Second Place
Las Vegas
(Part Two)
Disclaimer: You know what to do – check out chapter one for this!
Pairing: Ross/Laura/Riker
Author's Note: "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen (cover by Rydel Lynch)
*Laura's R5 concert outfit can be found on my profile – Check it out!
SP*SP*SP
Riker smiled at the thought of the petite brunette. His heart always swelled with affection for her, its beats thumping through his chest cavity like a drum.
Raising his hand, he knocked lightly then waited for her to answer.
However, when he couldn't hear any movement from inside, he frowned in confusion.
Where was she?
SP*SP*SP
Checking his phone for the time, the blonde bassist knew he wasn't early, so… Where was his girlfriend? She knew he was coming over, but…
Suddenly, a noise from behind had Riker turning to investigate. He rose a brow when it looked like it was nothing, but he could have sworn the sound came from the door opposite Laura's.
And didn't he see Ross enter that room earlier? Was something wrong with one of his younger brothers? Was Ross sick but didn't want to tell anybody?
Concerned, he took one step in the other direction, but paused when Laura's door opened and said brunette poked her head out to smile sheepishly at him.
"Sorry about that," she apologized. "I was… in the bathroom but, then I saw your text, so…" With vague hand gestures, she waved them back and forth between him and the door to the hallway he stood in. "I'm sorry. Were you waiting long?"
Riker smiled, relieved that nothing was wrong. "Don't worry about it, babe," he reassured. Then, he frowned softly and glanced at Ross's door. "Have you been hearing anything strange from Ross's room?"
He didn't see the way she stiffened, a frightened gleam entering her eyes. However, when he turned to look at her once more, her expression was all innocence and concern for her best guy friend. Riker didn't know anything, otherwise he wouldn't be so calm – and she liked it that way. No one, especially Ross, was going to ruin her relationship with Riker, end of story.
Laura would never let that happen. It didn't matter what she had to do, it just wouldn't.
So, plastering on a sympathetic look, she gazed at the other blonde teen's door. "I'm sure everything is fine, Riker. You know Ross – he would totally say something if he wasn't feeling good."
"Yeah, you're right… But maybe I should still check to make sure he isn't sick or something…?"
"He's most likely sleeping right now," she pointed out gently. "Why don't you ask him tomorrow? Sick or not, he needs his rest."
Although reluctant, Riker nodded in understanding. With that resolved, the couple entered the room, closing the door quietly behind them. Instantly, the coolness of the AC washed over him, and he dropped his cell phone and room key onto the dresser before slipping his jacket off.
"Were you sleeping when I texted you earlier?"
Laura took a seat on the edge of the bed, smiling. "Oh, no," she answered. "I was just… lying down. You know, trying to relax after today. I was deciding whether or not to watch some TV, actually."
"Cool. Better than what I was doing," he said, chuckling.
She cocked her head to the side, like a curious puppy. "What were you doing?"
"Tossing and turning. Staring at the ceiling. And the wall. You know, the usual when I'm not beside you, sleeping."
The laugh she released was like the sound of tinkling bells, and it was so contagious Riker chuckled again. Knowing that he hadn't woken her up reduced the feeling of guilt he had when he sent that first text, but being in her presence again soothed him in ways that no one else could. This moment was worth it, because he could be with the girl he loved and he knew she felt the same way. He could see it in the way her doe-like eyes sparkled when she looked at him, in her beautiful smile that rivaled the Sun.
Patting the spot beside her, she suggested, "Why don't you come here, then? I'm exhausted."
"Don't mind if I do." Slowly, Riker walked over to Laura and, when he reached her, leaned down to place a light kiss on her lips. The hint of mint he could taste on her breath had him drawing back and raising an eyebrow at her. "Mint?"
Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, but he didn't notice the nervous action. "I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth," she easily explained, waving a dismissive hand. "You know, getting ready for bed before you came over?"
"Oh, sorry about that," he apologized, frowning. "Why don't you finish?"
"I'm good," she reassured, laughing lightly. Sometimes her boyfriend was too sweet for his own good, but it was a quality she loved about him. However, at that precise moment, all she wanted was his arms around her so that she could forget everything that had happened in Ross's room. She was just thankful she'd made it back before Riker showed up, and that she managed to brush her teeth and rinse her mouth out.
Riker smiled, gazing down at the brunette with tender, loving eyes. It made her throat feel constricted but in a good way. She loved how open he was with his emotions – they didn't have to play guessing games – which she adored more than anything.
