It's a Jungle, Baby

Goodbyes Suck: Part 2

It's August, almost a year to the day that we were doing this same this all over again. Only it's not two of us leaving, it's five.

Appetite For Destruction had gotten huge, they boys are leaving for tour. We all stand in the airport not quite sure how to say goodbye. It's not for a month, or even two, it's a year and a half.

Jesus Christ.

Duff has yet to let go of my hand, he's holding onto it for dear life to the point where the whites of his knuckles are showing. This is his dream, I know it is. I know that it scares the crap out of him but it's his dream. I'm not going to let him chicken out of it either, I was scared about Italy but I went because Duff told me to. He's not going to miss this.

Steven, Slash, and Izzy all hug me and tell me to be good. I am good, I don't know what they were talking about. I tell them to make sure they take care of themselves and no fights. They reply with they don't know fight and asked what was I talking about.

Axl comes over to me next, he smiles.

"It's your dream right?" I wonder and he nods.

"Why I moved out here to start with." Axl reminds me.

"Scared?" I wonder

"Not even close." He smiles with that over confidence that he's known for.

"Good, they're going to love you." I say and he hugs me, tightly. Like I can barley breathe.

"You've gotta take care of yourself, not just for me this time. Duff might just go crazy without you. He's never going to stop worrying about you." Axl tells me quietly.

"I know, I know." I tell him.

"I know you can take care of yourself but please be careful." He reminds me.

"I will, I promise." I say and he nods. "I love you, even if you are a brat."

"I love you, even though you're stealing my bassist." Axl laughs and I smile. "Be good."

"I am good, I'm not sure where that came from." I laugh and Axl smiles.

We look over to Izzy and Chelsea both bawling, not wanting to leave the other. I know that's coming for me next. I don't want Duff to go, I'm going to miss him like crazy. Someone grab my hand and I'm pulled directly into Duff.

I wrap my arms tightly around his chest and I know that I don't want to let go. Duff wraps his arms around my neck, holding me even closer to him. I feel him kiss the top of my head and I look up at him. He looks down at me, not ready to go. Duff repositions his hands and picks me up off the ground. He buries his head in my neck.

"I love you, Taylor Jane." Duff lips brush along my neck.

"I love you to, Duff." I say in his ear. "You're going to do great, sweetie."

"I'm scared, Kitten. Horrified." He admits into my neck.

"Don't be, it's what you were born to do." I quote him from a year ago.

"Promise me you won't find anyone better?" Duff asks.

"Kinda hard to do that when all you talk about is your badass bass player boyfriend." I smile and I feel his smile in my neck.

"I'll be hard to get a groupie when all I talk about is my crazy soccer playing girl back home." I hear him laugh again. "I love you so much, Taylor."

"I love you more." I say.

"Impossible." Duff says, facing me again. "I'll call you everyday."

"You better." I smile.

I kiss him, unaware of the people hustling to make their flight. Unaware of our friends, watching us. For that moment, it was just us in that stupid airport. The stupid airport that has ripped us a part twice.

"Flight 134 to Halifax, now boarding." The PA tears us apart.

"That's you, sweetie." I smile but there's tears streaming down my face.

Duff puts me back on my feet, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. He puts his hands at the sides of my face, I put my hands on top of his, Duff kisses my hairline. He plays with the lengths of my hair for a minute.

"I love you." He reminds me.

"I love you more. Go show 'em how to play." I smile and Duff lights up again.

"You're the best girl on this planet." Duff says, lifting my chin again.

We kiss for a minute before they have to go.

"Be safe." Chelsea and I remind them.

"Take care of yourselves." Steven speaks up.

"Feed your cat." Slash reminds us.

"Be good." Izzy adds.

"We'll be cheering you on from home." Chelsea tells them.

"We love you." I say finally.

"We love you to." They say in unison.

Duff kisses me quickly and they leave. We watch their backs get smaller and smaller, until they look like leather wearing Barbies. Queenie looks over to me.

"You gonna be alright?" She wonders and I half smile.

"No, but I'm happy for them. What about you?" I wonder.

"About the same." Chelsea admits.

"Let's get out of here." I say, turning to walk away.

"Let's go drink." Queenie suggests.

"Let's." I agree.