Fallen Embers

Sabrina was back at the farm and once again getting back into a routine of work. She used work on the farm to put out of her mind what happened that last day in LA. She had heard from Toby already the day she got back and just a days ago she talked to Mike and Billie Joe. She wondered how she was going to get back her necklace from Tre, but was too angry to actually talk to him about it. Ramona didn't come up for the weekend since she went out to Oakland to visit with her father.

One day Toby called Sabrina when she was in her barn office in the stallion barn. Her cell phone vibrated against her leg and she pulled at it, and flipped it open without looking at the ID.

"Hey Boss."

"Oh, hi Toby, how's it hanging." she chuckled.

"Hardy, har, har Sabrina. Just calling to let you know that the video is set to debut on MTV the last Tuesday of the June, which is actually next week. They are all set to do it complete with a TRL apperance that afternoon and a special interview with world permire later that night and that means you'll do Letterman Wednesday, and you'll do Saturday Night Live that week. I got it that you'll be host and musical guest. Also you got Howard Stern on Tuesday morning."

"Good god Toby, you got me busy enough?"

"Well yea, for that week. The next week you can do the print interviews and such and scattered TV interviews at home. The second Tuesday of July, 'Rebirth' drops. I have an AOL Sessions scheduled in the city for that week, and a VH1 Storytellers. MTV is also sorting through the film footage from when the cameras followed you around, and will send us a copy of the final edit before it airs."

"Damn... so it begins." she said quietly.

"Yup, are you ready?"

"Not really, but oh well, right? Since when am I ever ready for anything?" she joked.

"Well enjoy your peace and quiet while you have it." the younger man joked.

"Gee, thanks."

"Oh, I heard from Tre yesterday."

"Oh?" Sabrina said trying not to sound to interested.

"He just called to say hi, and to say he still has your necklace, and the next time he sees you he'll give it to you."

"That's nice." she said tightly.

Toby sighed into the phone. "Sabrina, how long are you going to be like this? You have to move on sometime. What ever is between you and Tre will continue until you both sit down and talk about things."

Sarbina ignored what Toby had just said, "Good bye, Toby. I'll see you in New York. I'm going to stay in the penthouse, so make sure it's cleaned and ready to go. I'm also going to be visiting a friend in Plattsburgh tomorrow so I'll be off the farm for a few days" and with that being said, Sabrina hung up in her friend.

She finished off her work in the barn, and soon it was time to go inside for dinner and relax for the rest of the night. She shut off lights and closed up the barn and walked the short distance to her house. She opened the door to the kitchen and saw that Jim her house manager had turned off the lights when he left for the night. She grumbled about the fact that she had money to pay NYSEG for her electric bills and they didn't have to have a dark house. When she flipped on the light to the kitchen, she got a shock, for sitting there in the dark was Mike, looking for the entire world like someone had killed his best friend.

Mike's face was puffy and it looked as though he had been crying. Sabrina thought back to a few days ago when she last talked to the bass player, and racked her brain to remember if he seemed upset then. She shook her head when nothing came to mind. She walked over to the man and slid into the seat next to him. "She left me..." was all he could say.

"Oh Michael..." Sabrina said as she hugged the younger man to her. Mike started to cry again when he felt the warmth of the older woman.

"Sabrina she left me. I came home from the studio and her things were gone. She couldn't even tell me to my face, she just picked up and left. Oh wait," he said with a snort, "she was kind enough to leave me a note. A 'Dear Mike' note. I don't even have it anymore but can remember exactly what it said. Dear Mike, I have left, since you can't be around enough because of your damn job and damn friends. You choose them above me so you can now love and live with them." the man sobbed.

Sabrina just held him as he let the tears and sobs flow from his broken heart. She felt each sob come from his very being, and she remembered another day when the situations were reversed. When Mike finally started to calm down, she pulled away long enough to look at him. "It will be okay Michael; time will heal all wounds, though I have no idea when that process begins." she said with a small laugh.

He nodded his agreement and leaned back in the chair. "I hope you don't mind that I came here, I didn't know where else to go. I didn't want to bum out Tre or Billie with my problems. They have enough of their own to deal with."

"Its fine Mike, this is what you do for family." she smiled to him. "How about I get some dinner around, and then we can sit and veg out to some movies, eat ice cream and share war stories." she said with a laugh.

"Sounds good Bree. What are you gonna cook?"

"Well let's see," she said as she stood up to go peak into the Sub Zero. "Oh, I have some of my famous spaghetti sauce I can thaw. How about that?"

"Sounds good, now what I can help you with?" he asked he wiped his nose and rose to join her in the kitchen.

Sabrina put Mike to work making tossed salads while she thawed out the sauce in the microwave and got a loaf of good Italian bread out. She grabbed a box of very thin whole wheat pasta and got a pot with water, oil and salt to boil said pasta.

She stole a glance at Mike and wondered why anyone would toss him aside. He was a great guy, a loving daddy, and just amazing in the sack. Who could ask for a better combo? She shook her head at the scene they made, two people who had ruined relationships, and whose only fault was wanting someone to love them and to love back. She wondered if things were different what it would be like to be with him like that. She bit her lip in thought.

Mike looked up at her at that moment. He was thinking almost the same thought about her that she was thinking about him. Another time, another place, maybe things would have been different. He realized that he didn't want to give up this close bond he shared with the blonde. If things were to go wrong in the relationship, then he would lose this; whatever it was that he and Sabrina had together. He smiled at the woman and moved around to the table to set it for dinner.

He went to the wine cooler and selected a nice red wine from one of the local vineyards. "Jammin' Red" from Glenora Wine Cellar read the label and the man laughed at the name of the wine. He grabbed glasses and opened the bottle and poured out a serving and handed the glass to the woman cooking. When he filled his, he raised it towards her's for a toast.

"May we always stay friends, cause no matter what happens in our life, we will always have that." he said with a wry smile. They clinked glassed and drank deeply of the aromatic liquid.

"Oh, I have one too, if I may?" she said as the man tipped his glass for her to continue. "Let's make one of those best friends pacts." he looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You know the ones, if we are still unmarried and alone by a certain time; we'll get together and get married. I say this since we seem to be two of the unluckiest people when it comes to love." she stated.

Mike looked at her with interest, "Okay, not a bad idea. Now what is the time frame that we will use?"

"Hmmm how about if by the year 2035 and we are both still single, we will hook up so we will not be alone for the golden years of our life. I'll be let's see..." she said as she thought, "...I'll be 74 and you will be 63. We can retire together and live in a huge RV and travel the country as those our age would do." she snorted trying to keep a straight face.

"Agreed, now we need to seal the deal..." Mike thought out loud. "Oh I know, we'll pinky swear. That is the most powerful seal in the world. Hero taught me that." he said with a wistful smile. He walked over to the other side of the island and put out his hand with his pinky finger extended.

Sabrina laughed as she grabbed his pinky with her own and they repeated the vow and shook their pinkies to seal the deal. They clinked glasses again and drank deeply once more. They chatted and laughed as the pasta was cooking, and when Sabrina pulled out a piece and flung it at the wall, Mike burst out laughing.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked with tears coming out of his eyes.

"Testing the pasta for done-ness." she retorted. "Its how you check for the pasta being al dente. I hate mushy noodles." she mumbled.

Mike went to refill her glass and realized that the bottle had been emptied. Within the space of 20 minutes, they had finished the bottle of wine. He shrugged and went to grab another bottle of 'Jammin' Red'. After opening it he re-filled their glasses again as Sabrina dished out the pasta and placed the bowls and pot of sauce on the table.

The two enjoyed a nice night of food, wine, and company. It was just what Mike needed, the company of a good friend to help with the hurt he was feeling. After helping clean up and opening yet another bottle, the two retired to the entertainment room to watch TV. He clicked through the channels and they settled on a pay for view channel and watched 'Wedding Crashers'. They cuddled up on the plush couch and settled in for the night.

They continued to drink and talk and laugh through the movie, not really watching or following along, so when the movie ended they had no idea what had happened. Sabrina glanced at her watch and saw the time. "Geez, Michael it's flipping 2:15 in the morning. Some of us here are old and need a full 8 hours of sleep." she smiled at the younger man.

"Okay, Sabrina... ummm... can I ask you something?"

"Sure Michael, what?"

"Can I sleep with you?"

Sabrina raised her eyebrows at the man who just realized how what he said had actually come out. "No, no, I mean not sex, just sleep in the same bed. I just need some human touch." When she looked at him again, he stuttered, "No, no, no. Oh never mind." he finally said.

The woman reached over and touched his face, "I know what you meant Michael, come on, I'm bushed." As she started to rise, she stopped and turned toward the man, "Oh by the way I'm going to visit an old college buddy tomorrow and you're coming with me."

"Wha-what?"

"It's a little town called Plattsburgh, over on Lake Champlain. It's about 6 hours from here. We just go up on the Thruway towards Albany and keep going until we hit Interstate 87 and head north until we get there. It's a nice little tourist town, not unlike Watkins. There is a SUNY campus there and other quaint little towns. As I said, it's not unlike the area around here."

"What's a SUNY?"

"Ohhh sorry," the blonde said while laughing, 'State University of New York', it's a state college. Kinda like your UCLA schools in California."

"Oh, so we're going to drive there?"

"Yup, it will be nice, mostly interstate... you need a change of pace Michael."

"Well that's why I came here, to get away... and now I get to get away from here..." he laughed

"Yup, you'll enjoy exploring the town and its little stores and shops. If you're really nice, I'll have my friend take us golfing." she said with a smile, knowing his favorite pastime would win him over.

Okay, I'll go. Come on woman; let's get you your beauty sleep."

The two walked to Sabrina's bedroom and got undressed except for Sabrina wore a tee shirt and Mike wore a pair of boxers. They got in bed and quickly Mike pulled the woman into him and spooned her back with his body. With a quick kiss to her hair, he found himself already drifting away to sleep.

Sabrina smiled as she felt Mike's body against her's. She snuggled into him and realized that they both needed this simple thing of another human's touch and warmth. She felt his kiss on top of her head, and soon feel asleep with a smile.