Chapter Text
*
Mindlessly humming along with the faint tune on the radio, Dawn pulled one fairly sun tanned leg up under her, sitting on it, while letting the other one dangle over the arm of the office chair. Waiting for her boss to join her and her two co-workers in his office was making her fidgety. She wiggled her toes with the rhythm of the music, admiring the sunlight reflecting off the neon orange polish that practically glowed on her nails. Normally she didn't go so bright with the color, even on just her toes, but dammit she was feeling a little feisty. Besides, it made her look even more tan than she was, so that was a bonus. Summer only lasted so long, right?
"You going hunting?" Tim asked, smirking as he took in her polish. "Cause I think you got the safety orange part covered."
"Don't be hating on my hot toes, Tim," Dawn giggled. "You're just jealous because I look better in flip flops than you do." She reached her foot out and gave her chair a little push to make it swivel, swinging her toes by Tim's face for good measure.
"Stop it, you two," Jake grumbled, guzzling down the last of his third cup of coffee. "Why the hell are you so chipper anyway? You like getting your asses drug out here so early on a Monday morning?"
"It's noon, you moron," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. "I can't help it if you stay up all night chasing women knowing we have a busy week ahead of us. You guys know what this meeting is all about? Rusty sounded awfully excited."
"Nope," Jake answered, deciding to ignore the chasing women comment, for now. "All I know is he said me and you would be so happy we'd piss our pants. Didn't mention you, Tim, so I guess you get to keep your dignity."
"Dawn lost her dignity when she painted her toes glow in the dark orange!" Tim laughed, then ducked as Dawn flung her ink pen his way.
The trio was an unlikely group. Dawn and Jake had been high school sweet hearts back in the day, separated for several years then reunited when Jake started working at the studio. Since then they had been lovers off and on and had been off for almost two full years, the longest break in ages. Jake feared it was for good, Dawn hoped to God it was. Tim was ten years their senior, had been in the police force for twenty years before being forced to follow less dangerous hobbies after getting shot in the line of duty at the age of 38. Now 43, he was quite settled into the life of late nights recording and editing endless tracks of music at the studio that was his home away from home.
Before they could further their ink pen war, the studio owner came bustling into the room with his arms full of papers and folders. A pair of glasses on his head, a pair on his face, alerted Dawn to just how frazzled Rusty truly was. Yet beyond the frazzled look was pure, ecstatic joy. She was more than intrigued.
"Well, look who's decided to join us today!" Jake quipped, slapping a hand on the table in front of him. "You finally gonna tell us what the hell is going on? We've not saw you for a week, almost."
Dropping all the papers and such from his hands in one dramatic swoosh, Rusty looked up at his friends and employees with a grin that his face could barely contain. He went to take his glasses off his face and perch them on top of his head, realizing that a pair already rested there. He quickly laid both pairs on his desk.
"I know it's been a hectic few days, that I've been gone and very close lipped about what is going on," Rusty started, letting his eyes bounce from face to face. "Next week, it's going to get pretty exciting around here. We are having special visitors. I mean, very special visitors. They'll be staying with us at least six weeks, most likely eight if not more."
"Alright!" Jake said excitedly. "It's been awhile since we've had some big wigs around here, I'm ready for some excitement. Who is it? I haven't saw anyone on the books..."
"No, and there is a reason for that. I've signed a confidentiality agreement, and the three of you will need to do so as well," Rusty said, rifling through some papers in a folder.
Well, now Rusty had three very attentive employees in front of him. In all her time at the studio, which had been basically since she was 16 and best friends with Rusty's sister-in-law Gina and now there as her job, Dawn had never heard of an arrangement like this. Sure there had been some quite famous names pass through those doors over the years, even George Jones himself back in the day when Rusty's father ran the business years ago, but never had she heard of such a fuss.
The little studio was very deceiving in looks. It was a very long building, nothing fancy, covered in white siding. Inside it was every musicians dream with rooms full of all sorts of equipment and instruments, old vinyl records to plunder through if time allowed, even a sleeping area for the die-hards that always ended up staying too late and perhaps had one too many to safely drive home. Plus it was truly in the middle of nowhere in their small town in West Virginia.
Despite the location, well actually partly because of it, the studio did more than its fair share of business for this neck of the woods thanks to the musical talent that was employed there and the family roots that had built it. The top of the line equipment was a bonus too; just as good as you would find in half of Nashville, for half the price with privacy to boot. Add in its own little camp ground just outside for RV's, campers or tour buses to park for their stay, and you had a studio that was well worth the distance it may take to get there. Many a time the groups often stayed a few days after finishing up to relax before heading back to their own neck of the woods.
