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

The minute they walked into ice cream parlour Austin got the distinct feeling that the guys frequented this place often. Warm smiles and handshakes were exchanged as they made their way to the counter.

"Oooh hey boys!" the little jet black haired girl behind the counter beamed at them. Her hair was perfectly straight, and in place. Her make-up was perfect, her skin was perfect, hell, she was just the epitome of perfect.

"Hey, Melanie," Zacky greeted her cheerfully.

"How was the tour?" she asked as she slid open the glass door covering the ice cream.

"Good," Rev smiled.

"Awesome, you want the usual?" she asked them with a huge grin.

Zacky nodded and turned to Rev and Leana, who ordered next, followed by Matt and Maddison, then Austin and Mica. Zacky then lead them to a table in the corner away from everyone else.

They ate their ice cream and talked idly amongst themselves. When the time came to leave, Leana cleaned up Maddison and Matt was pulled aside to talk to Melanie. Zacky glanced at Austin sympathetically and they headed out the door.

Austin wasn't entirely sure if the 'look' was suppose to mean that he felt sorry for her, or that he felt sorry for Matt.

"A girlfriend?" Austin asked Zacky casually as they walked slowly back towards Leana and Zacky's cars.

Leana, Rev, Mica and Maddison were walking on the sidewalk to the left of them, making sure not to step on the cracks, for Maddison's fear of falling and breaking their backs.

"No," Zacky shook his head, sinking his hands into his pants pockets, kicking at random rocks, "not really anyway." He looked up at her and smirked, "fuck buddy is more like it."

"Oh," Austin faked a smile and looked straight ahead, she should have guessed.

"Yeah man, he just, wasn't getting along with Val anymore, and he didn't want another girlfriend, so he kinda went for the happy medium."

Typical.

"So how is Val?"

Zacky glanced over at her and shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Since before we left on tour, Matt and her were fighting, so no one, other than Matt, has talked to her since."

"Just like grade school," she laughed.

He grinned and nodded. "Pretty much. Though I'm guessing everything will be back to normal here soon now that we're home for a little while."

"That's good."

Zacky looked her over, "are you sure?"

She pushed him playfully, "and just what does that mean mister?"

Zacky laughed and regained his footing, "it just means, that I think you and Matt were always suppose to be together."

"I thought so once to," she admitted, "but, things change."

"Uncle Zacky, hurry up!" Maddison pleaded, the other group had already made it to the car.

"Yes they do," he smiled, pulling his car keys out of his pocket and clicking the unlock button.

***

Matt glanced at his watch then at Maddison who was falling asleep on the couch.

"Matt, she needs to go home," Matt's mom was standing in the living room in her house coat ready for bed.

"I know," Matt gathered up her things, "Val just called and said she'd be home in a few minutes."

"Here," his mom handed him her car keys, "are you coming home tonight?"

Matt shook his head, "no, I think I'm gonna go back to the apartment."

"Alright," she smiled, "I'll just get dad to drop me off there tomorrow to get the car."

"Sounds good," he held onto Maddison's bag with one arm as he picked up his daughter carefully with the other arm.

Her little arms wrapped around his neck and she continued to sleep.

"See you tomorrow."

He slipped out the front door, his mom closing it behind him. A few minutes later he was stopping in front of Val's place.

Val opened the passenger door and grabbed Maddison's things. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah it was alright," Matt moved into the back seat, picking up the entire car seat with Maddison still in it. He closed the car door with his hip and followed Val into her house.

"Wanna put her to bed? And I'll put this stuff away."

He scooped Maddison up and took her down the hall to her room.

"Maddison," he talked her awake and she glared at him.

He picked up her PJ's from the end of the bed and helped her change into them.

"Where is mom?" she demanded as Matt tucked her into her bed.

"I'm right here," Val stepped into the room, she kissed Maddison on the forehead and wished her a good night.

"So how was your day?" Matt asked her, trying to make casual conversation as they headed towards the front door.

"It was fun," Val smiled, tucking her blond hair behind her ears, "thank you."

"You're welcome," he slipped his shoes back on, placing his hand on the door knob. "Well I guess I will probably see you guys tomorrow."

"Guess that means you aren't staying for a little bit?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

He sighed, and looked her over, "we're not together anymore, Val."

"I know," she smiled softly, "it'd just be nice to hang out once and a while."

Matt moved in and wrapped her up in his arms, hugging her tight before letting her go. "We will I promise. But you're going to have to do something for me first."

She looked up at him curiously, "what's that?"

He opened her front door and locked eyes with her. "Austin is back. We hung out with her today. You know you guy's will have to talk at some point."

Val's face went pale. "Oh my god," she muttered, "Austin Barker?"

Matt nodded. "She knows about everything, she's even met Mattie. So the rest is up to you."

She closed her eyes for a moment before openeing them again, "what's up to me?"

