Alone Together

There had never been a job offer from her dad. The morning when Taylor woke up wrapped in Pete’s arms after an innocent evening, she had slipped out of his embrace to call her father on her balcony, and pleaded with him to find her a place in New York to live. Although confused and bothered that Taylor wouldn’t explain why, Gerard had consented, and said he could find her a place within the month. He refrained from making a comment when Taylor said she’d be in town within the week, deciding it best not to pry too much into his newly reacquainted daughter’s life. Taylor never imagined that Pete would come back the next day and beg her to stay, and her brain couldn’t fathom the idea of making love with him well into the early hours of the morning, but it had happened all the same. That next morning she offered Pete a parting kiss and no promises, calling the moving company the minute the door closed behind him. It was better for her to disappear, she decided, and let the band live on as if none of the past year had happened.

As much as it killed her to leave Pete no word, it was almost just as painful to have disappeared after giving Patrick warning. His voice had pierced her over the phone, avoiding accusations that she knew he must assume. He hadn’t begged her to stay, but she knew he would have, and what would any of that have accomplished? She had ruined a once happy relationship with nothing more than her presence and friendship. She had never wanted it to escalate into what it had become. She never wanted to fall in love with Pete Wentz. But it still happened.

She hadn’t spoken to any of the band for the last four years, but she knew Patrick would know what she was up to from Rae. Taylor couldn’t avoid her family, which Hailey was now a part of, and she knew Hailey had probably let her bandmates in on what was going on to lessen the worry amongst the group as a whole. Taylor wished she could keep in touch with her friends, but she didn’t want to make the clean break any more difficult for Pete than she was sure it already was, and so sacrificed her few happiness’s to give him his. It was hard enough trying to stay anonymous in a city that Fall Out Boy was known to frequent.

Gerard had found her an apartment not far from his first apartment in the city. It was essentially the same size as her home in Chicago with a slightly higher rent, but Gerard knew plenty of landscaping businesses looking for new hires. Taylor had surprised him when she revealed she planned on starting her own, and it had steadily grown into a profitable little company over the years. She had worked on parks, playgrounds, school grounds, personal homes, anything and everything that New York offered.

But she did miss Chicago something awful.

Taylor sighed as she stared out the window of her office, watching the people milling about on the street below. For a girl who had spent half of her life moving around the country, she was having a hard time feeling at home in New York. Her whole life since she had moved had been her company, and the only interactions she had with people besides her employees were her weekly meals with Gerard and Sylvia and meetings with her clients. It was depressing compared to the many nights she used to hang out at one of the guys’ apartments, never lonely for more than a day.

“Excuse me, Miss Barrie?” The soft voice of her nervous intern rolled into the room, and Taylor turned to face the pale girl. She offered the girl a radiant smile.

“Yes, Lilah, can I help you with something?”

Lilah’s insides relaxed and she walked in a little bolder. All of Taylor’s employees loved their boss. “No ma’am, it’s just that there’s someone who’s asking to see you, if you’re not too busy.”

Taylor glanced at the pile of papers on her desk she had finished that morning. “Of course. Feel free to send them in.” Lilah grinned and nodded, excusing herself out of the office as Taylor threw one more glance out the window. It would probably rain soon, she thought.

“Well, well, well.” Taylor’s heart leapt into her throat and she spun around, beaming at the black haired beauty that was gliding into the office. “Hailey told me you were doing pretty well for yourself, but I don’t think I imagined this when she told me about it.” Rae gave the office a cursory glance and nodded in approval. “This is pretty sweet, Tay. I can see why you’d leave Chicago for it.”

Taylor felt her throat tighten and tears burned behind her eyes. “Rae!” she cried, and threw herself into her friend’s arms, weeping openly. Rae held tight to her, letting her own tears become lost in Taylor’s mess of red hair. They stood for a moment as friends reunited before pulling apart, smiles shaky and eyes rimmed with red. “I can’t believe you’re here. I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again anytime soon.”

Rae laughed. “I’m just mad it took me this long. We all searched high and low for you after you disappeared, you know.” Taylor looked down in shame and Rae closed the door to the office for some more privacy. She nudged her friend’s shoulder gently. “Taylor, nobody’s mad at you. We were all just freaked out when you took off so suddenly. You have to admit, changing your number without warning anyone was enough to terrify anyone.”

“You know why I had to.”

