Chapter Text
"And this lady here is Ms. Maren Mulligan. Aside from ME, this woman is the only other person who can get those four to LISTEN!" Cha emphasized as she laughed a little, motioning towards Maren, who ran into her favorite Assistant Director on her way back from the kitchen. Cha continued, turning towards Maren, "Tour Manager extraordinaire, meet Heather Strummer. Heather is one of our Fall production interns. She is studying film production at NYU."
Maren held out her hand, "Cha is far too kind, they only listen to me cause I have dirt on each of them. Welcome, Heather!" She grinned at the tall, dark haired, probably 22 year old who was standing in front of her.
Heathers dark berry stained lips formed a curt smile as she shook Marens hand, "Hi. Yes, I've heard about you."
Maren raised a questioning eyebrow as she immediately crooked her head slightly towards Cha. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cha do the same a look of annoyance spreading across her face. Maren could tell Cha was biting her tongue. "Everyone has!" Maren retorted quickly with a wink and a smile before turning and heading back to her office. "Nice to meet you Heather!" she called back over her shoulder.
Before Maren was even seated at her desk, Kelsey appeared in her doorway. "Hey! Want to grab lunch today? We need to go over San Diego Comic Con appearances and schedules" the tall blonde said as she sipped her coffee.
Now seated at her desk, Maren was looking at her computer screen as her fingers slid across the keyboard but nodded, "Mmm hmm sure" she said tearing her eyes away from the screen and turning towards Kelsey. "Hey, what's the deal with the new girl?" Maren pondered out loud to her best friend hoping the Director of PR for TRuTV had some dirt.
Kelsey took a seat on the soft pink velvet chair in front of Marens sleek white desk, "Which? We have a few who have started, I've already had to warn Murray not to hit on any of them them," Kelsey laughs to herself.
Maren raised an eyebrow at her friend, "Tall girl, long dark brown hair. She's dressed all Boho sheek. Nose ring, dark mauve lips..." Maren noticed the puzzled look on Kelsey's face and rolled her eyes, "When Cha introduced us earlier, the girl said, "Oh I've heard about you!"
Kelsey's mouth fell open as she leaned forward, "No way! Are you serious? It's her FIRST DAY!" Kelsey exclaimed patting her hand down gently on Marens desk getting her point across.
Maren nodded, "Who even SAYS that to someone?!? Nevermind this is for a College Credit. Also, this is a pretty popular TV show I might add. Like what the hell?!" Maren snickered in disbelief.
Kelsey shook her head in amazement. "Wow. What did you even say?"
Maren leaned back in her chair and laughed, "I said 'yes everyone has' and walked away!"
Kelsey leaned over the desk and held her hand up for a high five. "Atta girl!"
Maren leaned forward and slapped her best friends. Secretly she breathing a sigh of relief that Kelsey hadn't pick up on the fact that she was bothered by someone alluding to her past and the pictures. Though far from peoples minds now a year later, sadly it wasn't far from Marens. And that is because it also wasn't far from another important woman in Brian Quinn's life, his mom.
A small knock on Marens office door caused both women to look up. "Sorry, hope I'm not interrupting important gossip." Marens boyfriend of a year winked at her as he put down his motorcycle helmet on the chair next to Kelsey and unzipped his sleek black leather jacket.
Maren rolled her eyes and playfully threw her pen at him, "Ha. Funn... Brian! You rode your MOTORCYLCE HERE?!? We talked about this!" Marens tone instantly changed from friendly to frustrated.
Kelsey stood up from the chair grabbing her coffee, "Annnd that's my cue to go! I'll come grab you at noon to head out." Kelsey said as she made her way to the door patting Brian's shoulder as if to say 'Good Luck'.
Brian took a deep breathe before flashing his pearly whites in her direction, "Babe, relax. It's fine. I'm fine. Plus it's perfect bike weather. If you just moved in with me already we'd be able to ride in together. Then maybe you'd see how beautiful it is. The flowers blooming. Spring in the air!" Brian smiled that devilish grin of his as he made his way around Marens desk. Leaning down to give her a kiss he whispered, "Plus just the thought of you on the back of my bike squeezing me tight is making me incredibly hard right now."
Maren moaned in to the kiss before she realized what he was doing. Pushing him away she turned serious, "I don't like it Bri. It's too far. Please just stick to Staten Island on the bike, ok? For me, please?" Batting her long eyelashes and puppy dog eyes at him, Brian knew he was defeated, if only temporarily.
Holding up his hands in the air, he relented. "Fine. You remember what today is though, right?" His frustration fading as he leaned in to kiss her again.
Knocking on the door quickly before opening it, Cha walked in and immediately started talking, "Yo I can't believe she said that!!!" she said shaking her head before she realized Brian was on the other side of Marens desk. "Please don't tell me I just walked in after the two of you had sex in this office?" Cha moaned before letting out a slight laugh.
