‹ Prequel: In the End
Status: Hiatus.

Worry Rock

Make ups and Break-ups [only not quite]

There was a bouquet of red roses on the kitchen counter the next morning, a small card next to them. Rachel looked at them for a moment, trying to figure if they were from Billie Joe, knowing that both men owed a lady an apology.

"That's Billie Joe's handwriting.." She mumbled, not noticing the words. But despite the fact that she was angry that Tre wasn't doing anything to get them to talk, she smiled, happy that Billie Joe was at least a better man. She left the roses and card on the table, fixing herself a cup of coffee, before shuffling into the lounge where there was a lump on the couch, a blanket pulled around their body. "Billie?"

"Go away."

She laughed, walking over and sitting on the arm of the sofa, poking at the only opening of the blanket, where hair was sticking out. "What time did you get up, sleeping beauty?" He groaned angrily, pulling the blanket even more around him, sniffling. "Hey..you okay?" She asked, poking his side now.

"No. Not at all." He managed out.

"Aww...what's wrong?" Rachel asked, sliding down onto the couch, not caring that there was barely any room left considering he took most of it up as he lay there.

Billie Joe shifted around under the blanket, pulling it back from over his head to look at Rachel through bloodshot eyes. "I've got a horrible hangover...we've got no aspirin left..and I just feel like shit in general..I'm too nervous to go up and lay in bed with my wife because she basically asked me not to get drunk last night, and I sat there, right in front of her and drank.." He bowed his head, sniffling once again, "She even tried to talk to me..but it didn't matter.."

Rachel sighed, wrapping an arm around the older rockstar, pulling his body against hers. "Getting her flowers will help. Jeez..when did you go out?"

"Early," He croaked, "Guilt got the best of me..so I went to the floral shop in town...I just feel so bad..."

Rachel smiled sympathetically, going to hug her friend, who gratefully accepted. "I just don't want her to be mad at me..I hate it when she is," He whispered sadly, "But I know I disappoint her..."

"Aww...Billie...she loves you..and at least you apologize." She said, the last part coming out bitterly.

"If you're talking about Tre.." Billie Joe mumbled, "You don't need him..you're so much better than him, Rachel."

She sighed, nodded her head slowly, "I'm beginning to see this, it's like whenever we're around each other..we just..can't take it..and it's so sad, because I really do love him, Billie Joe. More than anyone. It's just sad now.."

Billie Joe bit his bottom lip, pressing his lips to Rachel's temple, smiling gently. "Just remember, hun," He said softly, "The second day is always better than the first."

***

I slowly stepped down the stairs, the small white dog against the chest, sound asleep in my arms. I smiled sweetly at it, shifting him in my arms as I stepped into the lounge, looking at the couch that held a now sleeping Billie Joe and Rachel. I watched them for a moment before laughing to myself, walking into the kitchen slowly, setting down Charlie in his bed on the way in.

On the table sat a bouquet of vibrant red roses, a small card next to them. I hesitated, before picking up the roses, looking at them carefully, a small smile appearing on my lips. I looked over at the small card, picking it up and opening, only finding one sentence inside.

Every rose has it's thorns.

I smiled weakly, not sure if what was written inside was talking about the rose, or our relationship. Knowing Billie Joe, it was us. I heard a small 'aww' escape my lips, laughing at my own vulnerability torwards the man and his words. I lifted my eyes from the card, only to meet green ones, making my breath hitch. Billie Joe looked at me for a moment, smiling gently, noticing the roses and card in my hand.

And in a sence I hated myself for falling so easily for him. For forgiving everything he did by the simple little things he tried. But I loved that I made him nervous around me, although I'm not sure why. It was just that feeling I got to know that I had something that made him keep coming back.

"H..Hey.." He managed out, placing his hands on the doorframe to keep in standing, his head spinning.

