The Hush Sound genfic, also ft. Panic at the Disco, Tom Conrad, and other self-indulgently inserted musicians.
No one even swears in this fic, let alone has sex.
~5000 words.

This is for my sweetheart platonic girlfriend, but is utterly indebted to onneonlights who gave me the idea in the first place. Thank you both <3

Bob and Greta travel the world




You Pass Through Places, and Places Pass Through You


The Littlest Birds by The Be Good Tanyas

Well I feel like an old hobo,
I'm sad, lonesome and blue
I was fair as the summer day
Now the summer days are through
You pass through places
And places pass through you
But you carry 'em with you
On the soles of your travellin' shoes

Well I love you so dearly I love you so clearly
Wake you up in the mornin' so early
Just to tell you I got the wanderin' blues
I got the wanderin' blues
And i'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways one of
these days soon
And I'll sing

The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs...

Well it's times like these
I feel so small and wild
Like the ramblin' footsteps of a wanderin' child
And I'm lonesome as a lonesome whippoorwill
Singin these blues with a warble and a trill
But I'm not too blue to fly
No I'm not too blue to fly cause

The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs...





The Hush Sound announce the hiatus the day after Valentine's Day on Myspace, and Greta feels sick for days; like every break up she's ever gone through she wishes she could take it back. She knows Bob feels the same because his eyes are cast down the whole way to the subway and all the four blocks to Greta's apartment. She knows Darren feels it too because he turns down Greta's invitation to dinner and says he's going home. They all hug each other and Darren promises to call later.

Of course, like every break up she's ever gone through, she doesn't take it back. Greta knows they need this, a time for readjustment. She feels shaken still by Chris' departure, even though he told them months ago. Phantom Planet's simultaneous hiatus didn't help, with Greta suspicious despite Alex's protestations that they are not over, that this is not forever.

Greta feels like a child again and doesn't blame Darren for going home. Back at her apartment, she sits at the kitchen table and watches Bob stir onions. On the fridge behind him are still the newspaper cuttings of their first few years as a band and Greta feels it as a pain right inside.

"I need to get out of here," she says, and Bob stops stirring.

"You want to go out to eat?"

"No," she says, shaking her head, "I want to get out of the city, as far away as possible."

Bob watches her for a while, in a thoughtful way. Then he says,

"I hear Japan is pretty far away."

Greta tries to stop it but a happy feeling rises in her chest.

"Other side of the world," Bob continues, "so they say."

Greta puts her chin on her hand and smiles at Bob.


***

Greta turns off every plug in the apartment and Bob sticks a note on her door that says Gone huntin'. Darren drives them to the airport and slips brown paper packages in their bags.

"For the journey," he says, and hugs them both again.

"It's not too late to come," Greta says into his shoulder.

He smiles. "It's too good to be at home," he says.


***

They open the presents when the seat belt light blinks off. Notebooks, narrow ruled and clean white pages. Greta's is fire engine red and Bob's is sky blue. In the front of both, in Darren's scrawling hand, it says The fourth is going to be good.

Bob doesn't get it. Greta is smiling too hard to explain.


***

They go to Japan and when they step off the plane Greta feels small and insignificant until Bob takes her hand. Going through security, Greta looks around for the crew and the band and when there is no one there she has a moment of sheer panic. Then she remembers, but the butterflies stay in her stomach till the hotel.

Greta gets out the notebook in the hotel room, sits on the side of her bed and poises a pen above the page. When Bob comes out of the bathroom, clean and damp around the ears, she still hasn't written anything. "Your turn," he says.

In the shower she washes her hair twice and plucks her eyebrows and feels better when she sees her pink face in the mirror, like she's someone new now she's here, like the last three months didn't happen.

Bob's dressed and writing in her notebook when she steps out to get fresh clothes. "Bob!" She exclaims, "That's not your notebook!"

Bob looks guilty.

Greta puts her hands on her hips and purses her lips. Bob holds up the notebook. She goes closer, peers at the scrawls on the page. It's a map of their route, with a tiny Darren waving at the top, and a giant bird at the bottom saying hello in Japanese.

Greta rolls her eyes but the room is suddenly cosier and she picks out her brightest coloured cardigan.


