Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

When Pete and Luci made it back to the room, she was shocked to see Katy sitting quietly on Andy’s lap, banging two drumsticks on a snare drum. Joe was sitting on the ground in front of them, tuning up his guitar. Raising an eyebrow, Luci looked at the two men.

“What did you do to my child?” She asked. Joe looked up, looking guilty. “Oh, shit, what did you do, Joe?” Katy looked up, grinning as she pounded on the drum.

“Mamma! Look!” She cried happily, waving to her. “I’m drummer!” Luci smiled, taking Katy from Andy’s lap.

“That’s amazing, Katy Bear! Are you going to be a drummer when you grow up, like your uncle Andy?” Luci asked, holding her daughter in her arms. Katy nodded, giving Andy back the sticks. Luci smiled and sat back on the couch, holding her tightly. Gods, she loved her little girl. She couldn’t imagine a life without her. “I love you, baby.”

Katy cuddled to her mamma, squeaking softly when she was hugged to tightly. “Love you, mamma! But too tight!” Luci giggled and let go of her daughter, relaxing back on the couch.

“Well, thanks Joe, Andy, for watching her. She didn’t cause any trouble, right?” Andy shook his head, putting his drum sticks away.

“No, right after you left, she saw part of my drum kit and so I showed her a few beats.” Andy explained, stretching his arms out. “She also asked why Joe and I had scribbled all over each others arms and legs. She seems to like tattoos as well.” He pointed to Katy’s lower arm where there was a cartoony skull doodled in red marker.

“See! Tattoos!” Katy exclaimed, holding her arm up so they could see.

“That’s awesome, sweetie.” Luci pecked her daughter on the cheek and looked at her watch. “You guys should probably go get ready. I need to make a few rounds to make sure nothing’s getting screwed up.”

//
His hat was pulled over his eyes as he concentrated on the music. They were half way through their set for their first show and everything was going great. Patrick had scored a date after the concert, nothing had gone wrong, and he hadn’t even thought of Luci at all.

…oh, fuck.

Why did she have to be the tour manager? The day she broke up with him, he swore he never wanted to see her again. He managed to keep to his word for all these years. And now, all of a sudden, he’s going to be seeing her every day, with that little girl of hers.

Patrick narrowed his eyes. Luci must have hooked up with someone as soon as she dumped him and gotten knocked up. That little girl wasn’t his. Sure, they both had the same color hair, but there are plenty of kids with red hair. Hell, he was pretty sure Luci’s natural color was red, or blonde. He wasn’t too sure. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. No, he can’t let his mind wander. Concentrate on the music.

“So, it’s fucking awesome to be home, you know?” Pete said, holding the microphone. “We get to catch up and hang out with folks! Make new friends and meet up with old ones.” He gave a little wave to where Luci and Katy were. Katy was holding onto her mamma’s hand, though she desperately wanted to go be on the stage with Uncle Pete. “I was thinking we should play some old tunes or something, what do you all think?” The crowd cheered and Pete cackled. “Okay, okay.”

Patrick visibly twitched and he stepped towards the microphone. “H-Hey, Pete. I have a song. While…apparently, ‘they’ don’t like us really playing it, I figured it was appropriate. You know, it being close to Christmas.” Before Pete or anyone could get a word in, Patrick began strumming the first few chords of Yule Shoot Your Eye Out, all the while looking over at Luci while he sang.

//

Despite that song, the entire show went beautifully. The boys of The Rejects and Angels Falling were having a small party out by their vans while the Fall Out Boys were hanging out in the venue. Patrick was in one of the dressing rooms, getting ready with his outing with Ellie.

He sighed, looking at himself in the mirror. He wanted his fedora back, but Katy still had it. ‘Oh well. I can find something else to wear…’ He grabbed another hat, since the one he wore during the show was still sweaty.

As he got his hair fixed and hat adjusted, he had the feeling he was being watched. Glancing over to the door, he saw Katy. She was clutching a stuffed panda and crying. Confused, Patrick went over to her.

“What’s wrong, Katy?” He asked, picking the child up. She shook her head and he sighed, taking a seat on the couch. “C’mon, what’s wrong? Where’s your mom?” Again, she didn’t answer. Crap. Ellie would be there any minute. Where the fuck was Pete or Luci? “Well, does your panda know?” Katy sniffed and shook her head.

“Mamma left and, and Uncle Andy went with her.” Katy whimpered, clutching her panda. “And they left me, and I was alone! And there was scary noises…” She started crying harder and Patrick sighed again, rubbing her back. “S-So…um… I left to try and be brave, but I gots scared and found you…” She sniffed and looked up at him. “Not mad, are you?”

Patrick wasn’t mad at Katy. It was Luci he was mad at. How could she just leave her little girl in some venue like that? And where was Joe, or Pete, for that matter?

“No, sweetie, I’m not mad. Let’s go find Pete or Joe, so you can get some sleep, okay?” He suggested, standing up again, still holding her. Katy rested her head on his shoulder, still clutching her panda as Patrick left the room, heading down the hall to the spare dressing rooms.