A/N: Chapter Title: I'll Stand by You- The Pretenders
We start off adorable and fluffy but we end with...Well just read the TW's.
TW's: Violence, Alcohol Abuse, Blood
This chapter is a little bit of a playlist on it's own. So there will be a lot of songs mentioned, I'll include a list in the end notes.
Julie and Reggie spent a week putting Luke's song books back together. Flynn would help, sometimes Alex, but mostly it was the two of them, taping the pages back together. Julie had bought a brand new notebook, specifically designed for music and had rewritten every song, color coded the verses and the accompaniment.
Purple for herself, blue for Luke, red for Reggie, and pink for Alex. She had given the book to Willie so that he could paint their logo on the cover. They presented it to Luke the day after they'd finished. He'd burst into tears, unsurprisingly and clutched it to his chest like it was the most precious thing he owned. (It was.)
In the days since Luke's first day back to school he had been assigned a guidance counselor to meet with. It was that or face suspension for the fight between himself and Bobby. He had reluctantly agreed, the stories he told of his meetings made the kids believe the man should have never been allowed to be a counselor in the first place.
The man was condescending, he blamed Luke for the fight and when Luke tried to explain how the situation escalated to the point of physical violence, Mr. Twitchell cut him off and told him to stop making excuses for his lack of control. Luke had come home after the second meeting with him and told his dad everything.
Mitch had called the school, he was livid, he told them that either they would take care of the guidance counselor or Mitch would come down there and show him exactly what a lack of control looked like. Rose and Ray had been over for dinner with Julie and Carlos at the time and expressed their interest in accompanying him.
"I've never been good with control anyway." Rose had said while handing a french fry to Carlos. Julie and Luke had snorted and beamed at each other. Ray sighed heavily and nodded in agreement.
Principal Lessa had been lenient with Luke, understanding that the loss of a parent was hard in general but harder still for a sixteen year old. Not so much with Bobby. He had been suspended, only avoiding expulsion with the promise of therapy from Trevor. After all, they had a zero tolerance policy for fighting.
Carrie had sat in the kitchen, sipping on her ice coffee as she watched her father lay into Bobby. A smug smile on her face as she texted the group chat every few minutes with updates.
Carrie to Sunset Soulmates: Dad is PISSED. One more screw up and Bobby's going to boarding school.
Nick: Good riddance.
Alex: Can you sneak a pic? I need to see his face, for a friend...
Willie: Me. I'm the friend.
Reggie: LOLOLOL Amazing!
Julie: Fingers crossed
Flynn: Best news I've gotten this week
Carrie: Bobby's slamming doors now. He's yelling about moving out LOL. Dad's laughing now.
This idiot has never even had a job. Idk how he thinks that'll work.
Julie: Maybe he'll move to the east coast.
Nick: They don't want him either, I promise you
It escaped no one's notice that Luke had not responded. They understood why. He had been trying hard to forget his loss of control. No one brought it up, they never discussed after the day that they had found Rose and Luke in the studio.
The rest of the week, after that Monday, passed without any more incident. The kids were at Luke's every night and when he couldn't stand to be in his house, they'd move to whichever house had been offered up first. The Molina's, The Ryder's, The Wilsons, the Evans', and Mitch all enjoyed having all of them there at once.
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending how you looked at it. Due to the growth of their friend group by two made it impossible to fit them all on one bed so instead, the air mattresses had been pulled out of storage in each house and were set up, taking up the entire floor of every room. It made it much easier to cuddle up that way though, so no one complained.
Carrie secretly loved it. She'd never really had any real friends, the girls of Dirty Candi were more acquaintances than anyone she'd trust with the deepest parts of her. She regretted all the time she wasted hating these people just because she wanted to be like her older brother. It had been a struggle for Carrie to open up. To trust six new people but they'd never given her a reason to doubt them, she didn't think they ever would. She'd never experienced a cuddle pile before them but now she thought she'd never be able to fall asleep without being a part of one.
