My Father, My Brother

*Time Elapse*

*Ellie's POV*

Chewing my gum like a bratty teenager, my big yellow bug sunnies shading my eyes from the glaring sun, my denim shorts down to my mid thigh, and my white flowy vest top blowing in the slight, warm breeze, I looked like I belonged here. Even my hair was up in a messy bun and I was already getting slightly red and I knew that would tan lightly later. I looked up at the house that was now ours. It was nice, I'll give it that, but there was no homely feel to it. It felt cold and new, which it was. Gerard was grinning up at it, and I knew his eyes would be shining with excitement under his black framed shades. I rolled my eyes.

"It's beautiful huh?" Lindsey said with a smile in her voice, putting her hand on my shoulder. She'd been here for hours as she'd driven ahead to pick up the keys and bring a car full of stuff over. I shrugged moodily and went to lean against the moving van, putting my sandeled foot up agaist the side. It was too hot. Too sunny, and too clean. I already missed the dirty air of Jersey. It was August of 2008, and the weather was ridiculous. On the drive here there were people walking around in bikinis and swim shorts. That's hot how it was. The moving guys dumped helped Gerard take all the furniture inside so I stayed outside for another couple of hours, sitting on the asphalt in a total strop. You may have guessed by now that we'd just moved to L.A, and already I didn't like California. Too many people. Too safe. The sun was just setting when Gerard came out, shaking the moving guys hands and thanking them for all their help.

"The furniture is all set up now guys if you wanna start unpacking your stuff. Or, we could leave it till tomorrow, and order food out instead." He clapped his hands together and smiled at us. I shrugged and just walked past him into the house. I looked around and didn't want to admit I was quite impressed by the size. The walls were all white but the ceiling, roof, and floors were shiny and wooden. It was beautiful. I jumped a little as Gerard's hand settled on my shoulder.

"You want to come check out your room? You got the biggest." He said quietly to me. I nodded reluctantly and followed him upstairs and along a fancy landing. My room was right at the end of the hall, next to the second bathroom, which Gerard said I could have to myself cause it was the smaller bathroom. I pushed the door open and peeked inside. It was big, there were two big dormer windows in the signature wall, and a dormant fire place on the wall by the door. Although my furniture was set up, my stuff wasn't, and I had every intention to redecorate so that my room wasn't all soft pastel colours. The floor and ceiling were a dark shiny wood like the rest of the house.

"I'll help you decorate however you like." Gerard smiled, practically reading my mind. I nodded slowly. He squeezed my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.

"Come on Sugar, let's get food then we'll see about setting your computer and some of our things up." I nodded again and followed him back down the curving staircase to where Lindsey was on the phone to the takeout place. Looked like we were having indian tonight. I went into the huge front room where Gerard had put the rat cage and took them out. I clipped their harnesses and leashes on and carried them on my shoulder to the door.

"I'm gonna have a walk around the neighbourhood!" I called out, closing the door behind me before anyone had a chance to protest. The low sun was bright, but not enough to need the shades that were atop my head. I took the rats off my shoulder and set them on the floor, taking their leashes and walking them down the street. All the houses around here were nice. They all had pretty, well kept lawns out front and large backyards, like us. Puzzle and Luka quickly got bored of walking around and climbed painfully up my legs and back onto my shoulders.

"You guys are so lazy." I laughed, reaching up and scratching Luka's dark curly head, earning a jealous squeek from Puzzle. I petted him too. I got to the end of the street and realised how sick I was of seeing palm trees already. I could hear the stream of traffic somewhere over the other houses as well.

"Well guys, this is our life now, away from New Jersey." I said quietly to the rats. Puzzle squeeked and nibbled my ear gently. I turned and walked back to the house, recognising it only by Gerard's new Beetle sitting in the driveway. By the time I got home Gerard had poured us all a glass of soda and prepared plates, knives and forks for when the food arrived, which it did fifteen minutes later. It wasn't until I started eating I realised I was starving.

"So Ellie, what do you think of the house?" Lindsey asked between mouthfuls. I shrugged half heartedly and swallowed my own.

"It's a beautiful house, I just wish it was in New Jersey."

