| Before she knew it, Sue was being woken by Brian shaking her arm. "Sue, we are almost there, we need to get ready. We can sleep more once we are settled in the hotel." Sue opened her eyes slowly. Brian had turned on one of the smaller lights, bringing a soft glow to the room. She was thankful he didn't turn the stronger overhead light on. "Okay, okay. You know you are going to learn I hate getting up in the morning." He swatted her on the butt. "You're going to learn to get used to it. We have a lot of them when we travel." "I'll never get used to it," Sue mumbled. She saw Brian laughing at her and sent him a scowl, but couldn't help but laugh to herself. He saw her try to hold back a smile and pulled her up and close to his body. "I'll make it worth your while," he said seductively. Sue let the laugh she was holding in out. Twenty minutes later Sue had her first experience with the fans. She was amazed seeing it was only 5-30 in the morning yet still there were about 30 or so fans outside the hotel waiting for the Boys to arrive. They were told Nick and Kevin were already inside. AJ and Howie were following, about 5 minutes behind Brian, so before they were ready to head out, they had arrived too. Brian told her many of these fans out at this time of the morning would have been following their buses. Sue wanted to wait till Brian had gone inside, so the fans would be preoccupied with AJ and Howie, but Brian wouldn't hear of it. He wanted her to leave the bus with him he wasn't ashamed of her. The complete opposite was the case. So she reluctantly agreed. It wasn't that she didn't want to be seen with Brian, she was just scared. She took deep breaths as David got the path to the hotel door ready for them. Brian held her hand tightly, explaining at this time of the morning, none of the Boys signed autographs or posed for photos. They would be whisked inside with a minimum of fuss. Sue nodded and prepared herself. Will stood behind them, ready to bring up the rear. David opened the door and Brian helped Sue out of the bus. She stepped onto the sidewalk first and heard quiet whispers as they noticed Brian holding her hand once he appeared behind her. He smiled at the fans and waved, but led the way to the front door, Sue following him without question. It was obvious her appearance had stunned the fans but only one comment caught her attention. She mulled it over in her head once they got inside. They were taken to the elevator straight away and up to their room. Once inside Brian spoke. "That wasn't so bad was it?" he asked her. "No, I suppose not," she answered him distractedly. She walked over to the window and looked at the top of the bus still where they left it. Fans milled around and she wondered what they were saying. Brian came up behind her wrapping his arms around her. "You want to go back to bed for a while?" he asked but got no reply. "Sue, what's wrong? Did something happen down there, did you get scared." Sue was quiet for a long time, but Brian didn't push. She finally turned in his arms and looked up at him, tears threatening to spill out from her eyes. "Sue, Baby, what's wrong. What happened? Did you hear someone say something?" She nodded her reply. Brian steered her over to the bed and sat her down. "Sue, what did you hear? Please Baby tell me what. I hate to see you upset like this." "Brian," Sue sniffed. "They called me a bitch. Why? Why would they do that? They don't know me." "Oh Baby, I am sorry you had to hear that." He cradled her close to him. "Unfortunately these sorts of things happen. Some fans can't bear the thought that their favourite member actually has someone he loves. It should be them, they think. But it never will be, because I have you. So they try to hurt the person. I know, unreasonable, and unrealistic, but it happens. What you have to do is learn to rise above it." He lifted her face and kissed her softly. "It will always hurt to have a stranger call you horrible names, but you have to remember it doesn't matter what they think, it's what we think that is important. And you already know how I feel about you." He smiled at her and she sniffed again, a watery smile returning his way. "Thank you Brian. That helps. But how did they know? I heard them say they saw me last night. I was the one you were flirting with last night." She shook her head. "You were right about the secret service. "Yeah, so often they know where we will be before we do." "How, how do they find out?" It totally amazed Sue to think they could know so much about a person they don't even know. He shrugged. "They have their ways, and the internet is a mighty powerful tool too. Information spreads there like a bushfire. It can spread horrible rumours, but it can be a good thing too. You have no idea how they rally around you when you need it. And the money they have donated to our many charities. Our fans are the best. They really are very loyal. Don't let a few spoil your opinion of them Sue, because the good far outweigh the bad." Brian was proven right later than morning as Sue stood in the gift shop of the hotel, Will standing at a safe distance behind her. A young teenager of about 15 years of age was standing beside her and Sue looked over at her. She smiled at her and the girl looked surprised. "Aren't… Aren't… Aren't you Brian's girlfriend?" she asked suddenly. Sue smiled nervously again, hoping this was one of the fans Brian had told her about. "Um, yeah, I am. My name is Sue, nice to meet you." Sue put her hand out to shake it and the girl slowly took it. "My name is Jessica. Can I have your autograph?" Sue nearly laughed aloud, but stopped herself. Obviously Brian was important to this girl, which in turn made Sue important to her. It was going to take a lot of getting used to, but she was about to learn. She left the gift shop with a new fan, having chatted with Jessica for a while before needing to get back to Brian, who had still been asleep when he left. She was soon to make more fans, meeting fans at the concerts just as Jac had that first night. She still marvelled at the phenomenon, but she was getting used to it. She tried to be nice to the rude fans, as difficult as it was, and slowly she was winning them over. Brian never hid Sue away either, always holding her hand out in public, putting his arm around her whenever he could. And she settled in to do her work. There were times Brian became just short of annoyed that she couldn't join him at a particular event, and she had to explain to him her work needed her attention too. She told him he was