FicWad

"Will you please let me through," Ricki asked the mountain of a man in front of her. She put her hands on her waist and glared at the security guard. "I am supposed to be in there!"

"I'm sorry," his deep voice rumbled. "No pass, no entry."

"But Pete's stupid ass didn't give me a pass," she practically yelled. When the security guard didn't move she moaned. "Come onnnn. I did not have Pete's punk ass come to my job for nothing!"

"I bet he did," he mumbled. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you don't have a pass."

"Can't you just trust me," she almost pleaded. "I'm not some hormonal twenty something year old who is trying to get in to fulfill her NSYNC fantasies. Believe me, he doesn't fill any sort of fantasies."

The guard merely stared at her.

"I'm going to have to beat Pete's ass for not givng me a pass," she growled. She huffed and turned on her heel to go.

"Ricki?"

Ricki turned around and grinned. "Joe!"

Joe Trohman smiled and walked out to wrap her in a tight hug. "Where have you been little one?"

Ricki returned his hug just as fiercely, realizing just how much she missed him. "Ohhh...I missed you. And Pete didn't give me a pass and he won't answer his phone."

Joe grinned against her hair and squeezed her once more before holding her at arms length. "Has it really been a month?"

Ricki giggled. "It seems like..."

"Forever," he finished.

Ricki blushed at the way he was looking at her. Get a grip, she thought. This is Joe we're talking about. The same Joe that spit luggis from the hotel balconies and the same Joe that hired a stripper for her 21st birthday. He was her "baby brother", nothing more.

"Ricki?"

Ricki snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Joe. "Sorry. So can I use your pass or what?"

Joe nodded as he took out his pass and walked back to the security, Ricki's hand firmly grasped by his. "I'm Joe, I'm in Fall Out Boy and this is Ricki," he held her hand up. "She's our best friend and she needs to go in there. So you guys wouldn't mind opening the door for her would you?"

The security guard quickly opened the door. "No sir. We had no idea. We were just doing our job."

"And a damn fine job you did," Joe complimented before turning to Ricki. "Yes I'm amazing."

Ricki giggled and hugged him again. "That's obvious. Want me to wait for you?"

Joe shook his head. "Nah, I need to make a phone call so I'll see you inside."

Nodding, Ricki made her way past the guards. "Not gonna say a word...nope...won't say 'I told ya so'', she sang.

"Ricki?"

She turned in the doorway, half smiling. "Hm?"

"I missed you too," he said quietly, his eyes boring into hers. He turned on his heel and walked away, dialing with semi-shaking hands.

Ricki felt herself blush and made her way around backstage. She giggled when she saw Pete check his watch and then the doorway she just came in from. She leaned against a case and watched him interact with the crew. She giggled when one of them said something and Pete threw his head back and laughed loudly. He was feeling loose and he was anxious, she could tell by the way he kept rubbing at his tattoos more than normal. Ricki's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs when she saw Pete visibly stiffen when Patrick walked by. She didn't miss the way he gave him a sidelong glance or the way he cast his head down afterwards.

"Well, well, things just got interesting."

"Talking to yourself again," a voice asked her right behind her ear, causing her to jump. She turned around and placed a hand on her chest.

"Andy you scared the shit outta me," she panted before wrapping her arms around him briefly. "Didn't your momma teach you not to sneak up on people?"

Andy laughed and shrugged. "Yeah but my mom isn't here is she?"

"Fair enough," she giggled. "So how you been?"

Andy nodded his head when he heard his name called from across the way. "I've been good. Ricki, we're gonna finish this later, promise."

"No problem," she assured him as he walked away. "Catch you later Hurley."

"Not if I catch you first, Reyes!"

"Where you been," someone demanded behind her. She spun on her heel and gave a shriek. "Yes...nice to see you too," Patrick Stump said, checking his ears for damage. He let out an "oomp" when she barreled into his chest. Letting his arms tighten just as hard around her, he smiled into her wavy black hair. "I missed you big sister."

"I missed YOU little brother," she mumbled into his sweater. She brought her head back and stared at his chest. "You're wearing the sweater I got you for your birthday last year."

Patrick laughed and let her go to do a slow spin. "Looks good on me right," he giggled. Ricki nodded and giggled back. Patrick giggled at her giggle, covering his mouth. Ricki giggled at the sound of his giggle, hunching her shoulders and leaning towards him. He giggled and leaned towards her his face close to hers.

"Nothing has changed," Joe said as he came in, giving the giggling pair a look. "We meet up and you two are giggling like a bunch of fuckin' school girls."

Ricki nodded and giggled into Patrick's ear. Patrick's eyes got big as if she had told him a juicy secret before pointing at Joe and giggling.

"Oh whatever," Joe said, barely suppressing his grin. Before the two could start giggling again, Joe pulled on Patrick's arm. "Come on Britney Spears, we gotta run sound."

Patrick giggled into his hand and blew a kiss at Ricki as he left. Ricki giggled once more and grinned broadly at Joe. When he grinned and winked at her, she blushed at the thoughts that popped into her head. She watched the two walk across the stage and pick up their guitars. She still had a smile on her face when she saw Pete walk up to Joe. She figured Joe had told him that she's been there awhile for Pete looked directly at her and flipped her off. She merrily flipped him back off.

"I'm not talking to you," he yelled across the stage.

"You are right now," she yelled back, making everyone laugh. He rolled his eyes hugely at her, to which she flipped off.

Grinning to herself she sat on a case and watched her best friends run sound. "Yeah...nothing has changed."

No sooner had the words left her mouth did she see Pete stiffen again when Patrick came by to talk to him. Pete was staring at the ground and nodding to whatever Patrick was saying. Pete almost tripped over his feet when he turned to walk to his amp and Patrick patted his back. Ricki grinned when she saw how bothered Pete acted around Patrick but Patrick seemed to be fine.

"Or...maybe things just got more interesting."