In the spotlight
A/N: I own nothing...
Jordan, Shane and Tommy walk out on the stage in front of the crowd of 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden. Over the past 8 months, they'd played over 150 shows all over the country, but this one felt different to Jordan. He looks over to where Angela and Maddie were sitting.
Walking up to the microphone, he scanned the crowd. As the lights slowly come up, he watches the reaction of the fans. Knowing that this is the last time he'll perform to an audience this size for a while, he takes it all in. As the crowd starts to quieten, he speaks. "Hello, New York! We're Residue."
As Shane starts beating out the first song, one of their faster ones, Jordan forgets everything but his music. As he starts to sing, he gets the crowd more and more involved. Before long, the crowd is singing back to him and he's running around the stage.
They perform a few of their faster songs, with much the same result. As they're finishing up the last one, Jordan looks over at Angela and Maddie again. The seem to be enjoying the show. He smiles to himself as he notices how Angela is turned, with her back to Rayanne but still facing the stage.
Jordan VO: I know Angela is gonna kill me for this, but it's Maddie's birthday tomorrow, so she'll understand. You only live once, right?
Jordan stops to take a drink of water and give the guys a breather. Taking the mic from the stand, he walks to the front of the stage and props his foot on a speaker. "So, everyone enjoying the show so far?" He pauses as the fans cheer. "Good, good. We aim to please." After more cheering, he goes on. "Well, I'd like to introduce you to our guest of honor tonight."
Walking over toward the edge of the stage closest to Angela and Maddie, he motions to the stagehand. "Somebody get me a spotlight over here, please?" He jumps off the edge of the stage and walks up to his girls. Leaning over the rail he kisses Angela and then pulls Maddie up beside him. "Boys and Girls, this little lady right here is my daughter, Madison Elizabeth Catalano. Tomorrow is her 11th birthday. Show her some love." He hugs Maddie to him as the crowd cheers and yells "Happy Birthday" to her. "Seeing as this is 'Madison' Square garden and this is my Madison's birthday, I think she should chose our next song. What do you wanna hear, Maddie?"
Too shy to say it in the microphone, she pulls Jordan down to her and whispers in his ear. He smiles to her and kisses her cheek. "Ok, guys. She wants to hear 'Closer to the edge'. Just for you, baby girl." He hugs her again and winks at Angela as he makes his way back to the stage. When he's in front of the mic stand, he says "Oh, and you can thank her for the mohawk. I did it for her, because that's what she wanted. Happy Birthday, Maddie!"
I remember one moment, I tried to forget
I lost myself, is it better not said
Now I'm closer to the edge
It was a thousand to one
And a million to two
Time to go down in flames and I'm taking you
Closer to the edge
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
NO NO NO NO
Can can can you imagine a time when the truth ran free
The birth of a sun and the death of a dream
Closer to the edge
This never ending story
Paid for with pride and fate
We all fall short of glory
LOST IN OUR FATE
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
NO NO NO NO
NO NO NO NO
I will never forget
NO NO
I will never regret
NO NO
I WILL LIVE MY LIFE
NO NO NO NO
I will never forget
NO NO
I will never regret
NO NO
I WILL LIVE MY LIFE
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
NO NO
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry
One day maybe we'll meet again
NO NO NO NO
Closer to the edge
Closer to the edge
NO NO NO NO
Closer to the edge
Closer to the edge
NO NO NO NO
Closer to the edge
Angela is watching the crowd as Residue is winding down the show. Jordan had played an acoustic set by himself with just his guitar and now Shane and Tommy were back on stage. After playing a few more songs, Jordan lays down his guitar and addresses the crowd. "We want to thank you guys for coming out. Hope you enjoyed tonight's show. Good night, New York!"
Shane and Tommy make their way backstage and Jordan walks over toward Angela and the gang. He's stopped several times by fans wanting to say hi. After about 10 minutes, he motions for one of the security guards to come over to him. The security guard walks over to the gate closest to Angela and unlocks it for them.
Jordan, having broke away from the fans, runs to catch up with Angela, Maddie and Jamie followed by Ricky, Simon and Rayanne as they make their way down the hall heading backstage. When they get to the dressing room, Shane, Tommy and Deborah are sitting around talking.
Jordan takes a seat on the sofa and pulls Angela down beside him. The kids take the seats in front of the mirror and Ricky, Simon and Rayanne are left standing near the door. Oblivious to the tension in the room, Maddie and Jamie are going on and on about the show. Angela makes eye contact with Shane and he just shrugs and looks away.
Ricky is the first to speak. "Hey, guys, the show was great. You've come a long way from our high school days."
Angela mumbles under her breath, "Uh, apparently some of us are still stuck in those days."
Jordan, being the only one who heard her, tries not to laugh. "Thanks, Ricky. I'm glad you all got to come."
After a few minutes of chit chat, Tommy and Deborah excuse themselves. Angela, who refuses to look at Rayanne, asks Ricky about his latest video. He's telling them about working with the pop princess from hell when Shane gets up and leaves the room. Angela and Jordan exchange glances, but neither say a word.
"Well, we just wanted to come back and say hi to you guys. So, I guess we're going to head home. Thanks again for inviting us." Ricky bends down to kiss Angela and whispers, "I'll call you soon. I know I'm not going to get off easy on this one."
