Chapter 27

Wrapping his arms back around Amelia Richie sighed softly. He wasn’t sure how this one was going to end up. Those days were so vivid in his memory still, how hurt Jon had been and how long it had taken him to get over it. Hell, the look of a lost man was even captured in their Wanted Dead or Alive video that year.



“Red, I’m gonna go catch some zzz’s. You going to be ok Hon?”

Amelia pulled back, looking up into the string-man’s eyes. “Yeah, I have to be you know?”

Giving her a final hug, Richie turned and walked into the living room. Catching a small movement from the corner of his eye he turned his head and saw Jon leaning up against the wall. “How much did you hear bro,” he whispered.

Jon gave his friend a slight smile then motioned his head towards Richie’s room. As they walked, Richie continued, “At least you understand now bro, but it won’t take away the fact of what she did. I forgive her, but I can’t stop remembering those days after she left. I’m thanking my lucky stars it ain’t me Kidd. You got 20 years of life between you and her, your just not that starry eyed man no more. You know I’ll be there for you no matter what.” Turning he gave Jon a playful punch on the shoulder. “We are the Dynamic Duo after all.” At that Richie walked into his bedroom and shut the door glad for yet another time in his life that he wasn’t his best friend.

Jon stood in the darkened living room, his eyes studying the woman on the terrace. What Richie said was true; she had hurt him more than anything else in his life. Unlike Richie though, he could now understand that she had done it all out of love. She had looked to the future for him while he had taken his hurt and wrapped it around him like a shield. He used that shield to create a façade that he was, to this day still hiding behind. His life was a joke, and only he seemed to know the punch line. The Great Jon Bon Jovi, family man extraordinaire was a façade created years ago to keep it all going. He had dated Dot with a single minded passion with family as his only goal, and after eighteen years of playing the happy family man he wasn’t so sure how to go about not just being the façade that everyone saw. One thing he knew for sure, if anyone could help him escape the façade it would be the red-head on the terrace. Question was though, how could he get her to get her to see that. Spying the guitar leaning on the couch, sudden inspiration hit him. Making his way to the couch he picked up the guitar took a seat and began to strum the strings softly.

She heard the music whispering to her from the living room and smiled thinking Richie had had a sudden spurt of musical genius and had decided to play a bit. She closed her eyes just enjoying the sounds of the music wafting out to her. She opened her eyes startled as the singing started. That wasn’t Richie’s voice, it was Jon’s!

And I would give up tomorrow
And die for one yesterday
I'd lie, beg, steal and borrow
To hear you whisper my name
Tonight there ain't no miracles
Washing up on this beach
The angels left here long ago
But I still believe that

Maybe someday
I will hold your hand
and maybe someway
We'll trace our footsteps in the sand
And just walk away… baby someday

Her breath caught in her throat as the words floated out to her. For a man that had just survived a fight and regained all that he was he didn’t sound very happy.

Now I don't know how a heart beats
but I sure know how one breaks
Remember how I used to hold you
To share every breath that you'd take
How can I forget
Your every tear that I cry
I know you're coming back
You never kissed me goodbye

Her feet had a mind of their own; as she found herself walking into the living room. She had to remove that pain from his voice somehow or another she had to make right what had gone wrong for him.

Maybe someday
I will hold your hand
And maybe someway
We'll trace our footsteps in the sand
And just walk away.

They say that nothing lasts forever
But we know our two hearts beat together
And though you're far away
Every night I pray
Maybe someday… someday…

Maybe someday
I will understand
baby someway
We'll trace these footsteps in the sand
just walk away… maybe someday
Maybe someday
Maybe someday
Maybe someway

She knelt before him and watched him as he strummed the last few chords to the song. “You’ll be back with your family soon Jon, things will be ok.” He reached over, his thumb brushing the tear on her cheek away gently. “I’m not worried about that Fire, you don’t understand about them yet anyways. Slowly his finger traced up her cheek over his eyebrows and along the bridge of her nose before very slowly brushing over her lips. Time seemed to freeze as he laid the guitar on the couch and leaned forward, his free hand sliding through her hair to the nape of her neck, pulling her into a kiss. Continuing the kiss he stood, pulling her up with him. She tangled her hands into his hair and pressed her body into his.

With a move as smooth as silk Jon lifted her into his arms without breaking the kiss. He walked to his bedroom, her lips igniting fire within his veins and hunger in his soul. Stopping at the side of the bed he set her on her feet. With calloused fingers he stroked her neck, his lips gliding behind each stroke. As he reached her collar bone he stopped to nibble lightly, her soft gasps whispering over him. His hands ghosted over her sides as his fingers snagged the hem of her blouse and brushed it over her shoulders. As the blouse fell he knelt before her his hands tracing each inch, relearning and recording to memory each silken inch. She was as glorious now as she was then and just the sight of her made him want to praise the heavens that created her. Kneeling forward he placed his nose against her belly and breathed in her scent. It was an intoxicating mix of cinnamon and musk, something uniquely her, that drove him to distraction. He lightly tongued her belly button, grinning as she laughed then moaned as his lips reverently traveled higher worshiping each inch with a kiss and slight lick. As his lips covered one nipple his tongue flicked over its tip slowly making it harden against his lips. Her whimpers sounded like music to his ears as his lips slid into the valley between her breasts and his hot breath tickled her skin. As his lips found purchase with the other nipple, he slowly nibbled her nipple, his tongue lightly circling the tip; his hands slowly worked the buttons of her jeans loose and pushed them down her legs. “I want you to just stand there Fire,” his voice whispered huskily, “I want to worship you like I haven’t worshipped in twenty years.” She whimpered softly but obeyed his voice, she wasn’t sure how long she could stand there though, and she was turning into molten fire with his brush of his lips and hands.

Slowly his hands brushed up over her ankles to her calves, fingers calloused from years of music brushing as light as a feather over each inch. As his hands moved upwards his lips began to glide downward, again kissing and nibbling each satiny inch. Her mind shattered as hands and lips met, his hands slightly pushing her legs apart as his lips glided over her passion soaked nether lips. His tongue slid lightly in and out of her core, before flicking slowly back and forth over her clit. Slowly his fingers slid into her moist heat and began to pump in and out as his mouth suckled lightly on her hard lil nub.

Her fingers slid over his shoulder then dug in lightly as his teeth scraped feather light over her clit. She was splintering into a million pieces with each second, unable to do more than whimper his name. When his fingers wiggled inside of her, she screamed his name, “Ohhhhh Jonnnnnn godddddd,” and her passions honey flowed, coating his cheeks and filling his taste with the nectar he had gone without for so long.

Standing his eyes took in her flushed by passion face and lightly moved her backwards until she was seated on the bed. She slid back and up, her eyes watching his every move. With eyes dazed by pleasure she watched him as he slid his pants down his lean legs and moved to place himself on the bed above her. Bracing himself with his arms, his slowly positioned himself at the juncture of his legs, his hands slowly gliding up to rest on each side of her head. He bucked lightly against her rotating his hips slowly as his lips again took hers. As his tongue sought hers, she felt his hard length push inwards as he buried himself deep within her. He pulled out slowly then pushed downward again, slightly rotating to the side making her hips arch up to meet his.

His tongue mimicked the motion of his hard length he danced and teased hers. His body flexed with each moment as he slowly moved in then out of her wet heat. She was so tight, so hot that he dug his nails into the pillows, and her moans vibrating against his lips had him losing himself as he began to quicken the pace. As their sweat slicked bodies undulated against each other she raked her nails along his spine causing him to gasp. It was nearly more than he could take as he began to pump into her harder until she started begging.

“Oh God Jon, I can’t take this anymore, please, oh please, harder.” She was ready to explode with exquisite pleasure.

He lost control his thrusts becoming deeper and harder as she rose to meet each one, their soul and bodies in a perfect time honored rhythm. As his head dipped to blaze a trail of kisses over to her collar bone he bit down gently feeling her inner walls seize him and begin to milk him dry. She exploded around him as his own climax hit, sending them spiraling into oblivion.

With a deep felt shudder he collapsed on top of her, his hot breath blowing gently over her skin. She reached up to brush his hair from his face before giving him a tender kiss. They lay there together feeling each other’s heart beat as it lulled them both to sleep.

**((Maybe Someday, JonBonJovi and BonJovi))**

Chapter 26

She awoke feeling much stronger, refreshed and thirsty. Sliding from the bed she padded softly to the living room, her goal the tiny bar in the corner. She didn’t bother turning on the light as she entered the room, she didn’t want to risk waking the two men sharing the area. Reaching for a bottle of lemon flavored water she walked over to the terrace doors to go outside. “Couldn’t sleep Red?” The husky voice startled her so badly she nearly dropped the bottle in her hand.

“I just came to get something to drink. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“Naah Red, you didn’t wake me. Lotta things to process tonight, I couldn’t sleep. Kidd though, he’s out like a light.” Richie watched as she walked onto the terrace, a faraway look in her gaze. Standing he made his way to the terrace and leaning against the railing began to talk. “Listen, All this stuff is sort of rattling in my mind, but I keep coming back to the same questions. You know me Red; I don’t keep quiet if I have a question or something to say.” She nodded her eyes sad as she listened to him. “I wanna know Red, why you left my bro. I know you tried to hide, but I saw you go, saw who you were with. What’s that guy got that my bro don’t have?”

Amelia turned quickly, amazement in her green gaze. “You think I left him for Adam? You think I fell in love with another man and left him?”

Richie shrugged, “well didn’t ya Red?”

Tears began to ghost down her cheeks as her lips trembled with emotion. “I didn’t leave him for another man Richie. I wouldn’t have done that to Jon.” Her voice grew softer as she started talking, almost as if she were distancing herself from the past and its pain.

“We went to Joe’s that night and I was so happy. You guys had put on a stellar show and I could tell that Jon was just buzzing with energy. You know usually a show just wipes you out but this night was different. You both wanted to party and where ever he went I was gonna go. When we got to Joe’s he was so happy to just lean back and be one of the people in the crowd. You went up on stage and you were just in a zone, jamming with Joe and the band. It tickled me to no end because up until then I had never heard you do anything jazz like. You know all this though, and you know what happened after that so I won’t go into all of it. What you don’t know though is what happened behind that office door.”

