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We Meet Again	By : LindaG Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Savage Garden Views: 2076 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Savage Garden. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
We Meetin –in – pt 19

Star Wars ringtones sounded in the early morning hours.

“Dazza…”

“Mmmph…”

“Dazza! Answer your phone.”

A hand snaked out from under the blankets, and sightlessly slapped around on the nightstand, in search of the noisy object. Finally it slapped down on top of the phone, and pulled it under the covers.

Daniel turned back over, and snuggled into his pillow.

“H…o?” Darren’s muffled voice reached Daniel’s tired ears.

“Umhmm… ..oh… mmnn… Really?” Darren threw his covers off and sat up suddenly. “That’s great! Thanks, Leo. Give John our thanks, too. Okay, bye love.”

Darren beeped his phone off, and tosse on on the nightstand. Then he turned over, and wrapped himself around Daniel’s prone form.

“Time to rise and shine, you lazy bones. John said yes. We sign the papers in three hours. Then we need to see if we can collect our band bap.” p.”

Daniel rolled over, and blinked sleepily.

Darren couldn’t help but smile, and began placing gentle kisses all over Daniel’s face, stopping to lay claim to his lips as he smiled.

“Um… oh… thanks, babe,” Daniel wrapped Darren in his arms. “Just remember, as much as I love performing, we’ve got to do it differently this time. No six month tours…”

“Agreed,” Darren kissed his neck.

“No tour longer than a month…”

“Um hmm…” Darren placed a kiss on his dimpled chin.

“No more… five countries… wee week…”

“Mmm…” Darren began sucking his earlobe… gently rocked his hips, rubbing himself against Daniel.

“I—um… no more… ah… no more… um… ohh…”

Colin had to increase the number of security people at Daniel’s house after the nighttime news report—because of both their admission that they were indeed a couple, and because of the possibility that Savage Garden might reform.

Not only did the numbers of reporters increase around the property; but fans had begun to gather outside as well.

Many held placards proclaiming support. Some claimed disbelief. Some exclaimed the rebirth of Savage Garden. And, to Darren’s chagrin, a couple of signs demanded they repent their sins before they burned in hell.

Mostly he found it amusing, as he and Daniel left for their meeting with John Woodruff.

“I wish I could thank the fans,” he commented sadly as he nodded to them in acknowledgement.

“And I wish we could get rid of people like them,” Daniel pointed toward the two fanatics with the hateful sign.

“We don’t have to come back here,” Darren offered. “We could call the folks or go to a hotel.”

Daniel looked at him, a slight frown on his face. Then he sighed.

“No. No more running from this,” Daniel shook his head, his arms folded across his chest. “We ran from it before. Hid from it. That’s a big part of what brought it all on.”

Darren smiled. “Whatever you say, Danny.”

They were only five minutes late for their meeting with John Woodruff, at Roadshow Music. Leonie frowned as they walked in. Darren smiled his best, “but you love me” smile; while Daniel sported and embarrassed twist of the corners of his lips.

“Darren, I can’t tell you how surprised and happy I was when Leonie called me. Daniel, good to see you again.”

They sat down and talked contract.

“Coming out hasn’t hurt you,” John said honestly. “All the feelers point to high acceptance. Very little surprise, actually. Most of the talk is “I told you so”, or “it’s about time”. Sony is fuming though, Darren. They say you’re under contract to them, and your album is ready to go,” he shrugged. “They’re right, and I don’t see any way around it.”

“Offer them our third album. Tell them I’ll promote my album, but only with Daniel, and only under whatever guidelines Daniel specifies for this contract,” Darren motioned to the papers Daniel was reading. “It’s either that, or they can take a hike and do it without me.”

“They’d blacklist you in America.”

Darren shrugged. “I won’t say I wouldn’t be disappointed, but my sales have never been that strong in America. I think they’d be more sorry than I will.”

John shrugged and nodded. “I just need a bit of reassurance this time, Darren. I’d be stupid not to welcome you back, I mean it’s been five years and you’re still winning longevity awards. Hell, I like to think we’ve been friends since the beginning.”