"Morning.." I murmured, filling a vase of water to put the roses in. I placed the roses on the table along with the vase, placing them in it gently, before looking back at him, giving him a lopsided smile. I turned back around, picking up the beer bottles that were scattered on the counter, and placing them in the sink, going to wash them out.

"I'll do those." Billie Joe offered softly, biting his bottom lip nervously.

I shook my head, looking down at them. "No. It's okay, you go rest or whatever..you drank a lot last night..so I know you need it."

It was obvious that he felt bad, and that he wanted to clean out the bottles, feeling like shit from the night before, knowing that all I had asked of him was not to get drunk. "No..no..it's okay," He said gently, stumbling over to the sink, "It's my mess, and I should clean it up. Not you."

I shrugged, "It's never really mattered before."

His hands shook as he tried to look at me, his eyes saddened. "Babe..please...l-let me clean them up, or-or something..I want to do something to clean up my shit."

"You could start by cleaning up your act. Cleaning up the way you deal with a bad day at the studio, because hun, this is only the beginning. You're just going back into there.."

"I-I know.."

I sighed, setting the beer bottles in the sink, drying my hands on a towel, turning to face him. "You're not going to make this drinking a problem..are you, Billie Joe? You're not going to make this a re-peat of when you were a lot younger, are you? Because you're not as young as you think, Billie Joe. Doing shit like this, like sitting there and trying to drink your problems away ain't gonna do anything for you anymore."

He bowed his head, fiddling with the wedding band that rested on his finger, making me smile despite that fact I was slightly angry with him. "I'm sorry.." He mumbled, shuffling his feet slowly.

"I know.." I said, resting a hand on my hip, "I just don't want this to become a problem."

"It won't.." He mumbled, his head still bowed as he continued to fiddle with his ring. "It's just been two times.."

I rolled my eyes, turning back around to the sink, Billie Joe sniffling. "Just two times turns into just three times, and then into four, then five, and then five somehow ends up to a drinking problem, and you end up turning into an alcoholic. I saw it with my parents, Billie Joe, and they're both probably dead of fucking alcohol poisoning."

He didn't even look at me after I had finished speaking, he just kept looking at the floor like a bad dog waiting to get scolded by it's owner. I shifted my weight to the other leg, wiping my forehead with my arm, getting nothing from Billie Joe. I sighed after a moment, looking down before back at him who stood nervously in front of me, a small hiccup escaping his lips.

Billie Joe had always hiccuped when he was nervous, or at times like this. I watched him for a moment, watching him hiccup once again before I slid my arms around his waist, pulling his fragile body against my own. He buried his nose into my neck, his arms slowly wrapping back around my body.

"He just got me..so mad.." Billie Joe whispered into my neck, "I wanted to stab the man, babe. I'm horrible at handling anger..you..you know that."

I nodded my head slowly, pulling away from his grasp smiling softly at him, pressing my lips to his own. "On a happier note, I think the roses you bought are..amazing."

A smile crept onto Billie Joe's face, him bowing his head once again but in a happier motion. He looked up at me, the drop-dead smile on his face as he shrugged slowly. "Well..you know..everyone loves roses.."

I grinned, bobbing my head up and down, pressing my lips to Billie Joe's once again, our arms still wrapped around each other. He tilted his head to the side, placing kisses down my neck, a small smile appearing as he shifted one hand to the back of my neck. He slid his other hand under my tanktop, backing us up against the counter. "This would be..such..such a hot moment if there weren't someone in the other room." He whispered into my ear, his lips brushing against it.

I giggled into his chest, nodding my head as I wrapped my arms around his own neck, a mischievous grin spreading on my face. "You see what you do to me?" I asked in a fake angry tone.

He nodded, returning the mischievous grin, kissing my nose sweetly. "Admit it..you know you like it."

I went to answer him, before a ring shot out through the house, the phone nearly jumping out of the stand. I sighed, taking my arms around from Billie Joe, slowly walking over torwards the portable phone, picking it up and turning it on. "Uh..hello?"