***

They go exploring places that they've never been before and Greta carries her camera for the first time in months.

"I've missed your camera," says Bob, as he takes a picture of Greta leaping into the air from a park bench. She lands, red cheeked from the effort of not falling over, amongst a crowd of pigeons. "Oh," she says. "Your turn."

They see the thousand cranes, and Greta feels breathless at the sight. Bob tears a page from his notebook and folds a crane that he sticks in her hair. "For luck," he says.

"I think it's only a thousand that gives you the luck."

"Believe," says Bob.

It flies off at some point in the day but Greta feels luckier anyway.


***

Bob buys them wine in the hotel restaurant after dinner. The people at the next table look so much like Sisky and William that Greta almost has a heart attack. "Take a picture, Bob," she whispers, flapping at his phone.

He takes covert pictures and they send them to William with lots of exclamation marks. William calls them back, thoroughly confused. They almost manage to persuade him that William is in Japan, or that might be the wine, muddling them.


***

After Japan Greta wants to go to China. "Chinese Children, Bob!" but Bob is adamant. He wants to go somewhere they've never been before. They huddle around a computer in a cafe and look at the cheap flights. "Argentina?" Says Bob. Greta frowns. "Maybe we'll see Fall Out Boy," he says.

Greta sighs.


***

They don't see Fall Out Boy, but they do see-

"-Penguins!" Bob goes running towards the fence. Hundreds and hundreds of penguins. Greta falls in love. Her camera does likewise.

"Better than Chinese Children," says Bob, and Greta doesn't admit it but Bob might be right. "We're on the bottom of the world," says Greta, pointing the camera at him. "Look like you're on the bottom of the world."

Bob looks surprised, then scared, then crazy. Greta captures each expression perfectly. Then Bob takes the camera. "Look like you're on the bottom of the world," he says.

Greta sucks her cheeks in, puts her arms against her side, and waddles.

"You make a beautiful penguin," says Bob.

They go to a sanctuary or something like it, where they are allowed to hold some of the chicks. They fit right in Bob's hands and Greta stands over them, cooing. They sing Don't Wake Me Up, soft and sweet and the chick sits quietly for the whole chorus. Greta looks up at Bob and his eyes shine back at hers. "Can we keep it," she whispers, "can we Bob?"

Bob smiles, and the handler does too. "We get that a lot," he says.

Greta smiles back at him, like she isn't so childish as to mean what she said. She strokes a finger across the chick's head, and tells it silently that she would call it Chris, or Christina, and it would come on tour with them.

"You want to hold it?" Bob says, and nudges his hands towards Greta. "I'm going to make a crane for it."

She's terrified of dropping it or of hugging it so hard that she crushes its poor body, but she holds her hands out and Bob lets it tumble the few inches across. It's squeaking and Greta cradles it close to her chest. She closes her eyes and feels the tiny heartbeat against her own. It is all too much for her.

"Bob," she says, "I want to call Chris."


***

They go to the hotel and call him. Greta tells him about the penguins but not the maternal ache inside her that worried about Chris when he wasn't there. Then Chris tells her about what he is doing, and Greta feels happier with each word.

An hour later, she joins Bob out front of the hotel. He is drinking a coffee and watching tourists through his sunglasses.

"Ready?" He says, and Greta sits down beside him. She wraps an arm around his neck. "Ready, Mr Morris."


***

They fly to Paris, because Bob feels ready to go somewhere familiar again, and Greta feels ready to dance.

"Can you dance in Paris?" Says Bob.

"Can you not dance in Paris," Greta retorts, and picks up her skirts.


***

Paris is a blur of dark cafes and bright spring sunshine sparkling off the Seine.

"Will you do me the honour, Miss Salpeter," says Bob, and he bows low.

"With pleasure, Mr Morris," Greta says, and takes his hand. They promenade down the riverside, walking in time to Bob singing The Market, using remnants of high school French where he can.

"And nous allions a la Market and sell it!" Sings Bob, and Greta twirls away and back again, laughing all the time.

"The French people are staring," she whispers loudly, and Bob gives covert looks to either side. "We need to blend in better," he says.

Greta thinks for a moment, though mostly she is just pretending to think and really trying not to laugh. It only takes a glance at Bob's face, though, and laughter is bubbling up through her before she can stop it. She hangs off Bob's arm, shuts her eyes against the sunshine and submits to the giggles.


