Work Text:
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
It's been over a decade since The Burning Bride released their last album, CURSED, and the band went their own ways. After selling out stadiums for years, what ended their glorious run and why are they no longer friends? Reports from sources close to the boys cited artistic and aspirational differences, but who's differences really broke them apart? With the anniversary of their debut album swiftly approaching, fans are buzzing with excitement over rumors of a reunion.
Ace reached down and shut the TV off.
"A reunion?" he sighed, flopping back against the couch. "Where exactly are these rumors coming from?"
Across the room, Nick tuned his guitar on a stool, foot propped up on the bar for balance as he tightened another string. "I'll give you one guess."
Ace rolled his eyes. "And what's this about no longer being friends? Did you break up with me?"
"I thought I had my people tell your people."
A smooth chord rang out from the Martin and Nick straightened his posture with satisfaction. He played a familiar melody and looked back at his friend and long-term musical partner. The music brought memories bubbling up to the surface and Ace grabbed a pair of drumsticks, tapping along the edge of the coffee table.
Growing on Her , their first single as a band—back when they were all bubble gum and skinny jeans.
I'm growing on her, like a blooming flower in the spring
Every word and gesture, making her heart start to sing
She never saw it coming, but now she's falling for me
I'm growing on her, can't you see?
The label had provided the song, as they had for their entire first two albums before they had negotiated enough power to start writing their own stuff, on their own terms. And while their third album hadn't done as well commercially as their freshman and sophomore albums, it was something both Nick and Ace felt extremely proud about, even if it was seemingly the beginning of the end for The Burning Bride.
"Have you talked to either of them since Owen's funeral?" Nick asked, hand stopping over the strings—a soft reverb bounced against the hollow inside of the guitar.
Ace shook his head. "Abe's mom sent me a gift for Hanukkah last year, but nothing but radio silence otherwise."
"And what about—"
"Absolutely not."
"Not even—"
Ace shot him a look.
*
They all had their fair share of rocky relationships throughout the course of their careers, but his relationship with Amanda probably had the biggest fallout in relation to the band. Gil's attitude towards Ace took a drastic shift when Amanda joined them on tour for their second album. She and Ace had hit it off right away, but Gil was weirdly possessive over her—it must have been a twin thing. When Ace began writing more full-time for the group, exploring a new sound and vibe, Gil hadn't taken it well. He became more erratic and shoved a wedge between the pair so hard that they couldn't really recover.
They had closure years later, but Gil never really came back around on Ace despite Amanda's pleas. They fell on deaf ears, especially when Gil had his first single break the top 10 after going solo—there was no need for him to reconcile.
Abe hadn't really taken sides, more of an indifference. He was a few years older, and he never let the rest of them forget how much more mature he was (he wasn't). It always rubbed Ace the wrong way, like they weren't all equals simply because Abe had been in the industry a little bit longer than the rest of them.
Then there was Owen. He was the first to leave. He claimed it was because he had other aspirations, but when Ace knew better. The worst part of it all was when he left, so did Nancy.
*
"I'm sure Gil's been talking to reporters, hoping to promote his own shit. Everyone loves a reunion—remember what it did for N*SYNC?"
Nick shrugged. "It could be fun."
With an eyebrow raised, Ace shook his head ever so slightly. "You can't be serious."
The closest they had ever gotten to a reunion was Owen's funeral, and Gil had only stayed for five minutes. Showing his respects, my ass , Ace thought.
That was also the last time he saw Nancy.
*
Nancy had, at one point, been the band's de facto manager. She was a problem solver—quick, sharp, funny, resourceful. They met her when they appeared on The Bess Marvin Show early in their career. Owen had had a familial connection, and networking was everything in this industry. They had performed another single from their debut album, The Lady of Larkspur Lane , a moody ballad that had all the young girls swooning. Nancy and Owen hit it off and from then on, it was the six of them.
"Hey, what else have we got going on right now?" Nick's voice pulled Ace from his reverie.
Ace frowned. "You make it sound like we're washed-up former pop stars. We do still make music, you know."
They had opened a small label together a few years ago, Horseshoe Bay Sound , turning their focus on production and elevating new talent. Ace had taught himself how to use the computer to produce songs and developed a program for sound mixing that was sought after by a lot of huge artists.
"I know," Nick said. "But don't you kind of miss it?"
Ace sighed, he didn't always miss the high pitched screaming people, pushing up against the barrier below the stage, but he did miss the rush of the stadium—the lights, the sweat, the crowd jumping to the poppy rhythm of their setlist; the way thousands of people could connect over something he wrote. His twenties felt like a fever dream now.
And he did miss one other thing.
Through those crazy long nights, and endless roads in the tour bus, Nancy had been riding shotgun. She found unique venues to play, got them booked on every talk show she could to promote their new stuff.
There were weeks when they would be booked in back-to-back cities, rushing off the stage at the end of a concert and onto the bus, driving through the night to their next destination. And every night, Nancy would be sitting up, dinky, harsh light illuminating her spread of paperwork across the table. She would stay awake, drinking shitty black coffee, making sure every equipment list was right, every crew member's payroll was updated and no T was left uncrossed.
Ace would sit across from her, writing lyrics in his notebook or messing around on his computer. They would talk until Owen begged her to come to bed and that would be that.
*
"Nah," Ace lied. "Don't be ridiculous."
Nick got up from the stool and placed the guitar in the stand by the wall. "Are you telling me, if Nancy Drew called one of us today and asked us to appear on The Bess Marvin Show again…you'd say no?"
Ace knew Nick would call his bluff, he always did. "It's not that simple—and you know she wouldn't call me ."
"Whatever, man, I have a meeting with Fan-dom in twenty to talk about the cover art for their next album." Nick grabbed a notebook off one of the desks. "All I'm saying is, think about it. Don't throw a chance for our label to get some good buzz out the window."
Ace scoffed as Nick left. Did he know something Ace didn't?
Nick had barely left the room when Ace felt his phone buzz. He felt his stomach flip before he even looked at the name on the screen. "Fuck," he said, sliding his finger over the notification, and a bright blue bubble stared back at him.
Abe Tamura : 🍞
The bread emoji was code.
He didn't even remember exactly how, but the bread became challah , which became holla', which finally came to mean call me , but it was staring him in the face and Ace didn't know what to do. His thumb hovered over his former bandmates number—a number he hadn't called in well over six years.
Another message came thirty seconds later.
Abe Tamura: nick said u were in the studio 🍞
So Nick had known something he didn't know.
Impatient, Abe waited another thirty seconds before he was calling Ace himself.
"Abe," Ace answered.
"Ace, finally, took you long enough."
Ace rolled his eyes. "I answered after one ring."
"Whatever. I'm calling about the reunion."
"What reunion?" Ace feigned ignorance.
" The Bess Marvin Show wants to put on a 15th anniversary show for our debut album—have us sing a few songs, get the band back together."
"Bess you told you this?"
