When He Came Around, chapter 35

* A Few Months Later *

Billie Joe leaned back and looked at the people around him. This was exactly where he wanted to be. He had a great family, a beautiful wife, amazing friends that would not only just be there for him, but who wanted to be there for him. This was where he had always wanted to be.

"Hey... birthday boy?"

Billie Joe snapped out of his trance and looked at Mercedes who had a silly grin plastered on her face. "Do you want my present now?" She asked, sitting beside his best friend, Mike Dirnt, who was holding his godchild, William, on his lap.

"I've always wanted your presents now," he joked, upon receiving laughs all around and a gentle smack in the arm from Adrienne.

Grinning, Mercedes rose from the table and walked out of the room, only to come back carrying a large package in both of her arms. Setting it down for Billie, she stood back and placed her hands on her hips. "Happy Birthday Armstrong."

"We wrapped it!" Joey and Liam shouted from the other room as the kids all ran in at this point.

Billie quickly tore at the paper and revealed a large black case... a large black guitar case. Knowing from the weight that there was indeed something inside, he set it horizontally on the table and opened the clasps to expose one of the last things that he could have ever imagined. Inside the case was the '52 Les Paul that had belonged to Mercedes' father.

His eyes wide, Billie Joe immediately picked it up and held it in his arms like he was holding his first guitar. It just melted to his body and his fingers began picking and strumming the classic guitar. Silent for nearly five minutes, Billie Joe finally looked up at Mercedes. "You can't give me this."

"Says who?" she retorted.

Remembering to speak to Mercedes on this later, Billie Joe set the guitar back in the case and stood up only to embrace Mercedes, who smelled of her familiar sweet vanilla. Stroking her hair in between his fingers, he continuously thanked her and sealed it with a kiss on the cheek.

It wasn't long before the cake was demolished and everyone was sitting around nursing drinks and re-telling old stories that would always make them laugh. Mercedes offered to do the cleaning in the kitchen, although much to Adrienne's protests. Walking away to the kitchen, little did she know that three pairs of eyes had all locked onto her, and all thinking something quite different.

Billie Joe watched as Mercedes strode into the kitchen and got up to follow her a little later. Mercedes, although younger than he would have believed, was not only one of the smartest people that he knew, but was all around a warm and loving person. Mike was one of the luckiest guys to be and even Billie Joe counted himself just as lucky for being such a close friend to her and even smiled as he remembered walking her down the aisle. She was that little bit of freshness to everyday and there was nothing that no one could over do to say that. She was that voice of reality and honesty and although he didn't like to admit it, there was a little part of him that wished that Mike was the one walking her down the aisle and giving Mercedes to him instead.

Tre grinned, although a little sadly at the sight of Mercedes retreating figure. She was the essence of beauty and care and there was definitely that little twinge of regret for not having tried another attempt with her. Maybe it was the fact that he had gotten to know her a little better as friends now that he felt this way, but he couldn't help to keep his eyes one-hundred percent glued on her throughout the entire time she exchanged vows with his best friend. She was this ball of goodness that bounced around with full energy wherever she seemed to go. She meant more to him now than she did before and Tre leaned back, content with the fact that at least he could say he not only knew her, but he loved her and was friends with her. That thought alone was enough to help Tre sleep better at night. Even if he did go to bed at night alone now, considering that Claudia had moved out not too long after the twins birthday.

Sighing, Tre blinked twice and tapped a beat on his knee a song that had been stuck in his head for the last few days; 'Oh Oh I Love Her So' by the Ramones.

