Ghost of a Good Thing

Morning Calls

They're sound asleep in a hotel bed in San Antonio when Lindsey's phone rings. He doesn't hear it at first, so Stevie has to kick him in the shin and mumble, "your phone is ringing."

He groans and reluctantly gets out of bed to find his pants and answer his phone.

"Yeah?" Is all that he can mumble out this early in the morning.

He clears his throat, "oh, hey baby. I'm sorry, I was still sleeping. What are you doing up so early?"

It's obviously his wife and for a moment, Stevie feels incredibly uncomfortable. Lindsey and her have practically been glued to each other's sides for the past five days, but this is the first time his wife has called since they've been in bed together.

She gets up quietly and retrieves her clothes that are strewn across the room. She gets dressed quickly and sneaks out while Lindsey has his back turned and heads back to her own room.

When she gets back to her room and closes the door, she leans against it and sighs. What the hell is she doing, sleeping with a married man?

It doesn't matter that it's Lindsey. At the end of the day, he still has a wife, two children and one on the way.

If she thinks about it too much it makes her feel sick. It makes her feel dirty. She doesn't like that feeling.

She just can't stop, though. He makes her lose all of her self control. She's been addicted to a lot of things in her life, but Lindsey Buckingham is by far the worst, and definitely the most destructive.

She doesn't want anyone to get hurt and she knows she's walking a very thin line, but then he kisses her and it just doesn't matter.

They have something that no one else can ever understand. They have something she's not even sure she completely understands.

She pushes herself from the door to climb into bed and get a couple more hours of sleep, but it's difficult and she's much more restless without Lindsey there with her.

She hates that she needs him.

If she could go to rehab to move on from him, she would. Unfortunately, there's no such thing, except to get away from him, and right now that's impossible.

After tossing and turning for a good two hours, she gives up on the idea of sleep and goes to shower. She nearly scrubs her skin raw trying to wash off the dirt and the guilt and the pain.

When she's ready, she heads to rehearsals and he spots her immediately.

"Where'd you go this morning?" He asks, reaching out and taking her hand.

"I didn't feel comfortable being there while you were talking to your wife."

Lindsey clears his throat, "I know, I'm sorry. She was dealing with some morning sickness."

Well, shit, if Stevie didn't feel bad enough already, she certainly does now.

She gives him a slight nod and lets go of his hand, "we should get to rehearsal."

She walks off and heads towards the stage as he trails behind her. She knows that some part of him feels guilty about their affair, but it doesn't consume him the same way it does her.

He's got a wife at home, calling him because she's all alone with two small children and she's got morning sickness because she's pregnant with the third child. Stevie doesn't understand how that doesn't bother him. She doesn't understand why he would rather be lying in a hotel bed with her instead of soothing his pregnant wife.

She wonders, too often, if he'd be doing the same thing to her if they were married instead.

Deep down though, she knows he wouldn't, because if he had the choice (which he did six years ago), he would have chosen her and he would have been content with that life.

After the show that night, he invites her back to his room. She really wishes she had the willpower to say no, but she doesn't. Not when he pulls her close and kisses her like that; like she's the only thing in the world that matters.

That night, after they make love for hours and he's finally in a deep sleep, she unwraps herself from his arms and gathers her clothes; getting dressed quietly and quickly before slipping out the door and heading back to her own room.

She doesn't want to be there in the morning when his wife calls again.