Life As It Is

The next morning came as quickly as possible. The light shined through the shades of Billie Joe's hotel room as he and Ella lay asleep under the covers. Last night was something they both didn't want to forget for a long time.

The thirty-two year old rock star woke up and slowly put his arms around the woman he loved, feeling the material of the big shirt she had put on. He nuzzled his face into her neck and felt her wake up immediately.

She turned and looked at him with a goofy smile on her face and kissed him quickly before breaking free from his arms to make a run to the bathroom.

As soon as he heard the toilet flush, he heard her open the door to then crawl back in bed with him.

"The perfect way to start off the morning," He said as she turned to face him.

"Yep."

Billie Joe gave her the same goofy smile she had given him and played with her hair a little.

"So where do we go from here?" Ella asked him.

Honestly, the thirty-two year old had no idea whatsoever. He shrugged, showing his unknown knowledge.

"I love you and you love me. What's there to think about?"

"Well the fact that you have kids and are just getting out of a marriage... " She trailed off, gulping a little and looking up at him with no idea of what to expect in their future.

"El, I feel like you're holding out your point. What's wrong, babe?"

She bit her lip, not wanting to say what was really eating at her. It was a stupid reason and nothing to really be overreacting about. But she was a person who tended to think of these things, yet felt stupid saying out loud.

"You do want us to be together right?" Billie Joe was sure as hell confused.

Ella nodded, giving him an "Of-course-I-do" kind of look.

"Then what?"

"It's nothing... " She muttered.

"El, if it's nothing then why can't you just say it?"

The thirty-three year old pregnant woman looked at him with his curious green eyes and smudged eyeliner.

"I don't think I can replace that kind of love you had with Adrienne."

He looked at her oddly.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Adrienne had the most wonderful story and the best relationship. I feel like I'm going have to compete with that."

Billie Joe laughed softly as she gave him a look.

"This is why I love you. You think of the things I don't even consider."

He gave her his goofy smile again and kissed her, then pulled her in closely.

"Listen, what happened with Adie in the past is in the past now. The important thing is that I'm here with you in the present. We can make this work, I know it."

"I know it too."

They both kissed, feeling happier than ever.

"Oh shit." Billie Joe muttered to himself.

"What?"

"I just remembered we totally abandoned Jason last night." He laughed at himself.

"I'm sure he found his way back." She gave him a grin.

"Hopefully... "

"Speaking of band members, I sort of have a confession to make," She said biting her lip.

"Spill."

"I uhh—kissed Tre on Thanksgiving. I was feeling really upset about us."

Ella suddenly saw an amused look on Billie Joe's face.

"Are you mad?" She asked.

"No. Now we just have more in common."

He went in for another kiss but Ella pulled away.

"What?"

"I have to go throw up," She said and made a run to the bathroom.

When she returned, she stayed in her boyfriend's arms.

"How long are we probably staying in New York?"

"Probably for another day or so. Gives a chance for Tre to visit Ramona."

Ella was suddenly into thinking of something.

"Hey, tomorrow do you want to come with me and maybe see my co-workers?"

He shrugged.

"Sure."

* * *
The next morning, Ella and Billie Joe knocked on Holly and Mike's hotel door, waiting for one of them to answer the door.

"Who is it?" Holly called from the other side of the door.

"It's us. We're dropping by the office today... remember?"

Two stifled giggles could be heard from the other side of the door. Billie Joe and Ella gave each other a look.

"We're uhh—kinda busy right now!" Mike called over.

"Let's go." Billie Joe said, putting on his sunglasses. "Mike is getting his dirnt on."

Ella laughed at the cheesy comment, nodded and walked hand in hand with her boyfriend on the streets of New York.

"They would actually make you come and work on January second?" The Green Day front man asked his girlfriend as they made their way into the office.

"Yeah, for most people."

"Must be one hell of a job."

As the two made their way inside, Rebecca took notice of the two and quickly walked over to the two, immediately hugging Ella.

Ella hugged her back in return, noticing that she had dyed her hair from a muddy brown to a rich strawberry blonde.

"It's so great to see you here!" Rebecca said as she took notice of the glowing thirty-three year old.

"And you brought Billie Joe Armstrong!" She exclaimed as she looked at the sun glassed man giving her a smile. She looked at how the two were holding hands.

"We're... together now. Long story." The thirty-three year old photojournalist said.

"That's—great!" Rebecca turned to Billie Joe and shook his hand.

The editor-in chief decided to call everyone around and made them take notice of the couple who had just gotten back together.

"How'd they immediately notice me?" Billie Joe whispered in Ella's ear as everyone recognized him.