"Well, who is it?" Dawn asked, getting pretty excited imagining what up and coming band might be passing through. "Please god don't let it be blue grassers!"
"No, not blue grassers," Rusty laughed. "Not really, anyway. The thing is.... I still can't tell you yet. It's not really the group that requires the secrecy, it's the situation. All I can say is, you will NOT be disappointed, kids, you will not."
"Well, what the hell kind of answer is that?" Tim huffed. "If I'm going to sign anything, I wanna know who for."
"Yeah, me too," Jake agreed.
"Oh, you'll sign with no problem when you find out just what you get to do," Rusty said assuredly. "Jake, do you know whose biopic they are going to be making this fall?"
"Nope, haven't heard anything," Jake said.
"Me either," Dawn added, with Tim shaking his head as well.
"Hank Williams."
"Senior?" asked Jake.
"Yep, Senior," Rusty said, with a smile. "Guess who gets to join the crew assigned to the guy picked to play Hank? To help him fine tune a few things. Who I suggested for the job when asked who was the best around here?"
Jake's eyes were as round as saucers. "Me?"
"Yes, you, Jake," Rusty said. "And guess who gets to be personal assistant to someone very special to this project, to be at his beck and call? To even show him the hills and such when he's not working with the others?"
Everyone kind of blinked, confused. How was that a bonus? Then it hit Dawn.
"Me?!?" Dawn exclaimed, not quite as dreamily as Jake had replied.
"Yep."
"Let me get this straight. Jake gets to help an actor prepare to play Hank fucking Williams and I get to wait on someone "special" hand and foot? THAT is what is supposed to make me so happy I'll piss my pants? Is special code for senile old tag along that needs someone to make sure they don't get lost in the building and break something? Because I am never doing that again! You swore after last time I'd never have to do that again!"
"Oh, trust me, darlin'" Rusty laughed. "If I know you, and I do, you will be so happy you will never quit thanking me for this. I swear!"
Dawn wasn't so sure she was buying that load of bullshit just yet, and the boys were laughing at her perturbed look she was sporting.
"How sexist of you Rusty! I'm already your guys damned maid around here half the time, not even counting what I do for the part time musicians and techs. I'm not so sure about this," Dawn grumbled.
"Dawn, if you don't do this, I think it's safe to say you would regret this for the rest of your life," Rusty said looking her square in the eye. "I didn't pick you because you are a woman, I picked you as a favor for you. I could just have easily chose Tim if I had the notion. You have to trust me. Now, sign this damned paper!"
Dawn held his gaze, as Rusty flopped out a paper her way, with Jake already slapping his signature on his own agreement. She knew Rusty would not do anything to degrade her purposefully, and she knew he respected her work and what little bit of musical talent she could offer but mostly her organizational and business skills were what was utilized most in her job. So, if Rusty was making such a to do about this, Dawn decided she would bite the bullet and signed her name on the dotted line, hoping she wouldn't regret it.
"Great!" Rusty exclaimed, as Tim slapped his name on his paper as well. "Tim, Dawn, I need you two to make a Sam's run, we'll have a crew of about twenty to feed for quite a while. You don't have to cook, Dawn, so wipe that look off your face. Jake, you come with me today to the music store, we need to stock up on that stuff as well. Here's your list, see you all after while, okay?"
"Okay," Tim said, looking over the list and handing a copy to Dawn. "Fancy tea? Why the hell do we need fancy tea? What the hell IS fancy tea?"
"Beats me," Dawn shrugged. "But I doubt they will have it at Sam's."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Say my name."
"Loki!" the crowd chants, the tiniest bit hesitant. Dawn can see Tom pacing, slightly motioning his long, slender fingers in a manner that lets them know he wants more.
"Say my name," a bit louder, this time.
"Loki!" comes the response, closer to that which he is longing.
"Say my name!" Oh that glorious neck, as Tom strains his voice.
"LOKI!" reservations completely gone now.
"SAY MY NAME!" Arms stretched out wide, head thrown back, becoming one with the energy in the room.
"Loki....." Dawn whispers softly, opening her eyes and leaving the dream behind, trying to focus on where she is.
"It seems I have an army...." comes from the night stand beside her bed.
Fully awake now, well, as awake as Dawn ever got at seven in the morning without more than a few hours sleep, she reached out and grabbed her phone to turn off the dream inducing alarm. Rolling back into the comfort of the soft pillows that were spread all around her, she began to kick off the covers that she had managed to wrap completely around her feet and legs. Finally free of her cotton ties, Dawn swiped the screen of her phone to see if she had any new messages.
