Feels Like Home

"Billie Joe, I'm sure you are aware of all the rumors that have been going around for the past couple of weeks and your resistance has been strong. Has your relationship suffered because of it?"

"No," Billie Joe told the random reporter at the press conference they were at. "In fact, it has made us a lot stronger and we appreciate our relationship and each other more and that's all I'll say about it. Next question."

The next half hour was dedicated to discussing the next album, the possible 'American Idiot' film and other various subjects.

"I hate those damn things." Billie Joe moaned as he sank onto the leather couch of the green room.

"I know. It's the same shit every damn time. 'When's the next album coming out? Who're you dating? What's your sexual preference? Bullshit." Tre' agreed as he sat on the other side of the couch and put his legs on Billie Joe. "Seriously, how's Adrienne? When are you bringing her and the kids out here?"

"I wanted them to come out for Christmas but Adrienne wants me to come out there because, you know, there's family things that she wants the kids there for and she wants me there so maybe New Years."

Tre' nodded. "Wait, we have a show in Vegas on New Years."

"Oh yeah," Billie Joe rubbed his face, he was tired from nonstop touring. "Well, after New Year's then. They're still on winter break so they can come out and not miss work and school and stuff." He thought about it and nodded his head. "Yeah."

"Okay, I love you too. Bye sweetie." Mike hung up his phone. He had been talking to his daughter Estelle. "Stella has a ballet recital Friday and you fuckers are going." He sat in an empty chair.

"Adrienne wants to put Sydney in ballet." Billie Joe said to nobody in particular. "I don't think she should."

"Why? I know Stella loves it more than anything. She can't wait for the spring when she gets to join the jazz dance team." Mike took a water from the complimentary cooler in the corner.

"Well, Stella has some natural grace but Sydney," He gave a small chuckle. "Well, Syd doesn't. The child can't walk in a straight line much less twirl or whatever. I say piano or guitar or drums or something but Adrienne wants her in ballet and Sydney wants to do it so whatever."

"She doesn't need ballet." Tre' butted in. "She needs to learn how to play the drums. There's nothing hotter than a chick beating a drum. No grace required. I'll even teach her. She'll be the best damn drummer under five feet tall."

"Tell that to Adrienne and you can do it. I think she'd like the drums. Ballet's not for her." Billie Joe and the others followed one another out the door, it was time to finally leave.

"Well, if you get to bring her to Stella's recital, maybe Stella can talk her into or out of it." Mike said as their cars came into view.

"Yeah. I was just thinking go to Minneapolis tonight because of Christmas and then we come back for a few days out here and then go to Vegas for the show and then just wherever. Maybe back here for a few days or something you know. I don't know." Billie Joe unlocked his car and opened the door, still talking to Mike and Tre'.

"It's Christmas Eve." Tre' reminded him. "Do you think you're going to make it out there?"
"Yep." Billie Joe had a sly smile on his face. "Adrienne thinks my flights been canceled because all flights into Minneapolis International have been canceled for the threat of snow but I'm coming in on a different line and I should get to the house around ten tonight."

"That's just wrong." Mike said as he got into his car.

"No it's not." Billie Joe insisted. "See you Friday."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"When's Santa coming?" Sydney asked Adrienne as Adrienne set out milk and cookies on the coffee table.

"After you go to bed. The sooner you go to bed, the sooner Santa can come." Adrienne picked her up. "Oooh you're getting heavy. Say goodnight to Grandma."

"Night Grandma." Sydney kissed Gloria goodnight.

"Goodnight Angel." Gloria said.

"Uh, uh. My other name's not 'Angel,' it's Sassafras cause Daddy said so." Sydney insisted.

Adrienne gave her mother a warning look not to cause problems with Sydney tonight. Gloria did not like Sydney calling Billie Joe 'Daddy.'

"Well, you'll always be Angel to me. Now go to sleep so Santa can come. Joey's all ready asleep and if you don't soon, you may not get any presents." Gloria followed them up the stairs.

"Night Sydney." Adrienne pulled the covers up close around her daughter's neck. It was oddly chilly in the house tonight.

"Night Mommy, night Grandma." She curled her little teddy bear under her arm. "Mommy, is Daddy coming home for Christmas?"

Adrienne sat on the bed next to where Sydney laid. Gloria had all ready begun downstairs. "Baby, Billie Joe wouldn't miss Christmas with us for all the stars in the sky. But, the snow has canceled all of the airplanes so I don't know when he'll get here but he'll get here as soon as he can."

