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How Can Love Conquer All?	By : brirose1978 Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Linkin Park Views: 4944 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Linkin Park. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A/N: If you’re thinking that this story appears similar to another story in this same category, you should be; I lost the username and password to access the story under my other pen name, so I was forced to re-register in order to be able to update this story.
On that note, I would like to apologize to anyone who was following this story and was disappointed by the lack of updates. My muse took a permanent vacation (or so she said) toward the beginning of the year, and several military issues cropped up as well, not to mention my battalion sending me TDY to Fort Lewis for three months. I was also rather stressed and disappointed when I returned from Fort Lewis and found out that, despite my efforts, I would not be able to leave my post early despite their having replaced me in the job while I was gone (I knew about that part, so that wasn’t a shock; not being able to leave early was). It seemed as though I wouldn’t be writing again, which saddened me greatly, since I have loved reading and writing since I was very young. However, about a week ago my muse cautiously returned (I think the chocolate bribe I sent her had something to do with it) and is now helping me update the story a bit. So once again, I’m sorry if you’ve been waiting on this, but here it is, in its entirety, from the beginning. Usual disclaimers apply; I don't own Linkin Park or Joe Hahn, much to my sorrow.... Archivers, please take it, just tell me where so I can update. Comments, reviews, and chocolate are always welcome; flames just make me laugh and give me my jollies for the day, so if that isn’t your intent, I wouldn’t bother. *G*
It was late August in California on one of the soft, sandy beaches, a time late enough that a good time could definitely be had by the people who did make an appearance this late in the tourist season, despite the lack of real crowds. One of these was a girl in her mid-twenties, seated in a beach chair, an open book on her lap. Her attention was not on the pages, however, but on the waves rolling in on the beach, white foam surging up and receding in an almost mesmerizing pattern. Her eyes, watching the waves, were hidden by sunglasses, but the rest of her hinted at a subtle beauty. Her shoulder-length, light brown hair was caught back in a loose ponytail, tendrils of hair escaping to frame her heart-shaped face. She had high cheekbones, full lips, and clear, slightly tanned skin. A black bikini hugged her slim frame, and a white sarong tied around her waist revealed one long, bare leg.
I’ve never been to a beach when it’s this not crowded, Sabrina thought absently to herself. It’s very peaceful. Her gaze strayed from the waves surging up on the beach to the various people scattered about, a slight smile touching her lips as she caught sight of six young men playing beach volleyball, her gaze lingering on one of them with black hair and a well-built frame. Then again, there’s something to be said for excitement. Chuckling softly to herself, she turned her gaze back to her book, but a few moments later her gaze strayed again, back in the direction of the game, this time noticing a beach blanket spread nearby, a young woman seated on it calling out encouragement and good-natured jibes at the players. Set behind her was a child’s carrier seat, but its occupant had apparently found a way to get free, a little girl of about one or two toddling off in another direction. “Uh-oh,” Sabrina muttered, setting her book quickly aside and going after the straying toddler, catching her up just before she stepped on broken glass strewn on the sand. “Hey you, you could get hurt doing that,” she murmured softly to the baby, who squirmed in her arms for a moment before sticking a thumb in a small mouth, big blue eyes regarding Sabrina solemnly. “Let’s take you back to Mommy, hmmm?” Sabrina murmured, turning and heading for the beach blanket. She murmured more soothing nonsense as she walked up to the beach blanket, clearing her throat somewhat hesitantly. “Excuse me… she got out of her seat somehow. I grabbed her right before she stepped on some broken glass,” she said as the young woman turned, her mouth dropping open in a gasp. “She’s fine,” Sabrina said quickly as the woman scrambled to her feet, swiftly handing the toddler to her.
“Oh my God, I thought she was asleep! Thank you, so much!” the woman said, clutching the baby close in relief. “I swear I put her in her chair… I don’t know how this happened,” she continued to Sabrina, who dropped her gaze to the chair.
“She’s how old? About one or two?” Sabrina hazarded. At the woman’s nod, she smiled reassuringly. “Babies of that age are generally learning some simple motor skills, and this chair only has a simple push-button lock on it. She probably just managed to press it and got out that way.” She smiled, lightly stroking the baby’s hair. “She’s beautiful; it would’ve been a shame if she had gotten hurt. I’m just glad I could help.”
“Well thank you… what’s your name?” the woman asked, smiling and holding out a hand.
“Sabrina. Sabrina Smith,” Sabrina replied, shaking the woman’s hand and smiling.
“Samantha Bennington. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the woman replied. “And this little one is Miranda, Randi for short, or the munchkin to her father and his friends.” She gestured to the nearby volleyball net where the six men were still playing.
Sabrina chuckled, a wry smile on her face. “You know, all my teachers in school used to think my name was Samantha. I could never figure out how they got it out of Sabrina, but then I’m not a teacher.”