"Mandy?"

I licked my bottom lip, stalking back over to Billie Joe, letting him pull me into his larger frame, him pressing his ear to the side of the phone, wanting to hear the conversation.

"Yeah. This is she."

I heard the other person groan, before sighing. "It's Tre."

Almost immediately Billie Joe pulled away from me, reaching out to grab the phone to have "words" with the drummer. I shook my head, shooting him an angry look before going back to the phone. "Oh. Hey."

"Hey.." He mumbled, "Is uh..is Rachel there?"

"Yeah." I answered simply, "Her and Billie Joe."

"Oh..fuck..you've got a house full of people that can't stand me at the moment.."

Billie Joe grunted, crossing his arms, Tre sighing once again, having heard his bandmate. "I'm just..I'm in a shitty mood, you know? Everyone has them.."

I lent back against the counter, nodding my head slowly, cradling the phone against my ear. "I know..but it ain't cool to bitch at your wife and friend. Your wife showed up at the house in tears, and Billie Joe was ready to kill someone."

"I..I know.."

Billie Joe crossed his arms, settling himself down on a stool, muttering bitter words to himself, kicking at the other stool next to him and knocking it over, earing him a scold. He waved a hand, as if telling me to shut up, not wanting to speak to me since I had stopped what we were doing before to talk to the man he despised at the moment.

"Can I come over?" Tre asked for a moment, "To talk to Rachel? I know if you tell her I'm on the phone she won't talk..."

I hesitated, looking at Billie Joe who had his head buried in his arms, running a hand through my hair. "Sure.." I mumbled, "Yeah..ok..when?"

Billie Joe's head shot up as soon as he heard me say that, him shooting me a look, as if to tell me he'd never talk to me if I was saying Tre could come over. I rolled my eyes at him, making him slide off the stool, leaving the kitchen. "Rachel," He snapped angrily, "Your husband is coming over."

I clenched my fists, becoming angry as hell at Billie Joe, wanting to yell at him right then and there, but not able to due to the fact that the phone was pressed against my ear. "You stupid ass." I spat angrily, forgetting that Tre was still listening.

"What? Me? Mandy-"

"No, no, no. Not you. My husband. He's in his PMS mood again, and he's being a real dick."

"Oh..what'd he do?"

At the moment, I couldn't understand why people were mad at Tre and not Billie Joe, with the attitude Billie was giving me. "He's acting like a 5 year old." I muttered, hopping up onto the counter, swinging my legs down as I sighed angrily to myself. "Ten minutes ago he was a happy moron, and now he's acting like a dick. That man has more mood changes than a pregnant woman."

Tre chuckled, "Seems like it."

I huffed, leaning forward on the counter, trying to see around the wall that separated the kitchen from the lounge. Rachel slid into the kitchen, her eyes wide, practically begging me to say that the person I was having a conversation with on the phone was not her husband. I gave her a weak smile, in return earning a disappointed look from her. I shrugged my shoulders, as if to try to say I tired, but she left the room.

Thanks, Billie Joe.

"So..so..when can I come?" Tre asked after a moment of silence.

I looked down at my hands, picking at a nail, "Yunno..any time..better sooner than later.."

He laughed softly, probably nodding, "Okay, hun, I'll be over in a few..just..don't tell her I'm coming..or she'll probably leave..or if she knows..just..just tell her I want to talk and that's all. I want to apologize. It don't mean she needs to forgive me."

"Okay Tre."

"Thanks hun.."

"No problem, I'll see you soon."

"Kay," He murmured, "Tah tah for now."

I slid off the counter, setting the phone back in it's stand before slowly walking into the lounge, seeing Rachel curled up on the couch. She looked over at me, shaking her head. "Why would you let him come over, Mandy?" She asked, rolling her eyes, "I really don't want to speak to him.."

I opened my mouth to speak, resting a hand on my hip. "Rach..all he want's to do is apologize and try to talk to you. That's all."

