The following week was a lot calmer for Mike and Micky. Mike was coming to terms with his grandmother's death and took comfort in the fact she was now at peace. Mike still hadn't read the letter his grandma had left him, but he had been opening up to Micky about his memories of his grandmother and his feelings now she was gone.

The couple had planned their trip to the lake for later that day, and Micky was at his house getting a final few things ready to take with them while Mike was out buying a baby tree to plant in his grandma's memory. Mike had decided to plant the tree in Laurel Canyon Park before heading on their trip.

Micky was in the kitchen putting a few bottles of beer into an ice box when Mike returned home.

"Did you get hold of a tree?" Micky asked, adding a large bottle of water to the ice box.

"I did." Mike replied. "It's some kind of oak or somethin'... I ain't really sure, but it looked kinda cute. As cute as a baby tree can look, anyway."

Micky looked up and smiled at his partner before noticing Mike had a hand behind his back, appearing to be hiding something. "What's behind your back?" Micky questioned.

"It uh, it's for you." Mike said awkwardly - he almost looked a little embarrassed.

Micky's smile grew. "For me?"

"Uh, yeah." Mike said, scratching his head with his free hand. Mike then pulled his hand out from behind his back, revealing to Micky what he'd been hiding. "Here ya go."

Mike held out a small plant pot filled with little blue flowers unlike anything Micky had ever seen before.

Micky stepped forward, surprised by the gesture, and his smile got even wider. "You bought me flowers?" He asked.

"Yeah." Mike replied, his face flushing a sweet shade of red. "I saw 'em at the garden centre and I dunno, they just reminded me of you. I don't know why."

Micky took the pot from Mike and admired the flowers closer. "These are so groovy. They're like little bells. I've never seen them before."

"They ain't native to here, that's why." Mike replied. "The lady told me they're from Europe. Apparently in the UK there's fields and woods full of 'em. She was just growin' some here to see how well they'd survive. They have some fancy name that I can't remember, but most people call 'em Bluebells."

Micky could hardly contain the smile on his face. "Twenty-minutes in a garden centre and you're practically a florist or something." He giggled.

"Shut up." Mike laughed, looking down bashfully.

"Bluebells." Micky said, admiring the flowers. "These are so cool. I can't believe you got me flowers."

"Why?" Mike asked, looking up.

"I don't know." Micky giggled. "Maybe 'cause it seems girly. I don't think it's girly, though. I don't know why people think flowers are for sissies. I mean, look at them; they're beautiful. I think they're really, really groovy."

Mike smiled. "They reminded me of you, that's why I had to buy them."

"Why did they remind you of me?" Micky questioned, the smile still stuck to his face.

"You said it already; it's 'cause they're beautiful." Mike replied, blushing even more. "I thought you'd like 'em."

"Oh my god, you're so cute." Micky grinned so wide he felt like his face would split. "That's really lovely, thank you so much. I love them."

Mike cleared his throat. "Anyway," He said, standing up tall. "Have you packed beer?"

Micky was amused by Mike's blatant attempt at making the moment more 'masculine' again, and he smiled lovingly at his partner. "The beer is all packed." Micky replied, patting the top of the ice box.

Micky placed the pot of bluebells on the counter and turned to Mike once more. "Now it's my turn to show you your surprise." He said.

Mike frowned. "My surprise?"

"Yup!" Micky said excitedly.

Mike looked worried. "Oh no, what have you done?" He asked.

"Hey!" Micky laughed, hitting Mike playfully on the arm. "It's a good surprise. Follow me."

Mike narrowed his eyes and followed Micky to the garage. As they were about to go inside, Micky stopped the Texan.

"Close your eyes." Micky ordered.

"Why do your surprises make me so nervous?" Mike asked, closing his eyes.

"Shhh." Micky said, standing behind his partner and covering Mike's eyes with his hands for extra protection. "No peaking."

The couple entered the garage where Micky could hardly contain his excitement at what he was about to show Mike.

