“Well you showed up for this sound check,” John grumbled, “That's an improvement, I guess.”

Unable to help herself, Keely drew herself up to full height, which still didn't make her even with the man but made her feel better, and glared fiercely at him. The constant undermining of her back up band was getting under her skin. “You know that Led Zeppelin never did sound checks? Not that you're exactly Jimmy Page, are you?” she snarled, shoving the sheet of paper into his chest. “Take the damn set list.”

His eyes widened at her sudden outburst, but Keely just turned on her heel and stalked away down the hall. She knew that in an hour or two, maybe even less, she'd feel the guilt from yelling at back up band that happened to be fifteen years older than her and were probably just as road worn as she was. But at the moment, all she wanted to do was get away from them.

And if that meant going back into the stadium instead of heading out the doors they'd been standing in front of, so be it!

Automatically Keely let her feet take her to where she knew the stage was, looking for refuge in her travelling change room, the little space she possessed that was actually hers. But when she got there, she found herself looking across the empty stadium.

Only then did she remember that the stage crew hadn't finished yet. She'd done her short sound check while they were still setting up behind her, and it appeared in the time she'd been spending fighting with her back up band, not much else had been done. In fact, there was a rather lack of people around and she couldn't help but wonder if they'd finally taken their break. Putting up a stage was not an easy thing to do.

“Hey, I thought you were going to your hotel because, in your own words, “You don't want to see our fucking ugly faces until we get onto the bus tomorrow morning”, what happened to that?”

“I got over the fact that you three perverts threw water balloons at me while I was wearing a white tee shirt,” answered Keely absently to Colton's joking voice as she tugged on her still slightly damp hair. “You guys were upstaged by the Bitter fucking Rivals. They really are pretty damn bitter, the name fits perfectly.”

Grinning broadly, Colton stepped forward to her, “See? We're not that bad.”

Although she could feel the urge to smile tugging on the edges of her lips, Keely just scowled, shoving the arm that he was going to slip around her shoulder away. “Yeah, no touching, I'm still mad at you.”

It was at that moment where Marco walked up the stairs to the stage from the floor, a smirk huge on his mouth. “The red bra was a nice touch, by the way.”

Groaning Keely buried her head in her hands, living with three boys was much harder than anyone had thought to tell her. “You know what? You guys need to spend more time with your girlfriends, I'm starting to hate you.”

They just laughed beside her.

Shaking her head, she looked up to the stands, and then she felt her brows draw together. “Who's that?” she asked, nodding to where the dark haired figure was running up the stairs between the stands across from them.

“Oh, yeah, you haven't ever stuck around for one of our sound checks before. That's practically Seth's ritual for a show.”

Squinting, she focused solely upon the figure that was apparently Seth as it turned about to run back down the stairs. And she could feel her nose wrinkle in distaste at the thought of doing that, she doubted she could so much as run up those stairs, let alone be awake to do the show afterwards. “How in the hell does he not sleep?”

In unison the two beside her made noncommittal sounds in the back of their throats.

Instantly her eyes narrowed, and she looked between them.

But before she could question their sudden halt with the sharing, the two were walking away. But she did catch sight of the pursed lipped look gracing Marco's face as he strapped his guitar on, plugging it into the amplifier.

“Watch how much faster he runs when he thinks he's going to miss playing one of his favourite songs,” Colton called over his shoulder.

Shaking her head, Keely just hopped down the steps from where Marco had come, taking up a seat in the front row of the chairs lining the floor. Grinning because she was about to get yet another impromptu casual performance from one of her new favourite bands, she crossed her legs, propping her elbow upon her knee so she could balance her chin upon her hand. Oh, how she wished she could see The Foo Fighters like that, plus maybe every other band she owned a record from the same way and maybe then her life would be complete, many people would just have to come back to life so she could have her wish.

Colton swung down behind his drum kit, and, not bothering to count he and Marco in, started with a steady beat upon the cymbals that was amplified beautifully if oddly in the empty stadium. But it wasn't until Marco stepped up to his microphone and started with the “Yow”s that the smile spread even broader across her face as she recognized the words Mick Jagger sang at the beginning of Sympathy For The Devil.

But the bassist and back up vocalist didn't even get close to the first line of the song before Seth sprinted up on stage. In just a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants, he swung a 1957 Telecaster over his shoulders, plugging the guitar with the blonde and gold hardware into an amp. In that moment in time Keely had no doubt in her mind that Seth had bought that with Keith Richards in mind, if not it would be a very strange coincidence.