Briefly staring at Loki in his glass cage of emotion sporting a wicked ass grin, a small smile crept up her face. Maybe she was too old to be so enamored by such a character, a man she did not know, at her age of 33, but she did not care about such things as that. After all, she was partially named after Elvis Presley's daughter as her mother had told her too many times to count, for crying out loud. They shared the same middle name, Marie. Dawn came by her fan roots quite honestly.
"Let's see what Gina says at seven in the freaking morning," she said, yawning as she clicked on the notification waiting for her.
"This isn't going to make any sense. I have tried to get more info out of him, but all he keeps repeating is some nonsense that he ends with "Trust me, she will thank me later," and the biggest shit eating grin I've saw on him in ages. Mick says you MUST change your home screen on your phone and laptop. Go neutral. Like, flowers and sunshine and unicorns shitting rainbows neutral. Absolutely no humans. I am sorry, that is all I know. If I find out anything else, I will call you. Love Gina"
"What the hell is going on? I feel like I'm in a bad episode of the Twilight Zone or something," Dawn mutters, staring at her screen in confusion.
"Alright, will do," she texts back. "No humans. Sigh. I'm almost starting to regret this. Love you too."
Throwing her feet down onto the floor and plodding off to the shower, Dawn thought back on the past few days with a growing ball of nerves in the pit of her stomach.
Aside from getting the studio ready for their guests, loading the freezers with bulk quantities of food for the two cooks that would be rotating fixing three meals a day, filling up the old Pepsi cooler with water, beer and various bottles of pop, Dawn really knew nothing else besides what she had first been informed a week ago. A thorough Google search had only turned up that the biopic was in the works and that Sony had secured the music rights. She had begged and hinted for details in every way she could think of, to no avail, always getting the same answer.
"Just trust me." Everyone was sure asking for a lot of trust.
As the steam rolled around the tile walls of the bathroom she called her own, Dawn lathered herself up with peppermint shampoo and body wash. She didn't know what it was about the smell, but it always made her feel so alive, so sexy. Despite her nerves towards whatever this great adventure was that she had been promised this surprise would be, Dawn was sure glad she hadn't decided to tag along with Gina and Mick to their last job location. Living and occasionally working for two traveling doctors had its perks, that Dawn knew without a shadow of a doubt, but she was ready for a little pure excitement. She hoped Rusty came through with his promise for a deal of a lifetime.
Out of the shower and her hair blown dry, Dawn headed to her closet to begin the task of deciding just what to wear. Rusty, who was never one to wear anything more fancy than the minimum required of him, assured her she would want to look ‘purtied up' so she planned to do just that.
"Dress up like a hot country tour guide," Jake had teased her.
Little shit, she'd show him. That was exactly what she was going to do. It had been a while since she had been laid properly, and if this little surprise ended up with her knocking boots with someone, far be it from her to turn down a gift from the gods. Now to decide what one should wear for such an endeavor.
Jean skirt and boots? Too country western. Her old "Save a horse, ride a cowboy" t shirt? Too much. The "I Heart NY" tank she got on the last work trip with Gina? Too Yankee. Sighing with indecision, Dawn gave up on her quest and just grabbed her cut off Levi shorts that made her ass look fantastic, if she did say so herself. She topped it off with her new favorite Blake Shelton t shirt she had gotten from a concert a few months ago. Country enough, Dawn decided.
After she finished her make up, which she made up a little more than usual for an average day to outweigh the plainness of her t shirt, and curled and fixed her hair in two low pony tails at the base of her scalp, Dawn stood in front of the long bathroom mirror trying to dissipate her nerves with the fairly attractive image staring back at her. She decided she didn't look a day over 28, thanks to her Granny's smooth skin she inherited along with her good cheek bones.
"Getting some age on you, sweetheart, when you get excited about looking twenty eight," Dawn laughed out loud as she stared in her own eyes making faces at her reflection. She turned to take in the back view, smacking herself on the ass and smiling at the firm jiggle.
"Good as it's going to get today, anyway. Just one more thing," Dawn mumbled as she grabbed the scissors out of the top drawer and sliced open the neck of her tight t shirt, making a nice revealing line of view down to her ample bosom. She reached in giving each boob a lift in her bra making sure to squeeze together as much cleavage as she could. "There."
Throwing some Nike's in a bag in case the flip flops she chose weren't enough footwear for whatever the day entailed, Dawn headed out to her jeep to go see just what she had gotten herself into.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was a short drive to the studio, about fifteen minutes, so Dawn didn't have long to wait. The closer she got, the more her stomach played paddle ball with itself. Taking some deep breaths, she reached out to turn up the sound on the radio hoping that jamming out would help ease her spirits. It did not.