“Please,” Samantha said, gesturing to the blanket beside her as she sat down, resettling little Randi into her chair. “What is it you do then?” she asked, refastening the belt over the toddler and rummaging in a bag for some tape, which she taped over the release button.
“I’m a first lieutenant in the Army; I’m here on leave,” Sabrina replied, settling down onto the blanket and smiling. She found it surprisingly easy to get along with Samantha. “My family lives in Richmond, but none of them could spare the time or the money to come here with me despite my getting leave, so I got stuck doing it on my own.” She smiled self-deprecatingly.
“That’s too bad. Hey, maybe you could spend the day with our group? To be honest, I’d like to have another female around. The testosterone gets rather heavy with my husband and his friends,” Samantha said, laughing. “We’re taking a bit of a vacation as well, but they don’t do anything as important as what you do. What exactly is it you do in the Army?” She looked curiously at Sabrina.
“I’m what we call the S2 for 2-5 Battalion, stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas. Basically that means I’m the intelligence officer for the battalion; I handle security clearances and so forth, and I do deal with top secret items before you ask,” Sabrina said, laughing. “I just got promoted to first lieutenant not long ago, and we recently returned from a tour overseas to the Middle East, so I’m sort of taking a part congratulatory, part relaxation vacation.”
“Oh, were you part of the second Gulf War?” Samantha asked, keen interest lighting up her blue eyes.
“Yes, but we didn’t see any action. My unit was stationed in Bahrain, which was too far south to actually see any missiles aimed at us, but we were prepared in case Saddam still had the capability,” Sabrina said.
“So… you must be part of a Patriot unit then? The missiles that shoot down the other missiles?” Samantha asked.
“Yes, although that’s not all Patriot does,” Sabrina said, laughing. “Originally we were only meant to shoot down aircraft. The missile thing in the first Gulf War was more or less a fluke, but the military saw the potential for something, so we continued to develop the capacity to shoot at missiles as well as aircraft.”
“I see,” Samantha said, gently rocking Randi’s chair back and forth to soothe the baby to sleep. “Chester- that’s my husband- thinks that we did the right thing in going into Iraq, but he’s not too convinced that we went about it in the right way.” She indicated one of the players, a tall, somewhat thin blond man with tattoos and piercings, who was playing on the side of the court nearest them with the man Sabrina had noticed earlier and another, shorter black-haired man. Sabrina glanced at him, and suddenly gasped softly as she recognized the flame tattoos on the blond man’s forearms, and then recognized the man she had been admiring earlier. “Are you all right?” Samantha asked, frowning slightly.
“That’s your husband?” Sabrina asked, gesturing toward the blond man again. At Samantha’s confused nod, she asked slowly, “Chester… Bennington? Of Linkin Park?”
Samantha looked sharply at Sabrina, and then laughed softly. “I take it you’re a fan?” she asked, grinning. At Sabrina’s slightly dazed nod, she chuckled. “Yes, that is Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, and yes, he is my husband.” She gave Sabrina a slightly sly look. “Interested in meeting them?” she asked.
Sabrina glanced at Samantha, suddenly letting out a short laugh, shaking her head. “I can’t believe it. Linkin Park… God. If someone had told me at some point I would be spending time with anyone from Linkin Park, I would’ve had them committed to the psych ward in William Beaumont for delusions of grandeur.” She grinned. “I’ll promise not to go crazy or starry-eyed, but yes, I would like to meet them.
“Good,” Samantha said with a mischievous grin. “Because here they come.”

“Game!” Joseph Hahn crowed, spiking the volleyball into the sand at Phoenix’s feet. “You guys owe us two beers! Each!” He high-fived Chester and Mike, his teammates, as Rob, Brad, and Phoenix ducked under the net, resigned looks on their faces.
“Lucky shot,” Phoenix said, scooping up the ball and shaking his head, grinning resignedly.
“Lucky hell, we’re just that good,” Mike retorted, snatching the ball from Phoenix’s grasp with a grin.
Chester laughed as Phoenix mock-tackled Mike, both of them playfully wrestling for control of the volleyball. His gaze turned toward the blanket where they’d left Samantha and the baby, a surprised look coming over his face. “Hey, who’s that with Sam?” he asked.
Everyone turned to look at the sight of a young woman sitting on the blanket with Samantha, chatting amiably. To his surprise, Joe’s breath caught in his throat when he saw her. What the… he thought to himself, confused at his reaction. There wasn’t anything particularly special about her… was there? He eyed her covertly as they approached the blanket, trying to see what there was that might have made him react so strangely. Sure she was pretty, that was fairly evident. Shoulder length light brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, a few tendrils escaping to curve enticingly around her heart-shaped face. She wore a black bikini that showed off a slim, yet in his opinion curved-just-right body. A white sarong was looped around her waist, and as they approached a gust of wind blew it aside, baring long, killer legs and slim feet. He could see a tattoo of a rose on her upper right thigh, and another tattoo of a rose entwined with a dream catcher was on her upper left arm. Slim sunglasses sat on her nose, and a laughing smile graced her full lips as she turned to face them, showing off white, slightly uneven teeth. Joe swallowed slightly, hoping his reaction wasn’t evident as they stopped by the blanket. He still couldn’t figure out why she made him react so strangely, but he shrugged mentally, putting the puzzle aside for the moment. “Hey sweetie; who’s your friend?” Chester asked, dropping down next to his wife and kissing her quickly.
