Sequel: Purple Hearts

Cherry Lips And Tattoos

With Charlie again

Tre let himself back into the house after saying goodbye to Franky at the airport. He knew she was angry at him for treating Hannah in the way she had and it broke his heart that his daughter wasn't happy with him and that she'd had to fly out of his life to assess herself and get her head together.

What had he missed here with her? He slammed his fist down on the work surface suddenly; angry at everything that had gone on just lately. Shit Sammi, where the hell have I gone wrong? Everything is falling apart.

Tre slumped onto the kitchen chair and thought about all that had happened in the six months since they had been back from touring. Franky had grown into a woman and everyone had fallen for her. She'd formed a band with some wonderful kids who were definitely going to make it even if they couldn't see it themselves. Billie and Adi were splitting up and Billie had slept with his daughter. He loved her he said. Who couldn't? The Pam bitch had bribed him and Adi and he'd hurt his daughter's best friend. He felt shameful then and decided he would have to meet up with Hannah at some time and apologise. He decided that he would go to her house, he knew where she lived. Yeah. Later he would go to her house and apologise and make everything OK between them.

*

Billie sat alone in the house that WAS the family home. It was empty, the boys had been told about the situation and Adi had taken them to her mothers for a while. He sighed, lay back on the sofa and put his feet up. It had been a crap morning and he had a headache. Joey had taken the news fairly well as though he wasn't surprised but little Jakob he had got upset and then Adi and Billie had started crying too. It wasn't a good situation to be in but that's what it had come to and nothing more could be done.

Billie couldn't get his thoughts away from Franky. She wasn't just around the corner anymore she was hundreds of miles away and his gut ached from wondering when he was going to see her again. He loved her and missed her and this was only the first day. He ran his fingers through his long hair and that action reminded him of a couple of years ago when he had first grown his hair long. He'd almost had it all cut off just before they were about to do the charity gig in New Orleans but he remembered Franky saying that he suited it long and he'd kept it long ever since. She'd laughed and said it looked like he'd just got out of bed all the time. She always took the piss out of the spotty hanky that he put in his back pocket when he went on stage, she sometimes said that only clown's had spotty hankies and that he'd be wearing a huge spotty tie next. Well he did. When they did the charity gig in New Orleans he had found the largest spottiest tie he could and he wore it for Franky. He still remembered her laughter when she'd seen him wearing it.

When he thought of her he had two visions floating around his head, the first was of her coming down those stairs from her bedroom on Grammy night. He couldn't speak she was so beautiful and the other was of her laughing, throwing her head back and really laughing. They'd often laughed together and shared loads of jokes. Billie sighed. God he missed her.

Suddenly he sprang up. He went to the study and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. Some thoughts and ideas had come to his mind for a song. Franky had inspired him. He quickly wrote down on the paper then lit a cigarette. Fuck it. He had a lot going on his mind again just recently; loads of ideas for songs but Green Day were over weren't they? Well fuck Tre and Mike, he'd go it alone and sing his own songs if they didn't want to continue. Who needed them anyway?

*

London...

"Charlie!" shouted Franky. "I'm so glad to see you," she said crashing into the comfort of his arms.

"Hey hold on, let me breath," laughed Charlie at his long-term friend. "Are you OK?" he said as she squeezed onto him tightly.

"I think so but Charlie, listen I have so much to tell you," she said.

"Well... we've got so much time for you to tell me," he said putting his arm around her and leading her off to a taxi.

California...

Mike was just finishing a round of golf with Bob from the golf club when his phone rang.

"Mike?" said Jen into the phone.

"Hi baby, you OK? I'm finished up here, I'll be home in about half an hour," he said.

"Oh Mike, I have such wonderful news to tell you," said Jen. "Please hurry."

**

"Ed?" whispered Hannah into the phone.

"Oh hi Hannah, everything OK? That was some party wasn't it last night," he said.
"Yes, wasn't it" said Hannah. "Listen Ed, can I meet you at the coffee shop. I need to share something with you," she said.

"Of course. Half an hour?" said Ed.

"Perfect." said Hannah.

London...

"I don't like the sound of James," said Charlie. "He's treated you like shit," he said pacing around his Living Room.