She sighed softly then continued, “I didn’t believe it at first when I came to, that guy in the room with me told me I had died. Ran some spiel about me being immortal and never aging again. Hell he probably told me pretty much all the same things we told Jon the day after I found him in the snow. He explained why the blood on my clothes was mine and all that. I didn’t believe him at all, thing is I thought he was a cuckoo. I was so glad you and Jon burst through the door. We left the bar after that and I was so glad to just be back in the hotel with you both.”

We left Seattle that next day, but before we did I caught a glimpse of the nut at the hotel, and he made my head hurt so much. It took so much out of me that I nearly fainted from it. I put it down to stress though.” She paused a moment sensing Richie had something to say.

“So that’s why you were acting so odd huh? You had that buzz thing that day?”

“Yeah Rich, only I didn’t know that. Jon tried so hard to bring me out of my blue funk and nothing he did seemed to help. I kept hearing that guys voice telling me I had died. I mean hell Richie I was all of 24 years old and that guy told me I had died and come back. What was I to think?” Amelia began to cry in earnest as she continued to talk. “We got through the next concerts, and Jon began to hold on to me tighter and tighter. I guess he thought he could hug me through it. You gotta love him for that kind of thinking ya know? But nothing worked. Everywhere we went I kept feeling that damned head pain, kept seeing that guy from the bar.”

Richie reached over and pulled her into a hug, he could tell she had held this all in for a long time. “It seems Adam had followed us to each and every concert on the tour, no idea why because best I understand it he just doesn’t get involved all that often. But I kept seeing him and every time I did my head hurt so bad I couldn’t see straight. It went on for a couple of weeks and I was at my breaking point, ready to literally scream and pull my hair out.”

Richie murmured softly, “I can imagine Red.”

Amelia tried to smile, but failed miserably as she came to the hardest part of the story. “That night, the last in the tour, Jon was getting dressed and everyone was banging on the door for us to hurry. I got clumsy and dropped a glass in the bathroom. Well I was rushing to clean it up and I cut myself, pretty deeply too. To my utter amazement it healed leaving no scar. Seeing that for the first time with no warning can scare the living shit out of you let me tell you. During the concert that night I felt that headache again and when I turned Adam was standing there with this patient look on his face, as if he knew I had finally figured it all out.”

Richie nodded, taking in her entire story. “And then? It still doesn’t explain why you left Jon.”

“I’m getting there Sambo, really I am. Adam talked to me during the lulls in the concert, telling me I had to leave and train and prepare for being immortal and I kept telling him no. I wasn’t going to leave Jon, hell I loved him too much for that. But Adam, he told me that being with Jon was going to put him in danger. See, Adam is, well he’s a LOT older than he looks, and some older immortals they can sense when a person is pre-immortal.”

Richie queried, “Pre-immortal?”

“Yeah Rich, that’s when a regular person has the possibility to become immortal. If you die a violent death you wake up immortal. Adam told me how against the odds it was that two pre-immortals had found each other, but that would have been fine had I not died. But with me having changed, well that put Jon as risk. Immortals might come after him to get to me. If he lived safe, he could live a long normal life and maybe die in his sleep. I didn’t’ want to take him away from his music or his friends Rich and I didn’t want to risk him dying. My only choice was to vanish do you get that? I had to give him his life, no matter how it hurt to do it.”

Richie’s soft voice filled the air between them. “So you left to save him, not because of another man.”

“I wanted him to have all he deserved Richie. A long life with friends he loved never looking over his back for a challenge. I wanted him to have his music. He wouldn’t have been Jon without it and you know it. I even prayed that he would live to old age and just die an old man. It can happen you know, he wouldn’t’ have been immortal then.”

“I watched you through the years and I was glad I had done that for him, even though it hurt to watch. When I read he got married,” her voice trailed off as another soft sob over took her, “It nearly killed me. But Adam pushed me into training harder and in time I was able to be at least able to deal with it. I kept up with you guys, it was a joke at times among the few friends I had that I wasn’t to be messed with if Bon Jovi was on.” Amelia attempted to smile again and it came out as a forlorn grin, “but the worst of it was reading when he had kids. He took to being a family man like a duck to water and I prayed even harder that he’d stay safe so he’d never learn what his wife had done. And now here we are and the fates dumped him into my life again. It’s a mess Richie, but to think I left him for another man? Nothing could ever be so wrong as to think that.”

Richie pulled back and gave Amelia an intense stare. “You still love Kidd don’t you?”

She looked up at him the truth shining in her eyes. “Every day for the last 20 years, I’ve loved him and none other. I would have walked the centuries never wanting anyone else Rich.”

Richie smiled. “You aren’t telling me you’ve never been with anyone else in twenty years Red.”

Amelia turned to look at the Seattle skyline. “That’s exactly what I’m telling ya Rich.”

Richie just shook his head, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’m sorry I thought wrong about ya Red. Thanks for telling me everything.”

Standing just on the inside of the terrace obscured by a curtain a man with startling blue eyes smiled.

Chapter 25

Jon dropped to his knees, panting like he’d run a one hundred mile race. His body was still quaking from the power that had coursed through each inch of him. With a deep breath he braced himself on his sword and pushed himself upright. He staggered slowly forward, as he searched for Richie and Amelia. Richie, seeing that the worst of the storm was over moved out of the shadows, worry shadowing his eyes as he checked his friend over. “Bro, you ok, or is that a dumb-ass question?” A slight smile fleetingly crossed Jon’s lips, “Man, I played lightning rod; yes it’s a dumb ass question, but a valid one. I’m ok I think. How’s she?”

Richie looked down to the woman he still held in his arms. “Well she either died or passed out. Man, I’m too afraid to check to see which it is.”

Jon grimaced slightly. “Either or she’ll wake up, her heads still on those pretty shoulders of hers. Let’s get back to the hotel Rich, I think I lost the taste for anything but a bed to lie down on.” He slowly sheathed his sword and began to slowly make his way back to the hotel. He didn’t have to tell Richie twice. Carefully balancing Amelia in his arms he began to follow his friend. As they drew closer to the hotel Richie came to the conclusion that carrying a bloody woman through the classy lobby just might cause a raised eyebrow or two so he carefully pulled her coat around her and situated her so that she looked like she had passed out.

Without a sound the men entered the Monaco and made their way to the elevator then on into their room. Richie went and carefully laid the unconscious Amelia on the couch while Jon let his coat drop and went into the bathroom. He wasn’t sure if the residual effects of a quickening would have him frying in the shower, but he was going to risk it. He wanted to feel clean and he wanted to think, and the shower was the perfect place for both. He did some of his best thinking with scalding water rushing over him, and with the vicious return of all his memories he had a lot to let go down that ever swirling vortex.

Richie sat down in the chair beside the couch watching Amelia. For the briefest moment he felt like this was going to be too much to handle. He hoped that those fights were rare; he didn’t know if he could handle worrying about his friend never returning. A slight movement called his attention back to Amelia as her eyes fluttered open. “Errrg what truck hit me,” she muttered as she struggled to sit up. “Whoa, Red, you just stay put honey, wasn’t a truck that hit ya, you need to stay still.” Awareness flooded her eyes as the last hour flooded back into her memory. Her head twisted searching the room frantically. “Where is he Rich? Oh God he interfered and he’s dead. Where IS he Rich?”

“Red honey, He didn’t interfere, really, I did though; damned if I’d let a gorilla of a man, immortal or not take advantage of a pretty lady. I beaned him right and proper with a lead pipe right after we saw him take you down. It was only after he was down and you were out that we took care of the jackass.”

She searched Richie’s eyes, hoping for the best yet still fearing the worst. “Took care of the gorilla? You mean he, Jon, he took a,” she braced herself and finished, “a head and you saw? He took a quickening? IF he did then WHERE is he Rich?”

At that moment Jon stepped from the bedroom leaned against the doorframe, a tired smile on his face. “I’m right here babe. You ok?”

She struggled to sit then looked up into the gaze of the man she had loved for twenty years. The man that stared back at her wasn’t twenty-five, nor did he have that vague sense of confusion lingering in his eyes. This man knew who he was, and the power he wielded over millions of people. With a soft gasp she whispered, “You remember.”

