It Was The Roar Of The Crowd That Gave Me Heartache To Sing

Tara's POV

I was still laughing two hours later as the girls welcomed Paty. The look on Gerard's face had been...priceless. I could tell the man was stressed and quite possibly becoming depressed (I had a degree in this sort of thing), and I had a feeling that someone would need to talk to him soon. All of the guys probably needed some counseling, but I was hoping that just being out on the road again would prevent that. I still couldn't help it though; Gerard had looked ready to kill all of us.

I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket...my left pocket. My usual cell phone was in my right pocket, but my left pocket... My fingers dug into my pocket, and I nearly dropped the phone trying to get it free. I finally pulled the small phone free and basically slammed it into my ear. I knew my breathing wasn't even, but I couldn't stop it. Only a few people had this number, and those were the people that I generally cared for the most. The ones that I would drop everything for.

"Hello?"

"T-Tara? Is that you?"

"Jeffrey? Jeffrey, hun, is that you?" The voice on the other end was shaky, and I could tell that he had been crying.

"Tara, I need help. Please help me." The voice was quiet, but there was a definite pleading to it.

"Yes, honey, I'll help you. Do you need me to come there?" I always made sure that I knew where my patients lived, for reasons such as these.

"Come here? Please come here. It's so dark, why is it always so dark?"

"Jeffrey, where are your parents?"

"Mom's gone...good and gone, that's what Dad said. Never coming back...too much. Always too much. Dad's on vacation," Jeffrey whispered.

"Jeffrey, can you do me a favor? Can you do something for Tara?"

"Yes. Tara's nice...I'll do something for Tara."

"Can you promise to stay there? At your house?" I asked quickly.

"I don't like being alone," Jeffrey whispered.

"You won't be alone for long, honey. Tara's going to come visit you. Would you like that?"

"Yes, I'd like that. Will you hurry?"

"Yes, honey, I'm gonna be there real soon. Just stay at home, okay? Don't go outside until I get there."

"Yes, Tara. I'll be here, waiting for Tara."

"Okay, I'll be there soon. I'm going to hang up now, but you can call me back later if you get scared."

"Okay. Bye, Tara."

"Bye," I whispered, but there was no one on the other end. I snapped the phone shut and looked around. At some point I had walked away from the happy crowd, and now I was standing in between some of the busses. I sucked in a small breath and then opened my phone again.

I felt a pair of hands settle on my shoulders, and I looked over my shoulder to see Mikey smiling at me. I gave him a quick smile and then continued talking to the woman on the other line. Mikey's fingers slowly relaxed my tensed shoulder muscles, and I leaned back against him as I continued to make my arrangements. After I finished a few conversations, I let out a loud sigh and started massaging my temples.

"Sounds like a busy day," Mikey said and rested his chin on top of my head.

"Very busy," I mumbled. I now had ten minutes to throw some things into a bag before a cab would arrive, and a plane to California would be leaving within the hour. Another cab would pick me up when I landed, and then I'd be headed straight to Jeffrey's house.

"Tara! Where'd you--Oh! There you are," Paty said as she stopped in front of me. I looked up and met her dark blue eyes, and her smile instantly vanished.

"I'm fine, hun, really," I said quickly.

"What happened?"

"One of my patients is having some problems, so I'm gonna have to leave for a couple of days."

"Do you need someone to go with you?"

"No, nothing like that. I might need a bigger favor though. Mikey, will you go let everyone know that I'm going to leave for a couple of days? The cab will be here in a few minutes," I said.

"No problem, my little honeybunch. Call me as soon as you can, okay?" Mikey whispered.

"Of course," I said with a quick nod of my head. Mikey gave my shoulders a small squeeze, and then he was gone. Paty followed me onto our bus, and I started throwing things into one of my empty bags.

"So, what can I do to help?" Paty asked.

"Do you know Casey Adams from Mindless Vengeance?"

"Mindless Vengeance? Yes. Casey Adams? No."

"She's one of their main writers. I email them, or her, all the time. She's coming to interview the guys tomorrow, and I need someone to meet her and get everything set up. I know you do it all the time with Jared and the guys, so I figured you wouldn't mind. The rest of the girls will be there too," I said.

"No, I don't mind. I bet the guys are excited," Paty said. I zipped up my bag and turned to look at her. She had a faint smile on her face, and her eyes had a faraway look in them.

