Double Trouble (Sequel to Baby of the Band)

Two

Upon arriving at the apartment building Richie'd given him the address for when they'd all traded addresses and keys, just in case they ever needed to check on each other, Rikki couldn't say he wasn't at least a lil surprised. Now that he was seeing it with his own two eyes, he realized he'd been here before, 'cuz he'd once dated a chick or two who'd lived here at the Time. The place was notorious for being more than decent in a pretty good area, but also a bit on the pricey side, especially for someone as young as their new lead guitarist.

        Judging by how his eyes widened as he suckled his paci, Rob was just as surprised to find out where the new baby of their band lived. He was no doubt wondering how on Earth he could afford even a studio apartment here, let alone anything bigger than that, and just couldn't ask him. Brushing off his surprise, though, he headed up to the front door of the building, which was quite literally on the corner of Wilshire and Stanley. The place'd Controlled access, but luckily, the security guard on duty remembered him from a few Years ago and was quick to buzz him in.

        Nodding his thanksta the man, who was just as quick to compliment him on having such a cute son since last they'd seen each other–much to the pint-sized bassist's chagrin–he headed for the elevator. Going by the address he'd been given, their youngest band mate lived on the fourth floor, and he wasn't in the mood to climb four flights of stairs with a toddler on his hip.

        Stepping off the elevator, he was surprised to see a woman standing with a cop outside a door near where he thought Richie's was supposed to be. The drummer pretended not to notice them as he started down the hall in their Direction–till he realized it was his band mate's door they were standing outside of. Almost as soon as he got within ear shot of it, he heard the ungodly racket that'd no doubt made this woman call the cops in the first place–the Sound of a shrieking baby from inside the guitarist's apartment. He suddenly got the feeling that the toddler on his hip hadn't been wrong in his bad feeling about the poor guy any more than Kelcey had when she'd told Bret about it earlier that Morn.

        "Excuse me–might I ask what's going on?" He made sure to keep his distance from the cop, mostly 'cuz Poison didn't exactly have a good reputation with the cops.

        "She called in a screaming baby after the racket didn't stop for an hour," he answered. "Just trying to figure out how to get in since no one's answering, but it's looking like I'ma have to call for a battering ram."

        Double-checking the apartment number on the door, Rikki pulled out his keys. "Or we can just do it this way instead."

        "Wait, you're the one that lives here?" the cop asked, looking just as startled.

        "No, but my friend and co-worker does," he answered, keeping his grip on Rob while he fished up the right key. "He's never said anything about having kids, though, so I'm at a loss on that one."

        Unlocking the door, he was quick to open it, which allowed all their earsta be assaulted in earnest as the screaming they could now tell sounded a bit hoarse got even louder. The pint-sized bassist whimpered as he clamped his hands over his ears, his face scrunched as he peeped out through one eye. The blonde couldn't help a wince of his own as he braved walking into the front hall–or what would be such, if there'd been a wall between it and the kitchen–which was actually a decently open Space for an apartment that wasn't even eight hundred square feet.

        Rikki quickly set the toddler he was letting everyone think was his son on the couch with a stern warning not to move. The only interior door besides the one that led to the half-bath next to the kitchen that could be seen from here was the one that led to the bedroom, which was only slightly smaller than the living room. It was from behind that door where the hoarse screaming was coming from, and he almost didn't wanna enter it.