She Rocks My World

80's Rocker, Edward Cullen, is the frontman for the enormously popular band, Cullen.

He's every woman's dream; handsome, wealthy, and talented, but the elusive rocker has something to hide until an overwhelmingly gifted, doe-eyed beauty steals his heart at first sight and sound.

A/N: This chapter is Beta'd and Fran approved.

Chapter 29: Getting the Hang Of It.

EPOV

Jazz and I finish the song, and there's complete silence, until my sister runs out, well waddles, onto the stage wrapping her arms around Jasper's neck, crying hysterically, and sniffing, "I love you."

They both cry, and I look at the audience. "Do you see what we have to put up with?" I turn to see Bella in the wings. "And I had to watch Tommy Lee maul my girlfriend. Correction, my fiancée."

The audience laughs.

I bow sweeping my arm in a grand gesture. "Thanks, Santa Barbara. It was a great night. Maybe, we'll see some of you in L.A."

The crowd roars.

BPOV

I walk out from the bath with my hair in a towel and one wrapped around my torso, watching Edward pace around the room with the phone to his ear, wrestling with the cord. What a night in Santa Barbara. I can imagine what we'll have in Los Angeles. I do know one thing, I like Edward's musical surprises for me, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for all of us tomorrow night. I'm in absolute awe surrounded by so much talent. I still shake from Ann and Nancy Wilson. Oh, and Steve Perry. But Edward will always be my number one. I think he's still storming over Tommy Lee.

He places the phone in its cradle standing behind me nibbling on my shoulder. "I wish I could take you right now and continue through the entire night."

"We don't have…"

He sighs. "I know. My doing, sorry, Babe. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes; then we can have dinner with everyone. Ramone LaScalla is bringing a healthy Italian feast, so, Christie can have a night off and enjoy herself. I know she'll approve and love it all.

~SRMW~

Edward's dining room can't hold all of us, so we fill the family room with long tables against the back wall for a buffet. Ramone didn't disappoint with all kinds of pasta, sauces, and meats. There's a huge bowl of antipasto and another version with fish. The dessert table has Cannolis, Zeppoles, Crostata, Cassata, Tiramisu, and assorted Italian cookies. Everyone has full plates, and the room is loud with chatter. Delicious moans echo throughout the space with occasional 'oohs and awws'.

The roadies are the only group absent from the eating extravaganza. But Edward's on his toes making sure none of them miss a morsel of food and dessert while they're setting up the stage. He's made sure they're kept energized.

Edward enters from the back patio through the sliding glass doors with an older, shorter man. I watch as he looks around the room. Finding me, they walk in my direction.

The older man smiles. "Your pictures don't do you justice."

I blush. "Thank you."

"Bella, this is Martin Aaronson, Marty. He's the best of the best of promoters/producers."

Marty boasts, "He's right."

Edward continues, "He has a lineup for you and Swan that's going to make your head spin, your ass shake, and your feet move."

I snark with a scary smile and wide eyes, "Sounds like some exercise."

Marty beams, "I plan on boppin' with the best of them after you rock with this group I have planned for you."

"Teasing me is so unfair," I pout.

Marty chuckles. "It'll be well worth your surprised face, Miss Bella. We need you to be yourself. I have a huge crew that has been filming the entire tour."

"Is this going to be shown?" I question.

"I plan on it. I've pitched this as a TV, music special series from the road; your first time, the engagement," Marty adds.

I frown and stare at Edward. "Your proposal was planned for this?"

Edward begins to answer, but Marty apologetically interrupts, "Oh, hold on, Bella. Edward had no idea. I'm telling both of you together." He defends. "I'm not one of those schmucks that would pin the both of you against one another for a hype. Grant it; I was thrilled when he proposed. But he didn't have a clue about what I was doing. Hell, it was a runaway idea. Everything is falling into place. Even your pulley malfunction was priceless."

"That's great. The world will see me dangling in midair and Edward losing it," I laugh.

Edward bends to my ear and whispers, "I didn't lose it."

I just smile at him.

Marty continues, "I have a crew watching the roadies, for God's sake. We're capturing everything. And I have to say, you guys tutoring a high schooler is another great plus for the Cullen/Swan Tour."

"How did you know about Amanda?" I ask.

"Your manager, Jen. She spilled the beans because she wanted me to create great press for you guys. Man, I don't have to create a thing." He winks at me. "You're doing well on your own, Bella. People are going to love and know you very well by the end of this tour. Swan will break records along with Cullen. It's a win-win situation."

Edward kids, "All we need now is for Ali to give birth on one of the buses and we've covered everything."

Marty giggles. "I couldn't ask for anything better. Is she close?"

Edward explains, rolling his eyes, "That's not going to happen, Marty. None of us will put her or the baby in that kind of danger."

"Of course not, but women used to squat and spit their baby's out into open fields."

I shakily swallow, "You make it sound so pleasant."

"I didn't mean to throw womanhood under the bus. As Edward knows, I give the best experience in the business. I will promote your talent from a business point of view. No hanky-panky. My wife of twenty-five years will not only castrate me; she'll hang me out to dry for all to see."

"I appreciate that." I smile. "I think."

"So does your guy." Marty points to Edward. "I took Cullen and made them a household name, and I'll do the same for Swan."

"I appreciate that, Marty."

He takes my hand and kisses it lightly on the knuckles. Then, wraps me in a bear hug. "You'll see, kiddo."

~SRMW~

Early the next morning, the band and I go through our motions. The tech crew is here, and they test out the new lighting electronics by Barry. The colors are amazingly bright and light up the stadium.

