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The ride out to Starkweather Ranch isn't a short one to begin with and you don't even go in the ranch's main entrance. You go further past the open cattle fields and towards the wooded edges, eventually turning off the main road onto a smooth and cleared paved driveway. The tree beside it has orange balloons attached to mark it, because it is hard to see unless you know where to look.
A short ways down is a tall locked gate. It's unmanned but a keen eye will notice the multiple cameras, included two in the trees. The gate unlocks with a heavy clunk and opens to more winding pavement in the forest. Finally, the trees give way to a clearing and in that clearing is more than Calvin's 'modest cabin in the woods'.
Calvin lives in a stunning luxury 2-story log home. There is a three car garage, a paved, snow-free front drive (It's heated!). There are huge windows in the front, revealing rustic sitting rooms. The front porch is massive with luxe seating and swings.
There are plenty of vehicles outside, at least seven, including an old conversion van that just screams 'I'm in a band'. The front double doors swing open, dramatically to reveal a smiling black woman in her thirties. "Hey y'all! Cal sent me to fetch you. I'm Iris, I'm one of his backup singers." Her accent is Texan, but faded. "We're mostly jamming in the music room. And, uh, the party is dry but there is wine to go with dinner." She steps aside to let the guests in.
Then there is the foyer. The double staircase draws the eye with its solid build of wood and stone. Above are massive skylights that show the beautiful blue skies about. A second person rushes over to help take coats. A red haired fellow who looks to be in his mid twenties. "Let's get you lot unwrapped, eh?" He sounds British. As he and Iris fuss over winter wear, one would notice that there is music in this house. A guitar plays and Calvin is singing a duet of some sort with another woman. Someone is on drums, keeping a simple beat. After some laughter and cheering a bass is added to the song. Trey points down one of the hallways. "Music room's that way. Go on ahead. I'm Trey, by the way." He turns to Iris and says quietly. "We can talk about Dex now. Can you believe it?" Iris has nothing to add but a shocked gasp.
This was a room that was never on the tour Vic received. It was just shut set of double doors when she was here. Shut and locked with extra security. Now the doors are open and happiness pours from the sunlit room.
*
Vic hasn't celebrated Thanksgiving in a long, long time. However, when a certain blue-eyed hunk of a Rockstar invites you and your assistant to share it with his band? You do not say no. Especially after an evening of Hallmark Christmas movies in his home theater. The detective was told it is very, very casual, so she's in jeans, winter boots, and a festive dark-blue sweater with white snowflakes knit into the pattern. That of course is under several layers of scarf and coat and hat and gloves because this cold stuff sucks when you aren't overheated from processing a bunch of booze in your system.
She has a bag in hand, with some fruit tray or the like bought en route at a grocery store, as well as a pair of wrapped package with Calvin's name on them, a simple thank you for the invitation. When Iris unbundles them and Trey helps, Vic looks just a little overwhelmed by all the attention. "I brought fruit," she manages to blurt out, handing off that part of the package before being hustled into the music room, wide-eyed, with her assistant.
*
Willow doesn't have formal clothes so it's just as well it is casual. Should it be this casual though? Boots, tights, denim shorts, tank top…and her absolutely huge ex-Army jacket that is the only thing keeping the cold out. Well…that and her beanie and scarf combination. She has brought bags too, not even showing Vic what was in them. As her jacket is taken, she asks Iris, "Is there a bathroom?" Not every house has one!
Willow was disappointed that her boyfriend didn't show up, and she's had no news from him at all, but it doesn't take long for her to get happy again. Vic is happy so how could she not? Her bags are not handed on. "Hello, Iris. Hello, Trey. I bet people are always asking you for drinks" she grins to the latter. "Trey. Drink tray." He'll catch up. She looks to Vic. "I thought we were going to Calvin's house, not a hotel."
*
Iris handles the fruit with a cooing noise. "Oh, how nice!" She points out the bathrooms to Willow. Two on the first, one in the basement and 'a bunch' upstairs. Trey gives Willow a polite sort of snort at her comment. "Never heard that one…" He mutters. Trey winds up taking wrapped packages from Vic. "I'll put these someone safe, yeah?"
From the front, this should be a sitting room. But no, this is the room behind it. This is the room where the magic happens. It's huge, to begin with, floor to ceiling windows that look out into the backyard. Along the other walls are glass cases with Calvin's awards. The Grammys. The Emmy. The Oscar has it's own stand, lighting and plaque. The rest of the wall space is for the gold and platinum records that he's amassed.
