[Ryan] We Both Have Something In Common

[Patrick James O'Callaghan]

Detroit , Michigan was an important stop for a few reasons. One, it had a strong support of Democratic voters and in order to get the support of Michigan Senators on legislation he wanted as well, then he needed to try and make an impact in their community. Political stops were never confined to just the state you represented. Secondly, The Maine had a show later that evening. Ryan O’Neil was a strong force in his wife’s life, and he knew that the most important thing he’d learned in politics was keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. Besides, if he told Madeline he didn’t want her to be around this guy, then she would just be sneaky about it and he didn’t have the time or energy to try and catch her in those acts. He hadn’t told Madeline yet that he’d contacted Ryan to meet up with him, but he knew he could explain that off easily. How could he be in the same city, and not reach out to meet someone in her life that was so important to her. He just wanted to be closer to her and understand more of her life. Sure, that would work. Patrick stepped inside the bar and checked the time on his watch, it was a little past four which gave them plenty of time to talk before Ryan needed to head out for his show.

Patrick took a seat at the bar and as the bartender came over to him, he ordered a glass of water with a scotch and leaned back in his seat. He took the time as he waited to think through a lot of the decisions he’d made recently. His platform, his image, his marriage. Finding a gorgeous girl who people just couldn’t help but like was easy. Trying to find a way to get her to understand that her ‘career’ choice was damaging to his long time goal was getting pretty tricky though. She enjoyed it a lot more than he had anticipated, and he was getting tired of finding charming ways to joke about it during interviews or with his colleagues. Patrick thanked the bartender as he set the drink down and watched the glass. He knew against his better judgment that he needed to quit drinking, that it didn’t actually make his life any better. If anything it was taking the things he cared about most and tearing it apart. He lifted the glass, starting to hate himself already. The first drink was the hardest. If you got past that, you began to hate yourself less. Until you woke up. Patrick tilted his head back slightly, letting the burn of the alcohol start to consume his thoughts instead of letting himself think about it too much.

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan stood back stage, flipping his phone over in his hands, waiting for Madeline to text him back. Since fixing things between them, being on tour had been really hard. As much as Ryan loved performing and being on the road and doing the whole music thing, he missed Madeline. He missed just hanging out and watching movies, eating while she sat and pretending she wasn't, and laying around doing nothing but doing everything. The tour was still on for another three weeks or so, they came home August 8. Then he'd be home for a good long while. He planned on just hanging out in the studio, putting out an album, enjoying the city. Ryan thought about all the stuff in New York he wanted to do when he got back while he walked out front to the bar to get some bottled water. It wasn't uncommon for him to drink before a show but it was so hot in Detroit tonight he just wanted to keep hydrated for the show. Shane was probably getting ready somewhere, probably on the phone or skyping with Kat since she'd gone home already. Ryan understood wanting to be with everyone right now, the family was kind of having a crisis. Ryan asked the bartender for some water, looking over at the guy sitting a few seats down, nursing a drink. Ryan recognized him immediately, his heart beat picking up. He wasn't really thrilled to see the guy that Ryan thought was treating Madeline terribly. Marrying her, not really loving her, just wanting a trophy wife... terrible. Madeline deserved to have a husband that loved her as much as she could love.

Ryan walked over and took a seat beside Patrick, sipping his water, and rested hi fore arms along the counter. He had so much to say to this guy and at the same time nothing at all. He wanted to tell him he didn't deserve Madeline and she didn't belong to him, and that Patrick had no place in her life. But at the same time, Ryan didn't even want to waste his breath. Ryan looked at him, "I know you being here isn't a coincidence, go ahead and say whatever it is you have to say." Ryan couldn't guarantee that he was going to like what Patrick had to say, nor did he think anything Patrick had to say would settle him. The guy had no business in her life, period.

[Patrick James O'Callaghan]

Patrick twirled his wedding ring around his finger, thinking about what he had gotten himself. Madeline was gorgeous, easy to talk to, her laugh was beautiful. She was perfecto have on his arm for social events.But he’d been surprised that he had actually started to have feelings for her, that hadn’t been a part of the plan initially.And of course he had his own demons that he was battling, but Madeline seemed to be taking it with stride. Atleast, she didn’t say anything to him. He looked away from his drink as the one man that might have a bigger influence in his wifes’ life than his own sat down by him. “ Ryan O’Neil” he said, placing the drink down on the counter. He smiled lazily,offering his real one instead of the one he used for press events. “ It’s a pleasure to finally put a face to the infamous name” he said, leaning back in his seat. Patrick ordinarily would have offered to shake a mans hand, but he could tell by Ryans’ hostility that he held no interest in manners, so Patrick wasn’t going to be an idiot enough to try and force them.

Patrick looked over at Ryan, wondering why he was so hostile about meeting him. “ I’m aware of the importance you hold in my wife’s life,” he started off slowly before he picked up his drink,” I’m not entirely sure why you hate me, but I know that.. your opinion can greatly effect Madeline’s. It seems like you two are very close,and when I talk to her about you two being able to spend more time together she shuts down completely and won’t talk to me. I want her to know that I’m okay with it, that she’s allowed to have friends. Especially when they’re as important as you seem to be” Patrick scratched the side of his jaw before he looked back at Ryan.” You and I both have a common interest in Madeline,and I think you know that she doesn’t always make the best of choices. All I’m asking is for you to keep an eye on her. She opens up to you more than she opens up to me. I’m not always in New York and can’t be there for her. Just.. keep an eye on her.And by all means, don’t do it for me, do it for her. Or do it because you probably already are anyways since she’s your friend, but just know that I have no ill will towards the two of you being friends,” .Patrick picked up his glass before he took another drink.