There was a brief pause on the other end before he answered. "Nancy Drew called me."
He felt a twinge. Nancy hadn't called him.
"And what did Nancy Drew tell you exactly?"
"What I just told you, a reunion of The Burning Bride, play a few songs from the debut, maybe a song or two from CURSED . Sign a few photos for the audience, kiss a few babies, sit for a quick interview."
"Have you talked to Gil?"
"Well—"
"Tamura." Ace winced.
"See, that's where you come in. You might be the only one who can get a hold of him."
He balked at that. "You think that I —the ex-boyfriend of his sister—can be the one to get Gil Bobbsey to show up for a reunion interview on Bess Marvin's show? What planet are you living on, Abe?"
"I thought you and Amanda were on good terms," Tamura said.
"Oh, so you actually want me to call my ex-girlfriend to get our former bandmate—who hates us by the way—to show up for a reunion." Ace was exasperated at this point.
Abe cleared his throat. "For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure he started these rumors himself. Odds are, he wants the publicity…he just wants to be dramatic about it."
"Right."
"So, you'll do it?"
Ace groaned. "What about Nancy?"
"What about her?"
"Am I supposed to play telephone again by calling you to call her after I call Amanda to call Gil?" He was exhausted and annoyed just thinking about it.
"She has the same number," Abe chuffed. "Call her yourself."
He did have her number, but he didn't need it. Ace still had it memorized.
"When are we supposed to record this reunion anyways?"
"Three weeks."
Ace sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You owe me."
"I don't owe you shit, Hardy. Get Gil to the studio."
And the line went silent.
Ace was now alone in the studio, unlocked phone lighting up his face as he stared it down. Did part of him want this reunion—to get the band back together? Absolutely. Did part of him also selfishly just want to see Nancy? Also yes.
*
He had made something of himself in the last fifteen years. He wasn't just a seventeen-year-old wannabe pop star with too many white v-necks and a silver hoop in his ear that sang cheesy lyrics to autotuned instruments—well, he still had the earring, but that was simply an aesthetic choice.
Horseshoe Bay Sound had some real talent attached to it, and Nick worked steadily as a session musician and Ace was highly sought after as a producer. It's not crazy to think maybe it was enough. The music he was making now, the work he was doing, it mattered.
Amanda's number was on the screen without Ace even realizing what he'd done and he took a deep breath before hitting the call button.
It rang three times before a woman answered.
"Hey," he said, unsure.
"Ace?" Amanda replied, sounding slightly confused.
He let out a sharp exhale. "Yeah, how have you been?"
"Uh, I've been good. I just got back from filming a segment on the Camino de Santiago for my new show on NatGeo."
"Wow, that's great," Ace said, and he meant it. He and Amanda had always gotten along (sans Gil), but at the end of the day their lives were going in two different directions. It was quiet again for a moment.
"Was there a reason for the call, Ace?" Amanda finally said, breaking the silence.
He cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "Yeah," he said, almost a sigh. "I need to talk to Gil about The Bess Marvin Show reunion—I know he knows about it, but I've been…tasked with getting him there."
Ace could hear Amanda furrow her brow. "Don't you have Gil's number?"
"You know he changes it every six months, and even if I did, do you honestly believe he would pick up a call from me?"
"Right," she sighed. He listened to her breath for another minute, before she continued. "Text me the information about the show and give me twenty minutes, okay?"
"Thank you," Ace said earnestly. "I owe you."
"I don't need anything, Ace—just…maybe don't call me anymore, okay?"
"Oh." He fidgeted, uncomfortable. "Okay."
"I'll text you when I get ahold of him."
"Thank you."
"Good-bye, Ace."
The phone went silent and Ace pulled it back, staring at the CALL ENDED as it flashed for a second before disappearing from the screen. He knew it wasn't fair to use Amanda to get to Gil, but he didn't feel like he had a choice in this situation.
He waited for Amanda to text him, messing with the mix on a single from their newest artist, Tristan Glass, on his computer. Seventeen minutes after hanging up, she sent him three words.
he'll be there
Another thirty seconds later she sent him Gil's new number and Ace added it to his contacts.
With a sigh of relief, Ace exited her message and pulled up Nancy's contact information. A new uneasiness settled in the pit of his stomach. They hadn't spoken in years and they hadn't left on particularly good terms.
Ace didn't want to believe that his feelings for Nancy were the real catalyst in the band falling apart, but they all had so much history.
*
They were wrapping up their tour for their fourth album, which hadn't done as well as the label had hoped. They wanted the band to return to their pop-punk roots—more upbeat, more marketable—but Ace was frustrated by the restraints on their creativity. They were flying back to LA, a long leg from London, where they had had their final show of the tour. Gil was flirting with the flight attendants in the back galley, Abe was watching a documentary on the in-flight TV, Nick was reading, and Owen was passed out against the window with a neck pillow wrapped snugly around his throat. Ace had his computer out, headphones holding back his hair from his face as his fingers tapped against the tray table.
He didn't notice when Nancy slid into the seat beside him. She swayed and bumped his shoulder gently and his hands flung to his ears, pulling the headphones down his neck.
"Hey," he said, reaching up to turn the reading light on. It set a harsh golden light between them, but she still looked effortlessly pretty.
"What are you working on?" His eyes dropped to the Word document he had pulled up. Before he could react, Nancy leaned over, shoulder brushing against his chest as she squinted at the screen. "Are these lyrics?"
I've been holding onto these emotions, a secret I can't contain
A burning passion deep inside, driving me insane
Every time we're together, my heart skips a beat
But I'm afraid to show you, fearing I'll face defeat
Ace's stomach turned, watching the realization spread across her face as she read.
Aching to confess, my heart's a tangled mess
But I'll find the courage to say the words, just wait and see
Together we could soar, love as fierce as the ocean's roar
Let's brave the fire, let our souls intertwine and be free
"Ace—"
"You don't need to say anything."
"I don't—I don't know what to say."
He knew what the words on the screen said. What they meant.
And now so did she.
*
His phone screen taunted him with Nancy's number as he shook the memory from his head. That song went onto hit number one the second week on the charts.
Three minutes later, he had mustered up enough courage to hit CALL.
It rang…and rang. He held his breath until she picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hello?"
Her voice flooded him with memories, nearly choking him as he managed a "Hey."
"Ace," she said, softer—the way she always said his name when it was just the two of them.
"Hey, Nancy." He stopped, trying to steady his heartbeat again. "I'm sure you were expecting my call."
"I was."
Ace ran his hand through his hair. "I got a hold of Gil. He's in—I can send you his new number."
"Great," she said, and he could hear her typing in the background of the call. "Bess wants you guys to perform three songs—all from the debut—but I would say you guys should be prepared to perform something from CURSED as well."
Ace cringed, knowing what that album was—who it was about.
"You have room in your studio for all the guys, right?"
"Yeah," he answered. "It's big enough for all four of us—and a few studio musicians if we need."
