The bar was quiet. Steven, Tom, Joey, and Brad sat quietly at a table at the back, away from the prying eyes of the press and fans, their faces hidden by the shadows. The only sounds that could be heard from their corner were the faint hum of the music and the occasional clink of glasses. It was the perfect soundtrack to all the unresolved issues and angst they shared that had been simmering below the surface for years.

Steven's fingers tapped incessantly on the table, his foot tapping an anxious rhythm. Every nerve in his body, every muscle tense. He was waiting for something - someone. Joe Perry.

"You think he'll show?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Tom met his gaze at the question, his glass still raised to his lips. He set his drink down, lips pursed. "Joe isn't the type to not keep his promises. He said he'll be here, so he'll be here, whenever that may be," he muttered, checking his watch. "He was supposed to be here an hour ago."

"Joe isn't exactly the most punctual person though, is he?" Joey chimed in, smirking, remembering the countless times Joe had shown up late to a rehearsal or an interview.

Brad shook his head. "Give him a chance, guys. It isn't the end of the world." He glanced at the door, hoping that Joe would walk through the door at that exact moment.

"Yeah, well it will be if he doesn't show up," said Steven bitterly. "Though, at least we'll know where he stands. Maybe we should have gone with that six-pack idea," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

They all snickered, some of the tension relieving. Though, the fact still remained that this was a pivotal moment in their lives. Their future as a band weighed heavily on the shoulders of this meeting, and whether Joe decided to show was a deciding factor on where they went from here; they move on without him, their lives less brighter or they move on with him and create rock history.

Steven bit his lip, staring at his empty shot glass. "Maybe I should have called him again. Made sure he was still coming."

"No, we've done everything we can. It's up to him whether he turns up or not. He knows how important this meeting is." Brad paused. "It'd be good to have him back though, wouldn't it? Just like old times." A faint smile tugged at his lips as he remembered all the shenanigans and mishaps they'd had, all the songs they'd worked hard on, and all the shows they'd put on over the years.

The table fell silent, each member recalling the memories they'd shared. They'd been apart for so long that the idea of Joe rejoining the band felt like a distant dream. It was so close, but yet so far. But they all knew that this wasn't about a reunion; it was about repairing a rift between them.

Joey leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "Remember our first gig? That first tour? We were just kids back then with big dreams and no idea what we were getting ourselves into. That really was a time to be alive."

"Yeah, those were the best times. We'd play until our fingers bled because we had to, and Joe was always there by our side, pushing us to do better."

Steven laughed bitterly. "Yeah, well, we do now. We've lost so much time. All the good memories we could have made... we're never getting that back." A hint of sadness was in his voice.

It stung to admit that all the time that they'd had to create special moments together had been wasted on getting high and drunk and fighting.

"You're right," said Tom quietly. "We won't get them back, but now we have the chance to make new memories."

The door to the bar creaked open, and their heads all shot up in unison, holding their breaths. A figure stepped forward slowly, deliberately into the bar, silhouetted by the dim light from the street outside. His sunglasses and leather jacket were unmistakable, and as he drew closer, they realised who it was. Joe Perry. Joe walked up to the table, his steps calm and measured as though those three years of separation had never even occurred.

Steven's heart skipped a beat as he stood up. He drank in Joe's appearance - he looked almost unrecognisable, his hair cut shorter with two blonde streaks, a stubble, a gold hoop earring in each ear and any signs of his old intense workout gone. The years had aged him, but he still carried that confident Perry-swagger.

Steven stepped forward, his heart hammering in his chest. It had been three long, torturous years since they'd seen each other, and now they were face-to-face again in a small, dingy bar. It felt surreal, like a dream he was afraid to wake up from. He had wanted this moment for months and now it had arrived, the words were stuck in his throat.

Joe reached the table, a small smile playing on his lips as his eyes met Steven's. It was a fragile smile, one that said, "I'm still mad at you" and "It's good to see you".

Brad, Tom, and Joey watched the silent exchange, holding their breath. Even through the fighting, the bitter words hurled at each other, the anger that tore them apart, they were still hopeful.

After what felt like an eternity, Steven finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion. "Joe."

"Steven." Joe's voice was stoic, but there was a hint of vulnerability that betrayed him.

"It's.. been a while, man. You look... different."

A smile tugged at the corner of Joe's lips, though he didn't say anything.

Steven took another step forward, and suddenly, he was hugging Joe. His arms wrapped around him tightly as though afraid Joe would fade away in his embrace. But it wasn't just a hug in Steven's eyes - it was a reconciliation, an apology, and a moment of raw emotion, of years of pain and anger he'd held onto.

Joe tensed for a moment, surprised, but then he returned the hug. His arms wrapped tightly around Steven's waist, his fingers digging into his back as he took a deep, shaky breath as though trying to keep it together. Joe held Steven close to him, nestling his face in Steven's neck. It was an unspoken apology that words could not express.

