Paper Lanterns

[Billie Joe]

"I'm gonna go look for her," I went to grab my keys.
"It's 3:30 in the morning, Bill. Go to bed, and let her chill out. Ok?" Mike half asked, half commanded, and went to his room.

"Uh, can I stay here?" Tre asked, and I shrugged, "Yeah, whatever," before going to my room, and laying on Grace's side of my bed.

'If she's not back before noon.. I'm going out and looking for her,' I resolved, before trying to catch some sleep, and failing miserably.

[Grace]

I left Sarah's shortly after I got up, seeing as I was nearly late for work. I got there right on time, and sat at my post. It was a pretty busy morning, but when it slowed down around two, I resigned to reading the latest issue of Rolling Stone.

The bell jingled, and I looked up to see Tre.

"Gracie!" he grinned, walking over to me.

"Is Billie Joe with you?" I asked, looking out the window cautiously.

"Nope, we split up. He's got us on search party mode."

"Oohh.." I looked around, taking in the awkward silence.

"I heard about what happened.. I understand why you're p.o.'d."

"Thanks," I smiled, and for the next hour, we sat and just talked about anything. We discussed sports, weather, eggs, music, and the band.

"Billie is really worried, you know..." he said out of nowhere after I helped a customer.

"I'd figure as much.. He's really protective, huh?"

Tre nodded.

"But I need my space sometimes. Whether its if I'm pissed off, or if I just need to clear my head. I'm not an extremely social person," I shrugged.

"So, where'd you stay last night?"

"My friend Sarah's.. I saw her when I went to Rod's, and we talked a bit." I purposely left out the part about her enormous crush on Mike. I trust Tre with my personal things, but not someone else's.

"Oooh," he nodded, "at least you weren't out under a bridge or something."

I laughed, restocking a shelf.

"Are you going back to the apartment tonight?"

I shrugged, "Maybe.. I may go out and get totally hammered, then head there."

He shook his head quickly, "Bill feels bad enough about everything. Don't make things worse than they already are."

"Tre... Are you like, Buddha or something?!?" I laughed, "Maybe I'll just go back to the place then. I'm not so sure yet."

"Well, do you want to grab some lunch? Buddha is starving."

I shook my head, "Wouldn't Beej be mad if he saw us at lunch, and you didn't bother to tell him the search was over?"

"True.. true."

Tre left shortly before I got off work, saying they were meeting up at the diner to discuss further plans, so I went back to the apartment.

I quickly made some pasta for later, because I know nobody else would do it, then went into Billie's room. After working on some songs, and messing around with a tune on Dave, I decided to lay down and catch up on my sleep.

[Billie Joe]

I searched everywhere I could think of in the part of town I'd assigned myself to. So, at four, I met up with the guys.

"Any luck?" I asked them, and Mike shook his head. Tre stared absent-mindedly out the window.

"Tre?"

"Huh? Oh. Nope," he answered, not bothering to look at me.

"What should we do?" I drummed my fingers on the table, clearly in frustration.

"We could go out and keep looking, or go home and wait for her to show up or call," Mike suggested.

"I dunno about you guys, but I'm going back to my place," Tre suddenly said, and left shortly after.

"What's up with him?"

Mike shrugged, "He and Grace have become pretty good friends.. They talk a lot, and I think he's just worried, and dealing in his own way."

I nodded, trying to hide my jealousy, "Yeah. Let's go home."

When we got back, I could smell some sort of food in the kitchen, and saw a pot full of pasta on the stove, all ready to be eaten.

"What the hell?" I mumbled, walking into my dimly lit room, closing the door behind me.

"Billie Joe?" I heard a small, tired voice call me.

"Billie, is that you?"

I looked down at the bed, and there was Grace.

"Yeah, I'm here Gray." I sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm so sorry I got mad," she started, and looked up at me with a sad look in her eyes.. One that I know I've caused her before.

'That's how she used to look at me before all of this.. But she'd cover the sorrow with a hateful glare..'

"No, no. I'm sorry for being a jerk, and not listening."

"Apology accepted," she smiled, and I leaned in, giving her a quick kiss.

"Go back to sleep," I told her, followed by a soft, "I love you."

Her smile widened, as she told me the same, which just made my life totally worth it.

[Grace]

On October 17th, I was watching the guys at Gilman's once again. After the set, I patiently waited for them to come out and say hey, like usual, but they never did. I went the the spot out back behind the club where they usually hung out after a set.

I saw Billie, Mike, Tre, and another man, who looked slightly older, all standing together. Billie shook his hand, and as soon as the man left, he began to dance.

"Hey guys, great set," I greeted them with a smile.

"Great?" Billie asked.

"Uh.. It was amazing.. Wonderful.. Mike, help?"

"Phenomenal," Mike laughed, and Tre just smiled goofily.

"Am I missing something?" I asked, noticing Billie's glow.

"That was Lawrence, or Laurie, and he's from Lookout! Records," Tre finally said.

I felt a huge smile spread over my face, as Billie finished, "We just got signed!"

"No way!" I squealed, giving them each a hug, and a quick kiss to Billie.

"I told you! All you had to do was wait. Now you're gonna be Rock Gods," I beamed excitedly.
Billie's eyes lit up at the thought.

"Me..? A rock god? Wow..." he softly let out, as if he were envisioning it at that very second.

"Let's go home and celebrate," Mike offered, while packing up the last of the equipment.

Back at the apartment, we all sat around on the couch drinking beer, while Billie shot me suggestive looks and comments the entire time. I stumbled into the bedroom, falling onto the bed in fits of laughter, and Billie followed, laughing to himself as he shut the door behind him.

The rest of the night.. or early morning, passed by in a drunken haze, until I woke up in a Clash shirt and my panties, next to a boxer clad Billie Joe.