FicWad

Exactly two weeks latter Monica sat in the same spot in the kitchen talking to Donna. The two had formed a close relationship and the coffee they shared every morning was one of Monica's favorite times. Donna sat across from Monica and absently touched one of the roses from the large bouquet on the center of the table.
"Monica I don't mean to pry but this is the fourth bouquet of roses you have gotten. Why does Burt keep sending them? I sort of got the impression you and he weren't all that close."
Monica wondered how she should answer that one. No she and Bert were not that close. They weren't close at all. She had met him last week at the charity event she and Donna had attended. My Chemical Romance was supposed to perform but a last minute emergency had kept them from being there. Bert's band The Used had filled in. What happened between her and Bert had happened after she had danced with him. Oh boy this was not what she wanted to discuss with Donna. "Uh, I'm not sure" she hedged.
Donna's eyes narrowed slightly. "Keeping this from me already." She laughed lightly "I won't ask anymore questions but if he sends anymore I'm not sure where we will put them."
The phone rang and Donna picked up. After a few moments she returned to the table. "That was Renee. She and her friend Sara were supposed to come over, get my car and pick up the boys" Monica had met Renee several times. She was a cousin to the Way family.
Monica took a gulp of coffee trying not to dwell on the fact that "the boys" were Donna's sons Gerard and Mikey. She had sort of been dreading meeting them. Well not exactly them. She had spoken twice to Mikey on the phone when he had called to talk to him mom and he seemed very sweet. Gerard however was a different story. While she hadn't talked to him she knew he still grilled Donna about her often.
"She had car trouble and can't make it here. I would go get them myself but I have an eye appointment that I can't miss." She frowned sitting back down.
"I could pick them up for you. It's not like I am doing anything." Monica laughed. As of yet she still hadn't found a job and she was really starting to worry. Donna wouldn't even let her help with the cost of groceries until she did get a job so she really felt like she was taking advantage of her.
Donna always seemed to know what she was thinking. "You will find a job soon so stop the worrying. Now, are you sure you don't mind picking them up? They will be at Brian's and you will just be picking up Gerard, Mikey and Bob. I think the others have rides."
Brian Schechter, the manager for My Chemical Romance, was someone Monica had met and liked. Donna seemed to think she needed to meet everyone she knew and so Monica had met him and quite a few other people involved with the group. "I remember how to get there so it's no problem. I'll be happy to pick them up." Actually happy wasn't the word she would used, perhaps nervous would be better but she wasn't going to tell Donna that.
A half hour latter Monica was behind the wheel of Donna's car making her way through traffic. She and Donna had traded cars for the day because Donna wasn't going far to her appointment. Monica still didn't trust her car for long trips. Just another problem she would have to deal with latter. At least they didn't need to pick up at the airport the traffic for that would have been horrible. Monica tried to quiet her nerves but it wasn't easy. She kept telling herself just to think of these guys as Donna's sons not as rock celebrities. Yea that was easier said than done.
She pulled up outside Brian's and had no time to be nervous. Out came Mikey and Bob followed by Gerard and Ray. She popped the trunk from inside the car and watched them put their bags in then slam the lid back down. Bob got in front with her while the others got in the back.
Mikey spoke first. "Mom called and said Renee and Sara would pick us up but then she called back and said Renee's car broke down and she had to stay with it. She said not to worry we would be picked up"
Monica smiled at him "Couldn't leave you stranded. Your mom was been looking forward to seeing you guys so much"
"It's not a problem dropping me off is it?" Ray asked leaning up towards the front seat.
"No problem at all. I just need to know where everyone is going and I'll be the perfect chauffeur." Ray said thanks and sat back to talk with Gerard and Mikey. Bob gave her directions to Ray's apartment.
Monica tried to keep her mind on the road but Gerard's voice cut through her thoughts. "I just want to figure out who this woman is and why she is living at Mom's"
Oh crap, Monica realized that they didn't know who she was. They assumed she was Renee's friend. She needed to tell them but before she could Gerard spoke again.
"To listen to mom this Monica is almost a saint. She is loved by all who meet her." He actually snorted. "Lets face it they met in the grocery store. Mom noticed her because she was wearing our band hoodie. Who knows who she really is."
"Gerard, mom is a pretty good judge of character" Mikey put in.
"Mikey, mom is like you. You are too trusting." Gerard answered. "I just find it strange that a middle-age woman with two kids is living in my old bedroom and mom doesn't even really know anything about her other than she is a fan".
