A/N: I love writing Paul. He's my favorite character to do dialogue for. I think it's because I can say all the inappropriate things I've wanted to say in so many other situations.

I'm so pleased with the response to this little story. I haven't had this great of a response since Experiments. That's telling me something very important and I like the lesson.

To the guest reviewer who is having mixed feelings about my story: That's the freakin' point. Good stories are written about flawed people who figure out how to quit being asshats. Hello. And I never suggested that ONE review from a journalist would ruin the band. I said it would cause them problems. Do you read the news? People (especially insecure people who band together to form loud groups) can cause quite a bit a commotion about the stupidest thing taken out of context. That's the fear I'm playing on. Plus, it gives Jake an opportunity to face the feelings he has from the past. You said it seems that Bella is seeking forgiveness. I'm not quite sure where you're getting that. I certainly didn't write it with that in mind. Those of you who accused her of being a selfish bitch hit the nail on the head. One person mentioned the quickie with Mike in the airplane. This won't end up being a hate Bella fic. In fact I'm working on that later chapters now and it's surprising me as they come out. Keep reading or not, I don't care. I hope you do so you can give me some input on character development.

MarinaNamaste is my beta. She really does an awesome job.

Enjoy.

Jake sat on the couch in the green room practicing the riff of a new song he'd been writing for the past week or so.

"What's that?" Paul asked, cracking open a grape soda and taking a seat on the opposite couch. Leave it to Paul to give up heroin and turn to grape soda. "That's new." Jake hadn't introduced the new tune to the others yet. Paul tilted his head to listen the chord progression. "It's raw, man. Angry song?" He took a deep swig and sighed with satisfaction.

"Yeah. I'll play it for you after we roll out tonight," Jake said, concentrating on his fingerings when he switched to the lick. He'd inserted a hard transition. He hadn't had many angry songs lately because Ness had a very calming effect on him. "I want to play it for Ness first."

"Ah," was all Paul said, letting out a long, low burp. He knew how Jake worked. Jake's shit was good, especially when he was angry. The low hum of the crowd filtered through the walls in the nice sized greenroom fully stocked with all the provisions requested in their contract riders. Fuckin' grape soda.

Jake replayed the riff several times then began from the beginning, singing the words in his head. Paul was a great front man with the perfect voice for Jake's angst filled lyrics. He had thought about taking lead on a few songs, but so many of them were his therapy, he was more content to just wail on his guitar and scream the backup vocals. Paul was a better figure for the spotlight as well. He didn't brood as much, and Jake knew it.

Jake's attention was pulled to the giggling girl on Quil's lap. Claire had made it in, and Ness had sent a car for her and her two friends. Brittany and Amy were vying for the attention of Seth and Embry, but both boys had decided to not go down that road since they were all from the rez.

"Seth," Amy called. "Come sit and have a drink with us!" The ice tinkled in her glass as she held it up like she was toasting everyone. Brittany giggled, sipping on her own cocktail while Claire was busy kissing up Quil's neck.

"Leave him alone," Jake rumbled rolling his eyes. "He has work to do. You can flirt with him after the show when he's not busy making sure we don't sound like shit on stage." His tone was gruff. He was not in the mood for girlie shit. Amy's smile faded at being chastised, but Jake didn't miss the relief on Seth's face. Amy was not his type and Seth's type was not hard to find at a rock concert. And, even though Seth would screw just about anything, he didn't like hurting girls' feelings.

"So you haven't seen her?" Embry said, cracking a smile to try to rile Jake up. Jake looked up at the shithead in his ratty, holey jeans and t-shirt that was a size too small. He was sitting in the arm chair next to Jake trying distance himself from the flirty girls. Embry sometimes had less self-control than Seth did when it came to willing women.

They all knew Bella had arrived. They all figured she wasn't going to comply with the rules and guidelines they'd laid out in her contract. Jake felt a slice rip through his gut at the mention of her name. He shot a look to Embry who knew exactly what he'd done. Jake was about to rip Embry's head off when he was interrupted.

"You really want to go there, Embry?" Sam said bustling through the door. "You really want to get him all pissed off right before he goes on stage and then you're going to get all pissed off when he changes the set list to suit his mood? You know he'll do it." Jake had a habit of changing the set according to his whim, messing up the entire light and sound crew who'd have to scramble to catch up.

"Shit, Embry!" Paul called. "Shut the fuck up!" Paul could keep up with the changes, it just threw him off his game while sending the stagehands in a frenzy trying to anticipate which guitars and effects were needed next.

"Not to mention it makes Ness's job harder when she has to explain to the promotion company why we aren't playing the chart toppers," Sam said. "Can you be a little nicer to Ness?"

