"Ya did WHAT, mate?" Chop gave Finn an incredulous look. "Yer gonna make the rest of us look bad." He glanced over from the bar to their regular table, where Izzy and Rae were deep in conversation, wearing those gushy faces girls got when a bloke did something romantic.

Finn grinned sheepishly and looked down at his pint. "It weren't that big a deal; I jus' thought Rae needed some cheerin' up."

"I'd say ya succeeded." Chop picked up his drinks, nodding "cheers" to the barman. "So, can Raemundo wail on the guitar yet?"

"Not after one lesson, ya twat." He sat down next to Rae, and Chop settled in beside Izzy. The girls had clammed up when they saw the lads coming back to the table.

"So he was ACTUALLY stood outside in the street singin'?" Izzy whispered incredulously.

"Yeah, it was embarrassin' and amazin' all at the same time." Rae grinned; it was clear that she didn't mind the embarrassment. "But probably the best part was when he gave me the guitar. I mean, I've always kind of wanted one, but I never told anyone. It's like he just … knew." She glanced at the bar to see the lads walking back. "Ey, clam up. I don't want his head gettin' any bigger than it already is."

To change the subject, she turned in her seat to admire the flyers Izzy had made for the band's gig. "Much better than those ones tryna be punk with the cut out letters. Looks almost professional!"

Chop and Finn nodded in agreement while Izzy beamed with pride.

Chop took a gulp of his lager and said, "Jus' hope our name isn't one of those whatdyacallits. Self-fulfillin' thingies."

Rae supplied the word he was searching for. "Prophecies? Yeah, I hope not, too." The quartet shared a thoughtful silence before returning to their drinks.

On the Tuesday before their first gig, Rae was early to her session with Kester. She'd brought her guitar with her, because she was taking it everywhere with her. She didn't want to let it out of her sight. It was a physical manifestation of how Finn felt about her that she could look at and touch. If he'd known it would have this sort of effect on her, he probably would have gotten her one the day after her mum's reception.

When Kester came in the office, he looked surprised to see her there ahead of him. He smiled as he put down his briefcase. He then clocked the guitar case, and nodded. "New?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah. Finn got it for me." Rae looked down, smiling at the memory.

"That was nice of him," Kester said, realizing how lame that sounded as he finished.

Rae just nodded.

Kester gazed over at Rae, waiting for her to make eye contact. "So, last time, you expressed some fears that Finn might be, what was your phrase?"

Rae cleared her throat. "Yeah, I thought he might be going off me." Her eyes flicked up to meet Kester's for a second, then she rolled her eyes. "Alright! I know!"

"You know what?" Kester probably wouldn't have admitted how much he was enjoying this.

"I know … that he likes me. It's just sometimes hard to remember, or know why."

Kester sighed meditatively. "Ahh. Why does anyone love anyone else? One of life's true mysteries."

Rae rolled her eyes and laughed.

Kester opened the window and lit a cigarette. "So, have you learned any songs yet?"

Rae leaned forward in her chair. "Well, I am learning one tune …"

Finn was waiting for her outside the hospital.

"No scooter?" she asked.

"Thought we'd walk." Finn took the guitar case from her and slung it over his shoulder.

"It's getting colder," Rae admitted, rubbing her left arm with her right hand. Finn put his free arm around her and they walked slowly towards home.

Rae shook her head and smiled.

Finn smiled at her smile. "What?"

"Nothin'."

"Come on, what is it?" Finn was hungry to know all her thoughts, especially anything that made her smile, but he knew she was wary to let him into her head. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and smiled in encouragement.

"I was jus' thinkin' it wasn't that long ago that we didn't like each other. Now look at us."

"I never didn't like ya, Rae. I jus' didn't know ya." He smirked. "But you certainly didn't like me much."

"No!" she protested. "I just … it's always been easy for me to be defensive. When you couldn't be arsed to remember my name, when you thought I didn't know my music … I felt like you just wrote me off. So, I made myself write you off, too."