While the room is mostly open carpeted space and some of the plushest couches and chairs you'll ever sit in, the main event in decor is the antique grand piano. There's a guy sitting on the bench, recording this jam session on his phone. The drums are manned by a very pretty and prim blonde woman in her mid-thirties who is wearing heels while she kicks the bass drum. The singing woman is a heavyset brunette with her long hair in a braid. She has a strong voice one might imagine in a church choir.
On bass is a black man who looks roughly Calvin's age, the other guitar is being picked up by a beanpole of a young man. Tall, thin with dark hair that is bound up in a man bun. And in the middle of this band reunion is Calvin. Who is dressed in a grease stained t-shirt and jeans. His hair is pulled up at the top, probably an effort to keep it out of his eyes. The song is Fireworks and Flame. One of Calvin's earlier songs. An upbeat country song that wasn't originally a duet. It is now.
The welcoming party enters the room and sits to watch, beckoning Willow and Vic over to sit.
*
"This is Calvin's house. Not even the main house his parents live in. Just his 'little', modest house," Vic stage-whispers to Willow. She's glad she's not the only one totally awestruck by the place. She tried a few times to see what her assistant was bringing, to no avail. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold as she hands off the bag of gifts to Trey with an awkward smile. Socialization has become foreign to her.
As the get into the music room proper, she looks around in amazement. Seeing the awards on TV is one thing, seeing them in person is altogether more impressive. She shuffles over to a seat near where Calvin is, the only person she actually knows outside of her assistant. "How long has this been going on?" she whispers to Iris. "And has he been working on the Jag today?" because grease stains.
*
Willow disappears into the bathroom, though it takes a while for her to decide which one to go to. So many choices! And none of them is a bucket. When she re-emerges, she is in a turkey outfit. An old, battered, turkey outfit…but definitely turkey. People have always said she has chicken legs so turkey can't be too far away. Her face seen in the throat of the costume as she waddles into the music room. "Happy Thanksgiving!" she yells out, arms upraised in triumph.
A happy wave for Calvin. "Really nice house you have" she grins. "Vic said this was the small one?" A sage nod of her head. "I really should get into music. Ooh…you have a statue of a naked man." She bounces over to check out the Oscar, arms (and therefore wings) flapping as she does so. "What are you all singing? I know songs. Do you know 'Baby Got Back'?" Willow still clutches another plastic bag.
*
"How long? I'm not sure. Cal and Ryder," She indicates the beanpole guitar player. "—were messing around when I got here. That was just 'round noon. We've been just talkin' and playin' ever since. Sasha got here about an hour ago. She hasn't seen Cal in a long while so she begged to sing this song." Sasha must be the heavyset one. "I think he was workin' on the Jag and just hasn't had a chance to change yet. He's having such a good time." Iris says and there is this relief in her voice.
The song is winding down when Willow appears. The gathered musicians have unique reactions. Piano guy turns his phone right to Willow, still recording. Trey bursts into laughter, which triggers Sasha the singer into the same. Iris and the bassist looks embarrassed for Willow while Ryder, the beanpole on guitar looks annoyed.
Calvin laughs. "Is that a challenge?" He looks over to see Vic and his whole face seems to get brighter. "Hey…" And it's like he doesn't know what else to says. He turns back to Willow. "I said causal, not costume. He swings his guitar to his back so he can walk over to the turkey and give her a hug. "No, it's not the small one. I just always call this modest and apparently I'm wrong about that assessment." He side-eyes Vic. "That's my Oscar, Willow. I managed to win one. Workin' on that Tony though." He crosses to Vic now. The guitar and bass players are muttering to one another as the soccer mom on drums shuffles over to them.
Calvin spreads his arm to Vic. "Bring it it. I'm so glad you came, I really am. All I ever want to spend the holidays with people I love and care about. Let me go around the room here. You are looking at The Fifth Chance. We've been together for a long time. I plunked a few up out of high school but they've been putting up with me. You have Ryder on guitar and vocals, Oscar on bass, Lydia on drums, Trey is the new kid on keyboard and turntable. Iris and Sasha are my feminine side as backup vocal. Credence, over on the bench, will be producing our next album." Calvin is just beaming as he introduces his band.
And suddenly, the musicians break and start up. The bass line might be familiar. Calvin knows it and bursts into…rap.
