[Shane/ATL/Closed] You Make My Heart Beat Faster

[Claire Jayne Madden]

Dated for March 12, 2012

Claire screamed out in frustration as she dialed Zack’s number for the hundredth time. Every time she called Shane’s phone it went straight to voicemail. Either his battery was dead, or he lost it. Awesome. And she had received a missed call from him and had a voicemail, but she’d been in the shower. Then when he got on Skype, she was literally only able to tell him she had good news before Flyzik was telling her that Shane needed to get on stage and that they could talk after the show. What.. a.. dick. Okay, not really. Flyzik was cool as shit. But Claire needed to tell Shane something, and she needed to tell him right now. Which was why she was calling any and everyone’s cell phone numbers. She didn’t care that he was on stage. She didn’t care that he was trying to do a set. This was need to know shit. And she was the girlfriend after all, did that mean nothing in the world of rock and roll? Apparently not. Claire frowned and gave a sigh before she remembered Kat was on tour with them. Okay, so calling Kat was not ideal. You need to talk to your boyfriend and the best way to get through to him was to call his ex? Awesome. But it was starting to look like the only option she had. Claire groaned, picking up her phone before she dialed Kat’s number and waited.

By some miracle of god, Kat picked up her phone, though it was noisy as hell in the background Claire was just thankful she had reached someone. “ Kat! Is Shane there? There’s something I have to tell him, it’s really important,” she said urgently. ‘ He’s on stage right now, Claire. I’m sure he’ll call you back when he is done’. Claire sighed. Why did no one understand this? “ No, Kat. Listen to me. He needs to hear me right now. Like, right now.”. Kat scratched her forehead, looking out at Shane on the stage, “ He’s.. not going to come off the stage during a performance, Claire” she said sympathetically. Claire thought for a few seconds before blurting out, “ Fine put me on the speakers” she said before thinking it through. ‘ Seriously?’ Kat asked and Claire just nodded into the phone before she realized Kat couldn’t see her, “ Yes, seriously. Now. Please I am begging you,” she said. She was dying to tell someone. Shane needed to hear her say it, and she hadn’t told anyone yet. ‘ Ugh.. fuck.. Flyzik is gonna fucking kill me. Alright, hang on. When the music stops, you’re on the audio for the speakers.’ Kat said and Claire bit against her nail, waiting anxiously as she listened at the music blasting from Kat’s end of the phone and her working with some type of equipment before there was that horrible sound like when the tech stuff went wrong and rang in yours ears and then pure silence, followed by Jack yelling ’ What the FUCK, Flyzik?!”. So their instruments weren’t working, but clearly Kat had left their microphones plugged in. Well, smart thinking. If she was going to talk to Shane she should probably be able to hear him. “ Shane.” Claire said into her phone, standing up quickly from her couch, “ It’s Claire,” she added unnecessarily. “ Look, I’m really sorry to do this but I haven’t been able to get ahold of you and there’s something you need to know, like right now” she said, realizing how heavy her Australian accent was when she was nervous. There was a lot to be nervous about. She was telling Shane. And though his fans pretty much one hundred percent knew that Shane was expecting a kid, this was the first time they were publicly admitting it, and she wasn’t even there to face whatever was coming his way with him. But none of that mattered, she didn’t care. Instead she just smiled and took in a deep breath before she laughed and added quickly, “ It’s a boy”.

[Shane Alexander Madden]

They were half way though the current set and almost finished with the song they were playing. It'd been a long couple of days on tour, they'd all be glad for the day off they had coming up. If they were closer to home Shane would have just gone home, but they were headed out west and then to Canada. On the bright side, they were gonna be home at the end of march for a week or so before they went and did a small South American tour, and then some time in April they were heading for Europe. Shane didn't think a week or two in between was really going to cut it, but what choice did he have? He knew he'd just have to make the most of it while he was home with Claire, and then he'd be home in no time. At least home before Claire's due date, that was what was important to Shane anyways. Shane looked around when he heard all the sound cut out, hearing Jack yelling at Flyzik. Shane agreed, "Dammit, Flyzik, what the fuck man. And the mics are still on. Of course they are." But Shane was sure he looked shocked as hell to hear Claire's voice over the PA system. "Hey..." he said, confused, but still listening because she was still talking and saying she had something to tell him. She paused for a second, people silent in the audience, a few people yelling, "What?" and Shane prompted her, "What's that?"

