FicWad

The day after the dance was supposed to bring a long day of sleeping in; however, for Molly it brought a long day of laundry and chasing Jamie around the house as her parents had gone to a bridge game with one of her fathers clients. At around four o'clock Molly was sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea and going over some homework when the phone rang twice and stopped. Shrugging to herself and ignoring it she was incredibly surprised when about five minutes later Jamie ran into the kitchen and handed her the portable phone.
"It's Patrick." he started quite seriously, "and he wants to talk to you."
"What's the rule about the phone Jamie?"
"I don't know."
"yes you do Jamie."
"Fine. Don't answer the phone. But Patrick is still on the other end."
"We'll talk about this later. Go finish watching tv." At her dismissal the five year old ran back into the living room.
"Hey Patrick."
"Hey you. So, Jamie and I just had a very interesting chat about the Road Runner."
"Oh really?" Molly feigned interest as she flipped through her history text book.
"Yup. Just a word of warning if he climbs onto anything, you might want to take him down. I tried explaining that he would go splat for good but five year old boys don't want to hear that. Trust me, I was one."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Ok...now you're the one not paying attention."
"I'm sorry Patrick. I've got a history test on Wednesday and I've been trying to study all freaking day and nothing is sticking. It's just a whole mish mosh of dates and names and I can't seem to get one to go with the other."
"Ok...you need a break. Come hang out."
"yea, except that you remember who answered the phone? I'm babysitting."
"Bring him with you."
"No." Molly said firmly. "That is out of the question. I am not hanging out with you and my five year old brother."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"No."
"Yes." Molly finished distractedly.
"Cool. I'll pick you up in ten. Bye." And Patrick hung up the phone.
"Patrick!....ooooo. Damnit. That isn't supposed to work in real life." With a frustrated sigh Molly stacked up her books and put her cup in the dishwasher before yelling to her brother to bring his shoes into the kitchen. Molly heard little feet run upstairs and a few minutes later come down the back stairs by the kitchen. Grabbing the small red head up and placing him on the counter she quickly put his sneakers on his feet and set him back down.
"Where are we going?" Jamie asked looking up at his sister with more then a little confusion. "You're supposed to make dinner. Mommy said so."
"Yea well, Mommy says a lot of things. We're going out with Patrick. I'll get you pizza."
"You don't drive!"
"Patrick does."
"Oh...I like him. He's cool." Jamie stated with enthusiasim.
"You've never even met him munchkin."
"Well...he sounded nice. Plus, he knows Road Runner, so he's cool." Jamie added matter of factly. As Molly started buttoning the little boys jacket there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Molly yelled.
"Me."
"Ok....is me a serial killer?"
"Its me you dofus." Patrick said in an exasperated voice.
"Oh...its open." Molly responded while putting on her own coat as the door opened.
"HI!" Jamie waved up at Patrick.
"Finally I'm taller then someone." Patrick grinned down at the little boy, "Put'er there kiddo." He added sticking his palm out for a high five. While Jamie just looked at him funny before turning to his sister and saying,
"I think I take back what I said about him being cool." Molly burst out laughing at her little brother.
"Come on munchkin. Let's go. By the way Patrick, you're buying us pizza for dinner."
"Yes dear, I live but to serve."
"That's right and don't you forget it. Where are we going anyway?"
"Well, I figured it was about time you actually heard my band."

