Mikey sat, watching his brother happily bouncing little Bandit on his knee, a smile on the face of the child and happy giggles bursting out of both of them with each pop of Gerard's foot. Mikey sighed quietly, and rotated his head to look at Frank. Not the best idea because he only laid his gaze upon frank joyously tickling his twin daughters' bellies. By now, Mikey had had enough, and he shot to his feet, grabbed his keys, and walked out the front-door of Gerard's house, not closing it behind him.
"Mikey?" both Frank and gerard gawked out the open door as Mikey got into his car, and drove away from the beautiful home.
Mikey had always wanted a child. Ever sense he turned twenty-two, he had dreams of having a child of his own. Though, he didn't much care for babies themselves, he wanted a child… A teenager. Not a sixteen or seventeen year old, but a twelve or thirteen year old. Girl. The child had to be a girl. Now, even Mikey didn't know why exactly he wanted a girl, he just did. It was just one of the details that he had taken in during his dreams.
"Mikey, dear, are you alright!" Alicia, Mikey's wife said as Mikey burst through the door of their two-bedroom house. Mikey, of course, didn't respond. He trudged into his 'office' slamming and locking the door behind him. He pulled out his laptop, and opened his home page browser. He exhaled just before typing the word "Orphanage" into Google and pressed the 'enter' key.
Loading…
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Suddenly the page changed colours, and opened a link-page. Mikey scrolled aimlessly through the different links and pictures on the internet, and he suddenly stopped. "Perfect…" he mumbled, clicking one of the million pictures with links and waited for the address to load. "Absolutely perfect."
Mikey hadn't discussed the matter with his wife until it was obviously too late for her to object his decision. He didn't tell her until after he had left early in the morning, driven to the orphanage, and filled out the paper-work to adopt the child. A girl. But not just any girl. A girl with dyed-blue and purple hair. A girl that was just about to be sent to another orphanage in another country for an unknown reason. Mikey loved the mystery behind the wild-haired female. She'd be an amazing daughter for him, no matter what anyone said in contrast. He hadn't even met her. Only saw a small picture and a list of broken-rules.
Mikey climbed the steps of the orphanage to the top-room, also known as an attic, to where the Girl had been sent to sleep and stay alone as to not "contaminate" the other children with her rebellious attitude. The sister flung the door open to reveal a girl lying crossed-legged on a small bed, listening to who-knows-what music through an mp3 player. She didn't remove either ear bud, she didn't even glance over to see who it was exactly. "Yet another fool here to buy-and-return, sister?" She asked. More like stated.
"Tate you insolent little demon! Greet your new parent properly!" St. Marian screeched at the girl, ripping the ear-buds from her head and smacking her on the back of the head in one swift motion.
"Fucking bitch, I'm listening to My Chem!" Tate screamed in response.
"That Devil garbage! You little Satanist! You shall endure an eternity in hell!" The nun yelled.
Suddenly, Tate grabbed the hand of the nun, and shoved her away from herself, "You don't ever, do you hear me, EVER, talk shit about the people who helped save my life!" Tate was enraged, and Mikey stood, motionless, staring at the girl's actions.
The nun only stumbled back a few feet, and then dusted nothing off of her gown, "It doesn't matter anymore, Tate, your new parent can deal with your Satanism on his own… if he still wants to take you after seeing you do THAT!"
Tate snorted, and sat back down on her bed, popping one of the ear-buds into her ear, "Why the hell would I care if he took me or not. He'll probably just bring me back like the rest of 'em."
Mikey smiled at Tate, "I wouldn't be so quick as to judge me, Tate." He said.
Tate, for the first time, looked up at her new father. Her eyes widened, and she paused her music. She stuttered out a few inaudible words, then finally said something understandable, "Mikey Way?"
Mikey nodded happily, and took a step closer to Tate, "Yup. You want to get your stuff together to go?"
Tate stood up, and gathered her very few possessions. A couple T-shirts, her mp3 player, and a bass-guitar, which was missing its E-string and two of its four pick-ups. Once Tate finished, Mikey led her out to his car. She walked over to the passenger-seat, and sat down, keeping all her things on the floor in front of her feet, and Mikey plopped down in the driver's seat.
Neither of them spoke for a while during the drive back to New Jersey, until Tate finally spoke up to ask, "Mikey… Why'd you come to such a far-away orphanage to get a kid?"
Mikey tilted his head towards her for a moment, then looked back at the road ahead of him, "Because I wanted you…" He said strongly.