"I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny…"
*
When Willow makes her grand entrance, Vic looks momentarily mortified. She really should have insisted on checking those bags, and then burnt the turkey outfit. But it is so perfectly Willow, that after a solid ten seconds of mouth agape staring at the girl, she bursts into a bark of a laugh. It is really hard to be grumpy around someone who is that happy all the damned time.
When Calvin offers up a hug, she flushes a deeper shade of red for a moment before she's sliding into his arms to hug him tightly. "Thanks for the invite. You're likely saving Willow and I from food poisoning if the two of us attempted to cook a turkey," she points out with a husky laugh. She nods her head to each person as they are introduced. "I'm Vic, this is Willow. I've known Calvin since high school myself."
Then there is Sir-Mix-a-Lot and a lot more laughter coming from the PI.
*
"Hello Oscar" Willow grins to the naked gold man before nodding to Calvin. "Tony is another guy you want to have a naked statue of?" A curious look at Vic of the 'are you sure he's not gay' kind. Willow happily hugs Calvin back. "Have you ever seen a turkey dressed formally? Sorry my boyfriend couldn't come. He didn't show up and I can't get in touch with him. I'm sure he's fine though."
Willow waves to everyone as she's introduced - even grumpy Ryder. Though, once she spots Calvin and Vic hugging, she shoots on over with…mistletoe!! A shame she's so tiny, since she can't hold it above them, more in the general vicinity. And once that song starts…ever seen a turkey twerk? Or is that twerkey? Whatever it is called, it is happening, as Willow does her best to dance in her outfit. "Sing it!"
*
Calvin and crew can't make it through the whole song before they begin to dissolve into laughter, one by one. The twerkey broke Ryder and that was the beginning of the end of that. The drummer leans on Calvin and says, "We should do that on the next cover album." She's a small girl too and has to pull Cal down to kiss his cheek. The group begins to filter out and about the room with the drummer, bassist and the producer heading towards the kitchen. Calvin winds up plopping down beside Vic. He's a little sweaty and flushed. Barefoot and stained. His shirt rides up a bit and his jeans are low on his hips. The navel view is nice. "Hey." There he goes again. "I'm glad you're here. You look nice." Beat. "But Willow is a turkey so…" He grins.
Meanwhile, Ryder taps Willow on the shoulder. "You need help hanging that?" He gestures to the mistletoe. He is pretty tall.
*
Oh God she brought mistletoe too. Willow has now gained the pronoun "instigator" in Vic's mental rolodex. When Calvin plops down beside her she can't help but give the general bared skin area a glance and oh god, the man has a body under his flannel cowboy uniforms. She swallows and gives him a warm smile. "I'm glad you asked us. You look," tasty, "like you've been busy today. Working on the Jag? Should have told me, I'd have brought my overalls and helped. I'm not a half bad mechanic. Might not join the sing along since I don't drink anymore but still," she grins at him and gives him a little shoulder bump of solidarity.
"The band seems amazing. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who has your back," she adds, giving a little side-eye at the drummer who seems to be distinctly Calvin's marrying type. Jealousy maybe?
*
Willow grins at the man looming over her - at least he doesn't look so grumpy now. "Please. Make sure it hangs over the heads of Vic and Calvin" she notes with a wave towards the pair. "Oh…but it has to be mobile too so we can take it wherever we're eating. Is that where they're going?" The comb of her costume keeps flopping over her face and she has to blow it to one side. Wheels turn in her mind as she looks at Calvin and Vic, then her eyes pop open for a moment before whispering to Ryder. "We should give them some time" she whispers, gesturing for him to follow her out. Quietly. So, of course, she trips over a spare cymbal stand, sending it to the floor with a crash. And herself.
*
Ryder rolls his eyes and helps Willow back to her feet. "I'm going to hang it over the door here. See, lots of people stop there. It'll be festive." He pauses a moment and adds in a whisper. "You can't force it. You can't even nudge it. You only give it space to grow." He stands up straight then. "The food's buffet, free for all style. Some catered. Some home cooked. I think Mateo said he was going to deep fry the turkey. Wanna see if he managed?"
Meanwhile, Calvin nods. "Yeah, we're been through thick and thin. Seventeen years. Lydia and Oscar and Ryder are originals. The rest we've picked up over the years. Ryder was still in high school when we got signed." He leans forward to pick up his dropped guitar. He strums idly. "You are welcome to sing-a-long with us. We always end up trying to outdo one another in Christmas songs. Hey, uh, didn't you sing in high school? With the Glee Club?"