“This is Sabrina; she rescued Randi from getting cut on some broken glass. We think she somehow managed to push the button on her carrier and got loose that way. Sabrina caught her before she could hurt herself,” Samantha explained, giving Sabrina another grateful look.
“Well in that case, I owe you my thanks,” Chester said, the worried look on his face when he heard what had almost happened to his daughter replaced by a look of relief. He held out his hand to Sabrina, who shook it.
“Believe me, it was my pleasure,” she said in a soft, slightly musical voice, the sound tightening things low down in Joe’s body. “I would have hated to see this cutie get hurt,” she continued, tickling the baby gently and getting rewarded with a giggle. “Besides, it got me a chance to meet you guys,” she said, a light blush suddenly tinting her high cheekbones. “I just wanted to say I think you guys are inspired, I truly do.”
“Ah, a fan!” Mike said, dropping down next to Chester. “Where’s the usual fan paraphernalia?” he asked expectantly. “I’m ready to sign autographs in thanks for saving the munchkin!”
Sabrina arched a slim brow above her sunglasses. “And silly me, I left my autograph book in my car,” she replied dryly, making Mike laugh.
“But you are a fan?” Joe asked, dropping down to the blanket as well, joined by the rest of the band a few moments later.
“Absolutely. I think I once listened to Meteora fifteen straight times while I was overseas one day,” Sabrina replied. “We were waiting to go home and it definitely passed the time.” She grinned. “Still listen to it quite often in my car, to be honest.”
“Fifteen times? Good Lord, what do you do that allows you to listen to our CD fifteen times in one day?” Phoenix asked, laughing.
“I’m a first lieutenant in the Army, stationed at Fort Bliss. We were stationed in Bahrain during the second Gulf War, but we never saw any SCUDs, so our time was spent listening to music, watching movies, et cetera and so forth,” Sabrina replied.
“You’re military?” Joe asked somewhat disbelievingly. She just didn’t seem the type somehow.
“Yep. Year and a half so far. I’m trying to see if I can make the full twenty,” Sabrina replied, smiling. “What, you think women shouldn’t be in the military?” she teased.
“No, no!” Joe replied, holding up his hands and laughing. “I guess you just didn’t seem the type.”
“Well, you’re not far off. If you’d asked me when I was younger what I wanted to be, an officer was not among the choices,” Sabrina said, chuckling. “However, the Army paid for college, so I owe them eight years in payment or I’ll have to pay back the money. Frankly, I’d rather have the steady job with killer benefits than have to worry about paying back school debts.” She shrugged.
“Eight years?” Rob said incredulously. “Did you have to sign over your firstborn as well? Seems a bit steep for just paying for college.”
“Well, only four years needs to be on active duty; if I wanted, once I finished that up, I could go reserve,” Sabrina pointed out. “Don’t think I will; surprisingly, I enjoy what I do. And like I said, the benefits are killer. Did you know the Army will pay for certain types of plastic surgery nowadays?” She grinned.
“What do you do?” Joe asked curiously.
“I’m what we call the S2 for 2-5 Battalion. That basically means I’m the intelligence officer; I handle the top secret stuff for the battalion.” Sabrina replied.
“So, if we wanted to ask you something top secret, you’d be able to tell us?” Brad asked, grinning.
“Well yes, but if I did, I’d have to kill you,” Sabrina retorted, laughing. “Seriously though, I’d never violate my oath like that; more than my job’s worth.” She smiled slightly.
“Ah, a woman of integrity,” Phoenix said, chuckling. “Don’t meet many of them in this line of work, let me tell you.”
“Well, integrity is one of the seven Army values; I’d be in a bit of trouble if I didn’t embody it,” Sabrina replied, laughing softly.
“Well listen, we were planning on getting some lunch once we finished our game; would you care to join us?” Chester asked. “I’ll even pay; it’s the least I can do for catching up with my daughter before she could hurt herself.”
Sabrina hesitated, a slightly uncertain look coming onto her face. “I wouldn’t be intruding?” she asked.
“Absolutely not,” Chester reassured her, smiling. “Besides, I can tell you that you have got to be one of the most level-headed fans we’ve met in a while, and I for one think that deserves something.” A slight murmur of agreement came from the rest of the group as Sabrina glanced around.
“Well… if you’re sure,” Sabrina said hesitantly. “I’ll just go get my stuff.” She stood up, brushing off her hands.