"You're going to have to face her at some point, Val. You and I both know what we did was wrong, and now we have to deal with it. She was your best friend."

"And you really think she's going to be my friend after this?"

"Probably not," Matt shook his head, "but at least she'll know that you're sorry."

"And if I'm not sorry?"

Matt's face hardened. "Then she should at least know that you acknowledge that you weren't the best friend that you should have been."

Val never spoke, and Matt wasn't going to hang around and fight with her anymore. He used his watch as a diversion and glanced at it with a sigh before looking up at her again. She remained silent.

"Okay," he stepped outside. "Goodnight, Val." He closed the door behind him and hurried down the walkway to the car. He only had a few minutes to get home before Melanie stopped by.

***

Austin closed her front door, locked it then flicked on the hall light. She tossed her keys onto her table just inside the front door and slipped off her sandals.

Her cat, Ghost, was now attempting to rub against and inbetween her legs.

"Ghost, get off," Austin nudged her cat aside with her foot and headed into her kitchen.

Flicking on the light she moved directly to her phone on the counter. The light on the front flashed, indicating that she had at least one voicemail message.

"Who phoned us, Ghost?"

Her solid white cat meowed and hopped up on one of the bar stools then onto the counter beside her. She patted his head and pressed the button before putting Ghost on the floor and heading to the sink for a glass of water.

"You have three new messages
"Message One...Hey Austin it's James. Listen, I don't know what went down the other night, but I was wondering if you maybe wanted to hang out this weekend. We're playing a show at a club downtown and it'd be great if you'd stop by. Anyway, I'll call you later, bye."
"Message Two...Hey Austin, it's Jill. We got a call today from a company requestiong you, so if you'd like it, the new account is yours. Anyway, I'll see you bright and early in the morning."
"Message Three...Hey babe it's Mica, I got a call from Jill, we have to go in early tomorrow so I'll be at your house at five, have a good night!"

Austin sighed. Her phone beeped signaling the end of her messages. She deleted them all then retreated to the living room, sinking down on the couch and flicking on the TV. Ghost leaped up onto the arm of the couch and walked across the back of the couch to look out the big windows behind them.

Halfway through the TV program she'd happened across, all she could find herself thinking about was Matt.

"This is ridiculous, Ghost."

She highly doubted that Matt was feeling the same.

***

Matt layed back in bed staring up at the ceiling as Melanie nibbled across his collarbone and slowly down his chest. She was straddling his waist and her hands were flat on his bed on either side of his body. It was a situation that had pretty much become routine to the two of them.

He groaned involuntarily as her soft lips traveled lower down his well muscled chest as she slowly moved her way down his body.

She glanced up at him briefly, "Mmm...you like that, baby?"

She traced the deathbat on his lower stomach with the tip of her delicte tongue, a gesture which should have sent the zipper on his jeans screaming to be undone, but that wasn't the reaction he had. His talk with Val was running through his mind, as well as Austin. What was she doing right now?

Melanie's fingers found the button on his jeans, undoing it, before slowly sliding the zipper down. Normally, he'd be itching for more, but tonight, he just couldn't focus.

"Matt," she murmured as she went to work.

He closed his eyes, trying to focus solely on what she was doing, but instead, what should have blown him away, only repulsed him.

Fuckin ridiculous, Matt.

He reached down and stopped her. She looked up at him bewildered, then her reaction turned to pissed off.

When he never gave her an explanation she crawled off the bed and put her shirt back on.

"What the hell is wrong with you Matt?" she huffed.

Matt reached down, fixed his boxers and did his jeans back up.

"What do you mean what's wrong with me?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against his bedroom door. "I thought you'd be happy to see me. I haven't seen you in like six months!" she shook her head at him slightly. "Do you realize the withdraws I've been going through?"

Matt just about laughed but didn't. He didn't experince any withdrawls during the tour. But maybe that was because there was rarely a night where he was alone in his bunk.

"Didn't you miss me, babe?" Melanie stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Yeah I did," that wasn't a lie. The girl looked perfect, and she was good in bed. There wasn't a better combination.

She kissed his chest softly and looked up at him, batting her eye lashes. "Then show me, Matt. Show me how much you missed me."

He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly, "not tonight, okay?"

"Whatever, Matt," she hit his chest lightly and stepped away, snatching her purse off the floor and slamming his bedroom door shut on the way out.

This was a situation he rarely faced, a girl walking out on him. He laughed it off and headed down the hallway, maybe some TV would put him to sleep.

"Matt?" Lacy Franklin stepped out of Johnny's bedroom in boxers and a T-shirt, "everything alright?"

He nodded at Johnny's girlfriend, "sorry for waking you up, Lace."

She smiled and went back into their room. That was the only downside to sharing an apartment with someone. You always knew when the other was getting some...or wasn't.