Chapter 5 - Holding On To What We Got

The show couldn't end fast enough for Jon, knowing that his wife and family were waiting for him backstage.  Beth and the kids have been ushered backstage where they wait for the show to end.  They hear the applause and the cheering that slowly turns into foot stomping.  There is a security guard standing guard at Jon's dressing room door.  Beth can hear his radio, a voice in a slighlty panicked voice says, "JBJ has left the stage."   It was at that moment that the guard stood a little taller, knowing that within seconds Jon Bon Jovi would be walking through the door he was guarding.  Overhearing that, Beth's butterflies started to flutter.

"Kids, daddy's coming."  She says with a smile, watching Jon Spencer and Brianna play with her iPad, kicked back on daddy's traveling couch.  They went on about their business unaware of what their mother just said.  

As Jon walks down the hall backstage, he hears in his ear piece, "Momma bear and the cubs are in the den."  That told Jon that his family was safe and they were waiting for him.

Their reunion was loving, but quickly.  Her peppered the faces of the little ones with kisses, hugs and kisses for the older ones.  "What are you doing here?"  He asks his wife, holding her face in his hands.  "This is such a great surprise."

"That is what we're doing here.  We wanted to see you, so we thought we'd surprise you."

"Thank you." He smiles, his lips on hers.  "I wish you would have told me.  I need to get more security."  

"We'll be fine babe.  We'll leave the day after tomorrow."

"I leave tomorrow.' He states.

Beth smiles at him, "I can stay here without you."

"Not without guards."

"Jon!" She's feeling slightly kept.

He takes her hand and looks her in the eye.  "We can talk about this later, right now we have to leave.  My car is waiting"  He helps her wrangle the kids and get them to the door.  Beth can hear the crowd, she can see the hustle and bustle that's going on back stage.  She can see the look of 'right now' on Jon's face.  "Baby, I'm so happy you're here, but some notice would have been great."  He reaches out and grabs the guard at his door, "These guys go to the car, right now.  Tell Matt he can ride with Richie."  Jon diverts his attention back to the clan, "Kids, go with Mark.  He's going to put you in the car.  We'll be right there."  

The kids leave with Mark and Beth helps Jon gather his things.  She can sense that he's a little upset at the unplanned visit, but a part of her didn't care.  "Jon, I'm sorry."  She reaches down and starts to gather his computer and it's accessories.  "I thought this would be a nice surprise."

He's unbuttoned his sweat drenched jacket and then his shirt, hurriedly, "It's okay.  I just wasn't prepared."  He walks over and kisses her, "I'm sorry babe, just didn't plan for this."

"Do you want me to go home?"  She tucks his laptop into his messenger bag, along with his notepad, mouse pad and ink pens.  "We can do this another time."

He firmly shakes his head no.  "I'll figure this out, let's get to the hotel and we'll see what needs to happen."

Together they pack up what he takes with him on his person and they high tail it to the waiting car.  The fans are in full force and their exit is not an easy one.  Once they're all in the get away car, Jon can see that Brianna and Jon Spencer are a little shaken.  Their exposure to fans and their madness has been limited.  Their visits backstage were few and far between and their understanding of people banging on the car and screaming was no existent.  They were frightened.  He bangs on the glass that separated the driver from the passenger, "Can you get us out of here, right now!"

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The Bongiovi clan was safely delivered to their hotel.  Once they were in the presidential suite, Jon jumped in the shower while Beth tries to get the kids to wind down and into pajamas. Jesse and Jacob take Romeo into the adjoining bedroom and they do what boys do, after having to brush their teeth.  Jesse and Jacob get lost into their phone and Romeo finds a show that he likes on the television.

Beth has Jon Spencer and Brianna dressed for bed, she just needs to get them to brush their teeth, but daddy is in the bathroom.  So, she sits in the bed with them and reads them a book.  She's leaning back on the headboard, a toddler on each side.  They all are happy to be with daddy, especially Beth.  She's been mentally consumed by the dream that Jon had, the dream in which she committed suicide, killing Brian.

Jon emerges from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.  Swirling a qtip in his ears, he can't help but smile at what he sees.  The love of his life laying their with a piece of his heart on each side - they are sound asleep.  Beth looks at her husband, eyeing him up and down.  "I've missed you."  She shoots him a coy little wink.

"I missed all of you.  I'm glad you're here."

"Are you?"

"I was a little taken back at first, but yeah babe, I'm glad you're all here."

"You said you're leaving tomorrow.  I thought St Louis was a 2 show stop."

He sits on the bed and fidgets with his babies.  "It was, but the venue overbooked, so we rescheduled the 2nd night."

"Where are you off to?" She doesn't remember his schedule.

"Tomorrow we go to Wichita."

"Can we join you?  The kids want to do some shopping before they go back to school."

Jon laughs, "of course you can, but there's a big press thing we need to do.  You can go shopping but I mean it Beth, you go no where without security.  I'll arrange it tomorrow."

She throws her head back, "Yes dear.  Go get some pants on so we can move these babies and climb into bed together."  She wanted nothing more than to climb into bed with him and have him hold her tight.