Chapter 9

The streets in Toronto are lined with buildings that provide evidence of Canada’s architectural heritage that Jon was completely impressed by. Between Union Station and the Eaton Centre are treasured landmarks, innovative skyscrapers, and fine examples of modern architecture. All of this impresses Jon and Richie alike. Ava is even interested because she loves to people watch. Danielle no longer has Jon’s hand she is taking pictures and so is he. However, every time they stop for a bit he has his arm around her or he takes her hand again. Danielle tryed to show them things that actually interested them. She had them head to Old City Hall, the fact that it no longer fit the area around it made it an interesting enough building. She even told them what she learned about the building. “This center of municipal government was opened in 1899 in a ceremony, after taking ten years to build and going more than ten times over the original budget. It was built in textured two-toned sandstone. The interior now serves as law courts. It almost got demolished when they built Eaton Center but public protests saved it.”

She pointed out Nathan Phillips Square, the plaza fronting City Hall, and even walked up onto the overpass walk to get out of the way of other tourists. Ava is watching them fill the square for the ice rink that will soon be there.

“Jon this is probably a good place to do the interview you’re kind of away from people so the cell phone won’t bother them.” Danielle pointed out. Jon had completely forgot he was supposed to do a call in.

”OH good call I’ll try to make it quick.”

After Jon completed his interview he walked back to the rest of his party, “Ok work is over.”

”Good because we have more to see.” Danielle held her hand out to Jon and he smiled taking it. They all started walking, she would show them the Rogers Center, the Canadian Walk of Fame and finally end at the CN Tower.

“Hey I’ve seen lots of pictures of this thing.” Richie tells her.

“And it's even more amazing to go into. NO one is scared of heights are they.” Danielle asks.

“No.” Ava answers excitedly.

“Great lets go. The CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable landmarks and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It's only been here since 76 and it was built to symbolize the strength of Canadian industry and is the tallest tower in the world.” Danielle told them reading from a brochure, after Jon bought her ticket again refusing to let her pay for herself. “Although the tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians, its origins are rooted in practicality, as people living in the Toronto area now enjoy the clearest reception in North America from its microwave receptors. The view from each of the 4 lookout levels gets more amazing the higher you go.”

After their visit to the CN tower, they get back on the subway and head back to the hotel. Stopping at one of the restaurants inside for dinner. Finally after dinner they head to their rooms. Richie and Ava thank Danielle for the tour and Jon accompanies Danielle to her room.

“I like you.”

“I like you too Jon.”

“No seriously. I like you. I don’t wanna…Oh damn this is going to come out really really bizarre, please don’t laugh
at me.”

She noticed that Jon for the first time ever that she's seen, didn't look 100% confident. “Ok.”

”This isn’t the actual question I just wanna feel you out on something?”

“Feel me out or feel me up?” Danielle smiled trying to lessen his stress.

“Feel you up later.” He’d take a deep breath. “What would you do if I asked you to the marry me?”

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Chapter 8

They would get off the subway and walk up to street level and Danielle would instantly start walking in the direction of Casa Loma.

“How do you remember this?” Jon would ask her.

“Because this was one of my favorite things I saw here. Besides you can’t really miss it.” She pointed to a huge Castle.

“Daddy can we live in a Castle like that?” Ava smiled.

“Sure baby, on the 2nd Tuesday of next week.”

”Cool.” She smiled not getting it.
Danielle led them to the entrance and Jon paid for her to get in.

“Thank you.”

”No thank you for bringing us here, this looks amazing.”

“Well Casa Loma is amazing. It was the residence of Sir Henry Mill Pellatt in the early 1900's. Pellatt was a military officer knighted by King Edward VII and who made it to the Queens Own Rifles. He was also an industrialist and financier. There is a audio tour which we should get one of it’ll tell us more about each room.”

Richie walked over and got the audio equipment and they started to walk around. Jon never let go of Danielle’s hand. “This castle sits on 5 acres of land and there are amazing gardens outside, that unfortunately are closed now. But there are stables on the grounds that are connected by underground tunnels and a tower that has a amazing view of the skyline.”

”Lets go daddy.” Ava smirked and pulled Richie down a hallway.

Danielle smirked at Jon and told him there is a Harry Potter stairway in this castle.

“A what?”

“You can’t tell me with 4 kids you don’t know what Harry Potter is?”

”Oh I do but I don’t know what you mean by the stairway.”

”Well in Hogwarts they have stairs that change positions remember?”

”OH yeah, I thought they were cool. The stairs move here?”

