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The Ultimate Take That Story COMPLETE	By : MissLizzie Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Take That Views: 5447 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Take That. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
22.

Days went by, then the days turned into weeks and when weeks turned into months, Charlotte still wasn’t showing any sign of progression.
Jonathan had to ask Jason whether he wanted to cancel the tour and wait until things changed, but Jason had understood a lot earlier than some other people that this was going to last a lot longer than anyone had anticipated. Doctor’s were still unsure about how to treat her, they kept monitoring her heart, her brain activity. They tried all sorts of things, shock therapy, medication, meditation even but nothing worked. Jason had found it very difficult to visit her in the beginning, he felt like he was constantly saying goodbye to somebody who had died a few moments ago. Like when he was still a kid and his grandpa had died, his mum had asked him if he’d wanted to see his grandpa before he was buried. His mum had warned him and had told him everything about how grandpa was dead and lay in his coffin. It had scared the shit out of little Jason but he and his brother Justin were fascinated by the idea of seeing a dead person that they insisted on seeing grandpa one last time. He remembered peering over the coffin edge, the cold of the room and the strange glaze of his grandpa’s skin as lay down before him. It was not like he was asleep, not at all. His face had a weird expression and the absence of breathing was a freaky thing. They had said their goodbyes to grandpa and years later Jason was still grateful to his mum that she had asked him if he’d wanted to do that.
The first week he had hardly talked to her, just stared at her. After that he started his one sided conversations with her, told her how he felt, how he missed her. Then what he had done that day, who he had spoken, what had been in the news. He changed her clothes from time to time, did her hair. He loved brushing her hair, a new sensation that he had found while she was in hospital, he even polished her toe nails one day. Charlotte, remained doll like, like a patient in a coma but with her eyes open and sometimes moving, sometimes saying words that were incoherent. Jason read to her, Pride and Prejudice, her favourite.
He didn’t want to cancel the tour, he needed the distraction and the link with the rest of the world with the people in it that did respond, reacted and talked back to him. He needed the dancing, to relax his body and clear his mind. It was hard, but it helped. The show should go on, was what Jason had told Jonathan and the other lads the day he came back for rehearsals.

***

The final chords of Back For Good sounded in the rehearsal room, Gary pulled off his headphones and Howard took a sip from a bottle of sparkling water nearby.
“Sounds great,” Mark nodded. It was amazing how easily they’d all slipped back into the old routines, sang the same songs again. Gary and Howard had spend a lot of time fine tuning the old songs, they’d made new versions of old songs and even decided on throwing in their sort of new song Today I’ve Lost You.
They all hung back a bit as they always did at the end of a rehearsal day, Jason slipped on his jacket though and with a little encouraging nod from Mark, he headed out and on his way to the hospital. He passed Milton on his way out and thought of something, “Milt,” he walked back to the guitarist who stood in the door opening, ready to have a laugh and a beer with the other lads. “D’you by any chance have a spare guitar lurking about here?”
“Sure mate, why?”
“I was thinking of taking it to Charlie, you know…fiddle a little.” Jason felt intimidated to call his minor guitar skills `playing´, but he knew that Milton liked it if he showed interest in it, and he always liked to learn more.
Milton brought him his travel guitar, a guitar he always had on him to play whenever he felt like playing. The travel guitar was never checked in as luggage, it was always hand luggage when flying was required and the travel guitar was never spotted out of a 100 meter radius from Milton. He’d had it during the first Take That tours, and he still owned it today.
“Don’t ruin the strings,” he added whilst handing over the guitar. Jason took it from him as if the Queen herself gave him her crown jewels.
“I won’t, cheers mate!” and he hurried off, on his way to Charlotte.

***

Emma and Dawn fiddled around the kitchen nervously. Emma was getting her stuff together and Dawn was about to start cooking, Gary had phoned ahead that he was on his way home and informed Emma that Mark was leaving soon too. That was Emma’s queue and with a little twinkle in her eyes she picked up her handbag and kissed Dawn on her cheek as she left.
“Call me immediately ok?” Dawn clapped her hands together enthusiastically and Emma promised she would.

