The car rolled to a gentle stop. The lack of motion left Mia with nothing external to focus on and so the rampage of nerves already terrorizing her abdomen made a race for her extremities. Before her hands could start shaking, she reached out to the one tightly balled in her companion's lap. Every neuron in her brain was screaming at her, reminding her once again that this was not a hand she was used to holding. It lacked familiarity and the occupational calluses that come from making a living as a professional drummer.

Mia turned from the flurry of activity happening only a few feet from her door to face her date for the night. It took Casey an extra-long second to finally meet Mia's eyes, working hard to tear her sights from what lay waiting for them. Mia tried on what she hoped would resemble a reassuring smile, even just a little bit. She was working hard enough to settle her own nerves and now she had to help Casey with hers.

Tightening her grip on Casey's hand, Mia finally opened the door to step out onto the red carpet waiting for them. It helped that the continuous flashes of light weren't aimed in their direction. No one was paying attention to them as they started their trek towards the theater and the award show beyond.

*

Mia and Casey had parted ways with the band and their entire entourage at the Los Angeles airport the night before. It had been a reluctant and hurried goodbye as many voices were yelling to remind both Tommy and Jay that they would miss their connecting flight if they did not move. Now.

The only thing waiting for Mia and Casey was a very large bodyguard with a car parked out by the curb. He would take them to a place with real beds and a shower. The band had another tour bus waiting for them as soon as they touched down in South America.

Mia could see Nate's face growing redder with each passing moment, as his head swiveled back and forth between glaring at the embracing couples and glancing over his shoulder in the direction they should have been heading in. There was a flight in some neighboring terminal with an airplane waiting for them specifically so it could finally take off. Mia knew every second she held on tighter to Jay was another second a planeload of people were delayed but she gave that fact only half of its required attention.

She felt Jay relax his arms wrapped around her shoulders and she knew to follow suit. There were no words exchanged between them when they locked eyes. This scene was familiar to her. She had performed it a million times before, in a million different airports all over the world, always with Jay as her leading man, but that didn't make it any easier when it was happening once again.

"I'll see you soon."

Mia nodded for her response and Jay planted a light kiss on her forehead before finally allowing air to pass between the two of them. After living on the road as a group for the past ten weeks, the separation of fewer than forty-eight hours felt somehow unbearable. When Mia turned to find her travel buddy, it made her feel better to see that she wasn't the only one miserable.

Tommy was saying something to Casey, his voice low, barely above a whisper and she was nodding, concentrating hard on his words as if her life depended on it. When he pulled her close for one last embrace, Nate's voice rose another level and was now in the screaming range.

"Tommy! We need to go! NOW!"

Casey didn't look away when Tommy let her go and didn't even seem to notice the solo tear that had escaped her eyes and fell slowly down her face as her gaze followed Tommy as he ran for the retreating group. Jay fell in line right behind him and Nate didn't move until both of them were headed in the right direction.

Following the crew, as they rounded a corner and hurried out of sight, both Tommy and Jay paused for the briefest of seconds to glance back over their shoulders. Mia dropped her arm over Casey's shoulders as she waved goodbye for both of them. Mia didn't have the energy to even think about how Casey was feeling. She had never missed a show, ever, and this would be her first time not on tour with the band. This was foreign territory for her. Knowing this role well, Mia took the lead and led them towards where she knew the exit would be.

"Come on, Casey. We've got a job to do."

*

An underling materialized from the hoard of moving bodies and greeted Mia and Casey as they stepped out of their town car onto the sidewalk, giving them a nod to follow. They weren't given time to reply with any verbal agreement as their guide was already moving back towards where she had just appeared from. With the train of her gown in one hand and Casey's hand in the other, Mia placed one high-heeled foot in front of the other, following as fast as her tightly wedged feet would allow.

With an attitude of annoyance and regret that she got stuck with these two non-famous attendees, their guide sent them away from the hub of activity. With a physical wall between them and the cloud of noise and flashing lights, their path lay almost completely clear before them. The air was still filled with screams and cheers followed by a continuous click of a camera flashing but at least there was room to breathe.

