Friend or Foe?

Richie didn’t know what to do at first. He was kind of shocked that she was coming on to him when she was making it clear when she first got here that she was flirting with Jon. All these different scenarios were going thru his head as he just looked at her.

“Well Lover what do you say?” she asked him again waiting for her answer.

“I’m just a little confused and maybe it’s the hangover but are you just coming to me because Jon has his fiancé with him right now? I mean once she’s gone are you going to start hitting on him again and leave me out in the cold because believe it or not we don’t like to share.” He told her.

“Really? I thought all you rockstars like to share and to um do well how can I put this gently. Threesomes. There I said it. I can maybe be persuaded into something like that if I have enough drinks in me.” She told me caressing his arm and playing footsie’s with him.

Richie thought that if it was any other time or any other girl he may be into it but he knew he couldn’t trust her but he knew he had to keep her away from Jon and find out what her game was. “Ok sure Darling you’re only here til the end of the tour anyway so why not we can have some fun. But right now I do have to go back to my room and take a shower and then we have a meeting so I’ll see you at sound check then.” He told her.

“I can’t come to the meeting?” she asked him.

“I wouldn’t advise it it’s just for the five of us and a couple of others who need to be there and if you show up I think Jon would throw you out personally.” Richie explained to her.

“What about his little girlfriend will she be there?” Karen asked inquisitively.

“No, no wives or girlfriends allowed because they’re only distractions. And it’s Bon Jovi business so only people who need to be there and everyone understands that.” He explained more.

“Fine then I’ll see you at sound check.” She told him and got up and laid a kiss on him that he would remember for quite a while. He sat there and watched her leave and asked himself ‘What the hell did I get myself into?’

*********************************************************************

Jon and Ellie got back to their room and she saw a change in him as soon as they left the hotel’s restaurant. She didn’t say anything but when they entered the room Jon slammed the door and she didn’t even think he realized it. She looked at him and said, “You have a problem with something or just with the door?”

He turned around with a confused look on his face. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The door you slammed it shut. So either you’re mad at me, the guys, or the world. But when we left here you seemed to be walking on cloud nine with me so what changed?” she asked him a little miffed.

“Nothing why? And my hand probably just slipped when I shut the door ok?” he told her bluntly.

“Ok so why the attitude then?” she asked him.

“Why all the questions all of a sudden?” he wanted to know.

“Because you’re being a jackass right now. Damn it Jon not an hour ago we were extremely happy and now you’re acting like someone stole you’re damn bike. What the hell happened between the time we went downstairs and then back up here again? Because the only thing I can think of was the girl Karen was there having breakfast with us and guess what she wasn’t doing anything to make you mad. You just had a stick up your ass.” She told him outright.

“Babe this is a show night and this is how I get and I have a lot on my mind. And as soon as I sat down reality set in and I started to think of all that I have to do ok? So just lay off.” He told her pissy.

“Jon Francis  I’ve been here during show days and you don’t act like this in fact you try and nail me backstage so don’t you dare try and sell me this crap. (thinking for a moment) Oh my God! I get it now. Why didn’t I see it down there.” She was saying as she was walking around the room.

“What? What the hell are you babbling about?” he asked her curiously.

“Karen, she was sitting next to Richie and talking with him and doing all that touchy feely shit. She was hitting on him. That bothered you. Why?” she asked a little pissed herself now.

“I Was Not! I was pissed because she was there in the first place Babe. Just once I’d like to go somewhere just all of us and not have her show up. She’s writing an article on us and I don’t need our shit written all out for everyone to see. God Ellie I thought if anyone would understand it would be you.” He said to her trying to look hurt.

“Don't give me that Jon I know your real hurt look and that’s not it. Remember I’m a mother of a six year old and Jimmy is a lot better at it than you are. Plus I know what this Karen is doing and she is a poor woman’s Dorothea. So been there done that. If Doc did hire her to either break us up well then she’s doing a good job of it if you’re getting jealous of her and Richie.” She said as Jon cut in.

“I’m not jealous of them but something is going on Babe and I seem to be out of the God Damn loop.” He told her getting more upset.

Walking over to him and talking his hands in hers, “Jon yes there is something going on and you need to calm down or you’re going to have a heart attack. I’m sure Richie will tell you everything when he can. He just couldn’t because she was sitting right there in front of us. Plus we had the Do Not Disturb sign out for what like over twenty four hours and they knew if they did you would kill them. Now can you please chill out because I’m only here for about four and half more days and do you really want to fight?” she asked him as she kissed him on his chin.

