You and Me, Forever Young

Now that Ryan and Shelby were on my side I felt a little better about convincing everyone else.

That hopeful feeling was the only remotely good thing going on in my screwed up little life as I attempted to plot my way back to normality.

Once Ryan and Shelby had been successfully won over, we proceeded to our respective phones and computers to gather reinforcements.

Together we decided it'd be best to save Will for last and work over everyone that this stupid rumor had reached.

I honestly didn’t think it was a good idea to leave Will out of the loop, knowing he wouldn't appreciate us practically going behind his back.

As it was I had already tried to call him several times, even sending Madi over to see if he'd open the door, but Will had all but voluntarily disappeared of the face of the Earth, so we had no other option.

I sent Shelby and Ryan away to handle wedding business along the lines of picking up wedding guests and keeping Sarah, the Nazi wedding planning sister, at bay.

If I hadn’t been so worried about Will the guilt I had over taking attention away from Shelby for even a minute would've overwhelmed me.

She didn’t seem bothered by it though as she left, almost wanting to stay and help instead of focus on her own wedding.

It would've disturbed me more but my own marriage was in question, and for that we had work to do.

Brendon got the easy job of calling up Gabe and Victoria and explaining everything, while Madi took on Nicole and in extension Patrick.

I somehow drew the card of calling Jamie and Mike.

If there was one other formidable force of friend I had to deal with next to Shelby and Ryan, it was Jamie and Mike.

Jamie and I had bonded to the point of sisters and aunts for our kids on tour, namely best friends.

But when it came down to it all she was Will's friend first.

It didn’t help that she was married to Mike, who could never be described in words other than Will's best friend.

And that's why I wasted every precious second I had before I had no other choice but to press the 'talk' button on the phone.

It rang.

And rang.

By the fourth ring I knew Jamie was stalling; she had caller i.d. after all.

I was ready to hang up and hope for a miracle when her voice came crystal clear through the phone.

"It's not true is it?" She asked anxiously in a voice above a whisper.

I almost let out a sigh of relief.

She was making this easier than I thought it'd be.

"No, no of course not! All I was doing was helping Brendon back to his hotel room. He was upset and wasted and I couldn't leave him like that. Everything is just a horrible misunderstanding." I explained, struggling to keep the relief out of my voice.

Jamie sounded just as I imagined myself with a low sigh.

"I didn’t want to believe it, I couldn't believe it. I know you're too much in love with Bill to cheat on him with Brendon of all people." She explained, hesitating for a moment. "Some people didn’t agree with me."

I only had to hear the edge in her voice to know.

"Mike?"

"I know Will's practically his brother, but you're our family too. I mean all we have on tour is each other. I can't believe he'd think you would do such a thing." She said, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice.

I sighed, fifteen minutes of last night ruining not just my life but now two other lives.

"I'm so sorry Jamie." I murmured softly.

Instantly she jumped into friend mode.

"No Lilly, don't blame yourself for any of this! If there's anyone to blame you're the last person!" Jamie shot back fiercely.

Her passion as a friend sent the warmth I had forgotten for so long back into my heart.

Before I had a chance to reply with whatever pathetic words I could muster my phone vibrated, signaling a text.

I ignored it though as the sound of a door opening and closing was heard on Jamie's end of the phone.

She was silent for a few moments, talking distantly but indistinctly to Mike.

Finally she returned, her voice even more urgent than before.

"Lilly, Mike just got back from checking on Bill. He's not there and he's not answering his phone."

My hand started shaking and I felt cold.

It was one thing knowing he was holed up somewhere miserable.

But when he was nowhere to be found and a complete wreck... every worst scenario flooded through me like ice in my veins.

"Lilly? Lilly?" Jamie asked fearfully.

"I'll call you back." I murmured in a daze.

I sat like a statue on the bed feeling numb.

Even when there was a knock on the door I didn’t even flinch, there was nothing in this world that could break me from my self induced coma.

"Bill?"

Scratch that, the only thing that could bring me back was the one that had sent me there.