September first rolled around, okay, so now they were starting on month seven, it was starting to get scary. Regina was flying through her album, whenever they had full days in the studio, she’d work like no one’s business and not stop until the track was perfect.

The final schedule was set. They would start tour September twenty-eighth, finish up by June of the next year. It was the US tour for now, Europe would wait until next fall. The label wasn’t sure when they would drop Regina’s album, they wanted it out as soon as possible so that she could tour on Marshall’s bill next tour. But that all depended on how soon they finished. Scheduled in between were the rehearsals and recording sessions for the song with the Backstreet Boys, though Regina would be recording with them later in the week.

Marshall’s plate was just as full, he would start filming his next video in two days, the final decision on the video idea had only been finalized three days ago. He’d wanted Regina to be in the video but she refused. He remembered this fight all too clearly.

“Why won’t you be in the video?” Marshall asked.

“Think about it just for a second Marshall, who is the song about?” Regina asked.

“Oh, Kim, right,” Marshall had realized his mistake quickly though he didn’t drop it.

“I haven’t said anything about it, but you do realize almost every song you put on your albums is tinged with her. I’m not Kim, and I’m not going to play her part,” Regina replied annoyed.

“She’s a part of my life Regina,” Marshall retorted.

“No shit Marshall, and I’ve accepted that. And I understand you are going to write about her and rap about her for as long as you want, I don’t care, but I will not, not be in a video about her, I will not help you sing a song about her,” Regina kept her back to him, not wanting to look at his face because she would feel the urge to smack him.

“She’s a permanent installation in my life, I can’t just ignore that,” Marshall said as he moved around in front of Regina.

“Do what you want Marshall. I have been tolerant to the most. I have spoken to her, allowed you to lie to me about sleeping with her, I have to see that damn tattoo on your stomach, every time we have sex, but at some point, I have to draw the line, and this is where I draw it,” Regina replied agitated. Marshall knew this was wrong what he was doing, and unfortunately she was right.

“Kim had you for how many years, at least fifteen years, and I’m not asking that you put away that part of your life, I mean Christ, you two have a child together. We only have six months, and I know that’s a pittance in comparison to her,” Regina said, shaking her head.

“Six months or not Regina, you are the one I am with now. I gave up Kim a while ago. She’s moved on with her life as well. You are the one I have loyalty to, don’t forget that, time frames have nothing to do with it,” Marshall replied, slowly putting his arms around her waist and hugging her close to him.

“Are you sure?” Regina asked.

“Of course I am, look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you. You also got to remember, I wrote this album, almost two years ago, when I still wasn’t over Kim. I hadn’t even met you then, next album, is gonna be all about you,” Marshall replied.

“Yeah, if we’re not ripping each other’s guts out by then,” Regina muttered.

“Hey, don’t think about that, okay? We’re here, together, right now, that’s all that matters, right now, fuck tomorrow, or the next day, or next week even. We can only live for right now,” Marshall said holding her tight.

The next day Marshall fought with the record executives until he got the single changed to a song that had no Kim-influence whatsoever. Regina then politely agreed to shoot the video with him when he asked.

“You coming to the studio?” Regina asked one morning later that week.

“Huh? What’s up for today?” Marshall asked when he finally realized that Regina was touching and speaking to him.

“I’m working on something with the boys, you know, the Backstreet Boys?” Regina replied rubbing his neck slightly.

“What?” Marshall really wasn’t awake yet.

“My mistake to ask you anything before you’ve had coffee,” Regina laughed patting him on the stomach and climbing out of the bed.

“All I heard was boys, and something about the street,” Marshall mumbled as he sat up. Regina returned to the side of the bed and handed him a cup of coffee.

“I’m gonna start working on a song with AJ and his guys, today, just wanted to know if you wanted to be there or not,” Regina said cracking her knuckles.

“AJ and his guys? I thought they were the Backstreet Boys?” Marshall asked with a furrowed brow.

“Same thing isn’t it?” Regina asked innocent of what Marshall was insinuating.

“I suppose, but no, I got a interview to go to, then a meet and greet, which, by the way, how did you wangle your way out of that one?” Marshall asked annoyed.

“Dre thought I needed more time to work on the album and start writing with AJ and the guys. Which, by the way, we’ll be able to work on our single with them on the road. They start tour a few days after us, and believe it or not, they follow our touring schedule for cities. Dre gave Jive our schedule and they switched around hotels and such so we could spend free time working on it,” Regina replied with a smile. Marshall groaned.

“You mean, I have to spend my free time around the boy band bitches?” Marshall asked.

“You all got along fine, what’s the big deal?” Regina snorted.

“A night or day here and there, but, come on Lyric, lets not get ahead of ourselves,” Marshall replied rubbing a hand over his face.

“Get over yourself,” Regina said shaking her head as she stood up.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marshall asked offended.

“It means that you need to get out and do something outside your comfort zone. You use that damn image of yours to make sure you don’t have to associate with people you don’t want to deal with. People you don’t want to have to try with,” Regina replied giving him a sideways glance.

“Fuck off,” Marshall retorted.

“We did, last night, and you keep up that attitude and it’ll be the last time for a while,” Regina snapped giving him that icy green gaze.

“I don’t use my image for anything,” Marshall replied, knowing with those eyes that Regina was serious.

“You use it as a security blanket, any time you don’t want to talk to somebody, you slip into Eminem and flip out on them, scaring them away. It’s about time you knock that shit off,” Regina replied going into the bathroom and grabbing her hairbrush before returning to the bedroom. Marshall just watched her with narrowed eyes, unfortunately knowing she was right. Though Regina had a knack for people. She struck up conversations with everyone she met.

