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“I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry,” said Nick.  “I shouldn’t have…I didn’t mean to…I didn’t want to…”

Melody put her fingers over his lips.  “It’s okay.  I told you to.  I figured…Tamara…but then…”

“Yeah,” said Nick.  “You figured Tamara…I figured Rafe…”

“Rafe?” 

Such a look of distaste crossed Mel’s face that Nick knew he had been a fool to believe what Rafe said. 

“He was handy,” shrugged Nick. 

And then Nick couldn’t wait anymore…and so he kissed her.  For a long time.  And Mel let him.  For a long time. 

And then she stepped away.  “Nick…we need to talk…”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Yes, we do.”

A knock at the door interrupted them.  Mel walked over to the guitar and picked it up, while Nick called out for the visitor to enter.  It was Toby, checklist in hand, ready to go over the details of the rest of the day and evening. 

Mel set down the guitar and said, “I’ll tell you about those songs, later…on the bus.”

“Great,” said Nick.  “I know I’ll be pleased.”

“Hey, Nick!”  Jeff entered the room. 

Mel walked past him out the door, giving him a smile.  A sound over her shoulder made her turn.  “Gesundheit,” she said to Toby.

Jeff looked at Nick and exhaled in relief.  Now there was a man at peace.  And Mel looked happy too. 

Toby sneezed again.

“Out!” said Jeff.

“What?” said Toby.

“If you’re coming down with something, you’re not getting near Nick.  Get out.”

“It was just a couple of sneezes,” insisted Toby, but they could hear that his sinuses were filling.

“Well, we’re taking precautions anyway,” said Jeff, authoritatively.  “You’re riding on the other bus tonight.”

Toby opened his mouth to protest, but Nick beat him to it.  “I hate to say it, Toby, but I think Jeff’s right. Just as a precaution.  I sure hope you’re not getting sick…for your sake, I mean.”  Nick’s voice was full of concern.

“I’ll tell Gus,” said Jeff, taking Toby by the arm and escorting him out the door.  “He’ll get chicken soup from somewhere.  It’s okay, Toby, let us take care of you.  You always take care of us.”

Don’t lay it on too thick, thought Nick.  Toby’s not an idiot, after all.  And then the thrill started at his toes and went through his entire body before coming to rest in his heart.  Mel!  He was going to hold her again.  She wanted him too…and he didn’t care what all this ‘we have to talk’ stuff was going to be, he wasn’t giving her up again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The concert was spectacular.  Every note was perfect.  Nick was so high on life, he almost floated across the stage.  When he did Who Needs the World?, he had his eyes closed for nearly the entire song.  His voice was plaintive, and half the audience was in tears when he was done.  He smiled at them shyly at the end and then ripped into a rock song.  They loved it!  Alias Me was a triumph of restraint for him.  He didn’t touch Mel…he sure wanted to, but he figured it might be the end of him, so he contented himself with melting her with his eyes.  The whole crew saw it, and knew that something was different…except Toby and Gus. 

Toby was already in a bunk in the second bus being pampered and cosseted by Gus.  Even though Jeff’s decision to isolate Toby had been a way of giving some privacy to Nick and Mel, it was the right thing to do.  The bug really took hold of Toby, and by the time the concert started, he was achy and feverish.  His nose was running, and his skin hurt.  Gus tucked him in and gave him aspirin and chicken soup (Jeff was right – Gus did know where to get some).  He put a cool cloth on Toby’s head and patted his hand. 

Toby kept whispering that he was sorry until Gus wanted to slap him.  Then Toby suggested that the rest of the musicians should sleep on the other bus, so he wouldn’t infect them as well.  Gus put an end to that thought immediately. 

“There’s not enough room for all three of them,” he said, “and I’ve got you back here out of the way.  I’ll keep the curtain drawn.”  Toby tried to protest, but Gus cut him off.  “Nick’s the one that has to sing.  The others can stand up there and play, if they’re not feeling well, but we have to protect Nick’s voice.”

