Chapter Fifty-Seven: Superman Tonight

Jon spent the afternoon with the kids and didn't get back into the city until latr that evening. As he drove home he had gone through his head like a sketch pad with all the different ways he could show Devon that he cared about her and that he wanted to help her. He wasn’t completely over the deceit and he knew it would sit in his gut for a while yet but he had to give it a shot. He loved her dammit.

Bruce was right. He hadn’t been this happy with anyone and that included his wife. While the marriage with Dorothea wasn’t awful, at times it was strained and the time apart became more a relief than anything. They had learnt to live apart. Christ he’d been away from Devon barely a few days properly and it had drove him insane. He thanked god that he wasn’t on tour at the moment.
He couldn’t even entertain the thought of not having her around. It was that bad and it had never been that fucking bad. He’d been a jerk if he was being completely honest. Yes she lied to him but he’d left her standing alone, the one place that she had dreaded. Alone. What kind of guy was he? He left her in the moment that she needed him most.

She’d told him she had never expected this to be anything more than a casual relationship. Maybe he hadn’t either. She had been fun and breathed a much needed breath of fresh air into his life. What he didn’t expect was that to turn into something much more. Someone that understood him.

He didn’t know what was ahead for both of them but he had to try. He had connections and if they were careful and pragmatic about this surely something could be worked out. The only issue was the US law was different to the New Zealand law so how much power did he actually have?

Maybe it wasn’t about what he could do for her. He just had to be there for her. Huh, a new concept. It was no secret that he could get wrapped up in his own life but he wanted to prove to Devon who had been alone for so long that she didn’t have to be anymore.

As the sun bled into the evening sky he sat the piano in the penthouse watching it disappear. He could go there now, declare his love for her but he knew it wasn’t enough. He wanted to be the hero but the hero of her heart.

He pulled out the old pad him and Richie had been using and tapped the sharpie against it. Surely he could pen something for her. He paced the living room floor and thought about her sitting alone in her own apartment. Alone and without a hero. Him. She was his hero in so many ways that she probably would never realize so it was time to show her that he would be hers.

Words came in all sorts of ways but once they did...he couldn’t stop. He sat bent over the piano, hand shoved into his hair and let it pour out. When he looked up again the city was blanketed in night and the apartment was so still.

“Damn.” He grinned at the paper and reached for guitar. He had the words and now he had to pen out a melody for a marriage with his words. He hadn’t written this fast in years. With the pencil in his teeth he sat and strummed the notes. Yes, damn. This works.

When he woke up, the sun was streaming across his face and he blinked into the morning. HIs guitar was strewn across his chest and his pad wedged in between his hip and the couch. “Bugger.” He groaned when his back popped as he stretched. He squinted at the clock it was a little after eight. If he wanted to see Devon before her morning rush he’d have to hurry. After a shower and a shave he got ready to head downstairs.

It was ridiculous that his stomach chunrned on his way to the door . He’d done this more times than he could count. He was being open and honest and it was time to lay it on the line. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Hey Rich.”

“Hey-you sound better. You still on for today?”

Jon checked his watch. “Absolutely. Can we say around ten?”

“Sure-why... Ohhhh you got company?”

Jon rolled his eyes. “No I haven’t but I have something I need to fix-I mean do.” Dammit.

“Ah-ha. Say no more. I’ll see you after ten.”

“I wrote a new song.”

“Oh yea? You’ll have to play it--we can thicken up the chords and shit.”

“Sure.” That is after I play it for someone else.

“Ok Jonny you sound rushed but you sound good man.”

He smiled. “Yeah-I’ll tell you later huh?”

“Deal.”

He busted out into the Soho morning and tucked his guitar under his arm. He made it to her salon within minutes and hovered outside the window. She was in there alone at the coffee bar. He stopped and stared at her a little longer. The plain black dress showed off her curves and her shapely calves which filled out nicely into two shiny black heels. Her hair was pinned back with a loose wisp or two around her face. She looked beautiful and it reminded her why he was here.

