Keep in mind, this is an AU of the main stuff, and in no way affects it. Nothing from the Main Storyline will make an appearance here, other than some characters.
I will be uploading two chapters per week [Tuesday/Thursday], since the chapters are so short.
Thank you for clicking this story, and I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review!
This week's chapters will be uploaded on Wednesday [today] and Friday. Regular posting days will continue next week!
Part Eleven – Sing a Song of Love
"I'm hungry," Beary groaned as he flopped onto his back, once more at the back of the bus with Jewel, who was doing the same, her legs raised up against the back wall and her head hanging down from the seat, her hair gathering on the floor.
"Me, too! We didn't get to eat earlier!" Jewel complained unhappily. "Feed us!"
Zeb glanced back at them, holding a hot water bottle against his head, and his usually pony-tailed hair was hanging down to his shoulders. "Feed you? Fred, share some of your brownies."
"Uh, no," Fred responded, hurriedly closing the bag and putting it in his pocket.
"Aw, c'mon, Fred. Share."
"I can't!"
"What, are they pot brownies?" Zeb asked.
"Uh..." Fred gave a nod.
Henry groaned up at the front. "I thought you stopped doing that. No wonder you gained so much weight."
"Nothing wrong with being a bit chubby, Henry," Fred pointed out. "They help me calm down, and I'm all a anxious."
"No, nothing wrong with it. But it is a bit unhealthy, Fred, you have to admit," Henry responded. "Plus those brownies? Just make sure the cubs can't reach them. That's the last thing we need."
Fred nodded, reaching into his pocket to make sure they were there, and gasped when he found them gone. Hearing the sounds of eating, he turned around and let out a yelp.
Beary and Jewel's mouths were covered in crumbs as they shoved the brownies into their mouths and ate them.
Fred responded with a very loud curse word.
"Oh, man," Zeb groaned, and Tennessee looked positively horrified. Henry looked like he wanted to kick Fred.
"Might as well let them ride it out. It'll be a couple more hours until we get to Knoxville, guys," Roadie called back, having heard the situation. "Be some entertainment, too."
"Why are we going to Knoxville?" Beary asked.
"Uh, to escape the law for a bit. Let things cool down," Roadie responded, not wanting to give anything away. "You two apologize to Fred for taking his brownies."
"Sorry, Fred! I'll make you new ones!" Jewel apologized.
"We were just hungry!" Beary explained sheepishly.
"You're going to be even more hungry in a little bit," the big bear responded, shaking his head. "At least there was only two in there, and they wasn't very big... It'll be about thirty minutes until it kicks in. Maybe less, since they're so young, and I made them for me."
"Till what kicks in?" Beary asked as his vision began to swim. "Whoa... What the..."
"And there it goes," Zeb snorted. "I think this might be the last time they eat your cooking, Fred."
Jewel stood up and wobbled around, heading for Tennessee. "Such a cutesy-wootsy bear!" She grabbed his cheeks and pinched and tugged, shaping his face.
Zeb couldn't contain his laughter as he watched her, ignoring Tennessee's eye-cries for help. Fred felt rather horrible about the situation, but even he couldn't deny the amusement.
Henry, however, groaned, unable to believe this was really happening. Unwittingly, they had now gotten two cubs high on weed. "Roadie, stop laughing. This is horrible."
"Head's up, Henry, you got one on the way," Roadie responded, glancing up at the mirror.
Henry turned in time to see Beary coming towards him, squishing his face much like Jewel was messing with Tennessee's – though now she had moved on Zeb's – and lifted up his lips and examined his teeth.
"Big teeth! Wow! Dex would be scared of you! He doesn't like teeth or claws. That's why Mom files mine down." Beary held up his paw, showing the dull, very short claws.
Henry frowned unhappily at the little nubs that should be a bit longer. They were basically filed down to the blood vessel. It was probably done because they were humans and didn't know any better. Poor cub.
