How We Got Here

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm making no money off this story. It's just for sick twisted pleasure. This never happened. If it did, don't you think I would be making me fuck Billie Joe instead of letting Mike have all the fun? And the song lyrics are property of Green Day.

A/N: Not fast forwarding. Aren't you proud of me?

Billie's Point of View

How We Got Here (or Time of Your Life)
Chapter Seven: Long Night, Long Day

Hang it on a self in good health and good time

We went to the mall. Against my better judgement, we went to the mall. If I think spending money on my kids is going to make them feel better, I do it. I'm guilty. My kids are spoiled rotten.

We took them to the toy store, Foot Locker, Barnes & Noble, and then to the arcade. Mike and I really shouldn't be allowed in those places.

Before I knew it, Joey was tugging on my arm saying we needed to go and I was whining ("Just one more game"). When Jakob screamed we were gone. He smiled as we left the sound of video games behind. "Joey told me to."

Joey just sort of smiled. I know that smile. It's his mom's.

"What time are we picking Stella up at the airport?" I asked as we loaded bags into the trunk of my BMW.

"Plane gets in at 7:30." Mike said. "It's only five."

"I'm starving." Jakob whined as I buckled him into his carseat.

I looked at Mike who shrugged. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. I smiled and started the car, turning up the air conditioning and the radio. "No joyrides, you two."

We stood on the passenger's side of the car, smoking and swearing. "It's only five." I pointed out when we're discussing whether we should get the boys supper or a snack.

"But it's going to be 8:00, 8:30 by the time we get out of the airport."

"Okay, we'll get them supper. Where do you want to go?" I put out my cigarette and cross my arms.

"If we take them to McDonald's we can dump them in the playground thing for awhile.

I agree. He puts out his ciagrette and we get in the car.

Mike's Point of View

He gets the kids Happy Mels. I get a salad and fries, but all he wants is ice cream.

After the kids eat, they rush off to the ball pit and the slides, Joey holding his brother's hand. Billie Joe smiles and takes another bite of ice cream. He does this thing where he pops the spoon into his mouth and sucks on it, then slowly pulls it out.

If I don't stop staring, we're going to be in an interesting situation. And--is that Billie's foot rurning up my leg?!

"You're looking a little hot and bothered." he comments, a cheeky smartass grin on his face.

"I wonder why that is?" I shoot back. "Practically giving your fucking spoon a blowjob." I mutter.

"Jealous?" His green eyes have that naughty flicker in them.

We lean in to kiss, but Jakob comes running at Billie crying because he hurt his knee. He makes us both kiss it better and finishes off Billie's ice cream before he runs off to find his brother.

By that time the atmosphere for verbal foreplay is gone. But it just makes me wonder why people don't see us as a family.

Joey calls me 'Mike' but he tells people I'm his stepdad. Jakob just says 'Mike' and I'm "another Daddy". Stella doesn't call Billie Joe 'Uncle Billie" anymore. "He's my second daddy, right?" she asked me last month.

But we can't get married. We wear matching wedding bands and they mean the world to us, but no one acknowledges our relationship.

Billie grabs my hand. "You okay?" I nod. "What are you thinking about?"

"Us." I answer honestly. Billie hates discussing marriage, so I'll leave that part out. "I'm thinking about us, babe."

He smiles. "Oh, yeah?"

I nod. We meet across the table and kiss. "I love you."

"Love you more," he says.

I feel all the eyes staring at us, but I really don't give a shit this time. Billie's green eyes are so full of love and he's smiling and the boys are coming toward us, flushed from playing.

This is it. This is our life. Those fuckers better learn to deal.

Jakob pulls at my hand. "Mi-ike! I'm stirsty!"

Billie's Point of View

We've been at the airport since seven. It's eight. Apparently they hit some turbulance or something. Mike's got a real tight grip on my hand, but he's smiling like there's nothing wrong.

Joey and Jakob are playing with Matchbox cars or Hotwheels or whatever they're called and running to the candy machine every fifteen minutes or so. Mental note: Make sure they brush their teeth twice tonight.

"It's going to be fine." I whisper, squeezing Mike's hand. "We get stuck in turbulance all the time. It's nothing."

He nods, but I can tell he didn't hear a word I said.

"How many's Stella now?" Jakob asked Mike.

He smiles. "Stella's three."

"Like me?" Jakob asks.

"Just like you." Mike says, smiling.

I point to the sign that has all tthe arrivals and departures on it. Flight 187 read 'ARRIVED'. "They're here." I say in a bad imitation of The Poltergeist.

Mike shoves me, then kisses me, then laughs. While he stands up and moves as close to where they'll enter as he can, I help the boys clean up the mess they made on the floor.

After I've sent them to the trash can to throw away their candy wrappers, I hear a three year old girl laugh. Sure enough, when I look at Mike, he's holding Stella in his arms and kissing her face. That girl's like a little porclein doll.

Anastasia smiles at her daughter and ex-husband, then finds my face and grins. Jakob and Joey are walking toward Mike and Stella now. I follow suit. Stella smiles at me. "Hi, Billie."

"Hi, Stella." I ruffle her hair before pulling Anastasia into a hug. "How've you been?" I ask.

"Oh, the usual." She smiles. her and Mike get along, like me and Addie. Despite all the shit that comes with the guy-guy relationship thing, Mike and I have never had to worry about custody battles, never missed a child support payment, never fought in front of the kids.

Anastasia's return flight leaves in about an hour, so we leave her, Mike and Stella to get the luggage, while I find a Starbucks. The boys want cocoa and I'm in need of a caffeine fix.