And Mike watched as Mercedes' golden brown hair swayed with the little wind that breezed through the room. She was more beautiful to him than anything ever before and no matter what, always would be. He was in love with her and honestly, he believed he always was. He remembered for some reason being extremely nervous the first time he had called her all that time ago when she was living in Vancouver. She was something completely different to him; an independent soul, yet that sometimes needed to be taken care of. And that was exactly what Mike was able to do. Mercedes understood him better than any woman in the world and understood what it meant to be a musician and what that required. They say that women are mostly attracted to men that are like their fathers and Mike chuckled silently at the luck that Mercedes' father was a musician. There was just so much to learn about her and so much that he already knew about her. But with her, he wanted to know every inch of her silky body and every dimension of her great mind. Being with her was not only liberating, but therapeutic for Mike. She was what he needed and thanked every god that Billie Joe's car had broken down on that December day. He had a wife, gained three little boys including one of his own, that was the most beautiful thing in the world. This was his life and he wouldn't change any of it for anything imaginable. He had Mercedes and her love and to him, that was everything imaginable.

*

Mercedes started to let the water run in the sink and placed all the dirty dishes inside. Her life now was so much more than she could have ever wished for. And as much as she wished that there were a little more of her family around so that she could share everything with, she realized that she already was. Her father and brother, although long passed away, were still with her every time she smiled or cried. But yet, any void that she had been carrying with her for so long had been filled by three men who's albums and music she had listened to for so long. The men that made up Green Day had also now made up her life. She was happy. She was with someone who returned the amount of love that she gave and never having that before, it felt damn good. Mike meant everything to her and she was so pleased to be happily married to him, pregnant with his child and also being able to know that he was there for her. Every morning was a treat when she woke up and turned to see a sleeping Mike only centimeters away from her. She loved the fact that she could be mad or frustrated, but within seconds everything washed away whenever she saw Mike. He didn't even have to say anything to her, but just the sight of him always made her feel a little less than grounded. Mike had become a great father to Joey and Liam and demonstrated that time and time again. He was indeed, her muse.

"You know, too much cleaning could be a bad thing."

Mercedes turned and saw Billie Joe leaning against the doorframe with a wide grin on his face. "Well obviously to you it is... " she answered back.

"Meaning!?"

"Meaning," Mercedes laughed. "That we've spent night together on more than one occasion and you always throw your clothes everywhere! It would drive me mad if I was Adrienne."

Rolling his eyes, Billie Joe walked into his kitchen and leaned against the counter and facing Mercedes. His face was much more serious than before and his green eyes glimmered. "It's an antique... and it was your father's. That's like me giving away Blue to someone or something. You even said it was not for sale."

Mercedes shook her head and smiled. "First of all, it wasn't sold to you was it? It was given. It was my father's favorite guitar I'll admit, but you were one of his favorite songwriters and guitarists. He loved Green Day and really respected your music. He would be more than happy to know that his prized guitar was in the hands of someone who not only knows how to play it properly, but who appreciates music as much as he did. Besides, it would be a waste for me to keep it with me collecting dust. At least with you, it'll get played."

Billie Joe moved to envelope his arms around Mercedes pulling her into a passionate, much needed kiss. It was a kiss that had both been on their minds... kind of like some sort of new thing. It was something that they had always wanted to know or try, but always too frightened to do it, even though they were aware of circumstances and effects. Yet here they stood, perfectly fine and comfortable. When they pulled away, Billie Joe smiled and watched as Mercedes grinned while biting her lower lip. "Why did you do that?" she asked.

Billie Joe continued to hold her in his arms. "Because I love you so damn much. I don't know what you've done to me... but I like it. You'll always take up this enormous section of my heart and mind that no one else can take anymore. I know you're married and so am I, but that doesn't mean I can't love you like we weren't married. Although I won't have sex with you or anything... " he joked.

"Damn," Mercedes played along. "I was hoping you would after cleaning the dishes. We could have sex on the table here with Mike and Adrienne in the other room."

Laughing as he pulled away from her, Billie Joe grabbed the washcloth and Mercedes grabbed a dry towel. Plunging his hands into the hot soapy water, Billie eyed Mercedes. "Play your cards right kid," he spoke in a cheesy fifties movie accent. "And maybe we just will."

As the two washed the dishes, they remained silent and between them was a different kind of love that could never waver or be broken.

