WARNING: THIS STORY IS NO LONGER BEING EDITED FOR CONTENT. FULL DESCRPTION WILL BE INCLUDED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED…
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the characters or any of the songs in this chapter. NO copyright infringement intended.
So this is it, the big final competition and once I got started it just flowed out in no time! Hope you enjoy it! Reviews are greatly hoped for!A link for all of the Rock Band Finale songs: .com/view_play_list?p=2A797C5A372D684C
Also, You can't get a good appreciation of Alice and Bella's outfits by description alone. So here's a link to the wardrobes I put together on Polyvore. .com/rock_band_finals/set?id=12493484
A special thanks to my beta Sihaya9 for working on this during her tropical Caribbean vacation. I don't know if I should hug her for doing this while on vacay or throttle her! LOL! I think I'll go with the hug though...love ya sweets!
Also mega thanks to our validation beta, Sassenach Wench.
Rock On
BPOV
I stumbled out of the bedroom to find Edward lounging casually on the couch, reading the paper. Stupid guys, they don't take all day to get ready for stuff like girls do…especially girls who are friends with pixie who have a flair for fashion fascism. (Try saying that three times fast.)
I heaved my duffel bag to the doorway and crossed the room to slither onto the couch next to him, snuggling into his warm, fragrant chest.
"Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go!"
He chuckled, burying his nose in my hair, and wrapping his warm arms around me, hugging me close. "Well, love, since the whole thing was your brainchild, I don't really think you can get by with skipping."
I sighed and shifted to hide my nose in his neck. "You do realize that if the skank girls pull what I think they're planning then you're going to have to physically restrain me, right?"
He chuckled and nodded. My anger had already begun to smolder under the surface.
Mama D had tugged us girls aside last night during our practice time, warning us that the ho patrol were practicing some pretty demeaning songs that she was pretty sure were directed toward us and our boys. I grumbled and then had to table my anger in order to calm down the extremely emotional Rosalie, who was ready to go hunt them down and rip off their heads just from Mama's warning.
We thanked Mama and went home to take one last look at the schedule for the next day and review our orders from Alice of where to be and when, before straggling home around midnight to our respective boys.
"So when are you boys meeting up?"
"Uh, about an hour before it starts, as per Alice's instructions. Jazz is coming by pretty soon to hang here and play video games since you guys are all going to be descending on their place. Ali ordered him to disappear and not reappear until he has to be at Dooley's."
I laughed, kissing his neck. "Yup, sounds like Ali alright. I guess from what I understand, we're only doing hair and makeup now. Ali has acquired Mama D's break room for us to change into our stage outfits while Tanya's band plays. So it'll be just before we're due on stage…something about surprise and shock value."
"So, am I going to be shocked?" He asked as his eyes drooped a bit and his sexy crooked smirk peeked up at me.
I sighed, "You know I'm not allowed to divulge that information, Mr. Cullen. You'll just have to wait and see." I shook my head with a groan.
Edward laughed, "That bad huh?"
I shrugged, rolling myself on top of him to straddle his waist. "I guess you'll have to let me know when you see me."
I leaned forward and kissed his lips, meaning for it to be short and sweet, but my sexy as hell fiancé had other ideas. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, pulling me tightly to him, as his mouth opened and his tongue slipped out to press into mine.
I moaned when his hips ground up against mine in delicious friction. I let him continue for a few minutes before I whimpered and pulled away.
"You are so mean; you know we don't have time for that! I have to go. The pixie's already going to have my head for being a late."
He groaned and leaned up to rest his forehead against mine. Rubbing my back gently, he kissed my lips twice, softly. "Fine, but tonight I get you all to myself, okay?"
I grinned and nodded before standing up and making my way toward the door, hefting my heavy duffel bag with me. Just as I reached the door to open it, I heard a gentle knock.
I swung the door open to find Jasper smiling at me, shaking his head. "You're a dead woman, you know that right?"
"That bad?"
He snorted. "You're just lucky she got distracted with Rose and Krista. Maybe, if you're lucky, she won't kill you too brutally."
I grimaced with a whine and he laughed again.
"Get going, Bellarina, or it will just be worse."
"Bellarina?" I called behind me, walking backwards down the hallway.
He shrugged, "I dunno, just came to me."
I shook my head with a chuckle before spinning to sprint down the hallway toward the elevator.
Fifteen minutes late,r I was sprinting up the hallway toward Jasper and Alice's place. My fist only made contact with the door once when it flew open to reveal an incensed Alice glaring at me from the other side.
"It's about time, Bella! We're going to be late now because of you!"
"Oh come on, Ali, the rest of the acts aren't supposed to be there until an hour before opening. We have three hours before then, there's plenty of time."