“Need some help?” Joe asked, standing at the same time.
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you-“ Sabrina started, only to stop as Joe held up a hand, smiling.
“Trust me, its no trouble. Meet you at McDonald’s?” he asked the rest of the group, who all nodded.
“Joe’ll get you there fine,” Rob said, standing up. “We’ll see you there!”
Shrugging, Sabrina smiled hesitantly at Joe. “Um… my stuff’s over here,” she said, heading to a nearby beach chair. “I didn’t bring much, really,” she continued, leaning down to pick up the book resting on the chair. Joe glanced at it curiously, recognizing the illustrations on the cover.
“Harry Potter fan?” he asked, picking up the beach chair before Sabrina could and folding it in half, tucking it under his arm.
“Yeah… are you?” Sabrina asked, slipping the book into her beach bag.
“I’m firmly of the opinion that J.K. Rowling is one of the best authors the world has ever produced,” Joe said, grinning. “Shocked the hell out of me when she killed Sirius, I tell you.” He gestured for her to lead the way to her car.
“You’re not the only one. I swear I cried when he disappeared behind that arch. But don’t you get the impression she’s going to pull him back somehow? Since both Harry and Luna could hear the whispering behind the curtain?” Sabrina asked curiously, slinging the bag over her shoulder and starting over the soft sand to the nearby boardwalk.
“I hadn’t really thought about that,” Joe admitted, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “Makes sense, certainly, but I don’t know. I kind of got the impression it was for good from all the interviews she gave.”
“Guess we won’t know until she finishes the series,” Sabrina said, chuckling softly. I like her laugh, Joe decided. It seemed so free and open… and the timbre caused his body to tighten in ways that made him pray they were not showing on his face. Okay, I am very much attracted to her, he admitted to himself, surreptitiously watching the way the wind blew the loose tendrils of hair around her face. It looked as soft as silk, his fingers itching to run through the strands.
“Guess not,” he said aloud, smiling at her. “Out of curiosity, and since you’ll likely be deluged with this question from the rest of the guys and I just want to know first… what’s your favorite song by us?” He grinned, watching as she pulled a set of keys out of her bag.
“Ask me the tough questions, why don’t you,” Sabrina replied, laughing softly as she unlocked the trunk of a dark green sedan. “Honestly, I’m very torn between three of your songs; two off Meteora and one off Hybrid Theory. I fell in love with ‘In The End’ when I first heard it, and more recently with ‘Don’t Stay’ and ‘Nobody’s Listening’. Don’t even think about asking me why; I’m not sure I could really articulate it.” She smiled, ducking her head slightly in a shy way Joe found very endearing. He shook his head mentally at himself. Brother, have I got it bad, he thought wryly.
“I’ve noticed that ‘In The End’ seems to be most everyone’s favorite off Hybrid Theory,” he remarked, placing the beach chair in the trunk and shutting it firmly. “But as for the other two, that’s pretty individual of you; I think most everyone we’ve talked to about Meteora liked either ‘Faint’ or ‘Somewhere I Belong’ best.”
“Well don’t get me wrong; I loved those as well. In fact, you guys are the first band I’ve ever come across in my twenty-four years on this earth about which I can honestly say I like everything I’ve heard you do. And when you consider how widely my tastes range, that in and of itself is an incredible accomplishment,” Sabrina said, chuckling as she unlocked the car and slid into the driver’s seat. Joe slipped into the passenger side as she continued. “It’s just that those three songs seemed to speak the most to me. When I first heard ‘Nobody’s Listening’, I think my jaw dropped open in shock. I couldn’t figure out how you guys took a Japanese flute and managed to make it sound incredibly cool. As for ‘Don’t Stay’, well, whenever it comes on, I usually have to blast my radio in order to enjoy it to the fullest.” She grinned mischievously. “I also really liked your opening scratch solo on it; that’s the part I have to blast the loudest.”
Joe laughed in surprise, arching a brow at her. “Well thanks, I think,” he said, grinning. “Just how widely do your tastes range, anyhow?”
“Well, let me put it this way. In my CD case, I have the Backstreet Boys next to the Beastie Boys,” Sabrina said, slowly pulling out of the parking lot she was parked in. “Which way?”
“Left,” Joe replied automatically, still trying to process her comment about her CDs. “Backstreet next to the Beastie Boys? Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Sabrina said, chuckling. “My tastes in music are eclectic, to say the least. Basically, if I like a song, I like it; it doesn’t matter who sings it or what kind of music it is. Case in point; I despise Marilyn Manson, but there are two songs he’s done that I rather enjoy. Can’t seem to figure it out.” She shrugged, guiding the car expertly through traffic.
“I know what you mean,” Joe said. “My taste in music probably isn’t that wide, but I feel the same way about songs; if I like them, I like them. Doesn’t matter who sings them or what kind they are.”
