"Thanks, Tony," Natalie said appreciatively.
Tony nodded and departed. Natalie then knocked on the door. She hoped it wouldn't be too many more visits before the nervousness went away.
Taylor
Taylor soon answered.
"'Morning Natalie," he greeted, stepping aside so she could make her way in.
"How has your week been?"
Natalie
Natalie stepped inside.
"It's been good," she replied. "And you?"
Taylor
"It's... it's been an interesting one," Taylor stopped himself chuckling, thinking over what had happened.
"Come on in and have a seat. I'll just grab us something to drink considering last time."
He made for the kitchen to get said drinks.
Natalie
"Okay, thanks," Natalie replied.
She wandered over to the lounge they sat in last time and sat down. She looked around the room while waiting for Taylor to come back.
Taylor
Taylor soon returned with a glass of water for each of them and set them down on the coffee table before planting himself on the couch beside her.
"Ready?" his eyebrows rose as he held out his hand.
Natalie
"Yep," Natalie replied.
She reached out and took Taylor's hand. She took a moment to focus her power on the task at hand.
Taylor
"So ah..." Taylor began awkwardly, rubbing his thigh with his other hand.
"Did you want to be a masseuse? Or was it just something on the side?"
Natalie
"Well," Natalie replied ruefully. "I admit I only took the course because all my friends were. But I really enjoyed it so I thought I might take it further. I mean, up until that point there really wasn't anything I really wanted to do, y'know?"
Taylor
"Understandable," Taylor nodded.
"Most people our age are still deciding. I guess my brothers and I were just some of the lucky ones in that field."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"Very lucky," she said. "And very talented too. By the way, if it's not intruding... you haven't exactly been on the radar lately... any particular reason? Your fans miss you."
Taylor
"Thanks," Taylor tried not to blush.
What the heck was with that anyway?
"We'll be back soon. Ike's dying to get back on the road. We're hoping to promo in the next couple of months. This..." he gestured to his head, "started about two years ago. So while we were touring then and everything..."
Natalie
"Ahh, I see," Natalie nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it would make things awkward. I didn't think. Still a promo... that would be awesome."
Yeah, he probably realises you're a fan now.
Taylor
"Yeah, it would," Taylor sighed.
"I admit it would be great to tour again, but I just have so many things in the way right now. Zac understands, but Ike... kind of shouldn't know to begin with."
He shifted on the couch a little, awkwardly.
"So yeah, he's the one realy pushing us."
Natalie
Natalie chewed the inside of her lip for a moment.
"Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?" she inquired.
Taylor
"Well it depends on your perspective," Taylor shrugged, starting to bite his nails.
"It's good in the sense that it seems we're getting back on track, and maybe... just maybe we can go on as if nothing happened. Up here," he tapped his head, "particularly for Zac and I, we know it won't be that easy."
Natalie
"On bad terms are the moment or something are you?" Natalie asked.
She hoped that Taylor wouldn't think she was prying.
Taylor
Taylor glanced up at her in surprise. How was that for a guess?
"Well... sort of," he shook his head.
"I mean not so much now, obviously. It's just a matter of getting over it."
Natalie
"Oh okay," Natalie replied.
Well, that explained some of the comments.
"Well, that's good, considering you're living together. Again, I suppose, because you would have lived together when you were growing up..."
Babbler.
Taylor
Taylor couldn't help but chuckle a little.
"Yeah. That point did come up a few times."
He sighed.
"Everyone wants it to go back to the way it was. And I guess it might eventually."
Natalie
"Well," Natalie hesitated for a moment, then plunged right in, "nothing ever does go back to how it was. I mean, you might get back to a similar routine or something, but every new experience changes you. I'm not saying that you can't go back to being friends and touring and stuff, just that you can't go back. It won't be the same again - whether the changes are good or bad, though, depends on you."
Taylor
Taylor fell silent for a moment, contemplating that.
"Yeah," he agreed finally, "people on the outside generally think it's a lot easier than it is."
He looked down at their hands again, then up at her.
"You're a very understanding person."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"I try," she said. "Actually, I think my power kinda helps with that. Being empathic in nature, y'know... Can heal the damage but can't take away the cause."
Taylor
"I guess it's the same for any healer," Taylor shrugged.
"Lord knows I should know."
Natalie
Natalie smiled, not entirely understanding what he meant by that.
"Probably," she agreed.
Taylor
"I've just dealt with a lot of healers, that's all," Taylor shrugged, then scratched his head.
"So ah... do you, have any hobbies or anything?"
Natalie
"Well," Natalie said ruefully, "I'm a bit of a concert junkie. Not always able to bludge the money off the 'rents for tickets though. Used to play the piano, but I'm not very good."
Taylor
Taylor smiled to himself.
