Josiah Songfic: Freebird
By Monica

ATF Universe


Josiah sat on the couch in his darkened home and allowed himself to relax as "Freebird" began to play.  As always, the mellow beginning of the song made him introspective.

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.

That the past was full of so much regret was probably true for everyone. Things that could have been different, loves that were unexplored, lives that had been left behind, these were all part of everyone's lives.  Josiah heard them most often referred to as learning experiences.  And to an extent, he knew that was true.  Learning came at the cost of mistakes.  But having learned from something did not make the regret any less.

Bye, bye, it's been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can't change.
But please don't take it badly,
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

A sigh escaped Josiah.  The follies of youth were just so hard to reminisce about sometimes. He wondered if any of the others had turned their back on love in the misguided notion that it would curtail freedom.  Chris certainly had not.  Probably better than any of the others he had realized that love was freedom.  Then that love had been ripped from him and nearly destroyed him.  But somehow Chris had managed to rise from the ashes of that like a legendary Phoenix.  He had changed as they all had.  Some of them fought it kicking and screaming, others never saw the changes as they occurred, and still others could feel the change and marked the passing from one stage of life to the next.

Josiah found himself contemplating the strange nature of the relationship between the seven of them who found themselves teammates and friends.  He wondered at the strange twist of fate that had brought them all together at just the proper moment in each of their lives that they were willing to accept the fact that they were indeed meant to be a team.  And as always he simply accepted it all as proof that they were always destined to be a family.

And then Josiah gave up on contemplating life and the past that had brought them all together to share a future none of them were quite certain of.  The lyrics to the song ended and it simply became a "live just for the moment" jam of a song. Josiah could not help but head bang along to the pounding rhythm.  He loved the way the song changed moods.  It was never a jarring change but something that seemed like a natural progression.  The past could be remembered, but in the end it had to be let go for the present. And the future could be contemplated, but ultimately the only way to reach it was to live in the present.  Life moved on as it had to.  Josiah was simply grateful that he got to be along for the ride.


Freebird
(Allen Collins - Ronnie VanZant)

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.

Bye, bye, it's been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can't change.
But please don't take it badly,
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

Copyright 1973 by Duchess Music
All rights reserved.