***

They go to a bar one night and sip red wine from tumblers, watching a man on stage who raps in all kinds of languages. Greta watches the crowd and they sigh and swoon. It must be love, she thinks. The man slips in and out of French as he speaks and Greta turns to Bob.

"Bob," she says, "I want to do that."

Bob does not respond. Bob is staring at the stage, eyes wide.

"Bob," Greta says, "are you swooning?"

Bob puts his chin in his hands and sighs. Greta is impressed. Bob doesn't swoon for just anyone. In fact, Bob pretty much only swoons for Darren.

Greta wants to speak to the man afterwards. He is gracious and smiles when Greta says that it is nice to hear someone from closer to home. She finds herself telling him all about their travels and he listens to every word, eyes kind and answers thoughtful.

"Bob," Greta says as they leave the bar, "I am swooning."

Bob takes her hand and squeezes it tight. "Should I have given him a crane?"

***

They go to Stockholm and they get cold. They huddle together in their hotel bed, watching the grey sky out the window.

"Bob," Greta says, "we need more blankets."

They take everything from Bob's bed and pile it on Greta's. The room warms up a little, and they turn on the TV.

"Hannah Montana!" Shouts Bob. It is the one and only. Bob is a big fan of Hannah Montana, Greta and Chris made him a giant badge saying exactly that, for his birthday. Bob wore it as a hat for the whole day. That was a good day.

They watch for ten minutes while Greta scribbles pictures of windows and Bob makes crane after crane that he sends in swooping flight from the headboard. Finally Greta frowns up at the screen, and Bob says, "Something's odd."

The show has been dubbed into Swedish.

"I think we should sleep," Greta says, and Bob agrees. They lie down, pull the covers over their head, and soon the room is quiet.


***

Bob wants to go to Norway, but at the station they spot a train going to Russia, and Greta thinks that sounds more exciting, like they might turn into a Russian Prince and Princess the moment they cross the border.

They don't, but they do buy big Russian fur hats as soon as they stop off the train. Greta's goes over her eyes and Bob pokes her nose and coos. Greta sticks out her tongue and Bob picks her up, throws her over his shoulder and runs wildly down the platform. They yell at the top of their lungs and when Bob puts her down Greta is breathless with laughter.

The station guard frowns.

Leaving the station, the cold hits them. Greta stops still and demands that Bob wait. She sets her suitcase down and unzips it, pulls out two cardigans, three hoodies, and an extra pair of tights.

"What," says Bob, "are you doing."

Greta stares. "It's freezing! I need layers!"

She reaches across to Bob's bag and unzips it too. "Please put more clothes on, Bob, I don't want you to catch a cold."

Bob just stands there and when she looks at him he smiles and says, "Okay, mom."

Greta throws her hat in his face.


***

They help each other on with layers and layers like Russian Dolls, and roll off in the direction of St Peterburg's centre. From a street vendor they get hot chocolate, bitter and burning, and a guidebook.

"The Summer Palace," Greta says, pointing at the page. "Maybe it's always summer there."

Greta was sort of kidding when she said that, but in the way she always does, careful to keep a bit of hope inside her. She pretends it's this that makes the sun burst through a cloud on the steps of the Palace.

She sits down and pulls Bob down beside her. When she looks at him, he's wearing his sunglasses and she feels a surge of affection. He looks at her, and she smiles at her reflection.

"Having a good time?"

Greta looks back out over the square. "Yes," she says, "I am."

"Miss home?"

"Not yet."

"Miss the others?"

"Yes."

Bob takes her hand, and Greta tips her head onto his shoulder. There in the spring sunshine, she falls asleep.


***

They stay a week in St Petersburg, sitting on steps and feeling awestruck by architecture. Then it is time to move on. While Greta calls Alex, Bob looks at a map of the world. Greta is intrigued by Mongolia.

"It has a good name," she says, and she knows Bob can't help but agree.

"I can't help but agree," Bob says.

"What has a good name?" Alex sounds far away.

"Mongolia," says Greta, and watches Bob sound out the word to himself.

