A Strange Escape 8/14

[charminglygawky.livejournal.com]

Title – A Strange Escape.
Chapter – 8/14
Author – Charminglygawky
Pairing - Ryan/Colin
Rating – for the most part about a 15 for swearing.
Disclaimer – I own nothing and nobody!
Feedback – Adored - in fact I do believe that it makes the world go round!
 
Part 8 of my insane fic - key point is that Colin is English - did I mention that I have a deranged imagination?
As ever thanks to jerluvsdean for her help and for just being on the other end of msn!  XD 

A/N – Colin is dissatisfied with life, does Greg hold the key? 

“You were fucking shitting yourselves weren’t you?”

Greg was leaning nonchalantly against the side of the motor home as Ryan screeched the car to a halt in the lay-by next to him and we both leapt out. I tried to play it down but Ry clambered over the bonnet and engulfed Greg in a bear hug.

“Nice going Ry, we’re never going to live this down now.” I sighed.

“You weren’t anyway.” Came an aggressive voice from the steps of the motor home, I looked up at Brad.

“Hey.”

“Where the fuck were you?”

“Er, in the motel. Why didn’t you guys meet us?”

“That would be because somebody didn’t give us the right motel.” I was shocked to find that the glare was no longer aimed at me but Ryan.

Ry disentangled himself from Greg who watched him go with amused condescension, and regarded Brad with surprise. “But I even left you guys with a map.”

“You left us with directions, to the wrong motel.” Snarled Brad.

“No... We did change motels remember, I made sure to leave you with directions to the new place.” With that he pushed Brad out of the way and strode into the motor home where he yanked the glove compartment open and pulled out an untidy pile of papers which he proceeded to flick through.

Eventually he pulled out a sheet of paper and thrust it at Brad. “Here, one map complete with directions.”

Brad looked at the map in astonishment. “But... who did you give this to?”

“Does it matter?” Greg was now standing in the door way. “We’re back together now and we have to cover a shitload of miles before doing a show tonight. Shall we get going?”

I was about to respond when a voice called out from the back of the vehicle. “Hear hear, for once Greg actually makes sense. Breakfast?”

“Coming Drew dear!” Called Ryan cheerfully, elbowing past Brad and disappearing into the living area of the motor home. Brad watched him go forlornly; I felt for the guy and smiled at him. He glared me down and stalked after Ryan.

I blinked after him for a moment then looked at Greg and shrugged. “Well fuck him then!” Greg roared and put his arm around my shoulders.

“Breakfast dearie?”

“After you.”

Greg joined us in the truck for the drive to the next show; he said the atmosphere was more comfortable. I wasn’t sure how to take that. So I said nothing and cranked the radio up.

“Can’t you turn that noise off?” I sighed and looked in the mirror at Greg who was flopped across the backseats.

“Aren’t you meant to be wearing a seat belt?” That comment was met by a snort. “Oh, so you do have a death wish. That’s nice.”

“Do you think so little of Ryan’s driving?”

“So you do trust all the other drivers on the road then?”

“Don’t you?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Are you always this uptight?”

“Haven’t you noticed?”

“Can’t you two please SHUT UP?” Ryan yelled, interrupting us.

“Oh, do you want to play?”

“Colin...”

“Sorry.” I flashed him a cheeky grin from a downturned face, Ryan chuckled softly and settled back into his seat smiling at me affectionately.

I turned back to Greg with a twinkle in my eye about to tell him that we needed to find a new game but was halted in my tracks by the calculatedly blank look on his face. “What?” I sighed resignedly.

“Nothing!” That sounded way too high-pitched, even for Greg with his nasal tones.

“You are the worst liar in the world.” Ryan tried to glare at him in the rear view mirror. “So you may as well tell us.”

“Nothing!”

Ryan and I exchanged an incredulous look and then a suppressed giggle made us look back at Greg expectantly.

“Oh fine.” He huffed. “I was just wondering if Brad was right.”

He hadn’t made it a question but it was enough to make both Ryan and I blush deeply and look away from each other. It was probably the first time in several miles where Ry had given his full attention to the road ahead. Whilst in the passenger seat, I was equally engrossed as I checked and double checked our position on the map.

“I knew it!” Greg crowed from behind us and then he had shuffled forward and stuck his head between the two front seats. “Soooo details, gimme, now!”

“Greg...” I had nothing to add to my plaintive whine, luckily Ryan did.

“Fuck off.”

“Ahhh.” Greg sighed. “Still too early for those sort of questions, I get it.” Then much to my relief he sat back onto his seats.

“So.” Ryan started uncomfortably. “Anyone got a game to play?”

“Hoedown?”

“NO!”

“Huh?” That was not one I recognised. “Hoe-what?”

Ryan groaned but Greg explained. “It’s a singing game. Ry hates it but it’s quite good really.”

“Oh, why don’t you guys play it?”

“Apart from the fact that it is an awful game?” Ryan sounded decidedly sarcastic.

“Shut up you.” Greg poked him, causing the car to wobble slightly in its lane. “Well the boys who are good at singing are unfortunately the only ones who can play instruments, and we need at least a piano to accompany us.”

“I play I bit.” I mused to myself.

“No you don’t!” Ryan informed me at the very same instant as Greg asked “Really?”

“No, he doesn’t.” Ryan assured him.

“Yes I do!” I argued, and then decided to temper my assertion. “Well, I’m no composer or virtuoso, but I can follow a score easily enough.”

“Wait till I tell Chip!” Greg was practically bouncing in his seat. “Is it nearly time to stop for lunch?”

“Look, what you’ve done now.” Ryan gently chided me. “You’ve excited him and now he has regressed into a five year old child.”