“Exactly,” Sabrina said, nodding and turning right in response to Joe’s next gesture. “But you guys…” she trailed off, shaking her head ruefully. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I truly enjoy everything I’ve heard from you. I think it’s partially because, to me, your music is a bit of a paradox, and paradoxes intrigue me.”
“What do you mean?” Joe asked, startled.
“Well, it’s the way your music is both old and new at the same time. The way you blend music that’s been around for years into a completely different, new sound. It’s innovative, fresh, and at the same time tried and true.” Sabrina grinned. “Confusing enough answer for you?” she asked, laughing.
Joe laughed. “Well, I have to say, no one’s ever really described it quite that way, but in reality, that’s exactly what we try to do. We’ve had producers and sound guys tell us we’re crazy for wanting to try this or that, but then when they hear it, they finally agree it’s worthwhile. That’s why we try to produce our own albums; then we don’t have to argue about all the little details that go into recording the songs. We can record them the way we want to. Over there,” he finished, pointing to the left at the McDonald’s coming up. Sabrina slowed in response, turning into the parking lot and shutting off the engine. “Shall we?” Joe asked.
“Why not?” Sabrina replied, chuckling.

Fifteen minutes later, the entire group was ensconced around several tables in the restaurant, cheerfully talking and eating. Chester had insisted on paying for Sabrina’s meal, much to her consternation, as she thought he had been kidding when he mentioned it, but she graciously gave in when he insisted. “Listen, thanks again,” she said to him, sipping her soda.
“No problem, believe me,” Chester replied, stroking his daughter’s head gently. “I’m just glad you were there to catch Randi.”
“So am I, believe me,” Sabrina said. “I love children; I hate to see them get hurt.” A momentary pensive look crossed her face. “It happens far too often for comfort.”
“So anyway, Sabrina…” Rob started, only to stop as she held up a hand.
“Listen, you all might as well call me Bri; I’m really not used to hearing Sabrina except from my superior officers,” Sabrina said, chuckling softly.
“Brie? As in the cheese?” Mike asked, laughing.
“No, as in the nickname,” Sabrina retorted, grinning.
“What’s the difference?” Joe asked.
“I don’t spell it with an E,” Sabrina replied, giggling softly.
“How’d you get that nickname?” Chester asked.
“A friend of mine out of the blue one day asked if she could call me that. Since I’d never before in my life had a nickname, there not being many things you can get out of ‘Sabrina’, I immediately jumped on it. It wasn’t until later I remembered Brie is a type of cheese,” Sabrina replied, laughing.
“Okay then… Bri… we’re always looking for feedback from fans, so… could you tell us what your favorite song is by us and why?” Rob continued.
Sabrina glanced at Joe before they both cracked up laughing. “I see you weren’t joking,” Sabrina said after she got her hilarity under control. “He said you’d all probably ask me that question,” she explained to Rob’s questioning look before recapping her explanation she had previously given to Joe. “So, if it’s feedback you want, I’d say please don’t change a thing you do; I love it all,” she concluded.
“Even the instrumentals? We’ve had some fans say we should get rid of them, much to Joe’s consternation,” Brad said, chuckling.
“Even them,” Sabrina said seriously. “I enjoy the instrumentals just as much as the tracks with vocals, personally. I happen to think instrumentals can showcase a band’s talents better than vocal tracks in many ways. The instrument playing in most bands tends to be overshadowed by the vocalists; no offense,” she said to Chester and Mike, who both grinned. “But if you have a band willing to show off what every member can do, not just one or two, to my way of thinking you get a much more cohesive sound. I can think of a few bands I’ve really enjoyed who were willing to do instrumental tracks and have stayed together, while the ones that only showcase one or two members tend to break up. Cases in point; N’Sync, Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, and dozens of others. It just makes for a better group if you include everyone.”
“Wow… you know, I think that’s the first time a fan has really understood what we try to do,” Phoenix said, glancing at the others.
“I think you’ve shocked them, Bri,” Samantha put in, grinning as she fed the baby.
“I’ll say she has,” Joe said, shaking his head. “I mean… you really put into words exactly what we want to do. It’s like you knew us without really knowing us, you know?”
“Well, I have a degree in psychology. I’m used to looking for nuances most people don’t notice. It helps in my line of work,” Sabrina said, sipping her soda.
Chester looked thoughtful, leaning his chin on his hand. “Think you could do something for us then?” he asked.
“Depends on what it is. I won’t promise my firstborn, but I’ll do what I can,” Sabrina replied drolly, gaining a chuckle from Joe.
“Truth is, we’re always trying to get people’s opinions on our music, but there aren’t many people who tell us like it is. We need people who can listen to our music objectively from the perspective of a fan, if that makes any sense,” Chester said.
“You mean… someone who you’re pretty sure will enjoy the music, but will still tell you what’s wrong with it, if there is anything?” Sabrina asked.
