FicWad

"I'm still a little sketchy about this, Steph. I mean, a fan?"

"She was a fan Ali. Now she's one of us. And if Frankie's happy with her, so am I."

"Well that's only because you've conquered your morning sickness this month. Anything could make you happy at this point." Alicia teased.

"Ha.Ha. Fun-ny. But seriously, let's give her a chance. She seems really sweet. And that's why I invited her along today..." Stephanie awaited Alicia's protest, and was shocked when she replied, "Cool."

The ladies made a pit stop to Simone's, where she was waiting for them on the front stoop."Hi guys. Thanks for inviting me out with you. It means alot. I know the way we met wasn't at all very flattering..."

"Don't worry about it. We love Frank. And you seem to make him happy, which is what matters, so you're alright with us. Alicia said and smiled warmly at the guitarist's new girlfriend as she got comforatable in the back seat.

"Now that that's settled. Let's do some shopping!" Steph grinned.

The ladies headed over to CherryHill Mall for a serious shopping spree (Yesh, that is a real mall in New Jersey..now if I only could tell you where exactly...lol). The first stop was to the Mimi Maternity up on the second floor.

After alot of browsing, and turning up her nose, Steph finally held up a pair of low rise stretchy jeans.

Alicia nodded her head in approval. "Cute. You can't even tell they're prego pants." Steph pouted.

"You're ever so full of jokes today aren't you Ms. Simmons?"

"I think the pants are adorable Stephanie." Simone commented, looking through a rack of tunic blouses.

"Thank you Simone. At least someone is being sympathetic." She tossed Alicia a wink and smile.

"I was! I totally wasn't being funny!" Alicia replied, laughing.

The girls continued to plunder through the store, picking out various items for Steph to try on. Simone lost it when Alicia showed her the nursing bras, the ones with the little pull away cups. All the fun and games came to a stand still soon after though as Stephanie just broke into tears.

"Oh my God." Stephanie whispered, slumping against the wall next to the dressing rooms and letting her body drop to the floor.

"Steph?! Alicia! Come're!" Simone called, and rushed to Stephanie's side.

"Whats the matter Hun?" Simone asked her, trying to see into Steph's eyes. Her question remained unanswered as Stephanie continued to bawl. Alicia made her way over to help.

"What happened?" She asked Simone.

"I dunno. She was checking out the nightgowns and then I see her slumping to the floor."

Alicia, who was trying to remain calm, took Steph's hand. "Steph? Sweetie? Tell me what's wrong so that I can help."

"I just love him so much Ali. And what if what my mother says is true? I mean, what if the band means more to him than I do?" Steph sobbed back.

"That's not true Stephie...He loves you. I know he does."

"Then why is he still keeping me a secret? Keeping US a secret?" She gestured towards her slightly protruding belly. Tears fell freely from her eyes, and she didn't even bother to wipe them. Alicia's heart was breaking at seeing the effect her future brother-in-law was having on the mother of his child.While

Simone sat back on her knees, now utterly confused by the conversation, and Alicia rubbed Steph's back as she cried on her shoulder.

"Ali. I wanna talk to Mikey...pleaase, can you get Mikey on for me?"

The dark haired girl complied, and pushed the speed dial button to her fiance's phone.

"Hey babe. Steph wants to speak to you. Ok, yeah. Love you too." Alicia spoke quietly before handing Stephanie the cell phone.

"Here you go sweetie."

Stephanie suddenly tried to pull herself together a little and stood. "I'm-I'm going to be ok. Just give me a minute guys." Simone pulled Alicia further away as Stephanie walked into one of the dressing rooms alone. "What was that?" She asked.

Alicia shrugged. "Hormones, I'd say, if I had to guess."

"No. You know what I mean. Please Alicia. Don't hide this from me. I don't understand." Simone pleaded. "Fine. But you let Steph talk to you about it on her own got it? Don't go bringing it up. It's a touchy subject...."She paused and Simone nodded in agreement.

"Stephanie is...in a relationship with someone in the band. Her brother forbid her in the past from doing so, and so she, and the guy, are terrified to tell him. Not many people know about it. It's been a secret for months and months now and it's taking it's toll on both of them. But Steph especially..."

"Who...wh-who is it?" Simone said in an barely audible rasp.


Over in London...

Mikey clicked his cell phone shut and trudged over to his brother's posh hotel room, knocking twice. Gerard answered in an old t-shirt and sweats without saying a word until he was back to lying across his bed.

"Can I help you Michael?" Gerard teased. Usually Mikey would have cursed his brother, or gave him a playful punch for his use of his first name, but not this time.

"It's Steph. She's really upset right now. Her, Ali and Simone were shopping and She broke down inside the maternity clothing store. Crying, shaking, the whole nine. Even locked herself in the dressing room and wouldn't come out until she talked to me."

Gerard looked shocked, and sat up in bed. "What?" He muttered. And certainly wondering why she reached out to Mikey and not him in the first place.

"Yeah, maybe you should call her or something." Mikey added while his brother stared at his as though he'd grown two more heads.

"Why the hell didn't she call me Mikey?" Gerard asked. Mikey shook his head. "I don't know..." Sighing, Gerard stood and began to pace, the familiar crease rising in his forehead. He grabbed the phone on the stand beside the bed, as Mikey took a seat on the edge, fiddling with the remote. "Better yet, maybe you should just let her be for a while...Give her a call once you think she's settled down?" He told his brother, now getting more comfortable on his bed.

Gerard set the phone back into the cradle. "I'll take your advice this time. But only because you talked with her. You seem too calm for something to be terribly wrong."

Mikey grunted his response, eyes never leaving the screen. Gerard then joined Mikey in watching the television show he'd become entranced with, but he couldn't stop worrying.


Later, Mikey awoke to find his brother sitting in one of the chairs in the corner.

"Gee, I told you not to worry. Stephie is fine." He tried to reassure him after wiping his face and letting out a yawn.

"Yeah, but something is wrong. Mike. I can feel it. Even after I called her phone and Alicia answered. She told me not to worry, Steph was resting and she would take care of her, but I still feel like something is totally wrong..." Gerard shook his head. Mikey could tell he was really struggling to figure this thing out. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted before he began by the loud knocking,...no pounding on the outside of Gerard's room door.

"What the fuck?" Gerard said aloud. He crossed the room and unhooked the latch, as Mikey climbed out of bed to follow. The next thing he knew, the door flew open, there was a flailing of arms, and he was assisting his older brother up off the floor.



gasp! who could that be???

Oh yeah, Lady Venom you were right about the name. The other is Ray's. lol.