Finding Heaven

Part 5: The Game Boy Sessions

See A/N at end.

"You must have it by now?" Gary called tiredly through to the sound Editor at the mixing desk, "I feel like I've said 'Dance' about a hundred times, getting this right!" Gary laughed.

The guy at the mixing desk smiled back, nodded and gave the thumbs up signal that Gary had been waiting for.

"Brilliant!" Came his resounding response as he removed the headphones. He jostled out passed the magnitude of recording equipment hauled up in the cramped mini-recording booth he had been working in and made his exit. It was the first time he'd worked in the much smaller booth, for he wasn't alone at the recording studio that morning; the other lads were in the larger recording booth recording the backing vocals for the new cover single.

Gary waited as the sound Editor walked over to him surveying a clipboard, "Thanks for that Gary, we're all set", the young editor confirmed, "Now I need Robbie, can you go get him for me?" he innocently asked. The sound editor had never worked with the band before, and honestly had no clue which one 'Robbie', was!

After hesitating for only the smallest of seconds, Gary stoically smiled back and nodded. As soon as he turned on his heel to go find Robbie however, his expression dramatically changed – the smile dropped and his eyes grew dark; he'd been doing his levelled best to avoid Robbie recently. Ever since Robbie's outburst in the van, Gary had decided to keep his distance from the young lad. Even when at times, Robbie appeared to be catching his eye about something, Gary firmly ignored him, pretending not to have noticed him. After all, Robbie's words were unkind and personal. Gary had a thick skin, developed from all the years spent entertaining in the Men's Working Clubs...but still – Robbie's words hurt. He didn't know fully why it affected him so much, but then he guessed no one really liked to know that someone didn't like them.

Gary approached the large sound-insulated cubicle where the rest of the lads were working; he opened the door and scanned the occupants for the one he was searching for. Robbie immediately locked eyes with him, and a small part of Gary's brain actually thought it detected a small smile on that face. Gary inwardly shook his head, he knew that couldn't be right.

"They need you Robbie, for the additions and ad-libs", Gary simply requested, his face awash with forced neutrality.

"Oh", Robbie pleasantly replied and leapt up from the stool he had been sitting on in the booth. As he approached, Gary thought Robbie looked like he was about to say something to him, but Gary pre-emptively cut him off by purposely addressing everyone but him, "I'm done guys," he announced, "so I'll be off, I guess". The rest of the lads waved him off and went back to the recording, and Gary immediately turned on his heel to leave.

Robbie watched Gary's rapidly retreating form depart, and frowned with utter dissatisfaction. Standing there a brief moment, before inwardly shaking his head, he freed himself from more unwanted thoughts, before he set out following Gary, out of the booth.

Robbie was about to call out to Gary; for he needed to call out to him, he needed to say something to him, he needed to make things right... just a quick word, not about much, just small talk – basically, anything that'd break the block of ice between them. A block of ice Robbie knew he was largely responsible for.

However, just before he could – the sudden, and very unwelcome form of Nigel came striding through the door to the studio and Robbie disgruntledly watched as Nigel made an instant beeline for Gary. The self-satisfied smile on the older man's podgy face was revolting to Robbie.

Outside the smaller recording booth, Robbie now hesitated before going in – his eyes being pulled in the direction of Nigel and Gary – he wondered what was being said, and whether it had anything to do with him...