Status: DONE

The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

If Only I Could Tell You How I Need Your Love

Seven people were squeezed into the lounge area of All Time Low's bus for an interview. Aside from the four boys, Flyzik, a camera man, and a petite girl made up the group of seven. The girl sat in between the boys, Zack and Rian were to her left, Alex and Jack were talking softly to one another on her right while Matt leaned against the door frame, anxiously waiting for the interview to start.

The camera man made a noise before the light went on, "Is everyone ready?"

"I am," the girl looked at the boys, who in return nodded. She put her microphone to her face and waited for her partner to count down, "Hello, I'm Annie from Rockers Magazine. I'm sitting here with All Time Low in their homely bus, going to run over some of the questions readers have sent in. Now Alex, a few readers are curious about the baby that popped up at one date. Who is she?"

He made a face before the camera was put on him, "Well, I was going out with someone while I was in high school. We were getting along great but something got in the way, apparently she didn't feel the need to tell me that she was pregnant. She just informed me about my baby girl."

"Are we going to get names?"

"Don't you think that's a little too personal?" Matt asked, causing the camera man to turn around.

Annie ignored him and asked the singer another question, "Are you guys getting back together?"

"No."

"So you're without a girlfriend?"

"I am," he replied with a sigh, "but I know the right person is already in my life."

"You'll find someone, if not you have hundreds of willing fans," she smiled, getting a look from their manager. "So Jack, what's up with you and Hey Monday's lead, Cassadee Pope?"

"It's nothing much really, we just went out on a few dates."

"This question is for anyone who is willing to answer: how do you feel about the slashes that the fans write? A lot of girls really get the Jack-Alex vibe."

The lanky boy coughed, spitting his water out, "Um, I think they're... imaginative? For lack of a better word."

"I am not sneaking around with Alex," Rian grumbled as he glared at the camera.

"I see you're all well informed about your fans."

Annie started asking less personal questions, ones that the boys could answer without even having to put much thought into it. Flyzik walked away when he saw his boy's expressions calm down, pulling out his phone to call the magazine, making sure that this girl would never interview them again; he just got an uneasy feeling from her.

"That was an awkward question to answer," Jack whispered as they walked out of the lounge area as the magazine's crew packed up to leave.

"We could all tell by the water that you sprayed all over me."

"Sorry, babe."

Alex just shrugged and slipped his feet into his shoes, grabbing his boyfriend by the arm and pulling him out of the bus. They walked in silence as they tried to get through the crowds undetected, their only use of protection being thick sunglasses and large beanies. Once they got to the empty band-and-crew only fenced in area, they removed the coverage and sat beneath one of the large trees, their backs towards the fence.

"I was so tempted to tell her, Jack, I don't know why I didn't. Everyone would have know not even a week after that issue was printed informing the fans to check out the website. I should have, then we wouldn't have to hide this," he took his boyfriends hand, "I feel like I shouldn't have to hide the fact that I love you."

He put his arms around the singer, "It's what's best for right now. I saw the look on your face when they asked about Alexis, I know that you're right, too: we don't need this harassment too. I love you, also, and I cannot wait until we can be open... But it's not worth being hurt, we don't need to make our band mates suffer."

"Why can't the world just be accepting, and not always have to find a reason to hate people?"

"I wish I knew."

"The world sucks!" Alex grumbled, "All I want to do is help my kid live a longer life and not be hounded with questions because I didn't know about her. It's making me look like a bad father because Maria decided not to tell me."

"Calm down."

"I will not calm down. I'm so stressed with all of this, I can't keep it in anymore. I just want things to be normal."

Jack held his boyfriend close to his chest as he noticed a few tears form, "Nothing is going to be normal for you if we stay together. I don't want to lose you, but if it makes things easier for you, try to get a girlfr-"

"Don't!"

"You didn't let me finish."

"I don't want to hear any statement with you and me not together," he removed himself from the hug and grabbed the lanky boy's face, "I will walk through fire to be with you, so don't try that."

"I just want you to be happy."

"I will be, once the world learns to understand things and not be so closed minded."

Jack wasn't sure how to reply, so he pulled his boyfriend back into his chest. As much as he loved taking care of Alex, he was waiting for the tables to turn. He wanted to feel like his boyfriend would do anything in the world for him -- but it was starting to feel like he was the only one giving out.