What Dreams Forget

James Neal was still not used to Nashville. He was trying and he loved his teammates but it wasn't Pittsburg. He had yet to score as a Predator. He just couldn't get out of his head. He could feel the eyes of the Predators Nation upon him. His girlfriend had been promising to make an appearance in Nashville for the last 3 months. He had finally just told Melanie not to bother. He had laughed when she asked him what he thought she would do in Nashville. She didn't seem all that upset that he told her that he didn't want to see her. Then again Flowers had warned him that she wasn't lacking in company. So now he was alone on his couch opening his third beer. He was watching the NHL Center Ice feed of the Penguins game. He was probably officially pathetic, but didn't give a fuck.

James got off the couch and headed into this his kitchen. He grabbed a plastic Pens cup from the cabinet and pulled a bottle of Booker's out of his liquor cabinet. He sloshed whiskey into his Pens cup and returned to the couch. Yep, definitely official plus drinking booze out of a plastic cup was super classy. He watched as Sidney slid across the ice on his stomach. He would give that performance an 8. James finished his beer and was about to start on the bourbon when his phone chirped on the coffee table. It was a 98% chance it was one of his siblings. He grabbed the phone and stared at the screen. He laughed it was a text from Geno.

G: You too good for girl Lazy
James: Not feeling very good right now G
G: Lazy need new friends in Nashville
James: Nope I need to finish this bourbon
G: Lazy no drink alone
James: How do you know I am alone
G: If girl no answer Geno
James: It's official I am approaching loser status
G: No Lazy you loser long time go
James: Ouch
G: Miss u friend
James: Miss you too G

James laid his phone back on the table and took a swallow of the bourbon. He drained the contents of the tumbler and headed to the kitchen for another drink. His phone chirped again. He shook his head G was in the media box what the hell could he possibly want now? James poured more bourbon and returned to his couch. He picked up his phone and to see what the crazy Russian bastard wanted.

Cluner: Get dressed we are going out
James: Nope getting drunk right here
Cluner: I am in the parking lot
James: No damn it
Cluner: I will carry you out in your pjs. You are going with me.
James: I am not opening the door
Cluner: You can drink at the bar not like I am going to
James: It's no fun being the only drunk guy
Cluner: So pick up a drunk girl and we'll instagram Melanie
James: Can't I just wallow.

Richie didn't respond to James. Good maybe the asshole gave up and went home. James' excitement was short lived when Clune waltzed through his apartment into the living room.

"Nealer, you should lock your door. Dude it's Nashville not fucking Mayberry. You never know what kind of psycho might walk in." laughed Clune

"Got a pretty good fucking idea" said James glaring at Clune.

"Straight whiskey out of plastic cup" stated Richie "New low even for you Nealsy."

"It's bourbon not whiskey." James replied " It's responsible drinking I can't throw this and break it."

"Sure Nealer" said Clune "Get dressed or are you going like that?"


"I'm watching the Pens play" he replied

"Nope you are wallowing and being anti social" stated Clune "5 minutes and I pack you out as is dude." Richie gave him that crazy smile. He knew Clune would do it. Fuck thought James. He made his way to the bedroom and grabbed a black hoodie and pulled it on over his Pens t-shirt. He pulled on a pair of black trainers. He had his glasses on and didn't really give a fuck. He threw on his Pirates hat and presented himself for inspection.

"Nice" said Cluner "I am sure the girls will appreciate the whiskey cologne."

"It's bourbon." yelled James "I am not picking up girls tonight."

"Whatever man" said Clune "Back in the saddle man." Richie thrust his hips against James humping his left leg. Clune never changed he had been the same nut job since they were in juniors together. 


"Dude don't fucking hump me." said James pushing Richie away.

"I forgot" laughed Clune grabbing his Pirates hat "Only Malkin can hump you."

"Fucker, leave G out of this." said James snatching his hat away from Clune

"Too soon" smirked Richie

"I hate you" laughed James as they made their way out of his apartment "Where are we going?"

"Dive bar" said Richie "I am going over to watch Tori Lynn sing."

"Tori Lynn" asked James "How redneck is that?"

"Well she is from Kentucky. But her grandmother was from Boston like my Nana. So we hung out on holidays and shit. She younger than us. Probably 21. She is moving to Nashville to sing. So Nana has issued strict orders I am to help the kid out." replied Richie. "She was always a cool little kid."

"So how long has it been since you saw this cool kid." asked James sliding into the passenger side of the vehicle.

