18 Months Later - Feburary
"Britt are you sure you want to go to that house by yourself?" Abby asked as we got into a car at the aitrport. We had just gotten home from touring with Peace Punk. Abby had flown out a month ago to keep me company because I was worried I might slide back into the depths of hell. Frances had spent most of the tour with me but had some business to do during the last two months.
"Ya I'll be fine. I'm getting the kids tomorrow," I said as I pushed my sunglasses up my nose a bit more.
The car was surrounded by the paparazzi. Dave and I had seperated 11 months ago after fighting like crazy while recording both the new Peace Punk album and my solo project. I told Dave I could do my solo stuff whenever I wanted but he had pushed me to do it right away. I felt rushed and pressured and I shut him out. He responded with getting angry and mean. He was constantly putting me down while we were working and not working. I had finally had enougha nd told Dave the guys and I scheduled a 10 months touring schedule. Dave said if I was gone for 10 months I could find a new place to live. So I moved back to the house I had bought myself. I let him have the kids cause I didn't need him coming over everyday.
"Britt just come stay with me and Taylor for a few days. You can stay til the wedding even," Abby said as the car finally pulled away from the airport.
"I just want to be alone," I replied as I looked out the window. Abby grabbed my hand.
"Look I don't want you alone. You called me out on tour because you missed everyone. You also didn't want to slip again. I know what you're going to do as soon as you get home. Please just come home and let your best friends take care fo you for once," Abby said as she teared up. I did too.
"Ya ok. I just want," I stopped myself. I knew saying it would sound stupid.
"You want Dave. I know. He'll get his head out of ass soon and realize he's making a fucking huge mistake," Abby said as she moved over to hug me.
About a month ago, when I called Abby and asked her to join me, Dave had been spotted with yet another blonde on his arm out an about LA. His sixth since I walked out of the house. I put my head on Abby's shoulder and just cried as we drove to her and Taylor's house. When we got there Taylor was out in the driveway with Dave.
"Fuck my life," I said and ducked behind the seat when I saw him.
"Give me a minute," Abby said and got out of the car.
I watched her walk over to Taylor and whisper in hsi ear. I ducked behind the seat again as I saw Dave look over to the car. I saw Kurt and Meredith come running out of the house with Shane and Dave's attentionw as grabbed by them. I took my sunglasses off and checked my reflection in the rearview mirror. I took my ponytail out and shook it loose. I quickly applied some lipgloss before putting my sunglasses back on and getting out of the car.
"Britt!" taylor yelled as he ran over and hugged me. I hugged him tightly as Dave watched us. I noticed he was biting his lip.
"I so needed a Taytay hug right then. I missed you," I said as we put our arms around each other and headed towards Abby and Dave.
"Brittany," Dave said with a nod.
"David," I replied.
"Mama," Kurt and Meredith yelled when they saw me. I bent down as they ran to me and I hugged them tightly. Kurt pulled away and tried to take my sunglasses off. He succeeded until I took them and put them back. I let them goa nd they went abck to playing Shane.
"Where's Eric?" I asked as I looked at Dave. He looked sad all of a sudden.
"Napping with Ollie," he replied as he looked down at his feet.
"Britt's staying with us until after the wedding," Abby said as the driver finsihed taking our bags out of the car and left.
"Oh? Don't want to be alone?" Dave said, snarky as hell.
"Actually I don't want to end up like so Kurt so I'd rather stay here," I said before I headed towards the house. I knew I had hit a nail right on the head but I didn't care. I was tired of being his punching bag. I wasn't gonna be his monkey wrench either. I sat down on their couch and started crying. I hated what we had become. He pushed me to work and then he resented it for me.
"That was harsh Brittany," Taylor said as he came into the house.
"I know. I hate being like this with him," I replied as Taylor walked voer to me. He pulled me into hsi arms as I cried.
"He misses you. You knwo that right?" Taylor said as he petted my head.
"He doesn't act like it or show it. He's even seeing some dumb blonde. Mind you this is number 6," I said as Abby came in with the kids.
"He complained about the first 5 and he's complaining about this one. Dumping ehr when he gets home. He compares them all to you and then when they fail to replace you, he moves on. He's in therapy again too. Are you gonna be ok walking down the aisle with him and shit for the wedding?" Taylor asked as Abby sat down with us as the kids played in a different room.
