3 months later…
Joe exhaled slowly, lowering his head, mentally preparing himself. It felt a lifetime ago since he had been in the sheltered, quiet world of Clements. With her. And now he was back in the spotlight, the transposed part of the globe where everyone was watching him—constantly. No break, no seclusion, no hiding.
The fact Joe and his brothers had been reported missing hadn’t been a smooth process to clear up either. The truth was out of the question, therefore management and them—the people that took her away—had created a plausible story that was pounded into their minds to tell the press.
Joe could quote it word for word, tone flat and unattached. His family could tell that he wasn’t the once boisterous, loud boy that he once had been. All his actions and conversations were lackadaisical at best. His smile was forced and the excited glint in his eye had long faded. Joe Jonas just wasn’t the same when the reason—person, girl, woman, true love—that he suddenly couldn’t live without was gone. Vanished.
He noticed the sympathetic glimpses from Nick and Kevin, having confided with his best friends of his surging emotions. They knew him the most, seeing above all the pestering eyes that their sibling had stopped being the Jonas that was the humorist, rambunctious one of the group the day she left. He had become half a person now. Half Joseph.
“Two minutes, Jonas Brothers.” Joe turned his head to the stage manager and inhaled, jumping in place. The AMA’s. Last year had been the biggest mortifying moment of his career, falling just as he walked onstage. He was determined to stay on his feet this time.
And facing that stage and audience waiting for him to tumble again, he felt renewed energy and anticipation. He gripped Nick’s shoulder, smiling more genuinely than in months, “You pumped for this, bro?” The younger Jonas stared strangely at his sibling, keeping his optimism down that he was finally starting to get his brother back, “You okay, Joe?”
He nodded, fixing his tie, “Awesome, man. Let’s get out there.” Kevin and Nick shared a look as Joe headed for the stage with the proper personnel, then quickly followed. Any passion from Joe was miraculous and it couldn’t have come at a more idealistic moment.
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“We don’t need to fight…(Tonight)” The screams, the cheers, the frequent strikes of the strobe light, the continuous beat of the music roaring in his ears, Joe hadn’t felt this alive in awhile. “We just gotta try…” The returned gleam of his amber eyes shined as they scanned the audience, a natural habit.
Nick, Kevin and the back-up band’s voices joined his, “We’re gonna work this out.” Garbo was probably silently freaking out that his song he helped co-write was the one they were singing at the AMA’s.
“We don’t have to fight…Tonight…” Joe could feel the growing impendent of his climactic high note approaching. He was so thrilled to have adrenaline coursing through him after such a prolonged gap.
“We just gotta try.” This was it. He shoved his mike-stand to the ground and stepped forward till he reached the edge of the stage. The crowd was eccentric and he was feeding off the vibe. Letting a smirk slip, he raised the mike to his lips and lost himself in the song. “TONIGHT!!”
The volume of the crowd rose as his voice did, the length of his left arm copying skyward, his body leaning back. It felt so good to give it his all again. Something egged him on to do it—and he got the courage when he saw someone walking up the aisle towards the stage a second before he sang.
Bouncing to beat, he straightened his stance, looking off to the side once more only to freeze mid-hop. There she was, before him, smiling—just like that. No. It was a hallucination, from the rush. It had to be. He kept staring, entranced, catching himself enough to remember his verses, but the commitment was absent again, but for a different reason.
She was wearing a dress, gorgeous and remarkably suiting for her, except that was the first inclination that he was seeing things. Lena never wore dresses, especially not full-length and not quite so lavish.
Thinking her name though, when he avoided it like raging fans, struck a nerve. Had it slipped because he was watching an apparition of his love? Or did his conscience know that she was actually there, in the same room, feet away, more beautiful than he remembered?
“We’ll finally work this…out…” The last line finished and Joe focused on the uproar of the building, his mind racing with bemusement. He snuck another glance over to that spot and she was gone. Damn. He honestly believed the one person he craved to be with him had been standing there. His heart remained racing from the sheer hope that had sparked within the rockstar.