"Yes, but we have to get your hair set, your makeup on, and then we have to haul and lay out our outfits and use the portable steamer on them if they get wrinkled. Then we have to double check the sound, lights, and the projectors to make sure everything is ready."
Alice had been working overtime the past few weeks on making everything perfect, even going so far as to hire a professional lighting crew to come in and 'design lighting' for each of the groups for the contest. She also invested in another big screen that sat above the crowd for the contestants to use to play the songs.
"Okay, well, standing here talking isn't going to get me ready any faster. I'm yours to mold." I said firmly with my arms spread wide, hoping that my unfettered willingness to let her do whatever she wished would calm the sprite's fury.
She pulled me by my arm, nearly yanking it out of socket with her freakish strength. She slammed me into a chair in the middle of her living room where she set about tugging at my hair, curling and teasing. I cringed at the thought of trying to comb it back out at the end of the night.
After the use of nearly two cans of hairspray to complete my coif, she set to task slathering me with makeup. I glanced at Rose and Krista, marveling at the dramatic effect the makeup and hair had on their appearance, wondering if I would look just as different.
Forty minutes after my arrival, I was finally allowed to rise from the chair and take a peek in the bathroom mirror. I stood there blinking a few times in surprise. My hair was full of volume, but wasn't early nineties big by any means. It actually just sort of looked windblown with a touch of sex hair added in. This was basically my equivalent of Edward hair.
My makeup was dramatic, but in a really cool way. I had red lips, dark eyeshadow and eyeliner that came out past the outer corner of my eye. The liner ended at the same point as the eye shadow she applied, following the line of my brow out and thus making my eyes look much bigger and almost almond shaped. The eye shadow was a reddish tint and then dusted with a silver sparkle powder so that my eyes sort of shimmered in the light.
I pictured the hair and makeup with the somewhat over the top rocker outfit Alice had picked out for me and smiled. No matter how we sounded tonight, we were totally going to look the part of bad ass rocker chicks.
We arrived at Dooley's an hour before the rest of the acts were supposed to turn up. Alice immediately disappeared to take care of all of the tasks she listed, leaving the rest of us to sit at a table and get nervous.
"Dan's coming tonight to watch us," Krista mumbled as she fiddled with the mixed drink in her hand, which was supplied by an equally nervous Mama D. "What if he thinks I look stupid, or I look slutty, or something."
Rose and I scoffed, Krista was the most conservative of us all, and that was saying something coming from me. Her outfit for the night was a pair of skinny jeans with a shimmery tank top under a sheer, long sleeve button up shirt. Originally, Alice was going to get her to swap the pants for a skirt and was going to talk her out of the long sleeve cover up, but Krista adamantly refused. She was already stepping out of her comfort zone as it was.
"Krista, you don't have it in you to be slutty, sweetheart. Trust me; I've been working a lot with Dan lately. That boy is head over heels for you. He's going to love the hell out of seeing you up there tonight."
"Ugh, I hope so," Krista said, dipping her head and blushing brightly. She was the one person who actually rivaled me in the blushing department.
"At least your future in-laws aren't going to be watching you strut around the stage in fish net hose and a short dress!" I dropped my head to the table with a groan, thinking of Carlisle and Esme watching our performance. "How did Alice talk me into this again?"
Suddenly the DJ who would be filling the transition times by spinning tunes cranked his sound system, blasting Prodigy's Breathe. Rose, Krista, and I covered our ears and grimaced a second before he brought the sound back down some.
The longer we waited, the more anxious I became. I hated singing in front of people. It wasn't so bad when it was just my boys. Then we started singing here to help out Mama and I was not great about it, but I tolerated it. But as time continued and the popularity of the RB nights increased, so did the number of people in the audience. Add Carlisle and Esme to that, and I was starting to feel very uncomfortable with our song choices, as well as my outfit for the night.
The rest of the groups arrived right on time. We all gathered for one last meeting. Our boys all came and sat with us, arms restraining us surreptitiously from jumping up and wailing on the Playgirls. The skanky slutbots smirked at us from across the table. They were decked out in multi colored leather pants with matching leather bustiers cinching their boobs nearly up to their chins. They looked ridiculous and plastic, and yet, they were the ones smirking at us because we were still wearing our Juicy track suits. One would think that they would have figured out that we planned on changing before we went on stage, but then again, they weren't exactly rocket scientists.
Once the meeting was adjourned, with finalized set lists for the Emcee who would make sure that the songs were ready to go when the next band hit the stage, Edward pulled me aside with a sly smile.
"I'm assuming these aren't the outfits right?"
"Yep," I deadpanned, "we thought we'd do the unexpected and go casual chic." I rolled my eyes and he snorted.