“Exactly, or tell us how we might be able to blend things together or emphasize one thing or the other. Would you be willing to do that for us? We could send you samples of our stuff and you tell us if you think it’ll work or not,” Chester replied.
Sabrina blinked, clearly surprised. “You always ask people you’ve just met to do this sort of thing?” she asked, a slight grin curving her lips.
“Nah, just the ones we think might actually be able to pull their heads out from the morass and give us honest opinions,” Chester replied, grinning. “So you’ll do it?”
Sabrina glanced around at the rest of them, reading their eagerness to have her opinion, before relaxing slightly. “You’ve got a deal,” she said, sticking out her hand.
Grinning, Chester shook it firmly. “Give Joe your email address; he’s the one on the computer the most, mixing up sounds, so he’ll be most likely to send you the stuff.”
“Okay,” Sabrina said, rummaging in her purse for a pen and a scrap piece of paper and quickly scrawling her email addresses on it. “Those are the two I check the most; send it to either and I’ll get it pretty quickly,” she said, handing Joe the scrap piece of paper.
“Right; and actually, let me borrow your pen?” Joe asked. Slightly confused, Sabrina handed him the pen. Joe tore off a blank section of the slip and wrote down his email address and phone number. “If it gets too confusing to explain something in an email, feel free to call. I find sometimes that works better than email,” he explained, controlling his urge to shout for joy at having a pretext to keep in touch with her. Thank you Chester, he thought ironically.
“Do you use AIM?” Sabrina asked. Joe nodded, watching as Sabrina scrawled a screen name below the two email addresses. “I may have free long distance on my cell, but I hate using up the minutes,” she explained. “So if you’re online, look me up that way. I’m online for the most part in the evenings and on weekends. I’ll keep this though, just in case that doesn’t work.” She slipped the paper into her wallet, grinning.
Joe grinned back, glancing down at the slip of paper and raising an eyebrow. “BriannaQuest23? Sounds like someone’s actual name.”
“It is. I write fanfiction for the Jonny Quest cartoon,” Sabrina explained. “Brianna Quest is my original character I created for my fiction, and 23 was how old I was when I first set up that AIM account, hence the name.”
“I’d ask, but I’m afraid of the answer,” Joe said, chuckling as he slipped the paper into his wallet carefully. “So how long will you be in sunny California?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Till the end of the week, then I’m driving back to El Paso. Today was my beach day; tomorrow I want to go to Disneyland though, and probably Universal Studios,” Sabrina said, finishing the last of her meal.
“Alone?” Rob asked, surprised.
“Well naturally, unless you think I’ve got ten different friends stashed in my purse,” Sabrina retorted, grinning teasingly.
Behind Sabrina’s back, Joe looked at Chester, struggling to convey his wishes via his expression. Catching on, Chester said, “You know… we were planning on going to Disneyland tomorrow…”
“We were?” Mike asked, only to bite off an exclamation as Chester kicked his ankle and looked significantly at Joe. “Err, I mean, yeah, we were… want some company?” Mike continued, reaching down to surreptitiously rub his ankle.
“You’re kidding, right?” Sabrina asked, blinking in surprise.
“Well, we’re on vacation too, and besides, I haven’t been to Disneyland in ages,” Brad said, catching on as well. “So how about it?”
Sabrina hesitated a moment, glancing at Samantha, who was serenely feeding Randi. “Are they being serious?” she asked, arching a brow.
“They must be,” Samantha replied, arching a brow at her husband. “I suppose we can leave Randi with her grandparents for the day. So, mind if we tag along?” She grinned.
Sabrina laughed, shaking her head. “Why not? I could use the company. I’m staying at the Days Inn on the boardwalk, if one of you could come and get me in the morning. I don’t really know the way there.”
“Oh, I’m sure Joe would be happy to pick you up,” Phoenix said slyly, elbowing him in the side and chuckling. Joe was relieved to note that Sabrina missed that particular nuance, giving them a slightly blank look.
“Sure, it’s no problem,” he said, clearing his throat slightly and stepping hard on Phoenix’s toe. Phoenix yelped, shooting Joe a dirty look.
“You okay?” Sabrina asked concernedly.
“Just fine… stubbed my toe,” Phoenix said.
“Those table legs are vicious, aren’t they?” Joe put in innocently, stifling a grin as Phoenix gave him a pointed look.
Sabrina laughed, shaking her head. “I see you guys weren’t kidding about being best friends.” She glanced at her watch, and then began gathering her things. “Well, it’s just about time for my appointment with the mall; what time should I expect you in the morning?”
“Eight o’clock too early?” Joe asked after glancing at the rest of the group.
Sabrina arched a brow. “Please. I get up around five every morning as it is; eight o’ clock’s easy. I’ll meet you in the lobby then. See you tomorrow!” With a cheery wave, she left, leaving Joe to glance sheepishly at his friends, all of whom, with the exception of Samantha and the baby, began growing wolfish grins on their faces as they looked at him.