"Right, you can look now." Micky said, removing his hands from Mike's eyes. "Ta-da!"

Micky watched as the Texan opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. There in front of them both, hidden in Micky's garage, was a red Volkswagen campervan.

"Isn't she beautiful!" Micky gushed, literally doing a little jump of excitement.

"Oh my god, did you buy this?" Mike questioned, approaching the campervan and stroking the bonnet.

"Yeah, baby!" Micky exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "She's all mine! Well, ours - I thought we could share. I thought she would be perfect to take on our little trip to the lake!"

"I love it, Mick." Mike said, admiring the vehicle.

"I saw her and just had to buy her." Micky said. "I did sort of wanna paint some groovy stuff on it, you know, some crazy colours or something, but I figured you'd prefer it if I left her a bit more, I dunno, subtle."

Mike laughed. "It might make more sense leaving it this way." He said. "We won't draw attention to ourselves like this."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Micky said with a little sigh. He then opened the side of the van. "Take a look inside!"

Inside was a small table with two chairs, storage cupboards, a wash basin and a small stove. Then there was a large mattress that filled the rear-end of the van, more than big enough for two people. It was covered in a couple of shaggy blankets and psychedelic-looking cushions.

"Isn't it cosy?" Micky gushed. "It's been cleaned, and the mattress is brand new. I brought the cushions and everything at the weekend when you were with the boys."

"So you mean we'll be sleeping in here instead of in a tent?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, I thought you'd like that better as it's a bit more private." Micky said, climbing into the back and plopping down on the blankets and cushions. "There's plenty of room, too," He continued, stretching out his arms and legs to demonstrate the space. "Loads of room for sleeping and other stuff." He said with a smirk.

Mike simply smiled at his boy, but Micky's face fell immediately. "Not that we have to do anything in here." Micky said quickly. "I mean, we don't have to have sex in here, not if you don't want to. I know we haven't done anything since your grandma- Well, I know it's been a couple of weeks. And you probably wouldn't want to do it when we're out in the open anyway, but-"

"Micky," Mike said with an amused smile. "It's okay."

Micky felt a little silly and scrunched his face up awkwardly.

"I know, darling." Mike reassured him. "I know what you mean."

Micky relaxed, patting the spot next to him. "Come try it out."

Mike climbed in the back of the van and laid down next to Micky. "Wow, this is really comfy." He said, running his hands over the soft, shaggy blankets.

"I know, it's really snugly." Micky grinned. "We're gonna have such a great time. It'll be so cool to get away from here, just you and me. Out in the open with no one to hide from."

"You're really sure no one will be around?" Mike asked with a nervous look.

"All the years my dad took me there, I don't think we saw one person even once." Micky stressed. "And on the off-chance we do, we'll just come home. It's no big deal. I don't want us getting busted either, you know."

"I know." Mike said, smiling sympathetically. "And I hate sounding like a broken record, but I really just wanna make sure we don't get caught out."

"I know, babe. And it's okay." Micky said, squeezing Mike's knee in comfort. "I totally get it."

"I should probably go plant the tree now." Mike said, scratching his head. "We should make a move soon in case we get lost or somethin'."

"That reminds me," Micky said, reaching under the blanket and pulling something out. "Here you go."

Micky held up a wooden plaque that was attached to a long, thin piece of wood with a pointed bottom - and the plaque simply read Mike's grandmother's name.

"I thought you could stand it in front of the tree." Micky suggested.

Mike carefully took the plaque from Micky before looking up at the curly haired man. "Did you make this?" He asked.

"Yup." Micky replied. "It only took me about 30 minutes."

Mike stared down at it in silence, and Micky started to worry. "You don't have to use it if you don't want to, it was just an idea." He said.

Mike looked up. "Of course I'm gonna use it." He said. "I just really love that you made this for me."

"Well it's like I said, it didn't take long." Micky said. "It's just a couple of pieces of wood. Engraving it was the hardest part. I tried my best to get the letters straight... I didn't want it to look like a child had made it."

