Georgie's neighborhood was far from her neighborhood back in New York. She knew that. And yet, there was something familiar about this little quiet suburban that made her think of home. Maybe it was the narrow streets, the constant traffic flowing through as if the homes and families that bordered the streets didn't exist. Most likely it was the faint whiffs of cigarette smoke that reminded her so strongly of home.

Georgie appreciated her walks to the studio as it was the most exercise she got all day. Plus, it filled her lungs with fresh air before retreating into the dark rooms of the studio once again.

There was a chill wind reminding everyone of autumn's stronghold on the city. Georgie was grateful for her scarf as the wind whipped past her every time a bus rolled by. She spotted Felix in his usual spot, a pair of fingerless gloves on his hands to fight against the constant wind, the wool muting the sound of the guitar but doing nothing to hamper his voice.
He sang with his eyes closed so he didn't see Georgie stop several yards away to watch him perform. He sang as if his life depended on it. The lyrics of the song weren't that bad either. There was a spark of something in Georgie's gut that confirmed all her suspicions. Her gamble had been worth it. What Cal had taken for granted, Georgie was going to take for gold.

Felix ended his song with a vocal run that nearly ruined the whole experience. Georgie had to force the cringe off of her face as she approached. He was showing off but to no one around and somehow that made it worse.

"Don't do the vocal run."

Felix's eyes shot open and his head whipped in Georgie's direction.

"What?" he stammered, anger and hurt fighting for dominance in his voice.

"Don't do the vocal run. Don't ever do a vocal run. Like ever."

"But I can do vocal runs. I'm good at them."

"I didn't say that," Georgie countered. "I said you shouldn't do them."

"Why not?"

Anger had won the fight and it was written all over his face. Georgie brushed aside his scowl to explain herself.

"The only people who think vocal runs are cool are divas and singing coaches. Think over every great rock star. Have they ever done a vocal run and pulled it off?"

Georgie knew she had him there as the anger on his face was replaced with confusion.

"I didn't think so. You want to do rock, at least alternative, yeah?"

Felix nodded.

"Then don't do vocal runs. It distracts from your lyrics. What time are you off work tonight?"

"Nine," Felix replied.

Georgie looked both ways before crossing the street, calling over her shoulder as she left a baffled Felix in her wake, "See you then!"

Georgie was right on time. She always was. She drew attention to herself if she was the first person at the studio and even more attention if she was the last. Georgie had timed it perfectly over the last three weeks to show up right in the middle of the lineup. Cal was already there and chatting about the concert he had seen the night before, talking as if the people he was chatting with hadn't gone with him. His voice grew in volume when he spotted Georgie, making sure she knew they had all gone out without her. As if this was news to her and would send her off to the bathroom with tears in her eyes.

Georgie had better things to think about. She was working out some of Felix's lyrics he had been just singing then. Something about giving up, going down, heading out, diving in. Her brain saw this image of these four winds, four ropes, all pulling Felix in four different directions. She could see what he was going for but his lyrics didn't quite paint the picture he wanted.

Georgie's brain started to whirl, her mental fingers turning the words this way and that like a Rubik's cube. It was easy to dig through her memory, to call up every great song she had ever heard, to look for rhyme schemes among the ones that had been tried and true.

Her brain worked like this all day. When she followed everyone into the studio to start their session, when she made the usual run for coffee and pastries, even when Mac opened the floor to suggestions for the song they were currently working on.

He caught her deep in thought, even scribbling lyric possibilities in the margins of her notebook.

"What do you think, Burns?"

His voice calling her name finally pull her out of it and Georgie found the whole room looking at her. She swallowed her embarrassment and stood up straight, her notebook set aside.

"I'm sorry, sir. What was the question?"

Cal sent a wave of murmurings through the interns but Georgie kept her eyes locked on Mac's.

"I asked what you think we should do for the post-bridge on this song. It needs something and I can't quite figure it out. Any suggestions?"

"Yeah, what do you think, Burns?"

Her name sounded like an insult coming from Cal's mouth but Georgie refused to acknowledge him. Her brain flipped from Felix's song to Mac's. She had been thinking about this song all week, waiting for an opportunity to give her input. She had it now and she wasn't going to let it go.

"I would suggest trumpets, sir."

"Trumpets?" Mac replied, surprise edging his question.

"Yes, sir. Trumpets."

A snicker went through the crowd. Georgie could easily guess what her fellow interns would have suggested. Something new, modern, hip, cool. But this was Mac Travers they were working with. He was timeless.

"Why?" Mac asked.

Georgie stepped forward to separate herself from her peers.

"This song is a call back to 'Lila Jane'. It's not a continuation, per se, but a response. You ask in 'Lila Jane' will you love me, now and forever. And in this song you sing, 'I've loved you now and forever more.' If you add trumpets in the post bridge, quoting 'Lila Jane', you remind the listener of this song's predecessor. It brings the story full circle. Any true Mac and Tosh fan would recognize the refrain instantly. And it would send your newer listeners to go discover your older work."

The room fell silent as everyone looked from Georgie to Mac then back again. Mac looked only at Georgie, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

"You caught that callback, did you?" He asked, his smile creeping across his face.

"I did, yes. Lila Jane is my favorite Mac and Tosh song."

"You've got good taste. Trumpets it is."

Georgie could feel the glares on her back but she stayed where she was, facing forward. She had won this round and she wasn't going to let Cal ruin it for her.