"I miss him." Sydney looked out the window to find fat snowflakes falling past the window.

"I miss him too baby." Adrienne smoothed the sheets around her.

"I asked Santa if he would bring Daddy home to us. Santa can get him right?" Sydney was looking at Adrienne with dark eyes similar to hers.

"Santa can do anything Syd. Just believe." She kissed her forehead. "Night."

Adrienne walked downstairs softly. She had presents to get out of the closet and put under the tree and some to assemble and stockings to stuff. It wasn't even ten and she was all ready exhausted.

Adrienne went into the bathroom in Gloria's room and pulled out several brightly wrapped packages from the closet. She proceeded to go back into the living room and kneeled down to arrange them under the tree.

"Is there anything from David?" Gloria asked as she stuffed the stockings.

"Mom David doesn't send them anything. He doesn't even send them so much as a card on their birthday. The man's a doctor so he's not exactly hurting for money but he can't bear sending a 99 cent card to his two children. No, he has to buy Barbie a new pair of boobs." Adrienne got up to go get more presents when a knock came from the door.

Abandoning her post with intense curiosity, Adrienne hurried to the door. She hoped it was Billie Joe but she knew the snow had canceled almost all the flights coming in or out of Minneapolis. But who else could it be?

As she opened the door, a puff of bitterly cold air swept past her. "Billie J.... David, what are you doing here?"

Billie Joe and David stood side by side to one another on her doorstep.

"Adie." Billie Joe leaned in to give her a kiss but David swept in between them and hugged her tightly.

"Adrienne, it's been too long. How're you doing? You look great." His perfect smile was wide and his teeth were whiter than the snow on the ground.

Adrienne saw right past his antics and pushed him away. "Billie Joe. I thought you weren't going to make it. How did you get here?" She kissed him passionately with David watching.

"I took a different line." He told her when they broke apart. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Yeah, well, you did. I've missed you." She pulled him in and shut the door. "What is that?" She noticed a moving lump in his jacket.

Billie Joe grinned sheepishly as he pulled out a tiny black kitten with little white spots. "It's for Sydney." He whispered.

Adrienne just shook her head and groaned and pulled him into the living room, leaving David in the hall. "Are you hungry? Do you want some coffee or something?" She started towards the kitchen but Billie Joe pulled her back and held her close
.
"I haven't seen you since November." He told her. "I just need you. Are the kids asleep?"

"Yeah. I just put them to bed. I told you they're more excited about you than Santa but I wasn't sure that you'd be here." Adrienne took the little kitten from Billie Joe and cradled it gently.

"David When did you get here?" Gloria went up and kissed David's cheek. Gloria always favored David to any of Adrienne's other suitors. She felt that David was a much better match for her than someone like Billie Joe.

"Just a moment ago Gloria. I was hoping for a better welcome from your daughter but she was a little preoccupied." David came into the living room and sat on the couch regally.

"What did you expect David?" Adrienne hissed, not wanting to raise her voice and wake the kids up. "I haven't seen or heard anything out of you in almost three years and then you just show up one night and expect a warm welcome and a kiss? Forget it. You're not welcome here anymore."

"Adrienne, I came to see my kids." David stood up, his smile faded and a scowl taking it's place.

"Well you picked a shitty time because they're asleep. They don't exactly stay up waiting for you." Billie Joe threw down. He did not like this man one bit.

"Oh yeah? And who are you?" David swaggered over to Billie Joe. The two men were standing in front of one another, David with a height advantage over Billie Joe.

"I'm Billie Joe. I'm Adrienne's boyfriend." He kept his voice low and cool.

"Boyfriend? I would have thought girlfriend from all that eyeliner. What do you do? Oh, wait. You're that Green Day guy. Yeah, I saw you in the papers. Should have known Adrienne would have lowered her standards. Going from a doctor to a druggie loser. That's a huge step, even for you Adrienne."

He began to walk towards Adrienne but Billie Joe pushed him back from getting near her.

"What? You want to take a go rockstar? Take a punch then take a drink, is that how it goes? Oh wait, no. Take a punch, take a drink, jack off, sing a little song about how terrible your life was, and then go fuck a woman with no higher standards."

Billie Joe brought his fist up and punched David roughly across the jaw. David hesitated long enough to wipe blood away from his lip before he punched Billie Joe and slammed his body into his. The two men rolled across the living room floor, knocking over chairs and decorations in their fight. They could hear Gloria and Adrienne telling them to stop and the kitten scurried into the kitchen to hide under the stove.

