THE ULTIMATE GIFT WAS YOU AND ME

PART ONE

Alayna Lee had driven over the past two hours, rain pouring all around her. She was on her way to the Wachovia Arena. Yes, she had been crazy to venture back to her old stomping grounds, but this concert was going to be well worth it and since she'd grown up in this area, she wouldn't get lost.

In four hours the concert would begin and her tickets had her seated near the stage. This was going to be the most fun she would ever have, maybe one of the last times before she went through dialysis, but this had been her gift to herself. She needed this before her worries of a heart transplant and seeing this band would put her mind at ease.

She passed the exit for the business section. Yes, it hadn't changed at all since she left over five years ago. The only difference was the bridge work, yet traffic was moving smoothly. Forty-five minutes to an hour before she arrived at the arena and already her body trembled with excitement.

"Soon. Soon I'll see them live and this will be the best day ever in my life." She smiled and slowed as the rain fell harder. It didn't worry her none, she'd grown up in this weather and soon it would disperse and the sun would come back out and the heat would be unbearable once more. It was a typical day here.

She got off the Interstate and headed south. Here the highway had become two to three lanes and very congested during rush hour. She moved along at a slower pace but she watched as the scenery passed. The second exit was her destination and she could see the parking lot of the Arena filling as she turned the corner of the off ramp. She would have to walk into the rain, but it would be worth it. She would live.

She parked some time later, being lucky to get semi-close to the entrance. She pulled her hood over her head, secured her ticket in a pocket under her hoodie and opened the door to the car, jumped out and made sure her car was locked and closed the door before jogging over to the doors. Everyone was inside waiting to get in, the one good thing about the Arena, a lot of space to wait inside instead of in the rain.

"Hi." A voice said and she turned to a girl with short dark hair.

"Hi." She said out of breath, "Lucky for us we can wait inside eh?"

The girl nodded, "Yeah, I never imagined this place was so big."

"Wait until you get inside, it's worth it."

The girl looked at her, "You from around here?"

"I use to live an hour away, my sister lived ten minutes from here and I lived here mainly all my life up until five years ago.

"Wow. Is there much to do here?"

Alayna shook her head. "Not really, you have to travel another hour or so to go to any amusement parks. But it wasn't bad living around here."

"Yeah, it just seems so unexciting."

Alayna could agree, she had left and moved to Hackensack, New Jersey to find her place in life. She was living in a beautiful home with her parents and found it quite calming and her job at the local music store with Hannah, her best friend, made it her while. Hannah couldn't go and had sold the ticket to her instead. One of the reasons she was able to get a ticket to a My Chemical Romance concert.

"Seems they are letting us in early."

Alayna raised her head and spotted security ushering people in. She pulled her ticket from a plastic bag in her pocket and held onto it tightly. Once she and the girl next to her got to the door they handed over their tickets and were then given bracelets to get in.

"This is so exciting." The girl said, "Oh by the way, I'm Jules."

"Alayna."

"A pleasure meeting you Alayna!"

"Same here." She said and they went their separate ways.

Alayna took her seat and calmly waited out in the crowded arena. There would be over 10,000 people here tonight.

"Hey, it's you again." Jules said as she took a seat next to Alayna. "I'm right next to you, how cool is that?"

"Freaky, but defiantly cool. We got what, three hours till the show?"

"Yeah and everyone is already restless." She laughed. "But time will pass by quickly and soon it's going to rock in here."

Alayna smiled. This was going to be a great night. She dozed a little, Jules must have been watching her and kept her safe but as she felt a tug on her sleeve did she open her eyes, "What?"

"The concert is about to begin!"

She had slept three hours and not known it! "Oh wow! Thank you for waking me."

"It was not a thing. You looked tired and I must say, you look like your ready to rock."

"Oh I am." She grinned as music began to play.

Small lights came from the stage, it was still dark but as the music grew louder and a voice began to sing did screams fill the room and flames lit the stage. There in all his glory was Gerard and the band of My Chemical Romance.

For the next hour the band rocked on that stage and Alayna was impressed. Never in her twenty seven years had she seen such a show. She felt quite old being here but that didn't stop her from enjoying the show.

As the music slowed and came to a stop, Gerard yelled in the microphone, "We are My Chemical Romance." And was gone.

"Wow! That was awesome!" Jules squealed.