He spoke but one word, and that one word spoke volumes. “Yes.”

~~~

She pushed herself to her feet, her gaze locked on his as she stood up. She slowly made her way to him, her ire growing with each step, no easy feat as she was still healing. “The next time I tell you to run, you run. You don’t play Sir Galahad.”

His brow lifted as his blue eyes silvered to icy chards. “Ahhuh and let someone cheat and kill you in the meanwhile. Not gonna happen Babe. The way I see it, all’s fair in love and war. That jackass wasn’t playing fair so we didn’t play fair. You want me to embrace this life, I’m gonna do it my way.” He reached out as he spoke and easily scooped her up in his arms and began moving to her room. “We have a lot to discuss, and more plans to make, but for right now you need to rest. I don’t know how long it takes you to just heal if you aren’t dead, but either way you are gonna listen to Jonny.”

Within moments Richie heard the shower going and a very feminine yelp as one stubborn red-head got dumped into the shower. He began to laugh in earnest as words he never thought the little lady would know came pouring from her mouth loud enough for him to hear all the way in the living room. It was obvious Kidd was in control and she was having a few issues with it. Life was going to be interesting for sure. Twenty minutes later a rather drenched looking rock star stomped from the bedroom. “Gave you another bath Kidd?” Richie started laughing at the look in his friends eyes. “She didn’t want me cleaning the blood from her body and her so fucking weak she couldn’t hold a wash cloth. God if it wasn’t her I would probably beheaded her.” Richie nearly fell off the couch laughing. Jon was back with a vengeance, and this time he had a lady around who didn’t hang back in the background. Life was gonna be fun. He continued to laugh as his bro walked into the bathroom for yet another change of clothing, he was damn glad he’d brought more than one bag, at this rate Jon would still need new clothes in a day or so.
He stood and walked into his room and uncased the two guitars he had brought along. He had a feeling some music would be in order pretty swiftly, because Jon had always worked through his emotions with music.

Amelia shivered beneath her covers as she heard the two men talking quietly in the next room. Adam was going to just love hearing about all this, but for some reason his anger didn’t worry her. What had her mind spinning were the obvious questions burning in Jon’s gaze. He remembered, remembered it all, and that meant he was going to start asking questions very soon. With a soft sigh she pushed those thoughts from her, best to only worry over that when it came up. With a shaky hand she reached for the phone and put through a call to Joe. With as few words as possible she explained what had happened. She also asked him to make sure McKinney’s watcher’s report didn’t show Jon as the immortal. Joe reassured her that he would take care of it and hung up the phone. She barely got the phone back to its hanger before letting it drop. Sighing softly, she listened to the soft music coming from the living room and let it lull her to sleep.

Chapter 24

Adam walked silently beside his student. In the twenty years he had known her and taught her she had never acted on impulse. He had drilled that into her from day one. She was acting like a bloody starry eyed teenager for sure, all hot and bothered over the town pretty boy. You didn’t just up and go someplace with a new immortal or tell someone about immortals and she had done both in the same hour. His righteous indignation was shining brightly in his hazel eyes as he grabbed her arm to stop her. “Ammie, we have to talk.”

Amelia whirled on Adam, stopping him in his tracks. “Listen to me Adam, and listen well. You might be the worlds oldest immortal, but you’re a solitary man for all intents and purposes. YOU don’t understand how these guys work. You think; I KNOW you think, that I’ve put us in danger by telling Rich about immortals they are tight, tighter than blood brothers. If one goes through something they all went through it. I made the right call in getting Rich here. Jon’s going to need him more than ever, especially when he starts to remember.” She sighed softly, the unspoken when he remember what I did hanging between them. “I know you want to do things your way, but if you go in there all superior, they’ll shut you out, close ranks against you and then what happens eh? He’ll be at the mercy of whichever immortal happens by. IF that happens Adam, I’ll find a way to behead you, God’s promise I will.”

Adam looked at her amazement in his eyes. She was tougher than he thought more protective than a mother bear. His voice suddenly soft, he reached out and with one hand tilted her head up, his eyes boring into hers. “You love him.”

Tears begin to well up in her expressive gaze. “Dammit Adam I never stopped. I regretted every single day letting you talk me into leaving. The more I think about it, the more I think we could have handled it differently, but we can’t undo the past and I’m just going to have to deal what we have now. His wife is in the picture, his kids, hell his entire world is in the picture. All I care about is keeping him safe; you’re going to help me and YOU old man are going to listen to me when it comes to them.” With the slightest of nods Adam acknowledged that the woman before him, in this one instance just might be right. Giving him a smile she turned and walked into the restaurant and placed an order to be delivered to their room, paid the tab and walked out.
As they reached the room Amelia took a deep breath and twisted the door knob. Upon entering she found a pair of brown and blue eyes watching her and Adam intently. Taking a breath she focused on Richie and began to talk. “Sambo, this is Adam Pierson. He’s been my teacher for a long time, hell ever since I became immortal, and he’s agreed to teach Jon all he needs to know. I trust no one else to keep Jon alive. So you treat him with respect. Besides, you and he might just have a lot in common. He traveled with the Stones once upon a time.”

Richie’s gaze turned to Adam, “That so? You look just barely old enough to have been in diapers when the Stones were big.”

Adam’s lip quirked upwards in a slightly wicked smirk, “After seeing Amelia after twenty years you haven’t figured out that appearance can be deceiving?”

“Ahhh gotcha man, you’re older than I thought then,” he grinned as he stood and held out his hand to shake. The friendly statement and gesture never quite reached his eyes however, and Adam knew that this man wasn’t going to be easy to win over, at least not yet.

It wasn’t long before room service arrived with plates of steaming food. Richie’s gaze would move from Jon, who seemed to have eyes only for Amelia, to her, who seemed more interested in picking at her food than anything else. As the meal wound down, Adam stretched. “I hate to eat and run, well no I don’t actually, but I’m going to head to my place. Tomorrow I’ll pick you all up at the crack of noon and we’ll go by MacLeod’s dojo for Jon’s next lesson. You need to go over the rules with him tonight though Amelia. He needs to know those first and I think you can handle that.”

Amelia nodded, “sure Adam. I can do that.”

Richie burst out, “god Red, you call it a game and it has rules, what’s next Barney the purple dinosaur is the referee?”

Adam’s brow quirked upwards as Amelia bust out laughing, something she hadn’t done since Jon had her in the snow. “Oh Sambo, only you could come up with that.”

With a swift nod, Adam departed and Amelia settled herself into a comfy chair. “Ok guys, the lessons we live by are easy and simple. Heck Sambo even you can remember these. One, a challenge is always one on one. When an immortal challenges you, another can’t interfere. Two, it’s always a fight to the death. Someone will lose their head, someone else gain a quickening. It has been that way for thousands of years. Three, we fight where no one can see us, never in a public place. Most mortals do not know about us and we want to keep it that way. Four, we never fight on holy ground, so if you are unprepared Jon, and you feel a mortal near bye, get to holy ground, ANY holy ground. Churches, graveyards, Indian burial mounds, anything holy from any religion will work ok? “

Richie interrupted her before she spoke again. “What you do mean if he ‘feels’ another immortal near by?”

Amelia thought for a few moments, trying to come up with a way to describe what the immortal radar that they all called the buzz felt like. Before she could answer Jon piped into the conversation. “Bro, remember that time the cord shorted out on your Fender? You said you felt a jolt all the way from Ass to neck bone. That’s what I felt the first time someone other than Amelia or Adam walked in.”

“Man that hurt like a mother fucker when it happened!” Richie’s eyes took on an amused look. I danced for 30 minutes until my ass quit tingling.”

“It gets better Jon, as you get use to handling it. Trust me. It won’t be as bad the next time.”

Jon grinned, “Well I’m glad about that, damn I didn’t want to be doing the funky chicken every time an immortal was near, I’d look like an idiot.”

Richie chuckled, “bro, every time you try to dance you look like one.”

“Fuck you asshole,” Jon quipped as he tossed a piece of bread Richie’s way.

Standing, Amelia pushed the tray to the hallway and went back into the room. Before she could get seated Richie was jitterbugging over towards here. “So Red, where’s a good spot to party in this town. Sambo’s tired of sitting still.”

She shook her head, exasperation highlighting her features. “Rich, it just wouldn’t be a good idea to go out.”

“Oh good lord Red, live a little. We won’t go far ok? Just a little walk, and maybe a drink or two.” Richie’s chocolate gaze took on that little puppy dog look that always worked on all the ladies.

It took Richie thirty minutes to talk Amelia into a walk, but once Jon entered the fray proclaiming he had to get out she caved. She remembered well how being closed in could work on him. Even when young elevators and closed spaces could make him antsier than anything else she knew of.

Walking into her bedroom she grabbed the long black leather trench she had purchased for Jon earlier in the day, as well as her own long silk trench and walked into the living room. She handed Jon the coat and showed him how to get his sword sheathed in the special sheath sewn into the back of the coat. “You never EVER leave without it Jon, you hear me?”

“Gotcha Babe, Never leave home without it, better than American Express and a damn sight cheaper.” Jon winked as she groaned at his humor.

Linking arms the threesome walked out of the hotel room and made their way downstairs and out the front door. They walked for a while in companionable silence. At this point words just simply weren’t needed. Every so often Richie would glance at Amelia wondering what had went on with her so long ago, but for the most part he simply enjoyed the night air. Amelia kept pace, trying to keep Jon from wrapping his arms around her, which was becoming near to impossible as he was not only intent on his objective, but strong enough to pull it off.

They had barely made it 10 blocks when Jon began to grimace and golden green eyes began to frantically search the area around them, before settling on a rather large looking man stalking towards them. “Richie, get him back to the hotel, and get him back NOW you hear me?”

She ran forward to meet the man as Richie and a pained Jon watched what seemed to be an animated discussion. “Dude you don’t think,” questioned Richie as his eyes glanced at his friend.

“Yeah I do think, Bro,” Jon spoke quietly, unreasonable fear and worry lighting his blue eyes.

“Bro that man is twice her size! We can’t just let her go off and fight him alone. What are we mice?”

They watched as Amelia made her way back to them, her hand lifting in a halting motion to the bigger man ahead of them. “Richie take him back to the hotel Dammit, before he gets closer! I’ll be back soon,” her gaze turned to Jon, “and if I don’t come back, Jon you tell Adam, tell him it was George McKinney,” her breath caught in a slight gasp, her green eyes gentle. “I’d say more, but I don’t have the time now, but I didn’t want to vanish without a good-bye, not again.”

Turning she rushed off, leaving the two musicians to stare at her. “Bro, we can’t just leave her,”

Jon didn’t know what to do, she had told him the rules, he had to follow them, but he didn’t want to lose her not again. “I can’t interfere Rich, Dammit; I can’t just let her die either.”

Richie grinned, his lethal wit blazed in his brown gaze. “She never said I couldn’t interfere Bro. Me? I’m not one of you, I can do what I damn well please.”

Jon looked up at his friend, gratitude shining in his eyes. “We’ll follow, far enough back so he can’t sense me I guess, and we’ll watch, if she gets into trouble, well then we’ll figure out what to do.”

The two men grinned as they set off. The Dynamic Duo was at it again. There was a fair maiden to save; a sonnet to be penned accordingly later and fun to be had. As they followed, Richie kept his eyes peeled for something he could use as a weapon; he wasn’t choosy at this point as long as it was long and heavy. It was then he saw a pile of pipe pushed up against a wall. As they walked by he dipped low and picked up one piece, hefting it in his hand like a bat. That would do nicely yes it would, was his only thought.

As they entered the empty area behind a couple of buildings they heard the meshing of sword upon sword. Stopping they watched as their petite red-head tried to hold her own against a much bigger foe. He was getting the best of her though. Sheer size gave him the advantage as he pressed her closer and closer to a wall. It was then that she stumbled, and went to one knee. Jon nearly died there and then, his blue eyes glued to what was going on.

Richie thought fast, he had to do something, anything to keep Jon from going through the agony of twenty years ago, an agony that would be permanent this time. He watched stunned as the bigger man pulled a second blade and ran it through Amelia stomach, disabling her. He quietly began to pick his way towards them as the man lifted his sword to come in for the killing blow, but before his sword could fall Riche reared back and with every bit of strength he had he blasted the man with the sword against the head, knocking him down and out with one good blow.

Jon ran forward to pick up Amelia and get her the hell out of dodge, until her voice, weak with blood loss stopped him. “No Jon, You can’t interfere Dammit!”

Richie leaned forward a shit eating grin on his face. “He didn’t Red, he was a good boy. You never said I couldn’t though, so I did. Now let’s get the hell outta here!”

Amelia shook her head. “Can’t leave him, he’ll come too and he’ll come after us all.”

The two men looked at each other knowing she was unable at this point to so much as hold a sword let alone do what she needed to do with it. Without a sound Jon handed her to Richie and motioned for him to get back. With a deep breath he pulled the sword at his back, wondering what he had done to deserve the life he now had to adjust too. The last thought he had was if this life meant Amelia being back then he would embrace it. With a final deep breath he lifted the sword and swung downwards, severing the immortal's head in one single blow.

