Every Time You Fall Apart You Can Hide Here In My Arms

Austin frowned and pressed the earpiece in her ear, further into her ear.

"That's an insane request. I don't think I can help you," she stated firmly.

She was in her car on the phone with a real asshole. Thankfully, she was allowed to turn down a couple advertising accounts a year. This was definitly going to be one of them. She pressed her foot to the break and stopped at an intersection. To top it off, for some reason the morning traffic was insane.

"I'm sorry sir but I can't help you," she repeated, "but if you'd like, I can refer you to some of my excellent colleagues."

She was certain the guy wasn't going to go for it but he did. She had him fax her everything and she promised to distribute it before hanging up the phone. She rarely used her handless phone system which was stupid, but in times of stress, she pulled it out.

"Ass," she muttered, pulling the ear piece from her ear and tossing it on the passenger seat.

She was irritated. Thanks to Matt, she was late for work. He'd kept her up far later than she'd ever stay up on her own, only to set her alarm clock an hour ahead so they'd have time to be together in the morning before she left for work.

She was ready to kill him when he'd informed her of his cunning plan.

Driving across town with her window down, listening to the sounds of the city she made it to work relatively quickly. By the time she made it up to her office however, the amount of clients waiting for her reminded her of just how late she was.

Mica frowned and chased her into her own office, closing the door behind them.

"I give you one day off, and you like...I dunno," she puffed in frustration, "you realise you're an hour late?"

Austin nodded and slipped off her jacket, hanging it on the back of her chair. "Yes I know. It's Matt's fault."

"It's Matt's fault," Mica repeated sarcastically. "Why do you have to blame things on the poor boy?"

Austin glanced at her friend with a look that should kill but instead Mica walked away unharmed. "I'm sending in your first client."

Austin nodded and pulled herself together. She was going to need to be composed to deal with these grouchy business men.

***

By the time she got home from work, which was two hours later than normal, she was exhausted. Thank god Matt wasn't at her house.

She threw her bag on the stand along with her keys and headed through her house removing items of clothing as she went. She showered quickly and headed to her room. She only had half an hour to get to the club Eighteen Visions was playing at.

She dressed in a simple black racer back top, and tight destroyed jeans. She topped everything off with bracelets on both wrists, a necklace and a pair of black and pink Vans. She was definitly not the business woman you would have encountered earlier.

Once she was back in her car she called James' cell. When he answered she wasn't exactly sure what to say.

"Well, well, she is still alive," James' voice rang through the phone.

"Yeah," she sped through an intersection before the light changed to red, "alive enough to come to your show."

"Seriously?" his voice seemed to lift.

"Yeah," she laughed softly and glanced over her shoulder before switching lanes, "am I going to be able to buy tickets for this thing?"

"Don't worry about that. I put you on the VIP list, your pass is at the entrance. Just tell them your name and show them your ID."

"Alright," Austin slowed down for another intersection before reaching out and turning down her stereo. "Am I going to get to see you guys before your show? Or are you actually on schedule?" she laughed, knowing full well that concerts rarely ran right on time.

"No we're behind," James confirmed, "the first band had a bitch of a time with their equipment. You've been to the venue before right?"

"Yeah."

"Good, go around the fence by the stage and there will be a staircase leading up stairs. Just flash your handy little pass and come up and see us."

She laughed softly, "alright sounds good. I'll see you in about ten minutes."

"Alright, drive safe."

She flipped her phone shut and waited until the next intersection before dialing Matt's number.

***

Matt and the guys were sitting around the table in his and Johnny's apartment drinking beer and attempting to play poker.

"Ahhhh you fucker," Syn laughed tossing his cards down on the table.

Matt felt his cell vibrate and he reached for it, uncliping it from his jeans and pressing it to his ear, "Matt."

The guys around the table went quiet.

"Hey, Matt."

He perked up when he realised it was Austin. "Hey, babe, how was work?"

"Would have been better if someone wouldn't have kept me up all hours of the night."

Matt laughed, "well I couldn't help it. You just looked so damn cute I didn't want to move you."

"Sure sure," she stated before her going quiet for a moment. "So are you at home?"

"Yeah," he nodded and glanced at the hand Johnny had just delt him, "gonne come see me?"

"I can't," again she went quiet for a moment, "I'm going to watch Eighteen Visions play tonight."

Matt went silent. He didn't know what to say really. He wasn't mad, but upset. He'd hoped that Austin would decide not to go.

"When do you go see them?" he asked coldly.

"In a few minutes."