"Who's Ness?" Claire asked, pulling herself away from Quil's throat, wiping away the wetness she'd left there. His hands were running up and down her sides while his thumbs teased the underside of her boobs. Watching Quil's wandering hands, Jake figured he wouldn't be in his own bunk tonight since Embry's was right next to his. Claire was a squeaker. Jake would just stay up front and work on the song and then crash on the couch.

"You know, baby," Quil cooed into her ear. "She's the one who set up your visit and had you picked up at the airport."

"Oh," she replied, sticking out her bottom lip, "the one who says we can't sit on stage while you perform? Why can't I remember her name?"

"That's the one," Jake said. "And, actually, that was me, not her who said that. His playing sucks when you're that close. Ness was just nice enough to take the blame." Claire's friends, Amy and Brittany, gasped, and Claire just narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean 'his playing sucks' when I'm around?" Claire asked.

"I mean," Jake said, shifting his guitar to his left hand and rising from his seat to go take a walk, "his playing sucks ass when you're on stage." He looked from his guitar, which he handled with great care, back over the Claire and focused his intense stare at her. "What part of that was hard to understand? He drops sticks and loses time. He's the fuckin' drummer and he needs to pay attention. It's better for him, us, and all the paying fans if you are fifty feet away off stage. He's still going to fuck you afterwards, so what the hell do you care?" He'd taken two or three steps toward the couch where they lounged and he towered over them. Claire squeaked and Jake rolled his eyes at the foreshadowing.

Jake could hear the opening act begin their first set and he wanted to calm down before he went on stage. Claire had always rubbed him the wrong way and he was especially irritable today. He handed his guitar to Seth, who nodded.

"Besides," Jake added, "you left that big ass hickey on his neck, you can brag on that next to all the middling sycophants in the general paying audience."

"Huh?" Amy asked, looking extremely confused. Paul chuckled.

"When did you become such a douche, Jacob Black?" Claire huffed, throwing her long, raven hair over her shoulder.

"He's always been a douche," Embry contributed in a dry tone. Jake didn't think he was kidding.

"As long as I can remember," Seth added a little more jocularly before he left to check on the other instruments.

"Baby," Quil whispered in Claire's ear, "he's right. When you're that close to me I just get so…you know…" he looked into her eyes and she melted. He didn't finish his sentence, but his hands did something that made her squeal.

"Ohhhh! Baby," she sighed before laying an obscenely graphic kiss on him. Apparently she thought it was sweet when Quil admitted he sucked. Amy turned her sights to one of the roadies in a tight black t-shirt. He responded much more favorably than Seth or Embry.

"Oh fuck, I'm gonna be sick," Paul groaned. Jake was already out the door.

Ness's phone flashed and she looked at the screen.

where r u? i need 2 c u

Trying to get "the press" to join the off-stage VIP section. We may have to put her on stage. She's being obstinate.

fuck. just do it. then come see me. im on the roadie bus

You sound like a Nike commercial. Smart being on the roadie bus. No one will look for you there. Be there in a sec. Well, make that a few.

It was more like fifteen minutes before the door of the bus opened and Jake knew he only had about ten minutes before he had to be back in the greenroom. He was up and to her before she was even up the stairs. He lifted her up and hugged her tightly to his chest. He sucked in a long, cleansing breath, inhaling her scent.

"What is wrong?" Ness asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Fucking Embry," he mumbled into her neck, "stirring up Bella shit and Quil's fucking leech of a girlfriend. I needed to talk to someone intelligent for a minute or two." He began placing kisses all along her neck up to her ear.

"This isn't talking," Ness moaned before she was silenced when his mouth covered hers. She responded knowing he just needed to be close to someone for a few minutes. Well, close to her. He was nervous whether he'd admitted it to himself or not. He was always needy when he was nervous. She didn't mind—as long as it was her he was needy for. And, the man knew how to kiss.

"This is better," he said between pecks. The kissing slowed and the ended up in a tight embrace. His right hand twisted in her long, wavy locks and his left arm wrapped around her waist holding her firmly against his hard body. They stood silent for a few moments before he finally got to what was really bothering him.

"So she'll be onstage? In the bleachers in the on-stage VIP section?" he asked into her neck.

"Yes, because you relented. Honestly, I don't know how…" she pulled away to look at him and stopped herself. She was going to ask how he put up with her for so long. Even, how he could even have fallen in love with her. Ness found her insufferable.

"She was different before him. She was…nice. He changed her." It was all he could say. It was the truth.

"Okay," Ness said. "Let's not get into this now. You need to get back." Her phone was vibrating in her pocket because she'd turned down the volume of the two-way radio on her hip. "Sam is having kittens and blowing up my phone telling me to get you back to the greenroom."

"Fuck! It takes ten minutes to set up the stage between acts and they're still playing," he complained and pulled her close again. She buried her head into his chest, giving him the closeness he needed without beginning a new make out session. She sighed her contentment. This was her favorite place to be, but touring made discreet intimacy difficult and somewhat stressful. She was glad they only toured a few months out of the year.

