Changes

~Three Months Later~

"Alright. No flashing ANYTHING at the reporters. You got that, Tony?"
"Why you asking me? Talk to Jay about that."
"Jay. It stays in your pants."
"FINE."

Billie settled back against the seat and surveyed the Dolls.

Tony had stolen a pair of Tre's black pants, ironed them, and let them hang low on her hips and bag over the tops of her black converse. Her skin-tight wifebeater sported the Led Zeppelin logo. She wore her usual assortment of bracelets and guitar pick necklace. She'd let her hair dry normally, and it had curled into a storm of wild curls.

Blondie had stubbornly refused to wear a tuxedo. He had bought a new pair of jeans, spiked his hair into green-tipped points, picked out a clean t-shirt and worn it under a dress shirt and jacket that Tony had man-handled him into.

Tom had actually allowed himself to be dressed up. He'd rented a modern tuxedo. But he refused to take off his sneakers and bought a top hatm something reminiscent of Slash. And, for the first time since Billie had met him, Tom had let Tony put eye make-up on him.

Robert lounged across the seat, glaring at Tony when he wasn't singing along the whatever was on the radio. Robert and Tony had had a screaming match over Robert's pants. Which were almost-too-tight jeans that were ripped in some very convenient places. And he wore a black wifebeater, just to cover up.

But the real problem was Jay.

Jay had actually dressed up. But the black pants sported the customary rips, and under a flannel shirt, his shirt bore a very faded Ramones logo. His boots were still old and worn, although not dirty, as Tony had actually grabbed them off his feet and taken them outside, where she hosed them down. And over everything, he wore Andy's black leather trenchcoat, pulling off a look that was quite out-of-place in the Miami heat.

And his hair. His hair had been teased to new heights, heights that David Lee Roth himself would have been envious of. Tony had done his makeup, but Jay had actually gone back in and applied it heavier around his eyes, so his eyes glittered out at them from two black circles.

All in all, Jay looked great. But reporters, cameras, people would not be kind.

Jay noticed Billie looking at him.

"Don't worry about it, Billie. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself."

But when the car pulled up, Bilie had never been more nervous.

~~~

"And just who are you, young lady?"
"Lead guitarist for the Dolls." Tony replied shortly. Tre saw the look on Tony's face and quickly leaned in, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, the Dolls are a real find. They're going into studio pretty soon to record their debut album."

Tony let her mind wander, giving short, snappy answers whenever asked. This was a side of the band she just had never seen. They schmoozed with a skill that she hadn't known the possessed.

Tony excused herself and walked over to Billie, who was otherwise unoccupied by either reporter or celebrity.

"Hi." She poked him in the ribs, very aware of all the cameras.
"Having fun?"
"Not so much."
"Well come on, let's go strike a few poses. Round up the troops!" Billie yelled. Tre waved to the reporters, Mike finished up. Jay appeared with a cigarette in his mouth and a huge grin on his face. Blondie and Tom appeared, Tom holding a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. Robert slouched over, leaving a very offended Hilary Duff in his wake.

"What'd you say to her?"
"I asked her if using computers as singers really did make recording an album faster." Robert smirked.

But as they worked their way towards the front, an ambitious reporter stopped them, smiling the fakest smile Tony had ever seen.

"SO. Green Day. Eight nominations, how does it feel?"
"Great. It's great." Tre replied, grinning.
"And who are you're...er...charming guests?"

Tre watched as her eyes traveled over Jay's mismatched ensemble and cigarette dangling from his lip, the liquor bottle in Tom's hand, Tony's nearly see-through shirt and baggy pants, Robert's pants, and Blondie's hair. When she looked back at him, Tre noticed her smile had become, if anything, stiffer.

"These are the Dolls, close, personal friends of ours." Mike replied cheerily, giving Tre a warning look.
"So. Mr. Armstrong. With the death of your wife and children, although quite recent, one must wonder if you've found someone new."

Tony cursed. Jay noticed her back stiffen, reached over and grabbed the nearest celebrity, which just happened to be Lindsay Lohan. Before anyone could do anything, Jay tipped her backwards and kissed her soundly.

Flashbulbs exploded, capturing the moment forever. Lindsay stood up, flushing. And then surprisingly, Lindsay hugged him, laughing and scribbled a phone number on his palm.

"That went well." Jay whispered as Tony laughed.

And his ploy had worked. Billie didn't have to answer the question, because the reporter had made a beeline for Jay.

"And just who might you be?"
"Just here for the...STUNNING...company." Jay's voice had a sort of bite to it, as though warning her not to try anything. She blinked.
"Well, are you a musician?" She tried cautiously.
"Of course."
"How do you...?"
"Know Green Day? Well, I was out drinking and..."

Tony poked him in the ribs. The reporter stared at her. Jay coughed.

"But that's a long and boring story. And I'm sure an excellent reporter such as yourself has other questions that should be asked?"

She flushed, glaring at him.

"I'm sure everyone is DYING to know what inspired your...outfit." She looked at him with distaste. Jay laughed.
"Well, it's a little of this, a little of that." He said, putting his hand in his pocket and puffing on his cigarette.

At this point, the reporter looked frustrated. And apparently decided to give up.

"Well, enjoy your night."

But they were gone before she could even finish her sentance.

