3-8: Only Place I Call Home

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The sounds of Apollo's vocals faded out as Blake finished the song with one final note. Apollo's heart was beating so hard in his chest, he barely heard the sound of the agent's voice. The affirmation that they would definitely be signed. 

To an actual label. 

It dropped heavily into his stomach and he looked at the guys behind him. They were all bright eyed and sweaty from playing.

Elated.

It was the best news Apollo had ever received in his life. His entire musical career had led up to those words leaving someone's lips.

He set his guitar against the amp in front of him, turning around to hug Hale. And to his surprise, Blake joined the hug. And Vega too.

They hadn't all hugged as a group since they were kids.

But this moment seemed to call for it.

"Alright guys, come into my office. We have details to discuss."

Apollo followed behind the agent, the sounds around him almost muffled inside his head.

The guy began speaking, and it was a good thing that Hale was so good at this stuff. That he paid so much attention, because Apollo barely focused enough to get in half of his words.

"And then a tour, for about eight months. Thirty two cities."

Apollo looked up at that, raising an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

The agent looked at him, tilting his head.

"I said you'll be recording for a couple of months, starting toward the end of July. The album will release in October and then we will plan a tour. To get your band out there.

You'll finish around the end of August.

Is that a problem?"

Hale put a hand on Apollo's shoulder, his voice calm.

"It's not a problem, Mr. Rovain."

Hale continued talking to the agent, and all of them signed the papers, with the promise to return less than a week later to begin recording.

As they were leaving, Apollo pulled Hale to the side, clearing his throat.

"Doesn't that mean we won't be in Riverview for that long?"

Hale sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"Dude. She kicked you out of her house. She won't talk to you.

Let it go. This is your dream.

This is what you've always wanted.

Stop letting this girl fuck with your head."

Apollo felt anger leak into his veins.

"I promised her that I'd come back to her."

Hale nodded, starting to walk away.

"And you will. In thirteen months."

Apollo had to gather every piece of self control he contained not to put his fist through the wall outside their new agent's office.

What the fuck was he supposed to do now?

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Rain sat on the edge of Apollo's bed, watching him put his clothes into another box. He was so quiet. Always had been, unless he was singing. And then his voice rang out louder and clearer than any she'd ever heard.

He glanced around the room, looking on the bed next to his mom. She realized in a few seconds that she had been sitting on one of his hoodies. She pulled it out from under her, holding it out to him.

"I'm going to miss you, Apollo.

We all are."

Apollo stilled for a moment, just holding the jacket in his hand above the box.

"I'll miss you too, Mom."

He stuffed the hoodie into the box, turning back to his dresser for more.

"I mean it when I say that we all will. I know Artemis isn't talking to you right now, but she'll come around. She hasn't ever had to be without you."


Apollo's shoulders stiffened and then relaxed. He turned back to the box, tucking several more shirts inside.

"She's not the only person pissed off that I'm leaving. Trust me."

Rain smiled at her youngest son, getting to her feet and walking over to the dresser. She stood beside him, and it was comical how much taller he was. He was taller than Ryan.

They had a nineteen inch height difference.

"I'm not angry with you. I could never be angry with you for following your dreams."

Apollo looked down at his mom. He dropped the shirt he had been retrieving from the drawer and pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, mom.

You're too sweet for your own good."

Her cheeks turned pink, but she nodded.

"I've heard that a lot."

He grinned at her, shoving the last of his shirts into the box and folding it shut.

"Well it's true."

Rain ran her fingers along a picture that Apollo had stuck in the cork board behind his couch. It was one of himself and Harpia as kids. Around twelve, maybe. One of very few she was able to force him to keep. It was the only one he hadn't packed.

She glanced at him, pulling it off.

"Do you not want this?"

Apollo looked at it, something behind his eyes.

"Nah."

She stared at him curiously.

"Did something happen with her?"

Apollo took the picture out of her hands, putting it face down on the top of his dresser.

"I told you that Artemis wasn't the only one who was pissed at me for leaving."

Rain's face fell, her eyes instantly saddening.

"Oh. That's unfortunate.

Have you tried talking to her about it?"

Apollo set the packed box on top of the others next to his door, throwing a pair of Converse in a new one.

"There's no talking to her right now. She doesn't want to listen."

Rain sat back down on the edge of the bed, watching Apollo again.

"Do you want me to?"

Apollo threw her a quick glance, laughing under his breath.

"No. I'm a big boy. I can handle Harpia O'Conner."

"I think you just forget that not everyone sees the world the way you do. Or has the big dreams that you do.

You're not just leaving this place, Apollo. You're leaving people. 

Memories. An entire life.

It's big. A major adjustment.

And Harpia has been through a lot. She probably didn't plan on losing you so soon any more than I did."

