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Althea Bookes

"You don't have to carry the weight all on your own."

0 · 1,866 views · located in Coon Falls, Virginia

a character in “Soaring Again”, as played by Diane_Young

Description

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"When I was young the world it was smaller.
The cities were vast the buildings were taller. I felt really strong my parents seemed stronger.
But life has a way it showers with greatness. Then takes it away, those pieces that made us. Then teaches you things you'd never imagine. We all get the same the memories the burdens..."

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∆ Full Name ∆
Althea Rose Bookes

∆ Nicknames ∆
"I don't do nicknames. Just Althea."

∆ Age ∆
28

∆ Occupation ∆
She works at home as the editor of the town's local newspaper.

∆ Hometown ∆
"Some people can't wait to move away from their hometown. But I've been quite happy here."
Coon Falls, Virginia

∆ Face Claim ∆
Felicity Jones

∆ Color Code ∆
15317e





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Eye Color: Hazel

Hair Color: Althea's hair is a medium brown, and in brighter lighting her hair can appear a lighter shade of brown. Same goes for darker lighting, her hair can look almost black.

Bpdy Type: Althea stands at 5"4' and is on the skinnier side. She's not too skinny, but skinny enough that it's noticeable. She's a little curvy at the waist and chest. Althea may be on the smaller side, but it doesn't mean the girl is weak.

Tattoos or Piercings: No tattoos, however, her ears are pierced as well as her upper left cartilage.

Scars: One small scar on the top of her left forearm from a childhood accident when she fell off of her bicycle.



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Personality

"I don't really believe in second chances. I never really have. I think they're overrated and cheesy. People don't deserve second chances. Or third chances or first chances for that matter. People make mistakes, that's how they learn. To shut someone out because they made a mistake? To say that they get one more chance? That's ridiculous. Hear them out, and hell, if it doesn't work again then try again another time."

Althea has always been quiet and kind. She's always looked out for other people and has been there for people who didn't really deserve to have her there for them. She's like a walking community service, but not because she has to, but because she wants to. Because of her need to care for people and invest her time into the happiness of others, Althea sometimes has a problem with over investing. Obsessing over making people happy. When she fails at making someone happy over and over, Althea can become very high strung and stressed out. Sometimes this causes her to drink and clean, a lot. She becomes a drunk neat-freak. On some other occasions, she can lose herself and who she is completely for some period of time.

Rarely does she ever get angry, or ever end up really sad. She's normally always in a good mood, and nothing really can put a damper on that. Only something severe can pull her out of a good mood. Typically this is something that's been buried within for a long time, or something that's been ongoing. The closest to angry that Althea ever gets is when she's strung out on something, and her normal drinking and cleaning phase isn't helping. Even then, her angry is more just rambling frustration. However, there have been times where she has completely lost herself and everything and gone into complete rage-states.


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History

Growing up with two parents who spent their earlier years practically slaves to the Peace Core, Althea was raised to always put other people before herself. Her parents did the same for her, always putting their child before themselves. They gave up their love of travel, their commitment to communities all over. They got steadier jobs in order to save for Althea's education. Which she made sure they wouldn't regret. Althea went through high-school and college with nearly straight A's with a few B's here and there.

In college, she majored in writing in order to become the editor that she is now. Her dreams were never similar to her parents. She wasn't one to want to leave home and travel all the time. Rather, she was completely happy with where she was. The friends she made in her younger years all seemed to move away, but she managed to keep contact with a few of them. Aside from a few coworkers, she spent most of her time contributing to the community with one service project or another.

Aside from all of the things that went well throughout her upbringing, there's a reason for her desire to make people happy aside from the way she was raised. Her best friend, Rona lost her brother to taking his own life when they were in their first year of college. She watched Rona go through a dense amount of grieving and feelings of blaming herself, self-hatred. Althea couldn't watch that kind of pain happen again with someone without being there to try and help them through it. Catching Rona trying to take her own life made Althea vow to herself that wouldn't let grief destroy someone like that again.

So begins...

Althea Bookes's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed
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As Darrin continued to watch Althea, she still remained silent for a moment longer. As he waited, he took a small bite of the sandwich that he'd made. It seemed like only a second later that Althea decided to break the silence. "Do you remember that time when we were... I think it was our Junior year of high school- when we went to the beach?" Her question surprised him and he was certain that the woman could see that. He simply nodded, feeling that perhaps she still wished to speak. "There was a big party for all of the upperclassmen and you didn't want to go."

He found himself smiling at the memory. Of course he'd not wanted to go. When did he ever? It was only as he'd gotten older that he'd seemed to become much more open to going out and socializing..even though doing so rarely meant being left alone to spend time with those that he'd gone out with. Darrin sat his sandwich down, suddenly giving Althea his undivided attention. It was then that their eyes met. He could see the smile in her gaze and in turn he found himself offering her a small smile.

Though he'd not drank as much as Althea, Darrin was most definitely feeling the effects of the strong liquid. Not that he minded. However, it was still rather odd to him to drink without taking something else with it. Not that he would ever say as much to anyone. Especially Althea. He imagined that she wouldn't be happy with him if she ever found out. "I had to beg you to come, but I was so glad that you finally said yes. We got there, and we thought we went to the wrong place because it didn't look like anyone was there at first. It was so dark out, and there were so many people that they hid the light of the bonfire. Only embers in the sky told us where we were. We got so drunk that night, I remember falling into the water on more than once occasion. We sat under the pier, far enough from the fire that it was just us and the ocean- and those obnoxious seagulls. And then all of a sudden, we kissed. We both agreed it was weird and that we were better off friends, that it was the alcohol's fault. We slept there, all night."

Now he truly had no idea why she was bringing that particular night up. All that Darrin knew was that he was suddenly feeling nervous and he had no clue as to why. Yet, he still remained silent. His gaze followed Althea as she moved and then took a seat next to him. "Darrin... I lied to you that night. It wasn't weird for me. It was the first time that everything felt right, the first time everything fell into place. I wasn't sure what I was feeling towards you until that moment we kissed. Of course, I was more afraid of ruining what we had to say something. But... my feelings for you were the same then as they've been since that night."

Her words...they came as a surprise to him. Yes, they'd become quite close since she'd come back into his life however..he'd never thought that she'd cared for him as more than a friend. However, the way she spoke led him to believe that she harbored deeper feelings. The truth was...he'd done the same as her. He'd feared loosing his only friend and at the time he'd known that he would not have been able to make it without her. So, he'd pushed away his feelings for her..determined to keep them from her for as long as possible.

"Even when we went our separate ways for so long, I still harbored those feelings for you. The truth about what I've been hiding... is that... I love you. I always have." Their eyes had met again and after Althea had gone silent..Darrin found himself eyeing her as if he did not believe her words. She loved him? And from the way that she'd spoken she had for a very long time. Even after everything he'd put her through, all of the cruel words he'd spat at her when she'd been trying to help him get back on track. Even now..as she was trying to get him to start working again.

