friends in low places

Chapter Ten

2 Years Later
"JB! Are you almost ready!? We're gonna miss our flight!" Lucy screamed up the stairs. There was a slight pause, and then the sound of someone or something falling.

"JB.. are you okay.." Lucy asked apprehensively.
"Yeah.." JB muttered out as she made her way down the stairs, holding her stomach and struggling with 3 bags.

"Here, I'll take that. Pheebs is out in the car already, we are seriously cutting it close." Lucy said, taking long strides through the house to get to the car.

"I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to leave something behind for Charlie, just in case he ever came back to the house and wondered where we went." JB said, trailing off.

"Oh." Lucy said, not saying much else.

The topic of Charlie rarely came up anymore, but when it did it was never pleasant. They hadn't heard from him ever since he left in the middle of the night. They tried texting and calling him, but it went to voicemail every time, until eventually the number no longer belonged to Charlie. They even reached out to Zeb, multiple times, but if he knew anything he didn't disclose much to them.

Zeb did let on that Charlie was probably up north somewhere, visiting old friends, and that it was probably best for the boys to forget about
him for the time being. It stung, and it wasn't an easy thing for any of them to hear. They really loved Charlie, and couldn't believe he would just take off with no explanation.

For awhile it was all they could think about; if he was okay, if he was dead, if they did something wrong. Eventually, they came to accept the fact that they might never see him again. They went on with their music, keeping him locked away in a corner of their minds none of them dared to visit. He crept into their songs, and their late night conversations sparingly, but never for too long.

Lucy put the last of the bags into their car, and took the front seat, leaving Julien all alone in the back. Lucy immediately got on aux, putting on Bright Eyes, I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.

"Kind of a sad choice, eh Luc?" Phoebe looked over at Lucy.

"Well I'm kinda sad." Lucy said simply, not giving any detail. She didn't need to. Julien and Phoebe both knew how she was feeling, and they felt the same way. They were finally leaving the little town they had been inhabiting for the past 2 years. They were getting ready to release their newest album, getting tour details sorted out, mentally preparing themselves for the amount of press they would be doing very shortly. They were returning to their fame, and the buzz around them was heightened tenfold since the last time any of them released an album.

They were gearing up for all this excitement, all their newfound fans that they would be seeing all summer; but somehow all they could think about when leaving was the boy they met at the beginning of this journey. Arguably, the inspiration for a good amount of songs in their next album. He was the forefront of all of this excitement and success, and he didn't even know about it. They didn't know where he was, or if he was even alive.

It hurt them to be leaving a place full of amazing, beautiful and meaningful memories, made with a person they weren't sure they knew anymore.

They spent most of the ride in silence, albeit breaking the silence to make sure Phoebe didn't miss anymore exits and cost them even more time. They made their flight on time, and slept for most of it. When they arrived in LA they didn't feel the freedom and relief they thought they were going to. They felt heavy, and unprepared. They knew they could lean on each other to get through this, but how long would it be before one of them broke?

**********************************************

Phoebe huffed as she sat on the couch beside Lucy, snuggling into her side. Julien sat on the recliner across from them, slowly rocking back and forth, looking deep in thought.