As Richie heard the sound he turned, just in time to see the electricity begin to dance and lift from the dead mans body. He watched amazed as it flickered and sparked around Jon. “Holy shit,” was the only thought he could muster.

Jon couldn’t muster even that thought, flinging his arms wide he felt current after current of pure energy flow over and through him. It hurt like hell yet felt like the best sex he’d ever had. His body began to shake as bolt after bolt shot through him, rattling his bones and shaking lose everything inside of him including time and memory. With arms lifted high he rode the lightning, knowing it would not be the last time.

Chapter 23

Amelia studied Richie a moment, her green gaze curious. “What do you mean Richie?”

“Well hell Red, you ain’t blind. Look at the man. He’s 45 and looks years younger. I swear there’s been days when I wondered if the book Dorian Grey wasn’t written because of him.” Richie grinned slightly before continuing, “Seriously though, as neat as this place is, I’m wiped, anyplace a man can crash around here?” Both Amelia and Joe shook their head no. At that Richie sighed. “Guess we need to hit a hotel then.”

Within minutes Richie had flipped open his cell and made a couple of calls, getting the three of them a suite of rooms at the Hotel Monaco. In some way he was being devious, it was the hotel they stayed in 20 years before. He was betting on something there jogging his bro’s memory. He liked luxury too though, and the Monaco was known for it. Either way that place was the ideal spot for them to rest up in.

Amelia grimaced as she listened to him make arrangements. She remembered all too well what had happened there, and understood what Richie was trying to do, complete with him calling her the pet name he had called her twenty years before. She was a bit unsure of how easily Richie had adapted to what she had told him and had taken it as business as usual. On top of that she wasn’t too sure how Adam was going to like the fact that they hadn’t stayed put and waited on him. Jon out in public in a city known to be crawling with immortals even on the slowest of times was just thumbing their nose at immortal convention. She knew too though, that when Sambo had his mind set on something he was as bad as Jon, he got what he wanted when he wanted it. That goofy grin was as lethal now she realized as it was 20 years before and that was something that was awesome, Richie in their corner only promised to make things easier. Calling him had been the right idea and she was glad Joe had pushed her into it.

She mentioned calling a cab only to have Richie offer up one of his famous shit eating grins as he explained he had a limo waiting. With a soft laugh she hugged Joe and gave him the name of where they’d be and a password she’d set with the concierge so Adam could get to them. Within moments all three were settled into the limo on the way to the hotel. Arriving, Richie waved a bellhop over and had him take the luggage. Amelia noticed the six different bags and arched a brow Richie’s way. “You’re worse than a woman Sambo. Six bags?”

“Red, half of those are Jon’s. I kind of figured he might be in the need of some of his own things, so I personally,’ he puffed his chest a bit feeling proud of himself, “packed a couple of bags for him too.

Jon punched him in the arm lightly. “Thank you Rich.”

In short order they had left their instructions at the concierge and made their way to the suite of rooms given them and each had chosen a room and placed their bags down to be unpacked later. She wandered into the bathroom and showered off the grime of travel, her mind wandering down the corridor of memories with Jon’s name on it. With her shower finished and a clean set of clothing making her feel nearly human again she wandered back out to the living room only to find that The King of Swing was on the couch playing at being the King of Snores. Jon was no where to be found so she went in search of him, worried he had decided to take a walk. She took a peek into one bedroom and saw it empty with Richie’s bags tossed haphazardly against the bed. As much as things had changed some things had remained the same and she doubted he would unpack anything the entire time they were there. Moving on to the next bedroom she heard the shower going and a golden voice humming. Jon had had the same idea as she had it seemed. Moving back to her room she lay down on her bed and within moments had fallen into a light doze.


She slowly awakened to a low murmur coming from the living room. Standing she moved into the living room, a slight smile on her face. Richie and Jon both looked her way as she entered the room. She was dressed simply, but then she always was, in snug fitting jeans that buttoned and a soft silky blouse in a faint shade of purple. Both men gave a whistle of appreciation, although Richie’s whistle earned him a swift punch in the arm, as she walked over to retrieve her jacket. “I’ll just let you two get to know each other while I run down and get us a bite to eat,” she said as she made her way to the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes so don’t go anywhere!” As she made it to the door a knock sounded. Opening the door she saw a rather aggravated Adam standing on the other side. Shaking her head she swiftly slipped through the door and motioned for Adam to follow.

Jon gave Amelia a swift nod as they vanished. Richie who had turned to see who was at the door grew quiet as he recognized the man Amelia had just left with. It was the man she’d thrown Jon over for twenty years earlier. He had to tell his friend, but the question was how. It was obvious to him that with every glance Jon gave the redhead that he was still smitten with her. Maybe it was the fact he could only remember that time of his life, Richie wasn’t too sure, but he knew that although Jon had finally moved past that time, he had always carried a small torch somewhere deep within him for that tiny red-headed woman.

Richie was so lost in thought it took Jon five minute to reach him. Having no luck he finally reached over and pinched his nose shut. “Hey Asshole, Earth to Asshole, come in.”

Noting the lack of air Richie blinked and looked at his friend. “Man don’t do that, I can’t do without air, hey can you?”

Jon shrugged; he had no idea what he could or couldn’t do anymore. “Man, you were gone, what were you thinking of?”

“Past memories bro, that’s all, just past memories. Hey how did she tell you who you were? I wish I could have seen that one.”

Jon laughed, feeling an instinctual camaraderie with this man. “She, what did she call it? Googled me man.” Jon shivered lightly, “that web thing, way too much info.”

Richie bust out laughing. “Considering what some fan site probably have on them bro, I’m sure it was scary. Seen some scary stuff myself there. Ya know though, getting onto business here, your kids have missed you something fierce. Dot, well she hasn’t shown much emotion, but ya know she never really did all that much.”

Jon looked at him, a weariness suddenly showing in his eyes. “Rich, I’m not too sure how I’m going to handle going home.” He went on to explain the one thing Amelia had left out when talking to Richie, about immortals being sterile. “I don’t remember this Dot, Rich, but what the hell do you do? She’s lied for years, pretending these four children were mine. I can’t remember them or loving them, how am I going to do this? Even if I ever remember her, I don’t think our relationship will be able to live through knowing that.”
“So what if it doesn’t bro? The kids though, you’ll do right by them. You’re a good guy Jonny boy; you’ll do the right thing in the end. But hey, if we’re lucky we’ll get you your memory back before you go home.” Richie gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder. “Thing is though dude, prepare yourself for remembering ok? The past wasn’t all rosy either.”

At Jon’s questioning look Richie launched into his explanation. “Man that concert that night was a killer and after it was over, all Tico, Dave and Alex could think of was sleep. You and me though, we wanted to party off the energy. As usual Red was right there beside you. The three musketeers we were back then. God, man you loved her something fierce. Maybe if we hadn’t taken that limo drivers suggestion things would have been different. We ended up in that bar we were in today, and you know me, there was a band and a spare set of strings.” Jon nodded, a half smile on his face, this memory he actually could access. “You on the other hand were content to just sit in the crowd with her, while I was the man on stage. Not too sure what all happened next, just that the crowd got quiet and there was some fight between this big ugly fucker and some pretty boy. Ugly fucker though he had a tight hold on Red and you nearly went ballistic. You ended up punching the pretty boy; I think he called himself MacLeod, while trying to find Jacqui.” Richie stood and walked to the bar, getting himself a bottle of water before continuing. “Anyway, you found her and we came back here to the Monaco for the night.”

Jon listened quietly; sure he wasn’t going to like the next parts. “Well, the next day we headed out, another concert in the next town to be done. But Jacqui she had gotten kind of quiet and withdrawn, not pushing you away or anything bro, but like she had a world of thought on her shoulders. You just held her every chance you got, hell even during sound check you held her. You told me that man grabbing her had scared her shitless and heck I believed ya. Things didn’t change for a week or two; we moved on to the next towns, she kept acting like a ghost was in the next room and you kept struggling to bring her out of it. You’d put her favorite songs in each concert and even that didn’t seem to help. That final night of the tour though it all came to a head, yeah that night it was bad.”

Jon looked up at his friend who was staring quietly out at the Seattle’s twinkling city lights. “What happened Rich?”

“She disappeared bro, just up and vanished on us all. You hadn’t had a fight, or anything she was just gone with no note or anything left behind. You were destroyed; man I’d never want to see you that way again. She’d left a few scarves behind, seems they were packed in your bags, and you took to wearing them. Two damn years, man, you wore those scarves like a badge of honor. Every damn song was about her in some way. You tried to hide it but up until then you wore your emotions on your sleeve. Two years bro, you kept thinking she’d return and she never did. It killed me, because you see, I had seen her leave and the one thing I always kept from you, was that I saw her leave. She left with that guy at the door Jon, that fucker is still in her life. Hell you end up falling into this immortal thing, which I don’t understand, but don’t care about because after all is said and done you’re my Kidd bro”

Richie sighed, “By 1988 you and Dot were seeing each other again and not long after that you had slipped off to Vegas to marry her. You seemed to be getting it back on track too; songs became more about other things. Sometimes though you’d get this faraway look in your eyes and I’d know a love song was coming, and now she’s back, and all you remember is her. Jon that guy is still in her life, immortal or not, I don’t know what went on with her, but I’m worried bro. You’ve been the rock all these years, kept me strong and mostly on the straight. I’ll be toast if she fucks you up again. That scares me bro, what power she’s held even all these years. Scares me shitless bro.”

Jon looked up at his friend, “scares me too Rich, scares me too.”

Chapter 22

She woke first, and lay there silently watching him sleep. With the lightest of touches she brushed a stubborn lock of hair from his forehead. Carefully lifting the arm he had wrapped tightly around her she moved from the couch and quickly dressed. Pulling the small afghan up over his naked form she ran fingers through tousled auburn hair and moved to the door. Taking a deep breath she walked into the bar, quietly finding a stool and taking a seat.

“Joe, a glass of wine please,” she whispered as she glanced around for Adam or Duncan. Joe slid a glass of wine across the bar, waiting to speak as he could tell she was working up the nerve to say more. “Joe, I need some advice and before you say I’m just a watcher, don’t. Just help me. I can’t ask Adam, he’d laugh me outta the bar, and Duncan? Pfffff, he’s a boy scout.”

“It’s about what happened in my office Ami? Two people felt desire for each other and acted on it. There’s nothing wrong in that.” Joe began to wipe down the bar as Amelia struggled to put her thoughts into words.

“It’s not that Joe; I have no love lost for the woman who lied to him for 18 years.”

Joe’s brow arched slightly, “how do ya know she lied to him all that time Ammie?”

Amelia laughed softly. “He’s well known as a family man Joe, the cleanest living rocker they know of, has a wife and kids, not a known druggie. It clearer for ya here considering he was pre-immortal and now immortal?”

Joe took a long look at Amelia before speaking. “You can’t have kids.”

“Bingo Joe,” she sighed as she continued. “It’s going to rip his heart right out of his chest, remembering her and knowing what he knows now, and how’s he gonna feel when he remembers everything about me? I left him Joe, he thinks for another man, when I became immortal. It’s a fucking mess, and I made it worse by giving into desire. And then there’s the fact that I called his friend Richie before we left home, to tell them he was on his way, and now his brains more scrambled than it was. I’m beginning to wonder if just dumping him back into his world is the way to go here.”

The answer seemed simple enough to him, if not to her. “Call him back up girl, have him come here alone. Let him help you ease the guy back into the pool of his life.” He picked up the bar phone and slid it too her. “It won’t hurt any of you to just stop and take stock a day or two.”

Amelia picked up the phone and once again dialed the Jovi hotline and asked for Richie. No amount of wrangling would get the person to put him on the phone however. As the last bit of her patience waned she screamed, “Just go tell him Sambo is wanted on the phone Dammit. He’ll want to take this call I assure you.” The phone went dead for a few minutes and then she heard Richie’s voice on the other end. “Sambo, it’s me again, we’ve hit a small snag.” Quickly explaining the situation she asked him to come to Seattle alone and gave him the address to Joe’s bar.

She knew she was going to have some explaining to do. Richie didn’t have a concussion or amnesia, he would remember her and all that happened, and if he knew Jon would know. They were the Dynamic Duo, no secrets between them at all. Even though he had been told to keep immortality to himself she knew that eventually, as he remembered things he would confide in Richie. Their trust was that deep twenty years ago and she was sure that 20 more years of experience had tightened those bonds even more.


