Communion

The skies over Los Angeles were vast and vivid with hues of reds and yellows as the never-ending setting sun slowly descended around the bend of the forever dissipating horizon.

A year went by and the present now called itself the unimaginable time passed, summer of twenty-thirteen. Or July; less than a month away from Rose's twenty-seventh birthday.

Billie Joe sat perched in the window at Starbucks Coffee, guzzling a latté and reading the latest celebrity buzz to hit Tinseltown. Nothing usually took his interest in the tabloids. Least of all, reading about who's dating who. But as his eyes scanned the pages with bore he came across an article entitled "Green Day Announces New Release". He atypically liked or cared to read critical articles about his band, but curiousity killed the cat.

Looking shiftedly from side to side, the guitarist engaged himself in this read he couldn't help or avoid looking at in the moment. Noticing a quoted sentence of himself in bold letters right beside the article, Billie Joe rolled his eyes.

It read: "[Germanic Roses] is going to be about twelve people and their familes I feel greatly apologetic towards."

'The brats are back! But are they getting in over their heads this time 'round? Multi-platinum selling band and pop-punk moguls of the nineties and zeros, Green Day, have announced the name of their next issued release. But the name has left some people asking...has Green Day gone soft?
Made up of: Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass, vocals) and Tré Cool (drums, vocals); Green Day first hit the mainstream scene back in 1994, with their debut single, Longview off of Dookie.
WhileGreen Day were dubbed punk impostures by their peers from the start of signing to a major label back in '93, it was their undying wish to be accepted for who they truly were. After canceling halfway through their 1995 Insomniac Tour, ironically due to a claim of fatigue, the band moved on to their next work. Nimrod. Released in October of 1997, Nimrod proved to be a turning point in Green Day's career. With hits such as Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) topping the charts, record sales were still minimal and the band went into depression, releasing the media ignored Warning in 2000, their greatest hits collection International Superhits in 2001 and Shenanigans in 2002.
Ten years after their first and only real critically acclaimed success, the guys found themselves asking if they ever really knew who they were and what they wanted to be as a band. And that's when the second dynasty of Green Day's influential career, was born.
The Idiot Era.
American Idiot was released in September of 2004, with the first single off the thirteen track disc bearing the same name of the album. That album received mixed reviews, but its phenomenal record sales seemed to overshadow all else. It's neared a decade now after the release of American Idiot; what was once proclaimed with exaggeration "the album of a generation" in the December, 2009 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Armstrong, Dirnt and Cool are all in their early forties now, and since the end of the Idiot Era have only released one album in the past eight years. A compact recording, entitled "Nameless" of twenty previously unreleased songs. This album did the poorest in sales compared to any of Green Day's previous releases and also aroused the most negative attention, due to an event that occured on their European tour.
The guys are back in the studio now, finally, after bassist Mike Dirnt suffered a stroke brought on by unknown causes early last summer.
Speculation and rumors have also circulated about all members. Ranging from imprisonment and relationship struggles, to drug abuse.
Billie Joe spoke briefly with a reporter at a Reprise, 4th of July party earlier this month about the new album. He announced the name of their new recording, entitled 'Germanic Roses' and said right now they are spending countless hours in the studio trying to pull it together. "We're really excited about our new album. It's a bit different from anything else we've done before, but that's what we always strive for," Armstrong said. When asked what his inspiration for the new album and it's name was, Billie Joe simply said: "It's inspired by someone in my life that means a lot to me. She's someone that's had a great impact on me and helped me through some really rough times over the past years, you know?. And namely, [Germanic Roses] is going to be about twelve people and their families that I feel greatly apologetic towards."
Apologetic? Perhaps Billie Joe is referring to an event that took place in Berlin, Germany back in 2008. During the "Nameless" Tour, at a concert attended by twenty thousand fans, mysteriously, eyewitnesses say Billie Joe broke into what can only be described as "a fit of rage". He began uncontrollably smashing his guitar against the stage before fellow band members Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool dropped their instruments and tackled him to the ground. Considering Green Day's history of drum-burning and broken teeth, one would only consider this catostrophic event that eventually caused riot outbreak in the downtown of Berlin and the deaths of twelve teenagers, just another day in the life of Green Day.
But to this day, no one knows what that particular display was about and many dedicated fans are still seeking answers. Many have said that this event that took place is much different and more monumental than anything the band has dipped their feet into before. VH1 even labled it the #2 Most Awing Moment In Modern Rock.
So, whether Green Day's gone soft or just always were, we can only hope that those fans will get the answers they seek. Arousing negative attention or positive attention? Well, I guess we'll just have to wait until the 2014 release of Germanic Roses to find out.

