Second Place Chapter 13: Signing Contracts & Shine, an austin & ally fanfic

Second Place

Signing Contracts & Shine

Disclaimer: Check out chapter one for this – Thanks! ;)

Pairing: Ross/Laura/Riker

Author's Note: "Shine" by Laura Marano (Disney Fairies: Faith, Trust And Pixie Dust soundtrack)

SP*SP*SP

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Groaning, Laura blindly struck her hand against the bedside table, aimlessly looking for the alarm's snooze button. She just wanted a few more minutes of rest – really, that's all she was asking for, especially after last night's concert.

Not to mention her disturbing thoughts involving one Ross Lynch. Her revelations about him.

No, don't think about that right now, Marano, she mentally scolded herself, shaking her head. You have a meeting to get ready for. Focus on that! Everything else can be dealt with later.

Unlike R5, the brunette had a meeting with the Disney executives to discuss the soundtrack deal, so she had to wake up early, while everyone else got to sleep in. Thanks to Ryland being an awesome manager, the band didn't have to meet with their new record label until the next day, giving them enough time to relax before jumping into work once more. Laura figured they deserved the break.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Meanwhile, she had an alarm clock to annihilate.

Suddenly, the annoying beeping stopped, thanks to the clearly male hand that slapped down onto the offensive device, thus silencing the disturbance. Quiet once more blanketed the room, and Laura breathed a sigh of relief as she snuggled into the comforter.

"… Why?" Riker's foggy voice asked, and the brunette didn't need to hear more than that to understand what he was asking.

"I have a meeting with Disney about the soundtrack this morning."

He rolled over, wrapping an arm around her trim waist. "And here I thought we could spend all day together," he murmured sleepily.

"Sorry." She smiled. "Maybe we can get lunch later? When I finish?"

"M'kay."

When she heard soft snores coming from her blonde companion, Laura lightly laughed before rolling out of bed as discreetly as she could. She watched in amusement as Riker shifted around before clutching onto the pillow she'd used, using it as a replacement to cuddle.

Shaking her head, she quietly left his bedroom to sneak into her own. It wouldn't do to have anyone catch her. The last (and only) time Stormie had caught them having a sleepover, she'd given Riker hell for 'corrupting someone as pure and innocent as Laura'.

Well, said brunette had been anything but 'pure and innocent' that night. But it wasn't like Riker could defend himself with that, now, could he?

Silently snickering under her breath at the memory, Laura slipped into her room to grab clothes for her shower. She was going for a casual-professional look; nothing too strict, but appealing to any executive, especially since this was Disney. They were a family-oriented company, and she doubted they wanted someone who could – or would – ruin their image, in any way.

Laying out her selection, she nodded approvingly. "All right," she mumbled, talking to herself to calm any lingering nerves, "My clothes are picked out. Now, shower and dry my hair. Everything will be fine… Deep breaths, Marano. Deep breaths."

Following her own advice, she took a deep breath before squaring her shoulders and exiting her room to follow through with what she needed to do.

"Jeezus," she muttered in self-disgust, a second later, "I forgot to mention 'grab original song for the executives to look at'. I seriously need to write things down, from now on…"

SP*SP*SP

By the time Riker rolled out of bed, Laura was gone, so he shuffled around his room, getting dressed and messily fixing his hair. He would care more about his appearance the closer it got to the time he was going to meet his girlfriend for lunch. For now, he was okay with looking like a slob.

Pulling on a pair of grey sweats and a plain white T-shirt, he grabbed his cell phone and made his way into the bathroom to brush his teeth and attend to other morning rituals. That complete, he lazily walked downstairs where he could hear the rest of his family and Ratliff, who had stayed over.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," Rocky teased, grinning at the ruffled-looking blonde. "Mom put your breakfast in the microwave for when you got up."

Riker half-heartedly glared at his younger brother but otherwise ignored him. "What time is it?"

"Little after ten. Where's Laura? Still asleep?"

