I'm the Last One That You'll Ever Remember

Having tended to the wound on her arm on the go, Masika arrived at her destination. Gerard’s workplace. She hissed in pain as she got out of the car and strode through the doors, glancing around for a bright cherry red hair only to remember he had permanently dyed it black recently. She reckoned the hair change had to do with his conforming to a new life.

“Afternoon, Miss.” A petite woman with deeply tanned skin and long black straight hair tied into a ponytail greeted her with a warm smile. Her name tag read ‘Patina’ on her black button up shirt. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Actually, yes, you can.” Masika welcomed her assistance with a smile of her own. “I’m looking for a friend of mine, he works here. His name is Gerard Way. I really need to speak with him for a few minutes if that’s okay. I promise it’ll be quick!”

“No no of course, it’s no problem at all!” Patina assured her before glancing up over her shoulder at the top half of the library filled where the comic books were on display. “GERARD! You got a visitor!”

Up above, Gerard had been putting the comic books customers had left behind in the seating area on the lower levels away into their proper spots. When he heard his name being called by his trainer, Patina, he backed away from the shelf and followed her voice to the wooden balustrade. Overlooking them to the first floor below, he pinpointed his trainer in the company of...Masika!?

Gerard felt his heart drop into his stomach at the sight of her before his vision turned red with irritation. Why the hell is she here, he contemplated bitterly to himself. He’d quit the Killjoys for god's sake! There should be no reason for him to keep running into any of them like this anymore!

Curling his hands into fist, he nodded to Patina that he’d be right there. Hastening down the stairs, he looped back around to the front of the store where Masika stood waiting for him alone. He didn’t have time for this crap, but what stopped him from tossing her out on her butt with a homicidal threat ringing in her ears was the fact that she was Masika, and out of all the Killjoys, she had meant the most to him. Striding up to her, Gerard didn’t curb his ire from showing as he grabbed her arm and hissed out. “No, not now. Five minutes. I’ll meet you during lunch.”

Masika knew better than to provoke him. She also didn’t want to cost him his job by pissing him off. She nodded. “You got it. I’ll be waiting outside in the side alley.”

Gerard watched her go, his temper dissipating a little due to her cooperation. She didn’t resist or make a scene, she respected his wishes. Releasing a deep breath, he retreated back to work for the remainder of his five minutes of work before his lunch break.
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Bursting out the side door to the alley where their dumpster sat against the brick wall, Gerard locked eyes with Masika leaning against the wall across from him and slammed the door shut behind him. “What the fuck is wrong with you people!? What part of ‘I quit’ do you not seem to understand?! What kind of mental problems are preventing you from comprehending that straightforward command!?”

“The only issue around here is your ‘secret family’, Gerard!” Masika barked back watching his face drop and his skin go white. She gasped, not believing it to be true at first but his comeback was what she needed to substantiate it. So it was true! Gerard had a whole family of his own! Masika could understand why the rest of them didn’t know, but his brother!? His own flesh and blood?! THAT she didn’t understand. “When the fuck were you gonna mention you have a daughter and son? To your OWN brother who I suspect doesn’t know either or else I would have heard about them from him!? What the FUCK, Gerard! Is this how you do us!?”

“What the fuck are YOU talking about!? What secret family!? I don't have a secret family!” Gerard snapped, playing dumb. He had a pretty telling disposition about the whole thing on the outside, but on the inside, he was running around in a frenzied panic.

“Gerard, don’t fucking play with me right now. I’ve had quite a day.” Masika stated tightly, crossing her arms over her chest, and barely wincing at the sharp pang from her wound for moving it. “You have a son! You have a daughter! Just admit it already, I saw it on your fucking face, man!”

Growling beneath his breath, Gerard’s light brown eyes narrowed in on her, irritated. Damnit, she wasn’t gonna fall for any of his lies now, She was as stubborn as a mule so she was gonna keep on poking until he gave her something. But he couldn’t tell her something like this out in the open! This was about his family, his children! He wasn’t going to endanger more than they already were. “Fuck!”

“You gonna spill the beans or what?” Masika grilled him. “I got all damn day.”

“Fine! But not here!” Gerard snapped impatiently, trying to keep his resentment under control as he took her arm and steered her back into the store. Quietly, he made his way to the romance genre on the second floor because it had a very private secluded corner he’d normally hang in during lunch. It was there he finally let her arm go and stepped back. “We have to keep our voices down, Masika, or I swear I’ll gladly go to prison for murder for forcing a book down your fucking throat.”

“I can totally see what your beloved Black Opal sees in you.” Masika replied sarcastically.

“Who the fuck told you about this secret family of mine?” Gerard demanded to know, deliberately trapping her in a corner. He wasn’t fibbing when he said he’d commit murder if he had to. When it came down to his family, he’d do anything for them. Anything. “Well?!”

“Who the fuck you think? Your biggest fucking fan, Pastel!” Masika answered. “She said she tracked you to the mall and found you in the company of a little girl who called you daddy, and a boy that had your eyes or something like that.”

Gerard’s face turned red, the veins popping out of his neck as he let out a loud growl equal to a lion. His knuckles turned white as he tightened his fists to damaging degrees, his feet pacing the small corner. He wished he could clobber the bookshelves surrounding him to the ground. “That loud-mouth bitch! I should have hunted her ass down and gutted her in the handicap bathroom stalls when I had the chance!” He spun around to face Masika, who already knew the existence of his kids. He had to know if the others did too. Striding up to her and backing her further into the corner, he grilled her. “Who else knows about them? Huh? Basil? Canary? Azure? Iris? Rouge?”

“I don’t think so. Pastel came in and left so fast I doubt she mentioned it to anyone along the way.” Masika answered, raising a hand to push him back off of her so she could breathe. Her brown eyes locked with his, begging for answers. “Gee, is it true? Were those kids your own flesh and blood?”

Sighing heavily through his nostrils, Gerard ran a hand through his ebony hair and closed his eyes. There was no more deception, only truths at this point. Taking a deep breath, he breathed. “Yes. Yes, they’re mine.”

Floored by his admission, Masika clamped a hand over her mouth as she gaped at his face. “Oh my god...I don’t understand, Gee. How is this possible, how…” She could hardly get her words right. Her mind was bursting with fireworks of questions. “Why haven’t you told Michael yet? I understand the rest of us, but him? He’s your brother, Gee. He’d be hurt to know you’ve been keeping them a secret from him. He’s their Uncle.”

“How do you know he doesn’t already know and just hasn’t told you yet?” Gerard countered, glaring down at her.

“Honey, please. We both know Michael tells me everything.” Masika reminded him confidently, and they both knew she wasn’t being deceitful. The guy told her everything that went on especially since her abortion. Michael’s been nothing but transparent with her so she was in the know of everything.

“Goddamnit, you’re right.” Gerard cursed, loathing himself for thinking his response would deter her. He was an idiot to believe that would ever work. Whatever his brother knew, she knew. Which raised the question as to why he never told his brother. Gerard didn’t know if what flew out of his mouth next was fabricated or not. “I didn’t tell Michael because Michael is Kobra. I have polluted that man since he was a child. He went from the picture of innocence to a monster that supported my thirst for blood. I just didn’t know if...I could take the risk of the man he is today to be around my kids. I have to protect them, I’m their fucking father!”

Masika was horrified by his confession, and reached out to take both of his hands in his so he would look her in the eye. “Gerard, sweetie. I swear on my love for you as a brother that Michael would NEVER harm your children. Yes, he is the daring leader of a merry band of murderers but he isn’t a butcher of children. At least the innocent ones. Somewhere in your heart you already know this.”