"Yeah..right. He probably expect me to go home with him."

"Well, yeah, he is your husband. You do live with him-"

"Don't be a smartass." She snipped, her eyes going back to the tv screen.

"I'm not." I muttered, "But it's not healthy for you to sit here and mope around with him doing the same thing at home, Rachel."

"If you didn't want me here-"

"Oh don't give me that shit." I spat, my blood pressure rising, "Don't ever pull that shit. I never said that, damnit."

She curled up more, not speaking to me now. I rolled my eyes, hearing the doorbell ring, stumbling over to the door. I pulled it open, only to see Tre stand there. I sighed, forcing a smile, inviting him in. "She's in the lounge."

"Thanks Mand."

I shrugged, "It's not a problem."

It wasn't a problem until Billie Joe decided to be a bitch.

I stumbled up the stairs, deciding to give Tre and Rachel their own privacy. I made my way to our bedroom, pushing the door open. Billie Joe sat on the bed, the television on. He looked at me, before back to the tv, biting his lip. "What do you want?"

"Do I need to want anything to come in my own bedroom?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow, shutting the door behind me.

"Basically. Yeah."

I rolled my eyes at him, walking over to the closet. "I just figured I'd give Tre and Rachel privacy."

"That asshole is over here?" He snapped suddenly.

I nodded my head in a sarcastic way, "Well fucking duh, Armstrong. That's sort of how you make up. The man apologizing after being a dick."

"He better not come up here."

"He's not here to see you, Billie Joe. The whole world doesn't revolve around you."

I pulled a pair of jeans out of the drawer and another tanktop, shutting them roughly. "You seem to think that since he came over he wants to see you, Billie."

He shrugged, placing the remote on the small table next to him, "No. But it is my house."

"Our house." I corrected in a bitter tone, "And who honestly gives a fuck who's house it is?"

"I do. I don't want some ass coming over here when I'm pissed at him."

"Why does it matter to you!?" I asked, looking in the mirror, "Why are you picking a fight over this, Billie? He came over here to apologize to Rachel. That has nothing to do with you!"

"It's got everything to do with me!" He grunted, sitting up in the bed, "I don't want him over here-"

"Well tough luck, you moron, he is already!"

"I don't appreciate you inviting people I don't like to my house, either." He muttered, his voice quieter.

"Your house? Billie..this is our house. Your's, Sydney's, and mine."

"I've lived in it longer..."

"No shit, sherlock. That's what happens when you're older than I am. You live somewhere longer than I do."

"No shit. Stop being a smart ass."

"I'm not being a smartass, Billie Joe. You're being a dumbass, that's all."

He grunted, laying back in the bed. "You should be on my side with this Tre thing."

"What?" I asked, looking at him in the mirror, "Billie, I'm not on anyone's side."

"Well that's just great."

I looked back at him, resting my hands on my hips, giving him an annoyed look. "Would you mind acting like your real age rather than 10 years old?"

He didn't speak.

"Alright, fine, fuck you. You're acting like a little kid." I snapped, pulling on the jeans quickly and changing into the other shirt, "I'm going out, and I'll take Sydney with me."

Billie Joe just waved a hand to basically said he didn't care, making me roll my eyes, and walk over to the door, pulling it open. "Call me when you're less of a dick. Maybe I'll consider talking to you."

I slammed the bedroom door closed, walking down the hallway to Sydney's room, knocking on her bedroom door although it was open. She looked up from her computer, turning the music off. "Hi mom."

"Hey darlin'." I said lightly, "Can I come in?"

She nodded her head, quickly saying she had to go to her friends and signing off the computer, turning around in her chair to look at me. "What's wrong?"

Am I that easy to read?

"Nothin," I said with a shrug of my shoulder, "Hey..do you want to go to Travis's?"

She nodded her head, "Yeah. Sure. Why are you and dad fighting?"

