FicWad

"Hey guys," Gerard said as he walked through the door of the tour bus. Shocking Mikey, he was surprisingly sober. Mikey thought he had finally reached him with their talk last night, as he hadn't had a single drink yet today, and usually he was completely wasted by nine A.M. He thought about how Gerard had never played a show sober before, and felt anticipation at the thought that tonight could be the night when that record was broken. The show was in two hours, at 10. They would be performing all new songs that they were planning on putting on the second album.

"Hey," Mikey said, scanning Gerard's face for any signs of unhappiness.

"Sup, Gee?" Frank asked as he crawled out of his bunk. He rubbed his nose and scratched his head.

"Nothin' much, Frankie," Gerard answered. Frankie seemed shocked at Gerard's sobriety."Except a headache." With that, he massaged his forehead, and Frank and Mikey exchanged worried glances.

Gerard saw their expressions and shook his head."It's not that bad," he said, then grimaced."Okay, maybe it is, but it's worth it. I think I'm gonna be able to do this."

"You mean you're quitting?" Frank asked in disbelief."The booze, the pills, everything?"

Gerard nodded with a small smile."Yeah. I am," he said proudly.

"Aw, dude, that's awesome," Frank said, embracing Gerard. Mikey stood off to the side quietly thinking, This nightmare's over.

Ray and Bob slowly got up after the commotion, and Frank greeted each one with the news. Everyone was ecstatic, and the hope in the room was tangible.

Gerard sat down, still rubbing his head lightly. Mikey sat by him, and clapped him on the back.

"I'm proud of you, Gerard," he said.

Gerard simply stayed silent.

Suddenly the door burst open and Beth strode in. She had a bag with the Taking Back Sunday logo on it, and Mikey assumed she had been at their trailer buying merch.

"So," she said, putting the bags down and rubbing her eyes."Where's Gee?" As she said the last words, she looked up. The look on her face went from curious to worried as she took in the sight of them all gathered around Gerard.

"What's going on?" she asked."Is Gerard alright?" She looked at him intently. Mikey thought she was probably the best, prettiest, most caring and understanding girlfriend that Gerard, hell, any guy could hope for. Gee, Mikey, Frank, Bob, Ray, and Beth had been friends since the third grade, when they saved her from a big kid on the playground.

"Well, Bethy," Mikey said."Gerard here is sober. And he's gonna stay that way."

She put her hands over her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.

"Thank you, God," she whispered."Thank you." She opened her eyes and hugged Gerard. She kissed him passionately, causing Mikey to blush and the rest of the guys to release several ahems.

"So this'll be your first show sober," she said thoughtfully."It'll be your best yet."

Gerard looked at her doubtfully, his hand still rubbing his forehead as he winced.

"You'll do amazing," Beth told him simply.

There was a sudden buzzing noise, and Mikey jumped as his phone vibrated in his back pocket. Everyone giggled quietly at his reaction, and he flipped open his phone. His cell had already quit going off, but his mother had called.

"Who was that?" Gerard asked as Mikey shut his phone and put it back in his pocket.

"Mom," he said."But she'll call back."

As if on cue, Gerard's phone rang, his ringtone being the Misfits' "Astro Zombies".

"Hello?" he asked."Mom? Yeah, this is Gerard-"

He listened for a moment, and furrowed his brow.

"Well, is she alright?" he asked shakily.

Silence.

"Oh," he said, his voice trembling even more."Oh, no. No way in hell!" Beth put a hand on his arm, and he wrenched it away. She looked at him, hurt.

"No! No, you're . . .you're lying!" he suddenly dropped the phone. Mikey picked it up.

"Mom?" he asked breathlessly.

"Mikey?" his mother's voice asked on the other side of the line. He could tell she had been crying.

"What's wrong?"

"Is Gerard alright?" she asked, ignoring the question.

"Mom," he said, gritting his teeth."What's wrong?"

"It's Grandma, honey," she told him, starting to sob."She died a few hours ago."

His head spun. No, he thought.Things are good. This can't be happening. Please don't let this be happening.

"No," he said, beginning to cry. Beth watched as his face contorted with pain. She was still holding onto Gerard, who was sobbing loudly.

"Yes, sweetie," she said."Grandma Elena is gone."

Mikey tore the phone from his ear and heaved it at the side of the bus. It flew through the window with a crash.

He put his face in his hands and began to sob along with his brother.

"What is it?" Frank asked, his voice on the edge of panic.

"G-G-G-Grandma!" Mikey wailed. Tears began to slip down the cheeks of Ray and Frank, and Bob kept a silent, solemn vigil by the door. Beth joined in with he and Gerard, them becoming a trio of weeping grandchildren. Their grandmother had considered Beth a grandchild, because she had lived with them for years. Her mother had always been gallivanting around town, whoring around, not bothering to check on Beth. Their grandmother had taught Gerard everything about singing and drawing. She had been a fantastic dancer in her earlier years. She had been a major influence on the whole band as well, seeing as how she and their grandfather had bought their first van to tour in.

Gerard stood, leaving Beth and Mikey to look up at him curiously. He stalked over to his bunk, pulling out a duffel bag. There was the chink of glass and Gerard pulled out a bottle of straight liquor.

Mikey watched as his brother half-opened the door to the rather large(for being mobile and all)bathroom at the back of the bus. Beth stood and ran to him, and Mikey followed suit. Beth began to pound on his back, pleading with him. He just stood still.

"Leave me alone," Gerard said, his voice hitching, not turning around to look at their faces. He half-lifted the bottle of liquor and said,"Damn it. Just . . .just leave me alone."

Gerard slowly walked into the room and shut the door.

Then everyone was wailing, all except for the quiet, broken man behind the bathroom door, who was chugging the very substance he had sworn only half-an-hour ago against touching ever again.