Looking at her and smiling, “I’m sorry but she just rubs me the wrong way. Ever since she got here she just drives me crazy and it’s not because I like her Babe.” He told her taking her in his arms.

“Ok then I believe you. How could I not after what you put me thru the last twenty four hours. To be truthful I didn’t think I was going to survive them.” She chuckled.

“Well I didn’t hear you complaining at the time all I heard I was…” Jon was cut off by Ellie covering his mouth with her hand.

“Don't you dare! (laughing) I didn’t really have a choice now did I with you tying me to the bed like that. ‘Oh trust me I’d never do anything to hurt you right?’ you may not of hurt me but Jesus Jon it’s a good thing nobody noticed my wrist.” She said laughing.

“Well you did seem to enjoy it didn’t you?” he asked her as he bent down and started to nibble on her neck.

“You know I did and your really should register that tongue of yours with the police department.” She giggled.

He pulled his head up with a surprised look on his face then he became very cocky of himself. “Really now well maybe I will my tongue as a deadly weapon cool.” He smiled widely.

“What am I going to do with you?” she asked him as he went in for a kiss.

“Oh I have a few ideas.” He said as he laid one on her and then started to back up to the bedroom when there was a knock on the door. They stopped dead in their tracks as Jon just put his head down as Ellie just smiled. “I’ll get it.” Jon said snotty.

Jon walked over to the door he thought to himself that if it was Karen he was going to slam the door in her face. When he opened it, it was Richie. “Hey Rich what’s up?”

“Can I come in I need to talk to you about something.” He told him.

“Yeah sure come on in.” Jon told him as Ellie said Hi to him as he walked in.

“Look I noticed things got kind of tensed downstairs earlier and I think I know why.” he said pacing nervously.

Ellie was looking at Jon and giving him the eye as Jon was just trying to ignore her knowing what she was doing. “Yeah um what was that all about? Why was Karen hanging all over you like that?” Jon asked him curious.

“Well that’s what I wanted to know at the time also but I just went with it hoping she would tell after you guys left.” He told them.

“Well did she?” Jon asked him.

“Yeah she did. I kind of pulled it out of her. She told me since you weren’t going to play with her and that Ellie was here she told me more or less she’s giving up on you so she thought she’d give me a try. I told her oh gee thanks but she said why not basically a lay is a lay to her.” As he was telling this Ellie’s eyes went large.

“She said what? Are you kidding me? She doesn’t care who she screws?” Ellie asked him.

“Oh Darling it gets worse. She’s even said after you leave she’s willing for us to do a threesome. That is if your anger issues are put to rest. But I told her that we don’t share very well.” Richie explained to them.

Jon was about to say something but Ellie did. “Over my dead fucking body!”

“Baby now I think you need to calm down. Nobody is going to sleep with anybody ok?” he tried to tell her but she was heading for the door as he stopped her. “Now just where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going to have a little talk with Ms. Whore!” she exclaimed.

Jon looked at Richie and Richie picked up his hands to tell Jon he had this. “Ellie it’s ok really I’ve got this. I told her that she and I would hook up til the end of the tour so she’ll leave Jon alone because I told her that I wouldn’t be able to see her if she went after him if she did. Now this way I can see if she is working for Doc or if she really just like’s rockstars and is just a groupie herself. But at least I’ll have you covered Jon.” Richie explained to the two of them.

“Oh I can see this is going to be rough on you. Well I guess I should thank you.” Jon told him.

“You guess? You guess? This broad likes you Jon and wants to fuck you and doesn’t give a rat’s ass that you have a family. And you guess!” Ellie yelled at him. Richie and Jon just looked at each other and knew she was over the edge right now. Jon hasn’t seen her like this for a long time. Deep down he thinks it cute that she does get a little jealous but he knows that she loves him deeply and that he loves her deeply.

“Babe we just went thru this right? Huh? But I think we can make this interesting when you leave. And no I won’t do anything that will jeopardize our relationship I promise. But making phone calls to you while they’re around might be kind of fun.  Or buying you lingerie and just happen to show it when they’re around.” Jon was saying as Richie jumped in.