"Ya I'll be fine. Hey do you mind if I borrow a car from either of you? I wanna go get something from my house," I said as I wiped my face clean of tears. Taylor stood up and came back with his keys. I said thanks and told them I'd be an hour. I got in the car and started driving to Dave's place. Why was I doing this? I pulled into the driveway and parked on the side, in case someone wanted to elave. I saw blonde #6 shoving thigns into the back of her car as I got out. I walked up to car and she looked at me.
"You! This is all your fault," She said as she closed her trunk.
"I didn't do anything. I just got here," I said as she started walkign towards me.
"Dave dumped me because I'm not you. This is your fault. First you leave him alone with the kids so you can tour with your band instead of letting him tour with the Foo Fighters," she said as she started getting closer. I ran into something and realised it was the wall between us and our neighbours.
"I didn't leave him. He told me if I went on tour I couldn't come back. He pushed me to make my solo record when I wasn't ready. How about you abck the fuck off now," I said as she got closer. I saw the front door open and Dave come out.
"Hey get the fuck away from my wife," Dave said as he walked towards us. She backed off the second she heard his voice.
"Davey I was just gonna tell ehr to get lost after how she hurt you," the blonde said as Dave put himself between me and her. He had his back to me.
"Candy get the fuck out of here. I just dumped you. Please get off my property and don't come back," Dave said. Candy stomped her foot and walked to her car, got in and sped off. Dave turned around and looked at me.
"Candy?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Don't ask. Why are you here? Want to throw Kurt in my face again?" He asked.
"No. I wanted to actually apologise and maybe talk," I replied. I put my hands in my pockets and kicked a rock.
"Ya uh sure. Come in," Dave said as he put an arm around my shoulders and we walked into the house. First thing I noticed when I walked in was our wedding picture.
"That wasn't there when I left," I said as I pointed at the picture.
"Violet and Harper moved it. They thought if I saw it everytime I walked through the front door that I would bring you home," Dave said as he headed towards the kitchen. I followed him.
"How are Violet, Harper and Ophelia?" I asked as we entered the kitchen.
"They're great. Miss you but doing great. Jordyn wants a wine night when you get a chance," Dave said as he took a mike's hard and a beer out of the fridge. He opened both and handed me the mike's hard.
"Thanks and that's good. How have Kurt, Meredith and Eric been doing while I was touring?" I asked before takign a sip.
"Sad. You missed their birthdays," Dave said after he took a sip of his beer.
"I asked you to bring them out for their birthdays but you said no," I replied getting a little angry.
"I was punishing you for leaving," Dave replied. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes.
"I didn't want to leave. You know I didn't. You pushed me into doing the solo album and then you and John both told me I had to tour with this Peace Punk album. I had no choice. Then the day ebfore I leave you tell em if I go I can't come back. Now you've had 6 dumb blondes and apparently you complained about all of them to Taylor," I said as I let the tears flow. Dave put his beer down and came over and wrapped me up in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry. I know I pushed you. I've fucking realised that over the past 11 months. I told you one thing and then told you the exact oppoisite. I gave you an ultimatum and you did what you had to do. I want to work on this Brittany. I want you back. I'm a fucking moron," Dave said as we hugged. Isueezed him tighter as a response and he seemed to understand. Eventually I pushed away from him and backed up a bit.
"I want nothign mroe than to fall back in love with you and be like nothign ever happened but I need that trust back. I need you to let me do things at my own pace. You also need to realise that my career is my career not yours. I want to eb able to rbeathe and do what I want with your full support," I said.
"We can work on it all. I do need to discuss the solo album with you though," Dave said. My guard instantly went up.
"What about it?" I asked.
"Well it comes out next month and you need to approve a single," Dave said as he sat down at the table with both our drinks. His laptop was on the table so he pulled it over to him as I sat down where he had put my drink and I chugged a bit of it.
"That's all I gotta do?" I asked.
"You also need to approve the tracks and how they'll appear on the album. I hope you won't be too mad but I went with that picture you loved from the photo shoot you did for the cover as the cover," Dave said as he did something on his laptop before turning it to face me.
