Ava Grace

Seven months later, it was the day Ava had been dreading since February 19th.

When she found out she was pregnant again, Mike got Rob to try to convince Green Day's record label, Reprise, to play with some promotional tour dates. The best they got was that the show scheduled for September 28th in London, would now take place on October 6th, but with the World Tour having conflicting dates on October 1st and 2nd.

Finding out on Mike's thirty-second birthday, with him by her side, Ava learned through her ultrasound, that they were expecting another girl. Flying back to Los Angeles, the place they had called home from the end of February until the end of April, a week later Ava and Mike went shopping at Petit Tresor and NoMi, two of baby boutiques, to get everything Ava desired for their newest little girl.

May's end came and then so did June, and the extremely warm months of July and August, and by that time, around some concerts in Los Angeles and Japan, Mike and Ava got the nursery painted Pink Symphony and got it put together for the baby, and as well, got Audrina and Ryan moved into toddler beds, just after their second birthdays.

After returning from playing Pepsi-Smash in Utah on the fourth of September, the men of Green Day began packing for the week and a half they'd have promoting their newest album.

Finally, on the fifteenth, the day before Green Day were to leave for Los Angeles, the first stop on the club tour, Mike and Ava decided to name the baby Sophia Catherine.

Early the next morning, just barely waking Ava, Mike said goodbye to her and left after saying goodbye to the twins and Estelle, who had spent night before at her father's. Arriving at the airport, at five to seven, Mike got a cup of Starbucks after going through security, then he made his way to the terminal their plane would be leaving from. Finding Billie Joe already there, with a pair of sunglasses on pushed as far up on his nose as they would go, and an Oakland Raiders beanie hat on.

Mike sat next to his best friend and laughed. Billie Joe grumbled and said "What's so funny?"

"You."

"How?"

"The sunglasses and hat will get you more noticed in L.A. and maybe even on the plane."

Billie Joe took off the sunglasses and looked at Mike. He sighed and said "You know, people are going crazy over this album..."

He threw his arms up in the air and said "And it's me they flock to!"

Mike took a drink of his coffee and said "At least, this album may not bomb like the rest."

Billie Joe crossed him arms and said "It better fucking not."

Returning his sunglasses to his face, Billie Joe said "How's Ava? I haven't talked to preggers in weeks just talked to Adie."

"Cranky and fat."

"That's not very nice. You're talking about my sister-"

"And, my own wife...but that's how she describes herself. As cranky, fat, and an overeater."

"How'd the doctor's appointment go yesterday?"

"The baby's not in delivery position and she said that's a good sign cause usually that happens at least two weeks before. But, since Ava's so close, she has another sonogram scan on Tuesday. If the baby's ready to go then, or she goes into labor before then...I won't make it. But, if Soph can just stay in Ava long enough...I'll be there."

"How's Ava taking the fact she might deliver without you this time around?"

"Last time doesn't really count cause I didn't know they were my twins. But, she's handling it better than I thought she would. And, she has Adie and Claudia. And Liana's flying out on Monday."

"And, mom will be attached to Ava's hip like a fly to a piece of shit...so there's someone else."

"Nice compliment to your aging mother."

"She's barely aging. She acts like she's still as young as when me and Ava were born...and I know it was harsh."

"It was."

Silence passed between the best friends and brother-in-laws, until a few minutes later, they were joined by Tre. With the addition of the hyper younger man, they all began talking until the boarding call was announced for their flight.

Two hours later, their flight landed in Los Angeles and they were picked up by drivers and taken to Chateau Marmont, where they met up with Jason White, Jason Freese, Ronnie Blake, Mike Pelino, and Bill Schneider, their tour coordinator.

After an entire band practice, that afternoon at the Reprise practice studio, all of the guys went to dinner at Sushi Roku in West Hollywood. After being seated and getting their beers, the guys were all laughing and talking while waiting for their waitress when Mike's cell phone began playing This Love by Maroon 5. From next to him, Billie Joe groaned and said "Can't your wife leave you alone for one day?"

"Maybe there's something wrong."

Mike pulled the phone out of his pocket and flipped it up. Since Tre was the only one still talking, Mike threw his spoon at him and when it hit Tre in the side of the head, he turned around. Mike lifted his fork and said "Shut up before you get forked too."

