Tenor

The phone buzzed on Lucio's desk.
"Hi boss, Emily's here. You ready to see her?"

The young crime lord grinned. "Thanks Shaun. Send her in."

The door opened and Emily Rossum entered the spacious office. Giambi got up from his desk and gave the young actress a dazzling smile and a gentle hug.

"Hi gorgeous. Thanks for coming over. I really appreciate it."

"Well, when the head of my recording label asks me to stop by, I kinda think I should." 

 
The titian-haired actress returned the smile and hugged Giambi. At first, when Lucio Giambi took over the troubled Aria Records, she was a bit concerned about the gossip and innuendo swirling around him. With the exception of his criminal involvement, all had proved to be false - Lucio was the most honest, generous and considerate man she had ever met.

"What did you want to see me about?"

"Emmy, I need a little favor..."

* * *

"One of my best actors at Thor has an amazing voice. He loves what he's doing there, but I think he can do more. A lot more. I've heard him sing. All of the features he's starred in I make sure he's masked - I've kept him under wraps."

He chuckled.

"His father is a very close friend, too. I think that if he can become a slightly different type of performance artist, he'd be a lot happier."

He turned to the actress. "I'd like your honest opinion and if you agree with my assessment, would you be willing to do a test with him?"

Emmy turned and beamed at the crime lord. "Of course, Lucio. I'd be more than happy to sing with him."

Lucio had driven them to Aria's studios and he let himself and Rossum into the building. The two walked along the corridors until they came to Studio 207. They opened the door and slipped inside.

"... Okay, Bobby that was great!" The engineer turned and grinned at Lucio. "Hiya boss! We just had a super session ... Bobby's got the voice of an angel. Hi, Ms. Rossum!"

"Hello Sam." She turned to Giambi. "If Sam likes him, he's got to be good." She smiled at the engineer.

"You got it in one! Listen ..."

Sam flicked several dials and the recording filled the booth.

Nei sogni che facevo da bambino
vivevo la mia vita come un re,
avevo giorni pieni di sole,
non c'era mai dolore.

Vincero, perdero
la mia vita vivro,
io da solo dovro camminare.
Vincero, perdero
la mia strada faro,
giochero la partita della vita.
Ho avuto brevi attimi di gioia,
momenti interminabili di noia,
ho avuto giorni pieni di sole,
io so cos'e il dolore...

Vincero, perdero
la mia vita vivro,
io da solo sapro continuare.
Vincero, perdero
la mia strada ora so,
ma da solo giochero la partita della mia vita.

Un re, io certo non saro,
eppure io vivro...

Vincero, perdero
luci ed ombre io avro,
ma da solo dovro continuare.
Vincero, perdero
la mia vita sara
come un viaggio lontano da fare.

Vincero, perdero
la mia vita vivro,
io da solo dovro camminare.
Vincero, perdero
la mia strada ora so...
Vincero, perdero
la partita giochero...
Vincero, perdero
ma da solo...

(Listen to this)

Emmy was transfixed. As the final notes died away, she shook herself out of the trance she had found herself.

Lucio gave her a knowing smile. "So you like what you hear, Emmy? Really?"

"My God, Lucio ... that man is incredible!"

"Let's go meet him."

* * *
Emmy and Lucio entered the recording studio. Bobby turned to the two and gave a surprised smile and laugh.

"Emily Rossum? Jeez, Lucio ... you said you'd get someone to sing with me, I didn't think you'd get someone so famous!"

"Bobby, I take care of my people ... Emmy loves your voice, by the way. We just heard your recording."

The young man blushed.

Emmy drank in the sight of the young porn star in front of her. Tall, tanned and muscular with deep violet-blue eyes and a hairless head, he literally oozed sexuality. He wore a tight black t-shirt that had "Motor Patrol" stretched across his broad chest. The sleeves were turned up to show his hard and developed arms straining the fabric. Tight, pale blue jeans - almost white - clung to every curve of his long legs. There was, however, an innate sweetness about him. Imagining him naked and masked started incredible images dancing through her mind. In addition, there was something darkly sensual in Bobby's voice, a whisper of sin, erotic and seductive, that made her loins tingle and her breath catch in her throat.

