FicWad

"...speech..."

'...thoughts..."

Chapter 002:

"That's a wrap everyone, great job." Marc Webb said into his mega-phone then lowered it and turned to speak with five costumed men. "This is probably going to make me cry, from joy, because I know it's the best music video I've made, ever. I can die happy!" With a dramatic sigh, Marc toddled off to assist others.

Bob shrugged out of his lab coat as he asked, "Do you think we get to keep our costumes?"

"I hope so, I like this medical equipment they let us play with." Mikey replied, playing with his stethoscope.

"Yeah, like this bone saw thingy, " Frank started until his phone rang when they entered their dressing room, "Hello? Oh hi. No, I wanted to talk about that. I'm not going to make it..... Because I don't want to see you anymore. Its not you, its me.... Yes, thank you, I know I'm a goddamn bastard. Okay... I'm going to say bye bye now. Buh-bye." He clicked off his cell phone exasperatedly, shaking his head and looked up to see Gerard staring at him disbelief. "What?"

"You just broke up with you girlfriend." Ray said for Gerard as he was sputtering.

"Yeah that!" Gerard added. "That's the... you know I've lost track because you have a new girl friend every three months."

"Well, excuse me, Mr. I'm-very-committed-because-I'm-married, I just get bored easily." Frank stated bluntly, playing with his toy saw.

"It wasn't like that with Mina." Mikey said, barely audible, but everyone heard him as they turned to Frank who had gone stock still in place, with his back turned to the others.

After a few moments Gerard spoke up before either party could say anything, "That's none of our business Mike, let's just drop it."

"The way he dropped Mina like a hot potato after she lost their baby?" Mikey said heatedly.

Frank whipped around, his expression twisted in suppressed anger. "You have no idea what you're talking about, so take your brother's advice and can it!"

The two stood toe-to-toe, Frank, looking up, breathed heavily whilst Mikey pursed his lips into a thin line.

"You ran away like a pussy. She's better off with Pete anyway." At this Frank nailed the younger Way with a clean right hook dead in the jaw.

Mikey stumbled about for a moment until his Bob caught him as Ray hurried to pin Frank's arms to his sides. Gerard, in an older brother fashion, slapped both his brother and friend upside their heads.

"Now that's for provoking him and meddling" he said to his brother and then to Frank, "and for hitting your band mate." and seeing both men before him open their mouths, Gerard spoke louder, "All I want to hear right now is your side of the story Frank. It's only fair that you get to redeem yourself."

"Since when were you so diplomatic?" Ray wondered aloud.

"My therapist tells me that redeeming part all the time." Gerard smiled, his child-like teeth exposed, "So if you will, Ray, release him onto the couch to tell his story. Whenever you're ready, Frankie."

The shortest man considered not speaking at all, but realized that Gerard would smack him again, settled down to glower at the others while he cleared his throat. "What do you want to know?"

"Why did you and Mina break up?" Mikey said at once.

Frank gave in and commenced to tell his friends about what had transpired from the morning of their argument to their break up at the hospital only a few hours later, "...I broke up with her because I didn't want to hurt her anymore than I already did. In the split, I thought both of us would eventually get over it each find someone new. And she did, she found Pete."

"And you found...?" Gerard asked leaving the question hanging in the air.

"A string of worthless relationships." Frank replied dryly. "I'm going to admit it here and now, I still love Mina. But, you know, I don't want to ruin her life again by turning it upside down just because I can't get over her like she did me."

"What makes you think she's really over you?" Mikey interjected.

Frank squinted at Mikey, "Um, the fact that she's been with Pete for a year and nine months."

"Yep, he's got it bad, he's been counting." Ray murmured as Bob nodded.

"She's not over you, Quinn told me so." Mikey continued after Ray's comment.

"You just sounded like a school girl with a ripe piece of gossip, you know that right?" Gerard said amusedly.

Mikey waved off the interruption, "Quinn and I have been talking and you know how close he is to Mina. I mean, he can practically sense whatever she's feeling even though she doesn't tell him. And he knows that she is, in fact, still in love with you."

"But she's with Pete." Frank sputtered trying to grasp this new concept, "She can't feel that way."

"Mina may be with him but she hasn't really moved on in her mind." Mikey said slowly.

"So what should I do? Just barge in and throw her over my shoulder like King Kong?" Frank suggested.

