#### P A R T 3 ####

“Time to go,” Dave said, taking a deep breath and pulling away, but not yet out of her embrace.

She didn’t dare looking him in the eyes, for fear she might lose her last bit of self-control. She would not cry in front of him. She had made herself that promise. So she settled for staring at and fiddling with one of the buttons of his shirt.

“You go have fun with the boys then. And take care.”

It sounded much calmer than she was.

“I will,” he said throatily, tilting her chin up.

She saw tears glistening in his eyes. That was not fair. She had promised not to make a scene (that was why she said goodbye in their flat and not at the airport) and to make it as easy as possible for him to go, but he was not playing fair. Seeing him like this made her heart ache.

And then it hit her again full force. He was going on tour with the band. For several months. She’d fly to him as often as possible and he would come home during their small breaks. But this was the ultimate test for their relationship: surviving the tour.

She had learned to share him with others, not to get jealous when he was recognised on the street or in a restaurant and some beautiful woman wanted her picture taken with him and shamelessly flirt with Dave right in front of her. It was part of his job and he liked the interaction with his fans. But even his patience was tried sometimes.

A tour, however, was playing in a completely different league. He wouldn’t be there when she woke up, no arms to fall asleep in. She wouldn’t get to clean up after him and she couldn’t complain about his snoring (when he had had a really long and tiresome day). She wouldn’t smell his aftershave when she got into the bathroom after him in the morning or find his stubble in the sink. And who would hold him when he had one of his bad dreams again? Who would be there for him when he had a black day? Who would make sure he ate healthy and got enough rest and shoo away the too demanding people? She could only do so much over the phone.

So she clung to the only thing she had.

“It’s only 20 days,” she whispered, not trusting her voice as she felt the first tears trickling down her cheeks.

“Yes, only 20 days till you come see me,” he sighed and the way he said it, it sounded like the longest time.

He gently brushed away her tears, not noticing his own. “I’ll call every day…”

He pressed her to him and hungrily kissed her, ravishing her mouth and trying to imprint every little detail in his memory. The feel of her body against his, her soft lips, the taste of her mouth, the smell of her perfume, the hotness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, the soft whimpers she made as he pressed himself into her. He loved going on tour, but saying goodbye and leaving was never easy. In fact, it seemed to get harder and harder each time. It would be a very hectic time and he prayed to god that they would come out on top of it together.

She broke the kiss, breathing heavily, fighting for composure.

“Go, baby, they’re waiting for you.”

He rested his forehead on hers, breathing her in one last time, locking gazes with her. The tenderness in his eyes made her swallow hard around the lump in her throat.

“I’ll see you soon, my love.”

With that, he quickly kissed her on the mouth, took his shoulder bag and was out the door and it clicked shut.

She leaned heavily against the wood, tears now openly running down her face. An incredible sinking feeling filled her. She knew she was probably being silly and that there were other couples that were separated for much longer. And yet, it was her pain. All the nightmares she had had in the past weeks, ever since the start date of the tour had been officially announced, came up again and filled her with fear. She wanted to be with him. She could feel his absence physically.

Sighing, she pulled away from the door and went to the bathroom, to wash her face. She dried her face on the towel, breathing in. His aftershave... Her heart surged with ache. New tears fell from her eyes, leaving a hot trail on her skin, dropping onto her hands and her t-shirt, as she sat onto the rim of the tub, sobbing openly now.

So many times in her life she had had to say goodbye. She knew how it was to leave; she knew how it was to be the one left behind. And yet it always felt the same. It hurt. Not even the prospect of seeing him soon again made it any better.

That moment, she felt her mobile vibrate in her pocket. She took it out and saw a new message had arrived. From Dave.

“Only 19 days, 23 hours and 35 minutes to go, love. Miss you, D”

* * *

“Yeah?”

It sounded harsh and annoyed.

“And good day to you, too, love,” she said.

He sighed. “I’m sorry, hon. I’ve had a crappy day.”

He sounded so very tired and they were only two months into the tour.

“Is this a bad time for me to call?” she asked.

