Author's Note: What the hell is with the sudden influx of C & J stories? Make me wanna update more often so they'll be under me, where they belong. Sorry to the shippers but I think there is something really wrong with reading about grandparents going for the gold…so to speak. Plus, those are MOVIE fics. NOT books (and isn't this under the books section? Hmmm).
Madam: I was thinking about going somewhere with that
Moonstone: It's written in my head, it's a matter of getting it in here and then writing part III.
Schwartzi: Since you asked so nicely read on:
Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing.
MICHAEL:
"Hey baby," she said cheerfully. "How was the show last night?"
I watched Mia's face as she listened. She looked priceless when she was nervous. She didn't know if I was going to end it now or what.
"It was great. Um, how's California?" Maybe I should ease into it. Say how silly it is for us to continue a relationship-
"No fun without you."
How to respond?
"Oh."
"So what are you up to right now?"
Mia is rubbing my belly and biting her lip as I am trying everything in my power to make her happy- "Nothing. Just relaxing."
"I saw you guys in In Touch the other day. Where the hell did you get that awful ring?"
"What ring?"
"That gawdy silver one. It's hideous."
"Oh, my skull one?"
"Ew, gross. It's a skull? What the hell were you thinking?"
"I didn't buy it for myself."
"Don't tell me. Cracker Jack box?"
"Mmmno. More like Mia bought it for me at an antique shop back home a few years back. She gave it to me as a gift."
"A gift? Why?"
"Because she knew I wanted it?"
"Why'd you want it?"
"Because I liked it."
"Oh. Well, I think it should go back in the drawer personally. It's creepy."
"Whatever."
"I hate when you say that."
"Say what?"
"Whatever."
"What do you want me to say? I'm not budging on the damn ring."
"Have you thought about maybe buying a newer one?"
Huh? "No."
"The picture in the magazine was of you guys leaving a jewelry store. I was thinking…you know…maybe…."
"Maybe what?" Stop beating around the bush already.
"Well, maybe you'll want my dad and mum's number. You could talk to-"
"Oh, I was there with Orlando. His cousin got married and he had to pick up the rings after they were re-sized."
"So you weren't buying anything?"
Ah. I see. "No. Don't plan on it either. Why?"
"Well, I mean, we've been together for-"
" I think we should talk."
Mia looked at me expectantly.
"About what?" she said, her voice turning chipper. Possibly expecting a long distance proposal.
"I…I uh…don't think this is working out." There. I did it.
"Of course I'll marry you!" she exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, I'm so-"
"Did you listen to me? I said you and I are not working out. I want to break up."
"But I don't want to. I want to marry you-"
"Why the hell would you want to even date me? Much less marry me."
"It's perfect with us-"
I laughed, "No it's not. Elle are both way too busy. And…"
"There's someone else, isn't there?" she demanded. "Isn't there?"
I looked at Mia who was smiling and cuddling up on my shoulder.
"Yes," I replied honestly. "I think so at least. I'm sor-"
"That whore Mia?"
"Excuse me?" I said louder than expected, causing Mia to jump up and hit her head off the top bunk.
"Ow," she screamed, among other profanities.
"Oh shit, hold on Elle," I put the phone on the bed and helped Mia get up. "You okay?" I asked, half laughing as she rubbed her head.
"Fine," she replied grumpily. I kissed her forehead and went back to the phone.
"Elle?"
I asked, grabbing the phone. "Sorry, the bus took a sharp turn."
"Was that her?" she demanded. "Or are you cheating on her as well with some other crab infested skank?"
"That's not your business. Where do you get off calling her that?"
"Michael, she's been trying to get with you forever. Since she was a kid. How long has this been going on?"
"I've always loved her," I replied softly. "Since I was a kid. I'm sorry Elle-"
"But I love you," she said, breaking down.
"No…you love the idea of me," I replied. "But not me. You love the musician. Not Michael. Mia loves me for who I am and who I was when I was younger."
"Not like I do," she argued. "Please. I'll go on tour with you…I'll spend more time getting to know this other Michael."
