My Father, My Brother

Hi! I'm not sure if you'll remember me.
I'm Ellie May, remember?
From The Way orphanage?
Well that was years ago, deep in my past. My name is Ellie Way now. I've been Gerard and Frank's daughter for five years. Let me explain the past, since my dads never were very good at clearing things up...

After Gerard had played a whole tour with The Used, he realized what a mess he had become and decided to get clean. He still drank a little before and after shows, but not so much. He and my other father Frank got a little house together in Jersey just a few months after that tour ended, and with permanent residence secured, Donna allowed Gerard to have me. We had three dogs, a Boxer, and two Chihuahuas. I was eight when I came to live with my dads, and I'm thirteen now, making my dads twenty eight and twenty seven. My Chemical Romance are more famous than ever, currently making their second album. My uncle Mikey proposed to his girlfriend, aunt Alicia a while back and they're currently planning their wedding. Anyway, back to the present.

"El? Ellie!" I heard Frankie's voice call from downstairs. I opened my eyes groggily and rolled out of bed, shuffling to my bedroom door.

"Yes dad?" I called back, my voice full of sleep. I heard him chuckle to himself and he appeared at the bottom of the stairs, leaning against the banister. I knew he wanted a favor immediately, from the puppy dog look he was giving me, our fat Chihuahua in his arms for extra cute.

"Would you do daddy a favor please?" He batted his eyes all innocently at me.

"Depends what that favor is."

"Would you stay in for the day and watch the dogs while I go visit my mom?" I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Fine, but you're raising my allowance this week."

"Ten dollars."

"Deal." He smiled and went to pull on his coat, setting Mama back down and leaving the house, she watched after him for a moment before waddling back to the lounge. I went back into my room and grimaced at how girlie it was, as I did every morning. The pale yellow walls and matching bedding made the room look sickeningly optimistic. The carpet was a brighter, more youthful and healthy looking golden yellow color with a neon green flower rug on it. I looked at the walls lined with book shelves and posters, smiling at my personal decorations. I trudged lazily over to my closet and pulled out a pair of purple drain pipes and a Superman shirt. My strawberry blond hair was brushed and I pulled it into two loose pigtails over my shoulders. Our Boxer, Texas trotted casually into my room just as I was pulling my red converse on. He nudged my shoulder and sat in front of me, whining softly.

"I'll take it you want another walk?" I said to him, causing him to bark at me and wag his tail furiously. I sighed and pushed him out of my room, closing the door behind us and leading him downstairs. I wrote a note for Gerard explaining where I'd gone for if he came home from work early. I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and groaned at it only being ten o clock on a Saturday morning. I took all three leashes and called all three dogs to me. Texas was beside me in seconds, but it took Mama and Peppers a few seconds longer since they were smaller and fatter. I clipped on all three leashes and led them outside, locking the door behind me. It was a warm morning so I didn't bother with a jacket.

The dogs trotted along beside me happily, although Texas was growling every now and them. After a while it started to make me paranoid, so I followed his gaze down the street three blocks from our house. A scruffy looking man was leaning against a wall, smoking away and watching me carefully. I eyed him up nervously and crossed the street. He had long shaggy brown hair and thick stubble to match. I avoided his eye and walked briskly by, taking the long route home and making sure he wasn't following before going back home where I was safe. I relocked the door when I was back in, and made my way to the kitchen. The dogs wandered off to the lounge while I helped myself to a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. I kept my eye on the window, half expecting the creepy man to be stood there staring at me, but I just giggled to myself and forgot about it.

I lounged about on the xbox for pretty much the rest of the day until I ended up laid upside down on the couch with my legs over the back when the door opened. I glanced away from my game to see Gerard come through the door with two bags. I smiled to myself and paused the game, rolling backwards onto the floor and standing to greet him. He gave me a hug and kissed my forehead.

"Hey sugar, you been up long?"

"Dad, it's three o clock, you sound surprised." He laughed at me and ruffled my hair.

"You're usually still in bed, lazybones. Frankie out?"

"Oh thanks paps. Yeah he got me up at nine to get me to watch the dogs while he went to Linda's." He nodded and led the way back into the kitchen. He emptied the bags of basic groceries and tossed a bag of chips at me.

My dads hair had grown since he took me in. It now reached his shoulders and was often messy. If Frankie was out on a night, he would come to my room and let me brush it for him, often styling it outrageously for our entertainment. Right now he was wearing a leather jacket and black skinny jeans, the hint of a red shirt showing underneath. I often heard girls at school say how hot they thought my dads were, but they never said anything directly to me.