I order drinks and the girl behind me in line recognizes me and asks for an autograph. Joey and Jakob are whining.

Damn, I need a cigarette.

Mike's Point of View

Chuck E. Cheese. Yeah, the kids are spoiled as hell, but they're damn cute running through the resteraunt screaming at the top of their lungs. Billie and I are leaning against the wall keeping an eye on them.

"She's adorable." he says. "She keeps growing."

"She'll be tall." I say. "Probably taller than you." I smirk at the look on Billie's face.

"Everyone's taller than me." he complains.

"Don't whine, Billie Joe." I say, leaning over and whispering in his ear. "You know what that does to me."

He smiles. "Yeah, yeah." His eyes widen as he edges toward the ballpit. "Stella, honey, the boys really don't need to see your underwear."

---
He kisses my neck, his teeth just barely grazing the skin. Slowly, I feel a hand undo my jeans. Billie's got this sex-horny look on his face. I can feel his erection on my thigh.

"Billie . . ."

He grins and grinds against me. Stupid cocktease. I feel his hand slip between my jeans and boxers. "God, Mike, you've got a lot of tension built up here. maybe we should work that out."

I moan my desperation and roll, so now I'm hovering over him. "Dicktease."

He giggles actually and it's fucking adorable. I love it when Billie giggles. "You know you love me." he says.

"Fuck, Billie, just get your damn jeans off."

"Demanding." He makes a noise like a cat and winks.

"Fuck." It's going to be a long night.

---

Thank God Billie remaind intelligent long enough to remind me it probably wans't a good idea to fall asleep naked with three youngkids in the house.

Sure enough, Jakob came running into the room around two in the morning when the thunder started. Stella followed shortly, pouting. "Daddy, make it stop."

I smiled a ther serious face. "I can't, doll face."

"It's keep me up." She crawls under the covers and curls up against me just like Jakob did with Billie Joe. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Stella."

***Billie's POV***

Okay, so it probably wasn't the best idea for me to make pancakes without having coffee or a cigarette, but I had three pairs of eyes begging me to and I thought it would make Mike smile.

What it did was make the smoke detector start beeping like The Jerry Springer Show. Mike came barreling down the stairs so fast he was almost a blur.

And then he saw me in the kitchen, staring at the stove. I was shaking, I think. I was so angry I thought I might cry. Mike just kind of smiled and opened the back door so the smoke would drift outside.

"The kids wanted breakfast." I said when he pulled me into a hug. "And I wanted to cook something. You're always saying we should cook more."

He kissed the top of my head. "It was sweet, Billie." he said. "you're such a dork."

When he saw the look on my face (I was pouting) he kissed me on the mouth. "You make me smile, Billie Joe. And I love you for it."

Neither of us noticed the three kids standing in the doorway at first. They were just sort of there all quiet until I started crying. Then they were there, all full of concern and hugs and 'Daddy, why are you crying' and 'Don't be sad, Billie'.

Mike sent them to the rec room upstairs. Then he pulled me in close and just sort of held me for awhile. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I don't know." It's the truth. He doesn't know about all the late night anxiety attacks and my uncontrollable need to shower at midnight and the crying for no reason. And I don't know why it's happening.

"Billie Joe." His voice is all stern even though he kisses my cheek. "You know what happened the last time you did this."

That just makes me cry harder. "I really don't know. Don't get mad."

He just sighs and hugs me again, kissing my temple this time. "Remember when we talked about getting Joey therapy?" he asks. I nod. "Maybe you should see a doctor, Billie."

I shake my head. "No. I hate doctors."

"Billie, I don't care if you hate doctors. You need to see one."

"No."

"Stop being so fucking stubborn." he snaps, letting go of me. "You've got problems, Billie Joe, and the only way they're going to get fixed is if you get help."

"Don't talk to me like I'm fucking four years old!"

"Then quit acting it."

I storm outside to smoke a cigarette. "Bastard."

"Stubborn son of a bitch."

But neither of our hearts is really in it. We're both afraid the kids will hear and afraid of syaing something we don't really mean. Mike and I really suck at fighting.

Finally, half a pack of cigarettes later, I go back inside. "Where's the phone book?"

Mike looks at me. He's pouring cereal into bowls for the ids. "By the computer, I think."

I go and dig through piles of papers and ripped paperbacks until I find the phone book. I go back into the kitchen and set it on the counter. "Pick me out a doctor. A nice one."

Then I go upstairs to take a shower. I feel like shit.

***Mike's POV***

As I watch Billie leave I'm more sure than ever that he's sick. Joey looks at me. "Is Daddy sick?"

"He might be." I say, putting my hand on his shoulder. "That's why he's going to the doctor."

"Oh." Joey didn't go to school today. Billie's going with him at four to clean out his desk. He's starting at some liberal private school on Monday.

Stella's made a complete mess of her face, crumbs everywhere. I pick up a washcltoh and start to wash the crumbs off her face when I hear Billie cursing upstairs.

It's going to be a long day.

---

I'm starting therapy today. I figured I'd make Billie nuts to make me feel better.

Next chapter: Billie takes Joey to school; an amazing sex scene (if I do say so myself), and the first therapy session. Bonus: Drunk and horny Billie Joe.

Chapter 8 should be up by the end of the day. Chapter 9 by today or tomorrow. Chapter 10 by tomorrow (if I finish it).

Part one of this series should be done by the end of the week. (Yes, it's a series. When I finish a song (if you notice the song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter) I'm going to start Pt. 2 or 3 or whatever. The next part will be "Waiting".