My Family Doesn't Know

I called Ray not long after we packed our bags to leave Bellevile. He didn't answer, so the phone sent me right to his voicemail.

"Hey, sorry I'm not available, probably rocking out to my own tunes, so leave a message after the beep! Or don't...I don't really care..." Ray's recorded voice said.

I waited for the beep before I spoke. "Hey Ray, it's me, uh, just called to say we should be heading home soon. Love ya." I hung up and put the phone into my pocket slowly, expecting it to start ringing as I did so, like it usually did. It didn't. I sighed, my mom walking right up to me and giving me a hug before I could react.

"It was good to see you again, Michael. We need to meet up more often; celebrate holidays like we used to, ya know? Or just visit each other like before Gerard got his band.." I could see tears in her eyes as she broke the hug and looked at me.

"Uhm.." I was honestly afraid to speak, fearing my voice might crack, "maybe I'll come over sometime after Thanksgiving..?"

I saw my mom smile slightly, "That'd be wonderful, Michael. But feel free to stop by anytime, or give us a call or something." She gave me one last hug, "It was really nice to see you again. I love you."

"I love you too, mom."

My dad came up to me afterwards, wrapping me in a hug also. "I'll miss ya son, sorry we didn't get to talk much this week, but that'll be what next time's for, eh?"

I nodded, smiling, "Yep, next time. Oh, and sorry for beating you in paintball, but..you know how it is." We both laughed for a moment.

"I'll miss you. I'm sure your mother said this, but come by anytime, or give us a call." He leaned in, lowering his voice, "Your mother and I really miss you."

I gulped, "Do you ever talk to Gerard like this?" I finally questioned.

"We used to, but now he invites us to his placce, and he comes to visit us a lot. We see him more than we see you, Mikey."

I stood there and looked at him, "Uhm..okay then. I told mom I'd see if I could get work off after Thanksgiving to come out here, so uh..." Gerard was coming at us, holding a finger to his lips as he took off running. I moved slightly, just as Gerard jumped up on my dad.

"Hahahaha! I got you!!" He said, wrapping his legs around my dad, laughing like an idiot.

"No! I got you!" Our dad took off running, holding onto Gerard's legs.
I watched the man I called my father carry Gerard around the hotel parking lot. A smile came onto my face as I watched, Gerard fighting furiously to get off, but my father's grip had tightened. I rolled my eyes and picked up my bag off of the ground, walking back towards the car.

"Hey Frank, you want shotgun this time?" I asked, seeing him leaning against the car, smoking a ciggerette.

"Nah, the back seat is where it's at." He grinned, blowing out a puff of air. "I'd say you drive us home, but I don't think you wanna deal with Gerard's..erm..noises." He winked when I made a disgusted face.

"Oh god, Frank, I didn't need to hear that; nor do I want to!" I shook my head, trying to unhear Frank's last words.

Frank started laughing, throwing his ciggerette on the ground and stomping on it before getting in the back seat of the car. I opened the passenger seat and saw the pictures of Ray and I sitting in my seat. I quickly got in and shut the door, handing them in back to Frank.

"Here ya go, Frank, ol' buddy. Wanna keep these for me?"

"Uh, sure...?"

I sighed, "Thanks, I can't let my parents see them yet..or have Ray find out I didn't give them to them..."

Frank leaned forward, and we heard Gerard scream something outside the car, but we didn't turn to look. "Look Mikes, I've known you for what, a week? Same with your parents, and they love you, they'll accpet who you are." I was silent for a moment. "You know it's true, you just won't admit it. You don't want them to know, do you? Like having some secrets?"

I hit my head against the back of the chair, angry. "Fuck it Frank, shut up. I'll tell them when I'm ready to."

"If you ever are," Frank added just as Gerard finally got in the car, out of breath. "What happened to you, babe?" Frank asked.

I looked at Gerard, he has pieces of grass in his electric red hair, and some grass stains on his legs. I couldn't help but chuckle a little, getting myself a death glare from Gerard. I held my hands up, "Sorry, Gee."

Gerard smiled, "It's okay. Hey, before we leave, let's get something to eat, eh? Running like hell from Dad really works up an appetite."

* * * *
We ended up going into McDonalds to eat before leaving town. Gerard and I ended up in line together when Frank left to go get us a table.