"Since this is kind of spur of the moment, how about 'The Point of No Return' from Phantom of the Opera? Emmy, you up to that? ... Emmy?"

"Sorry Lucio... I was woolgathering ... that's fine."

Bobby and Lucio exchanged amused glances.

"Are you okay with that, Bobby?"

The young man nodded. "That's one of my favorites." He turned to Emmy. "Your voice is so much more captivating than Sarah Brightman's."

An electric current swept through her when he said that one word. It was Emily's turn to blush. 

"Thanks."

Lucio handed her another pair of headphones. "I'll leave you two to get settled. I'll be in the booth with Sam."

The two donned the headphones. Sam began a countdown and soon, the music filled their ears.

Bobby began to sing.

You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge, in pursuit of that wish, which till now has been silent, silent . . .

I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge - in your mind you've already succumbed to me dropped all defences completely succumbed to me - now you are here with me: no second thoughts, you've decided, decided . . .

Past the point of no return - no backward glances: the games we've played till now are at an end . . . Past all thought of "if" or "when" - no use resisting: abandon thought, and let the dream descend . . .

What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us . . .?

Past the point of no return, the final threshold - what warm, unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no return . . .

Emily was spellbound. Bobby did indeed have the voice of an angel. And the looks to match. Given the type of movies Thor produced, she thought wickedly to herself, more like an angel of the fallen variety. She picked up the song from Cromwell:

You have brought me to that moment where words run dry, to that moment where speech disappears into silence,
silence . . .

I have come here, hardly knowing the reason
why . . .

In my mind, I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenceless and silent - and now I am here with you: no second thoughts, I've decided, decided . . .

Past the point of no return - no going back now: our passion-play has now, at last, begun . . . Past all thought of right or wrong - one final question: how long should we two wait, before we're one . . .?

When will the blood begin to race the sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames, at last, consume us . . .?

The porn star had closed his eyes as Emmy sang. He opened them as she finished and gave her a beautiful smile; a smile that lit up his deep blue eyes. She reached out and took his hand. Their voices intertwined as they sang the final verse:

Past the point of no return the final threshold - the bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it
burn . . .

We've passed the point of no return . . .

*(listen to this)

Bobby gave the actress a wide smile. "Wow .... that was incredible! You're wonderful, Emmy. Thanks!"

Lucio and Sam were grinning from ear-to-ear on the other side of the glass. "Well, Emmy?"

She gave Cromwell a hug. "You've got a superstar on your hands!"

* * *

"Superstar" did not begin to describe the sensation that Bobby created. His first album, "Timbre", went multi-platinum in the span of three months; his live performances were sold out. Every time. During an interlude between recording his next album at Aria, his next movie at Thor and his road trips, Lucio and Bobby celebrated his success.


They clinked their glasses together. Bobby's eyes were bright with unshed tears. "This is a long, long way from a hospital bed ... I still can't find the words to thank you for everything, Lucio."

Lucio grinned. "Actions speak louder than words, Bobby." He licked his lips and winked.

* * *

As you are probably thinking, this is quite different from my recent works. First of all, it's short. Second, there is but a hint of things to come between Bobby and Lucio. You may be wondering why I wrote this. A few reasons:

• I like Bobby's character, and (if you remember) he was also given perfect pitch as a result of his taking the Elixir. It's funny how some of my secondary characters - like Bobby, or TJ or Phil - just seem to grow into their stories and their lives.
  
• These are two of my favorite songs. Even though "Phantom" did not seem to do as well as expected, I found the movie enchanting. And I don't quite remember how I first came across Mario Frangoulis, but he does have an incredible voice.

And the biggest reason:

• This is a prequel to something else. Something I hope to have written before Halloween ...