"… Why?" She was confused as to why any human being would want her specifically when they could have a considerably "good" child.
Mikey laughed, but didn't respond; he let the silence fill the car for a bit before turning on the radio.
A Greenday song was playing quietly, which helped mute the tension between the two individuals in the vehicle. Tate, looked at the radio for a minute, and then reached down to the volume knob, twisting it right to turn up the sound of "American Idiot" so she could both hear it better, and sing along without Mikey hearing her. The second reason didn't work, Mikey could hear her clearly over the sound of the radio, and watched her every once-in-a-while.
"You're great!" Mikey said after the song had finished.
Tate blushed slightly, "Oh… uh.. Thanks… I think?"
It got awkward yet again, though it was so bad to the point that the radio wasn't even helping the case, so Mikey flipped it off.
Mikey pulled up the drive way of his home, and smiled at the half-angry half-excited Alicia standing by the front door. Mikey got out, and waited as Tate opened the door and slung her Bass-case over her shoulder to follow him to where Alicia was standing.
"Hello." Alicia said plainly, glaring at Mikey, but smiling at Tate at the same time.
Tate looked up innocently at Mikey. Mikey looked down sweetly at Alicia. Alicia looked up at both of them blankly.
"Why does everyone in this damn house have to end up being taller than me." Alicia said, turning around and walking inside without another word, suggestion, or glance; Mikey and Tate following close behind.
Later that night, Tate was sitting in her new, empty, bedroom. The door was opened wide, and the only light on in the house at the moment was the small lamp in the corner of her bedroom. She was lying flat on her back in the middle of the floor, and, of course, she was listening to her almost-dead mp3 player.
"Knock, knock." Mikey said, tapping his knuckles against the door even though it was already opened, "Hey, Tate, in a couple days, we're going to have a barbeque with the family so you all can meet each other non-awkwardly. Is that alright?"
Tate half-smiled at Mikey and lifted her head from the floor, "I guess… Hey, Mikey?"
"Yeah, Tater?"
"Why me?"
Mikey smiled down at his adopted-daughter, "Because… I liked your hair." He said 'as-a-matter-of-factly' before walking down the hallway to enter his own bedroom which was a wall away from Tate's.
"Mikey, why didn't you discuss this with me first?" Alicia said when Mikey walked into the room.
Mikey looked up at her with a happy-sad mixed facial expression, "Because I knew you'd say 'No' and I really wanted her so badly as to just do it on my own, dear." Mikey explained as he pulled off his pants to get ready for bed.
"But, Mikey, this is such a huge decision! And we both know if something goes wrong, Neither of us will feel right sending her back!"
Mikey grinned at Alicia again, "Isn't that the point." He said, and then he climbed into his side of the bed to go to sleep.
(Telephone conversation between Gerard and Mikey)
"Hey, Gee!" Mikey yelped excitedly.
"Oh, hey man… what was up with you leaving the other day? You looked genuinely pissed off for some reason… why?" Gerard said, leaning back in his leather office chair.
"Oh, hey man, sorry 'bout that little… outburst… It's just… well, I adopted a girl!" Mikey said happily into the phone's receiver.
Gerard stayed silent for a second, all Mikey could hear was the squeak of Gerard's chair as he stood up, and the sound of a door opening and closing.
"Gerard? You still alive over there?" Mikey said, confused as to why his brother wasn't saying a word in response.
"Um, Mikes, why'd you adopt a kid?" Gerard said, in a firm, blank tone as he walked into the kitchen to put the phone on speaker as to let Lyndsie hear what was happening.
"Why wouldn't I?" Mikey replied smartly, "She's incredibly amazing! Really, she is! She loves music, and not that pop crap that other teenagers listen to, and-"
"Wait. Wait. Wait. Mikey, you adopted a … Teenager?"
"Um, yeah" Mikey said, dragging out the 'Ah' sound.
Gerard turned to Lyndsie, and gave her a half worried half "Is he fucking kidding me" look, and then he turned back to where the phone was resting on the counter, "Mikes are you serious? Did you really go adopt a teenage girl?"
"Yeah, Gerard, I adopted a teenage girl… I'm having a barbeque tomorrow so you guys can all meet her. Gosh, I really love this kid! She's so cool, but she really doesn't want to be 'cool'. She's so abnormal that she fits in perfectly with Alicia and I! I'm sure it'll take a while for her to really give me her story and all; but I don't expect her to do so yet because she's still working on getting everything to work right!"