-Jed Preston

Throwing down the magazine bitterly, Billie readjusted the heat sleeve on his paper cup and took another sip of his now lukewarm latté. He let out a sigh as he got up from his stool and glanced back at the counter where the employees rushed like busy bees as people that worked graveyard began to draw in before work.

"Thanks a lot," he murmured as he held up his cup and walked out the door unnoticed.

Slipping into his Toyota, conveniently and arrogantly parked in a handicapped space outside the door; Billie Joe reached for his cell phone as he placed his latté down in his cup holder in front of his gear shift. It was ringing insesently, and somewhere between placing his keys in the ignition and stepping on the gas, he checked his call display.

It read: 'Mike is Calling!'

Billie Joe sighed as he steered his car into the exit of the parking lot to find the highway jam-packed with traffic. He somehow managed to squeeze himself a spot in the nearest lane whilst fumbling to answer his call.

"H-Hello?!" he gasped in exaggeration as he placed the ear piece of his celly against his left ear.

"Hey man, where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the studio right now. I'm just stuck in traffic. Fuck I hate L.A...." Billie Joe complained as he rolled his eyes and reved his engine in a haste to make the traffic start moving again.

"Yeah me too. Seems like everything has become more complicated after Dookie. Have you noticed this? We have to be more "State of the Art" and high tech. with our records now. Hollywood not Oakland. Whatever their agenda is. Pfft, California..." Mike sighed as he shook his head.

"Oh yes my friend. I've noticed," the raven-haired man said sarcastically as he nodded his head as though Mike could see him doing it. Looking back at the road Billie Joe took his hand off the wheel and slapped it against his forehead with frustration. "Fuck!" he shouted, before slamming his fist on the horn at the cars ahead of him. Opening his power window with the flick of a switch, Billie Joe stuck his head out into the road in a huff. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THE HOLDUP?!"

"Hah! Good ol' road rage, Bill," Mike laughed. "You better be careful down here though. People are a lot crazier in L.A. compared to Berkeley."

"Mike, I'm forty-one years old. If I didn't know that already, I'd have to be a little fucked in the head, wouldn't I?" Billie Joe said crankily without a single laugh or chuckle escaping his lips.

"Hmm.... What? Yes, he's on his way here right now. I don't know. Okay, just a second."

"Who are you talking to?" Billie inquired even though he was already well aware who.

"Tre. He says his cell phone is acting fucked up and he needs to call his parole officer. So I think he wants me to get off the phone," Mike explained as he let out a blank sigh.

"GET FUCKIN' MOVIN'!" Billie shouted again out his window. "Huh? Wait, you guys are at fucking Ocean Way Recording in motha fuckin' Hollywood. They have ten free fucking phone lines, why can't Tre use one of those?"

"Because he's in one of his pain in the ass moods right now and he won't stop bugging me," Mike explained with little detail, knowing Billie Joe would know precisely what he meant.

"Fuck, that's all I need right now," Billie Joe sighed again in a stressed manner as the traffic began to slowly crawl along the highway.

"What's wrong?" Mike asked as he began to make a tapping noise on the receiver of his phone.

"Oh nothing really. Adie and I just got into a fight. That's all..." Billie Joe exclaimed as he looked down and grabbed his handsfree off the dash and plugged it into his cell phone in he midst of Mike's reply.

"...about?" Mike finished.

"Wha'? What did you say? Sorry, I was switching to handsfree. Repeat yourself," Billie Joe addressed Mike almost as if he were giving an order.

"Jeez, you're really cranky right now Bill. All I said was, what was the fight with you and Adie all about?" Mike repeated like Billie Joe instructed.

"I'm not cranky, just a little pissed off," Billie Joe confirmed.

"About what? Spill it!" Mike shrieked impatiently.

"Shut the fuck up!" Billie Joe retorted in that exact same tone he used at Woodstock '94 when he got half the crowd to shout "rock n' roll" and the other half "shut the fuck up".

"Billie man, I'm two seconds away from hanging up on you," Mike coerced as he persisted on making a tapping sound into the receiver.

"Sorry! Okay it's just 'cause...well, 'cause every time we get back in the studio I have to hear the same shit about how I'm not spending enough time with our children," Billie Joe snarled as he rolled his eyes and continued to crawl his car along the pavement.

