The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

Alex was sitting on the edge of the stage, his feet waving aimlessly as he watched the sun rise. He had nothing better to do, since sleep couldn't find him as he thought about Jack and Cassadee. He had spent the last few hours, after he'd snuck off the bus, trying to figure out how things could be worse; the only idea that came to mind was being without Jack at all, even if now Jack wasn't technically one hundred percent his now.

There wasn't anything else worse, maybe them not being alive or never being together, but then they wouldn't know the difference right? Or maybe this would be just what Maria said it would be when he broke up with her -- a phase -- a delight in having something he shouldn't. He wasn't sure, he was younger than, but the relationship still seemed as real as it was when they first started; there was just the issue at hand in the way, the possible wedge that would separate them.

Alex hadn't thought about Maria in the longest, but having a hometown show brought her up to his attention again. He knew she always attended the shows at the venue the tour was playing at today, occasionally when they played here, he spotted her walking around with a guy and a kid, he assumed that things had gone well for her, but he never stopped to talk to her or spotted her in the crowd while ATL played.

For all he knew, it was her twin that he was seeing, but he never took the time to stop and pay enough attention to figure it out -- there was no reason to dig through his past. Alex wondered if he would see her today, it always seemed like she avoided all tents and stages associated with his band, so he doubted that he would, maybe he would stop and say hi to her if he spotted her? He wasn't sure, he just knew he should get back to the bus before Matt woke up.

He slipped off the stage, walking past the ground's keepers that were making sure the venue was set up for the concerts today. Alex spotted a few people by the gates, causing him to smirk at the eagerness to meet their favorite bands. He waved, wondering if any of them could recognize him from the distance, and continued toward the bus. He pulled back the door and walked into the main area, met by an angry tour manager.

"Where did you go? I called the taxi company to see if they brought you home, I called your parents..." he shook his head, "leave a note next time!"

"Sorry, I just needed some air."

Flyzik offered a half smile and put a hand on his shoulder, "It's Jack, isn't it? We tried to talk to him about it but he didn't want to hear it, he has his mind set on it. There's only two things you can do: one, break up with him, and two, go along with it, in which you could follow his lead or not. I would say not to, that's bad karma, don't mix yourself up in a tangled web or make a new on of your own. Just support your partner and put on a happy face."

The singer faked a bow, "I shall listen to the wise master."

He cracked a smile, "Seriously, Alex."

"I know."

He looked down at the book in his hands, "You guys have two signings today, so go get all the air you can before two, I don't want you to get stressed."

"Thanks," Alex said, "but I don't need anymore time to think at this venue. Everything keeps bringing back thoughts about Maria, from when we were friends to when we were together... to when I broke her."

"Maybe you're thinking about her so much because you're going to see her today?"

"Am I?"

Matt shrugged, "Sometimes you can predict things, not you in particular, like deja vu, I guess."

"Okay," the singer furrowed his brows, "whatever you say."

~x~

Jack walked into the lounge area, he paused in the door way and watched his boyfriend play the xbox game, his back to the door. He knew that Alex had been ignoring and avoiding him all day, but he didn't know if he should try to talk to him or keep the space between them. He decided to go into the room, he didn't want the space to become a gap.

He sat down behind Alex, putting his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. The boy paused the game, losing concentration from the contact even though he was mad at Jack. He pushed his worries aside, the only way he could lose Barakat was by not keeping their relationship.

Alex turned around, putting his legs around his boyfriend's waist and sitting on his lap. Jack smiled in return, brushing his thumbs across the singer's cheeks before pulling his face in and attaching their lips. With on quick movement, Gaskarth managed to get the guitarist on his back, he hovered above him and smiled.

"We probably shouldn't go there, we've got a signing in ten minutes."

Jack pouted, "Awe."

"Soon, as long as you promise not to do anything with Cass."

"This is why you're avoiding me? I don't want to talk about it. I made a choice, and I'm not thrilled about it, and I hate that it's making upset. I don't want to make you upset--"

"Jack, you are the one who said that you don't want me all over anybody when we first started going out. I thought that when we set those standards, we both had to follow them. I can't even think about you kissing someone else."

The dark haired boy sat up, though Alex was still sitting on his legs, "It won't mean anything to me, maybe to her."

"What are you going to do when she's looking toward marriage, or talks about children?"

"I will say that I'm not looking for that in my future, than break up with her."

"You don't want kids Jack?"

His brown eyes fell to Alex's pants, he undid the button and pulled back the boxers taking a look, "You didn't change body parts, so I doubt you can bare a child."

"I meant adoption you idiot," he said slapping Jack's hands away as they went into his boxers, "and I said not now."

"Oh come on, you want me."

Alex stood up and buttoned his jeans, "We should get to the tent."

"Looks like you got a tent of your own."

He looked down and grumbled, walking to the bathroom.

~x~

Alex scribbled his signature on another magazine, handing it back to the teen and smiling at her. He looked at the crowd of fans, trying to see if any of them had been at the earlier signing, but he didn't recognize them. As the next person came up, starting with Rian, he felt Jack pinch his arm. He looked over and his face dropped, it was Maria, never had he thought that she would be so courageous to approach them, he also started to understand what Matt has said.

"Hello Alex," she said with a forced grin, the girl he'd seen her with on her hip, curly brown hair and chocolate eyes, "this is Alexis... your daughter."

"What?"

"You heard me correctly, I was going to tell you during graduation, but I saw you all over Jack and it just got me pissed. I was going to keep her from you too, since she and I were doing so well with Erin... but he won't marry me until I give her up."

"Maria?" Jack asked, still in shock.

"We've established this!" she muttered placing the bag on the table, "This is for the rest of the day, my mom has all of the rest of her stuff, I'm sure you remember where I lived. Get it, don't call me, don't harass my mother. Enjoy the baby Alex, it's the only way you'll be having one of your own."

"How old is she?" he asked as she waved at him.

"Three," she put Alexis down, "you be nice to your daddy, okay?" she walked away.

"Maria wait!" Alex yelled, but she didn't stop walking.

The next fan stared at him with wide eyes, "Whoa, was that like epic or what? That was Maria, from Dear Maria, right? And you like, have an unknown child."

He stared at the teenage, not thrilled by her excitement.

Jack leaned over, "Your wishes are coming true, you've got a kid."

He slapped him, "Don't go there."