Beautiful Tragedy

"Jess will you get out of the shower?!" I heard someone whine as i layed in my bunk, staring at the ceiling.

In some ways i was pleased they'd interrupted my thoughts, surely it wasn't good to be thinking this much about someone you'd just met. As my mind ran away with me again, something clicked. That was a girls voice, and a girls name she'd spoken.

Who the hell?

Deciding that i didn't want to go meet strangers in my boxers, i shimmied into a pair of my loose black jeans and slipped out of the bunk, following the arguing voices.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as i walked past the bunks, subconciously also trying to wipe away any thoughts of him.

"Jess! I just need the hairdryer, do you want my hair to go frizzy?" The voice was clearer, the girl now standing in front of me, banging on the bathroom door.

"I don't care if your hair goes frizzy, go away!" The muffled voice came through the door, the girl in front of me rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, stopping dead as she saw me.Her wet hair was dripping round her shoulders, and i could see purple and blue highlights through the black. She had bright blue eyes that seemed to be half shocked, half narrowed in anger.

"Who are you?" I asked, too tired for pleasantries.

"Who am i? Who the hell are you? What are you doing in Thomas?" She snapped.

"Thomas?" I asked, my confusion building by the second.

"Will you stop answering my questions with questions." She seemed to sulk for a moment, "Are you a fan?"

"A fan? No, i'm the new roadie...replacing Matt?" No, that wasn't his name...

"I liked Mike, don't try and take his place."

"Mike." I corrected.

"Oh...Welcome to Thomas," She smiled, "I'm Beth. The one hogging the bathroom is Jess. She loves Frank Iero."

Frank - the cute one. I grinned as i remembered meeting him. I'd forgotten about him after i'd met Gerard.

"Thomas?" I asked, still confused.

"Thomas the Tourbus, silly." She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Want some breakfast?"

I nodded gratefully and followed her through to the little kitchen, she pulled a hairband off her wrist and tied her dripping wet hair back, running her hands through her fringe in annoyance and then pulling a frying pan from a tiny cupboard. She paused, looking at the me with the pan still in her hand.

"Do you have a big appetite?" She asked, curious.

"Uh, i guess. Why?"

"Todays the day of the meal. Where the band and the crew go out and y'know. It's how we start each tour off." She smiled, her eyes gazing over her shoulder. I could guess she was remembering past events and rolled my eyes, jumping suddenly as i heard a clap from behind me.

"Beth! Snap out of it" The girl laughed, "She does that sometimes, you just have to make her jump." This girl's hair was pretty amazing, the majority of it being red, though some around the front and under the fringe was black. Her make up was done almost perfectly, compared to Beth who momentarily had only what was left from the day before.

"Finally out of the bathroom." Beth rolled her eyes, "Bert, Jess." She introduced before skipping through the room. Yeah, skipping - on a moving bus.

"Don't finally me Bethany Ashton," Jess looked at me, smirking slightly. "Excited? Are ya? Of course you are! You're touring with us!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm, and sat down in one of the sofas as she flitted round the room, doing pointless things.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I don't actually know," She smiled, before sitting down and flicking Jeremy Kyle onto the t.v. "Have you met any of the others?"

"Um, i've met the band, Paul and Beth...but that's it"

"You met Frank? He's hot, you think? I'm his guitar tech." She grinned, "I'll call the others through."

"Franks pretty cute," I giggled, waiting for her reaction.

"You think so too?!" She jumped up suddenly, grabbing my hands and pulling me from the sofa, hugging me.

She ended the embrace as abruptly as she started it, and walked through into the bunk area leaving me on my own. I stood awkwardly, i had a feeling she'd be back soon.

Standing in the middle of the room, i watched what was happening on the tube for a moment, the woman stomping out onto the stage and shouting into her boyfriends face. Silly programs these, made to humiliate blokes who've done something wrong. Maybe they deserve it, but sometimes they don't and they can't even retaliate because they're on national television. I watch the host tell the woman to sit down, and then shout at the pair of them, lecturing them before telling them to 'Get off his stage.'

Someone cleared their throat behind me, and i turned to see the two girls i'd just met standing next to three men.

"Jim, Ed and Carl." Beth grinned, pointing them out.

Jim was small and thin, taller than what Frank was but not as tall as me. He had a hat pulled over his head, hiding all of his hair but his fringe which was swept messily across his face. He grinned at me, his eyes excited. He was wearing an old Screeching Weasels top, and a faded pair of jeans. I smiled back at him.

