FicWad

“Yeah what about them?” I asked him and he shrugged a little.

“I um, sort of looked into it.” He says lowering his voice down and I found myself leaning towards him eagerly.

“What did you find out?” I asked and he swallowed nervously.

“You still got that picture?” He says and I looked at him expressionlessly. Aw fuck. I think maybe he wants to trade! Like he’ll tell me the shit he found out if I give him that picture back…But I don't have that picture anymore Gerard does. I turned and looked at Gerard who looked just as nervous as Pete did…

“Gimme it Gerard.” I tell him holding my hand out and Gerard just stood there motionless. “Come on!” I whine at him and he pulled me a little closer to him and leant over to whisper in my ear.

“I don't have it.” He says so softly I could barely hear him.

“What?” I replied back and he shrugged. “How could you not? I saw you put it in your wallet.” I tell him as I reached for his pocket and he grabbed my hand and stopped me.

“Yeah but you said that crap about not carrying it around with me.” He says and I could feel this throbbing headache starting to build behind my eyes now.

“So… What? It’s at home?” I ask him and he shifted his eyes from me. I mean what the fuck does he have like a special drawer at home filled with all the important shit I need like my ring and Pete’s picture and fuck, probably the rest of the pills Brian gave him…

“Actually I put it in that box under your bed, you know the one you showed me with all the uh…” He stammered a little and I nodded… I knew what he was talking about. It was just an old shoebox filled with pictures and crap, and honestly Pete’s photo was probably one of the least incriminating ones in there… But the box was gone.

It got burnt up in the fire. I know cause I checked when we were cleaning my room out… I think Gerard knew it was gone too, that’s why he was looking at me like he was…

“Well then there’s only one thing to do then.” I whisper back at Gerard and he nodded.

“You gonna lie to him?” Gerard says and I made a face at him.

“Lie?” I said a little shocked. “Uh no, I'm gonna tell him the truth Gerard.” I say as I spun back around to Pete and Gerard was just giving me this look like he thought maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. But what the fuck else was I suppose to do? I don't lie.

I never lie and he knows that…Yeah I know it’s a risk. I mean if I tell Pete I don't have his picture anymore, he may not tell me what he found out, but whatever. If he found out about it, it can’t be that secretive! I'm sure Mikey could find out too if given the chance. The only thing that might be different is that Pete may not be so nice to me anymore…

I mean I'm willing to bet that’s why he told me where Oliver’s funeral was going to be… And why he sorta stopped Bob and Paul from getting into it before, cause like he didn’t want to get put in the middle…

“I give you the picture, you're gonna what Pete? Destroy it right?” I say to him and he nodded and gave me this look like well duh Elle… “Well you don't have to, I mean it’s already gone.” I tell him and Gerard bit his lip a little but didn’t say anything.

“What do you mean?” Pete asked and I shrugged.

“Well, you know I had a fire at my house right?” I ask and he shook his head no. “Well I did and trust me it’s gone.” I tell him and he just looked at me for a second. “Most of my shit is gone.” I add and Pete’s expression changed to a slightly more compassionate one.

“Seriously Elle?” He asked and I nodded and looked over at Gerard, he nodded too. Bob didn’t say anything, he crossed his arms on his chest and seemed to be thinking about something. He was still pissed over what happened with Paul. I mean he wasn’t gonna let it go and I just didn’t have the energy to deal with it right now…

“Yeah but don't tell Paul.” I say to Pete and he rolled his eyes a little. “I mean I know he's gonna find out but I just don't want to deal with his shit right now.” I sighed a little.

“Elle, he's not gonna-“ Pete tries to say and I raised my eyebrows up at him.

“Come on Pete you know he is!” I say raising my voice up in frustration and Pete shrugged. I mean Pete knew I was right, but Paul was his friend and I guess he felt like he had to defend him or something… “Anyway it doesn’t even matter okay? The pictures gone, I swear, so if you wanna tell me and if not…” I sighed and Pete looked at me for a second like he was debating what to do.

“Alright Elle, um its not much but uh they were arrested for murder.” He says and I nodded. I mean that much I knew already. It was in the paper. I mean not like an article, but when the put that bit about Chris’s sister being killed it mentioned Chris had just been released…

“It was a cop right?” I asked and Pete looked at me like how would I have known that. “I mean they killed a cop, like a long time ago no?” I said and he nodded.

“Uh yeah but not just a cop, it was a uh undercover cop and um a young couple that were shot to death, like execution style...” He says and I frowned.

“A couple?” I asked and Pete looked at me like he didn’t know what to say…

“Yeah it was some kinda robbery or something.” He shrugged and I frowned. My dad broke into a house robbed a couple and then killed them? I mean is this what he's saying?