"Ricky, it was really nice seeing you. I'm sorry that we didn't get to spend much time together." She gets up from the sofa to hug Ricky and then Simon. "Take care of him, Simon."
Ricky and Simon start out of the room, but Rayanne hangs back. "You coming, Rayanne?" Ricky asks.
"Ricky, I need to talk to Angela and Jordan. I'll take a cab home, ok? You and Simon go on. I'll be fine." Rayanne kisses Ricky's cheek and turns to look at Angela.
Not wanting the kids to witness the inevitable argument about to take place, Jordan asks Maddie and Jamie to go and find Deborah and see if they could help pack up the stage or something. When the kids leave the room, he shuts the door behind him.
Jordan walks over to stand beside Angela, with his hand on her back. "Rayanne, just say what you have to say and leave. Angela doesn't need to get upset."
"I don't want to upset her. I just want to talk about what happened. I'm sorry that things came out like they did. It would have been better for everyone if Shane and I hadn't been pushed together. We both were fine just the way we were." She starts pacing back and forth. "Angela, I told you that you wouldn't like what I had to say, but you pushed and pushed. You wouldn't let it go and now look what happened."
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Angela blurts out. "So now this is my fault? If I hadn't pushed, then it never would have come out? You are so unbelievable! I have no blame in this whole fucked up situation, Rayanne. YOU did this, not me, not Jordan and not Shane." Angela pulls away from Jordan and walks up to Rayanne. "You seriously need help, Rayanne. How in the hell do you expect me to just forget that you told me you've been in love with my husband for the last 16 years?"
"Don't you see, Angelica? It doesn't change anything. You still have Catalano. It's not like he would ever leave you for me." Rayanne says, touching Angela's arm. "What are you worried about? Do you think I'm going to try to steal him from you?"
"Graff, don't say shit like that to her! I would never leave her for ANYONE. I don't give a fuck how you feel about me, but if you love Angela like you claim to, then leave her alone. She can't get all stressed out over this bullshit." Jordan, who is usually easygoing and laid back, is really pissed. "What happened between us was years ago. If I hadn't been completely wasted, it wouldn't have happened at all. I was, and still am, completely in love with Angela."
"Rayanne, I'm not worried at all that you would come between us. Nothing can come between us. What I'm upset about is how you used Shane. Shane is the victim here. You used him and hurt him for nothing." Shaking her head, Angela walks back over to Jordan and leans into him. "It saddens me to think that all these years, you let Shane take the blame for your breakup. Shane, trying to protect Jordan and me, let us believe that he was the bad guy."
"Angela, what do I need to do to make this better?" Rayanne, looking from Jordan to Angela, starts to cry. "I can't help how I feel. I wish to God I could."
"This is un-fucking-believable! What is wrong with you, Rayanne? How can you think you're in love with me? There was never anything between us." Throwing his head back in frustration, he sighs loudly. "If not for Tino and Angela, I wouldn't have let you anywhere near me."
"Don't I know it? All I had to do was follow Angela around and I got be with you, too. You couldn't stay away from her." Wiping her eyes, she continues, "Little Angelica wasn't the only one with an unhealthy Jordan Catalano obsession. She just got lucky because you took notice of her. How was I supposed to compete with little Miss Perfect?"
"You just pretty much told me that you used me the same way that you used Shane. I was just an excuse for you to be around my husband. Rayanne, I welcomed you into my home. I told you things about me and Jordan, private things. All these years, I thought you were my friend." Angela walks over to the door and pulls it open. "Rayanne, I want you to leave. I want you to walk out of this room and forget that we were ever friends. I want you to forget that Jordan Catalano ever existed. Don't call me, don't write me. I never want to see you again."
"Angela, please. Don't do this." Rayanne pleads with her. "I don't want to end our friendship this way."
"Rayanne, you heard her. She doesn't want you in our lives anymore." Jordan walks over and stands beside Angela. "You brought this all on yourself."
"I don't believe this! If you had never found out, then we would all still be friends. I bet you're sorry you ever tried to get me and Jones back together, aren't you?" Laughing bitterly, she heads out the door.
Angela calmly closes the door behind her. Jordan, who is still pissed, goes to run his fingers through his hair, before realizing that he can't because the 4 inch high pink spikes. He and Angela look at each other and laugh. "Wow. I don't think we've heard the last of her. She really is crazy!"
Pulling her into his arms, he asks, "You ok, babe?"
Holding his face in both hands, she reaches up to give him a kiss. "Surprisingly, I feel great. I don't want to talk about Rayanne Graff and all her craziness anymore."
"Oh, yeah? What do you wanna talk about?"
"I want to tell my hot, sexy rock star husband that he was awesome out there tonight. You made our daughter one happy little girl. She probably won't sleep tonight, you know?"
"Yeah. I thought she'd like that. Let's go find the kids and head back to the hotel. I can't wait until morning so that we can go home. I don't want to see the inside of that damn bus for a long, long time."
"Your wish is my command. Come on, let's go!" Hand in hand, they walk out the door.
A/N 2: I tried really hard not to let Jordan become Jared, but being that Jordan is Jared I couldn't help it... Of course, the song is Closer to the Edge ~30STM I'm not done with Angela/Rayanne, either. Thanks for the reviews! Please keep 'em coming. :) ~gagirl29