Summary: Ash visits a karaoke bar and sings away his blues on missing Mary-Lynnette. Unfortunately, he didn't realise there was someone else there who's never going to let him forget.

Notes: Short and silly ::grins::


Ash Redfern was unhappy. It had been almost seven months since he'd last seen Mary-Lynette and he missed her like crazy. He sat in a Daybreak party, not really feeling in the mood for it. He winced at the awful sound as some of them were even dumb enough to attempt the karaoke that Hannah and Thea had set up.

Currently on a dare probably, human boy Eric, Thea's soulmate was singing a very bad Brittany Spears song. Ash groaned, not sure what was worse, the singing, the song, or both put together.

"Look at the bright side," Gillian said to him. "At least it's not Brittany singing."

He sighed. "If it was you think Mare would appreciate it if I slay her?"

Gillian snorted. "Half the world probably would."

"Ash you are such a bore!" Thea said cheerfully, dancing down thee stage steps and pulling him up the stage steps.

Ash eyed her suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Thea grinned back wickedly. "You'll see."

Ash stood there, arms folded as he watched Thea fiddle about with the records and equipment. No way. No way was he ever going to get up there and actually sing...

"Everyone put your hands together!" Thea was saying into the microphone. "Ash is gonna entertain us."

Ash backed away. "Ash is *not* going to entertain you!"

There were cheers from the crowd. Ash snatched the mic, glaring furiously at Thea, Even worse when the song started. Leanne Rimes, How Do I Live? What was the matter with Thea? But once he started actually singing, he found himself really enjoying himself. He didn't care how off key he was on the high notes. The heartbreaking love songs made him think of Mary-Lynnette and how lucky he was and she was going to be so proud of him when he went back to see her. Once he got over initial stage fright, he claimed the stage for the rest of the night, singing a range of soppy songs, a few more mushy Leanne Rimes ones, even whining away on the old Joni Mitchell song, A Case of You, he'd heard briefly when Hannah and Poppy ahd been watching *Practical Magic*.





He sang a duet of 'Nothing's Gonna Stop us now' from the old movie Mannequin with Gillian, and "Up Where we Belong" from an Officer and a Gentleman with Hannah, even a bad version of Dido's Here with Me. (He may be sad, but at least he wasn't dropping as low as Eric had by singing Brittany songs. He did have *some* dignity. Not much, but some.) It seemed kind of apt due to his relationship with Mare, he wondered what she'd think if she could see him now. And just for the hell of it, everyone did let him entertain them.

He was crushed when Thea actually had to pry the microphone away fro him. "Hey," he protested.

"Okay, Ash, you've destroyed everyone's hearing enough for tonight, Let someone else have a turn," Thea said, pushing him away.

Ash stomped moodily down the steps. "Spoil my fun," he muttered. He had cheered up immensely. When he went back to Mare in another few months time he would have to take her to a karaoke bar.

He hearing snickering and looked around, alarmed, to see Rashel, Quinn and Kestrel falling about laughing. He glared at them. What were *they* doing here.

"What?" he snapped.

"Nothing," Kestrel said with a snicker. "I'm sure Mare's going to be really looking forward to a case of yoooouuuu." She mimicked, holding her throat as if choking.

"Oh lighten up," Quinn chortled. "I'm sure she can't wait to be resting there with you." He turned away, his face red from laughing so much.

Ash stood there, hands in his pockets, his own face flooded red from embarrassment.

"Give the poor guy a break," Rashel said sympathetically.

Ash cheered up a bit. "Thank you."

"He most certainly did entertain us," Rashel added, singing the last words worse than he had.

Ash glared and stalked out, leaving them to laugh and make fun of him. He moaned silently. What had he been thinking? He was never going to forgive Thea for making him do this. Rashel, Quinn and Kestrel were never going to let him forget this.

But as he walked to his room, he thought with his eyebrow raised, they didn't have to know if he went to another one. Maybe he could improve by starting to sing in the shower. He was still humming to himself as he closed the door and went to bed.

THE END.