Concert! (rp for immortalsparta )

Stelios and Caroline made their way down to the concert hall for the soundcheck. The entire walk, Caroline barely let go of Stelios' hand as they walked down the hallway from their room to the bank of elevators. In those moments that they found themselves alone, they would steal kisses from one another in the elevator, in the side hallways backstage. Roadies and band members, management and hotel staff were running here and there getting ready. The atmosphere was almost one a circus.

Caroline made her way to the stage to check and see if her harp, Madame Angelique, had been unpacked and was in careful place. Everything was miked, and ready. The quick runthrough sounded great, everything was set. Caroline could not keep from glancing just offstage right to where Stelios was watching her. Everyone in her band and in the crew had been very supportive and welcoming for Stelios. It was only Caroline's manager who was a little less than warm towards him. When Caroline and the sound engineer were satisfied, everyone went their way to get ready. It wouldn't be long now. After a quick word with George the guitarist and Tony her drummer, she made her way off stage to where Stelios was waiting. Caroline's stomach was tight with a slight nervousness, but it was Stelios that made her feel relaxed. Perhaps it was because her mind was not fully on the night's performance but was thinking ahead to the next morning when she and Stelios would be flying to Greece to finally give her a chance to see his homeland. She gave him a bright smile and a quick kiss on the cheek. "We've got a little time for me to get dressed, we're all set!"

*~*~*~*~

The crowd was a pandemonium, the stadium was packed. Caroline had not anticipated anything like this. As the emcee annonced her, she turned to Stelios and stole a quick kiss. It was all she needed to inspire her to set her out amongh the crowd and the lights that obscured her vision. just on the poriphery of the lights, she could make out just how the crowd was and her heart tightened. Instantly the band broke into the intro first number, "Second Emotion" and Caroline took to the mike that had been set up for her. The energy of the song and the reaction of the crowd carried her through. By the time she made it to the third song, "Magic Smile," she had lost much of her nervousness. She would flash a glance off-stage where Stelios was standing. It was him who was the inspiration for the song and the reason why she had written the song. She wanted everyone to know, and if she couldn't come out and say it, there was certainly the look on her face as she sang and played on her piano.

But oh magic is there when you smile.
Just like a Hollywood child.
And I haven't noticed just where you've been.
Like a stranger. Like in my heart I could tell
You were a fast-as-ya-can-man.
And good advice I could give to you.
I wanna see you now.
I don't care. I don't eat. I don't sleep. I don't cry.
We're 2 of a kind. Oh no.
Tell me it's not so. It's too much time.

And when she performed the numbers where she was playing her harp, Madame Angelique, she wrapped both her voice and awareness around every note. The atmosphere had shifted into the magical and even though there was a huge stadium crowd, there were moments when she could have sworn there was only she and Stelios there. She would glance to his eyes and see him watching her and wondering what he was thinking. She only knew that after this night things had moved into the realm of all things being possible.

After three encores, the Caroline knew that she and the band had to call it a night. As she left the stage for the final time, there was Stelios, waiting and all she could think of was how close her heart was to bursting with both pride and happiness that he was with her.