Most of their relationship had been in passing it seemed. Sydney and Imogen both having to work on their music, luckily they also had a collaboration that meant they could see each other at work without their bands. Slowly the guys in Red Lights were starting to let up. Of course pictures of him and Immy had been plastered in magazines with speculations. Sydney did his best to pay none of that mind.

Of course it never helped that Wynona would always make it a point to say something pointed every time she was around. He just hoped she wasn’t trying to turn his kids against him. He knew that Maizie was already too much like her mom but he didn’t want to cause this unneeded fight involving their children.

The most recent times that he had managed to get a day without work with Immy they have had the kids around. She was always amazing around both of them. It felt like they had no time with just the two of them. Sydney loved his children dearly but he wanted to just have time with Immy.

Finally they had a weekend that lined up with Wynona having the kids and only a small recording session with his bad. Sydney was running around the house trying to clean it up that morning. Pippin seemed to have hidden all of his toys in obscure places. As soon as he thought he was done there was another truck or dinosaur or dolphin hiding somewhere precarious. It made him late to the studio where the drummer was already finishing up laying down his track. Sydney apologized and said hello to all the guys.

Eventually his turn was up and he walked into the boot putting on the headphones. As the back track played Sydney sang. With his final note he opened his eyes to see a thumbs up from the guitarist who was at the mixing board and then a pink haired beauty on the couch. A smile spread on his lips as he took off the headphones and stepped out of the booth.

“Hey you,” He said walking over to Immy. Sydney instantly wrapped his arms around her swallowing her in a hug. Before letting her go he planted a quick kiss on her lips. “Glad to see you made it.”

Sydney knew having two children would scare a fair amount of woman away from him. Let alone when on was six and the other was four. That was fine. Sydney was fine with being alone. He probably needed it. And he was sure that he would stay that way for a long time. So far years before he had even thought about giving himself the chance to try and fall in love again.

Never did he think that the person who,finally got him to stop being the very hard to get along with man that he was would be Immy. She had pink hair, an awful stage persona and was only 20. then again when he was 20 he had been singing in a dim club and getting married to a woman who he now could easily say he hated. Then he didn’t hate Wynona. It was funny what time did. He wasn’t convinced that it changed people. More it made him see clearly. She had always been that woman, just back then it was easier to ignore, with the band gaining popularity, and getting signed. With the kids just babies, and then toddlers.

Immy was still a surprise. A welcomed one that brought out more good in him that he ever thought he had. Sure he was a decent father, a decent musician but he never saw himself as a good man. Just lucky to have the job he did and children he loved. And now a woman who made him smile every day.

This weekend was over due. Long over due. He had promised her for so long that it would eventually happen. Sydney was just glad that she believed in him and understood the busy schedule that he had, because her’s was just as busy.

Having her there now already had him craving ever second they would get this weekend. He already felt bad that she had to meet him at the studio. She didn’t seem to mind and it was just another reason that made Immy so perfect. Wynona would have glared at him through the glass the whole time then yelled that she had to wait and that he always wasted their time together.

Sydney smiled at her. “So far, we will see if you can even stand me after this weekend.” He joked. If she could survive time with the kids he had no doubt that this weekend would be any less than amazing. “So I’m done here, the guys can take care of the rest. You good with heading over now?” Sydney asked picking up the bag that he knew was hers setting next to the couch.

Sydney need someone like Imogene in his life. A person who would cox him out of himself rather than just yell and tell him that he was never present. Imogene also understood that he was just quiet but that didn’t mean he didn’t care. She was able to just sit with him and relax comfortably or she was able to drag him this place or that. Like they had taken the kids to the water park the other day. Immy would run into the pools with the kids, sydney would join them when they wanted to go to the water slides. Otherwise he sat back and watched over the three of them with a smile.

He was also grateful that they could work together. Being able to bond over music was something that Sydney was sure made it even possible for them to connect on such a deep level. He knew that her band had been taking a break with some member issues. That was one of the reasons why he suggested that him and Immy work on a project together. It was also a good way to give himself an excuse to talk to her and spend time with her alone.

After the recording of Poison and Wine it had been touch and go, she would meet up when he had the kids or they would have short times in the studio working on the idea of an ep or even full record together. All those times ended with hurried kisses almost ending up with close off and on top of each other. They always stopped before it got that far. Sydney didn’t want something sloppy and fast for their first time. She deserved it to be done right. Finally they would get a weekend alone and Sydney was more than thrilled to have time just with Imogene in his Jersey home.