"They are, I think. I just hope they don't get any too awkward questions. Text me and let know how it went, okay?" I asked.

"Sure, no problem," Paty said.

"Alright, well, I'm gonna go sneak off now. I'll probably get killed for it later, but I'm a master at coming back to life. Does that make me a zombie?" I asked. Paty laughed and all the worry washed from her face.

"Yes, I think it does. Now, go do what you gotta do and come back to us," Paty said. I started to walk off, stopped, and turned around. Paty cocked her head at me, and then I surged forward to tackle her into a hug. Her laugh was a lot louder this time, and I gave her a big squeeze before running off the bus.

The Next Day

Paty's POV:

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I quickly pulled it out and flipped it open. The text was simple, and it brought a smile to my face. "Good luck today!" Knowing Tara, she probably hadn't slept since she left yesterday, but she still sent a message just for luck. She had been right too; a couple of the girls had looked a little upset that she hadn't said goodbye before running off, but all of them understood. They were used to members of their group disappearing at random times, and they were pretty much used to it by now.

"Shouldn't she be here by now?" Audrey asked.

"I think she's running late," Aiden said. It was just us three waiting for the writer. The rest of the girls had the fun job of getting the guys ready for their interview. After about thirty minutes of discussion, we just decided that the party tent would be the best place to do the interview. The writer could sit in the middle, and the guys could just surround her. Then us girls were just going to hang back and listen. It should be...interesting.

"I'm sure she'll be here any min--"

"I see her!" Audrey yelled. A small car was pulling up into the parking lot, and it stopped not too far away from us. A woman stepped out of the car and threw a large bag over her shoulder. She saw us and started walking over. She was about five-five, two inches shorter than me, and her hair nearly reached her elbows. I noticed her lip was pierced as she smiled, and she had some tattoos on her arms.

"Hi, I'm Casey Adams. Is Tara around?" she asked.

"She had to leave, on business, but she should be back before you have to leave. I'm Paty, and this is Audrey and Aiden," I said. The two girls on either side of me waved, and Casey smiled back at them.

"So you're just some of the girls on this tour, right?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, there's a lot more of us," Audrey said with a small laugh.

"The other girls are getting the guys ready. Wanna head over?" Aiden asked.

"I'd love to," Casey said. Aiden and I led the way, and I could hear Audrey and Casey talking about the magazine. All of the girls, and most of the guys, were huge fans of Mindless Vengeance. We didn't get it over in Portugal, but I checked out their website often. We started getting closer to the tent, and I could hear faint yelling coming from inside.

"Quit being such a baby!" Lindsay yelled.

"Quit trying to mess up my beautiful hair!" Robert yelled back. Loud laughter reached us, and we couldn't help but to laugh again.

"Beautiful?! Beautiful?! It looks like a thrown away mop!" Lindsay yelled. Oh, sweet Lindsay. She was probably the easiest person in the world to get along with, but she was very passionate about the things that she did. Which included styling people's hair. We heard a shocked gasp and then another wave of laughter. Aiden and I were the first ones inside the tent, and we saw what had made everyone start laughing again. Robert was sitting in one of the chairs with his arms tightly crossed, and Lindsay was standing behind him and running a brush through his wild hair with a smug smile on her face.

"I'm guessing this is just a normal day?" Casey asked.

"Pretty much," Aiden said.

"Hey, guys, it's time to get started!" Audrey yelled.

"Everyone to your places! Move it people!" Angel yelled. All of the guys instantly jumped up and went to their, I'm guessing, assigned seats.

"They're all yours," I whispered to Casey before following the girls to the back of the room.

Third Person POV:

Casey Adams sat down in the cushioned chair brought in just for her and looked around. She had done a lot of interviews in her time at Mindless Vengeance (six years now), but she had never done anything like this. Here were four bands, four of her personal favorite, that had been missing for five years. Here were the men who had inspired her when she was younger and the reason why she wanted to write for a magazine in the first place. Here were her idols that had kept her going when she just wanted to quit. And they were all staring at her.

She bent down to where her bag was resting and started pulling things out. She laid a notebook in her lap (she had made sure to write down questions ahead of time, just in case she blanked out), and then she pulled out a small tape recorder. She had learned that it was easier to record interviews and then go back later to write. With something recording the interview, she could actually look at the people she was interviewing and see their reactions.

"So, boys, ready to get started?" Casey asked.

"Yes!" Frankie yelled. Everyone turned to look at him, but he just kept on smiling.

