Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > Go Ahead and Burn it Down.
Things To Be Thankful For
“I know, I miss you, too,” Chris said into the phone. She was laying on the bench seat of a tour bus. “How’s the writing going?”
“It’s not. I’m stuck,” Pete said from the other end of the line. “How are your new friends treating you?”
“Better,” Chris replied. “Once they figured out that I was here to actually manage and not take a vacation arranged by my rock star boyfriend, they straightened up.”
“When do you come home?” Pete asked.
Chris smiled, he had already asked. He usually asked about four times every time he talked to her. “Two weeks.”
“Ok, two weeks.”
“Chris?” It was Alex. “We got to roll in thirty minutes.”
Chris nodded. “I gotta go do my job. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Ok. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“You two are sickenly adorable,” Alex said, still standing at the top of the stairs.
“You’re just jealous.” Chris got up and went to leave the bus.
“Ya, ya. Go find your kids.”
She stuck her tongue out at him as she passed.
“I’ll be back to check right before we leave,” Alex said as they parted ways.
“Ok.” Chris headed off in the direction of craft services, she knew that’s where the band would be. She had lied to Pete. Her relationship with the guys in this band wasn’t great. They were pricks and they treated Chris like she was an errand girl, asking her to get them coffee and stuff. She didn’t do it because it wasn’t her job, but it was still annoying. Alex had told her not to worry about it, some bands were like that. He had told her that she had been spoiled with Fall Out Boy and the bands they associated with. They were cool people, down to earth. Alex had said to be easy going with the boys, play video games and goof around, but to be firm when she was giving them directions. They boys didn’t want anything to do with her, but they did do what she said. As a result, Chris said most of her free hours in her bunk reading or listening to music.
Chris arrived at craft services and spotted they five boys Mike, Chris (ironic, huh?), Will, Pauley, and Robert. She plastered a smile on her face and she walked up to the group of laughing boys. They fell quiet. “Hi, boys,” Chris said. “It’s time to get on the bus.”
They gave each other a look, but Mike responded, “Yes, boss.”
Back on the bus, Alex came by to make sure everyone was present and accounted for, then the bus left. “So,” Chris said, “Why don’t we watch a movie? Princess Bride or something?”
No response.
Chris just shrugged and went to spend another night alone in her bunk.
**
The elevator doors opened into Pete’s apartment. It was one in the morning and she was exhausted. She wasn’t supposed to be back until noon, but Alex’s girlfriend was begging him to come home as soon as possible. So Alex volunteered to drive Chris back to Chicago from Indianapolis where the band Chris managed was from instead of Chris taking the train in the morning.
Chris dropped her bags in the foyer and shuffled into their bedroom. She smiled at Pete’s sprawled form on the bed. She kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed next to him. Chris buried her face in his chest, relieved to be home.
His arms tightened around her and his sleepy voice said, “Hey, starshine.”
“Hi,” she mumbled back.
“I missed you.” He kissed the top of her head and smoothed down her hair.
“I missed you, too.” She turned to her face up to kiss him.
When they broke apart, Pete wiped her face. He laughed a little bit, “Why are you crying?”
Chris hadn’t even noticed. “I just missed you a lot.”
She buried her face back in his chest. Pete could sense it was something else. She had sounded more and more stressed as her tour went on. But he also knew she was exhausted. “It’s ok, starshine. Let’s just go to bed, ok?” Chris nodded. “I love you, Christina.”
“I love you, too, Peter.”
He ran his fingers through her hair as Chris’ breath quickly evened out and she fell asleep.
The next morning, Pete woke up, Chris still lying on his chest. He was going to get up to get some breakfast, but as soon as he started to move, her hands clutched at his t-shirt and she gave a whimper, but didn’t wake up. Pete whispered with a smile, “Guess I’m not going anywhere.” He settled back down and turned on the television, the volume low.
Chris woke up a few hours later, Pete’s hand tangled in her hair, CSI on the television. She smiled and croaked, “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
Chris sat up and stretched. “I love CSI.”
“I know.” Pete sat up and hugged her. “How ya feeling?”
“Tired.” Pete nodded. Chris continued, “And hungry.”