After a moment's waiting, Shane felt the entire room go still as Claire said those three words, saying it was a boy. The baby. Their baby. Was a boy. A son. What seemed like a century but was probably only a split second had passed and Shane had to take in a breath because he'd been holding it. It was like, finding out he was gonna be a dad was one thing, crazy and exciting, and kind of scary, but hard to imagine, hard to wrap his brain around. But confirming that he was going to have a boy, a son, someone who would like the things he liked and he could have that father son thing with was like, something else entirely. It was... easier to picture. Felt so much more real than before. He could almost imagine what it but be like, teaching him guitar, or how to ride a bike, or the real rules to laser tag. Make him understand that Batman ruled, and mortal kombat was not dead. Shane honestly couldn't even hear the crowd of people or what they were saying, but he knew that the biggest smile had spread across his face, like permagrin. "...Really?" This had to be what on top of the world felt like. It was just such a surprise, but such a good one. He was just so excited. And he loved Claire for telling him, and loved her for not waiting. And you know, just loved her in general. Because she was amazing. And he wished he was home.

[Claire Jayne Madden]

Claire sit down, pulling at her hair anxiously as she waited for something, anything, some type of response. She wanted to tell him in person, but with their schedules that just wasn’t possible. “ Baby.. I’m .. I’m sorry that I had to announce it like that in front of everyone, but we weren’t able to get ahold of each other all day and I didn’t want to keep miss you and this felt like it was my only choice, so I’m so so sorry.. but it’s us, we can make it through anything. Right?” she questioned, already feeling bad for any extra work she was giving to Flyzik or any stress she might be putting on Shane’s shoulders right now. But maybe he was just happy. She just wished she could see him. “ Someone take a picture of him right now,” she said to anyone, no one in specific. Whoever the hell could capture his demeanor right now the quickest.

Claire stood back up from the couch and paced, making her way to the kitchen, just to give herself something to do. But she could hear Jack, screaming about how they were having a boy. Like it was a band baby. “ Congratulations, Claire” Zack’s calm voice came through her speaker and she smirked. He was probably the only one that wasn’t running around stage right now. At least they were excited. It seemed like Shane was just stunned. I mean.. he knew she was pregnant, right? “ He’s going to be just like you..” she said, feeling herself start to tear up. “ I love you so much,” she said, knowing that Flyzik was probably going to pull the cord on this quickly. But she wanted to at least be able to tell Shane she loved him before that happened. And hopefully, he’d be able to get ahold of a phone immediately after the show. She knew in her heart she was capable of handling this commitment with Shane, but now it just felt.. irrevocable and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’d do anything to spend the rest of her life with Shane. They’d never , never , spoken about getting engaged, or married. But for some reason picturing Shane with their son changed everything and she knew in her heart that it was what she wanted.

[Shane Alexander Madden]

Shane didn't even care who he was with right now other than the fact that being with Claire herself would be ideal. And she was apologizing for having to tell him like this, but he didn't even care. The news itself completely trumped whatever repercussions he'd have to deal with at the moment. He could still hear Claire over all of the people, saying they'd get through anything, right? Shane didn't even have to grin when he answered because he'd been permanently grinning anyways, but answered her anyways, "Always." They always did, get through anything. Shane laughed when Claire said someone should take a picture of him right now, pointing at the nearest kid with a camera and said easily, "Haa, best picture ever. You better tag me in that." He rubbed a hand over his hair, still holding his guitar, "I'm grinning like a fool by the way, Claire," he laughed again. jack was screaming, all excited like it was the band baby, wrapping an arm around Shane's shoulders, but Shane was still trying to hear Claire. He was still smiling, he couldn't physically stop it was crazy. She said he was gonna be just like him. Maybe he would. But Shane hoped he was like Claire too. Stuff about Claire he wanted that boy to have. Like her determination and drive. Shane was a lazy sometimes, Claire wasn't. Hopefully their son got that from her. He sighed, knowing this was going to end pretty soon, Flyzik was pretty lenient at times but only to a point. Time was running out before he literally pulled the plug. Shane said the only thing that even made sense, just before this conversation ended, "Love you too, babe." He was watching the floor in front of him,as if staring at as blank a canvas as the floor would make it easier to picture her face. And just like that, Shane heard the sound over the speakers that indicated they were not having this conversation anymore. Shane sighed internally once more, putting his hands up to calm the crowd. May as well get back to it. "You guys wanna here a song?"