I owe you all another chapter. It's written on paper, but I just need to type it up. It should be up by the end of this week at the latest…actually, I'll probably have it up by tomorrow :D Thank you for reading and reviewing!! I hope you're all enjoying it so far. The plot is about to thicken :D

Who else agrees it was time for Gerard to have his say? *raises hand. no-one else does* oh…anyway, you're stuck with it now *pokes tongue*

'Affirmation'

~Mikey (a.k.a Aliane)

Life's A Bitch

That's sexist…

Gerard

When I'd arrived home that afternoon, then sun was already threatening to sink below the horizon. I'd been feeling terrible about not picking Jay up from school. I was a despicable excuse for a father. Frank and Mikey seemed to be fathering her more than I was. I knew that Ray, Bob, Mikey, Frank and everyone else could understand that I was busy – writing and recording the new album, trying to buy a new car, writing new comics, caring for my pregnant wife, keeping up to date with the world. But I knew, all too well, that from Jay's point of view, it seemed as though I didn't have time to love her.

"Jadis," I called out, entering through the front door.

"Where the hell have you been?" Lindsey shouted from the living room. I hurried into the room, holding Jay's art things.

"I'm so sorry!" I was saying as I entered the room.

"'Bout time you showed your ruddy face around here," Jadis growled. She was sitting on the floor, in front of Lindsey who was positioned on the couch.

"Gerard, we need to talk," Lindsey said, giving me a look which said 'Don't give me your bullshit!'

My eyes flitted to Jay, and she looked away from me.

"Jadis," I put her retrieved belongings down and moved to give her a hug, but she crawled away. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I believe you don't know what you got until it says goodbye." Jadis sung quietly. I took a seat on the couch next to Lindsey.

"So does everyone hate me now?" I asked gloomily, to nobody in particular.

"I don't know about everyone else," Jadis said, "but I sure as hell do."

"Jay," Lindsey scolded, "that's not very nice."

"The truth hurts; it's a bitch." Jay mumbled. She looked down while she spoke, and continuously fiddled with her shirt hem.

Lindsey was about to say something else, when I cut her off.

"She's right," I said, making Jadis look away from her hem, and to me. I looked straight into her big, beautiful eyes. "The truth hurts and life's a bitch-"

"That's a sexist comment," Lindsey cut in.

"No it's not," I objected.

"It is! Can you call a guy a bitch?" she protested – always the feminist.

"Yes! Especially a gay guy," I told her.

"Like yourself?" Jay snickered. I glared at her for a second, then brought my attention back to Lindsey.

"Gerard, what is the definition of a bitch?" Lindsey wondered, knowing she was in the home run.

"A female dog," I sighed.

"Exactly! It's a sexist comment." She seemed proud. I couldn't even believe I'd just had that argument with her!

"As I was saying," I turned back to Jay. "You have every right to hate me, Jadis. God! Half the time I hate me! But you need to eventually forgive."

Jadis gave me an apologetic look, making me smile.

"You wanted to do a painting?" I asked her.

"I still do," she told me," but I still need to tell you something; well, ask you something…sorta."

"Yes," I was a little worried by her tone.

She looked to Lindsey, and Lindsey gave her an encouraging gesture.

"Mikey said he'd talk to you, but Lindsey thinks it'll be better for me to ask you personally; also I need to get this off my chest!"

I signalled for her to continue. Millions of possible outcomes ran through my mind – the majority ending badly.

"My friend, Hailey, is coming to LA during her Christmas school holidays." Jadis blurted out quickly; I wasn't even certain that was what she'd said, but I assumed as much.

Jadis stared at me. Her eyes were full of fear. I quickly relaxed my composition.

"Jadis needs someone she can talk to," Lindsey explained, also noticing Jay's fear no doubt. "Someone she can trust. Someone around her age. Someone she can relate to. She needs a friend, honey."

I sighed. I knew she was right.

"Tell me about Hailey," I said to Jadis, smiling.

"Is that a yes?" Jadis asked for clarification.

"That's a yes," I grinned.

"Thank-you, daddy!" she squealed, launching herself off the ground and into my arms.

"Does this mean you don't hate me anymore?" I wondered.

"How can I hate you?" She gave me a squeeze, then released.

"Oh, there's a few ways," Lindsey smirked.

"I love you too, honey." I leant in and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Aww," Jadis cooed. Lindsey and I stared at her. "Sorry," she blushed. "I guess it's not normal for me to find my dad and my step-mum kissing cute, but you are really adorable together." She grinned awkwardly. "Please stop staring,"

Lindsey laughed. "You're right; it is weird that you think we're cute. It is also weird that you think about me as your step-mum."

"But you are!" Jadis insisted.

"I know, but I didn't think you thought of it like that; it's strange."

"Make you feel old?" I said, poking her in the side.

"Hey, don't do that!" she squealed, wriggling.