"Oh I know. I definitely know what that's all about. Holly's getting really irritated with me because I'm constantly leaving Ryan at the hotel with her. She's told be she doesn't mind that much. I know she does mind somewhat though, otherwise she wouldn't even bring it up. But what am I supposed to do?" Mike asked in agreement with Billie's comment.

"I know!" Billie Joe said loudly with big eyes.

"But Ryan's a bit different, he's only three, I really should be around for him more than I am. And fuck...Estelle, I think she must be permanently pissed off at me. I know I would be if I was her." Mike paused for a brief moment to gather his thoughts. "Your kids are old teenagers now, what is Adie so worried about?"

"She's getting ticked off, 'cause from the start of the year she's been telling me Jakob's having problems with his schooling. I suggested to her that we just send him to a summer school, but she thinks that's negligent of me. What does she want me to do?! Teach him myself?! He's in grade fucking 10 now, I don't know half the shit they're trying to make him do!" Billie Joe ranted before leaning his head forward and purposly hitting it against the top of his steering wheel.

"I don't know. But I'm starting to get really pissed off and scared with how my job is always costing me my family and my love life." Mike stopped tapping the receiver with his fingertip and let out a disgruntled breath into the phone.

"You're not the only one my friend. But whatever, we always go through this when we're making a record. It's a vicious fucking cycle," Billie Joe said before he let out a bored yawn, picked up his cold latté and took another sip.

"Did you get me one?" the blue-eyed bassist asked out of the blue and with what seemed, without reason.

"What?" Billie questioned, as he let out a silent belch and placed his cup back down in its holder.

"Did you get a coffee for me?"

"What coffee?" Billie Joe lowered his eyebrows with suspicion and stared down at his cup nervously.

"Don't fuck with me, I know you have coffee right now," Mike said blatantly. "I have coffee spidey-senses. Don't tell me you don't have coffee."

"No I don't..." Billie Joe lied in a low tone that made it quite obvious.

"Go back and get me one," Mike cooed in a calm but demanding voice.

"No! I'm stuck in rush hour traffic right now. I'm not going all the way back just to get you one stupid cup of fucking coffee," Billie Joe retorted.

"Fine, see you when ya get here then," Mike replied calmly but with hostility in his voice.

"Yep," Billie Joe said as the traffic began to move at a bit more of a sane pace and he tailed closely behind the black Mercedes in front of him.

"Dick..."

"What? HEY!"

* * *

Nights in the studio ran so long. Sometimes the band even pulled all nighters. Nothing new for Green Day, but something completely new for the likes of Rose and Mike's girlfriend Holly.

Tre tried to set time aside for his wife and daughter, but it seemed the harder he tried the more difficult it became. He could miss days at the studio, and hear it from his band, or miss days at home, and hear it from Michelle, who often told her father how much she missed him.

Rose never complained about her husband's absence, even though she missed him dearly.

Earlier that year, Billie Joe and Rose had been forced to reconcile with each other when the band and its families moved into a hotel on the Sunset Strip. They still had a subtly of bitterness towards each other most of the time; this was exempted when every so often, Rose would come to the studio to drop the guys off some coffee.

She would sit from afar and glare at Billie as he tried desperately to align his vocals and get it right as he recorded it for the ten thousandth time. Sometimes he would glare back and other times he would just throw off his headset and storm outside in a huff.

At any rate, the album was taking longer than it should have.

July passed and Rose turned twenty-seven.

At midnight, one warm evening in mid August, Mike and Billie sat impatiently outside a soundproofed room their drummer was recording a backtrack in. Rob Cavallo was sat at a soundboard biting his nails in a stressed manner as Jerry Finn, Green Day's mixer sat beside him with his burning eyes glued to a computer monitor.

Billie Joe gazed across the room at the bar going up and down on Jerry's computer screen and he winced. "Tell him to pick the tempo up a bit. I want it to sound good..." the lead singer instructed Rob in a cranky and insulting drawl.

Rob stopped the vocal and bass track Tre was playing to and spoke into a mic which made his voice audible in the soundproofed room. 'Kay Tre, can you just pick the tempo up a notch?"

"I'm already doing it as fast as I can Rob. Fuck, is Billie bitching again? He better not be!" The drummer paused. "That's all I'm saying! He better fucking not be!" Tre coerced as he shook his head. "Okay fine..."

"Thanks son," Rob replied as though Tre were still the twenty-one year old kid he'd met twenty years prior.

