Alas! The next chapter in the fic. I know it has been a few months, but I've been putting over 40 hours of overtime into work lately, and my car broke down so I had to get a new one, blablablablabla... Anyways, the biggest reason is that I just seemed to come down with a really bad case of writer's block. This chapter isn't too long, but it leads up to the main section of the plot, so now you can see exactly where things are going. Enjoy and reveiw guys!

Geddy

Chapter 15

Red and blue lights flooded the halls and seemingly endless faces of the crowd. They all cheered and screamed, their hands in the air and their faces illuminated as Mido began his drum rolls of Beast and the Harlot. Cover songs had made them, and they thought it only proper to pay their respects to the artists by playing their songs.

Speed and fury began to surge through Link's wrist as his pick swiftly and rapidly drew its way across the steel strings. With speed and accuracy, he hammered his left fingers onto the top of the fret board, sending a shattered yet sweet sound through the stadium.

Serj's vocal chords screamed a raunchy tone as Link held a high note up on his guitar that mimicked Serj's voice. After Link's left hand slid down, they blasted into the first verse of the song, sending the crowd into an even more cheered and riled faze. Link and Serj were both copying each other on their guitars, only Serj was singing and Link's guitar was a bit louder.

Link couldn't help but grin and feel as though his heart was about to break out of his chest as he started his solo. The crowd roared with amazement as his fingers gracefully and cleanly swept and pulled on the strings, his sweet guitar screaming every emotion that swelled within his mind.

The song flooded by a lot faster than Link had wanted it to, and before they knew it, they were beginning the next song in their set list, Bark at the Moon, by Ozzy. They perfectly nailed each and every song, none of them even coming close to struggling. Their original stuff proved to have a very good crowd appeal, especially Falling Through the Shadows.

Link had always wanted the best mix he could get into a set list. He often found that bands with no variety became just straight up boring after not too long. They went through so many bands and artists it was hard to count: from Marilyn Manson's Beautiful People to John 5's Gein with Envy, which is straight up blue-grass.

Their show was set for four hours long, but Link had every intention on pushing it as far as it could go. They slipped into some more Avenged Sevenfold, some Rush, and a song that Link had thrown in at the last minute… Something very special. Link took a breath as he stepped up to the microphone.

"There's a very special song that I'd like to do tonight for a very special someone… Who sadly couldn't be here to see this. This is a song that is very close to my heart, it's called Always With Me, Always With You," Link finished.

As Mido counted down on his high-hat with soft touches, Link noticed Zelda peering up at him from the front row.

"This is for you too, Zelda," Link thought as he smiled warmly at her.

Zelda smiled back as Link's fingers stretched over the fret-board and began a soft and soothing rhythm song. Serj carried the rhythm as Link started the beginning versus of the song. It was possibly the most beautiful thing Link had ever played. He had never put so much heart and feeling into his music as he did on that cold winter night in the foreign city of New York.

As the song slid to the ending notes, Link felt his heart seize up and his throat tightened. He wanted to cry over the loss of his family… But it was not the time. He had to keep his composure… With the last note, Link let out a huge breath and got on his knees before the crowd.

They roared with amazement as Link's guitar screamed his emotions. Looking up to the ceiling of the massive dome as the crowd screamed and cheered, he could almost see through the building and into the heavens.

"That was for you, Tyler…" he thought to himself.

Link got up from his knees as the crowd continued to cheer. He had shared his pain with the world. Now… he could finally move on.

Blasting into "Damaged" by John 5, the show pushed on and ended better than they could have imagined. They ended up playing for a straight five hours, more than they were supposed, but Link was happy they got more playing time in.

Link swung his guitar behind his back as Mido stood up from behind his drum set. Putting their arms around each other in a row, they all bowed to the roaring crowd. With a last wave of his hand, Link and his band mates turned and headed backstage to their dressing room.

"Holy shit!" Mido shouted and jumped once in the room.

"Damn, that was pretty much the best thing I've ever experienced," Kafei stated simply.

"Holy shit!" repeated Mido.

"Man, the crowd was just drawing me in like you wouldn't believe," Serj countered excitedly.

"Holy shit!"

Link said nothing. He was too happy and yet at the same time sad to even speak. He was glad that he had finally put his brother's soul to rest. Not to mention the fact that the show was a huge success and that his real dream had just been realized.

"Holy shit!"

"Mido you say that one more time and I'm beating the shit out of you," Link growled jokingly.

Dennis had agreed before hand to throw them a rather large party in celebration of the success of the show. Beer was bound to be there, and Link couldn't have been happier. After playing the best show he'd ever play, he'd get drunk afterwards with all of his friends. Can you think of anything better?

Luckily, the backstage of the venue had a room that was massive… at least large enough to cram 200 plus people in it. Consequently, the whole body of students from San Demas was there, and luckily, that was it. For Link, he strangely didn't have the greatest of feelings about it.