"Alright...let's just dive right in, okay?" Casey asked. A few mumbles of agreement reached her ears, and she continued. "How did you feel when you were told about music basically ending?"

The guys all looked around at each other, and Matt was the only one to speak up.

"We didn't really believe it. We didn't think that anyone could come in and just completely wipe us out. We all stayed very optimistic for a while and carried on as we always did, for as long as we could."

"It was hard to accept later. It was like losing a piece of yourself," Jeph said. Casey took in all their expressions, and she could see the mix of emotions clearly: anger, hate, grief, hopelessness.

"Do you regret not changing when they first asked you? Ever regret not changing your image and things like that?" Casey asked.

"Never. We always stayed true to our music and to our fans, and we could never go back on them," Gerard said quickly. He looked as if the thought of changing made him physically sick.

"If we had changed our image and our music, we would have lost every true fan we had. Besides, we were never in it for the fame or anything. We wanted to play our music and put on a good show for our fans," Ray added. Casey looked at the rest of the guys, and Craig slowly met her eyes.

"I won't lie, it was tempting after a while. The rush of being on stage, of watching your fans going crazy, it was hard to go without. We couldn't do it though. If we had went through with it, we would have eventually hated ourselves," Craig said quietly.

"In the end, we decided to just wait it out," Robert said.

"What was your first thought about taking the tour?" Casey asked. She really wanted to hear the answer to this question. It must have been a shock to these guys to hear that they were going to be able to play their music again, and Casey wanted to see just how much it had affected them.

"Well, for starters, they called us and told us basically nothing! They just said where to come, when, and at what time. So we showed up and didn't know what to expect, and then they just cut straight to the point. I think I almost fell out of my chair," Bert said.

"You did. I caught you," Quinn said.

"I don't think I really believed them until I saw the busses," Brian said.

"I had faith in them all along! Those girls may look all sweet, but they're really ev--..." Max paused to look over his shoulder and gulped before continuing, "everything we ever wished for."

"I agree. We'd still be lost without them," Mikey said quietly.

"Was it tough getting back into the touring lifestyle?" Casey asked.

"It feels like coming home," Bob said with a smile.

"I think we just slipped right back into it, like we never left," Johnny said.

"I actually missed the busses, so it's nice to be on one. Even though Bert had to pick the pink one," Dan said and glared over at Bert. Bert just looked around as if someone wasn't glaring holes in the back of his head.

"I think the fans got crazier," Bryan mumbled.

"What's it like having all women run the show?" Casey looked to the back of the tent and saw all the girls smiling. Most of the guys laughed, and the girls just shook their heads at them.

"It's great! All of our old managers and techies were big smelly guys. The girls are much easier on the eyes," Brian said. He was facing towards the girls and he took the opportunity to wink at Reina, but Casey didn't notice.

"Things run a lot smoothly with the women in charge," Ray said.

"Even Bert's on time for everything!" Quinn yelled.

"And I even have my own nurse," Max said with a wide smile.

"Do you think there are going to be any more major setbacks, like what happened to Max?" Casey glanced down at Max's broken leg, and Craig gently tapped the encased leg.

"You never really know what can happen," Johnny said.

"But we'll be prepared for whatever happens," Frank said.

"And nothing can stop us now," Jeph finished.

"Well, besides setbacks and accidents, how has tour been so far?" All of the guys turned to glance at Matt, and then they all started laughing. All of the girls in the back were giggling too, and Casey looked on with a confused expression.

"Yeah! Laugh it up! It'll be your turn next!" Matt yelled.

"Can I ask what happened?" Casey asked. Matt crossed his arms and began glaring at everyone in the room.

"It was perfect!" Johnny yelled out.

"Two of the girls got Matt, really good. They waited until he was taking a shower after the show, and then they went in and stole all his clothes. They left a pink towel for him though. So we hear Matt after his shower, yelling about his clothes. He comes around the corner, and then the two girls just slammed into him. Best night ever!" Brian yelled.

"I never thought I'd see the Matt Shadows get tackled by two midgets," Jimmy said with a laugh.

"Tour's been great so far," Craig said with a wide smile.

"So there hasn't been any kind of tension?"

"No, we've all been getting along pretty good so far," Dan said.

"Come back in a few months and we'll probably have a different answer," Ray said. All of the guys shook their heads in agreement. They had been on countless tours before, and they knew that fighting and arguing were bound to happen. It was just a part of tour life.