He shook his head as he walked to the microwave to reheat his food. "Nah, she had her meeting with Disney this morning," he replied, pouting the slightest bit. "She left a couple of hours ago."

Rocky didn't question how Riker knew that if he'd been asleep. Instead, he said, "That sucks. I know she didn't actually perform the way we did during the tour, but all that traveling must've wiped her out, especially after last night."

"Tell me about it."

After his food was done, Riker grabbed the plate and sat down across from Rocky at the table. The brunette had some sheet music laid out, and he curiously glanced over what he could see while he ate.

"What's all that? New songs?"

Rocky nodded, lightly twirling a pencil between his fingers. "Yeah, Ross had some ideas he wanted to jot down," he answered, "So far, we've got the basic idea and half the music. Now, we're trying to come up with lyrics."

"Cool. Where is he, anyway?" Riker inquired. "And, what about Rydel? Ratliff? Ryland?" Thinking about it, he glanced around the dining room. "And where's mom and dad? I could've sworn I heard everyone when I was coming down."

"Ross went to grab a guitar. Last I saw, Ratliff and Ryland were watching some game on TV, and Rydel was with them." Rocky brushed his bangs out of his face. "And mom and dad are doing a charity."

As if he'd heard his name, Ross appeared, with an acoustic guitar in hand. He smiled when he saw Riker, and the oldest Lynch sibling returned the gesture.

"What's up, bro? Finally woke up, huh?" Ross teased good-naturedly.

Riker rolled his eyes. It seemed like everyone was going to call him out on sleeping in for once. "Shut up," he popped back with no heat. "Rocky said you had some ideas you wanted to write down. Let's hear them."

Ross mock-bowed at the waist, sweeping out the arm (not holding the precious instrument) in a grand gesture. "It would be an honor," he said, going for dead-serious but failing.

His older brothers laughed at his antics. "Come on, quit clowning around," Rocky said, grinning. "These songs could be R5's next big thing!"

"Well, I can't argue with that." The blonde grinned as he set up his guitar.

SP*SP*SP

"Thank you again for coming in today, Laura," one of the executives of Disney said, smiling at the young woman warmly. "We look forward to recording your song, too, in the next couple of days. It was very nice meeting you."

They shook hands, and Laura beamed happily. "No, thank you for this wonderful opportunity," she responded. "It was nice meeting you, too. I look forward to working with you and everyone else."

"Me too, trust me. Me too. Have a nice day, Laura."

"You, too. Good bye!"

Exiting the office, her agent in tow, the brunette couldn't keep the grin from stretching across her features. "This is so great," she practically squealed. "I can't believe I'm working on something for Disney! This is amazing."

Neo Tigarian chuckled. He had dirty blonde hair that was cropped and styled perfectly, and he stood a little over six-feet tall with long limbs and tanned skin, which brought attention to his sapphire orbs. For a man in his thirties, he looked a little younger but that didn't mean he wasn't good at his job – he was. Very good, that is. People knew who he was and they wanted him as their agent/manager.

However, his top-priority client was the petite brunette walking next to him. Laura was one of his first clients, and he'd been with her since she moved to LA with the Lynch family. It wasn't hard to develop a soft spot for her, and she was always so humble and modest; always wanting to give back to the community. He wished he could do more for her.

"I'm glad the deal went through without a hitch," he commented in reply to what she said. "I know you've been looking for work with Disney, and I know you want more singing gigs."

"Yes, thank you so much for setting this up," she graciously said, stopping long enough to hug the taller man tightly. "The next few days are gonna be so awesome, I just know it!"

Neo chuckled, and the two began walking again. "Speaking of," he said, "I heard R5 was signing their own deal with a big record label. Be sure to tell them I said congratulations."

"I will." Laura checked her phone. "If you can hang around for a few minutes, you can personally say that to Riker."

"Going out for lunch?"

