Summary: Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Rachel Berry, Nick Duvall, Jeff Sterling, and Elliott Gilbert make up Pamela Lansbury, a rock/pop band that hit it big after their first single was featured on popular tv-show Sing. A little over two years later the band is still dealing with the pressures of fame, their differing dreams, their fans, "shippers", and finding love.
Author's note: I really like how this chapter turned out. I wrote it without much planning. Actually, what I had planned pretty much flew out the window, but I liked the result.
On the song/poem in the first scene it actually is something I wrote and it will get expanded on in the next chapter. I didn't want to do that thing where I'd borrow songs that actually exist so I actually was never going to make direct reference to any of their music but I've been taking a creative writing class this semester and we did a section on poetry so I've been writing quite a bit of that and this will just be one of those poems adapted to look a bit more like a song.
Enjoy.
Chapter Twelve
"It feels a little bit like remembering," Blaine sang, "a ghost appearing before me fully dressed wearing your smile." He glanced up away from the journal where he'd been scribbling out the lyrics, "all I got of that verse so far."
"Well, I like it. I like the melody too, it's kind of gentle. Definitely keep working on that."
They were all a little bit tipsy, but the bus was moving and they had just a couple of more hours to go until they reached Columbus which meant that Elliott had gone off to nap and Jeff and Nick were somewhere in the front of the bus. Kurt and Blaine had been watching a movie in Blaine's cot when Blaine had pulled out his journal explaining that he'd been working on a song a few days earlier and he was suddenly inspired.
"What is it about?" Kurt asked, peaking at the words written in Blaine's neat, slightly slanted handwriting.
"Love," Blaine said, "well, about reconnecting I guess. Soulmates and the like."
Kurt nodded slowly, his eyes scanning the page. "I like this: the crinkles 'round your eyes tell the story of your life."
Most of it were just ideas, a few lines and the story that Blaine wanted the song to tell.
"Needs some work," Blaine said, "but it can become something." He wrote something down and once he was done, Kurt took the journal.
"I just want. I can't help wanting. Oh, how long now, how long, oh, for something."
Kurt smiled. "It's like pining, like someone left to wait."
Blaine hummed in response and Kurt watched him. Blaine was always beautiful to him but when he was in his element lost to the music and the writing and just all of it, he was ethereal. Kurt kept watching him as he hummed and wrote a bit more. Then he returned the journal to Kurt.
"I moved a few things around," Blaine said, "but I think maybe this works."
It feels a little bit like remembering
A ghost appearing before me
Fully dressed wearing your smile
And oh, I want, I want
Memories are scalding water
And I just want, I want
I can't help wanting
Oh how long now, how long
For something
"I like it," Kurt said, "sing it for me?"
Blaine nodded. He cleared his throat and Kurt watched him until he began to sing and then he closed his eyes and let himself just take in the words.
"Oh, Blaine, it's – I really like it." He nudged Blaine with his shoulder. "You have to finish it."
"Yeah. Soon," Blaine said, "maybe when we're in Ohio."
Kurt nodded. "It has to be on the album. You'll have to sing it for Wes when we see him."
It was sometime around three in the morning when they arrived in Columbus and Sebastian checked them all into their hotel while they stood in the empty lobby and yawned with Cassie, Puck, and Whitney. They had a whole floor booked even if not all of the rooms were going to be used and Sebastian was getting everyone their keycards even if he looked like he wanted nothing more than to let everyone do it themselves. It figured that he was still peeved over the incident from earlier. At least there was no one in the lobby aside from them and Kurt thanked the small miracle of checking in, in the middle of the night or rather early morning.
None of them said a word as they took the elevator up, and they parted ways into their rooms with small waves and more yawns, all of them ready to go to bed. Kurt for his part managed to strip off to his briefs before slipping between the sheets and promptly falling asleep.
He woke up hours later to knocking on his door. He groaned against his pillow and lethargically got up, padding towards the door.
Sebastian stood outside, fully dressed and with his fist raised to start knocking again. His eyes fell over Kurt and Kurt couldn't help but blush when he realized that Sebastian was checking him out.
Kurt cleared his throat. Sebastian jumped back.
"Keys," Sebastian said, "for the rental."
Kurt took the keys and expected for Sebastian to leave but instead he lingered.
"Wes is getting here later tonight and since there is no show I'm taking the day off. Don't bother me with anything, alright, Princess?"
