Rockaby

Disclaimer: Oddly enough I don't own any of it! o.O Its so weird...

Author's Note: No one wants to review... HAHAHAHA Go get em all my elite team of ferrets! Destroy all those who oppose my pairing of Rinoa and Zell... Heh, truly I think thats the reason why, either that or no one likes Shawn Mullins... Oh well.. BUT Thank you for all the wonderful hits... Tough luck for those who don't review cause as long as they let me... I am posting so bite me... Mind you I bite back!

Patrick is based on a guy who I see all the time at Denny's restraunt. A truly great guy, I hope he doesn't mind me adding him to this, oh well!

CHAPTER TWO

Rockaby


“It’s always so beautiful here,” she smiled looking out at the crystal clear sea. The weather was perfect here and the view outstanding in Zell’s eyes because he was staring at Rinoa whs tas taking a licking her ice cream while gazing off out at the water. Her attention finally waned from the sea to Zell who sensed her head turning and focused his eyes to face forward and lick his ice cream.

“We should get going soon,” he suggested. They had taken their time eating lunch and discussing more of the mission. He was to perform in a bar on Fairfax, a decent well known bar, he was relieved he was not playing in some slummy joint. Not that he doubted Rinoa’s managing skills but he still was unsure about her people skills. After all Squall had squashed a lot of her dreams and she is almost antisocial. The performance was to be one song only for tonight, if he was good enough then they would let him play more at a later time, and from there hopefully he would get into the big leagues where the GFCg wag was spread throughout the nightlife world of Dollet.

“One more minute please?” she begged and gave him the puppy eyes. He melted and they endedstaystaying for about twenty minutes before they made it to the jeep and back on the road to Dollet. They might be a few minutes late but Zell was ready to go on stage. In fact having lunch with Rinoa had inspired him to write another song which he refused to let her see despite her protests. The song was about her and it made him feel that if he was able to make music so naturally then he could naturally tell Rinoa how he felt. Although tempted to he knew they were late as it was and rushing it, perhaps maybe the song might help her to understand his feelings without letting on too much.

The city was as it always was for the most part only over time the city’s population and buildings had become bigger like all growing cities do. It remained quite peaceful during the day but at night it was a hot spot for every clubber and dancer on the continent. People came from as far as Esther to dance and the clubs. He had to make this song a hit if he was going to pull off getting a gig in one of the big clubs. It might have been easier to ask Seifer to let him play in his nightclub but the Chicabo was not really Zell’s type of club and he did not want Rinoa in that environment.

Despite running late they had just enough time to stop at a gas station and let Rinoa get changed in the bathroom. Zell remained in his black muscle shirt and baggy jean shorts while Rinoa changed into a beautiful black dress that resembled her white one that on special occasions she can be seen wearing. Whenever she wore that white one it drove Zell crazy, he couldn’t stay in the same room with her for very long, it was something about the color that drove him wild for her. Black was alr tho though and he was able to control himself easier than if she had worn a white one.

They had been instructed to park in the back of the bar then proceed to where they would wait in line along with all the other would-be stars. Many of them were just random show ups and many more were turned away. This truly was the place to come if you were an aspiring artist looking to enhance your career. Zell pushed to the front of the line though with little squabbles from the other more scrawny musicians. “Names.” a man met them at the door. Red curly hair, a mean look to him, it was obvious that this one would give Zell a hard time if it came down to a fist fight. “Zell Dintch, and manager Rinoa Heartily,” Zell huffed up a bit and flexed his muscles slightly showing that he would not be intimidated.

“Your late,” the man grunted about to react badly to Zell‘s gesture. Rinoa moved in front of him before he had a chance to speak, she batted her eye lashes and tugged at the hem of her dress to show more cleavage, “Forgive us our jeep had trouble.” The man fixated on her breasts just nodded and let them in without further confrontation. It took all Zell had not to kill the man, luckily two men who were obviously the other musicians playing with him, came up and introduced themselves as Nicholas and Dan.

Nicholas was obviously a Dollet man, never had anything to worry about in his life, and he played the keyboard like a true artist. What he was doing in a place like Zell could not even fathom. A soft greeting and a light kiss to the hand for Rinoa and they had met their keyboardist. Dan was the complete opposite of Nicholas and played the drums like a wild animal. Obviously brought up in Deling where things like that were common he flirted with Rinoa and barely acknowledged Zell. In turn Zell flexed his muscles and introduced himself as lead singer and Rinoa’s guardian. It made Dan back off slightly but he still sent flirtatious gestures towards Rinoa every now and then.