"I want the kids toy.." Gerard mumbled, looking up at the illuminated menu with big eyes.

"You do realize you're like..thirty, right?"

"So? You never outgrow these things! You're telling me you don't want the cheap little transformer action figure?!"

I shrugged, "I do, but Ray already has a freakin' collection of them back home, I'm sure. And I like having food that actually fills me up instead of bite size."

Gerard glared at me before stepping up to the cashier. "Uh, two chicken nugget kids meals with fries and two ice coffees...Please?" I saw a smile on Gerard's face as he ordered.

"Sure, that'll be.." the cashier's voice faded as she looked up at Gerard. "Wait, I know you! You're that singer from my favorite band, aren't you?!"

"Depending on the band. If it's a kick ass band, then yes, it's me." Gerard smirked. "Nice to meet a fan, but I'm starving..so if I could please get my food...How much was it?"

"Oh um," the girl coughed, "$8.74..If it isn't too much to ask, could I get your autograph and picture? My friends will be so jealous! Like, when I go on break in a few minutes?"

"Sure."

I pushed Gerard out of the way, and the girl gave me a death glare. Her nametag said her name was Gwen.

"Uh, dude, don't you know who he is? He's the amaz-"

"-ing lead singer of your all time favorite band, otherwise known as Gerard Way, or my older brother." I said, smirking. I saw her jaw drop, looking between the two of us, Gerard nodded, approving my fact. "Now, can ya get me like two cheeseburgers, large fries, and iced coffee?"

"Sure, that'll be $7.83." I handed her my money, and she handed me the change. "Have a nice day!"

"Oh, find me when you get on break if you still want that picture," Gerard said, walking away with his food.

I had to wait a few moments longer for my food to come, and I took it graciously. I walked where I saw Gerard disappear to, and saw he and Frank sitting on one side of a booth, their chicken nuggets having a mini war with each other. I sat down across from them and gave them a questioning look. "I wonder about you two so much. Here I am, the middle one as far as ages go, and I swear I'm the most mature."

Frank kissed Gerard before taking a bite of his chicken nugget, "I love your brother's immaturity, though."

"And I love yours!"

I rolled my eyes and took a bite out of one of my cheeseburgers, noticing the cashier chick looking around for us. "Hey Gee, your biggest fan is looking for you."

Gerard turned and saw her, and she saw him. Gerard put his chicken nugget in his mouth, chewing it quickly.

"Biggest fan? I thought I was your biggest fan!" Frank whined.

"Oh shut up," Gerard said with food in his mouth, swallowing it. "Oh hey there, uh..Gwen, how's it going?"

I saw her face turn to one of "Oh-my-God-he-knows-my-name!"

"Oh uh..Sorry to disrupt, but uh.."

"Want a picture?" Gerard asked, smiling. Gwen nodded and Gerard stood. "Camera?"

"I uh, got my phone," she said, holding it out. Gerard took it and handed it to Frank.

"Get my good side, Frankie," Gerard said, putting an arm on Gwen's shoulder, smiling. I took another bite of my sandwich, ignoring them as he signed the back of her phone.

"So glad Ray isn't in your band anymore.." I mumbled, "wouldn't be able to go anywhere without being mobbed."

"Was I mobbed?" Gerard asked. I couldn't tell if he sounded hurt or what.

"No, but when you get noticed more, you will get mobbed. Won't be able to have times like this anymore.." I said, finishing my first sandwich, taking a drink of my coffee, making a face at the taste.

I could tell Gerard was pissed off at me, but I honestly didn't care at this point in time. I just cared about finishing my food.

We didn't stay at McDonalds much longer, just long enough to finish eating. Then we were on the road home, the sun starting to set, and I knew the moon would be climbing the sky by the time I reached home.

* * * * *

The moon was slowly climbing the sky when Gerard finally dropped me off at home. "Bye Gerard," I said as I closed the door, walking up the few steps to the door, finding the door unlocked. "Ray must be home.." I muttered, taking off my shoes and jacket by the door. I heard Sammy crying upstairs and I walked up the flight of the stairs to the next floor.

I found Sammy in her crib, crying her eyes out. I didn't find Ray anywhere, not that I really looked.

"Hey Sammy," I said in a baby-ish voice, walking over to her crib. She looked up at me, tears on her face, which made my heart break. I picked her up, a smile coming to her face. Her hand reached out to touch my face, and I made a face when she did so.