The tapping of computer keys echoed loudly as he waited for Nancy to speak again. "I have some contracts to send over, nothing crazy, just for the show—but honestly, you guys should talk about what comes after the reunion and what that might look like. I can send you some names of management firms I am sure would love to have you guys."
"Management? What about you?"
"Nancy Drew Entertainment isn't really looking to take on new clients right now—I am doing this as a favor to an old friend. Bess has always been good to me—and you guys, and this was important to her."
Bess had been good to them.
*
The first time they'd appeared on her show they were nobodies—but their performance had rocketed their single to the top of the charts and opened doors for them that they didn't even know existed. They were getting booked on radio shows, late night talk shows—even a stint on SNL. Ace had developed a friendship with the woman, too—exchanging emails and texts at all hours of the night while they were on tour, in the studio recording, rehearsing for weeks on end—she'd looked out for him when his parents stopped talking to him for a year when he started pursuing music full-time.
Bess would ask him for dating advice—as if he had much to offer. He only managed to stay with Amanda as long as he did because they lived very separate lives. It was easy to pretend you're meant for each other when you don't see each other every day.
When the band began to break apart, Bess had been there to talk. She never used it as fodder for her show, even though entertainment news was her #1 topic of conversation on her show. It was always kept just between the two of them.
She had also been the first one to notice his feelings for Nancy, even before he had fully realized it himself. Bess had pointed out that he might miss his window, and he ignored it. Nancy and Owen had taken somewhat of a break during the tour for their fourth album, but reconnected once they were back in the studio for what ended up being their final record.
During that time, Ace became the point of contact, a position Owen had held almost the entirety of their time as a band. Nancy would text him all hours of the night; it started with checking in about appearances and wardrobe questions, but eventually it was just how was your day? and i miss you .
It had felt like something was happening, but Ace didn't know what to do with the messy, tangled feeling in his gut. A week before they were preparing for the European leg of their tour—the last thing before the label wanted them back in the studio—Nancy had gotten news her mother was sick.
She showed up at Ace's door in the middle of the night, hair windswept, blotchy red cheeks, wet-rimmed eyes—still beautiful.
"Nancy?" Ace answered the door shirtless, groggy from being awoken. She stepped into his chest, crying and he wrapped his arms around her. They stood there holding each other for a long time until he eventually tucked her into his bed where she fell asleep immediately.
If things weren't confusing before that, they certainly were after.
It didn't feel right to say something when Nancy had been in pain, grieving. But the next day, Nancy had looked at him in a way that shifted the ground beneath them. Everything and nothing was said in the moment of silence they shared before Nancy left the next morning. Something powerful happened, and Ace couldn't explain it—not in spoken words so much, but maybe in another way.
That's when he started writing CURSED.
*
"Right, of course," Ace muttered. "Um, send over whatever."
"I have a flight to LA booked for Thursday night. I assume Gil and Abe will be there by then?"
Ace looked at his watch aimlessly. "Yeah," he said, without actually confirming.
"Great, I will bring the contracts and an itinerary for the band. Please have a setlist ready for me."
Ace nodded.
"Ace?" Nancy asked after a moment of silence.
"Right, yes, we will have that ready for you on Thursday."
It was Sunday. He only really had three days to get the band ready for Nancy—to get himself ready to see her.
"Okay," she said, and Ace could hear her take a deep breath. "I'll see you Thursday, Ace."
"Yep. See you Thursday."
They hung up and Ace stared at his phone.
A message had come in from Gil—he would be in the studio tomorrow. A minute later a group text had been made by Abe with a request for Ace to add Gil. All four of them were now in a chat together for the first time in nearly a decade and the first message is from Gil:
what's up shitheads
ready to rock this?
Ace rolled his eyes and groaned. He wasn't really sure why he'd agreed to this, but any publicity was good publicity at this point and he wasn't going to turn down an opportunity to see Bess—or Nancy.
*
The next afternoon, Nick was the first one to show up. He let himself into the studio, guitar case in hand. He set it down against the wall and pulled out his acoustic, sitting himself on a stool to tune the instrument while Ace paced along the soundboard.
"Ace," he said.
Ace stopped and turned towards his friend. "What?"
"You're pacing."
"I'm not pacing."
"You're absolutely pacing."
Ace looked down and he was not standing where he had been fifteen seconds prior. "Shit," he said, rubbing his hands on his jeans nervously. "Are you really sure this is a good idea?"
Nick tilted his head. "It's a little late to be asking me that, Ace. Tamura and Gil are going to be here in less than an hour." He was playing a familiar melody from their debut single, and Ace felt a surge of nostalgia. He hummed along with the melody.
Together we'll conquer, defy all the rules
With love in our hearts, we'll always be true
No matter where we go, we'll never fall apart
We'll keep on fighting, rebels from the start
"God, we were so cheesy back then." Ace shook his head.
Nick smiled. "We were, but it was fun, wasn't it?"
His phone buzzed and Ace saw the notification from the security system outside the studio. He pulled up the app and none other than Gil Bobbsey was standing outside their doors. Ace let out a sharp exhale and buzzed him in, bracing himself.
Two minutes later, Gil pushed through the final door between the building entrance and the studio doors and Ace felt his jaw clench.
"Hardy."
"Bobbsey."
Gil glanced over at Nick. "Nickerson."
"Hey, Gil. Long time."
Gil's eyebrows raised in an uninterested manner. "Nice digs. How long have you guys been here?"
Ace rolled his eyes, as if Gil didn't know.
"Three years, last month," Nick answered him, aggressively ignoring Ace in the corner of the room. "We signed our 15th artist last week and we're looking to sign another group by the end of the year. It's been really great."
Gil nodded, nonchalant and unimpressed. He moved around the room, touching things as if to mark his territory. "So, we have less than three weeks to get ready for this show."
"Right, so I had this idea—" Nick started.
"I haven't really thought about our stuff in years," Gil said, shrugging. "I definitely need a refresher. I've been touring all year with a. Park and it's been going really well. I am supposed to record my next album in a couple months."
It took all his restraint not to say something, but Nick shot him a look and Ace kept his mouth shut.
"Yeah, I have been working on some new arrangements from a few of the songs from the debut," Nick jumped in. "But, I am open to some ideas once Abe is here—we definitely need to rework a few things, especially Owen's parts."
Gil rolled his eyes—Ace fought the urge to return the gesture.
"It's been a long time since we sang together, we don't have to act like we're 21 again and our audience is a bunch of pre-teens." Nick grabbed his phone and unlocked the screen. "I thought this arrangement—"
"It's a reunion," he scoffed. "Isn't the whole point to sing the classics?"
Ace gritted his teeth. "There is no harm in playing around with the song, Gil. It's been 15 years since we recorded it; we're all very different people now."
There was another alert at the front door and Nick buzzed them in.
"Hey boys," Abe said, arms wide with all his bravado. "Miss me?"
The three of them stared at Abe, the tension in the room was stuffy and Ace already felt like he needed air. "Tamura."
