FROM RELEASING THEATRE OF PAIN, TO DOING MULTIPLE SHOWS AGAIN AND TRAVELING, Motley were going through a busy time as always. Harper spent this time to focus on herself and her job; She couldn't follow them all over the world for the rest of her life, as nice as it sounds.
Days were boring without them, but she dealt with it by working and going out with her co-workers some nights.
Doc had called Harper up randomly one day, asking if she'd like to come down for a few shows. She didn't want to be a distraction or a burden to the band, but she wanted to see them. She missed the guys, especially Nikki despite how distant and put-off he was being. So, she flew out the closest date she could get, going to the hotel Motley stayed in the same day.
Harper met up with Doc in the main lobby, her suitcase still with her. Doc approached an older looking woman, probably around her late 40's or early 50's. Harper had no clue who she was, but she looked familiar in an odd way.
"Sorry, not to sound rude or anything, but who are you?" Harper asks the woman, earning a smile from her.
Doc chimes in, introducing the woman to Harper. "This is Nikki's mother. She wanted to visit."
Harper froze at the sight of her. She let her eyes flicker to the woman behind Doc, noticing the resemblance between her and Nikki: the brown hair, the smile was almost identical also. Harper was shocked Doc let her fly over, not that he knew about what she did. Nikki kept that part of his life private, to himself. But, he still had zero right to do so. He didn't even give Nikki a heads up about it.
Anger filled Harper now. This woman and the men that tagged along with her practically ruined Nikki's whole childhood, they put him in a dark place so young. Memories still flooded his mind when Harper and him were together, it was heart wrenching to watch. The mother had tilted her head to the side, confused at Harper's sudden death glare. Then it hit Harper, the mother didn't know who she was.
"Nice to meet you," Harper spoke plainly, forcing a grin on her face.
She spun around to Doc, motioning for him to follow her. "Can I talk to you real quick?"
Doc nodded and walked away from Nikki's mom, not too far though. Harper mouthed a "sorry" to her and went over to Doc, arms crossed over her chest. She stood in front of him, the rage within in her probably radiating.
"What is it?" he questioned.
Harper shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why did you bring her here?"
"I thought it would be nice since it's the holidays," he explains, shrugging his shoulders at Harper.
"You know when he comes down here and see's her, he's going to lose his fucking shit," Harper warns.
"Come on, he won't. It's his mother."
Harper scoffed, watching as Doc walked back over to the mother. He wasn't taking the situation seriously and that didn't surprise Harper. He knew nothing about Nikki, and to Harper, he didn't seem like he cared. If she could fight him herself right now, she would've, but she kept calm.
Harper marched over to the two, Doc going into the elevator to go up to Nikki's floor. Harper awkwardly stood next to the mother, trying her hardest to not lash out on her.
"Do you know Nikki or one of the boys?" she asked abruptly, gaining Harper's attention.
Harper brought her bottom lip between her teeth, nodding. "Yeah, Nikki."
"Oh, how did you two meet?"
"I met him at a show for another band," she lied through her teeth, letting out a soft breath.
The elevator dinged, the two doors sliding open, revealing Doc and Nikki who had a bottle of daniels in his grasp. He stepped out, immediately noticing the both of them, but his mother more so. His face expression said everything: shocked, confused, pissed. The mother rushed over, pulling him into a tight hug. He looked towards Harper, her frowning back at him.
Harper noticed how, for a moment, he warmed up to the hug. Faintly, Harper could hear her speaking, something about a song. Then, the whole moment went downhill. Nikki had backed away from her, eyeing her.
"Frankie—"
"That's not my fucking name!" he shouted at her, throwing the bottle to the floor, letting it shatter. He stormed off, Doc following after him. Harper ignored his mother who stood around embarrassed, going after Nikki who continued to rush out the hotel. She sent Doc a glare before going outside, jogging up close to Nikki.
"Nikki, stop."
"Fuck off, Harper," he spat, glancing over at her over his shoulder. "Go run off like you always do or something."
Letting the comment slide, she gets closer, wrapping her arms around his body. He stopped dead in his tracks, she could feel how tense he was. Harper rested her head against his back. "Not telling you she was here, that was wrong of him. But he doesn't know what she was like to you."
"He could've fucking asked me—"
Harper hugged him tighter, mumbling. "He did ask you, a long fucking time ago."
