I went to the fortune teller
To have my fortune read
I didn't know what to tell her
  I had a dizzy feeling in my head  
 * 

"I thought you would perhaps visit me, but not that fast... You should go home." Keith said, but that was the last thing on my mind. I couldn't, not until I know for sure if they really were throwing Brian out or not. I knew they had problems and Brian had said that they preferred having him out, but somehow it had never sounded urgent or maybe it had just totally gone past me. I mean I had witnessed a few discussions, but wasn't that normal when you worked together? I argued with Ben too, but Mr Evan wouldn't just throw one of us out for it and furthermore it appeared rather cruel to me to throw Brian out, because this seemed like one of the only things that really mattered to him and I didn't want to find out how he would react if he lost the band... I had a strong suspicious how that was going to play out and that was something I definitely didn't want to happen even if I had no idea how I could prevent it. Keith and the others had no reason to listen to me. It was their band and I was just Brian's girlfriend.

"I need to talk to you," I simply said as he let me in and we sat down in his living room. I hadn't been in here since the first night we've meet them and it felt strange to be back here, where so much had started off... It nearly seemed like an eternity ago.

Keith offered me a drink, which I gladly accepted. It wasn't the first I had today, but I didn't feel less nervous at all. I had probably arrived at a point where not even alcohol could help me calm down, but I could at least still try... I drowned the glass as soon as Keith handed it to me. He looked a bit suspicious, but thankfully let it slide.

"So what do you want to talk about? You're surely not here to tell me off about before? I told you that was an accident," he said as he sat down with a glass of scotch in a chair opposite off me.

"No I really don't care about that, even if it isn't very fair to Ben, but that's their business."

"Alright, so how do I earn the pleasure of you visiting me? Let me guess you want to talk about Brian?" he said rolling his eyes.

I frowned, not understanding where Keith's sudden annoyance for me came from. "Did I do something wrong?" I wondered.

"Maybe I would rather talk to you about something else than Brian all the time."

"Keith-"

"Let's just drop this," he interrupted me, shaking his head. "You don't want to hear it and I don't want to talk about it, so what do you want? Believe me, I really have no idea where he is and he'll surely come back anyway. He always does stunts like this. Just go home, eat something and go to bed, because you really look like you could need that. I can even drive you home if you want."

I bid my lip. "No, it's not about that... Why do you want Brian out of the band?"

Keith sighed and took a sip out of his glass. "You know how he is. One day he does that the next this, we can't rely on him. Blimey he has just left everything behind, because you two had a row and believe me this isn't the first time he did shit like that... He isn't as drugged up anymore, probably thanks to you and he seems overall a bit better, but still this is going nowhere. This has been going on for too long and we can't use his bullshit anymore."

Keith surely had a point, but that didn't make this righter. There had to be another alternative than this. Mary was right, Brian wouldn't take this well and I couldn't just let that happen. No matter what stood between us, this was the original reason I was with him. I had to help him get his life in order to save him from his fate and him losing the band surely wasn't a step in the right direction. "You can at least give him some time, Brian is really trying and this won't help him at all, Keith. He needs this and you can't just throw him out of his own band. He-"

"His band?" Keith laughed, interrupting me anew. "Seriously? Charlie, if it is one thing, it isn't Brian's band. It's mine and Mick's and we have tolerated his act for a really long time now. He is never there and when he is, he does shit or is horribly late, we haven't toured in forever which is partly his fault too. It can't go on like this. We're sick of his act and we simply don't want to deal with it anymore."

"Then give him another chance or at least more time, I'm sure Brian can change," I pleaded, probably sounding rather hysterical, but I really was desperate. It wasn't only because of Brian, but this whole situation was taking its toll on me. I already had enough problems on my own with my stupid visions and Brian's and mine messy relationship wasn't helping either, nor had his sudden departure improved my spirits. I felt like slowly my whole life was about to collapse and I could do nothing beside hope I could reason with Keith to get at least rid of this worry.

Keith sighed again. "I don't know if I should pity you or laugh at you, because you're so naïve. Brian doesn't change, not because of the band and not because of you, no matter what he tells you. He's a liar..." He took a deep breath. "And I thought you were intelligent enough to see that, at least you didn't give me the impression you fell for his act, but apparently not."

"He can change. You said it yourself he is getting better and he is not that drugged up anymore. You just-"

Again Keith interrupted me by laughing. "I wished I had your optimism or maybe I'm just not so in love with him than you are. Charlie, be real, what do you think he's doing right now?"

"Does it matter?" I asked shrugging. "It's not important, Keith. Brian-"

"Stop it, you really shouldn't waste so much energy on him, "Keith interrupted me for the fourth time this evening. "You look like hell and Brian is probably having the time of life. He's high as a kite and has more than once screwed you over, because that's what Brian does. He screws the band, you and everyone that comes along his path. In your place I would pack my stuff and get away from him."

I bid my lip again, there was a huge part of me that wanted to do nothing else than to get away from Brian and everything else to start anew, but deep down I knew it was wrong and I would never forgive myself if I did. I only had one option and that was to stay with him until this was all over, either because Brian had died or he had no need for me anymore. "No, I stay with Brian..."

"You're okay with him sleeping with other woman? Really?" Keith laughed. "Where do I find a girlfriend like you? Or does this deal you two have work both ways? You know you're always welcome in my bed."

I glared at him. "You're an idiot."

Keith snorted. "Apparently you like that, I threatened you nothing but nice the whole time we know each other, but you're not even looking at me twice. You're all about Brian and nothing else."

"I-"

"Don't bother to deny it, Charlie." He interrupted me annoyed and put his glass on a table to sit up and look directly at me. "For fucks sake you're only here to change my mind about Brian, I'm nearly curious how far you would actually go for him."

At Keith's last words I felt my blood run cold. Was that seriously everything he cared about? My life was so messed up at the moment and this just made me feel even more defeated. I didn't need somebody to tell me how Brian was, nor to push me around. I had tolerated a lot, simply because I had accepted that I would never be a part of this world. I would never be normal, so why should I be bothered about what other people thought of me or said to me, but I had my limits too and I was already so far beyond it with no perspective to change it. I couldn't even go back to my old life, living with Brian had made me realise how nice it could be to have somebody else around. To talk to someone who knew what I went through, who understood me and with whom it felt good to be with... If I could I would turn back time and live my lonely life in blissful ignorance without all this unnecessary drama.

"I can't believe this! I-I... It's all your fault to begin with! Couldn't you have just left me alone that evening in the bar? Everything would have been better then! I can't... I can't do this anymore. I'm not something you can just push and play around with. Not you, not Brian, no one. You can just all fuck off!" I cried out and got up from Keith's couch. I wanted to run off, but I had no place to go to. So I just stood there and felt tears slowly run down my face. I sobbed... I wanted so desperately to stop crying, but I just couldn't. Everything I had so carefully bottled up over the years broke out. I didn't know how long I stood there until I felt a pair of arms around me. Old. Death. Keith.

"I'm sorry, I went too far. This whole Brian situation just really annoys me and I don't want to be put down as the bad guy here... Come on let's sit back down and you tell me what is wrong," he said and we sat down together on the couch. He lay my head down on his chest and I could hear his heartbeat which had a strangely calming effect on me. One of his hands was still around me and the other one was in my hair gently brushing it. For the first time in weeks I felt safe again, I had no idea what it was about Keith that always seemed to calm me down. It couldn't only be his death, it had to be something more. "So what's wrong? Brian leaving you can't be the only reason, that you've become such a mess..."

"Everything is wrong..." I whispered burying my face in his shirt." All I ever wanted was to have a normal life and not this... I don't want to play these games with you or Brian or deal with this mess and I surely don't want to see death anymore. Just a stupid housewife, who waits with food on the table for her husband to come home at 6 in the evening... That would be perfect."

Keith sighed, but was still brushing my hair. "Then get away and do that: start all over again somewhere no one knows you. I would even go with you, but I don't really fit that description. Maybe if you changed it a bit, I might not come home at 6 everyday, but I wouldn't leave you completely alone either. "

I had to smile despise my tears. "I wish we'd have met in a different life, Keith. Mary was probably right that we make a better couple than I do with Brian, but I think I really love him even if everything in me wants to deny it and I can't do anything about it."

"Brian loves you as well. He really does and I- if he ever settles down, it will be with you, I'm sure. He maybe never will be Watts, but I can't see him leaving you for a longer period of time either. Wherever he is, he'll come back for you," Keith said pulling me close again and I wondered if he was right. Would Brian really come back for me or was Keith just trying to comfort me? Whatever it was, I felt myself relaxing. I wasn't alone and that was all that matter to me in this moment. I hugged Keith's chest and I knew without looking up that I had surprised him. I wasn't someone for affection even with Brian I was hesitant and Keith had to know this as well, but currently I just needed someone at my side.

"Can I stay at yours? I don't want to be alone..." I asked him, finally looking up from his chest.

"Sure I can never turn down a lovely maiden in need," he replied smiling and I felt myself blush. His words, his arm around me, his hand in my hair, my arms around him and my head on his chest, I think I've never been so close to anyone beside Brian and it made me strangely nervous.

"Please stop this... It makes me feel bad," I mumbled hiding my face again in his shirt.

He laughed. "You're really something else, aren't you?"

I sighed that was exactly my problem, if I had been like everybody else I wouldn't have ended up here in this situation . "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

I took a deep breath and moved my gaze away from his chest to look at the ceiling "Promise me you won't interrupt me or I might never get it out..."

"Sure whatever you need."

I don't know why I told him everything about my gift, Brian's approaching death, our deal and everything in between. I just felt so safe and wanted to get rid of it. Keith held his promise throughout the whole story, he didn't say a word and just listened. He brushed my hair and held me close.

"-and that's it," I concluded my tale and felt really  relieved. It was no longer only my problem or Brian's. We or I had somebody else to rely on and it felt so good. Even if Keith didn't help me, it still felt so great to get this off my chest.

Keith didn't say anything for a few moments and I started to worry. What would happen if he didn't believe me and thought I was insane or something, but then he finally took a deep breath. "This is crazy."

"Try to live with it..." I mumbled.

"Well at least this explains the odd nature of your and Brian's relationship..." Keith remarked. "I nearly wish I hadn't been right that there was something more going on... This is I don't know, I can hardly believe it, but it makes so much sense... Too much for me to really doubt it and I have no idea what to do with this. I knew you were something else but this... Damn."

"You can't throw Brian out of the band... I am scared of his reaction."

"I- We can figure something out," Keith mumbled

"Thank you," I said smiling and snuggled into Keith, who only sighed.

"Damn Charlie, this is so insane. I hope you're wrong about Brian... he might be annoying and a bastard, but I wouldn't wish him that..." I simply nodded and Keith snorted. "He's such a huge idiot. Of course he has to run away from the only person that truly believes in him... I am so sorry; you really don't deserve this."

Now it was my turn to sigh. "It's fine... I should have told him immediately that I would give him a chance, instead of pushing him away again... That wasn't really fair to him."

"You really love him, don't you?" Keith asked and I had no idea what to say. I probably did love him very much, but I was so horribly scared of what would become of this that I started to sob again. "Hush, he'll surely come back and if not I'll find him and drag him back here. Usually I would tell you to forget about him and to move on, because you have different choices than Brian, but after hearing all that I can't... I really like you, but I am not stupid... This would never work out between us, there would always be Brian coming in between. You're right maybe in another life we could have been more or maybe at a different point in our lives... I mean how about making a deal with me if neither of us is married at 40, we'll get married?"

I had to laugh again despise crying. "Keith that are still 14 years from now."

He laughed as well. "So what? This means I'm giving Brian lots of time to win you around then. If it takes him nearly 15 years to marry you, you can give me a chance as well."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem. Can I just ask you something?" he asked and I nodded. "If you really know how everyone dies if you touch them, you know how I-?"

"Yes. Do you want to know?" I asked finally sitting up and looked into his face. He brushed some of my hair out of my face and smiled.

"I suppose it can't be too bad if you feel at ease with me," he replied shrugging. "Well you don't have to tell me. It can't be too soon or you would be all over me and not Brian and I think I really don't want to know. If it happens it happens."

"Keith, your death is not the reason I feel so at ease with you. You really were only nice to me..."

"And still you prefer Mr Grumpy over me?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

I shook my head. "It's different."

"I know." He laughed. "Damn Brian, he really can't do something easy for once. He could have fallen in love with everyone, but no he needs the fortune teller, who only sees death. I hope your story has the same ending as the song."

I frowned. "Which song?"

"Fortune Teller? Don't tell me you don't know the song..."he asked confused.

"Remember I am not into music."

"Sorry it's just odd. I don't know, maybe I'm just used to people who  know what I'm talking about... Well it's a song about a guy, who goes to the fortune teller to have his fortune read. She tells him he would fall in love, but he doesn't so he goes back to her and falls in love with her. They get married and live happily ever after."

"I doubt we will have such a future... I mean I can't see it." I said sighing looking away from Keith. "I nearly miss the times when Mary and I would sit in some bar, just drinking and smoking... I don't know it feels like a hundred years ago compared to now. We didn't worry about anything. Now she's moved out of her parents house, is dating Ben and even has a job and I well you know... I don't know what I expected, but somehow I wished we had stayed there in the bar. With every minute that passes the future is coming closer and it scares me, because I simply can't see a happy ending for me or Brian. He'll die and it will be my fault."

Keith pulled me back to him, but instead of his chest my back touched the couch this time around and still he was so very close to me. His hand found its way under my chin and he pulled my face up to look into his eyes. "Please Charlie, listen. No matter what happens to Brian, it won't be your fault. Blimey you gave him a second chance, which is probably more than he earns after everything he did and still does. I get that this is not easy on him, but leaving you on your own that's just low... He really should better use this chance or I have to figure out a way to bring him back from the death, just to beat him up for leaving you again and making you feel all guilty."

"Thank you. You're the best."

"Oh I know," Keith replied smiling and that was the moment I leaned over to kiss him.

Thank you for reading, voting and commenting!🌼🌼🌼

Sorry for the longer absence, I would have updated this last week, but life happened and well I couldn't really concentrate on this.