He closed his eyes and sighed. It was now or never.

~

She sipped her latte and looked around the room. It was quiet and Jonathan hadn’t arrived as early as he usually did today. Yesterday had been a complete mare so she didn’t blame him for not being here as early. Her salon was beautiful. The faint smell of citrus lingered in the air from the new diffusers she’d changed over yesterday and complemented by the lilacs she had arranged in the vases placed around the room.

She may have started this business with stolen money but she’d built it from the bottom up and paid back her debt to her box. It wasn’t right but there was no denying that she had done well launching and running the place. It would be sad to give it all up-but the reality was she didn’t know how she wouldn’t in the end if she was going to make things right.

She skimmed her fingers across the polished counter and sighed as the door opened behind her. “You’re late.” She said softly without turning.

“I didn’t know you were expecting me.”

She whipped her head to see Jon standing in the entranceway of her salon. Her eyes followed up scuffed boots, blue jeans and a tight red muscle tee that his biceps and chest stretched out underneath. Her gaze met his and then he smiled and it reached his eyes. His hair was mussed, fresh from the shower and his guitar was tucked under his arm.

“Hey.”

“Busking?” She asked amused as she tried to figure out what the hell he was doing.

“Unless I’m busking for your faith.”

She stood back and frowned. “Say what?”

He lifted the strap over his head and strummed the guitar. “Sometimes I suck at the words but my words don’t suck in a song.”

He was going to sing? Here? Now? She clutched the counter in fear of she might faint.

“Jon you don’t-” But he didn’t listen and started to strum slowly, he looked down and closed his eyes and she waited, not sure what she should do. Did she stand? Did she sit? One thing was sure she wasn’t letting go of the damn counter.

There’s something about you
I want to rescue
I don’t even know you
So what does that mean?

Her heart stopped beating and she was sure she stopped breathing.

“I stayed up all night thinking about us.”

Maybe I’m cynical
I’m painfully logical
You’re tragic and beautiful and that’s good enough for me

She stifled a laugh, he was painfully logical. Oh god was he what. Her hand was already on her mouth as she fought desperately to hold back the tears. He’d written this for her? It just wasn’t possible.

You’re looking for a hero, but it’s just my old tattoo
Tonight I swear I’d sell my soul to be a hero for you

“God,” she whispered as the chords flowed through her shop but she could have been anywhere never knowing the difference. All she could see through the wall of tears was a man standing singing to her, about her. He stood back and strummed forcefully as he bridged into the chorus.

Who’s going to save you
When the stars fall from your sky
And who’s going to pull you
When the tide gets too high
Who’s going to hold you
When you turn out the lights
I won’t lie, I wish that I could be your Superman Tonight

He looked up and their eyes connected across the room, across their differences and through their love. She had wanted to fold into his arms and cry and let him be strong for her but how could she have ever expected that after what she had done? What she had kept from him. How could this even be happening? A man bared his soul for her and was willing to give her his strength.

The words flowed from his mouth and swelled into her heart. Could they really fix this? Could he really fix her? She didn’t know but it was overwhelming that he wanted to try.

If somebody sent you
An angle to save you

What would you tell him to turn him away

That your heart don’t’ break
That your lips don’t kiss
That life is just a life
That heaven don’t exist?

“Jon-” She whispered as she held her hand out for him to stop. Each word smacked her right in the chest like he'd looked into her read her soul.

He did stop and his eyes met hers. Her heart thundered against her chest. “I-don’t deserve this.” She’d been strong and she’d been determined in her own mind she wasn’t giving up on him and now he’d returned the resolve back to her and she wasn’t prepared for the force of it.

He lifted the guitar and rested it against the counter as he took two steps towards her and his fingers slid under her chin and tilted it towards him. He came close and his lips hovered over hers. They brushed and she quivered but the kiss didn’t come. His hot breath tickled over them instead.