Although he barely had enough time to reach his microphone stand, Seth met the timing perfectly with the first lines... as usual.

“Please allow me to introduce myself

I'm a man of wealth and taste

I've been around for a long, long year

Stole many a man's soul and faith

And I was 'round when Jesus Christ

Had his moment of doubt and pain

Made damn sure that Pilate

Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name

But what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game

I stuck around St. Petersburg

When I saw it was a time for a change

Killed the Tzar and his ministers

Anastasia screamed in vain

I rode a tank

Held a general's rank

When the Blitzkrieg raged

And the bodies stank

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name, oh yeah

Ah, what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

(woo woo, woo woo)

I watched with glee

While your kings and queens

Fought for ten decades

For the gods they made

(woo woo, woo woo)

I shouted out,

"Who killed the Kennedy's?"

When after all

It was you and me

(who who, who who)

Letting out a deep breath as she watched, Keely felt her eyes unashamedly focused on Seth. The other boys were great, but she just couldn't find it within herself to look away.

His dark hair was sticking up messily in random directions, but it was just as sexy as usual, especially paired with those hazel eyes that bridged to golden beneath the lights peeking out boldly and that devilish crooked grin he sent her as he played. Then of course there were the well formed arms that flexed as he played without so much a glance down at the instrument. He was every inch that boy fathers tried to keep their daughters away from, the bad boy with enough charm and an overload of talent to make him irresistible.

Oh, there was definitely something wrong with her for thinking that way, wasn't there?

Let me please introduce myself

I'm a man of wealth and taste

And I laid traps for troubadours

Who get killed before they reached Bombay

(woo woo, who who)

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah

(who who)

But what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby

(who who, who who)

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah

But what's confusing you

Is just the nature of my game

(woo woo, who who)

Just as every cop is a criminal

And all the sinners saints

As heads is tails

Just call me Lucifer

'Cause I'm in need of some restraint

(who who, who who)

So if you meet me

Have some courtesy

Have some sympathy, have some taste

(woo woo)

Use all your well-learned politesse

Or I'll lay your soul to waste, mmm yeah

(woo woo, woo woo)

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, mmm yeah

(who who)

But what's puzzling you

Is the nature of my game, mmm mean it, get down

(woo woo, woo woo)

Woo, who

Oh yeah, get on down

Oh yeah

Oh yeah!

(woo woo)

Tell me baby, what's my name

Tell me honey, can ya guess my name

Tell me baby, what's my name

I tell you one time, you're to blame

Oh, who

woo, woo

Woo, who

Woo, woo

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Oh, yeah

What's my name

Tell me, baby, what's my name

Tell me, sweetie, what's my name

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Woo, who, who

Oh, yeah

Woo woo

Woo woo.”

With Seth roughening up his voice at the appropriate moments to do a more than impressive imitation of Mick Jagger's voice, Marco and Colton added to the back up vocals perfectly even though the latter wasn't much of a singer, they did a great cover of The Rolling Stones.

Sitting up straight, Keely smiled, giving them a slow – and very much singular – round of applause.

Sending her one of those rare smiles with the dimple in his cheek, Seth put a hand on the mic, turning his head to look back at his band as Keely pondered the odd feeling in her chest every time she saw them play. “Yeah, I think we're good enough, don't you?” he asked, his voice amplified across the stadium.

The boys chorused their agreements and the three moved in unison back, Seth and Marco both handing off their guitars although Colton didn't have that issue. She'd stopped her clapping by that point, and was just pondering that contracting in her chest that felt like it was trying to fill in an abrupt gap.

She glanced up at the sound of Seth's voice, although it was no longer magnified across the empty stadium.

“Did you get-”

But her focus on his words was cut off as a loud bang sounded in front of her, and her eyes widened as she looked at a broadly smiling Colton. “You know, that really cannot be safe,” she observed, referring to his jump off of the stage.

“Ah, it's all good,” he replied breezily, falling into the seat to her side easily. “As long as we're not you-”

“And fall over flat ground,” finished Marco, dropping into the seat on her other side.

Keely just rolled her eyes, leaning forward slightly in her seat. “You know what, I should be insulted by that one, but I'm going to let it slide, just this once.”

