The Band And The Busker (All Time Low/Alex Gaskarth) *COMPLETED*

No Compliance

Chapter Twenty: No Compliance

1 WEEK LATER

KARA

Warped Tour had managed to keep my mind off Alex and Max's baby for the most part. There were always signings, interviews and meet and greets to keep the band and me busy most days. But I couldn't stop thinking about them all the time, because every opportunity Max got she rubbed it in my face that she'd gotten Alex and they were going to have a beautiful child together while I remained forever alone. Alex was avoiding me every chance he got because after our blow up, neither of us had dared speak to one another not quite knowing what the other would say.

I was walking back to the bus with Dylan and Harry me being an idiot and having left my sunglasses on the bus dragged the two of them along just in case I did bump into Alex and needed a way out, when Joel All Time Low's sound tech walks out from behind their bus and stops the three of us directly in our tracks. Dylan, Harry and I share a confused look because I wasn't even sure we'd spoken to many of their crew because they were always with the band.

'Err hi Joel,' Harry says, slight awkwardness in his tone.

Joel shuffles on the spot, his eyes darting around making sure no one else was around us, he seemed very nervous and a little on edge, 'how is Max?' he asks, keeping his voice low.

Dylan steps forwards putting a body between him and me, 'why do you care?'

Joel stiffens, intimidated by Dylan, 'err we used to fuck a lot, and she told me the baby's mine, but she wants it raised by Alex.'

I was genuinely shocked at the bombshell Joel had just dropped on us. He was the birth father of Max's unborn child, and he had to watch Alex playing the doting father when it should have been Joel. I felt bad for him, and how Max had used him, he should get to be the father, not Alex.

'If you can give us some DNA we'll find out the truth that the baby isn't Alex's and you can play the real father card Joel,' Harry suggests, excitement in voice. He'd watched a lot of crime shows and had always wanted to perform a DNA test, and now he was getting his big break.

Joel scratches the back of his head, 'err I guess I could give you some hair or saliva. I want Max to admit the baby's mine.'

I nod my head, 'thank you for having the courage to come up to us; this has probably been hard on you. Guys I'm going to head back to our bus while you do your thing.'

Dylan and Harry nod in my direction and swarm around Joel. I needed to get out of the situation and be alone with all the new thoughts creeping into my head along with old ones which had never entirely gone away. Alex wasn't the father which would break his heart, but it meant the two of us could maybe work out our differences and maybe give us another chance. I wasn't about to rub it in his face; I'd be respectful from a distance until the time was right that he wanted to confide in me.

However, that thought is short lived as I approach our bus and find Alex slumped on the steps by the front door, his head in his hands and full on sobbing.

'Err Alex, are you okay?' I ask, approaching with caution not wanting to startle him.

Alex sniffles loudly and looks up at me with red puffy eyes and tears staining his face and shirt, 'I found out who drugged me Kara.'

My eyes widen as I try my best to sit down next to him on the steps, 'that's major Alex, who was it?'

'Max.'

'Max drugged you?' I respond, shock and anger building up inside me. I throw my arms around him and hug him not knowing if he wanted the comfort or not, though he doesn't push me away.

He rests his head on my shoulder, 'I feel so used and violated Kara, how could she do such a thing? She found a way to break us up, and I couldn't deny the accusations because she could have told me anything at the moment and I probably would have believed her.'

I run my fingers through his hair and sigh, 'at least you know the truth Alex. If you ever need anyone to talk to that isn't in your band you know where my bus is, night or day I'll be there for you.'

Next thing I know Alex removes his head from my shoulder, cups my chin with his hand, closes the space between us and kisses me on the lips softly, 'you're perfect Kara, damn I wished I hadn't messed you around.'

I should have pushed him away because he was only kissing me in the vulnerability of the moment, but those old feelings had come back with a bite, and I find myself kissing him back my body seemingly going into autopilot mode, 'I think we can work things out, Alex.'

DYLAN

All we needed was some of Alex's DNA to be able to prove what Joel told us was right about him being the birth father. Max was one sneaky and manipulative son of a bitch who needed to be knocked down more than a few pegs for the cruel things she'd done to everyone around her. She didn't care about anyone but herself, god I was angry, but Harry assured me she'd get what was coming her way soon enough.

Harry and I burst onto All Time Low's bus only too find Jack, Rian and Zack sat looking solemn in the front lounge like the life had been drained from them.

'Are you guys, okay?' Harry asks, sitting down next to Jack.

'Where's Alex? We have some big news regarding a certain unborn child,' I chime in, not quite realising the mood wasn't a cheery one.

Jack stares at me with emotionless eyes, 'we found out that Max drugged Alex that night.'

'Oh shit!' I exclaim.

'But what's your big news?' Rian asks.

I shrug my shoulders, 'Alex isn't the father, Joel your sound tech is and Max told him she wanted Alex to raise the baby so he gave us some DNA to run a test, and we were hoping to get some of Alex's to compare.'

Zack lights up, 'are you guys serious?'

Harry clicks his tongue, 'I believe Joel, he seemed hurt that Max had done this dirty on him.'

All I could see was red at the thought Max would sink as low as to drug someone just to get them to be hers. That had to be illegal in some states right; you can't just drug people to get your way. I also felt awful for Alex because of the hell he'd been put through because of Max; I just hoped wherever he was he was okay and dealing. I needed to find the bitch and speak my mind; no one hurt my friends and family.

I stand up and storm off the bus with Harry and the rest of All Time Low quick on my heels.

'What are you going to do?' Jack asks, having to jog to keep up with me.

I clench my fists, 'I'm going to tell her what I feel, no violence because there's still an unborn child inside her.'

It doesn't take long to track down Max as she was outside her band's bus joking and laughing away without a care in the world. I walk up to her and shove her roughly in the shoulder, 'you little bitch!' I yell.

Max composes herself, 'what do you want Dylan?'

I shove her again, 'you better watch your back because we all know your dirty little secrets and one day it's going to come out just how much of a monster you truly are. Bathe in the spotlight as much as you can, because we're all going to make sure it comes crashing down around you until you're not even a blip on anyone's radar.'

Max gulps, and for the first time in a long time, I see genuine fear on her face. She wasn't expecting anyone to find out any of her crimes, but now she knew none of us was going to let her live them down.

ALEX

When I roll over, I see my arms wrapped around Kara's naked body beneath the sheets of her bunk. Our little kiss escalated outside and ending up inside the bus not wanting to give the other bands a show. She looked so beautiful and peaceful like she was made to be in my arms when I woke up every day.

She yawns, and her eyes flutter open, 'well that happened Alex.'

I chuckle, 'I guess it did Kara.'

She rolls over so that her head was now resting on my chest, 'where do we go from here?'

I stroke her hair, 'wherever we want it to.'