Monster Mash

As the girl floated back into consciousness, she felt a hand on her forehead and another holding her own hand. Her eyes fluttered open, and when she could finally focus her eyes properly, the scene before her was amazing! She was in a dressing room with My chemical Romance!

“Hey!” whispered Mikey, who had his hand on her head. “She’s waking up!”

Gerard, who had been holding her hand, jumped up and looked at her. “Hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

For just a moment, the girl couldn’t speak. Then she finally managed to stutter, “I - I think so. What happened?”

Ray walked over and gave her a sweet smile. “You got a nasty bump on the head. Does it hurt?”

She blinked a few times and suddenly the pain in her head came rushing at her. She flinched and nodded.

Ray got up and walked over to a little table. He brought her two Tylenol tablets and placed them in her hand. Then he went to a little refrigerator in the corner of the room and took out a bottle of water. He handed her the bottle and said, “Take these. You’ll feel better in a little while.” Mikey gave her a sympathetic smile.

She took the tablets and, closing her eyes, laid back on the sofa that she was stretched out on. She felt someone squeeze her hand gently. Then she felt a hand being pressed against her forehead. The rings the person was wearing were cold against her hot skin. Then a voice, Gerard’s perhaps, or maybe Bob’s, whispered, “Hey, guys, I think she’s got a fever.”

“Well,” said Ray’s voice. “Let her rest for a little bit, we’ll take her temperature later.”

And then the girl drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

When she woke up later, she heard people shuffling about around her. She heard Gerard say softly, “What about her?”

“Well,” she heard Frank say, “I guess we’ll have to take her with us.”

“Yeah,” said Bob. “I guess that’s all we can do right now.”

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted up into someone’s arms. She opened her eyes a little bit and saw Ray with a worried expression on his face, carrying her somewhere.

She then saw that she was being carried to MCR's tour bus! Ray carried her up the steps and into the bus.

“Let her sleep in my bunk.” she heard Gerard say. Then she felt herself being set down on a soft mattress. She opened her eyes and saw Ray pulling a blanket up around her. He glanced at her face and saw that she was awake.

He smiled and said, “Hi. Glad to see you’re up.” Mikey and Bob came up beside Ray and stood beside Gerard's bunk.

“Are you hungry or thirsty?” Mikey asked.

“Well,” she said. “I’m a little thirsty.”

Bob smiled. “Okay, what would you like? Soda or something?”

“Um, could I just have some water, please?” she asked shyly.

“Of course!” Ray said cheerfully, and with that, Bob left to get her some water.

Gerard and Frank walked up to the bunk after Bob left and Gerard said, “In case you don’t know us, I’m Gerard, and this is Frank, Ray, Mikey, and that dude that just walked off is Bob. Now, what’s your name?”

“Um…” For a moment her mind was a blank. “Um, my name is……Kori…”

“Kori?” repeated Frank. “That’s a pretty name.”

Kori blushed. “Thank you.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kori.” said Mikey. Kori blushed even more.

“You know,” Gerard murmured thoughtfully. “You sort of remind me of my cousin.”

Not knowing what to say to that, Kori asked, “What exactly is going on? What happened?”

“Well, we were just finishing up our concert, you were in one of the first few rows, I think-“ Frank began.

“We were right in the middle of 'Give 'Em Hell, Kid.' ” Bob cut in, handing her the water.

“Right,” Frank said. “And then something from the lighting fell and hit you on the head! You were out cold, and everybody was screaming because they thought you were dead.”

Ray grinned. “And Nikey, being the sweet guy that he is, bolted off the stage and rushed over to you to see if you were okay. He didn’t even care if he got creamed by about a dozen screaming fans.” Mikey blushed at that.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” he said, a bit shyly.

“And then Mikey lifts you up and carries you back into the dressing room, and got one of our bodyguards to watch you until we ended the concert."

By now, Mikey was beet red from blushing. “Can I help it if I wanted to make sure she was taken good care of?” he said, smiling at her.

They all grinned at their friend then turned to look at Kori. Her face was just as flushed as Mikey's, but it wasn’t from blushing.

The minute he saw how red her cheeks were, Gerard ran to get a thermometer. He stuck it in her mouth and stood there watching her while Mikey felt her forehead. The thermometer beeped, signaling that it was done taking her temperature. Ray took it out of her mouth and looked at the numbers on it.

“Well,” he said. “You’ve got a temperature of 100 degrees. Is your normal temperature around 98 degrees?”

“I think so.” she nodded wearily.

“Okay,” Ray said. “Just lay down and try to get some sleep for now.” And to Kori’s delight, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. Then he left the room.

Bob gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then followed Ray.

“Hope you feel better soon,” Gerard said as he and Frank left.

“Hey,” Mikey said softly. “Would you like me to stay in here with you, in case you wake up and need something?” He looked worried.

Kori blushed slightly. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

Mikey smiled. “Okay. I’ve been wanting to do some reading, anyway,” he said, hopping into his own bunk and pulling a book out from under his pillow.

