Drive Me Crazy

Atonement

It was already around three in the afternoon when the guys entered the secluded building that didn't look anything like a studio. "This place is freaking me out!" Nick mumbled "Maybe he's so pissed that he's going to murder us or something..."

Howie rolled his eyes at the younger band mate "That is just the dumbest thing you've come up with."

Nick shrugged "I was just saying"

"Would you two shut up and walk...the faster we get to AJ and listen to his music, the faster we get out of here and back home. We have a tour to resume when we get back." Brian sighed, already tired just thinking of going back to touring.

"Hey guys" the familiar voice echoed through the empty hallway, AJ stood at the end. The three guys looked at each other, in the soft light he did look murderous. "I'm glad you guys came. I was thinking you had changed your mind." He smiled as he embraced Brian first "Hey Brian."

Nick grabbed AJ and picked him up and spun him around "Dude I thought you were going to kill us in this spooky place!" He informed as he put AJ back down on the floor.

AJ chuckled "Riiight!!! Like that is possible..." he punched Nick playfully.

AJ stood in front of Howie. Nick and Brian looked at each other "Uh, which room is it man?" Brian was trying to give them some space, AJ pointed at the door at the end and the other two trudged down the hall.

"Hey..." AJ swallowed as he stood in front of Howie.

Howie nodded "Hey! How are you doing?" he asked and AJ smiled.

"I'm good. It's beautiful out here, but being so far and alone, made me realize what a jackass I was being for quitting. Anyways, how are you doing? How about uh..." he cleared his throat, "Millie? Did you get to talk to her?" The question stung.

"Actually I did...it took a couple of days and some misunderstandings, but I got her back." Howie beamed as he answered, "She's in love with a preemie at her job and she volunteers to care for him every evening. I found out about the scar."

AJ cut him off "She told you..."

"Well not exactly her...but it came out. I was so disappointed in myself for not being there. Thanks for taking care of her, I owe you." Howie sighed, he could see the pain in his best friend's eyes. "Anyways, she cares about you a lot AJ. We all do, you're an important person in all of our lives and maybe we have just been making some really stupid mistakes. Shit, we've known each other forever and you're like a brother to me and..."

A smile crept on AJ's face, although the news of Millie being back together with Howie hurt a little. He was happy for him, they deserved to be happy and he would be happy for them. They were important people in his life and he couldn't live without either one of them. "I'm sorry, for coming between you two."

"I was just as wrong AJ..." The twosome smiled as they suddenly embraced "Well let's get to hearing your music." They walked side by side towards the studio.

Millie was in tears as Benny tried comforting her "I tried to stop them Millie, but the damn woman has her rights. She must have had a change of heart. I'm so sorry." Benny said, placing a hand on Millie's shoulder.

Millie covered her face "Benny...I can't live without him, I'll die. I'll die, I'm telling you. She won't take care of him, she doesn't even have anywhere to live. We have to do something" she stood up frantically, almost screaming.

Benny held on to her "Millicen you have to calm down. Your going to startle the other babies. Why don't you just go get some fresh air...please. You need some air."

She whipped her head back and forth "No...I can't. I'll wait here till she brings him back...she's bound to bring him back." Millie couldn't believe it, last night her whole life was complete once again, there was nothing that could make her unhappy. Once again a part of her was shattering.

There was a loud humming, that made her look around disoriented. She couldn't make out what Benny was saying and her stomach lurched, making her bend down into the wastebasket. After she came back up, she could feel a tight grip on her arm, she looked up to see Benny's worried eyes "Are...you...alright?" she finally made out what Benny was saying.

"Yeah I'm fine..." she stood back up, bursting into tears again.

Benny hugged her "It's going to be alright Millie. Hopefully she's had a change of heart, she seemed to bond with the baby." Millie didn't listen and she walked out of the nursery in a daze, and headed home.

Once she got home she popped out her cell phone and dialed her father, but there was no answer. Then she dialed again and the phone rang once, twice, three times and just as she was going to hang up the soothing voice floated through the speaker "Hello..."

"Howie...Howie" she choked, unable to say anything else.

His voice was full of concern "Millie are you alright? What's wrong?" he questioned.

"I went to see...him...and...he's..." she let out a cry "His mother came back for him. Elijah is gone. He's gone..." she continued to repeat.

"Alright Millie, just calm down and take a deep breath. I'm going home in a couple of hours and I'll be there I promise ok. Please stop freaking out, just calm down." Howie tried to calm her down, but being so far away he had no idea if his words were working and what Millie would do. "Millie..."

"I'll be waiting." she said and hung up, in a daze she laid back down on her bed and stared at the wall, she closed her eyes trying to calm herself down. Soon Howie would be by her side and maybe his presence would make losing Elijah much more tolerable.

Hours later Howie stared out the window, as he moved his leg nervously. "Hey...we are almost there. She was really attached to that baby huh?" AJ said switching seats with Nick.

Howie nodded "I think he..." his eyes weld up and he pursed his lips to keep from shedding tears. It hurt him that she was once again in pain over a loss. "He...helped her get through losing the baby. She wanted to adopt him...his name is Elijah and he's got blonde hair and blue eyes." he sniffled "She was there all the time, making sure that he would make it through the day."

AJ placed a hand on his shoulder "It's going to be ok man. She'll have to understand that it was only temporary...we'll help her through it." They gave each other comforting smiles.