Now Finn shook his head and said "Twat" under his breath.

"Oi, I'm sorry, okay? I mean, we've more than made it up now, haven't we?"

"No, I was talking to myself … again. I can't believe how much of a dick I was at first." Finn looked over at Rae. "But, you seem to have forgiven me."

Rae leaned her head on Finn's shoulder. "Yeah, you're forgiven."

As they neared her house, Rae sighed.

"What's up?" Finn asked.

"Jus' thinkin' about the gig. Maybe dreadin' is a better word."

"You'll be great, Rae," Finn stopped and turned to look her in the eye. "I'm not just sayin' this so you'll get on stage. I'm sayin' it 'cos it's true."

Rae looked down. She felt bad, not because she thought Finn was lying to her or exaggerating. She felt bad because she didn't think Finn should have to spend so much time reassuring her. He should have a girl who was more confident and … easier.

"Rae." Finn's voice was low and even. "What are you thinkin'?"

Damn her face! She couldn't hide a single thought. Why couldn't she just smile and nod? Why did every fleeting emotion have to be broadcast on her face like the bloody news report?

"I just … wish it was easier. That I was easier. For you. You shouldn't have to work so hard." She sighed and started to turn away. "And I will always be hard work."

Finn held her shoulders. He had to say something. He'd gradually been getting better with words since he'd been with Rae, because she needed words. Words of encouragement, words of reassurance, words of comfort. He'd never be as good as her with speaking, but he had to try. And then he remembered …

"My nan used to say that work isn't hard if you love it."

Rae looked up at him, eyes shining with a glaze of tears that threatened to spill. "I wish I could have met her, Finn."

Now his eyes stung. "Me too, Rae." He hugged her, and her arms got tangled trying to hug him back, maneuvering around the guitar case on Finn's back. They both laughed, and Rae shivered. "It's fuckin' freezin' out here. Why are we walking so slow?" Finn grabbed her hand and they hurried the rest of the way.

It was their last practice before the big gig. Archie was pacing with his guitar, waiting for everyone to assemble. Chop rushed in, apologizing, still in his coverall from work. "Sorry I'm late, mate!" He knew the only person who was really worried was Archie. "Bloke turned up early to pick up his car and we had to do a rush job to finish it." He pecked Izzy on the cheek and took his place behind the drum kit.

Chloe sauntered in a moment later, hair swinging in a hundred little layers, wearing a pink minidress and black patent leather boots.

Everyone stared at her, mouths agape, except Archie, who was too annoyed to notice much of anything. "How can ya be the last one to show up, Chloe? It's your house!" He finally looked straight at her, and became as dumbfounded as the rest. "What. Are you wearing?" he asked.

"I thought you said it was a dress rehearsal? I just wanted to look my best!" Chloe swung her hair again, desperately hoping someone would comment on her new haircut.

"I meant … it's just an expression. Like, not a DRESS rehearsal, just a final run through of the set. In order." Archie shook his head.

Chloe looked sheepish. "Well, I didn't know, did I? Should I change?"

Everyone said NO in unison. "Let's jus' get started," Archie sighed.

Apart from Chop's meltdown trying to figure out what he'd done for a drumline on Sad Song the last time, the practice was a success.

"Alright, everyone! I think we're as ready as we're gonna be," Archie said, with more conviction than he'd started the rehearsal. "Oh, and! I nearly forgot! The venue's changed from the pub to The Basement. Apparently, the number of interested parties has crept up a bit and since Dave's brother-in-law owns The Basement, they decided to go for a little more capacity."

Rae's eyes widened. The Basement had an actual stage. It was shit, just some particle board painted black, but it wasn't just a corner like at The Swan. And it definitely had room for more people. Great. More witnesses to her inevitable downfall.

Finn leaned over and whispered, "Jus' remember: you're not the only one shittin' yourself."

She couldn't help but smile at that. It was true. They were all in this together. After months and years of feeling alone, she sometimes needed to be reminded.

