Sorry for nor updating!

Sorry for not updating. I'm Japan visiting friends and relatives for two weeks. I'll update when I return.

Thanks for checking in!
You don't know how great it feels to know that there are people who enjoy my fictions!

See you in a few weeks!

Chapter 22

"So, what's this about a fan fiction?" Madison's curiosity peaked when Richie booted up his lap top and logged on to the forum website.

"There you go. Here's a whole list of them. You might want to start with this one," Richie was pointing to one titled Blood Relatives. "And when you get a chance, check this other one out. It's kind of spooky and it would freak me out if it actually happened."

"What's it about?"

"Read it and find out," Richie grinned at her, "I'm going to order us some dinner."


After making the call to room service and several calls home, Richie came back to find Madison deeply engrossed in one of the stories, wide eyed and with both hands to her mouth.

"I can see you're enjoying it," he chuckled and waggled his eyebrows at her, "wanna try put some of that to a real life test?"

"Richie!" She blushed furiously, causing him to burst out laughing.

"What's wrong, darlin'?" Still grinning, he sat down beside her and pulled her onto his lap, nuzzling her neck. "There's no one here but you and me."

There was a knock on the door.

"Saved by room service." Madison smirked.



"So, what did you think about the stories?" Richie asked over dinner.

"I'm still reading the first one, but now I want to punch Jon in the face."

Richie was a bit surprised at her reaction and gaped at her for a moment. He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. "Sweetheart, they're fiction, you know. Wanting to punch Jon aside, I think everyone would be more than a little surprised if they find that Jon had a long lost sister."

"I know," said Madison, feeling a bit chagrined. "I get so involved with stories sometimes. I even used to try and see if I could walk through my closet and land up in Narnia." She looked up at him. "Didn't you get so lost in a story that you sometimes thought they were real?"

"No, not really. But if someone's story grips me, I write a song. Is that the same?"

"I guess. I make 'story beads'."

"Yeah? What kind of stories?"

Richie noticed a slight change in Madison at this question. Putting down his fork, he stood and went to her placing his hands on her shoulders. "Maddie? What's wrong?"

Madison shook her head. "Nothing. Sorry."

He wasn't buying it. "Tell me."

"I started making my 'story beads' when Micah was born. Every event, every milestone, every memory went into those beads. I have more than forty beads. This was my last one." She touched the angel wing bead on her necklace. "Micah was looking through one of my art books and spotted this quote. He thought it was neat, and so did I."

"There's no need to stop making them."

"But there are no more stories to tell....."

"Yes, there are. Tell your story. He lives on inside you, Madison. Don't let his stories end."

*****

They were sitting around the TV flipping through the channels when there was a knock at the door.

"Am I interrupting something?" Jon had wandered over to their suite feeling a bit lonely but not up for the boisterous game that was going on in David's room.

"Not anymore," Richie replied dryly as he stepped aside to let Jon in.

"Hey, Maddie."

Jon was understandably more than a bit surprised when she looked up at him with a scowl on her face.

"Uh, I must really be interrupting something. You look like you were about to bite me."

Richie couldn't keep it inside any longer and burst out laughing as Madison flushed a deep red.

"I'm so sorry, Jon. I didn't mean to do that. It's just that I was so involved....."

"Whatchya got there, Maddie?" Jon snatched Richie's laptop from her before she could stop him.

"Jon, no! Give that back!"

"Uh uh. I gotta see what's making you pissed at me."

Thinking that it was some outrageous media news about him, he settled down with the laptop and started reading.

Madison looked helplessly at Richie who just grinned at her.


"So," he finally said after thirty minutes, "this is the reason you think I'm an asshole?"

"Jon, they're just stories. And I said I'm sorry. "

"She just gets really involved in them. I just wish she would get more involved in the good parts, if you know what I mean." Richie was still grinning.

Madison was mortified. "Richie!" She never knew her face could blush in so many different shades of red. How could they even talk about something so private so casually?

Jon grinned at her obvious discomfort. "Maddie, don't worry about it. What can I say? We're guys."

"Doesn't it bother you that your fans are writing things like this about you guys?"

"Nah, after all these years, knowing that they're still infatuated with us is rather flattering. Besides, there's been worse thing written about us and those assholes actually have a mean streak when they say those things. At least we know that these gals love us."

Jon stood up carrying the laptop with him. "I'm taking this. Now I have something to do tonight."

"Jon, give that back. I'm not finished reading."

"Oh no, I think Rich has got some other things in mind than reading."

"Jon!"

His laughter echoed down the hall as he left.



Richie made good on Jon's prediction making tender love to her which quickly turned into frenzied hunger fueled by descriptive passages of the stories. Madison was shocked by her lack of inhibition but could not hold back. This was not like her but at the moment, she did not care. She reveled in the closeness, the passion and the comfort of being with him.

Both sated many times over, they lay together lazily stroking each other, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

"Richie? Do you think Jon will get his head out of his ass and accept Tori?"

"Baby?"

"Hmmm?"

"Go to sleep."