Epilogue 1: Not Even for an Hour

Even this early, before the late evening dinner rush, Eloise's is packed with celebrities, many from Bill's own label. Unlike his talent, Bill could go out into the 'real' world and remain totally incognito, but why should he, when the people here will treat him with the same obsequious respect they pay to D. Piddy and Ladonna Queen?

"Oh, is that Nico at the bar?" his wife asks in a hushed whisper, tugging at his sleeve.

The man at the bar she's gesturing towards has his back to them, and from this distance Bill would never identify him so easily. But Nico is Libby's son-in-law, so he takes her word for it.

"Nico," Bill says, slapping his hand against the guitarist's back, "I've been trying to get in touch with you. We need to talk."

"I'm having a drink," Nico mutters, "I'm not interested in talking business."

"This isn't business, it's family," Bill says, forcing a jovial tone, trying to break through Nico's gloom.

Nico presses his lips together into a tight frown and says nothing. Family...does step-father-in-law even count as family? Either way, Nico doesn't want Bill's interference. 

"We're just worried about you, Nico," Libby says, "You and Jacklyn. If the two of you could just sit down and--"

"Libby, I appreciate your concern. Really, I do," Nico turns toward his mother-in-law with a weary sigh, "But now isn't the time."

"You have a daughter to think about," Bill says.

Nico slumps over his drink,  "I think about her all the time."

"Hang on, I have to take this," Rainier says, pulling his buzzing phone out of his pocket, stopping in front of the restaurant's doors.

"You promised, no business," Portia admonishes, laughing.

"It's my best man," Rainier explains.

"You better be calling me to tell me your plane just landed and you'll be on time for fitting tomorrow."

"No, brah, I'm still in Sydney. I missed my flight. But, no worries, I got another one, and I'll be there tomorrow. Just calling to let you know."

"If you miss this flight, I'm coming to get you myself," Rainier warns before he hangs up.

"Maybe the stoner best man wasn't the best idea," Portia suggests, "Are you going to be able to count on him?"

"Coby will be there," Rainier promises, taking Portia's hand and leading her into the restaurant, "But I may have to reschedule the fitting for his tux tomorrow to a later time."

"Couples go through these things," Bill says, trying to be reassuring. But knowing what Libby had gone through with her first husband, Jacklyn's father, and his own marital problems with Mercedes, he can't help but feel his words are hollow. Couples go through things that ruin them, destroying their families in the process. And from where he's sitting, that looks like what Jacklyn and Nico are going through now, and their mess is dragging their career down with them.

Their conversation is interrupted by the approach of Rainier and Portia. Bill and Libby put smiles on their faces as they greet his daughter and her fiance.

"The wedding is so close now," Libby enthuses as the couple joins them at the table,  "You must be so excited, both of you."

"And stressed out," Bill adds with a laugh and a knowing smile at his future son-in-law.

"I am excited," Portia agrees, "But I'm so worried all the time, that something will be off, that I've forgotten some crucial thing..."

"Everything will be perfect," Rainier reassures her, taking her hand.

"It had better be perfect," Bill quips, "It's certainly costing me enough."

"Are you thinking of buying  house?" Libby asks, "Or are you planning to stay in your condo in Santa Monica."

"We do want to move into something bigger," Rainier answers, "But we aren't looking at houses until we get back from our honeymoon."

"Rainier! Mon Dieu, is that you?" a young man with a French accent stops in front of Portia and Rainier as they are leaving the restaurant.

"Maurice," Rainier greets the man with a kiss on the cheek, "It's been years. Comment vas tu?"

"Bien, bien," Maurice answers, "And you? You are looking well."

"Portia, this is Maurice Gauthier, an old friend of mine from Brussels. Maurice, this is my fiancee, Portia," Rainer introduces. 

"Ah, so lovely. But you always had a taste for the best," Maurice says with an ingratiating smile, taking Portia's hand and kissing her fingers.

"I'm Nick," Maurice's forgotten boyfriend introduces himself.

The couples exchange pleasantries, and Rainier and Maurice make empty promises to keep in touch, then they part and go their separate ways.

"Maurice was your lover, once?" Portia says, not quite a question, as she throws her legs over Rainier's lap.

"In college, yes," Rainier answers.

"I could tell," Portia says with a nod.

"Are you going to miss it?" she asks in a quiet voice. 

Rainier cocks his head to one side, not getting what she's asking.

"Being with men," she clarifies.

"I wouldn't be getting married if I had any doubts about us, chèr," Rainier answers, stroking her leg with one hand while the other glides over the small of her back, "You are everything I've ever wanted, and I won't be missing anyone or anything."

