Chapter Two.

June 2007.

I rolled over in my bed, slamming pillows over my ears, the commotion outside ripping me from my sleep. After a good 20 minutes of pointless tossing and turning, I gave up, rolling out of my bunk.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed, looking at the clock. "Will someone enlighten me on why I'm awake at 8:10 on a Saturday?!"
I got no response, and wandered into the bathroom. My shoulder length blonde hair was a tangled mess, the remains of my mascara displayed in smears below my blue eyes. I wiped it away with my index fingers, and strolled slowly into the kitchen.

The smell of waffles wafted up at me, and I smiled at the plate of them that sat in front of me. There was at least a dozen more than I would have ever been able to eat, which made me chuckle, and a glass of chocolate soy milk that had been poured into an empty vase.
A hot pink sticky note was attached to it, the blue highlighter that was almost impossible to read, said;
'Had some stuff to do, should be back by ten. Hope you enjoy your breakfast. Don't look out the window. It's crazy outside today. Love you.'

It was summer, so I knew the weather had to be nice, and the fact that the note said NOT to look outside, only meant I had to.
I crept back to the living room, perching my self on the big leather sofa. I carfully drew the blinds back, and saw what the note meant, and what had woke me up.

What was easily close to a thousand girls surrounded the windows, signs above their heads and cameras in their hands. Some wore dresses, some wore shirts that said without a doubt who their future husbands were. But despite the insane diversity in the crowd, they all had a few things in common.

Every single one of them had gotten up at an insane time of morning, to stand outside of the radio station I was in front of. They'd all been standing outside since before I had even been here. But most importantly, they loved the boys that lived with me, on this bus.

The brothers that I had helped at the mall over two years ago. The ones that had become my best friends. The ones that refused to not keep the silly promise the day they met me, which resulted in me being on tour with them. These girls were pouring out their hearts for the guys that put my chocolate milk in a vase, and I thought it was amazing.

I slumped back down into the leather sofa, making sure not to be seen. I picked up my gigantic plate of chocolate chip waffles, passing up the milk, and turned on the radio.

Laughter swarmed up at me through the speakers, and the Arizona radio host started up the conversation again.
"So, we got e-mails from hundreds of fans, all of them wanting to know the same thing."
I swallowed the bite of my breakfast, impressed with the fact that it was edible, and spoke aloud right along with the question I had heard them be asked almost daily:
"Do you guys have girlfriends?"

I knew their answers by heart; No.
But I also knew the truth.
"Nope." I could see Kevin's smile. "Girls don't like it when you're gone 300 days a year."
True, and true.
"I, Joe..am not dating anyone."
Lie. He'd been dated a girl solidly for six months now.
"And this is Nick. I'm single as well."
Somewhat true. Dating, would have been the accurate term.

I finished 5 of the 20 waffles, setting the remains down on the table. I left the interview on, all the questions being the same as almost every other interview they did. I could hear their genuine laighter and smiles pouring out through soundwaves, and I knew they loved every second of what they were doing. I loved it too.

Two years ago, they didn't think they had a chance to get ten people to enjoy them at once. Now, there were people willing to pay thousands of dollars, to sell a kidney, just to see them play. I'd been there since the beginning, not only as a friend, but as a fan. If Joe hadn't played dead, I was convinced that the boys I now knew like the back of my hand, would be plastered across every wall in my room.

I loved the Jonas Brothers. As people, and as musicians. I had the absolute best of both worlds, and I loved every minute of it.

I let Guitar Hero take over my thoughts, and the loud roar of the fans told me what was coming. The front door of the bus swung open, and Big Rob barrelled in, the boys following closing behind him, Mr. and Mrs.Jonas behind them, with Frankie by their side.

"Brenna! We're home!" Joe smiled, collapsing next to me.
"Yeah." I smirked, pointing towards the window, the bus now rocking slightly. "They let me know."
"They're so awesome, aren't they?" Kevin questioned no one in particular, opening the blinds slightly to give a small wave that sent the girls into hystertics.
"Most amazing fans ever." Nick peered out the window next to him, and gave a small wink, causing even more chaos.

"Who would have ever thought it?" I laughed, opening Popstar! magazine, tearing out a centerfold. "That the scrawny boys that couldn't carry their own equipment, would end up with posters in teen magazines that read.." I paused for a minute, unfolding the gigantic poster. "My Heart Belongs to the Jo Bros!"

Mr. Jonas tugged a box down from the top of the closet, setting it down beside me. Knowing the routine, I slid the magazine into the box, along with fan scrap books, pictures, stories and tapes.
"What box is this?" Kevin slid the lid back on, his eyes bugging out of his head. "698?! There's no way we've filled up 698 of these already."