Turning off the main road, then pulling up the gravel driveway, Dawn could see right off that it was for sure not a normal day at the old studio. Just beyond the large gravel parking lot, out in the open field for camping, sat five of the biggest RV's she had ever saw grace the lot where many a camper and bus had parked before.
"Oh hell!" Dawn whispered to herself, turning down her blaring radio as she neared the spot she always parked. She adjusted her sunglasses, looking for any tell tale sign of a band name or such on the outside of the huge campers, finding nothing. "This is legit! Damn! Oh god, oh god, o god...."
One last check to her phone to make sure the unicorn shit had remained the home screen, that it hadn't reverted back to the God of Mischief as it sometimes did if she didn't save it properly, and she slowly climbed out of the jeep. Dawns legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each as she forced them to move and walk toward the bench where Rusty sat, as he often did, smoking his cigarette patiently waiting for her to join him.
"There you are! I was hoping you wouldn't chicken out on me!" he grinned, flashing her a very eager smile.
"Is it too late for me to do that?" Dawn half joked, glancing at the row of very nice RV’s parked a hundred feet from them. She was completely second guessing her Ellie Mae Clampett-ish pig tails and tit-happy t-shirt. What was she thinking?
"Yes it is, " Rusty laughed, turning to look at the campers with her. "They're beauties, aren't they?" like they were horses or something.
"Yes," Dawn had to admit, "they are. Whose are th...."
Before she could get the rest of that out, the door popped open on the RV closest to them and out crawled a man tugging along a guitar case. Dawn squinted her eyes, staring at the gray fluff of hair wild on top of his head, as he rather quickly approached the pair at the bench.
The man smiled brightly at Dawn, giving her a quick up and down which brought out an even bigger smile, and it registered in her brain who this was.
"Hello, miss," with a nod Dawn's way. "This her?" he inquired, with a quick glance to Rusty.
"Yes, sir, it is," Rusty oh so proudly replied, like she wasn't even there.
"You really know how to deliver, Rusty," he chuckled, reaching out to slap him on the shoulder as he passed on by and went into the studio.
As soon as the door was shut, Dawn spun around, her back to the RV.
"Was that Rodney Crowell?" Dawn barked at Rusty, more than a little pissed at what she was imagining this surprise to be.
"Yes it was," Rusty answered once again oh so proudly, his grin about to bust off his face.
"Like, 70 year old, married Rodney Crowell?" Dawn half growls.
"Closer to 60, but yeah, that's him."
"I cut a slit in my Blake Shelton t shirt to show my tits off to RODNEY CROWELL?" Dawn says louder than she intends. Rusty instantly has a look of panic on his face, eyes flaring open wide.
"Just wait... don't get all worked up.... let me explain..." he stuttered, quickly glancing over Dawn's shoulder as he floundered for words.
"Oh, you better explain! You had me go full on country girl to occupy Rodney Crowell? And what on Earth am I gonna show him about a studio, or the hills for that matter, that he doesn't already know? Has he went senile and you need me to keep him out of your hair?" Dawn finally paused in her barrage of questions, gasping for breath.
Behind Dawn, someone lets out a cackle of laughter that sounded oddly familiar, freezing her movements instantly.
"Oh hell!" Dawn exclaims, eyes going wide open before closing tightly in dread. She knew she'd never hear the end of this from Rusty.
"I rather think you're here for me, darling," purred a deep voice from the approaching man behind her. "Unless you would prefer to go full on country girl for Rodney instead....I'd hate for you to slice open your shirt in vain."
Heat quickly found its way all over Dawn's body at the mans words. Not just what he said, how he said it. With the most delicious accent Dawn had ever heard in her life. Well, in person that is. Looking at Rusty's explosive grin, she slowly turned on her heel to face the music, so to speak.
All Dawn saw was legs. Miles and miles of legs, in tight dark blue jeans. Her eyes, putting off looking him in the face for as long as possible, roamed up his body as slowly as she could drag them, only further embarrassing herself in the long run. When she got to his shirt, his ever so tight, ever so almost sheer light blue shirt, Dawn's heart nearly jumped right out of her chest. Finally, she looked into the absolutely most intoxicating smile she had ever been blessed to witness. In person. Blue eyes shone back at her own blue green ones, causing her to gasp and drop her phone.
There was a slight widening of his eyes as he took Dawn in, all of her, and he slowly bent down to retrieve her already forgotten device. Reaching the phone out to her, he took both Dawn's hands in his, bringing them to his lips for the quickest of kisses. The voice that woke Dawn up that very morning, that had made her say his name in her sleep, spoke words to her she had heard many times in interview clips on the internet. Yet she was not prepared.
"Hello," he purred in his delicious, deep ramble of a voice. "I'm Tom Hiddleston."
*