After a quick stop at Sabatini's Pizzaria for two large cheese pizzas and a giant salad, "For Andy" Patrick told Molly, they headed off to Pete's parent's basement for band practice.
"I have arrived. You all can now bow down before my supreme musical talents." Patrick announced as the three walked into the basement. For pairs of eyes just stared at him. Before turning back to whatever they had originally been doing. "Gee, I feel the love. Ok, fine. No pizza for you." Patrick finished with a shrug as he led Jamie by the hand over to a small table so the boy could sit and eat dinner.
"Pizza?" Joe asked looking up suddenly a lot less interested in his girlfriend's tounge. "Gimme food." he said as he ran over to the table and then noticed Jamie. "Oh, hey little man. Put'er there." Joe also held out his hand for a high five. And recieved the same look Patrick had. "ooooo kay." With that the lead guitarist grabbed two plates and three slices and went back over the couch.
"Your very welcome Joe. Oh, and Andy, we got a salad for you." Molly called over to the drummer.
"Thanks Molly." came from two mouths, one very mumbled around a slice of pizza.
"What about me?" Pete asked pouting from where he sat on top of his bass amp.
"I suppose we could feed you. Lord knows if we don't you might wither away and die. And whatever would the hair gel companies do without your money?" Molly shot back.
"Ha. I'm sure you do your part to keep them in business." Pete answered while reaching over to ruffle the back of her short spiky hair.
"I'm telling you. Kill each other or bang the night away." Joe hissed to his girlfriend.
"JOE!" Both Pete and Molly yelled at him.
"What?! I kept it clean for the kid." He answered in confusion while his girlfriend just shook her head before standing up and walking over to the table.
"Hi, I'm Max." The curly haired brunette introduced herself while sticking her hand out to shake.
"Molly. and this is Jamie."
"Hello Jamie." Max said stooping down so that she was eye level with the child.
"Hi." He answered around a bite of pizza.
"Well...won't you get along incredibly well with Joe."
"Oh I'm sure he will. They're at about the same maturity level." Molly said with a laugh.
"Hey!" was heard from both the couch and the table.
"See..." Molly trailed off with a grin.

Once everyone had finished eating, Molly settled Jamie down with crayons, coloring books, and action figures that Pete just so happened to have lying around the house. 'I'm not going to ask. and strangly am not surprised in the slightest' Molly thought to herself as she sat down on the couch next to Max and watched the boys get set up to practice. And less then a minute later was wondering if now would be a bad time to ask for ear plugs.
"This is a really new song." Max reassured Molly after seeing the look of shock and horror on her face. "They're a lot better then this usually."
"Oh good. 'cause I wasn't sure how I was going to be excited for them." Molly whispered to the other girl frantically. As she said that Patrick went into the chorus of the song, the very very repetitve chorus.
"....Last night I saw my world exploooddeeeee, yea last night I saw my world exploddddeeeeeeee...."
Molly listened to the song and couldn't help but think she wouldn't want to be on the other end of whoever's pen this was. As Patrick sang, although right now it was more like screamed, on about "Switchblades and Infidelities" as Max had informed her was the title of the new song Molly watched the the boys expressions carefully. They had such passion there. They were all such goofballs most of the time, even Pete for all his obnoxiousness, but when they were playing.../'wow'/ was all Molly could think.
Joe, the loveable stoner was rocking out, and it was easy to tell that being confined to the small space was driving him nuts. He kept jumping up and down as though trying to release all his extra energy somewhere other then his fingers.
Andy, was a mass of flying hair and powerful arms. 'and I'm not gonna lie, that's kinda yummy' Molly thought with an internal giggle.
Pete, ironically enough, just stood still the whole time. Playing his bass, and Molly could see what Matt had meant by mediocre, but on his face. It was an expression of pure ecstacy. As though it didn't matter if he was playing in the basement or in front of hundreds of people. He was playing. Ok, self. Stop waxing lyrical about the boy with the Peter Pan complex. Pete is annoying. He's your friend yes, in some twisted disturbed way, he is your friend. But we do not get all poetic about him. ever.' Molly's internal argument was cut off when she turned her perusal to Patrick.
Patrick stood there, playing his guitar, his hat pulled low over his eyes and wailed into the microphone. Despite the fact that he was currently screaming he had one of the best voices Molly had heard in a really long time. There was quite a range underneath all that self consciousness. Molly felt her heart leap into her throat when his eyes met her's under the brim of his cap and he smirked as he finished the final line in the song.
"...and walking out on you, still the best thing that I ever did."
'Wow....They're amazing. This isn't some garage punk band. I'm gonna be saying "I knew them when" someday.' Molly thought to herself as she smiled back at Patrick.

----------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Title from "Rockin' The Suburbs" By the great and wonderful Ben Folds.
also...yes hell hath frozen over, Molly considers Pete her friend (although I doubt she'd ever admit it outloud, him either. They enjoy mocking each other too much). However, they will never be anything other then friends. Ever. Seriously. Heck, I couldn't even give him happily ever after with Ryan.