“No, no. I just… I won’t have much time. Apparently I have to go to the bloody after show party today. To shake someone’s hand. It’s insane. Everybody wants something from me. Martin goes and changes the whole set because he thinks it needs more flow. No one asks how my voice is doing and I can’t do the difficult songs after I’ve been singing for nearly two hours. He should know that by now. Oh, and Flood was being all ‘when will you boys go into the studio again?’ today. I don’t know! And Daniel came saying would we mind terribly to extend the European leg for three more shows? Why can’t they just fucking leave me alone?”

She was quiet for a moment. “Sorry hon. And then I call and want something from you, too.”

He sighed heavily again. “No, it’s not you. I’m just…”

“Pissed off and needed to vent,” she finished for him.

“Yeah.”

“Anything I can do? Like shut up and let you get some sleep?”

“You could talk to me,” he said. ”Tell me how your day was, how you are.”

“So you really want to be bored to death?”

She heard him smile. “I’d give a lot for a little boredom.”

“Okay then,” she said. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you. So… I got up and took a shower. The plumber fixed the boiler, by the way, so long, hot shower. Then getting ready for work, grabbed some breakfast, had a boring and uneventful day at work. Phone didn’t even ring once. I called myself from my mobile just to see whether it still works. Then had another fight with the photocopier and I won.”

She stopped. “This is the part where you congratulate me.”

”Sorry, I zoned out after you mentioned the shower. Had this very vivid image of you all soapy and wet in my mind.”

She laughed out loud. “Typical. Oh, I went out to lunch with Pete, who said to say hi.”

”Which Pete?”

“You know, Pete from PR. He launched the whole promo thing for you guys. You had about a million meetings with him-Pete?”

”I remember that slick little…” His voice was stern now. ”Since when do you go out to lunch with him?”

She was surprised. “Dave, chill. It was just this once, today. He invited me.”

That was exactly the wrong thing to say.

”He INVITED you? Do you have any idea who Pete is? That slimy little wanker?”

He was working himself up quite a bit now, voice raised.

“Dave, please. I’m a grown up woman and can take care of myself. There were about a hundred other customers in that place.”

”THAT’S NOT THE POINT!”

He was shouting by now and she was getting angry, too.

“Then what is?”

”You’re going out with another man and tell me by the by?”

“That’s not true and you know it.”

”Do I?”

“Hon, please, you’re working yourself into a state here over nothing,” she tried to reason.

“Nothing? NOTHING? Oh, my girlfriend is just going out with another man, that is NOTHING to you?”

She barely bit back a comment about all the women he was surrounded by on tour on a daily basis.

“Now this is silly.”

”Oh, excuse me if I’m yearning for my girlfriend and find out that she meets with other men!”

She blinked at hearing this. “Dave, this is not about you and me anymore, or me going out to lunch with someone.”

”Yes it is!”

“No, it’s not. You’re just generally pissed off. I’m here if you want to talk about it. But you can’t just go and pick a random fight with me, just because you’re bloody angry with the people around you. That’s not fair and you know it. Call me back once you’ve calmed down.”

With that, she slammed the phone down. He didn’t call again that night. But the next morning at work she had a delivery. In the envelope was a plane ticket for the weekend to their next concert and backstage pass along with a note.

“I’m a dickhead, sorry. Miss you badly. D”

* * *

He heard her pick up after the fifth ring and he let out the breath he had been holding.

“Hullo?” she asked sleepily.

“Hey, baby.”

“Dave!”

The same words, practically every night since her last visit nearly a month ago. He felt instantly better, closer to her again.

“I’m sorry I woke you.”

He heard her yawn. “Stop apologising. I told you to call me whenever.”

He heard the swishing of sheets, indicating she was changing positions, probably to lie on her back. He settled back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“How was your day, love?” she asked.

And it felt so good. So good to hear just those words. To know she wanted to know, she really cared and wouldn’t accept any short version. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“It was pretty good. Interviews went well. Though one reporter was asking really dumb questions. I was this close to walking out on him. But Fletch came to the rescue.” He wrapped the cord of the phone around his finger and unwrapped it again. “The show went well, though Martin’s synth acted up. Thankfully only during the last encore. Someone threw another bra, near miss.”

He heard her chuckle. “Was it my size?”

“I didn’t check.”

”Liar.”

He grinned. “Too big.”

”Damn. And there I thought you might bring me something nice for my collection.”

He closed his eyes. “You have a quite nice collection as it is, luv.”

He heard her softly snort. ”Mhm, yes. Thanks to you.”

“What are you wearing?”

