Last Seen In San Francisco (Tony Perry)

• Manage Me •

{ t w e n t y t w o }

"What?" Vic asked, staring at Tony in shock. He's always got a lot to say lately; his personality has changed so much. Maybe it's the fame.

"I'll pay it. She's my daughter too right? It'll make up for the last 6 years." Tony stated and I took a step towards him and glared.

"Money?! You think money will make up for not being-" Mike pulled me back towards him so I could feel his leg against mine. I let out a breath to calm myself down. "Quality time." I told Tony. That's what he needs with Madison, not just throwing money at her.

"Spend time with her and get to know her. Don't just throw money at her Tony; or would you like her life to be a repeat of mine?" Everybody knew I wasn't talking about Maddie anymore, everyone in this room knows the story of my parents, the kidnap story and my habit of running away. I have no secrets with any of them and that's what scares me with them being back.

I created a new life and a new me when I made a life down here. Away from my past I can be a completely different person because nothing in San Francisco linked me to PTV or my parents. I met Alexis here, I got a job and an apartment here, I gave birth here, everything new happened here.

Now Pierce The Veil are also here, a fragment of my old life pushing their way back into my new one.

"I get it. That was a stupid thing to say. I'm sorry, really." Tony announced sincerely. Madison smiled up at him and bounded over to Alexis next to me. It's worrying that the yelling and the atmosphere here doesn't bother her.

"I'll spend as much time with her as I can; with your permission. But if you can't afford her schooling, let me pay it for her. Not you, her." He emphasised, and I found myself agreeing. He knows that I don't want any favours and that's a good start. Favours make links with people and I don't need that with my past.

I felt Mike's arm brush mine, probably by mistake, but it made me realise how much of a hypocrite I'm being. If I didn't want any ties with my past why would I start something with him. I confuse myself sometimes, I can't imagine how other people feel, or even put up with me.

"Okay." I finally replied.

"Easy as that? Just okay?" Vic asked and I nodded, stepping away from Mike and closer to Maddie. As long as it's for her I'm fine with it.

"So let's actually do some work now, yeah?" Alexis put in when everybody else said nothing for a few seconds. Most of them nodded in agreement and I walked over to the recording studio with Madison, Mike and Tony all following me in.

"Let's finish practising drums and then we'll move into guitar, yeah?" They both nodded so I turned to my little girl with a big smile, crouching to get to her level. "You sit with me over here and if any of them mess up we get to shout at them." I winked as she giggled and we started the work of the day.

*

"Crack open the wine! The weekend has arrived!" Alexis yelled, her feet dangling out of my window as she smoked a cigarette. I smiled at her, not feeling the need to be worried.

We've sat on that window and contemplated life too much over the past couple of years to be worried about falling off it now. We know everything about that window so there's no chance of it breaking on us now. I unscrewed the bottle of the white wine and poured a glass out for both of us.

"Here's to the weekend, and to you, for putting up with those assholes coming back into your life now." Lexis toasted, clinking her glass with mine before throwing her cigarette out and climbing back into the apartment.

"So are you going to finally tell me exactly what happened between you and Mike?"

Maddie is in bed so Alexis and I are having a girls night, probably just meaning wine and gossip though. I blushed at her question and sat down on the sofa.

"The tension was different between us, we kissed a few times, them we realised how stupid we were being and broke it off before it was too late. Now we're just friends again." I briefly informed her while she sat next to me, leaning against the arm rest so she could face me.

"Right," she teased condescendingly but quickly let it go. "So what happened with Mads and Tony?"

"They got along, now he's paying for her school life and has her education in his hands. To be honest, I'm scared shitless." Her playful demeanour dropped as she saw how serious I was being. She shuffled closer to me, putting her wine down on the coffee table.

"Why?" She asked softly.

"It's hard to explain, there are a few things actually. When I was on tour with them things got so bad that I had to leave, Tony was an asshole. How did he change so fast or is this all an act because he can't do to Madison what happened to me. Just...when I left I thought 'this is it, I'll never have to go through that pain again' and now they're here and..."

"Fuck Lydia," she shuffled again and put her arm around me. "You want to know what's different about it all this time?"

"I don't have anywhere to run to?" I half joked and she sent me an unimpressed look upon hearing my tone.

"This time you have me and I'm always going to be on your side. No matter what."