That Blue Gibson

CH 27

The crowd control woman shut the door behind her as she left the small room Liz and Josie were in.

"Who did he hit?" Liz asked Josie as the door clicked shut.

Josie shook her head. "One minute I'm having a great time, the next minute Dave fucking Grohl is rescuing my drunk ass."

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

*

"Liz, what the fuck?" Chris yelled as he and Nate appeared backstage after the gig.

Liz spun around in her chair and jumped up. "I'm so sorry. He grabbed me and I-"

"Liz, oh my god," Nate interrupted by pulling her into a hug. "Are you okay?"

She only nodded and Nate looked over her shoulder to Josie to ask the same question.

"I'm really sorry," Liz said back to Chris as Nate let her go. "I feel really bad."

Chris shook his head and set down his bottle of water. "Don't be. I swear to god that happens at almost every show, but I don't think we've ever seen that kind of retaliation," he laughed.

"That's why you don't mess with a fucking lady," Josie mumbled, causing Nate and Chris to laugh.

"How's your hand?" Chris nodded to Liz.

"It's fine," she looked over her swollen knuckles as Taylor appeared in the doorway.

"We're ready," he said to Chris, who nodded and stood to follow him out.

"You girls gonna watch or are you gonna start another brawl?" Taylor smiled at them as Chris passed him.

"Taylor, I'm so sorry-," Liz walked up to him as he interrupted her.

"Why?" he said, throwing his arm over her shoulders and walking her towards the stage. "Bros like that need to be taught a fucking lesson and I'm glad it came from you." When they reached the steps to the stage, Taylor leaned closer to Liz. "You make Dave really happy and he hasn't been in a long time. Be good to him, okay?" he didn't wait for a reply before flashing a smile and bouncing up the stairs to the stage.

Liz processed his words for a moment then turned to head back to Josie. She rounded a corner into the hallway and ran headlong into Dave who was followed by a few security guys.

"Fuck, Liz," his hands went to her face as she backed herself against the wall. "Are you okay?"

Liz just nodded, glancing at the crew behind him.

"This is her, we're good," Dave said to the men, who nodded and immediately continued on towards the stage.

"I couldn't find you," he looked back at her and Liz could see the worry in his eyes.

"I walked Taylor to the stage," she shrugged. "I'm really sorry," she whispered.

"Why? Because some fucking assclown assaulted you and you fought back?" he ducked his head so they were eye to eye.

"Because I interrupted your gig and-"

Dave shook his head, stopping her. "If I see shit like that going down with anybody, I stop it. I'm just sorry the security around here is shit and didn't get to you quick enough." He ran his fingers down the angry red marks streaking Liz's neck before pulling her to him and winding his arms around her shoulders.

Liz leaned her head against his chest and let out a long breath.

"They said you broke his fucking eye socket," he muttered into her hair.

"You should have given me more time," she grumbled.

*

Dave stood next to Liz on the sound board riser, watching her sing along to Taylor's cover of The Wizard. He was relieved when Liz finally began to relax after what had happened earlier. She turned to him and imitated Taylor's face while mouthing the last lyrics of the song. They laughed as the song finished and Travis appeared, handing them full cups of beer. Dave passed Liz her drink and crouched down to talk to Travis.

"They're still outside," Travis confirmed, his eyes darting to Liz who was watching the band.

Dave nodded, trying to think of a way out of the building that wouldn't involve running into the pissed off group of assholes that had already attacked Liz.

"I have some people on the way," Travis added. "They'll be here in thirty."

Dave only nodded again and hoped Travis knew what he was doing. He returned to Liz and slipped his arm around her waist when she flashed him a bright smile. He tipped back his beer just as Chris started the beginning riffs of Queen's 'It's Late' and quickly set his cup back down on an equipment box. Reaching over and grabbing Liz's drink out of her hand, he set it down next to his and pulled her to him by her waist. He took her hand and began swaying back and forth to the beat with a mocking formality. Liz laughed and threw her free arm around his shoulders as he sang the lyrics to her.

"You say you love me, and I hardly know your name, and if I say I love you in the candle light, there's no one but myself to blame..."

Liz threw her head back and giggled when Dave dipped her over his knee, then stood her back upright and spun her around under his arm. He pulled her back into his arms and they spent the rest of the song dancing and singing to Taylor's voice. When the song ended, Liz heard Taylor laughing and looked over her shoulder as he appeared at the edge of the stage next to the sound board.

"It's like Dancing with the fucking Stars back here," he said into the mic as the crowd screamed. "Come do this one with me," he pointed a pair of drum sticks at Dave, who looked down at Liz. She smiled and spun herself out of his arms, grabbing his beer on the way. She handed it to him as he grabbed her by the waist and leaned down to her ear.

"Don't leave the sound board, okay?" he asked, shooting her an apprehensive look.

Liz nodded, feeling uneasy about his little warning. She listened to Taylor and Dave's stage banter for a minute and then hopped off the riser as soon as they started Ziggy Stardust. Sneaking behind the stage and Dave at the kit, she went in search of Josie. Looking down hallways and into various dark rooms, Liz began to think that Josie had left when she threw open a door spray painted with "Shitter".

"Charming," Liz chuckled to herself and flipped on the light. She yelped and spun around at the sight of Josie and Rami half dressed and pressed against the wall.

"Hey, girl," Josie casually called over Rami's shoulder, as if they had run into each other at the grocery store.

"Um... hey," Liz replied, her eyes firmly on the wall in front of her. "The show's almost over so come find me when you aren't mid-bang, okay?" she heard Rami laugh as she slammed the door and ran down the hallway with a shudder.

*

"Please?"

"Dave, it's late and-," she rolled her eyes when Dave pulled her back to him and began to sing Queen again, "It's late and," she added as he swung her around the tiny backstage room, "you and your band don't need me hanging around all the goddamn time! I'm beginning to feel like a groupie!"

Dave stepped back and spun her under his arm while she laughed. "How about," he pulled her to his chest again, "we skip it all together and go for a swim at my place?"

Liz opened her mouth to answer when the door flung open so violently that it bounced off the wall behind it and Josie leaned into the room. Liz could see Rami right behind her, his arm tight around her waist.

"Hey," Josie called to Liz, "I'm going to the after party with Rami so I'll see you there." She didn't wait for Liz to answer before continuing on down the hallway.

Liz glared at the empty space Josie was just in, feeling Dave smiling down at her.