“I think Joe’s definitely ready to pick her up, aren’t you bud?” Mike asked slyly.
“Oh I would imagine he’s ready for more than that, aren’t you?” Chester said, grinning wickedly.
“Oh come on guys, knock it off. I just… felt kind of sorry for her, here all alone,” Joe said, attempting to adopt a noble tone of voice and failing miserably.
“Yeah, and you just want to keep her company. Right,” Phoenix drawled, raising a skeptical brow.
“And why not? She sounds like she could use the company after all,” Joe shot back.
“Well, at least this time he picked a girl with class, unlike some of the others we’ve seen him with,” Rob put in, grinning.
“Oh leave him alone,” Samantha put in, glaring meaningfully at her husband. “At least he has the guts to go for it and isn’t taking advantage of his status, unlike some of you.” This time she directed her glare at the rest of the group, who had the grace to look sheepish, having been guilty of doing just that at one point or another in their careers with the various female groupies that surrounded the band.
“Thank you Sam,” Joe said, shaking his head.
“All teasing aside, bro, why her? We’ve met fans on vacation before and you never wanted to spend time with them then,” Brad said.
“I don’t know man,” Joe admitted, glancing at the door that Sabrina had exited through. “Second I saw her, something hit me. I’m still trying to figure out what it is.” He glanced down at the remains of his meal, pushing it away. “Sounds stupid, I know, but it’s the God-honest truth.” Suddenly the remark Rob had made penetrated, and he glared at Rob. “Hey, what do you mean ‘a girl with class, unlike some of the others we’ve seen him with’? I’ll have you know I go out with girls with plenty of class!”
“Yeah right. You’re guilty of it the same as us, bro,” Phoenix said, clapping him on the back. “Like Celeste; remember her? You can’t tell me you wanted to talk to her for her mind.” He grinned wickedly, holding his hands near his chest insinuatingly as though cupping a rather large pair of breasts.
Joe thought for a moment, and then had to laugh, shaking his head. “Okay, maybe you’re right,” he conceded.
“I’m always right,” Phoenix retorted, laughing.
“In what universe?” put in Mike, sniggering and gaining a light hit on the head from Phoenix in response.

The next day was a whirlwind of wild fun for Sabrina, as she and the rest of the group toured around Disneyland all day. It wasn’t long before everyone treated her as one of the gang, even though Joe seemed to act a bit strangely around her. It was weird how solicitous he kept being, Sabrina thought later in the afternoon, shrugging mentally. Maybe he’s just the gentlemanly type, she thought to herself, chuckling inwardly.
“So have we hit every single ride yet?” Rob asked, plopping down on a bench with a sigh.
“Nearly; I think we missed the Haunted Mansion though,” Mike pointed out, joining Rob on the bench.
“We did?” Sabrina asked, glancing at the map she held. “Damn, that one’s one of my favorites!”
“It is? I thought you hadn’t been here before?” Joe asked, raising a brow.
“Once. A very, very long time ago. I think I was about… eleven at the time,” Sabrina replied, laughing.
“Oh, like you’re so old now,” Chester teased, slipping an arm around Samantha’s shoulders.
“Twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five in October. That’s thirteen years,” Sabrina shot back, grinning.
“Ah! Brad, make a note of that; Bri turns twenty-five in October! We send her oodles of stuff all autographed by us!” Chester said dramatically.
“Make your own damn note, Chaz,” Brad said, chuckling. “As for me, I’m simply sending the autographed 8 by 10 nude glossy.” He waggled his eyebrows lasciviously at Sabrina, who burst out laughing.
“You guys are seriously weird, you know that?” she said, giggling.
“Yeah, but you love us,” Rob said, grinning.
“I love your music, yeah,” Sabrina teased, amused.
“Ooooh, dogged!” Mike said, punching Rob’s shoulder.
“Yeah, like you’re the shit,” Rob retorted, punching Mike back and grinning.
“How do you stand them?” Sabrina asked Samantha, shaking her head.
“Practice. Lots and lots of practice,” Samantha replied, sticking her tongue out at Chester.
“Watch it, honey; you know I’m gonna catch that tongue later. No telling what I’ll do with it,” Chester said wickedly.
“And thank you for the so not-needed image there, Chaz,” Joe said, rolling his eyes and grinning. “So one more ride?” he asked Sabrina, raising an eyebrow.
“Haunted Mansion? Please? I want to see if it’s as funny as I remember,” Sabrina said, a hopeful look on her face.
“I’m up for it,” Joe said, grinning.
“Sure you are,” Phoenix said slyly, grunting as Joe elbowed him in the side.
“You two go ahead; we’ll take a rest. Haven’t done this much walking in quite a while,” Chester said, giving the rest of the group a meaningful look behind Sabrina’s back. Joe caught the look and smiled inwardly. At least Chaz is on my side, he thought.
