FicWad

~Saturday Night~

Christine had spent the majority of the day with Meg, the two had relished in the lack of practice and returned to the apartment they shared to pick up more clothes and personal effects along with Christine's car. With the tour coming up they wouldn't really be using it much but it was the first thing she'd ever bought for herself and didn't want to just leave it parked at her complex.

Meg sat in her passenger seat as they drove back to Erik's estate, "That has to be the most strenuous week I have ever worked through, so how's your voice?" She asked resting against the seat watching her friend drive.

Christine just smiled at her, "Much better, Attila the voice coach let me rest for a day; made me drink this wicked nasty tea but it helped my voice. So...what is the plan for tonight?" She slowed down to stop at a red light putting her five-speed into neutral. She loved her silver Nissan 350z; she'd first seen the car in a magazine and was in love from that point on every dollar she had extra went into savings so she could purchase one.

Meg smiled as Christine took off and started pulling into driveway to Erik's estate, "Well I just got a text message before we left the apartment that Raoul and the band is going out to The Crobar tonight; kinda like Yay! First week over! Plus I know all the dancers are going to SOL to escape this place." At the moment her phone beeped again she lifted the phone up again and smiled it was Raoul confirming if she wanted to go tonight with him.

Christine shook her head, "I got that message too, and I think it'll be fun but I am all about getting some sleep too. I'm not about partying till the wee hours of the night, not with three weeks of practice left still." She couldn't help but giggle at the expression on Meg's face, "What?!"

Meg's eyes were wide, "You! Not about partying?" Meg rolled her eyes and just laughed, they had been friends for a long time and Christine was definitely about partying. She held her hands up and shook her head, "Ok ok...so shut it and just come for a little then you can go to bed, grandma!"

The two pulled up into the garage for the tour crew, Christine pulled in and turned off her car. "I didn't say I don't want to go it's just...You know." The two got out of the car and started gathering their stuff to take up to their rooms.

Meg rolled her eyes, "Know what? Oh...oh! Ok I got it now." The two started heading into the house carrying their two bags up to their room, Meg just sighed, "Girl you've got it bad! Ok listen we aren't leaving for another hour or so, I think you'd have a good time and it would be nice to just relax for a bit but let me know. I am jumping in the shower real quick."

Christine set her stuff on her bed and nodded to Meg, "I'll think about it, want me to let you know if your phone rings while you're in the shower?"

"Yah could you, I told Raoul I was going but just in case he needed anything else just let me know I won't be long," Meg smiled at her and retreated into the bathroom carrying her robe and CD player.

"Too goofy!" She laughed as she started hanging up her clothes and putting her other personal items away. It had been a long week and though she wanted to go out to have a good time she had to admit staying in had its good qualities too. The house would be practically empty since everyone had plans for the night and she could just relax; there would be plenty of time to be out partying all night during the tour. As she was putting her jewelry away her phone started ringing, picking it up she looked at the screen; a confused look passed her face as she hit the answer button, "Hello?"

"Christine, Hon; how are you tonight?" Nick's voice sounded chipper through the phone, he decided the best way to motivate Erik was the one person who had had contact with him, the one person he seemed to respond to. Rebound or not; Christine had somehow made it through the walls Erik had up and for a brief moment brought him out of himself.

A confused look past over her features as she sat down on her bed, "Hi Nick, I'm good and yourself?" Of all the people she had expected or hoped would call, Nick was not on that list; she'd only talked with him once or twice since she'd been here and most of the time at practices he didn't even notice she was there.

"Wonderful, ok so Erik has just returned from his trip and really wants to spend some time in the studio with you tonight working on some of the songs from his new cd, are you free?" Nick took a long drag on his cigarette waiting for her answer, this was a dangerous set up and it could completely back fire on him if Erik didn't cooperate. "I mean if you have other plans I'm sure he'd understand..."

Christine jumped up quickly from the bed, "No...no of course! I don't have any plans, what time does he want to meet there?" She moved over to the dresser to look in the mirror waiting for Nick's response. Her hands automatically went to her hair attempting to calm the stray hairs going wild from the drive home in the car.