"We're going to change after your set while Tanya's group plays. Hopefully two songs will be long enough to change. If not, then the DJ can always cover for a few minutes until we're ready."
He nodded and tugged me with him to the bar to get drinks. We settled in at our reserved table on the raised mezzanine area to the left of the stage that was just close enough to flirt during our sets. There were definitely perks to being the organizers of an event like this.
The boys had been bragging all week that they were going to blow us away. Edward told me later that same night that first they were going to make us all hot and bothered, and then they were going to sweep us off our feet. I smiled to myself, knowing I was going to do him even one better. I had every intention of making him hot and then making him even hotter! I know…I'm evil.
The room started to fill in quickly and the heat began to rise. Ten minutes till show time, PEN15 took the stage. They adjusted their guitar straps one last time and made sure everything was ready. They really were a cool group of guys and almost ringers since they actually were a band just getting started in town. We let them in anyway, knowing Rock Band is really different from actually playing, but it probably did give them an advantage.
At nine on the dot, Mama D took the stage with the Emcee. She thanked everyone for coming and handed over the floor to the professional. He introduced the band, intentionally not mentioning their status as a band, which we were saving for the end, once voting was completed.
The guys took the stage to loud cheers and the lead singer, Kevin, stepped up to the microphone, thanking everyone and explaining that they were honored to be part of the event before breaking out in a set of Seether songs. They started off with Remedy, making all of us feel quite inferior as they rocked the hell out of it. It was no surprise that they were a real band. Kevin led the group with an intensity that rivaled the original band.
The crowd went wild jumping up and down as the band played it up for them, their instruments shimmering in the blinking colored lights that fit perfectly with the song. It was like being at a real concert. Alice had definitely outdone herself.
The second song of their set was Breakdown. Kevin's smooth voice rang out across the room in the slower melody of the song. The audience swayed with the beat, lifting flaming lighters and lit cell phones above their heads.
"Holy Hell, we may have just lost!" Emmett yelled over the music across the table to the rest of us. We all nodded quietly in reply.
I leaned my back against Edward. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, swaying to the music.
Their set ended to loud, nearly deafening cheers. The guys looked pleasantly surprised. They thanked everyone and left the stage.
The DJ started spinning filler music while the Emcee took the stage to log in the profiles for the next group, which happened to be the Pussycat Playgirls. There was no way they would look even close to decent after following PEN15's kick ass performance. It wasn't my fault that the random drawing managed to place them behind the awesome boy band…
They took the stage with their heads held high, their hips swaying a little too much in their super high wedges. The lead singer, Jessica, took the microphone as the rest of the girls got set up with their guitars and drums. I growled again when Jessica glanced up at our table with a devious smile that made me want to throw up.
From the beginning, I recognized Jessica and one other girl from the band as being women who Edward had left with in the past. Odds were that the other two were ones I didn't know about. I tried to push past it, but it was hard as hell when they shoved it in my face every night.
Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me from my seat into his lap where he buried his nose in my neck, kissing it gently.
"I'm sorry, baby. You don't even know how sorry I am."
I nodded and turned toward him, burying my fingers in his hair for solace. "I know, sweetheart. Doesn't change the fact that they make me sick. I want to go down there and rip their nasty ass extensions from their heads."
He groaned and hugged my waist tighter, kissing my neck in distraction.
The girl on guitar hit the key, taking them into the song. I growled, nostrils flaring, as Jessica started singing Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend right at Edward.
Edward groaned and tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me closer. My fingers dug into the table top. I felt my muscles tense and try to lunge for the stage, but his arms held me tightly in place. I felt his breath on my ear as he spoke.
"Bella, baby, calm down. Don't let her get to you. She's looking for a reaction. Don't give her what she wants. The girl is nasty and there's no way I'd ever leave you for her…not in a million years…not for all of the money in the world…not for everlasting blowjobs."
I chuckled and settled back a little when I felt one of his hands let go of my waist and trail up and down my leg. I turned to look at him and he smirked.
"I love you, Dr. Cullen. Don't forget that's my ring you have on your left ring finger. It is there for a reason. Never again will any other woman get near my dick. You know that."
I sighed and rested my head against his forehead as we completely ignored the ridiculous plastic Barbie wannabe crooning below.
Edward's hand that was grazing my thigh slid up my torso, fluttering past my breast to cup my jaw. He leaned forward and claimed my lips in a deep, loving kiss. I sighed into his mouth and then snickered when I heard Jessica flub up the chorus.
The band went on to sing I Touch Myself by the Devinyls. Jessica had given up on Edward after her fuck up, focusing her attention instead on the copious amounts of guys on the floor in front of the stage drooling up at her. She got into it, running her hands across her breasts and between her legs, making us girls gag.