What could he possibly have done to deserve someone like her? Suddenly, he seemed to realize that he'd not responded to her sudden confession. He moved, turning slightly so that he was facing her a bit more. Only then did he raise a hand and gently cupped her jaw. His gaze had softened and even though he still feared confessing his own feelings, Darrin knew that she needed to hear them. "Thea.." He started softly. He knew that Kris had gone upstairs with Rona and so they didn't have to worry about the other couple. "Thea, I love you. More than you could ever possibly know..and I always have. Leaving you..it was the hardest thing that I ever did and something that I have regretted every day since then."

He paused, his eyes searching hers for a reaction. He was well aware that he should have never listened to Hannah. He should have never abandoned Althea as he'd done. Suddenly, his lips captured Althea's. He allowed himself to linger, trying to prove to her that everything that he'd said was truth. It was as if a wall had been torn down. He was no longer holding back, keeping things from her. He was allowing her to fully see him as he had so long ago. And...it felt right.

When the kiss ended, Darrin offered her a smile. He wondered if she understood that it was not easy for him to acknowledge his feelings for her or to speak of them. Hannah had crushed him completely when she'd left and he'd not had anything to do with anyone since then. "You know me...always too chicken shit to fucking admit how I feel. I'm..sorry..for how I acted after we first got together. I think that I was panicking. Even now I worry about what will happen between us. I would never want to loose what we already have."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser
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"Thae." The sound of his voice jump started all of the thoughts in her mind about what she had just confessed. The pause that came after her name was making her feel sick, a mixture of her emotions and of course, all of the booze she had practically drowned her liver in. "Thae, I love you. More than you could ever possibly know..and I always have. Leaving you..it was the hardest thing that I ever did and something that I have regretted every day since then."

Althea's lips tugged into a smile of sheer happiness at his words as she watched him. She was so unbelieveably relieved by the words that had left his mouth. However, Althea couldn't help but to regret not telling him sooner. Perhaps before Hannah, had she told him, things could have been completely different between them, his band, and everything. Her smile faded a little as she looked at him, and all of a sudden his lips were capturing hers. In response, Althea's hands snaked around his neck as she slid from the chair and moved closer to him.

The feelings attached to the kiss were almost overwhelming to her senses, but instead, they ignited the passion inside of her to match his. A way for her to show him just how much she meant her confession. Although Althea had finally dropped her walls, she coudln't help but to still feel slightly guarded because of Darrin's history with Hannah and how recent it was. Even though she felt guarded, she forced it back to bare her emotions to him in the raw. At least for the moment that they were in.

"You know me...always too chicken shit to fucking admit how I feel. I'm..sorry..for how I acted after we first got together. I think I was panicking. Even now I worry about what will happen between us. I would never want to lose what we already have." His words sunk deep within her, and Althea nodded along as he spoke. Sliding back on to the chair, she swallowed a little, releasing a tiny hiccup.

"Darrin... I couldn't possibly go through losing you again. Not now. Especially not now. But even when I did lose you, all those years ago- we found each other again" She whispered softly, running a hand through her hair carefully. She smiled up at him after a moment, and laughed slightly. "You know, I was just thinking of how jealous I used to be of Hannah. How she had you all to herself. And I was dust in the wind... I always imagined that if I ever saw you again I'd smack you dead across the face to punish you for doing that to me." She laughed and rose from her seat once again, moving to stand in between his knees. Playfully, Althea smacked him ever so gently and slowly across the side of the face before planting another kiss on his lips wit a quiet laugh. "Let's go swimming." She whispered drunkenly.



"Show me your room, Kris." Rona said tugging on his arm a little as they headed out of Althea's room. Rona had made it clear she was going to raid Althea's room in order to see the lifestyle she had taken up at the Reed home. Especially after knowing Althea's living habits in her own apartment, she was surprised to see the room at th Reed home a complete disaster. Clothing strewn eveywhere, a disheveled bed, not to mention a suitcase still half-packed.

"Your room better not be as horrorfying as my girl's." Rona laughed teasingly as they made their way down the hall. Rona, before they left had managed to steal a pair of night shorts and a t-shirt from Althea's suitcase. She had changed right there, in front of Kris like he wasn't even in the room. The drunken ginger was a carefree character even without the aid of alcohol.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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The following morning, Darrin was up earlier than usual. It was more so surprising even after having drank nearly the whole bottle of Vodka the night before. He removed himself from his bed, glancing at Althea as he did so. He was honestly surprised that they'd even made it back upstairs at all. He decided to let her sleep for as long as she wished. Silently, Darrin made his way slowly into the bathroom. He then closed the door behind him and then was quick to get into the shower.

Once he was in the warm water, Darrin allowed his eyes to close as the water ran over his form. His mind slowly drifted to the events of the previous night. Althea..she loved him. The thought on its own seemed almost laughable to him. He'd been madly in love with her when they'd been younger and he'd known that there was no chance in hell that she would ever have feelings for him in that way. It was part of the reason that he'd allowed himself to start going out with Hannah, at least in the beginning. After he'd kept spending more and more time with her, he'd slowly forgotten about his feelings for Althea.

He hated that he'd allowed things to turn out the way they had. He didn't deserve Althea or her forgiveness. However, he could at least try to be a better person..for her. He wanted to be someone that she would be proud of. He knew what he needed to do..but that didn't make it any easier. He sighed heavily before shutting the water off and then got out. He quickly dried off and then went about getting ready for the day. When he was satisfied, Darrin silently made his way out of the room.

He briefly wondered about Kris and Rona but he was fairly certain that they'd kept themselves busy the night before. Darrin reached the kitchen and then set about fixing himself something to eat. He decided on something simple, just bacon and some eggs. He was only a few minutes into cooking when he heard a sudden knock at the door. He gazed over, wondering who could possibly be there so early. Darrin made sure that nothing was going to burn before he made his way to the door and opened it.

Standing in near shock, Darrin's gaze rested on Liam and Zach. The two both had bags and were clearly meaning to stay as Kris was. "Darrin! You're looking good!" Zach said immediately at seeing the shorter man. He moved quickly, not waiting for Darrin to reply. He sat his bag down and then made his way over to the stove. "This won't do. If you're going to fix food, then it should be enough for us all. I'll take care of it." Zach then set about getting more ingredients and then continued where Darrin had left off.