He could feel his stomach flip with pure lust with that comment from her. He had been doing his best holding back his lust when it came to Imogen. She met so much more to him and he was terrified that she would just think that she was some sort of bandage for his loneliness and not a real relationship. It didn’t matter what the magazine speculations were. Sydney was going to do this right with Immy, the way he never got to with Wynona.

“Yup all set,” He nodded taking her hand and walking out of the room leading her around the corner and down a hall. “hold on tight make sure you have everything.” And with a pop they were gone and in the living room of his home. More than once he had to apparate with this or that bag, even a guitar, he knew how to get home with no thought.

The house felt so silent without Pippin and Maizie running around but he couldn’t help but grin like a fool looking down at Imogene there with him and knowing they would finally be alone. “Here we are, let’s get your stuff in the room yeah?” he took her bags and walked back to his bedroom, about the only room that didn’t have some sort basket with toys or bin of crayons.

Of course Sydney flt bad that Imogene's band had pretty much fallen apart. He was happy to hear that her bandmate was getting the help that she needed. And he hoped that she was actually sticking to it. Of course if the Screaming Banshees seemed to never get back on their feet, he would offer whatever he could. Maybe try his hand at producing and back Immy as a solo artist. She could start with shedding her old image and being the artist that she wanted to be. Of course Sydney always hated what her record label made her be.

Sydney wanted everything for the woman with pink hair. She was far more talented than anyone knew. What she had now wasn’t a bad thing but she wouldn’t get very far just being seen as nothing but sex. She deserved to be taken seriously as a musician. If Sydney could help with that he felt it might have been a good way to repay her for all that she did for him.

Imogene didn’t know how purely blissful this relationship had been for him. For so long people told him he needed to start putting himself out there. That he had been single for long enough and needed someone who could give him what he needed. Imogene seemed to be just that woman. He actually had the energy to go through his day with some sort of pep in his step and on his days off he bothered to get up before noon and leave his home.

He watched as she looked around the home that still looked cluttered from the kids stuff being stored where ever they would fit. If it wasn’t for the toys his house would look rather empty, like a show house without much personality, besides his music room but rarely did anyone besides himself.

“Thanks, the kids tend to be tornadoes so it;s a task to keep it clean,” he admitted with a short laugh, spotting a toy car that he missed peaking out from under the couch. Once they were in his room Sydney felt like he could relax. Imogene was finally here and there would be no children around to interrupt the short kisses with a request for water or juice. Of course he loved his time with his kids but he needed this time with Imogene more than he needed anything else right now.

Sydney set her stuff in the walk in closet. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “It’s not bad, kind of big for just me though,” He grinned and then started to trail kisses along her neck. If he had plans for the day he had forgot them now that he actually had the woman in his bedroom.
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Life seemed to be funny. It went up and down, left and right. Sydney knew better than to pretend that he knew all the answers. Growing up was a tsunami. From his mother’s mental illness to him and his brother falling apart, and finally to the passing of their father. There was good in there, he loved his kids more than anything, his music was definitely a blessing. And now there was Imogene. A woman who had a smile that could make him see the best in it all. He hoped that it would stay this way for a while, happy and easy with Immy and his kids. Sure he would always have to deal with Wynona but she was just a small part of his life at this point and that was more of a breath of fresh air than anything.

Sydney could only hope that Immy felt the same, and that he could give her a life that she would be more than proud to have. He knew that she loved her band, but was getting tired of what her label was having her do. She had hair like cotton candy and eyes like chocolate and a voice that could linger like smoke and sounded like fire. She was worth more than just sex. Imogene had talent and more than this relationship he wanted to giver her the chance to be her own and to be herself.

He leaned into their kiss. It made him dizzy and it felt like a volcano was erupting in his chest. “I love you too Imogene.” Sydney’s hands held onto her slight waist keeping her close to him. This weekend wasn’t just about taking their relationship to a point that was everything physical but to show her time beyond just taking the kids to the carnival. They could have a lazy morning, he could know what it was like to actually wake up with her next to him, that pink hair sprawled over a pillow. There would be no need to worry about what class Pippin had to be at, or if he was running late in the studio so they had to push back another dinner reservation. It was only three days but it felt like they had eons.

But there was so much pent up desire he had. They had been waiting for the perfect time to actually show each other just how much love they had. He started to pepper small kisses over her neck. Her shampoo smelled like strawberries, the same smell that always lingered on the blanket they would warp up in while watching a movie the kids could fall asleep to.