“Oh, it's a miracle! Let...”

Colton continued on in his exclamation, yet Keely found her attention drawn away.

Usually by that time she would be blaming her short attention span on lack of sleep or something of the same variety, but now she knew exactly what – or rather, who – to blame it on, Seth. Although she doubted any person of the female gender, and probably about fifty percent of the male, would have their thoughts scattered at that point.

Her eyes had passed over him with his back turned to her just in time to see a member of the previously absent stage crew tossing him a pair of jeans and a shirt. Her gaze had refocused when she saw him let the jeans fall to the ground, but hanging the shirt casually on the microphone beside him.

Also meaning that she got the full effect when he reached up, gripping the black shirt he was wearing by the back of the neck, and pulled it over his head. Her eyes widened momentarily, but she quickly got over her shock and began to bite on her lip absentmindedly.

Backs were very much underrated, Keely thought vaguely as she leaned forward in her seat slightly, people spent all their attention on chests, but backs were just as sexy, especially when they belonged to Mr Seth Ryan. The indentations and muscles running in perfect sync down the lean back, apparently all that running and whatever else he must do to keep the body was paying off. The muscles in question tightened ever so slightly as he replaced the shirt that had the small sweat patches from his running on the stand, picking up the clean one.

Wasn't it supposed to be guys who gawked? She began to wonder, continuing to chew on her lip as his back contracted while he pulled the shirt over his head.

It really was a shame, the female population would have been served well had he just walked about shirtless for the rest of his life.

He turned around, running a hand through his hair, but Keely still didn't look away. Their eyes met, and one of the famous cocky smirks slid onto his face, pulling up one edge of his mouth.

“... Keely?” the sound of her name was joined with a prod on her arm.

“Huh, what?” she asked, blinking as she looked back to Marco who was looking at her with a confused expression.

The boys were both looking at her bewildered. “Where did you just zone out to?”

Fighting the blush, Keely answered evenly, “Nowhere, what are you talking about?”

“You were just staring up there,” said the two in unison, pointing to previous point of focus. Wishing she could sink into the ground, Keely turned her gaze with them, but Seth was no longer standing there.

The time she let out a sigh of relief. That would have been incredibly embarrassing.

“So what are you going to do now that you're not pissed at us anymore?” enquired Marco, leaning back in his seat.

Copying his movement, Keely slouched backwards comfortably, tapping her hand absently on her leg. For a moment her mind went blank, what was she supposed to be mad at them for? It took a few seconds, but the memory of being soaked with three water balloons swept into her mind clearly, causing her to scowl at them. “I'm still mad at you, you're just preferable to some people.”

Before she could start a rant at them that she was sure they'd just ignore anyways, Colton tossed a flimsy magazine in her lap, sufficiently cutting her off. “You and Seth are just favourites for tabloids these days, Maureen is either going to give huge ass bonus for that or choke you with one of the magazines.”

“One or the other,” retorted Keely smoothly, flipping the tabloid over in her hands so she could look at the cover.

It was still odd to see herself on these things, to even recognize her name. But this time it was much easier to see herself in the picture, if not her name in the headline. And at the very least this picture made her smile, very much unlike the blood boiling that had come with her mug shot on the covers.

Her eyes bypassed the words, instead just looking straight to the picture. It was from Vancouver when she and Seth had been at the water. They were sitting upon the short wall, both cross legged with guitars in their laps although hers had a spruce top dreadnought cutaway while Seth's was a simple black dreadnought. The grin on her face was clear as she looked down at the songbook sitting between them while Seth was looking across at her, the smile with the dimple in his cheek obvious as he held his hands ready to play.

Finally her eyes made their way up to the title, finding it to proclaim, “Just A Writing Partnership?”. Rolling her eyes, Keely tossed it back into Colton's lap, she didn't need to read about her apparent sexual relationship with the boy, that'd just make things very awkward. “I like that picture at least,” she told him, looking up.

A smile twitched on her lips when she caught sight of Seth walking across the black stage wearing those jeans that had been passed to him and shrugging a jean jacket over the black The Kinks shirt as well as the plaid shirt he'd left open.

“So what are you doing after this?” asked Marco again.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm not sure,” she replied honestly, looking towards him.

“Well, I was thinking-” began Colton.

Yet before he could even finish his sentence, a hand gripped hers and was tugging Keely out of her seat.

