What Dreams Forget

James woke up and looked around the room. It took him a second to get his bearings. Then it occurred to him that he was in his new bed in the room that Tori Lynn had completely redone. He remembered that the new bed was huge and reached out for her. He rolled towards her side of the bed to find it completely empty. He knew he didn't imagine everything. Where was Tori Lynn? He saw his jersey still in the floor along with her bra. He knew she wouldn't even roam next door without clothes. Unless she grabbed his hoodie. He was confused he was pretty sure they agreed to spend the day in his bed. Had she changed her mind? Did she have second thoughts about Jarnkrok? James looked at the clock. Holy Hell it was after 11am. Maybe she just got bored.

James didn't bother getting dressed. He however did take time to take out the contacts that felt cemented to his eyes. Once he had his glasses on it was time to find his girl. He opened the bedroom door and immediately heard a guitar. He smiled she hadn't gone far. He walked down the hall enough that he could see her but she couldn't see him. James decided at that moment that he wanted to walk out of his bedroom to that sight for the rest of his life. She was sitting cross legged on the couch with her guitar in her arms with a notebook spread open on the couch. Her hair was twisted up. More importantly the only thing she was wearing was his black dress shirt from the night before with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She was playing the guitar and making notations. James leaned up against the wall because he knew she would stop the minute she saw him. But then again she was in such a zone he wasn't sure she would even notice him. He listened as she sang.

When first I looked into your eyes
each breath became a thousand sighs
And in that instant I was shown
a world I had never known.
I finally discovered
What I'd known all along
A mystery uncovered
That just couldn't be wrong
It wasn't our first kiss
Nor' the day that we met
But I realized something
I will never forget
I think of it every time,
That I look at the stars;
This memory is mine,
But that moment was
Ours.

James listened in amazement. He felt like an intruder. He was watching as she made more notations. He watched her play the melody again on the guitar. He noticed even at the bar she tended to favor that specific acoustic one and her one that had Bodie's number on it if she played the electric one. He noticed lots of little things about her. More than he had about any other girl he had ever been with. And somehow it didn't see fair to put her in the category with them. Pauly hadn't been kidding when he told James that he would mark his time in before Tori Lynn and after Tori Lynn. He just wanted to make sure that the after part meant she was his.

"You know hiding in the hallway is kinda creepy Neal" said Tori Lynn closing the notebook. She placed the guitar in the stand next to the patio doors. "What you thought you were quiet?"

James came into the living room "I was trying to be" he laughed "You looked busy."

"I know when you come in the room James." she answered "You just occupy a lot of space."

"Mom says I am just big boned" retorted James coming into the kitchen where Tori Lynn was standing beside the coffee maker.

"I'm meant your personality smartass" sassed Tori Lynn "Speaking of which a girl could starve to death waiting on you to wake up. I'm mean it's not like you exerted a lot of energy yesterday and today. I could have abandoned you. I'm sure Colby made Kase waffles or something equally awesome."

Tori Lynn pulled the coffee cup from under the Keurig. James took it away from her before she even had a chance to add the cream and sugar on the counter. "Damn it Jamie" she glared at him "And now you take my coffee."

"And she is back" said Neal "You've had at least one cup since that spoon is laying on the edge of the sink. I need caffeine to survive and go forage for food for you." She climbed up on the counter and faced Neal. He made a pouty face at her but kept drinking her coffee. Well she was fucked. This much was obvious. James completely disheveled in boxer briefs, with jacked up hair, and glasses might be her kryptonite. "I thought we agreed we were going to stay in my bed all day today."

"Sorry" she replied "When I get a song in my head I have to get it down. I ran next door to grab my guitar. I was gone less than 2 minutes. Plus you were dead to the world Neal. Apparently that sleeping sideways thing happens no matter what size bed you have mister."

"You should have made me get up" he said pouting again "I don't want to miss any time with you today." He sat the coffee mug on the counter and stepped between her legs. Tori Lynn smiled at him and hugged him. Her sitting on the counter put them face to face. James needed to remember that for future reference. He tipped her face up to his. James mouth settled on hers briefly. "Good morning" he said smiling at her.

"Morning Neal" she answered kissing him again "I need to go find clothes so we can go find food." James moved away from her long enough to open the fridge and freezer. It was full of stuff. He didn't know what could be made from all the stuff but he was sure she could help him figure it out.

"No chance in hell" said James "I'm holding you hostage until morning skate. We have stuff so we can cook right?"

