When the Walls Come Crashing Down

Nick's POV

In the beginning of August, Nick was at work in the studio with John, working on the album of course. There was still just something missing from the unfinished album. Another song is what John suggested. However, Nick wasn’t listening to a word John was saying. Instead, he was looing at pictures of Bryson on his phone with the biggest smile on his face in months.

“Geez Nick, when you and Faith were married you didn’t give two shits about your phone. Now that you two have a kid together you don’t seem to put it down,” John said with a laugh when he noticed that Nick wasn’t paying any attention.

“People change, John,” Nick said in response, his eyes still glued to the phone.

“I know,” John said, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m not saying you didn’t love Faith, ya know. What I’m saying is when you were married and she wanted kids you didn’t because you didn’t want to get distracted. You have a kid now with your ex-wife and you’ve been more distracted in the past month than you have been the past six years.”

“Look at that face,” Nick said, holding up his phone for John to see the picture of Bryson, cheeks and all. “Try to tell me it wouldn’t distract you.”

“Oh it would,” John said as he handed the phone back.

“So what are you trying to say, John?”

“I think you should take a break from this,” John said, pausing so Nick could process what he was saying. When Nick didn’t respond he continued his thought. “Spend time at home with your son and Faith. You can always make this up,” he said, waving his arm over the soundboard. “You can’t make up time with your family. The early years are the best years.”

“I can’t just drop everything now! Not when we’re so close to being done,” Nick exclaimed, his eyes widening at John’s suggestion. It wasn’t the time for this, though deep down he knew John was right.

“Well you can’t finish it just so you can leave and go on tour. You’ll miss too much. And I don’t think Faith would be too happy about it.”

“I don’t care what Faith thinks,” Nick muttered.

“Then why did you move in with her?” John asked. Nick just looked up at him and didn’t say a word. John had hit the spot. “Exactly.”

“You really think this is the best decision?”

“Completely honest?” John asked and Nick nodded his head in response. “Yeah, I do.”

A few moments later Nick was walking out to his car. With his hand on the handle he turned to look back at the studio. John was right. When he was married to Faith he practically lived there. Look what good that did for their marriage. Granted, if things had gone differently Faith probably still would have realized she had feelings for Joe and their marriage still would have ended.

“I have to do this,” he said to himself, almost as if he was trying to give himself a pep talk to actually get in the car and drive home. Work already ruined his marriage. He wasn’t going to let it ruin his rekindled relationship with Faith but most importantly, the one with his son.

When Nick got home, Faith’s car was the only one in the driveway. He had never gotten home before Meg and Lizzy before. This was new to him. He walked into the house to find Faith lying on her stomach in the middle of the living room with Bryson in front of her on his back on a blanket. Faith turned when she heard the door close and her eyes widened in confusion.

“Nick,” she said, surprise in her voice as he slid his shoes off and walked across the plush carpet to sit on the floor across from her, Bryson between them. “What are you doing home?”

“John and I decided that right now isn’t the best time to finish the album,” he said, reaching out to grab Bryson’s feet as he kicked them and flailed his arms.

“Why not?” Faith asked, sitting up and mirroring Nick.

“Well I can’t just leave you and Bryson to go on tour,” he said, shrugging his shoulders as he repeated John’s words. “Especially with Joe gone, too and Lizzy leaving in a week and a half. Plus there would have been interviews and travel even if I didn’t’ go on tour.”

“So you’re staying here for us? And not going to work at all?”

“For a few years probably, yeah.”

“Wow. I never thought I’d see the day,” she said with a laugh. She leaned down and let Bryson grab both of her pointer fingers in his hands. “You hear that buddy? Daddy’s going to stay home with us!”

Nick couldn’t help but smile at Faith’s statement. The first two or so weeks he felt awkward when he’d talk to Bryson and refer to himself as Daddy. It’s not like Bryson really understood a word he said but he tried to do it when it was just the two of them. He wasn’t sure how Faith would react if she heard him say it. In fact, this was the first time he actually heard her say it and it really took him by surprise.

“People change, Faith,” he said, repeating the words he said to John just an hour earlier.

“You’re preaching to the choir, you know,” she said looking up at him with a strange expression on her face. Nick frowned when he realized it was guilt.

“I’m not mad at you, Faith,” he said softly. “Anymore that is.”

“I know,” she said, shrugging her shoulders and looking back down at Bryson. Her voice was soft as well.

“You do?”

“Yeah, it’s not hard to tell.”

“We’ve come a hell of a long way in the past few months, haven’t we?” he asked with a laugh as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“You could say that,” she said, a smile creeping up on her face.