Whos going to fix you
The nexttime youbreak down
Stranded alone by the side of the road
It’s your bagagge that’s dragging you down
Don’t look back
Let it go


Her knees buckled but his arm secured around the back of her waist and he dragged her in close, her pulse screaming her in ears. Jon was her hero. He had already saved her and now he wanted to again.

“Devon.” His thumb brushed over her cheek. “I want to hold you when the lights go out. I’m not gonna lie. I want to be your Superman tonight.”

She smashed her lips against his and wrapped her arms tight up around his neck. The tears streamed down her cheeks as he lifted her in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist as he deepened the kiss. His hands bunched up her dress as he held her and his tongue wrapped around hers.

Her senses screamed into overload as he pushed her hard up against the wall and his mouth slid from her mouth to her throat. Her fingers fisted in his hair and she moaned as they finally breathed life into their connection again. She slid down off him, her feet barley touched the ground before he pressed her hard against the wall. She panted against his mouth as he held them suspended.

“I want to fix this Devon. I want to help you. I want to fight for us. Because fuck, I need you.”

She sobbed once but smiled as her hands slid around his face. “I love you. I need you to know how sorry I truly am but I will do anything to make this right again.”

His tears rolled onto her hands as he nodded. “I know. I can’t bear it without you. I’m sorry I was an asshole to you when you needed me the most.”

She choked on her tears but shook her head. “Don’t apologise. You’re still here aren’t you?”

He closed his eyes and nuzzled his nose with hers. “If you’re here. Then I’m here.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged him tight until she couldn't breathe. “The song was beautiful. “She whispered in into the side of his head and they stood there holding each other. “I will never forget that as long as I live.”

He pulled back and held her at arm’s length. “The Devon I know inspires great things.”

Their hands linked until he stood back and dropped them. “I know you’re opening soon but that couldn’t wait.”

She wiped her tears and laughed. “Are you kidding, you could have sung that to me in the middle of rush hour in here and I wouldn’t have cared. I am however going to need to tidy myself up now. I must look like a mess.”

“Not where I’m standing.” He grinned. She straightened her dress and tucked back the loose strands of hair from her face.

“You’re so getting laid for that song.” She said adjusting her bracelets.

His eyebrow lifted and then his eyes narrowed and for the moment it was the old them back amidst the storm they were about to tackle. “I could write you another one--or five if you want.” He joked as he pulled her in gently.

“I’ve missed you so much.” She stepped into his kiss and his warmth wrapped right around her. She sighed as his hand slid over her shoulder and down her back. The weight of him was back.

“You have no idea how much I have too.” He said as he cupped her chin. “If it wasn’t fucking eight o'clock in the morning I’d be showing you just how much.”

She groaned and kissed him one final time. “Tonight?”

“Tonight.” He confirmed. “Come to mine about seven?” His lips brushed her forehead and her hands slid down his chest.

“If you there, then I’m there.” She grinned as she enforced his words back to him. She had no idea what they would do next but she craved the strength from him, she craved to heal him from any hurt she’d caused him. And they would get that tonight.

“Oh I missed the concert?” The voice behind him broke them apart as Jonathan came onto the floor.

“Whoa-everything alright here?” His face etched with concern.

She smiled as Jon stood behind her and pressed into her. “Everything is ok Jonathan. Just a lover’s tiff.” Part of this whole process meant she was going to have to come clean with Jonathan. He needed to know what was going to happen with the salon if something should happen. He’d been so loyal to her that it was only fair. But first she would figure out what exactly she would do and then she would tell him.

“I was being an ass. I had some apoligizing to do.” Jon said as he kissed the top of her head and then reached for his guitar.

“A song? Swoon factor times ten!”

Devon laughed and Jon shook his head. “See you tonight ok, baby?”

She nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

She watched him leave and couldn’t really believe what had happened. He’d vowed to help her, something she didn’t deserve and never expected but it proved one thing. And that was he was the man she fell in love with. If they could find a way through this she knew they could find a way through anything.