“I don't understand, he went to their house?” I ask Pete and I could feel Gerard’s hand on my back suddenly, like he was getting ready for me to faint or something which sorta freaked me out. I mean was I supposed to faint? What wasn’t I understanding here…

“House?” Pete replies a little confused. “No, I didn’t say house.” Pete tells me and I frowned. “It was a bank robbery. Northwestern International.” He shrugged like it sounded somewhat familiar to him but he wasn’t sure from where… I knew where though, so did Gerard. It was the bank my papa use to work at. I shook my head a little.

“Fuck“ I muttered but he Pete didn’t seem to hear me and continued on.

“I don't really know what more I can tell you Elle. Just that a ton of money went missing and some people were killed.” Pete shrugged and I could tell he was holding something back.

“Is that it? I mean you didn’t find out anything else?” I asked him and he shook his head no.

“No see its kinda hard to find out crap about it cause the case is still open its just cold.” He says and I looked at him like I didn’t know what the fuck he meant by that.

“How could it be open still?” I questioned him. “I mean they’re in prison right? Well, they were or are or whatever. I mean like they had a trial and got sentence to jail no?” I asked to no one in particular and no one answered me. I mean I was just thinking out loud now…. “Fuck, they’ve served their time right? And like a cold case is something that was never solved right Pete?” I ask and Pete nods. “Then I don't understand how it’s cold.” I tell him and he paused before answering me…

“Well, from what I can gather Elle, they um had another suspect but um she-” He begins to say and Gerard cut him off.

“She?” He interupts us and Pete gave him a quick glance. Didn’t really acknowledge him but didn’t ignore him either.

“Yeah I don’t know who she was cause apparently she was a minor so her name was blacked out.” He lowered his voice a little. I wasn’t sure where Pete was getting this info from but it was clear he shouldn’t have been and I felt my heart flutter. It had to be my mom. It just had to. “I mean like they questioned her and everything but they let her go” He shrugged and it was silent for a second.

“Ok Pete.” I said simply cause I didn’t know what else to say at this point. I was about to walk away and he stopped me.

“But I gotta tell you Elle.“ He stammered and I just looked at him like spit it out already.. “It just um, there was a third shooter that they never found…” Pete says and it was deathly silent for a second.

“Oh is that it?” I asked Pete casually and he sorta looked at me like he thought that I was wasted or something, and I couldn’t blame him either. I didn’t mean to come off sounding so casual but I did and truthfully, I wasn’t sure what to say to him. Do I tell him Nick Walkers my dad? That it was most likely my moms’ name which was blacked out…

“Elle, you wanna tell me how you're mixed up in all this?” Pete says lowering his voice down as he stepped closer to me, I could see Gerard and Bob kinda exchanging looks but but neither one spoke…

“I told you my grandfather knew them Pete that’s all.” I say weakly and Pete frowned, he knew I wasn’t telling him everything...

“Okay look, I gotta go to practice too Elle, but I wanna talk to you later.” He says and I nodded slightly.

“Um yeah okay, I’ll see you tonight.” I tell him and he nodded before walking off leaving me and Gerard and Bob alone in the hallway now…

“Fuck you know what that means Elle.” Gerard says and I nodded slightly. “The third shooter-it's Mr. Samuel.” He says and I frowned in disagreement. Mr. Samuel? No it wasn't Mr. Samuel. It couldn't have been Mr. Samuel.... No it had to be....

"frank Sinatra…”

“Frank Sinatra?” Bob laughed mimicking me. “Yeah or if not maybe it was Elvis Presley!” He says in jest and I looked at Gerard like what the hell. I mean now is not the time for jokes! What the fuck is wrong with Bob?

“Naw she means the fucking guy with the tattoo on his arm.” Gerard says and Bobby smirked.

“But Frank Sinatra?” Bob says still sounding a little amused.

“I just thought it’d be easier then calling him creepy blue eyed dude.” I try to explain and Bob chuckled.

“Who calls him that?” He says and I shrugged.

“Well I do.” I tell him and he sorta smiled. “I mean what do you call him?” I ask and Bob laughed and didn’t say anything so I turned to Gerard.

“Ah I got a few names for him.” Gerard says and I tried not to roll my eyes at him.

“Well I don't know then, maybe tomorrow I can ask him his name.” I say and Bob looked at me like I was nuts. Gerard just turned his back to me and started putting his books back in his locker.

“I'm sorry did you say tomorrow?” Bob asks and I nodded.

“Well yeah, you said you were bringing me to Point Pleasant right?” I ask suspiciously and he shrugged.

“Uh I guess.” He says looking over at Gerard who still kept his back to us…

“No, no guessing. You promised.” I say the hurt evident in my voice.

“Elle, if I promised then I will. I didn’t forget.” Bob says quickly easing my panic away and Gerard turned back around and just looked at him. “But I don't know why you think you're gonna see ‘Sinatra’.” He sorta laughed.

“Cause you said.” I try to tell him and he shook his head quickly.

