Instant Fame

Part 3

Fall From Grace

By Nick Maro

"You fuckin bitch! How the fuck could you do this to me?!" Roxy screamed at the blonde host Harriet Horne. It was only seconds after she had revealed her special surprise to Roxy live on television. "My uncle fucking tried to rape me and my aunt is an alcoholic who took the money the state sent for me!"

"We're still live on the air, Roxy! How dare you!" Harriet shot back trying to defend her actions.

"Fuck you Harriet!" Roxy slapped the host hard across the face and began to storm past her aunt and uncle. She slapped her aunt on the way past her. "Bitch!" she growled after slapping her. Roxy's uncle grabbed her arm and she performed a simple toss that David had taught her. "If you ever touch me again, I'll make you wish you never did!" she screamed at her fallen uncle.

"You're banned from this show!" Harriet yelled at Roxy's back.

"I've been banned from far better shows than this piece of shit!" Roxy yelled as she went to her dressing room, gathered her stuff and walked out of the building glaring at security. She gave the security guards a look that said she would fight if they tried to stop her. She got into the waiting limo and looked at David who was sitting there waiting for her. Roxy wiped a tear from her cheek and faked a smile at him. "Guess I fucked up big time, huh?"

David smiled softly and hugged her. "No, fucking up would require you slapping the host." He waited a moment and smirked. "Oh wait you did that, didn't you?" He felt Roxy laugh against his shoulder. "Everything will be alright. We knew that she would pull some kind of stunt. I just didn't think she'd have the gall to do that."

Roxy curled up on the seat and rested her head on David's lap. She laid there for the whole trip back to the Gabor Estate. The chauffeur stopped the car and opened the door for Roxy and David. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and sniffed hard. She looked back at David she knew her make up was smeared from her crying. He put his arm around her waist and they went inside the mansion together. "It's becoming habit for you to be my security blanket," she said quietly. David only smiled and led her into the living room. All of The Misfits and Kimber were waiting and looking completely sympathetic. "Safe to say we won't be invited on Harriet's show when our album comes out." Roxy tried to make a joke yet it didn't help with how she felt.

"Well, I never liked that stuck up bitch anyway. Saves me the trouble of turning her down," Pizzazz said to Roxy trying to make her feel better. She looked over at Jetta and thought of the day they helped David move into Stormer's house. Roxy had punched Jetta when she laughed at the article of Roxy's parent's demise. "At least you only slapped her. That right hook of yours is downright lethal." She smiled and winked at Roxy who had a tiny smile.

"How much of it got on the air?" Roxy asked as she sat next to Jetta who put her arm around Roxy's shoulders, comforting her.

Stormer sat by Roxy's legs and took one of her hands in hers. "Pretty much all of it, the censor in the control booth seemed to be able to bleep most of the cursing. Actually, we got it on tape. Clash figured you'd want to watch your interview later. Just to see the look on your face from the surprise. Boy was she right." Stormer squeezed Roxy's hand in comfort. "To be honest, I would've punched her myself." Roxy giggled at the image of Stormer punching someone.

"If you want to watch it, I can rewind to the start of your interview," Clash offered while rewinding the tape without being asked.

"I'll watch it later." Roxy went to the full sized couch and lay down while kicking her shoes off as she did. "I just need to rest and calm down." She took her arm off from covering her eyes and looked at everyone else. "Was I the only one with a bad feeling about the surprise?" Her friends sadly smiled at her and shook their heads no. "That makes me feel somewhat better."

David asked Pizzazz to follow him into the other room. After a few minutes they came back into the living room. "You're all invited to stay the night if you want. I'm almost certain that reporters will try to get a word from you at your respective homes. The guard at the gate has orders not to let any reporters in. Roxy, this offer goes especially out to you. We have more than enough room for everyone. It's really up to you." David sat next to Kimber after making the offer.

Just about everyone agreed to stay. "I'm afraid I'll have to get home to the Rat's Lair. I have a few projects I'm working on that I really want finish. I'm perfectly safe from reporters at the Arbco Junkyard. Fred only lets people I authorize in but thank you for the offer, David." Techrat then went back to work on the gadget he was currently working on.