“That would be great make her jealous of all the stuff you get Ellie and see what she does. Really rub it in and then have her report back to Doc. Especially this week with that damn sign you guys have on the door and us telling her do not disturb or you’ll be killed.” Richie said chuckling.

All of a sudden Jon thought of something. “Richie you guys told her that when the sign was up not to bother us?” 

“Yeah we told her that when Ellie was here and that you guys haven’t seen each other in oh weeks Lordy and that you were horny as hell Jon, um yeah right, not to bother you guys why?” Richie asked.

Jon and Ellie just stood there amazed. “Because the Bitch did just that. She came knocking and said she wanted to interview me since I wasn’t going out with you guys that day. And that she thought I had a groupie with me so she didn’t care about the sign.” Jon explained to him pissed now.

“You’re kidding? I told her that you were with Ellie your fiancé. She knew you weren’t with anyone else. So what do you want me to do then? Do you want me to go thru with this and play her? Or just tell her to go to hell and we confront Doc?” Richie asked him.

Jon thought for a minute and you could see the wheels turning. Ellie and Richie just looked at each other with concerned because each of them knew what he could come up with. Then he turned to them and said, “No you stick with her like glue. Apparently she wants us to think that she has changed course in this little cat and mouse game. You can keep working her right?” Jon asked him.

“Yeah sure it’s a hard job but someone has to do it.” Richie said laughing.

“Yeah yeah yeah very funny just make sure you don’t let her out of your site ok? We need to find out that Doc is involved in this and hopefully with this added info maybe we can get him to drop our contract with us.” Jon said hopefully.

***********************************************************************

The guys showed up at sound check and Jon brought Ellie just to piss off Karen. He put her in the front row and gave her a kiss and told her to keep her eyes open for anything. He didn’t want anything to happen to her or just in case that Karen pulled anything with him or Richie that might need a witness. She told him that she would do her best. Finally Richie and Karen came together and she took a seat a few rows down from her. Karen smiled at her as she gave one back at her but Ellie would have like to do something else. The guys were setting up as Ellie saw Jon talking with Richie briefly, she figured it was about Karen but Karen could have thought it was about business.

They went thru the set list in no time and as they were doing so Ellie had looked over to Karen and she was taking pictures of them. She had gotten up several times moving around for different angles so she could get the best shots of them. Ellie didn’t see anything wrong in what she was doing. She thought maybe the guys were over thinking this. Maybe she was just a fan and really just thought Jon was good looking because well he was. Jon was under a lot of stress lately and he could be over thinking this. She could be just wanting to get to him well just because.  She would be here for a few more days and would keep her own eyes and ears open just to make sure. Either way Karen did have a motive and it was no good. And either way she wasn’t going to get Jon.  

After sound check was done Jon told everyone to make sure that they would meet back in time before showtime. He then took Ellie back to the hotel so they could be alone before the concert. Karen found this interesting. “Don't they ever get tired?” she asked Richie.

“Why jealous?” he asked her curious.

“No of course not I just trying to figure out where they find the energy that’s all.” She smiled at him.

“Well I guess when you’re in love it just comes naturally.” Richie told her.

“How long have they been together?” she asked him.

“You’d have to ask Jon on that one. We don’t talk about each other with the press. Now if you want to ask a question about me I’ll be glad to answer it.” He told her.

“Ok but trying to get him to answer anything for me is like pulling teeth. The four of you have been great but Jon no way. The pictures are coming out great at least the concerts one are. But I do need some one on one’s and interviews with you guys separate and together. But I can’t if your lead singer isn’t going to be helpful. Does he know what this could do to your careers and to mine for that matter?” she asked Richie.

“Oh if I know Jon he does. But if you know our manager he has an ulterior motive also and that’s what Jon is thinking. So if you know anything as to why Doc hired you or Kerrang at the end of this tour and not at the beginning of it then let us know. Because that’s our question.” Richie explained to her.

“Well as far as I know I was sent here to do an article on you guys for the magazine that’s all. But if I hear anything different I’ll let you know. Oh by the way are you doing anything after the concert tonight?” she asked him.

“Just the after party why?” he smiled at her.

“I thought maybe we could do something afterwards?” she asked him.

“Well maybe we can let’s see what’s going on afterwards how’s that?” he suggested.

