[NYC] On route

[notskywalker]

Who: Tab & Luke
Where: On route to NYC
When: Monday evening
Follows: THIS and THIS___________________________________________________

Comments

[asinthecity]

Tab had been watching him the entire time, but for once she'd kept her tactless mouth shut. She knew it was just because Luke cared about his cousin, and if she'd been able to make the car go faster, she would have. She also would have offered to hand feed him while he drove if hadn't have wanted to pull into McDonald's.

She managed to swallow the giant bite of her burger, but remained oblivious to a spot of sauce on the corner of her mouth. "Both of them are good. RJ's doing okay considering. Still can't believe it... can you imagine being a kid and not being in control of your body getting diabetes? Hard enough for adults... Tara and Lachlan are kind of going crazy, but my brother made them get sleep and stuff. I think it helps them knowing they have a whole army on hand to help with RJ. Pat's doing pretty well, but I think he said something about Aiden't BFF getting sick."

[notskywalker]

Luke poured his fries all out onto one of his napkins and proceeding to dig the pickles out of his Quarter Pounder and wipe the sauce off with another napkin. So, he was picky when it came to crap on his burger. He was Aussie. Salad should be on a burger. "I remember Lachlan saying there was a chance it might happen. But at the same time, that's why he's been an unhappy little guy. I'd be screaming my lungs out if I was feeling sick and no one knew. He's seems really content when he's not crying."

He nodded and after a brief thought, shoved some of the fries on the burger in place of the pickles. "I can't believe Andy's been hurt. Some bastard pushing him just for coming to help. I mean, what the fuck? It's like... like..." He glanced at her, not wanting to nudge at a raw nerve. "Well, it's kind of like Riley's situation, isn't it? Not the same enormity, but Riley just wanted to help that bloke who stabbed him with the needle. It was his job to help."

[asinthecity]

Tab didn't mind him being fussy. She actually thought it was pretty cute. Besides, one of them had to be concerned with what went in their body. "I suppose crying about it is all kidlets can do. It's not like they can just tell us what's wrong. He also seems less like he's going to suck off my face when he's not crying."

She gave a nod. "Yeah, that's just what I was thinking. People can be such fucktards. It's not the doctor's fault that the patient is in fucking pain, or hurt themselves. Did you realise that some nurse actually got sued for giving CPR because the person at the accident site wound up with bruising? I mean, what the fuck?"

[notskywalker]

Luke smiled. "Yeah, he's a pretty cool kid. He just looks at you, smiling now and again. If he's absorbing everything around him now, he's going to be a force to be reckoned with when he gets older. He's going to keep their hands full when he's a toddler. Are you getting a bit more used to him now? Always still a chance Riley might saddle you with a niece or nephew one day."

He snorted. "Yeah, bruising wouldn't be such an issue if your heart had stopped." He shook his head. "I just hope he's okay. Seriously, he doesn't need shit like this right now. He's already been stressing over the issue with Ali's BFF."

[asinthecity]

Tab couldn't help but laugh. "The day RJ discovers he's got legs and can walk... Tara and Lachlan are going to be kept pretty fit chasing after him. Not to mention the day RJ discovers girls... he is Yodalan's kid after all." Tab nodded. "Yeah, I am. And I hope so... Riley's slowly warming up to it, I think. It's just taking a little while to work through the Riley cogs."

Tab rest her knee against Luke's, and reached over to pick up his shake and steal a sip. "So still no resolution there? I suddenly feel very lucky we have the BFFs we do. Sucks that Andrew's been hurt. He's the last guy that should ever be hurt. It's like kicking a puppy."

[notskywalker]

"Or a microphone. You can all kiss the SingStar mic goodbye. I say RJ's going to own it the minute he realises sound comes out of his mouth," Luke laughed. "Do you think he will. He seems to be swinging back and forth. Plus, Evie was in another world the other day in the kitchen. I could've walked in there starkers in Kylie Minogue heels singing Locomotion and she wouldn't have noticed."

He nodded. "Yeah, but Ali loves that bloke. I get the feeling he's a good guy, but Andrew's only going to be protective of her, isn't he? He doesn't owe the bloke anything. I doubt he would just hate him by default, which is why I think he's been so confused. Now this. He's gonna be sore and miserable for a few days. I hope the guy steers clear."