Darrin's gaze had turned to Liam. The two had not left on good terms. "D...Long time." The taller man said softly. Darrin simply nodded, unsure of how to react. He watched the man as he moved into the house and sat his own bags down with Zach's. "Did Kris call you?" He asked. Liam suddenly smiled as he turned his attention back to Darrin. "Of course. He made some good points. We..never should have tried to make you stay. And for that..I can safely say that we're all sorry. But, we just want our friend back. No matter what Kris has said, the only thing that really matters is that you're okay."

The taller man suddenly pulled Darrin into a hug. "We've missed you, dude." Zach said with a smile. Darrin immediately felt better. He'd been so worried that they would all be so angry with him and yet here they all were. He knew that ultimately they were all wanting to get the band back together. But...Liam and Zach were not even mentioning that. Perhaps...it was worth seeing if they all still held the chemistry that they'd once had.

He parted from the taller man and then moved to finish helping with breakfast. Darrin knew that it would only be a matter of time before everyone else woke and came downstairs. He knew that Kris would be only too pleased with himself at seeing the others.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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When morning came, Althea was not prepared for the headache that managed to wage war in her head. It had felt literally as though internal bombs were going off in all areas of her brain. Curling into a ball and ducking her head under the covers, she suddenly awoke to to the smell of the sheets. These weren't her sheets. This wasn't her bed... Throwing the covers from over her head, Althea squinted to the morning sunlight that was pouring through the windows. Her head spun, and her eyes couldn't land on a single spot for long enough for her to gauge where the hell she was. Closing her eyes and groaning, Althea gave up momentarily and used her hands to feel around the bed. She was alone it in, that was for sure and a small wave of relief passed over her.

Recollection of the previous night came slowly as she laid on the bed, but one thing rang in her mind like fireworks on the fourth of July. She had finally told him. And he felt the same way. Butterflies attacked her stomach like a swarm, only causing her to feel nausea and more pain in her head. Groaning once more, Althea sat up slowly in the bed and made her way towards the bathroom ever so carefully- only opening her eyes when it was absolutely necessary. Going towards the shower, Althea noticed that it had already been occupied once, and she could tell that it was Darrin based on the smells that lingered in the bathroom. Smiling to herself her a little, she started the shower and eventually made her way into the liquid warmth.

By the time she was out and dressed, she was being bombarded by her redheaded friend in her room. "Althea, you have to tell me what happened!" She started as she plopped down onto the bed, already dressed and ready for the day herself, in clothes that Althea had recognized came from her own closet. To no surprise, however, the shoes were definitely Rona's.

"I told him, and he responded the same way. There's nothing more to it, Roe. Now please, you're excitement and giddiness is killing my headache." She grumbled as she looked over her hair in the mirror. She needed a cut, or something, the bangs weren't doing it for her anymore. "God, you're so bad at telling stories." Rona replied in a heavy sigh before rising from the bed and walking over to her friend, also taking a stab at making the woman's dark hair look less childish.

"I heard other people arrive earlier, Kris was still asleep I think, but Darrin was up and talking to them, at least that's how it sounded." Rona said as she tossed a few locks of hair over her shoulder. Althea turned with a curious glance, wondering who would be visiting. After a few moments the pair made their way downstairs, following the sounds of the unfamiliar voices into the kitchen. Rona, being the socialite that she was, started off with a careless interruption. "So, do the men always double in this house? If so- I'm moving in." She said with a slight laugh as she winked in the direction of the two new faces in the room.

Althea on the other hand made her way around the counter with a direct b-line for the coffee. Taking the Advil she had managed to pick up in the bathroom just before Rona had bombarded her, she popped the pills into her mouth before taking a large sip of the black coffee she had poured. Uninterested in the presence of the others at the moment, Althea's main goal was to soothe the awful parade in her head.


Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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Darrin only offered Zach another small smile. He knew that his friends were trying not to bring up what had happened the last time they'd all been together. It..almost felt like nearly no time had passed since that horrible day. Now, Darrin could see that he'd been wrong in how he'd acted with his friends. He should have never treated them so badly, regardless of how badly he was hurting at the time. "Speaking of Kris..where is he? He said that he'd be here." Liam asked, his gaze shifting towards the direction of the stairs at the sound of steps.

"He's probably still asleep. Lazy bastard." The other two men simply nodded. It was always like Kris to be the last up. The small group continued speaking for only a moment longer before going silent as Rona and Althea entered the kitchen. The red head was the one who broke the silence. "So, do the men always double in this house? If so- I'm moving in." Her comment caused Zach to laugh and Liam simply eyed the woman. "Not sure that you'd want to live in a house full of men. You'd get bored pretty quick. We're absolutely no fun." Zach said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Everyone was quickly introduced and chatter began fairly soon after.

Darrin, however, was paying attention only to Althea. He watched as she got herself some coffee and took some pills. No doubt for the hangover that she likely had. It was just as Darrin had been about to move towards Althea that Kris finally showed up. He made his way slowly through the kitchen, his gaze moving over to the two new faces. He immediately seemed to perk up. "Yes! You guys made it!" Darrin shook his head at the other man. Kris was likely hoping that because he'd allowed the others to stay that he was beginning to give in...and...if he was honest with himself...perhaps he was. However, he would not say anything about that right now.

The meal was soon ready and within minutes everyone had a plate and was sitting at the table. Liam and Zach were happily chatting with Kris and Rona as they ate. Darrin, on the other hand had gone a bit quiet. He was hoping that Althea's hangover wasn't too terribly bad. He'd been on the same end before and knew that it sucked pretty bad. Darrin noticed that Liam and Zach were eyeing Althea with curiosity. It had not been lost on them the way their friend looked at the woman.

"So..Althea," Liam started, once again looking to the woman that was near Darrin. "What do you think about the tour?" Darrin immediately shot a slight glare at his friend. He knew they all wanted to do it. However, he wasn't about to rush into anything. He just couldn't do that. Darrin, instead of speaking his mind, allowed Althea to speak as she wished. He knew how she felt and honestly, Darrin wasn't quite sure that he could leave her again..even for a short time.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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"So..Althea," The sound of the voice from across the table stirred her spinning mind more. Letting her eyes focus onto him, she noticed Darrin glance her way from the corner of her eyes. Aside from the swirling disaster in her head, she looked at him with a calm expression as she waited for Liam to continue. "What do you think about the tour?"

The tour. She hadn't thought about it much, just that she knew it was best for Darrin. She had thought about how much she wanted to see him get back on track. However, that was before she confessed her love to him, and before she had fallen for him again. Now, things were very different. Althea knew the tour meant that Darrin would be gone for the entire summer, if not longer. The thoughts of saying goodbye to him made her heart flutter. Twirling the fork in her hand, she realized she had to answer before awkward silence filled the room.

