FicWad

A Wish, A NightMare, A Dream
Kitsuney
Disclaimer: Don't own the boys. I own Britain. There is a sequel [Insert Your Two Cents SomePlace Else]. This was a one shot. Well over two years old.


"What was her name again?" Billy asked stepping out of Benji's black Explorer.

Joel stepped back, already on the pavement. "Britain. She'll be with us for about a month."

"And she is how old?"

Benji moved forward and moved Joel aside. Joel barely kept his balance. "Thanks, Benji."

"You are welcome."

"How old is she?!" Billy asked again.

"Nine, did you not read the letter?"

Billy fakely smiled. "Of course I did..."

"Now add 'n't'."

"N't...wait...Benji!"

Benji smiled and walked in after Joel into the studio. "I actually read it."

"Ooh really?" Benji nodded, moving his head to see Joel. "Really? Who got her into us?"

Benji stopped and stood there for a second. "Her sister."

"Cousin."

"Close enough..."

"You even know why?"

"The hospital, I know that part."

Joel opened the conference room door and walked in. Billy sat down on one of the black high back swivel chairs and spun around, amusing himself as well as Benji. Joel shook his head and sat on the edge of the long maple table. "Are you having fun?"

Billy smiled and nodded. "Yes! Where's Britain?...It is Britain, right?"

"Yes."

They turned their attention towards the door. Benji walked over and kneeled down in front of the nine year old gothicly dressed blonde girl. "Hi. You must be Britain. I'm Benji. Nice to meet you."

She smiled. "Hi, Mr. Benji."

Joel kneeled down next to his brother. "Hi ya, Britain."

"Hello, Mr. Madden."

Before Joel could say anything, Billy was already on his back and leaning over to hug the little girl. "I'm Billy! Paul isn't here, yet."

She struggled slightly to relieve herself of his grip. "Hi, Mr. Martin."

"You don't have to be so formal."

She looked up at Benji. 'Huh?"

"You can call us by our names."

"Ooh...Sorry...I was told to be polite."

"And you are very polite. But you really don't need to be."

"Okay."

Joel smiled and moved his shoulders, making Billy fall back. "So, Britain, what do you want to do?"

She shook her head and bit her bottom lip. Joel ran his hand down her arm. She shuttered upon his touch and started to step back. "May I have a glass of water?"

"Aah yeah...Benji, go get her some water."

"Fine." Benji got up and walked slowly past Britain.

Joel stood up and sat down next to Billy. "You can sit down with us. If you want to." She stepped forward to him before being picked up from behind by Benji.

"Hello!"

She laughed as he put her on the table and gave her a water bottle. "Thank you..."

"Benji, just Benji, okay?"

She nodded as he opened the bottle. "Thank you, Benji."

"You are welcome, sweetie." Benji jumped up on the table and sat next to her.

"So, what are we doing today?"

Joel shrugged. "Don't know. What would Miss Britain like to do?"

"I don't know...What do you want to do?"

"Whatever you want."

"But I want to do what you want to do."

"Let's play Donkey Kong! Do you know how to play?"

Everyone's gave turned to Billy. Britain smiled. "No."

"Would you like me to teach you? You can learn how to play bongo drums, too. All in one." She nodded and smiled as Billy picked her up.

~~~*~

"I get to go home tomorrow..." Britain looked up across the table to Joel, just sitting down with his freshly made coffee.

"You know I'll miss you a lot, Brit."

She smiled at his comment. "Really? I'll you miss you...and the others, too."

"Of course I'll miss you. You're a cool kid."

"Thank you, Joely."

He smiled. Over the last few weeks, she had opened up and had gotten close to everyone. Joel seemed to be the one most affected by her. "You wanna do something extra special today?"

Before she could respond, Billy came in. "Joel, kinda need you...now..."

"Oh...hold that thought. I'll be right back." Joel, being rushed by Billy, got up and walked into another room a few doors down.

Billy closed the door as soon as Joel got in. "Something bad happened." He turned and faced Joel. "Britain's parents aren't coming to get her."

"Why not?"

Billy swallowed hard. He didn't want to keep going. He just wanted to stop. "They were in an accident. They were coming but..." He stopped and shook his head. By now, he thought Joel would understand.

"What do we do? She'll fall apart if we tell her."

"I don't know. Someone's coming later to take her."

"No." Joel shook his head. "No one's going to take her. She's like family, now. I don't want them to take her."

"We can't take care of her. We're going on tour, remember?"

"Yeah, I know...I'll take care of her."

"She isn't a pet."

"I know...I know...for what it counts, I am good with pets."

"Fine, just talk to Benji first."

Joel smiled and opened the door. "Benji!"

"Kitchen!"

"Coming!" Joel walked out, followed by Billy. "Are you drinking my coffee?"

Benji smiled as he held the cup against his lips. "No, this is mine."

"Where' s mine then?"

"Britain said you had just made it but hadn't drank any yet, so it's mine."

"Well dam...dang it, Benji...I got to talk to you."

Billy sat down next to Britain as the twins left. "Who are you this morning?"

"Kinda sad."

"Why?"

"Because I have to leave."

Billy threw his arm around her. "You don't have to leave. You could always just stay with us. You are life family, after all."

She smiled and cuddled into him. "Thank you, Billy, but I'd like to see my mom."

He bit his bottom lip. He couldn't tell her. She was too happy to hear it. "You wanna learn how to play guitar?"

She moved her head to look at him. "Will you teach me?"

"Yes, I will!"

