It Wasn't

"Robyn, just calm down and tell me what's going on." Alice said as she poured her sister some coffee. A week had passed since Tre took everyone to the mall. Alice hadn't spoke to Billie Joe, Tre, or Mike since then. And she still didn't have a clue as to why Robyn was holing herself up inside, crying and refusing to talk to anyone. All Alice knew was that Robyn had run out of Sam Ash that day. She saw with her own two eyes that her sister's face was glistening with heartbreak. What happened?

Alice sat down to analyze everything that had ever happened to Robyn, wondering what could have triggered such a reaction. The answer hit her like a ton of bricks. Larry. This shad something to do with Larry. Was he in the store? Did he do something to Tre? No, that couldn't be it. Larry left California ages ago. He wasn't stupid. After beating Robyn black and blue, almost completely breaking her spirit, he wasn't about to defy the restraining order and get himself back in jail.

"Robyn. Please. You have to tell someone what happened! You can't just sit and mope like this. You'll go insane and you're driving me insane!" Alice all but screamed.

Robyn looked up. Her eyes were red and puffy, she hadn't taken a shower in days, and she had no clue what do to with herself right now. Forcing out the words, slowly, she tried to say something through her tears. However, "T-Tre, he... . Sam Ash... with an accordion ... scared...I had to run... " was all that Alice understood.

It was a start. Something happened at Sam Ash with Tre and an accordion. Alice picked up the phone and started to dial Tre's number.

"No." Robyn whimpered from next to her. "Don't." Alice took the phone to the next room and continued dialing. It rang once. It rang twice. It rang three times. In the middle of the fourth ring, someone picked up.

"Hello?" a deep voice greeted.

"Hello," Alice answered, "Um, can I please speak to Tre? Its really important."

"Alice?" the man on the other end asked, "This is Mike. Tre is a complete wreck right now. He won't tell us what happened, but we figure it's got something to do with Robyn. Am I right?"

"Yes," she breathed in relief. "It has something to do with Robyn. Robyn's been crying for a week now. She won't leave the house, she won't talk to anyone, and she won't take a shower, nothing. I tried to talk to her today. She said something happened at Sam Ash the other day with Tre and an accordion."

"Wow. You actually got something. Tre isn't crying, but he's moping. He won't say a word, except to Frankito, and it's not really a lot. Even Claudia is getting fed up."

Alice was about to reply when her cell phone rang. She told Mike she had to take a call and hung up on him.

"Hello?" she said into her cell phone.

"Alice?" someone answered, speaking in a very low voice, "Alice, its me."

"Frank?" Alice started to panic, "Are you okay? What's wrong with your voice? Did something happen?"

"No, it's not Frank. Its Billie Joe." The caller said, still in the same low voice.

"Are you calling about Robyn and Tre? I just called Mike. Something happened and they're both upset."

"I know," Billie Joe whispered with exasperation, "But its not about that. You need to come over here right away. Its an emergency. I already asked Mike, but he told me he was with Tre. I wanted to go to Tre too, but Mike told me to take care of this first."

"Um, sure. Why are you whispering?"

"Because, it's a surprise. We want to get Robyn and Tre in the same room by having a party for Adie and the kids. I know you're with Robyn and I want to make sure she doesn't hear. And so Tre doesn't hear either if he somehow ends up at my house earlier than planned. And I need help. Everyone else is busy! And Mike can't come without blowing the secret."

"Fine. I'll be over in a half an hour." She hung up the phone. "Robbie!" she called into her sister's room. "Robbie I have to go somewhere. I'll be back soon." Unsurprisingly, Alice only got an incoherent whimper in reply. Just before opening the door, she stopped, and went back to the broken woman.

"Robbie?" she said in her gentlest voice, "Robbie, you have to tell me what's going on. Please." Once again, she was meant with a dry sob. Sighing, Alice left in resignation.