"Are you insinuating you just spooned me?"

Everybody laughed and Mike got up from the table. He closed his menu, told Billie Joe what he wanted if he wasn't back to order, then made his way outside. He finally put the phone to his ear and said "Avs?"

"About time. I've been waiting for you to speak since I heard Tre talking about getting spooned."

"Don't even ask. I had to go outside though. They're all too loud tonight."

"Where are you guys?"

"Sushi Roku."

"Without me?!"

"You can't have sushi yet. When you can, I'll bring you here again."

"Okay."

"So, what's wrong?"

"Nothing? Why?"

"You called me...I thought something was up with Soph."

"Nope. Not yet. But, I just called to say hi."

"Hi...that's it?"

"Well, you did leave kind of suddenly this morning..."

"You wouldn't wake up Ava. I tried. I did kiss you goodbye though and you mumbled something about Starbucks."

"Did I? I've been missing that a lot now too."

"It's only a few more days..."

"Then, I have to lose the baby weight for award shows!"

"You don't even know that we'll be nominated for stuff."

"You'll be nominated. People are loving American Idiot."

"Yeah. But, I really should head back inside. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Mm hmm. I'll even wait up for it."

"Not too late though babe. You need your rest to run around after the twins..."

"Your mother has them for the next few days."

"She does? You called her to take our kids off your hands?"

"No...she just showed up around lunchtime and offered to take them. How could I refuse Mike? They're out of control and they're not even halfway through their terrible two's."

"I guess it's all right. And, you can relax more."

"That's what she said."

"Okay, I'm gonna call them to say good night then. And, I'll call you by eleven-thirty."

"Okay, Mike."

"Love you Ava."

"Love you too."

Mike closed his cell phone then reopened it to call his mother's house. After saying good night to the twins and telling them to behave for his mother, he went back inside to join the guys at their table.

He sat down beside Billie Joe, who spoke and said "Jesus, you two were talking for long enough."

"Not really. I had to call my mother's to say good night to Audrina and Ryan."

"Oh. Well, I ordered what you said to."

"Okay."

Within twenty minutes, the group were eating their meals and finally arrived back at their hotel around nine. As soon as he got up to his room, Mike called Ava and they stayed on the phone until quarter to twelve, when she constantly kept yawning. After playing their amazing show the next even in Los Angeles, Green Day flew to Chicago to perform and then after an another amazing show there, they flew to New York.

On the twentieth, they tapped their appearance for the Late Show with David Letterman, to be aired later that night. The next day, American Idiot was released. But, it was also Ava's due date. The entire day, Mike stayed in his hotel suite, waiting for a call from either Ava, Adrienne, Ollie, Liana, Claudia, his mother or one of his sisters.

It wasn't until five, when he hadn't heard anything from California, that Billie Joe finally coaxed Mike out of his room of the suite. Once they arrived at Irving Plaza, they all took their time eating the catered foods. Around eighty-thirty, as usual, Bill came by the dressing room to tell everyone it was half an hour until the guys would be on stage, since New Found Glory was almost done their set. Mike, like normal, began running on the treadmill while Billie Joe heavily applied his eyeliner and Tre drank a glass of Cheech.

A half an hour later, at nine, Green Day made their way out on the stage to play the show. Back in California, it was six o'clock, and Ava along with Liana were just arriving at Billie Joe and Adrienne's for a girls movie night so everyone would be close to Ava if something happened. And, two hours later, it did.

As Ava, Adrienne, Liana, and Claudia were watching Pretty Woman, just as Julia Roberts got to Rodeo Drive, Ava cringed as she felt a contraction. She groaned and Adrienne paused the DVD. Claudia rubbed Ava's back as she bent down as far as her baby bump would let her. Adrienne grabbed the cordless and said "What's Mike's new cell phone number?"

"Uh-"

Groaning again as she felt another contraction, Ava finally said "Five-zero-nine-two-eight-six-nine."

As Adrienne dialed the number, Ava said "He's probably in bed..."

"Then, I'll wake him up."

Ava sat up completely straight and said "It's not like he can fucking fly across the country to be here with me!"