“No but if you come this way.” Danielle walked up the stairs and looked left then right trying to find the area again. “Well I thought it was this way. There’s this area where like 4 or 5 stairways converge it's a riot.” Finally after roaming through the castle for 30 min they come across what she has deemed the Harry Potter Stairs and Jon takes a picture knowing his kids would approve. The 4 of them spent a good 2 hrs in the castle, everyone even heads up to the towers, down through the tunnels into the stables and finally back to the subway into downtown. They got off the subway and started walking.

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Chapter 7

“I look at my life now and wonder why? Is this where I’m supposed to be? Why did I go to school so long? Why did I pass up love to go to school and be successful. But that song made me realize I am exactly where I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be right here, right now.”

”Exactly.” Jon smiled at her. “I know just how you feel.”

"Yeah right you’re married.”

”No I’m not.”

”What?”

”I came home from writing Lost Highway – well you know how the story was that Whole Lot of Leaving was about Richie and David?”

”yes.”

”Well when I came home I had a dear Jon letter on the table. She basically told me she couldn’t be ‘not quite enough’ for me anymore. As much as I hate her for breaking my heart I can’t fault her because I did this to myself. You said why didn’t you bother I say why did I bother? I look at my life and here I am at 45 I’m broken and beaten and alone in so many ways. I surround myself with people but I'm still alone. I’m not capable of believing in anyone when they say I love you. How do I get in another relationship and believe a woman? The woman I thought would be my everything for the rest of my life broke my heart into a million pieces.”

“The reason you can believe is because you learned something?” Danielle offered.

“Learned what? Don’t take her for granted, make sure she understands how important she is?”
He asked remotely.

“How long ago was the divorce?”

“7mo.”

“Have you dated since then?” She questioned.

”Here and there, nothing serious. When she wanted to walk out I didn’t stop her. One thing I have to say is I refuse to fight for someone who doesn’t want to be with me. My kids know it has nothing to do with them, and we still get along pretty well.” His thoughts weren't exactly focused right now, something about this woman told him it was ok to talk. Danielle didn't say anything else she smiled and walked over to David making plans for tomorrow.


The following day, as David planned, Danielle lead Jon, Richie and Ava through a tour of Toronto. “OK what do you guys want to see? Architecture, landmarks, tourist traps?”

“Architecture interests me.” Jon told her actually shocked that she would ask him and not just assume to know what he likes.

“I love the skyline and landmarks.” Richie smirks and Ava just smiles. “Whatever, as long as I don’t freeze.”

Danielle directed them all to the entrance to the subway system and smile. “We’ll go to Casa Loma first, it's the farthest away then focus on downtown.” She’d then get her wallet out and Jon stopped her.

”I’ve got it.” He told her.

“Seriously Jon it's ok.”

“Will you just allow me to be chivalrous?” He asked half laughing and half serious.
Once everyone has a subway pass they walked down to the trains and Richie picks Ava up to protect her and Jon grabbed Danielle’s hand which of course she doesn’t mind.

“It's not scary guys. Really.”

”We’ve heard of subways.” Richie tells Danielle.

“Yes but I’ve ridden them here. It's great.” Danielle directed them to the right train after having checked her map again. When they walk on the train Jon pulled Danielle down next to him while Richie and Ava sit across from them.

“Jon can you silence your cell phone?” Danielle asked.

“Yes I can. I have to call a radio station at some point today for an interview though.”

”I understand that but what I want you to notice, is here they don’t talk on their cell phones
all the time, that’s a purely American thing to do.”

Jon and Richie looked around and sure enough just as Danielle said not one person is on their phone.

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Chapter 6

6)
“So tell me why exactly you’re in Toronto seeing us when you’re from Wisconsin?” Jon would ask Danielle.
She would tell him about her lame ass friends and lame ass boy toy that both promised to go to the Jersey show with her on her birthday then backed out.
“Now I love you’ all but I’ve heard it's not best for a woman to be in Newark alone so I decided to find an alternative. How convenient that a month later you were going to only be 4 hrs from me in one of my favorite cities in the world. Toronto.”
“Hey Rich I’m not sure if it's a brunette women thing but she had a boy toy too? Weren’t you one for a while?” Referring to Richie’s thing with Cher many years ago.
Richie was about to respond with his normal ‘fuck you’ but Ava walks out just then so he just smiles.
“Hey baby girl.” He smirks at his daughter.
“Daddy I’m not a baby.” She’d remind him.
“You’ll always be mine.”
“I know.” Ava would give him a hug then smiles to Danielle.
“Did you like your birthday?”
“Yes it was amazing.”
“I love it when they sing to me – Uncle Jonny has a pretty good voice.”
“I think he’s getting better.” Danielle would play along with her.
“Maybe in 10yrs he’ll figure it out.” Ava ponders.
Jon laughs, “I’m getting abused by a 12 yr old.”