Alex agrees too, but, "I don't think you want to do that," he says, "I heard you can only get there by horse, and it takes six months."

Greta doesn't know whether to believe Alex when she can't see his face. "Bob," she says, "Alex says it takes six months by horse."

Bob looks surprised. "Holy crap," he says, "that's insane."

"You're too trusting," says Greta, but she thinks maybe they'll go to Greece instead.


***

It turns out that Greece isn't exactly next door either, but at least they do the journey by train, and end up on a beach, so all's well that ends well really. Bob makes beach cranes and runs into the waves to set them free.

They stay in a tiny bed and breakfast for a few days, which turns into a couple of weeks, which turns into a month. When they finally leave, lingering and with thirteen rolls of film filled up, they are browner and fatter than when they arrived. Greta calls her mother and swears blind that the old Greek man at the bed and breakfast put a spell on them.

"I bet the beach put a spell on you," says her mother, and Greta brushes sand out of her hair.


***

Bob decides it is time to go wild, so they book flights to Kenya and buy sunhats specially. Greta's is yellow, and Bob's is blue. "Lions and tigers oh my," Greta says, and takes a picture of Bob growling.

Greta reads the guidebook on the plane. She reads all through and checks the index too, but, "Bob," she whispers. "Bob!"

Bob blinks sleepily.

"Bob," she says, "I don't think there are any tigers in Kenya!"

Bob looks sad. "Lions and lions oh my," he says. Greta holds his hand and draws two sad faces in her notebook.

So they don't see any tigers, or lions for that matter, but they do go see lots of strange birds and antelope, and to Greta's glee, a whole herd of elephants. Greta is charmed. While Bob steals her notebook to write down the name of every bird they have seen, Greta takes pictures of baby elephants rolling in the mud. When their guide finally starts up the jeep again, she turns to Bob. "Can't we stay? Can't we live with the elephants?"

Bob looks thoughtful. "Sleep on it," he says.

Greta sleeps on it, and has a dream in which her and Bob and Chris and Darren are living with the elephants. Greta has the biggest room and their guide brings along all her stuff in the jeep. She is telling Chris off in the dream for disappearing off down to the waterhole without telling her, when there is a trumpeting sound. Greta turns around just in time to see the bull elephant come crashing through the trees, landing like thunder on her grand piano.

Greta wakes up in a cold sweat.

"Bob," she says, "Bob wake up." She hits him frantically. He groans.

"Bob, I don't want to live with the elephants."

"That's good."

Greta decides against calling Darren and asking him to go check on her piano, but she does text.


***

When they wake up, she has a message from Darren promising that everything in her apartment is intact, and asking if she is okay. Greta feels silly, but she still asks if they can leave that day.

They go to Spain.


***

In Spain it is hot for May, so they saunter in the shade of olive groves, eating olives and singing rhymes with the pips.

"Tinker tailor," says Bob.

"Soldier, sailor."

"Rich man,"

"Poor man,"

"Beggar man."

"Thief!" Cries Greta, staring at the last pip. She is dismayed. Bob looks worried. "Maybe it doesn't mean thief, per se."

Greta wails.

"I mean not a criminal. Maybe it means the man who steals your heart!"

Greta looks cross. "No man will steal my heart, thank you."

"You mean I haven't?"

Greta smiles, against her better judgement. "Oh Bobert," she says, "You didn't steal it, I gave it to you!"

Bob's smile is goofy, and he pushes at Greta's shoulder so that she stumbles into an olive branch. She laughs, and takes his arm.


***

They drink more red wine, sitting outside cafes in the midday sun. They take long siestas, and longer walks. One evening they happen upon a party at one of their favoured restaurants. The owner recognises Greta and waves them both over, giving gushing invites to join the celebration. He leads Greta in a whirling dance and bows deeply to her at the end.

"Wine!" He cries, "Wait here."

Greta pulls her hair back from her face and ties it in a messy, frizzy bun. She watches the other dancers. Bob has found the owner's wife and is leading her a merry dance. She is tiny, and Greta laughs at the sight.

No one is dancing flamenco, just sweeping, spinning waltzes, and Greta thinks of nights waltzing around her apartment, Bob at the piano and Darren teaching her to follow.

