Title: In Her Arms
Characters: Cady, Pete, Audrey, and Alec Townshend, John, Queenie, and Chris Entwistle, Keith Moon
Word Count: 1804
Rating: R [language, alcohol, nudity]
Warnings/Spoilers/Summary: Pete's birthday falls the day after the Charlton concert, so the partying begins long before his actual birthday...



May 1974
London, England

Absolutely nothing was scribbled on the calendar that Sunday, nor that Monday, other than reminders for what marked those days as special. Sighing as she stared at the calendar in the library, Cady pushed away from the pile of bills and headed out to check on her children. Audrey sat by the window, coloring a coloring book intently. Pausing near the six year old, Cady kissed her daughter’s forehead before commenting on her excellent coloring skills. Leaving the young girl to her activity, she headed upstairs to her son’s bedroom.

Returning downstairs with Alec on her hip, she headed into the kitchen, to prepare snacks for the children. Pete was due home…. her eyes flicked to the clock again… nearly an hour ago. The plan had been he would spend some time with the kids before they departed for the concert that evening. However, if he was much later, she would have to drop the kids off at Queenie’s and head to the concert with John. She understood the film was important, but family was supposed to be more important.

“No sad, Mummy,” Alec declared, his small hands on her cheeks.

“Mummy isn’t sad,” she quickly grinned at her son as she set him on the counter. “Not at all.”

“Where Dada?”

“He’ll be home soon,” she touched his nose briefly with the tip of her finger. “What should we have for tea?”

“Cookies!” he declared.

Cady smiled, “Then cookies it will be. Audrey? Will you come and help me make tea, please?”

“Coming, Mum!” the young girl responded. “Is Dad going to be home for tea?”

“I hope so. I really hope so.”



Pulling up at John’s house, Cady quickly parked and headed into the house, a babe on her hip, the other holding her hand. John’s mother, Queenie, met them at the door and ushered the small family into the house. Before she could protest, John headed out to the car and collected the suitcase holding the children’s belongings. When he returned to the house, Cady held his two-year-old son in her arms, nursing him with a bottle. He paused for a long moment before Alec tackled his legs. Setting down the suitcase, he scooped up his god-son and flung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“So, Cade,” his blue eyes settled on the woman with his son, “I’ve got just about everything I need for tonight. How about you?”

Cady smiled as her son wiggled and giggled in John’s arms, “Were you planning to change at the venue then?”

“I can’t just wear a shirt and pants?”

“Sure you can. But you won’t. I know you,” she responded, turning her attention back to the young boy in her arms. “And you, dear Chris, need to get back to sleep so you can get over this cold.”

Paying no attention to the fact John disappeared with her son still slung over his shoulder, Cady held Chris until he fell asleep. She passed John on his return to the living room, her son wrapped around his leg, as she headed to tuck Chris into his bed. He paused briefly, stepping to the side to allow her to slip pass him. Shaking her head, she said nothing, choosing to ignore the bassist’s antics.

With the young boy in bed, Cady headed back to the living room. She stayed just outside the room, listening and watching John interact with her children. He teased and laughed with them, acting as much as a father with them as his own son.

Smiling she stepped into the room, “Okay, guys, leave Uncle John alone. We need to be going.”

“But, Mum!” they both whined in unison.

“When I come back tomorrow to pick you guys up, we’ll go have a birthday party for your dad,” she declared.

“Wif cake?” Alec asked.

She nodded, “With cake.”

“CAKE!” he giggled.

Cady quickly scooped him up and kissed his forehead. With a smile, she handed the toddler over to John’s mom. Freed from the children, John hurried from the room, apparently having forgotten something. As he returned in a highly sequined jacket, Cady smiled and shook her head. She said nothing-, kissed her children once more, and led the bassist out to her car.

“Did you see Pete today?” he asked as she started the car.

“No…”

“He was probably with Ken,” John stated.

“Yeah, I know,” she replied, a touch of sadness in her voice.

He reached over to her, his hand covering hers, “I’m sure it will be over soon.”

“Yeah, sure.”

His fingers squeezed her hand, “It will be okay.”

She sighed, “Well least I have you.”

“You always will, Cade. Always.”



Standing in the wings of the concert, headphones on her head, Cady watched the band perform. She was very aware of the cameras positioned around the arena and stage; just as she was aware that Pete was already drunk. He was off time through some of the songs and insulting to the audience. But no one seemed to care. The audience was into the performance, even the filming crew seemed into it. That was enough for Cady. She would deal with her husband’s intoxication afterwards.