In a way, I like when we perform outside, it's not so claustrophobic. The fresh air and open skies make me feel limitless in space and creativity. Plus, Edward easily calms to the stars and the full moon.

Suddenly, I'm anxious; feeling the panic rise in my throat. I hyperventilate from the fact that none of Marty's people show up for this rehearsal. I don't know who will be here for the show, and that worries me. Edward says he's trustworthy, but I can't grasp the unknown of an unprepared state.

I work on precision. I depend on the control. We execute a well-organized show. I can't have surprises that could throw us off-balance. And you would think I could handle anything after the Wilson Sisters, Steve Perry, Tommy Lee, and Jon and Richie. Sure, when I don't know something, I'm better off. But I DO know … I know part of it, but not everything,

I flee the stage like a banshee on fire, flapping my hands to the side and trying to take flight.

Making no sense, I crash into the first bathroom and head to a sink, splashing water over my face and the back of my neck leaning my arms on the counter and trying to calm my heart rate. Ria bursts through the door to stand in utter silence wondering what to do next.

I sigh and turn to her, as Bitsy catches herself and stops behind her. Exhaling a deep breath, I apologize in gasps, "I'm sorry I ran off like that."

Ria smiles. "It's okay."

Bitsy looks around Ria. "We're all pretty overwhelmed."

I smack the sink. "See? I'm so selfish. You guys feel this, too."

"Hey, it's okay," Ria says walking over to me, pointing her index finger at me. "Just don't do it again!" She laughs.

Bitsy sings, "All by myself.

Don't wanna be

All by myself

Anymore."

I hang my head. "Thanks, guys."

"Bella, you've got this. We sang with Ann and Nancy," Bitsy taunts puffing out her nonexistent chest.

"Look, whatever, whoever, Mr. Marty throws in our direction; we have one another." Ria slowly sings, "I got you, Babe."

~SRMW~

Kate works her makeup magic transforming me from sweet, innocent Bella to the dark, mysterious Swan. With smoky eyes of gray, ruby red lips of fire, and wild, wavy hair of a lion's mane, I slip into multi-layers of sheer, black organza, tulle, and gauze; tattered and frayed in uneven lengths with a tight-fitted corset as the bodice, giving my breasts a fuller, firm look. Both Ria and Bitsy wear similar costumes in red and purple with matching boots.

Barry and Danny are in jeans, but their shirts reflect the mystifying atmosphere of danger and fiendish intrigue.

We will create the scene. We will meet any challenge head-on without fear, without loss of control, and without mistakes.

Bring it on, Marty. We'll face your famous, musical army, the film crew, and play it up for the audience.

Edwards walks by the door and double takes a look at me. "Bella?"

I bat my eyes. "You like?"

"Wow, you look so … different," he surprisingly whispers, staring at me.

"Different good or different bad?" I ask.

His eyes widen and stare at my breasts. "Oooo, very good. In fact, amazing."

"Great. Then, let's do it," I say to Ria and Bitsy.

We take our music to another level. The sound is intense. Danny hams up his lead with fast finger work on his strings dancing across the stage. Barry drums, twirling his sticks and pounding his bass in sequence. Ria dances around at each pick of her bass while Bitsy plays the rhythm guitar; each chord matching the pace. Ria stands between Bitsy and Danny, and they lunge their guitars forward and back exact in their motion. Then, side to side. We end the song on a high note. I fade my voice until the last chord rings.

The crowd explodes clapping and stomping their feet.

The lights flicker on and off. An announcement is made for the Ladies of Rock to get on stage. I am so unaware that I don't see Cullen with their instruments settle in on the stage with roadies whisking back and forth. I watch with my mouth and eyes opened wide as each intro escorts one lady at a time.

With scrunched face and full lips, Cyndi Lauper climbs on stage singing into the mic,

"Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick

And think of you

Caught up in circles

Confusion is nothing new."

She stands next to me.

With great precision, Bonnie Tyler walks from the right, singing,

"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely

And you're never coming 'round

(Turnaround) every now and then I get a little bit tired

Of listening to the sound of my tears."

She joins Cyndi.

From stage left, Stevie Nicks croons,

"No one looked as I walked by

Just an invitation would have been just fine

Said no to him again and again

First, he took my heart, then he ran."

She struts up to Bonnie.

Before I can swallow and catch my breath, I stare at Patty Smyth fiercely chanting,

"You run, run, run away

It's your heart that you betray

Feeding on your hungry eyes

I bet you're not so civilized."

She and Stevie pretend to duke it out.

From behind Barry, Pat Benatar protests,

"We are young

(Heartache to heartache)

Heartache to heartache

(We stand)

We stand."

The ladies stand around me and clap to the music.

Joan Jett walks out from behind one of the speakers making her strings talk, as she sings,

"I love rock and roll

So put another dime in the jukebox, baby

I love rock and roll

So come and take the time

And dance with me, owh"

And I am numb to speechless when Tina Turner takes the stage, slowly singing her song,

"Left a good job in the city

Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day

And I never lost one minute of sleepin'

Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been."

Big wheel keep on turnin'

Proud Mary keep on burnin'

Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river."

Tina looks at me. "Follow me. We won't … take … it … slow."

"Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis

Pumped a lot of pane down in New Orleans

But I never saw the good side of the city

'Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen."

"Big wheel keep on turnin'

Proud Mary keep on burnin'

Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.

Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.

All these ladies keep up with Tina, singing and dancing.

And in my head, I recite, "We will create the scene. We will meet any challenge head-on without fear, without loss of control and without mistakes."

What … a … night.

A/N: Well, I felt it. What about you?

A/N: Okay, more concerts… Who would you like to see from 1983? Tell me your city and maybeeeee you'll be at the concert in the crowd and get a shoutout!