Eschewing the invitation from his back up band to go out and celebrate he had elected instead to stay in alone. Now, as he surveyed his open plan front room, he could see three members of aforementioned back-up band either asleep or passed out on the various sofas. Their faces eerie in the dim glow cast by the T.V. mutely playing to itself. Further back in the house the others slept or dozed, his drummer having already acquired a groupie, a tall, skinny girl with bright blue hair whose name Darren had already forgotten, if he had even bothered to learn it in the first place.

All the preparations were in place, album sales had gone through the roof, concert venues had been besieged by eager fans and tickets had sold out within hours of going on sale, now tomorrow night he would take to the stage, triumphant in front of 20,000 people.

Yet despite all this Darren felt that something wasnt quite right, something was missing, something that he couldnt quite put his finger on. Like a nagging voice at the back of his mind. A silent whisper that he couldnt quite hear.

A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Someone was out there. Just out of sight amid the lush, green expanse of his expensively manicured lawn.

But how? How had anyone managed to breach his security? The heavy iron gates at the foot of the driveway were remote controlled, access could only be granted via a handset or from the house over the intercom.

The high walls that surrounded the property were embedded with shards of broken glass to deter anyone from attempting to climb over. Yet somehow this person had managed it.

Darren was just about to reach for the phone and dial 911 when something stopped him.

Something about the intruder was familiar to him. The way he walked, the way he held himself.

Darren knew this person.

The floodlights clicked on as the person, now clearly indefinable as a man, stepped in front of the sensors, the floodlights catching the sun-bleached glints in his sandy-blond hair.

As he turned on his heel to gaze up at the wide façade of the back of the house Darren grinned, the unnatural light had confirmed what he had subconsciously known all along.

Going over to the hidden panel behind the thick velvet curtains that were drawn back from the floor to ceiling patio doors he deactivated the alarms before his visitor could come much closer and inadvertently trigger them.

Sliding back one door he stepped out onto the cool concrete tiling, re-setting the panel behind him so that the house itself remained protected taking care to pull the glass door to behind him. Darren not in the least surprised to find that his whole body was trembling.

The now not-so-strange stranger continued coming towards him, tall and lanky, his lean legs easily covered the last few yards between them.

Darren moving to meet him.

Their eyes locked. Blue onto green.

Studying each other, discovering that the memory did no justice to the reality.

A hand reached out and touched the collar of Darrens simple black shirt. 'No gold lamé?'

Darren clearly heard the Aussie tinge in the accent even though he was sure his own had been diluted by his time in the States.

'No, not tonight.'

A deep laugh rung out and they embraced, the years and months falling away.

Darren ran his fingers through floppy locks, pulling him close and burying his face deep in his hair, inhaling the oh-so-familiar smell of tobacco, shampoo and cologne, reassuring himself that he really was here.

The other doing the same, fingers ghosting over Darrens face, reacquainting himself with every curve and crevice. Darren closed his eyes as the calloused fingers reached his eyelids. A soft touch, a loving remembrance.

He could feel the heat coming off of the other body, then it was gone as he drew back. Darren opened his eyes to see a serene, serious face, quietly contemplating him.

'What are you doing here?'

A shrug. 'You wanted me here. '

'But what of the publicity?'

Another shrug. 'No one else knows Im here. Its you all the attention is focused on. Mr World Famous Pop Star.'

A broad smile appeared on his face.

Darren slipped an arm around his shoulders, and drew him away from the house, away from the madness that now made up his life and deeper into the garden, towards a rustic gazebo, half-hidden in the wilderness that made up the furthest reaches of his sanctuary.

'So you are going ahead with the concert then?' Daniel asked.

'Yes, of course.'

'But what of the stalker, the death threats?'

'It'll be fine. Nothing is going to happen.'

'How can you be so sure Darren?' The concern in his voice was all too clear. The loving way he said his name sending shivers the length of Darren's spine.

'I have bouncers, security guards, body guards. You name it, they are protecting me. What can one crazed teeny bopper do against all them?'
Darren raised a hand and brushed his long blond hair back off of his face.

'The BBS and mailing lists are full of the threats you know.'

'You're lurking now?' Darren asked incredulously.

Daniel simply nodded. 'Best way to pick up information.'

'Why don't I know any of this?'

'They keep it away from the official boards, away from anywhere you might find it.'

Darren once more found himself mesmerised by even the smallest movement Daniel made, the way he was still so sure of himself, whereas he had always been the insecure one, always searching for something that was just out of reach.

'The fans are even more obsessed than ever. One false slip and your private life will be tabloid news. It will be examined under every microscope, talked about on every list, pulled apart and dissected piece by piece.'

'But how delicious to keep dropping them these little hints, keep them guessing.'

They had reached the gazebo and sat down on the cold marble seat there, Daniel's hand finding Darren's and intertwining their fingers.

'You really are quite mad, completely incorrigible.' Again came the laughter that Darren thought at one time he would never hear again.

'So have you come back to me Daniel?'

'You've come back to me Darren.'

The truth of Daniels words struck a deep chord in Darren, a vein of hurt that he thought he had long buried rose unbidden to the surface. Yes, it was him who had driven them apart. Him with his relentless pursuit of fame and stardom, unwittingly dragging Daniel into the spotlight with him.
What had originally brought them together had ultimately parted them.

'I want us to be together again, like it always used to be, just us.'

Darren loosened his fingers and turning Daniel to face him, caressed his cheek as he had done so many times before. 'And tomorrow, after the concert, we will be I promise. Together again in every sense of the word.'

Daniel sighed. 'If you insist on going through with this at least let me come with you.'

The love that Darren felt at this request threatened to come bubbling up and overwhelm him with tears.

'Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way. You're still my biggest fan right?'

Daniel smiled and leaning in placed a soft kiss on Darren's lips. 'Always.'

'Just one more thing Danny Boy.'

'Yes?'

'Tomorrow night you will lose those frayed jeans and Converses.'

~finis~
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