Just as she said that, Mike answered his phone.

"Hello?"

"Mike, it's Adie."

"Is it time?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'm getting the red eye back."

Ava held out her hand and Adrienne put the cordless in Ava's palm. Ava put the phone to her ear and said "Baby, I'll be fine. I can do this, okay? I'll call you as soon as I'm back in my room from delivering."

"But, I want to be there."

"I know that...but what if you can't make it back for tomorrow's concert. Do you want to disappoint fans?"

"They'd understand."

"You guys are already too busy to postpone the show. Just please stay in New York, and I guess I'll definitely see you on the 25th."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Mike, I'm strong enough to handle one delivery on my own."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

Ava pressed end on the phone, put it on the couch next to her and stood up. She held her stomach and said "My hospital bag's in the trunk of the Lexus so, can we please go?"

Adrienne stood up and said "I'll just take you...cause visiting hours are over."

Adrienne turned around and opened her mouth to speak then Claudia said "I'll stay here in case Mike or Billie Joe or someone calls."

Liana shrugged and said "I have no key for Ava's or the security code so, I'll stay too."

Ava clutched Adrienne's arm as she felt a stronger contraction then she said "Someone please call my mother."

Ava and Adrienne got their shoes on then left in Ava's Lexus for the hospital. Within half an hour, Ava was signed in, was in her own private room, and her water had broken. At ten, Ava's doctor got to the hospital and checked her to find she was already at eight centimeters. By eleven, with a shot of epiderol, Ava was at ten centimeters and was brought to delivery.

With Adrienne coaching her through pushing, Ava gave birth to Sophia at 11:48. After being cleaned up, both Ava and Sophia were brought back to Ava's private room. As Ava sat with Sophia in her arms, Adrienne called Mike from Ava's cell phone to his. On the fourth ring, he picked up and said "Ava?"

"No, it's Adie."

"How's Ava?"

"Great. Comfortably resting."

"Did she have Sophia?"

"She did."

"When?"

"At 11:48."

"Let me talk to her."

Adrienne passed Ava her cell phone and Ava balanced Sophia with one arm as she propped the phone against her shoulder then brought her arm back around her newest daughter.

"Hey, baby."

"You feeling all right?"

"As good as I could for after childbirth."

"It went awfully fast."

"I know. Thankfully."

"How big is she?"

"Seven pounds, four ounces. Eighteen inches."

"She's big."

"It's normal for single births. The twins had to share the space and the food she got all to herself. And, Joey was even bigger than her."

Adrienne groaned from next to Ava and said "Don't even remind me."

Ava laughed and said "So how was last night's show?"

"Good. I couldn't stop thinking you though."

"Well, now you can stop worrying."

"Yeah. I can't wait to see you two. Are you sure you don't want me to fly out?"

Ava laughed then said "Mike, I'll be fine. Now, get to bed, you have a show tonight."

"Okay, okay. I'll call you when I get a chance."

"All right."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Ava pressed end on her phone and gave it back to Adrienne. It was then that a nurse came to bring Sophia to the nursery, and once she said goodbye, Adrienne left as well.

Two days later, Ava and Sophia were released from the hospital. That same day, in the morning, Green Day arrived in Toronto and that afternoon went to Green-Day-O-Matic at Much Music. After their show the next evening, Mike, Billie Joe and Tre, all boarded a plane at three in the morning and flew from Toronto to Los Angeles, then got the connector to San Francisco.

Finally arriving home, at quarter after seven, Mike was just turning off the ignition to the Envoy, when the front light turned off, and that told him, Ava was awake. He opened his door, climbed out of the truck and closed the door as gently as he could. Leaving his bags in the truck, he locked it and made his way up the path to their front door.

Opening it slowly, to create less noise, it wouldn't of been discovered if it hadn't been for Audrina who walked out of the dining room and screamed "Daddy!"

He laughed, closed the door, walked over to Audrina and picked her up. He heard something slam against the counter in the kitchen and within seconds, Ava ran out to him. Pulling his wife as close to him as he could get her with Audrina in his other arm, Ava and Mike passionately kissed. Less than a minute later, they parted due to Audrina wanting to get out of her father's arms.