It is half past midnight in Spain, but only half past seven in Illinois, so they call Darren from a payphone. The connection is terrible and they give up on conversation and sing down the phone to him instead. The Spanish people think they are crazy, so Greta thinks they probably fit in nicely.

The next day, Greta sleeps till the afternoon, and sits on the balcony until Bob wakes up too. There are cranes scattered across the stone, scattering in the breeze. Greta looks fond. When he stumbles out, leaning heavily on the sliding doors and rubbing his hair up the wrong way, Greta smiles hopefully at him.

"Still having a good time?" He says.

"Yes."

"Missing home yet?"

"Maybe."

Bob nods. They call Darren again, this time from Greta's cell, and tell him to meet them at the airport.


***

They go home for a whole week, and Greta spends half of it asleep in her own bed, the other half lying happily in spots of sunshine on her living room floor. Bob thinks she is a bit crazy, but Greta doesn't mind. She just enjoys her own space.

She spends an evening at Darren's house and he wants to set a date for when they will be a band again.

Greta watches her tea bag spin in her tea cup. "It hasn't been that long has it?"

"Three months," Darren says, and Greta is actually shocked.

They give Bob a call anyway, and talk through it. "Greta," Bob says, "What do you think, how much longer do we need?"

Greta bites her thumb and looks at Darren. He smiles. "I'm looking forward to it, but I'm not at a loss of what to do. Don't come back too soon."

"Three weeks?" Says Bob, "Four?"

Greta looks at Darren consideringly. "Four," she says.

"Four it is. Oh hey, how are the notebooks coming on?" Asks Darren. Greta gives him a secretive smile and taps her nose. Bob just coughs.


***

At the end of the week, Greta has lunch with Tom. He's in the middle of a grand American tour and she considers tagging along with them for a while but then he mentions,

"Oh, Jonny and the boys are off to the UK next week,"

and Greta's face lights up. "You know what would be amazing," she says, "if we went too, but didn't tell them! And then we could follow them around and they'd get all weirded out!"

Tom looks at her and laughs. "I've missed you," he says.


***

When Greta tells Bob, he doesn't laugh, but Greta thinks he might be about to have a heart attack.

"No," says Bob, "It's just a genius attack."

Greta giggles.

The plan goes brilliantly. Tom gets them the exact schedule, and they hire a car and stay half a day ahead of Panic at all times. During the day they explore the old cities and spend long hours in cafes, reading and writing. Every evening they go to the venue, hang around at the bar or on a balcony or by the backstage, just long enough for someone in the band to notice them. Then they leave (not without dropping a crane or two, as calling cards). Tom calls Greta on the third day and laughs through a story of Jon and Ryan sending him freaked out text messages.

They're in Glasgow the next day, and loitering across the street from the buses. They're laughing about Jon and Ryan again and reminiscing about old tour stories. "I miss them," says Bob, "especially Spencer."

"Me too," says Greta, "especially Ryan."

At that moment a bus door opens and out steps Zack, followed by Spencer in huge sunglasses and Ryan in, Greta counts them, five scarves. "Hey," she says, "speak of the devils!"

Bob turns and the excitement gets too much for him. He takes off at a run, dodging a bus and yelling Spencer's name at the top of his voice. There is a moment when Greta can see Zach poised to throw Spencer and Ryan back in the bus and Bob to the ground, then another bus goes past and when Greta can see them again there is a four way hug going on.

"Hey," calls Greta, "wait for me!"


***

Greta tries to be mad at Bob for blowing their cover, but there are so many hugs that she just can't keep it up. Everyone is pleased to see them, Greta gets some very nice hugs and Bob gives some. Jon looks relieved, and calls Tom straight away to tell him that it's okay, Jon isn't going mad.

They go to see a few gigs themselves - while Panic entertain the big venues, Bob and Greta can be found in the basements, watching energetic indie bands dance their way through sets. Greta likes the way the English band girls dress, and Bob likes the English boys. They leave each gig feeling faintly chastised, and Greta resolves to be more adventurous in her closet.


***

They return to native shores, but it's still a fortnight before Darren will call them back to the fold, before they're supposed to be a band again. So they go home, change clothes, pack a toothbrush each, and hitchhike to Canada.