"Yes we have stuff I can cook" she laughed "I'm not sure I trust you in the kitchen."

James made an exaggerated sad face "But you will teach me. With Ritchie gone I might starve when you go on tour with Neon Cathedral." Tori Lynn smacked him in the abs and laughed out loud. "Damn it woman" he answered "I'm serious I can't boil water. Plus how am I ever going to fix dinner for my girl. It's not sexy to make you fix us dinner all the time. I need to surprise you on occasion."

"Alright" she replied "I will sit here and supervise you cooking. I think you can manage making a breakfast scramble. But grab a shirt just for safety sake." James leaned in and started unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing. "Not a chance I am sitting on the counter naked while you cook breakfast." she kissed him and shoved him towards his bedroom. James heard her phone chirp and grabbed it from the nightstand after he pulled on lounge pants and a t-shirt.

"You are no fun" said James tossing her the phone "It was chirping." She laid it on the counter.

"Okay ready to follow instructions" she asked. He came over and kissed her again.

"Ready" he replied. He grabbed the things from the fridge. While his back was turned she FaceTimed Pauly after texting him what James was doing. She sat the phone down on the counter. Tori Lynn instructed him on chopping the veggies and ham. He managed to saute all the ingredients. Well it might have a few egg shells but he was trying. Tori Lynn laughed at his level of concentration when whisking eggs. Tori Lynn told him to dump the eggs into the pan with the stuff he sauted. She stayed seated even when she was worried about the eggs getting done. Tori Lynn told him to add the cheese. He let the cheese melt. He managed to get the scramble on two plates. He turned to her and smiled at her like he did after he made a goal. "I made breakfast."

Tori Lynn laughed and smiled at him. He crossed the kitchen and kissed her. Tori Lynn forgot about Pauly until he called out from her phone "Hey I thought this was a family show."

"Sorry Pauly" she said untangling herself from Neal. "Look he made food. It looks edible."

"I saw that. My boy is growing up" replied Pauly "Nice goal last night. Showing off for Tori Lynn."

"Maybe" laughed Neal.

"Hey what did you think of my present?" asked Pauly.

"Present" asked Neal.

"It's in the hall closet. We didn't want the furniture guys to damage it." said Tori Lynn. James left the kitchen and came back with the large flat package.

"I get to see you both when you open it." said Pauly "Tori Lynn open it so the ape doesn't break the glass."

"Are you sure you are my boy?" asked Neal.

"She still there right" said Pauly "I've got your back." James just shook his head. He took the phone over to where Tori Lynn was staring at the open box.

"Damn it Pauly" she yelled "Why would you do that?" James looked in the box. He handed her the phone and grabbed the box. He pulled the framed picture out of the box. It was the first shot of Tori Lynn with her guitar in his jersey. The candid shot that he liked the best of all the photos. It was beautiful.

"Because he is basically a caveman who would have stared at it on his phone. As opposed to having it framed and put on a wall. It should be hanging somewhere Tor. It's beautiful." replied Pauly "Look at the boy he is speechless."

James grabbed the phone "Thanks for the house warming present. I appreciate it." Pauly nodded. "Now I have to con her mom into giving me a copy of the one of her in the sun dress." Pauly was smiling at him.

"Who are you" asked Pauly "What have you done with Neal?"

"Fuck you Pauly" said Neal.

"There's my boy" laughed Pauly "Go eat eggs aren't good cold."

"Bye Pauly" called Tori Lynn from the kitchen. "Love ya"

James bristled. She told G, Pauly, and Ritchie that she loved them every time she talked to him. It kind of tugged at him that she never told him she loved him. But he guessed he was lucky she was even there. "Later Martin." Pauly disconnected. James tossed the phone to Tori Lynn. She checked her messages. Apparently Addi and Matti were alive and on the way home. Tori Lynn laughed at Addi's message. James raised an eye brow.

"Addi is apparently not sure what to think of that fact Matti took her to dinner. And then to the hotel. But didn't have sex with her. Addi isn't sure what's up with it."

"He's taking it slow. She was just with Ritchie." replied James. Tori Lynn laughed again.

"He is apparently a champion snuggler and not a bad kisser" informed Tori Lynn sitting at the breakfast bar with James. Tori Lynn had set the table while he was talking with Pauly. James watched her as she took a bite of her eggs. She smiled at him "It's good. Wait did you let me be the test subject?"

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Notes

I'm not sure I am song writing material girlies