When they told them they had ten minutes before going out on stage Rinoa disappeared and it made him worry slightly. It seemed in no time Zell had barely enough time to hand them the music he had drawn up for them before they were called out on stage. “Dintch your on,” a overly lustful feminine voice called. Out on stage he noticed that Rinoa had taken a front row seat next to two men who looked as if they owned the place. The crowd was a decent size turn out, they came to drink and see the new and upcoming stars, and it made him smile inwardly to know that he was going to have this crowd eating out of the palm of his hand soon enough.

“We bring to you Zell Dintch, La and and Gentlemen,” a voice announced over the speakers and he was sure it was the same woman who had told him to be on stage.

Taking his seat on the little wooden stool in the center of the stage and placing his guitar on his lap he began to play. The others soon joined in and when the time was right he began to sing with his angelic voice.

“She grew up with the children of the stars in the Gabaldian hills and the boulevard. Her parents threw big parties everyone was there they hung out with folks like
Vinzer Deling, Duchess Dollet, and Edea and Cid Kramer.” he sung on and watched her for an expression. She knew he was singing about her and it made her feel strange because for the first time she started to see Zell in a different light.

“She feels safe now in this bar on Fairfax, and from the stage I can tell that she can't let go and she can't relax and just before she hangs her head to cry I sing to her a lullaby I sing. Everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye. Everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye, rockabye.” first verse done and he was getting into the song. Her eyes were locked on his and she looked as if she was about to cry as he moved into the second verse. Standing up he use the slight musical interval to adjust the microphone and stand up and sing.

“She still lives with her dad outside the city, down that street about a half a mile, and all her friends tell her she's so pretty but she'd be a whole lot prettier if she smiled once in a while. `Cause even her smile looks like a frown, she's seen her share of devils
in this angel town. But, everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye Everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye, rockabye…” Second verse done the audience was captivated and she was smiling. His attention turned as if to sing to the audience now.

“I told her I ain't so sure about this place it's hard to play a gig in this town and keep a straight face. Seems like everyone here's got a plan it's kind of like Esther with a tan, but, everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye. Eveing\ing's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye. Everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye. Everything's gonna be all right; rockabye, rockabye, rockabye, bye, bye
bye, bye.” The crowd was on their feet cheering and only Rinoa remained seated and waited for the two men sitting with her to sit down and discuss his next gig.

“Zell that was wonderful!” she was excited and she showed him the gil that she received for his outstanding performance. “So we going to go get a hotel on the money or we going to sleep in the jeep tonight?” he grinned. She was happy because the crowd was happy with him, but she had yet to comment on the songs content. No matter he was glad to see her this enthused. “They are paying for our hotel room at one of the best hotels in town!” The singular sound of the word room got his attention but he would not say anything about it because it was probably just a slip of the tongue. They would have separate rooms for that he was sure Rinoa would insist on.

A man in black, the man who had seated beside Rinoa in the audience, approached the four of them with a seemingly mocking clap of his gloved hands. “Bravo,” his tone was that of what Zell labeled as a fruit and it was obvious to all that the man was gay, “It was a true tear jerker to find such passion aonesonesty in a dump like this.” He had short cut brown hair, a small goatee, and the biggest brown eyes that Zell had ever seen on a man. It unnerved him when the guy reached out and touched his shoulder, “You, my boy, are going to be big!” “Thanks,” Zell mumbled and put his hands in his pocket and looked down. “Oh, Rin, you never told me how much a sweetheart he was,” he was smiling a million dollar smile. Zell had to admit despite the guy being a little too skinny he was a handsome guy.

“Yes, he is, isn’t he?” she was looking at Zell a little dreamily then her eyes shifted to the man, “You should introduce yourself.” The man looked flustered at first then he seemed to find the right words, “I’m Patrick, I’ll be your travel agent throughout the night life of Dollet.” Although the man did not offer his hand it was a warm introduction none the less. “Nice to meet ya,” Zell forced a smile, his eyes shifting uneasily to Rinoa, and back again. Luckily the other man who had been present at the table during Zell’s performance politely made his way into the conversation to inform Patrick that he was needed elsewhere. “Alright my darlings,” he moved to hug Rinoa, “I will see you tomorrow morning at say 9ish for breakfast in the hotel lobby.”

“We will see you then,” she was smiling but Zell could tell, like his smile it was a forced one, and it made him wonder why? Gathering his guitar, saying good bye to Dan and Nicholas, they then made their way to the jeep where Rinoa would give him directions to the hotel.

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Author's Note: I love the third chapter... Review if you think you might want to read it?