Turning her attention to Darrin with a sincere, soft smile, Althea nodded. She figured she would tell as much of the truth as she felt she could. "You know," She started before turning her gaze back to Liam. As she did so, she noticed Rona watching her with a prying interest and tried to shrug the woman's hard stare off of her mind. "I haven't really thought about it much. I guess I've just been distracted." Althea started as she set the fork down and slipped her hands into her lap.

A smile remained on her lips as she looked around at the faces that filled each seat at the table. "I think it would be great. I think that all of you need it, and you deserve it." She spoke evenly, however, her hand closest to Darrin slid to land on his leg and rest there. "I think you would be stupid not to go through with it." Althea's added words were mostly directed towards Darrin, however she intended it to be directed at the rest of the band mates equally. Turning her gaze back to Darrin with a reassuring smile, she gave his leg a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"But that's three whole months away from them, Althea!" Rona whined from further down the table as she looked at Kris with a puppy-lip. Althea knew she didn't intend to bring up the tension between Darrin and herself about the touchy subject, but rather she was simply expressing her crush over Kris and her own troubles. At the comment, Althea's eyes lowered before her hand left Darrin's leg and she rose with her coffee mug in hand. "Anyone else need any more coffee? I'll start another pot." She asked as she started towards the kitchen hoping to escape the continuation of the conversation. Leave it to Rona to keep nothing off the table. She thought to herself as she bit the inside of her cheek.

Although she had spoken nothing but the truth, Althea left out the fact that she didn't like the idea of three months apart. A normal relationship and this situation, fine. However, theirs was fragile. Theirs was different. Difficult. As Althea started more coffee, she decided that no matter what this particular circumstance meant for them, she would make sure that she would support Darrin through every bit of it. He needed the tour. He needed his band. Even if it meant leaving her behind... again. Althea wouldn't dare to even begin to think about what this meant for them after the tour. The single thought itself made her feel ill. Closing her eyes and inhaling a deep breath, Althea tried to focus on the positives. How this would help him greatly. That she shouldn't be selfish. Althea stood there frozen for some time, focusing on her breathing alone as she listened to the grumbling sounds of the coffee pot. Deciding that she needed to collect herself before she went back into the room, she opened her eyes once more only to stare mindlessly at the empty pot, awaiting the fresh brew.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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Silence surrounded them as the room waited for Althea's answer. Darrin did not look at her, simply concentrating on finishing his meal. It was only as the woman that sat next to him moved slightly that he looked at her again. She smiled and Darrin found himself returning the gesture. Althea spoke then and the room seemed to take in everything that she said. "I think it would be great. I think that all of you need it, and you deserve it." Althea's hand moved then, resting upon his leg as if trying to persuade him to get the band back together...as if trying to comfort him. "I think you would be stupid not to go through with it."

He remained fairly unresponsive to Althea's comments. He didn't want to give away anything just yet. Not until he had a chance to really speak with the guys. Rona was quick to take up the conversation, seemingly unhappy at the idea of being separated from Kris for any amount of time. In all honesty..he knew that he couldn't part from Althea for such a long time. If they all decided to partake in the tour, Darrin was fully prepared to ask the woman to go with him. He had no idea how Althea would answer..whether she would go or not, but he would inform Kris that he should ask Rona to join as well.

Kris smiled as brightly as he could at Rona. He didn't want to push Darrin yet he also wanted to know what his friend was thinking. "We still have some time before we have to worry about any of that. Nothing's been decided. Who knows...maybe we'll just drag you along with us." He laughed, trying to alleviate the awkwardness that was trying to surround them. Althea rose, asking if anyone needed a refill on coffee. Liam and Zach were the only ones out of the band that requested more.

Darrin watched as Althea left the room and headed into the kitchen. Liam and Zach began chatting with Rona and Kris, seemingly interested in their friend's newest girl that he had around. Darrin, on the other hand, remained silent. It was not lost on him that the topic they'd previously been conversing on troubled Althea. He waited a moment before rising from his seat. He could feel their eyes on him though it seemed that Kris understood why he was following after the woman. His friend was quick to turn the conversation, diverting attention away from Darrin.

He entered into the kitchen quietly, his gazes quickly finding Althea. Her eyes were closed for a moment before she opened them, eyeing the coffee pot as she waited for coffee to brew. He moved to her side, gently allowing a arm to snake its way around her. "You okay?" He asked her softly as he watched her. They were rather close now and Darrin remained that way. He allowed her time to answer if she wished it before he spoke. "You know..nothing's been decided. Even if we decide to actually go on the tour...what makes you think that I'd be going without you?" He smiled down at her as he continued. "I need someone sane on that bus with me." He hoped that she would feel at least a bit better after hearing his words. He meant them. It was then that he pulled her into a hug.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech
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"You okay?" The sound of his voice accompanied by the feel of Darrin encircling her jolted Althea from her thoughts. Responding to his touch, Althea leaned against him. "Yeah. I was just thinking." She said in a soft voice as she continued to stare at the coffee pot on the counter. She wanted him to go on the tour more than anything because Althea knew it was the best thing for him. However, no matter how much she wanted that, she couldn't imagine him leaving her again. The last time just didn't seem to work out all too well. The feeling almost made her forget why she was distraught in the first place. However, she knew she needed to get it together.

You know..nothing's been decided. Even if we decide to actually go on the tour...what makes you think that I'd be going without you? I need someone sane on that bus with me." As Darrin pulled her into a hug, Althea responded by snaking her arms around his neck. Tucking her chin into the crook of his neck, her mouth fell just near his ear. "I don't know if I could go with you. You know, I have to work and..." I've never been on an airplane, and I've never even been out of state... She trailed off, making sad excuses as to why she could not go.

Althea wanted to go, she liked the idea. However, she wasn't sure how being away for that long could possibly work, if she wanted to keep her career. Moving away from the hug, Althea rested her hands on his shoulders as she smiled up at him softly. "I would love to go, don't get me wrong. I just don't think that I can. Maybe as the time comes closer we can figure it out." She said in a whisper before moving to place a soft kiss on his lips.

The sound of Rona's voice forced Althea to tear herself away from him and move to attend to the coffee. "Awwww, you two are so cute. And Althea, shut up, your job will be here when you get back." She said in a sassy voice as she placed her hands on her hips with a devilish smile. "Besides, if you go, you won't have to worry about Darrin here forgetting you for some number of years again." Althea turned her face from Darrin at the words, hiding the embarrassment from him. She started to remember why she didn't tell the red headed woman anything. Doing so avoided these miserable encounters where Rona would insist on making sure everything was on the table. Rather than skirting around the problem.

"You know... it still confuses me why you're so 'on-the-fence' about this, Althea. Especially because if you go, you know he'll return to you. Besides, your job needs you... you're the top writer in the state. They won't mind if you take a vacation. You haven't taken one in years anyways!" Rona went on, and in response, the brunette gripped the counter in frustration. "So what is holding you back?"

