Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 1686

Author's Note: I'm attempting to post this from an airport, so hopefully it works! It may take me a little while to get to comments as I am traveling, but I'll do my best to get to them as soon as possible! Enjoy the chapter :)

You took one final picture of Tyler before you went running to the other side of the stage. Josh was about to have one of his drum solos and an idea for a great shot had been bouncing around your mind all day. He glanced over at you as you were adjusting your camera.

You sighed and got the photos that you wanted. Josh had been catching your eye all night and it was only serving as a reminder to how terribly everything had turned out. As soon as the pictures were taken, you went rushing back to the other side of the stage. Tyler was about to get into the crowd for Holding On To You and that was a moment you didn't want to miss.

After the concert, you headed straight back to the tour bus. There was still lots of work for you to do and you didn't feel like waiting around for Tyler and Josh. You would have plenty of time to hear all about tonight's show later on.

Your editing equipment was still laid out on the table, making plugging your camera in and importing all the new photos easier than normal. It was nice not having to wait ages just for your software to open up.

Josh and Tyler took longer than normal to get from the venue to the tour bus. Based on the expression that they had on their faces as they walked in, you assumed that Tyler had asked what happened between the two of you. He took a seat across from you at the table, but Josh kept walking straight to his bunk.

"How are photos going?" Tyler asked, plastering a smile on his face.

"I barely started," you said. "But if you want to look through them with me, you're free to."

Tyler switched around so that he was next to you on the bench. You both huddled around your laptop, looking through photos and picking out your favorites. Occasionally Tyler would make some comment about something he saw or was thinking during the show, causing the both of you to crack up.

Josh appeared again; the laughter between the two of you immediately quieted down as he made his way to the fridge. He looked over at you and Tyler huddled over your laptop and bit down on the corner of his lip. Without a word, he grabbed a water from the fridge and went back to his bunk. You watched him go, silently hoping that he would say something.

"It'll get better," Tyler said quietly, reaching over to rub your back.

"I really hope you're right."

A week had passed since your conversation with Josh, and things hadn't really changed. The two of you were barely speaking aside from a few comments or questions here and there. It was slowly starting to take a toll on you. Not even the good times with Tyler or photographing shows could outweigh the disappointment you felt with each day that you and Josh continued to avoid one another.

You had tried to be friendly with Josh again and act like nothing had ever happened, but after three days of no response from him you had given up. He was always acting like you weren't in the room and if he did, you felt unimportant. It was growing harder for you to believe that there was ever a moment where you would have done anything for him.

"Y/N/N!" Tyler called.

His footsteps echoed a bit as he moved along the bus to where you were currently laying on your bunk. The one advantage of Josh not constantly distracting you--at least, not intentionally--was that photo editing seemed to go by much quicker.

"What?" you asked, pulling aside the curtain of your bunk.

You jumped a bit as Tyler's face appeared right in front of you, causing you to laugh.

"You coming?" he asked, gesturing his head towards the door.

"Is it time already?"

"Yeah and I don't feel like getting ready alone today," he let out a little laugh.

"Ok, I'm coming."

Tyler had already grabbed your camera bag for you so you followed him off the bus and into the venue. You flashed your badge at the guard but Tyler just continued right through, fully enjoying the benefits of being the main act.

"I'm just waiting for the day when you get stopped by security again," you laughed, remembering the story that he had told you months ago.

"I'm sure it will come, but I'm going to take advantage of not having to use a badge as long as possible."

You collapsed onto the couch in Tyler's dressing room and stared up at the ceiling. Tyler immediately stripped off his hoodie and pulled on his dress shirt. He did some vocal warm-ups as he wandered around the room, slowly working away at the buttons.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket. Tyler watched as you awkwardly lifted your hips so that you could slide it out of your back pocket and check the notification. It was a text from one of your good friends back in California. You had almost forgotten you had texted them earlier that day.

August: Sorry about the wait, got caught up with work stuff. Did you still need to call?

Y/N: Yeah, give me two seconds?

August: Sure thing.

"I have go make a call," you said. Tyler nodded as he continued to make some weird noise that he swore helped make his voice sound better.

It took you a second to remember how to get back outside. The tour bus would be empty, and you figured that was as good a place as any to make a phone call. You walked in and sat down on the couch, leaning back into it slightly. It took you a second to work up the courage to actually dial August's number. The gravity of what you were considering doing felt like a weight on your chest.

"Hello?" August answered after a few rings.

"Hi," you said, letting out a sigh.

"How have you been?"

"I've been ok. What about you?"

"Good! I just got a new job, as you know, and it's actually been working out really well."

"That's great to hear."

"Thanks, but I know you didn't call to hear about my job. What's going on with you?"

"I have a question that I needed to ask you," you said, picking at a loose string on your jeans.

"Sure, go for it."

"Um, I was thinking about coming back to California for a little while. I was just wondering if I would be able to stay with you?"

"Of course! When are you thinking you'll get here?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but probably this weekend. I still have to look at tickets and sort a few details out."

"Well my house is open to you whenever and however long you need."

"Thank you so much, August. It means the world to me."

"Don't mention it. I can't wait to see you again, it feels like it's been ages."

"Tell me about it. I'll talk to you soon with more details, ok?"

"Perfect."

"Later."

"Bye, Y/N."

You hung up the call and set your phone in your lap. That was all the information you needed.

"There you are!" Tyler said as you walked back into the dressing room. "Did you get your call dealt with?"

"Yeah."

You walked over and took a seat on the couch. Tyler had now moved on to messing with his necktie, something that he seemed to struggle with every night.

"Need help?" you laughed.

"Yes, please."

You grabbed the tie from around Tyler's neck and helped him to do it up properly. He turned to look at himself in the mirror and smiled.

"I'll never understand how you do that so well," he said, lightly touching the tie.

"You can thank Matthew for that one."

"Probably the only thing he was good for, huh?"

"Yep," you sighed. "Um, hey, Ty?"

"What's up?"

"There's something that I need to tell you."

"Hit me with it."

Your hands were already shaking and you hadn't even gotten the words out yet. The way that Tyler was staring at you wasn't helping to calm your nerves much either. You already knew that he wasn't going to like what you were about to say, but there wasn't really a way to get out of telling him.

"I'm leaving," you finally blurted.

Tyler's head pulled back and his eyebrows furrowed, "What?"

"I'm leaving. I'm going to photograph the next few shows and then on Saturday's break I'm going to fly home to California."

"Y/N/N," he sighed. "Why?"

You chewed on the inside of your cheek, "This whole thing with Josh is just... I can't handle it right now. Between seeing him every day and him catching my eye at every show and acting like I don't exist otherwise, it's not helping me move on like I should be. I just need to be away from here. Away from all of this," you gestured vaguely around the room.

"Have you considered any other options?"

"Ty, I swear I've exhausted every option. Trust me, I don't want to leave."

"And who's going to take your place?"

"I contacted another local photographer. His stuff is really good and he seemed stoked about the opportunity. And who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to come back once this whole thing blows over. It's just that right now I need to put myself first, and that means leaving tour for the time being."

Tyler nodded, "I understand, but I am going to miss you like crazy."

"We'll stay in touch, ok? That's a promise."

Tyler held out his arms and you held onto him tightly. You were forever thankful for this opportunity that you had been given, even if it didn't quite work out in the end.

"Let's go out there and make some of these last two shows some of our best, what do you say?"

You smiled, "I say that's a great idea."