The Collaboration - Chapter 19
Title: The Collaboration
Author: fictionfreak15
Beta: gwencarmichael Love You!!!! <3
Pairing: Adam & OMC, Adommy
Disclaimer: This did not happen. Don't own the celebs mentioned in the story.
Warnings: This fic contains swearing, insensitive comments, some homophobia later, light violence and a dash of sex
Summary: Adam is asked to lend his vocals skills after an emotional performance at the Oscars catches the artistic interest of a "High Rock" singer named Calad, right before Adam starts working on his new music video. When the pressures of the music industry and intolerance threaten to test their abilities as artists, the friendship they have formed must hold them together.
Special Author's Note: I’ve made up a rock band in this story called Tamera’s First Born. The members of the band are completely fictional; however, any song titles, lyrics and album names are taken from the real life band Coheed an Cambria. I will post links in various chapters that will include specific Coheed and Cambria songs mentioned.
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Chapter Note: Adam records the second song with Calad, and has to say goodbye before going back to LA.
A/N: Hear another Coheed and Cambria song during this fic! It'll be the last one for a while, but listen to it if you like :)
I would like to thank everyone who has friended me since I started posting this fic as well as all of my other wonderful friends who keep coming back to make me feel like I belong here. You are all so beautiful *hugs* Love and Respect - fictionfreak15
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Chapter 19
Once again, Adam was awakened in the morning by Grady Sanchez, who'd come home so he could be there when the final track got finished. Adam woke to the feeling of his shoulder being shaken and could immediately sense how puffy his face was, either from not enough sleep or too much...he didn't know which.
"Come on, bud...time to make a paycheck," Grady said jokingly.
Adam struggled to push his heavy weight off the couch, and every joint was stiff. He groaned in pain and grogginess until he made it to a sitting position. A blanket - he wasn't sure how he'd gotten it - fell to the floor. Adam brought both hands to his face and rubbed hard, then tried his best to smooth down his hair. When he was able to open his eyes to the day-filled house, he saw Calad, who'd sat up on the loveseat but had let his head roll back. His eyes had fallen shut, and his face was covered in sleep lines.
"Come on, kid," Grady called slowly and gave his attention to making the boy rise.
After forcing themselves to get up and taking some much needed trips to the bathrooms, the singers met the rest of the band, except Mike, at the kitchen table. Grady had brought McDonald's coffee and an array of breakfast food for everyone on his way over. Adam greeted everyone and thanked the drummer for the food.
There was some small talk, Chris asking when Adam had to go back, Grady talking about this nutty dream he had the night before, involving this old guy who told Grady he'd be late for his job at the Frito Lay factory. This afforded him a laugh from everyone. Adam's main association with Grady was that he was a good storyteller.
Calad was quiet for the most part, and Adam noticed that he may have been trying to think of something to contribute to the conversation. So he decided to try and help. He asked what was the weirdest dream Calad ever had.
Shyly, Calad said, "Aw, you guys don't want to know about that." This only caused everyone to rise in a chorus to the contrary. Looking around, Calad saw them all grinning in anticipation and knew they weren't going to let it pass. So he picked a dream from his memory and began.
"Well, as a matter of fact - since we have Adam here - I actually had a dream about American Idol one time."
This surprised and confused his band mates. Adam just laughed. "You're kidding!" he exclaimed.
"I didn't know you watched it," said Chris.
"I...well, I didn't...I don't, really," said Calad in all honesty. He gave an apologetic glance at Adam for some reason, and Adam only smiled. Then he continued. "I was watching it on TV - in my dream - and I only remember that, for some reason, Christian Slater was a guest judge." The group let out a collective guffaw at that. "I don't know who was singing on the live show. I don't think it was anybody, and I don't remember the song really; I just know that Christian Slater was really excited. He was mouthing along with the words with a wide smile on his face and tears rolling down his eyes, like a teenage girl at some Michael Jackson concert!"
There was already a roll of laughter coming from everyone at the table. Adam was delighted, and the band didn't know their front man could be funny.
When breakfast was over, everyone broke to change and get ready for the day. Adam, in the bathroom, noticed that he'd slept here in Milwaukee without changing into the bed clothes he'd packed yet again. He showered, shaved, and put on yet another outfit for the day. All the while, he hummed to himself because he was actually in a good mood.
Johnny showed up around 10 o'clock. Chris was hanging out in the living room, continuing a game he was playing on the X Box the previous night, and Johnny, Grady, Calad, and Adam went back into the studio. Calad offered for Grady to go hang out because it would be a while before they'd be ready to record. Grady declined, wanting to listen in on the practice.
Calad went to a folder inside the sound proof room and handed another piece of sheet music and lyrics to Adam. It was entitled, 'The Telling Truth'.
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An hour and a half hour later, Adam had every note, word, and hook down with every perfect style and vocal flavor in place. As Grady went to go get Chris so he could listen, Adam got into character.
For this song, much of it was sung as a duet with Adam performing the harmonies again, singing the lyrics that still made no sense to him, but by this point, he didn't care. Their takes were long before Johnny would stop them for one reason or another. Adam really enjoyed himself while singing with Calad, feeding off each other's energy. They were on fire during all of it. One part in particular came after a total break in the instruments and began again with the music and the vocals coming back in at the same time, all beats identical.
If then...should they...come home...
With failed...attempt...we'll know...
I won't...leave stone...unturned...
These worlds...will surely...burn!
This rolled into a phenomenal play of notes on one word sung by both singers. Calad rolling eighth notes up and down on the low parts, and Adam soared above him, singing long and powerful notes on the same word.