“I bet you’re excited to see Joe next week,” he said. When he said it he felt an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“Probably about as excited as you are to see Charlotte if not more,” she said with a smile and Nick couldn’t help but smirk.

Nick loved Charlotte. He really did. But for some reason as he watched Faith play peek-a-boo with their son, past feelings overcame him. That’s what he had felt, past feeling for Faith bubbling up. When he thought about it, maybe they weren’t past feelings. Maybe he still had not stopped loving Faith and being back in each other’s lives was starting to make him realize that.

There’s nothing I can do about it, he thought. Faith has Joe. She chose him over me. And I have Charlotte… Still… it doesn’t hurt to dream. What they don’t know won’t kill them…

“Well since you’re home early do you want to go on a walk with us?” Faith asked, standing up and bending down to pick up Bryson. Nick looked up at her as she waited for his answer and smiled.

“I’d like that,” he said, standing as well. She smiled at him before leading the way to the front door and getting out Bryson’s stroller.

Anything can happen, he thought as they made their way outside, closing the door behind him.

****

Joe’s POV

“What do you want for your birthday?” Charlotte asked as Joe set up backstage while Black Rose did their pre-show routine.

“I don’t need anything,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“What?” she asked as the cheers of the fans got louder and the opening band made their way backstage.

“I said I don’t need anything.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, sticking her hip out and resting her hand on it as she gave Joe a questioning look.

“Yeah,” he said with a smile. “Being home for Bryson’s baptism is the best gift I could get for my birthday.”

“That and birthday sex,” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh geez,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“What? By then almost a whole month will have flown by since you’ve seen Faith and life on the road can get… lonely.”

“Tell me about it,” he muttered. “Like you should talk though.”

“That’s not a very nice thing to talk about in front of a lady,” she said, in a mock southern accent.

“You’re the one that brought it up!” he said, a hint of frustration in his voice.

“Calm down, it was a joke. Well if you’re sure you don’t want anything I’ll head over to my side I guess,” she said, jerking her hand towards the other side of the stage.

“I’m sure,” he said with a laugh.

“Fine,” she said with a pout before walking away. Joe laughed as he watched her walk away and shook his head.

****

“Faith! I’m home finally!” Joe cried, dropping his overnight bag on the floor of the foyer and opening his arms, expecting her to come flying into them the moment she heard his voice.

But she didn’t come. Frowning he dropped his arms and slowly walked into the house. She wasn’t in the living room or the kitchen. The lights were off in the basement. He walked back through the kitchen to the glass back door and didn’t see a sign of her outside.

“Where is she?” he asked himself as he scratched his head. Just then he heard footsteps on the stairs. He smiled wide and walked back into the foyer.

“Joe. Hi,” Faith said sounding out of breath. Joe frowned when he saw her. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was a mess. Another set of footsteps caused him to look up and see Nick making his way down the stairs.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, looking between his brother and his girlfriend.

“Nothing,” they both said a little quickly.

“Why do you both look like you just…”

“Like we just what, Joe?” Faith asked, trying to keep her voice steady. He saw as she glanced quickly to her left where Nick still stood on the stairs.

“Like you just had sex,” he said, his voice going up a pitch on the last word. Faith and Nick looked at each other and Nick sighed.

“Look, Joe,” he started.

“No,” Joe said, putting a hand up and shaking his head. “This isn’t happening.”

“Joe, I’m sorry,” Faith said as tears started to form in her eyes.

“I can’t believe it. I was so stupid. I loved you, Faith.”

“And I thought I loved you too, Joe.”

“You thought you loved me? Oh that’s rich. So, what? You still love Nick? Is that what you’re trying to say?” he asked, his voice rising.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Jesus,” Joe said, sitting up quickly as he took deep breaths. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He heard two knocks and leaned down over the side of his bunk to see Charlotte awake and looking back up at him.

“Are you alright?” she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“Yeah I just, had a really bad dream,” he said as his breathing returned to normal.

“Aw Joe, it’s only a dream. Nothing to worry about,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Do you need to talk about it?”

“No, I’m alright. Go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you up,” he said giving her a sympathetic look.

“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m here if you change your mind.”

“Thanks. Goodnight,” he said, giving her a smile to prove he was all right.

“Night,” she said, closing the curtain to her bunk. Joe sighed and closed his curtain. He laid his head back and closed his eyes.

One month down, two to go, he thought. He turned onto his side and grabbed his iPod, hoping that some music would get that horrible dream out of his mind.