"No changing the set!" she said playfully pushing into his chest. "Keep the songs on the set list and play them in order. There is a rhyme and reason to that list and you can't mess with it tonight."

"Fine," he moaned, before brushing a hand lovingly over her forehead, pushing her hair back from her face. "Kiss me," he breathed. "I need something real before I go out there for the mind fuck."

Her heart thudded—she hurt so much for him. She'd decided that maybe she should go into acting after the performance she gave this afternoon just being civil to the woman who had completely destroyed Jacob twice. Ness had also decided that Bella was utterly oblivious to how deeply she had wounded him. It made Ness dislike her even more.

Ness looked up at him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Up," she said softly with a smirk and patting him. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pushed her back against the counter top. She kissed him, but it wasn't needy and passionate like his had been when she first entered the bus. It was slow and deep. It conveyed how much she loved him and why. He knew all the reasons why. It didn't last as long as either of them wished; her phone had buzzed again.

"Hurricane," she whispered, pecking him again. "It's gonna be worth it."

"I love you so much. Please remember that. The storm's about to get rough."

Ness nodded. They'd talked about all the possibilities. All of them. In theory they had it covered. She hoped reality worked the same.

"I love you, too," Ness said, placing one more, sweet kiss on his lips. "Now let me down and get your ass back in the greenroom before Sam gets a hemorrhoid."

"You gotta quit hanging around Embry," Jake said setting her down. "You're getting crass." He slapped her on the ass.

"Yeah. It's all Embry's influence." She rolled her eyes.

Seth was waiting for him with the guitar he'd start the show with.

"Thanks, man," Jake said, gently receiving the guitar and throwing the strap over his shoulder. He took the pick Seth offered after he untwisted and adjusted the strap.

"Better?" Seth asked.

"Ness makes everything better," Jake mumbled. Seth just smirked at him. Jake's fingers ran over chords as he made his way back to the greenroom. He knew Sam would be shitting bricks, but if he came in ready, it'd ease the tension. He didn't enjoy stressing Sam out, but he had to work some shit out.

"'bout time," Sam grumbled. Jake could tell he wasn't really angry.

"Sorry, man. I just needed to—" Jake started.

"I get it," Sam cut him off. "Embry was an ass. You sure you're ready for this?"

Jake glanced up and considered the question.

"No."

Sam nodded. "But what the fuck are you gonna go?" Sam said as he shrugged. Jake nodded in return. Sam patted his shoulder.

Jake walked through the greenroom, relieved to see that Claire and her girls were gone. He half smiled at Quil who was picking up his sticks. Jake's smile was a half apology and Quil understood. Jake ignored Embry. Stupid fucker might as well have kicked him in the nuts and he did it in front of a room full of people.

Fuck 'im.

Jake walked through the other door to wait off stage until they were to go on. Roadies scurried, moving equipment and Seth came over to check the song order again.

"You want the white custom second, right?" Seth asked diplomatically.

"Yeah, and then the Snow Falcon. I won't change the order. No matter what. Even if I try, just bring me the guitars in order. You know how I hate playing the wrong song on the wrong guitar. It'll keep me on track." Seth looked skeptical which made Jake smile. "I promise, Seth. I won't get mad at you. I'm saving all that shit for Embry."

"What'd I do?" Embry asked, like he didn't know.

"Later," Paul growled and took a sip of his tea and handed it back to his herbalist who had appeared out of nowhere. "We have a show to do." Paul looked over to Jake. "Ness put her on the far side." He nodded to the far side of the stage where Jake could see Bella chatting with another fan in the VIP section. "Just don't cross the stage in the second set and you'll be good." Paul strapped on his guitar and cuffed Embry in the head, "Got that, Embry? No stage cross. Just stay put."

"Whatever," Embry returned, taking his own bass.

Jake could do this. He had Nessie's support and love. Bella couldn't destroy him again unless he gave her the power to do so. And we wasn't going to give her the power. He had a job to do. They planned the first set when they received Bella's confirmation email. He knew then how he'd feel. That actually made him feel better. His prediction had been right and he knew how to deal with it. They'd prepared. The lights dimmed signaling their entrance.

"So we start off with So Happy and then onto The Bitch Came Back and I'm not changing the order. I'm good. I swear," Jake said, barely audible to everyone. But they all heard. Seth nodded and headed back to the guitar lockers. He had to check Embry's other basses. Quil had a dozen extra sticks sitting in a pile next to his kit just in case he dropped more than usual. And Paul…well he was just Paul. Nothing ever seemed to faze him—now that he was sober. Fuckin' grape soda.

The lights dimmed and Jake took deep breath before he stepped on stage.

Thoughts? Embry? Paul? Jake?