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Meadow Rain

Your wide eyes see everything
Your gentle touch, soothes my skin
With you near, the world has grown
What was old, what was unknown
Is all now revealed to me

Meadow Rain, Meadow Rain
The wind calls your name
Meadow Rain, Meadow Rain
The wind calls your name

You were there when I needed you
When I was so full of heartbreak and despair
I wanted to just sink into you and disappear
You held me close and whispered in my ear
You comforted me, my darling, my dear

Meadow Rain, Meadow Rain
The sun calls your name
Meadow Rain, Meadow Rain
The sun calls your name

I want to give you everything
I love you, I love you
Meadow Rain

✨💖✨💖✨💖✨💖✨💖✨

Heath had asked MJ to be sure to catch the end of his show because there was going to be a surprise. She was pretty sure she knew what the surprise was. They'd been talking about some kind of duet, with him and Meredith together as a way to end the first half of the tour with a bang or whatever, and MJ didn't particularly want to see it, so she wasn't really paying attention.

Meredith wasn't in her dressing room, so MJ assumed she was waiting in the wings to go onstage to sing something with Heath. She didn't know what song it was, however, since she hadn't heard them rehearsing anything, and she knew Meredith wasn't good enough of a musician to improvise anything.

So she was backstage, and she had waved to Heath, but she was on her phone, looking at the New York Times crossword puzzle, when she heard Heath play a lead in on his guitar, all alone, in A major, her favorite key. She hadn't heard any of the words he spoke for the intro, she had no idea what he'd said to the arena of silent fans. She'd never heard it before, and she pretty much knew his entire set list by now. She put her phone away and looked around for Meredith, and saw her, off stage, on the other side, with her current posse, her new, extra blonde hair very visible. They were all watching Heath.

Then he began singing the most beautiful song, very simple, in 3/4 time, almost folksy in its rhythm and the cadence of its words.

The spotlight shone down on the crown of his dark head as he strummed and sang, beautiful words about someone with wide eyes and a gentle touch, his rich voice filling the arena as it rose and fell.

Meadow Rain, Meadow Rain

Oh. My. God.

Heath's voice quavered, then grew strong, carried on the gorgeous, rich melody.

Now he was singing about being comforted when he was in pain, and again, his voice wobbled, and almost dropped out. He stopped strumming and quickly wiped away a tear, then found his place again, continuing to sing, again singing her name, out into the silent stadium, lit only by the lights of thousands of phones, waving back and forth.

Holy Jesus.

I love you, I love you,
Meadow Rain

MJ looked over at Meredith. She was silently watching Heath, and her group of friends were crying, hugging each other, and for some strange reason, hugging Meredith.

How strange.

What in the world was Heath thinking? They were supposed to be keeping this all on the down-low. He knew that Meredith would blow her top if she found out. As would the rest of the world.

MJ let out a huge breath. She would be lucky if she had a job after this.

MJ decided to take the first car back to the hotel. She'd never been known for her bravery, and she figured there was no reason for her to start now.

She sent Heath a text from the car.

WTF were you thinking?

He quickly wrote back:

MJ, I'm so hurt. You didn't even tell me if you liked the song!

OMFG. OF COURSE I LIKED THE SONG. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. NOW. WTF WERE YOU THINKING?

Heath sent back a bunch of laughing emojis.

MJ wrote:

This is so not funny. We are so busted.

After a minute, Heath wrote:

Apparently, we aren't. Have you checked any social media in the last ten minutes?

MJ responded:

No? Why?

Heath replied:

Just take a quick look. Meredith is even dumber than we thought.

MJ quickly looked at Twitter.

OMG. Heath's in love with Meredith Renner!

The song is gorgeous! Who else could it be about? Her initials are the same as the song title Meadow Rain = Meredith Renner! And it talks about the world? Hello! They're on a world tour! And she was in England with him when Nigel died, and she comforted him. God, how romantic!

Did you hear? Heath Spencer wrote the most dope song about MR!! OMG so romantic!

Link to song HS wrote for MR here:

MJ quickly texted Heath.

I can't believe it.

Heath wrote back:

I can't either. What I don't understand is, how can she possibly believe it's about her? She knows it's about you! I say your name right in the song!

