"What?" I seriously could not believe my ears when he said that.

Just when he was about to reply though, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey dude, we gotta pack our shit up and my woman's complaining that she wants to leave now." Slash appeared out of nowhere.

"Shit! Phoebe is that you?" Slash then asked pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah." I smiled sheepishly.

"Holy shit! Long time no see! We'll have to catch up sometime alright? But right now my ass is being bitten." He said as he waved and scuttled off to go back backstage.

"When do you knock off?" Duff asked quietly.

"In half an hour. Why?"

"Do you want to come back to my place and we can properly have a catch-up? Don't worry, I have my own house now." He smiled.

"Duff, it's one o'clock in the morning. And you want to catch up?" I said as I wiped part of the bar bench.

"Who gives a shit? We're grown ups."

"But aren't you tired after your workout on stage?"

"Stop finding excuses. You're coming over to my place."

I'm not sure if I was overtired because suddenly my brain thought that going to his place might not be a bad idea.

I shrugged.

"Righto."

"You serious?" He looked up at me raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah what the hell." I smiled.

*

During the last half hour of my shift, I continued to clean up around the bar, finding the odd dirty glass and peanut shells around the area and before I knew it, the half hour passed and it was time to 'chill' with Duff casually at 1:30 in the morning. Duff waited patiently while I was cleaning up, and he made the effort to keep things less silent between us by talking some small talk. When I was finished, I wiped my forehead with my arm and untied the tie from the apron around my waist.

"You ready dude, or are you busy sleeping on the bench?" I leaned over to where Duff was.

Within a few minutes of him sitting upright watching me and looking around the room, he had suddenly 'facedesked' with his arms around his head. I poked his hand and his head suddenly shot up, with strands of blonde hair stuck on his face.

"No, no I'm awake. You ready to go?" He asked blinking slowly.

"Are you? I think you're too tired, man."

"No, no, no let's go. Come on I want to catch up with you, kid." He smiled sleepily.

"Alright, whatever you say."

I chucked my dirty apron in the storage room where we kept the hamper and I said my goodbyes to my few work mates who were still inside. Duff and I walked out of the Whiskey and onto the Strip, which, besides the fact it was 1 o'clock in the morning, was lit up with warm street and sign lights of yellow, red and white. As a part of habit I started to turn and walk left, which was in the direction of my home.

"My car's this way, Pheebs."

I turned around and saw Duff pointing to a shiny, navy blue, Volvo sedan.

"The Volvo?" I asked slightly amused.

"Yeah. Why are you smirking like that?"

"I just find it strange that you have such a suitable car. You know I'd expect you to have some souped-up sports car, like a Ferrari or something."

"You'll learn that I'm full of surprises." His eyes widened and he made a semi-circle movement with his hands, like outlining a rainbow.

"Now come on, hop in." Duff pulled out his car keys out of nowhere and stuck them in the driver's door to unlock the car.

I walked over to the car and slid into the squeaky, black leather seats of the Volvo. It had that new car smell and hanging from the rear-vision mirror from a piece of string was a guitar pick. I looked over at Duff who had his tongue stuck out in the corner of his mouth as he fiddled with his keys, trying to find the key that would start the engine. He eventually found it, after dropping the keys in his lap and picking them up again and he sighed loudly.

"Righto, ready." He laughed shyly.

"Is there anywhere you want to go before my place? Like, you hungry or anything?"

"Do you have anything at your place?"

"Just beer." He grinned.

"I think I need the opposite of alcohol since I need to stay awake. Have you got any coffee back home?"

"I think so... pretty sure. Some of that instant shit."

I just laughed and nodded, and Duff started the engine. We sped down the highlighted strip, making the colours into one big blur, and they eventually faded as we headed out into the palm tree riddled, hilly suburbs. Duff eventually slowed down as we reached a picket fenced, white two-storey house, and I could just see a brick paved path from the house's front light.

"This your place?" I asked a little surprised.

"Yep."

"Huh, it's very mature."

"Why, what were you expecting?" He chuckled.

"I don't know," I shrugged, "an ugly vine-covered mansion?"

"Nah, I like simple houses."

We pulled up in front of the house and Duff turned off the engine.

"Before we go in, would you like to stay the night rather than going home at 5 am? I've got spare rooms and sheets and stuff."

"Ah... only if that's okay with you," I replied shyly, holding both of my hands together.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't," he smiled as he opened his door.

We both exited the car and began walking into his front yard, and as Duff walked along side me, he wrapped one arm softly around my waist. He managed to pick his house key without as much difficulty and we walked into the new paint smelling, dark house.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Duff mumbled as he turned on the inside light.

The room in which we were looking at was his living room, with only a couch, a TV sitting on a table, and two small bedside tables sitting on either side of the couch.

"Since it's a new place, and I haven't stayed much in here, obviously it hasn't really been worn in much."

"It's cute." I smiled. "I like it."

"Good," Duff replied quietly with a slight laugh.

"Okay, one coffee coming up." He said as he zipped past me with his long legs, and he moved into the kitchen, which I assumed.

"Sit on the couch, make yourself at home, I'll only be a second." He yelled out.

I shrugged to myself and plonked myself down on his soft, beige couch. From the kitchen, I heard the jug start to boil, as well as some cupboards being opened and closed. I looked around the room and I saw a little analogue clock sitting on one of the tables by the couch that read roughly ten past two, and that's when the tiredness suddenly hit me like a brick, and I eventually sunk into the couch and drifted off.

~

Heeeey guyssss. It's ssshhiiiittyy chapter I know, but I've got a buttload to add into the next one so things will pick up between Duff and Pheobe as they begin to talk again ;)

Well, you dudes know the drill; tell me what you though and don't forget to comment, read and vote.

Love you guys :D