Nick had friends, but they were distant. Teammates, they had to get along but they weren't true. The only person he trusted was Carrie and the only person she trusted was Nick. They'd grown up together as next door neighbors. The transition from friend to more was easy but having six other people who wore their hearts on their sleeves adopt the both of them into their inner circle? That had been the best part of the whole year. He thought the fact that they were all in relationships with each other would skew the dynamic but that wasn't the case.
Saturdays were set aside for date days/nights. Where Julie and Luke, Willie and Alex, Flynn and Reggie, and Carrie and Nick would separate from the group to spend time alone. Every other day of the week was spent in the studio, hanging out or practicing, even doing homework when they weren't too distracting to each other. The nights were spent in whichever house they'd ended up at.
The one time they'd been at Carries, Trevor had spoken to Bobby, whatever he said must have gotten through because he didn't leave his room the entire night. Nick's moms loved the group and had given them the den for the night where they stayed up watching movies, laughing. And throwing popcorn at each other. Nick couldn't help it, he was pretty sure that he'd have these people for life and it was the most comforting thought he'd had since he realized Carrie was going to be there just as long.
The second Saturday in January was their date day. The parents, knowing this, decided to all go out for dinner and drinks to give the kids some time alone. Rose had forced Mitch out of the house too, to get some fresh air and destress just a little bit. The Molina's, The Ryder's, Mitch, Leia, and Trevor all went out to the city.
Alex and Willie had retreated to Willie's house where they hung a white sheet off of the side of the porch, set up his projector, and laid out a blanket on the sand, another one to cuddle under. They watched movies all night, binged on snacks, and maybe missed a few scenes from every movie due to being a little distracted.
Carrie and Nick had decided on going to Skates & Bass. A roller rink that also had live performances every weekend. Tonight there was a Backstreet Boys cover band performing that made her cringe. She couldn't wait to tell Luke about it, he'd die laughing at the thought. She happened to have a copy of the Sunset Curve demo with her with Flynn's number and email written out on the inside cover. If a gig happened to come from it? Well that was the point wasn't it? She placed it in the managers hand while whispering in her ear.
"Trevor Wilson's newest band. It'd be great for business if you could get them on your stage before they hit it big, wouldn't it?" Carrie smiled wide at the shell shocked woman, grabbed Nick's hand and skated back to the rink.
Flynn and Reggie had ordered taco's and decided to watch Dirty Dancing (Flynn's Favorite and only request whenever it was her turn to pick a movie for movie night. All of them had seen it over a dozen times.)
They watched Baby and Johnny fall in love throughout the movie and when it came to
the final scene, Reggie stood up from the couch where Flynn had been curled up almost on his lap and held out his hand to her.
"Nobody puts Baby in a corner." He imitated Johnny's words. Flynn burst out laughing but grabbed his hand anyway. He spun her into his chest as Time of my Life started.
"Now I've had the time of my life, no I've never felt this way before. Yes I swear, it's the truth, and I owe it all to you." Reggie sang, his deep voice matching Bill Medley as he dipped her slowly. She giggled as the ends of her braids swept over the rug.
"Cause I've had the time of my life and I owe it all to you." She sang back, her arm above her head and around his neck. His arm trailed down the length of it and she burst out laughing again. It tickled and she understood why Baby hadn't been able to keep a straight face either.
"I've been waiting for so long now I finally found someone to stand by me." Reggie responded as the beat kicked in and they copied Johnny and Baby on the TV. They'd done this dance so many times that it was muscle memory at this point.
"We saw the writing on the walls as we felt this magical fantasy." She answered. As they continued to dance across the living room, bodies flush against each other.
"Now with passion in our eyes There's no way we could disguise it secretly." They sang together as he twirled her out yet again. Bring his hands down to her hips to hold her steady as she swayed, he thought, for just a moment, he might actually be stupidly in love with her.