It was here. Sound check consisted of turning on the mics and amps and listening for crackles. The bloke behind the soundboard had a sandwich in one hand and cigarette in the other. "Sounds good!" he mumbled through a bite of food.

Archie pushed up his glasses and turned around to talk to Finn and Chloe. "We've got to be careful about feedback." He looked at Rae and said, "Rae, your mic is closest to the front, so you need to watch it, too. Try not to move around too much, or lean the mic way forward." Rae nodded, and kept nodding after Archie stopped talking to her. She felt herself slip into a daze.

It was real, it was here. This was not a drill, or a dream. This was happening. She rushed to the edge of the stage and leaned over to take a deep breath. She started counting to ten in her head. Onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten. Onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten. Onetwothreefour—

She was interrupted by Finn hissing at her, "Rae! What's the matter? What's goin' on?" She looked into his eyes, and she couldn't tell if he was worried or angry, or both.

"I—I really don't want to let anyone down, but I am fuckin' brickin' it. Everyone's gonna hate me and tell me to get off the stage, I just know it." She tried to breathe deeper and stop herself from hyperventilating.

Finn grabbed Rae by the hand and dragged her backstage. He sat her down on a broken amp and put a hand on each of her shoulders, looking her right in the eye. "Rae," he began in a low steady voice.

"Yeh?" she replied.

"You are a bloody great singer. I would tell ya that even if I wasn't your boyfriend. Anyone who dares to say that you aren't is a lyin' bastard and I'll strangle 'em with my guitar strings. Alrigh'?" He gave her shoulders a gentle shove. She looked away. "I said, alrigh'?"

"Alrigh'," she replied glumly.

"Clearly it's not." He sighed. "Listen, we're due on stage in twenty minutes. Nearly ev'ry song we've rehearsed is for your voice, Rae. Archie can't sing Garbage; he'll be laughed out of the county."

Rae chuckled in spite of herself.

"I mean, if you think you're worried … it's nothin' compared to how much Archie'll be shittin' himself if ya don't sing."

"I s'pose you're right," she conceded.

Finn looked around and said, "Wait here a minute."

She looked confused as he walked back to the stage door, opened it and stuck his head into the pub for a second. She heard him murmur something to someone, probably Archie or Chop. He then shut the door and came back, taking her by the hand. "Okay, now we've got eighteen minutes. I think I know a way to calm you down and clear your head." He led her to the small office behind the makeshift green room furnished with charity shop sofas.

He opened the door and pulled her inside the tiny room lined with stainless steel shelves. He sat her down on the desk. "What are you—?" Rae started to ask, but then she saw the lustful look in Finn's eye and realized what was happening. "Finn!" she hissed. "We can't!"

He fixed her in his gaze and leaned in to kiss her. His hands slid over her breasts and shoulders and into her hair. When they broke apart, he smiled. "Sure we can."

Turning around to lock the door took less than a second, as there really wasn't much room to maneuver. When he swiveled back to face her, she was already breathing shallowly. "Finn …" she said, her voice shaking.

He grabbed her knees and pulled them apart, stepping between them and wrapping his arms around her in one swift motion. "Rae," he said calmly. "I've seen you after we do this, and you're always more relaxed. Jus' thought we could take your mind off the show for a few minutes …" He leaned in and gently bit her lower lip before pressing his lips onto hers and pressing his tongue into her mouth. He continued to kiss her insistently as he eased his hands down either side of her body. When he felt the texture of the fabric change, he grasped the hem of her dress and pushed it up her thighs.

She slid her hands down the front of his chest and when they touched the metal of his belt buckle, she blindly fumbled it open, moving then to unbutton his jeans and unzip his fly. She snuck her fingers under the hem of his shirt to feel his firm skin. Though she was consumed with lust, she was also mindful that they didn't have long, so she dispensed with removing his shirt and instead tugged his jeans and boxers down in one yank. He had been busy removing her leggings and knickers, but grabbed his jeans before they hit the floor. She looked at him quizzically, and he brought his hand back up, holding his wallet. Oh right, she thought. She was really glad he remembered these things.

