Follow Your Bliss

I opened my eyes slowly thankful that there was only one small window letting light through for my eyes to adjust to. I smiled at how I was back up against the cool wall with Gerard's leg still over mine and his arm still draped over my waist.

I kissed his scruffy cheek, but Gerard continued to sleep. I slipped carefully out of his grasp and steadied myself after I was almost taken down by tripping over the dogs. I stole a clean pair of Gerard's boxers and slipped them over my underwear.

I tied back my hair in a loose pony tail and put on my glasses not wanting to deal with the hassle of sticking my contacts in. I quietly opened the squeaky door and made my way upstairs to let the dogs out on the small patch of grass next to the garage.

I smiled at Linda wearing a baggy sweatshirt over her pajamas holding two cups of steaming coffee. She handed one over to me, "You are my favorite person right now."

She chuckled, "Not a morning person I take it."

"I used to be, but it's been a long time since I've been up, not for work, this early in the morning." I admitted smiling sheepishly and brushed my bangs out of my eyes.

"I love it because it's the only time you'll ever find it quiet in Jersey, especially in this household." She mused.

"It was the same in my house too." I chuckled. "When I was the morning person of course."

"Of course." Linda laughed and bent down to pet Logan who was begging her for some attention. She looked up at me and grinned, "So how about some photo albums with that coffee, like I promised?"

"That wound be awesome." I grinned devilishly excited to get the scoop of Gerard's baby pictures. I followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table where she gestured while she went and quietly got two photo albums from the living room where everyone was still passed out.

Gerard woke up feeling out of place in his old room. He had gotten too used to sharing Ray's apartment or sleeping over at mine. He rubbed his eyes adjusting to the annoying light that seeped through the curtain.

He paused and took his free hand patting the mattress beside him and looked over confused by the empty space. Gerard threw the comforter off and swung his legs over the side stretching. He scratched the back of his head, scrunching his toes into the carpet as he made his way up the old wooden stairs that held so many memories from his adolescence years.

Gerard smiled reaching the top of the stairs hearing that chime of a laugh that he has grown so attached to. He chuckled seeing his friends and their other half's curled up or sprawled out in random places in the living room.

"No way." He heard me exclaim before busting into laughter.

"Yeah, well," Linda sighed at the picture of the first haircut she had given her son. "If he hadn't squirmed, he wouldn't have had that bald spot or lost so many of those beautiful locks. And now look at the platinum hair he has now."

"Aww, I don't think it looks so bad on him." Gerard smiled hearing me defend him. "It makes him look like a little kid. He manages to pull it off anyway."

"You're such a sucker." Linda teased me.

I took a sip of my coffee and bit the corner of my lip, "I am aren't I?" I laughed.

Gerard leaned on the doorframe, like last night, watching unnoticed. He smiled at how I looked morning fresh in just his boxers and my shirt with loose messy hair and the thin brown rimmed glasses perched on my nose.

"So did it ever grow back Gee?" I smirked looking into his hazel eyes.

"Eventually." He scowled at his mom.

"What are you complaining about then?" Linda rolled her eyes at him.

"It traumatizes a kid you know." He winked at me and hugged me from behind placing a kiss on my head sitting next to me. He grabbed my mug of coffee and took a sip for himself.

"Yeah right." She scoffed. "There were worse things growing up here that traumatized you."

"Eh, nothing too permanent." He smirked. "Ma, what's for breakfast?"

"You have two hands, go get off your lazy ass and make something yourself." She waved him off.

"Yeah, and while your at Gee, make me a sandwich too!" Frank shouted from the living room followed by groans complaining about being woken up.

"Us too Gerard." Alicia yelled next.

"What about you two?" Gerard sighed.

"Yeah, I could you use something." I grinned and pecked his lips.

"Alright, sugar." He said with a lopsided smile and kissed my forehead.

I grinned looking up at him and bit my lower lip as he stood up towering over me. Linda held a ghost of a smile on her lips watching how we looked longingly into each other's eyes and had a few light affectionate touches here and there. She tapped her mug with her long, well manicured nails and took a sip of her coffee hoping that her son wouldn't screw this up seeing how happy he actually was for a change besides when he was playing his music.