*
Vic doesn't even notice the mistletoe hanging because dammit. Blue eyes. They're like bear traps for the soul. "I," Vic rubs at her temple with a finger for a moment. "I haven't sung much since then. Karaoke when I was plastered, sure. But sober singing? I don't even know if I can," she admits. "Man I was such a little goody-goody back in high school. Then it was all police academy and the thin blue line and then a decade and a half that's basically a blur of whiskey haze." She tilts her head a little to regard him. "I haven't seen you this relaxed and happy before, I don't think. This is really nice. I'm glad you did this."
*
"Deep friend turkey? Cool" Willow grins as she gets to her feet, pointing down at the large slippers that are part of the suit. "I can understand why turkeys are never able to get away now." She will waddle out with Ryder, a brief glance back at the pair which brings a smile to her face and a song to her heart…which she then broadcasts to the world as she heads for the food. The words of 'Bad Touch' filling the hall. "You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery channel."
*
Calvin chuckles at Willow singing and then falls silent. He keeps his eyes on the guitar, the room, anything but Vic. "If you liked to sing, you should do it more. No one has to make a career out of it." He smiles a little. "I…I feel good today. I haven't been with all of my bandmates at once since Dex's funeral. We tried Thanksgiving last year but not everyone could make it and I was a dick to those that did. I banned all talk about Dex. It was so stupid and I was sober. No one to blame but myself. And we didn't even jam. We chatted. We ate and then it was just me in this big ol' house." He sighs. "But today…for a few moments, I felt whole." He shudders and grunts. "I was in this zone and I wasn't the one left behind. I have to get back into this. I have to work again. I know this now." He strums out the opening to Fire and Rain. "It started with this song. That benefit."
*
Vic takes in a slow breath as he strums out the beginning of the song, and she then begins to sing, softly at first, and uncertainly, until she finds her voice and breath, and courage again. It's as raspy and rough as one might think, but the woman can actually sing.
"Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone. Just
Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you.
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song,
I just can't remember who to send it to.
I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you again."
*
<FS3> Vic rolls Singing: Great Success. (6 2 7 5 8 5 5 7 7)
<FS3> Calvin rolls Singing: Good Success. (5 4 6 7 5 6 7 5)
*
Calvin sings along, stumbling a bit as he looks at Vic like she grew another head. He keeps playing and singing until My body's aching and my time is at handAnd I won't make it any other way//…
His voice cracks and he stops. "Sorry…something about that fucking song. When Dex died, it just seemed to play on a loop. There was nothing special about it to either of us before. Just another song I like but suddenly…it was all I could hear." He looks at Vic now, really looks at her. "You have an amazing voice. It's not pretty, so to speak but it's got character. I prefer that, honestly." He looks away a moment and there is something on his mind but, he hasn't got the words.
*
Vic is red in the face at the compliments, and looks like she's a bit in shock that she just sang with Calvin Fucking Shay of her own free will without a bottle of bourbon in her. She chews on her bottom lip to try and quell the blush. "Ah, thanks. I'm pretty rusty and a bit more, ah, raspy these days. Thank you for that though, I think I've been locking that away for a long time." She smiles at him genuinely. "I forgot what it felt like to sing. I used to love it more than air when I was in high school, before the adult world intervened and it all became about jobs and such."
*
"See, I skipped all that shit and became a rock star instead." Calvin says, laughing. "Some saying out there. Make your passion your job and never work another day in your life? Something like that. Well, it's bullshit and I woke up many, many mornings wishing I never had to sing another fucking note or play another damn chord." He smiles. "But, at the end of the day, I love making music." He reaches over and touches her blushing cheek. "Christ, I forgot who I was. You sang with Calvin Shay AND he said it sounded -amazing-. I'd piss myself if I were not me." He winks. "Keep singing, Vic. If it makes you happy, keep singing." Then he looks away again and after a deep breath, he says. "Vic, uh…I have really enjoyed spending time with you. Even the ugly detox days. I just…liked being with you."
*
Vic is definitely not going to stop blushing now. He's touching her face! Her heart may be trying to pound right out of her damned chest. He helped her through all the detoxing with no seizures and now she's going to have heart failure right here on his couch! She forces herself to breathe a bit slower. Cop training, cop training. "I've enjoyed it too. I've spent a long time alone, not letting anyone get close. But you're really, really hard to shoo away. Even puking my guts out in front of you for a week couldn't chase you off. You are one strong soul for that, Calvin," she says quietly, with a smile. "I think I've talked more to you than any other human in the last fifteen years. Including Willow. She usually does the talking and I just grunt and nod when she pauses."