She nodded, beaming. "Yes. R5 just finished their West Coast Tour last night, but they have some down-time before having to jump back into work. Riker and I are taking full advantage while we can."

Neo checked his Rolex, then frowned. "As much as I'd like to," he regretfully said, "I can't. I have another meeting in town. If I don't leave now, I'll be late. Sorry, Laura."

"It's okay, Neo. I'll see you later?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'll call you later tonight to discuss tomorrow's plan." With that, the two waved in farewell, and Laura watched as her manager left until she couldn't see him anymore. Then, she made her own exit to meet her boyfriend in the parking lot.

Her happy smile, however, never once left her face as she thought about what would happen in the next few days.

She would be recording a song she wrote for a Disney soundtrack.

R5 was being signed to a big record label.

Everything was going perfectly for everyone. She hoped things would continue that way, for a long time.

SP*SP*SP

Riker lightly tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel, patiently waiting for Laura to make an appearance. He was eager to hear what the executives had to say; what their reactions were to the song she'd written. He'd seen the lyrics, and he'd thought they were amazing and very Disney, so he didn't see why they wouldn't like it, too.

Finally, he spotted his girlfriend, who was calmly making her way over to his car. He couldn't read her expression, but he didn't let his hopes deflate. He didn't have a reason to. Not yet, anyway.

When she opened the door to the passenger seat and slid in, she sighed in comfort as the leather cushioned her petite frame. "Ooh, have I ever mentioned how much I love your seats, Riker?" she casually commented, closing the door with a small slam.

"You have, and I know," he easily replied. A beat of silence passed between them, and he raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

She gave him a confused look. "Well, what?"

"Oh, come on, Laura! Don't make me beg," he burst out, his nerves on-edge thanks to her expressions and nonchalance.

"But you look so cute when you beg."

Despite the situation, he smirked. "Hey, I could say the same about you, babe," he huskily said, roaming his eyes up and down her figure to add emphasis. And, well, he just liked looking at her, too. There was nothing wrong with that, right? Right.

Laura giggled, cheeks flushing pink. "Okay, you really wanna know?"

Riker's expression immediately went from sexy-playful back to eager-need-to-know-now. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "I really, really would like to know what happened."

She leaned closer to him, and he did the same, until their noses were barely brushing against each other's. Her eyes were serious, and his were starting to fill with anticipation and nerves.

Whispering, she said, "They loved it."

It took a grand total of one minute for her words to register within his brain. But, when it did, the biggest grin she'd ever seen appeared on his handsome face, and an excited laugh escaped his mouth as he leaned back in his seat.

"They loved it? I knew they would, babe. This is so great! I can't wait to tell the others – they'll be so happy for you."

Laura beamed happily, glad she didn't have to hide her excitement anymore. It was fun making her boyfriend sweat like that, but she'd been about to spill everything as soon as she'd sat in the car.

"I can't wait to tell everyone, too," she said, "The executives were really nice, and they adored the song I showed them. They said it matched perfectly with the soundtrack they were creating." She sighed dreamily. "I'm just relieved that Neo sent me the little bit of details he could. It helped a lot as I was writing the song."

Riker used one hand to tilt her face towards his. Their lips connected in a sweet kiss, and she moaned softly at the contact. Pulling back reluctantly, he said, "I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it."

"Thanks," she breathily replied. Her doe-like eyes shone with happiness. "So, where are we going for lunch? I'm starving."

He chuckled as he started the ignition. "Wherever you want to go, babe. It'll be my treat."

Laura bit her bottom lip, her gaze roaming over his leanly muscled form. A different type of hunger swelled within her lower stomach. She and Riker hadn't had much of a chance to actually make love for some time, not the kind that takes all night to satisfy their bodies, anyway. And it wasn't like she was having sex with Ross (not yet), so she felt completely justified in what she wanted (no matter how twisted it all seemed).

"Wherever I want, huh? Your treat?"

"Yeah, as a celebratory-thing," he replied. It didn't take long to drive out of the parking lot and merge into traffic. He quickly glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Where do you wanna go? Whatever you want, Laura."