Laughing easily, she allowed Seth to pull her easily from the seat, spinning her around so she was walking in front of him, already getting propelled away from the two boys even as he dropped her hand. “We're going out,” he called back to the boys.

“That wasn't very nice,” Keely pointed out, glancing over her shoulder to him, but kept walking all the same.

He shrugged, stepping in front of her half a step so he could push open the front doors that Keely stepped through smoothly. “The only good thing that will come out of hanging out with them right now is if they hit you with water balloons again, but sadly you're not wearing a white shirt anymore, so that takes away the whole effect.”

Scowling she pushed a pair of aviators onto her face against the harsh winter sun, she pointed an accusing finger back at him. “I'm still mad at you for that.”

Seth just smirked broadly, he too shoving on a pair of sunglasses, although his were a pair of wayfarers that he'd taken out his pocket, the same set she'd made fun of in a music store. It felt like years ago, and now all she could say the glasses looked more than appealing on him even though they hid his eyes. “Well, it was the highlight of my day,” he retorted.

Rolling her eyes, Keely simply elbowed him in the stomach, stalking forward quickly.

Even though his laughter slowed him down initially, Seth hurried forward, his long legs eating up the ground until he was at her side quickly. “C'mon, we're going this way,” he told her, slipping his arm around her shoulder and turning her to the left.

Deciding that curiosity fully outweighed her anger, Keely let her shoulders relax, looking around them interestedly. “Where are we going?”

“You'll see.”

“Seth,” she whined loudly, “I hate it when people do that, just tell me where we're going.”

“No,” he answered simply.

And although ten minutes passed of her constant whining mixed in with bothersome prodding, not a word of their destination slipped through Seth's lips. But at one point he did threaten her with a water balloon, tugging on her now dry ponytail for effect.

“Oh, c'mon,” she complained, shoving him slightly, but his arm stayed around her, making them both move a step to the side. “Just tell me already!”

“Give it a rest, rebel,” he said exasperated, “We're here. Happy?”

Not bothering to answer, Keely straightened, looking around them. There was a shoe store to her left, and she very much doubted that's where Seth had intended to bring her. A McDonald's in front of her, but once again she was in doubt that was their destination. But when she looked to her right, it all became clear.

“A record store?” she asked, grinning broadly. Without waiting for his response, Keely slipped out from underneath his arm without regret before charging forward to the door. But she did take the time to glance back at him as the door swung open, smiling.

It proved that it was not only a record store, there were instruments hung around, cluttering the shop. Everything from a Jaguar to a flute hanging from the walls, the large barrier in the middle of the rectangular shaped room filled with music, vinyl to Cds. At the front was a couch, a few people were littered around playing their instruments quietly, but Keely barely sent a glance towards them, more focused on the instruments and music.

Focused, she moved forward to the wall where the guitar section was, running her fingers lightly along the edge of the exact road worn Fender she'd been dreaming about for years. And it was right there in front of her as she eyed it longingly.

“Forgive me now?” Seth asked, whispering in her ear.

Clenching her jaw in hopes to limit the shiver than ran up her spine, Keely arched an eyebrow, turning her head to find him leaning over slightly to speak to into her ear. “You know I do,” she replied quietly, goosebumps running up her side that he was so close to.

He grinned, making Keely wish he'd take off his sunglasses so she could see that golden spark in his eyes that accompanied such an expression. Seth opened his mouth, about to say something, but a different voice spoke.

“Hey, are you guys Keely Staub and Seth Ryan?”

Immediately Seth took a hasty step back, putting a few feet between them.

Letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Keely stared at him for a moment, her stomach clenching uncomfortably before turning to look at the person who that voice belonged to.

The voice belonged to a kid, he couldn't be older than fifteen or sixteen. His blonde hair was in a disarray of curls, giving him an odd resemblance to a bristle brush even with the thick Elvis Costello style glasses covering his face. He was holding a simple, and very much cheap, acoustic guitar in his hands as she stared at them with wide eyes from behind the glasses.

Putting a smile on her mouth, Keely pulled the aviators off of her face, hoping her expression read warmth instead of the almost confused panic rattling along inside of her. “Yeah, I'm Keely and he's Seth for the best of my knowledge.”

The boy looked at her shyly, before mumbling, “Can you sign this?” and holding out his guitar.

