Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: One-Shots

Talk Dirty To Me

It was within a very short timespan between the last lingering chord of the song and his girl's outrage. "Tom - that is ridiculous! You couldn't possibly think - I - no. You're ridiculous!"

Tom simply shrugged. "So I've been told."

Her cheeks flamed a bright scarlet, and Tom knew they would be warm to the touch had he touched her face. He didn't for the fear that clung deeply to his heart and wrapped around.

"There is no way I could have cheated on you. You - you - all those groupies!" She spat out.

Tom shook his head. "I haven't even kissed a groupie. Alright, honey." He wanted to take her hands in his, but somehow the trust she had once had in him had broke.

"That's not what the papers say!"

"The papers don't say anything but lies," Tom said softly but confidentially. "The last time the truth was in ink was when Elvis was alive, and that's been five years..."

"I don't care! The words may be lies but you were holding hands with another -"

"That was -"

His girl interrupted, "Don't say it's just a friend or a cousin or any of that. She wasn't looking at you like a friend."

"A photograph speaks a thousand words," Tom muttered, thinking. "That doesn't mean all those words were true."

She locked eyes with him. "What other explanation could there be? You were with a groupie."

Tom sighed. He wanted to look away from her penetrating jealous eyes, but he knew it was better not to. They had been going out since before Tom was even famous, and he had thought she would be able to handle all the fans. For the first few years she had, but now was a different tale.

"She was not a groupie," Tom began slowly. He didn't want to upset her, but it was not as if he could control her emotions. He could hardly keep his own voice from hardening into an ice cold tone. He didn't want to be an enemy; he wanted neither of them to be the enemy nor the victim, no matter how much it seemed.

"She was nobody." Tom knew she wasn't believing him even if the words he spoke were the truth. She believed the media more than her own lover. Tom had to clench his hands into fists to stop them from shaking. He had to be strong or the words would never leave his lips. "She isn't a threat. I was just escorting Mike's cousin to the next venue, and, you know, I didn't want her to get lost in the crowd because that can be rather terrifying with all those screaming girls and all. Didn't you see the resemblance?"

She was quiet. Tom was not certain if it was a good sign or not.

"I'm sorry," she said at last, "for assuming I knew it all from a stupid photograph." She ran a hand through her long hair, and she laughed slightly. "It was stupid."

There was still an unclosed end lingering in Tom's mind. "Sweetheart." This time, he clasped her hands with his. "Why did you think I would accuse you of cheating? I've never done such a thing, and I didn't think I had a reason to. Do you have something to tell me?" The question terrified him, but he knew the answer could be ever more so.

A light pink scattered and landed across her cheeks. She looked away from his eyes for a few seconds. She remembered how she could easily get lost in those eyes of his, but she wished it was not so easy. The words she would say next would either be the downfall or the uprise into their relationship, and that mere fact sent a chill of fear through her.

"I was listening to the first album of yours and the Heartbreakers, and Fooled Again..." She hesitated before bursting out with, "Who hurt you? Why would anybody cheat on another person when all they're receiving is love and joy? Is that not enough?" She had tears freshly brimming in her eyes, but she seemed not to notice them.

Tom pulled her close to him. His hands rested gently on her shoulders as she buried her face into his t-shirt. "It's not a big deal - that girl is in the past now, and I don't regret it." He smiled at her and hoped she would see the small gesture. Alas, she still had her face hidden.

"Why is all this on your mind?" Tom asked her.

She lifted her head slightly. Her hands found his shoulders and clung there. "I was just thinking about groupies and all the urges." She closed her eyes for a short time then opened them again. "You've never done anything with a fan?"

"Never."

The one word seemed to reassure her as she fell comfortably forward so her head rested against his shoulder.

"That's a lie."

"Huh?" Tom was surprised to hear such an accusation.

"You forgot me." She looked at his shocked face and laughed. "I had you fooled, Tommy."

"So, you did." He kissed her cheek. "Are you done talking dirty to me with all this confusion?"

"Not yet." She winked and kissed him.

That night, happiness settled over their relationship. Tom lied awake next to her, and he was thinking again. Somehow, his thoughts made it out of his mouth.

"I love you."

He was almost certain he had seen her smile slightly in her sleep. Tom smiled and soon after fell asleep, the smile remaining.