Mia and Casey were left to their own devices once they were shown a pair of ornate gold doors leading inside. Again they weren't given a chance to even say thank you as the underling was scurrying off to some job surely more important. Leaving the red carpet and all it's trappings behind, Mia tucked her arm into Casey's and pushed against the doors waiting for them.

"I just it's just you and me now."

Casey didn't reply until they had taken several steps inside the theater. The lobby echoed the excited energy they had just side-stepped outside. It took a nudge and a nod from Casey in the right direction for Mia to finally catch sight of who she was gesturing to.

"More like us and him."

A tall man stood near one of the many opened doors that led into the theater and the awaiting seats, now slowly being filled. He already had a glass of something in his hand and he was laughing among a group of very similarly dressed men who could have been his distant relatives. With slightly graying hair and a posture that demanded respect, he was hard to miss once Mia had spotted him.

It didn't seem as though he was looking for them or keeping an eye on who was entering. And yet, somehow, his attention turned seamlessly from his crowd of acquaintances to the significant others of his most lucrative investment ever.

"Casey. Mia. I'm so glad you were able to make it."

Mia braced for an overly familiar embrace but let out a light sigh of relief when he extended a polite hand to both of them to shake.

"Thanks for waiting for us, Zeke."

It was Casey's turn to take the lead as she knew the band's label manager much better than Mia. She had been there when he had first approached Tommy and Jay. Mia had only ever met Zeke in passing twice in the last five years.

"Let me show you to our seats. The show's about to begin."

Walking as if he owned the place, (and he might have, Mia always got the feeling Zeke held more power in his hand than most people living), he strolled down the aisle only to finally stop right before the seats met the stage. Taking his place a few seats in, he left Mia and Casey to take the last two seats at the very end, in the section dead center and only one row from the stage.

It was as if a telepathic communication had been sent out to everyone in attendance, or they were all exceptionally punctual because it seemed as if at Zeke's command, the theater was suddenly filling up all at once. It didn't take Zeke long to find people around him to socialize with and he left Mia and Casey to keep to themselves. Neither of them said anything as the noise of the crowd settling into their seats filled their ears.

The hosts were set in place, two people Mia was sure she was supposed to know and yet had no idea. The lights were slowly starting to dim and just before they went out entirely a familiar figure appeared at the end of their aisle, right at Mia's left elbow.

"Hey! Let me in."

Her words came out as a hushed whisper but its urgency got Mia and Casey to move their knees and allow their friend to take her seat beside Casey.

George looked different from the last time they had seen her and more glamorous than Mia knew either her or Casey felt. And yet she had been given much less time to prepare. She looked as if she belonged at this event whereas Mia and Casey knew they did not.

The show started and George was already looking bored as the hosts did the best they could to open the show. It was five minutes into their opening performance when George leaned forward to whisper to the two of them, her face bright with a mischievous smile. It was an infectious look as if George were letting Casey and Mia in on some secret joke.

"Hey. You two don't look like 7 Ships!"

*

Andre drove them out of the airport, heading east towards a range of mountains far in the distance. After driving one hour to reach their foothills, it took another thirty minutes to reach their final destination. After traveling for more than 48 hours, the sight of the white mansion looming over the edge of a cliff, looking down at the valley below, glowed as an oasis against the night sky. Even the fact that there appeared to be no houses within a mile-wide radius felt like an added comfort compared to the number of public vehicles Mia and Casey had found themselves shoved into over the past two days.

A familiar face was standing outside waiting for them and the idea of real beds and a home-cooked meal gave both Mia and Casey a boost of energy they hadn't had a moment earlier.

George stood up straight from where she had made herself comfortable leaning against the frame of the open front door. She waited for them to climb the few steps to meet her before offering them a greeting.

"Welcome back to the States. You guys hungry?"

Mia and Casey answered the same, in unison.

"Starving."

"Perfect. Follow me."

With a nod towards the expansive interior looming up behind her, George led the way inside. Mia gave a glance over her shoulder and found Andre with his arms already loaded full with their luggage. They looked like shoe boxes compared to his towering frame. Andre returned her smile of thanks with a brief nod.

Mia couldn't help but echo Casey's whistle as she stepped inside. The house seemed to have grown from its already considerable size on the outside to even larger on the inside. With her eyes wide and her mind getting overwhelmed with each step, Mia followed George so she didn't get lost.