Kori took a sip of her water and settled back into Gerard's bunk, falling asleep in seconds.

When she woke up later, it was completely dark in the bunkroom. She heard the door squeak open and saw a tiny sliver of light.

“Hey, Mikey?” She heard Ray’s voice. “You awake?”

“Uh huh,” was Mikey’s reply.

“How’s she doing?”

“I don’t know. I think she’s still asleep. I haven’t heard a sound out of her.”

“Good. Maybe she’ll sleep through that signing we’re supposed to do at that mall in about an hour.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Mikey paused. “What are we going to do about getting her home? She’s got no identification or anything!”

“Well, Mikey, I’m sure she’ll be able to tell us where she lives.”

“I don’t know, Ray. I’ve heard that injuries like that can cause temporary or even permanent amnesia! What if she can’t remember anything?”

There was a pause as Ray thought about what his friend had just said. “I don’t know, Mikey. I don’t know.” With that, Ray closed the door and all was silent.

Kori thought about what she had just heard. Did she have amnesia? She tried to think of what had happened before waking up in MCR's dressing room. Everything was blurry. She remembered the time her mother had yelled at her for breaking a vase when she was six years old. She remembered when her little brother had fallen off his bike and she had comforted him and cleaned his scraped knees. She remembered the many times her older brother had teased her about different things. She remembered when her parents had given her My Chemical Romance concert tickets for her seventeenth birthday. The concert she had been so excited about. And look where it had gotten her.

That’s right! she realized. Look where it’s gotten me! I’m inside MCR's tour bus, sleeping in Gerard Way's bunk, with Mikey Way in the bunk next to mine!

She smiled to herself. Other than the fever, this was turning out to be a great birthday after all. After her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she began to wonder what time it was.

“Mikey?” she called out softly.

She heard him scramble out of his bunk and come over to hers. “Yes?”

“What time is it?”

“Uh, about seven AM.”

“SEVEN AM?” Kori cried out. “What time did I go to sleep?”

“About 11:30 last night. I guess you slept the whole night through. About fifteen minutes after you went to sleep, the others went to bed too. They got up at six o’clock this morning.” Mikey said, smiling at her.

She thought about that. Wait! she thought. I was in Gerard’s bunk all night! Where did poor Gerard sleep?

“Uh, since I’m in Gerard's bunk,” she said, a bit sheepishly. “Where did he sleep?”

“Oh, he slept in our little TV room,” answered Mikey.

“Poor Gerard,” Kori murmured.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Mikey assured her. “He doesn’t mind. He said he’d much rather you sleep in his bunk if it makes you more comfortable.”

“Are you sure?” she asked worriedly.

He nodded. “Of course. That reminds me, we need to take your temperature again.” He placed his hand on her forehead. “You feel a little cooler. I’ll go ask Gerard where the thermometer is.”

He stood up and walked to the door. “Do you want me to turn on the light?”

Kori nodded. “Yes, please.”

Mikey opened the door and flicked on the light. Kori had to blink a few times to adjust your eyes.

When Mikey returned, he not only had the thermometer, he also had the rest of the guys following him.

“Hey!” said Frank cheerfully. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you,” Kori said shyly.

“Are you hungry or anything?” asked Bob.

“Well,” Ray said. “First let’s take your temperature.” He took the thermometer from Mikey and stuck it in Kori’s mouth. In a few minutes it beeped and he checked the numbers.

“Good,” he said. “It’s back down to 98 degrees. Do you think you feel well enough to go with us to the mall for an autograph session?” The guys smiled at her, and she felt very excited to be getting such special treatment from My Chemical Romance.

And although Ray had always been her favorite, she realized that she was developing a major crush on Mikey. He was so sweet and kind to her – they all were – and he seemed genuinely worried about her.

Not that the others didn’t, but they was just something special she felt between herself and Mikey.

When she turned her attention back to the guys, she realized Frank had asked her a question.

“Pardon?” she asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Do you want to borrow one of our shirts or something so you don’t have to wear what you slept in?” he repeated.

Of course she would! The thought of wearing the clothing of someone from MCR made her giddy with excitement. But all she said was, “Yes, please.”

“Well,” said Frank. “Since you and I are the closest to the same height, you can wear something of mine.” He went over to a dresser and shuffled through one of the drawers.

“How’s this?” he asked, holding up a black T-shirt.

“That’s great!” she said, and he just grinned at her.

“Uh, I guess we’ll leave you alone so you can change.” Bob said uncomfortably. He and the others guys quickly exited, leaving Kori to herself.

She quickly changed her shirt. She was glad that she had worn her plain denim jeans, and nothing really fancy. After she changed she ran her fingers through her long brown hair, making it look just a little less disheveled. She pulled a hair band out of her pocket (which she had conveniently placed there the day before) and rapidly French-braided her hair. When she finished, she opened the door, took a deep breath, and went out to find the guys.

She walked into the TV room that Mikey had mentioned before, and when he saw her, Mikey stood up, looking a bit worried.

“You feeling alright?” he asked.

She nodded. “I feel fine.”

