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Chapter Eight: Will You Just Admit It Bryar??????


"I can't wait to get back to the hotel." Mikey said as they all finally squashed themselves into the van.

"I know I'm gonna go straight to my bed." Gerard replied leaning his head back, "I'm so fucking tired."

"That'll be because you're getting old." Frank immediately responded, "You've already got the walking stick."

"Ha ha Frank." Gerard retorted, "Actually I have an amazingly hot girl waiting for me in my room unlike your good self who's girl is in another continent."

"That's low Gee." Frank responded, "Anyway you really should stop paying for sex."

Mikey started laughing as Frank continued to tease Gerard.

"Anyway now that we've sorted out Gerard's sex life," Brian interupted as they all looked up at him, "We need to be at the airport early tomorrow morning, with the check in restrictions we have to be there 3 hours before the flight,"

"Nooooooooooooooooooo," Gerard said closing his eyes in frustration, "What time do we have to leave the hotel?" he asked still closing his eyes as he braced himself for the time.

"We need to be away for 5.30." Brian responded.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooo, god dammit," Gerard replied as his band mates amused themselves at this oh so familiar response from Gerard which was more apparent since Eliza was travelling with them. "I mean guys, what's the point of going to sleep if it's already almost midnight.

"Didn't think you were planning on sleeping anyway." Mikey retorted to the amusement of Frank.

"Hey bro, you're supposed to be on my side anyway."

"Right focus all," Brian interupted once again, "We need to be away from the hotel at 5.30am on the dot."

"On the dot." Ray replied, "I'll make sure these lazy fucks get out of bed."

"Hey Toro, you're as bad as Gee." Frank laughed.

"I also need to speak to you guys about setting up stuff for when we come back here in October for the actual release of the album." Brian said, "We've had a lot of requests for press and tv stuff that needs to get set up in advance."

"Cool." Frank responded.

"Creep." Gerard whispered to him.

"We've had discussions with the guys back at Warners and they like the idea of having a magazine or tv company following you guys about and doing a piece about the actual launch of the album. It would be a UK company or magazine and I'd prefer the magazine to a tv company but it's up to you guys." Brian explained.

"Not more press," Gerard whined as he leaned against his brother's shoulder.

Brian turned round in his seat,"Look we need coverage for the new album coming out and the level of demand for your guys over here is huge."

"What would it involve?" Gerard asked.

"Well if it's the magazine preference then we get a writer to follow you around as you do the day to day stuff, be on the bus, the shows but you would get your personal time at the hotels." Brian explained to a skeptical Gerard.

"I don't mind." Mikey said much to the surprise of everyone.

"You don't?" Gerard asked slightly taken a back that it was Mikey who said this first.

Mikey shook his head,"It's a short tour and it's two months away, we won't feel so bombarded then."

"How do you guys feel about it?" Gerard asked looking around at Bob, Ray and Frank.

"No problem with me." Ray replied as he looked up from the magazine he was reading.

"Me neither." Frank added.

They all looked at Bob knowing that he would have the biggest problem. It's not that Bob hated the press, in fact he had grown to almost tolerate interviews but the thought of spending seven days couped up on a tour bus with someone watching your every move freaked him out. "As long as they give me space I'll be alright I suppose." He replied folding his arms across his chest in a gesture that belied the very words he had just spoken.

"Look it won't be that bad you'll get time away," Brian tried to explain, "plus you'll get to chose the magazine and to an extent the journalist."

"Interesting." Frank said stroking his chin and giving Bob a kick, "Who could we chose?" Frank stifled a laugh as Bob shot him a death look. Ray looked up at the commotion beside him.

"Well I quite like that writer we met again today, you know the one that did the interview before the Hammersmith show." Ray said staring directly at Bob.

"Me too and I bet Bob wouldn't mind her investigating him." Frank added before yelping as Bob kicked him hard in the shins. Gerard and Mikey's attention was now brought fully to the little scene being played out in front of them.

"Maybe we should wait until her article is published next week before we make the decision." Gerard said.