Joe set it aside however, entering backstage and pretending—like usual—to be flying with his band and brothers from the spectacular performance. He was plagued with pain once more. When it was safe, he slipped off while the others continued to celebrate and leaned on the wall around the corner, gripping his hair, sighing agitatedly.
It was so real. She actually being there was so real. Yet, she hadn’t and Joe was left with the emptiness of disappointment that he had grown accustomed to. “Hey, stranger.” Someone slid next to him and a smile was prominent in their tone.
Lost in his thoughts, Joe nodded, eyes still downcast, “Hey.” Duties of portraying his old, non-sulky self had him lift his head to acknowledge them appropriately and nothing could’ve prepared him for whose blue eyes he locked onto.
“Lena?!” The sensational singer jumped back in shock, eyes wide and incredulous. She grinned, hands clasped nervously in front of her, “Hi, Joe.” He gawked, dubious at the image of his love before him. He shook his head, creating more distance between them, “No, this isn’t happening. You’re not real. I’m dreaming or something because that’s where I can only see you.”
His fists curled, “Why are you torturing me?!”
She stayed immobile, glancing to the floor mournfully, “I was. I know that. I was torturing myself too, Joe. But I’m here and I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.” Joe ran his hands through his hair, not fazed, “Why now? Why show up if you are real after three months? I was expecting to have to look for a year, maybe longer.”
Lena smiled softly, “The agency handled everything much more quickly than they ever have. I was surprised at the speed, but so unfeasibly relieved. I didn’t think you’d act like this though. You actually believe I’m a mirage, Joe?” He nodded wordlessly, no room for false hope twice in one night. She chuckled, eyes dancing, “Typical. Will this prove I’m real?”
Before he could function, Lena was closing the space, wrapping an arm around his back and neck, the heels she wore giving her more leverage to lean up without strain and brush her lips against his. Both their eyes automatically closed, relishing the past due, extremely desired sensation.
Joe kept them shut, afraid of opening them and finding out she was, in fact, a mirage. But that stunning voice was playing at his chin, “What’s it gonna take, Joe? I’m touching you, kissing you. Do I need to take this ridiculous dress that I wore for you off? Right here?”
His eyes flew open and she was smirking, the hand at his neck toying with his hair, “I missed you, Joe. There wasn’t a single second that went by where I wasn’t wishing upon everything that I could be with you. I had never felt so lonely and empty. I cried for you, something that I’ve rarely ever done. Never for a guy, either. But that’s just it…”
She hugged his frozen torso, his form unmoving. “You’re not just a guy.” Joe blinked—what a déjà vu. “You’ve become my world when I didn’t even realize it. Life was fine, but you made it impossible unless you’re with me or I’m with you. I can’t imagine a future, an existence, if you’re not in it.”
Lena stepped away and gazed at his face, hers vulnerable and trembling, “I love you, Joe. Me, Lena Warren. The ex-spy who won’t ever have to deal or be taken by that agency again. I’m sorry I couldn’t say it before, but I have and I’m never going to stop. Nothing will keep me from you, Joe, I promise.”
For one parallel instant, she held her breath at his blank expression, crushing power sinking her fears into her fully and it nearly was too much to bear. Then, his arms slid around her waist, lifting her off the ground and his lips were crushing hers in a flash. She welcomed it, giving in with the same fervent affection, chest bursting as he pressed her to him. They had ached for that reunion, that blissfully joyful return to each other, for far too long.
A tormented beginning with a rewarding ending.
It seemed the pattern for the pair, yet it was obvious it wouldn’t hold anymore. Through tribulations and frightening adventures, unrealistic circumstances and unexpected love, Lena and Joe learned together that there was definitely More Than Meets The Eye.
I want to say thank you (!) for supporting me on this one.
It was supposed to show you how fast I could create a story out of a one scene dream...
But that didn't exactly work out. At least I finished it! Right?
<3 R&R! <3
- Love, Crazy -
