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A very special thanks to falloutbaby89 and XxIceCreamHeadachexX for reading and reviewing. You guys rock!

Chapter Ten

A short while later Maddie and I were entering the small practice building my hand linked firmly with hers. On the way over I had thought completely about Maddie and Fall Out Boy. It seemed lately my life had been my band and now Maddie was in it too. Since we had met I think I had said one or two things about Fall Out Boy but other than that it kinda took the backseat to this baby situation, but that was about to change.

I pushed open the wooden door to reveal the open practice room. It smelled oddly of cleaner and plastic. I felt Maddie give my hand a small squeeze and I turned to her to see her give a nervous smile. I just smiled back assuring her it would be all right.

A bald man sat by a small table fiddling with papers in his hand. He would look at one shake his head of disapproval and dispose of it. I gave a small smile at it. Bob never agreed with anything that was sent to him. Bob was Fall Out Boy's long time manager and the two things you needed to know about him was his lack of patience and need for perfection. His bald head did a double take as he noticed Maddie and I enter.

"Patrick, you're finally here," he said setting his papers down and moving towards us.

"Yeah, sorry," I said apologizing for my tardiness. "This is Maddie," I said shoving Maddie in front of me to be greeted.

Bob gave a startled expression and looked at me with a look that read 'so this is her?' I nodded once and this settled Bob to finally look at Maddie and extend a handshake.

"It's good to meet you," he said as a relaxed smile found its way onto Maddie's face. "Let me show you some things," Bob continued taking Maddie's hand and leading her away from me.

I laughed silently at Bob and made my way further in to find my guitar to start tuning up. As I walked in I saw the rest of the guys were already there. Pete was sitting on an amp his bass strapped around him and his sidekick firmly in his grasp. Joe and Andy were behind him deep in conversation about who knows what. Joe already had his guitar on too and was strumming it every so often. Andy stood with his drumsticks twirling them casually in his hand. I laughed at the sight for it was so like them.

"Hey dick face," I yelled.

Pete looked up as if called by name and his face formed a small grin. "Decided to show?" He asked.

I laughed and walked over to him. "Eh, I didn't have much else to do."

Pete smiled too and shook his head at me. Then I made this point to glace behind me where Maddie and Bob were standing talking. Pete saw my glance and looked over too. I looked back at him to see him mouth 'that's her?' I nodded with a big smile on my face. I knew Pete had to be just gushing about her beauty. I left Pete to steal Maddie away from Bob feeling excited about showing her off.

"Pete this is Maddie," I said quickly shoving her forward so she could be in full view of him.

Pete stood up and quickly offered his hand. "It's good to finally meet you," he said.

Maddie gave a small giggle and accepted the handshake. "It seems like I've been talked about."

"Way more than you wanna know."

Pete looked at Maddie giving his signature smirk with playfulness and I knew it was time to intervene.

"Well enough of Pete," I said taking Maddie's hand and leading her over to Joe and Andy. "Joe, Andy, this is Maddie," I said interrupting their conversation.

They both turned to look at her with small smiles. I beamed inside. They were jealous. I knew it.

Joe stepped up first to shake her hand. "How are you feeling?" He asked looking now down at her belly.

My insides rose in embarrassment. He had to ask about the baby.

Maddie on the other hand gave a small laugh and clutched her tummy. "We're both doing very well," she smiled.

Joe smiled too like a geek and turned to me to give an eyebrow raise. I shook my head at him as Andy stepped up lastly.

"It's nice to finally meet you Maddie," he said politely. "I mean, I've of course seen your picture, but in person it's so much better."

I dug my hands in my face when Andy said this. After Pete had seen Maddie's lingerie picture in the bathroom he wouldn't let it go until Joe and Andy had seen it too, but how could he mention it to her.

"Um…what?" I heard Maddie say in a confused tone. "Patrick?"

I knew she was looking at me, but I didn't have the guts to look up just quite yet.

"Oh my god Patrick, she doesn't know you have it," I heard Pete say at my side as his hand rested firmly on my shoulder.

It was my turn to face the stares and I looked up to see three boys staring at me in shear pleasure and one confused face that could break my heart.

"I gotta go tune up," I said cowardly moving away from Pete's grasp. The boys gave a huge laugh as I went away that was followed by Maddie's 'what picture?'


It had taken me a lot longer than I had planned to get my guitar tuned up, and when it finally sounded right I could hear Maddie and the boys deep in conversation on the other side of the room. I cringed just thinking what was being said over there. Then I heard an outburst from Pete that caught my full attention.

"Oh my God, you're Maddie Michaels?"

I twisted around eager to see the conversation as well as hear it. Pete and Maddie were each sitting on an amp while Joe and Andy looked on. Pete had a wild expression of surprise and joy on his face as 'Maddie Michaels' echoed in my ear. So that was Maddie's last name? I had never really gotten around to asking.

"Yeah," Maddie said looking shocked that Pete was making such a big deal about her name.

"Oh my God!" Pete repeated. "I knew you looked familiar."

Maddie gave a confused expression as I intently waiting for the next explanation. How did Pete know Maddie?

"Joe! Don't you remember Maddie Michaels?" Pete said now turning to Joe.

Joe gave an expression that resembled Maddie's. "Um…no, am I suppose to?"

Pete gave a frustrated sigh and threw up his hands. "Maddie Michaels was the journalist that would come to all the local shows back in the day. You covered all my favorite bands," he said turning to look at Maddie.

I was shocked to see Maddie's expression turn to a smile. "Yeah, that's right," she said.

I couldn't believe this. Maddie was a writer. How did I not know that either. Well it was true I still didn't know a lot of things about Maddie. The baby and other pointless things usually filled our conversations.

"I can't believe it's you," Pete was saying again. "I would see you at every show and was so set on meeting you one day, or better yet having you interview my band."

Maddie gave a small laugh and I saw her cheeks flush. "It's was a job," she said modestly.

Pete shook his head rapidly and smile. "You were good!"

Maddie gave an enormous smile at Pete. "Thanks."

"So what do you do now?" Pete asked quickly. "Still writing?"

I saw Maddie's smile falter and I knew the answer before it came out. "Actually no," she said. "That was just my high school job. I quit when I graduated to go to college."

I saw disappointment fill Pete's eyes too. I knew he loved writers.

"Then college didn't work so I decided to get a more stable job. I'm a convenience clerk now."

I silence settled over the boys. I knew they were feeling sorry for her. Their expressions said it all. And now she was pregnant because of me. I saw their faces turn to me and I just read 'dreamkiller!'