The End Of Us, Sid Vicious X OC

It's like being dead

it was later in the afternoon, Vanity reclined on the sofa in Mickey and Tiffany's London flat, she'd been living with them since the boys went on tour to mask the loneliness and the boys were all aware of it. Her fingers drummed absently on the armrest. The London afternoon gloom outside the window seemed to match her contemplative mood, it had been around an hour since Steve had called her, and since Tiffany and Mickey were out she decided to take this opportunity to do something bad. She picked up the rotary phone and dialled Steve's hotel room phone number. After a few rings, he answered.

"Hello?" Steve's voice crackled through the line.

"Hey, Steve. It's Vanity. How's the circus across the pond?" Vanity asked with a wry chuckle, Steve was actually glad to hear a different voice for once and couldn't help but smile a little.

"Oh, you know, the usual madness." Steve replied, his tone betraying a hint of exhaustion. "What's up?"

Vanity paused for a moment, as if debating whether to share what was really on her mind. "Sid called me earlier" She lied. "I heard things are getting a bit complicated with the band. Johnny and Malcolm clashing heads again?"

Steve sighed audibly. "Yeah, you could say that. Johnny's threatening to bail if Malcolm sticks around. It's a right mess."

Vanity faked a surprised voice. However Steve couldn't at all tell she was acting. "Really? I had no idea it had gotten that bad. I mean, I knew Malcolm was a nutjob, but splitting the band?"

Steve chuckled bitterly. "Johnny's had enough. Thinks we can do better without Malcolm, i don't know if i agree with him or not"

Vanity adopted an innocent tone. "So, what are you thinking, Steve? You gonna let Johnny walk away?"

There was a brief silence before Steve responded. "I don't know, Vanity. It's not that simple. Malcolm's getting us to do a film right. i mean, he wants to take us to Rio and Johnny thinks it's the craziest idea Malcolm's had yet. It could be a laugh though couldn't it?"

"I suppose. But what about the band, Steve? The music?" Vanity pressed, masking her true intentions. "I mean are you sure it's the right idea to keep Johnny in the band?" 

"I don't know, It's just... Johnny's so stubborn. Thinks he's the only one who sees things clearly. If he walks i don't know if i'd regret it or not." Steve explained, frustration evident in his voice.

"Well, you know, Johnny's got his vision, and Malcolm's got his. Maybe it's time to choose whose vision you believe in, Steve," Vanity suggested, her words carefully calculated.

"Yeah, I guess. It's just hard. I don't want to see the band fall apart," Steve admitted. Unaware that he was playing right into what Vanity wanted him to do, to say, to think.

She sighed sympathetically. "I get it, Steve. But sometimes, tough choices need to be made for the greater good. If you ask me, maybe it's time to let Johnny go. Malcolm's got great plans, and who knows where the band could go with him leading the way?"

Steve pondered her words for a moment. "You might have a point, Vanity. I'll think about it."

"Good. Just remember, Steve, the Pistols will rise, with or without Johnny. Make the right choice." Vanity said with a subtle edge to her voice.

The conversation lingered in the air, before the phone line went dead. 

Time-Skip

The boys had performed to the biggest crowd that had ever gathered for them in the US. Through the entire thing it was like they weren't even on stage, they weren't even performing. it all went by in slow motion and before Steve could even fathom what song he'd just finished playing it was over.