Monica flinched at his words. Hell, now what to do? She cleared her throat and started to speak when a cell phone rang. It was Gerard's.
"Hey Brian, did we forget something?" He asked then listened. Monica watched Gerard in the mirror attached to the sun visor. A strange look came over his face and he looked into the mirror to meet her gaze.
"Long brown hair," he said into the phone.
Monica caught her breath. He was describing her to Brian. Donna must have told Brian that she would be picking them up. Hells Bells, this wasn't good at all.
She glanced from traffic to the mirror again. Now Gerard just looked pissed. He listened a few more minutes then said; "yea man thanks for telling me" then closed his phone.
Well, time to come clean. She looked at him through the mirror and smiled. "Hey Gerard, I'm the woman sleeping in your old bed"
Ray, Mikey and Bob all turned to stare at her. Gerard never looked away but continued to glare. "Did you think that just maybe you should have said something? You know, tell us who you were?"
She could tell by his tone he was very angry. Well she wasn't too happy with him either. Mikey spoke before she could.
"You're Monica?"
"Yep, that's me, nice to meet you in person Mikey"
"Wow" Ray chimed in. Gerard still was sending death looks.
"And just why is it you didn't tell us who you were? " he asked again.
Monica spoke while watching the cars in front of her. Definitely wouldn't help matters if she totaled Donna's car. "I was going to" she was cut off by Gerard
"What? Didn't have time?"
Now Monica was loosing her temper "Excuse me but just when should I have jumped in with the info? Maybe when you were discussing how I'm a "saint" or perhaps when you were talking about how I was a fan like that was a horrible thing?"
Mikey coughed uncomfortably "That's not what he meant Monica. Gerard loves our fans"
Anger still made her speak "Perhaps you would trust me more if I told you I thought your music sucked"
Ray snickered and Bob looked shocked. Mikey just looked upset. Monica could swear Gerard didn't blink. His tone was low "I love our fans"
"What just not middle age ones?" she shot back.
"You aren't middle-aged" Bob spoke looking over at Monica.
"Well according to Mr. Way back there I am" She looked over at Bob and tried to smile. "I'm 35"
"Not that much older than you Gerard" Mikey said looking at his brother.
"This is my street" Ray cut in. He directed the car to his apartment. "Thanks for the ride Monica and nice meeting you" He seemed happy to get out of the tension in the car.
Once they were underway again Mikey gave her directions to his apartment. The ride was quiet and thankfully short. The sooner Monica could get out of this car the better she thought.
Mikey and Bob both got out quickly and grabbed their stuff out of the trunk. Bob was staying with Mikey not having time to go home to Chicago. They both told Monica it was nice to meet her and Mikey even gave her hand a quick squeeze. "Tell mom we will be over for dinner tonight." He reminded Monica.
As they walked up the steps of the apartment building Monica looked to the backseat. Gerard was still sitting there with a scowl on his face. His attitude was really getting to her. "Are you going to come up her?"
He looked at her "I'm fine" was his short reply.
"Well this isn't "Driving Miss Daisy" I'm not your hired driver. Either you come up her and sit or you can drive. If my presence bothers you that much I will sit in the back and you can drive me around"
He sat without moving for a moment then got out and slid into the passenger seat. He slammed the door and bit more than necessary. Monica rolled her eyes but said nothing. The drive to Donna's was silent until they pulled into the driveway.
"You should have told me who you were" he just wouldn't let it go "You are living with my mother, staying in my old room. I have every right to be curious"
Monica walked towards the backdoor " If you would like the girls and I can move into a motel"
"Oh yea mom would really be pissed at me then" he answered. Suddenly he asked "Is all my stuff still in the room"?
Monica was surprised by his question. "Well yea, I guess. Donna put some cots in for my daughter but the room is full of stuff, drawings, papers" He frowned again. "We haven't hurt anything. Hell, we haven't search through your stuff if that's were this is going "
"That's not what I said" they had reached the door.
Donna threw it open and hugged her son. Monica moved pass them and started downstairs.
"Monica would you like some fresh coffee?" Donna asked watching her.
"No thanks" she answered still walking. "You and Gerard need some time alone to catch up" She has almost reached the stairs "I'll just go on down to the Gerard Way Memorial Shrine" The sarcasm in her tone was undeniable.
Gerard glared and Donna stared at Monica. She turned to her son "What did you say to her?" she demanded.