Gerard stayed quiet for half a second to think whether he'd question Mikey's decision more, or just go along with it, "That's cool, Mikey… What kind of music does she like?"
"Us!" Mikey screeched joyously into the phone, "She listens to My Chem, and Greenday, and I know there's other stuff too, but all I know is the two for now. Actually, I think I saw a "The Used" CD in her room last night, but I'm not sure."
"Man, you must really love this kid… does she do any activities? Like, does she do sports or play an instrument, 'er…?"
"Yes!" Mikey burst with excitement again, "She has a bass, and she's an incredible singer, Gee!"
Lyndsie rolled her eyes and continued to wash dishes without saying a word. Gerard looked around and the spoke, "Well, Mikes, I've got to go-"
"Hold it, Gee! Are you coming to the cook-out tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Bye." Gerard quickly hung up the phone, and turned to his wife. "Well," Gerard said, pushing hair off of his forehead, "This is going to be… interesting."
The next day, Mikey woke up early to get everything ready for the day's events. He shuffled around the house, cleaning any mess he could find, pulled out buns and condiments for the hot-dogs and hamburgers, and he set out plates and napkins.
Tate, whom was still in her own room with the door closed, heard the ruckus from out in the kitchen, so she decided it would be the best time to wake up and get ready, and possibly help Mikey out if he would accept it. She pulled on an old pair of denim jeans, and a T-shirt. Without looking at the shirt itself. Then she walked out into the main area of the house.
"G'morning Tate!" Mikey said, smiling up at Tate from where he sat on the couch.
"Good morning, Mikey." Tate responded sheepishly, a small smile appearing in the corners of her mouth. She plopped her butt down on the sofa next to Mikey, and looked up at the off television, allowing herself to zone out with her eyes attached to the black screen.
They both sat in silence form long seconds until the door bell sounded. "Yo, Mikes! Open the door!" Frank cheered from outside while banging his knuckles on the heavy wooden door.
"Cool your jets, spaz!" Mikey called, getting up and shuffling across the ceramic-tiled floor to answer the door.
Once Mikey opened the door, Frank came in holding his twin daughters, and Frank was followed by Jamia, his wife, who came in holding a bag and hugged Mikey with a smile dancing across her face. "Hello Mikey!" She said sweetly, shifting the bag from one arm to another.
"Hello Jamia, how are you?" Mikey replied, just as happily; even more.
"Fine, where's your daughter- Oh, there she is! Hello sweet heart!" Jamia said happily to Tate.
Tate stood up and walked over to where the five people were crowded at, "Uh, hello." Tate said shyly scanning over the people's faces, "I'm Tate."
By now, frank had set the twins down on the floor, so he outstretched his arms and wrapped them tightly around Tate for a hug, "Hello! I'm Uncle Frankie!" he yipped out excited and happy, which made Tate blush slightly.
"Hello, Uncle Frankie…" Tate said stuttering. Frank held her by her shoulders, held her back, and looked her over.
"Nice shirt!" He piped loudly.
Tate viewed down for the first time at the shirt she had thrown on that morning. It was a My Chemical Romance shirt from the black parade era. The shirt was white with the words, "Welcome to the black parade" written in black and a picture of a women in a gas mask under it.
"Oh… Uh… That was unintentional…" She said calmly and quietly, now gazing in the eyes of Frank, or "Uncle Frankie".
Frank chuckled warmly, and sauntered further inside the house, followed by Jamia and the twins, Cherry and lily. Mikey smiled at Tate, whom was still pink in her cheeks. "Don't be so nervous, Tater-Tot." He said kindly before walking behind Jamia. Tate exhaled, and walked into the kitchen where the three adults stood talking with Alicia.
It was a while before Gerard or Ray arrived at Mikey's house, an hour to be exact. At the time, Tate had submerged herself back in her bedroom; not to be rude, but because she felt slightly unwelcomed at the party. She had heard Mikey and Alicia speaking the night of her arrival, and she knew that Alicia didn't like the idea of her being there. Though Mikey was the most welcoming person Tate knew; she didn't feel right being there when she knew Mikey's wife didn't want her there.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door, Tate looked out her bedroom window to see who it was being that her window looked out at the front entrance of the house; it was Gerard and Ray, though their wives weren't anywhere to be seen. Tate decided that she'd be the one to answer the door to be polite and show that she was some-what interested in the meeting of new family members.