“No I said I’d bring you to see the penguins, not Sinatra.” He clarifies and I pouted looking over at Gerard who seemed quite pleased with Bobs words suddenly.

“Yeah but.” I try to argue but Bob wouldn’t let me speak.

“Okay first, its real unlikely that he's even gonna show.” He says and I frowned. “But if for some reason he does-“ He says and I perked up slightly.

“Then I can talk to him.” I declare and Bob laughed.

“Uh no, you're gonna keep your ass inside the aquarium with me and Gerard can handle it.” Bob says and my jaw dropped open slightly.

“You're kidding me Bob!” I say and he shook his head no.

“Naw, I kinda like that idea.” Gerard sorta grinned and I frowned.

“You're using me as like bait!” I say a little outraged and Gerard sorta smiled. “You can’t do that!” I tell them both and now they were both sorta smiling.

“Honey, just let us handle it okay?” Bob says and I bit my lip a little as I looked at them. I mean what the fuck! I was kinda glad they were being all buddy buddy now, but what the fuck! Couldn’t they find like something else to do together besides smothering me? Like maybe a nice jigsaw puzzle or something?

“I don't like it.” I tell them lowering my voice down.

“Don't like what?” Gerard asks and I sniffled back my tears, my anxieties about losing Gerard were surfacing once more…

“The thought of you going after him. I mean if he killed that cop all those years ago then…” My voice trailed off a little and Gerard lifted my face up to his.

“I know what you're saying Elle, but you don't need to worry about that. It wasn’t him.” Gerard says firmly and I shook my head in disagreement.

“You don't know that.” I say and he sighed a little.

“Elle, first- he's too young.” He says and I made a face at him.

“He is not.” I argue.

“Elle! This was fucking almost 19 years ago! Sinatra would’ve been…” Gerard paused a moment apparently trying to do math in his head… Aw this was gonna be good! I bit my lip a little waiting on his calculation.

“Yeah how old Gerard?” I encourage him.

“I’d say like 15, maybe 16 back then.” He tells me and I shrugged. I mean it sounded about right. I mean my mom and Mr. S were like 18-ish and if my dad was the same age as Chris he would’ve been like 20-ish I suppose… But I don't know…

“So he was maybe 15-16, is there like an age limit on felonies or something?” I ask him and he smirked at me.

“Elle, it’s Mr. Samuel okay.” Gerard says and I shook my head in disagreement once more.

“Look I know you don't like him but that’s no reason Gerard.” I say defending Mr. S and Gerard just started getting all worked up.

“Don't like him?” He sorta hissed at me and I looked down at the floor.

“Take it easy Gerard.” Bob said kinda loudly and I looked up at him a little surprised. I mean he never ever says shit when it comes to me and Gerard, like not ever, except that time I fell on the steps. But today he was and I wasn’t sure why…

Gerard kinda paused a moment heeding Bob’s advice I suppose before he turned back to me.

“Elle, it’s got to be Mr. S.” Gerard tells me but I just couldn’t believe that. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.” He says taking my hand in his. “Look at me Elle.” He says so I do.

“I just don't think.” I try to argue but he shook his head no.

“Remember how he got all upset about you looking into the past?” He reminds me and I shrugged. I did remember… “And how he said he didn’t know Chris and he obviously does, he knows Chris he knows Nick he’s always known. He's done nothing but lie to you.” he says and I found myself at a loss for words. I mean he was right… everything he was saying was true. I couldn’t argue with any of it.

“Yeah but Gerard, my mom…” I stammered a little. “My mom wouldn’t have been with him if he was a killer, she wouldn’t have married him if he killed someone like that.” I say and Gerard nodded slightly.

“She didn’t marry him Elle. She turned him down remember.” Gerard says softly and I felt my heart tense up slightly… fuck… he was right once again…

“Yeah I know Gerard, but I'm saying like… I've spent a lot of time with Mr. S you know?” I say and he tensed up slightly.

“Yeah I fucking know.” He says and I shrugged.

“So I'm saying like it’s not in his character, to do something like that, trust me. I know him. He's just not…” I say and he smirked.

“His character?!” He says his voice raising up slightly in outrage. “You want to talk about his character? He fucking molests innocent young girls!” Gerard says loudly and I just looked at him in shock.

“He molests young girls? That’s horrible! Like who?” I ask innocently and Gerard just seemed to snap. He tossed his hand up in the air and took a step back from me like he was completely flabbergasted and didn’t know what to say to me anymore.

“Elle!” He says and I guess it was the way he was looking at me but I suddenly got what he meant by it.

“Oh Gerard you certainly don't mean me!” I tell him rolling my eyes slightly and he ran his hand through his hair in frustration and looked over at Bob.

“Dude, not now.” Bob tells him and Gerard shook his head in disagreement.

“Naw, we’re gonna do this now.” He says taking my hand in his swiftly and pulling me towards the door. “Just not here…”