Dave heard her sigh and it sent shivers down his spine. He missed her. He missed touching her. He missed kissing her, smelling and making love to her.

”One of your shirts.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Miss me that much?”

”More.”

“Did you spray yourself down with my aftershave yet?”

”Not yet. But I was close.”

He laughed quietly at her silent confession. Dave closed his eyes again and imagined her, lying on their bed in his shirt. The soft skin of her long, slender legs. How they felt when they were wrapped around him.

“What are you wearing underneath?” he asked a little breathless.

There was a short pause. ”Nothing. You?”

“Commando.”

He heard her gasp and let his hand run over his chest, imagining it was hers. “Open those buttons for me, baby.”

He heard some rustling. ”Done.”

“Put me on speaker phone and tell me what you’re doing, luv.”

When her voice came on, it sounded different. So now she had her hands free. He smiled.

”I imagine my hands are yours and you run them down to my breasts. You take them into your hands. Do you rub them?”

He felt his member grow hard and he bit his lip. “Yes, baby, gently.”

He heard her moan and he did, too, as he envisioned her hands on her breasts.

”You put your mouth on my nipple and softly suck it in, licking and teasing it.”

“Mmh, yes, I love licking your nipples.”

”I let my hands run down your back and I feel how your muscles move under my fingertips.”

“Yes, that feels good, babe,” he whispered. “I lick your other nipple until it’s hard. Then I kiss down your belly.”

”I can feel your hot skin against mine. My hands are in your hair and I pull you up.”

“Don’t you want me to please you tonight?”

Her breathing was hot. ”No, baby, tonight it’s all about you. You lie on your back and I’m sitting between your legs.”

He moaned at her words.

”You’re hard and ready for me. I wrap my hand around your… cock.”

His hand wrapped around his shaft and he groaned as she drew out the last word.

”I touch myself with my other hand.”

He heard her moan. ”I’m seeping wet for you, baby. I bend my head and lick off your first drops, then I take you into my hot, wet mouth, all the way in. Do you like that?”

“Fuck baby, yes,” he grunted, his hand pumping his now rock-hard member slowly, sweat drops running down his temples. “Rub your clit, baby.”

He heard her low moan and knew he wouldn’t last long anymore. “Move on up, baby, I want to be buried inside of your hot, tight cunt.”

Another moan from her. ”Oh yes, baby, you feel so good. Your thick hard dick throbbing inside me as you thrust all the way in and slip out again, and in again.”

His hand was working his shaft frantically now.

“Fuck, you’re tight and wet, so fucking wet for me, luv,” he said huskily.

Their breathing was laboured now.

”You put your hands on my breasts and squeeze them.”

“Oh yes, you love that. You ride me hard. Come on, touch yourself for me, luv. Rub your clit. Feel me inside of you.”

He heard her pant and moan. ”Fuck, Dave, I’m so close!”

The blood was pounding in his ears and he could feel his balls tighten.

“Fall with me, luv,” he said hotly.

He could hear her cry out his name and with a few more pumps, he followed her with a loud moan, feeling his hot semen spurt onto his stomach.

They didn’t say anything for a while, trying to catch their breath. He took a Kleenex from the box on the bedside table and cleaned his stomach and his now semi-hard member, then tossed the tissues into the bin nearby. He missed. Oh well, he’d take care of that in the morning.

“Are you still there, luv?” he asked, his breathing calming down.

”Mmmmh,” she purred, sounding sated and tired, no longer on speaker phone. ”You know, I’ve come to appreciate phone sex with you immensely in the past weeks, but I have to tell you, there’s nothing like the real thing, hon.”

He chuckled, his heart overflowing with love. “Ditto, baby, ditto. I’ll be coming home for a week in six days.”

She sighed. ”Six days… Can’t wait for you to get home and make love to me.”

He felt his heart skip a beat.

”Can I listen to you sleep?”

He smiled. “I was just about to ask the same thing. Put the phone on the pillow so I can hear you breathe.”

”Goodnight baby. I miss you.”

“Miss you too, love. Sleep well.”

He listened to the rustling of the sheets, then only her breathing. It evened out and he knew she had drifted off to sleep within minutes. She’d have to get up in one hour again, whereas he had practically the entire night before him. They were half way through the tour. The days and nights without her were numbered, but still long.