The guys being guys gulped and shifted, but then purposefully looked away, earning kisses from us girls. I mean, it was a girl groping herself on stage, we couldn't expect them to be totally immune.
We were all relieved to have the skanks off the stage, and happy to have them replaced with Power to the V. They were dressed cute, but not slutty. They once again had a set of girl power, guy bashing songs that made us girls cheer. They started off with Kelly Clarkson's Since You've Been Gone, hitting it out of the park as the lead singer, Brandy's, voice rang strong and true.
The boys left us while they transitioned to the second song of their set to get organized down by the stage. The girls earned screams when their next song began. The four of us, along with Andrea, jumped up, bouncing along as they sang Pink's So What.
They finished off to a roar of applause and I leaned over to the girls.
"Well, Damn, I think I might just have to vote for THEM! I get the feeling, ladies, that we might not win this thing after all!"
They laughed and agreed.
The Emcee took the stage announcing our boys, and the KKK groupies crowded the stage, shoving and pushing like they were after the last pair of Manolos at a fire sale. The girls and I stood at the banister of the mezzanine level laughing at the insanity brewing below as extensions went flying above the crowd. Krista settled back at the table with Dan, cuddling closely while he told her how pretty she was looking.
Once they were set up, the boys looked up and blew us kisses before Edward stood in front of the microphone, smiling at the audience.
"We'd like to dedicate these songs tonight to our beautiful ladies standing up there on the mezzanine level," he pointed up at us. "This night was all thanks to their amazing ideas and hard work. They are the loves of our lives and we couldn't be prouder. Ladies," he wiggled his eyes at me suggestively, "the next two songs are for you and you alone!"
Andy hit the button opening up the screen for them to begin. I moaned "Oh my Hell," when Edward started crooning Saving Abel's Addicted.
I leaned against the banister and moaned as he crooned up at me with his crooked grin. When he sang the line "I'm so addicted to the things you do when you're going down on me between the sheets," I grinned and licked my lips suggestively before sucking on my finger, causing his eyes to flutter and his jaw to tighten.
The girls and I giggled and swooned while our boys serenaded us. They must have practiced a hell of a lot, because they barely even looked up at the screen. They looked at the crowd occasionally, but there was no denying they were singing to us.
The crowd roared and we clapped, jumping up and down when they were done. We blew them kisses, yelling down promises for later that night. I was pretty sure every single one of those boys was going to get lucky tonight!
They ended the song and transitioned to the next, shocking the hell out of us when they started crooning Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback. The intensity in Edward's eyes as he sang to me made my eyes tear up. I grabbed a napkin, blotting at them in an attempt to keep from streaking the copious amounts of thick makeup Alice had smeared on me. Damn Pixie!
Their serenade was beautiful, making my heart ache with love and pride as I let the words wash over me. God, I loved that man!
They finished up to a loud applause; Edward thanked the audience and stepped off the stage.
I gripped the railing when I noticed that in spite of the obvious dedication, the fan club still tried to get Edward's attention. I smiled as he politely dismissed himself and strode straight to the stairs up to me.
I waited until he was at the top of the stairs and ran straight for him, hopping into his arms, and kissing his lips deeply.
"I love you! That was amazing. I have to go change now, but if I didn't have to, I would so be molesting you on the dance floor right now."
He laughed and smacked my ass as I ran down to follow the girls to the break room to change.
EPOV
The night had gone perfectly so far. Well, almost. If that slut Jessica could disappear off the face of the planet, it would help. I seriously thought Bella might vault right over the railing and onto the stage as Jessica made a pitiful attempt to seduce me using Avril Lavigne of all things…lame and lamer!
I was nervous as we took the stage, announcing so that everyone would make no mistake that Bella was the only woman in the room I was singing this song for. I wanted, first of all, for her to know that she was the only one for me. I also did not want there be any misunderstanding with any other women who might be in the room, whom I had been with in that way before, either.
Bella, as usual, about fucking killed me; licking her lips and sucking on her finger while I sang to her. The girl could be so innocent one minute and a total fucking tiger the next. It seemed that this night was pretty much all tiger.
When we sang the Nickelback song, I had to fight my voice not crack as I watched her dab at the tears while I sang to her that I was never going to let her go. Never, ever, no way, not if the world stopped spinning, and life as we knew it came to a crashing halt, I was never going to let her go ever again if I could help it.
Once the song was over, I had to push through the crowd of vapid girls to get to my Bella. I smiled as she ran up and jumped into my arms, kissing me passionately before running off to change. I had to admit. I was excited to see her performance. The girls had been teasing us all month about how much they were going to knock our socks off.