The fact that everything is happening so fast, that this is way out of my comfort zone- even if I'm with Darrin. Not to mention the whole traveling idea... "I think someone is just scared!" Rona teased. At that, Althea finally snapped. Whirling around, her eyes locked on the red head.

"Stop, Roe. Seriously. Would it fucking kill you to stay out of my business for once in your fucking life?" Her words were harsh, and almost a near shout, but it got the message across. In response, Rona simply laughed at her before leaving the room once again. Althea on the other hand, clenched her hands into fists before grabbing the coffee and pouring her own glass before returning the rest of the coffee and mugs to the dining room. Once the items were on the table in their respective places, she retreated back to the kitchen to grab her own beverage, and pause to look at Darrin.

"You know what? I am scared. I'm fucking terrified." She hissed before storming out of the kitchen with her coffee and outside to wards the pool. She only hoped she would be left alone for enough time to cool off.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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"I don't know if I could go with you. You know, I have to work and..." Althea's voice caused Darrin to grow slightly more serious. In all honesty, he'd not expected her to just jump at the thought of going anywhere with him. Especially after how he'd treated her all those years ago. In the back of his mind, Darrin was still not believing anything that had happened the past few days. A moment later, Althea moved from him.

He watched her with a soft gaze as she placed her hands upon his shoulders, a smile on her face. "I would love to go, don't get me wrong. I just don't think that I can. Maybe as the time comes closer we can figure it out." Before Darrin was able to reply, Althea was placing a kiss upon his lips. He returned it softly, only the sound of Rona's voice breaking through to his thoughts. "Awwww, you two are so cute. And Althea, shut up, your job will be here when you get back Besides, if you go, you won't have to worry about Darrin here forgetting you for some number of years again."

Darrin scratched the back of his head though remained silent. He felt bad enough about having no contact with Althea when he'd left to make a name for him and for the band...he didn't need Rona bringing such things up. However, this was Althea's friend and he would try to put up with her. "You know... it still confuses me why you're so 'on-the-fence' about this, Althea. Especially because if you go, you know he'll return to you. Besides, your job needs you... you're the top writer in the state. They won't mind if you take a vacation. You haven't taken one in years anyways! So what is holding you back? I think someone is just scared!"

It was then that Althea seemed to finally snap. Darrin simply watched the exchange between the two women in silence. Even after the red head had left them Darrin was quiet. Althea got the mugs and coffee ready and left for a moment to deliver them to their respective owners. Darrin sighed silently after she'd left him. He could easily see that she was angry..and he couldn't blame her. Rona had said some things that had they been directly aimed at him..he would have handled it no other way.

A few short moments later, Althea returned to get her drink. She paused, her gaze on him. "You know what? I am scared. I'm fucking terrified." She said, storming out of the kitchen. Darrin remained rooted in the spot for a few moments. He had absolutely no clue what he'd done to cause her anger to shift towards him. He sighed once more before heading back into the dining room where everyone else was still seated. "Hey man...everything alright?" Kris asked, tearing his gaze away from Rona to look at his best friend. Darrin simply shook his head before he spoke. "Um..I was thinking that we could head upstairs and talk for a bit."

He'd completely ignored Kris's comment but the other man seemed to get the hint. He turned to Rona, telling her that he'd find her later on. All of the men rose from their seats and followed Darrin up the stairs and to the third floor. Once they'd all reached the top floor, they entered into the large rehearsal room that had not been used in a very long time. The guys took in the room, everything was where it should be if they wanted to rehearse. Kris and Darrin moved to the larger of the couches and then the other two men sat upon the slightly smaller couch.

"Do you guys realize how long its been since we've sat down like this?" Zach asked, a small smile upon his face. And it was true. As he thought about it, Darrin truly had no clue when the last time had been that they'd sat around for business. "I guess..the most pressing question is whether or not we're going to get the band back together. Obviously...we are all game for it or we wouldn't be here now. Darrin..that leaves you. It's your band. The final decision is yours." Liam's gaze was locked on Darrin however, the others in the room were trying not to look at the man. They felt that it would seem as if they were trying to pressure him...which they weren't.

Darrin remained silent for a moment, thinking over his options. He'd seen how upset Althea was at the prospect of him leaving. He didn't want to cause her pain..yet..he knew that he needed to do this. If not for himself..then for the fans that he'd just left behind. At last, he broke the silence. "I want to get the band back together...but..I don't want to say anything to anyone just yet. I think that we could rehearse a few songs, see how that goes and then we can go from there."

Kris was the first to jump up. He'd been looking forward to this for some time and was happy that his friend was finally giving in. "Then what are we waiting for? Lets try a few songs! The girls are outside right now..though..they'll probably hear at some point. Come on!" Kris went over and began working on hooking up the equipment and soon the rest of the guys were helping. It only took them a short while to finish the task and soon enough they were moving a few things about. Then...they were ready.

"So...I guess the question now is what song?" Zach asked, eyeing Darrin. The shorter man smiled before telling his friends which song they were going to rehearse. Everyone got into their proper position. Liam began counting down and within a few short moments, the song started up. It was like they'd never stopped performing. The music was loud and it was easy to see that they had all missed this.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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"Althea..." Rona whispered as she stepped outside, finding the shorter woman pacing by the pool with her coffee in hand. "I'm sorry, I just thought you needed a little push. You should take that opportunity, and go with him. You need it, and he needs it, and you both need each other." Rona spoke softly and sincerely. The woman had her days where she simply just pissed Althea off, however, the redhead also had her days where Althea knew she needed her friend.

Althea shook her head, as if it would shake the truth to her friend's words off. "I know. Okay? It's just... I've never left Virginia. I'm not the traveling type, as much as I want to go, I need to think about what is best for my life too." Althea responded, sitting down on one of the lounge chairs, dropping her head into one of her hands. "I want to go, but I need to consider what that will mean for me. I have to consider where my life is going. I can't just follow Darrin around and live off of him."

"Well technically, you could." Rona added with a sarcastic tone before sitting down across from Althea. Althea laughed a little, lifting her head enough to make eye contact with Rona. A small smile stretched across her face as she propped her elbows on her knees, holding her coffee just above her feet.

"Technically, yes, but I wouldn't want that." Althea said before her attention turned to the sound of distant music. Rona seemed to tune in as well, and looked up at the house. She glanced for a moment to Althea, who's brows furrowed in interest. "Shall we?"

"I think we shall!" Rona said with a giggle and the two women rose, making their way inside. The pair hovered for a bit, listening to the song from a distance, however, they slowly inched their way upstairs, closer to the room the band was practicing in. By the time they reached the door, they could tell the song was near to a close. "Go in!" Rona shouted over the music, just loud enough for Althea to hear.

