I wanted to stay like that forever, with Reese folded safely in my arms. But after a long moment, she sighed a small fluttering sigh and pulled back. "Thanks," she said. "But I should have been the one hugging you. You're the one with the psycho ex."

I smiled. "It was for both of us then."

She glanced nervously at the clock sitting on the bedside table. "I should... I mean, I don't want anyone to..."

I nodded at once. "Go," I said. "I'll see you tonight, right?"

She leaned over and kissed the top of my head. A friendly gesture. Nice and platonic. "I'll be there," she whispered, and scooted silently out the door.

The room seemed ten times emptier without her in it. I stood up, wandered to the loo to collect another dose of aspirin for my head, and then attempted to go back to sleep.

But I, King Nap, stayed wide awake and staring for a long long time.

I must have dozed though, because when I finally gave up the effort, it was fully light behind the blackout curtains. The morning sped by in a blur, with another radio appearance and a two hour bus ride to the next venue. I got off the bus, grateful to stretch my legs, and headed at once to the arena.

Reese was already there, you see.

I wandered around, ostensibly walking the stage to see how much space I'd have to move around tonight, while keeping an eye out for that shining curtain of dark hair. My head throbbed dully, and each light swinging over my head each seemed to have its own halo surrounding it. Everything seemed a little brighter and more unreal.

I thought it was a trick of the light, but the shadow to my right turned out to be Hudson standing there, studying me.

"Here already?" I called. That was surprising.He always pushed out soundchecks to the last minute, preferring to stay away from the venue until it showtime was imminent.

He shrugged. "You're early too."

He had a point there. "You all right then, mate?" I asked. It was usually a rhetorical question, one that didn't require a truthful answer. But today I meant it.

Onstage, Hudson gave everything he had and then some. But only on the stage. Once he was off of it, he immediately retreated like it was all too much for him. Maybe it was. In spite of his good-natured smiles, and joking around, there was still part of him that he was holding back, and it wouldn't have bothered me, except for my recent issue with people who keep secrets.

Something about what had happened with Reese made me want to get to the bottom of the mystery of Hudson Grant.

He looked startled, then relaxed and smiled, his too-bright American smile. "I'm never going to get used to that," he said with a chuckle.

"What?"

"The way you guys say that but you don't really want me to answer?"

"That's the biggest problem with Americans," I declared. "Always want to tell you all about their feelings and shite like that."

As soon as I said it, I realize what a hypocrite I was. Wasn't coming over here to figure out Hudson's feelings on something exactly what I was doing?

"How is your sister?" he asked, suddenly, and almost nonsensically.

I blinked. "Who, Tally?"

"You got another sister you're hiding?"

"No, I just surprised to hear you ask about her."

Hudson blinked at me. "She totally spent the summer with you though,"

"Yeah but - "

"So she's like part of the family and all."

"Well, my family, yeah."

"No. All of us," he spread his hands around to encompass all of the crew, the techs working to put the show together.

"Er - Yes. I guess?" I said skeptically. I looked at him and saw that he was watching me astutely, and I realized I hadn't actually answered his question at all. "She's fine I guess, I don't actually know." I realized as was talking that I had actually talked to my treasured little sister in a couple of days. "Actually, you just reminded me that I've been a bit of a shithead about keeping in touch."

"Tell her I said hey," he said. What was that note in his voice? I wasn't sure. I looked at him again, but saw nothing there to worry about, nothing to make my overprotective big brother instincts start tingling, and besides, it was Hudson. He was practically a monk when we were on the road. Worse than me honestly. At least I had Reese.

Reese... Shit, there she was right now. She wanted to be friends.

"How's it going with that?" Hudson asked, catching the direction I was looking and seemingly able to read my mind.

"We're just friends," I protested quickly. "Better that way right?"

"Absolutely," Hudson agreed, a little too readily. "Why make things more complicated? Right?"

I looked at her again. Things were really fucking complicated as I was concerned, but she seemed completely, blissfully, unaware of the turmoil she caused me every time she came near.

Which was what she was doing right now.