I turned to make my way back to our table and listen to Tanya's band's set, running smack dab into my parents.
"Mom! Dad! You guys made it!"
They smiled, blushing a little, "Hi, son. Nice job. Is Bella's band going to be up soon?"
I grabbed the bridge of my nose as I realized exactly what they had heard me sing. Not exactly the thing you want to sing with your parent's around. I hadn't even thought about it when we invited them. Oh well, they knew that we lived together and were engaged for fuck's sake, it wasn't a secret we were intimate.
Then the realization hit that they were going to see Bella sing soon. I wondered if she had thought of that, considering what they might have planned. I could just imagine her embarrassment if they did something really over the top, like performing Britney Spears' Slave 4 U.
They followed me back to our seat and settled in.
The Emcee introduced the Human Incubators and Tanya stepped to the microphone. "Hi everyone, like we said before, we're just here to have fun. It's been a big couple of years for all of us, so tonight we're ditching the funny and going for the serious. I hope you enjoy it."
The band started in and Mom smiled sweetly down at Tanya's group as they sang Natasha Beddingfield's Unwritten.Tanya actually did have a good voice, but beyond that, she beamed out at the crowd, speaking of starting over, moving forward, and living your life.
I couldn't help but notice that her eyes often drifted toward a guy at a table on the other side of the stage that she had been talking to before the contest. He had been at the round two performances as well. They seemed to be getting long pretty well. He seemed like a decent guy when I talked to him. I hoped maybe he could be a guy worthy of her time and attention. She deserved a break for once.
The Human Incubators…I loved that name…they rounded out their set with One Step At A Time by Jordin Sparks. It was very appropriate, but by this point, I really wanted my girl to come back out so I could see her.
When they finished, the DJ filled the space between with filler music. I noticed it lasted a little longer than the others. I guess it took longer to change than Bella was hoping. Soon, the Emcee returned to the stage and introduced them as a door to the right of the stage opened and the girls walked out.
Krista was first, blushing as she picked up her guitar to play bass. She seemed pretty conservative, which fit her personality.
Rosalie was next, wearing a red halter top with black leggings and dangerously high, funky looking shoes for a pregnant woman. She seemed pleased though, looking up at Emmett with a huge smile and blowing him a kiss.
Alice followed. Jasper sucked in a deep breath as she strutted onto the stage in a short, tight black dress with silver studs under her breasts. Her legs were encased in some strange bands that went all the way down her legs to very sharp looking, extremely high heeled shoes.
Bella was last. I groaned and stared unabashedly as she jumped up on stage, looking the sexiest of all the girls in a red plaid dress, with a short fluffy skirt, and no sleeves. She had on sheer black stocking with some sort of design and elbow length fishnet fingerless gloves. Finishing it off were a pair of knee high boots with a thick heel that laced all the way to the top. She was the sexiest fucking rocker I'd ever seen!
She took the stage and settled at the microphone, looking up at me with a sexy smile. "Hey everyone! We can't thank you enough for coming and being a part of all of this. It's been such a great experience and it's all thanks to you. A little while ago, our boys took the stage and knocked our socks off with a little serenade. Now we're going to return the favor. Kevlar Knights and Dr. Dan…this is for you!"
They started the song and I sucked in a breath as the driving bass beat started. Bella smiled out at the audience. She stepped closer to the microphone stand, cupping the mic between her hands, as she started crooning down at the audience, making my pants tighten at her voice. She was singing Halestorm's I Get Off.Oh holy Hell!
Bella grabbed the microphone from the stand and stepped to our side of the stage, looking up at me through her lashes as she sang the chorus. I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat. The woman was trying to kill me.
I get off on you
Getting off on me
I give you what you want
But nothing is for free
It's a give and take
Kinda life we make
When your line is crossed
I get off
I get off
She looked back down at the audience when she started the second verse, but glanced back with a smirk when she sang the line "it's so much more exciting to look when you can touch." She sang toward the audience again and bent over to finish the verse, singing the words "I know how to twist ya, to bring you to your knees." She finished the line, then leaned all the way up to sing toward the ceiling, but was glancing back down toward me as she did.
The woman was mesmerizing, strutting across the stage, the epitome of sexy and sweet in one beautiful package. I smiled. Her ring glinted in the light, showing the whole room that she was taken. She was MINE!
She continued to sing with intensity, arching her back and then hunching it again during the verses. I watched in amazement and adoration. She was fucking mind-blowing. They reached a break where the guitar had a solo and she stepped over by Alice, pointing at her as Alice sailed through it, not missing a single note.
I glanced over to see that Jasper, Emmett, and Dan were all staring down at their girls with the same glazed eyes. All the girls were all playing it up for their boys and they were soaking it up.
