Endlessly

Bam watched the show from the table where his friends had been seated. He would have much preferred being side stage but Seppo had banned him from doing so. Apparently the old man had a long memory and a short temper as far as drunken antics were concerned. Bam thought that Seppo was being a little bit dramatic to go so far as to not allow him on stage but then again Bam had single handedly been responsible for a partial stage collapse over the summer. While no one had been hurt and the band hadn't even been playing, it had been too close a call as far as Seppo had been concerned and so here Bam sat.

As far away from the action as Seppo could get him.

Tonight though he'd had other reasons for wanting to be side stage. Jonna had clung to Ville like a parasite for the entire day. Now knowing what he knew, Bam tried to derail this behavior as much as possible without hurting her feelings but she was a woman on a mission. Bam knew her well enough that it would be about as easy to deter her as it would be a charging bull.

She'd insisted on being as close to the band as possible and had disappeared backstage while his back was turned. Bam tried to wrangle her back out but Seppo had caught him and promptly kicked him out.

It wasn't until Ville announced a brief intermission that Bam felt confident enough that he could sneak out back undetected to get Jonna away from Ville. Mige had informed him that this mystery lady of Ville's was likely to be present for the show and having Jonna around could only serve to complicate matters.

When Bam had introduced Ville to Jonna, it had been with the best intentions. He saw his friend, lonely and recently broken hearted and endeavored to make him whole again. Pain was not something that Bam could control and if he could not control it, then he would find a way to fix it. Jonna, while a little more wild than Ville was used to, seemed like the solution. She was pretty and loved to laugh and was easy to get along with.

But he’d noticed a change in her over the course of the day. Instead of being her usual friendly self, she seemed as though she were a hunter locked onto the scent of her prey – and Ville was very clearly her target. She didn’t offer smiles to anyone but Ville, she barely even acknowledged Bam’s existence and he’d been the entire reason for her being there in the first place.

Bam looked around for Seppo before he slipped through the doors that lead backstage. He rounded the corner and made his way quickly down the short hallway that led to the area where he knew he’d find Jonna accosting Ville.

He wasn’t disappointed. Jonna had her arms wrapped around Ville but his attention was clearly diverted elsewhere. Bam followed his gaze and found a dark haired woman standing beside a blonde woman who suddenly caught his attention. He refocused and watched as the rest of the band surrounded the two women like they were old friends. One of these girls was definitely the one.

Ville’s eyes then caught Bam’s gratefully and he silently pleaded for a reprieve. Bam quickly ascended the short staircase and went to his friend’s side.

“Hey man, great show so far.” Bam tugged Ville’s arm away and pulled his friend in for a quick hug.

“Thanks, it’s been a while since I’ve really felt this good about a show,” Ville said with a smile as he cautioned another glance at Emilia.

“Must be the hometown thing,” Bam said as he positioned his body to edge Jonna out of the conversation. She moved in tandem with him and made his efforts completely useless.

“Ville, what did I tell you?”

Bam groaned as the voice belonging to the one person he’d been trying to avoid sounded behind him. Ville tried hard to look remorseful but couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his face as Seppo clapped a hand on Bam’s shoulder.

“That I shouldn’t drink alcohol on stage?”

Seppo’s eyes narrowed and Jonna chuckled. “Try again.”

“That Bam is not allowed anywhere near the stage at any time for any reason, ever,” Ville crossed his arms over his chest and recited the mantra that Seppo had drilled before the show had even started. Bam groaned again and turned to face Seppo.

“It was one time!”

“That’s all it takes, Brandon. Now take your girlfriend and go back out there,” Seppo said with a shake of his head.

“Oh no, no, no. I’m not his –“ Jonna began but Bam saw his opportunity and seized it before she could continue to deny her relationship status with him and earn her right to stand backstage.

“Ok, sorry Seppo. Let’s go Jonna,” Bam apologized as best he could and took Jonna by the arm and led her away amidst her vehement protestations. He could feel Seppo’s watchful gaze watching them go, cementing her being banned from backstage purely by association as were the rest of his friends.