As she turned the keys in the ignition, she wondered where the hell she was going and why she was going there. She was supposed to stay away from Billie. Far, far away from Billie. She was supposed to resist temptation. What if she ruined it with Frank? Alice and Frank could have something awesome. She pictured their wedding. Hm. Frank and Alice Longbottom. Not bad. Not bad at all. Yes, Frank was just her type. They got along great; they fit together like puzzle pieces. She wouldn't destroy that for a few shy kisses here and flirtatious glances with some rock star. Even if the rock star was the very same one that she had happened to be obsessed with for the last twenty years. The exact same rock star whose pictures she'd collected in infinite amounts, whose very voice sent her stomach on a whirl and her heart to start beating in violent thuds. No, it wasn't worth it. It just wasn't. As a matter of fact, she was going to call Frank, her boyfriend, right this very minute. Alice dialed the number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hi. Frank!"

"Alice! How are you? Listen, I'm sorry about the other night in the bar. I can't believe I got that drunk!"

"Relax, honey. It was just a stressful Thursday night. I had something going on too, with my sister. I can barely handle it."

"Tell me about it. Although, I think I like you drunk. You can do amazing things with your tongue when you're drunk." Frank all but whispered.

"Frank!" Alice felt a blush creeping up her neck. "Geez. What is wrong with you? You don't go shouting that kind of thing around. But I forgive you. Anyway, I was wondering if you could meet me at a friend's house."

"Uh, depends. What's it for?"

"Well, we're trying to solve a bit of a, uh, problem, between my sister and her boyfriend. So, one of his friends is organizing a party for his wife and kids. They're coming home today. So, he needed some help and he asked me to come. If you could come too, that would be so great."

"Sure. I'll come! I'm not one to refuse a party, Allie."

"Great!" she replied. Alice gave him Billie Joe's address and continued on her way, lost in thought. Almost driving right past, she stopped just next to the house, debating on whether or not she should leave the car. Alice silenced her conscience and rang the doorbell.

"Alice. Hi." Billie opened the door, looking like he was about to kill someone. Alice couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow. What happened to you?" she giggled.

"Its not funny. And its not fair. I've just spent the last half an hour trying to get the streamers out of the front closet. Come on, let's see if you can reach the top shelf." He led her to the closet. They stood there for a few minutes, suggesting ideas to each other, and then deciding to get back to it later. According to Billie Joe, the front closet was the spawn of Satan. The shelf was too high to reach and the closet was too small and narrow to fit a chair or ladder inside. How convenient.

While Billie put up the decorations, except for the streamers, Alice went to the kitchen to arrange food and bake whatever she could find. This included three varieties of cookie, both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and a big party-sized cake. Occasionally, she wandered into the living room to ask for a certain ingredient, blushing and casting her eyes down. Once or twice, Billie Joe came into the kitchen to ask Alice how she was doing, looking away and trying not to pay too much attention to her.

And God Almighty, it was difficult. Every time she heard Billie Joe curse from the living room or walk into the kitchen, Alice's thoughts flitted back to his kisses, his touch. It was addictive. No! No, no, no! Billie Joe was bad! Billie Joe was an evil, destructive, cruel bastard, not to mention a married father and she would only hurt herself if she tried to get involved with him. Billie Joe... Billie Joe's lips made her stomach turn, his hands made her want to throw away her values, his voice took her someplace only Billie and Alice knew of. No! Alice slapped herself on the cheek, almost losing control of the electric eggbeater. Billie Joe Armstrong was not good for her. Frank was enough. Alice and Frank would be together for a long time and Billie Joe would not enter their relationship. End of story. Alice's thoughts drifted to her and Frank's fantasy wedding. Hmm. Frank and Alice Longbottom. How nice. Why had she been fantasizing about this so much lately? Well, it sure wasn't to get her mind off of Billie Joe. It was because she liked Frank so much. Oh, who the hell was she trying to fool?

