Come A Little Closer (A Duff Mckagan Fan Fic)

Chapter 5

This chapter is a bit of a filler/transition but no worries, Duff will emerge soon! I included a collage of pictures of the non Gn'R cast members above. Enjoy!

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After getting home from the crazy night of god knows what, I decided to unwind by taking a hot shower and napping for an eternity. I took off my boots and slipped off my dress as I turned on the water, allowing the room to fill up with steam. I stepped in to the tiny shower and let the warmth embrace my sore muscles. The longer I was in the shower, the more my mind started to wake up, allowing my anxieties to start leaking in.

I was supposed to be leaving for school in less than a month. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't nervous, but I needed to leave Seattle for awhile, embrace some new scenery that wasn't just pine trees and overcast. I didn't know what would come of my childhood home, but in a week I'd be eighteen and I'd finally be able to get my parents house signed into my name, seeing as how I was their next of kin. I was leaving the house in Kelly's hands while I was gone for school, a decision of which I was quite sure about.

I had always dreamed of the day I would be able to dictate my own life, and now as it was slowly approaching, the nerves were starting to take over. What if I was making the wrong choices?

As dumb as it sounds, during these stupid panic attacks that would come about every once in awhile, I would think of Duff. He'd be proud of how far I've come, I hope. I'll probably never know.

I wouldn't ever admit this out loud, but he was a big factor in my decision to go to L.A. I wanted to find him, although it's unlikely at this point.

I got out of the shower and slipped into bed, crashing for about 12 hours.

-Four weeks later-

I was finally leaving today. I'd be catching a bus to LA in three hours.

The house seemed a lot emptier already, even though I'd only filled two suitcases for this trip down seeing as it was all I could carry. It was finally happening.

I visited Mac for the last time yesterday and it wasn't nearly as depressing as when Duff was leaving. However, Anne and Kelly were taking it really hard, which was making it difficult for me.

I needed to be up and out in just three hours, meanwhile we were all in blanket burritos on my bed, sobbing like kids who had just dropped their ice cream cones.

"Promise you'll call every night...and...don't forget us!" Kelly gulped out between sobs.

"Tell us everything and take pictures and don't hang around creepy guys!" Anne continued.

"You're making it sound like I'm leaving forever."

"It really feels like it, everyone's leaving Seattle meanwhile were stuck here. Its not fair!"

"Well when I graduate and get rich I'll buy us a mansion in the Hollywood Hills. We'll be neighbors with Madonna and Michael Jackson, I promise."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?" Kelly added.

"Yeah, yeah, stick a needle in my eye and all of that crap."

We wallowed in our sadness and corny jokes until the absolute last second. Kelly, Anne and I hopped into the car and drove down to the bus station. They waited around with me until my bus came, that's when the tears broke through again. We held on to each other for as long as possible, crying into each other's arms. How was I gonna live without these girls around all the time. We were sisters, we always would be.

I dragged my luggage onto the bus and found a seat right in the middle. I popped out my Walkman and put in an old Beatles cassette that was always my go to when I was feeling down. This was going to be the longest bus ride of my entire life. At some point I dosed off to sleep, by the time I woke up, Southern California was just outside my window.