That panic inside of her finally dying down, she gave him a real warm smile, pulling a pen out of her bag as she stepped forward. She hastily scribbled out her signature that never looked quite as good as anyone else's on the side of his guitar.

Telling him that it was no problem when he thanked her, Keely handed the pen to Seth so he could sign it as well before moving to the records.

Flipping through the vinyls, she bypassed the glam rock and moved towards the roots of R&B in the 40's and 50's. In her mind that had been the golden era for the genre, and she loved the beginnings, but she was more focused on keeping her mind on music. She picked up a Louis Jordan forty five of Caldonia before moving on.

“What's with you and your back up band?” asked Seth pointedly, standing a good couple feet away and flipping through the records as well.

“Nothing much, that's the problem,” she sighed, peeking up at him from beneath her ginger bangs. “Just bickering, they don't like me too much. Thing I should sing Respect to get their attention?” Keely asked, grinning, as she pulled out and held up Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You for effect.

“As incredible as you would be singing that song, that wouldn't get you any respect from them. They now you can sing, obviously unless they've been deaf and we never heard about it. Nothing you do consciously is going to change their minds,” Seth told her, looking down to her, his hands pausing on the records. “It's going to be something you don't even realize you're doing that changes their minds in the end, so just don't worry about it. And if it doesn't turn around by the end of the tour, we can find you a new back up band.”

For a moment she just looked at him, before looking back to the records. “I'm still buying this album,” she mumbled, piling it above Louis Jordan.

Even though no one was calling her yet, Keely found she couldn't stand being alone.

No longer was she afraid of her own thoughts, but it felt as if her head might simply crack along the middle if she sat there for another moment thinking about the new information she'd gathered on her family. And yet, there were still gaping holes that her mind couldn't connect properly. Yet she doubted she'd ever now the complete truth.

Tired of her time spent thinking alone, she gripped her guitar and wandered out, snatching up her black round topped fedora before shoving out of the room. As she walked through the crowd that was consistently back stage, she wasn't once hailed, so Keely only gathered that she had time before her set started.

For a moment she pondered going to see Marissa, but wary of her friend's father, she change direction to where she knew the boys would be.

“Hey guys,” she called out, nudging the door forward with her shoulder.

A chorus of vague hellos met her words, and frowning, Keely made her way further into the room, leaving the door open behind her.

Seeing the three boys she'd been in search of, but only their backs, she walked towards them, propping her guitar against the wall as she did so. Marco and Colton were standing, each on either side of Seth who had a chair, at closer inspection she found that there were huddled around a lap top propped upon the desk in front of them.

Interested Keely moved closer, putting her hands on the back of Seth's chair as she stood on her tip toes, leaning over her without their bodies brushing so she could have a clear view of the computer screen. “What are we looking at?” she asked, seeing that the screen looked as if it was still loading. But she couldn't say for sure, she barely knew how to use her own for anything more than keeping her music.

“A concert,” they told her in unison.

The thought that they were rather unnerving with their ability to say the same things, Keely glanced down. But that thought fled from her mind as Seth had taken that moment to look up at her, his face close to hers.

“Oh, it's on!” exclaimed Marco.

Immediately her eyes snapped to the screen, but that odd mixture of relief and disappointment only lingered in her stomach for moments before her attention was grabbed.

“That's that band, Burn To Shine, right?” she asked rhetorically, her eyes glued to the screen. Keely knew very well who the band was, but the boys still replied in the affirmative. She felt her lips turn up at the clear sound of Aerosmith's Livin' On The Edge.

When the lead singer's voice kicked in, her eyes flicked immediately to the handsome boy with the lock of dark hair falling over his forehead that was taking on Steven Tyler, but as before, she didn't linger to long on him despite the good looks. No, instead her eyes went back to the lead guitarist, just as they had the first time she'd seen the band play. There was something so familiar about her, not only in the way she looked, although Keely could have sworn she knew her from somewhere, but the way she played. It was eerie the, instant fellowship she felt through the music even though she'd felt that before with some of her favourite artists.

Abruptly her eyes narrowed on the girl with the dark hair, her eyes opening to reveal a golden sheen as she looked up at the sky. Then the slight shock set in. “Isn't that Rosemary Keen?” Keely asked, leaning even more forward.

“Yeah, but it says Rosemary Adams,” Seth corrected.

