It was a warm February day in SoCal. Came up with this idea for Julia. And yes, I'm switching back to third person – I can't even keep up with myself. It's kind of a prequel, sort of, and crossover stuff is fun.

I'm working on a Lucy one-shot, but this one was more forthcoming…

AN: I do own the characters.

The Girl At The Rock Show

Black and white picture of her on my wall
I waited for her call,
She always kept me waiting.
And if I ever got another chance I'd still ask her to dance
Because she kept me waiting.

I fell in love with the girl at the rock show
She said "what?" and I told her that I didn't know
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window
Everything's better when she's around
I can't wait til her parents go out of town
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

- Blink 182, Rock Show

Julia McCoy was slightly nervous as she packed up her glitter pink drum set (complete with double bass pedal). Tonight was her first real gig and she figured it was normal to have butterflies in her stomach. Of course, there was a difference between delicate butterflies and the giant vampire bats that were currently running amok around her insides.

There's nothing to worry about…

Yeah, right.

What do you mean?

Do you know how few girl drum set players there are? Everyone's attention is going to be focused on me! What if I screw up? What if, somehow, inexplicably, my drum sticks go flying out into the audience and hit someone in the face and they lose an eye and then we get sued?! It will be all my fault.

Wow, you need to lay off the Red Bull.

But what if???

OK, Little Miss The World Revolves Around Me, then just don't let it get to you. Think of all the publicity it would bring Jared in Shorts. So, forget all this negative energy and go out there and just rock! (…and hold on tightly to those sticks…)

The blue-eyed blonde knew she didn't really have anything to worry about. The club was small and it was an all ages show at which they were the opening act. So, the reality of anyone actually even being there to care (or get hit with a stray stick) was pretty remote. Still…the nagging doubt was in the back of the percussionists head. She'd taken enough lessons to know that she could keep time, and even had a little bit of what she liked to think was her own style, but what would happen if she met the other drummers from the other bands backstage? How would they treat her? Would they ignore her? What if they were mean? The sophomore only had a few hours until she would to find out.

"Mom, no, I'm sure you don't need to come. No, I know that you and Dad support me and the band. It's okay!" Julia called as she walked out of the house, minutes after finishing packing up the equipment and putting the finishing touches on her make-up. Her band mate, Kat ("Don't ever call me Katherine")'s older brother, Trent, had volunteered (er, been volunteered) to help move much of the equipment over to the club, 28 Steps, and generally be responsible for carting the pair around for the evening. He was currently a sophomore at UC Long Beach, and, as older brothers went, was generally a nice guy. He and Kat had moved past their awkward not liking each other phase – mostly because now that Trent was in college he wasn't around to annoy her friend most of the time.

Kat gave Julia a once over and said, "Nice ensemble, McCoy."

It's that the older girl didn't already know exactly what the sophomore was going to wear – they had been discussing their options since they had booked the gig – but it still was good to hear the words out loud. Julia looked down at her camouflage capris, uniquely slashed black tank top, L.A.M.B. hoodie, tastefully glam make up, camo wristbands, and felt good, at least about how she looked.

"Let's go!" a satisfied Kat called out, when everything was packed in.

Rolling up to the club, Julia literally had to jam her hands in the pockets of her hoodie so that no one would see them shaking. In addition to her barely under control nerves at playing a real gig, the growing crush she had on her band mate, Roman was not helping the situation. The blonde had already spotted the Jared in Shorts bass player when they pulled up and was unsure at how exactly to act or deal with her growing feelings. However, Julia was glad for the small miracle that she was the drummer – she wasn't sure if she could deal with playing live and having Roman's dark eyes on her at the same time.

They arrived so early to the club, that it was practically still light out, but Kat had wanted to make sure there was ample time to get a decent sound check. It was one of the things that Julia admired about Kat – even though they were playing at a small venue to probably almost no crowd, she was still all business. What started out as something fun in a basement, with Kat's big dreams, was turning into something more and sometimes Julia wasn't sure if she was going to be able to live up to the hype.

It took Julia longer than the rest of the band to get set, because well, she had a drum set. When everything was in place, Julia was glad they had enough time to relax for a few minutes before the show started. She went backstage into the "room" that the club had allowed for the performing bands – basically nothing more than a small closet with some chairs – a far cry from the 'Green room' atmosphere Julia's crazy imagination had come up with. However, they at least had bottles of water, which Julia gratefully accepted from Petey, who commented, "I wonder when the other bands are going arrive."

Julia, after seeing the full set up and the audience that was starting to trickle in, somehow got more nervous, and she wasn't even sure she was capable of responding to Petey's easy small talk. The Jared in Shorts drummer was saved when Kat rushed into the backstage area, an excited grin on her face. Tossing her wild black curls aside, she said, "This seems to be our lucky night! It seems that one of the kids from Mulholland Creek decided to grace us with our presence this evening."

Petey and Julia looked at each other – equal shocked and quizzical expressions on their faces – this was good news, right?

Kat continued in an exasperated voice, "They're going to film us!"

Roman came in, and an uncharacteristic exited tone, said, "I just heard the news!"

Kat was practically jumping up and down, "We're going to end up on screen and then someone's going to sign us! This is the best night ever!"

Julia felt herself getting caught up in the moment, but then found herself approaching maximum nervousness velocity. Like to the point that she might actually get sick…which was weird because she hadn't been thrown up in years. Her current streak was four years.

While her band mates got caught up hypothesizing the possibilities of having a nationally televised show present could do for them. Breathing heavily, Julia ducked outside the club. While the air wasn't 'clear' per se (this wsa L.A., after all), it was easier to breathe than inside the small room. She tucked her hands in her hoodie again – they were definitely shaking and she had no idea how to stop them.

