A/N: Here's Chapter 3. Sorry it's kind of short. Hopefully a chapter 4 tonight as well. Please review!

Thanks to xXxBooshLoverxXx and xxpipxx for reviewing!

Disclaimer: Still don't have any say in what happens to Howard or Vince in the real world. That's Noel and Julian's job.


"Alright, Howard? You will never guess what I got at this sale. It was genius! Howard?" Vince walked up the stairs and into their shared flat, talking the whole way. Everything seemed normal to him. The sale had been a complete success and he'd lugged two bags full of clothes all the way home. Nothing had gone wrong until he'd gotten to the top of the stairs and seen Howard.

Howard was sitting alone on the couch, staring at a cup of tea with a look of shock plastered on his face. He wasn't sure what surprised him more, that a woman had actually had a conversation with him or that he'd gotten up the nerve to ask her to come to their gig that night.

Vince dropped his bags and walked over to the couch, a slightly worried look crossing his face. The last time he'd found Howard like this was when Billy 'Twelve Toes' Malone had died. He'd spent three days trying to cheer him up and – in order to do so – was forced to sit through that awful foreign film Howard enjoyed so much.

"Howard? What's happened?" Vince sat down next to Howard, silently crossing his fingers in hopes that another jazz musician hadn't died.

Howard started – slopping some tea over the side of his cup – and looked over at Vince, "Sorry?"

Vince rolled his eyes, "What's wrong with you, Howard? You're acting well weird!"

"Am I?" Howard stood up to take his untouched tea to the kitchen. He'd hoped that his behaviour hadn't reflected his strange feelings over the past few weeks. In all honesty, Howard felt stuck; stuck in a rut, so to speak.

Vince stood but didn't move to follow Howard. It's best to keep your distance when working with an off kilter man of action, Vince decided. And so, he stayed put.

"Yeah! You've been acting strange ever since you came out that night with me and Leroy. A couple weeks ago, I think."

Howard shuddered at the memory. Another wasted night of watching Vince and Leroy as the centre of attention. They'd chatted up girls and gotten completely pissed and then looked to Howard to take care of them. That's all Howard was really, Vince's caretaker.

"Thanks for bringing that up again; just when I was beginning to forget." Howard mumbled the last part to himself, but Vince had heard anyway. Maybe he'd wanted Vince to hear.

"Oh, come on Howard." Vince made his way to the kitchen where Howard was washing out his cup, "You need to get out more often anyways. It's not healthy to stay indoors all the time like you do."

Howard's cup clanged against the counter as he turned on Vince, "What do you think I'm doing when I'm out rescuing you?! I don't have time to get out anymore! Between taking care of the shop and you, I barely have time for Jazzercise anymore!"

Vince took two steps back, looking crestfallen. He couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't either anger Howard more or be just plain mean. So he settled on a final statement before turning on his heel and sulking off to his room.

"You've gone wrong."

Howard watched Vince walk dejectedly to his room. He had to remind himself to breathe evenly in order to calm down. He didn't see the point in trying to apologize at that moment; Vince was hard to talk to when he was upset.

Three hours and fifteen minutes later, in a flurry of glitter, Vince emerged from his bedroom. He was wearing his ever popular mirrorball suit and was completely prepared for his and Howard's gig that night. He was still rather upset about their argument earlier in the evening but he'd decided to put it aside for the performance.

Howard was standing in the living room, looking at his watch nervously, "Vince, we're going to be late!"

"Alright, I'm coming!" Vince bounded into the living room, grinning. His demeanour always amazed Howard. He really was the Sunshine Kid.

Howard took a deep breath and followed Vince down the stairs and out of the shop.

"Here goes nothing."