As the concert wrapped up, Cady moved from her position and accepted a towel from one of the roadies. She grinned at Pete as he stomped angrily off stage. He snatched the towel from her hand but did not even glance at her. Instead, he stalked towards the dressing room, snatched up a bottle of whiskey, and plopped down after finishing half of it. Frowning, Cady trailed after the band. Her eyes darkened as she found Pete drinking even more.

It was going to be a long night.

She tagged along as the band headed to the after-party, trying to get closer to her husband. Forced to sit in a different limo, she sighed, wondering why she had even bothered to come along. She could have been home with the children, not babysitting the band.

“Why the long face, love?” John asked as she stepped out of the limo.

Her blue eyes flicked to his, “See who I rode with?”

His eyes flicked to the roadies pouring out of the vehicle. With a smirk, his arm slinked around her waist and he guided her into the party. Snuffing out his cigarette, he accepted a drink and handed it to Cady. She smiled slightly and let the bassist lead her around the party, introducing her to those involved with the film she did not know.

Eventually they came upon Pete drinking with Ken. While the director was a great deal less inebriated than the musician, both loudly greeted the two. Before she was able to protest, Pete pulled Cady away from John and into his lap. He sloppily kissed her, leaving the flavor of booze in her mouth. She slapped away his hand as he brusquely cupped her breast. When he attempted to touch her again, Cady glared at him and pulled out of his lap.

He reached for her, but she evaded his hands, her anger clear in her eyes. Before he could say anything, Keith appeared and hugged Cady tightly from behind. He giggled madly as his hands covered her breasts. Cady did not need to protest as John quickly warned the drummer, causing Keith to release her.

“I got the cake you wanted,” Keith declared. “You gonna get inside it?”

Cady rolled her eyes at the drummer, “Because Pete totally wants me to jump out of a cake for his birthday.”

“Naked,” the drummer responded, wiggling his dark, caterpillar-like eyebrows.

“Not happening.”

“Well someone has to,” he declared.

“I’m sure you can find someone,” Cady said.

“Hmmmm. I don’t think there is anyone around with tits like yours.”

“Keith!” John bellowed.

“Okay, okay,” he took a step backwards. “I’ll figure something out.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Cady commented as the drummer scurried off.

“Don’t worry, love. He’s harmless,” John stated.

She rolled her eyes, “Keith is never harmless.”

Left alone with her best friend, husband, and the director, Cady focused on the drink in her hand, figuring a buzz was the best she could do for the time being. By the time she was halfway through her drink, a large, faux-cake was wheeled out to Pete. Drunk and belligerent, Pete ranted about the cake and the disgrace of getting old. Midway through his tirade out popped Keith.

The drummer was completely, utterly naked.

Pete laughed and groaned. Cady rolled her eyes and turned her back to the drummer as he wiggled his cock at her. With a smirk, John tossed his sparkly jacket at Keith, who dutifully pulled it on but did not bother covering up his penis. With a giggle, the drummer jumped fully free of the cake and ran about the room. Still laughing, Pete ordered up another round of drinks.



Not about to return an inebriated John to his home where the children slept – would likely be waking soon – Cady headed home with her nearly passed out husband in the back of the car and the bassist in the passenger’s seat. She dug her sunglasses out of the glove compartment and slipped them on her nose before starting up the car. Glancing once at her husband as he drooled on the backseat, she shook her head and pulled away from the all-nighter.

Once they arrived at the Townshend estate, John, though wobbly on his feet, aided Cady in half-dragging Pete to bed. He left the couple alone, weaving down the hallway to the guest bedroom after a mumbled ‘good night.’ Carefully, Cady undressed her husband, leaving him in just his shorts.

Groaning, Pete reached out for her, “Loooooooove.”

She pushed his hands away, “Go to sleep, Pete.”

“Buttttt…”

Her fingers reached behind, unzipping her dress as he blindly still attempted to embrace her, “Go to sleep, Pete.”

“But… birfffffdaaaaay.”

“Yes, it is,” she tossed her dress aside, reaching to unfasten her bra. “But you need to sober up first.”

“Whyyyyyyy?” he groaned.

“Because,” Cady clicked off the bedside lamp and slipped in bed with him, “you are too drunk right now to do anything but sleep.”

“Whyyyyy?” he repeated.

“Go to sleep.”

“Buttttttt…”

“Sleep, Pete,” she crawled over him and slipped her arms around his waist from behind. “Sleep.”

“Okaaaaaaay,” he responded. “Iloveyou, Caaaaaady.”

“I love you too, Pete,” her lips touched his ear. “Get some rest and we’ll make the most of our alone time before picking up the kids and the real birthday cake later.”

With a sigh, he relaxed in her arms. Cady smiled slightly and kissed his ear again before snuggling closer. It may not be the ideal night, but at least it ended ideally: with her husband in their bed, in her arms.