~~~

"Hey, Joely, what are you planning for Billy's birthday? He'll be nineteen this year."

Joel smiled as Britain sat on his lap. "I don't know. You have any ideas?"

She smiled as he pulled her closer. "Not really. Billy just wanted to know so he could go out with Lindsay."

"So he had you ask?"

"Yup!"

"You shouldn't worry about his birthday. Your birthday is coming up. You should make a list of everything you want."

"I don't want anything."

"Nothing? You sure?"

She nodded. She already had anything she could ever want: three guys that acted like both a father and a brother to her, who would give her any material object she wished. "Yes, Joely! Can we go eat Billy's cake now?"

Joel laughed. "Yeah."

~~~

"Joely, don't let them take me!" Britain grasped onto his leg.

Joel stood there, swallowing hard, fighting himself. "I...Brit..." He kneeled down and held onto her. "I'll always be here for you. I'll make time for you when ever you want. I'd love to keep you, sweetie, but I can't. We're going on tour and we can't have you along. I'd love if we could be we can't. I'll call you everyday. We'll never lose contact."

She looked at him, tears running from her eyes. "You promise?"

"Yeah." He moved his hands across her cheeks and wiped away her tears, forcing his own back. "I promise."

~~~

"It's her birthday."

Billy sat down next to the depressed Joel on the couch. "Yeah, it is...You're still depressed, too. It's been almost a year, Joel."

"I know. I just wanna talk to her. I promised I'd talk to her and they won't tell me where she is now. I have no way to talk to her. I just wanna talk to her. What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing...why don't you add a huge note in your thank you's before we send them off? I'm sure she still likes us. She'll see it."

"Get me some paper, Billy..."

~~~

"I can't believe you, of all people, got married." Benji stood in his pastel purple tux with Joel in his white tux next to him watching his new wife walk around talking to people who came.

"Thanks?" He paused slightly as he watched Paul hug his wife. "She's beautiful."

"Yeah...You married her after a year and a half."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. I'm just amazed. You met her, hated her, produced her, then dated her, and now you've married her."

"I still see no point."

"Billy found something quite interesting in your stuff."

Joel glared over towards Benji. "What did he find?"

"A very interesting little poem...We're adding it to the next album."

"Who decided that?"

"We did. All three of us."

"I had no say?"

"Nope, you'd say no. Sure, we would still over rule you but since it is yours, you could like ruin it. And don't even think about it. Billy has copied it about 200 times."

Joel smiled as Hilary approached. "You're so lucky it's my wedding day..."

~~~

"Years go by. And I'm still waiting. Years go by. I'm think bout you all the time. Years go by. And I'm empty..."

"Kay, stop. Paul, lighten up a little on the middle drum. Billy, keyboard, put it away for now. Joel, sound sad."

Joel made a face towards Benji. "Why?"

"Because we have an aching feeling of what it is about and know that you're upset about it."

"What are you talking about?!"

Billy moved between the two as Paul dropped his sticks. "Listen, shut up! Let's finish this. Joel, I saw what you had written and this isn't it. Can we play nice and do what we planned?"

"Yeah..."

"Fine..."

"Good, Paul, you start off. Joel, wait until Benj and I start to start."

Joel nodded and turned way from Benji before putting on his phones again.

~~~

"Hello, Baltimore! Welcome to our 'Not Yet' tour! Tonight is Benji's last show with us! Pay your respects to him! We wouldn't exist if it wasn't for him being bitchy about starting a band with Billy, so say I love you!"

Benji smiled and bit his bottom lip as the crowd roared. It was true. He was leaving. Why? Because problems had arisen, not to mention Joel's wife was nagging him. He stepped forward and leaned into the mic. "Thanks guys! I'll miss you all!"

"Tonight's show line up was decided by Benji. And Benj wants to do a special cover tonight! And... you know what...Benj, you tell 'em."

"Thanks...Yeah, he forced me to decide but here's my choice. 'Basket Case' by Green Day. First and Last time you'll hear it from us."

~~~

"So you're retired now, huh?"

Benji turned around backstage and looked at her. A young women, her hair blonde, eyes a vivid green. "Yeah, it kinda sucks, too."

"Why are you leaving?"

He shrugged. "I don't want to say it's forced but it kinda is."

"Joely make you mad? Paul'd never make you mad...And Billy's too ADHD to piss you off."

He grinned and ran his fingers thru his hair. "Yeah...Joel isn't really the problem. It's more like his nagging wife that only nags me to get a serious girlfriend."

"She can't be that bad. Joely won't put up with that."

"What's your name?"

"Brit." She smiled and titled her head enough for her bangs to fall across her face.

"Brit? Brit who? If I may ask."

"You may, Brit Forebode."


"Not ringing any bells...Nice to meet you."

She moved her head aside and ignored his hand. "I had a feeling I was forgotten."

He shook his head. "I probably know. My mind's just in a frenzy. Permanent vacation as of five minutes ago."

Joel slid up behind him and rested his chin on Benji's shoulder. "They want an encore."

"Good for them. I'm on vacation. Enter the laziness."

"You aren't made to be lazy."

Joel looked over at Brit. "Ooh...I'll leave...you two alone..."

"Why?...Wait, Joely..."

Billy stepped forward as Joel walked away. "'Ello!"

"Hi."

"How are you today?"

"Fine."

"Who are you?"

"Brit."

"I'm Billy."

"I kinda knew that."

"Well that's good."

"Yes, it is."

"Yeah...so, Benj trying to pick you up?"

"No, I actually came to see Joely...He broke his promise, so I was going to stick it to him...He doesn't remember, so my time is wasted."

"He broke a promise?! Joel? That Joel? Wow...he usually keeps up."

"Yeah...it's no big deal, though. But I've got to go."

Billy lapsed onto her hand. "Britain, stay."

"Britain?"

She smiled and leaned into Billy. "I don't want to."

"You have to. Joel, come back!"

"Not now! In a few minutes!"

Billy moved his head and then his bangs. "He'll never make it."

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"It's only about eleven. How about we go out for drinks. We can celebrate my retirement." Benji smiled as if it was his idea to leave.

"I have work in the morning."

"Where do you work?"

"It's none of your concern."

"I think it is. Benji, do you agree?"

He quickly nodded. "Yes!"

"I don't want you stalking me, so no."

"Aaw come on, Brit." Benji moved closer and put his hands on her sides. "We won't stalk you. And I can promise, Joel won't."

"That's because he doesn't care anymore."

"Actually it's because of his nagging wife who actually controls what he does now...Hi, Joel..."

Benji turned his head and looked at his brother, not so happy brother. "You remember Britain."

Joel stood there for a second, not moving. Of course, he remembered Britain. He hadn't been able to get her out of his head for the last fifteen years. "No, sorry I don't."

"Not surprised." She placed her hands on Benji's and moved them down. "I've really got to go...Bye."

Benji lapsed back onto her hand and laced their fingers together. "I will walk you."

~~~

"Why did you get Britain's number?"

Benji smiled as he plopped down next to Billy on the couch. "Because I'm single and Joel broke his promise."

"Whad I do?"

Neither of them looked up. "Broke your promise to Brit, so Benji, here, got her number."

"We are going to dinner Wednesday night. And no, you and Hilary can't come."

"Why would we want to?"

"Because Britain's grown up and is extremely hot."

Benji hit the back of Billy's head. "You'd want to come because you broke your promise."

"It's not my fault. They wouldn't tell me where she was."

"You owe me twenty bucks. Told you he remembered." Billy poked into Benji's side.

"You betted?!"

"Yes, have you read that poem? The one that we planned to do then you revised? It spells it out. You still haven't gotten over it. Divorce Hilary, take Brit and I'll come back to GC."

"I'm not divorcing Hil. She's my wife and I love her."

"Don't worry about the kids. They'll be fine...I read this story where Benj had two kids and stated a relationship with me and then...You might think it's creepy that I read some gay sex story about me and Benj, but you know what...I have no excuse...Humm...Keep fighting while I shoot myself..." Billy got up as the two twins stared at him.

"Billy's gay? When the hell did that happen?"

"When you started to date Hilary."

"Get off that! I have a love life, you don't. End of story. Have a nice time with Britain and leave me alone."

~~~

"There's too much silence..."

"Yeah...I feel weird being with you...It's not that you aren't cool, I just have never spent time with you."

"Yeah, you and Joel were always together..."

She swallowed. She couldn't tell him she only came to see Joel..."Sorry...This might have been a bad idea. I'm sure you have something planned..."

"No, nothing. I'm free as long as you need me."

"I'm grown up, Benj. I don't need you."

He looked up at her, somewhat hurt but not able to show it. "I don't mean sexually."

"I know..."

"I won't break my promise. I'll be here if you need me."

She smiled and looked at him, eyes locked. "You are the best brother I could ever ask for."

He smiled. That wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear but it was a start.

~~~

"Has Benj come back yet?"

Billy looked up from the TV at Joel. "Why do you care?"

"I don't care...I was just worried. It's past midnight."

"You do know he's thirty six, right? He can take care of himself."

"I...Benji, you're back early."

Billy moved his glare to the door. "Britain, you're here...Hi, sweetie."

Britain waked over and collapsed next to Billy. "Hi, Billy-kun!"

He moved and put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer so she could lean on him. "What are you doing here?"

"Benji said I couldn't drive home cause it was too late and that I could sleep here."

"Where do you live?"

"Jessup."

"That's a little while away...yeah, you're staying here. Joel, you have any of Hilary's clothes she can wear?"

"Yeah, tons. Brit, come with me." Joel walked out with her following him. He opened a door and walked in. Britain flipped the light switch on and walked over to Joel. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He looked up at her. "For breaking my promise. I tried to call you but they wouldn't tell me where you were. I wrote little letters in all the credits for the CDs... I tried."

"It's okay...I saw them."

He dropped the blue silk gown and turned completely in her direction. "I hope Benj treats you well."

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you going out?"

"Ooh...no... Benj is like my brother. I can't do that."

He exhaled and turned back. "I hope this fits."

"Joely...I made a mistake by showing up...I didn't want you to feel bad."

"No, I made a mistake for not taking you. I could have fought them but I didn't'. I'm sorry. I love you and I never wanted you to leave..."

"I...Bye..."

~~~

"Britain, what's wrong? I've been calling you all week. Why haven't you picked up?" Benji sat on the edge of his bed with his phone glued to his ear. "Ignore Joel. It's your best bet. He's a jackass. Don't trust him..." He listened to every silent word she spoke, noting her stall points. "I understand. I don't think he should be in the way...I want to see you. I missed you. Don't hold Joel against me. It's not my fault he was born." It sounded harsh but it was the truth. He had no control over it. "Britain, you're not a sister to me. You're more important than that to me. I wanna take care of you. I wanna make sure you're alright."

~~~

"Damn it, Benji. Leave me alone!" She swung the door open.

"So, Benj doesn't leave you alone?"

She blinked and stared at him. "Joel? What are you doing here? You should be Benji..."

"No, I'm the bad twin. I'm cheating on my wife. I'm the bad one."

"Congratulations, by the way..." She dropped her chin, absolutely upset.

Joel picked up her chin and kissed her. "I'm getting a divorce..." She slowly nodded and stepped back, letting Joel in before Joel closed the door. "The guys had a bet going, on me and you actually. Whether or not I remembered you...Of course, I did. I could never forget." He kissed hr only lighter than he had before. "You won't stay out of my mind. But I don't mind..."

"I do...I don't want to haunt you and I don't want you around. I told you I shouldn't have came. I shouldn't...Nothing works anymore. I don't want you back in my life."

~~~

For years he had managed never to use his last resort. That tradition was a bust. He sat silently, rocked Scotch in his right hand, eyes darting in between strippers, or exotic dancers. It wasn't doing him any good, still depressed. He'd fake a smile when one of the strippers approached.

A redhead emerged onto the stage; neon pink 'clothes' on. Joel didn't noticed. He only saw the eyes; tantalizing green. He stood up and instantly grabbed her ankle. "Britain!"

She kicked him, never noticing due to the light in her vision. He let go. She couldn't hear; he figured that out. From behind, he was jerked up and dragged away; out of the bar. A taller, muscular man threw him against the brick wall before slamming his fists into Joel's ribs and jaw. With in no time, Joel fell, mouth full of blood...