"I'm Techrat's ride so I'll be leaving too, David, but I'll be coming back later. I should call Vivian and tell her start throwing eggs at the reporters if they show up. Now if you'll excuse me, the burrito I had for dinner is letting me know it cares." Clash ran into the bathroom.

Jetta sat on the arm of the couch Roxy was laying on. "So wot now?" she asked. Roxy sat up to let Jetta sit on the couch. She laid her head on Jetta's lap again.

"Well, we take the night off from being The Misfits and relax. We have the whole house to ourselves. You can make yourself at home," Pizzazz said bringing in some food. When you get tired, pick a room that isn't already taken. We'll worry about everything tomorrow."

Roxy felt somewhat better after Pizzazz's attempt at a pep talk and sat up. "Well, let's see that tape now."

"Yes, I understand, Mr. Raymond. Don't worry, sir. This special edition of Cool Trash magazine will be out by day's end." Pitt Slurrman leaned back in his chair. "No, sir, we've been hard at work on this since it happened. Yes, I took the initiative." He paused and listened at length on the phone. "I have my best reporters trying to get in touch with her Aunt and Uncle for an exclusive interview. Mr. Raymond, I have to get back to work if I'm getting this on the stands by tonight. Okay, sir. I'll call if we have any trouble here." He hung the phone up and watched the tape of Roxy on Harriet's show again.

A knock came from his office door and a young intern peeked his head in. "Mr. Slurrman? I just talked to Harriet Horne. She's willing to give an interview."

"Great work, Bobby, any news on Ms. Pelligrini's relatives?"

"None, sir. We've narrowed down the hotels. I'll give Ms. Horne a call back and ask her if she knows of their whereabouts." Bobby began shutting the door.

"Bobby, wait a minute. I just want to say you're thinking like a professional. You find those relatives and I'll think of giving you a full time job after graduation. How's that sound?" Slurrman offered.

The young intern smiled. "Considered them found, Mr. Slurrman. I'm calling Ms. Horne back right now." He ran back to his desk and began dialing.

Closing the door to his office Pitt Slurrman thought to himself that this would be their biggest selling issue since Jem Goes Wild. He opened his window blinds to let the morning sun shine in.

Kimber softly knocked on the door of the room that Stormer was sleeping in. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Stormer was lying on her side facing away from the door. Kimber softly walked to the bed and slowly sat next to her best friend. "Mary. Mary, get up. Breakfast is ready." She kept her voice a whisper and gently shook her awake.

Stormer rolled over slowly. "M'rning ta you too, Kimber." She sat up and hugged her friend. "So where's Prince Charming?" She took the cup of coffee Kimber had brought for her. "Thanks."

"No problem. David is out in the backyard with Roxy and Jetta. He's teaching them his morning kata. I must say, they're learning very quickly. Clash and Pizzazz are making breakfast. I woke you up so we don't get food poisoning from Pizzazz." Kimber stole a sip of coffee from Stormer's mug and started walking toward the door. "See ya downstairs." Kimber left the room and went back to the kitchen. She smiled at Clash and Pizzazz. "She bought it. She's coming down to make breakfast. Although, I feel guilty tricking her like that."

Pizzazz put her arm around Kimber's shoulders. "Hey, you did alright. Don't tell me you never tricked your sister or any of The Holograms like that before."

Kimber walked to the coffee pot and poured herself a mug. She leaned against the counter and sipped it. "Yeah, I have." She turned and looked out the window at David teaching Roxy and Jetta the kata moves.

"Okay, time to save the world from Pizzazz's food poisoning," Stormer said as she entered the kitchen. "Again."

Pizzazz gave Kimber a confused look who slyly smiled at her and gave her a shrug. "Hey whatever works, huh? Isn't that what you always used to say?" She winked at the stunned lead singer of The Misfits and gathered up the full mugs before her. Kimber walked out the backdoor to where David, Roxy and Jetta were practicing.

"Okay, you can rest now." David saw Kimber approaching. "So when's breakfast going to be ready?" He accepted the cup of tea Kimber had brought him. As a personal rule, David never drank coffee. He stuck to his Japanese ways and drank tea.