He winced as she slapped at his grip on her arm but wouldn’t relinquish his hold until they were beyond the doors that Seppo would now be watching like a hawk. As soon as they passed through the doors he let go of her and made his way toward the bar without another word but she wouldn’t give up so easily.

“What the hell is your problem?” She screeched as though they were the only ones in the building. Bam looked around at the gathering stares and rolled his eyes.

“Ville isn’t available, Jonna. I’m sorry I dragged you halfway across the world but there were some things I didn’t know.”

“Emilia? She’s a flame from his past. Nothing more, he’ll realize that he gave her up for a reason soon enough.”

Bam’s brows knitted together. “You sound crazy.”

Jonna approached him like a panther. “She doesn’t even want him. You want him to just chase after her forever when he has a chance at real happiness?”

“It’s his choice, Jonna.” Bam backed away with his hands up as he ended the conversation. Jonna crossed her arms and fumed silently for a moment. She wasn’t going to allow this to end this way, her pride wouldn’t allow for it.

Ville’s voice came back over the speakers and she turned, heart lightened a bit, to listen to him as he spoke. He just didn’t know what was best, she decided, as he went on about this being a special night. He was too blinded by an old flame to see the brilliance of what was right in front of him. He would come to reason. She would see to that.

“So I thought we’d start the second half of the show by playing a song off the new album,” Ville announced as he paused briefly to allow the inevitable cheers that sounded. “…That was written nearly a decade ago and largely inspired by her…”

Jonna’s resolve crumbled as Burton began to play the beginnings of a song. Each note stung her as she realized the futility in which she fought Ville and his love for this woman. She could not fight Emilia while she was within his grasp, she would always be there to tantalize and distract him from Jonna. The fire that smoldered within her burst into full flame as the rest of the band began to play along with Burton and Ville began to sing.

She would wait for her moment, she decided. Opportunity would undoubtedly present itself as it always did and Jonna was going to ensure that she would be there to seize it. But first, she needed to make a phone call.



When the show was over, Ville looked cautiously to where he knew that Emilia would be waiting. She had remained rooted to her spot even long after Essi had disappeared from her side. She warred internally, her head fighting a losing battle to her heart.

As soon as Ville started to approach her, Emilia’s blood began to race within her veins. She wasn’t sure whether to stay or whether to run. She wished her sister were there to guide her but she’d gone off on some unknown errand quite some time ago. She’d claimed she was headed to the bar but it was more likely that someone had caught her eye and she was off to try her luck. Emilia couldn’t blame her sister, after all – Essi deserved her shot at happiness too.

Ville made his way to Emilia and stopped far enough away from her that she wouldn’t be nervous but close enough that he could reach out and stop her if she tried to escape. She needed to face him now, now that all his cards were on the table. He needed this.

He looked at her as she shifted her weight uneasily on her feet and fumbled with her hands. Her red lips parted several times as she tried to speak but ultimately failed. He couldn’t stop looking at her, taking every detail of her in. He’d been without her for so long, faced her rejection, and still all he felt for her was pure and unadulterated love.

“You guys were incredible,” she said after an eternity, releasing a long and slow breath.

He couldn’t take it anymore.

She gasped as he reached forward and cradled her face in his hands before he pressed his lips against her in a final display born of desperation. She didn’t react to him at first but she swiftly melted beneath him. Her lips yielded to his and almost immediately he endeavored to deepen their kiss. She indulged him, allowing his tongue to tangle with hers as her hands found their way to rest on his still bare chest. She shivered as one of his hands moved to rest on her waist; her breath became ragged.

He pulled away from her reluctantly to rest his forehead against hers. He watched as a lone tear slid down her porcelain cheek and used his thumb to gently wipe it away.

“What’s wrong, kulta?” He whispered, now growing gradually more aware of the activity buzzing around him. The world had stopped as far as he had been concerned, but now the background started to come back into focus.

She choked out a laugh. “I’ve just been foolish, that’s all.”

He pressed his lips to hers softly once which she returned eagerly this time. “Only slightly.”

“Shut up.”

Essi whirled around the corner and found her sister locked in an embrace with Ville and she smiled to herself. She still had reservations about Ville, but seeing her sister with him was better than seeing her without him. Pulling out her phone she dialed Linde’s number once again and waited for him to pick up.

“Hei,” he answered finally. “Car’s ready for those two knuckleheads out back.”

“Good, looks like we’ll have to fight her a little less than anticipated.”

“I knew that song would do the trick,” Linde laughed.

“See you guys in a minute.”

Essi hung up the phone and placed it in her jacket pocket once again. She would give her sister a few more minutes to enjoy herself. Besides, there was a cute guy she’d left at the bar whose number she was after.



Emilia looked at the sleek black car and then back at her sister with an incredulous look on her face. Ville held on to Emilia’s hand and looked at Essi and Linde with an eyebrow raised. The two of them had found Emilia and Ville wrapped in each other’s arms and announced that they had a surprise for them. Since the band was slated to head up to Lapland to shoot a video early the following week, Essi and Linde had arranged for Emilia and Ville to head up early for a weekend getaway.

Unfortunately, with Manna being pregnant and Essi having Osku at home neither of them were able to drive such a distance. Luckily, the Jackass crew had shown up just in time.

“He was the only one who would drive that far,” Linde defended.

“Besides if you just get drunk in the back seat it won’t matter,” Essi added as she looked at her sister apologetically. When Linde had said that the problem was taken care of, she hardly thought he meant that this was the solution.

“Oh good, we’ll be so inebriated that we’ll hardly feel a thing when we die,” Ville said sarcastically.

“I’m not that bad of a driver!” Johnny cried from the front seat of the car.

“Bullshit. I’ve been in the car when you crashed into a snowbank,” Ville shot back at his friend.

“I just got home and already you’re trying to get rid of me?” Emilia accused her sister who crossed her arms over her body.

“This was hardly the plan, Em.”

“Just give me a chance! I’ll behave!” Johnny pleaded.

Emilia and Ville exchanged glances and shrugged. While it wasn’t an ideal situation, neither really wanted to pass up the chance to spend a weekend away together. Emilia looked at Johnny then at her sister and sighed, opening her arms to Essi for a hug.

“Thank you, Es.” Emilia squeezed her sister tightly as she whispered her gratitude in her ear. “Really, this means a lot.”

Essi kissed her sister’s cheek and relinquished her back into Ville’s care. When the two of them returned, Essi planned on having a serious sit down discussion with Ville but for the moment she was happy that her sister was happy. Linde stepped forward and hugged both of his friends, planting a soft kiss on Emilia’s cheek and whispering something in her ear that caused her to turn bright red. She laughed softly as Linde dodged Emilia’s hand which had reached out to smack him on the arm.

Johnny beeped the horn impatiently, causing Emilia to rethink the whole thing momentarily but Ville’s hand wrapped itself around hers and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Lapland awaits,” he whispered in her ear as he opened the door for her. She offered him a smile and climbed into the car with Ville following closely behind. She watched in amusement as Johnny donned a cabbie hat and presented the two of them with flutes of champagne. Ville rolled his eyes and took the glass with a chuckle.

“You’re too much, Knoxville.”

Johnny laughed and revved the engine, causing a sinking feeling in the pit of Emilia’s stomach. Ville downed the entire glass of champagne and took Emilia’s hand once more. He knew exactly what they were in for and it was an awfully long drive north to where the video was supposed to be filmed. She followed suit and clutched his hand tightly.

“Lady and gentleman, please fasten your seatbelts – you’re in for a real treat!” Johnny cried as he revved the engine once more and peeled out of the alleyway and into oncoming traffic. Emilia felt something roll across the floor and hit her feet, finding that it was the bottle of champagne.

Essi was right. She would need to be drunk for this.