*

Everyone left at eight as usual and Georgie could relax in the silence of the building. Sydney showed up soon after with food and an extra serving for Felix in case he didn't have time to eat after work. Georgie was grateful for the food and grateful Sydney was willing to bring it to her. She didn't feel like stopping by Briggs and giving Cal and his crew a target to practice with.

"Can you stay and help me run tech?" Georgie asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

Sydney paused mid-bite.

"I'll show you what to do, I just need another pair of hands with the technical side of things," Georgie clarified.

Sydney finished her bite and let the moment drag out before answering.

"I'll do it. But-"

It was Georgie's turn to pause mid-bite.

"You have to call your dad back. Tomorrow. No excuses."

Georgie swallowed her bite before she huff a sigh of resignation.

"You drive a hard bargain," Georgie muttered.

"You can't keep dodging his calls."

"He shouldn't call every week. I'm trying to find my independence."

"Did you ever think that maybe he misses you?"

Georgie couldn't argue with that and didn't have the time as Felix showed up just then, huffing as if he had run all the way from the pub.

"Hey!" He said, after finding his breath. "I'm here."

"You made it," Georgie said, passing him the extra sandwich. "Good. Sydney, this is Felix, that kid I was talking about. Felix, this is Sydney, my..."

Georgie trailed off as she tried to find a title for Sydney. Sydney shrugged and offered nothing up.

"My assistant?" Georgie ventured.
Sydney shrugged and didn't look annoyed so Georgie ran with it.
"My assistant. She's going to be running tech for us this evening. So you ready to go?"

Felix had barely had the time to put down his guitar and unwrap his sandwich but in the time he did have, he hadn't started to do either. Sydney headed for the recording booth but paused in the doorway when Felix spoke.

"Wait, before we start..."

Sydney looked from Felix to Georgie then retreated into the sound booth to give them some privacy. Georgie took her seat and offered Felix the only other one available, making a mental note to steal a third for Sydney.

"What's up?" Georgie asked. Felix still hadn't sat down and he didn't look like he was going to he tried to find the right words to say.

"I have to ask... Why are you doing this?"

Georgie shrugged as if the answer was obvious.

"Why not?"

"No, seriously. Why are you helping me?"

"I think you're talented. I think you have serious potential and I want to see what we can make of it."

Felix didn't look satisfied. His eyebrows were pulled together and he still hadn't stepped more than three steps into the room.

"Just say it, Felix. Whatever you want to say, ask, whatever it is, spit it out. You're kind of wasting my time."

Georgie's tone was joking but the sentiment behind her words was far from a joke.

"Who are you, exactly? The interns, at the pub..."

Georgie didn't need to hear anything else. She understood now the look on his face. He had been listening to Cal and his friends talk about her. Everything made sense now.

"Take a seat. Please."

Felix finally did, playing his guitar gently on the ground. But he still left the sandwich untouched.

"I don't know what you've heard so I'll just give you the big picture."

Georgie took a deep breath before beginning, hoping her estimation in Felix's mind wouldn't drop too low after she finished speaking.

"My full name is Georgiana Yvette Burns. My mother is Vivian Kent and my father is Julien Burns. You may know my father from-"

"Flying Hare, that band from the '90s," Felix finished for her. Georgie nodded.

"That's him. My father was the frontman for a rather successful alternative rock band in the 90s and my mother is from a long line of high-end blue bloods out of New York. I have spent the last ten years of my life touring with my dad as he worked with different bands as their tour manager after he stopped performing. My mom is a socialite, my dad is a rock star. I applied to this program under the name Georgie Kent but it turns out that Mac Travers knew my dad way back when and I looked exactly like he did in the 90s. People don't take me serious because of who my dad is. Because of who I am. I want to work with you because I think you have talent, potential. And... because I think I do, too. And I just want a chance to prove I'm more than who my parents are."

Felix still looked her in the eye when she stopped talking. That was a good sign. Georgie waited for him to speak, her lungs constricting and begging for air with each moment he stayed silent.

"Well, then," He said, leaning over and opening his guitar case. "Let's get to work."

Georgie couldn't help the smile. She hadn't dared think about what it would mean if he didn't believe, didn't trust her to produce his music. She would be left working on Mac's leftovers as an exercise, hoping for another chance to other even one idea, to prove herself step by little step.

But Felix did believe, he did trust her. He was giving her the chance of a lifetime. And she was going to do everything she could to prove him write.

"I was thinking about that song you were singing this morning. And I've made a few changes look these over and let me know what you think. I'm going to get the microphone ready to record. We'll start with this song tonight."

Georgie passed Felix the notebook she had been scribbling on all day and called Sydney back from the recording booth, telling her what to bring with her.

"These are good," Felix said, after looking them over for a long moment. "Really good."

"I thought you might like them. They see how they sound on your voice, shall we?"

Felix smiled and stepped up to the mic. "Let's do this!"

A/N:

Like I said, more Felix!!

And more George backstory!! That's fun!

I know EVERYTHING about this character. I think it's the responsibility of an author to know everything about their character. It proves they have the authority, they are the god of their little universe.

And trust me, I know EVERYTHING about George. I've had her living in my head rent free since 2017 so we've grown quite close.

Anyway I hope you guys are having fun reading this version!

Skimming back through it to check for mistakes, these chapters make me smile. It's not as bad as I thought! And for a writer with a ridiculously high standard that I constantly set for myself and constantly strive towards, that's high praise coming from me.

Read on, my friend! Read on!