"Hardy." He nodded at Nick. "Nickerson, looking good. You been working out?"
Nick shook his head with a half smile.
"Why the long faces, guys? We got the band back together!" Abe looked around. "Well, minus Marv, may he rest in peace."
Ace closed his eyes. Owen was a good guy, and standing here, just the four of them, felt incomplete.
"Can we just get started?" Ace finally said, sitting down in the roller chair by the soundboard. "Nancy wants a setlist by Thursday."
Gil stopped moving for a second. "Nancy is coming?"
"Yeah," Ace said, messing with a few buttons. Petty, annoying jealousy bubbled up knowing Nancy had absolutely slept with Gil at some point during one of her breaks from Owen. A hatefuck but nonetheless, it brought something feral to the surface of Ace's chest. "She has some contracts for us to sign. She also sent over a bunch of contacts for management firms for us to look over."
Tamura frowned. "She doesn't want to represent us?"
Ace could feel Nick staring at him, telepathically understanding that Ace did not want to explain the situation further—because as simple as her explanation was, Ace felt there was more to it.
"Her firm is extremely successful," Nick interjected. I'm sure she just can't take on new clients herself right now."
"Whatever," Abe said. "We don't need the drama anyways."
Anger flared up in his chest, but Ace flexed his hand on his thigh in restraint. He knew what Abe meant by it, but he wasn't going to let a ten year old issue cause any more drama than it already had.
"Let's make some then, lads," Nick slapped his thighs and slid off his stool.
*
The next couple of days dragged on as the four of them reworked the harmonies on Sea Queen and Ace anxiously awaited the alert that Nancy's plane had landed.
Underneath the moonlit sky, we'll swim, we'll dance,
Beneath the surface, we'll find our chance
Surely enough time had passed that those feelings had long faded away, but the minute she walked in the door, the dam burst and he was 21 with butterflies in his stomach all over again. Now a decade older, Nancy was even more beautiful than ever. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, long coppery bangs hung around her face. She tucked one side behind her ear as she struggled with her suitcase through the door to the studio.
Ace stood there dumbfounded as Nick jumped to help her. He watched them hug and Nancy made her rounds, greeting the other two warmly—even Gil—until her eyes landed on him.
The atmosphere in the room shifted and Ace suddenly forgot how to speak.
"I need a cigarette," Gil said loudly and grabbed Tamura by the elbow. "Who needs a cigarette?"
"I don't smo—" Abe started before being herded out of the room. Nick stepped into the recording booth, out of earshot while Nancy and Ace stood facing each other.
Ace was transported back to the curb at the airport in LA, standing awkwardly as they waited for their cars.
*
"Nancy," he finally said, voice hoarse from the long flight…and the nerves.
She looked at him, conflict flashing in her eyes.
"About the song, I—"
"Owen asked me to marry him."
Ace felt his heart stutter. "Oh, I didn't—"
He hadn't realized they were back on again.
She shook her head. "After everything we've been through…"
He noticed she wasn't wearing the ring.
"What did you say?" Ace adjusted the bag on his shoulder.
Nancy looked at him, almost as if she was waiting for him to say more. "I told him I needed some time."
Ace nodded, chewing absently on the inside of his cheek. "Congrats then, I guess."
Her shoulders dropped. "Yeah, thanks."
A car pulled up and Nancy handed her bags off to the driver, looking back at Ace briefly. A lump lodged itself in his throat as he watched her leave.
*
"Hey, Ace," Nancy said and they were back in his studio. Ace rubbed his clammy palms on his jeans and forced a smile.
"Hey."
"I listened to Fan-dom's new single—it sounds great, like you."
The tension fizzled out a little and Ace relaxed. "Thanks, I'm proud of that mix. Jesse and Charlie really nailed the vocals." Nancy stepped forward and opened her arms, trying to meet him halfway. Ace leaned into the hug and she smelled like he remembered, a distinctly Nancy smell, like a bookstore in fall.
They lingered in the hug for a beat longer than felt friendly and Nick cleared his throat as he stepped back into the room. "You ready to hear what we've been working on?"
Nancy spun around, bright eyed and let out a shaky breath. "Yes, absolutely."
Tamura and Gil stumbled back into the studio a minute later.
"You two kiss and make up yet?" Gil sneered and Tamura elbowed him in the ribcage. Ace rolled his eyes and Nancy laughed, and for a minute there was a sense of hope in the air.
He stood back and watched Nancy take a spot next to Nick at the soundboard as he played her back a few arrangement recordings they'd been working on the past few days.
*
It was nearly midnight when they called it and began packing up. Gil and Tamura headed out to their hotel—Gil was living in New York most of the year now, and Tamura worked for a label in Nashville. Ace lived upstairs, and Nick had his own place 20 minutes away. Nancy lingered as they filed out of the studio space as Ace shut down his computer and cleaned off the tables.
"Do you need a ride to your hotel?" Ace asked, not looking at her as he kept himself busy moving around the room. If he stopped moving he might have to face the reality of being alone with Nancy again.
When she didn't answer, Ace finally stilled and turned to look at her.
She had her arms crossed against her chest, studying him. "Is it just going to be like this?" Nancy asked.
"Like this? Like what?" Ace frowned.
She sighed, her chest deflating. "We haven't really talked in what, five years? You're really just going to avoid any kind of real conversation?"
Ace felt his jaw tighten.
They stood at an impasse for a good minute before he yielded. "What am I supposed to say, Nancy?"
*
After they had gotten back to LA, Ace had thrown himself into writing their next album. Two months later, they were in the studio recording sans Nancy. It wasn't unusual for her not to be there, but even when she missed sessions, there were Facetime calls and texts requesting demos—this time it had been radio silence.
They recorded CURSED in a record time. Ace kept them in the studio for hours every day for five weeks—staying by himself into the early morning hours to tweak and mix and produce. He analyzed every lyric he wrote and every note that was played. This album felt different than anything else they had made before.
When it was done, Ace had written two dozen songs—most of them about Nancy.
Gil and Abe hadn't picked up on the vibe, too wrapped up in their own perceptions of the lyrics and what they meant to them personally, but Nick knew.
Nick had always known.
"Are you going to tell Owen?" he asked him, one night in the final week before they were to schedule to send the final mix to the label.
Ace rolled his eyes. "Am I going to tell Owen I basically just wrote an entire album about my feelings for Nancy?" he scoffed. "What good will that do?"
"What good is harboring feelings for a woman who is engaged to another man for years doing?" Nick cried. "There is no way this ends well—for any of us."
"It's fine, Nick—they're just songs."
Nick shook his head. "I think we both know that's not true, Ace."
Deep inside, Ace knew Nick was right, though. How did this end?
In a love song and a broken heart.
The label liked the album but were skeptical of its commercial appeal, hoping they would have taken a return to some of their original sound. Ace was confident their fan base would love it and they were given the green light—and he was right.