His pity was short lived as Beary grabbed onto his ears and yanked hard. "Wee, horsey!"
Henry rolled his eyes, grinned, and grabbed the cub round the middle and pulled him close, tickling him mercilessly.
The squeals and laughs that filled the bus from the young bear brought smiles to all – even Zeb, though his face was being shaped by Jewel and causing his hangover to worsen.
.~*~.
"Munch, munch!" Beary giggled as he ate a snack given to him by Fred as they left a gas station after filling up. They were about an hour outside of Knoxville, and Beary and Jewel had been one super laidback, but also very energetic, pair.
Now that they had some snacks – chips, fruits, and drinks – they had become more laidback and sleepy.
"Hehe!" Jewel laughed lightly, leaning against Beary as her eyes drooped and began to drift off.
Beary started to do the same, quickly falling fast asleep as he snorted and curled up beside her.
Up in the middle and front of the bus, the older bears breathed sighs of relief that the duo were finally out.
"I thought they'd never pass out. And an hour and a half of getting our faces warped and shaped by Jewel, and getting pounced on by Beary?" Zeb shook his head and rubbed his face. "Cubs. Never having any. They're insane! Oh, wait, I already have one. Forget that."
"You were just as crazy, Zeb," Henry pointed out. "Or did you forget that you were as young as them when the band started?"
The auburn bear waved him off. "I also had stripes back then, too, remember? Like a tabby cat."
"The only reason you don't anymore is because you waste what money you have to bleach your fur lighter!"
"Yeah, well... I'm not a cat."
Henry rolled his eyes. "If Helen were here, she'd give you such a talking to. She thought your stripes were beautiful."
"She was about the only one who didn't make fun of them. Where is she, anyway?"
Fred was the one who spoke. "She got in an accident few years back. Been in a coma ever since."
Zeb's ears flattened. "How was I supposed to know?"
"Didn't I tell you?" Fred was surprised. Surely he had mentioned it to the fiddler in one of their audio cassette mailings since Zeb couldn't read very well. "Well, anyway... Sorry about that, then."
Zeb and Tennessee glanced at Henry unhappily. No wonder he held sorrow in his eyes.
"And before you ask, Beary's not his kid. At least, not that Beary's aware of." Fred looked at Henry. "Right?"
Henry chose not to answer.
.~*~.
"All right, we're here. Here's a motel. Looks like cheap rates. $35 a room per night?" Roadie let out a low whistle and looked at Henry. "Can we afford that?"
"Gonna have to," Henry responded uncertainly.
"Henry, why are you being so iffy on money, anyway?" Zeb asked, while Tennessee nodded in agreement.
"Hospital bills cost a lot, Zeb," the older bear responded. "Why do you think I'm getting you guys back together? No, not for quick money, so banish that thought from your heads. No, it's because if I don't get this money, they're going to tear down the Hall. I... I can't lose my home. Not where Trista and Jacob were raised. Not where my youngest... my youngest was raised until he disappeared." He sighed softly and shook his head. "I'm sorry for not being forward with you guys from the start, but..."
"No worries," Zeb responded with a grin, putting his hat back on his head. "The Hall was my home, too, remember?"
"Same here," Tennessee and Fred agreed.
"We're not going to let you down," Tennessee went on, sniffling.
Henry smiled at them, wiping a tear of his own away. "Thank you." He cleared his throat. "Let's get inside. Fred, you and Tennessee go pick up, oh, I don't know, pizza or something."
"Where do you want us to get food?" Tennessee asked.
Roadie thought for a moment. "Why not that bar over there? It looks like a restaurant bar. A pub."
Zeb glanced out the window, blinking. "You mean the one that says... Oh, you've got to be kidding." He laughed a bit. "Oh, you knew, didn't you!"
Roadie simply smiled.
Tennessee didn't pay any attention to what they were talking about as he walked off the bus and stretched, and wandered towards the bar, oblivious.