“Good.” Mikey breathed a sigh of relief and gave her a sweet smile.

“Wow,” Frank murmured. “She looks better in my shirt than I do!”

Kori blushed. “Thanks,” she said softly.

“You’re right, frank,” Bob said jokingly. “She looks a lot better in your shirt than you do!” Everyone laughed at that.

Kori felt a little more comfortable after that. She was a little nervous, and felt very shy.

Gerard walked over to her and swung his arm around her shoulders. She blushed, and when Mikey saw that, he smiled and said, “Gee, I think you’re embarrassing her.”

Gerard grinned, made a hideous face and said, “Now why on Earth would I want to embarrass her?”

Kori giggled a bit. Gerard looked at her and laughed. That got the rest of them laughing.

They left the bus, still laughing, and climbed into the sleek, black limousine waiting for them outside. When Kori entered, the driver turned and looked questioningly at Ray.

Ray grinned. “It’s okay, she’s with us.”

Bob snickered at that. “ ‘She’s with us’? Damn, Ray, that was corny!”

Ray laughed. “I know, I know, I couldn’t help saying it!”

The others laughed and Kori saw that Mikey was sitting next to her. She began to blush when she saw him and couldn’t keep an embarrassed grin off her face.

Gerard turned the radio on and found an oldies station that was playing a Beatles song. He turned the volume up so that it was blaring. Frank immediately began to sing at the top of his lungs, a bit off-key, Kori thought.

“SHE LOVES YOU, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH! SHE LOVES YOU, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!” he yelled. He threw his head from side to side, his hair whacking Ray in the face. Ray blinked once, then he and Gerard began to do the same as Frank. Mikey and Kori laughed as they watched them, and Justin just sat there, looking at them as if they were all lunatics.

“Don’t we sing beautifully, Kori?” Ray exclaimed.

Kori just laughed and said, “You guys are crazy!”

“Thank you!” shouted Gerard, and Bob burst out laughing at that.

Frank rolled the window down, stuck his head out, and screamed, “SHE THINKS WE’RE CRAZY!”

The others laughed, and Kori turned to catch a glimpse of Mikey, and found herself staring straight into his brown eyes – and him staring back into her green ones!

She quickly turned back and began to blush. Oh, my God!she thought. He’s looking at me!

Just then, Bob, who was sitting on her left, put his arm around her and whispered into her ear, “Don’t worry, they’re not always like this, they’re just showing off.” He grinned at her and she smiled back.

Moments later, they pulled up to the mall. As they climbed out of the limo, Mikey leaned over to her and said softly, “Stick close to me, okay?”

She held back an excited smile and replied, “Okay.”

And then, to her surprise, he slipped his hand into hers and smiled at her. Kori was in heaven.

When they entered the mall, Kori was overwhelmed by the dozens of screaming fans. She felt Mikey squeeze her hand. She looked at him and they smiled at each other.

For the first half-hour, everything was pretty boring. Kori sat between Mikey and Gerard. She watched all of the excited girls as they lined up to have their pictures, posters, and CDs autographed by My Chemical Romance. As she watched the girls walk away one by one, she realized how lucky she was. She got to sleep in MCR's tour bus. She had become friends with the guys. AND MIKEY WAY HAD HELD HER HAND!

She looked at Mikey and he gave her a sympathetic smile. Her heart began to pound rapidly. I wonder if he feels the same way about me as I do him, she thought.

At the same moment, Mikey’s heart was beating just as wildly. Oh, God, I hope she likes me!he thought. It didn’t even matter that she was two years younger than him. Mikey had a feeling he was falling in love.

About ten minutes later, Mikey had finally built up the courage to try to put his arm around her and tell her how he felt. The minute he was about to, Ray, who was sitting on his other side, accidentally rammed his elbow into Mikey’s chest.

“Ow!” Mikey yelped.

Kori gasped. “Are you all right? What happened?”

“Oh, jeez!” Ray cried. “Are you okay? I’m sorry!”

Mikey rubbed his chest. “That’s okay, I didn’t need to breathe at that moment.” he said sarcastically.

“I’m really sorry,” Ray said, trying not to smile. “You okay?”

Mikey nodded. “I’m fine.”

“What happened?” asked Frank, who was sitting beside Gerard.

“Oh, nothing,” Gerard said dryly. “Ray’s arm just collided with Mikey’s chest and knocked the wind out of him, nothing important.”

“Oh, okay.” Frank said, grinning and turning back to the girl he was signing an autograph for.

Mikey was still rubbing his chest. “Man, that hurt,” he grumbled. “You got me right in the ribs!”

“I’m sorry, man,” Ray said, snickering a bit. “I really didn’t mean to.”

Mikey just grumbled as the rest of them snickered. After a few seconds, though, even he couldn’t hold back a smile. He rubbed his chest a little more where Ray’s elbow had poked him. He glanced over at Kori and saw her grinning at him, and his heart skipped a beat. He grinned back, and felt extremely good about himself throughout the rest of the day, though he had totally lost the nerve to tell her how he felt about her.