CURSED sold more in the first week than their last two albums had, and their first single hit #1 on the Billboard charts the week it was released. They were on par to reach debut album levels of success and the demand for a world tour ramped up. Nancy reappeared as planning for the tour began, but mostly steered clear of Ace.
The North America leg was booked tight and the guys were preparing themselves for months on the road. They were able to afford a bigger caravan this time around, and Ace was grateful not to have to share a bus with Gil again—or Owen.
Because where Owen went, Nancy wasn't far behind.
Ace kept an eye on them as they played night after night of sold-out shows. Something felt off, but he didn't want to read too much into it, to get his hopes up too much.
Then Detroit happened.
*
Detroit in August was hot and muggy and Ace felt his head swelling with the feedback from the amps and the roar of the crowd. Halfway through the leg of the tour and every crowd had been more electric than the last. The lights shined down on them as they finished Dangerous Mind , energy pulsing through the stadium. It was time to slow it down a little before they headed into the build-up to the end of the show.
Come and witness the fire inside, burning bright,
In this dangerous mind, where love takes flight.
No matter the battle I face, I'll hold on tight,
In this dangerous mind, love weaves its light.
So, let the thunder roar, let the lightning strike,
I'll pave my own way, illuminated by love's light.
A dangerous mind, it's a gift I will embrace,
For it's in the chaos, love finds its truest grace.
He leaned into the mic, waiting for a small lull. "How about we change gears a little?"
The crowd cheered in anticipation.
Ace grabbed a stool and dragged it to the center of the stage, lowering his mic so he could sit in front of it. The rest of the guys followed suit as they sat in a large semi-circle as the crowd settled down, waiting.
The music started and Ace looked to his left, catching a glimpse of Nancy standing in the wing—standing like she always did, arms crossed against her chest. The first few notes of Tangled Souls began and Ace couldn't pull his eyes away from her.
I'm feeling lost, inside this world of dark
Our souls are crossed, but we're missing the spark
Trapped in this maze, so much confusion, it seems
Two tangled hearts, stuck in endless dreams
The words tumbled from his mouth and they stayed locked on each other. The song came to the end of Ace's verse and he tore his eyes away from the woman in the wing and scanned the boys sitting on their stools.
We're searching for the key, to unlock our destiny
Through all the noise and the crowd, can't you hear my silent plea?
Owen was staring right at him.
Ace watched as he followed Owen as he turned his body slightly, enough so he could see where Ace had just been looking—right at Nancy, and then back to him. Ace felt his chest grow tight as they headed into the chorus.
Tangled hearts, we're caught up in a mess
Trying to find a way, to undo this distress
But I won't let go, no matter how it seems
Our love will break the chains of these tangled dreams
Understanding registered on Owen's face when he realized what so many people had pointed out to Ace before—he was singing to Nancy.
The night was the beginning of the end.
*
After the show he nearly walked into a huge fight between Nancy and Owen.
"—tell me you're not in love with him, too!"
"Owen, this isn't about him, this is about us !"
Ace didn't stick around to find out how it ended.
*
A week later Owen walked, and the rest of the tour began to fall apart. He officially claimed that he had a huge change of heart; that he had bigger aspirations than being in some boyband . Ace cringed when he said that, because he felt they had grown so much bigger than the box that being a boyband stuck them in.
The label dropped them after they'd canceled the last three weeks of the tour. Without Owen there to balance them out, Gil and Ace fought like crazy, Abe was no help, and Nick wanted nothing to do with the drama.
Ace hated checking out at the grocery store to see every tabloid speculating what happened behind the scenes. Why did they break up? What caused the rift between the five boys? The ones that made him that angriest were the ones that painted Nancy as an object to be won.
Sources close to the band claim there was a falling out between Ace Hardy and Owen Marvin over their feelings about manager Nancy Drew.
He wanted to believe Nancy stopped talking to him to preserve her engagement to Owen—to give them the best shot at succeeding. Inside, he felt like he wasn't good enough and he spent the next five years trying to make something of himself. Something that might make her believe in him.
Then he ran into her at a release party.
*
Nearly thirty now, but Nancy was still Nancy. Scanning the room, soaking in every detail of her surroundings, cataloging every person who crossed her path. Ace could practically see the manila folders she tucked her information away in the glassy reflection of her eyes.
"Ace, oh my god," Nancy muttered, nearly spilling the drink she pulled away from her lips. She pulled his shoulder down into a half hug with her free arm. It was brief and she had stepped away before Ace could re-memorize the curve of her body against his.
"Nancy Drew," he said, lips curling into a tentative smile.
"I thought I heard that you worked on this album."
Ace nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets nervously. "Yeah, Fan-dom was the first group we signed onto our label. Nick and me, I mean."
Nancy nodded. "Yeah, Nick told me."
"You've been talking to Nick?"
She shrugged. "A little here and there."
Ace finally forced himself to look at her left hand.
The music was pulsing around them as the crowd got bigger. Behind them, Ace could see Nick chatting with the Fan-dom manager, George. He scanned the crowd for—
"We broke up."
Ace tore his eyes from the crowd and looked back at Nancy.
"What?"
Nancy dropped her eyes to the drink in her hand. "Owen and I—we're not together anymore."
"I didn't—I'm sorry," Ace mumbled.
She shrugged. "It's been like a year now, it just wasn't working. Too much…I don't know, time? History?"
His tongue darted out to wet his lips. He had been waiting for a moment like this since the day he saw Nancy from across the room. Plaid skirt, fitted blouse, scarf tied delicately against her throat. Nancy looked up and met his gaze. Ace felt his heart hammering against his chest. "Do you want to go somewhere quiet and talk?"
"Yeah."
She set her drink down on the closest table and slipped a hand into his. Ace tugged her towards the door. They made it about four steps before someone grabbed him.
"Ace, you're needed up front!"
It was some crew member helping with the event, and Ace felt every nerve in his body scream. He didn't want to be needed up front, he wanted to disappear to a dark, quiet corner and talk to Nancy.
She gave his hand a squeeze. "Go," she said. "I'll be here."
"Are you sure?" Ace frowned.
Nancy nodded and pulled her hand away and pushed his shoulder. " Go. "
"I'll come find you."
Ace wished he could say he went and found her, but he never had the chance. He tried calling her the next day: no answer; texting: no answer. He even tried to send her a message on Instagram: no answer. Every day after that he spent hoping she would reach out, but she never did.
*
Six weeks later, Owen got into a car accident, and everything happened so fast, Ace didn't know how to process it all before he found himself at the memorial service dressed in black. Gil made a brief appearance—long enough to be photographed—but Abe and Nick stood with him as they paid their respects. Nick even sang one of the songs Owen helped write from their third album.
After all the words were said and all the hands were shaken, Ace lingered in the lobby outside the service. He saw Nancy talking to Aunt Diana across the room and he started towards her. Bess stopped him halfway and pulled him into a hug.
"I can't believe he's gone," Bess said through tears.
Ace sniffled, holding back a wave of emotion. "Me neither."
They held each other for a moment before Bess pulled back, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. "Have you talked to Nancy?"
He shook his head. "I fucked up and she stopped talking to me and I don't even know if she wants to see me."
"Life's too short to wonder, Ace." Bess reached down and squeezed his hand. "We all really need each other right now."
Over her shoulder, Ace could see Nancy finishing her conversation with Diana and he sighed. Bess nodded at him and let go of his hand. A minute later he was a foot away from Nancy, half facing him.
"Hey," he said, almost a whisper.
She turned towards him. "Ace." Her voice was broken and he felt his heart splinter as he reached out for her, hoping she was receptive. Nancy curled into his chest, accepting the hug as she slid her hands around his middle, tangling her hands into his dress shirt.
"I'm so sorry," he said into her hair. "I'm so fucking sorry for everything."
He felt her whole body shudder against him.
"I need some air," she finally said, peeling herself out of the embrace.
Ace followed her wordlessly into the brisk fall afternoon. She stood on the curb, staring off into the forest on the edge of the property. Every bone in his body was screaming at him to tell her how he felt—how much he wanted to be the person to hold her and support her as they navigated this loss. But every speech he crafted in his mind felt hollow.
"Nancy," he said, before he could stop himself. "I need to say something."
She turned around to face him.
"I'm sorry I didn't show up after the release party. The night got away from me and by the time I was free again, you were gone." Nancy was watching him intently, a million different emotions masked her face. "I have feelings for you, I've had feelings for you—for a long time. But you were with Owen and I was an idiot to not say something sooner and I know this is a bad time, like, really shitty timing but I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't say something." He stopped for a beat, trying to read her expression. "So I said it."
Her mouth dropped open as she stared at him with watery eyes. Nancy started shaking her head. "Why are you telling me now ?"
Ace shrugged, desperate and panicked. "I don't know!" He threw his arms up. "I have tried moving on."
She shook her head.
He stepped towards her, and she flinched. "Say something."
Nancy bowed her head, still moving it back and forth in disbelief. "I met someone," she said, barely a whisper.
Ace felt his throat close up and his chest grow tight. He had missed his window again, and he felt like he was 23 again, pouring his heart into CURSED , hoping it was enough. Ten years later, there he was with Nancy again—wishing every song he wrote wasn't about her.
*
"I'm not the one who's been avoiding a real conversation for five years," Ace continued. "I have been trying to make something out of myself since I was seventeen. If that's not enough, I am fine with that—I made peace with the fact that you were destined for bigger things a long time ago."
The room was stuffy, and Nancy looked at him in a way that turned his entire world upside down. The same way she had all those nights on the tour bus; the long flight from Paris; in Detroit; at the release party; at Owen's service. And every time, Ace felt that glimmer of hope that she meant something by it.
"You made it clear you don't have feelings for me, Nancy—I'm not asking you to. We're adults, I respect your decision, but you're the one who didn't call, didn't text. I don't know what more you want from me."
"I didn't mean—"
"You never do, Nancy."
He didn't mean for it to come out so harshly, but how was he supposed to move on with his goddamn life when every time she showed up, he fell in love with her all over again.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
" I'm sorry," he spat out quickly, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration. "That wasn't fair. I just—need some more time."
It felt stupid saying it, they'd had nothing but time. Fifteen years of time.
"I get it, I just—" she struggled for words. "I just want you to know that I'm done avoiding the conversation."
"Okay," he scoffed, tossing his hands up. He felt dumb standing there.
She started gathering her things. "My car is here."
"Okay," he said again.
"I'll be in town until the show, if you need anything."
Ace just nodded his head once and watched her leave.
*
The next two weeks were long. Relearning choreography, trying not to feel silly about it, and rehearsing the same five songs over and over. Gil and Tamura argued about which song from CURSED to do.
"Why not Starry-Eyed ?" Abe asked for the sixth time.
Gil rolled his eyes. "It's about Nancy."
Ace recounted the words in his head.
Should I risk it all and let my true feelings flow?
Or stay in this friendship, afraid to let you know
The fear of losing what we already share
Yet, deep inside, my heart cannot bear
"They're all about Nancy, dipshit."
"Shut up," Nick sighed. Ace glanced over where he was sitting on a couch, fingers pressed against his temples. "We're doing Growing on Her first, followed by Rebel Hearts— "
"I said I don't want to do Rebel Hearts ," Abe whined. "Can we do Will You Hold Me instead? Please?"
Nick sighed, rubbed the side of his face and closed his eyes. "Fine, but if I have to make any more changes to this setlist, Bess is going to have all our asses." He grabbed his pen and amended their playlist notes and continued, " Will You Hold Me , Sea Queen , and then from CURSED we're deciding between: Cursed and I Think I Love You ."
The room was quiet, waiting for Ace to say his piece. It was his album—his words—after all.
"We're doing That Long. "
All three of them started talking at once in protest. Ace stood up and held out a hand. "I know, I know. We can just do it stripped down, no dumb choreography, no amps or sound mixing. Just us."
"Bess is going to hate us," Gil groaned.
"She owes me one," Ace said with a smirk. "A few years ago she begged me to get her tickets to Lisbeth on her Undercover tour. I knew a guy."
"I guess we're set then," Nick said and dropped his pen on the table. "I have a meeting with one of our bands managers—"
"A meeting, huh?" Ace jibed, knowing who the manager was.
Nick shot him a look. "A meeting to talk about their upcoming single release and music video shoot."
"Right, tell George I said hi."
Gil and Tamura were already packing up and Ace stayed, playing around on his keyboard. "I'll shoot Nancy the final setlist," Ace confirmed as the rest of the group headed out. "I'm going to play around for a bit, I'll lock up."
They waved him off and stretched his fingers over the keys. He hummed a few notes, playing around with a melody that had been bouncing around in his head most of the afternoon.
He cleared his throat as he pressed down on a low chord, reverberating in the quiet room.
" But I'm standing at the edge. " He stopped and changed the chord, humming in his head. " Ready to take the dive, With shaking knees and beating heart, I'm worthy, I'm alive." He dropped his hands to his thighs, making phantom hand placements, mentally reworking the tune he had just played. He repeated the lines, returning to the keys and continued to build on the song. " Worth the risk, worth the fight, Though it may bring pain in sight."
He groaned and smashed the keys, a jumble of notes ringing out.
"I think you have a hit on your hands with that one." Ace whipped around to see Nancy leaning on the doorway. "Nick let me in, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't," he lied, turning back to the instrument he was sitting at, idly playing another melody.
"Was that a new song?"
Ace shrugged a non-answer.
"Will you play it for me?"
She was standing right behind him now—so aware that every nerve ending screamed at Ace to relax. He took a deep breath and scooted slightly to the right, allowing Nancy to slip onto the bench next to him.
