I Love the Way That She Breathes

I was backstage with Aiden roadies, helping them pack their stuff up. One of them was sick, so Will asked me to be an extra pair of hands.

"Norah, come have a cigarette with me."

I put a case down and looked at Will. He motioned me over to him. I walked over to him and we walked back toward the busses. We both lit up cigarettes.

"How's Ronnie doing?" he asked after a minute.

I took a drag of my cigarette, "He's doing okay. He said that there's a group of guys who keep giving him trouble for the kinds of tattoos he has and for the fact that he's in a band. He said they're making him nervous."

He shook his head, "Tell him I said not to stand down. He's strong."

I nodded, "I will. I'm flying out tonight so I can go visit him on our anniversary. Plus my boss wants either Jessica or I back at the office. So I volunteered to leave early and let her stay out here."

He blew out some smoke, "When is your anniversary?"

"The tenth. It'll be four years this year."

He smiled, "That's cool."

I nodded, "The jail is letting us have a two hour visitation, but it has to be with the glass between us and all that shit."

"That's still really nice of them," he said, "So, he's done with drugs?"

"Yeah. He said he's done forever. He never wants to go back to that again."

Will smiled, "That's good. I've been thinking of writing him a letter."

I smiled, "He'd like that."

We smoked in silence for a while when Jessica ran up to us.

"Norah! Craig was just talking shit about Ronnie!"

My eyes widened, "What?!"

"He was onstage and he said that Ronnie just got caught with heroin and he's not getting out for a long time."

"What the fuck?! Where is he?"

"Craig? They're backstage on the Hurley stage, they just finished."

I looked at Will, "Go stand up for him, hopefully I'll see you before you leave, okay?"

I gave him a hug, then Jessica and I walked toward the stage where ETF was. Max and Craig were standing behind the stage, smoking a cigarette. Max pointed at me and Craig turned around.

"I figured you'd show up sooner or later."

I stayed quiet for a minute. Max looked really guilty.

"Why?"

Craig looked at me, "Why? Why what?"

"He didn't get caught with heroin in prison. He's been clean since he went in. Why would you say that?"

Craig took a deep breath, "Can we talk in private?"

"I want Max there, too," I snapped.

Max's head shot up, "Why?"

"Because you were his best friend for years," I rolled my eyes, "And maybe this will knock some sense into you."

"Where are we talking? Our bus?" Craig asked.

I shook my head, "It's not neutral ground. There's a pier over there."

"I'm gonna get a hoodie. Just in case there's fans walking around, I don't want them to bother us," Max suggested.

Craig agreed, "Good idea. Meet you over there in a minute?"

I nodded, walking over to my bus. I got on and went through my suitcase, changing into a long sleeved shirt with a hood. I walked over to the pier, Max was already standing there.

"Where's Craig?"

"Gab called, he's talking to Leila, he'll be here in a minute."

I nodded, taking a cigarette out of my pack and lighting it, "How are they?"

"They're good."

"That's good."

"How are you?" he asked.

I looked at him, "Max, why are you trying to make small talk? You hate me."

He sighed, "I don't hate you, Norah."

I rolled my eyes, "Remember the note you wrote me when you came to my job?"

He ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sorry. I was upset. I thought that you were just as fed up by Ronnie's shit as we were, and I though prison would've been the straw that broke the camel's back for you. But you stayed loyal to him. So loyal that you stopped calling me. I was mad and I handled it wrong. I'm sorry."

"I stayed so loyal that I asked if he would be okay with me coming on this tour because you guys were on it," I told him.

He smiled, "I'm glad he still has you, Norah."

I nodded, "He always will. That's what I promised."

Craig walked up, and I looked at him.

"I'm sorry for saying that," he murmured quietly.

"Why did you do it?" I questioned.

He took a deep breath, "Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. When I joined the band, I thought I'd get just a few haters for being the new singer. But everyday, at least 10 kids come up to me and tell me Ronnie is better. On Twitter, hundreds of kids a day tell me I'm a faggot and I suck and I should go die. They tell me to die, Norah. I have to defend myself. I have to say something. I can't just stand here and take it. If I just stand here quietly and take it, then it'll just build up and build up until I explode."

I took a drag of my cigarette, "Do you ever think how Ronnie feels? This stuff gets back to him. And not even from me. He hears about it before I even get on the phone with him. And he's silenced. He can't come back at you. He can't prove you wrong. He has to sit there and take it. So it does build up and build up for him. So he's pissed off in one of the most negative, hate-filled places to be. I'm so scared that he's gonna hurt someone and get in trouble."

"Are you crying?" Max asked.

I nodded, "He's in hell, and you two are running around free and trashing his name."

Craig looked at me, "What am I supposed to do?"

"Can you defend yourself without trashing him? Because the more you do, the more shit he's gonna say and do when he gets out."

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

"He's writing everyday, all day. And you know from experience just how cruel he can word things."

Max sighed, "I haven't said anything. And I'm really not mad at him anymore."

"I can't say the same for him."

"I won't talk shit about him onstage," Craig sighed, "You're right."

"No more offstage, either. I know you're talking shit to fans and your friends, too."

"I wasn't--"

"Dude, you are. She's right. I don't want any more problems or drama than we already have," Max interrupted.

Craig nodded, "Okay, fine."

"I know you guys don't like him or me, but it's really the mature thing to do for all of us."

"It's not that we don't like you two," Max protested.

"I don't have a problem with you, Norah," Craig added, "I never did. And I have no problems with Ronnie. It's his fans that hate me because I'm in the band."