" Last time I saw her I was wasted" replied Richie "Been over 4 years ago. She wasn't even legal. But we must do as Nana says. Hopefully she won't be a pain in my ass."

"So she sings?" asked James.

"Yeah, she always has. I can remember her sitting around playing a guitar and few other instruments with me and my bros. Actually if she is any good at all we might see if she will let us represent her. Mom can help out so no one takes advantage of her." replied Richie

"Is she any good?"

"Seems like she was but she was like 17 the last time I heard her sing." said Richie pulling in a public lot near Broadway. "Pull that hat down low Nealsy. You're a Pred now."

"I fucking hate you." laughed James. They crossed the street and made their way into a small bar. It was body to body as Richie and James made their way to the actual bar. Richie ordered 2 cherry cokes and a Bud Light. He handed the bottle to Nealer. "It's not a sippy cup of whiskey but it will do right?"

"Bourbon" said James taking the bottle. He and Richie wondered through the crowd until they got to a table near the stage. Richie kicked a chair out at James and he sat down. The band on the stage was actually not that bad. A little morose but that fit James mood. "They are decent" he said nodding at the band.

"Whiskey Meyers" said Cluner "Texas band. They are signed but still slumming it. Tori Lynn has written some songs with these guys."

James nodded and watched the band finish their set. A few brave souls came up and wanted pictures with Clune. He figured if he kept his hat low no one would notice him. He was wrong. And apparently the Preds had an electronic billboard on the interstate with his face on it. So much for getting lost in a non hockey town. He headed back to the bar and grabbed another beer. The bartender asked him when he was going to ditch the Pitt hat. James told him he still had Dallas stuff too. James made his way back to Clune who was talking a fairly hot redhead. Maybe that was Tori Lynn.

"This is Kate" said Clune "She loves hockey. She wants to know what Crosby is like."

Neal laughed. Sid wasn't even here and girls were lusting after him. Sid could have any girl he wanted but his personality prevented it. As they said in Dallas that kid is odd turned. It was all hockey all the time. Then again if it was all hockey all the time maybe he would still be in Pitt. He told her about Sid and LeTang and promised to pass her number along when the boys were in Nashville. He in fact couldn't wait for the boys to get to Nashville. He needed one on one time with Flowers and Geno. He missed his boys.

James attention turned to the stage when a diminutive girl with a large guitar took the stage. James was amazed at how small she was. She had to be around 5ft tall. The guitar looked bigger than her. She had dark chocolate brown hair that was falling in a riot of wild waves. She was fair skinned and had huge eyes that were a pure ice blue color. She didn't appear to have a stitch of make- up on but looks were deceiving. James noticed that she was wearing a very tight and LA Kings shirt. He fucking hated bandwagon fans. But he might be able to deal with a hot bandwagon fan. His eyes finally made it past the logo. The singer was wearing what might be the world's shortest pair of denim cutoffs. What amazed him was the fact that she was barefoot. She was standing on stage in a Nashville dive bar barefoot. James realized he was staring at her when she made eye contact with him and smiled. He grabbed his beer and took a drink looking away from the girl. His lack of eye contact lasted less than thirty seconds when she started to sing.

James had never been a fan of country music. He preferred something that had a rock beat or something that would get a girl grinding on him. He wasn't sure if he was more impressed with her ability to actually play the guitar or the haunting sound of her voice. She was singing a song he didn't recognize. She was really good.

"Nealer" called Richie over the music " That's a stripped down version of the White Stripes Jolene. It's an old Dolly Parton song."

"She is really good." he yelled over the music. He was watching her sing and lean into the guy with the guitar beside her. It was obvious that the guy beside her was just as enamored with her as James was. It kind of pissed James off that the dude was eye fucking her on stage. Not that he was much better at this point. He took another pull of his beer while watching her. She handed the giant guitar to a man on the side of the stage. He handed her back what looked like a violin. "Is that a violin?" asked James.

"Nashville Nealer. Fuck it's a fiddle." laughed Richie. James shrugged and watched the girl mess with fiddle. The guy who had been eye fucking the girl stepped up to the microphone. The entire band launched into "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Now James was stunned that she could play the fiddle that well. James sat and stared. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it.

"Fuckin A. Right?" said Richie "They are great."

James nodded and watched her hand the fiddle back to the guy. He handed her a different guitar. This one was a large acoustic guitar. She flopped down on the edge of the stage and sat crossed legged holding the guitar.