Jasper asked me a question. I leaned over to answer, not noticing that they selected the next song for their set until the first guitar riffs filled the air. My eyes grew wide as saucers.
"Oh fucking hell…she didn't!"
Jasper looked at me confused as I looked back toward Bella, seeing her smirking at me with her lower lip between her teeth. I moaned loudly.
"What?" Jasper asked next to me.
"Trust me, you don't want the answer to that, but that woman is seriously trying to fucking kill me!"
The rest of the instruments joined in to Flyleaf's All Around Me. Images of slipping into Bella for the first time flooded to the forefront of my mind. She was playing so dirty!
Bella looked at me through hooded eyes as she began to croon the song. I gulped, trying to keep my body under control, but with that song, it was nearly impossible. She stretched her hands in front of her and then slowly pulled them back to brush her lips, she continued and I was done for as she clutched her fist to her chest.
My hands are searching for you
My arms are outstretched towards you
I feel you on my fingertips
My tongue dances behind my lips for you
This fire rising through my being
Burning I'm not used to seeing you
I'm alive, I'm alive
She smiled and lifted her chin to the ceiling, singing 'I'm alive' before curling in on herself and gently banging her head as she sang the chorus. Emotion thickening her voice, making it husky and irresistible.
I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
When she began the next verse, her hand slowly slid above her body. She reached for the sky before slowly drifting back down to cup her neck as she swung her hips gently from side to side, lost in the music. I couldn't stand it anymore. When she began the chorus for a second time, I got up and started pushing my way down the stairs and through the dance floor toward the stage.
My hands float up above me
And you whisper you love me
And I begin to fade
Into our secret place
The music makes me sway
The angels singing say we are alone with you
I am alone and they are too with you
I'm alive, I'm alive
I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
And so I cry
I watched as she looked up toward where I had been, her brow crinkling in confusion. She hadn't realized before that I had left due to being so wrapped up in the emotion of the song. I suspected she was reveling in her own memories as she thrashed on the stage, reminding me a lot of how she bends in on herself when she comes. I glanced up and saw Jasper looking down, pointing at me. I was almost to the stage.
The light is white
Just at the right time, she looked in my direction. I pushed past the last of the crowd to stand in front of the stage. She smiled and pointed as she sang…
And I see you
I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive
She sang straight at me a moment before gesturing with her finger for me to join her on stage. I frowned as she smiled and nodded. As she continued to sing the chorus, I jumped up on stage with her and stood next to her, smiling and fighting with all my soul to keep my hands off of her.
I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
She smiled and stepped up to my chest, her hand braced against me as she sang the bridge right into my eyes. My heart exploded in my chest…
Take my hand
I give it to you
Now you own me
All I am
You said you would never leave me
I believe you
I believe
When she started to sing the next verse, she turned her back to me, leaning against my chest and grabbing my hand, wrapping it around her shoulder. I wound the other around her waist. She leaned her head against my shoulder and sang to the end.
I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healed
She opened her eyes while she sang the last line and then dropped the microphone to her side. She slipped her other hand around my neck, twisting up to meet my lips with hers. The crowd went wild when we kissed. We broke apart and smiled at each other as I caressed her stomach gently. The sound of the screaming audience finally brought us out of our bubble. We turned and bowed. Bella raised the microphone and thanked everyone.
We stepped back, Bella handing the microphone to Alice, who stepped forward to tell everyone to settle back and relax while the DJ spun some tunes. The bar was going to have a special during the vote count. The audience had twenty minutes to submit their ballots. The results were scheduled to be read in an hour, after one more song from the Femmes.
The second we were free, I tugged Bella through the door that the girls had emerged from by the stage and slammed it behind us. I lifted her up, pushing her against it with her legs wrapped around my waist as I assaulted her mouth.
"You played dirty, Dr. Cullen…"
She pouted a little with puppy dog eyes. I laughed.
"…but I like it when you're dirty."
She smiled and bit her lip, earning a groan from me as I claimed her mouth again. I ground my arousal, which she was fully responsible for, into her warm wet middle. I began to fiddle with the tops of her underwear and hose, trying to figure out how to get to her, when a knock at the door interrupted us.
"Save it for when you get home, lovebirds!" Alice screamed through the wooden door. "We need to change for the encore."
I sat Bella down and smiled. "Encore?"
"Yeah, we're doing one more song in honor of Mama D before the results are read. It's a bit of a surprise. OH, and for the record, it's not a message to you this time in case you start to get worried."
I nodded and pulled her from the door, releasing the lock.
Alice flew through the door, immediately shoving me through it as Rose and Krista were trying to make it through behind me.