At that point, Althea was practically shoved through the door, but the redhead did not follow her. Althea, still holding her coffee poked her way in slowly, and awkwardly as she watched the band continue to perform their song. It was significantly louder inside the room, and Althea remained close to the wall as she watched them. A smile stretched across her face in excitement as her eyes focused on each individual for a few moments of time, saving her attention for Darrin last. When her eyes landed on Darrin, however, her smile only stretched as wide as it would go.

The song sounded amazing, like they had been practicing it for weeks and had finally perfected it. Swaying a little bit to the music, Althea's eyes closed for a moment longer than a standard blink she nodded her head along to the beat. Her smile never faded as she listened, and she could feel the music in her soul. This band was meant to be. Darren was meant to play. This was his life. The tour was more than necessary. The only part of the puzzle Althea had yet to figure out was whether or not she was meant to go with them.

Something in the way the music reverberated through her being told her that she just needed to tell Darrin how she felt. Tell him why she was so confused about it. And maybe then the answer would become clear.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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As the band played, Darrin was slowly realizing that he'd truly missed this more than he'd thought that he had. It was freeing to suddenly have little care, to be playing and singing as he'd done for so may years before he allowed Hannah to ruin everything. It had been something that he'd always enjoyed doing and yet he'd missed out on two years of it. All because he'd allowed Hannah to truly get to him. He hated himself for it..for all the things that he did during that time. He knew that there was no way to make up that lost time..however..he could make sure that he didn't waste any further time.

It was as they had reached about halfway through the song that Darrin noticed Althea came through the door. They did not stop the song, continuing. Darrin couldn't remember the last time that his friend had actually watched them. He felt slightly nervous..which was not something that was normal for him. However, he refused to allow himself to think on it. As the song continued, Darrin allowed his gaze to drift to Althea every so often. He was glad that she'd come upstairs though he worried that she would become cross with him again.

His worries were soon erased as he saw her finally smiling. Kris was trying to make eyes at Rona and the other two were taking everything rather seriously. Within a few more seconds, the song came to an end. Darrin tore his gaze from Althea to look back at the others. "YES! That...was awesome guys!" Kris said, beaming. "And looks like we have some pretty ladies as our audience! Even better." Zach joked with a smile. Darrin turned his focus back to Althea for a moment before deciding that it wouldn't hurt to play one more song. However, choosing which one was never easy.

As the guys chatted for a few moments, Darrin was quick to choose a song. "Hey, lets do one more." He said, breaking up the chatter. He told them which song and they immediately got ready. The song Darrin had chosen would be a bit easier on the girls to listen to in the room. Liam began to count them off and within a few short moments they began.

Darrin allowed himself to become fully immersed into the song as he used to so long ago. He was no longer worrying about Althea or anything else. He was singing the lyrics that he'd written so long ago, when the band had first gotten together. Darrin still wasn't quite sure if he truly wanted to do the tour..and the thought of leaving Althea behind didn't make things any easier. He suspected that she didn't want to go and he wouldn't push it. It wasn't his place to do so. Yet, he wanted to...he wanted her to want to go. It would have made things so much easier.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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"Hey, lets do one more." She could tell almost immediately that he was loving every minute of the practice. Just as much as she was. As they started a new song, Althea immediately fell in love with the rhythm. Her eyes occasionally wandered over towards Rona, who was pathetically staring at Kris like a lost puppy. Rolling her eyes at the lovesick woman, Althea turned her attention fully back on Darrin. Realizing then, that she couldn't judge, simply because she too, was a love-sick puppy.

The way the lyrics rolled off of the tip of his tongue had her closing her eyes to simply hear the sound of him singing. She smiled deeply, losing herself to the song. No matter how much she loved the moment, the music, and the sound of his voice, Althea knew she needed to talk to him more than anything. They needed to settle their situation. Badly. The smile faded slowly as her mind slipped into thoughts of what she was going to do. Althea knew he wanted her to go. And she knew that it meant the world to him, that he needed it. But she wasn't sure what she needed.

They had gone separate ways for so long, that Althea wasn't sure if she was ready to jump back into everything head first. Slowly, her eyes fell from Darrin and landed onto a random spot on the floor as she continued to weigh in her life and where her next step was meant to go. Yes, it was only a few months, but it was still enough time to send her life into a different direction. Something she wasn't sure whether she was ready for.

Almost as though it was right on queue, Althea's phone began buzzing. Tugging it free from her pocket, she peeked at the caller ID before rising and rushing out of the room to answer the phone. Always work. "Hello?"

"Miss Bookes. You know I don't like calling you like this... well, this is the first time, but still. I never thought I'd have to call you like this. Your prints are late. They should have been in yesterday, what's going on? If you need more time, just ask, you know that." Prints... prints... Althea's stomach dropped like a ton of bricks. She had completely forgotten about the prints. She hadn't even written them!

"I know you're handling some... things with your close family... but I can't be the person to make sure you're still organized. I have a newspaper to run, darling." The man spoke after a pause. Remembering that she had at least written drafts, Althea slapped a sweaty palm to her forehead as she leaned back against the wall.

"John... I'm sorry, everything's been really hectic lately. Funerals, hospital visits, I'm a wreck here. I can get you the prints by... Thursday. Is that okay?" She asked into the phone as she carefully lifted her head, dropping it against the wall repeatedly as if punishing herself for being so stupid. In reality, she was caught up in falling in love, partying, and having the best sex of her life with a man she never thought it would happen with.

"Althea, you know that's cutting it close. But since this is the first time we've had issues like this, and since you're so reliable, I'll let it slide. I'll see you Thursday morning, 9AM sharp." The sound of the phone hanging up left Althea alone in the hall, hand on her forehead, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Fuck!" She half-shouted to herself before making her way to her room. She needed to talk to Darrin. However, she needed to save her ass and her job as well. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" She grumbled as she continued down the hall.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed Character Portrait: Rona Beech Character Portrait: Kris Manser Character Portrait: Zach Ayers Character Portrait: Liam Evsay
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Darrin's focus was pulled only as Althea flew out of the room. He wasn't sure why she'd left in such a hurry but he wasn't going to stop the song. They would finish it. Besides, Darrin knew all too well that Kris was enjoying showing off to Rona. The moment the song came to an end, the guys were all chattering once again. Darrin was honestly happy that his friends all seemed to be fairly happy. They likely saw this as a wonderful sign. Not that Darrin didn't want to go..it was just...he didn't want to leave Althea.

"So..looks like we've not lost it. That's always a good sign, right babe?" Kris said, turning his last comment to Rona. "I hate to say it...but I'm surprised. Two years is a long time to go without rehearsing or anything." Darrin found his gaze wandering towards the door that Althea had disappeared through. He was worried since she'd not returned yet. "Hey, I'll be back in a bit." He said, pulling his guitar off of his body and setting it up in the stand. He knew that they would understand and would have no problem with him disappearing for a bit. Kris nodded to his friend before setting his own guitar down and making his way over to Rona. He was fully intending on spending some more time with her and wanted to introduce her to the others.

