Are you all still there? For those of you that are, thank you for your patience. I know its been a long hiatus. Again, many thanks for all of you, your reviews, and adding me to your favorites...

Enjoy

I'll Follow You

The sun was beating down, but the glare was soon being deflected as Annabelle pushed her sunglasses down from on top of her head to cover her eyes. She was trying to adjust her position now that the hours that had passed had moved the sun into a different spot on the horizon. The blanket was now being pushed closer toward the small formation of rocks gathered at the base of the cliff that had originally given Annabelle shade and comfort to construct another part of her inner workings onto a hard copy to be edited if need be. She usually didn't have to edit too much. She was lucky enough to be able to get her thoughts down in a manner that she could be satisfied with once she sat down and began to emote through pen and paper. The breeze had also picked up a bit, but that was no deterrent to her need to process the last couple of day's events and emotions. She looked up to the sky for a moment, took a deep sigh, and began to hum the tune that had popped into her head after rereading the words she had just written, now holding the paper with both hands to keep them from blowing away.

"Did you get the final write ups from James' shoot", the voice on the other line hurriedly stated knowing it was a few minutes before five-o'clock and the weekend was just a few moments away.

"Yes, I am looking at them right now", Simone stated only half listening for the same reason but also a blue eyed beauty's voice caroming off the synapses in her brain due to her non-stop playing of the demo that Jason had sent to her. She couldn't get it out of her head. Whether she was awake or sleeping, Annabelle's words and voice were a part of every recent moment Simone could remember. If she didn't know any better, she would say she was recovered, addicted, and relapsed all at the same time from the past years, the beginning of what she thought was the most agonizing and beautiful meeting of two souls. She thought she was having a rebound effect of being out of Annabelle's life for so long, making up for lost time so to speak. Not that she didn't think about the mischievous blue-eyed beauty on a daily basis, it just became easier to not have the dull ache associated with those thoughts after a while. Now, with her reappearance, her new songs, the touch that still sent her heart racing, Simone cannot get Annabelle out of her senses even if she wanted to.

"The deadline is in an hour, and for some reason he was later than usual with them, so please get everything in order to go to print before you leave" Steve said knowing she was a workaholic at this point in her career, focusing the majority of her energy into the magazine. He never truly cared why, but was glad that she was given that promotion.

"I will take care of it before I leave, have a good weekend" Simone stated in a distant tone, not really caring what was being said on the other line, just that she wanted to get it done as soon as possible so she could be with her thoughts anywhere else but the office she was currently sitting.

"Have you talked to her yet"? Jason asked his older sibling as she shut the door behind her after arriving home to the stifling silence, hoping in the back of her mind that once she fully entered the house, that silence and darkness would be erased by the one thing that was occupying her mind for the last few days.

"No Jas, I don't even know what to say right now" Simone replied with a deep sigh as she set her keys on the counter, now realizing that her thoughts were just that, her thoughts, not a reality coming true anytime soon.

"Just say what is in your heart and on your mind. You have been through so much together; I know you love her, regardless of what has happened. Just let that be your guide" Jason responded in a tone that let Simone know that he truly cared about the both of them and just wanted them to be happy.

"You are right, but I just think that I have so many emotions going on at the same time that nothing will make sense" Simone stated as she fell softly onto the couch below.

"Well, none of this makes sense if you ask me" Jason said with a loud sigh hoping that his sister would just take down that wall that she has used most of her life to hide behind to protect herself.

"Jas, I just" Simone was interrupted by her brother saying "Simone, just talk to her, the worst that can happen is that you will either get some kind of closure or start to rebuild things with her".

J: What are you doing?

A: Staring off into space. What r u doing?

J: Well, space cadet, I was hoping that you weren't busy

A: Just listening to waves and finishing up a song, what's up?

J: Nothing, just thinking about coming down to visit for a couple of days

A: You going to stay with Simone?

J: Not if you are J

A: No, not staying there

J: Why

A: At my mom's for a bit, just better that way

J: I think you are a stubborn ass

A: U are

J: I will let you know when I get into town

A:Ok, I may or may not be here…

J: yep, there you are, stubborn ass

A: Shut up

A: U still there?