I looked at the picture and was amazed. I had planned my whole photo shoot for the cover of the album. It was me standing in front of a starry background with a guitar. In the picture I had the guitar strap around me with the guitar slightly on my left hip. My eyes were sprakling as I bit my bottom lip and looked slightly off camera. I remember Dave had been standing beside the camera and I bit my lip as I looked at him. When I saw the picture after the shoot I told everyone I loved it and showed it to everyone too. The album name and mine was above my name. I had named the album My Personal Soundtrack because the songs where all songs that had helped me through my life.
"It looks amazing," I said as I looked up at him.
"So I didn't completely fuck up?" he asked.
"No. If we weren't seperated, this would have gotten you atleast a blowjob," I said with a slight smile. Dave chuckled at what I said.
"Ok then. Now if you open Word those are the songs you can pick from. No one will ever tell me what Secret Track is though. Not even Butch," Dave said as I opened up the open Word document.
"That's because Butch knew if he ruined the surprise I'd hurt him," I replied.
"What surprise?" Dave asked.
"It was one for you but it doesn't matter now I guess. It can go on as a bonus track. I kinda like the ones you got here and how they go. Was that all?" I asked as I finished my drink.
"I guess. You need a single," Dave said.
"Let's go with I Found Someone," I said as I moved his laptop back over to him.
"Have you?" he asked. I looked up at him and noticed he was worried.
"No. Kinda hard to be with someone else when I don't want anyone else," I replied as I started picking the label off my bottle. I could feel him watching me.
"So you aren't dating Nick then?" He asked, just to make sure. I looked at him.
"Nick Simmons?" I asked as I made a slight face.
"Ya," Dave said as he stood up and walked to the fridge.
"He's been my friend for years. Dating him would be like dating my brother," I replied as Dave put another Mike's hard in front of me. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"If I am what are you gonna do about it?" he asked me.
"I have Taylor's car. I need to go back eventually," I said.
"Stay here for the night. We can talk and drink and just be like it was when we started dating. Please Britt?" Dave asked as he sat back down.
"What am I gonna tell Abby? She's gonna think I'm staying alone in the house and then she's gonna go check and then she'll worry because I'm not there," I responded.
"Text Pat and ask him if he'll cover for you. Pat won't tell anyone where you actually are," Dave said. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialled Pat. He answered right away.
"Hey girl. Are you finally back in town?" he asked.
"Hey Patty cake and of course I am. Hey I need a favor. I'm with Dave and need a cover for tonight with Abby and Taylor," I said.
"Say no mroe. If you two are working on things, I got your backs. Dave misses you grl," Pat said.
"I get that from him asking me to stay tonight. So if I tell Abby and Taylor I'm with you, you'll cover for me?" I asked.
"Fuck ya girl. Hey I gotta ask before you go call Tay or Ab, are you ok? I noticed in a recent post online that you had some scratches on your legs," Pat asked.
"I'm better now. That was a few months ago Pat. They wheren't scratches," I replied. Dave looked up at me when I said scratches and raised an eyebrow at me.
"Please don't do it again. I love you girl. Go call Taylor. Don't call Abby. She'll just grill you. Tayor won't," Pat said.
"Love you too Patty cake. I will call my TayTay asap. Bye pat," I said and hung up.
"Scratches?" Dave asked before I dialled Taylor. I pulled my skirt down a bit more suddenly very aware it was a short one.
"It's nothing. I'm calling Taylor," I said as I put the phone to my ear.
"Sup baby?" Taylor said when he answered.
"I'm stayign at Pat's," I said.
"Pat's?" Taylor said, a note of confusion in his voice.
"Yes Pat's," I repeated.
"Hold on," Taylor said into the phone and then I heard kids screaming and a door close before he spoke again," You're with Dave aren't you?"
"Why would I go to his place?" I asked.
"I know you. You probably went to apologise for the Kurt thing. That or you went to Frances's. I knew you wouldn't be home tonight," Taylor said.
"So what if I'm at his place?" I asked.
"Nothing. Just kinda surprised. You guys work shti out. I'll keep Abby occupied all night. Your babies are in good hands. See you tomorrow," Taylor said before hanging up.
"Well he knew I was here," I said as I put my phone on the table and brought my feet up on the edge of the chair and hugged them to me.
"So I have you to myself for the ngiht?" Dave asked as he stood up and walked over to me. He put a hand on the table and one on the back of my chair.
"Once I have that second drink then yes," I replied. He moved it closer to me and I laughed as I put my feet down. Here goes nothing I thought as I took a sip.