FicWad

One by one, the old-fashioned style lamps that lined the park’s paths flickered on. The once ordinary park was suddenly somehow transformed into something much more magical; a romantic hazily lit grotto that seemed to offer more than peaceful surroundings. Taking a seat on a bench overlooking the small lake, Bob and Lisa leaned back and silently watched the first of the stars to appear in the early evening sky.

“Thank you,” Bob smiled as he took her hand in his.
“What for?” Lisa asked, turning her eyes towards him only to see him still gazing skyward.
“For today,” he began, still keeping his eyes fixed on a distant star. “I can’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed an afternoon. I’ve barely even thought about…” Bob’s gaze dropped slowly, his eyes now staring intently down. “Well, you know.”
“I had a good time too,” Lisa replied snuggling closer as the dusk air grew chill.

Instinctively, Bob placed a protective arm around the woman at his side, drawing her closer to share his warmth. Remaining silent for a few minutes, merely enjoying each other’s closeness, Bob finally turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. Sighing happily at the affectionate gesture, Lisa looked up and smiled. Finding herself lost in the beautiful blue eyes she had long since fallen for, she barely noticed Bob moving closer until finally their lips met. At first, they barely brushed against each other; tender, inviting and above all exciting. Drawn in, Lisa pressed her lips firmly against his as she reached up and caressed the nape of his neck. Emboldened by her reaction, Bob’s passion grew, almost taking him by surprise. Reaching around her waist, he pulled her close, their lips parting as he pressed himself against her willing body. It was something he had not expected, but was more than happy to pursue. Parting his lips, he ran his tongue across her lower lip, almost begging for entrance. The tingling sensation caused her to gasp in anticipation, welcoming him into her mouth with a barely audible sigh of pleasure.

Lightly stroking his neck, Lisa allowed her fingers to trace a line across his shoulders before pausing as they outlined the definition of his upper arms; the result of years of drumming. Her passion heightened as his shirt pulled tight across the flexed muscle and she felt almost compelled to pull him closer, so close as to be able to feel his heart beating rapidly against her chest.
Opening her eyes, she gazed up once more into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Slowly pulling back, she eased out of the kiss slowly, almost teasingly. Running her fingers through his soft blond hair, she once again tugged nervously on her lower lip.

“I live quite near here…” she began, suddenly nervous and uncertain. “If you… erm… wanted to do that some more.”
“Lisa…” Bob almost sighed her name as he brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
“I’m… I’m not very good at this,” she admitted, blushing vividly.

Bob smiled at the beautiful and unexpectedly shy woman in his arms.

“You’re much better than you think,” he replied, cupping her cheek, before adding with a grin: “Let’s go; do that some more.”

*

Gerard looked up, almost becoming used to the sensation the drug had imposed on him, he stared at the two guitarists still at the foot of his bed.

“So, you came back to haunt me?” he finally asked.
“Something like that,” Frank admitted.
“Something?” Gerard shook his head, unimpressed by the reply. “Do you even know?”

Frank narrowed his eyes; he was tired of Gerard’s arrogance. Holding his temper was something he did in life, but this man had murdered him and he was in no mood to hold back.

“Revenge, Gerard! Remember that idea you were always so keen on? Well now it’s back to bite you, because it’s our turn!”
“You and him?” Appering unimpressed, Gerard nodded vaguely in Ray’s direction.
“Yeah, why? Are we not good enough for you?”

Gerard offered up a mocking laugh. “You really are so easily upset, Frank, do you honestly think you can do anything to me? You’re supposed to be getting revenge and, well, I don’t see it.”
“I’ve got time on my side, Gerard, it’s not like you can do anything to me, is it?”
“Do anything to you?” Gerard laughed cruelly. “I’ve already done it! Is your memory so short? Spiders ring any bells?”
“Yeah,” Frank replied quietly. “I remember. And I remember being worried about you. All that time I was trying to get free of those chains; I was worried about you all. I had no idea that… that…” Frank paused, the words appearing to catch in his throat.
“What?” Gerard sneered. “That I was behind it? Go on, you can say it! I had to say the same thing to Bryar when he visited me; he couldn’t get the words out either. You’re a loser, Iero!”
“Am I? And what does that make you?”
“Me? I’m a winner! Do I look dead to you?”
“A winner?” Frank’s expression dissolved into pure hatred. “Is that what you think you are? You killed us! You murdered your own brother!”
“Of course I did! Do you really think I could have achieved what I wanted without killing him? All of you!”

Frank’s mouth dropped open at the cruel statement he had not expected to hear.

“And where is dear Mikey?” Gerard continued. “I mean, if I expected to see anyone back for revenge, I expected him. Where is he, I wonder? Scared? Poor, poor Mikey! Too upset to face me?”
“And why would he be?” Frank scoffed. “Why should he be afraid of you?”
“You can’t seriously be that naïve!”
“And exactly how am I naïve?” Frank asked, willing Gerard to answer the question.
“He was never strong, this would have just about broken him.” Gerard shook his head dismissively. “Surely you know that as well as I do?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Burying him alive! That’s what I’m talking about! I’m his big brother, he trusted me!” Gerard laughed harshly at the idea. “What a loser! You’re all losers! You all believed that you could trust me and I totally abused that trust. Why? Because I could, because I wanted to.”
“You were a coward getting someone else to do it all for you!”
“No, I’m not a coward. I was clever,” Gerard replied with a small shake of his head, appearing almost surprised that he had to make the point.
“Clever? You failed!” Frank spat in a contemptuous tone.
“I didn’t fail! I had it all planned out,” Gerard spat through gritted teeth. “She screwed it up, not me! She let Bryar live! I didn’t plan that! I wanted you all dead. If she’d done what I asked her to, this would never have happened. You’d all be gone. She’d be dead and I’d be claiming self-defence. That’s what was supposed to happen! She fucked up, not me!”

Frank’s mouth lengthened into a broad smile.

“Ah, but you did, Gerard. You just fucked up, big time.”
“What?” Gerard snapped. “What are you talking about? What do you mean?”
“You just couldn’t help it could you? You just had to prove how brilliant you are, how controlled.”
“Get to the point, Iero!” Gerard snapped, a nervous edge to his tone.
“You don’t know?” he laughed. “You just gave a full confession, admitting everything. Not just what you did, but that you were completely aware of what you were doing all along.”
“What?” Gerard’s heart plummeted before bouncing back high into his mouth. “No! No! You tricked me! I didn’t mean it!”
“It’s too late, Gerard, the damage is done and, just like last time, it’s all on tape.”

Gerard strained on the straps holding him to the bed as the two guitarists laughed at him from the foot of the bed.

“Stop it! Stop laughing!” he yelled furiously. “You can’t do this to me! I killed you! You don’t exist. You… you can’t…!”
“You tried to be so careful, didn’t you Gerard, but in the end your own ego was your undoing. You had to gloat; you had to win. But this is one you can’t win. Not now.” Frank smirked before making his final comment. “And that was for Ray!”