Darrin slowly headed out of the large room, shutting the door behind him. Althea was nowhere in sight. His face showed his confusion for a moment before he headed down the hallway. She had to of gone to one of the other levels of the house. He reached the stairs and headed down to the second floor. Still no sign of her. The first thing that popped into Darrin's mind was that maybe she'd gone to her room. He continued to move at his slow pace, taking his time.

He was still not sure why she'd left. Darrin reached her door much more quickly than he would have liked. He hesitated for what seemed like a long moment before he knocked on her door. It was loud enough that if she was inside, Althea would have easily heard the sound. He didn't announce that it was him...he had a feeling that she would guess. He waited patiently until he heard her voice within. Darrin slowly opened the door, his gaze finding her. "Hey.." He said softly, moving into the room, shutting the door behind him.

Darrin slowly made his way towards the bed, gently taking a seat. "Was my singing that bad?" He asked her, a serious look on his face even though he was fairly certain something else had pulled her away. He opted for remaining silent, not pushing her. He would allow her to answer him if she wanted. He was worried for her and he was certain that it was beginning to show on his face. His gaze was locked on her, refusing to leave. He wanted to make whatever was bothering her better but he knew that she had to decide to share with him first before he could try anything.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed
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The sound of the knock at her door made Althea jump at first. "Come in!" She shouted as she yanked clothes free from one of her suitcases. Ever since Rona had showed up, everything that Althea had was no longer in an organized mess. She hadn't the slightest clue as to where anything was. "Fuck!" She grumbled to herself. The sound of the door opening forced Althea to stand up and look at the person who was entering. She knew it was Darrin as soon as he knocked, but she wanted to make sure it was him.

"Hey.." Darrin found himself seat on the bed, and Althea continued to move around the room digging for the drafts she had printed up just a few weeks ago. Mad that she had completely forgotten about them, and their location, she stopped at the dresser, propping her elbows up enough for her to drop her head onto her forearms. "Was my singing that bad?" Frowning, Althea rose once more, dropping her head back to look up towards the ceiling.

"You're singing was beautiful, Darrin." She whispered, but the amount of stress that she was fighting was painfully apparent. Turning around to face him, Althea's frown only deepened. "I fucked up. I'm freaking out, and I want to talk to you about us, and the tour. But now I have work problems." She groaned, moving to sit down next to him on the bed. "I was supposed to have these super important prints in yesterday, and I didn't even write the final draft. I'm so fucked. And now, if I leave for the tour, I might as well kiss my job goodbye." She sighed.

Moving to drop her head on his shoulder and wrap an arm around Darrin, Althea pulled the both of them down onto the bed so that they were lying halfway on the surface. "I want to go. I want to be with you. But I just... I don't know what's best for me right now. You know? I can't just go and say fuck it to the rest of my life..." She whispered.

"I mean I could do that... but I don't want to." Althea added after a moment of thought. Moving to place both of her hands over her face, elbows pointed upwards, Althea let out another stressed groan. There was a long moment of silence, and Althea turned her head to look at Darrin, a small smile on her face. "God, your singing though... and the music was just... phenomenal. I didn't want it to end." She said with a small laugh, rolling over onto her stomach to look down at him.

Carefully touching the side of his cheek and stroking his face with her thumb, her eyes found his and she continued to smile. "Just looking at you makes me think all of my problems are gone." She said just before she gently tapped the side of his cheek. Althea moved to place a soft kiss on his lips as her hand made its way into his hair.

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Darrin watched Althea as she dropped her head back, looking to the ceiling. "You're singing was beautiful, Darrin." She said and it was easy for Darrin to see the stress that she was felling at the moment. He continued to watch her, not quite understanding why she was so worked up. She turned, continuing. "I fucked up. I'm freaking out, and I want to talk to you about us, and the tour. But now I have work problems." Althea sat next to him. "I was supposed to have these super important prints in yesterday, and I didn't even write the final draft. I'm so fucked. And now, if I leave for the tour, I might as well kiss my job goodbye."

He remained silent, feeling that perhaps it was best to let her continue for the time being. He suddenly felt her head on his shoulder and one of her arms were around him. He allowed her to pull them both down. "I want to go. I want to be with you. But I just... I don't know what's best for me right now. You know? I can't just go and say fuck it to the rest of my life...I mean I could do that... but I don't want to." He could understand where she was coming from. There was then a moment of silence before Althea continued again. "God, your singing though... and the music was just... phenomenal. I didn't want it to end." Darrin suddenly laughed shyly at her words.

"I'm glad that you liked it." He said as Althea stroked his face. He smiled at her, glad to see that she seemed a bit better after having got everything off of her chest. "Just looking at you makes me think all of my problems are gone." He was quick to return her kiss, his arms encircling her. It was only as they pulled apart that Darrin spoke again. "That's what I'm here for. Just eye candy for you." He smiled at her before capturing her lips once more.

His lips moved against hers gently for a few moments, Darrin more than happy to be close to the woman that had his heart. He pulled away only to catch his breath though he remained close to her. "You know, I would never force you to do anything. There's still plenty of time to figure everything out. Don't stress it too bad right now." He lowed his head slightly, beginning to places a few kisses upon her jawline as if that would help soothe her. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked her softly, referring to her other problem. He would just as easily just leave her alone if that was what she wanted.

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"You know, I would never force you to do anything. There's still plenty of time to figure everything out. Don't stress it too bad right now. Is there anything I can do to help?" His words helped, however, Althea couldn't help but to feel that everything was moving so fast around them. People were showing up left and right, the band was practicing and getting ready, Rona was all on board and dying to spend every waking moment with Kris. And all the while, Althea felt as though she was lost in limbo. Floating through space as everything whirled around her, and no matter how hard she tried to make sense of what she needed to do, it won't stop blurring.

"What do I do, Darrin? What do I do?" She asked with an exasperated sigh. As much as she loved the feeling of his kisses and the way he soothed her, Althea couldn't find all of the comfort and ground she was looking for. Even though she had all of this time to think, for her, there was not really that much time at all. And it scared her. One of her hands moved to cup around the back of his head as she searched his eyes for some sort of answer.

She was desperate for some sort of solidarity to hold on to. "I can't sit on this anymore. I need to find answers, Darrin. Otherwise I'm going to drive myself completely insane." She whispered as she ran a hand through her hair. Althea knew what Darrin wanted, and she knew it loud and clear. But she wanted to know what he thought she should do. The stress of work weighed less than the stress of the tour. Once she knew she was going or not, Althea could handle her job situation from there. Balancing both, on the other hand, would exhaust her to the point of no return.