“He does, too.”

Taylor turned away and moved to her desk, brushing aside the papers distractedly. “How is everyone?” she asked casually, eyes focused on making the papers line up precisely. Rae raised her eyebrows and shrugged, walking over towards the window and staring out.

“Pretty much same old same old. FreeTime broke up. With Hailey and Evan trying to start a family and Milo getting married we agreed it was just easier. But Jane’s still the sassy little thing she always was, and as for me…” She flicked her rest and Taylor noticed a glint of metal on her finger. “I guess you could say I’m doing pretty well for myself,” Rae smirked.

Taylor squealed and grabbed Rae’s hand, turning it over to admire the huge rock on her finger. “Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful! When? How?”

Rae blushed as she recounted the vacation she and Patrick had taken together the previous summer. They’d gone to Italy, and Patrick had fumbled with the ring box on their gondola, nearly dropping it into the water. The wedding would be next year, after the band finished touring, and Rae wanted to make sure that Taylor would come.

“Oh, Rae, I’m so happy for you two, really I am. But do you think me coming would be the best idea?”

Rae snorted. “Of course it would. You’re one of our best friends, and Patrick looks at you practically as a sister. It would kill him if you didn’t come.” She noticed the pain behind Taylor’s eyes and patted a hand on her shoulder. “Seriously, Taylor. He was actually the one who found out where your office was. He would’ve come to ask you, too, but they’re prepping for the concert tonight.”

Taylor’s eyes grew wide and she choked. “You mean they’re all here?”

Rae grinned and yanked out a piece of paper from her purse, holding it up for Taylor to read. “If you’re free tonight, this little beauty will get you in as my personal guest. You’ll be able to watch the show at a comfortable distance without getting moshed.”

Taylor could feel her face drain of its color and she bit her lip. How could she face them all? How could she face him? After all the trouble she’d caused, what made Rae think he’d even want to see her? Never mind the fact he and Ashlee were divorced, the pain that she put him through wasn’t the kind to be forgiven easily. Rae seemed to read her mind.

“Listen, I’ve been to every show with them so far on this tour,” she began, shoving the ticket into Taylor’s hand. “They’re phenomenal. Truly. But I swear every night it looks like he’s staring out at the crowd trying to find someone. Maybe tonight he’ll finally spot her.” She nudged Taylor again. “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not. Patrick and I aren’t taking no for an answer.”

--

TAREGET ACQUIRED. DRAGGING TO SHOW TONIGHT.

Patrick smirked at his phone before tucking it back into his back pocket. His fiancée really was an incredible woman. He didn’t have long to appreciate her before his bandmates and the ever excited Brendon Urie bounded into the room.

“Still on vocal rest? That’s cute,” Brendon giggled, plopping onto the couch. Joe and Andy strode in after him, laughing at some joke they had shared in the hallway. Pete wandered in last, a huge grin on his face as the adrenaline from putting on a show in a few hours started to run through his veins. It was a completely different Pete than they’d known over the past four years. It was the Pete they had all loved.

But there was still one little glint missing from his eyes. And hopefully tonight would be the night that spark would reignite.

Rae and Taylor were given passes to wear around their necks that would let them go backstage after the show, and the girls wandered around the arena as security prepared themselves for letting all the fans in. “Patrick said if there’s any merch we would want we can have it for free. They have a bunch saved away so we don’t have to worry if any sell out with the fans.” Rae didn’t seem to notice how pale Taylor grew with each passing minute, and happily dragged her down toward the stage to find a good spot where they wouldn’t get moshed by the crazy fans that had started to pour in.

As it drew nearer to show time, Taylor’s palms were sweating more than the thousands of teenage bodies rocking in waves as they fought to get closer to the stage. Her eyes flitted around as the lights dimmed, and the screams of the fans mirrored the terror she felt in her heart. But there were two bands to listen to before she really had to think about running. Seeming to read Taylor’s mind, Rae linked her arm with hers right before Panic!’s set, offering her an encouraging smile.

“You all ready for Fall Out Boy?” The crowd was devouring Brendon’s every word and screaming hysterics as the singer laughed. “No you’re not. You’re not fucking ready. They’re going to melt your face off.” Taylor had to nod to that one. She knew she certainly wasn’t ready. But the adrenaline in the room was infectious, and as Rae bumped her around and got her screaming along the lyrics with her, Taylor couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in years, Taylor was having fun.

