Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Hasbro/Sony Wonder 1985 - 2013.

Jerrica – April 1989

"Pizzazz, come on!" the sweet, slightly asinine voice pleaded. "We're on in five minutes and here you are, still debating over which kind of fishnet stockings to wear! Our fans are waiting!"

"Screw the fans!" Pizzazz retorted. "After all, true talent can't be rushed."

We could already hear the arguing over the diminishing roar of the crowd as the five of us entered the backstage area, fresh from our last encore of the night. Shana and I rolled our eyes at one another. This had been happening far too frequently the past couple of gigs.

"You want them to wait? Fine! You deal with their wrath, then!"

Stormer banged her way out of the Misfits' dressing room, slamming the door on the mocking laughter behind her. Muttering something under her breath, she yanked off her black jacket and hurled it to the floor with a loud curse.

"Tough day at the mines, Mar?" Kimber cracked, and Stormer blew a strand of blue hair away from her face in response.

"She's impossible!" Stormer cried, stating the obvious. "I don't know what to do!"

I walked over to the mini fridge, offering the keyboardist a bottle of water. "Well, we certainly know how you feel. I wish I could tell you something a little more reassuring, but I think we all knew this was coming from day one."

Stormer grunted, taking a swig. "Yeah, I know. But she's always at least been ready to hit the stage on time." Her eyes drifted to Aja's acoustic guitar, then met Kimber's.

"I've got an idea," she said, reaching over to snatch the guitar and then Kimber's hand. Both Aja and Kimber cried out indignantly.

"You said you wanted to perform together again? Well, here's our chance!" Stormer told Kimber as she almost literally dragged her down the hall, and all of us ran after them.

"Hit the lights!" She yelled to Rio as we passed, stomping up the stairs and onto the stage.

"What are you doing?" He cried after them, prompting a glare from Stormer. "Just do it!" She ordered, sounding more like Pizzazz than anything else. Rio cast me a startled glance, and I shrugged at him. He sighed, flicking the switches and telling the roadies to lift the curtain.

"Buenos Nochas, Mexico!" Stormer greeted the clamoring audience in flawless Spanish. "We've got a special treat for you tonight," she added as one of the roadies ran up to them, with two stools and another acoustic guitar in tow.

She and Kimber smiled at each other, strumming the first bars of "I'm Okay". We watched and listened in awe as the two of them captivated the entire arena.

"There you are, Carmen!" A warm, vaguely familiar male voice suddenly called out from behind us. Raya spun around, her brown eyes widening when they landed upon Luis Renaldo, who laughed as she ran into his open arms.

"Luis!" Raya exclaimed, her voice muffled by his shoulder. "I can't believe - how did you find me?"

Luis proudly dangled a backstage pass that hung around his neck. "I bought my ticket as soon as I heard you were coming back. Your set was fantastic. Flawlessly beautiful."

A deep blush colored her cheeks, and Raya tried to look away from his piercing eyes. "Carmen, I'd love for you to join me for dinner, in my favorite cantina. There's so much we have to catch up on."

Raya paused, casting us a glance of concern. "I don't know," she breathed finally. "I mean, would it be okay with you guys? If I leave?"

I winked at her. "Of course it's okay. We've finished for the night, you go ahead." Raya's blush deepened, maybe hoping I'd have rejected her request. Luis kissed her hand.

"Please, darling." He implored, his voice a silky plea. "I've been waiting so long."

Raya bit her lip, which only seemed to entice the man. She barely had to nod at him before he whisked her away, leading her down the hall by the small of her back for what promised to be a romantic night on the town.

"I'll meet you back at the hotel!" Our bewildered drummer called over her shoulder, giving a little wave. Shana, Aja and I waved back, moved by Luis's charm.

"I can't say I blame her," Shana mused, watching as the couple dissappeared around a corner. "I'm a one-man woman, but if he asked me like that, I don't think I could say no."

Aja and I dissolved into giggles, just in time for Kimber and Stormer's return from their impromptu set. The two looked at each other, perplexed.

"What's so funny?" Kimber asked innocently, only making us laugh harder. "What did we miss?"

Riot

"Engaged!"

I tossed aside the black velvet blankets and leapt from the bed, caring not about my lack of clothing. "When the hell did they get engaged!"

Minx chuckled, enjoying my reaction immensely. "Are you going to put some pants on, Riot, or is this a rather clumsy attempt at seduction?"

My eyes narrowed. "I'm quite serious, Ingrid. I want to know how this could have happened. They should have split up by now!"

"Well, they obviously didn't," Minx chirped, perching her lithe body on the edge of my bed. "We left their party just in time to miss the reconciliation. It's all over the news."

"I see," I said, swallowing a curse as I paced about the penthouse. "I had hoped things would not come to this, but it seems I am left with no other choice."

Retreating behind the new dressing screen I had recently imported from Tokyo, I proceeded to pull on my skintight leather trousers, tossing the boxers over the top of the screen. "You and Rapture can handle things on your own by now, I assume?"

There was a pause. "Yes," she replied warily. "Rory, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting dressed, my dear," I spat, tugging my mesh leotard over my head. "I can't very well start a riot by going in public naked, now, can I?"

"No, I mean what are you doing?" Minx insisted, coming around the curtain. "I thought you'd gotten over this by now."

I sighed, wondering why I constantly found myself explaining things that should be painfully obvious to the world, let alone her. "Minx, surely you understand by now that I simply cannot allow this to happen. I cannot let the love of my life merely slip through my fingers."

"Riot, Copenhagen won't wait," Minx reminded me gently. "It's out of your hands. Let it go."

I barely heard a word she spoke, tuning out my surroundings as I dialed the airline, determined to be on the next flight out to Los Angeles.