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"Viva Las Vegas." Kate yelled into the microphone at the show's closing before exiting stage left.

"Ok Elvis." Joe laughed as he handed his and then Kate's guitar to the tech. Since she was no longer pregnant playing guitar was once again allowed.

Kate rolled her eyes before perking up and bouncing in front of him pulling at his sleeve for emphasis.
"Want to come out with me Joey?" She questioned as innocently as possible.

After her miscarriage the media was informed promptly about Kate's 'battle with asthma' and her 'colossal asthma attack that cause her a short hospital stay.' Despite everything, the very next night Kate was onstage in Chicago just as planned. The media was impressed with Kate's professionalism; her band, family and friends however, were concerned. It just wasn't normal for someone to go through something so horrific and bounce back so fast. The thing of it was that her so-called 'fast mental recovery' wasn't what really bothered them, people cope differently, it was the fact that after each show she would go out and get plastered - which was totally out of Kate's character. Normally she was the type of person to go back to the hotel or bus put on her fuzzy bunny slippers and PJ's and fiddle around on her Mac's Garage Band, so when getting hammered became a regular deal, concern arose.

"I don't think so Kate." Joe replied cautiously not wanting to upset her.

"Ugh fine." She stated annoyed before spotting Dirty. "Dirty?!" She questioned excitedly, with him she was almost guaranteed a drinking partner.

Dirty froze in place, of course he was all for going out - they were in Las Vegas for Christ's sake - but he just couldn't bring himself to promote Kate's activity.
"Not tonight Katie." He stated quickly before scurrying off by Andy, Pete, Patrick and Matt. He knew she wouldn't bother him anymore if he hung with the straight edge kids.

"Yeah, yeah Dirty go hide behind my straight edge pansy of a brother." Kate mumbled to herself as she grew more and more frustrated, there had to be someone that would go out with her, and if not fuck it, she'd go alone.

"Sam?" She called out into the hallway knowing that the drummer was around someplace. Her voice echoed off the concrete walls before a reply was heard.

"Sam's busy right now." He called out from a room, also avoiding going out with Kate.

"You know what I'm just going by myself, you guys suck." She whined while stomping down the hallway taking off her sweaty shirt in the process as she made her way to the shower.

"We can't let her go, she can't do this anymore." Andy sighed concerned once he was confident Kate was in the shower and out of earshot.

"Yeah, but I'm sure as hell not going to be the one telling her she can't do something." Patrick stated while pointing at the others forcefully before acknowledging his vibrating phone.

Pete rubbed his temples in deep thought, "Ok none of us can really tell her what to do, she's going out regardless so, NOT IT!" he yelled quickly while raising his hand.

An array of 'not its' were heard echoing from the various members of both bands, Sam even managed to get his 'not it' in from down the hallway. All eyes soon shifted to the loser. Patrick was oblivious to the stares as he was engrossed with a text message he had just received from his brother. After responding he glanced up and was slightly startled to see everyone staring at him. It took him a second to realize what had happened but once he did he groaned and shook his phone angrily.

"Damn you Kevin!" He yelled at his cellular device before shuffling towards the showers, he wasn't sure exactly why, but he didn't even complain.

Patrick pushed open the bathroom door; steam from Kate's running shower welcomed him eagerly. He shook his head slightly amused, only Kate would shower in the boys bathroom - he could almost hear her voice "It would be so uncool of me to dirty the girl's bathroom for just me."

Once another shower started Kate immediately bent down to inspect the legs of the person in the stall next to her - very pale, un-tattooed, blond hairy legs, Patrick. She contemplated her options of going out alone or Patrick possibly accompanying her. Once Kate reached her decision she sighed inwardly before hopping up on the wall of the stall and peering over so that her arms, shoulders and head were visible.

"Want to come out with me tonight?" She stated as perky as possible. She was really trying to at least be Patrick's friend, he had helped her so much that night at the hospital even after everything she did to him, the least she could do was be civil towards the man. Besides, she knew he was hurting just as much as she was and maybe it would be good for both of them to drink their problems away.

Patrick jumped slightly and looked up while instinctively covering his nether regions. Though he had heard her voice he was still startled to see her peering down at him.

She gave him a cheeky smile that was supposed to act as a 'please.'

"You know your vagina kind of disqualifies you from being allowed in the boys bathroom." He stated nonchalantly while ignoring her question and trying not to smile.

"I'm the only girl who showers after the show, it would have been so uncool of me to make someone clean up after just one person." She replied innocently.

Patrick smiled and nodded in agreement, he had almost called it word for word. If she wouldn't have been looking at him he would have patted himself on the back. It was then that he realized that she was still watching him; well technically she wasn't watching, she was waiting for an answer to her question.
"Yeah I'll go with you." He replied with a sigh remembering how his brother caused his demise in the traitorous game of 'not it.'

"Yay!" She stated excitedly as she hopped down from the wall. Kate had to admit she wasn't too thrilled that the only one would go out with her was Patrick, but she would take it over going out alone. It couldn't be that bad, they had been friends once - they also used to screw, but that was besides the point. Kate shook the dirty thoughts out of her head as she shut the shower off and rung out her hair. She wrapped a towel tightly around her body before exiting the stall.

"Next time you want to watch me take a shower just ask." Patrick jokingly yelled over the running water.

Kate blushed instinctively, was she really that transparent? She had only looked like twice, there was no way he could have noticed her wandering eyes. The brunette shook her head in disappointment, she was worse then a teenage boy.
She then forced herself to make some sort of huffing noise,
"Don't flatter yourself."

"Uhh huh." He mocked.