Eventually Jon couldn’t stand not knowing any longer and he’d ask Danielle to take a walk with him. They walk around the back of the arena staying in the warmth but out of everyone’s way.
“Why did welcome hit you so hard?” He’d ask unable to resist his need for an answer.
“Jon I don’t know you, I don’t think I wanna get into that discussion.”
“Isn’t it easier to talk to someone you don’t know?”
“No, it's really bad, it won’t portray me in the best light.”
“Can you tell me? It really seemed raw almost.” He’d be pushing he knows, most men would back off but for some reason he feels that Danielle will open up to him he just needs to prove to her he’s really interested.
“Ok but you asked. Pretty much my entire life I’ve had people making fun of my choices, they think they know what I should do, I shouldn’t spend $700 for the weekend to go see Jovi, it's hard to explain.” Danielle would close down again.
“Come on just talk to me, when you started crying I just wanted to get off the stage and hug you.”
“I identify with people being different but all to often I feel alone in the world I feel like all I want is someone that I can call mine – someone who will put me first in their life. I am with my family but I want more. Then I get the memories of guys telling me I don’t have more because I don’t need them.”
“Guys told you that?” Jon would asked shocked.
“Yeah I’m independent, I earned my rights to be. Sometimes I feel life passed me by, I didn’t date a whole lot in high school, I had this focus and determination but now I look back and wonder was it worth it.”

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Chapter 5

5)
“Oh MY GOD” Danielle muttered.

“Come on sweetness you’re holding up the show.”

“Welcome to wherever you are”

“Wow that one I didn’t expect, but my lady,” Jon bowed gracefully at the waist, “your wish is my command.”

“If only” Danielle smiled.

He laughs too, “Maybe later.” He’d smirk then yell, “Guys you heard her.”

David started the song and Jon sang it to Danielle. She swore he’s singing just to her – he sat on side of stage. She of course is singing along with him mesmerized.

Welcome to wherever you are This is your life, you made it this far Welcome, you gotta believe That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be Welcome, to wherever you are


Danielle stopped singing and start crying when he sings that part.

Jon comes down after the song while the audience is applauding and puts her face in his hands, kisses side of her face “’welcome to wherever you are”.

“Happy birthday Sweetie.”

“Thanks Jon.” She’d smile through the tears.

The rest of the show Jon watches Danielle he cant’ understand why welcome hit her so deeply.

Once the concert is over Danielle is escorted backstage and let into a room with a few other people. One of the women walks over to her and smiles. “We’ve got drinks over here if you’d like one.”

“Thanks I think I could use one.” Danielle would smile and walk over to grab a Moosehead beer.

“I’m Linda by the way, David’s girlfriend.”

"OH hi, I’m Danielle, I met David today at the coffee shop.”

“Yes he told me. I do have to say I appreciate anyone who will give Jon a hassle.” Linda smiled seeing Jon walk out behind Danielle but not letting on.

“Hey that annoyed me. I’ve seen them 16 times now and that was the only time I’ve ever been disappointed by anything live.”

”You’re serious, that honestly affected you?” Jon asked from behind her.

“Yes it did. It was such a hot and humid night, it even rained on me that night and didn’t care. I just wanted to be there and scream and dance and have fun. Then as I was leaving I’m like – wait they didn’t play Summertime and that is my favorite song on Lost Highway.”

“I’m sorry, really Danielle. It's very difficult to put a set list together with this many hit songs over the years. I promise if you come to see us this summer we’ll play it. In fact you’re from Wisconsin right?” Jon asks, loving that she has not flipped out once since they’ve been talking and played the fan card.

“Yes that’s where I live now.”

”Ok I’m putting your name on the band list, any show in Wisconsin we play you will have a front row ticket and backstage pass for so you can see us – on me because we failed to entertain you at Summerfest.” Jon walked away quick to tell Mike his assistant to put her name on the list.

Danielle felt horrible, letting him believe they didn’t entertain her. “Jon really you don’t have to do that.”
“No we do. For someone to have seen us now 16 times, you’ve spent a sizeable amount of money on this band, you’ve made me a success and I don’t like hearing that I failed a fan. I can’t make everyone happy all of the time, but I can damn sure make up for it when I hear about it.”
“Alright I’ll let you buy me a ticket for a change. They aren’t getting less expensive as the years go on that’s for sure.”
“Thank you for your friendship over the years, seriously Danielle it's people like you that have kept us in this business.”
“And how many times have you used that line in the last year?” She’d bust him on his public relations approved statement.
“Damn David you didn’t tell me she was gonna bust my balls on everything?”
”Someone has to keep you in line, I figured Danielle was up for the job.”
”Hey I’m just the innocent fan here.”
”Darlin you grew up in the 80’s you’re far from innocent.” Richie would joke walking over to them.