He handed her the condom and she gingerly ripped it open with one hand and her teeth. Her other hand was busy, as both she and Finn had started to stroke each other in rhythm. She slid the condom on firmly using both hands. Their lips broke apart and she stared into his eyes. He kept his gaze on hers as he reached behind her to guide her even closer to the edge of the desk. She swung her right leg onto the swivel chair and her left onto a stack of file boxes. Her arms wrapped around his waist as he slowly entered her. His head involuntarily snapped back when he was fully inside her and he let out a low moan. She closed her eyes and with each thrust she could see a shower of stars burst inside her eyelids. Finn buried his face in her neck and squeezed her tight as he bucked faster. Her hips drove themselves back and forth of their own accord, and she was only vaguely aware of the fact that she was groaning a note higher with every heave.

Finn whispered in her ear, "Rae—I can't—I'm gonna go—" He arched back and moaned her name again.

She grinned and said, "That's okay, I—" She couldn't finish her sentence because waves of sensation crashed over her lower half. A guttural cry escaped her lips, rising in pitch.

Finn wrapped his arms around Rae, squeezing her as close as he could. Her arms were trapped under his grip, but she threaded her forearms around his waist to return the embrace, shuddering one last time.

"God, I love you," he breathed into her hair.

She hummed in satisfaction and said, "I love you, too" against the skin of his neck.

He pulled himself away from her and turned away to remove the condom. She yanked her knickers and leggings up in one motion.

Finn looked over his shoulder. "Rae? Is there some paper or something over there?"

"Huh?" she asked, smoothing her hair and adjusting the clip that held the top half back.

"I just don' want to leave this on top o' the rubbish," he said, chagrined.

"Oh, yeah! Lemme see …" she grabbed a couple of old flyers from a pile next to her on the desk and handed them to Finn.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. He then pulled up his pants, tucked in his shirt, and did his belt buckle. "How do I look?" he asked, smoothing his hair forward with the fingers of his left hand.

"How do YOU look?" Rae asked incredulously. "Gorgeous, as usual. The more important question is, how do I look, after all that?" She hopped off the desk, bumping Finn's hip in the exercise. She started to smooth the front of her dress when Finn gently took her chin between his hands and guided her face to his for a lingering kiss.

He released her and shuffled back a half step to give her the once over. Her hair was slightly tousled and her cheeks were faintly flushed. Her eyes were both dark and bright, and her lips were a deep pink. "You look fantastic. Freshly fucked is the best way to look for your first gig."

Her eyes widened, a little shocked by his description, but then she smiled.

"Feelin' relaxed?" he said, amused.

"You know what? I am!"

Finn glanced at his wristwatch. "Oh, bollocks. Less than five minutes to go." He looked up at Rae and saw her eyes start to widen. "But don't worry! You'll be great!"

She took a deep breath. "Okay. I hope so. Let's do this."

Finn unlocked the door and let Rae go ahead. He glanced back at the desk and shrugged. He figured it wasn't the first or last time it would be used for such purposes.

When they were both in the backstage area, the rest of the gang were all there, lounging on the mismatched furniture. Archie looked up at them and said, "You two ready? We heard you … um … warmin' up in there."

Finn and Rae both froze and then exchanged a look. Rae found her voice first and said, "Yeah, I was doin' some … vocal exercises."

Chop raised an eyebrow and said, "And what were YOU exercisin', Finny boy?"

Finn grinned and said, "Oh, same. I am backin' vocals, after all."

There was a moment of awkward silence, and then the whole gang burst out laughing. Any tension they might have felt about their first performance dissolved like they did, into giggles.

Through the door to the stage, they could hear the host take the mic and begin to introduce them. "The Basement is proud to present, in their debut performance, Zero for Starters! Come on, everyone, welcome them to the stage!"

Chop grabbed his drumsticks and pounded them together. "Alright, let's DO this!" Everyone cheered, grabbed their instruments, and headed to the door.

