Dedication: To my Princess of Darkness who first introduced me to the Bizkit Bois.

‘Okay guys I think we’ll call it a day there.’ Bono announced in his distinctive soft brogue, removing his headphones and stepping out of the control booth into the main room where a selection of ‘A’ list artistes were gathered.

‘Thanks everyone,’ he smiled broadly. ‘I really appreciate all your hard work today.’

Returning his smile people began to drift away.

‘Oh, Darren and Fred can you stay both stay on for a little while longer? Fred, I want to just get another take of your rap and Darren, how’d you feel about doing some ad-libing over the fadeout for me?’

How’d he feel? How’d he feel? Darren just managed in time to stop himself from bouncing around the room like a three year old in the grip of a sugar rush. Instead he merely shrugged nonchalantly.

‘Yeah cool.’

No that hadn’t come out right either.

‘I mean, sure I’d love to.’

‘Right, Fred, we’ll do your rap first.’

Fred nodded and sauntered over to the indicated mike, slipping on his headphones and awaiting the signal from the sound technician that he was good to go.

Darren wandered to one side, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. Uncapping his bottle of water he gratefully sculled back a large mouthful, letting the water glide down his parched throat.

He sat and watched as Fred started his rap, throwing his all into it, a look of total concentration on his face, his hands hanging loosely by his side, occasionally raising them in his characteristic manner.

It also gave Darren a chance to study a little closer the man he had been working with all day. He had heard of his reputation as a hard living rocker. He had even listened to some of his music, or rather he had heard it as Daniel had been blasting it out full volume last time he had come to visit.

Now he found himself hypnotically drawn to the other man’s eyes. Deep, clear blue eyes. Brooding and menacingly yes, but also incredibly soulful and expressive. And right now they were expressing a complete commitment to the project they were all working on.

Fred finished and looked expectantly towards the control room. From where he was sat Darren couldn’t see Bono’s response but it was obviously a positive one as Fred removed his headphones and nodded in Darren’s direction.

‘You’re up Hayes.’ He said, a smile quirking at the corners of his lips.

‘Cheers mate.’ Darren replied coming to his feet and walking over to take Fred’s place.

‘Ok just go with the flow,’ Bono’s disembodied voice floated over the studio intercom, ‘do what feels right man.’

Darren looked at the assembled group on the other side of the glass and smiled. ‘Sure thing,’ he fitted the headphones snugly on his head, ‘Hit me.’

Darren closed his eyes as the music started to play, found himself swaying a bit in time to the slow melodic beat. He started humming softly and then letting the music wash over him, consume him, he sang. ‘What’s going on? Mmmmm baby, what’s going on?’

He just sang what came to him, letting the words spill out from his heart unaware that Fred hadn’t left the studio but was standing there, transfixed, watching him. Listening as he put his pure vocals over the other voices at the end of the song.

Just quietly murmuring along to the music, Darren waited until the final notes had died away before sighing contentedly and opening his eyes.

‘That was cool Darren, I think that one take will do it. We can blend it in with the rest of the track later.’

Darren nodded in acknowledgement, feeling an enormous rush of satisfaction at Bono’s words. He couldn’t wait to call Dan and tell him that Bono, Bono his hero and idol, had asked him, Darren Hayes, to finish the record.

‘Good one.’ Fred informed him as Darren gathered up his jacket and made to leave, ‘Wanna blow this joint and grab a nightcap?’

‘Ermm sure,’ Darren replied, a bit taken aback. Despite his rep, Fred seemed a nice enough guy but he wasn’t sure that they had a great deal in common, ‘but do you think perhaps we could find a late-night coffee shop instead of a bar?’

‘Oh that’s right, you don’t drink do you, little Mr Goody Two Shoes. You know that is why *I* am a rock star and you are a mere popster.’ Fred chuckled.

Darren was just about to retort that he knew plenty of so called pop stars who drank, Daniel for one, but Fred laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.

‘Hey I was only teasing Hayes. So a coffee shop it is.’

Saying their ‘goodnights’ to Bono and the assortment of studio staff who remained the two men exited the complex out into the chilly New York night air.

‘So rumour has it you’re the local, any bright ideas where to go?’

‘Used to be.’ Darren replied, zipping up his leather jacket in an attempt to ward off the cold.

‘Huh?’

‘Used to be a local. I live in San Francisco now.’

‘The Big Apple too much for you.’

‘Let’s just say it served it’s purpose.’

‘Which was?’

Darren looked at Fred intently. ‘Has anyone told you that you ask an awful lot of questions?’

Fred simply shrugged. ‘Just curious.’ He muttered.

‘I moved here when I separated from my wife. Needed to put some distance between myself and the whole situation, you know, needed some time to take stock.’

Fred nodded sagely. ‘Oh know *that* one.’

Darren pushed open the door of an all-night deli that he had often frequently when he had lived here. Believe me you don’t know the half of it mate he thought.

‘Women eh, who needs them?’ Fred continued as they made their way towards a booth.

Not me anymore, Darren smiled to himself but decided that it was probably best not to share this piece of information. He doubted the macho star would take too kindly to Darren telling him all about his new found sense of peace as regarded his sexuality.