Once Mike put Audrina down, he stood up to his full height and said "So, where's our newest addition?"

"In the kitchen. I was getting her bottle ready."

"I wanna feed her."

Mike took Ava's hand and led her into the kitchen. Seeing his little girl in her pink baby lounger, Mike smiled and let go of Ava's hand and walked right to Sophia. He unbuckled her and picked her up. Cradling her in his arms, Mike sat at the island while Ava finished Sophia's bottle. After a few minutes, Ava said "Your mom said she looks a lot like you when you were adopted."

"Finally, a child of mine that looks like me."

"Ryan has your eyes. And his hair is getting lighter."

"But, she my eyes and hair already. And, your nose."

Ava walked over with the bottle and as Mike took it, Ava kissed his cheek then said "We make cute babies."

Mike nodded and said "Your brother and Tre are coming over later to see her."

"Okay."

Ava walked across the kitchen and began making breakfast for her, Mike, and the kids. After lunch, Mike and Ava were on the back deck with Audrina and Ryan playing with Fender and Cali while Sophia slept in Ava's arms under the huge sun umbrella in the patio table, when the doorbell went off inside. Mike took off his sunglasses, got up and went inside. A few minutes later, he returned with Billie Joe, Adrienne, Joey, Jakob, Tre, Claudia and Frankito.

As the boys ran off to play with the twins, Billie Joe and Tre went over to Ava and Sophia while Mike, Adrienne and Claudia sat down. As Sophia was passed between Billie Joe, Tre, Adrienne and Claudia, Mike left on a Starbucks run, returning a half an hour after leaving with a Venti Orange Mocha Frappuccino, her first since finding out she was pregnant.

Around four-thirty, Billie Joe, Adrienne, Joey, Jakob, Tre, Claudia and Frankito left. After supper, Ava gave Sophia a bath while Mike watched Finding Nemo with the twins. Later, once Sophia and the twins had been in bed for a while, Mike and Ava sat together on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and watched Moulin Rouge, because Ava got to pick the movie.

Four days later, it was the twenty-ninth of September, and Billie Joe, Adrienne, Mike, Ryan, Audrina, and Tre left for the beginning of the American Idiot World Tour. Deciding two days before the band was scheduled to leave, that Adrienne was going on tour but the boys would stay with her sister Amelia in San Francisco, Mike offered to take the twins on tour so Ava would just have Sophia, who was barely sleeping at nights to handle.

It was also the twenty-ninth, that the Billboard Records Hot 100 list was released and American Idiot was number one, Green Day's first ever number one album. And, it was definitely their comeback album considering that it had already sold 590,000 and Reprise had projected it could sell over two million by Christmas, which it would surpass.

After playing their shows on the first and second in Germany, Green Day flew to London for the reschedule show.

As the next nine weeks passed, Green Day began touring across the United States, Ava was given the okay to have sex again which Mike couldn't wait for when he would get home, Sophia was getting bigger, and Ava was already almost done losing her baby weight.

On December 8th, the guys went to the Billboard Awards and performed Boulevard of Broken Dreams, their newest single from American Idiot. From Las Vegas, they went to Los Angeles for the KROQ Almost Acoustic Xmas Concert.

When Mike and the kids got home on the morning of the 13th, Ava was in the living room lying on her stomach playing with Sophia. Ava got up, picked up Sophia and walked over to the twins while Mike brought the suitcases in. She bent down to their height and rested Sophia on her knee. She kissed Ryan's cheek and said "Did you miss me?"

"Yeah."

Audrina hugged her mother around the neck and said "Me too, momma."

As Audrina let go of Ava, Ava said "Did you guys have fun on tour?"

The twins both nodded and Mike came in with the last two bass cases. The twins ran off to the toy room and Mike walked over to Ava as she stood up. He kissed her and said "Can we lock the twins in their room, put Soph down for a nap and you can take so much advantage of me we won't be able to get out of bed for hours?"

Ava laughed and said "No. Tonight, you'll get laid."

Mike sighed then Ava said "I put up the magazine covers and platinum disks in your office."

"By yourself? Are they straight?"

"Actually, Alan did them for me. I just told him where to put them."