"I know but I've kind of forgiven him for the sake of the band," said Franky.

"How could he do it though? Sleep with someone for a bet... .Asshole." Said Charlie.

Franky actually laughed. "You are funny, walking about getting angry, I'd forgotten your angry face. I've missed you," said Franky.

"Yeah and you haven't text for ages. Been busy?" said Charlie.

"You could say that," said Franky.

"So what other news?" said Charlie.

"Well... ... "

California

Tre knocked at the door to Hannah's house. He was just about to walk away when someone answered the door. It was a young girl, similar looking to Hannah.

"Hi" said Tre.

"Oh," said the girl recognising him straight away as Franky's dad, Tre Cool from Green Day.

"Ah... . Is Hannah around?" said Tre.

"Actually she's out, she's meeting Ed at the coffee shop," said Ellie. Must be something to do with the Xtras thinks Ellie.

"Do you want to come in and wait for her?" said Ellie.

"Actually... yeah... I need to see her about something," said Tre entering the house. He had to get this out of his system; he'd lost sleep over it and all. He wanted to make a go of it with Susan, he realised this now and to do this he would need to apologise to Hannah and then he could get on.

**

"I think you may need to sit down," said Jen a smile beaming across her face.

"What is it honey?" said Mike smiling at his wife smiling. "What's the rush, what do you need to tell me?" he said.

"Oh Mike, you're just not going to believe this," she said. "I never thought that we... oh my god Mike.. I thought I'd be too old... I mean I'm 36 and I never thought that... oh Mike I'm so happy. We're going to have a baby. A baby of our very own." She said.

"Oh Honey," said Mike going over to his wife Jen and taking her in his arms. "You've just made me the happiest guy in the world," said Mike.

**

Ed was already sitting in the coffee shop when Hannah arrived.

"Are you OK?" said Ed looking up at Hannah. He loved her so much but she looked dreadful lately, thin and pale with dark circles underneath her eyes. He's hurt you so much thinks Ed and I hate him.

"Not really," said Hannah and burst into tears.

Ed stood up and put his arm about her.

"Hey... what is it Hannah?" he said.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered.

London

"I can't believe that Adi and Billie have split up," said Charlie. They were at the kitchen table eating a take away pizza. Franky laughed at him trying to eat a stray piece of cheese. The cheese seemed to be winning.

"Yeah. Who will believe it, the press don't know yet; wait until that gets out," said Franky.

"Fuck yeah. How's Adi?" said Charlie looking at his old friend.

"I think she's OK. Apparently she had thought it had been going wrong for a while but couldn't bring herself to tell Billie any of it then this stuff happened at the health centre and... well she kept it to herself."

"Poor Adi"

"Yeah and Poor Billie."

"What will happen to her?" said Charlie

"Oh I'm sure Adi will be fine" said Franky. "You seem to be fishing for information about Adi, you haven't got a thing for her have you" laughed Franky.

Charlie was silent.

"Geeze. You have a thing for Adi" said Franky. "How come I don't know about this?" she said.

"Not sure. She's so beautiful. The last time I saw her was at your house for my birthday. She spent ages talking to me about photography. She has these wonderful dark eyes and her hair... "

"Oh shut up" said Franky laughing. "Get a life Charlie," she said.

California...

Ellie checked her watch.

"Look, I have to be going soon I'm meeting someone" she said looking up at Tre. "Do you want to stay; Hannah shouldn't be too much longer" she said.

"I think I will stay if you don't mind," said Tre. He needed to get this sorted out. Today.

"I'll be going then," said Ellie. She didn't want to be late for Joey.

"OK kid, bye," said Tre watching the pretty girl leave the Kitchen.

There was a sound of a key in the door.

"Oh hi Mum" Tre heard the girl say. "Hannah has a visitor," she said. "He's in the kitchen."

**

"Oh Mike, what do you think?" said Jen excited.

"Jen I'm so happy, this couldn't have come at a better time for us really" said Mike.

"What do you mean?" said Jen snuggling into her man.

"Well Tre mentioned something the other day about... well about us sort of calling it a day" said Mike.