Toby continued to protest feebly, trying to push himself up off the bunk.  There must be something he should be doing.  Gus rolled his eyes and pushed him back down. 

“Go to sleep,” he said gently and got up off the edge of the bunk. 

“Thanks, Gus,” he heard as he closed the curtain and went out to the front of the bus.  He checked his watch.  The show still had an hour to go, thought Gus.  And then the sparks would really start to fly.  The looks that passed between Nick and Mel today, when they thought no one was looking…phew!  Jeff might be sleeping with his hands over his ears tonight!  But then again, maybe not!  Maybe Jeff would be like Gus, who would be listening with both ears wide open, if he were on that bus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t wait to hold you,” Nick whispered to her as they climbed onto the bus.

Melody shook her head.  “Not on the bus,” she answered.

“Why not?” 

Melody nodded at Jeff’s bunk.  “It’s too small.  It’s too…close.  I couldn’t…”

“Okay,” said Nick, knowing that she had a point.  “Tomorrow, we’re in San Diego.  At a hotel.”

“Yes,” she answered.  “Yes, we are.”

And that was the end of that.  They talked about music…about the concert, about Mel’s thoughts on a song where Nick could play the guitar …he was knocked out by her suggestions. 

Finally, Jeff set down his book and announced his intention to retire for the evening.  He looked at his watch.  “We’ll be getting in around 7:30 tomorrow morning.  I’m going to turn in.  I’m really tired, for some reason.  I bet I sleep like a log.  Nothing could wake me tonight.”  He gave a dramatic stretch to illustrate his point.

“Better keep the day job,” said Mel, standing up.  “Your acting sucks.”  She slipped her arms around the beefy security man and hugged him.  Jeff resisted the impulse to lift her off the floor.  “I’m turning in too,” said Melody.  Good night, both of you.”

And she was gone.  Pajamas, teeth, bed…she was done before the other two could barely draw breath.

“Goodnight, Nick,” said Jeff, and he headed for the washroom to do his evening ablutions. 

Nick went back to his room.  When he heard Jeff leave the washroom and head to the front of the bus, he went in there himself, pausing at Mel’s bunk both going and coming.  He climbed into his bed and tried to sleep.  He tossed and turned and finally gave up.  He had to hold her.  That was it.  That was all.  He had to.  He got out of bed.

“Mel,” he whispered.

“Mmm…?” she responded.

Nick eased the curtain open.  “Can I come in?”

“Nnnn…”  She wasn’t really awake.

“Just to hold you…I won’t do anything…I just want to hold you…”

Melody didn’t say anything, didn’t even open her eyes…  But she flattened her body out, allowing him to crawl over her.  Nick squeezed himself into the space behind her and curved his body around hers.  He pulled her back against him and kissed her hair.  Then he draped one arm over her and went to sleep, content that his world was coming together and nothing could tear it apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeff opened his eyes and looked at his watch.  5:58 glowed back at him.  He smiled at the accuracy of his internal clock.  He got up and padded softly up the bus to the washroom.  When he came out, he cast a glance around the curtain into the sleeping area.  In the dim light, he could see that Nick’s door was open. 

Hmm, he thought.  Nick never sleeps with his door open.  He blinked his eyes and peered down the dark corridor.  Oh!  Sticking out the bottom of the curtain on Mel’s bunk was a foot, and unless she had mutated overnight, it surely wasn’t hers.

Jeff smiled to himself and headed to the kitchen.  He switched on the coffee maker and then went up front to do some stretches and sit-ups.  He got dressed and then pushed aside the curtain at the front.  He slid open the window.

“Mornin’, George,” he said to the driver.  “Want some coffee?”

“Love some,” came the reply.  “Thanks, Jeff.”

“How long ‘til we stop?”

“’Bout forty minutes or so.”

“Okay, good.  Hand me your mug.”

George picked up his travel mug from the holder and passed it over.  “We made good time,” he said.  “Not a cop in sight.”

