My Favorite Part Was Dying

"Gee... Mikey is gone." Frank whispered, barely able to speak at all from shock and sadness.

Gerard just shook his head. He knew he shouldn't tell them but he needed to let it out somehow. Talking to his parents wasn't a choice, and Mrs. McKenna certainly wasn't an option. He steeled himself and began to explain.

"He visits -- " he paused, looking at the disbelieving faces of his friends, "I know how crazy this sounds. But I don't think I'm actually crazy. I mean, I don't even know any more. But he seems so real...." his voice faded. He looked down at his feet, unable to take looking at his friends again.

"He visits?" Bob asked slowly. Gerard nodded, still not looking at them.

Oh God. Why did I tell them? They think I'm absolutely insane. They're just gonna tell my parents and they'll lock me away. Gerard thought frantically.

"Gee, what do you mean?" Ray asked quietly.

"Never mind," Gerard murmured.

"But Gerard -- " Frank started to speak, then stopped, at a complete loss for words. Gerard finally looked up into the faces of his worried friends. They cared so much, but they couldn't help him.

"I'm not delusional.... I think."

"Well, that's the winning argument." Ray joked. Gerard felt the corners of his mouth lift slightly. It was the first time he had smiled without Mikey's ghost being there with him.

"We got a smile from him," Frank whispered excitedly. Gerard burst out laughing. they all did. And for a second it felt like everything was okay. Then reality came rushing back. Mikey wasn't there to laugh with them. And even if he was, nobody but Gerard would see him anyway.

The sweet laughter died away. Gerard's eyes filled with tears. Frank hopped up from the bed and hugged him. After a moment Gerard allowed himself to hug back. They stayed in the embrace for another minute at least before Frank finally released him. Gerard almost wanted to beg him not to let go, but he didn't.

"I know you guys don't believe me, and I don't blame you. But, please, don't tell anyone." Gerard implored them as Frank sat back down between Ray and Bob on the bed. Their expressions were unreadable. "Please," Gerard said again. After a moment of tense silence, Frank nodded, then Bob, then Ray. Gerard smiled weakly.

"Promise?" he asked.

"Promise," his friends said in unison. More than their words he saw the answer in their faces. Faces filled with honesty, loyalty, love. The four of them stood up and grabbed each other in one big hug. Bob chuckled slightly.

"If the jocks saw us hugging they'd beat the shit out of us. But then we'd just sic Gee on 'em. You seriously did a number on Andrews' nose." They all laughed again as they released each other.

"Gerard, you wanna get out of this room and hang out with us?" Ray asked.

Gerard nodded slowly. The four of them filed out of the bedroom. He said goodbye to his parents, both of whom looked incredibly happy that the "intervention" had yielded positive results.

* * *

The Bryar living room had been taken over by four laughing teenagers. Gerard and Frank sat on the soft carpet playing a video game while Bob and Ray played 'old-school' card games on the squashy old sofa, glancing up every once in a while to watch the screen as Frank and Gerard struggled not to get kidnapped by monsters.

Gerard paused the game and pulled a pizza box over to him. He grabbed a plain slice and handed Frank a veggie one.

"Hand over the box, bitch!" Bob said playfully. Gerard passed him the pizza box. Bob and Ray quickly grabbed slices for themselves and began scarfing them down. Gerard started up the game again, juggling the controller and pizza slice.

"Watch out!" Frank warned. "Come on, Gee. Bash him over the head with your club. He's gonna eat you otherwise. Defend yourself!"

"Eh, screw it," Gerard said as he dropped the controller (allowing his character to get devoured by a troll) and focused on his pizza. He felt like a normal teen again.

The first hour or so of spending time with the guys had been hard. But eventually, he was able to push thoughts of Mikey out of his head.

At least for a little while.