The vocals and bass started in again and Tre began to play a basic beat one at an incredibly fast pace. He rolled his eyes at his band members through a glass window separating the two rooms, as an egotistical smile spread across his face.

Rob gave him the thumbs up before turning back to Billie and Mike. "Better, right?"

Billie Joe nodded and gave Tre the finger. "Better..." he said skeptically as his head turned to the sound of a knock on the door that lead out of the studio. "Uhoh..."

"I'm here..." a voice announced, sounding very much like an non confident and female version of Billie Joe Armstrong.

"Hi Rose," Billie grumbled as he sighted his cousin walk through the door alone with a couple of cardboard cup holders carrying six cups.

"Hey Rose..." Mike squeaked in a soft self-conscious voice. "Oh...coffee."

"Hi Mike Dirnt, how's it going?" Rose jokingly addressed Mike as though she had never met him before and ignored her cousin purposely, just to rile him up.

"I'm good, " Mike replied as he shook his head nonchalantly and smiled.

Rose turned to her cousin as she placed the cup holders full of coffee down next to the soundboard. "Aw, why such a long face Billie?" Rose asked in a mocking tone.

"What'd you do with the whippersnapper?" Billie questioned, ignoring the raven-haired woman's question.

"I dropped her off with Holly, in Mike's suite. She's out cold," Rose said with a smile as she let her eyes draw over Mike's attractive muscle-bearing wifebeater and then into the soundproof room where it was obvious her husband had just taken notice of her presence.

Tre threw his drumsticks away behind him, they bounced off the walls as he quickly hopped up from his drum set and in a few short moments was in his wife's arms out in the mixing room of the studio.

"Jesus Christ, Tre, we're recording!" Rob exclaimed as he ran his hand through his gray hair, showing his obvious stress. "Fuck, I'm gonna have to call it a night. I'm way overtired."

"Calm down Cavallo, we can record it again. My sugar honey is here...mwa mwa mwa...come to daddy!" Tre boomed in a strangely deep voice as he grabbed his wife's ass and she let out a surprised yelp.

Billie Joe shook and lowered his head as he put his hand up over his eyes in disgust. "Great Tre. Way to stop me from ever getting an erection again..."

As Tre let Rose's lips away from his own, Rose looked at Billie and grimaced. "Ewe..." she chirped like a little girl would at a boy she'd just accused of having cooties.

Billie Joe finally got off his high horse and started to laugh.

"Very funny, asshole," Rose retorted and rolled her eyes with a smile. "I brought coffee for everyone. I know you boys have been working so hard, all day long."

"Yeah, I have been hard all day long. How did you know, sexy?" Tre asked his wife in a serious tone as he kissed her neck softly.

"Working so hard..." Rose repeated as she raised her eyebrow and enjoyed the sensation of her lover's lips against her neck.

"I can't really wait any longer, so I'm just gonna help myself to the coffee," Mike announced as he jumped up from his seat beside Billie and grabbed a cup. "Thanks Rose."

"Of course, I brought coffee for everyone. You're welcome. Mike," Rose said pleasantly, pausing before she said the bassist's name again.

"Aw...you did that for us. Mmm...we're so lucky..." Tre murmured, very slowly, in an over sexualized voice.

"Frank, drink your coffee," Rose hushed her husband as her cheeks turned rosy with embarrassment.

Tre did just that, letting out a chuckle as he picked up his cup that read 'Starbucks Coffee' on the side in that trademarked green ring with the woman in the center.

Rob and Jerry took their coffee and even Billie who sat up off his chair and appeared to be searching for something in his pant pocket. "Fuck, what did I do with...oh there," he whispered to himself.

"Looking for your dick, Billie?" Rose giggled as she took a sip of her coffee.

Billie Joe nodded his head. "Yes Rose, I'm looking for my dick..."

"I think I'm gonna call it a night you guys," Rob repeated himself with more assurance in his voice.

"Me too. I can leave you guys the key to Exit A," Jerry said as he yawned.

"Alright, I guess we'll be here for awhile longer. Hmm, I'm gonna go out for a smoke though. I'll be back in a few," Billie replied a middle-aged Jerry as he picked up his coffee cup. Two sugars. Three creamers.

Just the way Rose enjoyed her coffee.

"I'll come with you," Rose volunteered as quickly as she realized if she didn't she'd be stuck in a room alone with Mike and her husband. It was a negative thought. But as she elaborated on it...

"Umm...okay?" Billie questioned warily.

