Kendall, and Logan waved their hands back and forth over their head.
"All the pretty people seen walkin' in the sunshine" Logan sang.
"Welcome to the good times" Kendall sang.
"Life will never be the same" James sang as he tiled his head back, holding out the note, squeezing his eyes shut at the same time.
"Go on shake it up, what you gotta lose? Go and make your luck with the life you choose" The four boys moved to the front of the cat walk and bent down low as they sang to their fans, grabbing onto a few people's hands and blowing kisses as they did so. "If you want it all, lay it on the line, It's the only life you got, so you,"
"Gotta live it big time." Kendall sang as the backup band stopped playing the song, to put more emphasis on the line. The four boys hurried back the main part of the stage.
"If you want it all, lay it on the line. It's the only life you got, so you gotta live it big time." James and Logan finished the song with a simultaneous back flip, causing the audience to go wild.
"Thank you!" Carlos called, wiping sweat off of his forehead as they gave themselves a few minutes to catch their breath. The cheering was deafening and their blood was already pumping like crazy. "Thank you so much, we're glad you enjoyed it!"
"We know that you're going to enjoy this next one too, this is Any Kind of Guy." James announced.
We're halfway there, we're looking good now
Nothing's gonna get in the way
We're halfway there and looking back now
I'd never thought that I'd ever say
We're halfway there, we're halfway there
(Oh, we're halfway there, halfway there )
Oh, we're halfway there, halfway there
Oh, we're halfway there, halfway there
"Thank you!" Logan called into his microphone. He was exhausted to say the least. They had performed Big Time Rush, Any Kind of Guy, Famous, The City Is Ours, Shot in the Dark, and Halfway There, and now it was time to turn it over to the DarkElements. "You guys have been really great tonight!"
"But now it's time for what you really came here for," Carlos added and then paused, looking a little horrified. "Not that you didn't' want to come and see us. Who wouldn't want to see us?" His eyes widened. "Not that you don't want to see us either-"
"They get it, Carlos," Kendall smiled as he put an arm around Carlos' shoulders and pulled him into his side. "Just calm down, dude, we're done, we can relax." He turned towards the audience. "You guys liked us, right?" he smiled when he heard the scream as a reaction. "That's what I thought."
"Now, without further adieu, we'd like to help you in welcoming our friends to the stage." James took over. "Give it up for the DarkElements!" The four boys hurried offstage as the lights dimmed and the screaming started again. They quickly talked to Gustavo and then hurried into the VIP section with the rest of their friends.
"You were great." Jo smiled as she threw her arms around James' neck and gave him a kiss. "Simply awesome, as always." She added with a giggle and a bat of her eyes.
"I know, right?" James replied with a grin.
"I can't believe it; my big brother did something without screwing it up for once in his life." Katie stated, smiling smugly as she hugged her brother around the waist. "You did great, Kendall."
"She's right," Mrs. Knight gave her son a kiss on the cheek. "You were amazing, sweetie."
"Thanks guys." Kendall smiled back.
"You did great Carlos," Stephanie hugged her boyfriend tightly and then frowned when she noticed that he didn't hug her back as tightly as he usually did. "What's wrong, Carlos?" she made a face. "You're still upset about the-"
"No, not at all!" Carlos shook his head and kissed her on the lips, smiling as he did so. "I'm just tired, c'mon, let's support our friends." He took her hand and then turned to face the stage as the music started and the Jacksons appeared on stage along with pyrotechnics. When the five of them moved by him, he frowned when he noticed something weird. "Ummm, are their eyes different colors?"
Everybody turned to look, and Carlos was right. Instead of their eyes being blue, Riley's were red, Rhuben's were purple, Patrick's were yellow, and Noah's were gold. Sydney's eyes were still blue, but they were a brighter shade of blue, as they could see from the big screen in the back of the stadium.
"Its colored contacts," Camille explained, shouting over the music. "I've had to use them sometimes for auditions for movies and stuff."
"Something missing left behind. Search in circles. Every time I try." Riley sang as she pushed up the sleeves of her leather jacket, bending down to high-five some of their fans. "I've been here before. I've seen you before." She jogged backwards until she was with her brothers and sisters again, and they broke out into the dance routine for the song.
