Hello everyone! This is the sequel to my Tom Fletcher fic - Plan: B! If you HAVEN'T read that, I recommend you do, though you'll probably be able to grasp the plot of this story if you haven't.

Anyway, I love you all! Sorry I've been hibernating for so long!!

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PART ONE

Chapter 1

"I would highly appreciate it, Miss Jones, if you would put your phone away," Professor Edwards remarked irritably, causing me to hastily stow my mobile clumsily back in my pocket. My cheeks blushed a light shade of rose as a few of the students sitting around me turned to view my embarrassment. Professor Edwards was a known Phone Confiscator, and rarely did anybody get off with just a warning. I had to consider myself lucky.

He continued on with his lecture about Virginia Woolf's use of the stream of consciousness writing. My mind had checked out once I'd sat down in my seat; I couldn't have bothered paying attention even if I tried. The burning need to take my phone back out almost overpowered me. Almost like a drug addict counting down the minutes till their next possible hit – I needed my fix. Though, admittedly, I wasn't addicted to your average run-of-the-mill drug. No, I was addicted to a human being, and seeing as I could not take out my phone, I was not able to contact said human. I suddenly had empathy for drug addicts.

Somehow I managed to fight against the strong urges for another hour before my modern literature class was released. We poured out of the room like ants evading an open floor, and the moment my feet reached the hallway, my phone was back in my hand.

I had three new text messages.

"Haha yeah, I thought that too."

"Did you like the other one?"

"Em? You there?"

I sighed before sitting down on a small bench located just outside my class's building. Students were rushing by me, all in a hurry to get to their own classes. None of them even paused to glance in my direction.

Just the way I liked it.

"Sorry. Was in class. Edwards caught me but let me off with a warning." I replied back as I reorganized the books that were spilling out of my bag. I hated my inability to be neat.

"Ah it's all good. I have to go now though – sound check. Call you after the gig?" It saddened me slightly that we couldn't continue our conversation about my dislike towards confusing books, but I understood his other commitments.

"You better. Good luck!" I smiled as I hit send and stood up from the chilly bench. The nippy yet cleansing October weather was always my favorite. There was just something about the scent of fall that warmed my heart. Or maybe it was the fact that I loved hot apple cider or pumpkin muffins. Fall was just my perfect season, like it was designed to fit with my brain. I loved the clothes, the atmosphere, and the food… Why wasn't I born in the fall?

Though despite my undeniable love for autumn, even I had to admit that the sharp wind on my face was a bit too much to handle. I quickly walked back to my dorm room with thoughts of tea and cozy warm blankets on my mind.

"Honey, I'm home!" I called loudly once I unlocked the door to my dorm. My roommate, Amanda, was lying on her stomach across her bed with a book propped up in front of her face. She lowered the book to smile in my direction, before bringing it back up and submerging herself in its depths.

I was all too accustomed of her love for a good book, so I let her lack of social skills go. Instead, I immediately flicked the water cooker on and readied myself for a cup of tea. As the water heated, I dropped my school stuff on my bed and detangled myself from my coat. Amanda suddenly came to life.

"Are you making tea?"

"Yeah. Want some?"

"Yes, please," our conversation was limited and I smiled, quite pleased.

I fixed our mugs and went to sit on my bed, waiting for the water cooker to finish. Modern literature had been my last class of the day and I was free to go and do whatever I pleased. I contemplated the thought of working on my homework, but quickly denied the idea. Homework could always wait till the weekend, right?

Obviously, my procrastination skill had done anything but improve over the last year.

"Water's up," Amanda pulled me out of my thoughts and to the sound of the water boiling. I rolled my eyes as I walked by her small twin bed and the massive collage covering most of her wall – it wasn't as if she wasn't able to fix a cup of tea.

I gently handed a steaming mug of chai tea to Amanda, and kept a mug of green tea for myself. We were very predictable in our drinks.

What seemed like maybe seconds, minutes, or hours later, Amanda finally broke our silence. "So, did you talk to Tom at all today?"

"For a bit. They have a show tonight, so he had to go."

"Where are they now?"

"Liverpool, I think."

"How's Danny doing?"

"Good, I think. Still single," I knew that was the answer she really wanted to hear. Not that she was still interested.

"Poor boy. He'll find a keeper eventually." Amanda sounded very sure of her words, as if she truly hoped my brother would find a suitable partner.

Amanda had once been one of Danny's highest candidates on the relationship train. They had dated for nearly two months (which, believe me, is a lot for my brother), but eventually had a very clean break up. There were no tears or fights, just a mutual agreement that they'd be better off on their own. I'd never seen a break up done so… professionally.

The two were still on 'friend terms', though. They would always ask and see how the other was doing, like it was genuinely nice to hear. I respected the odd relationship, in a weird way. I'd never seen one like it.

The alarm clock placed haphazardly on Amanda's bedside table randomly started ringing once the little hand hit five. Amanda immediately hopped off her bed and dawned her jacket while gathering her books. It was time for her astronomy class.