It sounds more impressive than it is, because just before the Michigan border they get picked up by a trucker who is going all the way to Toronto. He's an old Canadian guy who tells them stories of the Sasquatch, and Greta writes down every word in her notebook. Bob sits beside her and passes her cranes one by one that she lines up neatly on the shelf behind their heads. They both have a nap and wake up at the border.

In Toronto, they thank their new friend, Kyle, with a kiss on the cheek from Greta and a handshake from Bob. It's windy in Toronto and Greta's hair flies around her head before she can tie it back. Bob takes her hand and they go running down the street, Greta crying out to stop.

They go to the harbour and look out on a different lake to the one they're used to. "Let's waltz," says Bob, and they're in Spain again. Bob makes five cranes and lets them be carried away by the wind.

They take a bus to Montreal, and as soon as they hear someone speak French, Bob swoons. "It's not the same," says Greta, but, "I don't care," says Bob, "the memory is enough."

Greta laughs and takes a picture of Bob's charmed face.

In Montreal there are Mounties everywhere and Greta stops in the middle of the road to take a picture of a particularly handsome one. Bob picks her up and carries her out of the path of traffic just in time.

"You are terrible," he says. Greta looks sadly after the handsome Mountie.


***

They make wild plans to bike across the whole of Canada, on the Trans Canada Trail, and Greta gets excited and goes out to buy second hand bicycles straight away. In the morning, their bikes are gone, stolen from in front of the hotel. Bob says, "Oh no," but when Greta looks at him he just looks kind of relieved.

So they to fly to Vancouver. Both of them fall asleep for the whole journey, miss the Rockies and feel silly when they wake up. They stay in Grandview and the first night they take a walk down Commercial Drive. In a tiny cafe there is music and laughter and cheering and Greta and Bob are drawn like moths to a flame.

It's a poetry slam, and when Greta isn't scribbling in her notebook she is giggling. Bob stands next to her and says, "I feel insignificant."

Neither of them join in, but they cheer every man and woman who stands on the stage.

Afterwards, they talk to some Canadians who are charming and generous, welcoming to both of them. "Do you want to go home?" Says Greta, when they are alone again.

"No," says Bob, "no let's not."

"Let's stay forever," agrees Greta, and gazes happily at their new friends.

They do stay a few more days and each night they see more live music, more poetry and more smiles. But Greta walks down the street and hears Canadian accents slant around her and - she misses America. And then Bob's looking at her, and covertly slipping in mentions of their home and their football team and their favourite newscaster, and - Greta's pretty sure that he misses America too.

When Greta says this to Bob, and Bob says it back, she realises what a relief it is. It is a relief, and a joy, to have been all over the world, met so many beautiful people, and yet - she wants to go home.

They call Darren and for the last time Bob says, "Meet us at the airport?"


***

Darren is waiting below the Arrivals sign, with a smile on his face and a sign in his hands that says "My long lost family". They hug so hard that Greta is crushed between them and she doesn't even care.

On the way to Darren's car, he turns to them both and says, "You didn't forget, did you?"

Greta turns questioning eyes on him.

"The notebooks," he prompts, and she smiles. She digs in her bag and pulls out the red notebook. It is bulging, with words and pictures and melodies and tourist leaflets and tickets. Darren gives her an excited squeeze. "Bob?"

Bob looks awkward. He reaches in his bag, and when his hand emerges it is holding the blue notebook. It is empty, all the pages are gone.

Greta is surprised, but Darren is more so. "What happened!" He cries.

Bob looks at Greta. "One thousand cranes," he says.

"One thousand cranes?" Repeats Darren.

"Well," says Bob, "two hundred and eighty three, but that means about a fourth of a wish."

"You have it," says Greta to Darren.

He holds his hands up. "Not me, I've got you two back and a notebook full of songs" he says, "Bob can have it!"

"Not me," says Bob, "I've been around the world and back. Greta can have it!"

Greta looks cross. "Not me," she says. "I met so many nice people and saw so many beautiful places."

There is a pause. Then she knows why she feels cross. "It's for Chris," she says, "stupids. The quarter is for Chris, a quarter of us. We can wish for his success."

Bob and Darren nod approvingly, and she links arms between them and feels at home.




And I'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways
One of these days soon
And I'll sing...

The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs.