Sam went to Tex's room first. He had to talk to him and try to smooth things out. Anger still burned in Sam when he thought of Sarah with Tex, but he had to push it down. As Gisette had reminded him, he had to think of the band, too.

Tex stepped back when he saw Sam. "I don't want to fight, Sam."

"No, I don't want to fight, either. But I would like to know what the fuck got into you? Why did you go after Sarah?" Sam entered the room.

Tex closed the door, then turned around and leaned back on it, crossing his arms as he looked at Sam.

"She was hurting so bad, I watched her as she sat at the table, her eyes followed every move you and Gisette made out there on that dance floor. So I felt bad for her, and asked her to dance. After she got sick, I knew she was in no shape to go back in there, so I brought her back here." Tex stopped there as if to end the story.

Sam stood across the room, leaning on the window sill, his stance mimicked Tex's. "What about when you got back here?" He narrowed his eyes, and Tex could see the anger in them. "Don't fucking tell me that nothing happened. Someone saw you two out there in the hall."

Tex thought about it for awhile, then finally he spoke. "I didn't know we had an audience. Whatever happened between Sarah and me is between us. But I can tell you that it wasn't me that she was thinking of." Tex shook his head. "Man, that girl doesn't have it in her to cheat on you, even when she tries to."

"What do you mean?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Tex looked at Sam. "It wasn't my name she said when I was kissing her."

Tex calmly turned and opened the door. "Now get out of my room. Go back to Sarah and quit fucking around on her!"

Sam still leaned against the window sill, his head down, he stared at the floor. The thought of whatever went on between Tex and Sarah tore him up. And then, Tex tells him that she had said his name. He felt somehow better. If anything, it helped him understand Sarah better. Sam stepped forward towards Tex.

"I came here for two reasons. Let me say this first, though. If you ever get near Sarah again, I will kick your ass."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you said that before." Tex said wearily. He added in a more urgent voice. "Then I suggest you leave Gisette in the past, and focus on Sarah. Love the hell out of her, man, she needs your attention! For your own good and for our group."

Sam nodded then stood up and walked towards Tex. "I'm working on that part." He stopped in front of Tex and explained the second reason he was there.

Tex readily agreed to Sam's idea and said he knew that Leon and Barry were in the coffee shop and he would go get them. They could meet back there in his room and talk about it.

Georgie had showered and was getting dressed by the time Sam got back. Trish was picking up the piles of clothes scattered through the room and sorting them on the bed.

"I have to do some laundry today. Would Sarah want to go too?" She asked Sam.

"Yeah, probably. She was asleep when I left her." Sam sat in the chair and watched as Georgie and Trish moved around the room. They acted as if there was never any fighting between them. Yet he knew that they had put each other through so much shit.

"You know, Sam. You are second on my shit list, right now." Trish glanced at him as she put the clothes into a plastic laundry bag.

Sam leaned his head back on the chair. It was time for the ass chewing. "Go ahead and say what you want. I already know what a shit I was. I am trying to make it up to Sarah. I don't know if you can make me feel any worse than I do now."

Trish sat on the edge of the bed near Sam. She leaned forward, pointing her finger at him. "I hope you do feel like shit. I hope Sarah is giving you a hell of time about all this. What you did last night was the lowest, slimiest thing you have ever done. Even Georgie knows enough to wait until I'm out of town before he tries to get laid." She threw Georgie an angry look. "You have no idea how hard it has been for Sarah to see you and Gisette flirting around. Then to fuck her in a club? What the hell were you thinking? No, never mind. Don't answer that. I know the answer. You weren't thinking with your big head, your little head took over." She jabbed her finger at him to make her point. "If you want to lose Sarah, keep it up, asshole."

Sam closed his eyes and let Trish rant on. Then he held up his hand, and stopped her. "I am going to show Sarah that I love her. I'm trying." He looked at Georgie. "Let's get to Tex's room. We have a lot of work to do."

Sam followed Georgie to the door. Looking back at Trish, he added. "I know Sarah talks to you about everything. Will you, please, help me out on this?"

"I'll see what I can do. Sarah's is hurting bad. I can't promise you anything."