His words made a sexy smirk appear on her lips. "Okay, I know exactly what I want and where I want it," she said.

SP*SP*SP

Meanwhile, the rest of the R5 band was gathered in the living room. Ryland had left not too long ago to hang out with some of his football friends, and Mark and Stormie were still at the charity function. It left Rydel with the boys, and she was silently begging someone to come home to help her deal with them.

Namely Laura. Not Riker – he'd probably just encourage them, if not join in on her torture.

It wasn't like they were annoying her, per se. She just didn't like being left with them, especially when she could drag Laura out on a shopping trip with her. That was way more fun than watching boys being… Well, boys.

Ratliff suddenly released a loud burp, and he, Rocky, and Ross burst out laughing, like it was the greatest joke mankind ever came up with.

Rydel did not see the humor.

In fact, she wrinkled her nose in disgust as she glanced in the trio's direction. They were crowded on the couch, the guys wanting the best seat in the living room to watch the game. Empty soda cans littered the living room table, as did a couple of bags of chips and popcorn; typical food for football fans during a game.

"So," she asked above their continued snickering, "Do any of you know when Laura is coming back from her meeting?"

Ross checked his iPhone for the time. "Technically, the meeting should be over by now, but Riker went to take her out for lunch," he replied.

"What about her car?"

"Her agent picked her up." He shrugged. "It was early. If I know Neo, then he wouldn't want her driving half-asleep."

Rydel nodded in acceptance. Inwardly, she pouted. Knowing her brother, Riker would probably monopolize Laura's time all day, which meant Rydel was stuck with the others.

Rocky suddenly thumped his chest lightly, releasing the bubble of gas in his chest in a loud burp that made Ratliff's earlier one seem minuscule.

Once again, the guys burst out laughing while the blonde keyboardist wrinkled her nose. God, she hoped Laura was on her way home now. She didn't know how much more she could take before drowning them in the backyard pool.

SP*SP*SP

In a secluded parking lot away from prying eyes and any other life forms, Riker's car rocked back and forth as the car's occupants fucked furiously in the backseat. All four windows were rolled down a few inches, but the heat their bodies generated still fogged the glass.

Laura threw her head back in pleasure as Riker continued to pound heavily into her. Her skirt was hiked up around her hips, restricting her movements, and one leg was held open and spread by lying in the crook of his elbow; the other wrapped as tightly as it could around his waist. His other hand gripped whatever surface he could to help him gain momentum in each thrust, sinking into her heat deep and hard.

"God, yes," she cried out as he hit a particularly deep spot within her. "God, yes. Riker, do it again. Again, please!"

He grunted as he complied, and he was rewarded with the view of his girlfriend shattering underneath him with a sexy mewl that never got old. He loved watching the way her body shook with an orgasm; her cheeks flushing cutely; her eyes glazing over in pleasure he'd given her; the way her inner walls clamped tightly to his member, fluttering every so often; milking him.

He gently rocked back and forth within her, extending her orgasm a little longer. Releasing the white-knuckled grip he had on the door above her head, he wiped her sweaty bangs away from her forehead to press a kiss there.

They were both panting, hearts thumping loudly, but that didn't stop the way their eyes connected adoringly. It didn't matter how rough or demanding the sex got – one thing would always remain the same:

The love they felt for each other. It would never go away; never diminish.

Laura's breathing finally calmed, and she smiled at Riker. Her hands came up to pet his sweat-soaked hair, trailing down to touch his exposed chest thanks to her practically ripping his shirt open earlier. Her doe-like eyes traveled even lower, looking at his popped open jeans and unbuckled belt.

She looked at her own state of undress. Her top was shoved up to tangle under her arms, and her bra's front clasp was snapped open, exposing her breasts to anyone's view. Twitching her feet, she concluded that, yes, the sandals she'd been wearing were gone, most likely on the floorboards. She wasn't even sure what happened to her panties.

