Whoo! Hope everybody (Stateside, anyways) enjoyed their Labor Day weekend! I know I did, which is why I haven't updated in the last couple days. The story is going to get a little flashback heavy for a bit now. So, tell me if it's jarring or something so I can try to fix it to transition smoother. Now, back to our regular scheduled programming.

Chapter 5: Just Like Starting Over

1997

"You look fantastic!" gushed the salesgirl as Derek looked at himself in a three-way mirror. Derek adjusted the coat and turned around briefly before shedding it off and tossing it to the girl.

"I know." He snapped his fingers and immediately, another article of clothing was handed to him. "You can take that one up to the counter with the others."

Derek wasn't in a good mood. Bleed's little stint was going on for much too long. A few days had already passed since Bleed decided to run off to his yacht. After not hearing from him for awhile, Derek grew incredibly frustrated and a bit worried. Things were always tense with all four of them lately since their manager quit on them, plus the added stress of trying to work on a new album. Maybe a small vacation would bring Bleed back to his senses, Derek reasoned to himself.

Meanwhile, he would have to content himself with a bit of retail therapy. Derek fixed his hair for a moment before heading to the cash register where his things were piled up. He tossed his credit card towards the cashier carelessly and contemplated what to do next. Going to some new club for a bit of crazy partying was the usual thing for a Saturday night. But waking up in a bathtub the next morning didn't sound appealing for once.

"Sir?" The cashier's voice broke Derek's thoughts and he glared. The young man swallowed nervously under Derek's piercing eyes and timidly pushed the card back to its owner. "Um…your card was declined."

"What?" Derek went from annoyed to confused and he shoved the card back at the other man. "You messed it up! Do it again."

Visibly holding his breath, the cashier ran the card again. "…It's not working."

Derek sighed harshly and snatched back the plastic. He never carried cash on him since that incident with the cab and his other cards were in his wallet which was sitting in the limo. The limo was much too far(outside on the curb!) and Derek wasn't about to go running back and forth. "Well, put it on a tab or something!"

"Um…the manager is at dinner if you want to wait-" The cashier faltered when Derek's jaw jutted out in irritation. "O-or I can go run and get him!" At Derek's expectant look, he disappeared from behind the counter and broke into a dash down the busy sidewalk.

"…I'm bored." Derek decided out loud after pacing for a few moments. Feeling a bit perturbed, he stalked out of the store, empty handed. He climbed into his waiting limo and sighed. "I want to go home."

Usually Vic would fix something like this (or get someone else to). Derek sulked a bit before picking up the car phone and punching in a number. After a few rings, a sleepy voice crackled through the speaker. "Hello?"

"Ash?"

"This is Ash. Who's this?"

"Derek!"

"Derek? Derek's not here."

"No, I'm Derek!"

There was a short beat before Ash 'oh-ed'. "Hey, bro! Man, everybody's calling me today. I think it's my birthday…"

"Your birthday was last month." Derek reminded, rolling his eyes. There was another pause.

"What's your point?"

"…Nevermind," sighed Derek, wanting to change the subject. "Everybody's been calling you? Has…uh, Bleed called at all?"

"No…Burger called, you called…I guess that's not everybody." Ash sounded disappointed at this personal revelation.

Derek sunk down in his seat, feeling disappointed. "Oh. Well, whatever. I'm calling because my credit card's not working or something. Did I make any large purchases since last week?"

"…Hm, no. But Burger called about not being able to pay for his lunch today." Ash said thoughtfully. "I should check my bank account…"

"Yeah, you do that-" Derek's eyes widened as the limo pulled up to his penthouse and he saw a familiar car parked in the front. "I just got home. Uh, call me back, yeah?"

Derek hung up the phone without waiting for Ash's response and jumped out of the still slightly moving vehicle. The door was unlocked and he walked right in, only to find the house dark. Moving further in, he saw a light from the kitchen and some shadows moving.

"Bleed? You're home?" Derek felt relief wash over him as he walked into the kitchen. "Thank god! You won't believe what happened today…"

Bleed was crouched on the floor, zipping up a suitcase. He looked up and Derek didn't like the strangely serious expression on the man's face. Bleed's face switched into one of his usual smiles and he stood up. "I thought you'd be out somewhere partying on a Saturday evening."

"I didn't feel like it. Bleed, what the hell?" Derek gestured to all the suitcases. Bleed was probably unpacking from his stay on the yacht, he told himself. But something unpleasant was unfurling in the pit of his stomach, making him a bit sick. "You're cluttering the kitchen, you know. I'll help you move all this-"

"I didn't think you'd be back this early." Bleed interrupted, a slight bite of annoyance in his voice. His smile was still there but it didn't quite match his eyes. "I wanted to be all moved out before you got here."

"Wait-what? Moved out?" Derek blanched and took in all the boxes and suitcases on the floor. "You're moving out? Why? Didn't you have enough 'you-time' on your bloody yacht?" Derek couldn't control his voice as it elevated into almost-shouting.

"Could you scream louder? I still have some of my hearing left." Bleed grumbled sarcastically. He looked away from Derek and cracked his knuckles in a restless manner. "I got some guys coming to load all this. It'll be out of the way in a couple hours."