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Chapter 4

“You want to hook me up with her because she came from Wisconsin?” Jon asked his brother.

“No she’s real, she’s confident, and doesn’t look like a Barbie doll and she had the balls to tell me to yell at you?” He assured Jon there was a method behind his madness.

“She did huh? About what?” Jon says intrigued.

“Summertime should be played at summer concerts.”

“We didn’t –you’re right.” Jon confirmed after a bit of thought.

“She’s right. She was very upset about that and explained to me why. I told her I’d have you play it
tonight and she told me it shouldn’t be played in December.”

“We can play it and dedicate it to her?” Jon offers.

“Yeah she’ll be in the front row, backstage and our tour guide tomorrow.” David told him by way of saying how much of an impact Danielle had on him.

Jon started playing with the set list and Tico yelled outraged “Why the fuck are you messing with that list again?”

“It's not my fault – Dave did it.” Jon laughs.

Dave walked over to his girlfriend, “Protect me will ya.”

”Oh sure come to me for protection after you get in trouble.” She laughed.

That night during the concert, Dave waved to Danielle, noticing she’s on the side by Richie. Jon notices and is impressed with who he’s trying to hook him up with.

While going through the show, Jon stopped for a few seconds and noticed, Danielle is completely loving life. Jon’s smiling that even though she’s there by myself she doesn’t have a care in the world. He finally moved over – sits on side of stage and says, “You’re Danielle aren’t you?”

“yeah.”

“I heard you have a problem with Summerfest.” Jon smirked that perfect way only he can.
Danielle immediately thought, ‘oh shit’.

“OH yeah busted, you talked to a birdie who talked to me.” The grin got larger.

Danielle looked over at David, ‘Dave you’re dead’ she thinks.

“What I need to know, is what exactly your problem with Summerfest was?” He asked sitting on the stage in front of her.

“You didn’t play Summertime.” Danielle informed figuring maybe he can’t hear her and maybe he’s not really upset that she had the gaul to state her disapproval.

“Do you believe this – she has a problem with us playing in Milwaukee WI at a summer show and not playing Summertime?” Jon would stand up and ask the audience. The audience is quiet and confused as to why they didn’t play it.

“Yeah now that I think about it that makes no sense to me either. I probably was going to change the set list and Tico threatened me.” Jon laughs and Tico does a rim shot and the audience laughed. Finally Jon looked at Danielle again, “Well I’m going to make it up to you.”

“How Jon?” By now Danielle isn’t scared to talk to him it's rather comical she thinks.

“We’re going to play Summertime.” He stated.

“In the middle of the winter?” She asked.

“It may seem strange but you’ll hear Summertime live.”

“The point is summer –outside-open arena 90* when you can enjoy it.”

“So I failed miserably at being a great guy?” Jon asks playfully.

“I never said that- your set planning ability needs help.” Danielle spouted off and even Richie had to laugh.

“Alright young lady another approach. This concert from what the birdie told me this is a birthday present to yourself?” He asked for confirmation.

“Yes.”

“Who’s your favorite member of the band?”

“You?” She responds shyly.

“Alright – I’m giving you the pick, what song would you like me to sing to you for your birthday?”

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Chapter 3

David adds her on the list at the will call window when he gets back to the arena. “Just close to the front/after show pass/either side.”

He then walked backstage and told Jon he wanted Summertime on song list – Jon laughed, “you never wanna change the set list.”

David smiled and told Jon about Danielle and her birthday and that she’s from Wisconsin and told him the story about the attempt at going to the Pru but how it fell apart and now how she was determined to see them anyway.

Jon liked that Danielle is determined –“David are you trying to hook me up?”

“Would I do that?”

“Yes.” Jon deadpans.

“Would it be so bad? If I remember correctly I told you to go after Dot.”

“and look how that turned out .” Jon grinned, he was almost over the pain of the marriage ending.

“Hey it's not my fault she was an unfaithful twit.” David stated still angry at Dot for breaking Jon’s heart.

“I wasn’t perfect.” Jon can’t let anyone bad talk Dorthea even though he was angry at her.

“Yeah but at least you had enough respect to keep it out of the home.”