They moved right towards a large dining room and the kitchen beyond, leaving behind the family room and its wall of windows that looked out over the valley and the city glowing in the distance. The grand piano placed in front accentuated the grandeur of its surrounding environment, as if the room needed help.

There was a buffet sitting ready and waiting for them when they entered the kitchen. Mountains of food filled the marble-topped counter and Mia didn't bother to think twice about manner before grabbing a plate and digging in. Casey soon followed suit and they were both quickly situated in the comfiest bar stools Mia had ever come across, eating like they had been starved for years.

George watched them, seeming amused, but not in any way that judged their state of exhaustion. If anything, her half-smile held the look of complete understanding. From the little Mia knew about George, she had a feeling that she had been in Mia and Casey's shoes many times before.

It was several minutes before anyone tried to talk and even a few more before a regular conversation ensued. Their initial thoughts were mainly of gratitude and appreciation for the meal that George had served them. Ever the humble host, George gave a subtle nod to their pile of compliments.

"Holy crap, George. This house is amazing."

The thought that had hit Mia square in the chest the moment Andre had driven through the slowly retreating iron gate finally found the words to express itself.

"I have to agree. This place is huge!" Casey added.

George seemed to almost laugh their remarks.

"Thanks! I'll make sure to pass on the compliment."

George answered the unspoken question that passed between Mia and Casey.

"The house isn't mine."

"Oh."

"Really?"

George nodded.

"Belongs to the label. They just let me use it as a storage unit and a place to crash when I'm in town. The only things in this house that belong to me are the grand piano in the family room and that vintage Mercedes you guys just drove up in. You can thank Capital for the rest."

Mia and Casey nodded in unison as they gained understanding.

"Come on. Let me show you to your rooms. You guys are gonna need some sleep if you're gonna make it through tomorrow."

Mia and Casey left behind their empty plates to follow George. Passing back by the family room again, pausing only to grab their luggage from where Andre had left it in the front hall, Mia noticed the maze of black suitcases that littered the floor. From the few open that Mia could see, they were filled with equipment. She had been around the band long enough to recognize recording equipment when she saw it.

"Are you guys going somewhere?"

George spoke over her shoulder as she led them up a long staircase that led to the second floor.

"Just got back. Yesterday. Singapore, I believe it was. You guys aren't the only ones whose presence is required at the show tomorrow."

Before Mia got the chance to ask her to elaborate, George stopped at two of the many doors that led off a very long hallway.

"These are yours. There are a bathroom and shower attached to each. Get some sleep and I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Thanks, George."

"Of course. What else are friends for?"

Mia didn't remember falling asleep and wasn't even totally sure just where she was when she was suddenly awoken the next morning by the influx of movement and sound coming from downstairs. It took a moment of lying in the pitch-black darkness, feeling solid ground beneath and a bed wider than a tour bus for her to find her bearings. After spending six months of living on a bus, a real bed was something her body wasn't quite used to.

Mia couldn't miss the source of the sudden commotion as she found George's first floor flooded with a swell of bodies pouring out of black vans parked in front of the house. George stood in the center of the chaos, watching as it sorted itself out around her without any instructions needed. She simply sipped her coffee while what looked like three separate enterprises were set up in her family room. The black suitcases from the night before were gone and instead were replaced with a full-length mirror and a rack of what looked like ballgowns.

The smell of fresh coffee was what finally convinced Mia she couldn't stay upstairs and in the gigantic bed George had loaned for her for the night. She dared to move downstairs and barely made it past the mass of movement and energy filling every square inch of the family room.

She found Casey already at the kitchen counter, her plate piled high with food, and her coffee cup full. Mia would have guessed magical elves had prepared the food if she hadn't caught Andre pulling off his black apron. She hadn't been awake long enough to fully comprehend the thought of the enigma that was Andre also being a first-class chef. She settled for filling her cup full of coffee instead.

Mia was only able to exchange a few quick sentences with Casey about the size and comfort of their beds before George appeared at their side.

"Come on. Everything's set up."

Casey and Mia sent each other the same confused glance as they followed George. The majority of the people who were there only a moment ago filing in and out of George's house had suddenly disappeared. What was left were six women, each dressed in all black, standing next to their assigned stations.

With the chaos settled, Mia could distinguish that there was a make-up station, a hair station, and a wardrobe station, with two women assigned to each. And presumably, each of those women was also assigned to Mia and Casey.

George didn't try to hide her look of amusement as she watched Mia and Casey try and take in their surroundings.

"I figured you guys might need some help getting ready."

Mia's mind instantly flashed to the dress currently laying at the very bottom of her suitcase, crumpled up in a garment bag. She hadn't touched it since she had grabbed it from the back of her closet six months earlier, the night before the band's first leg of the tour had started. A part of her had been dreading pulling out and assessing the damage. George had just given her the gift of never having to look.

"Wow."

"Holy crap."

George turned to professionals, waiting patiently to pounce.

"Ladies, do your worst."

Mia didn't return to reality until four hours later, when she was stood in front of a floor-length mirror, her hair and make-up done, wearing the most expensive dress she had ever dared to look at. She still hadn't found the words to speak.

George's guests were packing things up when George reappeared from the depths of the house for the first time since leaving the stylists to their work. She didn't look surprised at the results she found on Mia and Casey.

"You guys look great! Your car is about to arrive. Save me a seat will you?"

Mia nodded.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Casey asked.

George shook her head.

"I've walked enough red carpets. But don't worry. I'll be there in time to accept my award and watch you two accept yours. That's what matters."

She headed back once again towards the back of the house, this time with her own ballgown slung over her shoulder, the only remaining evidence, other than Casey and Mia's appearance, that the team of stylists had even existed.

*

Mia was vaguely aware of the award show progressing in front of her. She had more important things on her mind and appreciating the seat in which she was sitting and why she was given access to said seat hadn't even made the top three.

As they were only one row from the golden stairs that led to the main stage, Mia had an excellent vantage point from which to watch the people whose names were called and invited up. She took careful note of the females who made the journey and made careful note of how they manage to ascend in both high heels and ballgowns without falling flat on their faces.

Interrupting Mia's calculations of which hand to grab the train of her dress and what hand to remain free to grab hold of Casey's were George's constant stream of jokes and witty observations. They were more for the benefit of Casey than Mia but that didn't mean they didn't help break a smile onto Mia's scowl of concentration.

George seemed just as invested in the event happening around them as Mia and her posture proved it. She was nearly slouching in her seat and looked on the verge of boredom, her respect for some of the people receiving proper recognition keeping her from falling asleep altogether.

She succeeded in making Casey laugh and causing a distraction from the wealth of nerves Mia was sure were running rampant through her abdomen. Mia had a mild case but was sure from the tightness with which Casey grabbed her hand that her stage fright was much more potent.

The show went on. Names were called, awards were given. And with each round, the only one that mattered to Mia slowly but surely crept its way to the front. It was when Zeke leaned over to face them that Mia knew their time had come.

"We're up next."

His whispered words had no trouble reaching Mia's ears and she knew they had reached Casey's with the same level of difficulty as her grip once again tightened. Mia couldn't help but feel her own nerves starting to rise into her throat. Uncertainty was not the cause of her anxiety nor Casey's. Rather it was the firm certainty of what they were about to be called upon to do.

While a million thoughts raced through her head, Mia tried her best to sort through them for a memory, trying hard to remember what Tommy had said only two days ago. It hadn't been to her and she hadn't been paying much attention but as their original intended recipient was currently collapsing into a human-shaped blob of nerves, it was growing more and more apparent with each passing second that it would fall upon Mia's shoulders to relay his message.

*

They were somewhere. Mia wasn't sure where and when she looked out the tour bus window, all she saw were flat plains of greenery flying past them. They were lush and beautiful but that didn't help narrow down their location. They were somewhere in Europe, she knew that. If she bothered to ask Nate, he would know with more certainty just where in Europe but she didn't feel like moving from her current position, partly out of comfort and partly from sheer exhaustion.

Her head lay on Jay's shoulders and the slow rhythm of his breathing told her he was either asleep or near to it. The couch upon which they sat wasn't very wide but it was big enough that they could stretch out together.

The hum of the tour bus's engine and the vibrations of the wheels beneath racing down a foreign highway dominated the airways around them. There were others in the lounge area, all of them engaged in conversation but Mia could barely make them out.

Tommy's was the easiest but that was only because he sat at the table placed right next to the couch Mia and Jay currently occupied. He was seated across from Casey and Mia could tell from his tone of voice they were talking about something serious. Mia had only to lift her head an inch to get a better view of both of them.

"It's gonna be okay, alright? I promise. You're gonna do great. I have complete faith you."

"You know I hate being on stage. Can't you let Zeke do it? I'd rather stay with you."

Casey's state of trepidation was evident in her voice and her manner. Her hands were already ringing themselves and she hadn't even left the tour bus yet.

"I wish you could, Case. I hate having to ask you this but you won't be alone. Mia will be there with you every step of the way. And George, too. Your only job is to say what I tell you."

Casey let out a long sigh and Mia's chest tightened at the look of near panic on her face. Casey had been traveling with the band for years. And in all that time she had never inherited an ounce of her husband's stage presence. She had stood at the very edge of a stage set in front of thousands of people and the idea of stepping out in front of them sent her scurrying back into the shadows.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you guys could do it. The fans need to hear from us, not Zeke. And you guys represent the band just as much as Jay or I do."

"I understand." With a deep breath, Casey squared her shoulders. "Okay. What do you want me to say?"

*

"And the award, for Best Alternative Album, goes to..."

While the supermodel on stage struggled to open the gold envelope in her hands, Mia stared at herself up on the screen in front of her. She sat stock-still, as did the other nominees filling up the rest of the slots on the screen. Casey was sitting right beside her and Mia knew just out of frame, were their hands, clasped so tight both of their knuckles were turning white.

Mia couldn't remember the last time she had taken a breath and she didn't dare take one now. She knew who they would call. At least, her brain did. Her body hadn't yet received the message and so she froze, like everyone else, to hear the winner.

"7 Ships! For A Neon Limelight!"

The world around her went silent. If there was a cheer, Mia wasn't aware. Her mind shifted into auto-pilot. This was the moment she had been dreading for weeks, preparing for. Her mind didn't let her feel nervous or get distracted by the commotion happening around her. She had a job to do.

She was up and out of her seat by the time they finished calling out the band's name. She paused only to make sure Casey joined her for their short journey to the stage. Out of the corner of her eye, Mia caught George clapping along with the rest of the crowd.

Mia led both of them the few short steps to the stage and up the gold stairs to stand in front of the mic. She hadn't tripped. She had held her skirt with her left hand and Casey's hand with her right and somehow the two of them had made up in one piece.

Full consciousness returned to her when Mia found herself placed in front of a microphone, a golden record player heavy in one hand, and a sea of people with mildly confused looks on their faces spread out in front of her. There were a few people still cheering for them, up in the balcony above. Mia could tell they were the only people in the whole audience who recognized Mia and Casey.

With one final breath, Mia summed all that she remembered of Tommy's words but most importantly the sentiment behind them. That part was easy to find as it was a feeling shared among the entirety of the 7 Ships crew.

"You don't know who I am. You're probably wondering to yourself, 'Who are these two random girls who have just walked up on stage to receive an award for a band you've probably never heard of.' If you do know 7 Ships, then you know that we look nothing like the two founding members. As they couldn't be here tonight, my friend and I were sent in their place. I would tell you our names but they're not really that important. You probably don't care and you probably won't remember them anyway. But this award isn't about you and it isn't about me. Nor is it even about the people who sent me."

Mia gave a long look down at the award weighing heavy in her hands. It didn't weigh nearly as heavy as the well of emotion building in her chest. The mass of people before her shifted, changing into a crowd of people vastly different and much more familiar. Before her eyes, she saw every crowd the band had ever been given the chance to play before. She saw the sight she got the chance to see and capture on film almost every night. Those people knew who she was and those were the people who mattered.

"This award is for every person who has ever listened to this album. This award is for every person who has ever shown up to one of our shows. This award is even for the people who can't make it but believe in us and what we do no matter what. This award is not for me. It's not for 7 Ships. This award is for the fans and to all of you I say, on behalf of every member of 7 Ships, thank you."