Mike shook his head. "It's perfect." He said. "Thank you so much, Mick. I was going to get one made but this is so much better."

"If you want to get a smart, professional one, you know, with a silver plate or something, that's cool." Micky stressed. "I don't want you to feel like you have to use it."

"I want to use it." Mike said, staring at his partner. "This was made with heart. That automatically makes it a hundred times more perfect than anything I could buy."

"Well, I never said you were getting it for free." Micky joked.

Mike tutted, letting out a little laugh. "Thank you, Mick. You're so good to me."

It didn't take Mike long to plant the little tree in Laurel Canyon Park. Micky stayed at home, loading up the campervan ready for their trip. Micky had offered to go with Mike, but Mike felt it best to plant the tree alone on the off-chance there were Monkees fans around to cause a scene. One Monkee being spotted was easier to avoid than two Monkees getting spotted.

Once Micky and Mike were ready and prepared, they set off on their journey to the lake. Although Micky hadn't been there in many years, he'd studied a map to work out the route and they managed to get there with only one quickly-corrected wrong turn along the way.

"We'll have to see how far we can drive down this track," Micky said as they drove carefully down a bumpy, off-the-road track towards the lake. "My dad used to park up and we'd end up walking most of the way. There's a clearing somewhere where we used to set up our tent."

"You're right; it is really quiet." Mike said, looking around for any signs of other people.

"I think there's some lodges not too far from here," Micky said. "Like 5 miles away or something. But people don't tend to head too far up here."

The couple managed to drive right the way down to the lake, as the route Micky had taken was clear of trees. It was a glorious warm, sunny day and Micky and Mike were relieved to finally get out of the van and stretch their legs after a long drive.

Micky took a deep breath in. "Mmm, smell that?" He said. "The air is so fresh here, man. I love it."

"It does feel good." Mike said, looking around. "This is beautiful."

"This isn't the exact spot I used to come to with Dad, that was a bit further along I think." Micky said, looking around and trying to get his bearings. "But this is definitely the lake. It even smells the same as I remember it."

Mike smiled, looking at his partner. "There are houses over there," He said, nodding to the far-side of the lake, where there were two houses amongst the trees. "You don't think they can see us, do you?"

"For a start they're probably vacation homes, so there might not even be anyone home." Micky begun. "And secondly, we're only going to be little blurry figures in the distance. Even with binoculars they're not going to work out who we are from way over there, babe. They'd probably think I was a girl from over there anyway."

Mike sighed, kicking a stone with his shoe.

"Please stop worrying." Micky said, smiling sympathetically at the Texan. "We can walk along into the trees, if you'd prefer."

Mike nodded, and Micky approached his partner. He laced his fingers with Mike's, and the couple walked along hand in hand. While Mike seemed a little tense at first, constantly looking around in fear or someone jumping out of nowhere, he soon relaxed. Micky felt such a rush walking hand in hand with Mike - they had never gotten to do this before, and Micky found himself smiling from ear to ear.

"What?" Mike asked, his face lighting up as he looked at Micky.

"What what?" Micky questioned.

Mike paused, stopping them both in their tracks. "What's that smile for?" He asked.

"I just like that we can be together like this without having to worry about anything." Micky said. "We're out in the great-open and we're holding hands. I really like that."

Mike smiled, reaching out and touching a stray curl of Micky's that was blowing in the light breeze. "It's really beautiful here." He said, looking out over the lake. "I see why you love it so much."

Micky let go of Mike's hand, sitting down on a rock and stretching his long legs. Mike sat himself down next to Micky, squeezing himself on the end of the rock and following Micky's gaze to the lake.

"It's weird being back here without my dad." Micky said thoughtfully. "Just being back here makes me feel like a kid again. Stupid, huh?"

"No... That ain't stupid." Mike responded.

"I'm not a kid, though." Micky said, looking out over the lake.

Mike looked at his partner. "Does it make ya feel sad?" He asked.