They finally broke apart after a few seconds, but their gaze remained on each other, taking their time to reconnect.

Joe finally turned to his old bandmates. "It's good to see you all again. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was a bitch."

"We were beginning to think you'd never show up," said Joey, a note of delight in his voice.

Joe shook his head, an arm still wrapped around Steven's waist. "Never. I know how important this is to you guys."

The others smiled. Tom, Joey, and Brad stood up and came around the tablet to greet him, exchanging handshakes and back-slaps, pats and hugs. It was a reunion in every sense of the word, but it was also a shared realisation. A realisation that this was how it was supposed to be. Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer. That was Aerosmith.

After the greetings, they all sat back down, drinks refilled. There was a lighter atmosphere now, most of the tension and anxiety now dissolved by Joe's appearance. Conversation started to flow and laughter echoed at the banter that was quick to start, all of them taking playful jabs at each other, but there was still business at hand. The reason they were all here.

"So, let's get down to business," said Joe, his laughter replaced by seriousness. "What'd you call me here for? You said you had something really important to talk about."

Steven, always confident in what he wanted, was quick to address the elephant in the room. "Joe, we want you back in the band."

The words hung heavy in the air, each member holding their breath as they waited for Joe's reaction.

Joe sat back in his chair, letting the weight of Steven's words sink in. He took a moment to process the words. He looked around the table, his gaze lingering on each band member, his desire to reunite with the band battling his hesitancy to open old wounds. On one hand, they hadn't ended on good terms - all the substance abuse and constant fighting had fucked them up and there were some things that couldn't be taken back with an apology. But on the other hand, these were his bandmates - his friends and brothers who had always had his back, and he'd always had theirs. And he had missed them. Aerosmith was always going to be a part of him whether he liked it or not.

The others watched him closely, waiting for a response. They could see the conflict written all across his face. They knew they were asking a lot, that they were offering something that could make or break them.

Joe exhaled slowly fighting an internal. He looked around at the guys, feeling like a knife had pierced his heart as he saw their expectant faces and the glimmer of hope in their eyes. Finally, his gaze landed on Steven again. His bandmate, his best friend, his brother.

"Back in the band?" he echoed. "When I left, I never thought I'd be having this conversation with you guys."

Steven squeezed Joe's hand. "I know, Joe. But things are different now. We've all changed and grown. And we've realised that Aerosmith isn't the same without you."

"We tried to make it work, but the magic just isn't there," Tom added. "The band isn't the same without you and the Toxic Twin energy leading us all."

Joey's voice was quiet as he chimed in. "We're a family, Joe. And families fight. But at the end of the day, they stick together and work things out. Aerosmith is one big family. And the fans have missed you, too." He clenched his fists, fighting back the emotion that trickled into his voice.

Joe absorbed each guy's words. They were right. They were so damn right. But his mind was screaming no, that everything would fall apart again.

"I hear what you're saying, but what if everything falls apart again?"

Steven shook his head. "It won't. We won't split ever again. Aerosmith 'til the end. We'll rock 'til we're dead," he said firmly.

Joe grinned, pulling off his sunglasses, revealing the joy in his eyes. "If we're doing this, then we're doing it right. No more bullshit, no more secrets, and no half-assed attempts. We're a band, and we stick together through the good and the bad."

Steven and the others nodded in agreement. They'd learnt that lesson the hard way. This time, they had to do it right. They had to make it work, no matter what.

"Then it's a deal," he said, offering his open palm.

Steven reached over and clasped his hand, sealing their pact with a firm shake. Their eyes met, silently promising each other that this time would be different.

The others chimed in, placing their hands on top of theirs. It was a simple gesture, but it meant so much more. It was a vow that they would work together and stand together for the years to come, no matter how tough it got.

"But on one condition," said Joe as they let their hands drop away and returned to their seats.

Steven frowned, wondering what more Joe could possibly want. "What's that?"

"We don't overdo it with the drugs and the booze. We know how bad it got last time and we can't afford to repeat that." His voice was firm, his eyes burning into Steven's.

"Yes, yes, we can do that," answered Steven quickly. "We'll wipe the slate clean and start over. A new Aerosmith."

"Then that's settled. I'm back, for good this time."

A mischievous glint returned to Steven's eyes. "Then let's show the world that Aerosmith is still the greatest rock and roll band on the planet."

Brad raised his glass as a toast. "To new beginnings and old friends."

"To never forgetting where we came from," Tom followed.

"To the road ahead - no matter how tough it gets," said Joey, also raising his glass.

"To the fans - the ones who stuck with us through thick and thin and made it all possible," Joe added, joining in with the toast. He looked at Steven who was quiet. "Steven?"

Steven stood up and raised his glass. "To us."

"To us," they all said in unison before drinking deeply, their bond stronger than ever. It was a moment of shared understanding that though the journey wouldn't be easy and there would be bumps in the road, but together, they could conquer anything.

Aerosmith was officially back in the saddle.