Marshall may have been a celebrity, and a rap sensation, but, when it came right down to it, he didn’t like people. His world remained in place with Regina, Dre, D-12, and Hailie, if possible that’s who he would have kept to.

“Don’t you have an image too? Don’t you have to keep up pretenses?” Marshall asked after a minute of watching her brush her hair as she sat on the bed beside him.

“I am Regina Contini, that’s it. I will not conform to an image that others want to place on me. If I want to do a song with Dre on the album and then in the next breath sing harmony with the Backstreet Boys, I’m going to do it. There are many facets to me, and if people choose to only see one, then that’s their problem.”

“Yeah, just wait until everyone gives you one that you’re trapped to,” Marshall thought to himself.

“Okay then, I’m off, I’ll see you later baby boy, and be nice,” Regina warned as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She gave him a small wave as she exited the bedroom and he leaned over to look at the clock, it was only eight in the morning.

Groaning at the thought of the meet and greet, he stumbled towards the shower, thinking that tonight would probably be the perfect chance to start on his plan to get Regina to admit she loved him.

“Come on Gina, just for a couple of hours, besides, that boyfriend of yours won’t dance, it’ll be fun,” Nick asked for the third time that evening. After working out the harmonies for the song they were singing on Regina’s album, Regina had them practice until the point of perfection and the guys complained of hunger. She grudgingly let them order out, while she continued to work at the piano. AJ had flung tatter tots at her until she finally sat down and ate something herself.

It was now close to seven o’clock and Regina didn’t show any signs of moving from the studio. Twice she had told the guys that either they had to decide to go or stay, so she could figure out what she was going to work on.

“I have a lot of work to do, but thanks for asking,” Regina replied as she scanned her pile of lyrics.

“Reggie, get your ass out of here, you’ve spent the last three days in here, between eleven and thirteen hours a day, you’ve done some great work, you need a break, and they’re right, Marshall won’t dance, so go, have some fun,” Dre said snatching her pile of lyrics out of her hand.

“Hey!” Regina complained but AJ and Howie threw themselves down on either side of her, each one draping an arm around her shoulders.

“Please!” they both begged like little kids.

“I’m not a big clubber guys, besides, I promised Marshall I’d be home,” Regina tried.

“I’ll tell Marshall what club you’re at so he can come see you. You need to have some fun, not that I’m not thrilled that you’re a workaholic, could use a few more people like that, but all work and no play, makes Reggie an annoying bitch that I don’t want to have to deal with,” Dre replied.

“I have plenty of fun,” Regina retorted shaking Howie and AJ’s arms off of her.

“Fucking Marshall six nights a week is not the kind of fun I was talking about,” Dre replied with a raised eyebrow.

“Six nights a week?” AJ asked unconvinced.

“If it’s a good week, seven, why you so interested?” Regina asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“Cause he’s not getting any, that’s why,” Howie laughed. AJ rolled his eyes and turned back to Regina.

“I don’t miss those days,” Kevin replied.

“To tell you the truth, neither do I, I’m happy I got a wife at home,” Dre said nodding.

“Speaking of which, that little get together with the velociraptors, I will not be attending,” Regina spoke up.

“The velociraptors?” Brian asked.

“The wives and girlfriends of Dre and the guys, bunch of bitches,” Regina replied honestly. The guys looked at each other with wide eyes.

“Look Regina, I told you, I’m sorry about what my wife said,” Dre started.

“You apologizing for what your wife said, does not make the shit go away. And aside from that fact, you asses dumped with them, and I also said you could not make me spend another minute with them, and I’m sticking to my promise.” Regina had her face set in a firm, don’t-mess-with-me attitude and Nick piped up.

“So, Gina, you gonna come or what?”

“Yeah, I’ll even let you throw some more drinks at me, non-alcoholic of course,” AJ said yanking her towards him, by throwing his arm around her neck.

“All right, fine, just let me go back and change first.”

“You, are going to a club, with the Backstreet Boys?” Marshall asked incredulously when Regina had returned and started changing into something more appropriate for a night out at a club.

“Yeah, you’re invited too, you know,” Regina replied ducking her head out of the bathroom to look at him.

“But you, you don’t go out,” Marshall replied confused.

“Again, you’re right. I wanted to stay in the studio, but Dre said I wasn’t allowed to, so, and Nick was bugging me all day to go with them, for what reason I don’t know,” Regina replied going back into the bathroom and putting on some eyeliner.

“And you’re gonna go, after all the times I’ve asked you?” Marshall asked as he stood in the door of the bathroom.

“Don’t act like I’m going of my own free will, Dre threatened to make me go to the dinner with the bitches if I didn’t go out tonight, but it will be fun for once I suppose.” Regina was not a big fan of clubs. When she used to go out with Ernelle she usually just ordered a double shot of JD and sat at the table or bar with it until Ernelle was ready to go. She didn’t dance with guys she didn’t know and now, since Marshall didn’t like to dance, there really wasn’t a point.

“Besides, you don’t like to dance anyway, why go sit in a smoky, loud club and sit there in the dark to drink?” Regina asked. She did have a point, Marshall had to admit.

“I’m allowed to come?” Marshall asked, thinking that this little windfall might have been just the thing to start his plan.

“Marshall, you can come, you can go, you can stay here and dance the hokey pokey, but don’t pout because I’m going to a club when someone else asked me besides you,” Regina replied as she hooked the heart earrings into her ears.

“All right, I’ll go with you,” Marshall said finally.

“Good, then hurry up and get dressed, we’re meeting the guys downstairs in fifteen minutes,” Regina replied stepping out of the bathroom and going to look for her boots. Marshall groaned at this, he wanted to start working on Regina, but he didn’t want to have to spend another night with the Backstreet bitches, especially AJ, he had an odd feeling that he liked Regina too much.