Making the Album

"YOU DID WHAT?"

Mike sighed. He was starting to regret saying anything to Billie. Or maybe he was regretting the promise he made to Jay. He hadn't decided which, but the entire situation was giving him a headache.

"Look, Billie's my best friend. He spilled his guts to me...It was just a reflex to spill mine back."
"Mike! You fucking promised me!"
"I know, but-"
"There isn't a fucking 'but' anywhere in this, Mike. I asked you to keep this quiet for a fucking reason!"

And then Mike got angry.

"And just what the fuck would that reason be? Are you ashamed of me? Because I really don't see any other reason for keeping this relationship a secret!"
"I'm just looking out for you!"
"I already told you I couldn't give a fuck! Be fucking honest with me, Jay. You don't want to tell anyone because you're ashamed of dating a fucking celebrity. It goes against your idiotic morals, and you don't want your friends to know. That's the reason."

Jay looked stung. All at once, Mike's anger vanished, leaving a truckload of guilt behind.

"Jay, I-"

Mike tried to hug him, but Jay stepped back quickly. His eyes were moist as he looked at Mike.

"If you think, that for one minute, I would hide a relationship for a fucking stupid reason like that, if you think that I'm ashamed of you, then you don't know me at all." He said quietly. "You're all I've got in this world, Mike."

Jay paused for a moment, looked down at his boots. Then he stared into Mike's eyes. Mike saw his hands shake slightly before he shoved them into his pockets.

"You're all I had."

Before Mike could say anything, Jay turned and walked out of the hotel room.

Five minutes later, Mike chucked the television out the window.

***

"So far, we've recorded We Will Rock You, Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You, Come As You Are, Ain't It Fun?, and Pour Some Sugar On Me. That's good, considering we haven't been in studio too long."

Then Barry looked seriously around the table. His eyes lingered for a second on Tony and Billie's intertwined fingers. Then he cleared his throat and moved on.

"But there is some concern about Robert's voice."
"What?" Robert exclaimed, standing up quickly.
"Not in the way you're thinking. King for a Day requires a very specific vocal style, and the executives worrry that you can't pull it off. They want you to pick a replacement song."

Robert sank back against his chair, looking depressed. Tony patted his arm.

"Berto, it's fine."
"Don't take it the wrong way, Robert. You're voice is very suited to heavy metal, hard rock, almost everything else on your song list. It's just that King for a Day...your voice wasn't made for it."
"I get it." Robert said heavily.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Then Tom cleared his throat.

"Robert, you pick the replacement."
"But dude, that's not just my decision, it's a group-"
"Your song got taken away. I know how much you wanted to sing it. Pick another one that you love." Blondie said firmly.

Robert hesistated. No one said anything. Tony watched him, seeing the wheels turning in his head. When he looked up, his face was serious.

"I wanna sing Elvis."
"Are you sure? Nailing Elvis...that'll be a bitch." Barry said. Robert nodded firmly.
"I wanna sing 'Suspicious Minds'. For my mom."

Something in Barry's face clicked. The producer understood.

"I'll make the calls. Now you guys get out of here."

***

Tony curled up beside Billie on the bed, fully clothed, and pulled the covers over the two of them.

"Does this mean no sex?"
"This, Mr. Armstrong, means kinky sex." Tony kissed his neck softly.

For a few moments, there was nothing but kissing. Then Tony butterfly-kissed her way across his cheek and whispered, 'I love you', into his ear.

"And let the awkwardness ensue." Tony muttered, pulling away when she felt him stiffen.
"I'm sorry."

Tony groaned, kicked the blankets off and rummaged through the mini-bar. Billie sighed, rubbing his palms across his forehead.

"Tony..."
"I don't understand, alright? I keep saying it, and you never...say anything back. And I...I worry that you just don't care."
"How could you think that?" He asked, looking hurt.
"I don't know! My mind does funny things, I can't help it!"

Billie jumped out of bed and grabbed her, hugging her close to his chest. Then he pulled her back to the bed with him, sitting her down on the edge. He turned and faced her. His stomach was doing nervous somersaults.

"Tony...Adrienne was the first woman I loved. And...before the...before the accident," Billie's voice trembled, but he kept going. "I said I loved her...and the next thing I heard was her scream when the truck plowed into her car..."

Tony grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. Tears dripped down her cheeks as he spoke. She understood his loss.

"I lost everything that day. Well, except for Tre and Mike. And I'm so scared that if I tell you how I feel, then you'll be gone too. And I don't think i could handle it-"

Billie's voice broke. Tony hugged him close, kissing his forehead tenderly.

"Then show me how you feel."

And he did.

***

Tom needed a pack of cigarettes. He didn't really feel like going out alone, but he didn't feel like getting wasted again. Especially since Barry wasn't around to talk to.

So Tom left a note on the soundboard, and walked down to the CVS. He bought three packs from a pretty young girl. She gave him her number with a coy little smile. Tom was in a good mood as he walked up to the studio entrance.

Until he saw his father, standing there.

***

It was almost as though the man had been waiting for him. Tom froze, staring at him. His father smiled at him.

"You're coming home with me, Tom. One way or another, you're coming home."

Tom thought of the band. He thought of Tre, and Mike, and Jay, and Billie, and Barry. He thought of Aerosmith, and The Rolling Stones, and Def Leppard. He thought of everyone he'd seen on the red carpet at the VMA's. He thought of all these amazing people he'd never have had the chance to meet if he'd stayed home and gone to college like his father had wanted.

And something inside him snapped.

"I'm never going back there, Dad. You can take whatever job you got for me, and shove it up your ass. This is where I belong."
"This is a den of sin. Your mother and I didn't raise you to lead this kind of life."
"Dad, what kind of life I lead is my business."
"You need a sensible job-"
"Dad! Don't you understand? You were smothering me! All those years in school, taking classes I didn't care about, talking to people I hated, I was dying!"
"Don't be so overly dramatic."
"Then don't fucking dismiss my feelings. I am just starting to live the kind of life I need. And I'm not leaving it."

At the sound of Tom's yells, security had come running. Before they began dragging Tom inside, his father said one last thing that made Tom's blood run cold.

"You'll be leaving it. You'll be leaving it in a body bag if necessary."