Mark was feeling tired and emotionally drained. He’d worked hard with the other boys to make the show perfect and he was sure that it would be a great tour but he was also a little nervous, pre-tour jitters Howard had called them. But Howard too had felt them, with Jason’s mental absence from time to time and the burden of having a loved one in the hospital things weren’t easy. Ten years ago they’d worried about Nigel and their behaviour and whether they were out of line, but today they worried about more trivial things.
Mark opened the door and felt the presence of Emma, he smiled and rubbed his fingers through his hair a little to make his appearance a little bit more attractive after all the dancing he’d done.

“Hi sweety,” Emma kissed him on his red cheeks. Mark sighed a little in her arms and then whispered in her ear he’d have a shower first before doing anything else. He locked himself in his bathroom and turned on the water of the shower. The warm water ran over his back and relaxed him, when his skin had turned rosy and the warmth of the water got to his head a little, he turned off the shower and wrapped himself in one of Emma’s fluffy white towels. He wiped the mirror to be able to see himself and combed his hair. He reached for his aerosol deodorant spray and then remembered it had been empty already that morning so he opened the bin, planning on chucking his empty deodorant in there when he noticed the wrapping that lay on the bottom of the bin.

“Sweet cheeks, what’s this?” Mark came walking in the kitchen with his hair wet and combed backwards, towel wrapped around his waist and his face lit up with anticipation.
Emma looked at the carton package Mark was holding, that she had so obviously chucked in the bin. She grinned and nodded her head at the kitchen table, the contents of the package was carefully placed on it.
“And?!” he asked.
“I haven’t looked yet, I wanted you to do it.”
Mark looked at her, Emma’s eyes were just as full of emotions and happiness as his and for a second he cherished this moment of pure bliss.
“One stripe is no, two stripes is yes,” Emma handed him the penlike device without looking.
“What if it’s three stripes?” he asked cheekily.
“That means it ain’t yours,” she said bluntly, raising her eyebrows as she did.
Mark laughed, and then he turned it around.
“Would you be happy if it was a two stripe?” he asked, his face not giving away the outcome.
“I guess, I know this isn’t planned but if there’s anyone in the world with whom I would wanna be a mummy it’s you.”
“That’s just fantastic coz’ I’m gonna be a daddy with you!” He turned the test around which clearly showed two pink lines.
“Oh my God!” Emma shrieked and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
“Congrats, daddy” she sniffed in his neck, glad he was happy with this news too.
“Congrats, mum. I’m glad it wasn’t a three stripe though..”

***

It was the day before the first tour date. Everybody had the night off before the big day and were preparing themselves mentally and physically at home.

Mark lay knackered on the couch, his eyes were puffy and all his muscles hurt, still he felt pretty pleased. His head rested in Emma’s lap, her hand gently and slowly caressing his hair as she lovingly traced the features of his face. His hands had cupped the fast growing bump on Emma’s body. Even though she didn’t believe it, she looked more beautiful than ever.
“You radiate pregnant beauty,” he’d sighed one day to her.
“Hold that thought while I throw up, ignore the pain in my boobs coz they feel like they’ll explode if you touch them and rub my stomach with anti-stretch mark cream ok?” she’d answered sarcastically, and to show him the truth of her words she did indeed throw up for the hundredth time that day about 2 minutes later.

“I promise I won’t have our baby during the tour,” Emma now whispered softly laughing as Mark yawned and looked at her as if he would murder her if she did.
“Can you imagine that?” he sniggered, “if that happens, we’ll call our baby Kim-Gavin’s-Worst-Nightmare.”
Emma snorted, “speaking of names, we should probably think about them a little.”
“I thought all girls had a list ready with possible baby names as soon as they can talk?” Mark teased her.
“I indeed have a list, I just wanted you to have the idea you have any input in this,” she swiftly answered back.
Mark pinched her. They decided to each make a little list and then compare their names but they soon ended up in a discussion as to what the baby’s sex would be.
“He, or she,” Mark added as Emma shot him an playfully angry look, “isn’t here yet. We’ll have plenty of time to think of a name. Right now, I need my warm bed, are you coming with or not?” Mark stood up and rubbed his already messy hair. Emma looked at him and smiled, “I’ll stay here for a little you go up I’ll be there in a minute.”
Mark kissed her on her head and headed upstairs.
Emma remained seated on the couch, feeling tears rising to her eyes. Her hormones were raging through her body and the strangest things brought her to tears. She was already mentally preparing herself for the show tomorrow. She knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it dry during Mark’s Babe. She rubbed her stomach, just a few months and then she and Mark would be parents. She couldn’t be happier.