[asinthecity]

Tab grinned. "Oh, hey... that reminds me. I never got a chance to tell you some news. But you're right. He's going to own any microphone he touches." Tab pulled her mouth to the side as she picked up a fry. "Yeah, I think so. He just needs to know he won't hurt Evie. Or that she really is okay with trying at the risk of being hurt." Tab giggled at the image that popped into her head, and even managed to snort. "Oh, fuck... I would pay just to see you try."

Tab frowned. "But if he's Ali's best friend, and Ali's boyfriend's been hurt... you really think he'll stay away?"

[notskywalker]

Luke raised his eyebrows in question. "You bought the rights to SingStar and you're never sharing again, not even with your poor, helpless little God-newphew?" he laughed and waved his hand. "Don't even think about it. I don't have the thighs for heels. Have they spoken about it? Riley and Evie, I mean."

"Nope, I don't. And I don't think Andy would want to come between them. Ali could probably use the help, too. It's just... one of those tense situations. Andy told me he just feels like he's constantly five steps behind Ali's life."

[asinthecity]

"Nope, but good guess. Want try again, or should I just tell you?" Tab reached her hand under the table to give his thigh a quick squeeze before she went back to eating. "You're right. I think you're much better just in boxers. Or naked. Yeah, they have. I don't know what got decided though, Riley's keeping it pretty close to his chest."

Tab scrunched up her face as she considered Andy's point of view. "That's a lot of pressure for him to be putting himself under. Maybe if he finally meets the guy he'll be able to relax?"

[notskywalker]

Luke laughed. "You'll have to tell me. Or I'll start worry what you're cooking up." He picked at some more of his fries. "I can understand that. I mean, if he tells everyone they're going to try and then can't go through with it, it might just be harder on him in the long run. He'll think he let us all down, not just himself and Evie."

"He's met him. It didn't go well. Apparently there's a lot of secrets or info that can't be divulged. Something to do with Ali being in the FBI, I think. He didn't elaborate and I didn't push."

[asinthecity]

Tab nodded as she took a breath and twisted in her seat to face Luke. "Okay. So. You know how Lachlan wanted to have coffee the other week? Well... turns out he wants to take this agent up on a record deal, but he had a condition." Tab sighed. "I know, which is ridiculously sweet of him. But he wouldn't be letting us down. I wouldn't think any less of him."

"Ah... yeah, okay. In that case what the fuck is Andy supposed to do? He's a huge part of Ali's life, and apparently Secret Agent Man is too."

[notskywalker]

"Seriously? Wow, I didn't think he was going to accept the agent's offer. What's the condition? He wants gold toilet paper with his name on it?" Luke asked in amusement. "We all know that, but Riley's a rare species."

"They'll find their niche together. Hopefully. I mean, look at Aiden. He hates Harri's boyfriend, but he has to roll with it."

[asinthecity]

Tab shook her head, her face serious. "No, he wants me to be on the record with him. Like a partnership type deal. He won't do it unless they take me, and he won't agree to anything that takes him away from RJ." Tab nodded, and took a sip of her soda. "I know, I think he got all my humbleness and niceness. It's why he's so overly thoughtful."

"Aiden hasn't even tried to meet Harri's boyfriend though," Tab pointed out. "And I think he will kill him when he does."

[notskywalker]

"Holy shit! That's brilliant! Are you going to do it? How do you feel about that?" Luke asked her, stunned. "I mean, really, you two were hot together in that comp."

He nodded, humming in agreement. "It's not like Aiden, meaning, he must have a reason to be how he is. When I asked he, he was just all 'The guy's an arsehole' and got huffy on the subject."

[asinthecity]

Tab grinned as she nodded. "Yeah, I said yes. I asked Yodalan about ten times if he was really sure. I'd be crazy not to agree." Tab smirked as she finally licked the spot of sauce from the corner of her mouth. "No arguments here. Singing with him was one of the best things I ever did."

"And when Aiden gets huffy, he really gets huffy. I've learned not to bring it up. I like Aiden talking to me."

[notskywalker]

"So, you're a team? What's the band name?" Luke asked mischievously. "I can see it. I can see you two in the recording studio, Lachlan with Riley on his hip throughout the whole thing. The kid is going to be raised behind a mic, with you two musically influencing him."

"Aiden's like a guard dog. You hurt anyone he loves, he'll rip your effing head off. It's not a bad thing. I think this guy has accidentally hurt Harri but Aiden needs to realise she still loves him."