It had been almost eight months since she had met them. Eight months which had brought her immense joy and had been an emotional roller coaster. She felt more real, as if she were are real member of society, not someone just floating on the edges, despite the fact that she recognized that this group was far from living what one might consider to be the average life.

Their American tour had been cut short when Brian had fallen sick with hepatitis, but the band had insisted that they loved her too much to let her go so soon. And she really must come back "across the pond" with them. Really she must, Freddie had insisted. And, "what would they do without her" Deaky had asked. So with seeing no good reason not to, she updated her passport, had her company transfer her, and followed four hooligans with big hair and too much sound equipment across an ocean. For the first months there she spent most of her time bouncing between the boy's houses, random hotels and other crew members couches. Then she found a little flat that overlooked the city, a little place that was just in her price range and fit her minimalist standard. Mostly, it was just very surreal to be here in this century, with the way the way it was so different than home, yet so much the same.

Not all of her time was spent with the band, as her company elected to keep her quite busy, but frankly, she did not mind. She still had feelings to sort out with regards to the band. And furthermore, too much time spent with them could be exhausting.They loved having her there, taking her out to their favorite clubs, or to play smaller gigs or to just run around the city causing havoc. There were country drives and meeting everyone's families. Lena was not sure exactly why they all liked her so much, but she gave up asking after Freddie's mother informed her that she had never seen Roger so happy in all the time she had known him.

That fact itself was the whole reason she supposed she was still here. There was something between Lena and the blonde drummer. Nothing had happened, there had only been graspings of her hand as they ran down empty streets or catching around the waist before she became enveloped in a crowd of fans, but still there was something there in the way he treated her with uttermost respect and cheerful teasing.

Now she stood stage side, watching Freddie twirl around the stage for the second night in a row, as he theatrically whirled his outfit. . Brian looking like a great white bird with his long white sleeves that she could not understand how they did not hinder his playing. Deaky danced his little Disco Deaky dance. And Roger was out there being Roger. Despite the fact that the show had barely begun, the lights having just risen to reveal the band to the crowd, Roger looked like he was already sweaty and like he would soon be regretting the outfit he had haphazardly chosen to wear as it slipped off his shoulders. He had been in a particularly awful mood prior to going on, but had still stopped and squeezed her hand before running on stage.

She watched as she always watched, just barely out of view, a figure in the shadows. Tonight she almost longed to be in the crowd due to the sheer energy in the room. This performance was too iconic to not want to be experiencing every moment of it to its fullest extent. They filtered through the same set they had the night before, everything being played just different enough when live to make it all the more fantastic. Even from her vantage point Roger was becoming increasingly more annoyed as the night went on, although about what she could not determine. But it only fueled his ability to sound wonderful. She still didn't understand how he could sing normally that one gritty way, but then moments later sing in that high falsetto. His drum solo was spectacular that night, outrageous as he could possibly make it. In fact, everything about that night was spectacular.

That is until at the set's end he destroyed the drum set, trashing it, sending Deaky scampering away from him and the other two keeping their distance. He swaggered off the stage, obvious annoyance still in his posture. When he reached her though, a grin lit his face and he was laughing almost manically.

"You okay Rog?"

"Never been better! Now let's go. Get outta here."

"Are you sure you're good?" Brian said slinging his guitar behind him as Freddie and Deaky appeared behind him.

"Just got a little excited is all. Now come on. Let's get outta here. I need a drink."

Everyone looked at each other and then back at Roger.

"Let's just avoid that again, shall we?" Lena said, "That just makes for some annoying paperwork and other various things in replacing stuff."

Roger only rolled his eyes and stalked away and the others followed after giving Lena apologetic looks. Lena thought she heard Brian beginning to scold Roger for talking to her that way, saying, "You really ought to be nicer to her man, especially if-"

"I don't and there's no 'if' statements happening anywhere near her, now will you be quiet!"

Their arguments faded and became indistinguishable. Lena gave a soft snort. Of course this was about her. Roger had been in mood he thought he hid well ever since he had caught sight of her dancing with some guy at a club last week. Which arguably, she had done for the explicit purpose of seeing how he would react, but she was starting to become annoyed by his behaviour. She pondered this while she waited on them to collect their things. After the usual eternity of waiting they met her by the back doors to the theatre and prepared to exit.

As soon as the doors opened a wave of high screams washed over them. Lena plunged into the crowd after the band, attempting to allow herself to almost blend in as to not draw attention. She had become fairly good at this in the past months, but every once in a while she would allow too much of a distance to fall between her and the band, separating them. Realizing that this was exactly what had occured in the midst of this crowd that had previously inhabited the Rainbow, she felt a small twinge of panic in her stomach.

But, just as on many previous occasions, she felt someone latch onto her wrist, dragging her through the crowd. It was of course Roger, looking more annoyed than he usually did after any occasion of saving her from groupies.

"Jesus woman, you have really got to get better at not being lost in the crowd. Why are you so afraid of being seen with us?" he whisper yelled into her ear over the noise of the crowd.

"I would just rather not be photographed and have my face plastered on the covers of newspapers. You know that."

"But you're our tour manager, it would be perfectly normal for the press to have a field day in discovering that a woman could possibly figure out how to effectively manage us," he said sarcastically.