"What, not being a kid anymore?" Micky questioned.

"No," Mike replied. "I mean being here. Does it make you sad?"

Micky looked out over the lake again. "No. Because I'm here with you." He said. "I have so many memories of being here with my dad, but I'm looking forward to making new memories with you."

Mike smiled, hanging his head. A moment passed before the Texan spoke again. "You must miss him a lot."

"Sometimes." Micky replied. "I mean, I always miss him. But I don't always think about missing him, if that makes sense."

Mike nodded his head.

"Like, I guess it's gotten easier over the years. Or at least I've learnt to deal with it better." Micky continued. "But there are certain moments when I think, "damn, I wish Dad was here."... I've been thinking about him a lot lately, since you lost your grandma. But I was thinking about him a lot before that, too. Especially after finding out I'm gonna be a dad myself."

Mike picked up a pebble, chucking it as far as he could into the water.

"He'd have made a really great grandpa." Micky sighed. "I think it's really shitty that he's not going to get to meet my baby."

Mike hung his head again, though this time he was looking down sadly. "It ain't fair." He said quietly.

Micky looked at the Texan. "I guess I have to believe that he's up there watching, or something." He said before pulling a face. "Maybe not watching everything, though."

Mike looked up, smiling weakly at Micky.

"Sorry, I shouldn't keep going on about my dad when you losing your grandma is still so raw." Micky said, feeling a little guilty.

"Don't be silly, Mick." Mike said, shaking his head dismissively. "You can talk about him all you want."

Micky looked ahead again. "It's been a bad couple of weeks." He sighed. "But you've done so well, Mike. This past couple of days you've seemed a lot brighter."

"Yeah," Mike said, throwing another pebble. "I've felt better. I mean, it still hurts, but... it don't hurt as bad. I'm okay with it now, I think. She was at complete peace with her fate. She knew what was comin' and she was fine with it. And knowing what she said in her letter to Ma, about how she didn't mind leavin' 'cause it meant she got to see Grandpa again... That makes me feel a whole lot better. It was almost as if she was totally cool with passing because she knew she'd get to see her husband again. That's... that's a really nice thought."

Micky smiled, nodding his head in agreement. "They'll be together again now."

"I like to think so." Mike said, managing a little smile himself. "So, if she's okay with her dying, I guess I should be too. She did have a really long and wonderful life, and the last time I saw her she was smilin' and laughin'. And Ma said she was smilin' and laughin' right 'til the end."

Micky looked at his partner, glad that Mike was able to open up and seem at peace with his grandmother's death.

"In a way, it's probably good she went when she did." Mike said, looking reflective. "I ain't sayin' I'm glad she's gone or anythin', obviously. What I mean is she didn't have to suffer. She was sick, but she weren't in any real pain, and I take comfort from that. I'm glad she didn't have to get a lot worse. She never liked bein' ill."

"Well you know she's at peace now." Micky said with a smile. "Smiling and laughing with your grandpa."

Mike looked at Micky. "Thank you so much for everything, Micky." He said sincerely. "You've been so understanding and patient with me."

"You don't have to thank me." Micky said, giving Mike a playful punch on the arm. "Thank you for talking to me and letting me in. I'm glad that I've been able to be there for you."

"I'm glad, too." Mike said, looking ahead again.

The couple were silent for a minute or two. Mike looked around before resting his head on Micky's shoulder. Micky smiled at the contact, and he slowly snaked his arm around Mike's back. The pair remained silent for a few moments more before Mike spoke up again.

"Come on," He said, patting Micky's thigh. "Let's go for a walk."

Mike stood up, reaching his hand out to Micky. Micky smiled, taking hold of Mike's hand, and the Texan pulled him to his feet again. The couple then continued walking hand in hand, heading a little further away from the lakeside and up into the trees.

"Planting the tree today really helped me." Mike said. "I know it probably sounds weird, but in a way it felt like closure. I'm really glad you suggested it, Mick."