Chop checked his kit was put together one last time. He didn't want a repeat of what happened at their first practice to happen on stage.

Archie looked over his shoulder and nodded for Chop to count them off. Chop raised his arms into the beam of the cheap spotlight and pounded his sticks together in rhythm. Rae began to sing, since they decided to open with I'm Only Happy When It Rains. It was the song they knew the best, and it was a strong choice. Rae swayed with the music and closed her eyes, trying not to think of the curiously full pub. Where had everyone come from in the last half hour?

When the song finished, there was applause, and not just a smattering. Rae looked over at Finn, smiling. She had just turned back to the mic to introduce the second song, when a deep voice from the back of the pub shouted:

"Oi! Get off the stage, you fat cow!"

Another voice, more strident, chimed in:

"Yeah, Shirley Manson you ain't! She's scary an' all, but at least she's hot!"

Rae closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was as if the universe had gotten hold of the list of her worst fears and decided to start at the top. Before she knew what was happening, Finn yanked his guitar over his head and strode over to grab Archie's mic. "Come up here and say that. You'd better shut your fuckin' mouth, or I'll shut it for you!"

There was a long second of silence. Before Rae could stop herself, she said the first thing that came to mind. "Yeah, mate, and while you're shuttin' your mouth, try shuttin' your eyes, as well. Then, maybe everyone can enjoy the show, even you!"

The crowd laughed. The two blokes who had been shouting at Rae were herded towards the door by one of the bartenders and Big G, and everyone else applauded as they were escorted out.

"Alright, now that we've got rid of the Chuckle Brothers, let's get back to it!" Rae counted off the next song, The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get, and the combination of adrenaline in her veins and the irony of the lyrics helped her kill it.

Before they knew it, they had run through their entire catalog of songs. Archie was sure they would have enough material, but the other band on the bill had broken up the day before, so there was time to fill. They were so eager to play everything, they hadn't thought to keep a song back for an encore. Because who would have figured they'd need one?

Archie leaned into his mic and said, "Thanks, you've been a great crowd!"

The band got a long round of applause and cheers. Everyone on stage grinned, drunk with the experience. They started to unplug their instruments and pack up, when someone started shouting "One more! One more!" Soon, half the bar joined in. "One more! One more!"

They didn't have one more. Archie had already played his Return of the Mack, and Finn and Rae had done This Must Be the Place. They were tapped out.

As they got to the backstage door, the club manager met them, grinning. "Great set, you guys, but you'd better get back out there for an encore, or they'll start climbin' the walls."

Everyone exchanged worried glances. Then, Finn's eyebrows shot up. He leaned over to whisper to Rae. She shook her head vehemently. "No way!" she shouted.

"What? What's the matter?" Izzy wondered aloud.

Finn looked up through his fringe. "Well, Rae and me have been practicin' a little number you all know."

"No, Finn. I'm not ready." Rae crossed her arms and shook her head.

"Rae, you just sang in front of strangers for nearly an hour … how will this be harder?" Finn looked at her pleadingly. The crowd was getting louder.

"It's just—" she couldn't say. It should be that singing made her feel more vulnerable, but playing the guitar, something she was so new to, it just made her wince to think of messing up in front of everyone … and on their encore!

Finn gently wrapped his hands around Rae's forearms. "Listen. I'll be playin' with ya, anytime ya feel ya don't know it, just stop playin'. But don't stop singin'." With this, he grinned at Rae, nodding. "Okay?"

She sighed. "Okay."

The manager shooed them back onstage. Archie looked at Finn, wild-eyed with worry. "Mate? What are we doin'?"

Finn looked him in the eye for a split second, then started playing a familiar opening riff. Archie smiled; he knew this one, and started playing along. Rae worked to keep up, but when she saw Finn gesture to the mic, she stopped strumming and started singing.

"To-day is gonna be the day—"

The crowd's applause drowned out the next part of the line. After "I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now," Rae shouted, "Join in if you know it!"

Soon enough, everyone was singing along.