“We have been,” Darren agreed.

“But you left me high and dry once before. And that hurt. Personally more than business wise. Do you understand what I’m
saying, Darren? Daniel said a break, and the next thing I know, you’re saying Savage Garden is dead, and you’ve signed with Sony for your solo work.”

Darren lowered his head in embarrassment, and blushed. “I know, John… I—I’m sorry. We’re going to make it work, John. I promise you,” Darren finished, as Daniel flipped the pages of the contract back in order.

“No tours this year, John. There’s only three months left anyway. And we need to see who of the old band is still available—”

“Ben and Lee are. Karl has commitments. Anji is available. I’ve got a young man who’s a superb drummer, auditioned by playing along with several of your tunes. I’ve got three girls lined up who are all complementary to Darren’s vocal range.”

“Already?” Daniel asked, his mouth ajar in astonishment. “How?”

“I started calling around after the news last night,” he grinned. “And I’ve always made a note of which girls sounded like Darren when they auditioned.”

“Oh?” Darren asked with a grin.

“Ever since that fiasco with your first tour…”

Darren nodded. “At least that first concert turned out well in spite of the slight disharmony.”

He looked at Daniel, and chuckled lightly, then put his fingers under Daniel’s chin and prodded slightly.

“Um, yeah, okay. One, at most two, comeback concerts. Brissie, Melbourne, or Sydney, maybe Canberra or Wollongong; but nowhere else.”

“Daniel!” Leonie huffed.

“No, Leo!” Darren agreed. “The concerts are done Daniel’s way or it’s off,” he gestured with his right hand. “After all he’s
gone through—after all we’ve gone through, I’m not pushing it again.”

“If he can’t handle it—”

“Then we won’t do it! , please. Stand beside me for once… I’m not giving in this time.”

They glared at each other across the table; Darren’s glare slowly darkening.

“That’s fine with me, Daniel,” John announced suddenly, to break the tension. “Anything else?”

“No tours longer than a month. With a month’s break in touring to follow.”

“That will be expensive,” Leonie pointed out.

“We can afford it,” Darren growled.

“No more five countries in-a-week type touring, either. One week, one country.”

Leonie laughed, a bit sarcastically. “What makes you think you’ll sell a weeks worth of concerts?”

“What makes you think I want a whole week of concerts? There’ll be places like Paris, or Madrid, or Brussels where I’ll be more interested in screwing Dazza senseless, than performing.”

Darren raised his eyebrows, and his jaw dropped, as he looked at Daniel.

Daniel grinned at him, his green eyes twinkling mischievously as he raised Darren’s right hand to his lips.

John laughed, while Leonie blushed furiously.

“You—” Darren squeaked nervously, blushed, took a quick drink of the water that had been provided. “Leonie, you wanted me to forgive you. I did. You said you knew you’d have to work to make it up to me… Start with this, please.”

“I do have a couple of promising P.A.s in the wings…” John commented offhand.

Leonie took a deep breath and sighed. “You’re right Darren. Daniel, I’m sorry. We’ll do whatever we need to do, to keep you comfortable with the pressures of touring.”

Daniel’s beaming smile lit the room. “Thank you, Leo. John, if you’ll put those stipulations in the contract, we’ll be happy to sign with you again.”

“I’ll see to it… say, Rumba is being held in Brissie this year…”

“Could you get us a spot? An unannounced spot?” Daniel asked.

“Not very fair to the fans…”

“Just let it drop that Darren might be performing some of his solo stuff…”

“You’re planning something, Danny…”

Daniel’s beaming smile widened. “I do have an idea… but we’ll have to start practicing.”

“My solo stuff…”

“I—I som some of it already,” Daniel’s smile shrunk to an embarrassed grin.

“I want to rework it.”

“Oh, Darren, no… it’s beautiful.”

“Even Heart Attack?”

Daniel pursed his lips sadly.

“I’ve got a list, we can talk this out later, right?”

Daniel nodded.

“Can you get us a studio for tomorrow afternoon, John? Have that drummer, and those girls there for us?”