"I'm sure you could get better," he insisted.
"I'm guessing you may have been to a Hanson concert or two."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Yeah," she admitted. "Been to Billy Joel and Areosmith and Maroon 5 and heaps of others too. You guys are awesome."
Taylor
"Thanks," Taylor said softly.
"You know, Mark Hudson - who worked with us on our first two major release records, he worked with Aerosmith too. Ike loves Maroon 5 and yeah... I'm a huge Billy Joel fan."
He couldn't help but chuckle.
Natalie
Natalie grinned back, then stifled a yawn.
"That's cool," she said. "I used to play the piano, for a year and a half. I switched teachers and I couldn't stand the new one."
Taylor
"We'll have to remember to put on some Billy Joel next time then," Taylor sighed, glancing at his watch.
"It's sad when your teacher puts you off learning something. I know a teacher can make all the difference in any subject, and it only takes one person to ruin something that could have been the best thing of your life."
Natalie
Natalie nodded.
"Yeah," she agreed. "You have any lousy teachers?"
Taylor
"Our Mom taught us," Taylor smiled, "so not really."
He glanced at his watch again. It was almost time.
"Did you want to hang around for practise this time?"
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"Sure," she replied. "That would be awesome. But... as long as I'm not intruding."
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"We used to have people sitting in all the time. It's good to bounce ideas around... Not saying you have to do anything, just with the people we used to have they would always... yeah."
He bit his lip, wondering where that came from.
Natalie
Natalie giggled, and glanced at the clock.
"Well, look at that," she said. "Times up."
She started slowing down the use of her power.
Taylor
Taylor carefully let go of her hand and wipped his palm off on his jeans.
He leant forward for a drink before settling back again.
"Say, half an hour?" he offered, "you should be fine by then, right?"
Natalie
"Yeah, just peachy," Natalie confirmed.
Natalie drank some of her own drink.
"Thanks again for that," she said.
Taylor
"Well I can't let you go home like this," Taylor pointed out, before getting out his phone and messaging Tony to tell him to be there in half an hour.
Then he smirked.
"Your parents might get the wrong idea."
Natalie
Natalie had to put her drink down again as she laughed (didn't want to be drinking while she was laughing).
"Glorified groupie," she giggled. "Mom actually suggested that when I told her about this. She always worries when I get backstage passes to a concert or something I'm going to find a way to get on tour with them as one of their groupies."
Taylor
"Well we don't actually have any groupies that we 'take on tour'," Taylor insisted, putting his phone away.
"We do have groups that follow us though, obviously. Whether we want them to or not is another thing. Don't get me wrong though, it's great that they're so passionate."
Natalie
Natalie grinned.
"I didn't think you did. But to Mom you're just another band and bands are all the same. Y'know, the old axiom, sex, drug and rock 'n' roll," she replied. "I'm sure she'll change her mind if she ever meets you."
Taylor
"An interesting concept of the band," Taylor's eyebrows rose.
"Though I'm sure you find it's not all members of Hanson. Though I guess it's not you I need to explain myself to."
He shrugged.
"Wannt something to eat for lunch first?"
Natalie
Natalie raised her eyebrows. Not all members?
"Sure," she replied. "I'd like that."
She opted not to ask him about it.
Taylor
"Come on," Taylor encouraged her, beginning to head into the kitchen.
"I don't know if you want something different to last week, but I'll see what we have. Though I'm not really in the mood to cook after that..."
Natalie
"What I had last week is fine," Natalie replied. "And I understand completely."
She stood and followed Taylor into the kitchen.
Taylor
Taylor smiled.
"Guess next week we need to work on the food side of it," he suggested, before messing around in the kitchen to get their food ready.
He made them both sandwiches again, then nodded towards a door.
"Let's go down and see the guys while we eat."
He held out his hand to her.
Natalie
Natalie took up her sandwiches in one hand.
"Thanks," she said.
She took Taylor's hand with her free one, and let him guide her.
Taylor
Taylor led her down to the music room, and didn't bother knocking before entering.
He indicated a nearby seat for her to sit in if she wanted to, then went to sit at the piano to finish eating while trying to decipher what his brothers were playing.
Natalie, Isaac and Zac
Natalie sat down. Isaac gave her a nod, and Zac was too busy hammering away on the drums to even notice.
"Hello Tay
Is your head feelin' clearer today?" Isaac sang aimlessly.
"Is that a rocket in your pocket?
Or are you just happy to see - Nat
Heeeeeey Nat
Don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it -"
"Ike," Zac interupted. "The song is 'Hey Jude', not 'Hey Nat'."
"Hit the road, Zac
And don'tcha come back
No more no more no more no more," Natalie giggled and joined Isaac.