I put my finger in the air. "That's just from this year."

He sat down across from me, Nick laying his feet in my lap. I tickled the bottom of them, knowing that'd get them away from me, before he sat up.
"You know we owe most of this to you, right, Bren?"

"Most of what?" I looked at him, taking a minute to understand what he meant. And when I did, I couldn't believe my ears. "You mean THIS?" I asked, pointing towards the window, out at the screaming fans.
"And this." Joe pointed above his head at the gold record they had hung just the night before.
"And this.." Kevin moved his finger in a circular motion, looking around the bus.

"You have to be kidding me." I glanced at each of them. "This came from YOU guys. From your talent and your drive."
"Yeah that you gave us the confidence to have." Joe smiled again. "You started up our myspace, our street team. Handed out flyers, called radio stations." He opened the blinds again, to unveil the ocean of support. "And look..we've got an army of the most beautiful people in the world, now."

"Seriously." Kevin stared out the window. "I've never seen so many amazing people in one place, at once. And I can't believe that we are the reason that gets them all together."

"No doubt." Nick took a bite of the left over waffles, pointing outside. "Those girls have the hearts to completely change the world."

The conversation got quiet, and I watched their smiles as their eyes swept across the girls outside. Their love was just as genuine as the fans, and I knew without a doubt, that they would do anything for every single one of them. They all waved and blew kisses a final time as the bus pulled out of the parking lot, and onto the highway.

"I'm gonna check our myspace." Kevin sat down at the computer a minute later, his fingers moving like lightening across the keys.
"How many friend requests did we get?" Nick questioned.

Their eyes lit up like kids in a candy store, whole Kevin clicked away. "Over 2,500."
His face dropped rapidly, causing me to be confused. "What's that look for?"
"There's, like..150 birthdays today."
"Ah, dude." Joe sounded just as bummed. "Well, comment as many as you can. We have at least an hour until we're at the hotel."

Fourty five minutes of that next hour, Kevin worked overtime to tell every fan who had a birthday that day that the Jonas Brothers wished them the best. He stopped to pee, and take a break since his fingers were numb.
Nick flipped through fan books with me, reading every page, and Joe called their SayNow to leave a message, just saying that he loved all the fans, and that it would be cool to get Wiffle Ball bats at their next stop.

I turned on MTV, a new episode of True Life just starting.
Nick continued to shove syrup covered waffles into his mouth, until Kevin took them from him, putting them in the microwave.
"Your blood sugar is going to be through the roof, Sugar King."
Joe changed the subject, absentmindedly staring at the screen.
"If I was on True Life, it would be, 'True Life: I'm a Ninja.' "
We all laughed, and joked the rest of the way to the hotel, coming up with what our claim to fame would be, including, 'I'm a super hero', 'I'm a white boy that can Soulja Boy' and 'I'm dating Ana Kournikouva'.

I smiled, accompanying them in coming up with the dumbest ideas ever, and my eyes skimmed across the one thing they demanded that they have on the bus. Gold calligraphy words, wrapping around the border of the room that read;

'Live like you're at the bottom, even when you're at the top.'

And right then, I knew what mine would really be;

True Life; I'm best friends with the most humble rock stars alive.

Chapter Four



It was dark, and I was lounging in my usual seat in the tour bus living room. I looked around, and all the familiar items had seemed to be taken out. There was no video game cases across the floor, no extra guitar strings in sight, and the lack of clothing on the floor freaked me out. I pushed myself to my feet, stumbling through the door.

The sight had me at a loss for words.

It wasn't just the familiar items that were gone, it was everything. The bunks had been stripped of everything, the linens and blankets folded neatly at the end of every bed. I pushed open the last door, walking into the kitchen. My four suitcases stood near the entrance.

Kevin, Joe and Nick sat side by side.
"Guys?" I rushed over to them. "What's going on?"

"We packed for you." Joe examined his nails.
"Packed for me?" I asked. "What do I need to be packed for?"

A smile passed over Nick's face. "We found some other girls that wanted to spend tour with us. There's just not enough room."
"You're kicking me off the bus?" I was bewildered. Kevin pulled open the shades, a sea of fans outside the window. "I'm sure one of them will take you under their wing."
"One of them?" I threw quotation fingers in the air. "You mean your fans?"

"Yeah, whatever." Joe's eyes were still fixed on his hands. "Tell them the CD is out in three weeks."
I *CENSORED*ed my eyebrows. "Why don't you tell them?"
The three of them laughed together, shaking their heads at me.
Nick pushed open the front door to the bus. "Because there's more important things to do than talk to them, thats why, Brenna."