She happily accepted his next kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him closer. It was sweet and passionate, unhurried and perfect. Just the way she liked it.
Soon, the couple found themselves on their sides, grinning at each other as they drifted off to sleep. Riker's arms cocooned her smaller figure against his warmth, their legs tangled just right. Laura sighed, content, as she snuggled her head under his chin.
Yes, this was definitely what she needed after her 'session' with Ross.
SP*SP*SP
The next morning found R5 and Laura having breakfast together before the girls broke apart from the boys to walk The Strip, while the latter caught the bus to one of the mall Outlets. They promised to meet up for a late-lunch-early-dinner before they locked themselves in Riker's room to go over their set-list and (hopefully) come up with new lyrics for song ideas.
Currently, the boys were exploring a clothing shop that caught their attention, impressed by the sheer size of the layout but not surprised (it was an outlet, after all). The four stuck together for the most part, but Ross or Rocky would wander off to look at something before rejoining the group.
"So," Ratliff started, catching his friends' attention, "I was thinking that we should talk about the songs we're gonna perform?"
"But Rydel's not here," Ross pointed out.
The drummer rolled his eyes, but smirked a second later. "I didn't notice. I mean, Rocky's hair is getting so long he just needs to dye it blonde and he'll be the spitting image of his sister."
"Hey!" said brunette protested. Then, he flipped his bangs out of his face in a mock-obnoxious way. "You're just jealous, Ratliff, that I have such awesome, flip-able hair, and you don't."
"No, that's not it," he instantly popped back, smirk growing.
Riker and Ross laughed at the two's antics before the former brought them back to-task, "So, what about the songs? We need Rydel's input, too."
"Well, she's definitely performing something," Rocky stated. "Probably with Laura, too, now that I think about it. Does anyone know what, though?"
Ross shrugged, his gaze lingering on a T-shirt he thought was cool. He almost stopped to inspect it further but kept walking with his band mates. "No idea, but I'm sure it'll be good." Expression lightening, he smiled at the other guys. "Hey, do you think Laura wrote something? She hasn't in a while, and I heard about her possible singing opportunity for Disney…"
"She got a gig?" Ratliff and Rocky asked excitedly, happy for their friend.
Riker smiled proudly as he answered, "Yeah, she told me about it while we were in Portland. Her manager set up a meeting with Disney to record a song for one of their soundtracks."
"Sweet," Rocky said, grinning. "Does she know what kind of soundtrack?"
Ross cut in, grinning just as widely as his brothers and Ratliff. "Who cares? I'm buying it, regardless!"
"Me too," the other three agreed, chuckling when they spoke at the same time.
Ratliff suddenly groaned, and everyone shot their gazes onto him. "Oh man, why couldn't this have come up before we left on tour? We could've gotten her to sing with us a lot sooner!"
"Next time, bro," Riker said, patting his shoulder in sympathy. Inwardly, he agreed, but it wasn't like they could change what happened. "Next time we go on tour, she's definitely gonna sing at least every other concert."
Rocky nodded decisively. "Damn right she is."
SP*SP*SP
Meanwhile, while walking down The Strip with Rydel, Laura stopped abruptly when she felt a shiver go down her spine. Crossing her arms under her breasts, she glanced at the milling people around her, trying to see if anyone was paying her too much attention. No one was.
So, what was that she just felt? She knew it wasn't her imagination – no one could just conjure up a feeling of dread in the pit of their stomach. At least, she's never done that before, anyway.
Rydel paused beside her, concerned. "You okay, Laura? You look like you just saw a ghost or something."
"I just felt this sudden chill," the brunette explained. "Like… this sense of foreboding or dread or something… It's hard to tell."
"Ah." She nodded in understanding. Chocolate eyes flashed with pity for her friend before she elaborated, "I get that feeling every time the boys talk about me, which normally means they're gonna do something you may or may not like."
"What?" Laura exclaimed, eyes widening in horror at the implications. Riker wouldn't allow that, right? He wouldn't!
"Yeah, one time they put dye in my shampoo. I had lime-green hair for almost two weeks before I could find a product that could get that awful color out."
It was official:
She was doomed.
SP*SP*SP
Riker watched as an auburn haired teen approached Ross, her smile flirty and green eyes hopeful. It could only mean one thing: she was interested in scoring a date with R5's front man, and wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. He would admit that a girl with confidence was sexy, but her clothes suggested she was used to… Well, getting around, if you got his meaning.
