The Music Or The Misery (FOB FanFic)

Chapter 16

-Pete's POV-

I was standing in the kitchen of my house, making breakfast for Bronx and me. Ashlee wasn't home. The minute I walked through that door yesterday night, she left, thanking me for coming back home and watching Bronx for her, like I was the babysitter or something. I was starting to seriously question why I married her and had a kid with her.

I came back home after leaving the Sears Towers because I was done taking pointless orders from Gabe and Alex. We weren't making any progress in lifting the ban there, so I had no reason to stay. If I wanted the ban taken down, I was going to have to do it on my own, with or without my friends behind my back.

"You know..." I remarked, talking to my son (though I really was only talking to myself), "...I don't even know why they made this stupid ban in the first place. It's not like people being creative was hurting anyone. Hell, it probably saved people."

Bronx made some incomprehensible baby babble in response and smacked his hands down on the tray keeping him in his high chair repeatedly. I couldn't help but smile.

"I just hope that by the time you grow up, Bronx, that this ban will be gone. That you're free to do whatever your little heart desires. That you can dream big, like I did. Because god knows that I wouldn't be where I am today - well, where I was before the stupid ban at least - if I didn't dream big."

I slipped the spatula underneath the pancake and transferred it to the children's plate where another pancake already was, cutting them into pieces small enough for Bronx to eat. I tossed the dull butter knife to the side and picked up the plate, bringing it over to him.

He flashed me that few-toothed smile of his before grabbing a couple of the fluffy golden pieces and shoving them into his mouth. I grinned back before pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of him, eating a few pancake bits for myself (since I knew he wasn't going to eat it all by himself).

Just then, the kitchen phone began to ring. I groaned and picked myself back up, dragging myself over and picking the phone up off of the receiver. "Pete Wentz," I greeted flatly.

"Oh my god, Pete, where are you?" My friend's voice resonating from the phone's speaker. That friend being Mikey Way.

"I'm at home, you fucking idiot," I snapped back jokingly, "You called my house phone and I picked up. Where else do you think I would be?"

"I don't know, but you have to turn the TV on, like, ight now," He told me.

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay, okay!" I exclaimed, walking over to the small television on the countertop and turning it on. The screen came into view. "What channel?"

"I don't know. Any news channel, I don't think it matters, it's all over the news."

"What are you even talking about?" I inquired as I pinned the phone in between my ear and my shoulder and picked up the remote, flicking through the channels to get to one with the news.

"Just see for yourself."

I came across one of the news channels and set the remote down. The banner across the bottom of the screen read: What will their next move be? and the newswoman was speaking to the camera.

"...all over Chicago this morning, there were these symbols spray-painted onto walls, billboards, street signs, even on storefront windows." Two pictures appeared on the screen, one of the volcano and another of the FOB. My eyes grew wide. "There's no evidence as to who might've done something like, seeing as cameras were shut off during the time of the crime, but there's a good chance that the local vigilantes are none other than the mystery band from yesterday. Rumors have been floating in the air that the band is from our hometown-"

"Oh my god," I muttered under my breath, running my free hand through my hair as I stared at the screen.

"I know, right?" Mikey replied, still on the other end of the line.

I finally understood it. The person behind this mission didn't want us to rally people to help take down the ban. They wanted us to rally people, so when it was time to take down the ban, we'd have someone to fall back. All these things we were doing, the shows, these marks around the city, it was all just to create a cushion. The four of us were supposed to take the down the ban, and the support was going to be there for us to fall back on. It all made sense now.

"Pete?" Mikey asked.

"I-I need to go," I stammered, ending the call. "Bronx?" I turned around to see that he had flipped the plate off of his tray, pancake bits all over the floor. I disregarded that, though, I had more important things to worry about. "You and I are going on a little road trip."

"Woad twip!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

*****

I watched as the elevator doors glided to the side before I stepped out of the elevator onto the hundredth floor of the Sears Tower, Bronx in my arms. "Guys?" I called, waiting for a response.
"Guys!" I began searching the bedrooms for them, taking a quick detour into mine and grabbing the wallet I had forgotten to take when I left, only to find that the place had been deserted. "What the...?"

I walked back out into main room and saw Alex and Mara emerge from the elevator I was just in.

"I'm telling you, M-" Alex cried, stopping abruptly when he noticed me. "Pete. W-What are you doing here?"

"Where are they?" I inquired worriedly, approaching the two of them, "Where are Patrick, Joe, and Andy?"

Mara hung her head as her co-conspirator answered, "We don't know. They were here last night, I remember dropping them off and telling them what we'd be doing today. But when I came back to check on them this morning, see how they were doing, they weren't here! And I don't know where they could've possibly gone! The cameras didn't catch them!"

"Well I need to know where they are," I retorted, "Because I want to come back. I finally realized why you guys really bought us here and I want to fight to the end, but I won't be able to do it alone."

"Really?" Alex asked, failing to hide the desperation in his voice. I nodded my head. "That's awesome, man!" He smiled down at Mara who feigned a smile in return. Something was up with her.

"So, um, Mara," I remarked, turning to her. She met my gaze. "You don't know where the guys are either?" She shook her head no. "You sure?"

"I'm just as clueless about their whereabouts as you are," She remarked, crossing her arms.

"Sure you are," I said.

Mara bit her lip and shifted her gaze down to Bronx. "So, is this your son?" She asked, changing the subject as she tickled Bronx's stomach, making him laugh.

My eyes narrowed. I had a feeling she knew something about the guys, only question was if she was going to tell us or not.