Broken String

CLXXXI (Epilogue part 2)

It's a small pang of regret that Brett isn't second seat, like he would have been last year. It would have been beyond awesome to share this moment with him, but it's okay. He'll listen in the crowd, with his mum, and his sister, and Todd, and Ian, and Lily. All the people he loves. And soon he'll join his friends again, graduated, out into the world, his first contract with the QSO burning a hole in his pocket.
"Congratulations on your contract." Anita says as if she's reading his mind. They're walking up the stairs now, calmly but he can see the large wooden doors the audience have walked into already. That's not his door, though, his is the side door, the small hidden one that plagued his dreams last year. Nerves start flooding him as his feet hit the black carpet and he takes a deep breath. His left hand grips the neck of his violin as if it itself can support him through the next half hour.
"Thanks. It's great, right? Lots of ballet though, next season."
She grins softly.
"Ah, the ballet. Many notes to play but I do like the ballet."
"Me too, actually."

He can hear the orchestra now, tuning through the wood. At the little side door he nervously puts his violin to his chin and checks his own strings. As long as they're tuning to A=442 he's golden.
God, he hopes he won't have to tune on stage. He's way too scared he won't get it, or his peg will come undone and the whole room will see him struggle. But before he can worry about that any more all of the sounds die down and Anita smiles at him one more time and opens the door.
"Toi toi, Eddy. You've got this."
He could laugh because of how similar this is to the nightmares. The only difference is that she's not pushing him, he's walking on his own. The only difference is that now he's okay, he's ready.
Now he can play this.
Now he has some confidence.
Oh, and by the way, it's a different piece as well, and actually right now, taking the first tentative step onto the wood that has been the scene for so many plagued nights, for the first time he's actually happy that he is not playing the Sibelius today. He'll save that, you see. He'll play his favourite concerto at some other point in time. A better point in fact, maybe when Brett is playing with him. One day. 
Who knows?
He walks on stage and the audience erupts in applause.
"Whoop! Whoop!" he hears and his eyes shoot to the third row. Yep. There he is, it's Todd of course, waving like a loon, Brett on his right side, Ian on his left. He can't help but grin. He steps up to his spot between pulpit and first seat and shakes the conductor's hand, then the concert master's. Anna is beaming up at him from her place next to him.
"You've got this." she whispers.

The last year spins around him in a whirlwind of nervous images as he quickly checks his tuning against the A the concert master gives him. Practice. Lots of practice. So much joy, with his love, who is there now, settling in next to Todd, beaming up at him. He catches his eye and smiles. His heart still jumps. Oh, he loves him so much and their relationship has only deepened. He's there, of course he's there. The videos they've been uploading are getting some attention. There's hope, for a future together, for something more.
Twoset.
It's the best thing he's done in his life.
He pulls himself out of his dreamy shards and gives the conductor the tiniest nod. His third finger finds his starting D on its own. No intro, in the Barber, he just comes in when the orchestra does. This con orchestra that he was so impressed with when he first started here but now he's about to leave all of this behind, on to pro orchestra, rehearsals for Tchaik Swan Lake starting next week. They are like a single person behind him, an entity of its own, raising their bows with him, breathing with him like they are all one. A wave from the conductor's hand, and they're off. His D soars over the orchestra, away into the audience. His line flows effortlessly after it.

And he's got this.

He always did. 

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A/N. So, that's it... another book in the bag, can't quite believe how many there are now! And you guys are always there, reading, commenting, starring. It keeps me writing because I love this fandom and the people in it. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you come check out my new book, the first chap is out now: "We don't want to label it." Link is in the comments or you can find it through my profile!

<3