"I feel the same," Portia says with a smile, sitting up to lean close to him, her lips just inches from his own, "But, I am serious, Rainier. I don't want to put you in a position where you have to deny what you are..."

"Ah," Rainier says, getting it now, "I'm not denying what I am, my love. I will always be attracted to men as I am to women. But I'm marrying you, and that means something. Cheating on you with a man would be just as wrong as cheating on you with woman."

"I wouldn't want you to cheat on me," Portia says, "But I'd be open to sharing."

Rainier laughs at her suggestion, "You know that I'm far too selfish to share my toys, love."

"Technically, it would be me sharing my toy," Portia purrs, "And I'm fine with that as long as I get to play, too, and they to coms home with me after the play date."

"You're getting turned on by the thought of watching me screw another guy," Rainier observes.

"Well, yeah," Portia says, running her tongue over her teeth suggestively, "So hot."

Rainier laughs, and then sweeps her down onto the couch, "You know I would do almost anything for you," he murmurs, all the joking gone from his voice, "But what we have is too special to me to let anyone else in on it. Not even for one night. Not even for an hour. You are mine, and I am yours; we don't need anyone else."

Portia slides down onto her knees on the floor in front of him, her lips meeting his in a hungry kiss. "I've wanted you for so long," he whispers in her ear, "There is no one else for me."

Her fantasy of the moment gives way to his devotion, "I don't want to see you with anyone else," she says, purring with arousal, "I want all of you for myself."

She tugs his shirt over his head, and leans forward to let her tongue play over his chest.

Rainier grasps her shoulders, "Let's go upstairs," he suggests.

"Let's get your pants off," Portia counters.

Free of his clothes, Rainier eases back against the couch, enjoying the play of her tongue on his thighs, his stomach as she teases him with kisses before finally taking him into her mouth. "Portia, mon amour," he murmurs, his fingers in her hair moving in rhythm with her.

She takes him to the point of ecstasy, pulling back just before he comes, making him wait. She dances a little as she undresses in front of him, but she's too aroused to tease him for long. "I love you," she sighs, her thighs straddled around him, holding tight to him as she slides herself down onto him, giving him what he wants above everything else, herself.

Stardust News

Okay, wow, I haven't posted since February. It's been a long hiatus, but I want to let you all know, I am starting to work on the epilogue chapters.

Part of the process for me getting back into these characters has been to do some photoshoots for my Simblr, and to do this 30 day character development meme going on there. Basically, an interview a day for 30 days, with Justin and Eleanor.

The tag Justin and Eleanor will bring you everything I have for them, photoshoots and interviews.
The 30 Day Character Development tag will bring up just the interviews.
And the We Are Stardust tag brings up anything related to this story there.

And, here's the link to my main simblr page: Down the Rabbithole

Chapter 88: I Guess This is Goodbye

"I guess this is goodbye," Coby says, his hands holding her face.

"Coby, I'm sorry," Stina answers, her lower trip trembling.

"You have to what you have to do," he answers, "I understand."

"I feel like I've driven you out of your own town," she says.

"You know it's not like that," he answers her gently, "I've just been too lazy, comfortable and stoned to go out and surf the world. I just needed a kick in the ass."

"And I'm the one that kicked you," Stina giggles, "That shouldn't make me feel better."

"Well, you aren't leaving me, exactly," Coby says, "You're going out to live your life. And I'm going to go out and live mine."

"Have fun in Paris," he says, "Maybe we'll hook up again, someday."

"I'd like that," she whispers, and they kiss one last time before she heads into the airport.

Coby's flight doesn't leave until tomorrow, so he spends the evening at Heather's place, to say goodbye.

"Australia is so far away," Heather says, "Are you sure about this?"

"I have my ticket," Coby says, "I'll be there for awhile then I'm moving on to Bali. I've always wanted to surf Bali. Then, who knows, I haven't been to Oahu in ages."

"When will you becoming back?" Ulises asks.

Coby shrugs, "I can't say. I guess when I'm done."

"You're sure you don't need a ride to the airport," Ulises asks one more time as Coby gets up to get home for shut eye before his long flight tomorrow. 

"Nope, I'm covered. I'll keep in touch, I promise," he says to his sister before going.

"No. Absolutely not," Justin says, "No. I don't want to be on TV."

"I don't like being on TV, either," Jeannette sympathizes, "But my agent is all over this. My last book was all about my search for you. And now, in real life, I actually found you. Oprah wants to have us both on her show."

"Yeah, but I got executed in your book," Justin says with a frown. Eleanor told him what his sister had written.

"It was fiction," Jeannette says, "It made a better story."