~~~~

Fractured pieces of dreams flitted through his mind then vanished as he slowly awakened. Shaking his head he stood and dressed and found his way to the men’s room. Splashing cold water over his face he stared into the mirror, into a face he barely recognized, wondering what would call back all the days he had left behind less than a week ago. He stood there for many long minutes trying to force himself to remember and had no success. With a deep sigh he turned to walk into the bar, hearing for the first time the rather loud discussion going on just a few feet away, and a discussion that from its loud tone had been going on for a long while.

“Yes Dammit I called him and asked him to come here Adam!”

“You bloody twit. What do you think he can do?” Adam was furious. It was bad enough to deal with an amnesiatic immortal, but a mortal too? What did she think this Richie guy could do?

“We couldn’t just throw him to the sharks Adam. Dammit Sambo can help. I dunno how yet, but he can!”

“And just what are you going to tell this bloody mortal when he gets here huh? Nancy boy Rock Star died on ya guy. He’s not gonna die again.” Oh yeah that’s gonna go over really well.” Adam huffed and took a long drink of his beer. “You can’t go broadcasting to people what we are you stupid ninny. Blast it all, did you lose what good sense you had when you played fast and loose in the office?”

Amelia gasped and straightened, her tiny frame glowing with anger. “Unlike you old man, I have known these two, well knew them a long time ago and with twenty more years under their belts, I’m betting my sanity on the fact that Sambo can help. So you can…”

“Just shut the fuck up man.” Jon finished the sentence for her.

They both turned to Jon and said in the same moment, “What year is it?”

“Last I checked it was 2007 you two, and I thought I was the one with the memory problems?” Jon grinned. “Yeah, yeah, I had a memory surge a bit ago, it knocked me for a loop too, but the nap seems to have at least righted that bit.” He turned to Amelia and smiled, “and before you say a word I remember that much of my life Jac...I mean Amelia. But anything in my life after that night here it’s still lost to me including why you and I ended up apart, but I plan on rectifying that in short order.”

She stood there stunned wondering if he meant rectifying the memory loss or their separation but dared not ask. It was one of those things that she really didn’t think she could handle knowing right then. “Adam, I know you like being in total control of things, but just this one time, please understand, ok? It will be ok, we’ll be safe, I promise.”

Adam just shook his head. “It better be Ammie, it’s not just his life or yours you’re betting with here.”

Jon moved to over to her and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t let him get to you Amelia. If anything we are all in this together.” Pulling together more courage than he actually felt or faith than he actually had he uttered a few magic words. “So, if I’m this immortal thing and I have to learn to fight, who’s going to teach me?”

Adam gave the man a wicked grin. “That would be me Rock Star. I don’t often take on students, but you lucked out having Ammie in your corner. I’m not an easy teacher though; you might want to consider asking the Highlander.”

Jon shook his head. “IF everything you two told me is true, I’m placing my bets on you Adam.”

Adam reached over to the bar and picked up a long package, and handed it to Jon. “Well, you’re going to need this Rock Star. Keep it with you at all times. We’ll teach you how to hide it SOMEHOW in those clothes you wear.”

He slowly opened the package and found a rather long and wicked looking bastard sword. Taking hilt in hand he hefted the sword and moved away from the group, giving it a few practice swings. Oddly it felt good in his hand, not too heavy or too light. With a goofy grin he struck a pose pointing the sword at Adam and yelled, “En Guard!”

Adam pulled his Ivanhoe and the first lesson started, with Jon landing on his ass more than being upright, but with each wrong move, Adam explained how better to move, explaining the simple things such as how to hold the sword to how to balance his stance. Amelia stood back watching intently. The first lesson was always the most important as it could mean the difference between the young immortal having an affinity for swordsmanship or not, and it seemed Jon had that. He was, for the most part, giving as good as he got.

The door opened to the bar and a voice had all in the room whirling towards it. “Well Hell, Captain Kidd, what the hell do you think you’re doing and where the hell you been?” Four sets of eyes widened as Richie Sambora strolled on into the room a big grin plastered on his face. Jon laughed, his blue eyes sparkling, “What’s it look like I’m doing asshole?”

Richie went over to Jon and gave him a hug. “Damn Kidd, we all been worried to death about you. Thank God you’re ok.”

“Well other than I barely remember who I am, I seem to be stuck in 1986 memory wise, I’m ok.”

“Yeah man, the lady that called to alert us mentioned that. Where is that sweet sounding little lady?” Richie grinned, “She sounded good enough to …”

“That little lady would be me Sambo.” At Amelia’s words Richie’s soft brown gaze centered upon the petite red-head whose voice had been nagging him the entire plane ride to Seattle. “JACQUI? My Good God, is that you? You haven’t changed a bit! You look good enough to eat girl!”

“Yeah well Sambo, that’s one of the reasons I called you here. It wasn’t just Jon’s amnesia; there are a few more complications to Jon going home. You might want to sit down Sambo; this story is going to be a good one. I have to say though, and I KNOW I don’t have too but I am going too, what you hear you take to the grave.”

Richie gave Amelia a serious look. “Girl you know us, what goes on in the band stays there, and if you say I gotta keep this just between you me and Jon, then that’s what I do. Kidd’s my bro ya know.”

With a swift nod Amelia started telling Richie everything starting from the night of finding Jon in the middle of the road to all that had happened since. In short order she had explained all about immortality and all it would mean to the rock star. “You don’t believe me do ya Rich?” were the final words she uttered.

“Lady, you’re spinning a fantastic yarn there. I know Jon looks good for his age and all, but damn, No one lives forever.” Adam nearly choked on his beer at the statement as she gave a soft sigh.

“Richie, your forcing me to do this you know that right? You weren’t born in the show me state, can’t you just believe me?” Amelia gave him a pleading look.

Richie grinned and gave Jon a wink, “Honey, I’m from Jersey. You don’t have to just show me, you might have to show me twice.”

Jon rolled his eyes and punched his friend in the shoulder. “You’re a true asshole you know that?”

Richie shrugged as his eyes turned back to the red-headed spitfire in front of him, a red-head that had quietly pushed the sleeve of her arm up and picked up Jon’s sword from the bar. She bit down on her lip hard and angled the blade just so and sliced a gash four inches long from inner arm to wrist. Richie reeled backwards, his eyes widening at the flow of blood escaping the wound; that is until he saw the blue electricity racing up and down her arm, until the entire wound had vanished as if it had never been there.

Four sets of eyes watched the guitarist as he processed all he had heard and seen, a collective sigh of relief almost echoing in the room at his next words.

“Well I’ll be damned, that explains a lot don’t it?”

Chapter 21

Adam’s medical training took control as he noticed the slightly unfocused and dazed look in the rock star’s eyes. Concussions and amnesia varied from person to person. He knew that sometimes a person would be alright within hours and that sometimes it took days or longer. A person could have memory return all at once or piece-meal. It never was the same. He instinctively reached over to steady Jon as the man started to sway. “Hey Rock Star you need to sit down a moment, let that brain of yours rest before you bloody well cave on us.”

Jon shook his head, his eyes clearing slowly as he slowly released Amelia and fumbled for a bar stool. As he turned his eyes flitted over the mirror behind the bar, then stopped and looked at his reflection intently. What he saw wasn’t how he remembered himself; he looked so well, old. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath centering himself; struggling to make sense. Before he could draw another a sharp pain buzzed between his ears and down his spine causing him to place both hands to his temples and rub. “Dammit, what’s wrong with me?” He opened his eyes slowly, the pain and confusion evident in dull blue eyes.