Jeff laughed and went into the kitchen.  He washed out George’s mug and then filled it and his own with coffee.  “Here you go,” he said to the driver.  “I guess I’d better go wake Sleeping Beauty.”

“Yeah,” said George, “She is a pretty, little thing, isn’t she?”

“I meant him,” laughed Jeff.  He made his way back to the sleeping area.  “Mel,” he said softly, tapping lightly on the wall by her bunk.

“Mmmh…” she responded, sleepily.

“We’ll be stopping in about thirty minutes,” he said.  Then, after a pause, “I’m sure Toby will be getting on then.”

“Okay, thanks,” said Mel, coming more fully awake.  She listened as Jeff noisily and obviously made his way back up the bus after closing the curtain on the sleeping area.  Melody sighed and slid her body back against Nick’s.

Nick had said he just wanted to hold her, and that’s what he had done…just crawled behind her and wrapped his body around hers.  They had slept like spoons.  Mel had never felt so comfortable and so protected in her life.

But now it was morning.  And Toby would be getting on the bus.

“Nick,” whispered Melody.  She slid the curtain open and sat up.  She saw Nick’s foot sticking out.  Rats, she thought.  I wonder if Jeff saw that.  A glance up the hall to Nick’s open doorway told her that he had.

Melody got out of the bunk and then leaned back in.  “Nick,” she said, “go back to your own bed.  We’re going to be there soon.” 

The answer was a muffled sound that didn’t necessarily indicate consciousness.

Melody went to the bathroom and then headed for coffee.  She drained the first cup and then refilled it.  She put another pot on to brew and then stepped out into the living area.  She stood in the doorway looking at Jeff, who was reading and ignoring her.  He knew better than to attempt conversation with her until the caffeine kicked in.

She wouldn’t have time for the guitar this morning, he thought.  That was too bad.  Jeff really enjoyed that.  And he and Toby had found that it was a lot easier to get Nick up in the morning when she played.  Twenty minutes of music filtering into his brain usually made him wake up quickly when called, and with a smile on his face.

Jeff wondered if Nick would have a smile on his face this morning.  Or maybe just a big ol’ grin.

“We didn’t…” said Melody, hesitantly.  “We weren’t…”

Jeff waved his hand at her.  “It doesn’t matter,” he said.

“Yes, it does,” she insisted.  “We were just sleeping.”

“Okay,” replied Jeff, “I believe you.  I believe you.”  And he did.  “We’ll be pulling in soon.  Go make sure he’s back in his own bed before Toby gets on board.”

Melody disappeared behind the curtain.  A quick check showed her that Nick was not in her bunk.  She heard the sound of water running.  Okay, good.  He was in the bathroom.  She knelt down and pulled out one of the drawers under her bunk.  She selected clothes for the day.

“Hey, there!” 

It was a whisper.  It was a song.

Melody turned around, and her heart told her everything she needed to know.  Which wasn’t necessarily what her brain wanted to hear.

“Hey,” she said, softly.  She felt the bus slowing down.  “Toby’s coming,” she said, as Nick stepped toward her. 

He didn’t say anything, just pulled her into his arms and held her.  He kissed the top of her head and then tipped her head back, cupping her chin in his hand.

“So what do you say about your theory now?” he whispered.

“What theory?” she asked.

“Your theory that it’s all about sex.  That we’re only hot for each other’s body.”  Nick kissed her softly on the lips.  “See!  That’s not true.”

Melody snaked her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers.  She kissed him passionately, probing with her tongue until he allowed her into his mouth.  He moaned and kissed her back.  She ground her hips against him.

The jerk of the bus coming to a halt broke them apart.

“Speak for yourself,” whispered Melody, her voice husky.  She stepped away from Nick and picked up her clothes. 

“I’m coming to your room tonight,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.  He didn’t get one. 

Nick moved past her into his room and closed the door.  Mel grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom.  As she closed the door, she heard Jeff’s voice.

“Hey, Toby!  How are you feeling this morning?”