"Yes, it was."

"So what are you doing now?"

"Heading to my hotel room."

"How about you come to the back doors and wait the guys out. A lot of us fans do it and we usually get a chance to meet them."

Alayna was leery, it was dark out and it was raining but the idea was so appealing. So she planned out her strategy, she would use the girl's room, get some water and wait out the band with her new-found friend Jules.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Jules clapped her hands, "Great."

Alayna smiled, Jules was unlike the others here, she was more go-getting but that was fine by her. She'd been into the pop scene a long time and had been a dancer when she was younger. So the preppy, cheery thing didn't bother her in the least.

She did her business then, telling Jules she'd be right back. After combing her hair with her hands and pulling it tight into a ponytail, rubbing her teeth with her finger and pulling her hood back over her head, did she exit the restroom.

"Alayna."

Jules was sitting by the door, a few waters in hand. "I thought I help out. I know I am freaking you out, but I feel as if we're near the same age, you know?"

No, she didn't know but it was fine. "I'm 27."

"How cool! I'm 30."

Alright the girl was older than she but Alayna felt old most of the time.

"I thought you were 22!" she laughed, "Boy was I wrong."

"Hey, I love that. I get told that I am an immature 15 years old." She giggles.

They take off to the back of the arena, it's still pouring like mad and Alayna had made a quick detour to her car to get an umbrella and returned holding it above the two already drenched girls.

"Got to love this weather." She said.

"Yeah, it's raining men."

They laughed and other people turned and stared at them. They grabbed a spot and stood; now huddling under an even larger umbrella. Some of the girls there were quite nice and joked with them. Alayna told them all about her childhood growing up near here and how she loved the Blizzard of 93 that had trapped her family indoors for about five days.

They talked for quite some time and Alayna finally realized she was soaked. Rain had been coming in sideways and she'd gotten it bad. She sighed; she was determined to meet the band now, since two hours had passed. She knew she was stupid for doing this, but she would kick herself if she'd given up. She patiently waited, many of the others finally leaving and not being able to take the rain. Jules eventually left as well and Alayna held her umbrella over her head and watched the small group of people wait. Had Jules waited a few more, she would have seen the band as they emerged from the arena. The fans edged closer and greeted them, the band as drenched as the rest of them. She felt bad; they needed to get on the bus before they got sick.

"Hi." Frank said as he shook her hand.

"Hey Frank, I'm Alayna." She greeted him casually.

He was a bit taken back as was Ray. Most fans gushed how much they loved them and all yet she was quite the opposite.

"Hello Ray."

He shook her hand and smiled. She pulled the umbrella over them and they chatted. She kept calm, though her heart was beating madly. She was too old to act all excited and she needed some sleep as well, but she would keep her eyes open and say hi to each and every band member before they left.

Ray and Frank left, Bob and Mikey say hello quickly before talking to the others but Gerard stopped and smiled at her. She was in her glory! She was nudged in the side and realized she hadn't spoken.

"Hi!" she said cheerfully, "Beautiful weather we're having eh?"

Gerard laughed, his hazel eyes twinkling, she was damn well nervous but his smile made it disappear.

"It's lovely, is it not?" He said and smiled.

She sighed, the day was crappy but seeing him smile and talk to her made it seem like nothing else.

"Sorry you have to be in the rain." She said and held her own umbrella over them to keep him from getting too wet.

"It's part of the job." He said.

"That sucks. Rain around here is maddening, always raining then for months it's hot or freezing and won't make up its mind and it rains again. I so hate the Mountains." She chattered.

She looked at her the whole time, she remembered that. His eyes never left hers. "Best get you on the bus and dry. I'll see you again soon, I promise." She said and handed the umbrella over. "I can afford a few days off; you can't, so get a move on." She said as she shooed him away.

He handed her a piece of paper before going, laughing as he thanked her and headed for the bus with her umbrella. She took off into the parking lot and located her car. She got in and tried to dry herself with the towel she brought with her. It was worth seeing him, that was all that mattered and she was glad she did it to begin with. She opened the paper and found that he'd given her his email and cell number. She stared in shock. Was it really his?

