Note: Sorry about the George Michael/Limp Bizkit title...it will explain itself in good time. This chapter is just set-up, so please stick with me for a little while and review! Thanks and enjoy! *Michele*

Gotta Have Faith

(Chapter 1)

"Live from Central Park, this is Bill Bedlam reporting for News Channel Thirteen, and now, back to Johanna in the studio. Johanna?"

"Thanks, Bill," the anchor said cheerfully, reassuming her signature mega-watt grin as she deftly continued on to the next story. "In lower Manhattan today, a ral--."

Johanna Martinez froze as a solitary sheet of stark white paper slid across the news desk, slowing to a stop in front of her clasped hands. Scanning the brief, her infallible smile faltered and her eyes met those of her producer, looking for confirmation before she became the first to break the tragedy that had the potential to send her straight to the top of the news media world. The sharp nod and a wave onward from Anne ended all question.

This was it; this was the story that every aspiring newscaster prayed for, and to botch it would spell the end of her career. Staring straight into the lens of the camera before her, Johanna forced her grin into a stern, nondescript line before uttering the horrifically beautiful words:

"Channel Thirteen has just received word of breaking news in Los Angeles, California. It has just been confirmed that Daniel Mullins, of the famed musical group Pure Utopia, has just been discovered, dead of an apparent suicide, in his hotel room. A reporter from our west coast affiliate is on the way to the scene. More news to follow..."

* * * *

"Leese, are you ready yet?" Carl Schneider shouted, banging on the dressing room door of the head anchor of MTV News.

It was her job to report the serious stuff, which was usually just rapper shootouts and teen idols being arrested on drug charges, but tonight there was a high profile suicide to cover. Though the news was relatively fresh, some local stations had already begun airing it, and MTV needed to pounce quickly.

With these thoughts swamping his mind with frustration and anger, he let out another growl and raised his fist to beat down Elisa Shannon's door, once and for all. But before he could exact that revenge, she emerged looking lovely, as always, but incredibly distraught. That was going to look GREAT on camera, Carl thought, hurrying after her.

"Well, are you ready for this?" he asked, coming up beside her.

Elisa sent him a killing glare, the sadness and anger extremely evident on her exhausted countenance, and bit out her response in a low, dangerous tone. "Carl, can you at least pretend that you aren't a cold, selfish, unfeeling son of a bitch for one minute?"

Stopping as she entered the second floor studio of their Times Square headquarters, Elisa held her arms to the side as four people came running to fit her with a body microphone. Locking eyes with the bane of every MTV employee's existence, she continued. "I was just dragged from my bed at 2:45 in the morning so I can come here and tell the whole world that one of the most deservingly beloved figures in music has just offed himself. Does none of that resonate with you, even a little bit?"

Carl avoided looking directly at her. Just because he was the Head of MTV Programming, people had taken upon themselves to brand him as a heartless bastard when that simply wasn't the case. He had feelings and even a soul...just not during office hours.

"Now, just read what's on the prompter because we're going to cut to some file footage and, hell, we may even get a live feed from some fans and stuff," he said, his eyes scanning the clipboard in his arms, "Let's see Thirteen try and top that sentimental bull shit!"

Elisa gave an exasperated sigh, storming off to the desk that waited for her in front of a green screen, which was used to project dizzying swirls and lines behind her so no one really paid attention to anything she said. By God, this job sucked, she thought, plopping down onto the swivel chair to face the firing squad.

Sure most reporters would give both arms to leak a story as huge as this one, but for Elisa, it hit a little too close to her heart to be enjoyed. She'd been a fan of Pure Utopia since ninth grade. Danny Mullins used to reside on her bedroom wall, and the greatest perk of her job had been meeting these people, whom she had idolized for so long. From the three or four times Elisa had spoken with the band, they had proven themselves to be all of the incredible things she had imagined as a disillusioned teen, and more. Especially Dan.

Running her hands over the cool Formica surface of the desk, Elisa shook her head as the countdown to air time began. It wasn't fair. Unfortunately, someone had to say it.

"This is Elisa Shannon with an MTV News brief. We have now confirmed that Danny Mullins, the drummer of band Pure Utopia, has been found dead in his Los Angeles hotel room. While police have refused to comment on a specific cause of death, they have reason to believe that this was a suicide. Mullins, 24, leaves behind his girlfriend, Tracy Malone, of almost eight years, and his band mates, Jade Connelly, Jessie Arno, and Fallon O'Shea. Whether or not Pure Utopia will continue on without him is still unknown, but Daniel's memory is sure to live on, either way, thanks to the mission of his music and the devotion of his fans..."

* * * *