Fred shook his head. "This'll be good."
"We'll get checked in, Fred," Henry responded. "Get these two to bed."
"Don't you need my debit card?"
"I... Well... I can afford one room, I think." Henry glanced at Roadie. "What about you?"
"I'm sleeping in my bus. Saves more money."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Now shoo."
"Well then. Fred, go get some food." Henry smiled. "Zeb, you wait here with the cubs, and when we get our room, help me carry them in."
Zeb nodded, figuring that he'd bunk with Fred when the bigger bear came back.
.~*~.
Tennessee wandered into the bar, moving to the gentle music, not really paying attention. That is, until he heard her voice.
'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
Here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power
But you won't, no you won't
'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't
That voice could only belong to one beautiful bear. Tennessee slowly turned his head towards the stage, tears bubbling to the surface when he found who it was he sought.
Trixie St. Claire sang on stage, voice proud and strong and beautiful, yes filled with mourning. "Thank you," she said once finished to the gathered bar-goers, who cheered, but not to her. She looked over and found them watching a sports game and her ears lowered. "For not listening..."
"I was listening," Tennessee spoke out. He watched as she looked up and around before focusing on him.
"Tennessee?" she whispered, shocked. She backed away a little and spoke to the musicians behind her for a moment before turning back to the crowd. "The next song was written by an old friend. He wrote it a long time ago, when he was part of a band called The Country Bears."
"Whoo! Bears rock!" one man shouted from the crowd.
Trixie smiled faintly and began to sing her song of love.
Tennessee stepped towards the stage slowly, nerves trying to take hold over him. He wanted to run away. He wanted to stay. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted Trixie. "Trixie, I'm here to tell you simply that I can't go on without you!" He started to cry. "I'm a mess on account of how much I miss you. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. Pleeeeeease come with me, or just flatten me with a steamroller and mail me to China! I want you back!"
Trixie stared deep into his eyes for a moment. Then she extended her manicured paw to him and pulled him onstage. She sang the song to him as he moved closer and closer, and just when he couldn't take it one second more, Tennessee began to sing as well. He sang, then she sang, then they sang together. The song slowly blossomed into a romantic duet.
When it was over, the long-separated couple gave each other a huge bear hug, and the place went wild.
They stepped down from the stage, heading towards the door. They had so much to talk about!
"Tennessee, there's something I need to tell you. I... About ten years ago..." Trixie tried to find the words as they stepped out into the fresh air.
"I know about Jewel," he responded simply.
Her eyes widened in shock. "You... What? How?!"
"That's how." He pointed towards a golden cub that came racing towards them.
"MAMA!"
Trixie's eyes went wide and she let out a happy cry as her daughter jumped into her arms and hugged her. "Jewel! Oh, my baby girl! What are you doing here?! Oh, I don' care right now. Oh, baby... Mama's missed you so much!"
Tennessee smiled, but no tears came to his eyes. He was far too happy for those! He glanced over at the motel, where Henry was carrying Beary and Jewel's backpacks into the hotel room, followed by Zeb. "Wait, where did Fred go?" He glanced around.
"Went to get the food," Fred responded, appearing behind them. "You two did quite a duet." He smiled brightly and held up the sacks of hot food he carried that hadn't taken very long to cook. "Let's go to the room." He walked away from them.
Tennessee watched him, then turned to Trixie. "Trix, I do have one question... Is she... Is she mine?"
Trixie smiled and set Jewel down. "You're the only one for me," she responded. "Of course Jewel's your daughter."
Jewel looked over at Tennessee. So it was true! At last, she had a father! "So I'm officially the junior Country Bear, then?"
Trixie laughed and hugged her again. Jewel reached out an arm and brought Tennessee over, giving him a hug, too.
From a telephone booth, Beary watched with a small smile. Jewel's family was complete. He had only just woken up, but was going to keep his promise to Jade and James. Putting some coins in the payphone, he dialed the number to his former home.