From the noises in the background he could tell she was getting out of her car.

"Wow. Well whatever, have fun then."

"Matt, don't," she said softly, "are you going to be at my house when I get home?" When she'd found her spare key the day before she'd been sure to give it to him.

"Probably not," he wanted to go back to see her tonight, but he wasn't going to allow himself. Deep down, he was hoping that by not showing up, it would upset her.

"Alright, well I'll call you in the morning then."

Not the reaction he was looking for but again, what could he do?

"Sure," he replied flatly and she seemed to sense his sour mood.

"Alright I have to go, I'll talk to you tomorrow," and with that she hung up. Matt flipped his phone shut and placed it on the table.

"Well someone sure got pissy quick," Zacky pointed out the obvious.

"Was that Austin?" Syn asked cautiously.

Matt nodded, "yeah she's going to watch eighteen vee play."

"Shit," Rev startled everyone, "Mick asked me the other day if we were gonna come watch."

"We could still go," Johnny cut in.

Matt listened to the conversation but never contributed, at least not until he was spoken to directly.

"Want to go Matt?"

He glanced up at his friends. Why not?

"Sure."

***

Austin clipped the pass onto the belt loop of her jeans like the security guard had instructed her too and she wandered down the hallway, past the coat check, and into the main area of the venue. The licensed areas of the venue were bustling with people, meanwhile the floor area was packed with a bunch of underage people.

She stopped briefly at the bar and grabbed a drink. Matt had rattled her nerves. She didn't think he'd get mad at her, but he had.

After thanking the bartender she made her way to the stairs like James told her. The two security guards at the bottom confirmed her pass and let her go. She bounced up the stairs two at a time, careful not to spill her drink. When she made it to the top she could hear the guys laughing. Putting on a smile she rounded the corner and came face to face with the band and their road crew downing a few beers before playing.

"Ahhhhh she came," Ken jumped up, offering her his seat.

She shook her head, "no I'm alright, thanks anyway though." She exchanged smiles and hand shakes with a few of the guys before setting eyes on James who seemed to be watching her intently.

"Hey," he greeted her as she approached.

She smiled back, "hey."

The room returned back to it's normal volume and activity, easing the awkwardness between James Hart and herself.

"Glad you came," he smiled and gestured towards her drink with his beer, "don't trust our stuff?"

She laughed softly, "no, I just needed one...quicker than I could get up the stairs."

"Fair enough," he laughed, "so, word on the grape vine is that you're back with M. Shadows."

God she forgot how fast news traveled in the 'celebrity world'

"Yeah," she took another gulp of her drink. At this rate she was going to need another one and fast.

"Sorry for taking you to that party," James offered her a sympathetic smile, "I didn't realise you had a history with those guys."

"Don't worry about it," she assured him, "not many people know."

"So, what happened between you?" he asked cautiously, "if you want to answer that is."

"Long story short..." she took a sip of her drink and swallowed. She was going to give him a very short, sweet version and save herself the heartache. "Matt and I broke up. I was living in New York, I never kept track of what he did after that. I moved back here, and thanks to you, and I don't mean that in a bad way, we were reunited."

"How long were you in New York?" he seemed genuinly interested.

"Five years," she locked eyes with him, "a nasty break-up and five years of no talking lead to the episode you were subjected to at the party."

"Well that's shitty."

She smiled, he pretty much pegged it.

"So everything is good now?"

She nodded. She wasn't about to tell him that by her being here with him, caused Matt to get a little excited. After all, the guys were suppose to be friends.

"Yeah I guess."

"Good," he smiled and finished off his drink, "you deserve it."

She looked him over. It was his genuine sincerity that amazed her. They didn't know each other that well yet she was drawn to him. There was just something about him. And it wasn't just his amazing looks.

"Time to roll boys," Mick interrupted the crew. It was time for them to hit the stage.

"Coming to watch?" James stood up to attention and stretched his arms.

She nodded and he pulled her into the circle that everyone in the room had formed for a prayer they recited before each show.

Afterwards she and James followed everyone else down the stairs and they parted ways near the stage.

She stood near the security guards at the bottom of the stairs and watched as the band took the stage, kicking off the show with Victim. Watching a few moments longer she decided it was time to find somewhere else to stand so she could see better.

She slipped into the nearest licensed bar area and was about to take a seat on one of the stools near the railing when she spotted the guys coming towards her. Matt was leading the pack. She was sure her eyes turned to fire. He was unbelieveable. She somehow sensed that they weren't there to just watch the band; Matt was there to keep an eye on her.