Stevie rolled out of bed, gasping at the time. She showered quickly, wrapping a towel around herself and grabbing her Schick Speed Styler from under the sink. She plugged it in, working on her hair, leaving her outfit last. She did some rushed version of her usual makeup routine and hurried to her unorganized closet to find clothes. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a blouse. She found a pair of high platforms and slipped them on before practically running down the stairs.

"Morning, Mommy" Summer said. Stevie stopped. She was running late and the car was probably already waiting for her outside but nothing else mattered when she heard that little voice.

"Good morning, baby girl." Stevie hugged her daughter tightly.

"Good luck"

"Did Robin tell you mama was going to be out today?"

"Uh huh, and that you're gonna to be a rock star!" Stevie laughed, kneeling down to meet Summer face to face.

"I'm gonna try, sweet girl, but for today, I'm working on one song. I'm gonna need you to be really good for Auntie Robin. You're an angel so I don't think that will be a problem." Summer giggled and Stevie kissed her. "When I get back, we can have dinner together."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too." Stevie stood up and grabbed her bag.

"Stevie!" Robin shouted.

"I gotta go"

"I know, you left your book on the counter." Stevie sprinted into the kitchen and grabbed her book of songs and poems. "Take a piece of toast. You need to eat something."

"Thank you." Stevie said, taking a slice from Robin's plate and giving her a smirk. The car honked outside and just like that, Stevie was gone.

"So, what do you wanna do, munchkin?" Robin asked as Summer climbed onto a chair at the kitchen table. She gave her aunt a smile and Robin recognized it right away. It was just like Stevie's. This girl was ready for mischief.

----

Stevie hurried into the building and was met by Alex. He wore casual clothes- jeans, a tee shirt, a bomber jacket, sneakers and a ball cap.

"Hey, you look great!" he said, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you, sorry I'm late."

"Don't sweat it" he said. "Let's take a look at this song. Got anything in mind?"

"I do, it's a song called Dreams." She followed him into a large room with various instruments on ever surface. A large drum set, guitars of every type, even a saxophone and other horns. Her eyes suddenly landed on the shiny black piano and her eyes lit up.

"Do you play?"

"A little. I'm nothing like your guys."

"Fiddle around. I'm gonna hunt up some refreshments, I'll be right back."

"Alright." she said, sitting down at the piano.

He was just out the door when he seemed to remember something. "Oh! And if anyone comes in here, don't be alarmed or shy. It's probably just to grab another axe." Her brows knitted together in confusion and he left. She shrugged, placing her hands on the keys. She played Rhiannon first. It was a song she had done with a million times before. It was a comfort. The birds of Rhiannon lifted away pain and it made her feel free. She soon transitioned into Dreams. All at once, she felt like she hadn't played in so long yet it was as if she had never stopped.

She opened her mouth to sing when a strange man walked in. He was tall with long hair and a lumbering gait. He didn't even notice her as he came in and picked up a bass. He fiddled with it for a second then left. She began to sing, her fingers finding just the right key. She sang softly at first, overcoming the nerves she felt. She hadn't performed in years. The closest she had gotten recently was singing Joni to her daughter while she was giving her a bath or a song before Summer went to bed.

Alex came back with water, a couple of Tab sodas and a small sheet of paper in his hand. "I ordered some pastries from the bakery down the block. They'll be delivered soon. Hungry?"

"I had toast."

"So you could eat?" he asked and she shrugged. "Alright. Are you ready for me to hear anything?" Without speaking, she began her song. He smiled as soon as she took her first breath. The voice that came from her was shocking and incredible. He stopped her after a couple of lines. "I gotta get the guys in here to listen. Is that okay?"

"Sure" she said. She stretched her fingers, trying to rid herself of any nervousness. She didn't want her voice to tremble not that she had a small audience. She had sung for so many people, been on stages all over the country but the stage fright never did cease.

The long haired man came back into the room followed by a curly blonde haired man and a black man wearing a long skinny scarf and an earring.

"Where's your buddy?" the producer asked the long haired man.

"I don't know. I'm not his keeper." Alex rolled his eyes and asked her to sing. She started over, the room falling completely silent.

Now here you go again, you say
You want your freedom
Well who am I to keep you down
It's only right that you should
Play the way you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound
Of your loneliness
Like a heartbeat drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering what you had
And what you lost, and what you had, and what you lost

Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing
Say women they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean, you'll know, you'll know

The blonde haired man tapped a beat with his boot and Stevie smiled. They seemed to really like it. As she began the second verse, another man squeezed into the room.

"Sorry" he whispered. Alex made a comment to him but Stevie didn't look up. "I said sorry. Jesus, can't I take a cigarette break?" This time the man's voice was louder.

Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions

Stevie looked up, the man's head was down. Her heart began to pound in her ears.

I keep my visions to myself, it's only me
Who wants to wrap around your dreams and,
Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Dreams of loneliness...

She stopped, the man looked up, smiling as one of his band brothers nudged him. The second he laid his eyes on Stevie his smile faded.

"You?" he asked, though it wasn't a real question.

"You..." Tears welled up in her eyes and she got up from the piano.

"Stevie" The man said as she pushed past him and out into the hallway. She heard her name again but she couldn't turn around, not now.