"Jill seemed pretty cool but I guess Gee's right." Mikey added.

"Okay then I'll make sure we get copies and if you are seriously thinking of this writer you'll need to start thinking about having a girl on the bus." Brian advised.

"We've had plenty of girls on the bus." Frank replied smiling.

"Frank, this one won't be sharing your beds." Brian instantly replied like a teacher scolding his pupil.

"Oh I don't know, Bob always has extra room in his bed." Frank retorted pulling his legs away before Bob could kick him again.

"Will you fucking shut up about that Iero!" Bob snapped taking the magazine from Ray's hands and throwing at Frank.

"Ouch, look you hurt us, we bleed." Frank replied putting on a sad face that had Mikey laughing.

"You guys decide what you want to do and let me know so I can set it up." Brian said.


--------At the hotel------------


Bob sighed with contentment as he stretched himself out over his hotel bed, he loved hanging out with the other guys but at times it was the best thing in the world to have some time to himself. His mind was racing with the events over the last few weeks, everything had been so hectic and he had lost track of where he was on numerous occasions. Getting up at the crack of dawn, being stuck in a van, talking to an interviewer, playing his heart out and sleeping had been his routine every day for as long as he could care to remember. This was his life and he loved it but as he lay on his bed and tried to ignore the pain in wrists and his leg he couldn't help but think how nice it would be to have a day, just one day, to do what he wanted. Bob knew he really should phone his family, his Mom was always giving him a hard time about the fact it would often be weeks before she heard from him and when he did phone he was always at the other side of the world. Bob felt himself getting more tired and he let his eyes close. He thought about the days events, the reaction of the crowd, the way his bandmates reacted and he was so proud to be a member of this group. His mind wandered to the meet and greet they had earlier that day and how happy the fans had been to see them. Even Mikey had been happy to smile for a fan when she asked him to smile for a photograph.Then he thought about the girl he had meet again or had actually knocked to the ground. He laughed to himself as he remembered how she told him to watch where he was fucking going and then she smiled at him as he helped her up. He knew he met girls all the time and in his line of work it wasn't as if he had to try that hard. However this girl felt different some how she had a confidence about her but she was shy as the same time. Bob remembered how easy it was to talk to her when she was interviewing them but then he pulled himself back as he thought about how this was part of her job to have the ability to do that. He hated the way he did that, he so wanted to just meet people and take them at face value but things had changed so much and he was always doubting people's motives. But Jill had never shown any reason to doubt her and he liked how she laughed and how she, Bob's eyes suddenly shot open as if he had become aware of what he was saying to himself. He sat up on his bed and chastised himself. He had met Jill on three occasions and for some reason his mind lingered on those meetings. Bob couldn't understand it, she worked for a magazine and all the alarm belss were going off in his head but yet he couldn't just forget her.

"Please no," Bob muttered as he heard a knock on the door. He slowly pushed himself up from his bed and walked to the door. He sighed again as he looked through the security glass on the door to see Ray standing.

"Hey man," Bob said as he opened the door to Ray.

"I hope you don't mind me dropping in on you but I wanted to check everything was okay." Ray said watching his friend as Bob once again sat on his bed.

"I'm fine just a bit tired and sore." Bob replied as he stretched out his hands.

"Is it your wrists?" Ray asked noticing Bob pulling at his hands.

"Yeah, I think it's like a repetitive strain thing but it eases off"

"Maybe you need to get it seen to," Ray suggested.

Bob looked up at him with his familiar look when anyone suggested Bob go to see a doctor, "It's fine, I just need to rest them."

"You seem a bit down tonight."

"Just tired."

"Are you sure that's all it is?" Ray asked again determined to make Bob talk.

"Yep,"

"It's so nice to just relax for a bit," Ray said as he sat back in the chair and put his feet up on Bob's bed.

"It's been hectic." Bob replied.

"Only the start of it aswell, have you seen the schedule Brian handed out this morning?" Ray said using his hands to try and restore some sort of order in his hair.

"Not yet."

