You Put the Spike in My Heart

Bailey bounced back onto the My Chemical Romance bus taking two steps at a time. She had tupperware balanced in one hand and a beer in the other.

"Breakfast is ready!"

She called out but almost toppled over when she saw the only person in the bus was Gerard. He was sitting at a table with his chin on his hands, looking bored.

"Where did they go? I told them not to go anywhere."

"They went to go get some coffee down the street. Said they would be back soon."

"Oh. Well I'll just leave this here then."

She set the tupperware down on the table in front of him and headed back out.

"You don't have to go."

She stopped short, surprised. Had he not just acted like he wanted nothing to do with her last night? Was he asking her to stay? Part of her wanted to. She stood in the doorway with her back to him, unsure of what to do. Before she could make a decision Gerard spoke again in an amused voice.

"Make up your mind, red."

She turned to him and smiled.

"Red?"

He nodded but didn't say more as he motioned for her to join him. The nickname won her over and she took his offer to sit. Nothing was said or exchanged as they waited but it wasn't at all awkward. She took a swig of her beer and leaned back, looking out the window.

"It's like...10 in the morning."

She was confused at the comment until she saw that he was pointedly looking at her beer.

"Breakfast of champions, Mr. Way."

She took another gulp and wiggled her eyebrows. When he grimaced at this she tilted her head.

"Is it bothering you?"

"No, no. To each their own. Be my guest."

It's not that he found it disgusting, it was that it reminded him of how he used to be. He could see now what part of her problem was - because being an alcoholic definitely couldn't be the only thing to make her act like she had. He noticed how she held the beer inside her mouth to make the feeling last, how her eyes looked more relaxed as it entered her system, and how she clutched onto the bottle like it was the only thing keeping her here.
He felt oddly akin to her in that moment in a really screwed up way.

"You know you can eat, I made enough for everyone."

She wished he would stop staring at her because it was actually starting to make her afraid. His hazel eyes knew too much for their own good, like he could see right through her. She above anyone else knew how un-pretty she was on the inside. Having someone else see the very core of her was the last thing that she wanted.

"You mean...even though you hate me, I can eat the food you slaved to make for two bands?"

"Gerard, I don't hate you."

He raised an eyebrow in complete disbelief so she leaned forward and looked him in the eyes. She let him probe just enough to make known just how much she didn't hate him. He smiled after a few moments and then started to look through the contents of the tupperware.

"Did you poison it?"

She laughed and kicked him under the table. He went to scold her but she had just remembered something

"Oh! Did Franky still have his outfit from last night on?"

Gerard stopped and gave her a look that said he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Well damn, I was hoping he had worn it to the coffee shop. Pansy."

She pulled a digital camera out of her pocket and handed it to him. The first picture made him almost drop it, tears springing to his eyes in laughter.

"Tell me he is not dressed as Frankfurter from Rocky Horror! Oh, that is priceless. You need to keep this picture for blackmail."

"It's crossed my mind."

He looked through a few more quickly and then stopped when the scenery changed completely. It was a picture of Bailey, the little numbers on the corner dating it a couple years back. She looked almost completely different. Her figure was much fuller, more muscular and shapely. But what really struck him was the glint in her eye, like a flash of life and a wide grin of happiness to match.

The next picture was of her kissing a boy he couldn't quite see. He saw a hint of a smile where their lips met...
The camera was ripped out of his hand. Bailey looked at him accusingly before shutting it off and getting up.

"Bailey, wait."

She didn't go far. She set a plate down in front of him and then sat on the couch on the other side of the room.

"Eat, you have a long night ahead of you."

The next few minutes after that felt like hours. Bailey wished for nothing more than the rest of the band to come strolling on the bus. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Gerard poking at the food on his plate, feeling bad for making her angry again. He had turned to say something a couple of times but had thought better of it and returned to playing with his food. Why was she even sticking around?

She stood up to leave but her phone rang, making her jump.
Gerard looked back at her and immediately became concerned. She was staring at the caller ID and her hands were shaking. She pulled her eyes from the phone which she didn't answer, coming over to sit in front of him again and stare out the window expectantly. Her foot started to tap the floor loudly.

"Come on, Frank."

"What's the matter?"

She looked at him with wide eyes, like she had just remembered that he was there.

"It's my father. I don't think I can answer this without Frank here to help me."

"You could always not answer it."

"No, he'll call until I pick up. And if I turn it off, he'll call Bert."

He nodded and held out his hand. He couldn't believe he was doing this. She immediately shook her head at him.

"I can't let you talk to him."

"I don't want to talk to him, I want you to give me your hand."

She looked into his eyes, startled. The look he gave her was reassuring and she couldn't stop herself from placing her hand in his own.
Her hand disappeared between both of his and he gave her a small squeeze of support, suddenly giving her a strange strength.
She flipped open her phone, keeping Gerard's gaze.

"Hello?"

"Bailey Taggart! Why did it take you so long to answer?!"

"Hi, daddy."

"Don't you give me that! When I call, I expect you to answer!"

"Sorry, I couldn't find my phone."

"Bullshit! You're a little liar, just like your mother was!"

Bailey flinched and Gerard squeezed her hand a little harder, only it wasn't exactly for her. He could hear her father over the phone just fine and wasn't liking it at all.

"Yes, daddy."

"Is it going to happen again?"

"No, of course not."

It pained Gerard to see her like that. Her eyes were lit up, angry and upset - but her voice was monotone and defeated.

"Now, what I want to know is why you didn't tell me that you and that bastard brother of yours were going to be in Pennsylvania at the end of the month!"

Bailey set her jaw as tears sprang to her eyes, caught off guard. Her eyes tore away from Gerard's and looked out the window, distant.

"Because I didn't know. You know I would have told you had I known."

"Well I guess you have him to thank for that, don't you?!"

"Yes, daddy."

"I expect to hear back from you telling me exactly what time you'll be in town, do you hear me?!"

"Yes, daddy."

There was a click signaling that he had hung up and Bailey let the phone drop to the table.

"He knew..."

Her lip quivered but she bit it back, angrily.

"He knew and he didn't tell me."

Her voice was barely above a whisper now as she shook her head, trying to make sense of it. Gerard noticed that her hand had gone limp in his. He squeezed it only for her to wrench away, recoiling from him again.

"I have to go."

She ran out of the bus before he could stop her.