John smiled warmly. “You bet I can, Darren.”

“Plenty of water, too. I’ve got a feeling we’ll need it.”

They all stood up then, and John shook their hands. Gave each of them a “welcome back” hug.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” John promised as they left.

“Will you be coming to practice, Leo?” Darren asked outside.

“I think I’m going to catch a flight back to America. Talk to the Sony execs in person. See if we can come to some sort of compromise… they may refuse to let you do your new songs.” She frowned.

“Hunh… I hadn’t thought of that…. Well, if that’s the way they want to play, then tell them to stuff it, and they can sit on it for five
years, and when the copyright runs out, we’ll release it ourselves.”

Leonie’s worried gaze met his, and her eyes flicked back and forth as she searched his. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“I do. I’ve plenty more songs that haven’t been laid down yet,” he reached a hand out to Daniel, and pulled him close. “And every one of them is easily rewritten to make them ours.”

She nodded, and slowly broke into a smile. “Well, we’ll just see who sits on what.”

Darren smiled broadly then, and wrapped Leonie in a hug. “Thank you, Leo. Thank you.”

He kissed her forehead, and she blushed.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Daniel gave her a hug, too, and then she left.

When they got back to Daniel’s, they were surprised to see all the news crews had left. There were still a few fans waiting. Darren stopped his BMW just inside the driveway.

“Feel up to meeting some fans? There’s only eight. I’ll bet Colin could give us someone to walk over with us, if you’d feel safer that way.”

Daniel glanced over to the fans across the street. They weren’t screaming, just… waiting. Expectantly.

“Remember the websites? The support?”

“What if those two people, or others like them, are hiding there?”

Darren shrugged. “What if they are? Then we ignore them, and let security take care of them.”

Daniel turned back to Darren, surprise plain on his face. “Just like that.”

Grinning, Darren nodded. “Just like that. What do you say, Danny?”

He nodded. “If someone comes with us.”

Darren bounded out of the car, grinning madly. “Colin! A word, please?”

Daniel smiled as he got out of the car. Darren barely contained himself as Colin walked up, grinning at the Diva like he’d gone crazy.

“You okay, Darren? Can you hold it? You could have parked closer to the house.”

Darren gasped, feigned offense, and smacked Colin in the shoulder. “Sod! Danny’s agreed to go meet those fans. I’d like someone to come with us. What happened to all those reporters anyway?”

“I kind of let it slip that you’d gone to your place. Had a couple of people leave as decoy. The newshounds just had to follow. Most of the crowd left, too. I’ll come along with you.” He looked at Daniel, and smiled. “Good to see you out again, Daniel.”

Daniel returned his smile as they crossed the street. “It feels good, I must admit.”

“You need to get tanned again,” Darren commented cheekily.

Daniel laughed.

The girls screamed when they realized they were coming over. Daniel stopped suddenly, sobering.

Darren put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “We don’t have to.” He looked over at the girls, trying to silently convey his concern. His anger, really, when he realized he was mad. He had to remind himself they were typical teens. Just once, he wished for truly understanding fans.

They stopped screaming then, talking among themselves.

“We’re so happy for you!” one of them called out. Another held up a sign. Darren and Daniel 4ever. Expectation and quiet filled the air then. And hope. Darren could sense their hope, and he smiled. As proud as a new father. Squeezed Daniel’s shoulder lightly.

“What do you say? I think they’ll behave.”

Daniel smiled nervously, slowly began moving forward.

Smiles. Handshakes. Autographs. More words of congratulations. Best wishes for their future together. Oddly, none of the girls asked about Savage Garden reforming, or if they’d be touring soon. Maybe they’d understood Daniel’s fear. Darren wasn’t certain just what had happened, but he was grateful for it.

Ten minutes later, everyone had their autographs, handshakes, and hugs. The girls left, chatting and giggling among themselves, and Daniel was smiling his relaxed sunbeam smile. It warmed Darren inside, as he smiled with him, and they headed back to the house.

…tbc…
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We Meet Again