Water Ch. 238 - Take Your Time, Take It Slow

 

From under the stage Beth could hear that the fans of Greece were getting the show that was long overdue.  They were screaming, cheering and chanting, not wanting any of it to end. 

Jon threw in surprises like Wild Is The Wind, Livin' In Sin, Roulette and many other great ones that they had to dust off to play.  When it came time for quick change, Jon went down when Richie sang I'll Be There For You. 

 

At the bottom of the steps, he could see her standing there in her white linen top, see through if you looked just right.  Her tight little capri jeans and her expensive flip flops.  He walks up to her with the biggest smile on his face and says, "What are you doing here?"

 

"I came to see the show.  Is that okay?" his hands go around her waist and he pulls her to him. 

 

His lips on hers, he says, "It's more than okay.  How did you know I'd be here?"

 

"There's posters all over town, Jon.  Why didn't you tell me that you were coming here?"

 

"I didn't want you to change your plans.  Where's Dalton?" he asks, but doesn't want the answer.

 

"He's in Japan.  Do you want me to go?" she questions, praying that he says no.  And he does.

 

He sits in his chair and he gets his hair dried and a shirt to change into.  While he's in the chair he asks her, "Are you going to stay for the rest of the show?"

 

"Do you want me to?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Then I'll stay.  You guys are on fire, you sound great." Beth tells him with a little school girl smile on her face.

 

"Do you know how I felt when I looked into the pit and seen you there?  I thought my heart would stop."

 

"Do you know how I felt when you started singing to me and all of your fans were getting pissed at me?" she laughs.

 

"Yeah, I seen Mike get you out of there.  How did you get in there anyway?"

 

"Rew."

 

Jon smiles as he gets out of his chair.  "I have to go back out, will you be here when I'm done?"

 

She smiles, "I'll be right here."  He walks up to her and just holds her, tight.

 

She looks at him and says, "You have a few fans waiting for you, you better get back out there." and she smacks him on the ass, "Get going."  he kisses her cheek and runs back out on stage.

 

The concert was the best that they had done so far this tour. The set list was one that every fan wants and Jon sang every song from a place he hasn't touched in a while; his heart.

Shows over and the band comes down first. All of them hugging Beth and telling her hello.  She hugs them all back, feeling like she never skipped a beat with them.

"I knew you'd be back." states Tico.  "He loves you so much." And off he goes to get dried off and escorted out back with the rest of the band.

After his long thank you, fist pumping and ego show, Jon pops down off stage and takes a towel from Abby. "Thanks." And he walks away.  He goes to find Beth, who has made her way to his dressing room.  As soon as the house lights were on, if you weren't crew, you better watch out.  It's an art putting it all together and it's an art taking it all down.  Beth knew to get out of the way.

The door opens and she's startled.  Fixing her make up in the mirror, she says "Sorry, I know not to be in the way when tear down starts."

 

He says nothing to her.  All he wants to do is tell her, "I love you."  with her in his arms. And that's what he does.  Letting go of her, he adds, "Come on, we gotta get out of here."  He takes her hand, grabs his bag and they head out the back door to his awaiting car.  They hop in and they are on their way to Jon's hotel. 

 

"Where are you staying?"  Beth asks Jon.  She can't believe that she's in the back of a car with him, again.  After all this time.

 

"At the Hilton.  Where are you staying?"

 

She laughs, "At the Hilton.  But you knew that, didn't you?"

 

He laughs at her, "No I didn't know, I swear." 

 

She rest her head on his shoulder, takes a deep breath and confesses, "I almost didn't come."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I was doing really good, being her by myself - that is until I see the posters in town.  Once I knew you were so close again, I had to come."

 

"I was hoping that you would."

 

"I know you didn't want to see me again and I know you were mad when I left you in NYC, but I had to see you."

 

He kisses the top of her head and says, "I'm glad you came, babe.  I was supposed to be told if you were spotted in the crowd, looks like I gotta kick Rew's ass, huh?"

 

"He was so shocked to see me.  I think he just acted the way the way that you would have wanted him to act."

 

"I had them all on the look out, just in case."

 

"And look at that, you seen me on your own." she picks fun at him.  She reaches over and puts her hand on his leg and says, "It was the white shirt that caught your attention, wasn't it?"

 

The vehicle pulls up to the back of the hotel.  There are fans everywhere, both young and old.  In a paparazzi panic, Beth hurries inside and they are corralled to the service elevator.  Together they get on and Jon says, "Floor?"

 

"I'm on the beach.  What floor are you on?"

 

"I have the top floor, like always."  He quickly pushes the open door button on the elevator panel.  Beth looks at him funny,  The doors open and he says, "Lead the way."

 

They get off the elevator and walk to her room.  Inside her room, she goes over and closes the curtains that cover the patio window.  It was private beach area, but to many that means nothing.  She knows the drill, she has to protect the quarterback.