“Sounds great. So while I have you are up for a few questions and pictures then?” she asked him with a sly smile. Richie relented and went to sit down to talk to her. They talked for quite a while as she took notes and laughed. Then they went back to his hotel room so she could get pictures of him in different outfits and do close ups of him as she put up a colored sheet on one of the walls for background. Hours had passed and Richie then had to tell her he had to get ready for the venue and she could meet him there. She tried to convince him that she could help him to get ready and as much as he would love that Jon would get angry if he was late getting there. She told him she understood and that maybe he could make it up to her later.

***********************************************************************

  Jon and Ellie had gotten cleaned up and had a tray sent up to snack on as they were hungry after their little romp. Jon couldn’t stop staring at her as she had gotten dressed in this cute black mini leather skirt and dark purple laced blouse with her leather jacket and leather boots that went to her knees. She also was wearing silver jewelry which was her favorite. She was fixing her hair down and pulling it up on the sides when she noticed Jon staring at her.

“What are you looking at?” she asked him as he was standing in the door frame with this wide grin on his face.

“Oh the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.” He told her as he looked her up and down.

“Are you drunk already because you still need to go out on stage you know?” she told him smiling back.

“Stop will you. Learn to take a compliment because I intend to give them to you for the rest of your life woman.” He told her shaking his head.

“Fine but sometimes I still wonder what you see in me. Especially now where you have all these girls throwing themselves at you and you can have anyone of them and you chose little old me.” She said to him.

Walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, “Well little old you don’t care who the hell I am. And you don’t want anything from me they do. I love you Ellie I never stopped loving you. I think I just hope that if I did make it you would see that I did and well maybe we could you know get back together somehow. But I lucked out that day when Richie and I walked into your store and needed that fabric with Spanky. I guess Fate knew more than all of us huh?” he told her while they were looking at each other in the mirror.

“Yeah I guess you were right. Fate has a way of working out. I’m still sorry you didn’t get to see Jimmy when he was a baby.” She told him.

Turning her around in his arms, “Tell me what was it like to be pregnant at seventeen.” He asked her as he kissed her forehead.

“Really? O

k well truthfully it was embarrassing and being seventeen and going thru all those awkward teen crap I felt fat. Plus I was in love and I was hurt that you wouldn’t return any of my calls or letters and that I would never see you again. (at this point Jon walked them over to the bed to sit) To be really honest I thought Mom and Dad were going to send me to the Convent til I had him. I watched too much t.v. you know.” She told him laughing.

“Yeah I watched those movies of the week too. Little did I know it was happening to me in real life and didn’t know it.” he said sadly.

“Well I also knew I was an embarrassment also because not only friends but family were talking about me and giving advice to them on what to do with the baby. But I knew what I was going to do with him and I was going to keep him. He was made in love and that I wasn’t ashamed of. I loved his father very much but that still didn’t go over with my folks.” She told him as she leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her.

“I’m sorry Baby I should have been there. I know I keep saying that but…”

“Jon it’s ok we know now what happened so stop beating yourself up about it. Let’s just hope if there are any more that you’ll be around for those ok?” she told him hugging him tight.

“Well we’ll just make sure we’ll plan really good ok?” Jon chuckled.

“Well you can tell the baby that because your son came a month early actually five weeks and you should have seen the chaos he caused it was really funny. I thought I’d be scared but I was laughing too much to be scared.” She told him.

“Really? You never told me about that night.” He said curious. “What happened?”

“Well I started to get some cramps and then Mom thought it could be false labor seeing it was too early but then she started to time them and when they hit to about three minutes apart she called the doctor and they told me to come in. If I wasn’t in labor the worse they could do is send me home. Well we got there and they examined me and the next thing I knew everyone was running around with their heads chopped off. Hooking me up to wires and stuff and the next thing I knew Mom was next to me telling me to push. About four pushes later I heard crying not a lot but they took him over to look at him cleaned him up and we waited. About twenty minutes later they gave him to me and he was so handsome. Only took about a half hour for the nurse to hand him to me but we were in awe and they kept telling me I was a good girl. What was really funny was the lady next to me had a set of twins and they came over to me to see the girl who had the baby in a half hour in four pushes. I was the talk of the hospital. Boy did I want to crawl into a hole.” She explained to him.

Laughing Jon squeezed her tight. “Only you Baby. I’m going to marry a one and only. See I knew you were special in more ways than one.” He told her kissing her on top of her head.

“Gee thanks.” She said giggling.

“Well we better get going to the arena before they send out a search party. And Thanks for telling me about Jimmy’s birth.” He told her kissing her.