"Well don't worry kiddo, you'll be happy here in no time. You'll get used to it." I nodded, feeling resigned and finished off my dinner, which I shared with the boys, then washed my dish and went up to my new room. Gerard joined me a few minutes later with his arms full of boxes. I ran over to help him.

"I think the big one has your computer in it, the other are just bits and bats. Your clothes stayed in the closet didn't they?" I nodded.

"Okay so we don't need to worry about those. I'll bring your mirror up. Wanna give me a hand with a few more boxes?" I nodded again and followed him downstairs, grabbing three boxes while he grabbed the last four, and we carried them upstairs and into my room.

"Want me to help you unpack or..?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"No it's okay. I'll get these done. Could you help me set the computer up though afterwards?"

"Sure. Give me a call when you need me." With that, he left the room, heading back downstairs to unpack the boxes needed down there. I started rearranging the furniture Gerard had already put in my room. I pushed my bed between the dormer windows with a hell of a lot of effort. I pushed my dresser drawers up against the wall beside my closet . There was a shelf above my fire place and a bookcase mounted to the wall beside that. My desk was beside my bed and in front of one of my windows. It took me about two hours to get all my books and comics on the bookshelf, rearrange all my figurines and other random things on the shelves. I put all my posters up with a roll of sticky tape I found in one of the boxes and my bright flower rug on the floor at the foot of my bed. I was just arranging all my stuffed animals on my bed when I heard Gerard's low whistle behind me.

"Well you got this place set up and looking cool fast." I turned around to see him grinning at me. As he walked in his fingertips brushed against the wall and he looked at the paper that was on them.

"We'll get started on this room at the weekend if you want. Lindsey wants to get guys in this week for downstairs, then me and you can do this room. Would you like that?" I smiled and nodded.

"And I can have it anyway I want?"

"Anyway you want."

"So I could have it all black?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"You can if you want but you don't like solid black."

"I know. I was just testing. Can we have the walls white? And then you and I can paint our own designs on them!" I said enthusiastically. He looked pleased that I was finally taking an interest.

"Hell yeah we can. We'll get some bright colours and just go crazy huh?"

"Yeah!"

"Excellent. I'll give you some money tomorrow and you can go find the nearest store and get us some paint." We're setting a studio up downstairs as well so you can use the easel and stuff to predesign."

"Sounds awesome Gee, thank you." He hugged me, and seemed to linger for a second before pulling away and going to my big box to set my computer up on my desk. I watched him groan, curse and struggle for a while before he got it all set up and ready to go. I was just lucky there was internet here. He clasped his hands together and cracked his knuckles, looking proud of himself.

"There you go El, all set and ready to go." I hugged around his waist.

"Thanks Gee Bee."

"No problem Sugar, but before you go on it, could you give me a hand downstairs?" I nodded and followed him down once he smiled at me. I helped him stock the kitchen while Lindsey set up in the huge lounge. I was just about to put a few plates away when a... a... thing shot past me. I screamed and jumped back, watching the dark object fly into the hallway.

"Ellie what's wrong!?" Gerard cried rushing over to me. I pointed to the doorway that the dark mass had shot out of.

"Something just ran past me! It looked like an alien or something!" I cried back, shaking slightly as I made my way to the hall. I peeked but the thing had vanished. Lindsey came rushing out.

"What happened? What's wrong?" She said, looking at us in total confusion.

"Some dark thing just shot out past me." I repeated to her.

"You mean this?" She asked, disappearing into the lounge and coming back with the small dark mass in her arms. I recoiled, pressing my back against the doorframe.

"What is that?" I stared at the thing in her arms.

"It's my cat?" She said, like I should already have known.

"That's a cat?" I took a step closer and it turned it's ugly head.

"It doesn't even have fur!" I reached out and touched its head, running my finger down it's fleshy back. It purred loudly.

"He's a hairless. He wouldn't have hurt you honey he's very sweet." As if on que, it licked her neck. I cringed as I watched it. It looked mega creepy to me.

"He scared me, just shooting out of the kitchen like that." I said, touching him again in curiousity. He turned and licked my finger. I shuddered a little.

"You know what else we could get here?" Gerard said coming up behind me and petting this creepy load of skin. I looked up at him confused and Lindsey smiled.

"We could finally get that dog you want."