"David leave him alone " Adrienne tried to pull David off of Billie Joe, who was pinned under David's weight.

"Get off of me bitch " He shoved Adrienne away and she fell against the wall, knocking a picture down.

Billie Joe, finding a new inner strength, shoved his body into David's and fought harder until David curled up in a helpless ball, his lip trickling blood onto the carpet.

"Daddy?"

All adult activity stopped as they all looked up to find Joey and Sydney at the top of the stairs, holding hands and looking terrified.

Billie Joe looked at them then looked at Adrienne. He got off of David and realized how much Joey and Sydney saw and what they were continuing to see. He knew his nose was bleeding and he probably had bruises blossoming and David looked no better.

"Joey," David panted. He was on all fours pushing himself up to his feet. "Hey man, come give me a hug. Sydney, you look so pretty. You both have gotten so big since the last time I saw you."

Adrienne bit her lip to refrain from reminding David that he hasn't seen Sydney since she was a year old and Joey since he was three and there were big differences between then and now.

"Mom?" Joey looked at his mother with a fearful expression in his eyes.

"It's okay." Adrienne said as Billie Joe moved to her side. "You can come down. Come here."

Joey, pulling Sydney with him, slowly walked down the stairs until they got to the base. When their feet hit the floor, they both cast weary looks between their mother and Billie Joe and their biological father, which Sydney didn't know and Joey barely recognized.

David squatted down and spread his arms. "Come here. I've missed you."

Adrienne snorted in disbelief at his comment as Joey slowly walked over to David's embrace, looking over his shoulder to Adrienne and Billie Joe the whole way as if he were unsure if it were the right thing to do.

"That's my boy. Have you been good? I bet Santa's going to bring you some good stuff this year." He hugged Joey tightly, which Joey did not respond to, and then held him with one arm to the side and the other arm open towards Sydney. "Come here Sydney. Come say hey to daddy "

Sydney's eyes widened in fear as she darted to Billie Joe and wrapped her arms around his legs. "Daddy make him leave." She whimpered into his knees. "And tell Joey to get away from him."

David stood up, his anger apparent. "Daddy? Sydney baby, I'm your daddy."

"No you're not Billie Joe is." Sydney yelled at David. "Joey come here." She held a hand out for her older brother.

Joey took a few tentative steps towards his sister when David held him back. "Joe, you're going over there?" He squatted back down to Joey's level, shielding his view from his mother. "Why don't you come live with me?" He whispered. "You'll move into a big house with lots of toys and a pool and all sorts of fun stuff. Huh? What do you say?"

"David stop it." Adrienne demanded as her mother put a comforting hand on her shoulder while Billie Joe had his on the small of her back. Sydney was holding on to her and Billie Joe's legs.

"Stop what?" He barely looked over his shoulder at his ex-wife between sweet woos of promises to Joey. "Just say the word Joey and you can come live with me."

"Stop it David, you're scaring him." Adrienne's voice was raised and shaky from anger. "Joey come here." She held out a hand to her son who was trembling in fear from the scene playing out before him.

David held Joey back again. "Of course he's scared Adrienne. He doesn't even know his own father. That's me not him." He pointed a finger at Billie Joe.

"Uh uh " Sydney protested bravely.

"Yes, I am. Now shut up you little brat" David's perfectly gelled hair came out of place as he shook his head.

"Hey " Billie Joe stepped up between Adrienne, Sydney, and Gloria and David and Joey. "Don't you fucking dare talk to her or Adrienne like that. I'm a father to them because I act like a father to them and they love and trust me, not you."

David stood up to meet Billie Joe. Joey took that opportunity to run past them to his mother. "Is that so?" David whispered dangerously to Billie Joe. He gave a short laugh. "You know what, you probably are their real father. You've been with Adrienne so you know she likes to scream other men's names in bed. It just proves she likes to sleep with anything that has a dick. Hell, they're probably not mine or yours. They're probably some clueless bum's."

Billie Joe stepped up so they were only inches away from one another. His eye twitched with anger and his fists curled with rage. His tone was low and grave as he spoke to David. "You will not say that bullshit about Adrienne when I am around. The other guy's name she screamed with you, that was me. Now get out." He took a step back, signaling that their conversation was over and it was time for David to leave.

David took one look at Billie Joe then at Adrienne and the kids. "This isn't over. Not by no means. You can't keep my kids from me Adrienne." He turned on his heel and left on that note.