A: Jas

A: u are not funny…..

The wind was picking up as the curves increased in number as well along the road that Simone decided to take to clear her mind, her heart and anything else that needed some fresh air. Nothing was coming through the speakers this time. Just pure uninterrupted silence. Her thoughts raced from the original meeting with Annabelle to the last. How did she get here? How did she get to racing around these turns with an increased heart rate, increased frown lines, and an increase in the desire to cry tears that had been dried up for so long. Each turn came faster than the last, each thought came faster than she could process, she just wanted to shake her head and have everything fall out and begin fresh. No more going back to the sadness she had learned to live with, like an old injury that never really healed, its always there it just took some adjusting the way you walked so it doesn't really bother you as much. A single tear fell, leaving a slight damp trail that ended on the seat. She didn't have the energy to wipe that tear away, just accepted that it needed to fall, an acceptance that she needed to allow herself to feel again, something, anything to know she was alive, that she was human. The reason for the tear did not matter at this point, just the fact that she had the ability to release it, let it fall freely without interference. The emotions were becoming so overwhelming she felt the need to pull over. She rolled down her window, took in a few deep breaths and pushed on. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she had to keep moving, be in motion, feel and hear the wind. She wasn't running from her emotions anymore, she just didn't want to be still at this moment, the moment they were coming to a head, the moment they were given freedom, that moment, she was finally giving her heart freedom to beat and ache, again.

Annabelle set her guitar on the blanket so she could put on her hoodie now that the sun had started to dip below the horizon. She had also grabbed a few more pieces of wood from her makeshift pile not really wanting to leave her impromptu camp spot at the moment. She was enjoying the alone time in her own little corner. Away from the fans, the recording studio, the heartache that was still there, but giving herself the space to release that heartache with her guitar, the one thing that never let her down in times like this. She placed a piece of wood on the kindling that had already begun to show life with an orange glow. The crackling noise was a comfort, knowing that it was the start of what was always a welcome sight and warm feeling on nights like this. She was trying her hardest, to feel everything that the newly formed fire had to offer. She was starting to feel warm on the outside, but she still felt that cold hard stone that wasn't going away anytime soon, no matter what the temperature was outside. She could fill her days with meetings, songwriting sessions, sound checks, and mindless chatter, it still wouldn't help dissipate the constant drone of her thoughts of the past, it haunted her as she smiled at the applause, signed autographs, saw a city for the first time, and stared at the ceiling in each hotel room before she closed her eyes for the night.

She placed her guitar on its familiar resting place, cleared her pick from the strings, and began her last run through of the night. She looked up to the sky, took a deep breath, said a silent prayer to whoever would listen and help release her from the chains that she has felt herself under and help put the life back into her heart.

If I could find assurance to leave you behind
I know my better half would fade
And all my doubt is a staircase for you
Opened out of this space
The first step is the one you believe in
The second one might be profound.

I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you down

You can have the money and the world
The angels and the pearls
Even trademark the color blue
Just like the tower we never built
In the shadow of all the guilt
When the other hand was pointed at you
Yeah the first step is the one you believe in
The second one might be profound.

I'll follow you down, through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down, while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you down to where forever lies
Without a doubt I'm on your side
There's nowhere else that I would rather be
I'm not about to compromise, give you up to say goodbye
I'll guide you through the deep I'll keep you close to me!

I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you..

If I could find assurance to leave you behind
I know my better half would fade
I'll follow you down.

Annabelle whispered the last line one more time as she closed her eyes. She muted the strings, set the guitar back into the case and secured it for the night. She had tapped herself out to the point of emotional exhaustion. She laid back on the blanket to bask in the warmth of the remaining flames flickering up toward the black sky. The sound of the water mixed with the wood reacting to the flames, quickly sent Annabelle drifting into a much needed semi dream state. Her eyes closed, taking in the scent of pine wood and sea salt. A subtle mixture of citrus and the night air filled Annabelle's nostrils sending her eyes to a now open state. As she began to rise to an upright position she had to blink a few times to focus on the new shape in front of the fire.

"I was hoping to find you here, that was beautiful, as always. I was thinking, maybe we should talk"

I'll Follow You is by Shinedown

Peace…