Even though she felt eyes on her, Keely didn't take hers from the screen. “Okay, she's Rosemary Adams, but when she was Rosemary Keen I would listen to her music to help me teach myself how to play the piano. They're pretty much all still too difficult for me to play, but you get the point. Still... I think I might like it better this way...”

Her voice faded out at the end, too focused on the screen as the song continued on. But she still heard Seth asking, “You taught yourself how to play the piano?”

“Yeah, I never had one growing up, used the one in the high school whenever I could manage it,” she answered vaguely, before a smile spread across her mouth. “I love the rooftop performance, it's so Beatles.”

Only then did a horrible thought occur to her, and she punched Seth roughly in the shoulder.

“Ouch, what the hell?” he complained, rubbing his shoulder as he looked up at her. “Do you always have to hit me?”

Ignoring him, she began to blurt out words, feeling a slight panic set in about her. “This is not a total reference to The Beatles, is it? Because when they did the rooftop performance it was the last one they ever did together. Don't tell me this band is already breaking up, I never got to see The Beatles, I'm going to be pissed if I don't get to see these guys live.”

Chuckling, Seth shrugged, glancing back to the video momentarily before looking up at her. “Don't worry, rebel, I doubt this is their last show. I think this only like one of their firsts, at least that's what I think...”

“You're not always that comforting, you know that?” she asked, glaring at him slightly.

He grinned, “Well if you-”

Before he could finish what Keely was sure would only make her hit him again, a knock sounded on the door she'd left open. In response, the three of them swivelled around, only to see a roadie standing there. “They're ready for you, Keely,” he said.

“Thanks,” she told him before the man walked away.

Sighing, she sent one last look at the concert on the computer, but she had her own to play. And as much as she loved watching concerts, she liked playing them better even when she had a literal bitter back up band. “See you after?” she asked, addressing Seth as he was the only one still looking at her, the other two turning back to the computer.

“Yeah,” he smiled as she slipped the hat onto her head, smoothing her hair around her shoulders. “We're all going out after.”

“You get me arrested again, I swear I'll never talk to you,” Keely retorted, grabbing her guitar.

“Not what you think!” he called out to her, but she just kept walking.

As it turned out, it wasn't what she'd thought.

At the sound of Seth telling her that they were all going out, Keely's mind had gone to – what else? – that night out with Tyler. That night that had ended with her stuck in a jail cell with Seth, although she was still blocking out what happened during most of the night.

No, there was no drinking or fighting, but there was music. Of course there was music, when wasn't there wasn't when it came to them?

Seth had booked the studio for them, and managed to get it for the entire night.

It started out with the four of them. Seth did point out that it would be customary for Keely to bring in her back up band to play behind her for the rest of the album since she now had one, but she had reverently disagreed. The studio was her safe haven, and she did not want to allow those men into it. Especially when she was still nervous about being in there with Seth.

They hadn't dared to go back into the studio since they hadn't been speaking, the idea that they could barely get through a song wearing deeply on all of their minds. Plus Colton and Marco telling them that they should take it easy before going at it full throttle again, just in case they decided to murder each other this time.

But the deadline of her album was bearing down upon them, getting closer by each passing day and show that took them back towards New York. They couldn't put it off any longer.

Despite the odd politeness that was began their workings in the studio, it didn't take long until that chemistry she missed came back. And it was done with much bickering and arguing, although no shouting, that they began to record their newest creation, Breaking Time.

It appeared they were back to working on the same wavelength as Seth too felt the need to have an acoustic sound to the recording.

At the very least all the separate instrumental takes were done besides the guitar, Seth having worked with Colton and Marco before. But it didn't take long before all four of them were in the studio, Keely on lead guitar while Seth stuck with rhythm. Then they did the recording of the instruments with her singing, and eventually the back of vocals which consisted of she, Seth and Marco singing together in a perfect choir while Colton handle the studio. Although Seth didn't seem to find him satisfactory as a producer, but it was enough for then.

That was when Marco and Colton went to the hotel as they were no longer needed, tired from the full day and their odd sleep patterns, and thinking that she and Seth wouldn't be killing each other anytime soon.

The recording was far from done though. She played the lead guitar track alone, then Seth did the rhythm alone as well. Keely then did her vocals with the guitar, and eventually moved along to only singing.

By that time it was already five in the morning.