Rose took her coffee and grabbed Billie's shoulder. "Just shut up and walk Armstrong."

"Umm okay...Tre?"

"Do as she says Billie," Tre said in a serious voice as his blue eyes went wide and threatening.

Rose and Billie walked outside of Studio A into the illuminating lights of Hollywood California. Billie pulled out a cigarette and a lighter; spending no time to light up and ingest the nicotine he was craving so badly. Taking a drag, he threw himself up lightly on the hood of his car and gazed up at the star disguising, light polluted skies.

Rose stood beside her cousin's car and crossed her arms into each other for comfort as she followed Billie's gaze up to the starless sky. After a few silent moments passed, Billie Joe finally got a relief from his craving and he let his head level, and turned to look at the raven-haired woman standing but a few feet from his vehicle. "Well, are you going to sit down?" he offered, gesturing his head down at the free spot beside him.

"Maybe," Rose replied, standing her ground as she nodded her head stubborn and proud.

"Are you gonna do it this year?"

"No, I was thinking of ten years from now," Rose chirped like a smart ass before she broke to a smile and came over and sat down beside her cousin, placing her coffee down behind her.

Billie shook his head and took another drag off his smoke. "So how's Tre treatin' ya these days?" he asked her with apparent concern as he exhaled smoke, letting it roll off his tongue.

"Well, you live only one suite away from us now. I don't think you've heard us fighting, have ya?" Rose asked as she raised her eyebrows.

"Nada. Not much anyways," Green Day's frontman added.

"Hmm...how's things between you and Adrienne?" Rose returned the question with just as much concern for her cousin she viewed more as an older brother.

"I bet you've heard us fighting, haven't you?"

"A little..." Rose admitted and nodded her head.

"We're fine. We always go through this. We're used to it now. So don't worry about it. If you are, " Billie assured her.

"Okay." Rose nodded as she observed Billie take another puff off his cigarette. "So when are you gonna quit?"

"Wha'?" he mouthed as he exhaled his draw. "Pardon?"

"When are you gonna quit?" Rose repeated at a more audible tone and level as she gestured her head at his hand which held a cigarette between his middle and index fingers.

"Smoking? Pfft...not today, that's for sure." The vocalist lent forward and put his feet up on the front bumper. "Album time is always very stressful for me. When I get a short break, that's when I try to quit. But usually albums and touring always lead up to chain smoking, drinking and Prozac for me."

"Does it work?"

"What, smoking? To relieve stress? Hell yeah!" Billie Joe said almost as though he were trying to crack a joke.

"No!" Rose laughed in response and she hit her cousin in the arm. "Not smoking! The Prozac..."

Billie Joe flicked some ash off his smoke as he opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Studio Exit A opening. Out stepped Rob and Jerry, both exhausted and raring to go home to their families. "We're headed home, night y'all," Jerry said in the midst of a yawn.

"Ah okay. Night Rob. Night Huckle Jerry Finn," Billie Joe quirked harassingly as he waved with his cigarette-wielding hand.

"Night kid. Or should I say "kids"," Rob laughed as he gave Rose a look like he just knew she was as much trouble as her middle-aged world reknowned icon family member.

"Thanks for the coffee, Tre's wife," Jerry incited as he raised his cup and slipped into his car parked but a few feet from Billie's.

"It's Rose. But any time, guys," Rose winked as she saluted her hand off her forehead at the two high-ranked Reprise employees in a respectful but casual manner.

"Right, sorry. I'm just so effin' tired," Jerry exclaimed apologetically as he let out a quiet chuckle.

"Yeah me too. I'm a mother!" Rose laughed.

"Right," Jerry smiled as he nodded his head and closed his car door.

"Oh yeah, Mike has the key, Billie. So just feel free to come and go as you please," Rob offered invitingly.

"What an honour," Billie Joe smiled as he rolled his eyes devilishly.

"You're lucky, most bands don't have such privileges. You guys are really fortunate and trusted by the company. Why we trust you guys is beyond me, but at any rate, you have the key," Rob laughed, "Behave yourselves!" He got into his silver Lexus and drove away after Jerry, promptly.

"Hah! Yeah, why would Reprise and Ocean Way trust Green Day? I'm married to the drummer and related to you and I still don't trust you guys!" Rose giggled as she picked her coffee up once again and took another sip.

"They just do trust us," Billie snarled. "We can be responsible..."