* One Year Later *

Adrienne sat with her new baby girl, Ella Mercedes Armstrong, and grinned as her baby girl gurgled. Billie was sitting at the head of the table, singing loudly as he entertained Tre, Ramona, Frankito, Mike, Joey, Liam, Estelle, Adrienne, Ella Mercedes, Joey Marciano, Jacob, Mercedes and another new addition, Trevor Frank Pritchard.

Mike laughed heartedly at his friend's antics, looking upon the man that he had asked to be the godfather of little Jimmy. Looking at his son who was truly another twin of his father, he grinned at the only thing of Mercedes that Trevor possessed was her eyes; just like William. And forever, looking into his son's eyes, he would be reminded of the woman that gave him the world.

"Alright alright," Tre said as he pushed Billie Joe down back into his seat before he could start stripping. "There are children here come on man!"

"Children love us," Billie chanted.

"But not you're nude tattooed body," Tre stated as the 'father' figure to everyone in the room.

"And there'll be more children soon enough," Mike announced, clearly getting everyone's attention.

Everyone shut whatever they were saying or doing and looked at Mike and Mercedes who sat quite happily, holding a secret for what was three weeks now. "What?" Billie Joe asked.

"We're going to have another baby," Mike stated.

Mercedes was grinning like a fool and looked from her beloved husband to her dear son. And in nine months time, she would look down at her next child, wondering if she could ever be more content with her life and more in love with Mike than she was now.

"You guys are like rabbits!" Tre laughed.

"While we're young," Mike teased.

"Uncle Tre," Joey asked. "Do rabbits have a lot of kids?"

Tre nodded and looked at Joey who was sitting next to Frankito. "They have a fucking shit load of kids."

"Tre!"

"You swore," Joey said automatically.

"I know... sometimes adults swear to make a point... when you add a swear word in, it makes the meaning a little more stronger," Tre finished with a smile.

"Well there's nothing better than a big family... " Adrienne started.

"Shit... six kids... " Billie calculated.

Mike turned to Mercedes and looked at her lovingly. Cupping her cheek with one hand, Mike pulled her towards him, always gentle, and pressed his lips against hers, creating that familiar and wonderful taste in his mouth. And there she sat with the only man that could give her the equivalent love that she offered to him... a man that would be by her side with not only her two nephews, but his own daughter and three children of their own.

"Mommy," Liam asked as he pulled on her shirt. "Can we have some cake?"

Mercedes looked at her son. "What's the magic word?"

"Can we have a fucking shit load of cake?" Joey blurted out.

"JOEY!" Mercedes yelled over everyone's laughter.

Tre laughing quite proudly went over to give Joey a high-five and then ruffled the boys hair. Mike, laughing, turned to his wife and saw that she was quite embarrassed. "Joey...just because uncle Tre says those words, doesn't mean you can too okay."

"But I thought you could swear to make a point," the child asked, full of youthful innocence.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and looked at Tre. "Well... you can't."

"That was classic," Billie Joe finished.

As Mercedes looked at Mike and Mike looked back at her, the same thought crossed through their minds; 'how on earth were they chosen to be so blessed with everything?' Here she was, sitting amongst her closest friends in a house that she had built with Mike to become their own sanctuary and their own protection. She had a family... all healthy and good, not to mention more love and comfort than she could ever dream of. And as she was standing at Billie Joe's side with Trevor in her arms, she watched the singer blow out the candles on his cake. With Mike's hand lingering softly around her waist, she kissed Billie on his cheek and served him the first slice of cake before serving everyone else and sitting on Mike's lap with little Trevor gurgling laughter in her arms. "Hey there little guy," Mike said as he tickled Trevor.

Mercedes smiled and kissed Mike gently on his lips. She saw that little Billie, who was sitting in the chair right beside Mike, was examining the bassist's other free hand and that Estelle and Ramona were with little Ella. Adrienne was telling Liam and Jacob a story as they munched on their cake. And as Tre, Frankito, both Joeys and Billie Joe were laughing and just acting insane, Mercedes sat silently and watched everyone around her. Biting her lower lip, one thought crossed through her mind.

If dad, Alice and Ray were here, how proud would they be...



* The End *