"I can't escape winding down these halls. Hard to find a place where there are no walls. And no lines begging me to cross. Only straight ahead better move along." They sang the chorus, ending in a five-way back-flip. As the music went on, Patrick and Noah moved to the front of the stage, clapping out a beat, the audience clapping along with them. Sydney and Riley moved towards the sides of the stage as Rhuben walked forward, along with the beat of the song, to stand in between Patrick and Noah.
"Like Clockwork, I commit the crime." She sang as she reached down and touched a few people's hands. I pretend to be everything they like." She turned and pointed towards Logan, smiling a little. He blushed and gave a small wave back. "I've been here before. I've seen you before." She turned and ran towards Noah, grabbing onto the arm that he held out and flipped herself over, landing on her feet. The two then moved to the beat of the song and the Jacksons came together in their new formation: Patrick, Riley, Sydney, Rhuben, and then Noah.
"I can't escape winding down these halls. Hard to find a place where there are no walls." And no lines begging me to cross. Only straight ahead better move along." They sang, dancing across the stage, putting all of their strength and emotion into each dance move, pumping their bodies and hitting each mark as they had practiced earlier that day. "And I trade everything for this. And I trade everything for this. Why do I read the writing on the wall? Why do I read the writing on the wall?"
The Jacksons performed a group back flip and landed easily on their feet, immediately moving into a front flip. Patrick, Noah, and Sydney moved towards the front of the stage as Riley and Rhuben moved to the side, stretching their arms as they went.
"I won't lose my place in line." Patrick sang, breathing heavily, little beads of sweat already gathering on his forehead. "I've been here too long and I've spent too much time." He rolled across the stage, propelling himself with his feet and pointed over to Noah, who took up singing next.
"I won't lose my place in line." He sang, waving to some people in the crowd. "I've been here too long and I've spent too much time."
"Something missing. Left behind." Sydney sang, each breath punctuating the pauses in the song. "Search in circles, every time I try. I've been here before, yeah. I've seen you before."
As the Jacksons started to sing again, Riley and Rhuben ran forward, swung their arms down and did a series of front flips along with the beat of the song as Patrick, Noah, and Sydney slid forward on their knees, getting back on their feet in a kip-up. They meet in the middle and doing a simultaneous cartwheel. "I can't escape winding down these halls." Patrick, Noah, and Sydney sang.
"Hard to find a place where there are no walls." Riley and Rhuben sang, punching the air for emphasis, their hair flying across their faces.
"And no lines begging me to cross. Only straight ahead better move along. And I trade everything for this. And I trade everything for this. Why do I read the writing on the wall? Why do I read the writing on the wall? Why do I read the writing on the wall? Why do I read the writing on the wall?"
They moved to the back of the stage and took their instruments over from the back-up band. Julius and Brittany, who were helping the stage hands, walked out onstage, holding onto stools. They placed two of them in the middle of the stage and moved microphones in front of them and quickly hurried off. Riley and Rhuben, who were holding onto acoustic guitars, walked over and sat down on the stools.
"Thanks for coming you guys," Patrick said into his microphone, wiping sweat off of his forehead. "And welcome to our Don't Stop Believing tour. We're going to be traveling all over the US and back home in Australia."
"We really hope that you have so much fun with us tonight because we're hoping to make this the best night of your lives." Sydney added.
"I bet you've noticed our new look," Noah added as he adjusted his seat for the drum set he was sitting behind. "Well, our managers and music producers, our dad and Julius, had noticed that you guys have liked our old, darker sound more," he took a breath and made a face. "We didn't really like the idea because we wanted to do our new music, but we compromised and our new CD that was originally going to be completely our new sound is half our darker sound and half our new sound."
"Could you explain a little faster?" Patrick asked impatiently, twirling his hands in the air, motioning for him to move faster.
Noah smiled a little as he took a deep breath and then started speaking. "" Noah turned and smirked as his brother. "Better?" (So we decided to go along with it and change our style to match both sides as well as making our concert hold both types of songs.)
"Much" Patrick replied with a smirk of his own.
"Alright," Rhuben lightly tapped her black acoustic guitar. "So, this song we actually wrote a long, long, time ago," she motioned between her and Riley. "We wrote it back when we left Texas and left our best friend Logan." She motioned to him in the crowd and the twin girls smiled.
