That Blue Gibson: Another Round

thirty-three

Dave had fallen in love with Ireland back when he first toured with Scream. Even while dead broke, barely making enough to eat and couch surfing, the country felt like coming home. The people were friendly, the beer was fresh and there was no beating how beautiful it was. But seeing it all through Liz's eyes was like seeing it for the first time.

"I could just pack it all up and live here forever," she sighed.

They had pulled the Harley off the highway just north of Dublin to look at the sea one more time and she stood at the edge of the beach, letting the wind whip her hair loose.

"We don't have to go back," he told her, resting his chin on her shoulder and staring out at the horizon, "Let's just say 'fuck it', retire and send for the kids."

"If you think for one second I'm gonna let you retire," she huffed, jabbing her elbow back into his ribs.

"Right, right," he chuckled and patted her side, just above her FF tattoo, "I keep forgetting you're my biggest fan."

They'd been all over that week, from Cork to Derry, putting so many miles on the Harley that Dave wondered what the owner would think. But London was waiting. 

They had been forced to set aside a few days within their honeymoon for work, he had some gigs and she had some meetings, and were using London as their base camp to manage it all. Paul had generously offered up his home on Cavendish once again and Dave felt a little flutter of remembered fear as the gate swung open for their car. He'd been so scared to leave Liz alone back then, worried she couldn't handle it all herself. 

"It's okay," she said softly, pulling him from his memories. "Everything's okay."

"Yeah," he let out the sigh he'd been holding and parked the car just as Taylor flung open the front door and bounded down the steps wearing some obnoxious floral shirt and white jeans.

"Honeymooners!" he yelled, waving his arms excitedly.

"He could have gotten a hotel room," Dave grumbled, "In fact, I know a really great hotel in Soho he could-"

"Oh, stop," Liz laughed and shoved open her door. "You missed him desperately."

"I did not," he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Missed being a pain in his ass, maybe."

She was just about to climb out of the car when she suddenly paused, then slowly sat back in her seat and turned to him with a mischevious smile. 

*

"I can deal with London when it feels like this," Taylor announced, turning his face towards the unseasonably warm English sun.

"You gotta branch out, man," Dave muttered as he sipped his beer. "Not everywhere can feel like SoCal."

"Yeah, but it should," he turned his attention off sunning himself like an iguana to shuffle closer to Dave, "So how's it been? How's the honeymoon? She wear you out yet?"

Dave snorted a laugh and checked the heat on the grill in front of him. "It's been fine, T."

"Oh come on," he whined, looking over his shoulder to make sure the girls hadn't come outside. "You gotta give me more than that, man. How was the Grey Suite?"

"It was...," he could hear the back door open and felt Taylor getting impatient. "Great. She was totally into it."

"Yeah? How into it?" 

Liz wound her arms around Dave making Taylor back up half a step with a terse smile. "Hey, Liz," he mumbled, clumsily leaning against the side of the house.