"The girls standing behind you, the ones who brought you back, do you have anything to say to them?" Casey watched as the guys all turned to look at the girls, who were smiling back at them. It was no secret that they were proud of what they were doing.

"Thank you," Bert said in a quieter voice than usual. All of the guys replied with the same thing, together this time. Casey didn't have to hear anymore to know that they were entirely grateful. It shone out of their eyes as they looked at the women who had resurrected their music.

"Do you think this tour will change anything in the end? Do you think it could bring back actual music?"

"I think that was the plan," Max said. All of the guys laughed quietly, and Zacky leaned forward.

"I think it could change things. All of our shows are completely sold-out, and I can't remember the last time we saw this many fans. There's a lot of people out there who have missed us, have missed the old music, so I think there's a very good chance that this tour will change everything." All of the guys mumbled their agreement and nodded their heads.

"Do you think you'll record anything new?"

"I definitely haven't stopped writing," Gerard said.

"Yeah, we've been making music, even if it was just for us and the neighbors to hear," Craig said.

"If this changes things, I'd love to start recording again," Johnny said.

"I don't think we ever really stopped," Bert said with a wide smile.

"Have you ever thought about opening a record company for bands who were in the same place as you?"

"I've never really thought about it, but it's something to think about," Zacky said.

"I'd love to help some of the older and maybe new bands get on their feet," Ray said.

"Anything to help our music stay in the business for good," Robert said.

"But we might need a little help from the experts," Dan said and looked over at the girls.

"Alright, guys, I hate to ask this next one but it's what our readers want to know. Just forgive me for it later. How do you feel about Mercy's Prophecy's new line-up?" Casey watched as all the guys tensed, and all of the girls looked ready to jump up at a moment's notice. The girls really did look sweet and as nice as could be, but Casey had the feeling that if the guys got uncomfortable, the girls would throw her out without a backward glance.

"Betrayed, mostly. Our old band members and friends have 'joined the enemy.' It was a huge shock to all of us, and we were all a little more than mad when we found out," Jeph said. No one else looked like they were going to say anything, and Max looked as if he was going to tear the arm off his chair. Casey could see the muscles jumping in Bert's jaws, and Matt was slowly breathing in and out.

"Do you think the new line-up was created just because of this tour?"

"It's no secret that Mercy's Prophecy doesn't like that we're on tour, so it wouldn't really surprise us," Bob said. Once again, no one else added a comment. Casey sucked in a breath and slowly released it. Well, the hard part was over.

"Let's try something a little easier, hmm? How is it being back on stage with your old fans and singing your old songs?" Smiles instantly erupted all over the room, and the girls leaned forward to listen.

"Heaven," Mikey and Gerard whispered.

"It definitely beats the garage," Bryan said.

"It's the best feeling in the world," Jimmy said.

"I feel ten years younger," Bert said.

"Alright, boys, last question. Once again, this is something that the readers are just dying to know. Who are the single guys?" The entire tent seemed to shake with laughter, and it looked as if the girls were falling over each other because they were laughing so hard.

"I've got a better question. Who's the only guy on tour with a girlfriend?" Robert asked. Casey leaned forward, and all eyes slid towards Brian.

"What can I say? I'm a lucky man," Brian said with a wide smirk.

"So, who's the lucky lady?" Casey asked.

"That gorgeous woman standing right back there, Ms. Reina Cortez," Brian said. Reina blew him a small kiss, and Casey paused for a second in shock. The guys were already starting to hook up with the women who brought them back? Casey decided right then that she'd definitely have to come back and check on this tour.

"Well, guys, I hate to ask and run, but I'm on a tight schedule. I hope that we'll be able to actually talk when I come back for the backstage pass that Tara promised me," Casey said and started putting her things away. All of the guys thanked her and told her to come back whenever she wanted, and the girls were more than welcoming as they walked her back outside. They told her she was welcome to visit anytime she liked, and they wanted a copy of the article when it came out. Casey thanked them one last time and then left to write the most important article of her career.

Everyone sat down after that in the party tent and broke into a little groups. Some were quiet and thoughtful; others were loud and laughing. Paty sent a quick text message and then walked over to where Sam, Matt, and Gerard were all talking quietly.

A few states over Tara sat inside of a small ice cream shop and read her newest text message. There were only three words, but that was all it took to make a genuine smile come to her face.

Everything went perfectly.