Is this a filler? You bet. Thanks for the reviews lovelies. Also won't let me add lyrics anymore so my life is crumbling lmao

Stef didn't call her until the second day of the tour. They were in Pittsburgh and they didn't have a show until late so they were catching an early hockey game. The Penguins VS the Red Wings. She was extremely jealous to say the least and she let him know that.

Stef laughed. "I'll bring you back a jersey."

She folded her arms even though he couldn't see her. "That's not the same but I'll accept it."

"How was Cleveland?"

"It was awesome," Stef told her. "Sorry I didn't call, I called Gina and she kept me on so long I ran out of change."

Valerie rolled her eyes. "You need to get a cell phone."

Just as she said that, the operator cut in letting them know Stef needed to insert more coins because he was down to one minute.

"Looks like I gotta let you go," Stef said, sounding sheepish. "I used all my change again."

There was muffled talking in the background. Valerie thought maybe she had been cut off but then she recognized Jack's voice in the middle of all the nonsense.

"I got change, let me talk to her." She heard him say. She bit back a smile. Valerie didn't think he'd actually call her.

"Hello?" Jack said into the receiver.

"Hey, Jack," Valerie greeted. "How was your first show?"

Jack made an excited noise and then launched into a full on rant about how amazing it had been - she felt she had been there by how in depth he got.

"It was fucking amazing, Val," Jack told her. She could picture him with the receiver up to his ear, pacing around as far as the cord would let him as he talked with his hands, full of passion about his show. "So many people were in the crowd and we played so good."

"That's great," Valerie said sincerely. "I'm so proud of you guys."

"Yeah, miss me yet?" Valerie was miles away from him but knew he was smirking.

"I would say yes but I wouldn't want to fuel your ego more than it already is," she groaned. "But the apartment gets pretty dead without your annoying antics. I haven't had to clean a single thing and haven't heard a girl moan once!"

"Sounds terrible," Jack said. "Cole can't make you moan?"

Valerie coughed and heat rushed to her cheeks. "That is not what I meant!"

Jack chuckled into the receiver. "Ah, but it's true, isn't it?"

"No, it's not," she said defensively.

She could briefly hear her brother scold Jack about talking to his sister like that but Jack just continued to laugh.

"You know if you ever need help in that department, it is my area of expertise, I could -"

Jack was cut off and the phone was being wrestled back and forth. Valerie had to take the phone away from her ear to spare it from the banging noises that came through it.

When someone spoke again, it was Stef and he sounded completely frustrated.

"Jack is never talking to you again," she heard Jack holler out in pain and knew Stef had injured him in some way. "This is why I didn't let you guys hang out. He's a goddamn pervert."

"We live together, Stef," Valerie said, holding back her own laughter. "What are we gonna do? Tape our mouths shut?"

"I'll figure out some arrangement. Maybe a whole different arrangement. Jamie's a nice girl, maybe she can board with you."

"Jamie quite enjoys living at her mom's, she provides her home cooked meals and pays the bills," Valerie told him. "I don't think I can top that. Plus, Jack does all that for me. I'd be losing out."

"You guys freak me out," Stef sighed heavily. "Go back to hating each other and bickering. If I have to hear Jack trying to hit on you again - I might throw up."

"It's just words, Stef, I have a boyfriend, remember?" She reminded him.

"Don't remind me."

That wasn't Stef.

"He gave you the phone back? I'm surprised." Valerie said to Jack.

"I gave him some change to go call Gina and he took off running."

"Figures."

"I don't know... I'm starting to like Gina. He doesn't try to take me away from you when she's in the picture. He's too Gina-revolved."

Valerie frowned at that. Her brothers priority was Gina and she was too jealous to be okay with that.

"Yeah right, you only say that stuff to piss him off," Valerie said. "If he didn't get all riled up you wouldn't have any fun."

"True," said Jack. "But I also say it because maybe one day you'll say yes."

Valerie rolled her eyes hard. "In your dreams."

"Oh, it's definitely in my dreams, sweetheart."

"You're such a tool, Jack," she scolded but her heart was pounding. "Did anyone ever tell you that?"

"A few, maybe."

"You're insane," she muttered. Valerie's eyes flickered to the time. "I've got to go but play hard tonight. You deserve this, don't forget that."

"Thanks, Val," he said as they hung up. "I'll call you again soon."

X X X

Jamie sat on the opposite side of Valerie in the plastic booth. A tray of two Big Mac meals laid between them untounched because Jamie couldn't shut up long enough to grab a bite and in turn - neither could Valerie.

"I can't believe your brother's touring, Val," Jamie shook her head in excitement. "That's so cool. That's hot."

"You gotta stop suggesting that my brothers hot. It's gross." Valerie chuckled and quickly threw a fry into her mouth while she had the chance.

"I'm not suggesting, I'm telling," Jamie shrugged her shoulders. "And it's not just your brother. It's the whole band of them. Especially that hot Mercer brother that lives under your roof."

Valerie opened her mouth but shut it when Jamie raised a finger to her in protest. "Don't even try to deny it. That little punk rocker can get this any day."

"I'm sure he wouldn't have any reservations about that if you let him know that." Valerie told Jamie. She had tried to say it jokingly but it came out more passive aggressive than she had hoped.

"I would but I think you guys gotta something going on behind closed doors," Jamie said, her lips curling. "Am I right?"

Valerie flushed.

"Wrong." She said too fast.

There really wasn't anything going on. Neither of them had made a move or said anything of real substance. But Valerie was becoming flustered by his usual flirty comments that she used to brush off with a roll of the eyes and she thought about him more now than probably the entire time she knew him. It was brutal and needed to be put to an end before it even began.

"Cole, remember?" Valerie threw in.

Jamie waved that off. "Cole, who? I don't trust a guy that wears khaki pants and probably has a trust fund."

Valerie was glad she didn't have any food in her mouth because she would have spit it out.

"You're terrible."

"What can I say? I call it how I see it."

Valerie wanted to change the subject immediately.

"Anyway," she drawled out. "How's your brother doing?"

Jamie pushed her lips into a thin line and shook her head slowly. "I hardly see the kid. He comes home to sleep. Sweet got him wrapped around his finger..."

"I'm afraid he'll get into some really bad shit, Val," she said quietly. "He's so naïve, he does everything they ask."

"That's so crazy he's messed up in all that," Valerie sighed. "He was the last one I thought would."

"I guess you can't protect anyone around here." Jamie said, frowning.

Both of them dug into their food finally. Valerie felt for Jamie. She was thankful for Stef's band because without that, he probably would have been just like Jamie's brother.

Thankfully, he was not. But she couldn't stop picturing Darrel at Jamie's kitchen table eating fruit loops or something equally as juvnile, milk running down his face, and talking about something (probably how much he loved J Dilla or how unfair it was he didn't make the basketball team, though, the kid was only five foot seven) with his mouth full. She couldn't, however, picture him in Sweet's gang. All she could picture was an excited seventeen year old boy. She knew Jamie couldn't either.

"It'll all work out fine in the end." Valerie said suddenly. She didn't know if she believed that herself but she had to for Jamie.

Jamie nodded but didn't say another word.