When the Savior Is Damned

The both directed their gazes to the one standing behind Gerard, a teenage Oriental-looking girl with long dark hair that seemed natural and darker eyes, wearing a Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge shirt that looked like it was worn one too many times and a dazed, ecstatic gaze that seemed pinpointed at Gerard. They hadn’t noticed, but their break was over and it was time to meet the fans and the press, and some had already been let into the backstage.

“Hi,” the girl said breathlessly, fumbling in her messenger bag while trying not to take her eyes off Gerard, as he and Mikey stared at her somewhat out of sorts. Finally, her fingers emerged with a rolled up picture and a marker, but not before a couple of CDs, which Mikey noted were original copies of all their albums, fell to the floor.

The girl blushed hotly, and seemed embarrassed to tears as she bent to pick them up.

“I’ll help you with that,” Gerard snapped out of the reverie and gathered the merch in his arms, then gently pried the marker from her shaking hands to sign them.

“Gerard. Gerard Arthur Way. Gerard Way,” the girl looked like she was going to hyperventilate. “I love you!”

She couldn’t seem to contain herself any longer and wrapped her arms around the stunned but not displeased Gerard, who dropped the merch and patted her hair, crooning soothingly, “Come on, honey. You’re so sweet to me. You don’t cry now, okay?”

But that only made her sob harder, but more out of joy. Mikey marveled at just how much someone who didn’t even know them could love them so much, and how Gerard could make someone cry just being so nice it was unbelievable, and maybe he understood what his brother had been saying. But not fully.

The girl directed her gaze at Mikey as Gerard held her shuddering frame in his arms, and she smiled wetly at him. Mikey smiled back. She withdrew, embarrassed again.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I… I didn’t know what…” She took the merch from her bag and held them out again. “I mean, I just… I just love you guys so much!”

“Thanks, honey.” Gerard grinned, then twisted the cap from the pen. “So, to who is this going out to?”

“Belinda.”

“That means ‘beautiful snake’ in Latin, I think. That’s like, so freakin’ cool. You got it going for you, babe. I didn’t know what Mom was thinking when she thought of ‘Gerard.’ Even ‘Micheal’ here has it better,” he motioned to Mikey, and Belinda laughed. Mikey laughed too.

After Gerard wrote a dedication on all three CDs and their one DVD release, a couple of pictures and a poster, and finally a signature on the bottom of her shirt she swore she’ll laminate, he passed the merch onto Mikey to sign, and proceeded to chat with Belinda

“So what do you like about us so much, Bella? You’ve got a lot of our shit there. Not that it’s not fantastic as hell and all…” Gerard shrugged, mirth playing at his features.

Belinda laughed giddily, obviously having the time of her life, then went on to recite what seemed to be a prepared speech.

“I… I love you so, so much it’d take me forever to say it, and I think you’re so amazing and inspiring and phenomenal, and I… I can’t even think about of what you’ve done for me, and I can’t even express it, I mean, I’ve tried, but it’s all too much and I know everyone keeps saying it, but I mean it, and you saved my life, and I can’t go on without listening to your music… and…” Her cheeks reddened yet again, like her heart was swelling and was about to explode. “You’re really hot, Gee. I mean, Gerard.”

Gerard chuckled, and Belinda beamed.

“You know, that had to be the best goddamn thing anyone’s ever told me, but actually, I’m not so great by myself. Everything we’ve done was done as a band, and we need each other to do anything.”

“I’m done,” Mikey suddenly piped up, and Belinda’s face fell slightly as she realized that was her cue to leave and she couldn’t be with Gerard anymore.

“Want to meet the rest of the band?” Gerard offered, and she brightened again.

“Can we check on Frank first? I’m sure my friend Sierra smothered him by now,” she looked up at him as he stood, and he nodded.

“Sure, sugar.” He put an arm around her shoulders and they were walking away when she stopped, as if forgetting something, then ran back to hug Mikey.

“It was so great meeting you, Mikey!” She exclaimed, and Mikey smirked in response.

“You too, Belinda. Gerard rocks, doesn’t he?” He murmured.

Belinda broke into a grin, squealing, “Yeah, he does!”

Then she skipped back to Gerard again, and it was a miracle she didn’t melt then and there. Mikey lost sight of them in the small crowd that gathered in the room.

Soon after, other fans were able to enter and he was pre-occupied with entertaining those who had him as their particular favorite and signing countless merch, but some time before that, if we go back to when he was half-listening to Gerard and Belinda’s conversation, just right after Gerard said, ‘…we need each other to do anything,’ Mikey’s mind had replied to that, with his consent or not, it didn’t matter, and it summed up everything he had been feeling all along.

It was, ‘You’re wrong, Gee, because we need you.’