Ace repositioned his long fingers, spread across the surface, barely touching the keys while he mentally prepared himself. He was long past the years of stage fright, or pre-show jitters, but there was something about Nancy being inches away from him. He felt her arm brush up against his as they squeezed together on the small seat.
The keyboard vibrated with a moody chord as his hand began to move, dancing across the instrument. Nancy leaned into him as he built up to the song. "I'm still working on it," he said over the music.
"That's okay," she whispered.
" Caught in moments, lost in time, it seems, " Ace began, forcing himself to stare at his hands. " Aching heart and restless mind, love dreams. Tossed in waves of doubt, questioning my worth." He paused, trying to remember the next line. "Oh— Longing for a love that's real, to break free from the earth. "
He licked his lips before continuing, the melody growing softer. " But I'm standing at the edge, ready to take the dive. With shaking knees and beating heart, I'm worthy, I'm alive. "
The room had grown still around them, as if everything else had melted away.
" Worth the risk, " he sang, turning his head slightly to Nancy on his left. " Worth the fight."
Every word came out softer, and by the time he got to the next line, his voice broke. " Though it may bring pain in sight. "
Nancy ducked her head. "Keep going," she urged.
" Love has taught me how to heal, Through heartbreak, waiting, love revealed. " He stopped abruptly. "And then it goes into the next verse," Ace said hoarsely, rubbing his hands on his thighs below the keyboard. Nancy reached over, leaning harder into his side and placed a hand over his.
"Please don't stop."
Ace swallowed and looked back at his hands, the lyrics already stuck on the back of his throat. " Thinking back on memories, bittersweet, " he sang softly. The memories of the last fifteen years: concerts, tours, song-writing sessions, release parties, celebrations, laughter, crying, love, loss; all the things they had been through together. " Of smiles shared and tender nights, complete. Through the highs and lows, I've shed my tears, But I won't let past pains dictate my future years. "
He stopped again, drifting his gaze back to Nancy who was staring back at him. Her eyes were soft, she looked open and vulnerable sitting there next to him. Ace always knew when her walls were up—a default for her for almost as long as he'd known her. They were suspended in the moment as the chord faded to silence.
Nancy tipped her chin up, mouth inches from his.
" Cause I'm standing at the edge, ready to take the leap, " Ace sang in a cadence that sounded like he was just speaking to her now. "I don't really like the rest of this pre-chorus, so I am trying to figure out what comes next…"
"Mhm," she hummed, so close now he could almost feel the vibration behind her lips. "But," she started, enunciating the word slowly as their noses brushed against each other. She hummed the melody of the chorus. " Worth the risk, " she sang back his own words to him, her voice shaky and unsure.
"Fuck it," he said and kissed her.
Nancy grabbed onto his arm, trying not to slide off the piano bench. Ace pulled his hands away from the keys, twisting his body enough to reach up and cup her jaw. Kissing Nancy was like playing the penultimate song at a concert—a classic, well loved song that the crowd had been waiting for the entire show. The buzz he felt as he kissed her, the corners of her mouth pulling into a smile against him as he held her there, deepening the kiss. He was drowning, running out of air, refusing to let it end out of fear that it was the last song of the night.
He pulled back and he saw Nancy's head bob forward. She caught herself, grabbing Ace's wrist as he still cradled her face. Nancy let out a sharp breath and met his gaze.
"Was that okay?" he asked, suddenly unsure.
"Definitely." She smiled and Ace felt the tension in his shoulders release and he laughed.
Nancy furrowed her brow. "What's so funny?"
"I don't even know." He shook his head. "I just never thought this would happen—and definitely not like this."
Nancy dropped her forehead to Ace's shoulder, and he let his hand down, covering Nancy's as he pulled it into his lap. "I didn't think we'd get here either, not after everything."
"Are you hungry?"
Nancy pulled her head up and squeezed his hand. "Starving."
Ace couldn't hide his smile and leaned down and kissed her again and it was better than a crowd cheering, demanding an encore at the end of a set. With Nancy, it was a sold out tour, a triple platinum album, and a Grammy nomination. Nancy was the song he had been waiting for.
*
They stayed up until 3am over Lu Chow's takeout and boxed wine, laughing and talking, reminiscing on the ridiculous music video wardrobe choices that had been made for them over the years. They talked about the relationships that had failed; Nancy asked him about his mom and dad; Ace found out Nancy had a new little sister; Nancy admitted she had bought every album Ace had worked on. They talked about Owen and looked back on the years the band had been together—all the highs and lows.
By the time they realized what time it was, Nancy was half asleep on the couch as he moved around the room, cleaning up their mess. "You can stay," Ace said cautiously. "If you want."
Nancy waved him closer as he towered above her laying on the cushions. She reached up and tugged on his shirt and Ace steadied himself, planting a hand on the arm of the couch behind her head as he ducked down. She arched up to pull herself into a kiss and Ace felt his knees grow weak.
Ace climbed halfway onto the couch, tucking Nancy's leg between his own as he covered her body. Trying not to crush her, his hand slid down the denim of her jeans and grabbed beneath a thigh for purchase. Nancy pressed against his lips, her tongue desperate and searching as they came together. Ace had a hand under her shirt as he tugged on her bottom lip and Nancy let out a groan. They pulled apart, breathless and Ace pressed his forehead to hers. "Does that mean you want to stay?"
"Always, forever."
He hauled her up off the couch, and Nancy wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her up to his room.
*
The day before they were set to record The Bess Marvin Show in front of her live studio audience, Ace ran out to grab coffees before the guys came to the studio for final rehearsals. He had left Nancy half-asleep in his bed with the promise of sustenance upon his return.
As he walked back, he got a buzz on his phone, it was a text from Tamura.
heading in early, got coffees
Ace looked at his watch—almost two hours before they were scheduled to start for the day. Panic set in, not knowing how close Abe was to walking into the studio with a half-naked Nancy upstairs in his bed. He shot Abe a reply.
got my own coffee thanks, no need to get there too quickly!
Ace tapped back on his screen to pull up his text thread with Nancy to give her a warning—knowing her phone was probably on Do Not Disturb and plugged in on the other side of the room. He started to jog, careful not to spill the drinks, hoping to beat Abe there.
He arrived at the studio, tapping in the security code quickly and immediately regretting having given it to the guys for the weeks leading up to the show. Ace cursed under his breath when he pushed through the door to find Tamura standing in the middle of the studio holding a drink carrier full of coffee cups and staring at Nancy—wearing only the free XL t-shirt he had gotten from visiting the Berklee College of Music campus in Boston years ago and holding a glass of water.
Ace immediately mouthed an ' I'm sorry' over Abe's shoulder. "Abe!" Ace said loudly. "What brings you here so early?"
Abe opened his stance so he could look between Ace and Nancy, and squinted. "Well, I wasn't expecting this."
"Tamura," Ace said firmly and Abe looked at him. Nancy took the opportunity to escape back upstairs. "What are you doing here?"
Tamura finally set the drinks down and pulled up his phone. "We're trending on Twitter."
