Hello, Stranger...

I believe you

"What do you think?" Mick gave Joe a sheet of paper, looking at him expectantly.

"Uh... these are our song?" Joe asked, not really catching on.

"Yes, they are the songs I think we could perform, all five of us." Mick added and Joe's expression changed immediately.

"Absolutely not, Mick. Isn't it enough that I agreed to this bullshit? You promised, Lindsey and I wouldn't be sharing the stage, you're going back on your word!" Joe yelled, Lindsey and John looking over at him.

It had been like that for weeks now. Mick was shifting away from the initial agreement and Joe didn't like one bit of it. Just small changes, which in Mick's mind were going to bring Joe and Lindsey together with no escaping. Stevie didn't interfere, she only listened to Joe moan about it once they'd return home. 

"But it's just a song." Mick argued, seeing Joe shake his head.

"That's what you've been saying this whole time. No, Mick. We weren't even supposed to be rehearsing together and there he is!" Joe showed with his hand at Lindsey. 

"I can hear you, you know." Lindsey said, playing no particular melody on his guitar.

"I really don't care!" Joe shot back. "I'm sick of this. I used to enjoy playing with you, John and Stevie. We've always had such a great time together, but you had to bring him in. Why? Aren't we enough for you?"

"You should go get some fresh air." Stevie interrupted before Mick could reply, taking Joe by the hand, but he recoiled from her touch.

"And you!" Joe faced Stevie. "You said, you wanted no contact with him whatsoever. I've seen you two talking countless times. You've missed Lindsey, huh? You want him back in your life? You want to be friends with him, until he hurts you again? And be sure, he will!"

"Calm down, Joe." Mick spoke up, seeing as Stevie stood staring at Joe, frozen. "There's no need for you to take out your frustration at your wife."

"Don't tell me what to do, Fleetwood." Joe snarled. "You know what? Enjoy your precious Lindsey, I hope he won't let you down. I hope he can play all my guitar parts as well as I do."

Everyone in the room looked at each other, confused. "What do you mean by that?" Mick asked him.

"I'm not doing this." Joe shrugged, gathering his things. "This is bullshit, I knew it was a stupid idea. I don't see why I should force myself to do something I don't want to."

"What the hell are you talking about, Joe?" Stevie went after him, as he took big strides across and out of the room. "Will you stop!"

"WHAT?" He turned around abruptly, causing her to bump into him. "I'm clearly not needed here. All Mick cares about is how to give that asshole more time on stage and more time with you. I've been pushed to the background and I don't think that's fair! I'm the one who saved Mick's ass, when his fucking guitar hero disappeared. Me!" Joe pointed at himself.

"That's just your ego talking." Stevie reached for his hand, but Joe pulled away again.

"Partly, yes, because I don't see how Lindsey's so special that Mick's giving him everything on a silver platter. The other part of me cares about you. Apparently, you're not as strong as you believe and you can't stand up for yourself. The walls you had built, have already crumbled. It's enough for him to look at you and you fucking melt! It's disgusting to look at, it really is."

Stevie swallowed back tears as she said. "You just told me that Lindsey's going to hurt me again, but here you are, doing just that. Yes, I know what I promised myself and you where Lindsey's concerned, but... I believe that he has changed and unlike some of us, I'm willing to give him another chance." She spun around and went back to the rest of the band, leaving Joe speechless.

When Stevie entered the room, the other three were silent, awkwardly looking at each other and avoiding eye contact with Stevie. They heard every word.

Eventually, it was Lindsey, who got up from his seat and approached her. He glanced at Mick, who received the message loud and clear, leaving in a moment along with John.

"I shouldn't have asked Mick for a spot on this tour." Lindsey said. "This is my fault. I'm sorry that you and Joe are fighting over me."

Wiping under her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse, Stevie shook her head slightly. "It's not. Joe's only got himself to blame that he can't get over everything that happened. I've been angry at you for a very long time, Lindsey, but even I managed to forgive you. He should too. At least, he shouldn't be so focused on it."

"I meant it, you know..." Lindsey trailed off, lowering his eyes. "I meant, saying that I'm sorry. Out of all people, you're the one I never wanted to hurt, yet I've done that more than anyone else. I know it sounds stupid, but it's because I love you so much."

Love? Not loved?, Stevie wondered, but she didn't mention it. She had to be thinking too much of it. 

"It was my way of fighting for you back then." Lindsey smiled sadly. "What was I thinking, right?" It made Stevie chuckle a little, his smile now wider. "You believe me, don't you?"

Locking eyes with Lindsey, somewhat shyly, Stevie nodded. "I believe you."