"No," I said sharply. "No Elle. It's over. I'm with Mia now. I'm in love with her," I said finally. "Bye Elle-"
"I'll go to the tabloids with our video," she threatened.
Fuck. Fuck Fuck. Act cool. Calm. Collected.
"Go ahead," I said after a few minutes. "That wouldn't make me get back with you anyways."
"You will be hearing from me again."
"I doubt it. Have a good life Elle."
"So?" Mia asked, biting her lip.
"It's over. But she's…Mia I need to tell you something."
"Yeah?"
"There is a video out there. Of me and her…"
Her face froze.
"Mia, say something."
"Okay. It's fine. She's in the past."
"You are the future," I agreed.
She smiled. "We're stopping for dinner in a little while."
"Where?"
"Well, we're in Arkansas now I think," she replied, looking out the window.
"Then I guess our first real date will be in Arkansas."
She smiled. Then Lilly came in. "Guys, we're taking a vote. Where do you want for dinner, Pete's Steak House, or Bubba's Pork Grinds?"
"Lilly we are Jewish," I reminded her, "We don't eat pork. And Mia doesn't eat steak."
"They have salads," she argued.
"I think we'll do something on our own," Mia piped up.
Lilly looked at her in surprise. "Oh really?"
Mia nodded. "Yeah. We'll see you when we get off the bus."
We decided to get all dressed up and go somewhere really quiet. A little diner in the middle of the extremely small town we stopped in. "Mia, you look…wow," Orlando said with an open mouth.
"Close the mouth you'll catch flies that way," I instructed him "Bye guys."
We heard them whispering but we really didn't care. I had the girl I'd been trying to get for over ten years on my arm. Things couldn't get better.
Over the next few days everyone knew. Even Orlando. He cornered me in a bathroom. "You hurt her I hurt you, got it?" he threatened.
I held back my gales of laughter. "Orlando , I'm not going to do anything stupid," I replied. "I love her."
"I would have been good to her," he said pacing. "I just…I thought…"
I shrugged, "Sorry. I've always loved her. You remember how I was after she and Felix got together"
He stared hard at me. "Yes. I do. That is the only reason I am not pounding you right now."
I smiled, "You couldn't pound me," I teased. "But let's call it even, okay?"
We had a day off while we were in Illinois so Mia and I went to see her mom and stepfather who were visiting with the Thermopolis family in Indiana.
"Oh, hi Michael. We weren't expecting you," Mr. Gianni greeted me at the front door. I know what he was thinking. That he was expecting me to be off banging some stranger while Mia played the perfect angel.
"Frank, you remember Michael, right?" Mia asked, holding my hand. I love holding her hand.
Frank looked down at our linked hands. "How's Felix?"
Mia gave him a look, "That's been over," she said kissing his cheek and whispering something into his ear.
He laughed. "Well, come on in kids."
Rocky ran up to us. "Miiiia!" he screamed. "Guess what!"
"What?" she said pulling her eight year old brother onto her hip.
"I have a girlfriend. Her name is Delia and-"
"You are too young to have a girlfriend," Mia said warningly. "But you better treat her right."
"Well duh. I bought her dessert at lunch when we were in school."
Mia looked at me "Isn't my brother romantic?"
"Where's Felix?" Rocky asked. "I have to ask him about something."
Mia put him down and crouched down so they were at eye level, "Things didn't work out with him."
"But on TV it said you were engaged."
She hadn't told them anything had she? My parents would be going crazy with the lack of communication in this family.
"They fibbed. He asked me and I said no. We broke up, but are friends."
He looked at me. "Hey Michael, can you sign something for my girlfriend's big sister?"
I laughed, "Sure pal."
Okay. Two family members down. One major one left.
"Mia!" her mother said smiling. "Your hair! My daughter is back!" she teased. "Why haven't you called? What's going on with Felix- Oh, hi Michael."
I waved nervously. Miss Thermopolis was inspecting me. Mia came and stood next to me and held my hand, "Mom, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend. Michael. I think you might remember him."