Kimber handed the mugs of coffee to each Roxy and Jetta. "Depends on what Stormer makes. I expect it to be something quick and easy."

"Sounds like Jetta," Roxy joked while blowing on the mug.

"Oh fuck off, Colony!" Jetta said laughing a little in her own cup of coffee.

"Colony, huh? Now there's something I haven't heard you call me in a longtime."

David turned away from the two friends joking and looked back at Kimber. "Want to join us? It'll help you work up an appetite. What do you say?"

Kimber looked slightly hesitant. She was offered to try it before, but was afraid on account of looking too uncoordinated. Shifting from foot to foot nervously, Kimber looked at him then at Roxy and Jetta. They weren't afraid of trying and making a fool of themselves. "Yeah, okay. It should be fun."

A half hour later Clash yelled out the backdoor that breakfast was ready. The four newly energized friends walked back to the mansion. While walking Roxy hopped on David's back for a piggy back ride, they reached the house and she got off his back. Kimber held David back from entering. Jetta quickly followed Roxy inside. She hugged and kissed David lightly. "You were right. It did work up an appetite but it also re-energized me. So I was wondering, could you teach me what you know?"

David sighed and leaned against the house. "I don't know, Kimber. I'm nervous about teaching anyone. I could only teach you the martial arts, none of the sword techniques. But I don't if feel I'm ready to teach yet. I'm sorry." Her lifted her hanging head with his finger and kissed her softly.

"I don't fuckin' believe it!" Roxy's scream came from inside the house. Kimber and David rushed inside to see what the problem was. She looked at them still furious. "My no good aunt and uncle are going to do a special one on one interview with fucking Harriet Horne tonight! We just saw the ad on television! Shit!" She pounded the wall as she walked past them.

"And now the backlash starts," Clash said simply.

Roxy punched the hanging bag in front of her making it shudder. She was in the gym at the Gabor Estate and she'd been in there for the past few hours just venting her rage and frustration. She punched the bag again, grunting as she did so. "Can I talk to you, Roxy?" David's voice came behind her when, without thinking, she spun around and swung her arm at him. He caught the punch and let go. "Are you through?"

Panting, Roxy bent over with her hands on her knees, taking deep breaths. "Yeah, just give me," she gulped for air, "a minute." She accepted the bottle of water and drank it down quickly. "Thanks. Sorry about the punch. I was just so into it I wasn't thinking." She began removing the boxing gloves. "I actually thought I saw and heard my Uncle standing where you are." David handed her a towel and she wiped the sweat off her face, neck and down her shirt. "But you were right, punching the hell out of that bag does help. Sorry I punched the wall." She started walking toward the shower room while David followed. "Anyway, I was thinking, maybe I should go on one of the shows that's been calling. Give my side of whatever they're going to say."

"I'm one step ahead of you, I booked you on Twenty Questions with Hector Ramirez for tonight. His special will play an hour after Harriet's, this way you can have a rebuttal." David sat with his back facing her on the bench outside of the shower stall. Roxy had removed her clothes in the shower. She sighed heavily as the hot water hit her body. "There's some more bad news, Rox. Cool Trash magazine has printed a special edition dedicated to just you."

"Son of a bitch!" Roxy's yell echoed in the shower room. "Do you know who owns Cool Trash Magazine? Eric Raymond. That no good little pile of monkey shit! That mother fucker!" She slammed her fist against the shower wall. "ow," she said quietly, humbled by it's hardness.

"Pitt Slurrman also was able to land an interview with your aunt and uncle. This might be a good thing. At least now if they try to lie, we'll know. I think the biggest laugh in this is the so called interview with Eric himself. He says that he always knew you had a violent streak because you beat him up regularly. Then there's the interview with Rapture in here. She says that you chased her around the room with a book, swinging it like you were trying to swat a fly." David laughed at the image of her doing it.

