Date: Wed, 09 May 2001 19:37:35 -0700 From: Aaron . Subject: "Watching You Without Me" Ch. 8 Hey kiddies! I am updating......solid huh? Hey Nimm! Hey Derek! Hey anyone else I forgot! Enjoy! (Special thanks to Tori Amos for screeching in the background while I wrote this) "Watching You Without Me" Aaron DeLorean *Chapter Eight* ___________________________________ "Can't let you know What's been happening. There's a ghost in our home, Just watching you without me. I'm not here." --Kate Bush ___________________________________ Nimm returned to Napa the following week. My mood had significantly improved, as I was now seeing my therapist twice a week, and she had to get back to her photography studio. The album was almost finished, save for one last song. No matter what A.J. and I tried, we could not get the arrangement right. Finally, that morning, I was struck with an idea. I looked over at A.J. who was sprawled on the couch. My sheet music was strewn throughout the living room. "I've got an idea." I informed him. He looked up at me expectantly. "Shoot." "Ok, well, what if I just sang the song the way it was originally written, but instead of recording it in the booth, how about you run a mic down the hall to the guest bathroom and I'll get in the shower stall and sing accapella." He looked at me with a blank expression on his face. "Actually," he began slowly, "The acoustics of the shower would give the song kind of a haunting feel to it." I nodded, "Exactly." So we did just that. A.J. found a long-arm mic stand, and stood it in the shower while he ran a mic into the room. I stepped in the shower (fully clothed of course) and he went back into the studio. I cleared my throat and stepped up to the mic. "Roll tape." I spoke into the mic. "Rollin'!" A.J. bellowed back from the open studio door. As I was not wearing headphones, and there was no instrumentation, I plugged my right ear with my finger in order to hear myself sufficiently. I began to sing. This particular song was an old cabaret song from the thirties. It had been one of my audition songs ever since I could remember. It was called "Somebody Loves Me" and A.J. had loved it since the moment he had heard it on my demo. As soon as the song was done, A.J. came back into the bathroom. "Wanna hear playback?" He asked. "Sure, let me go find Tori though." I ran up the stairs calling Tori's name. She poked her head out of the study. "Yeah hun?" she asked with a smile. "Hey, we just finished 'Somebody' you wanna hear playback?" She squealed. "Of course!" I grabbed her hand and we hurried back down the stairs. As soon as the song was done A.J. turned to me. "Well?" Tori and him both looked at me intently. "Wow Alex, I've got goose bumps." Tori squealed again and A.J. kissed me. I laughed as his goatee scratched at my chin. "Well," A.J. said again, "Other than some mixing that me and Nick will do later, this album is done, baby!" I threw my head back and laughed like I had not laughed in years. I felt happy. I felt better than happy-I was ecstatic. Tori hugged me tightly and I sighed contentedly. A.J. looked right in my eyes. I felt a spark as something flopped around in my stomach. I was falling in love with this man. That night after dinner A.J. grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to his bedroom. He sat me down on the bed. "Aaron," he began, "I've got something I need to tell you." He smiled and I felt reassured. "Ok hun." "Aaron, I think I am falling in love with you, and I want to know if you'll be my boyfriend." He was sweet; he looked like a little boy asking for candy, hopeful his mother would say yes. I smiled widely, "Yes." It was one of those moments. The kind of moment where two people who are enamored of each other stare into one another's eyes. Everything fails to exist in that moment but each other. We were sharing one of those moments. A.J. edged closer to me on the bed. I parted my lips slightly, and my face expressed longing. His eyes twinkled as he arched one eyebrow, and closed the gap between our faces. His lips were on mine. It felt like a dream, only better. Our lips felt like they were one. Like they had been created for the soul purpose of joining together in passion. My lips were on fire as he pushed his tongue into my mouth. My heart was beating wildly as his hands roamed my body. I could hear nothing but my own blood coursing through my veins. I felt nothing but the pleasure I was receiving from him, and the heat from his body. I seemed to melt into him, and we became one. Finally, we broke away. He looked at me with desire. In one swift motion he yanked off his wife beater and guided my hand to his chest. I traced my finger down the center, stopping to trace the outline of his tattoo with my finger. Then, he pushed me down onto the bed. He took off my t- shirt as he kissed his way down my stomach. I felt memories flood back into my head and immediately I knew I shouldn't be doing this; it was too soon and too fast. I put my hand on his. "Alex." I murmured. He stopped. "Yeah babe?" he asked worriedly. "Alex, I love you but it's too soon, I'm sorry." Tears began to stream down my face. His eyes softened, "Oh Aaron, honey, it's ok, really." I started sobbing "But Alex-" He gently touched his finger to my lips, "Shhh, it's ok." He smiled and I saw such love in his eyes that it floored me. I stopped crying and sniffed. "I love you Aaron." He whispered into my ear. I smiled. I started shivering. "Are you cold?" He asked. I nodded. He slipped my body under the covers and slid in beside me. He wrapped my body in his, holding me. I sighed happily. "Goodnight Aaron." "Goodnight Alex." Sleep possessed me quickly that night. *To Be Continued* (Ok, so like I couldn't find out who wrote "Somebody Loves Me" to give them credit so nobody sue me, ok? I tried.)