He just hoped his brother didn't do anything stupid – like accept what she was offering. Ross was better than that; deserved better than that. However, Riker had never seen him interact with the opposite gender on too many occasions, not including Laura, so he was intrigued to see how Ross handled his current situation.
Besides, it wasn't like Riker was going to run his life. Ross was old enough to make his own decisions and, if he ever found himself in some sort of trouble, the bassist knew he would be right there to help him in any way he could. That was what family was for, right? Especially for brothers who had a strong bond like they did.
Rocky and Ratliff soon joined him in watching Ross converse with the unknown girl. She didn't look any older than Ross, but she was pretty and knew it. The three stared, all curious about what was happening, as their youngest band member politely smiled as he continued talking. He would nod every so often but that didn't tell them anything about the topic of conversation. For all they knew, the two were talking about the weather… or taxes.
It wasn't long before Ross made a vague gesture about needing to leave, his polite smile still in place. The girl got the hint, pouted (which was supposed to look cute but, after suffering under Laura's puppy eyes for years, it just wasn't effective at all), and sauntered off, but not before jotting her number down on a piece of paper and handing it to him.
Making sure the auburn haired teen was gone – and wasn't looking – Ross folded it and stuffed it carelessly into a pocket to throw away later. As much as he liked fans, he didn't like ones who threw themselves at him like that. What he needed was a girl who had self-respect for herself and her body. Someone like Laura, but let's face it – he already had her (despite her continued denial), and he would never do anything to betray her, in any form.
He may be blackmailing her into doing illicit things with him, but that didn't mean he would just turn around and hop into bed with another girl. He had his own self-respect, and Laura had always been the only one for him. Why settle for a substitute when he already had perfection?
When the blonde reached his two brothers and friend, he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, smiling like nothing had happened. "So, where are we hitting next?" he asked.
"What the hell just happened?" Rocky burst out, eager and curious about the details.
Ross raised an eyebrow at the tall brunette. "Uh, you're gonna need to elaborate a little more than that, dude."
Ratliff gestured in the direction the blonde just came from. "The girl, Ross – What was up with you and that girl?" he asked.
"Oh, her." He frowned. "She was just a fan and was saying how much she… liked our music." His expression clearing, he shrugged carelessly. "She wanted to know if she could hang out, but I told her that we were busy. No big deal – it's not like I lied to her."
"But still…" Rocky trailed off as he stared curiously at his brother. "She didn't ask about 'hanging out' later, like tomorrow? We're not gonna be doing much until rehearsal and then the concert."
The way he blinked made it obvious he hadn't been concentrating on the conversation as much as he should have, even if just to be polite. "I guess not."
Riker threw an arm around Ross's shoulders, smiling. "Well, let's not worry about that," he said in an upbeat tone. "We gotta go meet the girls, anyway, and our bus should be here soon."
In despair, Ratliff moaned, "But this could've been his shot to snag a girlfriend! Riker, we have to score him at least a date before we leave."
"There's no need for that, geez." Ross rolled his eyes, exasperated. Just because he didn't want a relationship didn't make him weird. He was perfectly content with being a part of Laura's life the way he was. He honestly didn't mind being 'second place' to Riker in her heart – it was where he wanted to be. "Besides, I agree – let's get out of here. If we miss the bus, Rydel will flip at us for being late."
Rocky sighed, "Fine, we'll let this go for now. But at least tell us if you have a crush on someone. I mean, come on, bro, there must be one female on this planet you have the hots for!"
The oldest Lynch sibling couldn't help but be a little curious about that, too. Ross was a good guy, with strong morals, a love for music that was almost unrivaled, and he loved his family and friends with a fierceness that burned in every kind deed he did for them.
However, he never seemed to take any romantic interest in anybody. Outside of family, the only girl he associated himself with openly was Laura, but Riker understood that. She lived with them, after all, and she was Ross's best friend. But that didn't explain why his brother never dated, let alone looked at anyone with some form of keen interest that could lead to an intimate relationship.
If he didn't know better, the blonde bassist would assume Ross was already dating someone…
"Of course I like someone," Ross said, looking at Rocky like he was an idiot. "I'm a teenage boy – I practically like anything with a nice pair of legs and a short skirt. Where is this going?"
The brunette dove in for the kill. "That's exactly my point, Ross! You are a teenager – act like one. You should be going out on dates, and having girls line up to be with you. Yet I have never seen you go out with one girl. Never."
"I go out with Laura all the time."