Best of all, her beloved boyfriend's cock was still lodged within her. And he was still hard.

As if reading her mind, he smirked sexily. "Ready for another round?"

SP*SP*SP

By the time the couple was sated, it was late afternoon and they were positive everyone was going to ask what they'd been up to. Not that they would tell them, of course, but still. They had to give some sort of excuse, right?

Entering the house first, Riker checked to make sure the coast was clear before quietly letting Laura enter. If they didn't let anyone see them first, then they could start the conversation and stop them from asking too many questions.

Because, seriously, getting lunch does not take nearly four hours.

Riker grabbed Laura's hand as they made their way to the living room, no doubt where everyone was gathered. Sure enough, they found the rest of R5, Ryland, along with Mark and Stormie. It looked like they were watching mindless TV, possibly waiting for them to get home.

"Laura's gonna be on the Disney soundtrack!" the blonde bassist loudly exclaimed, causing several people to jump at the sudden sound of his voice. "She got the job!"

Stormie was the first to react. The matriarch of the Lynch family hopped to her feet, squealing excitedly for Laura. "Oh, honey, that's wonderful," she gushed, quickly walking over to envelop the brunette into a hug. "I knew you could do it, Laura. I'm so happy for you!"

It seemed to be the signal for everyone else to also stand and congratulate their friend. Mark hugged her, as did Ryland, like Stormie had. Ratliff lifted Laura off her feet as he hugged her, laughing, and Rocky spun her around in his arms until she playfully begged him to stop. Rydel squealed and hugged her, unable to decide what she wanted to do more.

Lastly, Laura was faced with Ross. The tall blonde smiled at her and held his arms open in invitation.

With a small laugh, she flew into his embrace and hugged him tightly, burying her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. His scent washed over her. She breathed it in, finding comfort in the familiar smell. It didn't matter that he blackmailed her, or that her feelings were jumbled at the moment. Ross was, and always would be, her best (guy) friend first. Always.

"Congratulations, Laura," Ross whispered into her ear, grinning ear-to-ear even though she couldn't see it. "I knew they would love you."

She slowly pulled away from the embrace, still beaming. "Thanks, Ross. That means a lot to me." Then, she was swept away by Stormie and Rydel, who both wanted details about the meeting.

Ross turned to look at Riker, who was being surrounded by Ratliff and Rocky. He smirked. He knew what was coming next. It was kind of hard to miss the scent of Riker's cologne stuck to Laura's skin, which would only happen if they were in constant, close contact. Rocky and Ratliff must've figured out the same thing he did.

"So, what took you and Laura so long to come back?" Ratliff asked teasingly, grinning slyly at the oldest Lynch sibling.

Rocky nodded, the same grin plastered on his face. "Yeah, you guys were gone for, like, four hours."

"I didn't know 'going out for lunch' took that long now days," Ross added 'innocently'. His lips, however, gave way to a sly smile he tried to suppress.

In response to all of their comments, Riker's cheeks heated the slightest bit as he recalled the more than heated moments that occurred in the back of his car. In a public area. It didn't matter if no one else was there, it was still outside of a bedroom. Outside of a house or hotel, even.

Still, it was one of the hottest things they'd ever done.

Riker was so not going to share that particular memory with his brothers and good friend. Hell no. That type of material was made for wet dreams and fantasies. Specifically his.

Instead, he smiled secretively. "Shut up – You're all just jealous."

SP*SP*SP

The next day, Laura found herself once more at the Disney studios with Neo, except this time she was being given a tour of where she'd be working for the next couple of days, and hopefully on future projects.

She adored the Disney posters that lined the walls, and how the fake bushes throughout the offices were shaped with Mickey Mouse's head. Everything was bright and colorful, and filled with friendly people who greeted her like they knew her for years.