"Rhuben and I found the lyrics again, gave it a twist, and it's what it is now," Riley continued to explain as she twirled her guitar pick in her fingers. "So we're dedicating this to him." She cleared her throat and moved closer to the microphone, balancing on the edge of the stool. "This is Shadows and Regrets."
She leaned away from the microphone and counted out the beat of the song before the two girls started playing the rhythm to the song. "I'm back, back in town and everything has changed." Riley lowered her voice to the pitch of the next part of the song. "I feel, feel let down, the faces stay the same." She closed her eyes and continued to sing. "I see, see shadows, of who we used to be. When I drive, drive so slow. Through this memory."
She and Rhuben moved towards the microphones as they sang, the acoustic guitars the only thing accompanying them. "When we were only kids, and we were best of friends, and we hoped for the best, and let go of the rest." Patrick, Noah, and Sydney came in the song as the audience members took out their cell phones and started to sway them back and forth.
Backstage, Gustavo, Kelly, Julius, Ronan, and Brittany were watching, transfixed as they watched the cell phones move back and forth. "This is a powerful song." Brittany commented gently, holding onto Julius' hand.
"Their songs always are." Julius murmured in reply, not taking his eye off of the effect his brothers and sisters had on the audience.
"Hate to admit it man," Gustavo slapped Ronan on the back. "But you did good with these kids," he shook his head, smiling a little. "I only wish that I could get the dogs this disciplined."
"I'll be sure to tell them that." Kelly stated as she rolled her eyes. Ronan laughed and shook his head, before falling silent and letting the song wash over him.
"I heard, heard myself, say things I'd take back." Rhuben sang, moving close to the microphone as Riley sang some parts in the background, their voices sounding the same but different at the same time. "If I could, could retell, and make these stories last." Rhuben took a breath, licked her lips, and started singing again. "I see, see shadows, of who we'll always be." She closed her eyes and sang with emotion filling her voice. "And I drive; drive these roads that made our memories."
Riley and Rhuben started to sing the chorus again. Katie, who was standing with her friends, was sort of annoyed as they were taller than her and she couldn't really see what was going on. James noticed and nudged Kendall in the side, causing him to look over at him. James motioned towards Katie and Kendall looked over at her and caught her gaze. He understood immediately and easily put Katie onto his shoulders so she could see. She smiled as she watched her friends perform; it was always so relaxing watching them. Whatever energy they had, they seemed to be able to give to the audience so easily that they felt whatever emotion that they were putting out.
She looked over at the back of the stage and smiled when she saw homemade videos of Riley, Rhuben, and Logan from when they were 8 to the age that they were now. (She guessed that his mom had sent them some of the videos.) Some images she could hear people laughing at, such as Riley pushing Logan's face in the mud when they were eight. Katie looked over at Logan and saw that he looked embarrassed, but was laughing along with the audience.
"Everything has changed" Riley sang.
"Everything has changed" Patrick echoed, readying his bass guitar for the next part of the song.
"Faces stay the same" Rhuben sang as she looked out at the audience. On stage, the camera guy moved in front of her and her face, along with her purple eyes, was put up on the big screen.
"Faces stay the same" Noah echoed.
"Everything has changed" Riley and Rhuben sang.
"Everything has changed" Sydney sang as the big screen in the background turned to a wide shot of all five of them.
"Faces stay the same" Riley and Rhuben sang in unison, holding out the last note as they moved into the rest of the song. "When we were only kids. And our time couldn't end. And how tall did we stand? With the world in our hands."
She turned to Rhuben and the two of them nodded in unison before all five of them started to play their instruments and sing in unison, their voices harmonizing easily. "And we were only kids, and we were best of friends, and we hoped for the best, and let go of the rest. Shadows and regrets. We let go of the rest. Shadows and Regrets. We let go of the rest."
"Thank You" Riley said into her microphone before the stage went dark and all of them got up and moved backstage.
"That was a really good song." WayneWayne commented as he ran his fingers through his hair. "You could really feel the power and emotion in it."
"Yeah, that's what they're really good at." Mrs. Knight broke into the conversation, causing everyone to turn to her. "Ronan has been talking about them a lot lately, how proud he is. He says that when they're performing and when they're writings songs, it's them giving a piece of themselves to their fans, to give back for everything that their fans have done." She took a deep breath, looking like she was going to cry. "Pretty much, exposing themselves for the world to see them as real people, so they can get over their problems with their fans' help."