"As much as she would probably like that," Mikey laughed, "I think we have to be patient and wait for Quinn's go signal so you can walk back into her life without looking like a complete ass."

"Or a huge gorilla, which ever." Ray added.

"Ugga ugga."

*

Meanwhile in London, England

*

The final chords from the last song resounded throughout the concert hall, which was teeming with uproarious fans.

"Whoo!" Patrick sighed breathlessly into his microphone, starting up some mid-concert commentary with the crowd.

Mina watched just off to the side of the stage where Pete was predominantly performing. At the moment, her beau was busy speaking to Andy and Joe, perhaps, about the next few songs they were about to play. Observing him as he pranced about the stage, Mina took in his familiar appearance, from his red flecked jet black hair to his clothes; a Clandestine Industries shirt, jeans, and black Etnies, only to realize she was wearing something fairly similar. She wore an ancient pair of jeans, a "The Used" band shirt, and chucks. Her preppie appearance had been replaced, save for her signature blond mane, with an attire fitting of the Rock culture she was so addicted to.

A feeling of completion filled Mina's insides like honey as this, supporting Pete, always made her feel happy. But the feeling was short lived as she remembered the only person, other than Bert and her "brothers", she had ever supported so zealously; Frankie. In an instant her mind back tracked to how she felt in Frank's arms, afraid that she would have to let go sooner than she liked. She compared it to how Pete felt in embrace to find it was safer and more solid and Frank's. Sighing Mina knew the conclusion that she reached every time she had a "Frankie Moment" and repeated it to herself mentally, "I love them both equally, but Frankie is my past and Pete is my present, so let go of the past." Her train of thought, however, was interrupted when she heard Patrick saying something about Pete.

"... Pete is in love with is amazing and beautiful lady named Mina. And he would like you guys to meet her while he goes and grabs something backstage." Patrick announced to the chaotic fans.

Mina had looked up in time to see Pete exiting on the opposite side of the stage and find Patrick motioning for her to come towards him. She shook her head vigorously, immediately becoming her introverted self.

"I think Mina needs some encouragement because she's really shy. So on three, I want you all to say her name over and over again so she'll come out okay? One. Two. Three! Mina, Mina, Mina!" Patrick orchestrated the chanting while Joe steered Mina onto center stage. The heat of the extreme lights with combination of her nervousness and the eardrum shattering volume of the crowd made Mina go slightly light headed.

"Aw isn't she cute?" warbled Patrick who kept Mina clamped to his side to prevent her from skittering away. "Say hello to everyone Mina."

Not wanting to appear frigid, she gave the auditorium and demure smile, "Hi!". Her voice had come out more confident than she felt while the fans continued to scream their approval.

"Anyway, you guys and Mina are in for a special treat, a new song. This one is specially written by Pete for Mina here so were gonna hop to that one right now. Alright?" Patrick notified the audience as he winked.

At these words Mina's heart began to race and threatened to jump out of her chest when Pete came back into her line of vision. But before she could so much as move towards him, the crowd, led by Patrick, began to chant and clap in rhythm, "Kiss her, kiss her!"

Pete smiled slyly at Mina as he set down the wooden stool he had been carrying and closed the space between them in one step. Mere moments later, she was dipped back like a ballroom dancer and kissed affectionately by Pete, much to the pleasure of the participants and those around them. Once they came up for air and up righted themselves, Pete held his petite girlfriends against himself.

"This is so embarrassing!" Mina breathed as Pete led her over to sit on the stool.

"It'll be worth it, I promise." he whispered before setting up to play again a few feet away. Pete took to the mic, this time speaking to everyone else. "Right, this song is for Mina so cross your fingers and hope she likes it, yeah?" he said praying to no entity in particular, 'Flying cow shit on crack, please don't hate it.' as the slow melody began to play out over the hushed auditorium. The couple locked eyes and it was as if no one was there but themselves as Pete began to sing:

"From the way you laugh

To you little button nose,

I must say, I love you.

So long as you feel the same way

Don't let go but stay.

We'll take on the world,

So no matter what anyone says,

I know we're gonna last.

And even is the tides recede and never come back,

Or if these walls come down around us,

They never broke eye contact, even when Pete stopped strumming, laid down his bass, and stood before Mina, singing the last lines to the strumming of Joe and Patrick's guitars.

"I'll be happy, if you say,"

Pete produced a small, black velvet box from his pocket, sank down to one knee and popped it open

"You'll marry me."