"Oh."

They kissed again and Mike took Sophia then they went to Mike's office.

A month later, on January 11th, Green Day began the second leg of their World Tour this time with Ava, Sophia, Joey, Jakob, and Claudia joining everyone on tour in Europe.

As the next eleven months passed, each member of Green Day turned thirty-three, Joey turned ten, Estelle turned eight, the twins turned three, Claudia turned thirty-two, Ava turned twenty-nine, Jakob turned seven, Sophia turned one, and Adrienne turned thirty-six. And, the band toured across Europe, Australia, Japan, North America, back to Europe (taking time to film a live DVD at Milton Keynes bowl in June and perform at festivals), then went back to the States, and then Australia for the last two shows on the tour. As well, they graced many magazine covers and won many awards, including seven MTV Video Music Awards after Ava kept Mike up the entire night during Hurricane Katrina.

But, it was most of all the fame they regained, just like the kind they had earned with Dookie. Neither Mike, Billie Joe nor Tre could believe the success that American Idiot received. With that, they created a new era for themselves. And, that got them beyond the shadow of Dookie and the loom of disappointing album success. But, after the eleven months of almost constant touring and being together, Mike and Ava were feeling a pull on their marriage.

It wasn't until December 20th, the day after everyone arrived home from the last show in Melbourne that Ava and Mike had their biggest fight to date since their relationship, and even friendship, began. It was close to eight and Ava had just gotten home from finishing up Christmas shopping. As she carried all the bags inside, Mike came to meet her at the door in order to help her. Seeing the Disney Store and Toys-R-Us bags, he picked them up and brought them to his office where all of the kids gifts were being kept, so they wouldn't find them.

When he returned to the entrance hall, Ava had just came in with bags from all of her favorite stores at Union Square, with even more around the table in the entrance hall. As Ava laid down bags from Victoria's Secret, BCBG Max Azria, and Kate Spade, Mike crossed his arms and said "Those don't look like gifts for the kids, or even me."

Ava held up two bags from Thomas Pink and said "I got you some stuff."

"I don't need more dress shirts or ties. And, you don't need anymore clothing either!"

"But my size keeps changing! One month, it's a four. The next, it's a two. I even went down to zero on tour!"

"Ava, you have to return all of this! You don't need any more bags from Kate Spade or make-up from Sephora or shoes from Marc Jacobs or I can't believe I'm saying this, even bras and underwear from Victoria's Secret."

"What if I don't want to return any of it?"

"Give me you bank card and credit cards."

"Excuse me?! I don't think so. Besides, you've always said I can shop whenever I want, wherever I want...last time I checked, money wasn't an issue for you."

"But, you've spent over a hundred and fifty thousand since January! On yourself...it's even more if I include all family gifts, gifts for the kids and even me."

"So, I'm an extravagant shopper. You should have stopped me when I started getting out of control. You could of just said 'Ava settle down on the shopping' and I would've but you have to go and do this. So fine, I'll give you back your cards."

Ava opened her Chanel bag and pulled out the matching wallet. She unclasped it and flipped it open. Pulling out the joint account debit card, and the six different credit cards Mike had given her, Ava walked across the hallway and said "Here, since money is so important to you. And you know what..."

Ava pulled out a handfuls of receipts and said "Why don't you just go return it all? I would never dare to but, since you have the guts to piss me off like this. Go ahead and return things I bought for myself to impress you...I mean go through the Victoria's Secret bag and you'll find it's all babydolls, corsets and little sexy underwear...and the Marc Jacobs bag is the sunglasses you said you liked back in Paris...they just got them here."

Ava put her wallet in the bag, pulled out her car keys and cell phone then said "And while you're at it, go ahead and give away the rest of my expensive things."

She dropped her Chanel bag at Mike's feet and said "I'll come get my things I've had since New York, and before I used your money fluently, in the morning."

Ava walked across the entrance hall and threw open the front door. Walking down the front path to the driveway and her car, she didn't even bother to turn around when she heard Mike begin to call her name. Ava got in her Lexus, turned on the ignition and drove out of the driveway. Driving around Oakland and Berkeley for the next hour an a half, Ava finally decided where to go for the night.