FicWad

Two weeks had passed since the incident at the movies. Brian and Toni hadn't really said much to each other since their little heart to heart, but their relationship was most definitely becoming stronger even, if it was silent. The guys could see it too, he was becoming more parental... even towards them!.

Out of all the guys in the band, Toni had definitely become much closer to Mikey. It was like he just understood her and her reasons for the way she was. She could have some pretty bad mood swings but he even understood that. Mikey liked the fact that he had someone that made him feel like the older sibling, she was like the kid sister that he never had. And it was even better that Toni and Alicia, his fiancé got on really well. Well in the two times that they had met each other anyway.

Whenever her and Brian had had a little fallout, Mikey was usually the one who was sent to make sure Toni was okay, while Ray was always the one elected to go and talk to Brian. But all in all, life on tour was going pretty good.... Too bad they didn't know what was about to hit them.

***
They were on the road. It must have been at least 4am and Frank was woken by a fairly loud thud, which he felt more than heard, from underneath him. Toni was in the bunk under his. He rubbed his eyes a few times and let them adjust to the comforting darkness. He peeled the frail curtain back with his tattooed fingers to see a small figure that could only be Toni. His eyes followed her figure to the bathroom door. She pulled it open and stepped inside and pulled the door shut again. But she hadn't pulled far enough, and Frank could only just see through the small opening to where she was standing in front of the small ceramic sink. She reached into her toilet bag and brought out something that was out of Frank's vision.

He saw her quickly tilt her head back and she took a drink of water. A good five minutes later and Frank's eyes were still glued to the same spot when Toni clumsily stumbled out of the small bathroom, Frank couldn't help but notice how much she was bumping into things and holding her head in her hand in a nursing fashion. She didn't seem to notice his prying eyes from the bunk above her as she crawled back into bed.

In the morning Frank was still slightly confused about what he had seen much earlier. Everyone was awake except for Toni. Mikey had already tried to wake her but it was a totally fruitless task. She had just shrugged and turned over. Eventually Brian had had to go and wake her. They had stopped in the town where that night's concert was and they had an hour to get to sound check. Once Toni was finally up, but not necessarily awake, they made their way into the concert hall from the bus.

Toni was still feeling tired, she sat by the side of the stage while the band set up and tuned their instruments and her uncle was going over some finals with the hall owners. Her mind was starting to wander off to the soft sounds of guys joking among themselves when she was pulled back into reality by the buzzing coming from her jeans pocket. She pulled out her cell and read the caller ID. Joey! She pressed the receive call button on her phone and vigorously moved it to her multiply pierced ear. And before she even had any time to say hi, he practically shouted down the line at her.

' Hey! ... I'm so so so sorry that I haven't called before this.. My parents wouldn't let me. How are you?. Are you okay?. What's it like. Are you having a good time?'

'Wow, let me say hello first.' She gave a small light-hearted but tired giggle. Joey picked up on that.

'You feeling okay Tee?, you don't sound too great.'

'I'm just feeling a little tired. We are on the move a lot, y'know.'

'Yeah, you think you've got enough stuff to last you till you can get some more?'

'I think so, but I'm going through it kinda fast now, y'know it's just been completely hectic around here. And the tiredness isn't really helping.

'Yeah well just sleep it off. It's the best way... believe me I know!'

She knew that Joey really did know because he goes through the same thing she does. It's horrible.

'Hey look, I gotta go, there just starting sound check.'

'Ok, well keep me posted ok?'

'Sure thing, love ya. '

'Love you too, bye.'

With that Toni locked the key pad on her phone and slid it back into the safety of her pocket.

**

Without Toni noticing, Frank had been keeping a close eye on her most of the afternoon. He noticed she disappeared for a few minutes after she had ended her phone call, and when she came back she looked a little spaced out. She took her seat by the stage once more and sat contently to herself listening to the sound check.

Once everything sounded perfect, or as perfect as it was going to be. Frank decided he would try to talk to Mikey about Toni. Maybe he knew something the rest of them didn't.

'Hey, man can I talk to you for a sec?'

'Hmm... oh yeah sure.' Mikey said while handing his beloved bass to a music tech.

'Well ... it's about Toni.'

'What about her?'

' I... I mean I'm not sure... but I'm pretty sure I saw her taking something last night. And she was all spaced out, and then again just now she disappeared and came back looking kinda spacey.'

A look of confusion came over Mikey's face.

' You think she's popping pills? Have you said anything to Brian?'

'No... do you think I should?'

' Not yet... I mean we don't even know if she is on anything. But you're right she has been kinda out of it for a few days. Since we started moving again.'

'Okay well... I think we should keep an eye on her anyway... just in case.'

'Yeah... I might speak with her later.'

'Ok'

Frank and Mikey went to catch up with the others back at the bus, both of them observing a deathly pale looking Toni stumble back to her bunk.
**************


Ooooo. What's she taking?
Will the guys tell Brian?
... or will they confront Toni about it?

You'll just have to keep reading won't you?