And then it was time. It was like slow motion, watching them all walk out, dark figures on the stage wearing ski masks and staring ominously out into the crowd. Taylor’s eyes locked onto Pete as he moved around the stage, mesmerized by the commanding presence he held. He hadn’t noticed her, she realized with a pang, and she couldn’t tell if that pleased or upset her. But Brendon was right—there was no way these people were ready for Fall Out Boy, because the band was dominating the stage with such fire that they might burn down the stage. People’s faces might very well actually melt off.

She had never seen them perform, but she knew that any performance they had done before had to have paled in comparison. These men were on fire and the crowd breathed in their flames. Taylor could feel their heat radiating off the stage and her eyes widened in amazement. She couldn’t tear her gaze from Pete the whole time, and as he stepped up to the mic to speak between songs, he finally noticed her, too.

Pete froze with his hand on the microphone, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. All train of thought evaporated as his eyes locked onto the emeralds that haunted his dreams. She stared back at him like a deer caught in headlights. Patrick noticed the heart breaking stare off and decided to take over for his friend, nodding to Joe and Andy to start the song Pete had slaved over for months.

“I don’t know where you’re going but do you have room for one more troubled soul? I don’t know where I’m going but I don’t think I’m going coming home, and I said I’ll check in tomorrow if I don’t wake up dead. This is the road to ruin, and we’re starting at the end.”

Pete seemed to come back to his senses and quickly turned away, sprinting across the stage and strumming his bass to distraction. It wasn’t until after the chorus that he came back to his place on stage, eyes locked onto Taylor as the passion in his face spread throughout his body. He mouthed along to his words as Patrick gave them life.

“You cut me off, I lost my track. It’s not my fault—I’m a maniac. It’s not funny anymore, no it’s not. My heart is like a stallion; they love it more when it’s broken. Do you wanna feel beautiful? Do you wanna?”

Taylor hated that she felt tears stinging her eyes, and as the concert went on, Pete didn’t give her a second glance.

After their rendition of Saturday, the band traipsed off stage. Pete hesitated as a tech helped disconnect his ear piece before stripping off his shirt and tossing it into the crowd. Taylor felt her cheeks burn as she remembered the last time she saw his naked torso as it covered her shaking frame like a comforting and erotic blanket. The teenage girl who had caught his shirt was holding it aloft like a Super Bowl trophy, all her friends screaming around her. As the crowds finally settled and began to disperse, Rae turned to Taylor with a grin.

“Amazing, aren’t they? C’mon, I told Patrick we’d see him!” She ignored the stuttered attempt Taylor made to refuse and gripped the girl’s wrist tightly, dragging her away and towards the security guards waiting for them. They led the girls to an empty hallway and nodded towards the door at the end, partially open with light flooding out into the hall. Before the girls stepped forward a figure stormed out of the room and hurried off in another direction. Rae shrugged and tugged Taylor along again, pushing the door open with a grin.

“Good job, guys! Look who I found!”

Joe and Andy froze in shock and Patrick beamed at the pair. Brendon was sitting on a couch in the corner and glanced up, a curious expression on his face. Pete was nowhere to be found. Taylor felt her stomach clench and she forced an awkward smile, holding her hands up with a shrug. “Surprise?”

The boys all cheered and Patrick ran forward to pull Taylor into a huge embrace, ignoring the pelting on his back as Joe and Andy fought to be the next to hug her. When at last they had all had their fill, the group all plopped down on the couches in laughter. Brendon looked between the stranger and his friends, eyebrows raised. “Sorry, but what the hell did I miss?”

Patrick laughed and scratched his head, the other arm wrapped around Rae. “Oh, sorry man. This is Taylor. She’s an old friend from Chicago.”

Brendon looked back at Taylor, his eyes darkening in a moment of recognition before he flashed a toothy grin. “Oh, right. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Taylor felt her insides squirm and she wondered what Pete had told him about her.

“Where’s Pete?” Rae asked, glancing around and asking Taylor’s question for her. The boys all looked at each other uneasily, avoiding looking at Taylor.

“He went back to the hotel. Said he was feeling kind of rough,” Patrick finally answered. He turned to Taylor again with a sympathetic look. “Something about his chest, I think.”

Taylor understood. She felt a similar pain beating in her heart, too.