Hello, Stranger...

Just checking

Joe gave it some time before he located his phone and dialed Mick's number. He didn't answer right away, which only caused Joe's irritation to grow.

"Joe, where the hell have you been?" Mick asked, once he picked up.

"I'm not calling about that. Stevie said, she's meeting up with you?"

Without skipping a beat Mick replied. "Yes, I'm waiting for her as we speak. Why do you ask?"

"I, uh... nothing." Joe frowned. "I was just-"

"Checking?"

"You could say that. Anyway, thanks."

"No problem. Are we going to see you at rehearsals any time soon?"

"As long as Lindsey Buckingham is a part of the tour no, you won't." Joe hung up with that, tossing his phone away with a huff.

Meanwhile, Stevie and Lindsey had just ordered, sitting across each other. This wasn't the first time they saw each other. Stevie simply didn't want anyone to know, not that they were doing something wrong, it needed to be just the two of them right now. They would spend an hour or two together, getting to know each other all over again, until Stevie would say it was time for her to go. She wanted to stay longer each time, but she also somehow wanted to show Lindsey that she was in control.

"I don't deserve you treating me this way, Steph." 

"Stevie." She corrected him. "And what way is that?"

"Well, I thought that all doors had been closed, that we would never again sit like this and have a conversation. I didn't believe you and I would perform together again."

Taking a sip of her coffee, Stevie contemplated what to say to that. "To be honest with you, neither did I. Right up until that point when we broke up again, I believed that somewhere deep down the man I fell in love with still existed. We've caused each other so much pain over the years, yet we somehow would find a way back. But..." Stevie stopped for a moment, feeling herself getting emotional. "You fucked it all up when we were the happiest together, Lindsey. I could only wonder, what's to come, you know? I realized that despite loving you as much as I do, I just can't go on like that. It's too hard, it hurts too much."

Dropping his eyes low, Lindsey nodded, ashamed. "That wasn't me, Stevie. It was someone, fueled by drugs and alcohol, a possessive controlling jerk. If only I could turn back time, I would take it all back. I don't know to this day why I mistreated you so horribly. I just... I wasn't thinking clearly, I didn't know what I was doing." Mindlessly, Lindsey reached across the table, taking Stevie's hand in his own. "I'm not that man anymore, I'm not."

"So you keep saying." Stevie sighed, suddenly aware of their clasped hands. She pulled away and straightened up, when the waiter returned with their food. "I'm not going to take your word for it. Actions speak a lot louder than words."

"That's true, I agree and I'm going to prove it to you."

"What for?"

Lindsey couldn't answer that. He didn't know. Well, he did, he wasn't sure he was supposed to be that open with her. "I want you to be sure that the man you fell in love with is in here." He said, placing the palm of his hand over his heart. "I've made too many mistakes in my past. I stood in the way of us getting married, I wasn't the one who made you a mother... Those two things I'll regret the most until my dying breath, Steph." This time, she let it slide. "If we part ways after this tour and we don't see each other for another twenty years, I don't want you to remember me as that fucking idiot, who told you to give up your child and then crashed your wedding, because I knew I was losing you for good. I want you to think of me as that awkward teenager you met all those years ago, who was too afraid to make eye contact with the most beautiful girl he had ever looked at."

Smiling sadly, Stevie took a napkin and dabbed with it under her eyes. "You've always been good with words, Lindsey."

"There's a song I wrote about you." She chuckled and he added. "Well, not just the one. I've written loads, but this one, I want you to hear it." He sensed the hesitation. "I'd like it if you came to my place, I'd play it for you. It's better live." Lindsey joked making Stevie smile.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea..."

He didn't want to push her. He knew her too well, if he came on too strong, she'll take a step back. "If you're not comfortable with that, I'll play it for you when we see each other next for rehearsals. I'm sure we'll catch a moment alone."

"Right, because it's not like Joe's joining us." Stevie scoffed and Lindsey could tell things weren't exactly perfect.

"Really? You mean, he's..." Lindsey trailed off, not wanting to get his hopes up too high, letting her continue.

"He told me, he won't be a part of the tour any longer. It's just us four now." Stevie clarified and Lindsey could jump from joy. "But I don't want to talk about him." Annoyance clear in her voice.

"We don't have to. Many things happened during the time we weren't speaking to each other, I'm sure there are more pleasant topics of conversation."

Stevie nodded, sitting back as she took a gulp from a glass of water. "Is there something you'd like to know?"

"Tell me about Danielle." Lindsey said, which brought a grin to Stevie's face.

That hour turned into two, until Karen had had enough and called Stevie, before it became three.