"So, why can't you tell Oprah that I'm dead, just like you wrote?"

Jeannette sighs, "Because my agent already leaked the real story to the press. And it made my sales skyrocket. Oprah wants us both. I don't like the publicity crap any more than you do, Justin. But this would be a huge boost for my career. Can you do this is as a personal favor to me?"

Justin mulls it over for a minute. "Maybe," he says, and refuses to listen to another word about it for the rest of the evening.

"That went pretty well," Zach says cheerfully as he and Jeannette leave together.

"Are you kidding?" she asks, "He wants nothing to do with it."

"He said 'maybe'," Zach reminds her, "If he really, absolutely meant 'no', you'd never get a maybe from him."

Jeannette stops him before they get into the car, to throw her arms around him, "He's my brother, but you know him so much better than I do," she says.

"Living with him, I kind of picked up on his moods, figured when you could get somewhere with him and when to just leave him alone."

"You could have just kicked him out," she says.

"Finding good roommates is actually a lot harder than you'd think," Zach says, "Justin was neat, obsessively neat, actually. He'd clean up my messes without complaint. He's amazing cook, and actually a really good friend, in his way. I'd never be able to replace him."

Jeannette laughs, "Well, I can't cook at all, and I'm kind of mess."

"You have other qualities," Zach smiles.

Eleanor wraps her arms around him, and he returns the embrace auromatically, buthis mind is elsewhere.

"You're considering Jeannette's proposal," Eleanor says.

Justin turns his attention to her, lifting her onto the bed. "Should I do it?" he asks.

"Well, it would be a huge favor to her. And it would be a boost for your career as well, if you could talk a little about your art."

Justin groans, "I hate talking about art."

"You wouldn't have to talk about it," Eleanor reasons.

"You want me to do this?"

"It's not about what I want, Tiger. I'm just telling you what you could get out of it. But, it's your decision."

"I know it's my decision," Justin says, "I want to know what you want before I decide."

"What I want has nothing to do with you being on Oprah, Tiger."

The best thing about owning a house in Malibu is the private beach. Though Andrea has moved out with Debbie, the couple are frequent guests on Nico and Jacklyn's backyard beach.

"So, Andrea and I are getting married," Debbie says hesitantly when they are back on the patio, "Andrea will be asking Nico to be his best man, and I was thinking it would nice if you were my maid of honor."

"I appreciate that, Debbie. But I'm sure you must have sisters or close friends you'd really prefer. My feelings won't be hurt at all if you ask someone else," Jacklyn says, hoping to get out of bridesmaid duty altogether.

Debbie sighs with obvious relief, "Thank you, Jack. My sister will be crushed if I don't ask her. But, you will be a bridesmaid, won't you?"

Jacklyn tries very hard to smile like it's the gretest honor in the world, "Of course I will," she says. At least Nico will be in the same noose with her, she thinks.

"You're marrying her because she's pregnant," Nico says, not even trying to hide his displeasure. 

"I'm marrying her because I love her," Andrea answers, "We have to hurry it up because she wants to look good in her dress."

"She's been after you since the first time she saw you," Nico says, "Now she's got you where she wants you..."

"You know you sound like Mama, now, right?" Andrea says.

"I'm just trying to look out for you," Nico insists.

"Well, you can stop. For one because I'm handling my relationship better than you ever handled yours. I'm a grown man, and I'm about to become a father. Are you going to be my best man or not?"

"Of course I will."

"Okay, then. Now, congratulate me so I can take Debbie home to plan our wedding.

"Congratulations, Andrea," Nico gives in, "I do want you to be happy."

"I am happy, brother. I don't know what you have against Debbie, but you need to get over it. She's going to be your sister."

"Did she tell you she's pregnant?" Nico asks, pacing across their bedroom floor.

"No, she didn't," Jacklyn says, "But it explains the rush. She said they want to have the wedding in less than a month from now."

"I don't like it," Nico growls.

"Don't be such a hypocrite," Jack laughs.

"What? You don't like Debbie, either."

"I like Debbie!" Jacklyn protests.

"You make fun of her all the time and complain whenever Andrea brings her over," Nico says, finally giving up his pacing to lay with head on her stomach.

"Well, yeah," Jacklyn admits, "I can't deal with girls like her. But I'm not marrying her, your brother is. And for what it's worth, I can't deal with jocks like him, either. They belong together."

"You think?" Nico asks.

"I do. And anyway, what we think isn't important. It's his life, Nico, you have to let him go."

"I guess," Nico admits, "I just hate the thought of him being taken in my some model."