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan listened to what Patrick had to say an he had to admit, at least the guy was well spoken. But he was a politician, that was his job. He got paid and voted for just because he could use words to convince people of stuff, he was supposed to be this diplomatic. Ryan leaned back in his chair, wiping his hands on his jeans, "For a politician, you're not very good at reading people," Ryan said, looking at Patrick with a contemplative expression. "I don't hate you, although, I can't say I like the circumstances under which you married her. Madeline deserves something real. On that note, if all you're asking of me is to keep an eye on her, I already do. I've been taking care of Madeline since day one, and I still am. All I have to ask of you is I hope you treat her right." Ryan took a drink of water, thinking. The guy really wasn't that bad, to be honest, just a guy with an agenda, and given the benefit of the doubt, Madeline had an agenda too. It kind of made Ryan think, maybe Madeline wanted to married to this guy. It couldn't really be on her list that she'd checked off, just for citizenship? If she wanted citizenship that badly, hell Ryan would have married her. But Madeline wouldn't have allowed that, she wouldn't marry Ryan for any other reason other then because they wanted to be married. They really weren't there yet. The thing was, it wasn't as if this guy was all that bad, she could easily fall for him. She was married to him after all. It made Ryan wonder if he should be worried. Actually, it kind f made him worried.

[Patrick James O'Callaghan]

Patrick laughed quietly under his breath as Ryan said that he wasn’t very good at reading people.”I find it better to always let people think they have the upper hand,” he said slowly, with an almost lazy speech. “ Just a rule of life. If people think that they’re more knowledgable in a situation, they actually give more away… I mean look at any Batman movie,” he smiled,making a reference that was easy for anyone to understand. Bad guy vs. vigilante for justice. The bad guy always gave up information when he thought that he had Batman in the palm of his hand. ‘ Anyways” he said with a slight shake of his head. Neither of them cared on his outlook on how to read people, and he gathered that himself and Ryan were both a lot better at it than other people understood, which was good. The underdog always had the advantage. “What I have with Madeline is real to me. People can’t expect everyone in the world to have the same exact marriage, how boring would that be? To me, she is the wife I always imagined and I am over the moon that she agreed to marry me,” he spoke truthfully. Love was such a hard concept to grasp, and there was no way in the world it was defined the same way for everyone else. He loved the way she completed his idea of what his image should be. For now.

Patrick smiled again as Ryan said that he already took care of Madeline. “ Trust me I didn’t want to waste any of your time, but I know that in regards to Madeline, giving up a little time to discuss her is by far worth it in the end. I appreciate you taking care of her, especially when I’m not there to do so myself.” He looked over Ryan, remembering some of the background information he had found out about Madeline; including how the two of them dated, however fleeting it was. He wondered what she saw in Ryan, and how it was different from what she saw in himself. They were two completely opposite men and she’d entered into serious relationships with both of them. She might not love him with the passion that she had felt for Ryan at one point, but she would eventually. It may have been naïve, but that’s why he thought it was okay to tell Ryan and Madeline to spend time together. If she were going to step outside of her marriage, it would be with him. It was a hell of a lot easier to catch people in the act of doing something they shouldn’t be, once you made them aware of it being ‘okay’ . “ I think it’s good that you and I ask each other of things in regards to her. We are without a doubt the most important people in her life at the moment, and I think for Madeline’s sake it’s important that we see eye to eye. I make mistakes like every other husband, but having her in my life is important to me,..as it is to you..”

[Ryan James O'Neil]

The more Ryan sat here and listened to this guy talk, the more he was beginning to see what kind of dude Patrick was. Ryan just saw a fake politician who talked and talked and talked and never said a goddam thing that was worth any words at all. For being worried about Madeline falling for this guy and not wanting to be with Ryan anymore all but a minute ago, Ryan wasn't worried anymore. As fast as the worry came, it was gone again. Ryan new Madeline could never love this guy, she'd never know him. He was one of those people that only had surface relationships, if that. Madeline would never find what she needed with Patrick, Ryan was sure of that. And this dude thought he was clever, knew how to play the game, wanted to tell Ryan it was fine if they hung out, knowing they had dated before. He wanted to catch them in the act. Ryan would never give him the satisfaction. He didn't need Patrick's permission to spend time with Madeline. As far as Ryan was concerned, when Patrick was gone, he didn't exist. The only thing that was bugging him now was the fact that Madeline was married to this guy. And even though Ryan had said he wouldn't ask her to leave Patrick, because he understood why she had married him in the first place, but if she really stayed married to him and expected Ryan to just deal with it, he wasn't sure he was going to be cool with that.

Ryan nodded. Whatever he could do to make this guy feel he had said what he wanted and go about his business. Surely he had other things to do other then to talk to Ryan about this which Ryan thought was a load of bullshit anyways. "I'm sure everything will work out in Madeline's favor." Ryan grabbed his bottle of water calmly, and stood, "Sorry to cut this short, I'm sure you have places to be also." Ryan really did have to go help set up, but mostly he was glad for a distraction. One of the guys behind him on the stage had yelled Ryan's name to which Ryan turned around and told him he'd be there in a second. "It was good to meet you, I'll probably see you around." He gave a brief wave of his hand while Patrick gave his goodbye and then walked away, downing the last of his water. Of course he was going to call Madeline now, as he was sure Patrick was too. Except Ryan was positive when he called, she'd answer.