"I figured it might be a nice idea, you know, so you have something here in memory of her." Micky said, walking into the trees.

"The plaque you made looked really good in front of it." Mike said, smiling at his partner. "You'll have to come see it at some point. Maybe we could sneak there late one night when no one is around."

Micky smiled. "I like that idea." He said.

Mike and Micky walked around in the woods for a while, enjoying the fresh air and peace and quiet. When the sun started to get low, they headed back to the van and decided it was time to set up a campfire. Micky had been boasting all afternoon about his fire-lighting skills, and he'd gotten Mike to gather up some firewood for him.

Micky had prepared a little area for their campfire, kicking away any dry leaves or grass, when Mike returned with his arms full of wood and sticks that he'd found amongst the trees.

"I had no idea how much you needed, so I got all this." Mike said as he approached Micky, who was perched on the edge of a little pull-up chair.

Micky couldn't help but smirk as he looked up at the Texan.

Mike narrowed his eyes. "What are you smirkin' like that for?" He asked suspiciously.

"No reason." Micky replied casually. "You just look really hot in that checked shirt with your arms full of wood. You look like a sexy lumberjack or something."

Mike laughed, dumping the wood on the ground and wiping his hands on his jeans. "And that turns you on, does it?" He questioned.

Micky shrugged playfully. "Maybe." He said.

Mike tutted loudly, shaking his head with a smile on his face. He sat himself down on a chair next to Micky's. "Are you gonna show me how the experts light a campfire then?"

"Yup." Micky replied, standing up and arranging the wood into a pile.

Micky then grabbed some dry grass and leaves that he'd put aside, and proceeded to dip his hand into his pocket to pull out a lighter.

"Hold on a second!" Mike said, holding his hand in the air. "You've got a lighter? You've been goin' on about what an expert you are at lighting campfires, and you're using a lighter? I thought you'd be banging rocks together or something!"

"Why would I waste my time doing that when I've got a lighter in my back pocket?" Micky asked innocently.

Mike laughed. "You're such a cheat. I thought I was gonna see the master at work here, but I'm the one who did all the work gatherin' up all that wood."

"Aww, poor baby." Micky grinned before setting the tinder alight. Micky chucked it onto the pile of wood and sticks, before carefully adding some more twigs and dry moss to the fire. "See," He said, admiring the small flames. "I got it going first time around."

Mike tutted again, shaking his head. "I was lookin' forward to seein' you bang some rocks together the old fashion way."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." Micky giggled, walking the short distance to the van and stepping inside. "Come on," He called. "Let's get our hands clean so we can eat."

Mike approached the van where Micky was filling the wash basin with bottled water and soap. "And what are we gonna be eatin'?" Mike asked.

"Well if you think I'm going to go running off into the trees with a stake to kill a wild animal, you're gonna have to think again, babe." Micky laughed as he washed his hands in the bowl.

"And there was me thinkin' you're a master of camping. You're actually just a massive fraud." Mike joked, he too dipping his hands in the water.

Micky flicked some water at Mike playfully. "I made us sandwiches. And I brought us marshmallows to toast on the fire." He said. "I uh, I also brought some weed if you're interested."

Mike looked at Micky with a little smile. "I don't see why not." He said.

Mike and Micky ate as the sun finally set, and a couple of hours later the two of them sat side-by-side under a blanket in front of the fire, enjoying a couple of bottles of beer and a joint of weed each.

"Do you think you'll bring your kid here when he or she is older?" Mike wondered, looking out across the moonlit lake.

"I hope so." Micky said thoughtfully, taking a drag of his joint. "It's hard to think that far ahead. It's hard to even think about the baby being here, to be honest."

"Well it ain't gonna be long," Mike said, blowing smoke into the night air. "Before you know it, that baby will be here."

Micky was silent for a moment. "I still can't get my head around it." He admitted. "Well, I mean, I have, but... but it's weird. Sometimes I really can't believe it's happening, and then I realise it is happening, and then I freak out a little."