The song completed in a rather energetic verse with the reprise chorus following it.
The Telling Truth
When recording wrapped, Calad gave Adam a huge hug. He was shaking from relief and happiness, and was crying before he even realized it. It was something that any artist under pressure would do, and Calad had been fretting for a long time without showing it to hardly anyone. Finally, the dam had broken, and the young High Rocker just couldn't help it. Adam just held him, his head turned away from the glass wall so that no one could see him cry when Calad cried.
The rest of the guys waited until Adam was able to calm the boy down a bit before entering to congratulate him and Adam on their masterful triumph. Hugs all around, whoops and hollering in celebration, and Calad just seemed high on joy. Adam couldn't stop smiling and applauding, and he even complied happily when Chris offered a high five. Then he stood back with a proud, quiet smile on his face, watching Tamera's First Born practically worship Calad.
Later that evening, after a quick dinner of leftover pizza (Adam, calculating in his head how many hours he would have to spend on the treadmill to burn off all the weight he was surely gaining), things finally started to settle down. Grady was on the phone outside with their manager telling him that he could tell Grant that the record was done. Adam was packing his things back up in Calad's room, and Calad came in.
"Hey..." Adam looked up with a smile.
"Hey, Adam..." Calad greeted, stepping into the room, plopping down on the bed, and watching the pop singer refold his clothes.
"What's up?"
Calad said, "The guys and I were wondering if you wanted to come out with us. There's this bar Grady knows down town. They have live bands on Friday nights, he says."
Adam almost pouted. "Oh man, I'd love to keep hanging out with you, but my plane leaves at seven. I gotta get to the airport pretty soon. Traveling isn't as easy or quick when I'm on my own. Plus, I don't do well in public places, unannounced with no body guards."
Calad didn't think if Adam Lambert appeared in the type of head banger's joint they were going to, that the normal clientele would stir up much of a fuss. Just too much of a different world from where Adam's fame derived from. Calad only nodded though, deciding it was pointless to correct his assumption about appearing without body guards. He did want to make sure he offered though.
"I understand. I wish we could keep hanging out, too. I'm so happy right now, and it's all because of you," said Calad.
Adam scoffed modestly, zipping up his bag and sitting on the bed across from him. "You wrote it..." he said. "I just sang it."
"It wouldn't have been the same without you, though. I've never been able to reproduce something so perfectly in the recording studio to compare with what I heard in my head." Calad looked away. "I wish everyone could hear it right now."
Adam watched him thoughtfully. "Hey...you know what keeps getting better? We're not even done yet. You still have a video to shoot with me in a couple weeks. We can hang out then."
Calad smiled, "I wouldn't miss it for the world!" He wasn't referring to the shoot. Then he frowned as if Adam had caught him without realizing it. "I...in all of the excitement, I forgot to tell them about the video." He meant his band.
Adam waved it off. "This is your night, Calad. You don't have to tell them right away. Just enjoy what you've accomplished, and when you're ready, you'll tell them."
Calad paused for a long moment, pondering. "It's going to feel like talking to strangers. I don't know how they'll react. Before, I didn't care...but...what if they don't like the idea?"
Adam recalled them having this conversation a while ago, only it was Adam with the worries. Adam just said the same thing Calad told him. "Soon they're gonna be so wrapped up in all the records that'll be sold, it won't even matter. Remember?"
Calad smiled, trying to feel more confident.
Adam frowned again. "Do you want me to tell them?"
Calad shook his head. "No, they're my band. Besides, I still don't mind the concept you mentioned, and if they have issues with it, then we're gonna have to work it out on our own. I'm just nervous because I didn't talk to them about it before I agreed to do it. They didn't like the last time I did that."
Adam put his hand on Calad's wrist, feeling comfortable to do so. "Calad, you do what you need to do. Truth be told, you are going out on a limb here and making yourself vulnerable. If they have a problem with the video in general or the fact that you're in it with me, and if you decide you can't do it, then don't do it, Calad. There's still time to pull out of this thing if you have to. I'd rather change the entire concept of the video than hurt your career...or you."
Calad looked at him sadly, a 'kill me with kindness' feeling falling over him.
Adam let go of the boy's wrist. "Don't worry about it tonight, like I said. Tomorrow, if you need to talk about it, call me. I'm here for you."
Calad looked down. "I want to be in the video, though."
Adam smiled. "You'll do what's right, man. And only you can decide what that is. Come on, you think I had an easy time deciding whether to call you? It took Monte and Tommy two days just to get me to listen to the CD you sent. This is just a decision that you'll have to make, and you'll have your band to back you up."
Calad wasn't so sure. He said, "I wish I could go with you, Adam. I don't feel like saying goodbye just yet."
Adam reached over on a nightstand and grabbed the baseball cap he'd been wearing the night he traveled to Milwaukee. He put it on his head with a sigh and looked at Calad sympathetically. "I'm gonna be so busy in the next couple weeks we wouldn't even have time to hang out." He was trying to make it sound like a consolation.
"I'll see you in less than a month, and we can call each other, and you're not gonna know where the time went; you'll be so busy back here. The video shoot will be here before you know it...if you're able to do it, that is." Adam smirked.
Adam said his goodbyes to the guys, thanking them for the invitation to go out and for taking care of him while he was in their home. Calad helped him carry his bags out to the rental car and load them into the back seat. They hugged one more time and said they'd talk soon. Adam got in, starting the engine, and while pulling out of his space as Calad looked on, he shouted out of the car window, "Have a good time tonight, and GET SOME SLEEP!"
Calad laughed and waved as Adam drove off headed the drive way, honking the horn a few times in farewell.
End Of Chapter 19