Kurt nodded and then watched Sebastian grab a bag that he'd clearly left propped up against the wall next to Kurt's door and then he was walking away and Kurt rolled his eyes. A day without Sebastian and with plans to see his family again, he couldn't think of anything better.
He crawled back into his bed, turned on the tv, and then checked his phone for the time. Sebastian had woken him up after only four hours of sleep. Still, he send his dad a text informing him he was in Ohio and to expect him later. Then, he turned the volume on the tv down and went to sleep again.
The second time he was woken up, it was Blaine, but he just let himself into his room with the extra keycard.
Blaine shook his shoulder until he woke up and then laid down on the bed next to him. "Been up for a bit," he said, "Sebastian texted me that you had the keys to the car. Also, I finished the song. I need to figure out the right chords. Might do that with Elliott later, but I think it's finished. So, get dressed and lets go get food and go."
Kurt nodded. "You'll have to sing it for me in the car."
"I will," Blaine said, "now chop chop."
Kurt laughed but got up and slipped out of the bed. Blaine gave him a once over but didn't say anything as Kurt turned and walked towards the bathroom, but Kurt felt like Blaine was staring at him the entire time.
He was ready in no time, showered and changed into fresh clothes.
"I invited Elliott along. Doesn't feel right to leave him here. Nick already left. I think his mom actually came to pick him up and Jeff has the other car and is leaving later. Said he'll see us at the party tomorrow."
Kurt nodded. "Alright."
It had been surprising to Kurt at first, when he found out that while Blaine went to Dalton Academy, his parents actually lived in Lima, something like fifteen minutes away from his own house. Somehow, they still hadn't seen each other that often but that probably had more to do with how the Andersons were never in Ohio during the summer months and Blaine was actually boarding in Westerville.
They were on the road a half hour later, and true to his word, Blaine sang him the song and Kurt felt something warm bubbling inside him because there was something raw and deep in every single word.
"It's amazing," he whispered.
"Thank you."
"Kurt!"
Blaine rolled his eyes fondly as his mom threw her arms around Kurt, hugging him tightly before she turned towards him.
"I've missed you, Pam," Kurt was saying, "you have to come to New York to visit us more often."
His mom let him go and shook her head at Kurt. "Nope," she said, "you two need to come visit me. You've got the means, darlings, though certainly not the time. Oh, I'm so proud. And, Elliott," she said rounding on Elliott, "you can come here any time even if you don't bring these two with you. How are you, sweetheart?"
"Good, good, Mrs. A," he said as he was being hugged.
"Pam," she said, "I've told you a million times. Now come on, I know you haven't had breakfast yet so I prepared a little something."
Blaine grinned. There was nothing better than home cooked meal, especially one cooked by his mom.
"This is why your mom is my favorite," Elliott said, "mine doesn't even know how to work her own oven."
Pam pinched his arm. "Don't be rude about your mom, El."
It was a little bit strange, but expected he supposed, that all of their parents had become interconnected after they made it big. It was a little bit like the shared experience. Before the band, his mom hadn't even known Burt Hummel despite living in the same town for years, but now they had dinner at least once a week. She also, he knew, spent a lot of time talking to Elliott's mom on the phone. Nick and Jeff's parents had already been acquaintances prior the band, but they'd become even closer friends since.
She led them into the kitchen, to the small nook where Blaine had eaten breakfast and dinner any time that he was actually home to have any kind of meal.
They ate the omelets, bacon, toast, and muffins that she'd made for them while drinking out of her too big mugs of coffee while she walked around the kitchen cleaning and telling them about the plans for their party.
"It's not necessary," Blaine tried.
"Nope," she said, "it's already set up. The day after your show in Columbus. Carole and I are very excited and there are plenty of your friends that want to get a chance to see you while you're back home."
Blaine knew she was right. A lot of them were already coming to show to begin with, but that just meant having a few spare minutes to spend with them between all the fan meet and greets and sound check and actually playing the show.
"Sure, sure," he said, "I guess it'll be nice to see everyone properly."
By the time they finished breakfast, she had filled them in on everything concerning the party and then gossip on people that Blaine only faintly recalled.
Being back at home was strange in a way that Kurt didn't like thinking about. He had never fit in Ohio, but he had always felt like he fit in at his house but having been away for so long, it didn't feel like home anymore. His bedroom was too small and too full of band merchandise that Carole had started collecting the moment they started to make it big. Still, it was nice to be able to sit in the familiar living room with his dad while some sort of game was on the tv and Carole was in the middle of knitting what might eventually become a blanket.