"You're the one thing, I can't get enough of. So I'll tell you something...This could be love." They sang to each other. Flynn didn't miss the way his eyes widened, nor the way his breath caught. The tightening of his fingers in hers had the same effect as a loudspeaker.
"Because I've had the time of my life. No I never felt this way before, this I swear. It's the truth, and I owe it all to you." When Reggie pulled her back in, mirroring the way Johnny had looked at Baby, Flynn leaned in to kiss him. The way Baby should have done.
"With my body and soul, I want you more than you'll ever know." She sang to him when they pulled away to catch their breath.
"So we'll just let it go, don't be afraid to lose control." Reggie's voice perfectly mirrored the voice coming from the TV.
While Johnny was dancing down the aisle, his dancers were with him. Reggie backed up and swung his hips in an exact imitation of Patrick Swayze, snapping his fingers along to the beat. Flynn backed up too, almost to the front door. She nodded at him when Baby nodded at Johnny.
Flynn ran down the length of the living room, Reggie on his knees waiting for the moment he'd lift her up. She jumped just enough to feed the momentum and he lifted her in an exact imitation of Baby and Johnny on screen. He held her up for a few seconds before lowering her slowly.
They spent the rest of the song swaying gently, soft kisses and gentle caresses, the only movement in the room. They continued singing to each other until the credits rolled. When the TV returned to the menu screen Flynn let go and went to the fridge, pulling out two beers.
"Thirsty?" She asked as she handed over the glass bottle.
"Maybe." He answered as he grabbed the bottle and set it down on the counter. He hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her forward. She squeaked at the sudden movement but he swallowed the sound as he pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so that she wouldn't have to stand on her tiptoes the whole time.
It was getting really hard for her, not to just blurt out how much she loved him. She used to think that Luke and Julie had sped a little too fast towards the "L" word but she understood them now.
She felt it every day she'd get a good morning or good night text from him. The words pushed their way out of her throat everytime he ran the tips of his fingers over her skin and goosebumps would trail in the wake of their progress.
The words pushed against her clenched teeth when he would lay with her in the silence of his bedroom, flinching every time a crash came from downstairs. She'd hug him tighter and think the words so hard that she half thought he'd hear her screaming them in his own mind.
She nudged him away from her and opened both bottles, passing one to him. She took a long swig and put her hand on his chest, pushing him back towards the couch. She was feeling brave and the way he'd been looking at her since they'd started dancing had made her feel beautiful and if she was honest, powerful too.
"Alexa, play Black Velvet" She said out loud instead of speaking the words on the tip of her tongue.
Reggie raised one eyebrow. He knew she loved this song, her dads played it all the time. He took a swig from his bottle and watched as her hips swayed to the opening notes of the song. She danced around him, crouching down in front of him as Allanah Myles began to sing.
"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell Jimmie Rodgers on the Victrola up high Mama's dancin' with baby on her shoulder The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky." She sang. This time though, she was actually trying and Reggie had to do a double take.
Her voice was like butter, soft and sleek but with an underlying rasp that was so sensual that Reggie had to bring one of the decorative pillows onto his lap. Guess Luke isn't the only one with a singer kink. He thought to himself. Flynn didn't miss the movement, she smirked at him, her confidence shooting through the roof at his reaction.
"The boy could sing, knew how to move ev'rything Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for Black velvet and that little boy smile Black velvet with that slow southern style A new religion that'll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please" She continued to sing, he voice rasping the louder she sang.
Reggie was having the hardest time keeping his own proclamation of love stifled in the back of his throat. He watched her move behind the couch, her arms came around his shoulders, her hands resting on his stomach and moving up as she sang in his ear. Her breath on the shell of his ear was sending shivers down his spine.
"Up in Memphis the music's like a heat wave White Lightnin' bound to drive you wild
Mama's baby's in the heart of ev'ry school girl Love Me Tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for" She continued to dance around him.