She stood up from her place by the window, and walked out into the main area of the house, "I'll get it!" She called to Mikey, whom was on his way to the door. She swung the door open carefully, and smiled up at the red-head and the afro-haired men before her, "hello." She said sharply, and much more high-pitched then intended. Ray smiled and half-waved his hand at Tate, and Gerard just gave her a twisted-faced look and a quick 'yeah, hi.' Before they both walked past her and into the kitchen.
Tate observed them both as they walked away. 'Wow.' She thought, 'Gerard seems like a douche…' She closed the door, and walked into the kitchen where the adults were gathered for discussion. It seemed that everyone was talking either about the band or the "New member of the family" also known as "Tate" or in Mikey's mind, "Tater-tot."
Tate sat down on a bar-stool across from where Mikey was standing and next to, well, nobody was next to her. Frank looked over and gave her a half-smile and a kind wink before returning to his discussion with Gerard, and Gerard just gave her a half-glance. That was fine with Tate. Not. The man that saved her life, Gerard Way, was standing before her with disgust for her very being. She stared at him for a moment, and then decided to pay attention to Mikey and his conversation with Ray.
"So, do you think the album should have more back-up vocals from Frank… er, screams I should say?" Mikey said, then took a sip from a half-empty beer bottle that was in his hand.
"Well, I think that would be slightly too expected from the fans, y'know? Maybe if you or I did more back-ups, it'd be more surprising." Ray remarked.
"True, though we did that on Danger Days a lot, and Frank didn't do much… It'd be more surprising if we went back to the Revenge layering?" Mikey said, slightly questioning himself, "Maybe we need a fan's point of view!"
"Huh-" Ray started before Mikey cut him off.
"Hey Tater! What do you think?" Mikey said enthusiastically.
Tate looked up at Mikey with solemn eyes and a quizzical look, "Uh… I think if it wasn't set and was more spontaneous with the moment and the meaning of the song itself it'd be more impacting. It's not really about surprising the usual audience; it's more about being powerful with the lyrics and having the back-up screams and extra words there to reinforce the reality of what the singer, Gerard, would be saying…"
Tate scanned the expressions that had grown on Mikey, ray, and even Gerard's faces. They were all shocked in her answer; Ray had only expected her to say something along the lines of, "No matter what you do it'll be awesome." Mikey thought she'd just agree with one of them, and Gerard didn't really pay attention to the conversation until Tate had decided to speak.
After seventeen long seconds of silence, Tate was beginning to see uncomfortable, "Uh… Guys… You three okay?" Tate finally decided to say.
"They're just indulged in your genius!" Frank laughed.
Gerard gave Frank a dirty look, and then sustained the conversation they were having before. Ray grinned at Mikey, "You didn't tell me she was smart too." He said, kidding of course. Mikey had told everyone everything "amazing" about Tate, obviously being smart came right after playing bass on Mikey's "Mental List of Things to Say."
Tate smiled at Ray, and Ray beamed back.
Mikey was happy that everyone seemed to like Tate, though he wasn't so sure about Gerard's opinion on the matter. He'd ask Gerard about it later.
"Food's done everyone!" Mikey called, opening the sliding glass-door with his elbow and carrying a platter of hot-dogs and hamburgers, "Who wants what?"
Frank gave Mikey an irritated look, "Where's the vegetables?"
Mikey cackled at Frank's impatience, "There are roasted peppers on the grill, and salad stuff in the fridge; help yourself!"
Tate watched Mikey set the tray down on the counter, and pulled a paper plate off of the stack for himself and continued to watch as other people got in line to receive their own lunch items. Eventually she shook out of her space-out, stood up, and waited in line behind Gerard. She found it slightly strange that Gerard took the same things that she did; a cheese burger with pickles, tomatoes, and ketchup, potato-salad, and a can of Coca-Cola. Well, it wasn't a big deal; it was just… interesting that a person that disliked her so much could be so evidentially similar to herself.
Once everyone had finished eating, they all sat down in the living room for conversation. They low sounds of people speaking were complimented by music playing lowly out of the stereo in the front of the room. Tate; not being much for talking, sat as close to the music-source as possible, and sang along silently to any song she knew.
After a while, she decided to go to the bathroom and possibly just disappear in her room for the remainder of the party. As she walked into the dim hallway, she looked down at her feet and spoke to herself in her mind. 'How did I not notice that drawing of Breakfast Monkey on my left shoe… that's weird… and I don't remember there ever being a Heart-Grenade on my right shoe… I must have done that when I was-' "OUCH!"