It wasn't a matter of getting the prints in on time. Althea has pulled even worse problems out of her ass last minute before. Of course, finding the prints was one thing, and definitely a large obstacle, however, once found she'd be fine. Figuring out whether or not to ask work about working from Europe or not was an option was just another bridge she'd cross later. The bridge she was stuck on was the one keeping her from getting to any of the others. And that in itself is the elephant in the room. Althea needed reason and options and to weigh them out on both sides to decide whether to go or not. Without them, she'd continue in her swirling mess of confusion.

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"What do I do, Darrin? What do I do?" Althea asked, it easy to see that she was still lost. Honestly, he knew what he wanted her to do though he wouldn't force her. He couldn't. Though he felt like she wanted him to tell her. He allowed his gaze to lock with hers as one of her hands moved to the back of his head. She seemed to be searching for the answer. He remained silent, simply eyeing her. "I can't sit on this anymore. I need to find answers, Darrin. Otherwise I'm going to drive myself completely insane."

Darrin sighed sighed softly, his gaze suddenly searching her own. "Thea..." He started, his voice quickly dropping even lower. He moved suddenly, slowly but with intention. When he was done, Althea was in his arms. Darrin made sure that grip was not too tight as he held her close to his body. His gaze was soft as he looked at her. "I..need to do this. And..it's not because of the guys or anything other than the fact that I need to do this for myself. But..I love you. You're my best friend. The hardest thing I ever did was leave you behind and I regret that decision even now."

He paused, allowing Althea to take in what he was saying. Darrin wasn't quite sure if he was helping her to decide or not. But, he wasn't quite sure what else he could do to help her. "I..don't think that I could leave you like that again. It would kill me." Darrin gently captured Althea's lips in a soft kiss before he continued. "Honestly...really thinking about going..I couldn't do it without you. I need you by my side."

Another pause though this time was because Darrin hated admitting that he was feeling weak. He felt as if he couldn't do any of this unless Althea was with him. "I mean...as long as you could work overseas...you'd have plenty of time to get your things done. We'd just be traveling the majority of the time. And..you've never been away from Virginia..have you? It would do you good. Traveling is by far the best. You'd have a blast. I promise."

Darrin allowed himself to relax slightly with her form so close to his own. He wasn't quite sure that he'd made a good argument or not. But...he had tried and that's all that he could do. "Staying here..is limiting yourself to experiences that you could be having. I love our town..but there is so much more out there."

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed
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All of his words seemed to enforce her thoughts, however, it did not change the fact that she was still afraid of leaving Virginia. Having never been out of state, or even on an airplane, Althea was afraid of what leaving meant. Part of her wanted to feel excited for it, and part of her wanted to be open to new places and things. Except she had grown so comfortable being where she was. As Darrin held her, Althea rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"You're right." She whispered as she closed her eyes gently. She knew that it was time to get out. And she knew that it was going to be hard for her. But she had to think about the fact that she had a great person to support her. Althea knew that Darrin would be there for her if she freaked out. Just like he was now. The only thing holding herself back from a new experience was herself... and well, work.

"Okay. I'll go. On one condition." She said, moving enough so that she could look him in the eyes. A small smile stretched across her face as she looked at him with an honest gaze. Dealing with work was a whole different thing, and one that she didn't mind. Especially now that her mind was free from the more troubling of her concerns.

"On the condition that you tell me you love me every day." She said in a whisper, laughing. Planting a soft kiss on his lips, Althea wrapped her arms around Darrin in order to pull herself closer to him in an engulfing hug. Although Althea finally agreed to go, something deep down was nagging inside of her. Something that made her feel as though maybe her decision wasn't the right one. Unsure of the feeling, Althea did what she knew best. Pushing it into the back of her mind, she instead explored the thoughts of celebration for the success the band was going to experience.

"Oh, and on one other condition. We all go out and celebrate the excitement. Tonight." She said with another laugh, moving to kiss him once more as her hands tangled into his hair. One of them moved forward to stroke his cheek as she smiled. It was as though her eyes were smiling as well. For once, Althea felt at complete peace, and with the most important person right by her side.

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Character Portrait: Althea Bookes Character Portrait: Darrin Reed
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As Althea placed her head in the crook of his neck, Darrin smiled. "You're right. Okay. I'll go. On one condition." She said, suddenly moving enough so that they could look at each other. "And what would that be?" He asked her softly. "On the condition that you tell me you love me every day." Darrin let out a low laugh at her words. "I think that I can manage that." He said happily as Althea kissed him and wrapped her arms about him in a hug. He returned it, happy to feel her so close to him once again.

"Oh, and on one other condition. We all go out and celebrate the excitement. Tonight." Darrin laughed again, smiling. They kissed again and Darrin was soon speaking again. "I think we can manage that as well. But..that means that we need to get up and actually get some stuff done before then. Plus, I need to call Mom and make sure that she doesn't mind watching the kids for a bit longer."

He wanted more than anything to remain next to her but knew that they both had things to get done. Slowly, he removed himself from her and slowly stood from the bed. "I'm going to let you figure out work. You really need to get caught up, by the sound of it. Plus, I've got to go figure some things out with the guys. But...let's say that we head out tonight around four?" He waited long enough for her to answer before he parted ways with the woman.

Darrin made his way back up to the third floor, entering the rehearsal room to find everyone still sitting around having fun. "Hey! We were wondering when you'd find your way back up here." Kris said, smiling. "I'm sure you were. Althea might need some help, Rona. We're going out tonight to Bostonian." It was the nicest place to go near Coon Falls and most of the time it was packed. Anyone who was anyone went there.

It was only after the woman was gone that Darrin took a seat. "So...are we going to really do this? I mean...""Yes. I've already decided. Now..we just need to make sure that you call and let them know we're doing it. I'll take care of getting the word out." Kris decided that he'd be the one to call their manager and went to it immediately. Zach and Liam took to talking while Darrin got on his phone, going to his Twitter.

It was easy to see that he'd neglected it in the two years that he'd been away from the band. Time to do some updating. He changed his main picture and then began working on a tweet. 'I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support during the time that we have spent away. As such, I would like to let you, those who matter most to me..Kris, Zach, and Liam, know that Unfinished Belief has officially gotten back together. We will be touring in Europe in the coming months. For more information, please see our site! We can't wait to see you there!!!'

Though it was broken up into a few posts, Darrin posted it. Within seconds, his alerts were going off like crazy. He smiled as he scrolled through a few of them. Word was spreading quickly and he knew that it would only be a matter of time before the news caught wind of it. "That's done. Wonder how long it'll take for the press to find us?" The guys laughed before getting and going back to rehearsing.