"How has it been on the road this time around?" his dad asked.
"Alright," Kurt said, "mostly the same except I really miss our old tour manager. She was fantastic. Working with some boyband in Europe now though. So we're stuck with Sebastian until we can find some kind of replacement."
His dad grunted. "You never give people the benefit of the doubt, Kurt."
Kurt laughed. "You won't like him, dad. You'll meet him tomorrow I bet."
Something happened on the screen that took his dad's attention away, so Kurt pulled out his phone. No amount of games watched with his dad or with any of the other boys could make Kurt either understand what was going on or be interested in the results.
He had a few new texts.
Blaine: Wes says he's coming our way with Santana and David. They want to meet up for a quick meeting. Nick said he'll be here in a bit too. Mine or yours?
Santana: You'll be plenty pleased with my surprise for you.
Wes: Meeting tonight. Big news. Coming to Lima.
Cassie: Did you want a haircut tomorrow before show?
Mercedes: Missed you by a week. :( Must meet up when you're in LA.
He responded to most of them, sending Santana a question mark, Mercedes a sad face, Cassie a flat out "no" and Wes an "alright" before he called Blaine.
"Hey," Blaine said, "so I've been ditched by my mom and Elliott who went out shopping. Can you believe that?"
Kurt laughed. "I bet you didn't want to go with them."
Next to him his dad nudged him and when Kurt glanced at him he asked "Blaine?"
Kurt nodded.
"Tell him to come over. I miss that kid."
"Didn't really," Blaine said, "she always takes forever. Anyway, Wes called me and he said there's big news. I'm guessing album or tour related but he wouldn't say. We were thinking your house for the meeting if that's alright. I'm actually surprised this couldn't wait until tomorrow when we're back in Columbus."
"Me too," Kurt said, "but they did leave New York earlier than planned. And yes here is fine. I'll let dad and Carole know. They want to see you anyway."
Blaine laughed. "Awesome," he said.
"Do you know anything about Santana's surprise?"
"No idea," Blaine said, "think it's a good one?"
"Who knows. It's Santana," he said with a grin.
"True. But alright, see you later, then?"
"Yup. See you."
He hung up and looked up at the screen again but lost interest quickly.
"Still in love with him, then?" his dad asked.
Kurt gasped. "Dad," he said.
Burt chuckled and bumped their shoulders together. "I'm not stupid, Kurt, I knew you liked Blaine from the moment you mentioned him to me back when you were in high school and for months I kept fearing the day you'd tell me he was your boyfriend or something especially after that dad he called the shop to tell me I needed to give you the talk."
Kurt groaned and his dad laughed.
"But nothing happened. Then," he looked towards Carole, "do you remember, when he told us he'd seen Blaine again?"
Kurt turned to look at Carole and she smiled wide at him. "Honey, you were so excited. More excited than when you got into NYADA. A few weeks later you were going on about starting a band and we genuinely thought you were doing it so you'd have an excuse to spend time with Blaine."
Kurt groaned. He hated how see-through he became when it came to his dad and Carole. He supposed that Rachel had also been able to tell it was why he'd been so determined for there to be a band to begin with. It had never been his intention for them to become what they were but he wouldn't change anything.
"Well, nothing is changing there," he said, "not sure he would feel the same anyway."
Carole reached to grab his hand. "Kurt, it isn't healthy to keep your feelings hidden away. Actually, you don't do that good a job of hiding them. Not when your fans can tell."
Burt nodded. "All those Klaine fans," he said, "they have it right."
He had seen the analysis, the lengthy essays that their fans wrote taking in every moment during performances or interviews. He'd seen videos highlighting anything to do with him and Blaine and yet there was so much out there that also focused on Nick and Jeff and in the same manner and Kurt knew there was nothing there. Fan speculation wasn't enough to even let him imagine that Blaine might actually feel the same way.
"I don't know," he said.
His dad settled an arm on his shoulder. "You have to take a risk for anything worth having."
Kurt laughed. "Please don't quote our lyrics back to us."
"That's my favorite song," his dad said.
"You always like Elliott's songs best," Kurt said, "actually, we all love Elliott's the best. Blaine wrote a good one last night."
"Is it another love song?" Carole asked.
Kurt shrugged his shoulders. He'd never thought about it much, how Blaine often wrote love songs despite the fact that Kurt had never even met his last boyfriend and the fact that he hadn't been any kind of relationship since that one ended.
