Livin' Large magazine printed a story claiming that Nicolas was not only the father of Jackie's baby, but also of their drummer Matt's girlfriend's baby, too. Where they got that idea is beyond Nico's comprehension, like he is responsible for every pregnancy in L.A., but even more unbelievable is Jackie's reaction to the media storm that followed Livin' Large's expose. Like the constant gossip has made her believe it, too. "How could you, Nico?" she accuses, tearing & pouting as another 'story' about their wild lifestyle plays on the Entertainment channel. He tries not to let the exasperation sound in his voice as he insists for the hundredth time, "I never touched Stacey, Jacklyn, you know that. Do you think Matt would stay in a band with me if I messed with his girl?"

It isn't possible to really win an argument with Jackie: if you are right, she'll never admit it.

"They do jokes about us every night on the Charlie Chatterbox Late Nite show. I can't stand it anymore! I want it to stop!" she yells, her voice harsh & bitter.

"I want it to stop, too, Jackie," Nicolas sighs. He would also like her to stop blaming him for every bad thing that happens, but he keeps that wish to himself: expressing it would only enrage her. Where reason & discussion fail, passion prevails. It's not quite right, Nico knows, it smooths over the cracks forming in their relationship: if it doesn't get repaired, it will break. But when is there ever time? There's always somewhere he has to be, people he has to meet. Jackie is smiling when he leaves to meet Bill in his office, Nico can only hope she'll be smiling when he gets home.

Nicolas expected Bill to furious & unreasonable about this new double pregnancy gossip, possibly worse than Jackie. Bill is upset about it, but just says, "I assume a paternity test will clear this up?" Nico affirms it absolutely, and Bill waves it away, growling under his breath, "That bitch, Corrine, she'll print any trash, true or not." Nicolas feels an uncomfortable pinch at the mention of the Livin Large magazine editor: he's escorted Corrine more than once, he recalls. She & Monica print a lot of lies: there are truths they could print as well, which so far they have not...only to protect themselves, he knows. Bill moves on quickly to the reason he summoned Nico, his eyes gleam with pride as he describes a classic blues rock project John Paul Jones is doing for the label. He's using different artists on each track, mostly the most established session players & some appearances by the big names, but Bill managed to talk him into using Nicolas on the one Zeppelin track Bill talked him into including on the track list. "I have really good feelings about this one, I think this could push you over the edge," Bill enthuses. Nico doesn't believe a cover of an 8 minute Zeppelin tune on a John Paul Jones project is going to propel him to stardom, it's hardly even likely to get any radio play at all. But that doesn't matter: he's being given the opportunity to work with masters, and when he finally goes into the recording studio with F Hole, he won't be the only one who has never recorded a track professionally.

After meeting with Bill, Nico has a gig at the label's exclusive club: Bill is doing to him what he used to do to Jackie, separating him from the band, having him play here, there, everywhere. Jackie isn't going to like hearing about this John Paul Jones project, but Nico couldn't possibly turn it down, even if it means their biggest fight yet. Before the show he hits the spa, needing to relax from just thinking about telling Jackie about this. Nicolas is getting used to running into celebrities eveywhere now: He IS a celebrity, he reminds himself. He immediately recognizes Mary Strong, Oscar winning dramatic actress, having a massage just a few feet from him while he's having a steam bath. She obviously does not recognize Nicolas, he doubts she pays attention to his scene at all. She looks at him quizically for a moment, and finally asks, "Who are you? You must be Somebody, if you're here." The odd thing is, she speaks with an Italian accent.

He tells her he's a guitarist. As he figured, music is not her scene, she barely nods at his answer. But she wants something else, "What part of Italy are you from?" she asks, and Nico answers, wondering why she's using an Italian accent: he knows she's Australian. "Mmmmm" she groans as the massage therapist whacks on her back, "I'm playing an Italian woman in my next movie," she says, explaining the accent, "Speak to me in Italian. My language coach isn't a native Italian, like you. I want to hear it from a native." Nicolas obliges, and tells her in Italian his pregnant girlfriend is dirving him crazy and the media won't let up with the lies. He'd like to punch someone, but he doesn't have time. Of course, Mary understands none of that, it just felt good to get it off his chest. "That was really sexy," Mary moans as the therapist works her hands into the actress' muscles, "Do it some more." So Nicolas speaks Italian to her, unloading every retort to Jackie he's held back, every sharp comment, and Mary 'Mmmms' and 'ahhhhs', with no clue as to the meaning of his words, until he has to get dressed & go onstage.

NEXT