"We're going back home, then it's back to England, Europe, Australia and then probably outer space." Ray sighed closing his eyes and making himself comfortable.

"I'm looking forward to it but I can tell the costumes are going to drive me insane." Bob replied.

Ray laughed and looked back at Bob, "I like them and it's a good idea but you can bet even Gee will get fed up."

"Yeah," Bob replied, "Hey do you want a drink or something?"

"What you got?" Ray asked

"Just what's in the fridge." Bob said gingerley lifting his leg back off the bed as he went to the mini bar.

"They cost a fortune." Ray instantly replied.

Bob looked up at Ray as his hand rested on the minibar door, "I think I can afford it."

"I can't get used to it."

"What?" Bob asked holding outa bottle of beer for Ray.

"Not having to think about the cost of things, it's hard to get used to." Ray tried to explain as he popped open the beer.

"I know but it's nice knowing you can help your family." Bob replied easing himself back on to the bed.

"That's the big thing, I keep my mom I will buy her a new home but she won't move, her life is where she stays." Ray said grinning as he pictured his Mom telling him in no incertain terms that she was happy where she was, "I was saying to Krista that we need to start thinking about getting a house."

"That's brilliant Ray," Bob replied unable to hold back the joy for his friend in his voice,"You and Krista are doing well then?"

Ray sheepishly smiled, "It's brilliant and I know I'm so lucky to have found someone so kind and patient enough to put up with this life."

"She's a keeper." Bob replied.

"Now that I'm sorted what about you?" Ray asked knowing that he was entering slightly difficult territory for a second time that night.

Bob took a big drink of beer and lowered the bottle back onto his thigh again, "I don't know, it never really works for me. I'm never home and well you know what happened the last time."

"Your last girlfriend never really understood what you do Bob," Ray replied trying to comfort his friend.

"I know," Bob said looking at the bottle in his hands as he began to slowly pick away at the label.

Ray watched Bob, "You know what that's a sign of?" Ray said trying to lighten the mood.

"What's a sign?" Bob replied slightly bewildered.

"People who pick labels off beer bottles."

"What is it then Professor?" Bob replied rolling his eyes.

"Sexual frustration." Ray stated smiling to himself.

"Shut the fuck up." Bob snapped as he immediately stopped his fingers much to the amusement of Ray. "I'm not frustrated."

"No, you've just been like a bear with a sore head for weeks."

Bob knew he had been grumpy lately, "I'm sorry, it's just my leg and now my wrists."

"And that writer?"

"That's a bit random." Bob replied, "I don't feel that way about her and anyway whats the point, we'd maybe meet up once then I'm off to another country, it never works out."

"It'll never work out with that attitude," Ray replied, "We all thought like that but now look it's working out."

Ray paused as he watched Bob nod his head in response, "And Bob I've known you long enough to know that you are so in to her."

Bob unconciously nodded again, "It's not easy though and with you guys all coupled up I just have to be the butt of the ridicule."

Ray knew exactly how Bob was feeling, "They don't mean it like that and they are all worried about you," Ray stopped for a moment and looked directly at Bob, "We're going back home tomorrow and you'll get a break from all of us for a bit."

"The funny thing is as much as I go on about wanting a break when I step off that plane at Chicago I miss it so much." Bob replied laughing.

"Me too but I'm not telling Brian that or we'll never get any time off."

"I've got a whole four days off at home before I meet you back in New York." Bob said laughing once more as he finished off his beer.

"We come back here in October and the fun all starts again." Ray said pleased to see his friend laughing once more.

"I know and hopefully I'll be fully fit." Bob replied.

Ray stood up and took the now empty bottle from Bob as he placed it and his one in the trash can. "I better be going to bed, it's an early flight tomorrow and we have to leave here at 5.30am."

"But we'll be going home." Bob smiled.

Ray nodded, "See you tomorrow." He said as he walked towards the door.

"Night." Bob replied as Ray shut the hotel door behind him.




I'm sorry not much really happens in this chapter and I hope it's not too dull. I would be so happy if you could take the time to rate/review. I really appreciate it :)