"Whatever, I'm going to change." She stated before exiting the bathroom.
She ran into her dressing room and stood in front of the mirror clutching the towel tightly to her body while bouncing nervously - any other night she would have just put on whatever clothes, no makeup and let her hair dry naturally, but tonight something was making her want to look amazing.

..........

As soon as they walked into the club Patrick was immediately uncomfortable. He felt out of place, awkward and underdressed, just once he wished that he would have listened to Pete when the drama king had stated to 'wear the tie.' Though in reality it didn't matter, he was with Kate, which at least guaranteed no one making fun of him. . . to his face.
Patrick shook the unconfident thoughts from his mind and reassured himself that he was fine, if he really was that underdressed Kate would have said something, right? He went over their conversation in his head glancing down out of reflex when he remembered Kate laughing and rolling her eyes before playfully questioning,
'Why don't you ever wear shoes that match?'
He then recalled her excitedly bending down to pick up a penny that was heads up while unknowingly giving him an eyeful of leg. Needless to say, her backless black dress was putting that damn song to shame and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride when she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowded club. Kate glanced backwards and smiled at him, immediately Patrick's insecurities melted away, fuck what everyone else thought, he was with her.

He frowned slightly when they finally reached the bar, the realization of exactly why Kate went out hitting him full force. She held up the number two signaling the amount of shots she wanted before remembering who her companion was. Kate glanced over to him and sighed when Patrick turned down her offer with a nod of his head. The bartender shot glances between Patrick and Kate as he dabbled between the numbers two and one, silently questioning her with his hand. She confidently reassured him that she wanted two. The bartender nodded in understanding before almost instantly pouring the alcohol into two shot glasses before her. Patrick opened his mouth to protest but was silenced when Kate downed both shots, slamming the tiny glasses down with purpose before ordering two more. Once again she threw back a shot but stopped short on the second one when she spotted someone she knew. She smiled and waved before glancing at Patrick who was studying the stranger from afar. Kate yelled over the music that she would be right back, the music however engulfed her words - Patrick hesitated for a moment breaking eye contact with Kate for an instant to once again give the strange man a once over. He nodded that he understood and Kate smiled before unexpectedly kissing his cheek, lingering longer then necessary. With that small gesture she had left him with the hope that she would promptly return.

Kate threw back her second shot before placing the empty glass on the table gingerly. She then made her way over to the very well dressed and handsome Samson Malone. Once close enough the two hugged as if they were old friends, Sampson easily picking her up while giving her a good squeeze before placing her back down on the floor. Kate, of course, laughed while excepting the drink offered to her by the suave gentleman.
"It's so nice to see you." His slight Australian accent was apparent when he spoke and his dazzling smile was just the icing on the very tall muscular cake.

"It's nice to see you too." Kate smiled before finishing off the drink Sampson handed to her. She learned later that it was called 'Hypnotize Me' and contained generous servings of strawberry vodka, strawberry liquor and hypnotic.
"Frank is always talking about his brilliant nephew studying in Australia - I just wish we got to see you more." She spoke highly of her manager's stories though sometimes she just really didn't care anymore about Sampson's fabulous accomplishments.

Samson laughed at the mention of his wacky uncle before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"You look amazing tonight Kate, gorgeous actually."

Kate nodded a thank you before gladly accepting another 'Hypnotize Me' martini.

Ten minutes later Patrick could no longer ignore the sympathy looks the bartender was tossing his way and he turned to face the bar annoyed.
"She's coming back." He forcefully spat at the bartender.

"If you say so." The bartender answered, sounding thoroughly uninterested.

"She just hasn't seen him in awhile . . . who ever he is." Patrick retorted more to convince himself then the bartender whose nametag read 'Steve.'

"Okay." Steve responded.

"She is!" He once again defended though Steve wasn't exactly arguing with him.

"Fine. I'm not arguing with you." The bartender replied frustrated.

But he was, somehow. Every word of agreement only made Patrick feel patronized, and condescended. Then again it wasn't really Steve's fault that he obviously expected this night out with Kate to be anything else other then her simply wanting to get drunk - damn him and his optimism. Patrick then corrected himself, this wasn't him being optimistic, it was him being naive - a subtle difference that had a major impact on his ego. When Patrick finally let himself break away from his thoughts he noticed that Steve had so kindly placed a shot of vodka directly in his eye line. He raised the glass in a thanks before downing the shot. Feeling a tad bit better he placed the shot glass back on the bar, he was content with just one but Steve poured another all the while staring at Kate from across the room as she laughed, he shook his head in amazement before looking at Patrick.

"It's on the house." The bartender nodded his red hair falling in his face as he did so. Turning his attention back to Kate, Steve raised his eyebrows before letting out a breath.
"Such a great dress." He replied as he refilled Patrick's shot glass for the third time.

Patrick turned around immediately spotting Kate in the dress previously mentioned, he nodded forcefully in agreement as he threw back the shot and motioned for another.

..........

Kate awoke the next morning cursing the sun as it shown brightly through the open window. She groaned as she wiped the side of her face, thoroughly disgusted with her drool that had made a home on her cheek. She placed her hand back down beside her in hope that more sleep would dull her hangover but she snapped her eyes open when she felt flesh instead of the bed. Kate immediately sat up in a panic as she unsuccessfully tried to remember the events from last night. The sudden movement caused her head to throb its disapproval and her hand immediately went to her forehead as everything she was previously pondering got replaced with pain. Once the pain subsided she looked over at the sleeping figure beside her, his familiarity shocking her slightly less then the ring she noticed him wearing as he scratched his face groggily.