She folded the paper and placed it in her purse and drove off across the road. Her hotel was nearby and she needed some sleep; calling and confirming she be in late. When she got her bag and went into the lobby, exhausted from the day's adventure, did she encounter a small problem. Her room had been given away to someone else. She fumed and shook her head and headed back to her car. She'd called and informed them that she'd be there late and they gave her room up! How wrong was that! She pulled the car back on the road, maybe her sister would still be awake and she would crash there. She called and a sleepy voice answered, "Hello?"

"Hi sis."

"Alayna?"

"Yeah, I was wondering, could I possibly crash at your place tonight? The hotel gave my room up and I got no where to go."

"Sure, come here. I'm getting up. How long will it be till you get here?"

"10 or 15 minutes. I'm near the Mall now."

"I'll be waiting."

"Thanx Jenna."

"Not a problem." She said and hung up.

She drove quickly over to her sister's apartment, the town was so quiet and she grimaced as she parked and got out of the car, grabbing her bag before quietly closing the door. Her niece would surely be asleep and she didn't need to awake her. But as her sister opened the door, her three year old niece sat on her mother's lap, clearly upset and crying.

"I woke her up didn't I?" she asked.

"No, she won't sleep. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Alayna placed her bag on the couch and took the crying child into her arms, pressing the baby's belly against her chest and slowly moving about, while calming the child. "Is she still teething?" she whispered.

"Yeah, she has one tooth to go."

Teething would make a child cranky and unable to sleep, but as she rocked the little girl, her blue eyes closed and she drifted to sleep.

"Make sure her bed is flat and lay her to her side. Her sinuses may be congested as well."

Her sister nodded, thanked her and wished her good night and that she would see her in the morning. Alayna nodded and lay on the couch and was soon out.

The Following Morning

Alayna awoke when she realized she wasn't alone in the living room. She sat up and found her brother-in-law dozing in his leather chair. He was still dressed in his work clothes.

He came home and passed out. She grinned.

She got up and quietly went upstairs to use the bathroom. Her niece Bridget was still sleeping and she could see her sister in bed still. She would have to make coffee to wake them up but Bridget she would let be.

She did her business and quickly showered, she had brought along some clothes to change into. Once she was done, she quietly opened the door and looked into Bridget's room, she was up and smiling. Alayna placed her stuff on a chair and lifted her niece to her.

"Why hello my dear Bridget, aren't you my favorite niece." She smiled.

Jenna entered the room and yawned, "Morning." She said.

"Hi sis, thanx again for letting me crash here."

She yawned again, "I told you, you're more than welcome to come here."

"I know." She said and hugged her sister as did Bridget.

"I'll go make coffee, go shower and dress, and then we can wash Bridget over here and get ready. I'll take you all out for breakfast if that's alright."

Jenna nodded and smiled, "Fine by me, just need to wake Eric up."

Alayna laughed and headed back downstairs with her niece. They entered the kitchen and she began preparing coffee to brew. Bridget sat on the floor and chattered. It had been a year since she had last seen her sister and her family, yet Bridget remembered her. If only her family had been more nice to her sister, would she had remained back home. But Bridget was lucky; she had a family and her own home, something she desperately wanted.

"Hello Alayna." Eric said as he entered the kitchen.

"Hey bro, what have you been up to?"

"Not much, work and more work."

"Sounds like fun."

"How's work at the music store."

"Great! I actually went to a concert here last night."

He raised an eyebrow, "That My Chemical Romance one?"

"Yeah."

"How can you like them?" he asked.

"The same way you like that crap you listen to."

Jenna came into the room and laughed, "Still at it I see."

Bridget just laughed and carried on chattering to herself. Alayna poured them all coffee.

"I wanted to go and much of their music is great. And besides I had to leave the pop scene sooner than later."

"But those fans are rough." He said.

"Not this one girl I met last night or a few I hung out with waiting for the band."

"Then you were lucky."

Jenna rolled her eyes, "Eric is just plain scared to go to a concert."

The girls laughed, including Bridget. Eric sighed, "I am never going to get any peace am I?"

They shook their heads no.

"I'm getting a shower as I see my wife has gotten one and Bridget will take not long. What is the occasion?"

"I'm taking everyone out for breakfast." She said.

"Good, I'm starved and my wife hates to cook me food."

Jenna threw a towel at him as he headed upstairs. "He is just so funny, you know?" she laughed.

They spent the next half hour getting ready and they were off for breakfast. Alayna still deciding whether to call the number or not.