When the song got to the final chorus, she shoved the pillow off of him and straddled him. He brought his hands up, one on the small of her back and the other on the side of her neck. They kissed for a while. Roaming hands and heavy breathes filling the silence of the room. Before it could get hotter than it already was, Flynn pulled away and sat on the couch next to him, her legs still in his lap.
This totally wasn't fair, she'd thoroughly seduced him and payback was a bitch. He knew the way to her heart and he planned to use it now that she'd almost killed him. He grabbed his bottle, finishing what was left. He got up and smirked at her and winked.
Reggie walked over to the coat rack to put on his leather jacket and ran his fingers through his hair trying to get it to lay the same way Patrick Swayze's hair had looked in the movie. It wouldn't stay and instead the strands kept falling over his eyes. Whatever, she'd get it anyway.
"Alexa, Play Hungry Eyes." He said and laughed as Flynn's eyebrows shot up and her cheeks darkened. He popped the collar of his jacket and pointed at her.
"You wouldn't." She said but she was smiling, her eyes shining with happiness. Instead of answering her, Reggie began to sing.
"I've been meaning to tell you I've got this feelin' that won't subside I look at you and I fantasize
You're mine tonight Now I've got you in my sights" He pitched his voice to match that of Eric Carmen and pulled her up to dance with him.
"With these hungry eyes One look at you and I can't disguise I've got hungry eyes. I feel the magic between you and I" He Pulled her close, his palm on the small of her back as they danced, their steps perfectly in tune.
Flynn let out a burst of laughter as her hips met his. "Talk about Dirty Dancing" She said as he twirled her out and back into his chest.
"I wanna hold you so hear me out I wanna show you what love's all about Darlin' tonight Now I've got you in my sights" He continued to sing, his smile getting wider the louder her laughter became.
"Now I've got you in my sights With these hungry eyes Now did I take you by surprise
I need you to see This love was meant to be." The song ended on those words and both of them froze for a second. Their smiles faded and the room took on a charged energy. They both wanted so bad to say it, the only question was who would be first.
They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity as the next song started. It could have been hours or minutes, neither knew, neither cared.
"I love you." They spoke at the same time. They both laughed and then they were kissing again. This time it was aggressive. Flynn had his bottom lip between her teeth and Reggie was making noises into her mouth that sent her stomach swooping as if the ground had been torn out from under her.
I want you to show me, I wanna feel what love is. I better read between the lines In case I need it when I'm older. The beginning of the song rang out through the room but they were too busy to notice how perfectly the words fit.
They spent the rest of the night alternating between kissing and talking quietly. Her dads had a strict "no boys in her room when they weren't home" rule so they stayed curled up on the couch. They talked about Luke, how happy they were that he finally seemed to be coming back to himself at least a little.
They talked about Reggie's mom. About how Flynn didn't have to be there every night and she scoffed and waived him away as if the very idea was ridiculous. They talked about school and he mentioned that she had a great voice. She explained that music wasn't her passion the way it was theirs. That she'd rather watch and help bands and artists like them make their dreams come true.
It was a perfect night, a perfect date, with the perfect boy. If Flynn called Julie at one in the morning when Reggie had gone home to gush, well that's what girlfriends are for, right?
Once Ray and Rose had left for dinner with the Soulmates Seniors as the kids had started calling them when these weekly dinners started happening. Julie and Luke had gone into the studio. Luke had told her earlier that he didn't feel up for writing tonight. That he just wanted to relax tonight.
Julie had the perfect idea. They had no gigs coming up and they were waiting on Trevor to give them a schedule to record their first album. They had nothing pressing in school and so she would make sure this night would be completely stress free. If she happened to shrink the cloud of grief that's been hanging over Luke's head in the process, then this night would be an absolute success.
She went over to where they had made their little alter to all of the various deities of music and lit the candles there. Luke sat on the couch waiting for her to come sit with him but she walked over to the piano instead.
