Elle.

The next thing I could comprehend after a quick shower and loading up the car was Jude and I yet again driving down a long narrow road with trees on either side of us. My eyes were constantly drifting shut and flying back open when Jude would hit the brakes suddenly because a deer or other wild animal would run out in front of us. We had been the only car on the road for the last 25 miles and I was beginning to get bored.

“How much longer, Judy?” The sun beamed down on my cheeks as I gazed out the window catching a sign that said 232 miles till Nebraska. He merely shrugged his shoulders and kept his eyes on the road. I sighed and leaned my head back onto the seat. We were barely half way to New York and I already felt as if I was going insane.

A quick look over at Jude gave me an idea. He was so concentrated on the road which, due to the lack of sleep or food, made him look extremely hot. I tucked a stray hair behind my ear before quietly unbuckling my seatbelt. Jude’s eyes barely flashed to met mine before they were back on the road. A soft smirk played on my lips as I turned sideways in the seat bringing one knee up to prop myself, Jude’s eyes never once left the road. I nearly gave up until I noticed his grip on the steering wheel had tightened and his knuckles were turning a ghostly white color. My lips quickly met with his neck as I leaned over the arm rest, which proved to be a very uncomfortable position. One hand cupped his left cheek as the other carefully found its way to his lap. I happily watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and his eyes closed for a split second. My teeth barely grazed his skin before there was a sudden jerk to the car. In the midst of my mischievous plan the car had drifted to the other lane, but thankfully Jude had swerved in time to miss the oncoming traffic.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Elle!” Jude literally screamed as he sat up straighter in his seat and glared at the road in front of him. “Don’t fucking do that again.”

I could feel my body sink down into leather as I whispered “Sorry.” And watched the road ahead of me with my head in my palm and a frown on my face.

-
My eyes fluttered open when I could feel the road underneath me become bumpy. I sat up in the seat to look out the window, we were on a bridge. Not just any bridge…the Brooklyn Bridge. My head quickly whipped over to look at Jude’s smiling face; I had to control myself from all but attacking his lips.

“I can’t believe we made it.” He mumbled is disbelief as he stared at the skyline. Granted it was about 2 a.m in the morning neither of us were less excited.

As we entered downtown Manhattan one could’ve been fooled that it was the middle of the day by how busy the streets were. This really was the city that never sleeps. As they car putted down the packed streets we each began to point out familiar places from our childhood and the one I saw first hit me the hardest.

“You see that dark green building?” I pointed through the windshield and Jude nodded. “That was my apartment building.” My thoughts drifted to when I was younger as my eyes scanned the rest of the builds. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a canopy reading “Angels and Kings.” Without being asked Jude drove into the parking lot and went around to open my door.

“Does my outfit look okay?” Of course it looked okay. When I had gotten dressed this morning I’d plan it around the hopes that we would end up here.

“You look beautiful, Elle.” Jude leaned down to kiss me which actually turned into a mini make out session till I pulled away to fix my lip gloss. I sent him a innocent grin and he laughed before slipping his hand in mine and walking towards the front door.

The line to get in was around the building but I was going to use my connections to get in quicker, or so I thought. The bouncer currently on guard wasn’t a very big guy, or someone I was even aquatinted with but that wasn’t going to stop me, I marched up to him with Jude trailing behind and smiled showing all my pearly whites. His smirk already told me my answer.

“Sorry toots, you’re not gettin’ in.” He crossed his arms and looked down at me. He had to be a good foot ahead of me but I was not giving up.

“But I’m Elle Ross, the daughter of the ex-guitarist for Panic at the Disco, I’m sure you’ve heard of them, and I need to get into the club to get some….thing from…Pete for him.” My lie lacked luster but there seemed to be a hint of realization in the man’s eyes.

However the bouncer’s hard façade soon shown through again and the fateful smirk was back. “Pete ain’t even here, sweetie. Plus I do know Ryan and I know for a fact you ain’t twenty-one, are ya?”

I stamped my foot, oh great way to make yourself seem older Elle, and huffed before dragging Jude by the tips of his fingers around the back of the building. I could hear the bouncer’s laughter behind us as I found the secret way to get into the club Bronx had shown me once.

I smiled up at the fire escape’s stairs and placed a high heeled foot carefully on the railing. Jude’s voice broke my concentration almost causing me to slip. “You’re expecting us to climb up all of those?” I looked down and nodded then handed him my clutch purse. “You’ve got to be joking me.” He mumbled and began to follow me up.

The night air was cool on top of the roof and I gazed up at what little stars could be seen. That had been one thing I always hated about New York, you could rarely wish on a shooting star. Once Jude had caught his breath, apparently he was deathly afraid of heights, we headed over to the door that lead into the club.

Just like the streets, the club was packed. Some pop song bounced off the walls causing them and the floor to vibrate. Couples were dancing too close together generating heat and sweat to pour off their bodies. I smiled when I spotted the bar and the chubby man behind it.

“Fat Mike!” I lovingly called and made my way over to sit on an available stool. Jude stood behind me and tightened his grip on my hand.

“Ellie, dear, what brings you back to the Big Apple?” He asked and began to fix me a Shirley Temple. “What’ll your friend there have?”Jude politely declined a beverage and took the stool next to me when he became free.

“I’m actually here to try and find my uncle. You might know him, he’s apparently a priest.” I took a quick drink and smiled when I was met with a taste from my childhood. “His name is Zachery Berg, ring any bells?”

“Know him? Elle, I work with him!” Mike laughed and began to fill a glass with beer for another costumer. I gave him a confused look and he began to explain. “He doesn’t hang with the Jesus freaks anymore; he’s one of our best bouncers now. Workin’ tonight even.”

“You mean that guy out there is my uncle?” My eyes widen considerably and my hand became numb around my glass. Fat Mike simply nodded and continued his work. Jude’s hand rested on my thigh in a comforting way. I had a hard time coming to terms with how quickly I found him. So that’s why he gave me a “You’re my long lost relative look”…I was.

My hand quickly flagged down the other bartender knowing Mike wouldn’t give me want I wanted. “I need a shot of Tequila.” I earned strange looks from both him and Jude, though the boy did bring back a single shot with a lime wedge on the salted rim. When the liquor hit the back of my throat I tried to ignore the burning sensation long enough to ask for another.

“I think that’s enough.” A voice called from behind me as a hand rested on my shoulder.

I looked up to be met with the second person, Ryan being the first, on this earth I did not want to see: Bronx.