“Meet you all back here then,” he said aloud. “Shall we?” he asked Sabrina.
“We shall,” Sabrina replied, grinning.
“So what made you decide to join the military?” Joe asked as they neared the line for Haunted Mansion.
“Money,” Sabrina replied, shrugging. “I was a recipient of a full scholarship from Army ROTC, but in return I owed eight years. That was the original reason. Now I stay because I do rather enjoy it. And like I said yesterday, benefits and pay are pretty killer for a brand new job.” She grinned, tugging up the strap of her light-blue tank top.
“But why stay? I mean, yeah sure the money’s good, but there are other jobs that pay just as well and would kill to get someone with that kind of experience. There’s no other reason?” Joe asked.
Sabrina looked away, her gaze momentarily pensive. “It’s… clichéd, but… I do believe in my oath,” she said, turning a serious gaze back to him. “I believe that there have to be people who are willing to die to keep this country safe. And I guess… I’m one of those people.” She shrugged, a slightly embarrassed laugh escaping her. “I took an oath to lay down my life for my country if need be, and I’m willing to do it. That’s really all there is to it.”
Joe nodded, a slight smile curving his lips. “I think that’s very noble of you,” he said seriously. “And I don’t think it’s clichéd at all.”
Sabrina gave him a relieved smile. “You’d be the first then. I can’t even get my own family to understand why I want to stay,” she said, a soft sigh escaping her.
“Well, sometimes it’s hard for family to understand the choices their kids and siblings make. I remember when I met Mike while I was in art school; once I joined the band, I couldn’t get my mother to understand why creating music was so fulfilling to me. It wasn’t until the band took off and she saw how people reacted to our music that she really even made the attempt. I doubt if she fully understands now why I enjoy this so much, but at least she’s trying,” Joe said, smiling.
Sabrina snorted softly. “Wish I could get my mother to do the same,” she said, smiling slightly. “I remember when we went overseas… she never believed me when I told her we were going to a safe location, or at least relatively safe. I mean; Bahrain’s over eight hundred kilometers from Iraq. Don’t get me wrong; she was very supportive, but she never understood why I wanted to be in the military.” Sabrina sighed, her gaze going pensive once more. “I remember September eleventh… I remember it every day.” She turned a troubled gaze back to Joe. “That’s why I fight; so that will never happen again,” she said softly. “It probably sounds stupid, but that’s why.”
“It’s not stupid,” Joe said, reaching over and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as they entered the ride. “I think it’s perfectly reasonable.”

It seemed like the more he spent time with her, the more intrigued and attracted he became, Joe thought to himself as they moved into the elevator on the Haunted Mansion ride with about thirty other people. The amount forced the two of them to stand rather close, and Joe prayed his reaction to her nearness would not show outwardly. Inhaling, he smelled the light, sweet scent she wore and sighed softly, trying to quell the images of her sprawled across silk sheets from his mind. “I think I need help,” he muttered to himself.
“What did you say?” Sabrina asked, glancing over at him.
“Nothing… talking to myself,” Joe said hastily, giving her a smile.
“I do that a lot,” Sabrina said, chuckling softly. “They say it’s only when you start to answer yourself back that you need to be worried though.”
Joe laughed, shaking his head. “Well, I haven’t sunk that far yet, so I guess I’m okay,” he said.
Grinning, Sabrina turned back to the walls, studying the weird paintings that revealed themselves more and more as the elevator crept slowly downward, leaving Joe to his thoughts. He still couldn’t figure out quite why this girl affected him so strongly, and he was starting to think he probably never would. She wasn’t the prettiest girl he’d ever met, but there was something about her… something in those green-brown eyes of hers that made him feel both protective and aroused at the same time. She seemed fragile and yet so strong… she was a perfect contradiction. Maybe that’s why she caught my attention; she’s kind of like our music. A paradox, he thought dryly, a slight smile crossing his lips. It made him want to figure her out and keep her an enigma at the same time. Caught up in the dilemma, he followed her out of the elevator and into the weird black carriage cars that traveled through the ride. Having been on the ride nearly fifty times in the course of his life, Joe could almost have recreated the ride by himself, but he enjoyed watching Sabrina’s enjoyment of the hokey special effects. Toward the end of the ride she shrieked, squeezing over close to him as the ghost hitchhiker appeared in their car in the mirror they passed. “You okay?” Joe asked, somewhat breathless from the feel of her hands clutching his arm and her body pressed up against his side.
“I forgot about that part; that startled me,” Sabrina said, letting go of him and smiling sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Feel free to grab onto me anytime,” Joe teased, grinning at her as he helped her out of the carriage.
Sabrina laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, turning to exit the ride. Grinning, Joe followed her, once again putting the puzzle aside for the moment. It could keep for now. He was sure there would be plenty of time to figure it out later.
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How Can Love Conquer All?