Warning

"So, um, how did you meet my mom?" Katrina asked Billie Joe the next morning as they stood at the sink together. Billie Joe was brushing his teeth while Katrina was doing her hair.

"Well," Billie Joe spit the remaining paste residue out of his mouth. "I used to be in a band and we traveled around everywhere. One night, I was playing here in Minneapolis at a place called 'Pickens,' and I saw your mom out in the crowd and I had to meet her. The whole show all I could do was watch her. So, I went up to her after the show and that's basically what started it." Billie Joe didn't feel the need to go into details of what happened afterwards.

"What was the name of your band?" Katrina seemed really interested in Billie Joe and Adrienne's history.

"Green Day. We were a kick-ass punk band." Billie Joe stepped out of the vanity area and into the bedroom portion.

"Oh," Katrina muttered. "What kind of music is punk?"

Billie Joe stopped and stared at Katrina. "You mean to tell me that you are the daughter of Adriene Nesser and you have no idea what 'punk music' is? Holy hell." He ran a hand through his hair as she nodded her head. "In the sweet, watered down version because I don't have time to go into detail since you have to go to school, punk is the most kick-ass music in the world. It's real people with real instruments with real words."

"Oh." Katrina nodded her head and it wasn't clear if she understood Billie Joe's words or not. She opened her mouth as if to say something else. "Um.... never mind." She turned and stepped out of the vanity area.

"What?"

"Nothing." She answered quickly as she picked at the hem of her shirt.

"No, no. Don't start anything unless you intend to finish it. Words to live by. Now, what is it?" Billie Joe sat on the bed as he pulled on a pair of striped socks.

"Um," Katrina seemed awfully shy. "Could I borrow one of your ties? I promise I'll take good care of it and I won't mess it up or anything. I want to wear it as a belt."

"Sure." Billie Joe nodded to the hand towel rack that was being used as a tie rack. "Take your pick except," He pulled a black and white striped tie and draped it over his shoulder. "That one."

He left Katrina to choose her desired tie belt and went into the small kitchen area where Adrienne was sitting with Jakob, going over his homework. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, I think Katrina's just about ready." Billie Joe said as he fixed his tie and poured a cup of coffee. Katrina came into the room on that cue and Adrienne nodded her head.

"Okay." She helped her son pack up his book bag. "Let's go."

Billie Joe, Adrienne and the two kids went down the street and down to the subway to take them to school. Adrienne subconsciously checked over her shoulder every few steps, paranoid that David may be behind them, watching.

She squeezed Katrina's and Jakob's hands in hers as Billie Joe walked beside them. She smiled at a sad Jakob and stuck her tongue out to get a small laugh from him, which she succeeded at.

When they dropped the kids off at their respected schools, Adrienne called her school and canceled her classes for the day. "I can't teach with all of this going on today." She told Billie Joe when she got off. "I need the weekend to figure it out and all."

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"So, what are you going to do?" Billie Joe asked as he pulled his key out of the lock and let him and Adrienne into his apartment.

Adrienne shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. I'll probably take the kids over to my parent's tonight and stay there for awhile. Then, I don't know. File for divorce I guess." She gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, my head hurts."

"Do you want something?"

"No, no." Adrienne sat down on the couch, which was still covered in blankets from Billie Joe's sleeping stint. "It's just tension and stress and fear and all that shit."

Billie Joe sat down next to her and propped his feet on the coffee table of moving boxes. He bit his lip in the silence before he sniffed. He sighed heavily and tilted his head back on the couch. "I sit alone in my bedroom, staring at the walls,"

"Don't." Adrienne said softly as she got up. "I know you don't mean to do it, but don't. I can't bear it right now Billie, I just can't."

Billie Joe abruptly became silent and met her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that would upset you so much. I didn't even realize I was saying it."

"I know you didn't and it's not that I don't want to hear it, it's just...." She broke off and faced the wall. "Why do you live in such a crappy apartment? Hell Billie Joe, the roaches were having a Christmas party in your bathroom."

Billie Joe decided to let her poor topic change slide. "Leave Bob and Larry out of this. They weren't hurting you. They were just bumming for a little egg nog."

Adrienne sighed and leaned up against the wall. "We've missed out on a lot, me and you."

Billie Joe said nothing but nodded his agreement.

"I'm sorry." Adrienne's voice had become thick with emotion again. "I am so, so, so, so sorry." She wiped her eyes. "I have to go."

"Adie, don't,"

"No, I have to go." She placed a hand on Billie Joe's face and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "I'm sorry." She hugged him tightly. "Thank you for all that you've done. I just... everything is so... I'll be at my parents." She finished quickly as she pulled the door opened and left without giving Billie Joe a backwards glance.

Billie Joe leaned up against the wood of the door and locked it. His body slid down the door until he was seated on the floor in a pile. A light flickered over the sink, it would go out soon. A car honked somewhere below in the street. The clocks hands ticked louder with each passing second.

"Jesus of Suburbia."