Chapter 4

"Hey guys, how was the play?" Richie was trying to be casual.

"Good. All our hard work during the year really paid off." Dot had been a part of the committee for the settings and props, and had spent many nights in the school's cafeteria painting and hammering. Jon had come out to help whenever he could.

"We're going to get these two to bed and then we can go over that song you were talking about. I'll be right down." Jon followed Dot up the stairs carrying Jake. "Anything happen while we were gone?"

Yes, you came here from the past. "No, just the usual."

*****

They were in the studio hashing out some lyrics to the new song they were working on when Jon noticed Richie was very distracted. "Why do you keep looking back towards the house?" It seemed like every ten minutes or so, Richie's attention was diverted to the house. What Jon found strange though, was that so was his. Someone or something in his house seemed to be calling out to him.


Richie was thinking about the other Jon hiding in his bedroom. He wasn't quite sure if he wished that it was all a hallucination or not. In fact, he was rather enjoying this. Too bad he wouldn't be able tell anyone else about it. Right?

"Rich!"

Richie jumped, nearly dropping his guitar. "What?!"

"Where did you go, man?"

"Sorry, I guess I'm just a bit tired."

"Okay, why don't we take a break. Maybe some coffee and something to eat?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Back at the house, Richie got the coffee started and Jon rummaged through the fridge looking for cold cuts and cheeses to fix them a sandwich. They were standing at the counter, putting their sandwiches together when Dot walked in.

"What did you do tonight, Richie?"

"Not much. I watched a movie but they mostly had re-runs on TV."

"Oh, I thought you might have found something better to do."

"Why would you think that?"

"Our bed is messed up." She put her hand on her hip and looked Richie straight in the eyes.

*****

"I can explain..." No, I can't.

Richie quickly bit into his sandwich hoping to stall for time. "Hey, this is really good cheese, Dot. Where did you get it?"

"Richie..." There was a warning note in Dot's voice.

"Uh...maybe your housekeeper forgot to make it this morning."

When Dot crossed her arms and declared that today was Grace's day off, he gulped and grinned at her through a mouthful of sandwich. That little prick! Why do I have to take the heat for something he did?

Richie's mind was racing for some kind of explanation when Jon spoke up.

"I think I was the one who did that. I think I took a nap before we left for Steph's school."

"I don't remember you taking a nap." Dot eyed him curiously.

Neither do I, but somehow it seems like I did.

"It was just for a short while. I was kind of tired."

"Hon, I really think you're coming down with something. You need to go get some rest before that charity concert next week."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm going to call it a night, Rich. See you in the morning, okay?"

"Okay, you get some rest, kid."

"Did you just call me 'Kidd'?"

Richie shrugged. Somehow now, it seemed appropriate.

Just then, Richie looked past them and he saw Jon standing there with his mouth agape and nearly fainted. His eyes went wide and he started waving his arms to shoo him back to his room, oblivious to the stares that Jon and Dot were giving him.

"Rich, what the hell are you doing? Do you have someone here?"

"No! It's just that um...I..."

"You've got that bimbo in your room, don't you?!" Jon gave him a withering look.

"No, I don't! I wouldn't bring her here even if I was still seeing her."

"Good." Jon turned back when he had a second thought, "whoever you've got in there, keep it down. I'm starting to get a headache, again."

*****

"Are you out of your freaking mind?!" Richie was furious that Jon would be stupid enough to venture out of the bedroom. "What if they saw you?"

"What if they saw me, huh, Rich? What would happen?"

"There's two of you and you can't come in contact with each other. You'll just spontaneously combust, or something."

Jon just stood there staring at him. "I think you've watched too many movies, Rich."

"Oh, really? Then I suppose that when I wake up in the morning, you'll be gone and I'll realize it was all a dream, right?"

Seeing Jon's dejected face curbed his anger. "Look, we're going to figure this out, but not tonight. I'm tired and I'm going to bed."

*****

Jon lay awake in his bed, dog tired from the day's activities, but he was unable to fall asleep. He turned to his side and watched his wife peacefully sleeping snuggled up against him and he smiled. Nearly twenty years have passed since they said their 'I dos' on the steps of Graceland Chapel and he still loved her just as much, if not more than when they exchanged their vows. He thought back to when it almost didn't happen and shuddered. He had gone through a period of stupid, and thanked whatever gods that made him open his eyes and see what he would have lost.

So, why was today bothering him? Something was bringing back these memories and it troubled him. His headaches, while painful, also brought on a strange sensation that he couldn't put a finger on.

He lingered over that thought for a while and finally fell into a fitful sleep.

*****

"Get the hell out of my bed!" Richie had just come out of the bathroom, ready for sleep when he found Jon already tucked in under the blankets.

"Where am I supposed to sleep, then? Isn't this my house?"

"Not yet, asshole." Richie stomped over to the closet and dragged out a pillow and an extra blanket and threw them at Jon. "Go sleep on the couch over there," he pointed at a small sofa in the sitting area.

"Fine. But don't forget, this is going to come back to bite you, Sambora."

"Whatever. Just shut up and go to sleep, you little prick. Now I wish that this is some stupid nightmare and you'd be gone in the morning."



Morning came soon enough and when Richie looked over to the couch, he saw Jon sprawled out on it, snoring away.

Shit.