“That’s a problem I can fix,” Pete kissed her temple and got out of bed. He returned a few minutes later. “Leftovers from 24.”
“My hero.”
“So, tell me about tour,” Pete said after Chris had finished eating.
She sighed loudly and collapsed back on to the bed, Hemmingway in her lap now, licking her fingers clean. “It was a learning experience.”
“Ya?”
She shifted so her head was in Pete’s lap. “Let’s just say I’ll be happy to be back with decent human beings.”
“That bad, huh?” He wan his fingers soothingly through her hair.
“They were self-entitled pricks. But Alex said I did a good job and that he thinks I’ll do well with you guys in a couple months.”
“Well, that’s good.” She nodded, her eyes half-closed. “Anything fun happen, at all?”
“I hung out with Alex a lot. He’s pretty cool. And I read like fifteen books.”
“So smart.”
“You know it.”
“What do you want to do today?”
“Hmmmmm.” With a little moan, she said, “Sleep. And take a real shower. Hangout with you and Hem.” She scratched the dog’s ears.
“All things we can do.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead.
She smiled up at him and pulled him down to her for a real kiss. Pete happily obliged her.
*
Chris slept something like fourteen hours that day, so the next morning she was up early. Pete was still sleeping, so she slipped into a pair of sweat pants and one of Pete’s hoodies and took Hemmingway for a walk. She was rounding a corner a few blocks from the apartment contemplating a Starbucks visit on the way back when she heard someone say her name.
“Chris?”
She looked up to see Patrick. Her face burst into a grin. “Hey Trick!”
He rushed up to her and hugged her. “I didn’t know you were home.” She nodded. He bent down to pet Hemmingway. “So how was it?”
Chris told him all about it as she and Patrick started walking back towards Pete’s. Chris waited outside while Patrick got Starbucks for himself, Chris, and Pete.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” he said as they began walking again. “Pete missed you a lot.”
“Really?”
“Ya, he was super depressing. Really quiet. Just not normal Pete.”
“I can’t decide whether to be flattered or concerned,” she said with a bit of a laugh.
“Flattered, I think.” They walked into Pete’s building. In the elevator, Patrick said, “Did you know Sara’s in town?”
“I knew she was coming to visit soon, I didn’t know exactly when. I’ll have to call her. We should all hang out.”
“Absolutely.”
The doors slid open and Chris let Hemmingway off the leash. He scampered off into the apartment. “Peter,” Chris sing-songed at the top of her voice, “We brought you coffee!”
Pete sleepily shuffled into the kitchen, a grin on his face. He pointed at the two of them and said, “Favorites.”
Chris handed him his drink and allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. “Can we have everyone over soon? Patrick says Sara’s in town.”
“Absolutely, starshine.” Pete kissed her temple. “Whenever you want.”
“Yay!” Chris skipped off to presumably go make calls to the others.
“You hanging out with us today?” Pete asked Patrick after taking a sip of his coffee.
“Later,” he responded, “Gabe wants to talk to me about producing his band’s new album.”
“Cobra? Then Midtown’s really dead…”
“So it would seem.”
“Sad day.” Pete brightened. “Well good for him that he has something else. And you a fancy producer. Shoooooot.”
Patrick just laughed. “Fancy. Right.”
“Right.” Pete took another sip. “Besides, you have to make them look good. The label needs some extra awesomeness.”
“No one made you sign them.”
Pete shrugged, “Gabe’s an old friend, plus I knew he’d figure something out.”
“So you’re all-knowing, now?”
“I’ve always been all knowing. Look at those kids from Vegas. They’re all grown up.”
“How nice for you.”
“Yup.”
Patrick checked his watch. “Shit, I gotta run.”
“Alright, man, see ya later.”
“Have Chris text me plans for tonight!” He was already on his way to the elevator.
“Word.”
Patrick rolled his eyes as the elevator doors closed. ‘Word.’ Pete pretending to be gangsta.
Pete finished his Starbucks then went to find his girlfriend. She had migrated back to their bedroom where she was reclining on the bed, puppy in her lap, phone plastered to her ear.
Pete swooped in and stole the puppy. “I’ll take that.”
She stuck her tongue out at him in protest, but continued to talk to whoever was on the phone. Pete left the room.