"Daddy!" She called, bouncing in my arms, and it took control I had to hold her to make sure she didn't fall. She used her hands to explore my face, and I shook my head, trying to rid her sticky hands from my face.

"Why are your hands so sticky?" I asked, putting her down on the rocker in the corner of the room. I walked over to the changing table and grabbed a wipe to clean her hands with.

Sammy sneezed into her hands, and I realied why they were so sticky. I made a face as I cleaned off her hands. "Are you getting sick?" She nodded, and I heard foot steps down the hall.

"Mikey?" A familiar voice called, and a smile grew on my face as I threw the wipe into the trash.

"Yeah?" I asked, picking Sammy up again.

Ray appeared in the room, a big smile on his face. "You're home!"

"I guess I am. Hey, did ya get my message?" Ray gave a questioning look. "Guess not. I called you earlier to tell you I was coming home."

"Ah. We were at Liz's earlier, and my phone died. So..uhm.." Ray chuckled, stepping closer and wrapping me in a hug, with Sammy inbetween us.

I broke the hug to get a better grip on Sammy, who was mumbling away in her own language. "Mhm, I see. What'd you do at Liz's?" I asked, putting Sammy back in her crib.

"We'll talk about it later. Tell me about your week! I've missed you so much!" Ray kissed me as soon as I put Sammy down, and I kissed him back; I had missed his lips so much this past week.

"Oh uhm..Weird. After the funeral we didn't do much, I don't see why we had to be there a whole week. I spent a majority of my time watching Gerard pull pranks on my dad. Even at funerals, they prank each other. Then uh..someone said they wanted to get in a casket..like he said it was so cool and he tried to jump in..Not the one my great grandpa was in or anything, but when we went to the funeral home for something...Yeah...Gerard and I had to drag him out of there before he actually did, that was the high light of the week." I said, almost saying Frank's name, which would've been awkward once Ray finally met Frank.

"Sounds interesting. You're family must be awesome, even though I've only ever met Gerard..Oh wait, I met your parents before, didn't I? Mhm..I'd have to ask Gerard..Like when we first formed the band."

"Oh speaking of the band!" I said, gesturing that we should leave after seeing Sammy falling asleep in her crib. "We went to McDonalds today before leaving Bellevile, and one chick named Gwen recognized Gerard when he was ordering. Then when I pushed him out of the way so I could order, she started bitching at me about how amazing he was! And I was like 'Bitch, I'm his brother, now give me food!' and she staring at us like gods or something. It was hilarious! Then she came and found him when we were eating to get his autograph and a picture, and it was just so funny."

Ray chuckled, leading me down to the living room. "Sounds like some adventure you had there, Mikey."

I shrugged, sitting on the couch. "It would've been way more fun if you were there with me." Ray gave a small smile, sitting next to me. I moved closer to him, putting my legs over his lap. "I really missed you, Ray." I planted a kiss on his lips, leaning my head in closer to deepen the kiss.

"I missed you too," Ray said when he broke the kiss for a breath before catching my lips in his own again.

The kiss ended later, leaving us both breathless. I scooted off his lap after I ended up there at some point. "And I missed that," I said, laughing breathlessly, Ray joining in.

"Me too, me too." Ray said, our eyes locking. He looked at me like he had something on his mind.

"Ray, something on your mind?" I asked, looking at him closer.

"Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow...Oh, I have something to show you!" Ray stood up and grabbed my hand to pull me up. "I did some redecorating before you got here, which is where I was when you came home." He started pulling me towards the study we had, and stood in front of the close door. "I present to you, my new favorite room in the house..."

He threw open the door and I looked in. I poked my head in and saw a ton of Transformer related stuff plaster against the walls. I laughed, and I saw that Ray looked hurt and I stopped. "It's very nice Ray, it could use some unicorns, though."

Ray smiled, "We can add some unicorns this weekend, I promise. Now, shall we go to bed?"

I nodded and took his hand, heading to our room just down the hall. I opened the door and found a unicorn plushie on the bed and I chuckled. "Oh Ray, I love you more and more each day."

Ray placed a kiss on my forehead, taking his shirt off and climbing into the bed. I switched to sweats and climbed in after him, his arm wrapping around my waist.

"It's good to have you home, Mikey," Ray whispered before he fell asleep.

It was so good to be home.