*
Calvin chuckles out of pure nervousness. "I…it's—I've been alone too. N-Not as long or…" He thinks, leaning on the guitar. "I always had Dex but there were always going to be parts of ourselves the other couldn't touch. I mean, Dex was gay. In the nineties when AIDS was peaking and his friends were dying and I could never understand that. I was a rock star. Am. Whatever. I was always being watched. Either some handler or assistant or some fucking zoom lens hiding in the bushes. Dex didn't get that. The fame part. He worked in the industry but he was just my manager. He was no one without me, which is fine but it doesn't help with understanding. So yeah, I was alone in that way. Once his health began to decline, the gap got wider…my point is," He laughs. "It's been a hard few years and I've been shutting down for ages. I've been a machine, just moving with the cogs. And…being with you, Vic has made me feel a bit more human. More like myself."
*
"You've done the same for me, Calvin," Vic admits in a soft tone. "After my husband died, I was pretty much done with the world. I lived inside a bottle. I only crawled out briefly now and then to try and help people who couldn't get help from anywhere else. The police failed me, one of their own, and I understood these other people who were at the end of their rope trying to get some closure. But I never had any. So instead I closed myself off, from friends, from family, from the very concept of joy or love or belonging." She looks down at her fingers for a moment, where there is that pale ring that never quite tans, where her wedding band once resided. "But now I want to know those things again. I want to be alive again. Is that insane?"
*
"Nope." Calvin says simply, looking down again. He doesn't really blush in a way one can easily see. He's all beard and long hair and blue eyes with a ruddy complexion. But, today, with his hair held up and out of his eyes, you can see the way the heat rises around his ears. "It's like you've been asleep. You don't really remember when you fell asleep and you wake up and realize all this fucking time has gone by. People have moved around you and past you and you just had no damn clue. But, you are awake now." He finally look at Vic and meets her eyes. "We both are." He lets that hang for a moment, glancing away at the darkening light. "You wanna do this together, Vic?"
*
There is a long, long moment where she just meets those blue eyes, and her own dark ones are fathomless with a world of hopes and dreams and fears and pain, but that hope is shining there for the first time in a very, long time. She takes in a breath and holds it a moment, before her head bobs just a tiny fraction. "Yes, do you?" she replies, asking the question back of him as her hand moves to settle on the one on top of his guitar.
*
"Yep." Calvin says without hesitation. "Would I ask if my answer was no?" He smirks and takes her hand. "I'm not always an easy man. My more laid back nature is the result of hard work in a therapist's office. I can be moody and nitpicky and hot tempered. Although you are the kinda woman who can use words to strip the paint off of walls, you have not been divorced twice. I don't even speak to my ex-wives." He snorts. "Don't let me talk you out of it though. I did get married three times." Beat. "The first was annulled. I never count it."
*
"God dammit, Calvin, stop babbling about your exes and kiss me already, would you!?" Vic says in exasperation, squeezing his hand.
*
Calvin laughs, sharp and loud. "I didn't want to do anything you didn't want me to do! Damn, woman." He leans in and slips one hand behind her neck. He pauses a moment and looks into her eyes. He breaths out a little chuckle and kisses her. It's deep and passionate and scratchy and perfect.
*
And when he does, Vic seems to melt into it. It may have been a long time, but she hasn't forgotten how to kiss a man who seems to push all her buttons without even trying. Her fingers curl into his grease-stained tee and no doubt there are titters coming from the other room. But she just plain doesn't care. She's kissing the man who's been her first dear friend in ages, who just happens to be a Rockstar, and goddamned Calvin Shay. There is a whole lot to be thankful for today.
*
Calvin parts first but takes a moment to lay his head on Vic's shoulder. He seems relieved, or maybe just at ease. He kisses her neck softly and whispers. "Watch this. Shh." Calvin gets up and very quietly walks to the door. Someone closed it behind them. He swings it open dramatically to find each one of his bandmates lined up along the hallways. Some have plates in their hands. After a moment of silence, the entire group laughs and hoots and teases one another in that way only long time friends could. Finally, Calvin whistles for silence. "This is the last time I am inviting any of you nosy assholes to my house. Let's have that toast you wanted, Iris and then…we jam. Vic's got a voice. She'll be joining us." He looks at Vic in a way that says, this is not a request. "What are we toasting to anyway?"
"To the family you have and the one you make. And one badass album because I have bills to pay."