"Brenna. Brenna. Brenna!"
Nick's voice continued to repeat until my eyes shot open. I sat up quickly, peering around the living room. Halo 3 and Guitar Hero cases were by my head, Kevin's scarf and Joe's hoodie near my feet.
I took a deep breath, relieved, putting my hand to his chest.
"That was so weird." I muttered.

"I cood tall." Joe peeked into the room, toothbrush lodged in the side of his cheek, toothpaste dribbling out the side of his mouth. He leaned into the bathroom, spitting into the sink before reammerging. "You talk in your sleep you know."

"How would she know that, if she's asleep when she does it, Joseph?" Kevin asked.
He tilted his head in confusion, and I propped myself on my elbows.
"What exactly did you dream?" Nick peered at me.
I rubbed my hands over my eyes and sighed. "You were kicking me off the bus for some hot girls, and you didn't want to talk to your fans."

Joe's jaw dropped dramatically, Nick and Kevin both looking worried.
"It was only a dream." I reassured, pushing Joe's jaw together with my hand. "It's okay."

"Well.." Joe started. "Your dreams are douchey."
"Douchey?!" Kevin exclaimed. "Of all the adjectives in the world, you choose DOUCHEY?"

Nick let out a chuckle and Joe shook his hair out of his face.
"Don't be jealous."
"Unbelievable." Kevin turned to me. "You might want to get ready, we have a meeting with the record company."
"The record company?" I let the thought register, my smile growing progressively bigger. "But if you have a meeting with them, that means we're.."

Joe pulled the blinds up with a flick of the wrist, houses and massive trees flying by.
"Home?" He finished.
I leaped from the sofa, jumping up and down like a human pogo stick.
"Eeeeeeek!" I shrieked, spinning in a circle to look at all of them. "We're home!!!!"
"Yes, we are." Nick smiled. "Go shower."

I ran into the shower, soaping, shaving and shampooing as fast as I possibly could, not wanting to miss a minute of where I had grown up.
It was odd to think that I was happy to be back here, though. My parents had died in a car accident when I was two, which left me living with my grandma. Having a small family, and never getting to know them very well, when she passed away last year, I was left with no one. I had nothing except the friendships of Kevin, Joe and Nick. The three of them got me through the hardest point of my life, that left me without a family, and took me into theirs without a second thought.

Since the Jonas's made the decision to take care of me, I had spent almost every day on the bus, in a studio, at a photoshoot or backstage at a show. It was the craziest life pattern I could have ever been thrown into, and it gave me more stability than I had ever gotten in all of my 18 years.

I was touched by an angel the day I met this family, and no one could ever tell me differently.

I ran a comb through my hair, hopping into a pair of jeans at the same time. I pulled a red tank top over my head and gave each eye a quick blink of mascara.

"Ready?" Nick didn't look up, his eyes skimming through his newest Johhny Cash book.
"Ready." I grabbed my lip gloss and my cell phone, pushing them into my back pocket.
"Good." Joe eyeballed the clock on the wall. "Cause we've got thirty seconds to get inside and up to the 11th floor before we're late."

Reasonably speaking, we would have been a couple minutes late.. even if we took the stairs. Instead, we were stuck inside an elevator with the Jonas who had to push every button.

"Joseph." Kevin scowled as he straightened out his shirt. "We're 20 minutes late now."
He shrugged his shoulders casually. "Hey. You only live once."

Kevin's look remained menacing as he held the door open.
I took a seat in the waiting room, next to the glass office of the boys manager, Lou.
He was a middle aged, dressed in a nice suit with thick graying hair. He had a million dollar smile and gave each of the boys big hugs after shaking hands. The wooden door closed with a small click, and the voices of the four men inside the room went to an impossible to understand murmer.

I picked up a copy of Teen Vogue that was on the deak next to me, flipping through it, brainstorming what I could put on my birthday list when it came in eight months. Four and a half issues later, my mind was torn from the cute Lacoste flats on page 47 to the office where one of the quiet voices had become undoubtedly loud.

Joe stood next to his chair, his arms moving around like I knew they only did when he was really mad. I could read Kevin's lips, telling him to be quiet and Nick tried to talk over the both of them, failing miserably. Joe's black chunky hair swung in unison with his anger, his fist slamming down on Lou's desk. He stared directly at him, shouting words I knew his mother wouldn't be proud of, before he stormed out of the office, past me, mumbling under his breath.

Kevin and Nick rushed out after him, Lou on their heels. Nick shot me a desperate look, and I dropped the magazine to continue after them, having no idea what was going on.