"Nervous?"

Julia looked up and into the dark eyes of someone that was a spitting image of a young Johnny Depp. All thoughts of Mulholland Creek, Roman, and being nervous flew out of Julia's head.

"N-no," Julia stammered, sounding the exact opposite.

"Don't be," he flicked the cigarette he was smoking to the ground and stepped on it with his dark and scuffed Doc Martens.

Julia racked her mind for anything to say to the obviously cool and gorgeous guy standing next to her, but came up completely empty. Kat interrupted Julia's inability for small talk again by slamming open the backstage door, grabbing her band mate and saying, "Jul-i-A! I've been looking for you everywhere! We're going on now."

Rubbing the goatee on his chin, Dark and Mysterious grinned and chimed in, "Yeah, Julia, you wouldn't want to miss it."

Julia scowled at the guy who had no right to talk to her like he knew her. Rather than apologize or offer his own name, he smiled, nodded at the girls, and headed over to the parking lot.

As Kat was dragging her along, she asked, "Do you know that guy?"

Julia responded honestly, "Never seen him before in my life."

"Well, maybe he's with the show…"

"Show?"

"Ju-li-A! Remember Mulholland Creek?"

Had just those few words from Dark and Mysterious scrambled her brains?! He was just a cute guy. However, Julia was grateful that the Universe had sent her such a nice looking distraction. Mere minutes later, the blonde was parked behind her drum set, looking timidly out into the still growing crowd, trying not to focus on the lights from the cameras and the direction they were pointed in – the stage!

Must not screw up, must pretend like I've been doing this my whole life. Must not rush the tempo…

Julia looked up and realized that the whole band was looking at her and for a single terrified moment she wondered why they were all looking at her.

Oh yeah…

Holding her sticks aloft, like every drummer she knew was born to do; everything clicked into place and Julia confidently clicked off, "1, 2, 3, 4!" and pressing down on her bass drum pedal simultaneous with hitting the ride cymbal, for the song "I Will Rock Your Face!"

Julia quickly got in the zone with the songs. When Kat and Roman started their acoustic song she realized that the set was already half over. Her part of this song was pretty low key, so Julia was able to take a moment and look at the audience. Surprisingly, she had been so intent on her music, that she didn't even realize a crowd had actually kind of formed and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sure enough, there were plenty of people from her high school there – both Kat and Roman were popular among certain circles and since it was an all ages show, everyone could attend, not just those in the senior class. Julia's blue grey eyes kept looking, not really for anyone in particular – maybe for someone who looked vaguely like a record or label representative…but there were none except…and then Julia had to look away. Without meaning to she had found herself locking eyes with the guy from outside the club. She actually was so shocked he had caught her eye that she found she couldn't look away. He flashed a grin and that was enough to cause Julia to look away, blushing.

What is going on with me?

Usually, Julia was the consummate flirt. There was nothing she wouldn't do or say when it came to the male gender. Some girls were born with it, and Julia, it seemed had been boy crazy from the beginning. However, since joining Jared in Shorts, it was only recent developments with Roman that had caused her to question whether or not he was going to like her…and now this other guy.

What gives?

Julia snapped back to attention long enough to finish the song. The audience cheered and clapped appreciatively. The drum set player built up her confidence enough to sneak a look back in young Johnny's direction. He was, again, looking at her and smiling…the same smile that knocked her off balance from before.

Why does he keep doing that? Is there something on my face? Am I playing weird?

Julia focused seriously concentrating on the next three songs, and tried to forget about Johnny, who as it turned out, was still helping her forget that there were cameras from a nationally televised show in the audience. It was easy enough, until the band was standing for their final audience applause. Dark and Mysterious was nowhere to be seen.

Not so brave, are you now, guy?

However, part of Julia was a little disappointed – she had really nailed the last three songs and had busted out some of her technically most difficult and coolest sounding licks. Finally, the club DJ brought up some recorded music and it was the bands cue to get off the stage so that the next band could get on. Julia had some help from some of the guys who worked at the club to get her pink drum set off stage. Wiping her sweaty brow, she stopped backstage for a moment.

"Good job out there tonight."

"Thanks," Julia was so tired – the rush of adrenaline from the show that had started when Kat had picked her up was finally ending, and all the energy – her everything – had been put into the show. She didn't even bother to see who was talking to her.

"I especially liked your triplet break during the third or fourth song," the guy next to her commented.

Julia looked over and was shocked to see the Johnny Depp look alike standing next to her, but managed to say, "Th-thanks."

What was he doing backstage?

"By the way, Julia, my name is Jameson. I'm a drummer, too."

He stuck out his hand and Julia gave him a quick once over while shaking his hand, taking in his casual yet cool black polo and distressed jeans. It was then that she also noticed he had similar wristbands to her own. It also occurred to her that her name had never sounded so awesome…

Tucking his hands in his pockets, Jameson replied, "Hope you can stick around to see 24 Hour Bug – we're on last."

Julia tried to play it as cool as she knew how, especially given the fact that she didn't even have her own driver's license, she really had no control whether or not she would get to stay, "I'll try."

Kat came up on Julia's other side, flushing prettily, "Hey, J, we have to go sign some release forms for the show."

Julia looked longingly at the guy next to her, and asked, "See you around?"

"Looking forward to it."

Dark brown eyes held Julia's blue ones again, and Julia practically forgot her own name…but walked away, smiling at her earlier concern that the other drummers were going to be mean to her...

AN: Ummm…this little story is in honor of me and Hubs, we both got SUPER sick this past week while on vacation. I wanted it to be up for V-Day, but illness/book stuff got in the way. Not sure how is will exactly play into the Crossing storyline yet...