Please Don't Stop the Music

He leaned against the bar as he pondered her suggestion, "Me? Sing?" He thought about it. Christ when was the last time he had sang, four, five years ago? Not since Cynthia had passed at least. Maybe it was the drink, or maybe it was because of the atmosphere but he grinned and gave a shrug. "Well, couldn't hurt to at least look over the songs they've got, aye? Just promise to watch my drink and that ya won't laugh when I make a fool of myself."

Setting the cup on the bar he gave her a nod and wove his way through the crowd up towards the man behind the soundboard. He hadn't even picked a song and already he could feel his heart start pounding as he tried to page through the heavy book of songs. Maybe he should just put it down and go back to the bar. Sure the woman might think a little less of him, but between his powers and natural fear of performing in front of crowds he wasn't sure it was worth the risk just to try and impress her.

The book slipped out of his hands and tumbled to the ground with a loud thud. He knelt quickly to retrieve it but paused when one song in particular caught his eye. Ah, it seemed his luck had a sense of humor all its own. Ah well, at least it was one he knew this time. "This one please." he set the book back and glanced back towards Sonata, giving her a nervous thumbs up as the woman in front of him screeched her way through 'I Will Survive' with a gaggle of drunken friends. At least someone was having fun.

@"unifutures"

Applause rang through the bar as the girls finished their song and piled off the stage. Another glance caught Sonata's giggle and encouraging nod, well it was too late to back out now. As he made his way up in front of the crowd he took a deep breath. As long as he remained calm his 'gifts' probably wouldn't screw everything up. Yeah, he just had to try not to think about how everyone was staring at him or how he couldn't possibly compare to Sonata's earlier performance, and especially focus on not thinking about how utterly terrified he was of looking like a fool in front of everyone.

Yep, easy as cake.

As the familiar music began he could feel his heart pounding. He hated being in front of crowds, hated how everyone would be judging him based on a stupid performance of a stupid...

Standing in the middle of nowhere
wondering how to begin
lost tomorrow and yesterday
between now and then...

His worries seemed to melt away as the lyrics appeared on the small screen and the song he knew so well seemed to simply flow out of him.


And now we're back where we started
here we go 'round again
day after day I get up and I say
"I better do it again."

The performance was far from great, there were several points where his voice wavered and faltered but anyone paying attention could see that as he grew more and more comfortable with the performance the tension in his movements began to fade and he began to actually enjoy himself.

As he stumbled his way through The Kinks' "Do It Again" Murphy felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders. Memories of home and the scant few good times he could remember came surging back. The faces of friends that had been left behind when he'd come to the island, laughter and cheers in a small bar in the middle of nowhere, a pair of emerald eyes peering at him across a dim room...

Scattered applause jerked him back from his reverie as the song came to an end. He smiled sheepishly and set the microphone down, hurrying back to the bar. Well, he supposed it could have gone worse. At least nothing had blown up this time.

@"unifutures"