For Megans =]
"Geraarrrrddddddddd," Elizabeth whined, "Do you HAVE to go?"
"I'm sorry, babe. You know I have to," he sighed and put his arm around her.
"I know. I'm just whining. I can't stand the fact that I'm going to have to miss you so much," She hung her head.
"I'm going to miss you, too. You know that."
My Chemical Romance, leaving for tour in exactly one week, already could not wait to arrive back home in several months.
"Hey Gee!" Frank yelled down the stairs. "Can you come up here for a moment?"
"Sure thing," Gerard replied, untangling them with a look of sadness on his face. Elizabeth sat on the couch, one lone tear trickling down her cheek. After wallowing in her loneliness for a few minutes, Gerard bounded down the stairs.
"Elizabeth I love you!" Gerard jumped on her.
"Uh yeah, I knew that already, but I love you too," she giggled. "What was that for?"
"Nothing, really. I'd just rather spend my last week with you happy and have it be full of enjoyment."
"Alright," she smiled
***The Next Morning***
Elizabeth awoke in the car, her head resting on Gerard's shoulder.
"Where are we?" She mumbled groggily. Still night outside, she didn't quite know how much time passed whilst she slept.
"Maryland currently," he brushed a few strands of auburn hair behind her ear. Rubbing her eyes to suppress the thought of sleep again, she asked,
"How far until we arrive home?"
"Well, New York will take another 4 or 5 hours and then another hour to get into the city."
"Ugh ok."
"Go back to sleep, babe," he whispered, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Frank and Ray, sitting in the row of seats in front of Gerard and Elizabeth, turned around and yelled,
"No! Stay awake please! We're bored!" Elizabeth jolted upright and smacked Frank.
"You jerk!" All 4 of them chuckled. "Well, I'm awake now," she mumbled again.
"Good!" Frank spoke. "Entertain me."
"What do you want; a striptease?"
"Well-"
"Frank!" Gerard cut him off.
"Hey, I'm joking, I'm joking!" Frank replied.
"Oh come on, lighten up a little, Gee," Ray responded. Gerard sighed and shook his head: Friends. A few hours later, Mikey pulled up to a gas station so everyone could stretch out a bit. Lying under a tree, Gerard and Elizabeth talked about the upcoming months. Gerard appeared like he was ignoring the topic.
"Gee, you know it's bound to happen," she spoke.
"I know, I'd just rather not dwell on it," he turned his face away from her so she wouldn't see him smirk.
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
"It's ok." He smiled and kissed her lightly. Standing up, he took her hand in his and pulled her up off the ground. "Let's get going."
***
After many hours of boring torture and Frank and Ray's hilarity, the bandmates finally made it to New York.
"Home finally!" Ray screamed when they passed the sign stating, 'Welcome to New York.'
"Well, almost home," Frank elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ow, that hurt, you jerk."
"Frank, play nice, please? You too Ray," Mikey looked into the car mirror to glare at the boys. "And you two had better be playing nice back there!" he teased as he motioned to Gerard and Elizabeth.
"Yes, Dad," Gerard replied. Snuggling up to his chest, Elizabeth smiled.
"What?" Gerard questioned.
"Nothing, just: I love you."
"I love you, too," he replied. Frank and Ray turned around and made mocking "cutesie" faces to the couple.
"Fuck off," Gerard spoke and punched both of them in the arm.
"Hey, I need that! I'm the good-looking one, remember?" Frank tasseled his hair.
"I would have to disagree," Elizabeth spoke up. Frank rolled his eyes at the 18-year-old.
"You would."
Preceding another agonizing hour and a half of boredom in the stuffy car, the travelers started to recognize the streets around them.
"Thank God, we're almost home!" Frank screeched. Pulling out his cell phone, he began calling Krystal, his girlfriend of one week.
"Hey, meet me at my place in 45 minutes?" ----- "Ok, great, see you then. Bye." Joe smiled to himself.
"I can already tell that's not going to last," Gerard said.
"Well maybe if I was allowed to take my girlfriend to Florida for a month while we are recording our new CD, it would last." He mumbled, although everyone heard it quite clearly.
"Come on Frank," Ray spoke. "We all discussed this and made rules a long time ago... you agreed as well. Elizabeth and Kevin have been dating for 3 years now. There's a huge difference between the commitment of a 3 year relationship and that of a one week relationship."
"Yeah, I know..." Frank let his head fall and stared at the seat.
Silence engulfed the van for the last 10 minutes of the ride.
"I have a surprise for you when we get home," Gerard put his hand on Elizabeth's leg.
"What kind of surprise?" She glowed.
"Well, really two surprises," he smiled. Ray smirked in his seat, knowing how happy Gerard was about to make her.
***
Finally finished after 45 minutes of unloading and unpacking, Gerard flopped down onto his bed, patting the space next to him so Elizabeth would walk over and sit down next to him. Kevin pulled her into his lap and kissed her lightly asking,
"Do you have any idea exactly how much I love you?"
"I don't know; show me."
"Fine, let's go to the park." He chauffeured her out of his room, down the stairs, and out the door. Before he closed the door he yelled, "We're going to the park text me when you want us home," All the remaining household members smiled, for they knew what was about to happen.
***
They strolled down the street, hand in hand, until they reached the park. People around here knew the boys well enough so the couple was not bombarded by paparazzi or obsessed fans. Gerard smiled as they swung on the swing set. Once that began to get boring, he led her onto a flora-covered bridge, resting over a large stream. The trees around the bridge enveloped it in a canopy of solitude.
"This is so beautiful, Gee," she leaned over the edge. He put his hands around her waist and, pulling her towards him, spun her slightly so they were facing one another.
"Not as beautiful as you," she smiled. "Elizabeth I need to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Ok, here goes nothing. Over the past few months I have realized that you can't know how the future is going to look. Be it in 10 years, 5 years, a week, or tomorrow, there's no telling what is going to happen. All we have is now. Right now, I know I love you with all my heart and you are my everything, and I want you to be mine forever, however long that may be," Gerard lowered himself and got on one knee, pulling a black velvet box out of his jacket pocket. Tears began streaming down Elizabeth's face. "Elizabeth Angela Grey, I love you. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow or next week or anything, but will you marry me?" She bit her lip and spoke,
"Yes," she paused, "Oh my God yes! Of course I will marry you!" She smiled with her tearstained face. He took her left hand, placed the ring on her ring finger, kissed it, and pulled himself up.
"I love you so much, Elizabeth." She buried her face in his arms.
"I love you too, Gerard," she choked out. Even he began crying slightly. Just standing there, enjoying each other's company, they lost track of time and it soon became late.
"One more thing, my love."
"Something else? I thought today was perfect already."
"I've talked to the rest of the boys and we all agreed; we want you to come on tour with us. There won't be a bed for you, but someone can always with meeeee," he smiled. Elizabeth jumped on top of him, her arms wrapping around his neck.
"This is surreal, I couldn't ask for a better day,"
"Like I couldn't ask for a better fiancée?" Elizabeth smiled and blushed at the new title.
"I love you so much, Gerard,"
"I know, and I love you too. That's why we're going to get married," he smirked and picked her up, bridal style, and carried her down the street.