Billie swore loudly as he taped his hand to the wall for the millionth time. Why couldn't he concentrate today? It was probably because his family was coming home today after so long. Or maybe it was because he was worried about Tre. Robyn was the best thing that ever happened to his best friend, including Lisea and Claudia. The man was in shambles without his "Rob-rob". Yes, this was the reason he wasn't focused today. Yes. It wasn't that Alice James, with her petite little hands, was in the next room. It wasn't that at all. No sirree. Although, she was very attractive. Very, very attractive. She was a good kisser too. No! He told himself to stop it. He was a grown man who had been happily married for the last eleven years. He had two wonderful children and the best wife in the whole damn universe. He didn't need or want to go off with some college girl. She probably didn't want to come to him anyway. Yeah. Fuck. He groaned and kicked the wall. He was in shit so deep he couldn't run away.

Alice came out of the kitchen, walking as slowly as she could.

"Um, Billie Joe?" she asked meekly, "I, um, finished with the, uh, food and stuff, so should I take another, uh - Should I try to get the streamers down now? Billie?"

Billie Joe turned around, trying to hide his shock. "Um, sure. Whatever. Yeah." He hurried to try and involve himself in the current task.

Alice reached up towards the shelf. Ugh. Being short was very frustrating. She reached again, stomping her foot when she didn't succeed. She jumped and landed on the floor in a heap. Now, it was war. Alice Lynn James vs. The Box of Streamers on the Top Shelf would be the fight of the century. She jumped again only to meet with the same result. She hugged her knees to her chest, looked up at the box and released a mighty sigh. Looking up again, her heart nearly pounded its way out of her chest when she saw Billie Joe, smirking down at her. Asshole. Damn his mouth. Embarrassed, she tried to get up, knocking over several objects in the tiny crowded closet.

"H—hi Billie." She fell back down. "Can I have a hand?" she smiled ruefully. Billie smiled back and lowered his arm for her. She grabbed onto it and pulled herself up, lost her balance and fell straight into her idol's arms. But it was he who blushed. "Um, Sorry." She made to get out of the closet when a pair of arms pulled her back in. Back into the closet. Back into Billie Joe's arms. Was she getting pulled back into a dream?

He should have known better. The first time, it was impulse, spur of the moment. The second time, they went a bit farther, but they were both drunk. But now, they were both sober, and this was going to be far more than just an innocent kiss. Who would have guessed that Billie Joe Armstrong would cheat on his wife, on his family? Not he. But he would. It would just be this once. Just once and he would let it go. One taste and his lust would leave. And one taste was like a taste of heaven. Her lips tingled in his mouth. Like oranges, they were sweet and tangy and soft. And for the moment, they were his.

She couldn't believe it. Wow. His hands were on her body. His lips were on her neck. Her arms were snaked around his waist. Frank wouldn't have to know. It would be just this once. She had wanted Billie Joe Armstrong since she was fifteen years old. Just once. But, what if she wanted more? He wouldn't. Of course he wouldn't. She was just the sideshow. Alice pulled away and looked Billie Joe in the eye.

"Billie." She said in a harsh whisper. She moved as far back as she could go, even if it wasn't very. Alice made to open the door, but her hand was pushed away from the doorknob. Billie Joe looked right back at her, just as steadily.

"Don't tell me you don't want this." He whispered back. He leaned in next to her ear. "I've been watching you from day one Alice James. Don't tell me you don't want this."

Alice tried to shove her way out of the closet again and failed. She looked back at Billie, her eyes begging for a way out. And with his eyes, he refused to give her one. He moved away from her ear, towards her face. Brown hair. Like Adrienne's. He never did know why brunette's drove him wild. He kissed her.

"Tell me you didn't like that," he said, taking her into his arms. "Tell me you didn't want it." Alice said nothing. Accepting her silence, he kissed her again, rougher, faster. "Tell me you don't want this," he breathed between kisses, "Tell me you don't want this and I'll stop." He lips moved back down again until they were just above the neckline of her shirt. He surfaced again, silently demanding an answer.

Finally, Alice spoke. "I don't... " she paused, gasping at the older man's touch. He kept his gaze on her, until she moved forward. Alice took his hand and placed it on her cheek. She brought her face to his. "I don't want you to stop," she purred. This was all he needed.

As the touches and kisses continued, Alice and Billie Joe knew that it would be just this once. But as their bodies spoke, Alice couldn't help but wonder. What if it wasn't going to be just this once?