FicWad

Laurie pushed through the crowds of people in the bar and headed outside. She could hardly believe that she had allowed herself to get sucked into the black void that was Axl Rose's life. He was the only person in the world who knew exactly how to push her to the limit, who knew exactly when she'd break apart. He was so absolutely magnetic that he drew you to him, and yet--if you were on his bad side, talking to him was mentally exhausting; it hurt and made you depressed.

She couldn't figure out if she hated him or not.

Laurie was weaving in and out of the cars in the parking lot, trying to find her own, when from behind her she heard someone call her name:

"Laurie, wait up."

It was Axl.

She sighed and turned, waiting. When he reached her, she refused to meet his gaze.

"Laurie," said Axl, "that--I didn't mean--" He hesitated. "It just came out, okay?"

She said, "Well, you said it, didn't you?"

His eyes darkened slightly in anger. "I didn't mean it! Jesus Christ, Laurie, don't you listen?"

"I don't care that you didn't mean it, Axl. You said it, and you sure as hell seemed like you meant it then."

Axl reached out and slammed his fist against the nearest tree. Why did she always have to antagonize him, for God's sake? She always had to keep their most grating conversations going, just to piss him off and get him angry enough to hit someone. She'd always been like that.

"Dammit, Laurie, why can't you leave well enough alone?" he snapped. "I already told you that what I said was a mistake."

She met his eyes for the first time since they'd been outside. He was amazed that he could still read her emotions after all this time. There was anger, and sadness...and--fear? Laurie's scared of me? As much as he hated admitting it, the thought gave him power. Axl liked that he could make people afraid.

Then Laurie spoke:

"Your problem is that you can't take the blame for anything, Axl. You always have to make sure that someone else is in the wrong. But when you want something, it's all about you. No one else can have an opinion."

"You already told me that, Laurie. You're so repetitive; you can't let go of anything. You always have to find the faults in everyone." His eyes were blazing. "I'm so tired of you. I can't believe you came."

"Like I wanted to," Laurie shot back. "This was a complete waste of two hours of my life."

He braced himself against a surge of rage, controlling his fists. He hated her. He hated her and yet at the same time he loved her. There was no way in hell that he could possibly keep talking to her without spontaneously combusting, but at the same time...he was having fun. Laurie was the only person in the world with whom he could be estranged for three and a half years, then see again at the Starwood and immediately begin an argument with that made perfect sense.

After a short silence, Axl said, "Well, since this was such a waste of your time, I won't bother asking you."

Her eyes flashed. "Ask me what?"

He shrugged, knowing he'd hooked her. "Nothing. I'm going back inside, meet my fans. I'll tell Slash and Duff and Izzy you said 'bye." He turned and began walking back.

Damn, why does he do that to me?

"Axl," Laurie said, "wait. I--I enjoyed the concert."

He turned. A faint smile was on his face; though his mouth was mocking, his eyes weren't.

"Did you?"

"Yeah. What'd you wanna ask me?"

He chuckled. Then his eyes grew serious.

"Laurie, I can't pretend that I haven't enjoyed seeing you again. I could send you along--let you go--but if I do I think we both know just how much we'll regret it. So I was wondering...would you like to come along on tour with us?"

Laurie swallowed. "Why?"

"Just for something to do. Jesus, Laurie, don't pretend that you're not bored as hell here. C'mon, I know you. You love doing stuff."

"You knew me three and a half years ago, Axl. I might've changed."

He stepped forward, tucked his fingers under her chin. "Laur," he whispered, and her heart jolted at the comfortable use of her old nickname, "you haven't changed."

She hesitated. Axl had been right; she knew perfectly well that she'd regret not going with them...fate had brought them together again and fate wanted Laurie to see where this was going to go.

"All right, Axl," Laurie whispered. "I'll go."

The lead vocalist gave her a genuine smile. "Great."

"What'll I do?"

He locked his eyes steady on hers. "Background singer."

She nodded. "Okay."

He paused. Then:

"Okay, that's it. You can go now."

Laurie walked to her car, got in, and drove off.

Axl watched her go. Thank God she agreed to come. I don't know what I would've done if she hadn't. But there was one problem, one that Axl didn't care to think of:

Where in the hell was Laurie going to sleep?