True, Luke had been smiling more recently but his smiles rarely lasted more than a few seconds. His laughs were few and far between and never full laughs. She sat down, looked over at him and smiled as she brought her fingers to the keys.
It was his guilty pleasure song. The only people who knew how much he loved it was Julie and his mother. It had been Emily's very favorite song ever. It was always playing when she was working around the house. They'd used to dance and sing along to it when he'd been small enough for her to hold him in her arms as she danced.
The memory of sunlight streaming through the windows as cookies baked in the oven, the smell of them filling the house and making his six year old mouth water. She picked him up and took his arm as the song started, waltzing them around the kitchen. He'd laughed so hard that day, that he'd gotten dizzy from the feeling. Emily smiled and laughed with him as his giggles became infectious. Just as fast as it came, the memory faded the next time he blinked.
"I've been cheated by you since I don't know when. Though I made up my mind, it must come to an end" Julie jumped up from behind the piano, grabbing her mic that was not on and danced around him as she sang.
"Look at me now, will I ever learn? I don't know how, but I suddenly lose 's a fire within my soul" She climbed up on the coffee table in front of him and spun. Her hair flew wildly around her head and Luke smiled. Progress.
"Just one look and I can hear a bell ring. One more look and I forget everything, oh" She brought the mic to his lips, inviting him to join in but he shook his head, still smiling. She jumped down and started doing old disco moves.
"Mamma Mia!, here I go again. My, my, how can I resist you? Mamma Mia!, does it show again?
My, my, just how much I've missed you" She pinched her nose and shimmied down, the mic in her outstretched hand.
Luke let out a full belly laugh at the sight and her heart grew about four sizes. He grabbed the mic out of her hand and she ran back to the piano and started up the chords again.
"Yes, I've been broken hearted Blue since the day we parted. Why? Why? Did I ever let you go?
Mamma Mia!, now I really know. My, my, I could never let you go" He belted into the mic, dancing around the piano and then jumping up to sit on it cross legged, facing her as she played and sang along.
"I've been angry and sad about things that you do. I can't count all the times that I've told you we're through. And when you go, when you slam the door I think you know, That you won't be away too long. You know that I'm not that strong." Luke continued to sing, shaking his head and a beaming smile on full display.
He stood up on the piano and danced up there and Julie played for all she was worth, looking up at him with shining eyes full of happy tears as she watched him fully let loose for the first time in a long while.
"Just one look and I can hear a bell ring, One more look and I forget everything, oh" She sang back to him from where she had stood up to get closer to his face. He came down onto his knees and they sang the last three chorus' together. Both of them dancing, both of them laughing, both of them completely lost in the moment.
"Grab my guitar, I got a song for you. You'll know it when you hear it." Luke said as he picked up Alex's drumsticks and situated himself behind the set.
Julie smiled and turned on her own mic as he did his. She put the guitar strap over her head and it took her a few seconds to adjust it to her size. When she was ready she gave him a happy little nod and he smiled at her again, another one that reached his eyes.
He started banging out the beat and Julie knew exactly what song this was. It was Ray's favorite, the one that got him pumped the second it came on. They'd watched her dad headbang to this song enough times that it became the first memory to pop up whenever they heard it.
Julie strummed right on time and Luke started singing into the mic. It was hard not to head bang, honestly. This song was so addictive, the beat so electric that Julie found herself emulating the movements from the music video.
"We're not gonna take it, Oh no, we ain't gonna take it. We're not gonna take it anymore" Luke
screamed into the mic. His smile had not left his face, neither had Julie's as they watched each other play.
"We've got the right to choose it. There ain't no way we'll lose it. This is our life, this is our song" Julie belted out after him.
She hopped over to the drum kit where she leant back and strummed the guitar in his direction. She watched as his cheeks turned pink and his pupils dilated. He's so easy. She thought to herself. He smirked at her this time, continuing to beat out the rhythm on the drums.