"It's normal to feel like that." Mike said, taking another puff.

Micky looked at the Texan. "Is it?" He asked, genuinely concerned. "Because... because I'm really scared, man. Like, I'm really, really scared."

"What are you so scared of?" Mike asked, looking at his partner.

Micky shrugged, looking ahead again. "I don't know. Everything, I guess." He replied. "I'm scared of stuffing up and doing a bad job. What if I'm not destined to be a good dad? What do I know about responsibility?"

"You'll learn, baby." Mike said gently. "Everyone feels that way when they're gonna be a parent for the first time."

Micky shook his head, the weed making him feel a little paranoid. "I'm not so sure." He said. "I mean, can you imagine me disciplining a child? I'm a pushover. I'll just end up giving it whatever it wants. If it asks for more food, I'll feed it. If it asks to stay up all night, I'll probably let it. And then my baby will be an insomniac the size of a house."

Mike tilted his head back and laughed to the sky. "Micky," He said, trying to compose himself. "That ain't gonna happen, babe."

"Then why am I so scared?" Micky asked seriously. "I mean, that can't be right, can it? I'm literally terrified. Sometimes I lay awake and wonder how the hell I'm going to manage raising a kid. Surely being this scared is a bad sign or something."

Mike smiled, and Mike's smile alone seemed to make Micky feel better. "You're scared because you care, darling." Mike replied. "If you weren't scared, that's when you'd have a problem. You said it yourself; you're scared of stuffin' up. Well, all expectant parents feel that way. They wanna do a good job by their kid. If they ain't scared, at least even a little bit, it mean they don't care enough."

Micky let Mike's words enter his brain, and he thought them over carefully.

"You get nervous before we go on stage to play a show, don't ya?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, we all do. You know I do." Micky replied, wondering where this was going.

"Exactly. We get nervous because we want to put on a good show." Mike continued. "And we always do put on a good show. The moment we stop getting nervous is the moment we ain't gonna be as great out there on stage anymore."

"But not every show is perfect." Micky frowned. "Sometimes I kick myself because I know I'm not at the top of my game during a show. Like my voice will fail me or I'll make a mistake or forget a line or something."

"But that's life, Mick." Mike smiled. "Nobody's perfect all the time. People make mistakes because that's just the way it is. And as a parent you're gonna make a hell of a lot of mistakes. It don't mean you're a bad father. Just because you sing a flat note don't make you a bad singer."

Micky was thoughtful, taking in what Mike had said to him.

Mike laughed a little, taking another drag of his joint. "One time, when Christian was a baby, he was layin' on my bed - I think I'd just changed his diaper or somethin'." He begun. "Anyway, I turned my back for a split second - honestly, it could've been no more than two seconds - and when I turned back, he'd rolled onto the floor. He'd never rolled before, but of course the first time he decides to do it he had to be on our bed. And he started screamin', you know, 'cause that's quite a high drop for a little baby. And I felt sick, man, I felt totally awful. I picked him up and cuddled him and I felt like the worst father in the world. But he was fine. He stopped cryin' a couple of minutes later and he was totally over it. I wasn't over it, though. It haunted me for about a week after that and I never forgot it. He was totally okay though - no bumps or bruises or nothin'. It was just a little shock to him that he forgot about right away - it was worse for me than it was for him."

Micky watched Mike as he spoke.

"But that didn't make me a bad father, even though I felt like one for a few days there." Mike said. "I mean, look at my mom; you don't agree with how she handled things with me and my father when I was a kid, but you don't think she's a bad mother, do you?"

"No, of course I don't." Micky shook his head.

"There ya go then." Mike said. "People make mistakes. Parents make mistakes. You gotta make a hell of a lot of decisions when you have a kid; split second decisions. They ain't always gonna be right, but you can only do your best. If your hearts in it then you'll be okay, and I know you'll be okay, Micky. It's good you're scared, because being a parent is scary. But it's also amazin', and you're gonna love it. Keep bein' scared as long as you don't forget to be excited, too."