The only thing missing was Riker by her side, but he and the other members of R5 had their own meeting that day, with the record label. Ryland had gone with them, of course, seeing as how he was the band's manager, and Mark went too. The last thing the Lynch patriarch wanted was for his children and Ratliff (who mind as well be adopted) to be taken advantage of.

"And, this will be the recording booth strictly for you to use," the executive from the other day said, gesturing to the room with one hand. His name was Arthur Dean, and Laura liked how friendly he was, especially as a higher-up.

If she were to guess his age, she would say late-forties-to-early-fifties. He had dark brown hair, but his temples had a hint of silver, giving him a distinguished, sophisticated look. Standing as tall as Neo, he was fit for a man his age, shoulders only slightly stooped. His chocolate eyes were lively and his smile lines were deep and real.

Laura smiled brightly, excited. "Thank you so much for the tour, Mr. Dean," she said graciously. "Without it, I'm sure I would have gotten lost. This place is so big and it's filled with so much amazing things."

"You're very welcome, Laura," Arthur said, smiling. "We're very lucky to have such a talented singer working for us, and one who can write her own music. You would be benefiting Disney by working with us on future projects."

"Oh, I would love to," she said. "I'll work really hard. I won't let you down."

"I'm sure you won't." Arthur looked down at his watch. "Now, if you will excuse me. I'll leave you to work in peace, while I have a boring meeting to attend to." With a playful roll of his eyes, he shook hands with Neo and Laura before taking his leave.

Neo looked down at his client. "Well, Laura, are you ready to start?"

"Yes," she eagerly responded, beaming in pure excitement.

He chuckled. "That's what I like to hear."

SP*SP*SP

Ross impatiently tapped his foot against the carpeted floor, waiting for his dad to read over the contract the record label had drawn up for him and the others to sign. As much as he didn't want to get screwed over by some scam, he also wanted to leave as soon as possible. Laura was supposed to do her first recording of her song today, and he didn't want to miss it.

Mark flipped a page, reading glasses perfectly perched on his nose as he continued to scan the print. So far, Ross could tell nothing was wrong. His dad didn't furrow his brows once; he even seemed pleasantly surprised in some instances, so the blonde teen took that as a good sign.

From beside Ross, Riker aimlessly tapped his thumbs against the armrests of his chair. It was obvious the older boy wanted to leave just as much as he did, if not more so. However, Riker had an easier time hiding his impatience.

It was a miracle to Ross that Riker hadn't flipped the table they were sitting at yet. Heck, he was half tempted to do that, right that second. The only reason he refrained was because it would mean Mark would stop reading to chew him out.

Mark flipped another page, continuing his reading assessment.

And Ross desperately wanted to claw his own eyes out.

After what felt like a small eternity, Mark seemed pleased with everything and set the contract down in front of him. "Okay, everything looks like it's in order," he said.

Ross practically threw himself onto the table's surface to grab the contract. Finally, he could get out of the office and see Laura at the Disney studio. She'd also be happy that they got to sign with a big-name record label.

Once the other members of R5 signed their names on the dotted line, Riker returned the contract to the CEO of the company, who smiled at being able to work with such talented individuals.

"As the CEO, I would like to give you all a warm welcome to Hollywood Records. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure getting to work with all of you."

SP*SP*SP

Neo looked up as the door to the recording studio opened behind him. Turning, he came face-to-face with all of the Lynch siblings and Ratliff, along with Mark Lynch. He smiled welcomingly.

"Hello," he greeted, "It's been a while since I've seen you. Have a seat. Laura is just about to do another run-through of the song."

"Neo," Mark greeted back, smiling. "Sorry about intruding in here like that." He gestured to the band members and Ryland. "They were just so eager to see her sing."

Neo chuckled. "No problem. I completely understand." Standing up, he made sure that Riker took his seat to have a perfect view of Laura, who enthusiastically waved at everyone from the recording booth. "I don't mind, and Laura is always happy to see them." He waved a hand to the man at the controls. "This is Will. He's our music producer for this whole project."