"Must be because I'm with you."

Everyone began talking all at once, pulling Billie Joe and Ella into different directions. They took one last look at each other and smiled at the situation.

After a long time, with all the "Your band is awesome man." And "We really miss you." Talk, the couple finally made their way out of the office.

"So how'd it go with my co-workers?" Ella asked as the two walked side by side on the cold New York street.

"Good. I hope they weren't setting me up for an interview or something about the divorce."

Ever since Billie Joe and Adrienne's split not too long ago, the press hadn't really made such a big deal about it since it apparently wasn't so much newsworthy as something Paris Hilton or Brittney Spears had done.

Ella nodded, wincing a little inside. What would exactly happen if the media pounced on her and Billie Joe? She had checked the internet for any pictures of them on New Year's but only found some of the band performing or drinking.

She put her head on his shoulder as they both walked down the street, freezing cold.

"I can't wait to go back home," She said, breaking the silence.

Home. When had she had last said that?

"Me neither. But then I'm coming back here on the seventh and then off to Germany on the eleventh."

His pregnant girlfriend suddenly took her head off of his shoulder and looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Right. You're going back on tour."

Billie Joe sensed her sadness and stopped walking all of a sudden.

"That doesn't mean you're not coming along."

She gave him a look.

"You are aware I'm carrying your child... "

"Yeah but if we work something out to get you back home in time for when you start to go into your third trimester, you'll be fine. Trust me, I've done this before." He started walking again, giving Ella a little bit of hope to bring back their relationship all over again.

* * *
Although he was due to be back in New York in four days, Billie Joe and the rest of the group headed back to California to rest and relax before the tour started up again, giving them a chance as well to do some interviews.

The morning of January third was spent packing once again and checking out of their hotel rooms.

The five stood together as they each paid off the bills from their rooms. Tre, of course taking the longest time as his bill was being printed out.

Billie Joe and Mike stood next to him, their eyes practically bulging out of their skulls.

"How much goddamn porn did you order?" Billie Joe asked in amazement.

"Enough to pretend he was in a relationship right now." Mike muttered.

Tre, looking embarrassed gave a smile to the woman who handed him the bill.

"Do you take... American Express?" He asked, taking the credit card out and handing it to her.

After quite some time, the band members and two of their girlfriends finally boarded the private with quite the mellow tone in each of their moods. New Year's had done a big difference on each of them.

Ella sat down in the same seat she had sat in the last time they had been on the private jet as her boyfriend sat next to her. She looked over and smiled at him.

She had been hoping they would get back together for the longest time. It was surreal to find him right there, next to her, putting his arm around her as if they were back in the old days. It was just what she wanted all along.

They both watched as Tre continued throwing things at Mike who then got so fed up he walked his band mate on the head, making everyone else laugh.

"When you guys get whacked on the head, I'll laugh!" The drummer said, scratching his head.

The plane finally took off and they were all in the air.

"Shit, I have to go throw up." Ella said a little too loudly, winking at Billie Joe and getting a weird look from Holly.

The pregnant woman ran into the bathroom and closed the door. Everyone stared at the lead singer.

"I'll go—hold her hair," He said and headed into the bathroom.

Ella opened the door for the man as he came inside the bathroom. It was a small bathroom of course but he had managed to throw her gently against a wall with her giggling as he kissed her and her neck as she did the same.

Suddenly, someone knocked the door.

"When you guys are done making out like a bunch of teenagers, I'd appreciate it if you two would get the fuck out so I could maybe throw up in there." Holly called out from the other side of the door.

The two laughed and Ella put her head on her boyfriend's shoulder as she laughed. Then they both exited the bathroom as Holly shook her head and laughed about the two.

In a matter of time, the plane landed and they were all finally home. Later that evening, after seeing his kids and settling back into his home, Billie Joe stopped off at Mike's to pay his girlfriend a visit.

"So I was wondering if you'd want to, y'know... move in with me?" He asked, sort of fumbling with his words.

Ella froze for a second there. She had definitely been caught off guard after grabbing something off of the kitchen counter and facing him.

"What?"

"Do you want to move in with me?" He asked again more confidently.

She sat down. Why was this so hard to consider?

"What about, the kids and all?"

"We'll work that out. I want you to meet them anyway... "

The pregnant woman took a deep breath. The rock star noticed that she seemed sort of nervous about meeting his two boys. But she had been through worse. What was the harm of meeting the Armstrong kids?

"I'll do it," She said as she stood up. "I'll move in with you." She put her arms around him and hugged him, making him feel happy to be with her even more.

Things would soon start shaking up around them and they knew that. But they were sure as hell sticking together for the time being.