Just as Jon had moaned with the sharp pain, two immortal heads had turned their gazes towards the door, a taunt tension mounting between them. As they saw who entered, the tension flowed away from both of them. “Bloody hell Mac, announce yourself better next time,” a rather huffy Adam proclaimed as the tall Scotsman entered and made his way to the bar.

Duncan MacLeod, or Mac to his friends, smiled at Adam and Amelia. “What a fine surprise seeing you both here today. What’s going on?” His gaze turned to the man whose face was registering a reaction he had seen too many times. “Is he?”

“Yes Mac, he is and to top that off he cant remember his name, he’s famous to hell and back, you might even recognize him if you try hard enough.” Adams voice trailed off as Mac turned to study the man, recognition filtering through his brain swiftly. “He’s THAT guy?”

Adam snorted. “Yeah he’s THAT guy, can’t you tell it by looking at her?” MacLeod turned and watched as Amelia whispered softly to the man at the bar, easing him through the initial pain of his new immortal radar. Adam continued to update MacLeod on all that happened as she continued to gentle Jon into a better frame of mind.

Jon looked into Amelia’s eyes, his pain dulled eyes slowly focusing and returning more to the present day. “You introduced yourself as Amelia, but I just saw a memory, I KNOW it was a memory and you were Jacqui. I can remember you and Richie; it’s not just a figment of my brain trying to put things where nothing exists right? Why do I remember you and nothing else? Not all this family and kids I have, all this other life, my brain remembers you, why?”

“I don’t know Jon, I really don’t. We’ll figure all that out best we can. Adam thinks you have a concussion and amnesia. With that it just takes rest and time. You’ll probably remember sooner than later.” She didn’t want him to remember, she wanted to take him to some far off distant non populated place and have her Jon back; was tempted to do just that, but too many loved him. She absent mindedly began to caress his neck and shoulders, attempting to soothe away the stress. “There’s so much to talk about Jon, but most of it can wait until you get your memory back. Hell by then you’ll probably hate me enough so that it won’t matter either way.” Turning to Joe she quietly asked if they could use his couch in the office and got an affirmative nod.

Pulling Jon to his feet she quickly led him to the office, wanting him to rest. If he could just sleep for a few maybe some things would right themselves in his mind. He simply couldn’t arrive in New Jersey acting like a twenty-five year old man who was in love with her, that wouldn’t be the greatest of things to happen. She didn’t care what the wife would say, hell that woman deserved to be beat considering, but the kids were innocent by-standers and they didn’t deserve to have their world thrown into turmoil.

Within short order she had gotten him as comfortable as possible on the couch and turned to leave, only to find herself pulled down on top of his way too delectable body. His hands began to roam over her back, an easy familiarity to each movement. She tried to push her way off, muttering about how it was wrong for him to be doing what he was doing, but each brush of his fingers would drive a little bit more of her reserve away.

“Have I mentioned how much I want you Jac.., I mean Amelia? God that’s confusing.” he said as he nuzzled her neck. “I remember you, how you feel, how your scent always drove me wild. I remember you how you felt beside me and beneath me. I don’t remember yet, what drove us apart, all I know is that you feel so right where you are.” His teeth skimmed over her collar bone causing her breath to hitch as her body began to tremble. She moaned softly as one of his hands crept up under her blouse as the other dipped lightly beneath the waist of her jeans, teasing the skin they found along the way.

“We can’t do this Jon; you have a family, kids and a wife. They’re expecting you home.” She tried valiantly to throw cold water on his actions and her responses, tried to ignore the fires he was lighting deep down to her bones. “You can’t show up at home touting a girl friend, you’re known as a family man.”

His voice whispered over his skin as he continued to nibble her neck. “Don’t care, Let them all rot, I want ya babe.” He turned slightly fitting her into his side on the couch, his blue eyes capturing hers. “You both told me immortals couldn’t have kids right? Way I figure it that means this wife you keep pushing on me has been lying through her teeth for a whole lotta years, made a mockery of what is true and right in a relationship.” His head tilted forward to catch her lips in a searing kiss before continuing. “So why the fuck should I care about her? I remember you, how your body sang beneath me...”

His hand casually snapped the buttons on her jeans and slide back under the denim, reaching for and finding the dampness of her core. “Tell me you don’t want me babe, and I’ll stop, just tell me you don’t want me.”

Her passion soaked eyes looked into his eyes darkened with need and knew she couldn’t tell him that. She whispered softly, regret tingeing her voice, “I never could say that Jonny, but there are people to consider. Maybe not the wife, but those kids have only known you as daddy, and you might not remember, but you love them just the same.”

His finger slid home, followed quickly by another, pumping into her inner core with a slowness that denied the heat of their need. “Kids I can handle, the wife doesn’t matter. Don’t remember her, don’t think I wanna. Need me like I need you Angel, bring me home,” the words almost a plea in his voice as his head dipped again to slowly blaze a trail of kisses from her lip to collar bone.

Her eyes closed as time fell away. He had said that to her so many times; called it coming home; and she wanted that more than breathing. Soft sighs echoed from her lips as he slowly peeled denim down over quivering legs before moving to push her blouse up and over her shoulders. Strong teeth nibbled from collar to breast, before attaching themselves to first one nipple then the other, suckling gently before whispering a breath over each one.

Somewhere in the fire that was licking at her consciousness she felt her hands moving his t-shirt off of his muscular chest as her fingernails stroked lightly over the fur there before tweaking a nipple gently. Hearing his groan her hand slowly slid further, first unbuttoning then slowly reaching inside the jeans he had on. As her hand wrapped around his hardened member, she marveled at how soft it felt, yet like steel. With a bemused look in her eyes she felt his hand tugging at his jeans, pushing them from his legs. Nudging her with one knee, he slipped between her legs and slowly began to thrust against her, not attempting to enter her, but to tease her.

She gasped softly as his lips continued to burn a trail of fire to her belly then lower. Unable to touch his hardness her hands tangled into his hair, her body screaming as his tongue slid like silk over her drenched lips to finally suckle on her clit. Within moments she was close to screaming as he lifted his head and begin to kiss his way back up. As his lips touched hers again he thrust against her, his hardness sliding deep within her. Her moan hummed against his tongue as he began to pump within her, his pace slow but sure.

They lost themselves in the rocking of hardness to moist wet tightness as his pace quickened, her soft humming moans driving him to distraction. Her nails traced a wicked line along his spine, causing him to thrust even deeper within her. His thrusts raced faster as he felt his sac tightening, Holding himself up with just one hand he reached to flick her clit with a finger, causing a soft scream to undulate from her lips. Tipping his lips closer to her ears he whispered softly, “come home with me Angel, and come home.”

Thrusting deeper he felt her tighten against his hardness, pulling him in as she cried his name like a prayer, her nails dug deep into his ass as she splintered into nothingness. At that Jon spiraled into nothingness as his juices flowed and coated her tightness. Panting slightly he slowly lowered himself beside her and pulled her into a tight hug. With a soft heated breath he nuzzled her neck, knowing that whatever came he had found home again and he wasn’t going to let it go.

Feeling secure for the first time in twenty years, Amelia drifted to sleep in the arms of the one man who had always left her shaking. Whatever happened she wouldn’t lose it again. They would handle all the problems, but she was home.

Out in the bar Joe, Adam and Duncan’s conversation and slowed. Knowing he had tabs to total up Joe excused himself and slowly made his way to the office door. Before he had the door fully open he just as quickly had it closed and limped his way back over to the bar. “Tabs can wait.” He muttered as he picked up a drink and downed it quickly.

Adam and Duncan glanced at the old man curiously. “Why’d you come back so quick Joe?” Joe looked at Adam, a wry look in his eyes as if to say do you REALLY wanna know? Duncan looked at the old watcher strangely.

Adam’s eyes widened, “they weren’t, they didn’t?”

Joe simply nodded as Adam began to laugh. “I’ll never ever take a nap on that couch again Joe.”

“Don’t blame ya buddy, won’t look at it the same way myself ever again.”

Duncan got it, in that second he got it. 400 years was good for something after all.

Chapter 20

Once the decision was made all they had to do was put it into practice. Amelia called the manager of her store and explained her need to go away for a while. The announcement caused no surprise, Amelia often went on trips. Standing and walking into her bedroom she packed her belongings, and prepared her sword for the trip to Seattle. She stopped and gazed around her room making sure she had packed everything she needed. Going to Seattle was going to be hard on her, but not as hard as going to New Jersey was going to be for Jon. In that instance she made a decision that she was sure was right, but she wasn’t sure if it was going to help. Moving to the side of the bed she sat and reached for her phone and dialed the number the television had listed to call with information on Jon. Taking a deep breath she waited for someone to answer the phone. She figured it would be a bank of workers or policemen answering the phone so hearing a voice she remembered was a pleasant surprise.

“Hello,” the gruff voice said, “If your calling on a prank please hang the fuck up, no time for niceties, however if you have information on my friend Jon please start talking.”

Although the words were rude, the sound of them showed the evident worry the man had for his friend. Taking a deep breath Amelia started talking. “Richie, I know that’s you, no don’t ask who I am it doesn’t matter. I’m calling you to let you know Jon’s on his way home. He’s ok for the most part,” her voice trailing off as Richie’s voice interrupted her.

“Who the hell are you and what the hell do you mean for the most part?” Richie’s words nearly fell over each other to get out of his mouth.”

She nearly laughed at his speed speech; he hadn’t changed in twenty years. Get Rich excited and he forgot how to talk properly. “Listen, the particulars aren’t important right this second, he’s alive and in one piece and on his way home. I just need to know where his home is so I can get him there. The rest of the questions you or his family have will be answered when he gets home.”

Richie quickly gave her the address to Jon’s home. He wanted to ask so many questions, but he got the impression it wouldn’t help. It was the oddest thing though, that voice tugged at his memory. He’d lay money he had heard it before, but where? As his mind began to delve into its extensive memory banks, the voice started again. “Oh, one more thing, your his best friend; he’s going to need you more than ever. You see, he can’t remember who he is, not one spec of a thing. I’m counting on ya Sambo, to alert everyone and not let them crowd him when he returns.” With that the phone clicked off, leaving Richie staring at the wall in shock. Not many had ever just called him Sambo and hearing it told him that whoever had found him knew them somehow, knew them more intimately than the general fan. Holy fuck, he needed to tell the family! Standing so quickly he knocked his chair over Richie flew from the phone room to let everyone know Jon was on the way home.