Apollo stopped what he was doing, staring at his mom. He walked over to the bed, sitting next to her.

"You aren't losing me, mom. I'll be back."

Rain shook her head, smiling softly at him.

"I know. But that's not what I meant. 

I didn't mean losing you for good. I meant losing the Apollo I've always known.

And the same goes for her.

People all over the world are going to know who you are.

This is going to change you. For better or for worse, no one can know for sure.

But it will change you."

Apollo pulled his mom into another hug, poking the tip of her nose.

"I'm always going to be me."

Rain smiled again, squeezing her son's hand.

"You will. Just a different you. 

And that's okay. I've accepted that.

Maybe she hasn't. Or doesn't want to.

Just... don't lose sight of the things that matter, okay?

I got that advice a long time ago. And I didn't listen.

Promise me that you will."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek, getting to her feet. She walked over to the door and gave him one more smile before shutting it softly behind her.

He walked over to the dresser, picking up the picture his mother had taken off of the cork board. He stared at it for a few minutes, letting out a sigh.

And then, he walked over, sliding it into the box full of his shirts.

"I'll fucking try."

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He knocked so hard on Harpia's door, it bowed slightly.

"Oops."

He muttered the words under his breath, taking a step back. He wasn't even pissed, just ready to get whatever answer she was going to give him out of the way.

He heard footsteps from the other side, and they were definitely Harpia's. He'd know the sound of her breathing in a crowded room by this point in his life.

She swung the door open, crossing her arms over her chest the moment she saw him.

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a single word.

Apollo nodded, glancing over her shoulder. As far as he could hear, her house was empty.

He stepped close to her, pulling her against his chest. He tilted her chin up with his fingers, taking her lips with his. He held it for as long as he could manage before he thought he entered her punching him territory.

When he pulled away, her breath was heavier, brushing his skin.

"Come with me? To LA?

I don't want to leave you behind, Sage.

So just say yes."

She blinked up at him. She still looked extremely caught off guard.

"I... Okay."

He kissed her again, but she pushed against his chest. She was laughing as she looked up at him this time, pushing her elbow into his stomach.

"Are you going to help me pack?"

He released her, his eyes bright as he responded.

"That was... easy. But alright. 

I'll do it whatever it takes to get you on that plane in two hours."

She had turned for her room, but turned back at his words, her eyes disbelieving.

"Two hours?!"

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"My dad will be home in thirty minutes. He'll never let me go."

Apollo grinned, crossing her threshold. He pushed the door shut behind him, ushering her towards the stairs.

"I'll talk to him, too. But right now, you need to pack. Onward, bird girl. Up those stairs."

Harpia scowled at him, taking the stairs as he ran his hands up her side, tickling her.

"I'm going to punch you in the teeth, Hunter."

Apollo shrugged, pushing her door open when they reached it.

"Don't care. Plane. Two hours. Hop to it."

She looked around her room, turning back to face him with her hands on her hips.

"I don't like you."

Apollo smirked.

"Yeah, that's what you keep saying. I'm never going to believe you."

Her face turned red and she looked away from him. She walked over to her closet, pulling a suitcase off of the top shelf.

When she did, a small red car fell to the ground. It rolled across the carpet, stopping next to Apollo's shoe.

"Is that... is that what I think it is?"

He went for it, but she did at the same time. He was faster, and held it up out of her reach. he brought it to his eye level, looking at her with amusement.

"You still have this?"

Harpia's face had grown even more red. She went back to her suitcase, unzipping it.

"Why wouldn't I?"

He walked over to her, running it across the curve of her shoulders.

"And you don't like me."

She reached behind her, taking it out of his hands. She did it so quickly, he didn't even have a chance to stop her.

She dropped it in her suitcase, piling a stack of jeans on top of it. 

"It's mine now. You gave it to me fourteen years ago. You can't take it back now."

Apollo could hear the sentiment in her voice. 

"You can keep it. I didn't think it meant that much to you."

She glanced at him as she pulled clothes off of her hangers.

"Well. It came from the asshole who I grew up with. And it was his favorite.

And he happened to be mine."

She shoved the stuff in her suitcase, and he placed a hand on her hip, bending down to whisper in her ear.

"And she's mine."

She froze, but it was brief. She pushed his hand off of her, walking back into her closet.

"Shut up, Apollo."

He leaned against her bed as she continued packing. She was quick about it. More so than even he had been. She was done in under an hour, and the sounds of her father downstairs carried up to them.

She looked at him, panic clear in her eyes.

"Don't worry. I think Lucian will listen. Just this once."

She walked over to him, putting her arms around his waist. She leaned her head against his chest, nodding.

"I hope for your sake, you're right. 

Just this once."
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You may be unsure,
But I know 
I'm always coming back
You can bet on that,
You're the only place I call home