"I'll see you later, yeah?" She called before leaving the dorm room.

"Maybe. I think I'm going to head over to Alison's later. I haven't seen her all week."

"Oh, all right then. Tell her I say hello!" And with those words Amanda departed, leaving me alone in the silent room.

The room itself wouldn't have been considered silent if it could talk. More drama, romance, and excitement had gone on in this particular room than completely necessary. Not only that, but the images, posters, and photographs coating the walls basically spoke as if they had voices of their own.

On my side of the room I had very few artifacts hanging around my bed. I had one photograph of my family, one of my friends, and one of Tom and myself. Amanda's side was undeniably more interesting (though many would argue that it was also more… creepy). Above her bed and bending around the corner of the wall Amanda had perfectly organized a collage of all her favorite things. The most dominating, and slightly terrifying, of all those things happened to be my brother's, and boyfriend's, pop band. She had taken newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and Internet photos and plastered them in a uniquely artistic way above her. Their smiling, boyish faces grinned down at me as they were captured in time, sharing their happiness and bliss with me. I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. Those boys…

Among the photos, Amanda had recently started to add pictures of animals (the girl was a known animal activist – a recent vegetarian and everything), pictures of her family, the book covers from her favorite books, movie titles – everything and anything that made her happy. I suppose it was good for her mood.

My thoughts were interrupted by another ringing noise, except this time it wasn't the alarm clock, but my mobile hidden in my pocket.

"Hello?" I answered breathlessly as I struggled to answer it in time.

"Em! I'm so glad you answered!" Tom's beautiful voice met my ears with a chuckle to his tone. I sighed in contentment, happy to at least be connected to him somehow, even if it was just a phone.

"Of course I answered! How could I not when Tom Fletcher was giving me a ring?" I teased, plopping myself down on the couch Amanda and I had rescued once while dumpster diving (or "treasure hunting" in her terms) and cuddling up in a blanket. Part of me imagined it was Tom, and not a blanket.

Yes, I will admit that I am just that pathetic.

"How did the rest of your day go? Surely not all as bad as your boring Modern Lit class?"

And with that, Tom and I filled each other in on our busy days. The weird thing was, even though we're basically the same age, we both do completely different things. I'm in university, trying to plan my life and figure out what-the-heck I want to do with myself, while Tom skipped that part all together and jumped into the music business (fairly well, might I add).

So seeing as we live basically completely different lifestyles, we're oddly enthralled by each other's stories. Tom loves to hear about my day-to-day routine; the more boring and average it is, the better. Yet I love to hear all about the glamour he gets to deal with all the time. TV show appearances, famous meet-and-greets, live concerts – it all sounds like a fantastic story that I never get tired of hearing.

Despite the fact that I absolutely love Tom's band, it really puts a sad note into our relationship. I would never in a million years ask him to quit McFly, but going four, five, even six weeks without seeing him is almost torture. A phone conversation can only give you so much.

"So did you talk to Fletch? Didn't he say that when you guys have your gig in Reading you could come visit?" I asked eagerly, knowing that the Reading gig was only a week away.

Tom sighed and was silent for a moment, sounding reluctant to answer.

"What?" I asked as my heart sank in my chest. I knew what was about to happen.

"I talked to him… he just doesn't think that a drive out to London would be in the cards. Isn't there anyway you could come to us?" Tom asked, sounding desperate.

"I don't have a car, and none of my friends could go that far out for a day trip. They all have classes. I was checking the train schedules but they're doing constructions on that station, and I'd have to detour around the city. It's like the world just doesn't want us to connect…"

I'll admit - a small part of me truly wanted to cry. Now, to a new onlooker, the fact that Tom and I couldn't hang out may seem like a small and insignificant fact, but not many people are aware of just how many times Tom and I had made plans, only to have them fall through. Every single time. I'd lost count of how many times it'd happened already. I stopped keeping track after about the fifth time.

"Aw, no, Em… don't say that. We need to stay positive, Love. We'll figure this out, I promise," Tom sounded genuinely upset with the turn of our conversation and I felt slightly guilty. Since when had I developed into such a whiney baby?

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. We'll… we'll figure something out. We always do," I amended myself, trying to believe my own words.

"That's the spirit. I promise we'll see each other soon, okay? And you know how I always keep my promises," he chuckled lightly, as if he was telling himself some funny inside joke. I rolled my eyes and agreed.

"Yeah, I know. And I'm holding you to that promise then. Don't leave me hanging," I joked as I glanced at the clock. It was already six o'clock. Would I still have time to get to Alison's?

"You know I would never. Anyway Em, I've got to go. I think your damn brother is trying to drunkenly hide my guitar. This should be interesting…" Tom trailed off as a loud crash was heard in the background.

"Oh gosh - go. He'll do something stupid." I wasn't joking. He really would.

"Bye, Em. Love you!"

"Love you too!" I cringed as another loud crash was heard before the line went dead.

Maybe I did have enough time for a quite venting session with Alison…