Then, after a moment, he sent another text:

Unless, MJ, is it possible she doesn't know your fucking name???

MJ thought. Her car had reached the hotel, so she went up to her room, and took a quick shower. By the time she put on her PJs, Heath was at her door, so she let him in.

She pulled him through the door and yanked him down on the bed, making a comfortable growling sound as she enveloped him in a huge hug, biting him softly on the neck.

"Wow, what did I do to deserve such a wonderful greeting?" Heath murmured, turning them over in the bed and wrapping his leg around her. "You smell positively edible, my darling, oh my goodness."

After a few minutes of serious and devoted kissing, Heath sat back on the bed and asked, "So, anyway, is it possible that that stupid nitwit doesn't even know your sodding name after all this time?" He smoothed MJ's hair away from her face.

MJ sighed as she considered, and finally nodded. "Actually, yeah, I think so. Sally signed all my papers, you know?" She shrugged, and gave Heath a look. "What were you going to do if she had known my name? And we don't know for sure that she doesn't." She looked at her watch. "I mean, it's been all of an hour and a half, Heath, she could just be gathering herself to rain down a full-on, Meredith Renner shitstorm on us, you know?"

Heath shook his head. "If she knew that song was about you, she might not have put it out there on social media and all that, she might not even have told those stupid twats she has hanging around her all the time, but she definitely would've come whinging around to me and for sure to Sally about it. She would've said that you needed to be sacked immediately and sent packing back to Los Angeles with no pay and all that for sure. That girl's a snake. She might be thinking it's not about her, because even she can't be stupid enough to believe I have those feelings about her, I hope, but I don't think she has any clue it's about you, darling Ms. Java-Jasonderulo."

Heath reached over and pulled MJ into an embrace, nuzzling into her neck. "You smell amazing, honest to god."

"That's so nice to hear," MJ responded with a smile. "I always worry so much about how I smell, you know?"

"Why?" Heath asked, honestly perplexed. "I mean, you smell better than anyone I know, MJ. What do you to yourself to smell so good?" He buried his nose into her hair. "Tell me, please."

"What, are you serious?" MJ asked, closing her eyes at how good he felt.

Heath nodded.

"Okay. Well, first, I shampoo, and wash all over," MJ began.

"Ohh, this sounds so sexy," Heath whispered, sliding his hands up to her waist.

MJ laughed.

"Then I put conditioner in my hair," she continued. "Then I get out and put anti-perspirant, and drying spray on my body, and body splash? You know what that is?" She paused. "Never mind. Then I put lotion, then I put drying powder on my back--"

"MJ, are you joking?" Heath interrupted, sitting up to stare at her face.

"No, I'm not joking," MJ answered. "Why would I joke?" She huffed out a breath. "You don't know what it's like, Heath. You've been thin, lean, your whole life. I've had to live with being this size since I was little. It's awful. I have to worry all the time about stuff like this." She blinked at him.

"Well, for one thing, how do you afford it? All that stuff?" Heath asked, stroking her hair off her face. "You said you didn't have much money, and that sounds like a lot of products--?"

MJ bit her lip and looked down.

"I got a job at a drug store as soon as I was old enough," she admitted in a soft voice. "Between my waitressing money from the diner and the discount I got at the drugstore, I made it work." She shrugged, defeated. "I had to have it, you know?" She wiped away a tear impatiently. "Not having it wasn't an option, that's all."

"Okay, okay," Heath said, nodding. He hugged her. "Shh, shh, I understand, I do, darling."

"Hey, would you do something for me?" MJ asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Anything," he assured her.

"Would you sing that song for me again?"

"Of course, darling. But I'd like to take a shower first, okay?"

MJ nodded, her face still against his front.

"And, since you said this room adjoins Meredith's, perhaps we should adjourn to my suite for awhile? Just to be safe?" He tipped her face up to his by her chin, and kissed her mouth.

She nodded and smiled.

"Okay. You go to yours and shower, and I'll sneak over in half an hour."

He nodded back. "Sounds like a plan. I'll order something for us to eat, and serenade you, okay?"

"Yeah."