~~~

"You looked so proud of youself after saying 'That's hot'. I just wanted to hug you." Tony told Tre, weighing the award in her hand.

Tre snickered, and slapped her outstretched hand.

"And YOU. Trying to kiss Bow Wow. When we get home..." She waved a threatening finger in Billie's direction.
"Is that a promise?" Bille smirked. Tony shoved him sideways.
"The water thing. Tre, I thought for sure you had something big planned." Tom said. Tre smiled.
"Not enough time, my man. If these two hadn't been so anxious to get up there, you woulda seen something funny."
"What?" Robert asked. But Tre only smiled.
"We need to party." Jay stated, smiling.

And it turns out, Lindsay Lohan was not the only celebrity who found Jay interesting. He'd collected quite a few phone numbers, althought no one had realized quite how many until he emptied his pockets and spilled what looked like an entire notebooks worth of torn papers onto the car's floor.

"Party. Sound FANTASTIC!" Tre grinned. Tom snickered.
"I could really go for a beer."
"Tom, you are an alocoholic. Bringing the goddamn bottle down the red carpet."
"White carpet."
"Whatever."

Robert grinned.

"That woman really liked us, eh?"
"She was staring at you, Jay. I'd watch out."
"Oh, I'm scared." Jay rolled his eyes, sorting through the phone numbers. "Little Kim, what d'you think of her?"
"Huge tits, no talent." Tony replied without missing a beat.
"Eh. I'll give her a ring anyways. Seems like a woman who can hold her liquor, unlike SOME I know."

Tony kicked him. Jay grabbed her foot and dragged her off the seat, and her shirt rode up. Tre whistled.

And in all the confusion, no one noticed the expression on Mike's face.

~~~

Mike tossed and turned. Jay was either pretending to be alseep, or he really was alseep, despite the fact that Mike couldn't lay still.

Finally, Mike turned to Jay.

"Jay?"
"Mhmm...what?"
"Are you really going to call all those girls?"

That jolted Jay back to full conciousness.

"What?"
"I dunno...I just can't stop thinking about it."

Jay cursed, which didn't exactly fill Mike with confidence.

"Mike...we...you're famous. You saw how people, reporters, looked at me. Sure, I'm pretty, I'm an oddity. But put the two of us together...I'm not sure how people will handle it."
"What if I told you I didn't care?"
"What if I told you I cared to much about you to let you not care?"

They stared at each other for a minute. Then Jay looked away.

"I want you to stay as you are. Loved. Famous. Admired. I could ruin that...I have this way of...RUINING things that I love."

He leaned over and kissed Mike, very gently. Mike felt something wet drip onto his cheek and realized Jay was crying.

And before Mike could say anything, Jay had lifted Mike's body over his own, placed him down on the far side of the bunk and slipped out. Mike heard the door slam minutes later.

"Shit."

Mike wasn't quite sure what all this meant.

But he wouldn't admit that Jay had a point. And he wasn't going to let go of him. He'd get his way.

After all, even Jay had said it. He was a rockstar.