"We'll fight the powers that be just Don't pick our destiny 'cause You don't know us, you don't belong" Distantly, Luke thought they'd have to play this for Ray because if they sounded this good with just the two of them, he couldn't begin to imagine if Reggie and Alex were here too.
Julie was practically vibrating with energy as she tried and mostly succeeded in hitting the guitar solo note for note, missing only a few minor ones. Luke thanked the gods that he was sitting down and blocked by the drumset. The effect of Julie wailing on his guitar was completely unexpected, but welcome all the same.
"Oh, you're so condescending Your gall is never ending. We don't want nothin', not a thing from you. Your life is trite and jaded. Boring and confiscated. If that's your best, your best won't do" They belted out together and their voices blending together, on this particular song, sent goosebumps over both of their bodies. Luke's smile hadn't left his face since she'd started singing to him so she counted it as a win.
They continued singing and jamming out until the song ended and they were both sweaty and out of breath. Luke came out from behind the drums and put his arms around her, basking in the physical comfort of her and the smell of her coconut shampoo.
"Drinks?" Julie asked into his chest.
"God, yes!" He replied. They made their way into the house where Julie pulled two bottles of water out of the ridge. She handed one to him and then moved to the counter where she hopped up to sit.
Luke was still smiling at her, the corners of his eyes still crinkled and she smiled back. Thank you, I needed that. His eyes said. I love you. Hers replied. He moved over to stand between her legs, placing his hands on her hips and moving her forward so that they were flush against each other. The height of the counter she sat on making her almost his height.
He brought his left hand up to caress her cheek and pull her in for a kiss. His right hand tangled in the curls at the base of her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist in response, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, resting on his shoulders.
The kiss started out hot and heavy but quickly became slow and meaningful. His hands were back on either side of her face and hers were clutching at the fabric of his cut off. They stayed that way for a while, kissing and nipping. Peppering sweet kisses along necks and jawlines until Luke pulled away and looked at her more seriously than he'd ever had.
"I wish I had enough words to describe…" He cut himself off, searching for those elusive words. "Just everything. How much you mean to me. How much I love you. Just... ugh!" He waived his arms in a circle to encompass all of her.
Julie laughed and then pulled him back to her by his shirt. Kissing his cheeks, his eyes, his forehead, and finally his lips before she pulled away.
"You say it every day. Every moment I'm with you I can feel it. I can hear it. I know. I love you 3000, too." He laughed at the reference to his favorite movie and if he thought about it? Yeah, those words said it all.
They left the kitchen and went to the living room where they cuddled on the couch and binged a few episodes of Umbrella Academy before her parents came home at midnight and Luke left to go home.
Reggie was unlocking his door, the lights were off and he couldn't believe his luck. His mom was asleep and he'd be able to get a full night's rest, finally. No such luck unfortunately, as soon as he quietly closed the door, the living room lights clicked on.
"And where have you been?" He looked over to his mother who was sitting in one of the arm chairs, a half empty bottle next to her. Years of practice was the only reason he was able to understand her slurred words.
"I told you, I was on a date with Flynn." He answered. He kept his voice calm and quiet, hoping to stave off whatever mood she was in.
"Flynn." She mocked. Her face contorted and she sneered at him. "That girl is no good for you. None of those kids are." The longer she spoke the worse her slur became but he understood it anyway, unfortunately.
"Don't talk about her like that. They're all damn sure better than you." He knew he shouldn't have but this woman was barely a mother, she barely passed for human most days. The nerve of her to say anything negative about his family.
She stood up quick, swaying as her head spun from the sudden movement. She grabbed the bottle next to her and took a swig. She walked up to him, tried to get directly in his face but failed since he was about six inches taller than her now.
"You little shit, who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" he knew she wasn't looking for an answer but he gave her one anyway. He should have just ignored her and went up to his room.
