It had been such a long time since Lindsey was given the chance to hold the small, petite blonde who was wrapped in his arms so tightly. There had always been too many people around, there had never been enough time or even an excuse to just stand in the center of the room, their bodies connected for what felt like an eternity without the judgement from onlookers. He relished the moment, for his pizza could wait, the shower that was still running could and would continue to run until she chose to step out of this embrace. 

He had to give her some authority, for the regret that stung his heart was down to his own actions so many moons ago. The problem was that he would never admit that to her, even though he always had every intention to spill his heart out, to confess that he was in the wrong. It just seemed that when it came down to the crunch, when they were actually speaking to each other, his body would put on a front and the words became meaningless and lousy, the blame forwarded on to her instead and he would lose track of everything he had built up in his mind during moments of solitude. 

"Do you regret telling me everything you spoke of that day?" Stevie whispered as she pulled herself out of her moment of self pity. 

Lindsey closed his eyes, his lips pressing into the crown of her head. Getting into a discussion about their past was a dangerous road to travel, especially when a variety of emotions were already running high. He couldn't even think straight, he was so hungry, thirsty and tired and he wanted to just zone out in front of the TV for hours. 

"Yes and no. The regret comes from seeing just how we haven't even managed to connect on stage, where we have always connected. Whatever was going on off stage never affected us on stage but this time it most certainly has." 

As he spoke, her arms wrapped around him tighter and he knew she was probably trying to stifle any tears that wanted to escape from her eyes. 

"What I don't regret is telling you everything that has played on my mind for so long. I don't regret telling you just how infuriated I was when I heard you didn't want to be on this tour. I don't regret telling you that I think you have become someone who won't let themselves be themself anymore. I don't regret telling you just how much I miss the real you. I don't regret telling you that I think about you every damn day, of what could have been, the drug related  miscarriage, the drugs that probably destroyed our only chance of leading a somewhat normal life. I don't regret telling you that I should have saved you from yourself, that I should have been there. I don't regret telling you that you were wrong to tell me to leave you... but I will tell you that one of my biggest regrets in my life was actually listening to you. Letting you walk away from me... but it was so hard Steph, so damn hard. I couldn't do it anymore. I just-" 

"You make out that it was all my fault, that I controlled you..." Stevie spoke, the offence in her voice ringing in Lindsey's ears as she leaned back in his arms to stare into his eyes. 

"It really doesn't matter anymore, does it?" Lindsey sighed. 

"It does if we want to continue this tour." 

Lindsey raised an eyebrow, trying to quickly process just what she meant by that. 

"Are you threatening to halt this tour Stevie?" 

He took a step back from her, crossing his arms over as he awaited her response. 

Stevie too, crossed her arms as she held eye contact with him. She had no idea what she was trying to do. She was just trying to tell him how hurt she was. 

"If it comes down to it, then we might need to. I am not going to be on edge, waiting to see what stunt you will pull on stage night after night Lindsey. I get it, you are angry and I am angry but we need to at least be fair to Fleetwood Mac."

"Your on edge? Stevie, listen to what you have just said to me! You are threatening to drop out of a tour that has fully sold out. You can't joke about things like this. This is absolute insanity."

"YOU were the one who made me sign that contract in the first place Lindsey."

"I didn't make you do anything! You chose to sign the fucking contract after I made you realise just how much of a bitter bitch you were being. And to make it a bit easier on you, I admitted so much to you, to show you that it wasn't just you that was the victim. I, too have regrets about what could and should have been. I wanted you to know that you weren't the only one, to show you that we can still operate as a functional band even though we both have the same thoughts and bitterness towards past events.  I don't see how that forced you into signing a contract." 

"Lindsey, I didn't refuse to sign the contract because of our fucking past. I didn't want to sign it because I was in the middle of preparing for what would have been an album launch. An album launch you knew about and everyone else knew about. "

Lindsey rolled his eyes, walking over to where his pizza sat on a side table. He picked up a slice, ripping into the dough with his teeth while he tried to keep his cool. 

"Why are you in so much fucking denial, Nicks? Why can't you just admit that it's about me, sharing a stage with me. You have forgotten all of those drunken nights where you admitted that being on a stage with me was a constant reminder of the mistakes you had made when you let me go...and now your trying to convince everyone that you have no issues with me? Come on, Stevie." 

"Why do you think everything is about YOU, Lindsey? You think I just mourn over you?" Stevie shook her head, a laugh escaping as she ran a hand through her blonde locks. This whole situation was a mess, her standing in his suite in her nightwear while he stood chewing on his pizza in nothing but his denim jeans. 

"Because if I feel what I do for you on stage, after all these years... I fucking damn well know that you feel the exact same for me. There, I've said it. Admitted the unspoken for the both of us. You can deny it if you want, I'm quite sure you will but I am so fucking sick of it. I'm so sick of the both of us using any excuse for an argument to disguise those feelings." 

Stevie was actually shocked at his revelation and she had no idea how to reply. She just stared at him as he stood there, his eyes glaring back into hers. When he realised she wouldn't be replying he sighed, shaking his head as he took his plate of pizza to the coffee table in the middle of his suite before he sat down on the sofa. He sunk into the sofa, legs stretched out while his feet rested on the table in front of him and he picked up the TV controller, flicking through the channels until he found his regular news channel. 

"It all makes sense now." Stevie spoke, walking towards the door of his suite, her back resting up against it. 

Lindsey glanced up at her before he focused on the TV again. 

"I wondered why you didn't come looking for me after the show. I half thought we would share a shouting match in my dressing room for smearing lipstick on your face in front of everyone. I expected you to remind me of the fact the you are a married man, like you always do...but it sounds like you enjoyed the attention...dare I say, maybe even a little too much?" 

Lindsey's heart rate was increasing, his jaw clenching hard as he took in her words. She wasn't wrong and that was the problem. 

"You should go." Lindsey muttered as he stood, walking towards her. 

"I really should. The tension in the air is becoming a little overwhelming, isn't it?" she smirked, her hand wrapping around the doorknob before shrugging her shoulders as though she was unphased. She was far from unphased, she felt as though she had been struck by lightning the longer he stared into her soul and she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. 

"The next time you pull a stunt like that on stage, you could at least get it right." he declared, the palm of his hands pressing into her shoulders to push her back into the frame of his door. 

Yesss, Lindsey...

She breathed out deeply, wishing he had used a little more force, the way he used to when emotions were running high. His forehead pressed into hers while his eyes stared into hers, their mouths open slightly, noses touching. 

Her hands slid up his waist, curving around his shoulders, god she wanted nothing more than to dig her nails into his back. He made the move, he didn't even have time to take in her features, his mouth slamming down against hers. A deep yearning rushed through his veins as he ensured she got the best kiss she could get from him, his nose filling with the scent of her perfume while his mouth tasted the wine she had recently consumed. The whole scene intoxicated him and he knew just how reckless he had been but he honestly didn't care, completely lost in the lust. Her hands reached into his hair, her fingers tugging at strands, which only encouraged him to chance his luck. His lips parted against hers, forcing entry into her mouth, not that it took much forcing. She was melting on the spot in his embrace. 

It was over within seconds, his lips pulling away from hers while he drew in deep breaths, coming back to his senses. He stepped back from her, watching her chest rise and fall as she peeled herself from the door, she was screaming inside, for he had ignited something inside of her but she didn't want him knowing that. She gripped the doorknob, opening the door. His mouth hung open, coming to grips with reality while she smirked as cool as she could.

"Thank you for the lesson, Lindsey... I'll get it right, next time."