Boyfriend. I had an official title. I was her boyfriend. Man friend. No, boyfriend sounded better. (AN: why can't all guys be happy to be called that?)
Her mother looked at us skeptically. "So the tabloids do have it right?"
"Not before. Just in the past few weeks," Mia replied, rubbing my arm and beaming up at me. "Where's everyone else?"
We went out back with the rest of her extended family. Her PawPaw had me manning the barbecue and showed me just how black the burgers should be before serving them. Her mom stood next to me as I concentrated on the food. "So…you and Mia huh? Finally?"
I looked sideways at her. I couldn't' tell if she was happy or what. "Um, yeah."
"'Um yeah'? Michael, don't hurt her, okay?"
Why was everyone concerned with her getting hurt? Oh, right. Cuz my own father was too concerned about his own love life than mine. And my mother was starting to date some guy…she won't say who though. "I would never do that."
"I only say that because you are a musician and have a reputation in the papers as being-"
"Promiscuous?" I asked with a smile. "I won't lie. I was," I started, looking at Mia as she played with her little cousins and her cousin Hank (back from a modeling tour in Europe). "But it's Mia Thermopolis," I said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She's what I've wanted my whole life. The only thing…."
"You know," Miss Thermopolis said slowly, "You never smile in the pictures I see in the papers or TV. You should smile more. You have a nice one." Then she walked away after giving me a wink.
Mia and I drove back to Illinois in the rental car we used to get there that evening. "Have fun?" she asked nervously. She had been concerned I'd back off once I met all of her 'hick relatives'.
"Tons. Rocky didn't like me much though, did he?"
"He never likes anyone," she replied. "He thinks it's your fault I am never in New York."
"I see," I said pulling to the side of the road.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "The high way is that way-"
"Get out of the car."
She looked at me skeptically but did what I said.
I pulled a blanket out and then took her hand and led her to a field.
"What are we doing?" she asked.
"Experiencing something we've never done together," I replied.
I found a spot and spread the blanket out. "We can star gaze."
"But we have to be back-"
"They won't leave without us," I replied, lying down.
"I can't get over how clear the sky is," she said softly. If she spoke too loudly the stars would disappear. "We really never have seen this."
I kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad you like it."
She sat on top of me a few minutes later. "But I'm getting bored."
I smirked. "Oh?"
She smiled mischievously and leaned down to kiss me. I let my hands creep up the back of her shirt and lift it off of her. She slid my shirt off of me and then slid her skirt off of her.
I lifted her off of me and skimmied out of my ripped jeans. Then I went on top of her and started kissing her neck as she dug her nails into my back. Eventually she opened her legs for me, "Ready?" I asked.
She nodded, biting her lip. I leaned my forehead against hers and we locked eyes as we made love. I kept assuring her that I loved her and …well, she didn't say it out loud. But I know she loves me. I tried holding back. Tried not to let myself go until I could be sure she would soon follow, but it was impossible. The danger of being caught and being with Mia was too much.
"It's okay," she assured me. "I don't care."
"Well I do," I replied leaning over her again once I got my energy back.
She giggled and we made love again. And this time I didn't let myself finish until she did.
I could tell she had definitely not had an orgasm in a very long time before me. At first she looked a little nervous; not used to how to relax into it; but then totally let go. She chanted my name and then her body went a little limp, that was when I let go.
"Better?" I asked, wiping sweat off of her brow.
She smiled but couldn't say anything. "We should get dressed," I said after twenty minutes. We'd been lying nude in this deserted field for way too long. I didn't want any angry farmers to come out with his pitchfork.
"We should?" she asked dreamily, curling her now short hair around her fingers.
"Yes," I said kissing her nose and handing her her clothes. She put on her skirt and her shirt. "No panties?" I teased.
She shook her head lazily. "Got to keep your imagination going somehow," she teased. "Plus, I don't know where they are."
"That is a good reason," I replied.
We drove home. I had one hand on the wheel and the other with hers in the middle. I could definitely get used to this.
