All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)

Home Again, Or

"Joe I'm pregnant!"

Nah that's not even a good excuse, he would love it if it was true. Fuck I can't believe April left...April...She could be a good excuse?
"April left and the Angelfucks can't go on without her, lets just forget about the French dates and go home."
Sounds stupid. Ugh. Lord my imagination never failed me before, why can't I think of anything?

"Good morning angel" Joe startles me as he wakes up, "What are you doing on the floor?" He asks laughing.
"Nothing, thinking."
He crouches to hug me from behind and kiss my cheek, "about?"
I fake a sigh, "I'm just tired of the tour, I wanna be back in England. French people are not too nice you know?" ...wait Paul said Rachel is Irish... "Irish people are not too nice you know?"
He chuckles wrinkling his brows while putting on pants, "What?"
"Nothing, I just wanna go home."
"Only two more weeks" he says picking me up to peck my lips,
"In two weeks we'll go to London and find us a place for ourselves."
I place my arms around him, "Why not now? Aren't you tired of everyone, don't you wanna spend some time without these fuckers?"
His eyes widen "last night you were in love with everyone and today you're calling them fuckers?" He asks amused.
I shrug my shoulders indifferently.
He thinks for a second then, "I'll talk with Kosmo" he says making his way into the bathroom.
"Really?!" I ask thrilled
"Anything for my girl" he yells back, "my sometimes crazy girl."
***
After a brief conversation with Joe, Kosmo calls the group for a "meeting."
They pile into a room, he says "Something's come up and we need to discuss it." Candy wonders what lie Joe told Kosmo while Paul becomes anxious wondering if Candy didn't keep her promise.
"Is this about April?" asks Piper.
"What about her?"
"She left, I tried to stop her but really I can't keep her from doing whatever she wants."
"What?" Asks Mattey with an upset tone.
"Yeah she stopped by our room saying goodbye briefly" says Lily, Topper nodding.
"Did you know?" Asks Joe to Candy only, she whispers back "Yeah."
"Well, that just gives us another reason" says Kosmo.
"Another reason for what?" Asks Mick.
"To cut the tour, go home" Joe.
"What? Why? We didn't discuss cutting the tour short" protests Mick.
"We are now" Kosmo.
"I'm fine with going back" adds Paul with a grin.
"No one asked you" Mick.
"Wouldn't we be in trouble though?" Asks Topper.
"Not really, we spend more with Hotels and food" Candy.
They all stop to think, "I'd like to go back" says Piper at last, "Same" agrees Mattey. Topper shrugs, "I don't care."
Lily looks unsure, "I would have to go home then" she admits sadly.
"Of course not, you're part of the gang" says Candy.
"Yeah babe, you wouldn't leave me would you?" Says Topper taking her hand. She smiles, "thank you" and hugs them.

Although Mick was pissed about it, in the end they decide to head home, Paul was lucky...or that's what he thought.

While everyone packed he started loading the instruments but suddenly, without warning, someone placed something over his face causing him to lose consciousness. Everything turned black and into the air, it seemed, Paul disappeared.