Derek clenched his teeth and tried to keep his temper under wraps. "So, where are you planning on going?"

"I dunno. Around." Bleed shrugged and picked at his nails. "A few labels I've been talking to are here-"

"You've been talking to labels? Why?" Derek felt his voice go up a few octaves but didn't care.

"You're not stupid, Derek. Why do you think?" The silence was suffocating between them. Derek felt numb as Bleed refused to look at him. His anger was replaced with confusion and dread. Bleed finally spoke, his voice calm and even slightly cheerful. "I should get going."

"Wait." Derek bit his lip and tried to keep his voice steady. "Can't we…I don't know, talk about this or something?"

Bleed sighed and shook his head as he leaned to grab his guitar case. "I made up my mind."

"Look-I'm sorry, okay? For yelling all the time, being an unpleasant prat, and whatever else that's making you do this." Derek reached Bleed's side in two long steps and tentatively touched the man's arm. "I don't want you to leave, alright?"

"Derek, c'mon. We're not kids anymore. You knew this-we weren't going to last, right?" Bleed at least had the decency to look uncomfortable.

"I-I guess. I don't know. But it doesn't mean you have to leave the band!" Derek insisted, refusing to let go of Bleed's sleeve. "You're just going to ditch us right when we're starting a new album? And what about the money? How are you going to live, huh? My credit card was rejected just earlier-"

"I know." Bleed's eyes were suddenly cool, which made Derek's insides shrivel. "I'm set with money for awhile. I'd be more concerned with yourself and the guys."

Derek let his hand drop to his side, uselessly and stared at Bleed. The man he trusted more than anyone, his musical partner, his best friend-lover, in so many words, admitted to taking all his money. "Y-you took everything? Everything?"

"You always exaggerate. You still have the house, right?" Bleed petted Derek's shoulder and stepped away towards the door. "Well, tell Ash and Burger 'bye' for me. And, no hard feelings?"

Something possessed Derek to grab Bleed's arm-not to beat the crap out of him, or to shake him while screaming at him. But to make him stay. Derek knew he should feel pathetic for clinging onto the man like some loser who couldn't take a hint, but he didn't care at the moment. "Don't go. I'll beg if you want me to-just stay, alright?" He hated that his eyes stung and that he held on tighter when Bleed tried to pull away. "Please? I'll do anything-"

"Don't." Bleed yanked himself away, roughly and backed away from Derek. He was scowling and dusting off his arm. "Don't embarrass yourself." Without another glance he turned and walked out the door.

Derek wasn't aware of how much time had passed since Bleed left. He merely sat at the kitchen table as the minutes ticked by. Not even the movers who came by sometime later, jolted him from his dazed state. One by one, the boxes and luggage were eventually taken from the kitchen until the floor was once again clear and uncluttered.

The phone began ringing loudly, shaking Derek somewhat out of his reverie. He couldn't get himself to get up from the chair and the answering machine beeped to life. Derek lifted his head from his hands when he heard Ash's familiar voice crackle through the machine.

"Hey, Derek, about earlier… My account is all screwed up too. The bank says there's no money in 'em. Did you get a hold of Bleed about his stuff yet? Call back or I'll see you later."

A beep signified the end of the message and the machine whirred off, leaving the house silent again. Derek lowered his head onto the hard wooden table and closed his eyes. The breath he let out was shuddering and he clenched his jaw to prevent any more. Unfortunately, not breathing wasn't an option and his shaky gasps for air resumed.

"Damnit…" Derek squeezed his eyes shut and tears leaked from the corners. He gave up and let himself do what he hadn't done since he was a child and cried.


If someone told Derek that nearly seven years later, the same man who abandoned him would be moving his things back into his home (well, his kid-guitarists' home anyway), he would've laughed or punched that someone in the face. Possibly both. But Bleed was here now, carrying his things from his car to the house, all smiles. Derek nibbled on his bacon absently as he watched the others help Bleed drop his stuff on the kitchen floor.

"I don't know where you're going to sleep. There's only three bunks and adding a fourth isn't possible. There's a height limit." Derek mused as Bleed went back and forth with his things.

"I can just sleep on the floor." Bleed shrugged, his face wearing a long-suffering, martyred expression. "It's not going to bother me back or anything…too badly."

Derek rolled his eyes, knowing what Bleed was attempting to do with his bid for sympathy. "You'll have a sleeping bag or something. But if you don't want the floor, you can share a bunk with Ash."

"Aw, man…"

"No way!"

"Then it's settled! The floor it is." Derek smiled while Bleed pouted a bit. He was in good mood, which was strange considering how angry and upset he had felt the last day. But he felt so happy, it was almost making him feel a bit crazy. Derek shrugged inwardly and told himself to just be thankful for his turn in fortune.

He watched the others punt Bleed's things through the kitchen and down the hall to the bedroom. Something delicate sounding crashed loudly and a quiet 'oops' made Derek wince a bit. Well…it wasn't like the kid would mind. Actually Tripp was going to be thrilled at the new development in the housing situation. Derek chuckled, thinking about how happy the kid was going to be with the new member of the household.

Moving along slowly…angstily...and slowly…but wait! Things will pick up in the next chapter! Stay tuned-maybe I'll update tonight to make up for not updating the past weekend.