Holland Road | Mumford & Sons Fan Fiction

Chapter 20

xChapter 20x

Sunday, June 12, 2011

9:07 P.M.

Nashville, Tennessee

I yank a pea green duffel bag out of the boot of the car and drop it at my feet for Winston to pick it up. Next is a tattered black leather suitcase that belongs to Ben.

"I got it from here," Ted mumbles, suddenly appearing beside me. He grabs my red leather satchel and hands it to me before grabbing his own luggage. I throw my bag over my shoulder and start walking.

There are very few opportunities while on tour to sleep in a nice warm bed inside an actual house. Today is one of those very few days. Ben made arrangements with one of his mates somewhere, or something. I don't really pay attention to that kind of stuff. Where they tell me to sleep, I sleep.

At that moment, a guy in a gray shirt and torn jeans who is probably about my age walks smoothly over to where the rest of my band mates and I are standing. He immediately starts chatting with Ben. I take this as my cue to find some food and a quiet place to smoke.

Clutching my bag in one hand and my guitar case in the other, I make my way up the long driveway. The house is rather large, with huge windows covering the front of it. I can see my own moonlit reflection as my boots crunch on the driveway. The only thing I notice are the bags under my eyes. A yawn escapes my lips.

The front door is standing slightly ajar, so I use my toe to scoot it open. I hear the muted chittering of voices bubbling up from below, and I remember the deal that came along with staying here.

Groaning and feeling more fidgety than ever, I grab the cigarette pack and lighter out of the front pocket of my satchel and walk out the back door into a small garden. Right as I light up and take my first drag, a familiar face peeks at me through the door I just went through.

"Mind if I join you?" Ted asks me, and before I can respond he walks out and pulls out his own pack.

"Do we actually have to play tonight?" I ask him. "Playing is great, better sometimes a man just needs a smoke and a bed."

I am of course referring to the private concert that I signed up for when I was awake and sober.

"I don't think it'll be too bad," Ted says. "You haven't been here lately. I think it'll be good for you."

"Never here?" I question. "I never get to leave."

"Not physically here. But mentally." He says simply. Ted's a simple man.

I glance at him and then turn away, looking though a window into the empty house, a small hollow ball forming in the pit of my stomach.

"Look, I'm going to go figure out how they were thinking I was going to get my bass downstairs," he says, patting my shoulder. "But really. Try to talk to some people. It'll do you well."

I don't look but I hear the door close as Ted goes back inside the house. I watch mindlessly through a window as he walks back to the front of the house. Now is my turn.

x x x x x

After the last chord of the second encore, I stand up, obviously ready to go. Halfway through the performance I had to find a chair to sit in because I was so fatigued I thought I might fall over.

Fighting to keep my eyes open, I smile my thanks and turn to get the hell out of there. The fog in my head and my half shut eyes cause my to bump right into someone.

I take a step and notice that it's the guy I saw earlier, who I've come to know as Jake. He turns and a giant smile stretches across his face.

"Oh, Marcus!" he shouts. "I've been meaning to introduce you to someone." He turns his head and calls behind him. "Carey! I want you to meet Marcus!"

I squint as a face turns and bobs it's way through everyone else. The blond in her hair, the knowing smile on her face. Everything registers in my head as familiar. But the fog in my brain keeps me from this unanswered question until-

"Marcus Mumford, this is Carey Mulligan."

Immediately, the image of a young Carey, warm and wrapped up in my arms, flashes in my mind. I stare at her now blank expression, studying the features that have been altered slightly since theist time I memorized them. It makes me feel lightheaded.

"If you'd excuse me..." I mumble, and turn on my heals, knowing exactly what will happen next.

I start making my way towards the door that leads to the stairs when I hear a sweet voice say, "I'll see what's up."

Making my way to the main level of the house, I hear footsteps padding along behind me.

"You aren't going to make me chase you again, are you?" I hear Carey say before laughing.

"No, I'm not," I state. My feet stop but I keep my body faced away. "I just wanted to see if you'd follow me."

Turning my body, I realize Carey is a lot closer to me than I thought. Only about a foot away, her head is tilted back to look into my eyes. Seeing the look on her face makes the breath catch in my throat.

"It's been years," Carey murmurs.

"It's been eight," I whisper back.

"You're just as handsome as I remember."

"You must have know I'd be here."

She pauses for a moment, her eyes burrowing into mine. I think she's trying to tell me something with them, but I don't know what it is. However, before I can ask, I know the answer.

Soft lips press lightly against mine. All thoughts of sleep are washed away from my mind instantly. A small hand grabs onto my upper arm and squeezes it lightly before I can feel space between our lips once more. And suddenly I feel like I've come home.

{A/N}

Alright, officially the worlds worst author ever. I know this is no excuse for this.

However, I do owe you all an explanation for the little (lol who am I kidding) leave of absence. Back when I stopped posting, honestly, I just wasn't feeling writing. At all. It sucked. It felt like a chore and I didn't want something that I used to like to turn into something that made me unhappy.

Yes, it took me 2 whole months to realize how awesome writing is, and that writing isn't about me, but my READERS. No, this will never happen again.

I promise.

Basically I suck. Moving on.

Goodbye Holland Road (sad face!)

But welcome back LittleLionLove!!!!

There is more more more to come. I love you all, my Little Lion Lovelies :)