"I think you're seeing something that isn't there. Debbie's not a schemer," Jacklyn says, "Besides, she's got more money than he has, it's not like she can ruin him or anything."

"You're right, of course," Nico says, "I am being like my mother, aren't I?"

"You know, you haven't dropped a single hint about how we're still not married," Jacklyn observes.

"My brother's shotgun wedding doesn't seem like the best occasion to bring that up," Nico says with a laugh, "We missed our chance for that; Trillare's already walking. Unless I get you pregnant again, then we'll have another chance to rush a wedding of our own."

"You've been quiet about it for the past few months, though," Jacklyn says, her voice growing soft and serious, ignoring his joking tone.

Nico rolls over to face her, "Is this something you really want to talk about?" he asks, "Or are you setting me up to turn me down?"

"You don't think I'd really do that?"

"I stopped bringing it up because you always tell me you aren't ready. So, now you're bringing it up. Do you want to get married? Or do just want to go down your list of reasons for why you don't want to marry me again?"

"Do I really do that?" Jacklyn asks, a bit surprised by his reaction.

"Every. Single. Time. I get it, Jack," Nico says, "And, you know, it doesn't really matter all that much, does it? We live like we're married. You and Trill are my family. I've got everything I wanted. So I've stopped pestering you for more."

"I kind of miss being pestered," Jacklyn says, putting on a fake pout.

Nico laughs, "I don't miss being turned down."

"Maybe I'll say yes next time," she teases, "You'll never know unless you try."

"I just wanted to thank you, personally, for everything you've done for me, since Dwayne died. You've gone far and above what anyone could expect from a record company."

"I know what it's like, Libby," Bill says. To have an out of control, a failing marriage, a mess of a home only, and then the strange guilt feelings that come with the sudden death of the spouse you just couldn't save. "I'm happy to do whatever I can to help."

"I don't suppose you could Jacklyn to open up to me," Libby says with a wry half smile.

"I can't work miracles," Bill says, "Jackie is more like her father than she can admit to herself. But, she's in good hands, I can promise you that."

"Carey?" Alison calls. Her voice echoes through the house, and dies out in the silence. "The film is back from editing. It's ready to go." The Sandman movie wrapped a month ago, the actors have all moved on to their next project, and Alison is busy as ever, taking care of post-production before the movie can premiere. "Carey?" she calls again, and again, gets no response. Not even from the dog.

She goes upstairs to his office. Well, her office if you count who puts the most hours of work in here. On the center of the desktop she finds a folder labeled 'For Alison', so she clicks, and reads.

Alison,

I have been called, and I must follow. I don't know how long I may be gone. I don't know if I will ever return. Hollywood can go on with out me. And so can you. I know you can finish the Sandman project. You've done so much for it already. Your name has been added to the director credits for this one. You more than deserve it.

And when it's done, pitch your own ideas to the studio. You're ready to do your own projects, Alison. I've taught you all I had to teach, and now I pas that baton onto you. Make your own movies. Somewhere, out in this world. I will be watching.

Yours,

C.B.

"Well, fuck me," Alison whispers to herself after staring at the screen for a few minutes. Accepting any of what he wrote will take some time, and right now, that's wasting time. She has a film to finish.

"Did you finish your paper?" Rainier asks.

"No, I still have three pages to go," Portia says, caressing his face, "But you have to get going if you want to get Coby to the airport in time for is flight."

"Oh, shit," Rainier says. He'd been so absorbed in his work, he'd completely forgotten. "Thanks for reminding me." 

"I won't be long," he promises, drawing her close for a long kiss before he leaves.

"Long enough for me to get these last three pages done," she says, "Maybe you could pick up some dinner on the way back?"

"Anything you want," Rainier says.

"Surprise me. I'm starving, I'll eat anything."

"Hey, I just realized, your face is the last thing I'm seeing before I leave L.A. for, well, a really long time," Coby says, stopping on the curb to say goodbye before he heads into the airport.

"That's very romantic," Rainier teases.

"Why do you always go there?"

"Because you're adorable when you're uncomfortable," Rainier says, grinning, "Good luck out there, and keep in touch. I'll need to know where to send your checks."

"You got it," Coby promises, and picks up his bags, "I would hug you, bro, but you creeped me out."

Rainier laughs. "See you in a few years."

___________________________________________________________

So, this is the last regular chapter. After this, I will be posting an epilogue that catches up with everyone 5 years later. The epilogue might be one chapter or a couple, depending on how much material it is.

I was actually going to have Rainier and Coby bro hug for the last picture, but my game froze up right after I took the pic I did use. Los Aniegos has become insanely freezy and laggy lately, so I'll be honest, I'm relived to not have to shoot there much more.