“Are we nearly there yet?” Greg sang happily.

“Your fault.” I wasn’t going to take all the blame.

Ryan sighed in defeat. “Yeah, I know, sorry. Greg? After lunch you’re going back in the motor home.”

Chip was ecstatic at the idea that singing games could be, perhaps, introduced slightly into their repertoire. He promised to get Brad to help him write the notation down that I would need to play not only hoedown but also something called the Irish drinking song, which sounded like fun. Ryan was quick to point out that I was still to be joining then onstage at some point as a fully fledged member of the tour, and therefore was not available to become a full time musician for them.

Brad stayed conspicuously quiet throughout the lunchtime conversation, which I will admit was focused more around me that I would have liked. As we got up afterwards, however, he flashed me a small smile making me think that perhaps he was beginning to, if not forgive me at least not blame me for having feelings for Ryan. I hoped so anyway.

We arrived at our next stop about four in the afternoon, we checked into our motel and then hurried over to the theatre, our show was at eight and we had to rehearse. It was a tiny place, the town and the theatre both and with Ryan’s prompting and the others, well most of the others encouragement I had agreed to join them on stage for a couple of the games.

I ran through the tunes that Chip had dutifully written out for me and found them easy enough, they were very repetitive which made it much easier to learn and within about half an hour of practicing I had it down. Ryan looked highly irritated, or perhaps disappointed by my success, I smiled at him apologetically and excused myself, leaving them working out the running order I slipped out of the stage door. I been away for a week and still hadn’t phoned home, my point was probably made and I was feeling guilty.

It was easy enough to find a payphone and I had about six dollars of small change in my pocket. I dialled and counted the rings, Mother answered on the 8^th ring.

“Hey Mum.”

“Colin! Oh Colin darling, are you alright? Where are you?” She sounded almost frantic, I shuffled in guilt as I heard her call to my father. “Darling, it’s Colin, he’s on the phone.” Guilt even made me overlook the stupidity of the statement.

“Sorry Mum, I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m absolutely fine.”

“Well that’s great dear, when can we expect you home?”

“I don’t know; I love it out here. I want to hang around for a bit.”

“Hang around darling?” Wonderful, it had taken her less than a minute to move from a concerned mother picturing her only child lying dead in a ditch to correcting my speech.

“Yes.”

“But darling...” Suddenly I didn’t want to hear it, she was going to argue that I had to go home, and I had no intention of going back so I didn’t even want to let her start. So I interrupted.

“I’m going onstage tonight Mother.” That distracted her.

“On stage dear, to do what?”

“Play the piano and act a bit.”

“Oh, why?”

“That’s what I’m doing out here mum, I’m touring with a group of comedians.”

“Are you sure that that is entirely sensible sweetheart?”

“No, it probably isn’t. But I have made some really good friends and I am happy.”

“Oh. Well that’s good.” She sounded sincere; she may have been a member of a class system that I was trying to escape. But she was my mother and so the words ‘I’m happy’ always went down well. I smiled and relaxed slightly, opening up to her a bit.

We talked for a few more minutes before I made my excuses and hung up. She had promised to phone Alice and let her know that I was okay, and in return I promised to phone her again soon. All this meant that I was in a much better mood when I went back into theatre than I had been when I left.

Ryan sought my gaze out within seconds of me entering the backstage room in which we were rehearsing. He was in the middle of a game but his eyes demanded my attention and asked a silent question, I smiled a reassuring response and watched his features soften as he returned his full attention to the game.

About six we went back to the motel for dinner and a quick change. I was sharing a room with Greg again so when just after seven went down to the lobby we were surprised to see that we were the first there.

“Greg, you must have done your hair really fast!”

“Shut up.” He bit back unimaginatively.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that tonight!” Came a deep voice behind me at the same time a heavy arm landed across my shoulders. I smiled up into twinkling green eyes.

“You’re late.”

“No you’re early.”

“It doesn’t matter,” interrupted Drew as he and the others wandered up, “we’re all here and we need to go.”

The others all turned for the door and wandered off, Ryan turned to follow and taking a deep breath I let him steer me.  Ryan must have read my emotions or at least noticed my shoulders tense as he slowed us down allowing the others to move away.

“Ok?” he murmured in my ear.

“Yeah, just a bit nervous.”

“You’ll be great; we’ll all be up there with you.”

I stopped and turned to face him, he automatically copied the gesture, I looked carefully into his eyes and laid my hand on his arm “I know you will.” I said sincerely, placing undue emphasis on the word ‘you’.

He beamed at me and lowered his head to place a chaste kiss on my lips, and then he drew me into a tight reassuring hug. We stood together like that for a moment or so when a loud cough behind us made us break apart. Brad was standing a few feet away from us looking not angry but crushed.

“Come on, we need to get going.” He told the carpet beneath our feet.

There was nothing we could say to him so nodding we followed him to the theatre.

My nerves were increasing almost exponentially as eight drew closer and closer. Eventually I found myself standing in the wings with the others bouncing uncomfortably on the balls of my feet. Apart from Ryan in the motel lobby nobody had commented on my nervousness, even he hadn’t again. They had just left me to it assuming that I would step up to the plate to steal an American turn of phrase. And I was about to. I valued their trust.

Drew shot me a last grin and then jogged out onto the stage; he always started the show and introduced the guys. As the new boy I was on last, shuffling in my spot I ignored the entrances of everybody else and listened carefully for my cue, at last it came.

“And we want a huge welcome for our new boy tonight, all the way from England it’s Mr Colin Mochrie!”

I jogged on to the stage to if not rapturous at least enthusiastic applause and my confidence soared, this was going to be fun!