Hit the road, Zac,
And don'tcha come back no more
What'd you say?
Zac frowned, stopped drumming, stood up and pointed at Isaac, and dramatically sang the verse:
Old woman old woman, oh you treat me so mean,
You're the meanest old woman that I ever have seen,
Well I guess if you say so
I'll have to pack my things and go (that's right)
Natalie laughed.
"I'm not an old woman," Isaac objected.
"I just think it's cool you even knew the verse," Natalie grinned.
Taylor
Taylor laughed a little, watching the display.
"Hope you guys don't mind Nat sitting in for a while. She just needs to get her strength back before she leaves."
Zac and Isaac
"That's cool," Zac replied. "We're just playing nonsense right now, aren't we Ike?"
" Sing a song of nonsense," was Isaac's reponse.
"A pocket full of pie,
Six and thirty spitballs
Shot in the sky"
"Uhh Ike..."
"When the sky was opened
The rain began to fall
And wasn't that a pretty bow
To ring around the - "
"Ike! Can the plagurising already!"
"Awww...."
Taylor
"It's always good to think of original stuff," Taylor gave Isaac an odd look as he began on his second and last sandwich.
"How about that one you were working on, how did that go?"
He was looking at Zac.
Zac, Isaac and Natalie
Zac's eyes brightened.
"Oh really good," he beamed. "I'll even play it for you."
"Me too," Isaac nodded.
"But no changing the lyric, boy."
"A few minutes ago I was an old woman."
Natalie giggled as the brothers played Zac's song (or most of it, as it wasn't quite finished yet).
Taylor
"Sounds great," Taylor nodded, brushing crumbd from his lap before opening the piano.
"Any ideas for piano in it, are you leaving it up to me, or do you want to leave it as it is?"
Isaac, Zac and Natalie
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want the piano version?" Isaac asked. "We did put some piano in it..."
"I don't know," Zac said, shaking his head. "What's the use of having a telekinetic, if he won't play multiple instruments at once? Although, truthfully, we haven't put in that much piano. You'll probably want to fine tune it."
Isaac poked his tongue out at Zac.
"This is what we had for the chorus..." Isaac said, then started playing the piano telekinetically.
Natalie watched with interest as she finished off her sandwiches.
Taylor
Taylor watched carefully, then replayed it when Isaac was done.
"Ok, play it again and I'll see what I can do," he offered, hands poised over the keys.
Isaac, Zac and Natalie
"Alrighty," Zac said. "One, two, three, four!"
He and Isaac broke into song (with their instruments at least), and Zac sang along.
Natalie listened. It was certainly interesting watching and listening to a song being put together.
Taylor
Taylor began to go off on a tangent toward the end, practically taking over when it came to the ad-libs. When it was done, he looked over his shoulder.
"Any good?"
Then he realised he'd forgotten Natalie was in the room, and gave her glance with a smile.
Natalie, Zac and Isaac
"That was awesome," Natalie said enthusiatsically.
"Why, many thanks, milady," Zac said, standing up long enough to give her an elaborate bow.
Natalie giggled.
"Yeah, Tay, that was cool," Isaac said. "Very cool. Definitely added something there... whole other dimension even."
"Like the one I went to last month?" Zac suggested.
"Moron."
Taylor
"Now let's just hope I remember it," Taylor's eyebrows rose as he turned back to the piano.
He grabbed a notepad from the top of it and quickly wrote a few things down.
"Let's do it again in case I got it wrong."
Isaac, Zac and Natalie
"Sounds like a plan," said Isaac.
The boys started playing together again. And Zac decided to adlib during the instrumental:
"Red monkeys! Red monkeys are not blue!"
Natalie laughed. Zac went on for a bit before Isaac used his telekinesis on Zac's mouth to clamp it shut. Hey, they were trying to write some music here.
Taylor
"I got it right," Taylor grinned, grabbing the notepad again when they finished.
He wrote down a few more things.
"Anything else you guys are itching to work on?"
Zac, Saku, Natalie and Isaac
Zac was about to reply when there was a knock on the door, and Saku entered with Tony.
"See?" Saku said smugly. "I knew she was in here."
"Oh, has it been half an hour already?" Natalie asked, checking her watch. "Oh, it has!"
"Aww, going so soon?" Isaac asked, as she stood.
"I should," she replied. "See you guys next week."
Taylor
Taylor stood from the stool, barely attempting to hide his mood of complaint.
"I'll see you out," he offered.
"Back in a moment," he said to Isaac and Zac, before leading them from the room and toward the living room.
Isaac, Zac, Natalie and Saku
"See ya, Nat!" Zac called.
"See you later," Isaac echoed.
"Bye," Natalie waved and walked with Taylor and Tony out.
Saku scampered off to... whereever werecat/dathrians go.