Brian looked at her confused, "Not this time. But uh who's 'she' and what did she say?" he questioned looking between the two ladies.
Maren shot Cha 'NO' eyes and spoke quickly, "You didn't miss anything honey!" Standing to her feet she hoped to distract Brian by leaning in and kissing him deeply. Once he moaned into the kiss, she knew he completely forgot the question. Also, Cha would head for the hills.
"Ok it's too early for this. Meeting in five Q," Cha joked as she made her way out of Marens office.
"Bye!" Maren pulled her lips away from Brian and chuckled before screaming out after Cha.
Brian lifted his hand to her face and pulled her back into his lips. "Mmm.. staying with me tonight?" It was a question thinly veiled more like a statement. However much like Brian earlier was unable to resist Marens puppy dog eyes and batting of the eyelashes, Maren couldn't resist this man when he held her face in those strong hands she adored. "Absolutely."
________________________________
"I'm on to you." Maren narrowed her eyes as she sipped on her glass of white wine at the ladies favorite lunch spot Haven. Maren hadn't spent much time at one of her favorite places since being back. Most of her time was spent with Brian. "We both know what day it is Kels" she said making it known that neither of them had mentioned it earlier.
"Then spill it! What did you decide?" Kelsey grinned not caring that she was caught, she wanted Marens answer. San Diego Comic Con's schedule was finalized between the two woman last week. Though it didn't seem like it since Maren was caught off guard by new intern Heather, she WAS paying attention when Kelsey mentioned the reason for going to lunch. And her reason was bogus. She wanted to know Marens decision.
6 months ago
"I think it's time for you to break your lease. You're hanging a stocking with your name on it at my house! I mean Santa can only find you at one address, Mar." Brian said half jokingly as he continued to unwrap packages of Christmas tree lights they had just bought.
Maren was standing on a step stool cleaning the top of the mantle and whined, "Brian can't we just enjoy the fire that's going and decorate the living room.. please?" For weeks she had begged Brian to let her put up some decorations for their first Christmas together. Brian relented once she showed him the stockings she personalized with Benjamin, Chessie and Brooklyn cats names on them in glitter. So now it was time for him to get what he wanted. And that was Maren living under his roof.
"We're doing this Maren. We're a couple. We're happy. Everything's right. I think it's time. That's all I'm saying," he said confidently as he laid out strands of multicolored lights on the floor.
Maren snapped around quickly, "Really? You think your mom would approve of me moving in already? She's not exactly my biggest fan. Pretty sure she hates me actually." Stepping down off the stool, Maren wrapped her arms around herself and plopped down on Brian's grey sofa pouting. All she wanted to do was have a nice afternoon hanging decorations.
"Stop. My mother does not hate you," Brian rolled his eyes before continuing, "And don't change the subject. This is about you and me and our agreement," he scolded at her attempt to deflect from the actual topic at hand. Standing up from kneeling in front of the twinkling lights on the floor, he snuggled up next to her on the sofa and pulled her into his chest.
Once back from Europe, Maren did move back to New York, but it came with some caveats. For starters, Maren convinced Brian to let her keep her house in the Keys. It would be a vacation spot for her and Brian, plus they would make some money on it by listing it as an Airbnb. Next, she insisted she rent her own apartment. With the success of the make-up show Europe Tour, several International sponsors submitted offers wanting to book the next tour as soon as possible. This resulted in a huge raise and new contract from The Tenderloins. Maren was officially their Tour Manager once again.
It took 2 whole days of back and forth conversations, some yelling and some crying between the couple before Brian could agree to it all. It was another test in their relationship that both knew was bound to happen. Maren explained she was worried that because they worked together, they needed their own space. She didn't want them to be sick of one another. Plus she was admitted to him that she was still scarred from her experience of Jason not coming home one day. She wasn't ready, even though they both knew he wasn't Jason. Brian understood but he had one absolute stipulation he would not budge on: Maren was not to run to her house in the Keys if they ever got into a fight. While they both held up their end of the bargains, lately Brian was talking about having her break her lease more and more.
Maren looked around the living room. It was currently a mess with wreathes, garland and boxes of ornaments. The fragrant huge balsam fir sat between the windows as one by one each cat would walk by cautiously never having seen one before. The warm glow from the fireplace illuminated her already handsome boyfriends face. She really did love him, and this was all she had ever wanted since she was a little girl. But fear is a powerful emotion. Just like love. Looking up in to his chocolate brown eyes, she knew this wasn't what he wanted to hear. "My lease is up in 6 months baby. Let's discuss it then, ok? I love you."
Brian rubbed his hand through his hair and sighed. His body shifted slightly, but he kissed the side of her forehead sweetly. A lot had changed between the two of them over the years. But the more things change, the more they stayed the same and one of those things was the way he she would still frustrate the shit out of him. Closing his eyes as her head rested against his chest, he remember back to when he lost her.
"Fine. 6 months."