"Geez, Alice, you can wait two seconds for Rose and Krista to get in, can't you."
She sighed, "Yes, but if you stay any longer, it'll take me another ten minutes to get you away from her again. Now scoot!"
I stepped back out into the club, the music thumping as bodies collided on the dance floor. Tanya smiled at me, shooting me thumbs up as I passed under her section. The bar flies didn't even bother to approach me, so I crossed the room and climbed back to our section to join the rest of my friends and my parents.
Mom smiled up at me brightly with a wink while Dad clapped me on the back when I settled next to them. Thankfully, they didn't appear to find issue with her performance, or my hopping on stage to join her.
We sat and chatted, our waiting finally being rewarded half an hour later by the Emcee returning to the stage as the music from the DJ died down.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our night is nearly finished. The votes are being tabulated as we speak. While we wait, we have one last song to enjoy from the Femme Docs.
Bella and the girls popped back out of the room, make up now removed and replaced with a light dusting of color. They were wearing their track suits again, with their hair pulled up in pony tails, except for Alice of course, who was wearing a headband.
Bella stepped up to the microphone with a serious expression.
"I'd like to thank everyone once again for coming. The next song we are going to sing is an anthem for us and especially for the lady who owns this establishment. We love this place and we love its owner, Ms. Delia Dooley. We dedicate this song tonight to a woman who treats us all like family. I hope she doesn't kill me for telling you this, but Mama started off living in Georgia. She was married to an abusive man who mistreated her for years. She decided one day that she wasn't going to take it anymore. She saved up her money until one day, twenty years ago this month, she left and traveled as far as her money could take her, which was right here to Chicago. She settled down and planted roots, getting a job working here when it was known as Kennedy's. She became like family to Mr. Kennedy, who left her his bar and changed its name when he retired. Her life wasn't easy, but she never gave up.
Some of you know us, some of you don't, but most of you have heard through the grapevine what this year has been like for us. It has been hard and it has been scary, but through it all, we held our heads high and never gave up, just like Mama D. So this song is dedicated to not only Mama, but all of you out there who have fought to hold your heads high and keep on going through this rollercoaster we call life. This is for the Fighters."
Alice selected the song and Bella squared her shoulders, pulling off her jacket to reveal a black wife beater underneath. The music played over the speakers, the girls playing along. I watched my angel belting the song with passion, a half smile on her face while she strutted back and forth across the stage as if she owned it. She was beautiful.
After all you put me through
You'd think I'd despise you
But in the end I wanna thank you
'Cause you made that much stronger
Well I thought I knew you
Thinking that you were true
Guess I, I couldn't trust called your bluff
Time is up, 'cause I've had enough
You were there by my side
Always down for the ride
But your joy ride just came down in flames
'Cause your greed sold me out in shame, mmm hmm
After all of the stealing and cheating
You probably think that
I hold resentment for you
But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong
'Cause if it wasn't for all
That you tried to do
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through
So I wanna say thank you
'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
Never saw it coming
All of your backstabbing
Just so, you could cash in on a good thing
Before I'd realized your game
I heard you're going 'round
Playin' the victim now
But don't even begin feelin' I'm the one to blame
'Cause you dug your own grave
After all of the fights and the lies
Guess you're wanting to hurt me
But that won't work anymore
No more, uh uh, it's over
'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture
I wouldn't know how to be this way now
And never back down
So I wanna say thank you
'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
How could this man I thought I know
Turn out to be unjust so cruel?
Could only see the good in you
Pretended not to see the truth
You tried to hide your lies
Disguise yourself through
Living in denial
But in the end you'll see
You won't stop me
I am a fighter
(I'm a fighter)
I ain't gonna stop
(I ain't gonna stop)
There is no turning back
I've had enough
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
Thought I would forget
But I, I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember
Thought I would forget
But I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter.
When they finished, the whole room jumped up in roaring applause. Emmett wedged his fingers in his lips, letting out a huge wolf whistle and Dad gripped my shoulder with a squeeze. I looked back over my shoulder with a nod. I knew what I had and I knew I was damn lucky.
BPOV
It took us forever to reach the boys thanks to the constant throng of people praising our performance and the idea. When we reached the boys in the middle of the dance floor, Edward grabbed me by the waist. He lifted me up in the air above him, making me squeak as he turned me in a circle, telling me I did an amazing job. I beamed at him and we spun twice before he lowered me into a passionate kiss.
When he finally released me from the liplock, I was passed amongst the rest of my boys. When the Emcee and Mama took the stage, Mama took the microphone first.
"Before we say anything else tonight, I want to take this time to thank my girls, the Femmes and my boys, the Knights. You have no idea how much all of this, and especially you, mean to me. I never had kids, but you guys are the closest I'll ever get. I love ya! Now on to business," she handed the microphone to the Emcee and stepped back, wiping at a tear on her cheek.