"Hey! I do the lighting for My Chem," He paused, and looked as if he was trying to think of something to say, "You'll probably get annoyed at me during the tour...i'm the prankster."

"Oh god, believe him!" The second, Ed, agreed; though his expression was nothing but happy to be here. He was medium build, his hair a light brown colour. He was wearing a Metallica t-shirt and loose trousers, he shoved his hands in his front pockets and grinned at me.

"I cook for the bands," He turned to glare at the third, "And no, i don't cook on the bus."

"Can't blame me for trying," Carl chuckled. He was wearing an old-school Blink 182 t-shirt and a pair of long shorts like me,though i think i pulled mine off better. His hair was short and spiked, black with some recent green dye. "I fix things! Everything goes wrong with Frank on tour, but it keeps me with this lot."

I turned to look at Jess who was glaring at him, and grinned. They were all getting along really well.

There was one thing that stood out about all five of the people standing before me. They all seemed so happy to be here, so excited to start work. Not just the look in thier eyes but their short greetings told me that there was no-where else they'd rather be.

That i admired; the loyal personalities of the crew here. This had to be one special band.

"Well, I'm Bert and i have no idea what i'm doing." I smiled, and after a sudden cry of "Group hug! i was crushed under five pairs of arms.

- ♥ -

It was evening, and we'd been doing a grand total of nothing all day. We'd been travelling most of it, sometimes a crew member from our bus would get called onto the bands bus to do a job but other than i'd been getting to know them and the ways of "The MCR Family."

I'd learned that our bus and the other crew bus were friendly rivals. Team Thomas Tourbus against Team Belinda Bus, thier pranks against each other almost as good as mine and Quinns.

I could already tell that i'd get on with the people on this bus, and fingers crossed i wouldn't fall out with any of them. There wasn't a specific person i felt closest to at the minute, and none of them seemed to split off into thier own mini-groups; I think I liked it best that way.

Right now, the bus was in a frenzy as everyone done last minute bits before we left for our meal. Beth was ready, and cleaning the longue area, Jess was running around screaming that she couldn't find something and fretting she'd look silly in front of Frank, Carl was re-spiking his hair; already at the bottom of a tub of gel and Jim and Ed were looking for accesories in thier suitcases.

I, however, was ready and had nothing to do. I was sitting on the counter in the kitchen area, watching everyone run around, making a bigger mess than what Beth was trying to clear up.

There was a quiet tap on the door and suddenly everyone froze.

I slid off the counter and moved to the blinds in the kitchen, peeking out to see Frank and Mikey standing on the step talking.

"It's Frank," I grinned.

Jess took one last look in the mirror, and quickly went to answer it, putting on a suprised face as she opened the door.

"Oh! Hey Frank, hey Mikes, Gerard!" My heart seemed to miss a beat. Gerard? I hadn't seen him through the window.

"You ready?" Frank asked shyly, tracing a tattoo on his arm. He smiled at her cheekily through his fringe, and she grinned.

"Yeah, C'mon freaks." She walked out of the door, walking with Frank. Mikey waited for the rest of us to catch up, Gerard standing with him.

"Carl!" Gerard smiled, giving him a high five. "How's your summer been?"

I'd never seen that smile before, I didn't think his face could become anymore beautiful, but i was wrong. Could i have been wrong about Gerard? Maybe i'd caught him in a bad mood. That's what i desperately hoped, anyway.

"Ah, it's been great, man. I got engaged!" Carl got lost in thought as he told Gerard about his fiancée, smiling absently.

"Let's go," Beth mumbled, grabbing my arm and leading me off the tourbus. She locked the door behind us, as we were the last ones to go out and taking a long time about it.

"Waiting for christmas?" I asked, smirking, she turned and glared at me before pocketing the key.

"No, actually, im waiting for the others to get a bit ahead, i wanted to talk to you." I swallowed, wondering what i'd done wrong already. She wound her arm through mine, so we were linking arms like teenagers.

"Do you like Gerard?" She asked. Wow, no beating around the bush there.

"He seems alright," I answered, trying to pretend i'd misread the question. She pinched me with the arm that was linked with mine and smiled innocently at me.

"Ouch!" I whined, rubbing the tender skin with my free arm. "How'd you know?" I mumbled.

"Did that hurt ickle baby Bertums?" She started, and then realised i'd answered her question. "Well, you were kind of staring at him," she rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, i won't tell anyone."

"You better not," I smirked, "Because I can pinch too."