"Why do you call me dad sugar? You know you can call me Gee, or Gerard."

"Because you are my dad. Okay so you're like a brother, but you've raised me for years, therefore you're my father figure. Both you and Frankie are." He smiled and hugged me again.

"Did Frank say what time he'd be back?" I shook my head and hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter while he told me about his day at work, and the way Mikey spoke so excitedly about his engagement plans. I smiled the whole time, excited and happy for him.

"Hey Ell, do you remember Rachael?" He spoke softly, his words almost sorrowful. I thought hard.

"Very vaguely. She was your friend from the orphanage wasn't she? Didn't she move into the manor on Cemetery Drive?" He nodded slowly.

"Well it's the fifth anniversary of her dying tomorrow... so I wondered if you'd want to come to the cemetery with us?"

"Of course I would dad, I'd want to me there for you." He smiled and hugged me, lifting me down off the counter. He suddenly looked at me confused.

"When did you get so tall and skinny?" He laughed and held me at arms length.

"I'm not eight anymore Gee!" He grinned and kissed my cheek.

"I love you Sugar, you know that right?" I smiled and nodded.

"I love you too Gerard. I'm glad you were the one to take me in, you're like my father, and my brother."

"Exactly, which is why I'd want you to be there, since you're my number one girl!" I grinned as he messed up my hair again just as Frankie walked through the door. Gerard looked towards the kitchen door as his face lit up. Frankie came in with our little white Chihuahua Peppers in his arms. He set him down as Gerard walked towards him and embraced his smaller frame. He kissed his lips lightly and I took that as my que to leave the room. They were always so happy to see each other, I usually left them alone as they spoke about how much they missed each other through the day. It was all quite disgusting to a thirteen year old girl such as myself, watching my parents being all mushy with each other, but deep down I thought it was incredibly sweet that they were so in love.

Frankie was quiet over dinner. Gerard talked about how much they would need to spend on suites for Mikey's wedding while Frank just smiled and nodded. I noticed how his smile never reached his eyes, but I didn't say anything. He turned to me once Gerard took a mouthful of lasagna.

"Were they good?"

"They were fine dad, stop worrying. I got dressed as soon as you left and took them out for a walk." That's when I remembered the creepy man I saw.

"There was a man. About three blocks from here while I was out. Texas was growling right from our front door, but it got louder, then I saw this hairy, creepy, stoned looking guy watching me."

"What did he looked like?" Frank demanded, glancing uneasily at Gerard.

"About your height, maybe a little taller. Long scraggly brown hair with thick stubble. Red, stoned looking eyes and he looked so dirty." My dads glanced at each other again worriedly.

"Don't take them out tomorrow, we'll do it."

"Okay Frankie."

The rest of dinner went quietly, both parents thinking over what I'd said, although I don't see why it was so important. I was sent to my room early in order to be up early the next day, so my shower was quick and I went back to bed around eleven.

*The next day*

Gerard sighed loudly, Franks arm draped around his shoulders. We weren't dressed formally, but I noticed everyone was in black. I looked around Mikey's car. Both him and Alicia up front, me and my dads in the back. Donna's car followed close behind with Donald and Rachael's mom (her dad died a few years previously).

We were all quiet around the grave. A beautiful white marble headstone marked the spot she was buried.

"Rachael Alexander, 1979 to 2000, aged 21. Beloved daughter and friend. Lullaby and goodnight, my sweet princess, forever safe." My dad read from her stone aloud quietly. We all listened somberly, everyone silently shedding a few tears for her. Gerard knelt down with his hand on the stone, and kissed it. When he stood, Frankie took his hand and squeezed it softly. I watched her mother and Donna cry on each others shoulders. I sighed and wished I knew her, she was clearly such a dear person, and the vague memories I have of her are pleasant enough. We all said our silent prayers for her.

Just as we were walking away, Gerard excused himself for a minute and backtracked to her grave. I stood a short way off behind a tree and watched his while everyone went back to the cemetery tea room. He unfolded a small piece of paper and used his hands to dig up a little of the soil above her coffin. He dug about a foot down, placed the paper in the hole, and filled it back in, kissing the stone one last time before walking away, tears spilling freely from his eyes I stepped out from behind the tree as he passed, making him jump slightly but he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me back with the others, walking in silence and just feeling the warm breeze run through our hair, pushing it back, and the sun warm our faces a little. I looked back over my shoulder at that grave, and thought one last time how I wished I knew her.