Lena climbed into the car he held open for her, "I would hardly say I'm you tour manager anymore, I just happen to be allowed into all of the places because you guys want me to. And I answer questions of people who have very specific questions about all the band's specific needs. A job that could be done by anyone. Or frankly not at all."

"Don't be ridiculous darling," Freddie interrupted, "We absolutely adore you and you are a necessary part of our team."

The rest of the car ride back to the Freddie's was uncharacteristically quiet. Roger had fallen back into his sulky mood and the others seemed to follow suit. Upon arrival at Freddie's there was a small party already in full swing, but nothing compared to the normal status of Freddie's parties, but still, Lena wrinkled her nose; she was not in the mood to deal with these sorts of people.

"I saw that look Lena. Why do you always turn up your nose at my parties?" Freddie asked.

"Because they are exhausting. And I would currently love to go home."

"No, do stay, you always leave early. I will personally mix you your favorite drink."

Lena rolled her eyes but agreed and followed them into the house. Roger was still sulky and tracked too closely on her heels. Everything was in a constant state of motion in Freddie's house, an abomination of existence for anyone who was already tired or not in the mood for a party. Even Freddie personally mixing her drink did not convince her to commit to the the swing of the party.

She found herself alone with her drink, a little bitter after she had dumped a couple extra shots in. Lena wandered upstairs and entered Freddie's marvelous library. She ran her fingers across the rows and rows of books, occasionally pulling one from its place. One of her favorite things about this library was the tall french doors that opened on to a small balcony. Picking her way through the shadowed room she hesitated in surprise when she saw there was already someone on the balcony.

But the now slightly limp hair gave the figure away as being Roger and she ventured onto the balcony with him. When the doors squealed on their hinges Roger whirled, about to spout profanities at whoever dared to disturb his peace.

"Oh, it's you," he said before leaning his elbows back on the wide railing.

"Why are you up here?"

"Because I don't feel like being cheerful. I would much rather wallow in my misery by myself."

"Well that is no fun at all. Let me join you in your misery," Lena said crossing the balcony and resting her elbows next to his.

Roger was silent in response and Lena decided to let him be until he decided he had something to say. This lasted for a few long moments before Lena realized he was going to be indifferent and ignore her.

"Roger, why are you being like this."

"Like what. I'm being exactly me."

"No you're not. The man I met eight months ago wouldn't turn down a party. Especially after a show like that. And the man I heard rumors about before that wouldn't turn down the prospect of all those beautiful A-List actresses down there."

"Oh wouldn't he?"

"I don't know. I seem to have never met that man."

"And did it ever occur to you why that might be?" he said, looking at her, mild frustration creeping into his voice.

"Well, I could give you reasons. But I think I'd rather you tell me yourself."

"Oh you're so exhausting."

"No I'm not. I'm just waiting for you."

"To what, tell you that I'm in love with you? And I couldn't stand the thought of being with anyone but you. From the moment I met you."

Lena bit her lip, her smile lighting up her eyes, "That was more than I was expecting. But essentially yes," she breathed.

"I can't drown it out anymore. I always do try to ignore the way you make me feel. But as dumb as it sounds, I can't."

"Rog-"

"No listen. You didn't know me before. You make me better. It's so much easier to do this touring thing when you're here."

"Rog."

"What?"

"Just kiss me."

And he did. It was not the sort of kiss she had imagined more times than she cared to admit. He didn't ask permission or hint at any reservation. Lena knotted her fingers in his hair and sighed in satisfaction that finally after all these months of wondering, she had been correct in her presumptions. Roger gripped her face, more careful she guessed, than he had ever kissed anyone before. It was like a buzzing of electricity that had been exactly meant to arc over these certain pieces that were Roger and Lena.

The french doors flew open with a slam, rattling the panes in the glass.

"Ah-ha!" I knew it!" a delighted, slightly tipsy Deaky shouted, his girlfriend Veronica in tow behind him.

Lena jumped backward in response to this intrusion, while Roger barely seemed to notice.

"Really Deaks, you had to interrupt."

"This calls for a band meeting I think," and without pausing, Deaky rushed to the edge of the balcony and called down to the crowd below, "Fred! Bri! You're needed up here immediately!"

Lena looked down to see many heads turn upwards in response. From that far away she wondered if people could see that her face had turned tomato red. Unlikely. But still. Embarrassing.

To everyone's surprise Freddie's voice sounded back. A path cleared for him and he was followed by the large head of hair that was Brian. Lena was trying to configure her way out of the situation and extract herself before anyone else could come persecute her about making out with a pretty rock star, but Roger would have none of that. Now that he had kissed her and gained her permission to openly show his affection, it did not seem to matter to him that this was altogether an uncomfortable situation.

Deaky was still giggling when they heard Brain's clogs on the tiled floor outside the library and Freddie's merry laughter.

"What is the emergency darlings? Don't tell me someone has died. We were just getting into the groove of things."

"No. SO much better than that," Deaky laughed, brushing his hair out of his face, "You will not guess what I walked in on."

Brain immediately grinned. "Based on Lena's flaming red face and Roger's uncharacteristic silence, I could probably exactly guess."