“Why are you in such a hurry to get this track finished?” Keely yawned, dropping into the chair beside him, her voice feeling increasingly hoarse by the second.

Seth leaned forward, the lights from the board making his eyes look even more shadowed than normal. “Because Maureen wants your new single by tomorrow morning so she can send it to the stations soon. For You peaked at number nine on the US Billboards, she wants to put out a new single quickly to keep the popularity up.”

Frowning she pulled her knees up to her chest on the chair. “I thought we were releasing our duet of Under Pressure for my second single?”

“Yeah, I want you to put out a second original before we release a cover together,” Seth admitted, sending her a grin as he slid up a dial as Breaking Time played loudly around them. “Plus this is one of my favourites we've written, I think it's better than For You.”

“Really?” she asked, grinning slightly as she propped her chin on her knees.

He nodded, sliding the chair down the board away from her so he could twist something. “I know it's the best song I've ever written by myself or with anybody, and I've written my best songs with you, so I think we got For You beat. There's a beauty in simplicity, and this song has it. There's passion, loneliness, guilt, longing, love; all wrapped up with acoustics and soft drums. It's got everything.”

Grinning broadly, she peeked up at him from beneath her lashes. “It's a love song, you mean. Aw, Seth, are you a romantic?”

Seth arched an eyebrow at her calmly, “The best songs ever written have been love songs.”

Keely laughed. “You are, that's adorable, the bad ass, juvenile delinquent, Seth Ryan, is a cheesy romantic song writing musician. Please tell me that you've sang Silly Love Songs at one point in your life?”

“That's a good song,” Seth glared at her.

“Yeah, yeah it is,” she giggled, shaking her head.

Groaning, he just continued working on the board, playing the song over and over again as they mixed the track. She made a few more jabs in his direction, but it only ended with him glowering at her, so Keely cut it out after a while. There was more bickering as the time passed along, but for the most part they agreed on where they wanted the song.

The minutes were passing along, but Keely didn't look at the time, a bit scared of it. Plus there were no windows showing the outside, meaning they really had no way to tell the time unless they specifically looked, but neither of them did.

“I think this is the fastest we've ever done a song,” she observed, leaning her head back against her head rest.

Frowning he leaned forward, apparently not liking the bass track and fiddling around with it before answering her. “Well if it turns out to be a hit, you can tell this story to reporters in fifty years.”

“What if I join the twenty seven club?” Keely asked, her eyelids drooping.

“I hope you don't.”

Not bothering to answer, she just made a sound in the back of her throat as her eyes shut.

“Hey, rebel, c'mon, wake up.”

Groaning, Keely opened her eyes, batting away his hand that was gently shaking her shoulder. For a moment she wanted to snap at him for waking her up, but then she remembered they weren't in the bus but a studio instead.

“Oh god,” she mumbled, opening her eyes to the brightly lit control room. “Crap, I'm sorry I fell asleep.”

“Don't worry about it,” Seth responded, his voice thankfully soft to her head that was throbbing with lack of sleep. “I finished mixing the song, but now we have to go, it's eight in the morning and the tour bus is waiting for us outside. Do you want to hear the song before we leave?”

Shaking her head, Keely moaned as she stretched her stiff limbs, they hadn't taken well to sleeping with her legs and arms curled into her upon the tiny uncomfortable chair. “Don't worry about it, I trust you, just show it to me on the bus?”

Nodding he slipped her laptop into her bag, holding out a hand to help her out of the chair.

Taking his hand, she winced as she straightened her body and let go of the support. No, it was a bad idea to sleep like that, almost her entire body was asleep. It was even worse than sleeping in the bunks in the tour bus, actually, it was about a thousand times worse. “I can't believe I had a hotel bed waiting for me, but I slept in a bloody chair.”

Handing over her bag, Seth grinned, “Well, think of it this way, now you get to go sleep in the tour bus.”

“Oh, joy to the world,” she grumbled, slipping her bag over her shoulders and exiting the studio, him tight on her heels, carrying their guitars.

Just as Seth had told her, the tour bus was waiting outside the studio. Even Dave, the driver, was looking rather tired and bleary eyed. Why on earth was a group of musicians taking off at this time? Yeah, sure, most high school kids had been awake long before them, but this was prime sleeping time for musicians. Weren't they supposed to be sleeping in until one in the afternoon? Keely really wanted that.