"Mom, are you ok?" Katie asked as Kendall dropped her form his shoulders. She moved forward to give her mom a hug, but she backed away.
"Mom?" Kendall looked concerned.
"I have to go to the bathroom," Mrs. Knight stated as she dropped her purse onto her seat. "Really, I'm fine." With that, she turned and quickly walked away.
"Mom!" Kendall shouted after her, but his words got drown out by the music starting up again.
The concert lasted for about two hours as the Jacksons spent time talking to fans, bringing some people up on stage to perform with them, singing to a few fans, reading fan mail, answering questions, ordering a pizza on stage (courtesy of Patrick who wanted to see which company would get there faster), looking at Twitter on the big screen, calling some fans to say 'hi' and just talking normally in between songs. They went through The Kill, Still Frame, One Step Closer, Don't Stay, Somewhere I belong, and Numb for their darker songs before going into Eeenie Meenie, Sundown, All Downhill From Here, Way Away, View From Heaven, and California for their happier, upbeat songs. (Most of them Big Time Rush and their friends were surprised that they were able to make up dance routines for rock songs.)
"Alright everybody," Patrick said into his microphone, looking around at the audience, his now yellow eyes piercing. "It's the last song!" He smiled at the boos. "I know, I know, but we have to get Syd to bed eventually."
"It's not my fault I'm a growing boy," Sydney shrugged from behind his piano, grinning.
"We always do this song to close our shows," Rhuben said into her microphone, standing up behind her drum set. "It's the very first song that the five of us had ever written together and it's our very first single ever. Plus side it went straight to number one."
"This is It's Been A Summer." Noah called and then nodded and grinned as Riley started to play the opening chords of the song, Rhuben playing the drums in the background. As the opening progressed, Noah came in with his electric guitar before all five of them were playing at once.
"I'm cracked from my head down to my spine," Riley sang as she grabbed onto the microphone, pressing her mouth against the microphone in front of her as Noah continued to play the rhythm of the song. "Ready to Self-Destruct at any time." She flicked her head, moving her hair out of her face as she started to sing again, Patrick singing with her. "And I'm trying to convince myself that the way I feel is all I have." Patrick smiled as he backed away from the microphone and continued to jump around the stage like he always did when he played the bass. "It could take a lifetime to realize that you're alright."
"But she said, 'I'd know when you would come back'. It's been a summer." Patrick sang and the Jacksons started to sing in unison, pyrotechnics and flashing lights going off at the same time.
"It's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you." The five of them sang with huge smiles on their faces as they tried to play with as much enthusiasm as they could. "Now it's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you."
"Without you" Sydney sang and they played a short instrumental before Rhuben started to sing.
"I would try to fix these flaws of mine," she sang, bouncing along with the drum beat that she was playing. "If I could just see you for one more time. Ready to self-destruct at any time." Noah came in with her on the next part. "And I'm trying to convince myself that the way I feel is all I have. I don't believe in sure things. There's pain in what the truth brings."
"But she said, 'I'd know when you would come back'. It's been a summer." Noah sang and they all came into the chorus again.
"It's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you. Now it's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you."
"I'd be the first one to know" Riley sang into her headmics as she, Noah, Patrick, and Sydney started to jump up and down to the beat of the song.
"If it's smart for me to just let it go" Rhuben sang, smiling widely.
"I'll be the laughing stock of all time." Patrick sang, smiling over at Noah.
"Person most likely to find." Noah added before pointing over to Sydney.
"Deciding if its fate that made you avoid me to this day." He sang and then took over the next part. "I'd know when you would come back'. It's been a summer."
Riley, Patrick, and Noah moved to the same microphone as all five of them sang the chorus one more time. "It's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you. Now it's burning up in here, even though the bed is cold on your side. I'd rather die than spend this night here without you. Without You"
"Thanks everyone, take care!" Noah waved to the crowd. The Jacksons moved out from behind their instruments and set them on the stage as the backup band continued to play the song. All five of them headed down the catwalk, and when they got to the end, then grabbed hands and did a five-way bow before blowing kisses and waving to their fans as they hurried offstage.
It was a great opening night, and they could only hope that the rest of the tour could go as well.