Looking back, he did write a lot of love songs. Some of them were happy and others sad. Kurt had never thought much of it because intermixed with love songs, there were others that were silly and playful and about nothing particular at all.
"Yeah," he said, "about pining I think."
"What are these big news then?" Blaine asked.
Nick who was feeling a lot better after the quick trip back to his childhood home, looked up from where he was sprawled out on Kurt's dad's floor.
Wes, Santana, David, and a girl that looked only a little bit familiar, had only just arrived but they were all waiting for whatever Wes needed to tell them. It seemed that it was good news at least from the way that Wes held himself.
"Lots of things," Wes said, "first not to be rude, this is Dani. Dani, this is the band who you probably already know."
"I do, yes," she said with a smile, "big fan, actually. I saw you guys at Roseland."
She shook each of their hands and when Kurt motioned for her to sit, she did with a thank you. Santana dropped into the seat next to her but Wes and David stayed standing where they were.
"And why is Dani here?" Kurt asked and Nick could hear the tilt of hope in his voice.
"She's your new assistant tour manager," Santana said.
"Assistant?" Kurt asked, "so, not replacing Sebastian, then?"
Wes shook his head slowly. "We cannot terminate his contract officially without also terminating his NDA."
"And," David added, "it's likely he wouldn't sign another or sue the band and we can't exactly afford bad publicity at the moment. Not with Rachel and her big mouth."
Wes nodded along. "Exactly," he said, "so Dani will be joining you guys on tour as an assistant until the break in the tour in California."
At that Nick frowned. Break in tour. They had dates booked with just days between them while in California.
"Break?" Elliott asked.
Wes nodded. "Your schedule has been changed. It took a bit of wrangling and things being moved around but luckily some of the dates after California weren't announced yet because those are the extension of the original tour."
When the tour was first announced it had been a simple cross-country tour. They would play some shows on the East Coast and then make a few different stops at numerous states until they arrived in California for the last of their shows. The tour had since been expanded to include a few more shows in other states taking them back to the East Coast and finishing up back in NYC with the possibility of playing at Madison Square Garden as their last show though that wasn't officially settled yet.
"The idea to record the album on the road was a bit stupid," Santana said, "I said so from the moment it was mentioned, but since you'll be in Cali anyway, we thought it'd be a good time to use the recording studios there in LA and get the album done. We'll have about a month. Anything we need to fix or re-record can be done in New York when the tour is over. We release the album a few weeks after that last show and then announce the third tour."
It was mind boggling. Nick couldn't begin to imagine just how busy they were going to be and yet he knew they had no reasons to refuse. He looked at the other guys but Kurt seemed to be focusing on the Sebastian thing because of course he was.
"Does that mean no more Sebastian after Cali?"
"If not before then, yeah," Santana said, "and I will be coming along as well because of the album so technically speaking I'm in charge." Nick thought she looked a little too happy about that. "We need to really figure out what we're settling on and what the label wants."
"And what about the contract?" Elliott asked, "have they said anything about that?"
Wes shook his head. "Not the focus at the moment but they'll have something new by the time the other one ends but since their aim is the album out and the world tour it's likely they'll go with what you wanted."
"Well, then," Blaine said, "I guess we're doing this then."
"What countries are we going to?" Jeff asked.
Wes shrugged. "Not sure yet."
It's official. Or well, not official, but probable.
Pamela Lansbury is probably going on a World Tour. As we reported last week there were rumors that the band was in talks to expand their current American tour, and they certainly have been adding dates in the states, but now it looks like they will be venturing outside of the U.S. for gigs. Nothing is official yet and representatives for the band have yet to make a statement or announcement as such but an insider at Gingerbread Man records has told us that it's almost a sure thing. What's also a sure thing, the release of their third album, and we may be getting that sooner than expected.
The band is currently in Ohio with a show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus tomorrow night.
HummelAnderson: this practically confirms it, omg. So happy for them.
HummelAnderson: could be the album is released before the world tour?
NiffKlainer: this is awesome, but when would they have the time to record? Blaine said they hadn't even started.
Klaine5eva: Knew it. And I can't wait for the album too. So many good news.
Author's Note: Hope everyone liked this chapter...next one coming soon.
I'm on tumblr at inawickedlittletown if you'd like to follow me there. I usually post writing progress updates there.
Hope you all enjoyed this and thank you for reading.