Will smiled as he greeted and exchanged names with everyone, as well as small introductions. He seemed to already know Ross, and the two fist-bumped like old friends.

"It's nice to meet Laura's family," he said, "She's a very talented young woman. I'm happy I get to work with her."

"Aw, I'm happy I get to work with you, too, Will," Laura said through the microphone, grinning at the music producer.

Seemingly embarrassed, Will playfully rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, pushing a button to make sure she could hear him. "Now, get back to work, missy."

Laura laughed but eagerly nodded. "Okay, let's run through the song one more time. This is so much fun."

Riker smiled at his girlfriend's enthusiasm. It was adorable, but everything she did was adorable, so he might be 'a little' biased. Nah, never.

"Here we go." Keeping an eye on the control panel and the volume levels, Will hit a button to start the pre-recorded music.

Shine:

"(Shine, shine, shine, shine)

Have you ever had this feeling like you can't believe what you're seeing?
Head is spinning in slow motion, heart is pounding, time is frozen.

Don't close your eyes, look around you, dreams are coming alive.
Don't be surprised, you know that you were born to shine."

Riker smiled as he listened to her sing, eyes shining proudly as he gazed at her petite form. God, if he didn't think she was amazing before, he positively knew that now. He'd always known she was talented, but now other people would get to see it, too.

And not just as a model. They would get to see this new side of her; this new side she'd been waiting to show everyone. The side of her that was the singer-songwriter.

"You're a firefly, you're the sunlight,
You're a shooting star breaking through the night.
You're a rocket in the darkness, and you sparkle like a diamond sky.
You're gonna be anything you want to be,
If you open your heart, and just believe that the light within will be your guide, oh.
You're amazing, fire blazing, no more waiting,
It's your time to shine."

From his position in the room, Ross smiled proudly as Laura continued to sing her heart out. He loved listening to her sing – always had, and always would. He just thought it was a shame how she hadn't started her music career sooner.

It was okay, though. She was doing it now, and it was better late than never, right? Besides, working for Disney would open new doors for her, which meant he could start opening his doors of opportunity, too.

Starting with a certain movie project he'd been offered to look at.

"It's your story (it's your story), never ending (never ending),
Fairy tales, such a magical beginning.
Like a candle, your eyes glisten as you viewed the wonder you'd been missing.
(Shine)

So fly (so fly), so free (so free), and smile down on all you see.
Your heart is true, and the world can't help but notice you."

Laura smiled as she continued to sing in time with the music, her body softly swaying as she got into the song more and more. She loved how the music was soft but upbeat; it made her think about the soundtrack she was doing this song for.

Her eyes shifted until she connected with chocolate orbs that were as familiar as her own. Riker. He looked so happy and proud of her – it made her smile widely in response.

You glow like a beautiful rainbow reaching through the sky,
So bright with a heart of gold inside."

However, his approval wasn't the only one she was seeking.

No. Not just Riker's. Not anymore, it seemed.

Discreetly, she refocused her gaze onto Ross. He looked just as proud of her, grinning ear-to-ear in that charming way only he had. It made her lips twitch upwards, although she wished that weren't true.

But that also meant that a part of her did.

Mentally shaking her head to clear it, Laura determinedly got back to what she loved doing – singing.

"(Shine, shine, shine, shine)

You're a firefly, you're the sunlight,
You're a shooting star breaking through the night.
You're a rocket in the darkness, and you sparkle like a diamond sky.
You're gonna be anything you want to be,
If you open your heart, and just believe that the light within will be your guide, oh.
You're amazing, fire blazing, no more waiting,
It's your time to shine."

Neo nudged Will, silently signaling that this recording was by far the best one that day. Not that Laura screwed up the others; never that. No, it was just that this time… This time, it was just more. More strength in her voice. More emotion. More depth.

It was perfect.

And Neo had a suspicion it was all thanks to that blonde boyfriend of hers. It was the only explanation he could come up with.