He had gotten distracted with watching Angels in the Outfield on TBS and the movie was over before he realized he hadn’t seen Chris in all that time. He went back to find her, Hemingway at his heels.
“God, woman, are you going to be the phone for-“ Pete stopped himself because he saw Chris now curled up on the bed asleep. He smiled and sat down next to her. Her eyes fluttered open when he did. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s fine,” her words slightly slurred with sleep. “What are you up to?”
“I was gonna hang out in here, maybe watch some tv.”
Chris nodded, cuddling closer to him. Pete put his arm around her and her head went to her chest. He turned on the tv.
“Hook or Dirty Dancing?” He asked with the channel guide pulled up.
“Uh huh,” she mumbled back, eyes closed.
“You’re already asleep, aren’t you?” No answer. Pete grinned and picked Hook, his fingers tangled in her hair. Pete’s phone went off a while later. It was a text from Patrick asking what was going on that night. Pete, of course, had no idea. He gently nudged Chris, “Chrisssssss, Patrick needs your attention.”
“I’m napping,” she whined into Pete’s chest.
“Ya, well he feels left out because I told him I’d have you text him plans for tonight.”
“God, he’s so needy,” Chris said jokingly as she rolled over in search of her phone. She found it and looked at the display. “See? Four texts from him.”
Pete just laughed as she texted Patrick back. Then she settled back next to him. “So are you going to sleep all day?”
“I love sleep.”
“I know.”
“But no, I’m probably gonna go out and see my parents.”
“When are people coming over?”
“Like seven? I promised mom I’d have dinner with her and papa.”
“Am I invited?” Pete asked.
“If you want. I’m sure they’d love to see you.”
“Absolutely.”
Chris finally dragged herself out of bed around two to shower and get dressed to go visit in the suburbs. She and Pete returned later just in time for all their friends to get there. They played their usual games and talked for hours, steadily getting drunker, before three am rolled around and everyone went home.
A/N:As usual, I'm procrastinating hardcore. Trying to make it through the last few days before a trip to NYC and then my last spring break ever. So enjoy. Also, could I have some reviews? I didn't get any last chapter and I want to make sure I'm not sucking. Kthanxbi
“I know, I miss you, too,” Chris said into the phone. She was laying on the bench seat of a tour bus. “How’s the writing going?”
“It’s not. I’m stuck,” Pete said from the other end of the line. “How are your new friends treating you?”
“Better,” Chris replied. “Once they figured out that I was here to actually manage and not take a vacation arranged by my rock star boyfriend, they straightened up.”
“When do you come home?” Pete asked.
Chris smiled, he had already asked. He usually asked about four times every time he talked to her. “Two weeks.”
“Ok, two weeks.”
“Chris?” It was Alex. “We got to roll in thirty minutes.”
Chris nodded. “I gotta go do my job. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Ok. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“You two are sickenly adorable,” Alex said, still standing at the top of the stairs.
“You’re just jealous.” Chris got up and went to leave the bus.
“Ya, ya. Go find your kids.”
She stuck her tongue out at him as she passed.
“I’ll be back to check right before we leave,” Alex said as they parted ways.
“Ok.” Chris headed off in the direction of craft services, she knew that’s where the band would be. She had lied to Pete. Her relationship with the guys in this band wasn’t great. They were pricks and they treated Chris like she was an errand girl, asking her to get them coffee and stuff. She didn’t do it because it wasn’t her job, but it was still annoying. Alex had told her not to worry about it, some bands were like that. He had told her that she had been spoiled with Fall Out Boy and the bands they associated with. They were cool people, down to earth. Alex had said to be easy going with the boys, play video games and goof around, but to be firm when she was giving them directions. They boys didn’t want anything to do with her, but they did do what she said. As a result, Chris said most of her free hours in her bunk reading or listening to music.
Chris arrived at craft services and spotted they five boys Mike, Chris (ironic, huh?), Will, Pauley, and Robert. She plastered a smile on her face and she walked up to the group of laughing boys. They fell quiet. “Hi, boys,” Chris said. “It’s time to get on the bus.”
They gave each other a look, but Mike responded, “Yes, boss.”
Back on the bus, Alex came by to make sure everyone was present and accounted for, then the bus left. “So,” Chris said, “Why don’t we watch a movie? Princess Bride or something?”
No response.
Chris just shrugged and went to spend another night alone in her bunk.
**
The elevator doors opened into Pete’s apartment. It was one in the morning and she was exhausted. She wasn’t supposed to be back until noon, but Alex’s girlfriend was begging him to come home as soon as possible. So Alex volunteered to drive Chris back to Chicago from Indianapolis where the band Chris managed was from instead of Chris taking the train in the morning.
Chris dropped her bags in the foyer and shuffled into their bedroom. She smiled at Pete’s sprawled form on the bed. She kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed next to him. Chris buried her face in his chest, relieved to be home.
His arms tightened around her and his sleepy voice said, “Hey, starshine.”
“Hi,” she mumbled back.
“I missed you.” He kissed the top of her head and smoothed down her hair.
“I missed you, too.” She turned to her face up to kiss him.
When they broke apart, Pete wiped her face. He laughed a little bit, “Why are you crying?”
Chris hadn’t even noticed. “I just missed you a lot.”
She buried her face back in his chest. Pete could sense it was something else. She had sounded more and more stressed as her tour went on. But he also knew she was exhausted. “It’s ok, starshine. Let’s just go to bed, ok?” Chris nodded. “I love you, Christina.”
“I love you, too, Peter.”
He ran his fingers through her hair as Chris’ breath quickly evened out and she fell asleep.
The next morning, Pete woke up, Chris still lying on his chest. He was going to get up to get some breakfast, but as soon as he started to move, her hands clutched at his t-shirt and she gave a whimper, but didn’t wake up. Pete whispered with a smile, “Guess I’m not going anywhere.” He settled back down and turned on the television, the volume low.
Chris woke up a few hours later, Pete’s hand tangled in her hair, CSI on the television. She smiled and croaked, “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
Chris sat up and stretched. “I love CSI.”
“I know.” Pete sat up and hugged her. “How ya feeling?”
“Tired.” Pete nodded. Chris continued, “And hungry.”
“That’s a problem I can fix,” Pete kissed her temple and got out of bed. He returned a few minutes later. “Leftovers from 24.”
“My hero.”
“So, tell me about tour,” Pete said after Chris had finished eating.
She sighed loudly and collapsed back on to the bed, Hemmingway in her lap now, licking her fingers clean. “It was a learning experience.”
“Ya?”
She shifted so her head was in Pete’s lap. “Let’s just say I’ll be happy to be back with decent human beings.”
“That bad, huh?” He wan his fingers soothingly through her hair.
“They were self-entitled pricks. But Alex said I did a good job and that he thinks I’ll do well with you guys in a couple months.”
“Well, that’s good.” She nodded, her eyes half-closed. “Anything fun happen, at all?”
“I hung out with Alex a lot. He’s pretty cool. And I read like fifteen books.”
“So smart.”
“You know it.”
“What do you want to do today?”
“Hmmmmm.” With a little moan, she said, “Sleep. And take a real shower. Hangout with you and Hem.” She scratched the dog’s ears.
“All things we can do.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead.
She smiled up at him and pulled him down to her for a real kiss. Pete happily obliged her.
*
Chris slept something like fourteen hours that day, so the next morning she was up early. Pete was still sleeping, so she slipped into a pair of sweat pants and one of Pete’s hoodies and took Hemmingway for a walk. She was rounding a corner a few blocks from the apartment contemplating a Starbucks visit on the way back when she heard someone say her name.
“Chris?”
She looked up to see Patrick. Her face burst into a grin. “Hey Trick!”
He rushed up to her and hugged her. “I didn’t know you were home.” She nodded. He bent down to pet Hemmingway. “So how was it?”
Chris told him all about it as she and Patrick started walking back towards Pete’s. Chris waited outside while Patrick got Starbucks for himself, Chris, and Pete.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” he said as they began walking again. “Pete missed you a lot.”
“Really?”
“Ya, he was super depressing. Really quiet. Just not normal Pete.”
“I can’t decide whether to be flattered or concerned,” she said with a bit of a laugh.
“Flattered, I think.” They walked into Pete’s building. In the elevator, Patrick said, “Did you know Sara’s in town?”
“I knew she was coming to visit soon, I didn’t know exactly when. I’ll have to call her. We should all hang out.”
“Absolutely.”
The doors slid open and Chris let Hemmingway off the leash. He scampered off into the apartment. “Peter,” Chris sing-songed at the top of her voice, “We brought you coffee!”
Pete sleepily shuffled into the kitchen, a grin on his face. He pointed at the two of them and said, “Favorites.”
Chris handed him his drink and allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. “Can we have everyone over soon? Patrick says Sara’s in town.”
“Absolutely, starshine.” Pete kissed her temple. “Whenever you want.”
“Yay!” Chris skipped off to presumably go make calls to the others.
“You hanging out with us today?” Pete asked Patrick after taking a sip of his coffee.
“Later,” he responded, “Gabe wants to talk to me about producing his band’s new album.”
“Cobra? Then Midtown’s really dead…”
“So it would seem.”
“Sad day.” Pete brightened. “Well good for him that he has something else. And you a fancy producer. Shoooooot.”
Patrick just laughed. “Fancy. Right.”
“Right.” Pete took another sip. “Besides, you have to make them look good. The label needs some extra awesomeness.”
“No one made you sign them.”
Pete shrugged, “Gabe’s an old friend, plus I knew he’d figure something out.”
“So you’re all-knowing, now?”
“I’ve always been all knowing. Look at those kids from Vegas. They’re all grown up.”
“How nice for you.”
“Yup.”
Patrick checked his watch. “Shit, I gotta run.”
“Alright, man, see ya later.”
“Have Chris text me plans for tonight!” He was already on his way to the elevator.
“Word.”
Patrick rolled his eyes as the elevator doors closed. ‘Word.’ Pete pretending to be gangsta.
Pete finished his Starbucks then went to find his girlfriend. She had migrated back to their bedroom where she was reclining on the bed, puppy in her lap, phone plastered to her ear.
Pete swooped in and stole the puppy. “I’ll take that.”
She stuck her tongue out at him in protest, but continued to talk to whoever was on the phone. Pete left the room.
He had gotten distracted with watching Angels in the Outfield on TBS and the movie was over before he realized he hadn’t seen Chris in all that time. He went back to find her, Hemingway at his heels.
“God, woman, are you going to be the phone for-“ Pete stopped himself because he saw Chris now curled up on the bed asleep. He smiled and sat down next to her. Her eyes fluttered open when he did. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s fine,” her words slightly slurred with sleep. “What are you up to?”
“I was gonna hang out in here, maybe watch some tv.”
Chris nodded, cuddling closer to him. Pete put his arm around her and her head went to her chest. He turned on the tv.
“Hook or Dirty Dancing?” He asked with the channel guide pulled up.
“Uh huh,” she mumbled back, eyes closed.
“You’re already asleep, aren’t you?” No answer. Pete grinned and picked Hook, his fingers tangled in her hair. Pete’s phone went off a while later. It was a text from Patrick asking what was going on that night. Pete, of course, had no idea. He gently nudged Chris, “Chrisssssss, Patrick needs your attention.”
“I’m napping,” she whined into Pete’s chest.
“Ya, well he feels left out because I told him I’d have you text him plans for tonight.”
“God, he’s so needy,” Chris said jokingly as she rolled over in search of her phone. She found it and looked at the display. “See? Four texts from him.”
Pete just laughed as she texted Patrick back. Then she settled back next to him. “So are you going to sleep all day?”
“I love sleep.”
“I know.”
“But no, I’m probably gonna go out and see my parents.”
“When are people coming over?”
“Like seven? I promised mom I’d have dinner with her and papa.”
“Am I invited?” Pete asked.
“If you want. I’m sure they’d love to see you.”
“Absolutely.”
Chris finally dragged herself out of bed around two to shower and get dressed to go visit in the suburbs. She and Pete returned later just in time for all their friends to get there. They played their usual games and talked for hours, steadily getting drunker, before three am rolled around and everyone went home.
A/N:As usual, I'm procrastinating hardcore. Trying to make it through the last few days before a trip to NYC and then my last spring break ever. So enjoy. Also, could I have some reviews? I didn't get any last chapter and I want to make sure I'm not sucking. Kthanxbi
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