"Dude," Ratliff said, rolling his eyes. "As beautiful as Laura is, she doesn't count, and you know it."
Ross sighed, wondering how the hell this subject even cropped up. Mentally, he swore he would never talk to another fan-girl, especially if she was by herself and dressed in clothes two sizes too small. They would be the indirect death of him, he just knew it.
"Look, do we really have to discuss this now?" he warily asked, running his fingers through his hair. "I just wanna meet up with Rydel and Laura. I'm starving."
Knowing his brother wasn't going to say anymore and that he was uncomfortable, Riker cut in before Rocky or Ratliff could pursue the subject further.
"Yeah, we should head out. At this rate, we'll never make it back to the hotel."
Ross shot his oldest brother a grateful glance, while Rocky and Ratliff grumbled but complied and changed the topic to something more amiable. Soon, the four boys were walking and talking like the subject of 'girlfriends' and 'dating' had never come up. It was just how Ross liked it.
That, and he'd known there was a reason why he didn't mind being 'second place' in Laura's heart. Riker had just reinforced his conclusion.
SP*SP*SP
After picking up food from one of the hotel's restaurants, the group of six trekked back to their floor to enter Riker's room. The oldest Lynch sibling was the one holding their music sheets and some instruments, so it made sense to turn his room into their 'control center', so to speak.
Rydel and Rocky took a seat at the small table provided by the hotel staff, while Ratliff took a seat on the floor in front of the flat-screen. Ross, Laura, and Riker piled onto the king-sized bed, having more than enough room to be comfortable, and spread out some blank sheet music to work while they ate.
Ideas were tossed around; some written down while others were rejected. Other times, they would get distracted by something on the TV and it took several minutes to get back to-task. Laughs were shared, and food was thrown a couple of times at various targets.
Soon, however, food containers were thrown away, and instruments (mostly acoustic guitars and a pair of drum sticks) were brought out. The television was shut off, and everyone was back to doing what they loved to do – Making music.
"Okay, how about this for the next part?" Ross inquired, strumming a few notes on his guitar.
Riker nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I like it," he said, making a note on one of the music sheets. "So far, we got most of the music done, but we still need lyrics."
"It's a pretty upbeat song," Rocky commented, "But, the real question is: What should we write about?"
"Good point," Ratliff said thoughtfully.
Laura stopped humming the music they had written, asking, "How about a song about a girl?"
Ross leaned over to take the papers she held to see which part she was examining. "We always come up with lyrics about a girl," he said. Then, he smirked at the brunette. "And by girl, I mean you."
She playfully pushed him in the shoulder, rolling her eyes in mock-exasperation. "That's not what I meant."
"What did you mean, then?" Ratliff asked, curious.
"I mean, like, what about a song about a girl you're looking for? You know–" She gestured with a hand, hoping to find the right word to what she was trying to explain. "–Like, your perfect girl; your soul mate! And, how you can end up finding her anywhere, like passing her on the street or… Or on a bus!"
Rocky's expression brightened with understanding. The brunette leaned over and grabbed the first page of music sheets and wrote down a few notes. "I think I get what she's trying to say," he said, grinning. "And that's a great idea, Laura. You should help write more songs with us."
"Oh, stop it," she modestly said, but she couldn't fight the grin curving her lips upward. "I'm happy to help. You know that."
Riker leaned forward to grab the paper Rocky handed him. Looking over what he wrote, he smiled and nodded. "Awesome. This will sound great." Putting it aside, he turned his attention onto his sister and girlfriend. "What about you two? We're performing tomorrow night. Are you girls ready?" It wasn't like he doubted them, but he liked making sure everything was running on schedule.
"Yup," Rydel happily replied, bouncing in her seat. Digging through her purse, she pulled out some folded sheets of paper. "Ryland was able to fax these over before we left the last city, but Laura and I were trying to figure out how to set it up. Take a look."
Crowding around the small pile of papers, the four boys read the song the girls would be singing. As one, they leaned back, grinning in excitement.
"This is definitely gonna rock," Ross commented.
SP*SP*SP
"Alright, Vegas," Rocky called out, grinning at the audience. "You guys have been awesome! Now, are you guys ready for a special treat?"
The crowd exploded with applause, all ready and eager to see what the band had planned for them. Their high level of energy was rubbing off on them, and Ross couldn't help the way he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet as he grinned.
"Let's bring out Rydel!" Riker shouted.