Roxy laughed as she poked her head out from behind the curtain. "That thing with Rapture is partially true I only threw the book at her. She was teasing me about being illiterate. And I've only punched Eric twice. He deserved it each time. No wait, three times." She went back to washing her hair. "Ask Stormer sometime about when Pizzazz and I gave him a wedgie. This was before Jetta joined us." She stopped the shower and David handed her a towel over the curtain bar. "Thanks." She stepped out with the towel wrapped around her body after a few minutes. "My dry clothes are upstairs. I forgot them."

David held the door for her and followed her out. "Do me a huge favor, Rox. Don't punch or slap Hector. Above all else don't throw a chair at him!"

"Throwing chairs is Pizzazz's department I just slap talk show hosts." Roxy followed David up the stairs from the basement to the ground floor. "Hey, I want to ask you for a favor. Could you sit with me on Twenty Questions?"

"I can't. I'm going to be working the public relations department tonight doing spin control. I'm sorry but I wish I could."

Roxy walked next to David going up the stairs. "Guess I'll just ask Jetta. No, she'll throw a table at him. Stormer is my best bet." They reached her temporary room. Roxy hugged David tightly. "Thank you so much for all that you've done. Before I get too mushy, you've become one of my best friends." She lightly kissed him on the lips. "Don't read anything into that."

"I understand. I'll ask Stormer to go with you, okay?" Roxy nodded and David went downstairs in search of his half sister.

Stormer watched Roxy pace in her dressing room. "Roxy, please sit down. Y-you're making me nervous now."

"I'm sorry, Mary. It's just all the crap my aunt and uncle said on Harriet's show has got me all worked up." Roxy sat in the chair next to Stormer and immediately slumped down. She looked at Stormer. "Am I like cursed or something?"

"No I don't think so," Stormer laughed. "You're just having a string of bad luck. Things will be getting better soon. By the way, how does my guitar work sound?" She tried changing the subject to get Roxy's mind off of the past day's events.

Roxy put down the magazine she was flipping through. "Hmmm? Oh, it sounded great! I really do think you're ready. Jetta sounds amazing on the drums too. I say we can start recording next week. Clash was showing me the music you and Pizzazz have written. It's going to sound so awesome." The change of subject cheered her up as Stormer had hoped.

"You don't mind doing some of the vocals then?" This was Stormer's biggest worry, she had written some of the vocals for the bassist.

"Nah, I can handle it." A knock came from the door and Roxy answered it. "Yes?"

"We're ready for you and Ms. Phillips," the page told her in a professional voice. Stormer joined her at the door and they walked to the set together. The page told them each where to sit. "We go on the air in about five minutes." The page walked off and Hector Ramirez came on to the set.

Hector walked up to Roxy with a big smile. "Ms. Pelligrini let me tell you how happy I am you could make it. My kids are big fans of yours and look forward to your single on Tuesday. We don't have much time so we'll talk after the show, okay?" He walked off the set and Stormer turned to Roxy. At the same time they stuck their fingers in their mouths in a mock gag and then both began giggling quietly.

"Oh man, this is gonna be so much fun!" Roxy said sarcastically.

Hector came back quickly and sat opposite of Roxy and Stormer. The stage manager gave the cue the show was on the air and Hector spoke to the camera. "Hello and welcome to Twenty Questions. Tonight we have Roxanne Pelligrini, better known as Roxy of The Misfits in our studio. She has been the subject of controversy since last night when she slapped talk show diva Harriet Horne. Earlier tonight Ms. Horne had Ms. Pelligrini's aunt and uncle on her show. They made some outrageous allegations and claims toward my guest. I now turn to Ms. Pelligrini and her friend and fellow band member Ms. Mary Phillips."

One of the cameras focused on Roxy. "Thank you for having me on, Hector. But please, call me Roxy. I'm the most comfortable with that."

"Very well, Roxy. Now, how do you respond to your aunt and uncle's claim of you stealing money from them?"

Roxy shifted uncomfortably and forced a smile. "It's the other way around, Hector. They stole from me."

"Uh-huh. Care to explain how so?"