Ace narrowed his eyes. "And that warranted you showing up two hours early?"
"Look," he said, holding out his screen and scrolling through the feed. "The fans are demanding a reunion tour."
"Already?" Ace took the phone into his own grasp and continued to scan the tweets. "We haven't even recorded the show yet."
Tamura shrugged. "The hype is big—Nancy's firm put out a big campaign about our reunion show, and released a TikTok with a bunch of old footage to muster up publicity. Everyone is talking about us."
Ace glanced at the ceiling and shook his head. "Nancy," he said under his breath. "Well, okay what does this mean?"
"I think it means we get the band back together—for real," he replied.
"For real? Like, for real, for real?" Ace handed him back his phone.
Abe nodded. "Yeah, you better get writing, Hardy—and by the looks of it, you have some great new material for a new album already."
Ace punched him in the shoulder just hard enough that it triggered an, "Ouch!" Abe rubbed his arm and frowned. "Hey, we've been waiting for this to happen for a decade!"
Ace walked away and flipped him off over his shoulder. "Wait down here, please. I'll be back in a little bit."
"Whatever; the walls are thin!"
*
Nancy was pulling on her jeans sans shirt as Ace walked back into his room, closing the door behind him. He set their coffees on the nightstand and pulled Nancy into a hug. "I'm sorry about that," he said into her hair. "I tried to warn you."
They pulled apart and Nancy reached up to brush a loose strand of hair out of Ace's face. "As long as you brought bagels."
"Who said anything about bagels?"
Nancy frowned, and stepped back.
"I'm kidding, they're downstairs. Although, no guarantees Tamura doesn't eat them all before we get back down there." He kissed her forehead and sat on the edge of the bed as she pulled her blouse over her hair and fixed her hair. "I heard about the publicity campaign."
Nancy finished putting her earrings on and stepped between Ace's thighs. He grabbed her hips and buried his face in her chest. "Thank you," he said, muffled.
She raked her hands through his hair, tugging gently at the base of his neck so he would look at her. Ace propped his chin on her sternum and pressed his lips together. "I have always believed in you guys—in you. I think you have the opportunity to make something really great, even if it's just one song, or one album. Horseshoe Bay Sound deserves to be thrust into the limelight."
Ace ran his hands over her butt and thighs and gave the backs of her knees a little pull to knock her off balance. She laughed as she dropped onto his chest as he flopped backwards on the mattress, wrapping his arms around her. "I really appreciate it," he said as her face hovered over his, auburn hair cascading over her shoulders. Tucking a long strand behind her ear, he grazed the column of her throat with his hand; fingers dancing along the curve of her jaw as he pressed up to kiss her.
Every kiss felt like a standing ovation, blood pounding in his ears at the taste of her. Her touch felt like the feedback from an amp when you got too close, sending every nerve into hyperdrive.
"I think you should start with the song you were playing the other night— Worth the Risk ," she said, rolling to the side. Ace sat up, and Nancy propped herself up on her elbow. "It's really good, Ace."
"I don't know. I barely wanted to do this reunion in the first place."
Nancy shrugged. "Then just do the reunion, see how it feels. Put yourself back out there—pivot. If you don't want to work with the guys in the long term, that's fine! I'm sure Gil has plans of his own anyways."
"I mean, Nick and I have talked about releasing an EP for years."
That got Nancy excited. "Then do that! I know you're a successful producer, but you're also an incredible artist, Ace. And I think you miss that part of it all, at least a little bit."
"Yeah," he said. "You're right. I do miss it a little bit." Ace let out a deep exhale and stood up. "Okay, are you ready to face the music?"
Nancy stood up and stole another kiss. "Let's do it."
*
The day of the show, Ace felt nerves like he hadn't in over a decade.
Nancy fussed with him, straightening the collar of his button down, unbuttoned over a gray henley, and rolled up to his elbows. He fiddled with the hoop in his ear as the makeup artist powdered his forehead.
Bess came backstage and chatted with them all, and gave Ace a big hug. When Nancy joined him at his side, Bess gave them a knowing look. "Finally!"
She had to rush off to prepare to shoot the show, leaving Ace and Nancy alone for a moment while the other three finished getting mic'd up. "Are you ready?" Nancy asked.
Ace ran a hand through his hair. "I guess."
"Burning Bride to the Stage!" a voice boomed over the intercom.
"Knock 'em dead," Nancy said, tugging on his collar for a kiss. They lingered for slightly too long and a crew member came and shooed Ace towards the stage.
The cameras were rolling, the lights were bright and Ace heard Bess announce the band before he blacked out.
*
The rest of the show was a blur. The audience was electric, full of people who had grown up with their music. The screams near deafening as the first few notes of Growing on Her played through the sound system. They played through the debut songs, finally approaching That Long .
As they reached the chorus, Ace looked over at Nancy standing in the wing. " I've loved you that long, my heart can't deny, Through all the trials, side by side we'll fly, A love like ours, a tale to be told, For eternity, our hearts unfold. " The room around him faded away and they were the only two that mattered for that moment in time. Every lyric spoke to their hearts.
I've loved you that long, and always I will,
For our eternal flame of love, time stands still.
Their episode aired three days later and there was no way Ace had expected the reception to be so crazy. Nancy kept busy arranging interviews and the band agreed to a six week reunion tour.
Gil complained that it would interfere with recording his next album, but ultimately agreed to stick around for the first leg before taking off. Tamura had no plans to stick around after the tour was over either, but Ace realized that maybe this was something he wanted.
The week before the tour, Ace was up late in the studio writing.
He was so absorbed in the song, he didn't hear Nancy come up behind him. She leaned over his back, sliding her hands down his chest. "Hey, you coming to bed?"
Ace turned his head, brushing his nose along her chin. Nancy craned her neck and kissed him and he melted back against her. "Yeah, I've just been kind of on a roll with this one."
"Wanna play it for me?" Nancy asked.
Ace nodded and scooted over on the bench. She slid onto the seat next to him, huddled against him as he placed his fingers over the keys.
We'll chase our dreams, hand in hand, side by side
Through all the ups and downs, we'll conquer the tides
No matter where we go, or what we may face
Our love will be the compass, guiding our embrace
So hold me, forever and always
Promise you'll stay, never change your ways
In your arms, I feel safe and sound
Darling, let's go where love knows no bounds
Forever in your arms, I wanna be
With you, there's no place I'd rather see
You and me, together we'll fly
In this love story, forever, you and I
He played the last line and flexed his hands nervously.
"Is this one about me, too?" Nancy teased, bumping her shoulder against his.
"They all are."
Ace knew she knew that, but saying it out loud made it real.
"The next one will be, too," he added, as if it weren't obvious.
There may not be an encore for The Burning Bride, but for them it was just the beginning. They came together for another kiss, squished close on the tiny piano bench in the dimly lit studio. No crowds, no lights, no speakers, no guitars or microphones. Just the two of them, and a song.