Jamia and Frank left not too long after breakfast, which would probably be better of being called lunch considering the time everyone got up, to go visit his mom. "Ready too head out too?" Gerard whispered in my ear.

"If you are." I shrugged not wanting to leave if he didn't want to.

Don was talking with Mikey in the kitchen about the latest business at the car lot and what Mikey and Gerard have been doing lately, meetings-wise mostly. Alicia was sitting next to Mikey conversing with her as well.

Gerard and I were lying on the couch with the two dogs on the floor next to us just enjoying the silence. "Yeah," He nodded. "Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?"

I turned around to face him with a big grin on my face and nodded. "Of course."

Gerard grinned back. "Let me go let them know."

Linda pulled me into a warm hug at the front door. "Don't hesitate to knock him around a few times if he gets out of line.

"I won't." I grinned at Gerard who was rolling his eyes at his mom's comment.

Don gave me a hug as well and shook his head smiling at my stitches, "Just don't turn into another Frank. One of him is more than enough."

"Oh, ho." Mikey laughed from the living room hearing his dad's comment. "I am so telling him that you said that."

"Yeah, and what is he going to do about that?" Don chuckled.

Gerard said goodbye to his parents once more and held my hand as he led me down the block a bit to my car holding the dogs with their leashes attached in the other. "Do you want me to drive?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind." I handed the keys stifling a yawn. He let the dogs jump into the backseat on the blanket laid out for them so they wouldn't scratch the red leather up. Gerard pressed in the pin code to start the car while I threw the empty Tupperware and my backpack on the floor in the backseat and joined him in the front. "So where are you going to take me tonight?" I asked once we got onto the Jersey Parkway.

Gerard smirked. "Why do you need to know? All you have to do is dress up nicely and be your beautiful self."

I rolled my eyes. "You like to be a pain in the ass don't you?" I lifted the armrest and buckled myself into the middle seat.

"Of course, since I know it ticks you off when you're tired." He chuckled wrapping his arm around me and continued to drive back downtown.

"How did you manage that?" I yawned stretching. He made the trip back in about only 45 minutes.

"I didn't get lost for one." He teased me locking the car up and caring my stuff this time while I held the dogs.

"Hey, I warned you that I would get lost to begin with, so it's your fault really." I grabbed a plastic bag from the back pocket in the car and shut the door. "I'll meet you up there." I kissed him briefly before wrapping the dogs' leashes around my wrist, taking the elevator downstairs and walking them to their usual patch of grass. I wiped my forehead, the humidity slowly starting to get to me. Hopefully the haze that hung over meant rain would be coming soon.

I yawned again as I pushed open my apartment door. The dogs ran inside looking to Gerard for some attention, who was currently lying on the couch. I kicked off my shoes dropping the leashes on the table before locking the door. I walked over and turned the air conditioning on, which would hopefully cool down the apartment to a more comfortable temperature.

I smiled at Gerard who was just watching me go about the room. I walked over to him slowly dragging my feet from exhaustion. He smirked grabbing my hip pulling me on him. I sighed content as I laid on his chest while he combed his fingers through my hair with the soft humming of the air conditioner as white noise.

Gerard sighed, only not in content. I was going to ask him what was wrong, but something told me not just yet.

It was the first week of August the end of next week, which meant things were going to be hectic getting ready to promote The Black Parade. Then, they would be performing in England on the 24th, while their first single would be shown in the States.

He was extremely excited for this new record because it felt like he had this epiphany or huge revelation while writing it. But, at the same time, he didn't want to leave New York just yet, the reason being currently curled up in his arms.

Gerard and I laid there in silence the whole afternoon until he sat up unexpectedly practically throwing me to the floor. Well, that sounds a bit harsh and a little over exaggerated on my part, but I did land on the floor not expecting him to move.

He just shook his head chuckling at me as he helped me up and told me to get ready as he went across the hall to do the same. I took a quick shower and blow-dried my hair before rummaging through my closet for something nice.

I flopped down on my bed at some point frustrated that I couldn't find anything out of all the stuff I have in my closet. I sat up smiling remembering a dress and what I like to call my gypsy sandals all the way shoved under some stuff.

