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CD Two, Song Seven: Love Changes Everything

"You just slammed the door?!"

Jill sounded positively horrified at the mere thought. Leon looked at the floor. "Yeah."

"You are such an idiot," his friend said. He didn't argue. She was right, as she was most of the time, at least where he was concerned. "So, what are you gonna do now?" she inquired further. "I mean, you can't just leave it at that. He probably thinks you're still angry with him."

Leon heaved a deep sigh. "What am I supposed to do, can you tell me? He's not gonna listen to me anyway, and he would be damn right to kick me out. I wouldn't listen to myself. Not after all that happened. Listen, do I really have to do the show?"

"Not enough you fucked up again with D, now you won't even do the show?" Jill's temper was rising again, but looking into her friend's face, something silenced her. He looked so unhappy she couldn't help but feel with him. "Perhaps you can talk to him before the show," she suggested. But the blonde barely shook his head and stared out of the window. His manager realised she had to use more effective weapons.

"You know he's going to return to China after the show?" she asked. Leon sat still. She nearly thought he'd stopped breathing.

"Why?" he finally croaked. The woman shrugged.

"You probably know better than I do," she replied sharply. The blonde's head dropped onto his chest, and pity overcame her. She stood, went over and patted his shoulder. "Hey, c'mon, don't hang your head now. I'm sure you can get it fixed up again."

Leon laughed bitterly. "Fix this whole mess? Me? Sorry to tell you, Jill, but I suck at fixing such things. You're the one who's always fixed everything for me."

She shrugged. "Well, all you've gotta do is tell him that you really, really like him and that you're sorry. I'm sure he'll listen to you. Every fool can tell he's still in love with you. As well as you're still in love with him. Just get your ass going for once and tell him that."

Leon stared at her. "Jill, what exactly didn't you get about "I really, really, really suck at telling anyone anything about my feelings"?"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I can't say it too many times, you are such an idiot!" she scolded him. "You've got one thousand love songs and a beautiful voice at your disposal, but you can't think of a way to win back the love of your life? Oh really, you're completely hopeless!"

Something dawned on Leon's face. "Yeah," he said slowly. "Yeah, that's true…"

Then he suddenly jumped up. "Jill, I'm going to do that show," he said determinedly. "Tell the guys from the orchestra I've gotta talk to them."

The door closed behind him before Jill could say another word. She stared at it, shaking her head. "Well, I for sure hope you got a real flash of genius. Else I'm gonna kick your ass for causing me so much trouble," she murmured, but did what her friend had told her all the same.

The last note still lingered in the air, but the audience was applauding so loudly no one safe D could hear it anymore. He smiled and bowed. Picked up the flowers fans were throwing on the stage. Waved and disappeared into the curtains for the last time, where he stood for a moment and tried to suppress the tears. He could see Leon already standing there, ready to sing his songs, but the blonde seemed lost in thought and didn't notice D slipping out quietly. His father was already waiting for him, handing him his cloak. They made their way to the stage entrance, but shortly before they had reached it, someone called out for them.

"D! Count D! Wait!"

It was Jill. She came running, face flushed and blonde hair in wild disarray. "Thank god I got you!" she panted.

"Can we help you, Jill-san?" D's father asked politely while D himself tried to be invisible.

Jill's sharp grey eyes caught him nevertheless. "Yes, you can. In fact, I'd like to speak to your son for a moment."

His father looked at him expectantly. D swallowed hard. "I will be with you in a minute, Father," he said. The elder nodded and left while D turned to face Leon's manager. "What do you want?" he asked, ignoring his hammering heart. Had she come to tell him Leon had changed his mind? He was not going to stay, not now. Not anymore.

"Listen, I'm not here as Leon's messenger," she said at once as if sensing his thoughts. "In fact, he forbade me to talk to you at all, but I kind of guessed you'd be leaving before the show is over. And I can't let you leave before you've at least listened to him."

D crossed his arms and set his chin. "Why should I listen to Alcott-san? The last time we talked, he told me he never wanted to hear my voice again."

Jill's eyes grew soft. "Leon's a big idiot, D. In fact, he's the biggest idiot I've ever met, especially where people he likes are concerned. I know he behaved like an asshole, but there's a reason for that. When we had just left school and he was starting his career, he had a girlfriend whom he supported as good as he could. Got her into some shows, even though she wasn't good at all, only to find out a few months later that she had only hooked up with him because everybody at musical school had predicted he'd become one of the great singers."

D's pose lost its firmness. "Oh. I – didn't know that," he said, unsure. "But he had no reason to suspect that I would take advantage of him in such a way."