A few hours had passed and the party was slowly working its way up. Link just sat in one of the backrooms that was pretty small, his guitar plugged into a small amp. He hadn't plucked a single string though. It just laid there, resting up against his knee lazily.

Link had his left hand on the top of the headstock to keep it from sliding off, and his other hand relaxed against his thick and muscular torso. His eyes were fixed upon the amp, though he wasn't at all looking at it, more like looking through it.

Thoughts spun in his head, but the most concentrated point seemed to be… Zelda…

He had been blowing her off, and he was just now realizing it had been pretty shitty of him. He was so worried about his show that he was giving up his girl friend. True, the show was much more important to him… But what about her feelings?

She understood he was busy and stressed, he knew that. But still… Not talking to her at all over days and days, or just a quick five minute conversation just wasn't cutting it. It was just down right rude.

He flicked the power switch on the amp and set his guitar on the stand next to the couch he sat upon. Jumping up from his place of rest, he decided to make things right. Zelda would not be forgotten… she didn't deserve it. He would make it up to her, and then some for lost time.

Link headed to the door and turned the brass knob. As he headed into the hallway, the music from the party echoing in the long halls. Link chuckled to himself a bit when he heard No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age playing.

The music and undeterminable blabber of voices grew louder as he stepped up to the room. As he stepped into the room, it seemed to him that all eyes turned to him. Serj was making his way over to him, a huge grin on his face. The music stopped playing and the crowd got quiet.

"Excuse me… Excuse me… Yeah, half-time… ok," Serj shushed the crowd. "I'd like to take a few seconds to not only congratulate this guy, but also thank him. Not only is he the baddest guitar player around, but he's managed to give us a dream. In a few years, we'll be able to look back and realize that we had the honor of going to school with this guy. Let's hear it for Link!"

Roars of cheers and the claps of applause rung through the hallways and the backrooms. Link couldn't help but smile a little sheepishly and rub the back of his head. With Serj's little speech out of the way, the party continued. Link grabbed a beer from the ice chest and popped the cap off.

As he took a solid chug, he noticed Zelda looking at him from the other side of the room, a look of joy in her eyes. Link smiled a bit and squeezed his way through the mass of people towards her.

"Hey," he murmured once he was in front of her.

"You played great, Link!" Zelda exclaimed and threw her arms around him.

Serj noticed this unusual display of affection from his sister, but shrugged it off and tossed back another beer.

Link sat on the couch and lit a cigarette, Zelda sitting down at his side. Taking a quick puff and releasing the soothing smoke from his lungs, he turned and looked in the girl's eyes.

"Look, I know I haven't paid much attention to you lately and…"

"Hey, I know you've been really busy," Zelda cut him off.

"Very true, but that's not excuse for blowing you off. I'm sorry Zelda, you deserve better than that. I'm sorry…"

"It's ok, really. I'm just so happy that everything went well for you and… That you can finally move on now," Zelda explained to him.

"I didn't just play that song for my brother you know."

Zelda smiled at him and he could tell that her eyes had watered a bit. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his chest, her head resting right underneath his arm pit.

"Come on, let's have some fun. Can you dance?" Link asked.

"Like a hippy maybe…"

"Great! Me too!" Link exclaimed and grabbed her hand.

Some techno music started to play, and Link and Zelda began to dance with the beat. Link's cigarette was almost gone, so he dropped it on the floor and stomped on it. The drinks continued to go around and the drunks began to appear. Link had a couple shots of Ever Clear before it hit him, and Zelda was a lightweight, needless to say. The night spun on and on in a dizzy haze, but all that Link knew was that he was having a good time with all of his friends.

Link's eyes flickered and he winced. The sun shone bright through the windows. He closed his eyes and rolled over a bit. Realizing that there was somebody else in the bed with him, he groggily opened his eyes and glanced over. It was a girl. A naked girl. A naked girl he knew. A naked… Zelda?

Link's eyes darted up from Zelda on the bed next to him and straight into Serj's eyes, who stood in the door war glowering at him. Link braced himself as Serj lunged towards Link.

Link had a horrid hangover, and he knew that there was no way in the world he would be able to fight off his friend. Throwing a pillow at his face, Link tried to make a break for the door. He headache sent him off balance and he slammed his side into the entertainment unit. He realized now he was back in his hotel room.

He felt Serj grab his arm and throw him back into the entertainment unit. Link's side shot with pain. Grabbing his side in order to save himself the pain a bit, he realized his weight had caused the TV to fall over. It was too late now…

The TV crashed down onto his hand, pinning it into the floor. He screamed and hollered in pain, but the real horror set in when he realized Serj wasn't finished. The last thing he could remember before blacking out was moving extremely fast towards the window…