"A-aa-aah (You're a firefly, you're the sunlight,)
A-aa-aah (You're a shooting star breaking through the night.)
A-aa-aah (You're a rocket in the darkness, and you sparkle like a diamond sky.)
You're gonna be anything you want to be,
If you open your heart, and just believe that the light within will be your guide, oh.
You're amazing, fire blazing, no more waiting,
It's your time to shine."

As the song came to an end, Laura grinned as she looked at Will to see what he said. "How was that, Will? Neo?"

"Perfect, baby doll," Will praised, beaming proudly at the young woman. "That was excellent. You're officially done for the day. Great work!"

Neo leaned forward to speak into the microphone connected to her headphones next. He was smiling warmly, and it made Laura feel extra proud of herself. "That was wonderful, Laura. Your absolute best work today."

She slipped off the headphones, eager to see what the others had to say. As soon as she stepped through the glass door separating her from the group, she was enveloped into a warm hug by Riker. She laughed, but snuggled into his embrace.

"You sounded amazing, babe," Riker said, grinning. "I knew I should have made you perform sooner during our tour."

Playfully, she socked a tiny fist into his chest. A girl her size couldn't do much damage to a guy Riker's size, but he played along and pretended to have been struck by a mortal wound. It made her and the others laugh.

Afterwards, everyone praised Laura on her song and singing abilities, which had her blushing modestly but with a pleased expression plastered on her face.

"Aw, thanks, everyone," she said, "You guys are so sweet."

Will shook his head. "Nah, baby doll. You're being too modest." Standing up, he held his hand out for her to shake as he made to leave the recording studio. "It was a real pleasure working with you. I hope this isn't the last time we see each other," he said, smiling.

"I hope not, too. You're awesome," she replied, shaking his hand professionally. "Thank you so much for all of your hard work today."

"Don't mention it. See you all later." With that, he silently left, leaving the group to themselves.

Neo took that chance to check his Rolex for the time. "Ah, I have another appointment to attend," he said. "But I'll call you about the recording, Laura, but I think everything should be in order. We'll probably just have another recording session tomorrow, to be on the safe side."

"Sounds good, Neo," she replied, smiling, "Have a nice day. Thank you for all of the hard work."

The agent shook his head good-naturedly. "I didn't do anything – it was all you." When she opened her mouth to argue, he held up a hand to stall whatever she wanted to say. "Just take the compliment. See you tomorrow." Then, he patted her head warmly and left.

"Somehow, I feel like a chastised child," Laura stated, pouting.

Everyone laughed at her expense, but made their way out of the studio to head home. They had a lot they wanted to share with Stormie, who no doubt was expecting only good news.

Bringing up the rear of the group, the brunette froze for a second when a hand gently grasped onto hers. And it wasn't Riker's, because she was staring right at the mentioned boyfriend, who was talking animatedly with Rocky and Ratliff. Rydel and Ryland were walking on either side of Mark, and the older man seemed to be telling them something that Laura couldn't hear.

Which left only one person…

"Ross," she breathed out, whipping her head up to look at the blonde teen. "What are you doing?" She made sure to keep her voice down, not wanting to catch anyone's attention, especially Riker's.

Ross smiled tenderly, looking infuriatingly calm. "You sounded really great today, Laura. I just thought I should tell you, though you should already know that."

Her heart betrayed her as it fluttered at his words. Her eyes softened as she continued to stare at him. Seriously, only Riker was supposed to do these things to her. Only Riker was supposed to give her butterflies in her stomach.

Only Riker was supposed to drive her emotions this crazy.

Instead, Laura returned Ross's smile and squeezed his hand with her own.

Until*Next*Time

Please review at the bottom! Thank you so much for reading ;)

~babydoll92

PS: To Demi (guest): I'm sorry to say this, but no, Ross and Laura only kissed in the previous chapter :P I hope you still keep reading, because I have a lot planned for them yet! Haha and thank you for reviewing and leaving a name! (: