The Photoshoot
Part Four
Luke was speechless for a moment. Anger fought with love to be the
first emotion to display itself. He was thoroughly angry at the mess
that they were in due to a lie from Val. His heart swelled with love
for the kid as he now knew how very much he meant to Val, even if Val
went about showing that love in a totally upsetting way.
"So you made this entire story up? Have you any idea of what is
happening about now? Do you realise just how many wheels you have set
in motion?"
"But you can stop them can't you?" Val said in a small voice. "I
didn't mean-"
Luke cut him off, in no mood to deal any further with the perpetrator
until he had time to prevent the situation rolling completely out of
control.
"I don't want to hear another word from you except that I'll ask you
one more time, just to be sure. You tricked Price into meeting with
you, and then staged that entire scene to get Price arrested- without
Price committing any crime towards you whatsoever?"
He didn't need an answer. Val's face said it all. Luke pointed at the
sitting room.
"In there. Sit down. Don't you dare to move."
"Luuuuke-" Val wailed. Luke cut him off with sharply clicked fingers
and another point.
"OUT."
Val was intimidated enough to move on the word. Luke sat down and
dialed for the police, trying to think of a way to phrase this that
wouldn't get Val into still more trouble. He had a long list of
people to call.
Just as he finished dialing, he hung up the phone. He couldn't just
call the police and tell them that Val made the story up. That would
damage Val's reputation and their chance at any sort of relationship.
He had to talk to Price himself. He picked the phone back up, dialing
hotel security.
"Yes, McNeil here. I need 2 of your personnel to sit with Quentin
while I take care of some of this business. Right away, thank you."
He hung up the phone, put his shirt and shoes on and went to confront
Val.
Val was curled up looking completely miserable. He saw that Luke
looked ready to leave.
"Wher-"
"There are two security guards heading up here right now. They will
babysit you while I'm gone. Give them even one SECOND of trouble, and
you won't sit for a year."
Val blanched at that remark. "Luke, I'm sorry. I -"
"Young man, you don't have any IDEA how sorry you're going to be when
I finish with you. In the few short months we've known each other,
this is the STUPIDEST stunt you've ever pulled." Just then a knock
sounded at the door. "BEHAVE." Luke grumbled, before turning on his
heel to open the door. Luke left the guards with instructions that
Val was to receive no phone calls or visits, and he was not to leave
the room for any reason whatsoever. He jumped into his truck and
headed to the police station to cut a deal with Price.
The next few hours were very long and very tedious to Val. The two
security guards had no conversation or humour between them and the TV
showed nothing but garbled rubbish to Val in his current state of
stress. He had no idea where Luke had gone or why, if he was coming
back, or what was going to happen. He was actively relieved when the
door was opened, but it was not Luke. The two security guards tried
to intervene but Storm Quentin was not easily intimidated and rid the
room of all observers in seconds. He shut the door on the two
protesting guards and Val hurled himself into his father's
arms, scared and distraught and glad to see anyone willing to talk to
him. Quentin senior held him tight for a moment, then gently pulled
his head up, his face white with anxiety.
"How are you? Where's Luke?"
Val shook his head. "I don't know. I'm alright."
"Are you sure? Have you seen a doctor? Have the police been here
yet?" Quentin senior pulled Val with him to the sofa and made him sit
down. His son looked white and strained enough to alarm him, Luke
appeared to have understated this emergency if anything.
Val bent his head, struggling not to burst into tears once more.
Quentin senior put an arm around his shoulders.
"Val? Get your things together and come home with me."
"I can't," Val said, nearly sobbing, "I'm under contract."
"Between Luke and Max, they've just about breached that contract past
holding you. Come on, get your things together and lets get you out
of here-"
Val pulled out of his father's reach. Quentin senior watched him pace
in open anxiety.
"Val talk to me. Have the police been here yet?"
"If anyone else asks me about the police I'm going to scream!" Val
said hysterically in the tone that meant he was about to lose his
head completely. Quentin senior recognised the threat and winced but
another voice cut straight across the screech.
"Quentin STOP that, NOW."
Val jumped and stood still. Luke McNeil shut the door, eyes still on
Val. Quentin senior gave him a grim look.
"And where do you think you were McNeil? Your primary duty was to be
here protecting my son."
"That's exactly what I've been trying to do, sir." Luke gave Val a
grim glance. "Val sit down and settle down. If I were you, I'd
concentrate on keeping very quiet."
His tone and Val's prompt and subdued obedience made Quentin senior
frown, looking from one to the other of them.
"Alright, someone break it to me. What's going on here?"
Luke gave Val another steady look, then glanced at his watch. "Val.
It is now four pm. At four thirty pm. I am going to take your father
downstairs and talk to him privately. That gives you thirty minutes
to say anything to him yourself that you feel he needs to know. I
will be next door."
He didn't miss Val's look of open appeal, but walked past it,
shutting the bedroom door quietly behind him.
"Well son, what was that all about?"
Val curled up in the corner of the couch, feeling like he'd been
there all day long. He didn't quite know what to say to his father.
"Val? What is McNeil going to be telling me?"
"I don't know."
"Then what is it that you want to tell me?"
Val looked back at the closed door, hoping against hope that Luke
would come rescue him again. The door didn't open. Val looked
miserably at his father who had taken a seat on the couch next to him.
"Son, what is it? What's wrong? Did Price hurt you? Has McNeil hurt
you?"
That broke through Val's silence. "No dad. No one hurt me." Val
proceeded to tell his father the entire two day's of events, not
leaving anything out, including how he felt about Luke. He wanted to
make sure his father knew how much Luke meant to him, because if his
dad could help him make Luke stay, then it would all be worth it.
Quentin senior listened in silence. When Val finished, he got up and
went to the bar to pour himself a drink and tapped on the door to the
bedroom as he passed it.
"Okay Luke, I think I have the full picture here."
Luke slowly emerged from the bedroom. Quentin surveyed his son, drink
in hand.
"I've wondered for the last year just how far you would be prepared
to take things in order to get your own way and now I know. I am
disgusted with you. I'm ashamed to think a decently raised boy could
even consider doing something like this."
"I-"
"I am not remotely interested, Daniel."
Val flinched, hating his legal, childhood name. Quentin sank himself
into a chair and waved the glass.
"Well young man. You dug yourself into this, I suggest you go and dig
yourself out. Now. Luke sit down."
"I'll-" Luke started. Quentin's voice took on a rap to it that Luke
hadn't heard since he left the army.
"McNeil sit down. Believe me, nothing is going to get done here, that
Daniel does not do for himself. This time he is going to deal with
his own problems without anyone rushing to his rescue. If there had
been a bit less of that to begin with he might understand now why
decent people think it dishonourable, not to mention illegal, to
accuse innocent men of attempted rape. Luke!"
Luke obeyed that bark automatically. Val paled as the realities set
in on him.
"But the police-"
"I saw to the police," Luke interrupted, "Price has-"
"Been bought off." Quentin senior said grimly. "No doubt. That still
leaves Orion, Max and Price himself, Val, I suggest you find a
telephone. And its no good standing there making eyes at Luke. This
is your problem. Mishandle it and I shall not be at all sorry to
watch you deal with the public humiliation you have asked for. Luke
sit down!"
Luke sat. Val looked at him in desperation. His face was still angry,
still hard and there was little sign of mercy there. Apparently Luke
as well as the rest of the world, was against him. Val resisted the
urge to burst into yet more tears or to throw up and tried to think
what to do.
"Who do I call?" he appealed to his father. Who shrugged.
"That's entirely your problem."
Two flinty faces, one body at rest in an armchair, the other seated
like a coiled spring. Val tried to catch Luke's eye and caught the
split second mouthing of one word.
Diane.
Val slipped next door, picked up the phone and within seconds was
pouring his heart out to his personal assistant.
Diane took the call with all the aplomb of a personal assistant used
to dealing with these problems everyday. She calmed Val down, got her
facts straight and told him she would be by in a couple of hours with
the plan of attack for ending this mess with the least possible fuss,
at least as far as the business side was concerned. She did however,
tell Val he had his father and Luke to deal with personally. Val hung
up the phone slightly more reassured, but when he looked into the
sitting room and saw Luke and his father sitting there, his stomach
tumbled into his toes and he lost his nerve. He quietly walked over
to the bed and sat down, his head in his hands.
He was only given a couple minutes reprieve before Storm hollered
"Daniel, come here!"
Not a tempting offer. It took all the courage Val had to make it to
the doorway of the sitting room. Quentin senior looked at him for some
time. Not a look that Val found easy to stand under. Even knowing how
angry Luke was he couldn't keep his own eyes from straying to him in
hope, in desperate hope, and he caught the grey under the dark and
now heavy brows. There was anger in that look alright, but there was
also anxiety. Communication. That spoke to him more than anything
else. Luke had things to say to him that he had no wish to hear, but
it was clear that Luke intended to say them and to keep talking. He
wasn't writing himself out of this scene and however uncomfortable an
ally he might make, he was still an ally. Quentin senior rose to his
feet and collected his coat.
"McNeil informs me he intends to stay in your employ. I personally
doubt his sanity. I have pointed out to him that I would not in his
situation ever leave myself alone with you without witnesses for fear
of what allegations you might level as and when convenient."
There was a depth of disgust in those words that made Val's eyes
sting all over again. Quentin senior shrugged his jacket on.
"However, that is his decision. I personally look forward to reading
the resolution of this fiasco in the press, however you have managed
to juggle it. For the moment, I have no wish to remain in this hotel,
or for anyone to suspect we are related. I'm ashamed of you. Luke,
you're a fool but I wish you the best of British luck."
"Sir." Luke rose to his feet. The bang of the door was very loud.
The silence left in the room was even louder. Luke broke it, finally,
folding his arms and looking to Val.
"What did Diane have to say?"
"She's on her way over." Val said unsteadily. Luke's grim stare
didn't waver. Then he moved across and his arms closed around Val,
rough and hard and deeply comforting.
Val melted into those arms, tears stinging his eyes at his father's
harsh words. More tears because he felt safe where he was. More tears
still at the thought of how close he had come to losing the man he
was coming to love so strongly.
Luke picked up Val in his arms, and headed towards the couch. He fell
down into the soft cushions, holding Val tightly, rocking him back
and forth, while Val quieted down. When Val was calm and had no more
tears, Luke lifted his chin up and looked deep into Val's eyes. "You
and I have a lot to discuss young man."
The words were said with love. Val blinked slowly and replied "Yes, I
know. I owe you a huge apology. And a huge thank you. Luke, I'm
sooooo sorry for this mess. I did it because I...... I love you, and
I was afraid of losing you. I couldn't handle that Luke. I can't
imagine a day without you anymore. I guess I went about showing you
that the wrong way, huh?"
"An understatement, but true." Luke said, the corners of his mouth
twitching, trying to hold back a smile.
"What did you say to Price? How is that going to be fixed?"
"Kitten, I'm not telling you that. You don't need to know. He isn't
going to reveal anything about us, nor is he going to press charges
against you. He is simply going to melt back into his underworld."
Val gave a Luke a slightly sick looking smile. "I guess we'll have to
wait to see what Diane comes up with, huh?"
"Yes, she'll do us proud, I'm sure."
"Then........then you and I will discuss this again, won't we?" Val
looked up from underneath his lashes, looking for all the world like
a lost little boy.
"That again is an understatement, but also true."
"I'm sorry Luke."
"I know you are, kitten."
Sorry about what exactly, Luke didn't intend to argue with yet. Val
was more shaken with the realisation of the enormity of what he'd
done and with the risks he had taken by manipulating people he loved.
Luke doubted very much Val had any compassion whatsoever for Price's
hours in police custody, or for that he really regretted setting up
Price in the first place. If they were going to embark upon any sort
of relationship, there were going to have to be ground rules laid
down that made sure Mr. Quentin understood these matters a little
better, but now was not the time to be worrying about that.
When Diane appeared a few hours later, suited and prepared with a
phone connected to the Orion business offices in Birmingham, she
found two men, calm and collected and well able to discuss with her
matter-of-factly what needed to be done. It took less than half an
hour and very little effort on anyone's part. Diane rose to her feet
with her plan already in action.
"This is what your contract covers, Val, don't worry. No one's going
to go up against the Orion legal machine. They've got the press
cornered with the privacy act regulations and with their financial
strength, no editor is going to risk being taken to court by them.
Give me two hours and I'll have this pinned down, no one's going to
know anything about it."
"I can't thank you enough." Val got up to take her outstretched hand
and abruptly pulled her down enough to kiss her cheek. Diane looked
at him in outright surprise. In the eighteen months she'd been
working for this young man that was the first sign of appreciation or
even of basic communication he'd ever shown. The bodyguard, ever set
faced and silent, merely nodded to her as she left.
"I spoke to Max." Luke said as soon as the door shut. "The ad company
want you for an eight hour shoot tomorrow, to make up for losing
today. And there's the interview we stalled from this morning. After
that you've got four days peace and quiet before Wembley."
"I could really use the rest. Are we just hanging at the hotel?"
"Speaking of rest, I think it's time for you to go to bed."
Val, even in his exhausted state, wasn't yet ready to accede defeat
and head to bed. "Luke, it's only 7:30, I think that is just a little
TOO early. And what are we doing after tomorrow?"
"Bed, now." Luke said, pointing in the direction of Val's room.
Val looked up into the ever stern face of Luke and decided not to
fight anymore. He trudged off into his room, grumbling to himself.
Luke went into his bedroom and made a few phone calls. He and Val
were going to be taking a four day vacation, alone. Val wasn't going
to enjoy it, but a few things needed to be straightened out between
them, and it would be much easier and quicker if there were no
interruptions from the company. They were owed that at least, before
the long road trip began.
Val was subdued throughout the following day, which made the shoot
long and tedious but relatively painless. None of the crew nor the
Orion staff present appeared to find anything abnormal in yesterday's
drama: in fact Max treated the whole thing with an offhand amusement
that made Luke's hackles rise. In Max's experience, this was how
young prodigies behaved. It was all very well for him to encourage
Val to forget it, to think nothing of it. In ten years time when the
Val Quentin sensation was long gone and forgotten, it was not Max who
would be trying to live a life around distorted morals
and perceptions he no longer had the fame or the back up team to
support. Val was barely twenty. Luke watched him closely, ready and
prepared to jump on any hint of Val starting to regard his actions
lightly or as a joke, but Val seemed keen to talk to as few a people
as possible and to get on with the business at hand.
The interview was brief, and as the questions had all been submitted
to Orion before hand, Val had no need for original thought. He went
through the half hour on auto-pilot and was more than relieved to
stand on the hotel patio afterwards, watching the film crew pack
their equipment away in the two trucks parked outside. Usually
watching the stage being packed away left him with an emptiness. This
time Val watched the departure of the crew with active relief. Within
a few hours he would be out of this horrible place, it
would be gone and forgotten. Max came out to say goodbye: Val heard
little of what he said. Something about Wembley and about staying in
London. Diane and Luke would know anything important, Val smiled
faintly, listened not at all and was glad to see Max's car follow the
trucks away down the hill.
A glass touched his hand. Val glanced down and took the drink offered
to him. Alcoholic. Although thankfully not the muck he had just been
advertising. A heavy arm over his shoulders followed the glass and
Val leaned thankfully back against Luke.
"You have no idea how glad I am that's over."
"Don't start celebrating yet Kitten." Luke said warningly. Val buried
himself in his drink.
"I know."
Two hours later they were on a plane for home. Luke had made
arrangements with a ex military buddy who had a house in the hills,
far away from the hustle and bustle of downtown London. They were
staying there, alone, for four days. No phone, no television, no
radio, no distractions, period. Scheduled to depart and arrive at
Wembley the morning of the first concert. Luke had already made all
arrangements, food, clothes and supplies were ready and waiting at
the house for them. There was also one wrapped package that Val would
hate to see, but something that was going to be part of his packing
from now on. A nice, sturdy wooden paddle.
Val was tired and worried about the upcoming four days, so he put up
no arguments with Luke on the plane, simply laid back and fell asleep.
Luke was relieved as they had a lot to discuss and he didn't want to
add anything more to the already long list of things to cover.
Tomorrow was going to be the toughest day as he intended to make
quite an impression upon young Quentin, giving him the rest of the
time to recover somewhat. The plane landed and Luke guided Val into
the terminal and out the first exit, thankfully no press having been
alerted to their arrival. He ushered Val into a waiting car and drove
the two hours into the hills, finding the house with no trouble. He
ended up having to carry Val in and put him to bed, the boy was
utterly exhausted and spent. He kissed him gently on the forehead
before pulling the covers up and turning off the light.
Luke himself drifted into the garden that sloped away from the old
farm house. The Chiltern hills rolled gently away in three different
directions, even in the darkness holding their shape under the slow
moving clouds. There was no other settlement in sight, just lands now
worked by a farm two miles to the west. This house had once been the
site for wild weekends where a group of active young soldiers
gathered together as friends and to relax. In the more recent past it
had been a place Luke had come to, wanting the
solitude and friendship he had always found in it's isolation. The
friend was currently abroad, but he didn't have to be within the
walls for his presence to be strong here. His good sense and warmth,
and many solid memories based here, were already draining the stress
out of Luke's body, leaving him calm and centred, ready to think and
to find what words were needed. A magnolia was starting to bud at the
end of the garden, it's waxy
shapes pale in the sporadic moonlight. Luke leaned on the fence and
ran a finger gently over one of the blooms. Delicate and soft to the
touch, and yet more full of promise than any of the rugged grass or
crops that surrounded the house.
Val was still asleep when Luke slipped in shortly after one am. He
didn't wake in response to Luke settling beside him, just turned over
instinctively to press closer, the deceptively little boy face
peaceful in sleep and the lithe body tangling itself around Luke's.
Val woke in the morning to the smell of bacon and coffee and to the
raucous screech of birds under the eaves. Luke was nowhere to be
seen, but from the state of the far side of the bed, he hadn't slept
alone last night. Val shook hair out of his eyes, stifling a small
smile. He had a fair idea this was going to be a day he wouldn't
enjoy, and for a minute he considered slipping back under the covers
again, clinging to the protection of sleep for as long as he could.
Then he found the call of coffee- and of Luke- was too strong. He
pulled on a t shirt and jeans and worked out his way downstairs. The
kitchen was wide and square, cool from the open back door into the
garden, and Luke was standing at an ancient stove, frying bacon. The
smile he flashed at Val over his shoulder was reassuring. Val hung
both arms around his neck and Luke turned his head to kiss him. It
was an absent gesture, the hallmark of long term lovers and Val
delighted in it.
"Good morning. I thought I'd better let you sleep."
"I didn't know you could cook."
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Luke nodded at the
kettle. "Make yourself useful, finish that coffee and take it
outside."
"It's freezing out there."
"This is spring, don't be a wimp."
"Just because gorillas are covered in hair, doesn't mean their
partners are." Val grumbled cheerfully as he worked with the coffee.
"Do get something on those feet though."
"Yes, dear." Val said sweetly, luxuriating in the simple pleasures
he had long forgotten. He wandered back upstairs, finding socks and
shoes easily. He stopped by the window, looking out into the
distance, watching the sun rise over the fields. Normally he would
hate the isolation, but at this particular moment, it felt as if it
were the only thing he wanted. The smell of bacon drew him back
downstairs in a hurry, he found himself
starved.
Val went to grab a piece of bacon off the plate on the counter, and
received a sharp swat to his bottom. "Ow!"
"You can wait just a minute. Grab the plates, I'll get the rest."
"Yes, sir!" Val said sharply, grabbing the plates and heading out to
the patio.
Luke followed a moment later, and they sat down to a wonderful spread
of more food than the two of them could eat. They both thoroughly
enjoyed the quiet solitude, the company of each other. When they were
both stuffed, they sat back and slowly sipped the coffee, drinking in
the warm sunshine as it slowly crept across the flagstones of the
patio.
As soon as Val's cup was empty however, Luke leaned across and took
it out of his hand.
"Okay. I'm going to put the dishes inside, we've got a job to do
here."
Val's eyes snapped up to his, but Luke didn't look at them, just took
the plates inside, shut the door on the mess in the kitchen and
returned to the patio bench. Val was sitting on his hands, scuffing
at the patio slabs and looking about ten years old. It was an image
he reinforced as soon as Luke reached him by lifting a face plaintive
with appeal.
"Luke I am so, so sorry- you know I am-"
Alright, we start there. Luke sat down beside him and leaned his
elbows on his knees, watching the ants scurry about on the stones
below.
"Alright Kitten. Tell me why."
Silence. Val knew he was onto a losing wicket but there were things
that still needed to be said.
"I'm sorry I made you so mad." he said eventually. "I know that isn't
what you mean, but I am. And I don't just mean mad at me because of
the Price business, I'm sorry about - about winding you up about
Price. I can't explain why, it felt good that you were so angry at
Price. It felt good you cared enough about me to be that angry."
"Okay." Luke said, still watching the ants. "I can understand why you
got carried away in manipulating me. That doesn't mean I condone it.
If we're going to manage any sort of a relationship here, kiddo, rule
one is I have got to be able to trust you to be honest with me. But
you and I are a pretty minor issue to this. Have you any idea just
what you did?"
"I got Price arrested." Val said in a small voice.
"Wrongful arrest." Luke agreed. "A criminal offense, Val. As are
false allegations and wasting police time. There's just one or two
you missed in addition. You didn't just make the allegations, you
actively set Price up. You ditched me to do it, and you kept from me
information I needed to have- that Price was threatening you. If
you'd told me that, I'd have had Price cautioned by the police and
removed and you would have been left innocent and uninvolved. And you
lied. Repeatedly and with intent. To me. To the
police. To Orion. To Max."
Val paled as the truth was starting to hit him, how VERY much in
trouble he was. He was simply intent on getting rid of Price, and the
incredible lengths this had gotten to were beyond his imagination
when he started the whole mess.
"Luke....I'm sorry. I...." Val had nothing left to say. No way to
talk himself out of this mess. He hung his head.
Luke continued. "You have got to learn to think before you act.
Think, Val, it's simple. And trust me. Have I ever steered you
wrong?" He got a head shake in the negative. "We can rely on each
other to work through any problems. ANY problems. We're a team now,
and we've got to start working together as a team. Val?"
Val looked up into Luke's eyes, tears threatening to fall from his
own. He said simply "A team."
"Your actions were illegal, dangerous, stupid, immoral, and
thoughtless. I was never more ashamed of you than when you admitted
you had made the entire story up."
Val's face fell and tears began slowly coursing down his cheeks at
those words.
"Orion has made this too easy for you. Them AND Price. Had Price not
already been a swine, you would be in legal trouble up to your
armpits, and probably more than even Orion could handle. EVERYTHING
has been hidden under the rug. You are going to learn there are
severe consequences to actions such as those you took three days ago.
You have me to answer to, now and always. And I promise you, I am not
nearly as nice as they could be. Do you understand me?"
Val nodded his acceptance.
"I'd like to hear that Val. I'd like to know that you realize I'll be
here, always, to help you in anything you choose to do, but also to
punish you when you falter."
Val swallowed audibly. He locked onto the one word. Always. Luke
would always be there. Through everything that had already happened,
Luke said he'd always be there. He looked up, catching Luke's eyes.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Luke's heart melted at those words. But he was careful to not allow
that to show in his face. He wanted to make sure Val realized how
serious he was, how serious his actions were, and the trouble that he
could have been in if things were only a little different. It was
going to hurt Luke a lot to cause Val such pain, but in the overall
picture of things, it was what was needed.
"Kitten, there is a package on the kitchen table. Bring it out here
please."
He expected some of the usual Quentin bratliness. Val was never one
to go tamely to his fate, but this time he only got up, pale and
still tearful, and went slowly into the kitchen. Luke once more
surveyed the magnolia at the end of the garden. The temptation was
there: not overwhelmingly strong but there- to make this quick.
Simple. Within an hour it could be past, forgotten, with some hope of
them salvaging these few days together as
something pleasant before the concert tour began. Except that was no
foundation for the relationship Luke wanted to date from here. No
basis for trust, no true clearing of the dead wood left from that
disastrous photoshoot.
This was going to be a hell of a couple of days for them both, and
Luke was well aware that Val was hardly likely to understand that.
He glanced up at Val's shadow from the kitchen doorway with some
dread. Any anger that was left from the hotel was faded: he no longer
had the exasperation to fuel this. Whatever happened now, happened in
cold blood. And yet it was important to Val now that he was calm.
Confident. That he had some surety about where this was going to end
and that they would emerge from it whole.
The wrapped box Val was holding had been in the safe keeping of
another friend for a long time- and Luke had absolutely no intention
of Val finding out where or why. A letter a few days ago had sent it
express through the mail with a covering note Luke had read once,
grinned at and disposed of. Now he held out a hand until Val
surrendered the box and watched with his lips trembling as Luke
pulled off the paper wrapping, flipped the lid and withdrew the
rounded, polished paddle inside.
"Come here kiddo."