Chapter Three - Bearer of the Bad News

"Dinner is served!" called Georgia, her blonde head poking through the kitchen door frame that lead into the living room. In the living room sat the four band mates whom were lazing about on the sofa, watching the telly.
"Coming!" Danny replied then swiftly clicked the TV off.
With groans and moans the guys got up before trudging through to the dining room.
The places were already set and soon Izzy came through holding a scrumptious-looking curry in a big dish, steam billowing from it. The boys licked their lips excitedly. Nothing bet the girls cooking, especially their Indian curries. The thick well-seasoned sauce was lush and the chicken and beef which were always cooked to perfection were to die for.
They all sat down and tucked into the meal happily. It had been a while since the eight of them had all sat down to a meal together.
Giovanna was the first to break the silence, her voice nervous and uncertain.
"So, are you guys alright?" she asked, looking around the table at all the faces that were now focused on her, "I know the news might have come to you all as a little surprise but we-"
"What news?" Dougie's head snapped up, frowning deeply. Had they discussed this before he had arrived or had he just not been listening, the latter being the case most of the time.
Giovanna looked surprised at Dougie's reaction, the other three boys glared at her, desperately trying to stop her from saying another word.
Dougie turned to Harry, confusion etched all of over his face, "What news? What have I missed?"
Harry looked down at his hands clasped together in his lap awkwardly. He didn't want to be the bearer of the bad news. He wanted to protect Dougie from it, take him away and hide him from what he was about to hear. He didn't want to see Dougie's pained face.. He just didn't want this to be happening.
"Dougie, maybe we should all finish dinner first" Danny reasoned, his eyes softening as they met Dougie's.
"But, I want to know what's going on! Why am I always the last to know things?" Dougie huffed like a little child, sliding low into his chair. Lara looked at how sadly then turned to Giovanna.
"Just tell him, he's still holding a grudge about being the last to know about your engagement"
Danny stifled a laugh while Dougie glared at him furiously.
Giovanna sighed, "I know, I didn't realise he hadn't been told..." she wringed her hands in shame.
Tom looked at his fellow band mates before making a choice and turning to Dougie.
"Look, I really didn't want to tell you like this, in front of everybody... at dinner time...and it might seem harsh, a little sudden...out of the blue but..."
Harry turned away, he couldn't bear this, Dougie was so happy at the moment and soon that happiness would disappear, along with Tom.
Danny felt something catch his throat as he looked at Dougie's young, innocent and expectant face.
Lara and Dougie leant in intently, unaware of the bad news coming for them...
"I'm leaving McFly" Tom finally breathed, his eyes filled to the brim with regret and sorrow.
Lara looked taken aback. She slowly sat back in her chair and fell silent. That was quite possibly the last thing she had expected to leave Tom's lips.
Everyone's eyes turned to Dougie, waiting for him to say something. The room was eerily quiet, everybody was tensing waiting for his outburst.
But he was frozen in shock. It was like someone had jabbed the pause button on life. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were popping out of their sockets. No-one even wanted to imagine the pain or thoughts he was experiencing in that moment. It felt as if someone had just stabbed him in the heart. And then he felt it. The cold chill that ran through his body, it was the feeling of emptiness. Betrayal. Hurt. The one thing he had cherished had just been snatched away from him.
Abruptly he stood up, banging into the table causing the cutlery and plates to clatter. Everybody jumped at the sudden sound and gulped anxiously as he scraped back his chair carelessly.
"Well Tom, I hope you have a lovely retirement" Dougie spat at Tom sarcastically, and with that he stormed out the room, steam visibly tunnelling from his ears.
The front door slammed viciously then the house fell silent once more.
Lara gently eased herself up, feeling slightly sick, her day had turned from hearing such amazing news to hearing the most heart breaking words ever.
"No hard feelings but I better go" she said hurriedly.
Tom looked up at her and tried to smile, "It's fine I understand"
Lara quickly gathered her things and was just about to exit the room when Tom called out after to her.
"I just want you to know that... I didn't do it intentionally. I didn't do it to hurt him" his voice broke as he looked at Lara desperately.
She gazed back evenly, "I really don't think he's going to see it that way"
Tom hung his head in defeat while Lara vanished from the room soundlessly.

DOUGIE

Why?
Dougie was sitting on a park bench, with his knees drawn up to his chest and his head propped on top. In the early days of McFly he had always came here whenever he had had a little spat with one of the other boys. But now there would be no more spats. Now there would be no McFly.
Dougie felt tears sting at his eyes again and before he could stop them they overflowed.
McFly meant everything to Dougie.
McFly had been the first thing Dougie had ever been part of. The first time he had made true friends. At school Dougie hadn't had much friends and rarely got picked to do things. After he had came off the phone to Tom, the phone call which Tom had told him he had made it into the band he had collapsed in to his mum's arms and cried for what had felt like an eternity. It was the first time he had felt important, good enough ever since, well, forever. His mum had stroked his hair and told him of course he was important and that he deserved this happiness more than anyone else in the world.
When Dougie had moved out of his hometown and down to London with the boys he had felt ecstatic. He was finally going to make his mum and sister proud. He was going to earn money, and help his family out. He really couldn't wait. And it just kept on getting better and better. There were a few years when it went downhill a bit. When Dougie really got the impact of fame and the media but it didn't last.
It didn't last.
Just like McFly.
It hasn't lasted. It's gone. And all thrown away by the member who started it all.
Dougie shook his head.
He had thought Tom would have been the very last to even ever think about quitting the band. The band meant nearly as much to Tom as it did to Dougie.
Dougie wiped his eyes roughly, begging himself to stop crying. He would change Tom's mind, he told himself. Tom was just feeling irrational and soon he would realise his mistake. It was only a matter of time.
Dougie stood up, smiling slightly. Everything would work out in the end. McFly could not, and would not end. He nodded to himself before heading home, it was a short walk but he needed it to help clear his mind.

Only a matter of time. He told himself again, Only a matter of time.

A/N It's quite short I realise but I want people to know I am carrying this fic on, so I quickly rustled it together! Something happened recently and updating my stories was kind of the last thing on my mind but I'm gradually getting back into the swing of writing again! This is mainly a filler chapter for what is about to come! If there's anyone still reading this then please review so I know you're out there!

ideasfromthebraintoscreen xoxo