"Unfortunately, I'm your son. Though I really wish I wasn't. If there was a god, Rose would be my mother and you'd be some drunk on the street." It was vicious, he knew it.
He was just so sick and so tired of having to take care of her, of having to clean up after her, of having to hide this bullshit from his friends. He was done. He'd pack his bags and beg the Molina's to let him come back.
He should have been expecting it, really. But he was too distracted by the smell of alcohol on her breath and Luke's face flashing in his mind the night he'd finally let them into his room to see it coming.
Alice brought the bottle up and swung, full force into his head. She hit right on target and the bottle shattered against his skull. It knocked him down, his head was spinning and there was a wet stickiness spilling from his forehead and covering his right eye, blocking his vision. It stung, sharp and venomous as the alcohol from the bottle splashed over the cut from the shattered glass.
"Look at that! You wasted the last of it! Go get me more!" Her slurring was getting so bad, he barely processed the words through the dizziness and nausea rolling in his stomach. He got up, clutching at the doorway and leaving a red stain where his hand had rested.
He brought his hand back up to his head and when he brought it down, there was blood there. It didn't seem to be slowing at all and the dizziness was getting worse. He ran out of the front door, tripping on the last step as he made his way back to Julie's.
Rose had told him to come back no matter what if things got bad, well this was as bad as he thought it could get. He started feeling faint when he got to the path that led up to their front door but forced himself to stay upright and awake at least until he could get their attention.
He brought his hand up to knock. His strength was draining and he had to work twice as hard to knock loud enough to be heard.
Ray and Rose had come home stumbling and giggling as if they were sixteen and not their thirty seven years. Julie had smiled at them and shook her head, exchanging a cute little look with Luke as he said good night and left. Julie went to bed, leaving her parents to be drunken fools by themselves.
Ray had made coffee to sober them up a little bit before heading to bed themselves. Instead they ended up sipping the coffee and listening to the radio that played quietly in the kitchen. Stevie Wonder's voice echoed out of the speakers.
"I just called to say I love you, I just called to say how much I care ,I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart" Ray sang to Rose who continued to giggle as he held out his hand to her.
They were dancing around the kitchen, exaggerated steps and dips when they heard a faint knock on the door. The second time it was louder, urgent against the wood. Ray walked over to answer it, wondering who'd be at their door so late at night.
If either one of them were still drunk, the sight when they opened up the door sobered them up completely.
"Reggie!" Rose gasped. He was swaying, the effort of standing upright draining him further. There was a gash above his right eye that was gushing blood. He looked at them but didn't seem to register that they were standing in front of him.
He swayed harder and his eyes rolled back in his head. Ray surged forward to catch him before he hit the floor. Rose sobbed into her hands and ran to grab her phone and paper towels to try and staunch the blood.
"Call an ambulance." Ray said. Rose nodded and dialed.
"Julie!" Ray yelled up the stairs. They'd be in for a long night.
"I'm going to kill her, Ray. I'm going to fucking kill her." Rose hissed from the floor next to him as Julie thundered down the stairs, falling to her knees next to Reggie. Her phone forgotten but still clutched tight in her hands, She didn't need to ask what happened. This had been her biggest fear since she'd found out his mother had started drinking again.
"Reggie!" Julie screamed at the sight in front of her. Her phone echoed back, under the commotion. Flynn's voice yelling for Julie to answer her.
A/N: Rose is PISSED and Alice has no idea the shit storm coming her way.
The songs mentioned in this chapter are part of my own playlist that I might listen to a little too much, that I listened to while writing this chapter. So if anyone wants a link, I'll be happy to post it. I like to think that Flynn can sing too but it's not where her career goals lay. LOL, my love for Backstreet Boys have made another appearance. I'm Sorry!
Songs:
Black Velvet By Alannah Myles
Time of my Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen
I Wanna Know What Love Is by Foreigner
Mama Mia by ABBA (Ya'll know where this one came from ;D)
I'll Stand by You by The Pretenders
We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister
Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder