*
Why do my thoughts loom so large on me?
They seem to stay, for day after day
And won't disappear, I've tried every way  
*

Keith wasn't too happy about just leaving. This time around he actually did get some drinks, which we had to drown in one gulp. Everything was starting to get hazy and dizzy and the only thing I could concentrate on was that I was going to have a huge hangover tomorrow and probably look like shit. At least nobody was complaining too much at my work, beside maybe my boss, but as long as I did my job right, he didn't care too much for my night time business until now at least. We all got into a cab and I  wondered how we all could have fit, but things work differently while drunk. 

Brian didn't say anything to me again and Keith was happily talking about something. I smiled and nodded a few times. In all honesty, I didn't catch a thing. My mind was blurred and all I could hear was Brian's words repeating over and over again inside my head and it scared me.

I can't say if the ride was short or long, I was just happy to be out of the car. Fresh air helped a great deal to clear my head and still it was so foggy... Everything happened in a blur and the next moment I sat on a couch with Keith, Brian, Mick and Mary with another glass in hand. I only sipped on it. I needed a break and the cab ride hadn't been long enough for the effects to wear off to a limit I could at least somewhat think straight. Keith was still talking about some concert or party, it really was a funny story and the alcohol probably helped me too, enjoying his company and well ignoring Brian. He was just sitting there looking at something only he could probably see and emptying his glass. He looked deep in thought and I wondered what he was thinking about.

"Charlie?" Keith asked. He must have said something, which couldn't be answered with a smile. 

"Pardon...?" I was surprised. My voice sounded way soberer than I was feeling and for the amount of alcohol I had consumed. Maybe I wasn't that drunk, or I was so drunk that I'm already imaging things. No that couldn't be. I had my fair share of drinks, but it was still on a reasonable scale, at least for me. I sighed, I was again overthinking things, which could only mean, I hadn't drunk enough. I gulped the remaining liquor down and I felt a slight burning in my throat.

Keith observed me curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh... eh... No I was just thinking. Everything is fine. It's just getting late and well I have to work in the morning..."

"I guess you want to go home then?"

"I-" I looked around for Mary for help, but she was gone. "Eh... No." I sighed. "I'll stay a bit longer, if that's alright?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't it be? You don't bother me and I don't think Brian minds either." Brian didn't react. He didn't even look up, like Keith hadn't just mentioned his name. "Want another drink?"

I just nodded. I was a mess, I was too drunk to notice that Mary was gone, but still clear enough to overanalyse things. Typical. I sighed.

Old. Wrinkled. Peace. Death. Keith. He must have touched me. Out of surprise I jumped. The glass fell and shattered. Then, dizziness, loneliness. I tried to get away as fast as I could, but something held me there. Water, suffocating, death. Brian. My head cleared up and I saw him holding me and observing every move I made. His eyes had a strange glow and held a hypnotising sadness. Something was off about him. Maybe his death was no accident, but a suicide? I knew to less about him to be sure about it, but his eyes were so sad. Something was not right. Perhaps I- No! I shouldn't bother, it's not my business. I shook my head and turned away from him.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" Keith was right before me. He looked at me a bit worried, well who wouldn't? I had just jumped out of my skin for no apparent reason and again tried to get away from Brian. It must seem strange to any normal person.

"Sorry I just wasn't expecting you to touch me so suddenly..."

Keith laughed. "I never knew I had that effect on a girl. Well... I better clean this mess up before somebody gets hurt or something."

"I could-"

"No-"He interrupted me. "I scared you, so it's my fault." He winked at me. "Just stay here and I'll get you a new one and everything."

I nodded and Keith started picking up the shards. Luckily it weren't too many and they were pretty big. He had assembled them in no time and left me and Brian alone.

"It told you something." Brian whispered in my ear. He was still holding me, but I had turned my back towards him. So I couldn't see his face and neither could he see mine, which was a rather good thing. If I only looked half as spooked out as I was, I must have looked like I've seen at least a dozen ghosts. 

I cleared my throat. He was just high, he couldn't know anything and he'll surely would have forgotten all about it in the morning. "You don't know anything." I mumbled.

He spun me around and again I found myself hypnotised by his eyes. "And you know more than you should."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

He shrugged. "I don't but you do."

"That doesn't make sense."

"You know what I'm talking about. You see death, don't you? It speaks to you, but what does it say? Tell me!" He pleaded. At first he had seemed somewhat self-assured and somehow clever, but now he had something desperate about him. "I am going to die, aren't I?" Again there was such an emptiness in his eyes and I really felt bad for him. Maybe if I told him the truth, I could change his future. He would believe me, wouldn't he? But would he remember it in the morning? That was the question I most dreaded. He probably wouldn't and telling him the truth now wouldn't change a thing.

I sighed. "We're all going to die sometime. Death treats us all equal. "

"No, Yes, but you know...! I can't..." His grip on my arms grew stronger. "Dead... dead...." He mumbled. He was scared and in return he was scaring me.

"Please let me go Brian..."

He was still mumbling and grabbing my arms. It didn't really hurt, due the influence off the alcohol, but that didn't mean it felt good.

"Brian..." I tried again, but he didn't seem to hear me.

"BRIAN! What the hell are you doing?" Keith asked.

He stopped and first looked at me then at Keith.

"She-She- You don't see... Death, it is coming for me! I need to- I..."

"I think you had enough... I'll better get you to sleep..." He touched Brian on his shoulder and helped him get up. Keith turned to me " You don't mind if I..?"

"Oh no it's fine. I'll just wait here."

Keith nodded and continued to drag Brian away. I sighed. I really hoped for Mary that it had been worth the trouble. Well at least she had gotten what she wanted, for me this evening had just been a catastrophe. Maybe if Brian hadn't touched me or hadn't throw his mind away, I might have been able to calm down a bit, but like this? I was going out to relax not to add more stress to my list... Well in my defence I couldn't have known it would turn out like this. How should I? Meeting someone who was going to die was bad, but something I could deal with, on good days at least. Brian, seeing things that weren't there and going after me was not something I was prepared for. On the other hand why did it even surprise me that someone could see things that were clearly not there? My visions were exactly the same. Maybe Brian had a gift too? I shook my head. No, he was probably only high and imagined things, even if some of them sounded too close to the truth to pass by. It worried me. If he could see death on me, are there others who could as well? And what did that all mean? I sighed and took a sip out of Keith's glass, which was still half full and standing on the table.

It dulled my mind and prevented it finally from overanalysing things. I was never going to see Brian or the others again, so why worry? And if there are others like me, why should that concern me? I had enough problems with my gift or rather curse on my own and didn't need to worry over others. I emptied Keith's glass just as he came back.

"Sorry for that... He sometimes gets like that. It's well... I hope you're fine" He excused.

I shook my head. "It's fine. I was just a bit surprised, that's all."

"Uf, I nearly thought Brian had done it this time and scared you off for good."

I frowned."Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything."

"Why are you so keen on keeping me around? You and me, know that we'll probably won't see each other ever again after today."

"Don't be so negative, you'll never know. "I raised an eyebrow and he laughed. "I see you want a real answer. Well it's nice to have somebody around who is just around for a drink and a talk, not for the usual I guess. You're just here because of your friend and not because we are famous. You're the realest person I've met in a while and that's nice for a change, therefore I'd like to keep you around. You're like a break from the usual."

I nearly laughed. The realest person? I see the death of everybody I touched and he calls me normal? I shook my head. He didn't know that, for him I was just some odd girl, they had picked up in a bar and I wasn't the usual groupie. Nothing more.

"You don't know me..." I just mumbled.

"That's true, but what I mean is every day is the same and you always met the same people and you, well you are different from them. You're not famous nor are you a fan. You have a job, a normal life and in the evening you spend time drinking with your friends in a bar, enjoying life. It's just nice to have somebody like this around for a change."

I raised an eyebrow. "In other words I'm average?"

Keith laughed. "Well if you say it like that it sounds bad, but if you want to call it that, then yes."

"Again you don't know me, what if I go around killing people to make sure I don't run out of business at the funeral parlour? Or what if your friend Brian is right and I have death following me around and know who's going to be his next victim?" I gasped. It had just slipped out. My mouth had been quicker than my mind and I couldn't take it back. I could only hope that Keith didn't think much about it.

"So that was what Brian was on about it... Well if it's true how I am going to die then or are you not allowed to tell me?" He chuckled. "Ok I take it back, you're not average, you're just different from the people I'm normally around."

I sighed relieved. He thought I was just messing with him, but maybe I could use this to my advantage and tell him about Brian? Maybe I couldn't help him, but Keith could? If I played my cards right, this could actually work out, but at the moment I was too drunk for such a game. I needed more time and well a clearer head and definitely some sleep. I had no idea what time it was, but probably late and still there was no trace of Mary. I could hardly just fetch her and disappear, but what other choice did I have? Leaving her here? They weren't bad people, of course, but I was just worried for her.

"Charlotte?"

"Eh... yes?"

"There really is something on you mind, isn't it?"

I sighed. There always was more on my mind than what was considered healthy, but why should I complain to him about it? "I'm just tired, I suppose. It's late and I've got to work in the morning..."

Keith sighed. "And you don't want to leave without your friend."

"I'm just worried for her... You're not bad people, I know, but well..."

"I understand... Well you could stay and sleep here, if you don't mind." He offered.

"Oh... I don't want to disturb or anything. I'll just go home. It's the best, just tell Mary, when you see her that if the next time she wants to do something like this, she shouldn't drag me along." Keith laughed.

"Your choice." I nodded and started to get up, but I had moved way too fast. The alcohol hit me hard and I felt just like everything was spinning around and my legs couldn't hold me any longer. I tumbled down, luckily there still was the couch behind me.

"Seems like you're going nowhere." Keith laughed.

"I need to... I hafe too work..." The alcohol had definitely caught up with me. I had sounded pretty good a few minutes ago, but now I totally started to sound like the amount I had drunk.

"Well... I could get you into a cab? But can you manage on your own?"

I nodded. "Thanks. Is not the first time. I'll manage."

He sighed. "If you're sure...."

Thanks for reading and all the lovely votes! Feedback is still very much appreciated! 

A few more things about this story:

1. I don't want to label this story as 'dark' or 'mature', but death will be a large topic in this and of course drugs and sex will be mentioned, but nothing graphic.  

2. Anita Pallenberg will not be part of the story! She was at first, but that made it all the more complicated and was actually not really that important for the plot. So I'll just leave her out, even though she's pretty important, Stones related I mean, but well... she will be mentioned. 

3. This might be considered a spoiler, but well... there won't be a love triangle or anything. I'm not a huge fan of those things anyway and it doesn't really suit the plot until now at least.

And finally  a small preview for Chapter 4:

"How was it?" Mary asked.

"How was what?"

"You know very well what I mean! You brought Keith Richards home and I can only imaging the things you did with him! He even left you a note with his telephone number and a love message! Tell me!"

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Keith Richards and you, alone in your home? Or did you forget? You couldn't have been that drunk..." Mary exclaimed.