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Chapter 2

2)
Danielle couldn’t believe her little escape allowed her to run into her favorite keyboardist of all time.
“Coffee addict too I see.” She smiled hoping he wouldn't be an asshole, that'd kill the image completely.

“OH yeah. Hey you’re American?”

“Yes I am.” Danielle smiled. He’s really easy to talk to.

“Where are you from?” He asked eagerly, whenever they traveled to another country and met American's it was refreshing.

“I’m from Wisconsin.” Looking around to make sure he's really talking to her.

David smiled, this one he knew he's been to. “OH oh I’ve been there.”

“I know you were there in July.”

“I take it you were too?” David smiles as they hand him his coffee.

”Yep I went to Summerfest.”

“What did you think of the show?” Automatically he asked, always looking to improve if they can.

“Well it was good.”

“Just good? Why not great?”

“Well I’m kind of pissed at you guys.” Oops maybe she should have just kept her mouth closed because David's jaw dropped.

“I didn’t do it. If something was wrong I blame Jon.” David laughed.

“That works. He can take the blame." She might as well tell him what they did wrong, "You’re supposed to play Summertime in the summer and you didn’t.”

“Well it’s on...no I don’t think it is on the set list for tonight.”

”Well I want to hear it live but Summertime isn’t a December winter song.”

“I’m sorry. I will relay the message and yell at him for you.”

“Thank you very much David. By the way I love Lunar Eclipse.” She told him and he smiled thinking this fan
heard the name and never actually heard it. Some fans have pulled that before.

“Really what’s your favorite song?”

“It’s a toss up. I love On a Full Moon but Netherworld Waltz is quickly catching up.”

“You’ve actually heard the album.”

“Yes.” She looked at him like he has 3 heads. “I’ve also go the full album in my ipod –see.” Danielle then clicked around and showed him that it is in her ipod. He’d grab the ipod and checked the play count and saw that she wasn’t bullshitting him, she actually does listen to it. He’d then look up wondering why no one has come to collect her yet from talking to some tall silly looking guy.

”Are you here with someone?”

“No I’m here by myself.”

”Why?”

“Well the story is I had a boy toy that promised to take me to Jersey to see you at the Pru on my birthday but he flaked. Then a friend said she’d go to Newark with me, didn’t really wanna spend the few hundred on the ticket to the show though but at least I’d have someone to go with. I was good with that since I heard Newark isn’t exactly safe. Well then she backed out so I wasn’t able to see you on my birthday like I wanted. So I decided it’s my life, I said the hell with waiting on others, so I came here. I love Toronto anyway I would live here if I wasn’t so American so here I am.” Danielle would explain.

“So you’ve been here before?”

”Yes I was here a little over a year ago and fell in love with the city.”

“So what are you plans for tomorrow?” David asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Just bumming around, sightseeing.” She answered honestly not sure where these questions were going.

“Would you like some company?”

”Sure.”

”Ok give me your name.”

Danielle saw no reason not to so she told him. “When you get to the arena tonight go to the will call window.”

“David I already have a ticket.”

“Yeah well exchange it at the window for a better one and a backstage pass. Think of it as a late birthday present.”

“Thank you David.”

“Not a problem. Now I better go before Jon has a fit.”

“Oh tell him to chill.”

“Last time I told him that he took a year off.” They both laughed as he walked out of Tim Horton’s and
Danielle sat down to collect her thoughts.

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Chapter 1

Danielle decided to go to Toronto by herself to see Bon Jovi. That wasn’t her intention. Her actual intention was to go to one of the shows at the new arena in New Jersey on her birthday but her friend and then her boy toy both flaked so she wasn’t able to go. This time she wasn’t about to miss it. Bon Jovi had always been an escape for her, it had always been her favorite band and right now with the lack of anything spectacular going on in her life she really needed this. She needed this time for her and to hell with the rest of the world, she was going to enjoy herself.

Her flight to Toronto was un-eventful, which is good. It was a little lonely to find her bags on her own and find her way to her hotel, on her own. Once there, however, Danielle headed to the arena. She needed this show tonight more than she cared to admit. First though she must have some coffee, her body was in need. She changed into her Philly Soul jersey and jeans and started out towards the arena. Within minutes of stepping out of the subway, Danielle saw her prize up ahead, Tim Horton’s coffee shop. She walked inside the café and ordered her standard French Vanilla Cappuccino with extra vanilla. As she moved down the line to get her coffee she bumped into someone by mistake. “OH I’m so sorry.” Danielle said turning to apologize in person.

“Oh no harm no foul.” David Bryan responded with a smile.

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