My eyes widened, before they narrowed, "Who said we're fighting?"

She rolled her eyes playfully at me, "Whenever you randomly go to Travis, it's because you were fighting."

"Oh..no..no..we're fine..I just wanted to talk to Travis.."

She raised an eyebrow, biting the inside of her cheek, "Okay, mom. I'll be out in a sec."

I smiled sweetly, "Kay hun."

***

I looked over at Sydney who sat next to Travis, laughing as he started trying to make her lose in the video game.

That man was more of a kid at heart that a small child it's self. Travis groaned, throwing the remote to the game down next to him, standing up. "You cheated." He stated, "I'm not sure how. But you did, and then when I do find out, I'm going to sit there and cheat right back at you."

"I did not cheat."

He grunted, "Yeah. Riight. No one beats me in that game..cheater..."

She laughed, standing up next to him, mirroring the way he stood there. He groaned once again, throwing his head back, acting as if he was a 5 year old throwing a temper tantrum. "I'll tell your mom."

"Not if I do first."

"You wouldn't."

Sydney nodded her head, making him shake his head, now acting as if he were a teenager girl. "You two are pathetic," I sighed, resting my head in the palm of my hand, "Like..worse than Tre and Mike."

Travis smiled innocently, sitting down next to me on the couch. I curled up next to him, liking the feeling of someone protecting me, even if there was nothing to protect me from. "So what happened, sweetie?" He asked as soon as Sydney excused herself to use the bathroom.

I shrugged, feeling his arm drape around my back. "Billie Joe is just being a bitch. Rachel and Tre had a fight...so I tried to get them back together..but Tre and Billie had a fight..so when Tre came over to apologize to Rachel BILLIE bitched at me."

"Oh.." He mumbled, "Oh..well.."

I sighed, him smiling gently, messing up my hair playfully. "He'll get over it and come knock down the door to my house and apologize."

"Doubt it.." I grumbled, "He'll probably be pissed off that I left in the first place and go get drunk. He's been doing that well."

"He's been getting drunk? Is he violent?"

I sat up, turning so I was facing Travis. "No. It's only been two times..but it was in the same week," I paused, "Only two days after he first did...I just don't want him to become an alcoholic. It scares me to think he might become like my father."

"I doubt that, hun. Your father hurt you. I don't think Billie Joe would."

"He does though. Verbally and mentally..not physically."

Travis hesitated before gently putting his arms around me, smiling softly. He pulled my small body against his, holding me comfortably. I sighed into his chest, closing my eyes slowly. "You can stay here tonight," He said softly, "If you don't talk to Billie."

"Thank you.."

"No problem, babe."

The silence that flooded the room was cut off by my phone freaking out, making me groan and get up, telling Travis I'd be back as I stepped outside, opening the phone up and pressing it to my ear. "Hello?"

"I can't believe you actually left.."

"Relax. I'm with Travis. I even told you I would, Armstrong."

"I didn't think you would.." He mumbled softly.

"Why the hell not? I go by what I say, Billie. I told you I was coming here with Sydney and all you did was basically tell me to shut up."

"I..I was having a bad day-"

"Yeah. I guessed that with your shitty attitude."

"I miss you..."

I sighed, resting my head in my hand. "I haven't even been gone for a day.."

"I know..but the house is so quiet.."

"Billie..you've got to realize that when you sit there and argue with me about nothing, I'm not going to go all soft on you. Babe, if you choose to be an ass, go ahead and be one, but when you come out of whatever mood you're in, you might be disappointed to find out that I'm with a friend and not you."

"I know.." He said quietly, "I'm sorry.."

I sighed, curling up on the small swing that sat the porch of Travis's house. "Are we going to start having problems, Billie Joe?"

"No..no..of course not..." He became quiet now, "I..love you."

I ran a hand through my hair quickly, looking down at my socks, picking at them. "Billie...I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"But-"

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Billie. Good night."