"Why not?" I poked her again.

"You might hurt the baby!"

"Sure," I grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her back.

"Should I go?" Jadis asked.

"That's up to you, dearest." I replied, looking at Lindsey. I pulled Lindsey further along the couch, and put her on my lap.

"I really think I ought to be going now," Jadis stood up.

"You're frightening her away!" Lindsey punched me playfully in the shoulder. "You big bully,"

"You like it," I smiled, kissing her.

"Where can I paint?" Jadis cried, panic clear in her voice.

"It doesn't matter to me, so long as you don't ruin anything." I murmured, rubbing my nose with Lindsey's.

"Ok, bye!" Jadis dove to grab her stuff, then sprinted out of the room.

"You scared her away," Lindsey sighed.

"Is that a problem?" I queried, pecking her lips.

"I suppose not,"

"Good," I started to kiss her lips, and she deepened the kiss by wrapping her arms around my neck. She knotted her fingers through my hair, and I pulled her closer. We were both locked in this kiss. It was long, sexy, passionate, thrilling. Bothe of us were having a lot of fun, until I opened my eyes briefly, and saw Frank chuckling, while he leant on the opposite wall. I broke the kiss, and sat Lindsey back on the couch.

"Don't mind me," He motioned for us to continue.

"How the fuck did you get in here?" I yelled.

Lindsey giggled.

"Jadis let me in," He shrugged.

"And what the fuck do you want?"

"Just checking that you hadn't murdered your daughter,"

"Why the hell would I do that?"

Frank shrugged again. "Just a thought. Anyway, I'm bored shitless, do you think Jay would want to jam? Ray's busy with Christa, and I can't find Mikey. Plus, Bob's being a hermit, and refusing to leave his room. You also seem quite busy," Frank chuckled at the last part.

I glared at him. "Ask her yourself," I told him, shaking a hand at him to make him leave.

Frank didn't budge.

"Ugh! What do you want Frank?" I groaned.

Frank walked toward me.

"What do you want?" I said again, this time with more anger.

"Shh," he whispered, placing a finger on my lips. Lindsey stared at him like he was insane. I looked down at his finger, then into his eyes in question.

"What are you doing?" Lindsey asked quietly.

"Something that should've been done a while ago," Frank said low, and sexy. He leant in close to me, and stopped. He gave me a moment to breathe in his scent, and try to figure out what he was going to do. Then he removed his finger and quickly replaced it with his lips; his delicious, soft, tender, perfect lips. I closed my eyes, but snapped them open again when I registered laughter in the room. Frank pulled away from me, also laughing. I looked around, and saw Jadis, Mikey, Bob, Ray and Jamia all bent over cacking themselves.

"What the fuck was that?" I said slowly, a little out of breath.

"A harmless dare," Ray told me.

"Harmless?! I nearly changed my sexuality then!" I exclaimed.

"Hey! What about me?" Lindsey objected.

"I still love you, hon." I leant over and kissed her cheek.

"But I still turn him on," Frank joked.

"You know it," I mumbled.

"You let him do this?" Lindsey was asking Jamia.

"I didn't just let him, I dared him!" Jamia laughed harder. Lindsey shook her head, smiling.

"Why the hell are you guys all here anyway?" I asked them all, trying to make them shut-up.

"We came over to see if you wanted to practice and write a little, but Jadis hushed us in before you could hear us." Bob explained.

"Then we decided to have a little fun because everything had been so depressing lately." Ray continued.

"And I actually came to talk to Lindsey because it's so boring at the hotel when Frank goes out." Jamia added.

"I see," I murmured. "And all this turned into Frank kissing me?"

They all nodded, giggling.

"Why?" I asked simply.

Mikey produced a camera from behind his back.

"America's Funniest Home Videos," Jadis laughed.

"Or we can just put in on youtube," Bob said.

"Either way," Mikey giggled, "people will know!"

"Not if I break the camera!" I leapt off the couch, and ran after Mikey.

"Run run run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm Mikey, the man!" Mikey squealed running down the halls.

"Shut-up you irritating thing!" I yelled after him.

"Stop chasing your brother!" Ray scolded, as I nearly ran into him.

"But he has embarrassing footage of me!" I whined.

"No," Ray insisted, mocking sincerity. We both started laughing, and let Mikey get away.

"Fine," I sighed. "I guess the world will just have to endure that weak moment of Frerard-ness. That is what they call it, right? Frerard?" I asked Ray.

"Yeah, I think so."

We both walked back into the lounge.

"You wanted to practice and compose?" I asked the guys.

"Sure did!" Mikey said from behind me, he'd discarded the camera, and had a big grin pasted on his face.

"I know you've down something that I'm sure I won't approve of, but right now, I couldn't care less." I told Mikey. "Let's play!"

The guys and I went down to the basement, and got right into work, with a little noogy-ing along the way.