Changes

Mike blamed himself for what happened next in the alley. He was bigger than the attacker, and if he'd gotten on his feet when he'd first heard the footsteps, the guy wouldn't have stood a chance.

But he'd assumed it was just a roadie, or someone they knew. And the fist to his face was a complete surprise.

He slipped sideways, stunned.

While Andy closed his fist around Tony's throat, lifted her fully off the ground, and slammed her back against the wall.

"Well, well, WELL. You're just going to screw the entire band, aren't you?"

Tony choked, gasping for breath. Mike leaped to his feet and began screaming for help.

Andy just laughed.

"If you don't shut your mouth, I'll kill her right now."

Mike fell silent, and began casting about for some sort of weapon. Tony's eyes connected with his. And they were flashing with some emotion that Mike could only interpret as rage mixed with fear.

"Now. Come here. Come here, rock star."

Mike approached him carefully, watching his free hand.

"Gimme your hand." Andy grinned evilly, obviously enjoying the power he held over the bassist.
"Why?"
"Because I want to break all of your fingers."
"Fuck. That." Mike spat.

Andy smiled, baring teeth that looked more like fangs.

"Fine."

Holding Mike's gaze the entire time, he moved his free hand up Tony's side, over her hip, to grasp her wrist. And then he twisted. Tony's face blanched and she gagged, unable to scream.

"What's more important to you, Mike-y boy? Your fans, your bass, or the slut's wrist?"
"You know I can't answer that question."
"Its not a difficult decision. Either you let me break your wrist, or I break her arm. And then I'll strangle her."

"REALLY?" A familiar voice said. "Because from where I'm standing, that's not all his options."

With that, Tre sank his fist into Andy's face. Instantly, as though she'd been waiting for an opening the entire time, Tony lashed out with her foot. Her boot connected with Andy's groin and he dropped her, cursing.

Tony dropped to the ground, gulping air greedily. Andy was back on his feet in an instant, and realized how very outnumbered he was.

Then, the door creaked, and Billie's voice echoed out.

"Tony? Mike? Tre?"

Before anyone could move, Andy lunged forward. And just as Billie looked around the door, Andy planted a rough, passionate kiss on Tony's shocked lips.

Billie stared for one long minute. Then retreated back into the stadium. Mike and Tre turned to Andy, fury on their faces.

The psycho stood up and laughed.

"Still a submissive little whore. You'll come crawling back. Just like always."
"Not this time." Mike snapped, stepping forward.

Andy started laughing.

"LOOK at her. Do you know what she was? She was, and still is nothing but a weak, little slut with delusions of being a famous rock star."
"Shut up. Shut up." Tony murmured from the ground.
"Poor little Tony. Let me make you a promise. Something to cheer you up."

He strode over to her. Mike couldn't move, could barely breathe as Andy slipped a hand under Tony's chin and lifted her head up.

"I promise you, that if you don't turn up in New York in...oh, let's say a week, then I will take that little poncey boy you like so much, what's his name...oh yes, Billie, and take him somewhere nice and secluded, and torture him until he BEGS me to kill him."

Tony shut her eyes, the blood draining from her face.

"And that's a promise, princess."

He straightened up, and looked at Mike and Tre.

"Call the police. Go ahead. It's fine. I'll be long gone before they can get here. I know where you people are going to be. You're on tour. You can't change that. I'm just going back to my 'lair' and wait."

Then he turned, broke into a run, and scaled the chainlink fence and vanished into the alley.

~~~

"Billie. BJ, will you just goddamn listen?"
"What are you going to say to me, Mike?"
"I'm going to tell you what happened."
"You mean, what SHE says happened." Billie snapped.

Mike grabbed his arm, but Tony appeared, almost out of nowhere.

"I'll tell him, Mike."

He looked at her, and saw resolve in those beautiful eyes.

"If anything happens, I'll be inside."

He slammed the door behind him. And then Billie Joe turned to her, eyes flashing fire.

"You let me make an idiot of myself over you."
"I didn't let you do anything I wouldn't have done for you."

She reached forward, tried to hug him, but he shoved her backwards. Hard. She hit the wall.

And something inside Tony snapped.

"What do you think I am, Billie?" She demanded. "Do you think I'm just some slut that sleeps around?"

The look on her face made Billie falter, step back.

"You don't know me, Billie. If you knew ANYTHING about me, you'd know that I would NEVER have cheated on you, and especially not with Andy. You don't know me, Billie. I loved you. I could have stayed with you."

She looked at him sadly.

"But no more."

Then she vanished into the stadium before he could see the tears running down her cheeks.