"Joseph.." I heard Lou's deep voice. "Just think about this.."
"WHAT IS THERE TO THINK ABOUT?!" Joe asked, throwing his hands in the air. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO?"
"It's only a few minor changes.."
Kevin scoffed and Nick shook his head, Joe's blow up continuing.
"MINOR?!" He gave an amused chuckle.
"WE MANAGE AND RUN OUR MYSPACE, WE DO SAY NOW AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. WE WILL ALWAYS DO A MEET AND GREET AT EVERY SINGLE SHOW WE DO! THAT IS OUR WAY OF FAN INTERACTION!"
"It can still be fan interaction." He said.
"HOW IS IT FAN INTERACTION IF WE'RE NOT INTERACTING?"   
Lou opened his mouth to speak, but he were cut off again.
"Shut up." Kevin started, looking at the man. "And listen to what my brother has to say."

Joe took a deep breath, throwing his left hand into Lou's middle aged face.

"I will wear a ring on this finger my entire life. This ring is a promise to myself, my God and my family. One day, it's going to be replaced by another ring, with another promise. Marriage. These rings will never come off of our fingers. I don't care about controversy, I don't care if Hollywood doesn't stand for the same things we do and I don't care what people think about me not screwing every willing girl. We will never be your bad boy image. We aren't play doh that you can mold, bend and break to be anything you want us to be."
He gasped for breath for the first time in his statement.
"We're never going to sell out who we are, for what we're demanded to be."

Nick took a step forward. "Sir, all he's trying to say is that we're just us, and we can't be anything else."
Joe shook his head. "That's not what I'm saying at all."
"Oh, really, Mr. Jonas?" He held his hands in front of him. "Please do enlighten me on the point you are trying so desperately to make.
"My brothers and I can become what you are asking us to in an instant." He turned from side to side to look at Kevin and Nick. "But we won't."
"Fine, fine, fine." Loud caved. "Stay who you are, that's wonderful. I only want the best publicity possible for you, and there is one thing you MUST change in order to get that." He turned toward me, and pointed. "She cannot live you. A friendship is fine, but living with you when she is not blood related is crazy talk. Brenna is dragging you boys down."

My heart sank momentarily, before Kevin clenched his fists and tried to keep his cool.
"No. She isn't, Lou. Brenna is who keeps us grounded. She's our best friend, our biggest fan and we absolutely need to have her with us."

My heart was hurting more than it ever had, knowing what I was about to say, was what I needed to do.
"Stop, Kevin."
He spun around, confusion painted across his face.
I sighed.
"This is the biggest part of your careers. You are exceling. No matter where I am in the world, my heart is always with you guys. Nothing can ever change that."
Kevin opened his mouth to protest and I shook my head, making sure my eye contact was sincere.
"Don't give up what you've worked so hard for."

The hallway was quiet for a minute, Joe speaking, his eyes to the ground.
"Are you sure, Brenna?"
I nodded, motioning to the sheet in Lou's hands.
"Just sign the papers, boys."

My mind was going a million miles a minute as Lou dug a pen out of his slacks, signing  the paper. I racked my brain for anywhere I could stay, anyone I knew that could put a roof over my head. No one came to mind as the boys held shaky pens in their hands, inches away from the paper. It didn't matter though, I didn't care. I loved them with my entire heart, and I would give it all up, just to ensure their happiness, and their success.

Nick slapped the paper, his voice lifting up as the sheet floated to the floor. "Screw this." He turned to Lou.
 "You say nothing is going to change except Brenna leaving, but taking her out of the picture is going to change everything. You want good publicity? No one could get us any better than she does. She has developed friendships with so many fans, devotes hours upon hours a week to talking to them, filling them in on what's going on in our lives when we can't. She’s been there since before you were, and never asked us to do so much as change our shoes, let alone the way we run our lives. When we were sitting in your office today, you told us we needed to put all of our love, passion, heart and soul into what made us happiest: our music. You were right, but so wrong, Lou."

Lou looked surprised at Nick's rant, shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot.
"Wrong?"

"Yeah. You were right, about, putting our everything into what we love. The blood, sweat, tears and pain. And you were right, we love our music with a passion that is hard to understand. But that passion is trash when you put it next to our fans, and Brenna."

Lou's eyes narrowed, his voice angry.
"What are you saying, Nicholas?"

Kevin leaned forward, picking the contract off the ground, tearing it to pieces.

"He's saying we quit."

Wow. I am completely and utterly in love with this fic. The passion in it this last chapter was amazing!

I NEED MORE. 

--Kat 

i am so glad u are posting this! i was in the middle of it, then i couldn't read it cause i wasn't her myspace friend! i was SO upset! PMASAP!