She stumbled backward, catching herself before falling to the floor, and looked up at what (or who) she had just run into. Gerard. "Oh, um, sorry, Gerard…"
Gerard dusted nothing off of his shirt, "yeah." He said, not really seeming to care whether it was his own fault or not. He started to scoot around Tate, but stopped when she said something to him.
She didn't know where it had come from, it just slipped out of her mouth at the moment, "Why do you hate me, Gerard?"
Gerard turned back to face her and blinked several times to clear his mind and think of a decent response to her outburst, "I-I don't-"
"Don't lie, Gerard, it won't help any." Tate had already asked, she might as well keep it up.
"Tate, it's not that I hate you exactly, it's more that I disagree with Mikey's adopting you."
"That makes no fucking sense."
"Well, do you have a better reason for hating me!"
"Gerard… I don't hate you. If anything I admire you. You, and what you stand for… You saved my life… along with Mikey, Frank, and ray, of course… but mostly… you."
Gerard tilted his head slightly, "How so? I thought you had everything together perfectly for yourself."
Tate chuckled slightly, and then allowed her face to soften into a frown, "No. I've never had my shit together, Gerard… When I was five; my mother shot my father in front of me… I still remember his blood splattering and coating my face in red. After doing so, my mother turned to me with a perfectly psychotic smile stretched out over her face, she took a step closer to me. And another. And another. As she came closer, I stumbled into the corner of the Kitchen, and sat there, staring up at my blood-drenched mother with fear in my eyes. I watched her closely as she raised the gun up, and pointed it at my head… Just as she went to pull the trigger, my neighbor burst into the house, and hit her over the head with a shovel… sixteen times… until she collapsed to the floor in a puddle of both her own, and my father's blood.
Sense I had no other living relatives, I was sent to an orphanage. Normal right? A six year old at an orphanage? No, not me, I was an outcast from the second I got there, for whatever reason, the other children found it fucking hilarious to give me grief for my own story… the other kids were either dropped off the day after their birth, or had run away and wound up there… but no, I had to be the only one with a real reason to be there… Anyways, I did a lot of bad shit there; I left at nights and hung out at the park, I stole things… mostly money… I dyed my hair, and of course, I fought all the nuns. All authority figures, really. That got me my own little living space in the high-loft of the building. I was forced to live out my days crammed up in an electricity-less room. I had no one. I had virtually nothing.
One day, the orphanage invested in a computer… an old, slow thing… By the time, I was ready to give up on life… I was a suicidal eight-year-old with… nothing. Well, I got onto this computer one night when everyone was asleep, and went onto YouTube. I remembered that my parents had listened to Greenday, so of course, that being all I knew, I listened to them… after a few days of sneaking down to the computer, I noticed a "suggested video" on the side that was titled "Demolition Lovers"… I clicked on it… and you know what, Gerard. I probably listened to that song on repeat until sunrise… I did that for about three weeks before getting caught…
About a year later, I had just robbed some old lady, and was looking for something to spend the money on before I had to go back to the orphanage. I wondered around for quite a while going in and out of small road-side shops until I stumbled across a CD store… A small damp place with a man that looked like a toad running the register… I went inside, and what do I see before me, I see a My Chemical Romance CD… I Brought You My Bullets You Brought Me Your Love… I bought it. That CD made me have more hope for myself.
After about another year, The Nuns had stopped even caring if I was in my room or not… That's how I ended up being able to get my bass, my mp3 player, and well… even this shirt… I've been adopted thirty-four times before and each of those families had me for no more than three weeks before taking me back to the orphanage… And now, I'm meeting you… My hero… the man that saved my life… and you hate my very being for an implausible reason…"
Gerard stared at her, tears running down his cheeks, with a look of both pity and self-hate expressed on his face, "T-Tate I-" Instead of finishing his sentence, he threw his arms around her, and pulled her closely.
Though Tate had held herself together through the telling of the story, she began to sob now. She let herself be as loud as it would happen (which wasn't very loud, but was still a lot to say for her) and she clutched the shirt that covered Gerard's back tightly in her palms.
From then, they both stood, crying together.
"Hey, Tate-" Mikey had walked into the hallway a few moments later, but stopped before interrupting completely. He was both happy and heart broken by what he saw; happy that Gerard didn't really hate his new daughter, though saddened that Tate had obviously been open with Gerard… More open then she had been with Mikey.
Mikey shrugged it off, and walked back into the living room with the guests, leaving his brother and his daughter to remain in their embrace.