"A panel of impartial judges was selected by yours truly to count the votes. It was an interesting result, after counting the votes twice, we discovered we have a two way tie for first place. Discussing it with Mama D, we've decided to give both bands first prize and award the second prize to the group who got the second most votes.
In second place tonight, walking home with the second place prize of one thousand dollars: Pen fifteen!"
The crowd broke into thunderous applause. We joined in with bright smiles. They deserved to win for sure. They were a great group. The boys took the stage and the Emcee continued.
"All the bands prepared for a victory song that will be played once we are done, so we will be seeing this kick ass group again in a few minutes. I also want to point out that these guys also have just moved to town with a real band of their own, and they will be playing regularly here at Dooley's for the next two months worth of Friday nights, so come back in to see them!"
The crowd went wild again as Kevin and the boys waved and thanked them.
"And now for the first place award, but I'm sure you won't be that surprised. The tie was between the Femme Docs and the Kevlar Knights!"
The crowd went wild again and we laughed, walking up toward the stage wrapped up into couples. Once we reached the stage, the Emcee spoke up again.
"The grand prize for first place was supposed to be two thousand dollars, but when this all began, the Femmes and the Knights decided that it wasn't fair to win prize money at an event that they helped put together, so the prize money will be split between two charities chosen by the bands. One thousand dollars will go to the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network, and the other thousand will go to Habitat for Humanity."
The crowd once again burst into cheers. We thanked them and exited the stage for the PEN15 guys to take the stage to do their song. We retreated into the break room to celebrate and figure out how to do the final number together since we both won. We decided it would be fun to collaborate, finally settling on a song, and dividing the parts between us. Andy ceded his guitar to Alice, and Krista gladly gave up the bass to Jasper. Rose and Emmett argued about drums before Rose finally gave in and allowed Emmett the honor, as long as he promised to 'repay her triple tonight.' Emmett grinned like he won the lottery, apparently not upset with the debt he would have to pay later.
Edward and I put our heads together as they argued. We turned back to the group, asking what they would think about doing something with a duet. We had the adapter to connect two microphones, and it wasn't like we were worried about the points in the game or anything. The group smiled when we made the suggestion. Just as we finished up, the guys on stage broke out in their song and we all gasped.
"There's no fucking way we should have won," Emmett whispered as we all listened to PEN15 sing Seether's Careless Whisper.
We all nodded silently in agreement and listened as they finished the song.
Once they finished, we stepped back out and took our place on stage, settling into place and connecting the adapter so Edward and I could both sing to Evanescence's Bring me to Life.
Edward just stood by me, holding my hand, waiting for his turn with a big goofy grin on his face as I sang the first verse. I was well aware that this was one of the songs on his iPod's BB playlist of songs that reminded him of me.
When it came time for the chorus, he lifted the microphone and sang to my face, pushing my hair, which was down again, behind my ear.
We continued to sing to one another, totally forgetting that there was an audience. Our hands drifted from each other's faces to our shoulders and then waists. We both felt this way about one another in some way. We saved each other to a degree. We were the part that made the other whole.
I was surprised when Edward sang the male solo with deep passion. He ground out the gritty verses while holding my hand between us. I answered back breathlessly.
all this time I can't believe I couldn't see
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
got to open my eyes to everything
without a thought without a voice without a soul
don't let me die here
there must be something more
bring me to life
He cupped my chin at the end of the bridge and stared into my eyes. We sang the chorus again while he dipped between his parts to kiss my head. I curled up to his chest and we finished the song in an embrace.
We probably didn't really do what a good band would do….we didn't sing to the audience at all, but they didn't seem to care - the roar hurt my ears. We visited a while longer once the festivities ended, before finally bidding everyone good night and rushing home, falling into bed, exhausted and completely in love.
The sex that night was slow and sweet, full of whispered promises and mating souls. When we both reached completion, we curled up together under the soft comforter and fell into a deep, contented sleep.
I've had pictures in my mind of this night since the beginning of the story and was really nervous about getting it right, but then once I sat down, it all flowed out of me. I hope you guys liked it. Please review, I love hearing from you!
Featured Songs which I do not own the rights to:
Breathe by The Prodigy
Remedy by Seether
Breakdown by Seether
Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
I Touch Myself by Divinyls
Since You Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
So What by Pink
Addicted (uncensored) by Saving Able
Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback
Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield
One Step At A Time by Jordin Sparks
I Get Off by Halestorm
All Around Me by Flyleaf
Fighter by Christina Aguilera
Careless Whisper by Seether
Bring Me To Life by Evanescence