Think About You (Izzy Stradlin)

Chapter 30: Avalanche

Thursday, June 1987

"Why are we here?"

Emily couldn't help but groan, as her older brother forcibly pulled her by the wrist into the recording studio GNR used. She hadn't been there since the moaning track for 'Rocket Queen' was recorded, and this certainly wasn't where Em had planned on spending her day.

"I need your help with something," Axl replied simply, only letting go of his sister's tattooed wrist once they were standing outside a door labeled '5'.

"You said you'd help me pack!"

"You don't leave for tour for another few weeks, you have time to pack. Just help me for a minute please," The red head pleaded, earning another groan from his brunette sister. He pushed the door open and ushered her in; Slash, Duff, Steven and Izzy were sitting around lazily, with not a single instrument in sight.

"Welcome to hell," Slash announced playfully, as soon as Emily walked in. The curly haired guitarist had his worn boots propped up on the coffee table, and a cigarette was hanging limply from his full lips.

"Hello to you too," The brunette singer chuckled, while her gaze went from Slash to Steven, to Duff, to Izzy. The rhythm guitarist was hiding behind his dark pair of sunglasses, but his thin lips twisted into a small smile as Em waved softly to him.

"Okay let's get to work," Axl clapped his ring clad hands together, and strolled over to the sound board, where the sound operator was sitting as usual.

"What're we doing here exactly?" Emily asked quietly, looking at the bored GNR boys for an answer. Duff is the one that spoke up, which was strange because he had been back to avoiding the brunette girl after the Mandy incident two days ago.

"Axl said we had 'important band stuff' to take care of, or some shit," The blonde bassist said blankly, lifting a tall bottle of clear vodka to his lips. Em nodded thoughtfully, and took a moment to observe Duff's drunk, messier than usual appearance.

His long, blonde locks of hair were greasy and in desperate need of a re-dye; his clothing was wrinkled, like they had been slept in, and the bags under the bassist's dull green eyes screamed exhaustion and intoxication.

Slash, Izzy and Steven followed Axl over to the soundboard, while Duff stayed slumped on the couch. Emily plopped down beside him, earning a curious glance from Izzy, as he pretended to listen to whatever the red headed singer was going on about.

"Hey uh.. I'm sorry about Mandy. I really didn't plan on punching her in the face," Em apologized quietly, rubbing at the guitar pick charm hanging around her neck as she spoke. She watched Axl press buttons on the soundboard, and ask the GNR boys some music related questions, but she didn't want to help her older brother until she knew Duff was doing okay.

"It's fine. I wasn't that into her anyway. But you already knew that."

The blonde bassist lazily offered his bottle of vodka to Em, who gratefully took it and chugged a big gulp of the burning alcohol. Duff loved watching the brunette singer throw back some vodka, but his dark green eyes weren't sparkling like they usually did.

"She hated me for no reason, I had to-"

"She hated you because I liked you."

Emily's peridot eyes grew wide for a second, noticing the serious expression on Duff's handsome face. Usually the bassist always had a goofy smile on, or a corny joke up his sleeve, but it was obvious he was in a bit of a funk.

"Oh.."

"Don't worry. I already know that you don't want me," Duff stated, taking a big gulp from his vodka bottle. He was referring to Emily's exact words from the other day, when she had been fighting with Mandy and practically screamed that she didn't want Duff.