 

Jon grabs a bottle of water from the min bar and sits on the couch.  "Come here."

 

Beth sets her things down on the table and walks over to Jon.  He reaches up and takes her hand, "Please sit."

 

Beth sits down.  "I'm sitting." she flashes him a smile.

"It's obvious we have to talk."

"I know.  But do we need to do that right now?  Don't you want a shower?"

"That can wait." He takes her hand, leans in a kisses her softly.  "It's really nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you toooooooooo."

He positions himself on the couch to give the appearance that he means business, and he didn't need to do that.  She could see it in his tired face and she could hear it in his worn out voice.  "You left me again in New York."

She looks at him with "Okay" on her face.

"Why do you always leave?"

"I had a plane to catch, you know that."

"After the night that we had, why would you even get on that plane?" he questions, certain that she feels the same way that he does.

"I had a vacation planned and you didn't want me in your life anymore Jon." now she positions herself to show that she has a dog in this fight and that she wasn't wrong in this.  "You couldn't even be my friend, remember?"

"You still believed that after we made love?"

"Making love was supposed to change it?" 

"Making love with you changed everything for me, as silly as that may sound.  I fell asleep on your belly more at peace than I had been in months." he admits to her. 

"But that doesn't make it all better or deal with the issues that we have."

"And getting on a plane flying here does that?" he blurts back at her.

She reaches over and grabs his hand, squeezing it tight she says, "Our love making the other night was wonderful, but at the very most it was a band aide.  I don't know what it fixed, healed or made better.  I will tell you this though, being with you again was just what I needed to remind myself why I love you and how much I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too." he grabs her and pulls her down on him.  In a slight head lock he asks, "Now what do we do?"

She answers the best way that she can.  "We take it one day at a time."

"I leave tomorrow." he informs her, with a lump in his throat.  "What do we do about that?"

"I'm here for another week and then it's off to Fuji for a week.  What do we do about that?"  She lays on the couch, with her head in Jon's lap.  "Huh, Mr. Big Shot, what do we do about that?"

"You can cancel."

She looks up at him and says, "I think that's a bit too fast.  Cancel my vacation and go on the road with you?  Oh no, I'm not ready for that."

"What are you ready for then?"

She's quiet for a minute and honestly says, "I don't know what I'm ready for.  I know that I want us to get back to where we were, before I found out about Melissa."  Those words hurt her just thinking them, saying then was even worse.  She still has a very vivid memory of that night.

Jon runs his fingers through her hair and asks, "Is there anything I can do to make that up to you?  Babe, I am so sorry."

She shakes her head no, but then adds, "Promise you will never do it again.  Promise me that you will never keep a secret from me, Jon.  That was the worst."

He takes his finger and traces her jawline, smiling he says, "I promise that I will never keep a secret from you again, ever.  Can you make me a promise?"

"Yes."

"You can promise to not run away at the first sign of trouble, when we have an issue that we feel is bigger than us and when there is something that hides the light at the end of the tunnel - you promise to face it all head on with me and my children?"

"I can and I do promise you that."  She extends her pinkie finger to him and says, "Pinkie swear."

They both laugh about that and know that they need to deal with some other stuff, but Jon needs a shower and a bite to eat.  Beth tells him, "Go get in the shower and I'll order room service.  What do you want?"

"You."

"I'm not on the menu tonight, sorry.  Pick again." she jokes with him.  She loves to look up at him and watch his facial expressions.  His nares flaring was even sexy to her.  "What sounds good.?"

He's quiet for a minute and decides, "I think a salad and a bottle of wine would be perfect."

She sits up and turns to face him, "I'll order it, go shower. When do you leave tomorrow?"

"We are going to Italy for 2 shows.  Leave here tomorrow afternoon for a show on Monday and Tuesday and then I don't remember after that.  Mind is kind of mush right now."

"Go shower." she kisses him and gets up to order his dinner.  Looking over the in room menu, she sees a chicken salad so she orders dinner for herself too.

He showers and they eat with chit chat.  Jon, feeling his ego has been reflated, asks Beth, "What are you going to do about Dalton?"

With an I don't know look on her face she tells him, "I guess I'll tell him when he gets here tomorrow night."

"You're really going to stay here?"

"Yeah."

"And meet Dalton?"

"Jon we have a vacation planned, of course the vacation together will end as soon as he gets here but I'm not telling him all of this over the phone.  I have learned a lot over the past year."

"I don't like it." he tells her with the utmost certainty.

"I know, but that's the way I'm going to do it.  It's only the right thing to do."

"I still don't like it."

"Eat your dinner so you can go to bed." she moms him.  He pretends to hate, but he loves it when she takes care of him.

They eat and then go to bed.  She had a long day in the sun, and he had a long day of traveling and preforming - they both are exhausted.  Snuggling for the first time in almost a year, they both drift off to sleep in each others arms.  They are together, for now.