Settling the phone gently back into the cradle Amelia stood and picked up her bags. Walking into the living room she gaily tossed out a “No time like the present boys, as neither of you have bags, the store’s all taken care of and the house is ready to be locked. Let’s take Seattle by storm!”

Within moments all three were settled into Adam’s Range Rover headed down the country roads towards Seattle. A few hours later the Seattle city limits came into range. They stopped a few times to either fuel up the car, take a walk or get a bite to eat, but they had made decent time none the less. Twenty minutes later he was pulling into the parking lot at Joe’s Bar. Amelia glanced up at the battered façade. It hadn’t changed in twenty years. “Bloody well time for something more than coffee,” Adam uttered as they came to a full stop. Switching the ignition off he climbed out of the car and with an arch of a fine brow on his patrician face smiled. “Well? Come on you two.” Amelia and Jon had no choice but to follow, or as she knew, be stuck outside until Adam was as lubricated as he wished to be. Before she could move though, Jon had gotten out and reached her door, opening it for her. With a nod of thanks his way they began to walk inside.

As they entered the dim bar both Amelia and Adam scanned the interior quickly, Adam to find Joe, and Amelia to familiarize herself with the bar that had done so much to change her life twenty years before. A moment later a slightly older, but still grizzled man walked from the back office. “Adam! Where you been old man,” said the owner with a grin as he quickly settled a mug of beer before him.

“Oh you know me Joe, doing this and that, mostly that,” Adam said grinning as Amelia placed herself onto a stool next to her teacher. “Look who I brought with me,” he said as he nodded towards Amelia.

Amelia smiled and leaned forward giving Joe a swift peck on the cheek. “It’s good to see you again Joe. It’s been awhile.”

It was then Joe noticed the man tagging along with them. Turning back to Adam the evident question glinting in his eyes he spoke softly. “Adam?” with a shake of his head Adam indicated the time for stories would come later. “Seen MacLeod around recently Joe?” Joe nodded in the affirmative, “He’s supposed to stop in soon Adam. He’s been wondering where you got off too.” As they chatted quietly, Amelia studied Jon. He hadn’t taken a seat; he’d actually started wandering around in the bar, first stopping at the stage then moving to the booths. She couldn’t see his face but his body language screamed watch out.

This place nagged at him somewhere deep inside. This small bar with the stage in back, it felt familiar somehow, but how? Jon’s blue eyes roamed the area restlessly. He glanced back at the bar, the people there seeming to fade as he stopped in front of a booth. He could almost hear, the chatter of voices eddying and flowing about him. At the edges of his mind he could almost hear the soulful wailing of a guitar playing. The music was growing to a crescendo in his soul, teasing his mind and his will, begging him to follow. Leaning his head back he closed his eyes and let the music have its way.

As the music swirled around him, he wondered for the umpteenth time at where she was. Richie was making that guitar wail and she was missing it. As he glanced at the ladies room he caught a flurry of motion to the side. What the hell? Some big ugly guy had her by the throat and some tall man with an odd accent was trying to help. He rushed up and struggled to get to the bar, struggled to get to her. The smell of blood was thick in his nose, the music had stopped and she had vanished. There was blood on the floor and on the dark haired man’s clothes. He had to find Jacqui; he had to make sure she was ok. My God if she was hurt he’d die, he knew it. The man wouldn’t let him pass, he hit him, and damnit he deserved it. WHERE WAS SHE!!

Jon jerked forward, his eyes opening as he found himself sitting in a nearly empty bar. He pushed himself from the booth and hurried to the woman at the bar, his blue gaze unfocused and worried. “Jacqui! My god, are you ok? You ARE ok right?” He looked her over intently, slightly confused at the lack of blood or blood smell. He reached for her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Don’t ever do that again babe, don’t stay gone for so long.”

Amelia looked at him, worry painted in her golden flecked green eyes. “You called me Jacqui. Why did you call me that?”

“It’s your name silly woman. Now where did my bro go? He was just on stage a minute or two ago.”

Adam spoke up softly, worry coating his baritone voice. “Jon man, what year is it right now?”

Giving the dark haired man a look that proclaimed clearly he had to be daft, Jon replied. “It’s the summer of 1986.”

Amelia turned in Jon’s arms to look up at Adam with something close to panic on her face as Adam responded. “So its 1986 and you would be?”

The grin that launched a million fantasies graced Jon’s face as he said, “I’m Jon Bon Jovi dude, and this lady you were chatting up is my lady Jacqui.”

Amelia spoke up then, “Jon, What happened yesterday?” Jon glanced down at her, a loving yet quizzical look on his face. “You mean on the bus or before babe?”

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up into the eyes of the man she remembered. Turning in his arms slightly she glanced up at Adam, her eyes speaking the volumes she couldn’t say out loud. Jon Bon Jovi was back, only he was 25 and not 45.

Oh Shit just didn’t cover it.

Chapter 19

She walked in and over to the fireplace, and stood there staring into the flames. It had been twenty years, yet his kiss still ignited fire in her soul. Within moments two decidedly semi frozen men joined her, crowding the fireplace to absorb its heavenly warmth. They stood in silence for many long moments allowing the heat to do its work, long minutes of her feeling Jon pressed close to her, moments of smelling that unique scent that was his and his alone. Twenty years immortal, her fair share of fights behind her and one mans scent was going to be her undoing. To salvage what little control she had, she risked a slight smile at the two men and casually turned towards the kitchen. Distance was the right idea. She would serve up the soup and put distance between them, maybe then she could think.

Jon turned to watch her walking away his blue gaze thoughtful. Why did that one thing seem to strike at his heart? What had she been to him in his past? He had so many questions, and none of them seemed to have answers. Turning back to the fire he lost himself in the dance of the flames trying to make sense of the few pieces of the puzzle he had within his grasp. It was now or never he decided, to make sense of the things they were telling him and he had the feeling talking to Adam would be more profitable than talking to Amelia. He didn’t doubt she’d be honest with him, he doubted his ability to concentrate when she did as every time she came near because with her near he damn near couldn’t concentrate at all.

Taking a deep breath he started. “Adam, you both keep referring to me being immortal, some weird game, and keeping my head. Whether I’m ready or not, whether I like it or not, I think I need a bit more information on this. It’s hard as hell to comprehend and even harder to believe, but I don’t think I have the luxury of not believing do I?”




Adam studied the man intently for a few moments. “The Game, well no one knows exactly when and where it started, or even when the first immortal came on the scene. We just know that its there and we have to participate. For the most part we try to live normal lives, just like you. Before today you would have never known we existed,” he laughed slightly, “We look human, we ARE human, just seem to have a bonus to our DNA that allows us extremely long lives. Our souls, our knowledge or our spirit contains what is called a quickening which retains all our memories and knowledge. It is that quickening that many immortals want, it is why so many fight for the prize as with each quickening you only get stronger. The only way to take an immortals quickening is to fight to the death, the victor removing his opponent’s head.

“How long can you live? Do you age? I mean, what all can immortals do?”

“You age until you die Rock Star, then you stop aging upon become immortal.” He paused a moment seeing an incredulous look on Jon’s face. “Oh don’t give me that look, we aren’t vampires, we eat regular food. We just don’t age. Minor wounds heal. As to how long we can live, well, the oldest of us, an immortal only known as Methos is reported to be over five thousand years old.”

Jon arched his golden brow at the seemingly younger man as Adam looked to be only 32 years of age. “How old are you Adam because you look really young you know?”

Adam tilted his head, his hazel gaze boring deep into the singer’s crystalline blue gaze. He trusted very few people with his true identity, Duncan, Joe and Amelia being the only ones alive at this point. He saw deep within those blue eyes the ability to be trusted, a man of honor that would probably rival Duncan MacLeod’s. He knew that if his student loved this man, had loved and continued to love in twenty years of separation, that he could trust him as well. He didn’t often act on pure instinct, but this time he chose too. “Truth be told Rock Star, I am Methos, eldest of all immortals. Whether you want to believe me or not, I hope you’ll understand the need to keep that to yourself however.”

Jon soaked in every word the man beside him said. “I could imagine if this quickie thing is power, and you were the oldest, yours would be pretty damned strong right?” Adam nodded silently. “So knowing that, they would hound you to take your head, you would probably never have any peace. I’ll take the info to my grave if need be,” Jon paused, “or well take it to my death so to speak.”

“Glad that’s settled Rock Star,” Adam smirked his way, “Instead of all this talk let’s turn on the old telly and see what’s happening in the world. It won’t hurt for us to take our minds off the current situation. Adam went over to the couch and slowly sprawled out, his hand reaching for the remote. He flipped the T.V. and swiftly changed the channel to CNN. It wouldn’t hurt to catch up on the news of the day. Jon walked over to a chair and sat, his eyes turning to the television. Maybe getting his mind OFF his problems would help.

Amelia placed each bowl of soup, a plate of bread and cheeses and the cups of coffee on a tray. Lifting it she started into the living room where she heard the T.V. droning on. As she entered the room she nearly dropped the tray as she saw what had both men glued to the screen before them.

“Hello, I’m Betty Nguyen, and I’m here outside the New York apartment of world renown rocker Jon Bon Jovi. It’s been reported as of last night that the famous rock star/ humanitarian has vanished mysteriously. All that is known right now is that he was on a small single engine Cessna on his way to a business meeting in Vancouver. The weather there experienced a late season snow that could have been involved in his disappearance. The Vancouver air traffic controllers lost communications with Mr. Bon Jovi’s plane late yesterday afternoon. The plane has not been found, nor have any bodies been found.”

The reporter paused for a moment as her eyes caught a dark haired man making his way into the apartment building. As the camera rolled she raced up to the man and started talking. “Mr. Sambora, might I have a moment of your time? Is there any new information about Mr. Bon Jovi?”

You could almost see the physical sigh as a very haggard looking Richie Sambora turned to face the reporter and the camera. “There’s been no information as yet. His family and friends are praying that Jon is found alive and well. I’m sure you have the emergency numbers our people put out, so if anyone out there has any information on my friend, please call, any information no matter how small, would be appreciated.”