Rose looked up and into Billie's eyes as she let her cooling coffee roll over her tongue like a silk heaven. "Hmm, I'm not so sure of that." She began to rock her light weight back and forth as Billie Joe hummed a tune that was beginning to sound quite familiar to her ears. "What song is that?" she asked with interest as she gazed down at a tiny silver watch adorning her wrist.

"Berlinicaust," Billie announced, taking another drag off his smoke and dragging his hand across his forehead.

"Oh..." Rose gasped out quietly in reaction.

"Yup," Billie Joe nodded as he flicked ash off the end of his cigarette once again, picked up and took another sip from his sweet coffee.

"Well cool," Rose spoke in a gentle mannered tone. "Hmm, it's getting close to one in the morning."

"Bed time already, Rose?" Billie Joe shook his head and smiled brutishly, insulting his cousin. "I'm not that tired yet. Although I should be. I've only been up for twenty-one hours."

"Insomniac, eh Billie?"

"Rose, your Green Day references are stupid," Billie Joe said honestly and quite comfortably.

"Well...shut up!" Rose train wrecked as she tried desperately to think up a swift comeback.

"Hah! Good one! Played yourself sucka!" the guitarist harassed her as he grabbed her hair and pulled it back gently.

"Ouch!" Rose grumbled before the hyped moment settled down again and only the strolling traffic could be heard in the background on this city lit night. Seconds passed, possibly minutes without a word spoken. Billie Joe was savouring the last of his cigarette as Rose watched him and bowed her head as he returned a glance and a raised eyebrow toward her.

"Do you remember that night?" Billie Joe asked suddenly as he ran his hand through his hair, messing it up.

"What night?"

"That rainy night on the way home from that club. The limo, the smell, the sounds...who you were with? Do you remember any of it?" Billie Joe questioned curiously.

"Are you talking about my coma?"

Billie Joe nodded in response.

Rose veiled her face behind her long raven hair, which was shimmering in the moonlight and peeking light brown at the roots. "You know, it's funny you bring that up. I finally got out of the hotel for awhile a couple of months ago and I was walking the strip with Michelle. I don't know what it was but something suddenly dawned on me. That my life in California has meaning and it didn't just start with waking up in a bed at Good Samaritan Hospital with Tre Cool by my side. It had a story that spanned months before that. And as I looked up, I caught site of an airplane. It was the most unusual thing for me to see because right then and there I was flooded with memories of my relatives and so much anger. I still have anger, but it's different now. It's jealous ang-" Rose got halfway through her explanation before Billie Joe cut her off.

"Who are you jealous of?"

"Umm, never mind about that. I don't want to cause a fight with you..." Rose replied as she scratched her forearm nervously.

"Huh?"

"Well anyways, all I remembered before this memory were minor things. Like seeing your face for the first time inside your car and my reaction. The first time you showed me blue, and my reaction. When you introduced me to your band, and my reaction. Umm...my reactions," Rose nodded. "I was such a kid then. I couldn't piece it all together to make sense in my head, you know? And I remember waking up and wondering where my mom was. That scared the living shit out of me. I mean sure, she was a bad mother, but I was still frightened without her. Then everything just came together and made sense to me. That I'm here and it didn't start with magically living in California. It started with our family reunion, you know?"

"Well, I don't know how many times I've told you that Rose. But I'm glad you've finally realized and figured things out for yourself," Green Day's frontman added as he turned his head to a degree and placed his cigarette-less hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks Billie."

Billie nodded, pushing his now empty coffee cup off the hood and jumping off his car; energetically touching his feet to the ground. "We gotta few more things to do before we can leave," Billie insisted. He turned back toward Studio Exit A at a slow pace and placed his hand on the doorknob as he awaited his cousin to join him. "Oh yeah!" the musician said as he turned back around in remembrance.

"What?" Rose asked curiously, stepping down on the front bumper of her cousin's earth-friendly Toyota.

"You might want to look into the Prozac thing. It's done me not only good but it's done me wonders," Billie Joe advised caringly.

"Really?"

"Oh yes my dear. As Mike said: "There's isn't an audience in the world that Billie Joe can't command." And you know what Rose? He's one hundred percent fucking right," the guitarist said with confidence and arrogance.

Rose nodded like she couldn't think what to possibly say.

Billie smiled at the young woman who bore the face of someone who was starstruck. Throwing down his fag, the punk rock veteran trampled it into the concrete replaced his hand on the heavy-bolted door handle and gestured his head at his younger cousin, Rose.

"Comin' in?"