𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎

"They probably got caught up in some shit," Daria offers, attention far more focused on the artists roaming around than the lack of Grand Motel.

"Yeah," Sloane confirms, "I'm sure we'll catch up with them later."

"I'm just gonna go check the tour bus," Billie states to no one in particular. She doesn't want to ruin their euphoria all over her impatience to see Ezra.

As she makes her way to the back of the private area into the sectioned off lot for vehicles and tour buses, there's an utter stillness she can't place. The soft bass of a set occurring on the opposite side of the gigantic venue is barely above a hum in the lot. She takes a moment to breathe in the calm, knowing this will likely be the last time she'll experience another silent moment like this for a long while.

As Billie begins to weave through the dozens of buses, the flashing of ambulance lights practically stuns her until she finds the source right near their buses. Jude is standing outside, stature crumpled and face ghostly pale. He barely seems coherent with his eyes fixed on the ground. Billie's stomach sours as she realizes the ambulance is here for them.

"What happened?" She croaks, throat and mouth painfully dry as her feet carry her towards Jude. She nearly trips over herself in an attempt to get there quicker when his melancholy eyes finally lift to reach her.

Jude looks at her with an emotion she can't place. It's somewhat like the way he had looked at Billie the night he caught her and Ezra grinding on each other in that club. Finally, Billie understands the emotion he could hide then but not now. Jude is looking at her with pity, as if he had known something long before she did.

"No," she begs, voice cracking under the weight of her realization that Ezra is in there. Her fingertips reach out for the door handle of the bus before his calloused hands wrap around her wrist.

"Billie," Jude rasps, "You can't go in there." Now, he's placed himself as a physical barrier between her and the entrance. She can hear the muffled sounds of radios and frantic mumbling, and her stomach twists.

"But he's in there!" She practically yells, though her tone is broken. Jude does not budge, red eyes burning into hers. "Move!" She begs, but her pleas fall on deaf ears.

"They're taking him to the hospital," Jude explains, "and he'd never forgive me if I let you in there."

"O-Oh god," she bellows, "Is he —" She begins, but is cut off by the shake of Jude's head.

She can feel an unknown weight lift from her chest just enough so that she can catch her breath. Ezra is alive. The pause of relief is enough to make Jude wince. Tears begin streaming down his cheeks, and Billie begins to grow frantic at the notion that he may not be alive for long. She needs to see him, needs to see that he's okay.

Once more, she attempts to sidestep Jude. Yet, he's much quicker and stronger than her. Without thinking, Billie moves to shove at his frame. She's so blinded by her rage and worry, that her body no longer becomes her own. She slams her fists into his chest, frustrated breaths pushing out of her lungs as tears blur her vision. Over and over again, she begs him to move.

Jude remains firm in his stance, though, not even phased by her acts of aggression. He would not move. He would not let her see him, not like this. Billie begins to wonder if she would ever see Ezra again. Finally, her body grows weak, and she begins to crumple. Jude reaches for her balled fists to keep her steady, and Billie collapses against him.

She buries her face in his chest and begins to sob. He grips her tightly, arms wrapped around her petite frame as a form of comfort and protection. Her wails practically conceal the sound of the bus door opening. Still, she attempts to pull away from Jude to catch a glimpse of Ezra, but he refuses to let her see. Instead, he holds her tighter and keeps her head nestled against his frame.