I didn't feel like wearing makeup so I only brushed on some mascara and rubbed on some cherry Chapstick. I slide on some gold bangles that were in my jewelry box and put tiny gold hoop earrings in my holes. I teased my hair as I went to answer the door hearing the buzzer go off. I looked at Gerard amused that he actually rang the bell.

"Hello good sir." I smiled.

Gerard returned the smile captured by the laughing glint in my eyes. "You look absolutely beautiful." He leaned over and kissed my lips lightly.

"Thank you." I bit my lip bewildered by how he always makes me blush. I looked him over seeing him wear black slacks and a black-buttoned dress shirt with the first few left opened exposing his white t-shirt underneath. "You look quite stunning yourself."

"Oo, I got stunning?" He grinned at my adjective. He pulled out these beautiful bright red-orange tulips from behind his back. "And these are for the stunning gentleman's girlfriend."

I melted at the gesture of being given flowers. I bit my lip and took them gently from him and went to get a vase from the kitchen cabinet to put them in water so they wouldn't wither.

Gerard followed me with his hands clasped behind his back. "So, nice place you got here."

I laughed. "You know what's amazing too?"

"What?" He continued our little act.

"I have this gorgeous neighbor across the hall." I grinned at his smirk. "Too bad he's taken though."

"A real shame I'm sure." He leaned on the counter as I put some sugar in some warm water in the vase.

"It is." I nodded my head in agreement. "Has a kid on the way too." Gerard's jaw dropped offended. I laughed at the look on his face. "What? Did you think I was talking about this amazing guy I have been seeing for about a few months now?"

"I was kind of hoping." He laughed and hugged me from behind as I carefully placed the flowers in the vase placing them on the counter for everyone to see as soon as they walk through the door.

"Let me just grab my purse." I smiled over my shoulder, but Gerard held his firm embrace around me.

"You won't be needing that." He smiled. "But, I will be hijacking your car." I rolled my eyes and handed him my keys of the small hook hanging on the wall. "Your chariot awaits."

I giggled as he kissed my hand leading me to the garage. "So are you going to tell me yet?"

"Why should I?" He grinned as he parked in the fishers market, or what will be the fisher's market in the wee hours of the morning.

"The last time I was here was right before 9/11 and I was with my family and we saw the off Broadway show, Pirates of Penzance, on a ship of the pier." I smiled as Gerard and I walked down South Street Seaport.

"Well tonight we will be going this way until later." Gerard tugged me to the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge. He led me over to Harbor lights, this beautiful small restaurant with a great view of the harbor with passing ships and Manhattan's skyline in the background.

And, I noticed that we would be there just in time to see the sun set. "You have this all planned out don't you?" I smiled.

"Of course." He smiled at me before turning to the seating hostess telling them the reservation under his last name. She led us outside to the deck on the water. There were small lamps setting off a romantic glow as the sun began to sink under the horizon.

"This is beautiful Gerard." My mouth hung slightly open in complete awe.

Gerard held the chair as I sat in it and kissed my neck. "I figured I could show you my romantic side."

I smiled and bit my lower lip, "Well, I still think that our pizza and Chinese take-outs are completely romantic too."

I sipped on a Shirley Temple as we laughed talking about random thoughts and stories waiting for our meal. "Are you sure you didn't want that pickled seaweed salad?" He teased me about the appetizer's menu. It kind of grossed me out thinking about eating seaweed so I decided to skip on an appetizer all together.

"Hey, I'm not a picky eater, but that is just stretching it a bit too far." I laughed defending myself. "But since you seem so hung up on missing out of it, be my guess."

I laughed harder seeing the horrified look on his face at the thought. "I'll pass."

"That's what I thought." I grinned feeling smug. We looked at the city all lit up in front of us, but I have to say that the lights on the bridge were my favorite part of the scenery.

Gerard pulled the chair out and gracefully took my hand like a gentleman as he led me out of the restaurant after dinner. I carried our bag of leftovers refusing to leave my uneaten chocolate Brooklyn bridge dessert behind.

We quickly put it in the car and walked further down Pier 17 to in front of the mall hearing reggae music in the background. "I figured it would be different; there's this live band playing for the summer concerts. We can do something else if you want?"

"No that would be awesome." I grinned. "This whole night as just been amazing Gerard."

"It's not over yet, sugar." He smirked and leaned down kissing me.