Micky looked out over the river, a rush of calm overcoming him; he wasn't sure if the weed was starting to have a more positive effect on him, or whether it was Mike's words.

"I don't know how you do it, but you always manage to make me feel better." Micky said thoughtfully, turning back to face his partner. "You always say the right things."

Mike scoffed. "I don't know about that." He said.

Micky smiled. "That's not to say you don't drive me mad sometimes." He giggled.

Mike hit Micky on the arm playfully. "I just want you to be okay, Mick." He said more seriously. "You're gonna be just fine, I know you are."

"I hope so." Micky said with a small smile. "Because I am excited too, and I am glad this is happening. I do feel really lucky in a way. I know this whole thing isn't ideal, but Samantha has been so understanding with me, letting me be there for her and the baby even though we're not a couple."

Mike nodded. "She's a good girl." He said, looking ahead. "You're gonna make great parents, both of ya."

Micky smiled, watching the Texan in the firelight. The couple were silent for a moment or two, finishing off their joints of pot.

"I'm really glad you let us come here." Micky said, staring at Mike. "I know you weren't too keen at first, but I'm glad I talked you around."

Mike smiled, looking back at Micky. "I'm glad, too." He said. Mike leaned back in his chair, looking up at the night sky. "It is nice being here with you like this. Just me and you beneath the stars."

"Who knew you were such a romantic?" Micky giggled.

Mike shot his partner a playful, warning look. "Quiet, you."

Micky laughed some more, feeling a little giggly from the weed. "I wish people got to see you like I do." He said, prompting Mike to look at him. "Everyone thinks you're so weird. Well, you are weird, but weird in a good kind of way."

Now it was Mike's turn to laugh. "Uh, thanks?" He joked.

Micky turned in his chair so he could face Mike properly. "No, I mean, there's good weird and there's bad weird, isn't there?" He asked. "And you're definitely a good kind of weird. Actually, getting to know you properly, you're not actually that weird at all."

"I think you might be the weird one now, babe." Mike laughed, clearly failing to understand Micky's trail of thought.

"No, but I mean- No one gets to see you like I do." Micky said thoughtfully, causing Mike's expression to turn more serious. "I'd like it if everyone knew just how sweet and loving and kind you are."

Mike turned his attention back to the night sky; Mike didn't respond to that. Micky continued watching his partner, a small smile on his face, and he wondered what was on the Texan's mind.

"What are you thinking?" Micky asked curiously.

"I'm thinkin' about when we first met," Mike replied, his head tilted back. "Do you ever think about that? About how we had no idea what we were gettin' ourselves into. We really had no clue what was ahead of us; what would happen with the band, what would happen with us... everything. We were just kids, really. Who knew we'd end up like this?"

Micky smiled, thinking back. "Imagine if someone could've told us where we'd end up."

"We've traveled the world," Mike went on. "We've played to thousands upon thousands of people. We've met our idols. We've had huge success, and then not quite such huge success."

"And then there's us." Micky chipped in.

"Oh yeah," Mike said, turning to look at Micky with a playful look in his eye. "I almost forgot about that part." He joked.

Micky grinned, pulling up the blanket that had slipped off of his knees slightly. "It's crazy, really." He said. "When we went for that audition, I was just this ambitious straight kid and you were a married father with only two bucks to rub together. And now we're here together like this... It's mad, man. Who could've seen that coming?"

"It ain't your traditional love story, that's for sure." Mike quipped.

Micky looked at his partner. "It's still a pretty good one, though."

Mike smiled. "Yeah. It ain't half-bad." He said.

Micky grinned, shuffling his chair closer to the Texan. Mike reached out, resting his hand on Micky's thigh while Micky laid his head on Mike's shoulder.

"It's been good to see you smile today." Micky said, more serious than before. "I like seeing you smile."

Mike planted a small kiss on Micky's forehead. "You make me smile." He said. "I'm really, really pleased we came here."