She moved so she stood in front of him, her figure small against his. "But that's besides the point. Let's go somewhere to get your mind off of that witch inside."
"Where you trying to go, Stone?"
"I don't know, but somewhere so you're not bitchy today."
The two ended up staying out all day. By the time they got back to the hotel, it was around 10 at night. Harper — despite how Nikki was feeling — enjoyed their time together. She loved being with him, hanging out with him. It made her days more interesting, you could say.
Their first stop was at a bar, so Nikki could somewhat drink his feelings into shots and a bottle of daniels. He would have stayed at the bar the whole time if he was by himself, however, Harper was there and she didn't want to deal with a drunk nikki. So, she limited his drinks. When they were done there, they roamed the city streets, touring around. Nikki wasn't too pleased at first. As hours went by though, he started to look past what happened in the hotel.
Entering his hotel room, Harper made sure to close the door behind them while Nikki went straight to his bed. He laid down on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he let out a content sigh. Harper fell back onto the spot right next to him, her arms at her sides.
"I expected today to be shit actually," he started, putting his hands behind his head.
Harper sat up in her spot, looking at him. "Is that your way of saying thanks and i had a good time?"
"It is," he mumbled, the corners of his lips turning up into a smile. Harper sent a smile back, the two falling silent.
Nikki stared her down, that smile still on his face after she looks away; He was sure his eyes were like hearts. This was only one out of many other reasons why he loved her: In some situations, Harper put him first before herself and made sure he was okay. It should be the other way around as he's been dragging her through so much shit lately. Still, she did it anyway.
Possibly from the alcohol in his system, the feeling of love washed over him and he had butterflies in his stomach. It's been awhile since he genuinely felt this way towards someone or anything at that; The only cause of this emotion lately was from his alcohol and heroin intake.
"What's wrong?" she asked him, her eyes droopy from being tired. He shook his head, his eyes falling down to her lips. Would it be wrong to kiss her right now? Maybe. Did Nikki care? No, absolutely not.
Nikki sat up just like she did, leaning closer to her. A breath hitched in Harper's throat at how close their lips were, they were only inches apart. Nikki pressed his lips to hers softly, but still it had so much love and passion to it. Harper hesitated, she didn't kiss back for moment. She gave in soon enough, kissing back as she melted into it. This, Harper craved for his kiss for the longest time and now it was happening.
The kiss deepened, the softness being overpowered by their hunger for it. Nikki moved swiftly so he hovered over Harper, his right hand running up her leg. It traveled under her shirt, about to pull it off, before a string of knocks came from the door.
Harper pulled away immediately, her chest rising up and down slightly. Nikki cursed to himself as he pushed off the bed, going over to the door. Harper scooted up against the headboard of the bed, her cheeks flushed.
Swinging the door open, Nikki was met with Tommy, who invited himself inside the room.
"Harper, I didn't know you were here!" he announced, walking over to her and engulfing her into a hug.
Harper laughed. "I got here a few hours ago. Nikki and I just got back from being out all day."
Tommy plopped himself down next to harper, Nikki sitting on the edge of the bed since that was technically his spot Tommy was in.
"I need to ask you something, Harper?" Tommy started, sounding more serious than he ever has. He barely ever acted this way, only really towards when making an album sometimes or performing. "It's kind of a huge deal, but hear me out, okay?"
"You're scaring me, T-bone."
"Heather and I are making it official and she wanted me to ask if you'd like to be one of her bridesmaids?" Tommy spoke, his words jumbling up sort of.
Harper was stunned, her mouth hanging open some. "T-that's nice of her and congratulations, but I don't know if Incan do that."
"I mean, I'm sure she has family or close friends that deserved to be in that position more than me," Harper adds, sighing.
Tommy clasped his hands together, pouting. "Please, Harper. You two have become real good friends these past few months and she wanted me to ask. Also, Nikki is the best man, it's perfect."
Harper turned to Nikki who gave her a half-smile, nodding in a way that said to "do it." Harper gave in, smiling happily, but also uneasily. "Fine, i'll do it, Tommy."
"Thank you, I love you!"
"What was that?" Nikki questioned, his head whipping around to look in Tommy's direction. Tommy froze, stumbling to his feet.
"I mean— you're the greatest friend someone could ask for, Harper!"