Um…I just wanted to say that the writing in this is probably overly British and I'm sorry if it sounds a bit wrong cos I'm not American so I don't know much about how they speak! I apologise in advance and thanks to people for pointing it out in my reviews!

"So…have you got any new songs for us Tom?" James asked, sipping at his lemonade.

"Yeah, I'm kinda getting bored of playing the same rhythms over," Myles agreed. He walked over to his drum kit that had now taken up residence in Tommy's basement, and started playing a rather energetic beat. With a final clash of the cymbal, he grinned at them.

"I see someone's been practicing" Dom laughed, usually Myles' rhythms were slightly, for want of a better word, off. "So Tommy, have you written anymore?"

"Um…" Tommy felt his cheeks flush, not wanting to let his mates down, "No, sorry, I tried, I really did!" He scanned their faces to see what their reactions were, but all of their facial expressions remained passively blank.

"I seem to have a temporary block, I just can't think of a good subject!" Tommy tried to defend himself even though none of his friends had actually said anything. There was an awkward silence, then….

"You've had a block since the first song you've ever written" Ollie suddenly burst out. They all turned to stare at him. "It's true though! You have to admit it!"

Nobody backed him; they couldn't do it to Tommy.

"Shut up Ollie" Dom retorted "Tommy just needs some time, he'll get it eventually."

"Eventually ain't good enough, we need good stuff now if this band is gunna go anywhere." Ollie spat savagely.

"Who said anything about the band going anywhere, it's just a bit of fun" Dom argued.

"What? Just a bit of fun, I spend half my time with this shitty band and now you tell me it's not going anywhere? Well fuck you then!" Ollie shouted and stormed out of the basement.

Ray and Neela, who had just been having a rather passionate snogging session, leapt back as the basement door was flung open and a thunderous looking Ollie came out. He walked straight past them and out of the house. "I wonder what's up with him." Ray said, puzzled.

"I don't know but it didn't look like he was very happy." Neela replied, eyeing the basement door. Ray, catching her drift, went to check on them.

He got down into the basement and saw that the guys were packing up, "Hey. I thought you lot were gunna be here much longer. Neela and I were wondering whether we were going to have to order a mass takeout."

"No dad, they're going" Tommy said, picking up his guitar and pushing past Ray.

"Whoa where are you going in such a hurry?" Ray asked his son.

"To my bedroom," came the sharp reply. Ray looked around at Tommy's band mates but their faces betrayed nothing. He guessed he would have to find out for himself.

"See ya Mr Barnett" Myles said as the three boys traipsed past him.

"Bye" he said. After they had gone he headed for Tommy's bedroom.

Opening the door he was not expecting what he saw at all. Sprawled across the bed was Tommy, his whole body was shuddering, he was…crying. Ray couldn't believe it; he hadn't seen Tommy cry since he was about five, now he had no idea how to react! Tommy didn't even bother to look up as his dad came over and sat on the bed.

"What's wrong mate?" Ray asked. He got no reply. "Tommy?" He gently shook his son's arm.

"No…nothing" Tommy mumbled into his pillow.

"Oh come on you gotta help me out here kiddo, otherwise I can't help." Ray poked Tommy in the side, trying to provoke a response. He knew that Tommy was really ticklish. Tommy jerked trying to get away. Ray went after him, tickling him until he cried out in protest.

"Hey! Hey!" Tommy choked out, laughing and crying at the same time. "I surrender!"

Well that went well Ray thought, at least Tommy wasn't as upset.

"If you want me to stop then you gotta tell me the problem. Why did Ollie storm out?" At first he didn't think that Tommy was going to tell him but then he drew in a deep breath, paused and said hesitantly, "Well, how do I put this? Er…I haven't been able to come up with any new songs, not since the first one and Ollie got kinda annoyed with me so he left."

"That's stupid!" Ray said "What a jerk! You'll get a song in time."

"But that's the thing dad, I can't come up with anything, I don't think I ever will!" Tommy looked so upset that Ray hugged him, not caring that he would probably be embarrassed. To his surprise, though, Tommy hugged him back. Ray rested his chin on the top of Tommy's head and marvelled that he still had that sweet child smell about him even though he was a teenager.

"Look, Tommy, d'you want me to help?"

"How could you help with music, do you even know one note from the other?" Tommy teased.

"Hey, I used to play the guitar y'know!" Ray retorted. He picked up Tommy's guitar and strummed it, making sure he still knew how to play. He'd given up the guitar when he'd married Neela and had Tommy, he hadn't had the time. That was fourteen years ago. His instrument was stashed somewhere in the attic.

Tommy just watched him, shaking his head, thinking his dad was going to make a fool of himself. Ray tapped his foot and then started to play. It was slow and quiet to begin with but then Ray picked up the speed and launched into a full scale rock tune. Tommy just gaped. "Wha…what? You can play the guitar?!"

"Yeah, you may think I'm a boring old loser but I used to be in a rock band. I was called the Roc Doc!" Ray grinned at his son's expression.

"Wow!" Tommy exclaimed.

"You want me to show you some stuff? I used to write songs." Ray offered.

"Sure!" Tommy jumped on the chance to spend some time with his dad because he wasn't there that often. Being a doctor and everything.

Neela watched from the doorway as father and son spent some quality time together, they looked so cute, spiky-haired heads bent together, discussing lyrics. They didn't even notice her, they were so engrossed. She loved her family so much and she never wanted to lose them.