FicWad

Monica was trying to decide just how a guy who was dead suddenly had reappeared looking quite fit. The answer was he wasn't himself but now an evil twin. She shook her head in wonder, miss a soap for a few months and all kinds of things happen. Turning off the TV she sat back down then happened to glance over at the bookshelf against the wall. Walking over she spotted a photo album, pulled it out and took it back to the sofa. The pages were full of wonderful photos of the little Way brothers. They had been so adorable and even looked a bit alike. In some of the photos she had to carefully remove them to look at the back to identify which brother was in the photo. The photo of a teenage Gerard and his grandma Elena touched her. The love they felt for each other had been captured through the magic of photography for all time. She had just closed the album when she heard Gerard come in.
"Hi honey, how are you feeling today?" he asked walking over and taking a seat next to her on the sofa.
Instead of answering she leaned over and captured his lips for a long, hungry kiss. They were both breathless when they parted, "Hell, I guess that means you're feeing pretty good." Gerard laughed.
"Gee I'm so sorry about last night. I feel horrible about what I said to you." She looked down at her hands, "I lost my temper and I'm so sorry."
He gently pushed her hair from her eyes, "Honey, it's OK. It was stupid of me to give Bob permission to take Kara to Chicago without taking it over with you. Let's just forget it."
She looked up at him and smiled, "So where have you been?"
He had dropped a folder of papers on the table by the sofa and reached over to grab them, "Well I've been at the real estate office closing the deal on our house. I just need your signature on a few papers then I'll take them back and it will be a done deal. The house will be officially ours."
Monica was excited, "Oh, Gee that's wonderful." She watched as he opened the folder and showed her the lines she needed to sign. Monica read over the contract. "Gee, the house is in both our names?"
He looked surprised, "Well for sure, it's our house."
Then she saw the actual selling price, "Good Lord, Gee that is much higher than the original asking price."
He grinned, "Yeah, I told Carla that I didn't care how much we had to offer we wanted the house."
"But it's so much" she stated at the amount shaking her head." Too much."
Gerard looked at her and smiled, "Honey, it's not like I'm poor."
"But it's your money, I'm not contributing anything. I just don't want to think you are spending this much money because you think you have to."
He took the papers from her and set them on the table, then took her hands in his. "Monica right after the accident when your were laying in that fucking hospital bed I sat there and thought that there was nothing in this world that was more important to me than you. Not fame, not money, not music. Nothing. I was so fucking afraid that I would lose you. One of the only things that kept me from falling apart was convincing myself that you would be fine and that we would have our life together. I called Carla from your bedside and told her that I didn't care what it took that the house had to he ours. The thought of the house and the future we would have in it kept me going. This house is our future."
Monica closed her eyes, "I love you so much" was all she could say.
He grabbed up the folder again, "So no more talk about how much it costs just sign and I'll take the papers back to the office." He once more showed her where to sign and watched as she took the pen and signed her name. "Ok now rest up cause I've got to take these back and then I've got some important things to take care of."
"I can't go?" She was getting really bored sitting around the house. Even Kelly would be gone for the day shopping with her friends.
"No you have to rest up cause I'm taking you out for dinner tonight to celebrate our new house." He looked around, "Isn't mom here?"
"Nope she left a note that she would be gone for the day."
He frowned, "She's gone all the time anymore. I guess she didn't say where she was going?"
"No, but if I was guessing I would say she's with your dad." She smiled at him, "They see a lot of each other."
He stood and picked up the folder, "That's good, to tell you the truth I'm hoping dad moves back in once you and the girls are in our house."
"When can we move in?" Monica was starting to get excited about the prospect of moving into the house and making it their own.
"You still have to take it easy and I want you to promise me that when I'm gone you won't overdo."
She nodded, "I promise"
He started for the door when Monica remembered the phone call. "Gee, someone called for you earlier."
"Who?"
She frowned, "She wouldn't leave a message." she paused then met his eyes, "I think it was Liv"
"You know her voice?" he was surprised.
Monica signed, "Well I heard her talking to you at the Christmas Gala." she hated the memory, hated the words Liv had said to him.
His shoulders dropped, "Fuck, I never did ask how much of that you heard, quite a bit?"
"More than enough" she said, "I really think it was her."
"Yesterday in the car when you fell asleep I had a call from a private number. I'm sure it was her. She only said my name and then the call ended."
"What's going on? Why does she want to talk to you now?"
He shook his head, "I have no idea."
"Hello" Mikey's voice called out from the kitchen. He and Alicia had come in from the back door. "We've come to visit."
"Hey, bro" Gerard said, "I didn't know you were gonna stop by."
Monica noticed how pale Alicia looked; she smiled as she followed Mikey into the living room. "Are we interrupting?"
"I was just getting ready to take these back to the real estate office." Gerard said holding up the folder.
Mikey took advantage of the situation, "Hey I'll go with you and Alicia can stay and keep Monica company." He needed to talk to his brother alone.
Monica smiled, "I would love to have some company." She said to Alicia.
The brothers left and Alicia took a seat by Monica. "So how are you dong?" Monica asked her quietly.
Alicia smiled nervously, "I'm good."
It was obvious she wasn't. "Alicia, how are you really?" Monica was shocked when her future sister-in-law broke down in tears.
"Not so fucking good." She swiped at her tears, "One minute I think I'm OK then the next I'm crying. Shit, I just don't want to cry in front of Mikey. I don't want him to worry about me." She said sadly.
Monica reached out and took her hand, "Gee, told me some of what happened."
Alicia nodded, "Yeah, I was sure Mikey told him. I was so fucking scared. Not just cause the guy was gonna rape me but cause I was afraid Mikey would try to stop him. The guy was hopped up on something and he had that gun to Mikey's head" She shuddered at the memory.
"It's over, Alicia. Nothing bad happened. Try to forget it." Monica tried to reassure her.
"I know, that's what I keep telling myself. Mikey seems to he handling it so I should stop this but I can't. Last night a movie with Elvis came on and I broke down."
Monica was confused, "An Elvis movie" she repeated.
Alicia realized she didn't understand, "I had my wedding ring on a chain around my neck. Mikey and I didn't want anyone to know about our wedding so that's why I was wearing it on a chain. The guy saw it and yanked it off me."
Now Monica understood. "Oh Alicia, I'm so sorry."
Alicia nodded, "I know it was just a stupid ring and with all that I could have lost it's dumb to be upset with losing a ring."
"It's not just the ring, it's what it stands for." Monica said totally understanding Alicia's feelings.
Alicia sat up straighter, "I've got to cut this shit out. It's all over and Mikey and me are alive. I can't let this break me down. Mikey can't see me like this again." She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, "He's getting ready to leave on Monday and I don't want him to fucking be worried about me."
Monica looked over at her, "Be strong for Mikey but when you feel weak you can talk to me, OK?' Don't keep thing bottled up inside."
Alicia leaned over and hugged her, "Thanks, I'll remember that."
Monica had never seen Alicia look so fragile before and it worried her. She wondered how Mikey was really handling the situation.
They were almost to the real estate office before Mikey brought up the subject he needed to talk to his brother about. "Gee, I'm worried about Alicia. I know she's trying so hard to be strong and not to worry me but damn it she's messed up about the whole thing."
Gerard glanced away from the road, "I noticed how she looked."
Mikey nodded, "Yeah, well she's always taking care of me, being strong and shit." he paused, "Gee, I can't go to Europe, I've got to stay with my wife, she needs me."