***

Sarah and Trish were stuffing clothes in the washer at the hotel's small laundry room, when Gisette walked in, carrying a plastic laundry bag. The conversation between the two of them came to an abrupt stop and they both stared daggers at Gisette as she stood just inside the door.

"Oh! I didn't think anyone would be here." Gisette nervously flipped her hair back over her shoulder and looked around. "I...well,....I, um, guess I'll come back later." She turned and left, hurriedly.

Sarah's knees buckled and she laid her arms onto the washer for support.

Trish let out a snort of derision. "Ha! Bitch!"

Sarah held onto the washer still, her insides felt like they were being squeezed.

Trish turned towards her friend. "Sarah, honey! Are you okay?"

"Did you see the hickey on her neck?" Sarah asked.

"No, I didn't notice, I was too busy looking at the bitch's face. Are you kidding me? She didn't even try to hide it from you?"

"No, I think she wanted me to see it." Sarah shook her head. "I don't know if I can put up with her much longer."

"Hang in there. You know what you're up against now. Let her see that you're winning this fight ." Trish said reassuringly.

"I don't know if I am." Sarah thought to herself.

In Tex's room, Sam was talking and trying to get the band to come around to his idea.

"I'm telling you, it will fucking work, man. If we tell the crowd that we are letting them hear a song from our next album, being played for them for the first time, they will love it."

"Are we ready to do it, though?" Barry asked.

Sam shrugged and looked at the faces before him. "What do you think?"

Tex spoke up from the chair where he sat. "I think it's worth a try." He looked at Sam. "This is for Sarah?"

Sam glared at Tex. "Yeah, I wrote that song for Sarah. I want her to hear it tonight."

Georgie rose up off the bed, where he had been sitting. "We were going to try these songs out sooner or later, I think tonight will be a good time to start."

They all agreed and started to discuss the play list and when to introduce the new song.

Sarah was packing their clothes into the duffle bag when Sam came into their room. She didn't lift her head, but kept folding and packing, silently. Sam went into the bathroom and brought out their hairbrushes and other bath items. He handed them to her and she took them without looking at him.

"So, now I'm getting the silent treatment." He said, dryly.

"No, I just don't think there's anything left to say." Sarah replied softly. "It's time to go to eat. We're meeting in the coffee shop. I don't think anyone really wants to sit around a dinner table with us tonight. The conversation wouldn't be so good." She walked towards the door. "I'll see you down there."

After Sarah left, Sam picked up the duffle and threw it across the room in frustration. It hit the lamp, causing it to come crashing down to the floor in pieces.

Sarah heard the crash from the hall. She closed her eyes and shook her head. It was going to be a long bus trip tonight.

When Sam entered the coffee shop, he saw the guys all clustered around two booths by the window, laughing, Sarah and Trish were sitting at the counter, talking between themselves. Gisette sat at a table by herself, pushing her salad around on her plate, looking miserable.

This was a lot different from their normal meal before a concert. Things had changed too much. He walked over and joined the group in the booths.

"So, is everyone enjoying the deep freeze in here?" Sam asked, sarcastically.

"It is definitely chilly between those girls and Gisette." Georgie agreed.

"Then why didn't anyone go sit with Gisette?" Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously as they all looked up in surprise. "Doesn't anyone think she might be hurting now, too? There were other people involved in this besides me and Sarah. I can't go over there, but one of you guys could."

"I'll go. I was involved too, I guess." Tex looked over at Sam. "But I didn't put a hickey the size of Texas on anyone's neck. You did."

"What?" Sam's eyes slid sideways to look, growing wider when he saw what Tex was referring to. "Fuck! Did Sarah see it?"

"Oh yeah. Trish said that Gisette made sure to show it to her this afternoon." Georgie put a forkful of roast beef in his mouth, chewing while he leveled a glare at Sam.

Tex stood up to go to Gisette's table. He stopped by Sam, looked him in the eye and said coolly. "That's just one more stab at Sarah."

Sam looked again at the hickey and felt sick at what he had put Sarah through. And Gisette had made sure to show it to her. It would be there for a few days, like a flashing neon light pointing out where Sam had cheated on Sarah.

***

On the bus to the concert hall, Sam and Sarah sat in the last row of seats. Sarah went in first, and Sam noticed the pillow she had put between them as soon as he sat down. He put his hand out, palm up, resting on the pillow and leaned his head back, eyes closed.

Sarah eyed his hand between them, then she slid hers into it. She felt his hand tighten and squeeze hers and she looked up at his face.

His eyes were still closed, but he was smiling, his dimple getting deeper. Sarah rested her head on his shoulder. She was getting tired of the arguing, she just wanted Sam back.

Sarah sat on the amp cases, backstage, and watched the group perform. Normally, when they were at the end of their last set, she and Trish would head back to the dressing room; have a drink and smoke a joint. Then they would run back to the wings and wait with a fresh drink for the guys when they came offstage.

As Sam went onstage tonight, he had asked her if she would stay a little longer, before she left to get their drinks. She was curious to see what it was all about. Trish had said that Georgie hadn't said anything to her.

The band had just finished a song, and they stood back and listened as the cheers and whistles settled down, then Sam held his hand up and some of crowd quieted down.

"Thank you! We fucking love Denver!" He shouted and laughed as the crowd went crazy again. "We want to play you something off our next album! Does everyone want to hear it? Alright! This is the first time we've played it, so bear with us."

Sarah didn't recognize the music, she had never heard any of their new songs.

But when Sam started singing, Trish came running up to her, laughing. "I didn't know he was going to do this! Oh my god! Sarah! This is the song he wrote for you!"

Her heart thumped rapidly with the music as he sang the song he had written the first night he had met her. The song was a love poem to Sarah.

She sat and remembered the time they had spent on the glass beach. It was a perfect day and they had fallen in love. Sam had written about it, magically recreating the feelings. He hadn't even told her he loved her that day, but in the song he spoke of their love. He sang the words and Sarah saw the pain on his face and the longing for her.

She started laughing and crying at the same time. "I love him, Trish. I can't help it! Oh god! I love him so much!"

Sam finished the song then looked at Sarah. He put his hand to his heart then pointed at her. His grin widened and his eyes lit up as Sarah threw him a kiss. Then he turned to the crowd and asked how they liked it. The roar that rose up from the cheering and whistles, gave the group their answer.

"Hearts of Glass!" Sam yelled. "It's gonna be on our next album!"

"C'mon!" Trish grabbed her hand. "Let's go back to the room and get that drink!" She held up her empty glass.

The dressing room door was open when they got to it. Sarah and Trish walked in and looked around.

Gisette was sitting in a corner chair, her knees up, and her head was resting on them. She was sobbing loudly. The two girls looked at each other in surprise.

Gisette raised her head and saw them. "Fuck you, Sarah! You got what you wanted." She sobbed at Sarah, then got up and ran out of the room.

Trish watched her leave, then turned to Sarah. "Maybe she's finally going to leave him alone, do ya think?"

"I don't know." Sarah said. "But she had the hickey covered at least."

Sarah was back in her spot on the amp cases when Sam came running offstage. She slipped down as he grabbed her up in a sweaty hug.

"How was that, sweetheart?" He laughed in her neck.

Sarah threw her arms around him and squeezed him back. "Sam, that is a beautiful song. I loved it! They loved it!"

He swung her around, holding her in front of him with his arms draped around her, and they watched from the wings as the audience cheered and whistled.

He whispered in her ear. "I love this part."

Then it started, just a few flickers as the crowd pulled out their lighters. More were sparkling and flaring out, and soon there was a glow through the smokey haze. The crowds were stomping their feet and the cheers were just about to turn into a roar.

Sam gave Sarah a squeeze, then he and the band went back onstage for their encore.

The group was loud and rowdy as they boarded the bus after the concert. This was their first overnight bus trip and they were treating it like a slumber party. They pulled the curtain between James, their driver and the back of the bus, giving them more privacy.

Sam slid into the second row of seats, ahead of Sarah. She bit her lip as he laid down the seats, and spread out a blanket. He took two pillows from the seats behind and propped them against the side of the bus. Then he curled up on the seat and patted the spot beside him.

She giggled as she curled up beside him. "This reminds me of the plane ride."

Sam pulled her against him and she wrapped her leg around his hip, snugging in close.He reached up and draped a blanket completely over them, closing off the outside and creating a sense of privacy as they lay face to face.

"Sarah," Sam began, "I know why you wouldn't talk to me earlier and at the coffee shop. I saw the mark on Gisette's neck."

"Yeah, the one she so proudly displayed." Sarah said, sarcastically. Then she thought about what she saw during the concert.

"Sam," Sarah's voice was guarded. "When Trish and I went back to get your drinks tonight, Gisette was in the room, and she had her collar up, to hide it." Sarah left out the part about Gisette's crying and what she had told Sarah. "Do you think, maybe, she's giving up? She'll leave us alone now?"

"I don't know, sweetheart, but I hope so." He kissed her lightly, "I love you, and I will spend forever showing you how much."

Sam stroked her cheek, softly, as he gazed into Sarah's shadowed face. "Marry me, Sarah. Let's start that forever, please."

Sarah felt her heart constrict inside her chest, as the broken pieces moved closer. The pain lessened some, but it still echoed through her. "Sam, I love you. I love you with all my heart. But we can't. I'm not ready."

Sam closed his eyes and Sarah felt his breath on her cheek as he exhaled. She hugged him in close, putting her head against his chest. She listened to his heart beat, steady under her cheek.

"I'm going to keep asking, one of these days you will say yes." He whispered against her hair.

They lay listening to the sounds of the party from the back of the bus, content to stay cocooned together, eventually both giving in to the hypnotizing rhythm of the bus, and drifting off to sleep.

Sam awoke with an urgent need to piss and the motion of the bus wasn't helping his bladder. He moved away from Sarah as gently as possible, and rose up into the aisle.

Georgie and Trish had taken Sam's idea and folded down the seats in the opposite front; Barry and Leon had claimed the last two rows, folding the backs down to make a small bed for their tall frames. Gisette was curled up one couch and Tex on the other. The party had died out and everyone was settled in, sleeping.

He came out of the bathroom, making his way back to his makeshift bed and crawled back in, spooning around Sarah. She snuggled her butt against him, then sighed as she drifted into a deeper sleep.

Sam lay still as he heard soft crying coming from the back of the bus. He listened as Gisette tried to keep her cries quiet. His heart ached as he thought of the pain she was feeling.

He moved away from Sarah slowly, stopping when she stirred then settled back into sleep. Slipping off the bed, he made his way back to sit by Gisette.

"Gisette, I'm sorry. I heard you crying. I feel bad, I should have never led you on."

Gisette sat up beside him, wiping her cheeks. "I thought we were getting back together. Everything was working out."

Sam sighed. "I can't, I love Sarah too much. She brings out the good in me. I love her more than anything."

"I tried to break you up." Gisette said, mournfully. "But it didn't work, did it?"

"No, it didn't. I don't want to lose her, I can't..."

"We were in love, too, Sam."

"Yeah, I think we were. But it's so different with Sarah, it's deeper. I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Can we still be friends, at least?" Gisette sounded so sad, Sam felt bad for her.

"Yeah, I think we can, eventually. We're all going to be together on this tour. It would help if we got along."

"Give me time, please. I'll come around, I promise. But, Sam, it's hard to see you with her..... I still love you." Gisette gave him a sad smile. "I feel like I'm mourning the death of my lover."

"You'll find someone else. Someday when we're old and gray, we can sit and laugh about it all." Sam promised.

"I hope so, but for now, just let me cry it out. I'll try not to do it in front of everyone. It doesn't make it easier to face everyone when they know what went on. I want this tour to be a success. It doesn't help to see the road manager having a break down over a failed relationship with a member of the band."

"You are a good person, Gisette. And you're becoming a great road manager. I know things will work out." Sam kissed her cheek. "I'm glad we got the air cleared between us."

Sam went back to Sarah, spooning her against him again. He heard the soft crying and felt helpless for Gisette. He wiped the tears that gathered in his eyes and slid down his cheeks.

Together, but separately, in the dark, he and Gisette mourned the death of their love.