"What? Green Day calling it a day?" said Jen. "Surely not Mike"

"Yeah. We've done so much Jen, I'm sure the fans will understand," said Mike. "It means I can spend loads of time with you and the baby," he said stroking her hair.

Jen wasn't so sure that the fans would understand at all.

**

"Ellie?" said Joey putting down his glass of lemonade.

"Yes Joey" said Ellie looking at him with huge eyes.

"I have a new game for my playstation, want to come upstairs and have a go with me?" he said.

"Great," shrugged Ellie. Of course she'd like to go upstairs with Joey and do.. whatever.

**

"What are you going to do Hannah?" said Ed. He had his hand covering hers at the table of the coffee shop. She was shaking.

"I'm going to keep it," said Hannah. "Definitely" she said.

"Will you tell Tre about this?" said Ed. "I presume the baby is his," he said looking down.

"Yes. Its Tres and no, I don't think he needs to know. Franky said just before she left for England that he has a girlfriend, someone more his own age. I can't tell him. He'll hate me," she said.

"You do whatever you want," said Ed. "I am here for you."

London...

Charlie and Franky were sitting watching a movie, lying on the sofa, slouching around hugging cushions. As the film ended, Charlie spoke.

"So... . Are you seeing anyone at the moment? You said you had loads to tell me," he said looking at Franky. She could feel his eyes bearing into hers.

"Well there is kind of someone," she said, not looking at him.

"Who?" said Charlie.

"Just someone," said Franky glancing over. She knew she would have to tell him as knowing Charlie he wouldn't let things lie.

"Just someone," said Charlie. "Come on, spill," he said.

"OK but you have to guess," said Franky.

"Fair enough," said Charlie thinking for a moment.

"Is he American?" he said.

"Yep"

"Is he a musician?" he asked.

"Yep"

"Does he play the drums?"

"Nope"

"Guitar"

Franky laughed. "Apparently he plays guitar badly so nope he doesn't play guitar"

"Singer?"

"Yep"

"Is he blonde"

"Has been, but mostly he's dark"

"I suppose this is a stupid question but has he green eyes. No I know the answer, stupid of me. Ummm. Is he in a famous band then?"

"Yeah you could say that"

"Does he have videos that play on MTV?"

"Yeah"

"How many albums do they have?"

"Three"

"Do I own any of them?"

"You probably have them all"

"You mean I'm a fan, no way"

"Yeah and you've met them."

"What? When?" Charlie thought hard about this. "No way Franky, not... Gerard from MCR. Stop it, you're kidding right?"

"Yeah. It's Gerard. We're sort of seeing one another but its early days. Actually he's here in England at the moment and I'm hoping to meet up with him. He has my mobile phone number and he is going to give me a call this week so that we can meet up with them and go and watch a show and hang out afterwards"

Charlie pretended fainting on the floor.

"You're kidding. Gerard Way and YOU?" he said.

"Yes Charlie. ME" laughed Franky.

She couldn't wait for Gerard to call. She noticed in Charlie's magazine that they were playing in London a week on Saturday and she couldn't wait to meet up with him again.

**

"There nothing you can do dude," said Mikey Way going over to his brother Gerard. "Your phone is lost and... . what can you do?"

"You're right, nothing," said Gerard disappointed. All his numbers that were stored in his phone were gone... gone. He couldn't contact anyone at all but most of all he wanted to contact Franky but he didn't know how. She would be in England too now, like him. She could just be down the road but there was know way of knowing this. Shit. What would she think; he wouldn't be calling her now.

California...

Ellie was watching Joey play some racing game on the PS2. She yawned and lay back on his bed. He was oblivious to her as he concentrated on his game.

She lay back and looked up at the ceiling amazed that she, Ellie was actually lying on Joey Armstrong's bed. Nobody would believe her; they would have to be here to witness it she thought. Then suddenly something caught her eye, something on top of Joey's wardrobe. It was a piece of material that was hanging out of a box. She recognised the material but she couldn't place it. She knew she had seen it before, but where?

**

"Tre!" said Susan entering the Kitchen. "What a surprise but... . Ellie said you were here to see Hannah," she said putting a shopping bag onto the kitchen table.

"Uh... ... ." Said Tre suddenly putting two and two together.