The Way We Were

It was a week later with one more week leading up to the Fall Fashion Week in New York. Fashion Week was where the hottest designers came together to debut their Fall collection this year. I had called up Nikolas and told him that I was gonna take over the Versus collection, having prepared twelve pieces for the modern rock collection.

He hesitated to let me take care of it, but I assured him that everything was okay and that I was better. I hadn't seen him or anyone else, for weeks since I came back to New York, and this time that I've spent in solitude gave me the chance to think up my come back. I wasn't completely sure how to do it, and I didn't know how one would come back from such a heartbreak

Though the directors of Fashion Week were hesitant to ask me, they also loved publicity, so they asked me to perform live on opening night before Karl Lagerfeld reveals his Chanel collection, and then before I release the Versus line, and later during the week for the McQueen line.

I agreed. Also with spending my time at home, in my "office", Marilyn and I had finished the record that we had started last year. It just finished its last stages of the mixing and editing yesterday but I still wasn't ready to release it let alone announce that I had written a record.

February 7th

A week later, it was opening night for Fashion Week and Marilyn was going to be my date. I had my group of stylists and makeup artists in my apartment getting me ready for tonight. Nikolas and Daniel said they were coming over.

I got an assistant to answer the door as I was getting the last touches done on my hair. My brothers came over with smiles and each kissed my cheek as they greeted me.

"Look at you Miss Cobain, you look so beautiful." Nik smiled, looking at me in the mirror. I smiled back, "Thank you, you're beautiful yourself." I lightly touched his face.

"How are you?" Daniel asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I held his hand, "I'm out of bed. I think that's a good sign." I spoke.

"Have you talked to Caleb lately?" He asked.

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

Nik smirked and gave a laugh, "Looks like we're all having marital problems."

"Where are the girls?" I asked, looking around.

Daniel raised his brow and rolled his eyes, "Chanel decided to go to the show with her parents. She's been on my case about having children, and I don't want kids. We've been fighting a lot, so I let her go with her mommy and daddy."

"And Edie my love has been trying to keep me on a leash, saying that I've been going to the club too much. She says my drugs have been taking up most of my time. C'mon, so I've been dabbling in coke here and there. She's overreacting. But she's at our home in California right now." Nik smirked, walking over to Marilyn, starting to talk with him.

"You're ready." My stylist smiled. I smiled back softly and stood up, taking Daniel's hand that he held out for me. We walked toward Nik and Marilyn.

"Are you sure you're ready for tonight?" Nik asked.

I reached forward, extending my hand to take Marilyn's. He took my hand and came to stand next to me. "I am. I couldn't have done this without Marilyn. He inspired me to do this. He's been nothing but good to me, supporting to me and talking to me when I needed him."

"We've become each other's muse. I paint her and she take pictures of me." Marilyn smiled, looking down at me.

"I'm happy for you." Daniel smiled, looking down at his watch. "Well for this event, we can't be fashionably late. Shall we go?" He was always the one to urge us to hurry up, he valued punctuality.

"Yes, let's go." I replied. My entourage of stylists followed us out the door downstairs. Nik and Daniel were taking a different vehicle than Marilyn and I, and my stylists were in another car following us to the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.

The camera flashes could not penetrate through the heavy tint of the Rolls Royce windows. This was my first official outing since the...tragedy. When the door opened, Marilyn stepped out first and held out his hand for mine, which I took and made my first appearance to the public. People were surprised to see me with my hair now more platinum blonde and styled in a faux hawk, I wore dark shades, vintage Chanel earrings, half gloves, and a red-lipped smirk. I also had on a studded denim vest with leather leggings and a David Bowie shirt underneath the vest. But what shocked people most was that I was wearing the 10-inch Armadillo shoes by McQueen.

The paparazzi all called me, "Audrey! Audrey!"

I didn't talk to them as we walked along, stopping every now and then for a picture. Marilyn held up my hand like royalty as we silently walked along the red carpet. Sarah Burton, my dear friend, came over and gently hugged me, "Darling, I've missed you. It's so good to see you." She smiled.

"I've missed you." I smiled, towering over her.

I was greeted by other designers who all expressed their love for my outfit and new look, though I could tell that they treated me with fragility, probably thinking I was going to spiral down into a nervous breakdown again.

I had to go into the building right away to get ready for my performance to kick off the show, and backstage I was changing into an outfit created by Sarah Burton for McQueen. I was going to perform a new version of paparazzi set to a Phantom of the Opera Parisian set on stage, since Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel was going to the opener for the night after my performance.

Tonight's performance was going to be a shocker for everyone, since this will be the first time they've seen me in two months, and since it's my first time performing live in ages. I had spent weeks preparing for this, doing extensive choreography, getting my dancers fitted for their costumes as well as myself. And I had a surprise tonight that involved blood, lots of it.