The blonde keyboardist stepped into the front of the stage, grinning and waving at the adoring fans who tried to catch her attention by waving their arms wildly. With her microphone in hand, she said, "Hey, everyone! R5 and I have a special guest tonight – Wanna help me get her out here?"
The audience positively roared with excitement and approval. They were all interested to see who would be performing with their favorite band, and dozens of phones popped up in the sea of people to catch this momentous occasion.
"Laura, come on out!" Ratliff cheered, banging his drum sticks enthusiastically.
When the petite brunette stepped onto the stage, dressed in a red outfit to match R5's color scheme for the night, the crowd turned into nothing but a deafening thrum of noise and excitement as they recognized the known model/singer-sometimes-actress. She waved, microphone in the other hand, as she walked passed Rocky and Ross to stand next to Rydel, grinning the widest she could.
"Oh, my gosh," she gushed, "You guys are so amazing! I'm so excited to be here, on stage, and about to perform a song for you guys." When her announcement received more cheerful screams, she laughed.
Rydel threw an arm around her shoulders, laughing too. "You guys sound ready. Are you?" she called out, raising her microphone in the air to catch the sound of the audience. "All right! Let's get this started."
As the boys started the beat, Laura and Rydel began lightly dancing where they stood, laughing and having a good time. Their positive energy rubbed off on everyone watching them and, soon, they had the crowd following their beat.
Call Me Maybe:
Laura:
"I threw a wish in the well,
Don't ask me, I'll never tell
I looked to you as it fell,
And now you're in my way
I'd trade my soul for a wish,
Pennies and dimes for a kiss
I wasn't looking for this,
But now you're in my way"
Rydel:
"Your stare was holdin',
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'
Hot night, wind was blowin'
Where do you think you're going, baby?"
"Come on, everyone!" Laura called out, beaming. "You know the song – sing it with us!"
Both:
"Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
It's hard to look right
At you baby,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!"
Riker grinned as he watched his girlfriend perform. He loved how happy she looked; how alive. He knew that feeling, how the adrenaline coursing through his veins would make his body just move. He'd known getting her on-stage would be perfect – she was a natural, and everyone adored her.
Hell, who wouldn't?
Laura:
"And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
You took your time with the call,
I took no time with the fall
You gave me nothing at all,
But still, you're in my way"
Rydel:
"I beg, and borrow and steal
Have foresight and it's real
I didn't know I would feel it,
But it's in my way
Your stare was holdin',
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'
Hot night, wind was blowin'
Where you think you're going, baby?"
As the two continued to sing, they threw flirty winks at random people, and danced around Rocky, Ross, and Riker, as they moved across the stage. Laura couldn't remember having so much fun, but she knew it mostly had to deal with being there with Riker and the others.
And she didn't once think about Ross and what happened in his hotel room.
Both:
"Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
It's hard to look right
At you baby,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!"
Rydel:
"And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!"
Laura danced around Riker as she waited for her turn to sing again. Trailing a lazy hand across the back of his shoulders, she gave him a seductive smile before shooting passed him and back to center stage to stand as close as possible to the fans.
She didn't know what was getting into her, but she loved how free she felt; how energetic and bubbly. She forgot how awesome it was to spend time in front of a live audience.
Laura:
"Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
I missed you so bad
I missed you so, so bad
Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
And you should know that
I missed you so, so bad (bad, bad)"
Rydel:
"It's hard to look right
At you baby,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!"
Ross smiled as he continued strumming his guitar, his gaze never once leaving the brunette's form. He didn't care if someone caught him staring – she was just that mesmerizing to him, especially when she looked so happy and bouncing around the stage area. It was addictive, and he could feel his own energy rising.
Both:
"Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!
And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe!"
"Come on, guys! Sing this last part really loud!" Rydel called out, holding her microphone out to the audience. Walking along the front of the stage, she grinned as she caught several voices singing along to the song.
Laura/audience:
"Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
I missed you so bad
I missed you so, so bad
Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
And you should know that"
Laura/R5:
"So call me, maybe!"
Ending the song with a big finish, they grinned as the crowd went wild and screamed for more.
"What, you guys want another song?" Rocky asked, laughing.
Ratliff beat a tune on his drum set, grinning. "Well, alright, then," he agreed, "If that's what you guys really want?" When the crowd shouted their answer, he laughed.
"Let's play Crazy 4 U," Ross chimed in, smiling as he strummed the bringing notes. He'd known tonight's concert was going to rock – he loved it when he was right!
Until*Next*Time