*A/N: Song lyrics at the bottom from The Toadies song "Hell Below/Stars Above"*

I chugged along, struggling to keep up. The sidewalks were neither crowded nor barren of citizens going about their daily lives. It's not like Joel was sprinting to her apartment, but it's not like he was taking a stroll in the park either. She lived far from the hotel, and why the hell he was walking was beyond me.

I could see her window, her art deco building squatted below other high-rise hotels and apartments. She'd lived there since she was 17, all on her own and loving it. It wasn't a fancy building, but it wasn't run by a slum lord building. She was pretty well made, money wise and career wise, by the time she graduated high school, and by the time she graduated college, she could have retired from the music business if she so pleased.

He stopped across the street from the building. Looked at her window, wished she would walk by, so he could take her in for the first time in months. He missed seeing her. Sure, she was all over magazines, TV, and the radio, but you never knew Tommie until you saw her smile and heard her laugh in person. She could make any guy fall in love with her. Hell, I'm sure I'm in love with her a little bit, but nothing like Joel. Joel is really in love with her.

He balanced his weight on one foot quickly and stood frozen on the sidewalk. People walked in and out of the coffee shop in the hotel behind him, but he remained in his own little world. I looked up to her window after seeing him freeze, she had walked by. She did it again. Did she see him? Did she know?

Does she hurt, too?

Tommie stopped at the window, looked down on the street and transferred glances from him to me. She was on the phone with Billy, I was sure of it.

She walked away from the window over to the doors that opened onto a balcony. She had two apartments, converted into one big one taking up two corners of the building, therefore the best balcony.

She pulled the phone from her ear and clicked off. I could see her better now, still beautiful. A little bandage was at the bottom of her left eye, covering up the new tattoo. Tommie, Tommie, Tommie. Does she hurt, too?

A tear rolled down her cheek, and even from far away I could see that she hurt, too. She hurt.

He broke from his trance and ran across the street, into the building and waited inside for her to let him up.

She looked down at me, she needed guidance. "Let him up, Tommie! Let him up!" I screamed. I got a few looks from people passing by, but it was okay. It was worth it. She bit her lip and walked inside. I prayed for her to let him up. Give him a chance, make him better, fix things, fall in love, help. Anything. Just anything. She just had to let him up!

She walked outside. "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" I looked inside the building and Joel was gone. She gave him a chance. I shook my head. That was the Tommie I knew and loved. She always gave out second, third, and forth chances while she made light of whatever situation she was put in. Please, God, don't let him fuck this up. This is is last chance to save his life.

He walked onto the balcony, looked her over, and broke down. I hadn't seen my brother cry like that since our dad left, but he was. She closed her eyes and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Fix things. Make them better.

"What now?" he asked after he stopped crying.

"Nothing now, hopefully." She looked down. They leaned against the wall, not touching.

He looked over at her and stood up straight. "What does that mean?" She didn't answer, so he moved in front of her, tipped her chin up and looked straight into her green eyes.

"Blake now." No. She didn't just say that. No. No. She pushed her head back down, so he kneeled down and followed her eyes, pressing for more. "I'm seeing Blake." No.

"Blake? Blake Moorefield?" She nodded. "But, but, no. I mean, you can't be, right? He's your bassist, Tommie, you can't date your bassist."

"I am." She looked up, into his eyes. "I'm seeing Blake, Joel."

"Tommie, this isn't right."

"Why, Joel? Why? I see him almost everyday. We're on the road together, we work together, we're best friends. Why, Joel? Tell me."

He turned away and faced down on the street. "He's not me, Tommie. I'll always love you more."

"I never saw you enough to know that. When you were on the road, I was recording. When I was on the road, you were recording. We just didn't work." She moved closer to his side. "I saw you a couple times a year, and that was it. I see him almost everyday."

"I love you more than he does. No question." Joel turned to her, and they looked at each other dead on.

"I'm sorry, Joel." It was over. It was broken beyond repair. He walked through her apartment, down the stairs and back out into the world. She watched him walk away, both crying. I just didn't get it.

Never heard you say goodbye
Read your letter, made me cry
Saw you with another guy
Never one to waste your time
You're in love, you're in love
Hell below me, stars above