Minutes before I was to be on stage I took out my cell and called Caleb, waiting for him to answer but only getting his voicemail. I sighed and left a message for him; "Hey Caleb, it's Audrey. I really wanna talk to you...I miss you and I just want to talk. I have to go do a performance now, call me when you have the time." I hung up and left my phone backstage, running out to the main stage before the curtains lifted.

I had been lying on the stage with my dancers surrounding me as I sang a few lines to Poker Face and then sang into the mic, "Amidst all of these flashing lights I pray the fame won't take my life", and broke into Paparazzi as my dancers helped me up as if I was so fragile. I wore a white lace outfit with a lace mask as I sang.

"We are the crowd
We're co-coming out
Got my flash on, it's true
Need that picture of you

It's so magical
We'd be so fantastical

Leather and jeans
Garage glamorous
Not sure what it means
But this photo of us

It don't have a price
Ready for those flashing lights
'Cause you know that, baby, I

I'm your biggest fan
I'll follow you until you love me
Papa-paparazzi..."

I glided to the staircase as I took off my mask and continued singing and dancing.

"Baby, there's no other superstar
You know that I'll be
Papa-paparazzi

Promise I'll be kind
But I won't stop
Until that boy is mine

Baby, you'll be famous
Chase you down until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

I'll be your girl
Backstage at your show
Velvet ropes and guitars
Yeah, 'cause you know I'm starting

Between the sets
Eyeliner and all the rest

Shadow is burnt
Yellow dance in return
My lashes are dry
Purple teardrops I cry

It don't have a price
Loving you is cherry pie
'Cause you know that, baby, I..."

I had one of my dancers wheeled out in a wheelchair wearing an eye mask as I walked in a crutch.

"I'm your biggest fan
I'll follow you until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

Baby, there's no other superstar
You know that I'll be
Papa-paparazzi

Promise I'll be kind
But I won't stop
Until that boy is mine

Baby, you'll be famous
Chase you down until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

(Real good)
We're dancin' in the studio
(Snap, snap)
To t-hat shit on the radio

(Don't stop)
For anyone
We're plastic but
We'll still have fun..."

I walked over to my piano and began playing passionately, throwing my head back and playing hard. When I finished the piano solo I walked away from the piano and began singing in a pained way as fake blood began running down from my chest, like I was dying. The audience gasped as they watched, their eyes were wide and jaws were dropped. Some were in awe and looked as if they were in love my performance while some were just plain shocked.

"I'm your biggest fan
I'll follow you until you love me
Papa-paparazzi

Baby, there's no other superstar
You know that I'll be
Papa-paparazzi

Promise I'll be kind
But I won't stop
Until that boy is mine

Baby, you'll be famous
Chase you down until you love me
Papa-paparazzi."

My dancers picked me up and wailed in agony, seeing me dying in their arms as they brought me back to where I had first been lying down. I groaned in agony into the mic as my dancers got me ready for the grand finale. I held onto a thick rope and was then lifted up and was hung from the ceiling, blood on my face and body as the flashes and sound of cameras were seen and heard. I hung their emotionless until the curtain went down.

The room roared with excitement and applause. When I was brought back down I hugged my dancers and was all smiles, happy that my performance had delivered. We went backstage as stagehands quickly cleared the stage to prepare for Karl Lagerfeld. He met me in the back and in his thick French accent, greeted me with praise and a kiss.

"Darling, you were spectacular! The people, they love you! Listen to them, they are still cheering. This never happens at shows like this, they gave you a standing ovation." He said, kissing my cheek.

I smiled back, "I am so pleased with it."

"I need to get ready, we will have champagne together later." He smiled, kissing my hand and then leaving. I went to the changing area where my assistants helped me clean up the blood from my body as a few hairstylists removed the wig from my head and fixing my hair. My stylist brought options of clothes for me to wear, but I waved them away saying that I'll change into something different for the after party.

The party was going to be at the club, is was a strict invitation only party for only those who have attended or are involved in the shows.

I changed back into my denim vest, leather leggings, and platforms and walk over to the other side of the building in another room where Daniel and Nikolas were preparing and taking the last looks of the outfits.

I joined them and helped them, working with the stylists to make a few minor adjustments. Some of my dearest friends in the modelling in industry. For the Versus line we created 16 looks, 6 of them, gowns. Daniel and Nikolas had taken over the Menswear line which will debut later this week.

As the models got ready, Vogue by Madonna began and the show directors waited to cue the models to go. The three of us watched the show on a screen backstage, making a few comments on it but overall being satisfied with the outcome. Like all designers do, the three of us walked out onto the runway and acknowledged the crowd. My brothers on either side of me holding my hands as I towered over them in my platforms.

The night went off without a hitch, and the after party was even more of a success.