Swinging onto the bus, it took off the moment she and Seth had closed the door behind them. As she secured her laptop, Keely glanced to the bunks, only to find that Marco and Colton were already passed out in them.

Shaking her head she was moving to go join them, but a side glance brought Seth into her view.

He had dropped their guitars on the top of their table, yet he was taking his out of the case. Frowning, Keely sent a longing look towards the bunks, but found herself moving back towards the dark haired boy instead. Did he ever get tired? She wondered as she watched him begin to pluck at the strings of his guitar.

Dropping onto the couch that was across from his sitting position, she wrapped her arms around her legs, dragging her knees to her chest even though her cramped muscles were still protesting. Her head was telling her to just go back to sleep, but she ignored it too. “Why aren't you going to sleep?”

“I'm not tired,” he replied, looking down at the guitar.

“Liar.”

He gave a short chuckle, looking up from the guitar. She sent him a small smile, looking into those eyes, the sadness bridging around the corners as he looked at her, but he was far from seeming as sad as she could remember him being before. But that darkness was still there, even if it disappeared for periods of time now.

“Are you going to play me something?” she asked, leaning her chin on her knees.

Shaking his head, he plucked a few more strings, and murmured an almost illegible, “Are you sure you want me to?”

“What?” Keely enquired, bewildered.

Yet he didn't answer, just began to play a familiar song.

In the words of Frank Sinatra, the best love song ever recorded, Something. And when he began to sing, Keely could feel that strange sensation in her chest, squeezing tightly around something that abruptly felt empty as her stomach clenched.

“Something in the way she moves,

Attracts me like no other lover.

Something in the way she woos me.

I don't want to leave her now,

You know I believe and how.

Somewhere in her smile she knows,

That I don't need no other lover.

Something in her style that shows me.

I don't want to leave her now,

You know I believe and how.

You're asking me will my love grow,

I don't know, I don't know.

Stick around, and it may show,

But I don't know, I don't know.

Something in the way she knows,

And all I have to do is think of her.

Something in the things she shows me.

I don't want to leave her now.

You know I believe and how.”

He looked up, a serious expression on his face, his eyes piercing.

Keely swallowed an uneven breath, her stomach feeling as if it had fallen out while her heart beat erratically. She had said she would fall in love with any boy that played her a Beatles song, well, maybe love was too strong of a word.

But that didn't mean she wasn't finally putting together the signs. Her heart skipping beats or racing, the clenching in her stomach, the shivers...

She was in huge trouble, wasn't she?

- Do you guys love me or hate me? I'm interested.

Well all references to Rock Prodigy belong to jules130! That's why the chapter is dedicated to her. Sympathy For The Devil is in the external link, go listen to it, I love that song, probably my favorite by the Rolling Stones. Something is in the video on the side. As for the picture, well, I just thought it was time to post the picture that me and my confidant see as perfectly Seth, it's the only one I would never change anything on XD

Okay, I think it should be known that I have a cat that follows you around the property when you call his name. Oddly dog like, right? But not too weird. What's weird is I have a horse that will fetch. Yes, I'm not lying to you.

WHITE CASTLE!

Yes, I'm getting rather illegible. It's 5:00. And because the time changed last night, really, it's more like 6:00 to my mind so I'm tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiired. Poor Jared, I feel bad. Blah.

There's a cat sitting under a moose in my room.

Yeah, try to make sense of THAT one.

I have mighty plans I have to complete by the time I'm thirty, yes, YOU know what I'm talking about haha. The claptions are invading! Immortal Johnny!!!! Ah, oh no, you? No you didn't. You did! LMAO! Brain twins.

Okay, who understands that? I bet only ooooooone person.

Now, important things. Seth's story. Well, I will not be stopping writing Keely's story to write his. This will end as I always planned, and Seth's story will follow the same story line, just his point of view instead of hers, because his head is tricky to figure out. If I will post that anymore, to be honest, I'm not sure, I know I will be writing it and one other person shall read it.

I'm not sure if that made any sense, but I'm tired so give me a break. 

To all you lovely people, I luuuuuuuuuuurve you! 

Ooooh, I got a new jacket, it's cute, but I won't go on about that. It put me in a really good mood though, and I started writing all this sappy crap. Actually, I didn't write it, I just thought about it when I should have been listening to people.

But whatever!

Once again, I love you.

My rants are back.

Ha.

Goodnight.