***

Gary looked at Dawn who was putting some of their stuff together to take with them tomorrow to Newcastle. Tomorrow early morning, Gary’s brother would pick up Daniel and Emily. He knew he was asking a lot from his family by travelling this much, but he also knew his brother and his mum and dad were keen to keep an eye on their kids.
“I hope I don’t screw up the stupid Tango routine,” Gary wined as he took off his clothes, ready to hit the shower.
“Course, you won’t. You’ve practised enough.” Dawn zipped up the bag and chucked it towards the door.
“There we are, done for today. Are you getting a shower?” Gary nodded as he stood before her in his boxers.
“I think I might join you,” Dawn raised her eyebrows in a seductive way and already started unbuttoning her sweatpants.
“Grand,” Gary smiled and tiptoed to the door, he stuck his head around the bedroom door and listened for any sounds coming from the kids’ bedroom.
“Sleeping like babies..” he cooed as he quickly moved behind Dawn, helping her taking off her clothes and gently pecking her neck.
“Good,” she said, her voice already hoarse with anticipation and her eyes fluttering shut as she melted in Gary’s arms and under his kisses.

***

Howard felt the bile rise up again as he tried to ignore the nerves. Sweating and literally sick with nerves he had to run to make it to the toilet again and as he rested his head against the cold tiles in his bathroom he knew he was only making it worse by thinking about the show constantly.
“Everything will be fine,” he said his mantra again and again in his head. He opened his curtains and looked out of the window from his apartment, five stories high, he looked down at the darkness that surrounded his house and tried to remember 1996, as he had sat in the hotel room contemplating suicide. It all seemed so long ago and yet the emotions were still very real.
He shook his head and told himself to get real and not worry too much.
“Grace!? D’you have everything coz your mums sitter will be here in a moment.” He’d arranged for Grace that she could stay with her mother, but Vicky couldn’t pick her up that night as she was working so Vicky had told Howard that her regular sitter Janelle would come over to pick Grace up.
“What kind of a name is Janelle anyway,” he muttered grumpy as Grace came thundering down the stairs with her pink backpack stuffed with clothes and school books.
“Dad, can I watch dvd before Janelle comes?” Grace hopped on her legs as she held out her favourite dvd of Lizzie McGuire.
“I dunno, is she usually on time? What’s she like, Janelle?”
“She’s really funny, she likes to dance and stuff.” Grace laughed out loud all of a sudden, as if she remembered something.
“What?” Howard asked, laughing along with her.
“Janelle says you are sex on legs,” Grace giggled, covering her mouth as she spilled the beans.
“Does she now?” Howard grinned, somewhat pleased in a way and curious as to who this Janelle person was.
Grace had already taken her giggles to the couch where she smoothly popped the dvd in the player and jumped up and down the couch while watching it.
“Darling, at least sit down normally.” Howard reprimanded her, and then the doorbell rang.
“Janelle!” Grace shouted from the couch and started jumping up and down again.
Howard shook his head and headed towards the door.
Confident, he flung the door open and leaned against the wall. A tall, dark model-like girl with chocolate skin, black hair and the longest legs Howard had ever seen stood before him.
“Janelle?” he knew his voice sounds surprised.
“Yes, Grace’s daddy?” she pouted her lips a little when she said the word “daddy” and Howard licked his lips involuntary as she did.
She brushed passed him, squeezing herself past him and the door and allowed her hand to brush his shoulder as she went on.
“Gracie!” she laughed, as Grace jumped into her arms and cuddled her. She turned towards Howard, “So this is your famous daddy,” she winked at Howard. He couldn’t believe she was so openly flirting with him and it took him by surprise a little. He laughed a little corny and then offered her a drink. She gladly accepted and put Grace down on the floor who returned to the tv and the shrieking voice of Lizzie.
Howard handed Janelle her sparkling water and he sipped from his can of beer. “I see you still got that piercing,” Janelle remarked, quickly moving her glass to her mouth and her eyes fixed on his thin, deep v-neck shirt.
“D’you always flirt with the divorced daddies?”
“Nah, only the good looking ones,” Janelle replied.
“Please,” Howard lowered his voice, “Not in front of my daughter.”
Janelle turned around and walked to the kitchen door, which accessed the living room where Grace was sitting, she closed it and then turned around to find Howard standing right behind her.
“Sex on legs right?” he whispered as he pinned her against the door. Her fingernail found his piercing and then her black eyes found his, “Definitely.”