"I know. And he knows, too." Jill smiled helplessly. "But he's a hardhead, and he may be a great singer, but he sure sucks when it comes to relationships behind the scenes. And he misses you, terribly. I know. I can tell. I don't want you to go to him and forgive him. I only ask you to stay until the end of the show. Please."

D's feelings waged a war, but finally, he conceded. "Very well then, Jill-san. I shall wait. But then I have to go to the airport. My father and I have to catch a plane," he said and walked back into the direction of his room.

Jill stopped him after a few steps. "Won't you at least go listen to what he's singing?" she asked softly.

D hesitated one moment longer, but then curiosity won. Leon had a beautiful voice. It would be an appropriate goodbye to hear him live for the last time. Perhaps then the memories would leave him alone.

Jill pushing him forward friendly but decidedly did the rest.

So he sidled up beside the stage and hid in one of the curtains from where he had a good view of the man he'd fallen in love with so unexpectedly. Leon went through some of the most popular songs, mostly ones they'd recorded on their mutual album one year ago. D had to close his eyes to keep the tears inside. How could it be that Leon's voice was even more beautiful than back then? Something had changed, he could feel it. Leon was singing those songs as if – as if he really felt the words in his heart…

The Chinese stayed where he was though he wanted to run away. But he simply could not. This voice had captured him again and left him no choice than to stay and drown in it. He got caught up again in The Music of the Night, Jesus Christ Superstar, The last dance and many, many more of Leon's best songs until the blonde finally reached the last number of the evening.

He cleared his throat. "I would like to dedicate this song to someone very special," he spoke into the microphone, suddenly sounding completely unsure. "I don't know if he's listening right now, but if he is: D, this one's yours."

D grabbed the curtain. His breath was shallow and uneven. Panicked, he went through all the songs of hatred and revenge he had ever heard and tried to foresee which one Leon would choose. But the starting music was not one he recognised. Only when the American started to sing did he remember the tune.

"Love, love changes everything

Hands and faces, earth and sky

Love, love changes everything

How you live and how you die

Love can make the summer fly

Or a night seem like a lifetime

Yes love, love changes everything

Now I tremble at your name

Nothing in the world will ever be the same."

The tears suddenly were there again, though he surely hadn't asked them to come. D cramped his hands into the soft fabric of the curtain and tried to calm his breath, but found that none of his exercises would work. Leon continued telling the whole world what he was feeling, and the tears just spilled more.

"Love, love changes everything

Days are longer, words mean more

Love, love changes everything

Pain is deeper than before

Love will turn your world around

And that world will last forever

Yes love, love changes everything

Brings you glory, brings you shame

Nothing in the world will ever be the same."

Every word was sung right from the heart, and it almost sounded as if Leon was giddy with joy to at last be able to sing them out loud. D felt like fainting and held on to the curtain with all his might. Leon was singing this for him, only for him, he'd said so himself. But – what was he supposed to do now? What answer was he going to give his ex-lover?

Leon broke through his thoughts with the last verse.

"Off into the world we go

Planning futures, shaping years

Love burns in and suddenly all our wisdom disappears

Love makes fools of everyone

All the rules we made are broken

Yes love, love changes everyone

Live or perish in its flame

Love will never never let you be the same

Love will never ever let you be the same."

The last note went over four measures. Leon never even made it to the second. D's trance finally shattered, and he ran onto the stage, not caring for the audience, or the cameras, or anything else. The blonde noticed him, stopped singing and just stared at him, but then D had flung his arms around his neck and was kissing him for all he was worth.

Leon woke, drew him closer and returned the kiss. "I'm forgiven, then?" he asked a bit breathless, breaking it for a second.

"Oh you three-times-damned idiot!" D laughed, happily exasperated, and kissed him again. The audience exploded in thundering applause, cheering and yelling as loud as they could. Leon and D startled, jerked apart and stared at them, both blushing a deep scarlet.

And for the first time someone had mercy on them and let the curtain fall. They breathed a collective sigh of relief when it was down and turned to look into each other's eyes. "You're still going to leave for China?" Leon asked, suddenly remembering that D was supposed to fly away tonight.

The Chinese took his time to answer, brushed away a strand of blonde hair and looked deep into Leon's blue eyes. Then he smiled mischievously. "We'll see, darling. We'll see. But not tonight."

-End-

This is it! This is the end! I hope you liked it at least a little bit, and please, please, leave me some feedback. I really ask you too, and thank you for reading!

Bye, Valy