“Thank you Mr. Sambora, for taking time to speak with us during this most harrowing moment,” as she continued talking the reporter turned back to the camera, “That’s all we know world. If you have any information at all please call the numbers scrolling across the bottom of your T.V. screen. Thank you.”

As the report ended Amelia handed each man his soup and coffee. Sitting the tray on the table in front of them she seated herself and began to eat. All too soon all three had finished and were sipping their coffees. “Well,” she began, “we can’t just hide him forever; his face is too damned well known. There won’t be any just changing his name and moving to a new place to train him, someone would recognize him. What the hell are we going to do?”

Jon grinned, the solution was obvious to him if not to them. “Why don’t you both just ‘turn me in’ so to speak? You can both just come with me. If I’m as famous as you say I could probably get by with any damn thing, so what if I hire you both to be my ‘trainers’? Yeah, you’re both just going to have to come with me, to the home you say I have and keep me in line. As we work on me getting to know the people I knew, you both can help me prepare for the rest of my life. Way I see it, there’s not much else we can do right?” Leaning back he smiled to himself, the idea had just occurred to him, but God love help him it would keep the woman close, and it would give him the chance to learn from the one man he knew could survive anything and had done so for thousands of years.

A pair of gold flecked green and a set of hazel eyes turned to Jon Bon Jovi looking at him as if he had just grown a second set of eyes. “Your daft man,” Adam spluttered out, “you want us to drop everything and just go and be your personal body guards?”

Jon nodded; a mysterious light to his eyes. “I may be daft, no doubt about it but can you think of a better idea Adam? I’m all for it if you can.”

Neither could come up with anything and Amelia tried her best. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what lingering exposure to Jon would do with her. She knew though; that she couldn’t abandon him, not newly immortal as he was and she knew Adam wouldn’t either, for all his spluttering and posturing about the idea. With a soft voice and a bemused look at Adam she nodded. ‘Seems like your about to play roadie again Adam, and I get to go along for the ride. I guess we pack up and get ready to play in Jovi Land.”

With a shake of his head Adam agreed. “We stop off in Seattle first, I’ll have to bloody well let MacLeod and Joe know what is going on. Then we’ll head to your blasted Jovi Land after that.” Jovi land, home of rock stars, unknown family and unseen danger, his life was going to get interesting, he just prayed he lived through it.

Chapter 18

The day passed quickly after that. The snow had stopped falling so Amelia had drafted both Adam (who protested loudly and long)) and Jon into pushing their way into the cold to shovel the walk and drive way. Amelia giggled softly to herself at the look on Adam’s face. He never did anything physical if he could get out of it, but when she said they both needed too, he either had to help or look too soft. With a shake of her head she turned to put a pot with the makings of soup on the stove and coffee to brew. Turning to the center counter she began to slice a loaf of bread, her eyes straying to the window beyond her. What she saw had her dropping the knife and rushing to the door, for there standing in their snow were two grown men with shovels raised, as if ready to bash each others brains in.

She rushed to the door and grabbed her coat, sliding it on as she raced through the door. “What the hell are you two doing,” she yelled as she ran towards them.
As she skidded to a stop both men gave her an innocent look and dropped the shovel he held in his hand, “HE did it!” “No HE did,” rumbled through the air as she gazed first at one then the other. Adam cocked his head to the side and started laughing. “Bloody hell, it was him and his I can do it faster than you.”

Jon arched a golden brow, a seriously innocent look on his face, “you irritating Brit, it was you and your Rock Star’s can’t handle men’s work and YOU know it!”

Amelia sighed softly. She had figured they might not like each other, but to actually fight with a sharp object? “ADAM!! Dammit YOU are old enough to know better!!”

Adam turned to her, his hazel eyes alight with a cross between innocence and out right hilarity. “Yes wench I should.” He winked at her at the same moment she felt the snowball hit her square in the back of the head. Whipping around she was suddenly hit in the face by yet another perfectly aimed bundle of snow, thrown by none other than Jon himself. “You see babe,” Jon laughed out in his beautiful voice, “we figured if we had to be cold and wet, you should be too, All’s fair you know.”

With that the battle was on, each giving as good as they got. Snow flying fast and furious coated their clothing and hair until each one was panting and nearly exhausted. With a final heave Amelia turned towards Jon, an arm full of snow in her hands and began to slip. As she fell Jon reached for her, attempting to catch her but ending up sprawled on top of her. Green eyes met blue as time stopped and even raced backward. His firm sensual lips captured hers in a searing kiss that would have melted the snow if it could. Her lips molded to his as her hands reached up to run through snow dampened hair. She was lost in the maelstrom of his touch, uncaring of the icy coldness of hands sliding underneath her sweater. His hips bucked against her slightly, hard evidence of his arousal.

A decidedly baritone “harrumph” had two sets of passion glazed eyes turning towards the sound maker. “I’d really get a room if I were you two, outside in the snow in broad daylight with an audience? Rock Star you I could see doing that, but Ammie?”

“Fuck off British,” Jon said as he turned to kiss the fire haired vixen beneath him, his lips once again moving to claim hers in an ages old dance of possession and ownership. Somewhere within his soul he knew she was his, he just had to find a way to make it so.

With a sudden move Amelia pushed Jon to the side. It wouldn’t do to get lost in his kisses, he wasn’t hers to kiss, hadn’t been for over twenty years. Her gold flecked green eyes radiated sorrow as she hurriedly stood, the ghost of twenty years echoing in the small distance between them. For lack of anything better to say, she mentioned coffee, warmth and soup to lure both men inside. With a glance at Jon she turned and hurried into the house.

Jon stood and gave Adam a look that spoke volumes to the elder immortal. “She’s a good woman Rock Star, and even if you can’t remember the fact you’re married, she can, and she won’t encroach on that, no matter her feelings.”

With a shake of his head Jon turned to go inside. Married or not he didn’t feel that way, and wondered if retrieving his memory would have that changing. He didn’t think so however, not if all they said was true. IF it were, then the women he had wedded had lied for eighteen years, and that was something he wouldn’t allow for. With a slight grin gracing his lips he began to plan how to get the fire haired seductress overwhelming his thoughts to realize the same thing.

He knew one thing above all, immortal or not, memory or no, this was going to be an interesting time in his life.

Chapter 17

Her heart was thundering in her chest as she led the way to the living room. Somewhere deep inside she was kicking herself for telling him the truth. She should have remained silent, gave him some oddball name like George, and let him think he was just a loner nobody. Adam said he was immortal now, not just pre-immortal, which means he had died. She knew it wasn’t something that had happened with people witnessing it or it would have been all over the news. For god sakes just 15 years ago he had cut his hair and had it blasted all over the news. Had he died that would have been on CNN, MSN, and every other channel all over the thousands of music and news channels of the world.

She should have evaded telling him; that way she could have kept him around longer, convinced him they were together, and regained all she lost but she was a decent woman. Decent women didn’t just steal a man from his family, especially his children. She wasn’t sure how this would play out, but lying to him, no matter how badly she wanted too, was not an option.

As she reached the living room she ushered Jon over to the desk in the corner and motioned for him to sit. Opening her laptop she quickly flipped it open and connected to the web. Leaning over his shoulder she swiftly typed in the address for the Google search and placed his name in the search area. Hitting enter she stood and watched his face as the hit counter on his name hit 21 million plus.

Glancing up at her, he almost shivered. She smelled so damned good oddly enough with an odd mixture of light sweat and some citrus like musky smell. He ached somewhere deep inside to brush his fingers over the skin and bury his nose in her hair. It was silky soft as it brushed against his cheek. He was afraid of her but he wanted her and that desire had his tight jeans feeling even tighter. Oddly enough that resonated deep within him, like it was supposed to be, like he was supposed to feel that way. Each breath she took brushed over his neck like a siren call, urging him to act. With an act of inner strength he turned his mind from his thoughts and looked at the computer, a bit of fear and curiosity mixed flowing through him.

Reaching for the mouse she opened a tab for images and his bands Official site.
‘There ya are Rock Star, any and everything anyone ever wanted to know about Jon Bon Jovi,” she paused a moment, “well at least all that they want to let the public know, and a few places that … well lets not discuss that right now shall we?” She grinned as he placed his hand on the mouse and started clicking links. The look on his face as he found pictures from the early 80’s was priceless.

“Oh my fucking God, did I REALLY, is that REALLY, nah you’re shitting me, that ain’t me, IS IT?” He glanced her way.

“Yep, Rock Star, in all your hair metal glory. It is you.” She laughed softly. “You were a stylish man back then you know. Everyone wanted to dress that way.”

He shook his head, evident bemusement in his eyes. “Well we were all nuts then.”

He turned back to the computer; his eyes alternately speeding through an image, stopping to read some caption, or even some video that happened to pop up. They were good he had to give the band that, heck he was a decent singer and writer it seemed, although he couldn’t remember a stitch of any of it and for some odd reason didn’t really want to remember. He read of his 18 year marriage, his four kids, and couldn’t recall them, his friends his good deeds, his business, everything he could find, and none of it spoke to his soul. The next link had him glued to the screen, for there in front of him was a picture of a very young Jon and a girl, and she was the spitting image of the woman standing behind him.



“That’s you! Well someone who looks damned like you.” He studied the faded picture intently for a few moments. “No that’s definitely you.”

Her gaze fell to the picture on screen. Damn she couldn’t believe that picture had found its way to the web 21 years after being taken, and of course he had to find it. Gritting her teeth she forced herself again to continue with the truth. “Yes, it’s me.

Jon shook his head. “Damn you haven’t changed a bit. You look exactly the same as the picture.”

Adam piped in at that moment, “Good clean living and immortality. Can’t beat it with a stick Rock Star.”

Jon, showing great restraint, ignored the man and continued to study Amelia. “We look pretty happy there, but obviously we ended up apart. Why?”

Amelia just shook her head. “I can’t talk about it Jon, at least not right now. Maybe another day we will.” Reaching over him she powered down the computer. “We have more to concern ourselves with right now. Things you have to decide, things we have to do. The past is dead and gone right? Let’s concentrate on the present.”

Jon smelled a story in those words but decided to let her slide for now. He was, one way or the other, going to figure out why her picture and her scent could rouse more in him than thousands of other images and words could. She was right though, and oddly enough it felt as if it wasn’t the first time. He had decisions to make, a life to remember, and not much time to get it done in.