***

Jason played an unknown song on his guitar, his eyes were shut tight and his fingers followed his mind rather than any melody or song he knew. His fingers brushed the strings of his guitar, his voice softly hummed the unclear song. Every other second his eyes fluttered open quickly, but they closed again every time.
Behind him, a door was opened.
“Mr. Orange?” A nurse came walking into the room, in her hand she had some paperwork and a pen.
Jason stopped playing, looking at the nurse as if she was a complete stranger and he seemed utterly amazed to see her. He blinked and the distant look on his face was gone.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, well aware that it was far beyond visiting hours.
“It’s ok,” the trainee nurse who had prayed and hoped for this moment understood perfectly well why Jason was still here at this night.
She was an old fan and had tickets for one of the gigs that were planned in the weeks ahead. During the day she nursed Jason Orange’s girlfriend. It seemed loads more interesting when she told it in the pub and all her friends drooled over Jason, now she’d seen the pain and sorrow from up close she felt sorry for him.
Absent mindedly, she wrote down the numbers that appeared on the beeping machine to which Charlotte was connected. She wanted to say something but was afraid of doing so in this very private setting.
Jason watched her intently as she did her routine check of Charlotte. When she headed to the door to leave again, he nodded at her as if he knew she needed some encouragement.
“I erm,” she began, “Good luck tomorrow,” she finally said.
He smiled at her, thankfully. “Thanks,” he said softly.
Beaming, she closed the door behind her and floated back to the office. The Neurologist sat there, drinking coffee and looking at the charts of his patients before he’d do his final round.
The trainee gave him the chart of Charlotte. Still feeling red and nervous from having talked to Jason she sat down and poured herself some tea with trembling fingers.
“Are these the right stats?” the Neurologist looked at her, his tiny reading glasses nearly tipping over his nose.
She came crashing back to earth.
“Er..yes..I just took them.”
“You took these of the catatonic girl in room 402?”
“Yes,” she didn’t understand the fuzz and wished he’d shut up so she could float a little more on that pink cloud.
“What was she doing?” the Neurologist stood up, cleared his papers and his mug and quickly pulled on his white coat.
“Nothing, just lying there with her eyes closed. I didn’t see any change in her.”
“That’s impossible,” he replied agitated, and to show her how strongly he felt about it being impossible he left the room and slammed the door on his hurried way out.
The trainee felt doubt rise, had she done something wrong?

***

“What did you do?” The Neurologist looked at Jason with big eyes.
Jason had just gotten up after the trainee had left and was just putting away his guitar and about to head home, he looked at the doctor with big innocent eyes.
“Nothing…” he felt guilty as if he’d done something completely out of line other than staying with his girlfriend after visiting hours.
“Why?” he asked.
“You didn’t notice anything strange?”
“No, why, what is wrong with her?”
The Neurologist checked the heart monitor again and then shook his head, “I don’t believe it.”
Jason still looked at him, “What is it?” he asked again, getting more worried.
“We keep track of her activity all day long and do checks ever so often. Her stats,” Jason raised his eyebrows, “her brain activity, her heart rate all of that,” the Neurologist explained, “her stats have been very low, hardly anything, her heart is pumping just enough to keep her alive. But just now, for the past 20 minutes, her heart rate went through the roof! Her stats are of the charts. Which means something happened, I don’t know whether it’s externally brought on, maybe it was a minor heart attack, but that’s hardly possible.”
“A heart attack?” Jason looked at Charlotte who was still lying in bed, her eyes closed as if sleeping.
“That is possible but I don’t think so. That’s why I asked you what you were doing. Were you talking to her? Touching her maybe?”
“I was, sort of, playing the guitar. Why d’ you think that brought it on?”
“I don’t know, I’ll need to run some tests to exclude any physical problems.” The Neurologist left again in a hurry to prepare himself.
Jason was left bewildered.
He looked at Charlotte. Her skin was porcelain white, she hadn’t seen sunlight for a very long time, her cheeks had fallen in a little and from what little bits of her body he had seen, Jason had already noticed that she’d lost an incredible amount of weight.
“Love, please, please wake up. I need you more than ever.” He took her hand and it still felt dead but he sat like that all night, holding her hand and wishing she’d wake up.
- 19
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The Ultimate Take That Story *COMPLETE*

The Ultimate Take That Story COMPLETE