"My father killed my mother he then turned the gun on himself. I was instantly an orphan but rather than being put into a foster home, I was placed in my aunt and uncle's home. It was stated in my father's will that if anything happened to my parents I'd be given custody to my aunt and uncle. They took the money from my parent's death and the money from the state. I was home schooled and that granted them a certain amount a month to make sure I got the books I needed. It was all thanks to my aunt being a tutor. Regardless, I never saw any of that money, so when they say I stole from them, it's a lie. I just took what was legally mine." Roxy unclenched her fists and kept her temper cool while Stormer rubbed her back in comfort.

"There were accusations of you being manic depressive and withdrawn. What is your reply to that, Roxy?" Hector asked in a very gentle and concerned voice.

Roxy snorted a laugh and smirked. "More lies. My uncle beat me regularly. The social worker would come over to see how I was doing, so my aunt and uncle would dress me in long sleeve shirts or long dresses. My uncle never hit me in my face and never did they leave visible evidence of abuse. They are both alcoholics, by the way. My aunt didn't care what he did to me as long as I didn't get hit in the face or he didn't break any of my bones. I wasn't allowed to play with the children in the neighborhood and I really don't think the kids knew I existed. I might be a manic depressive, but only because of their treatment of me."

Hector looked his notes over. "Let's go back to the money for moment, your uncle claims that you drugged your aunt and tried to seduce him when you were fourteen. This was when they claim you stole the money, correct?"

"I didn't drug my aunt, she passed out from drinking. As for my uncle, to be blunt, he tried to rape me. I had just turned fourteen and was entering puberty. He came home that night and into my room. I was woken up by him entering the house. When he came into my room he called me a little tease. That's when he fell on top of me and tried in vain to get my nightshirt up. I tried desperately to get away but he was too big and strong. I started to panic but that's when I saw my lamp on the nightstand. I hit him on the back of the head as hard as I could with it. Blood started flowing immediately. In a panic I wiggled my way out but also realized then that I had a chance to escape. So I packed my bag full of clothes, grabbed my uncle's wallet and the money within. I also raided my aunt's purse for money and then went to their so called secret hiding spot. I took the money from there. Since neither of them had a job, all of the money I took was from the state and meant for me. That's when I made my break from that hellhole." Roxy picked up the glass of water on the table with a trembling hand.

"Your aunt and uncle claim that the money they stole was theirs and they never received any money from the state or your father's will."

"Total and utter crap, Hector." Roxy pulled out her copy of Cool Trash magazine. "In here they say that there was a trust fund for me. I checked that before coming in. It's a lie." The show continued and Roxy started feeling more confident that he believed her. He asked her some outlandish question and she set it straight. Finally the show ended and Roxy let out a huge sigh of relief.

Hector walked Roxy and Stormer off the stage. "Roxy," he said gently, "I can't tell you glad I am you did this. It was a very brave thing to do, not to mention the right thing to do." He smiled warmly and Roxy relaxed. He walked the two Misfits back to their dressing room making small talk. "Now, I hate doing this, but can I get your autographs for my kids?"

Roxy and Stormer each started laughing. "Of course," Roxy said and couldn't help but think that Stormer was right about her luck. It was indeed starting to get better. "I'll even sign one for you."

It was the Wednesday after the release of the Misfits single and David reviewed the overnight sale report and smiled to himself. He put the piece of paper down and looked at the people assembled before him. He couldn't hide his smile or the pride he felt for his friends. "I have never heard of a single of going to number one in a single day!" The Misfits cheered and hugged each other. He showed them the headline that read: The Misfits – Fall From Grace Single – Rebirth Album; To Top of the Charts.

Pizzazz looked at her group proudly. "Well, ladies, what are we waiting for? Now that the public has had a taste of the new Misfits, let's go satisfy the rest of their hunger!" The three other Misfits agreed and followed Pizzazz out of David's office.

David turned to Clash and Techrat. "I'll meet you at Flash Studios in a bit." They nodded and left the room. David hugged Kimber tightly. "We did it. We actually did it."

The phone began ringing. "Let it ring, David, this moment is ours. Enjoy it." Kimber kissed him gently.

TO BE CONTINUED IN

DREAMLINE TRILOGY PART 1