lucky that she was here at all, because she really should be home working on this, but her desire to be here with him brought her here. But it needed doing. It was times like these that she remembered Jac's words from her first day here. One particular day she was sick of working and knew Brian was off playing golf. She wasn't a golfing fan and for once she had been glad of the excuse of work to beg off going to play. She thought it was a silly game, chasing a little white ball around so you could hit it away again, hoping it went into a tiny hole. She needed a break so she switched her work program off and looked at the blank screen filled only with some icons on the desktop. Then she saw something she hadn't noticed for a while. Her game of Sims. She double clicked the icon and opened the program, choosing her established game. It would take her a while to get back into it so she slowly familiarised herself. She was well into the game again, and didn't notice anyone come into the room. There was always noise in the background when they she was working at the concert venue, so she never took any notice. "Sue I was wondering if you could help me with something," Nick began then stopped. "SIMS! You have the game Sims on your computer?" Sue laughed at the look on his face. "Yes Nick, I take it you like the game?" "Like it, Hell yeah." "Well, it's addictive. I've been playing for…" she looked at her watch. "Oh my God, 2 hours!" She laughed at how she had once again been sucked into the game, remembering how she used to spend her days off playing it months ago. Nick sat down and watched for a while, then began to play along with her. The two of them got right into the planning and playing of the game becoming quite animated at times. Sue was glad to be so at ease with Nick. She knew he was very important to Brian, and even though they had always been pleasant to one another, they all had, she really never got the change to get to know Nick better. This was that chance and they were getting on famously. "I thought you had to work," came Brian's voice from behind them. "I was, but I needed a break. Nick caught me playing this game and came to join in on the fun." Sue told Brian. "You could have played golf with me," Brian muttered but Sue heard him. "Brian. I don't like golf, I told you that. And I was working. You know I have to work." Sue was feeling agitated at his tone. What was he accusing her of? "But you weren't working just now." He said, his eyes squinting at her. "Brian, I don't need to justify what I was doing to you. But for the record, I was working, I needed a break and started this," she said pointing at the screen. "Nick joined me when he came in and that's all there is to it. I don't owe you any explanation." Nick made an excuse and left the room. "Sue," Brian said to her, "I wanted you with me. Is that too much to ask?" "Yes!" Sue squealed at him. "I can't be at your beck and call all the time and I have noticed lately that's what you want." "But I love you." He said, his face paling. "You have a funny way of showing it sometimes Brian. You don't own me." Just then Sue started crying. She realised they were both overreacting to the situation and she couldn't see it getting any better right at this moment. She had to get away for a while. "Brian, I think we need to stop here. I am going back to the hotel." She snapped her computer shut, picked it up, and walked passed him before he even realised what was happening. He was in shock that she would act like this, but he was shocked at his own actions too. How could he treat her like this? He called out to her but she kept walking, Will following closely behind her as she went. He sat down on the sofa in the room burying his head in his hands. Nick came back and sat next to him throwing an arm around him. "It'll be okay Brian. She'll be back. It's your first argument. Everyone has them." Nick told him. "But how could I say those things to her? She was right, I was trying to run her life as well as mine. But it's because I love her and I want to spend every minute with her." He sat staring into space for a while. "What have I done Nick? Will this bring an end to it again? I don't think I can go on without her," he sobbed. "She won't leave you Brian. She loves you too much. It's there for everyone to see. You two belong together." Brian smiled and sat back. Just then AJ came into the room. He looked surprised to see Brian in front of him. "Geez Rok, you travel fast." Brian looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about AJ?" "You. I was just talking to you back at the hotel ten minutes ago. And here you are already. I thought you said you were going back up to your room before you came here." "AJ. I haven't been at the hotel since this morning. I've been at the golf course." "Well, who the Hell was I just talking to?" Brian face paled. "Oh Shit!" he cried out and was on his feet immediately. "I gotta get to Sue. Nick get on to security," he said and was gone out the door. ********** Sue was in tears as Will drove them back to the hotel. She swiped at her eyes to clear her vision when they got to the hotel. She groaned when she saw the fans waiting out the front, but Will sensed her apprehension at seeing them. He drove around the back way, letting her in without being seen. She leapt out of the car, not waiting for Will to park the car. Will quickly left the car with the parking attendant out the front and dashed in to follow Sue. Sue relaxed as soon as she was in the room, collapsing on the bed to cry. Why had Brian treated her like that, and why had she reacted as she had. This was their first argument, but if she was truthful, she knew it had been coming. Jac had been right about Brian, but his actions weren't ever meant to be that of someone who wanted to own her. He was simply a man in love who wanted his girl with him all the time. Unfortunately, that's not the way a relationship worked all the time. There had to be give and take, as well as independence too. A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. She got up and looked out the peephole to see Brian standing there. She smiled to herself, thinking he was sorry and here to apologise. The fact that he hardly had any time before the concert didn't register to her and she swung the door open. Brian charged into the room and she saw Will arriving at her door, nodding when he saw her smile. She shut the door and turned to see Brian. He came towards her and smiled evilly at her. "Finally. I have you to myself." "Oh My God. You aren't Brian!" |