I nodded, "I have to get packed up, but we're all straight on this?"

"Where are you going?" Max asked, lighting a cigarette.

"My boss wants one of us back in the office, and I want to go visit Ronnie for our four year anniversary."

Max nodded, "I'm glad he still has you. He really loves you, Norah."

I smiled, "And I love him. I'd do anything for him."

Max took a shaky breath, "I know."

"Will you pass that message along to Ronnie?" Craig asked, "That I said I won't talk shit?"

I shrugged, "I'll tell him, but I can't guarantee anything."

Craig nodded, "Thanks for listening to us, Norah."

I nodded back, "No problem. I'm gonna go find Will."

"Have a safe flight," Max called softly.

"Thanks."

I walked away, pulling the hood of my shirt over my head. Will was standing backstage with Jessica. I tapped him on the shoulder. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you busy? Or can you come talk to me while I pack?"

He nodded, "I can come with you. You need me to fight Craig or something?"

I smiled. Will was such a sweet guy. He was willing to beat up his friend for Ronnie's girlfriend.

"No, you don't need to beat up Craig. Just come talk to me."

I said bye to Jessica and told her I'd see her when she came back from tour. Will and I walked to my bus in silence.

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As Will and I were talking, my phone started ringing. I grabbed it out of my back pocket.

"Who is it?"

"Nason, hello?"

"Please tell me you ripped that fucker a new one?!" he apparently heard what happened.

"How did you hear about it already?"

"People are tweeting me like crazy! Someone has a video that they're gonna post later. So please tell me you ripped that fucking douche a new one?! Because I'm about to come out on that tour and do it myself."

"I was gonna, but then we had an adult conversation."

"And?"

"He explained where he was coming from, and I explained where Ron and I were coming from. We made an agreement and parted ways."

"Did you want to knock his fucked up teeth in at least?"

"Did I want to? Of course, Nason, he was talking about the love of my life. Thankfully, I have more self control than you."

"Thankfully is right."

"Who's coming to pick me up from the airport, killer?"

"A party, girl! We can't welcome our favorite chick home with just one person picking her up!"

I laughed, "Okay, see you at the airport?"

"Yes, Norah!"

"Bye!"

I hung up and looked at Will, who was watching me curiously.

"What?"

"This might sound weird, I was admiring you."

I smiled, "I'm sorry?"

"As an artist, I swear. You're a classic beauty, in your facial structure."

I blushed, "Thank you, Will. That's really sweet."

He nodded, "How are you getting to the airport?"

"I'm gonna call a cab," I murmured, zipping my bag up.

He helped me up, smiling, "It was great working with you, Norah. You have my number, right?"

I nodded, "I do."

"Give it to Ronnie, tell him to call me whenever he wants. I want to tour with him when he gets out."

I smiled again, "He would love that. Maybe I'll tell him that before I tell him about Craig and Max."

Will laughed, "Good idea."

I hugged Will tightly, "Thanks for everything."

"No problem. Text me when you get picked up from the airport."

I nodded, "I will."

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I stood at the pick up part of the airport, my bags already in hand. I texted Will, letting him know I landed and the boys should be arriving any minute. As soon as I sent the text, I heard a heavy bass. I smiled as the Escalade pulled up, Nason, Derek, Jacky, and Jeff all yelling out of the windows. Everyone else was staring, and I just laughed. All the guys jumped out of the car, hugging me tightly. Someone grabbed my bags and put them in the trunk.

"We missed you!" Jeff exclaimed.

I smiled, "I missed you guys."

"Let's go home."

We all piled in the car, Derek sat in the back so I could sit shotgun.

"How was it?" Derek asked.

"It was fun, I had a great time. Will from Aiden and I became really good friends, we talked about Ronnie a lot."

"So, what happened, exactly?" Derek questioned.

"I was talking to Will backstage and Jessica runs up to me and tells me that Craig was talking shit about Ronnie onstage. Apparently, Craig said that Ronnie had gotten caught with heroin onstage and he wouldn't be getting out for a long time. So I went to the stage they were at. Max and Craig were back there and Craig asked to talk in private. So we talked and he said he wouldn't talk shit anymore."

"What did he say?" Nason asked.

"He was only trying to defend himself, which I understand to a point. So I asked him not to trash Ronnie's name in order to defend himself."

"God, you're so mature. I would've beat his ass," Nason growled, "Did you have any other run ins with them?"

"Nope, I avoided them and I believe they avoided me. Plus I told Kevin about everything, so if they needed help, he sent Jessica."

"You almost made it without seeing them," Jeff quipped.

I smiled, "Almost. I'm really not excited to tell Ronnie though."

"Um, you don't have to," Nason murmured.

"Why not?"

"I kinda already did."

I groaned, "Nason! Why?!"

"He called me! I'm sorry!"

"Before or after you called me?"

"Before," he admitted.

"Nason! Great. Now he's pissed."

"I'm sorry! Don't be mad, come on. He's my best friend, what was I supposed to do?"

"Let me tell him! I had the perfect thing to tell him before."

"What is it?" he asked.

I snorted, "Like I'm gonna tell you."

"Tell me!" Derek exclaimed.

I smirked and took out my phone.

Norah: Will told me to give Ronnie his number cause he wants to tour with you guys.
Derek: Sweet!

"Guys, thats not fair!"

I giggled, "Tell Jacky and Jeff!"

"Okay!"

"Hey!"

I laughed as Nason protested and Derek showed Jacky and Jeff the text. I smiled, it felt great to be back with the boys.