"You guys did such an AMAZING job for your first night!" Ronan cried when everyone was in Big Time Rush's suite later that night after the concert. They were celebrating the first night with a lot of chips and soda and just hanging out with each other. As well as Sydney updating Big Time Rush's and the DarkElements' websites about the concert. "I really mean it, Gustavo too."
"Yeah, well, I…" Gustavo trailed off and started to mumble as he looked at his fingernails.
"What Gustavo means is that we're all proud of you for your first night." Brittany spoke up with a grin and started to applaud, getting everyone else to join in. "The rest of this night is all about you guys." She turned to the Jacksons. "Just make sure that you're in bed at an early hour 'because you have to go to the gym before rehearsal tomorrow."
"Wow, you're already sounding like you're married to Julius." Rhuben commented dryly from where she was sitting with Logan on the floor, her head resting in his lap.
"Haha" Julius replied and rolled his eyes.
"Seriously guys, get some sleep soon, alright," Kelly looked at everyone in the room seriously before leaving along with Gustavo, Julius, and Brittany.
"Are you ok, Kacy?" Ronan asked, hesitating at the doorway to the suite. Mrs. Knight looked over at him, with a raised eyebrow. "You've been kind of out of it for a while, and Kelly mentioned that something was bothering you." He watched as Mrs. Knight smiled gently and shook her head, her red hair falling over her shoulders.
"No, I'm fine." She replied convincingly. "Just a little tired."
Ronan didn't believe that for a second, after watching how the Jacksons had dealt with all of the lies that they had to face their whole lives he could tell when someone was lying over a mile away. Julius had taught him how to do that shortly after he had adopted all of them, and he had to say that it was really coming in handy.
"You're sure?" he asked anyway, not wanting to pry if she didn't want to talk.
"Positive." She replied.
"Alright," he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned back towards the teenagers. "Get some rest soon guys." With that, he left the room and Mrs. Knight ducked into the bathroom.
"So, what do you guys want to do to celebrate your first sold out concert?" Stephanie asked as she slowly moved her video camera around the room, capturing the moment. "I'm open to all suggestions."
"Hmm, let's watch a movie!" Katie suggested after a second of thought. "We can watch Paranormal Activity, they have it on HBO." She added as she picked up the TV channel list and quickly scanned through it.
"Alright," Patrick replied and then looked over at Sydney. "But you're out of here when you get scared."
"I won't get scared." Sydney replied and stuck out his tongue. But he moved over to Rhuben and latched onto her side, causing her to laugh and to pull him onto her lap. Inadvertently making her, Sydney, and Logan looking like a little family. (A/N: I just had to throw that in there. :) "Just in case you get scared." He explained when Rhuben looked down at him.
"Just in case, and for everyone's sanity, we'll leave at least one light on." WayneWayne reassured the small boy as he turned on the lamp by the TV as the other lights started to get turned off.
"Mom, do you want to watch with us?" Kendall asked, noticing that his mom was standing in the bathroom doorway, brushing her teeth. Mrs. Knight shook her head and disappeared back into the bathroom, before the sound of running water was heard. She left the bathroom, remembering to flick off the light, and went to the room that she and Katie were going to share in the suite.
"I'm just going to go to sleep," she replied, not looking at him. "Good night, love you."
"Love you, too." Kendall and Katie replied.
"What's wrong with Mama Knight?" Riley questioned, looking up into Kendall's face, looking concerned. The two were sitting on the couch and he had his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, and her head was resting on his chest, breathing in his scent each time she took a breath.
"I'm not sure," Kendall replied with a heavy sigh. "But I hope I figure it out soon."
A/N/: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I tried to put a little bit of everybody into this chapter as well as humor. This story, I can already say, is going to be longer than the last two, because I'm going to have the major plot lines for Big Time Rush, and then smaller ones for everyone else. So I'm going to try and have plot lines for everyone and some of them are going to start in the next couple of chapters. I'm going to do the best I can with getting everyone done so I hope you bear with me. Thanks for the reviews and keep em' coming! :)
Sorry this chapter took so long, I'm working on other stories as well as college homework, but I try to get them up as soon as possible for you all.
Next chapter has Kiley, Lella, Natie, and Jameo then the one after that has Carphanie, Wamille, Julany, and better looks at Kelly, Gustavo, Ronan, and Mrs. Knight as the story progresses.
-Riley