A sly smile crossed him lips at the excitement in her voice, Nick took another drag off his cigarette blowing out the smoke as he answered, "Well I think he said about half an hour, at the studio; I'll let him know you'll meet him. Thanks sweets!" Nick hit the end button and smiled he had no doubt that getting Christine to jump would be easy; his only fight would come with Erik, 'the hermit himself.' He thought aggressively as he hit the speed dial on his phone for Erik's cell, more than likely he'd have to go to his room and coax him out that is if he wasn't already drunk.

Christine threw her phone on her bed, "30 minutes! Only 30 minutes to get ready and be at the studio." She ran to her closet to start looking for something to wear, she wanted to be cute but if they were going to be at the studio for a while she needed to be comfortable; not to mention she wanted to look good but not like she was trying too hard, "AH! Being a chick sucks!" She cried out and started getting ready.

**
By the third ring Nick was ready to hang up and just make his way to Erik's room but the ring was cut short and a deep voice answer, "Hello?" Nick smiled and responded quickly, "Erik...didn't think you'd answer bro. How are you?"

Erik's eyebrow arched at Nick's cheerful response, "Yes well one does answer a phone when it rings, but I'm fine and you?" Erik had spent the rest of the day after his insightful conversation with Annette cleaning up the mess that was his room, it actually felt therapeutic to clean up the wreckage. After a few hours his room actually looked presentable so he took a long hot shower to ease his stressed and strained body, finally coming to rest on his bed for a long overdue peaceful slumber. His tormented self finally allowing him to sleep without dream or nightmare for a few uninterrupted hours.

Nick chuckled a bit over the phone, "I'm fine but I was wondering just what was on your agenda for the rest of the evening?"

Erik was a little hesitant to respond, but curiosity got the better of him, "I've got no plans, was just going to stay inside for the night, maybe go to bed early. Why?"

Nick smiled to himself, "Well I've been talking all week with Tracey the voice coach, and I guess Christine took her constructive criticism a little far. So I assume to prove Tracey wrong; she over sang and strained her voice."

Erik became instantly concerned, he'd heard Christine sing on a few occasions now and knew she was far beyond the need for Tracey as a voice coach. If she had strained her voice it definitely wasn't good, "How badly did she strain her voice?"

At the concern in Erik's voice Nick gave himself a pat on the back, "Oh not bad but you'd have to be the judge of that, and she took a few days off to recuperate. I just think it would be best if you worked with her rather than Tracey; not to mention you do have those songs that need accompaniment and the few duets to work on with her."

"I agree with you Nick, I don't need Tracey ruining Christine's voice like she did to Carlotta's," Erik never really liked Carlotta's voice but after Tracey was done with her it was terribly difficult to stand.

"My thoughts exactly and that's the main reason I called; Christine would like to get some one on one work with you." Nick didn't want it to seem like he had any part in this setup. "She's actually heading to the studio to do some work in about 20 minutes; I told her you would join her."

Erik was a little hesitant to respond; there was something off about the whole situation. A young, vibrant woman wanting to work on a Saturday night rather than party after a long week of practice just didn't sound right. "Nick; it's Saturday night." He pointed out matter of factly.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Yah got that, but she's real nervous Erik. Think you could spare some time to impart some wisdom on her? I told everyone you were away on business this week and when she called me all upset; well I told her you'd just got back and wanted to work with her a little...so?"

Erik paused for a moment and looked at the clock, he could use some time out of this room, not to mention the night was still very young, "Alright, I'll meet her...you said she was heading to the studio?"

"Yep in about 15 minutes now, great to hear!" A bright smile formed on his lips, Nick couldn't help but feel just a bit cocky. "Oh will you be joining us on Monday?" He threw out at the end snidely.

Erik just rolled his eyes at Nick's ramblings only to become agitated at his last question, rather than justifying it with an answer he just hung up. If Christine was on her way there in a few minutes he wanted to get somewhat presentable.

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who keeps reviewing! You know who you are!!! I hope I keep entertaining you.