"Hope y'all are having a good time. The boys and I are going to strip this down a little further. They are gonna give me chance to play an acoustic set." said the singer. James loved her speaking voice as well. It was raspy and she had a Southern accent. She looked up from the guitar and winked towards their table. Was she checking him out as well? He wasn't sure. She started strumming the guitar. It was a tune he knew but he couldn't place.

"You had my heart, We'll never be worlds apart." she sang. She was playing a country version of Rhianna's Umbrella. The entire bar was watching. It was just her and guitar. After she finished it she launched into Black Velvet. Followed by You and I by Lady Gaga. She was fucking amazing.

"Nealer, did you hear me." called Richie

"Huh?"

"Did you hear what I said." asked Clune

"Um no I was listening to her." replied James

"I said that they will be taking a 15 minute break. I'm going to go grab Tori Lynn." explained Clune
"That's fine I am gonna get another beer." he replied but sat still until she finished the song. He headed to the bar and grabbed a beer. He looked all over the bar for the blue eyed singer. He couldn't find her so he headed back to table to find Clune and meet this kid he was going to be babysitting.

James approached the table. He noticed that Richie was carrying a girl towards their table. Okay Captain Caveman it is. He just hoped that the girl Richie grabbed didn't belong to some redneck cowboy. The brunette in Richie arms was squirming and beating on Richie's back. Yep typical Clune. James made his way towards Richie.

"Cluner, what's with the Capt. Caveman routine." yelled James

"She is barefoot in a fucking bar." replied Richie slinging her over his shoulder. "You'll catch something bleach and penicillin can't kill kiddo." James' head jerked up. His eyes went from soles of her bare feet up her tan legs and to her cute ass in those frayed out cut offs. He was staring at her when Cluner smacked her ass and flopped down in his chair with her on his lap. When she turned to give Richie a kiss James saw the back of her Kings shirt said Clune. Fuck fuck fuck thought James.

"I have flip flops on the edge of the stage asshole." she laughed "I even winked at you during my set." Well that explained it thought James. This chick wanted Clune. Where the hell was the kid.

"Where's your kid" James asked

"What the hell Cluner?" she yelled at Richie "you told your teammates I'm a kid?"

"No" said Richie depositing her in James' chair " I told him you were younger than us and last time I saw you you were jailbait." He flashed his most disarming smile. James moved closer to the couple. She whipped her head in his direction. Those icy eyes met his. They pulled him closer.

" Back up Neal" razzed the little brunette "I'm short. Wouldn't want to get accidentally kneed."

James glared at her. She was calmly drinking a cherry coke. He wasn't sure what to say.

"James Neal meet Tori Lynn." Said Richie turning to look at Tori Lynn " I mentioned her Nana was from Boston. Left out the part that she's a Bruins fan. Totally wasn't going to mention her favorite player is Marchand."

"Close your mouth doll" she said looking at Neal's agape mouth "you'll draw flies." She started laughing again. Damned if he didn't like that sound.

"You promised Nana you would be nice to my teammates." Said Clune

"And I will" she replied "I promise to be especially nice to Jos."

"None of my boys will lay one hand on you Tori Lynn."

She winked at him "we'll see" she said " I need to get back to the stage." She started to stand up and walk to the stage. Clune snagged her and handed her to James who was standing beside the stage.

"Put her up there Nealer." He instructed. James looked at the girl in his arms. A million lines ran through his head. But none of them were right. He put her on the stage. As she turned to walk off she snagged his pirates hat. She put it on her head backwards and went towards the back of the stage. She tossed him a worn out Braves cap.

"You're in the south Neal. We only cheer for the Braves." He stared after her. Richie came up and clapped him on the shoulder. James eyes were still tracking her every movement.

"No Nealer." said Richie "she is gonna be living with me."

"What" asked James "She stole my hat."

"Hat my ass" said Clune

"She did." He replied. In fact she still had it on her head. Fuck if he didn't like it there. The band launched into some song about a girl in a ball cap. Tori wasn't singing but was sitting on the side of the stage.

"She hates you on principle" explained Richie

"She doesn't know me" he said

"She knows of you and it's not like you have any remorse for hitting Marchy."
"And the hits keep coming" said James draining the beer. He watched them through the entire set. She still hadn't taken his hat off nor had he put the Braves hat on. And it actually bothered him that she didn't like him. He had nothing better to do in Nashville and he could be damn charming when he wanted to be. James loved a challenge. And his challenge was currently shaking her assets in cutoffs right in front of him. Maybe Cluner was right he should throw her over his shoulder and run.

Notes

Here it is girls my attempt at Neal story.