AN: YAY its finally here! Thank you so much to everyone for reading and for your patience! This is the final part of this series. enjoy <3
"Y/N?" a gentle tap on the wall outside your bunk. It was Liz. "We have an interview with Spin in like 5 minutes."
You groaned and pulled your wrinkled sheet over your face, turning away from the sound of her voice, soft and hesitant as though she were afraid the slightest noise would shatter you further.
"You guys go without me," was your muffled reply, "I've hogged the spotlight enough anyway."
" Are you sure? They'll probably be pissed the lead singer isn't there."
"Then let them be pissed."
Liz lingered in silence for a moment before deciding it was best to leave you be. It had been a couple of weeks since you'd found out about Alex's little foray into filmmaking, and a gush of old trauma had emerged new again. All the work you had put in to rebuild yourself and to forge a new life had all but crumbled away in a matter of minutes, and you isolated yourself in response.
You stopped leaving the bus because of the stares. Once rumors had gotten out that there was video footage of you doing the deed, people seemed to glance over at you before whispering insidious somethings among their companions. You didn't need to hear their conversations to know just how humiliating their words were. Things took a turn for the worse when reporters began to have the audacity to ask you about the video, probing into if you were in a relationship with Alex. It was then that you realized he had sabotaged your moment, your success, and made it all about him.
You began to miss a few shows, something you had never done before. But you just couldn't bring yourself to give a damn. Your bandmates kept their distance, realizing you needed your space; but their concern was permanently painted on their faces.
"Hey Y/N," Gavin spoke hesitantly one afternoon, "You know...Gerard's been asking about you."
The sound of his name made your heart beat quicker. You hadn't made an effort to see him since the video came out. "Oh?"
"Yeah he really wants to see you. He's worried about you...we all are."
"I'm fine." you said curtly. "I mean, tell him not to. I'm fine. I just need to be alone."
"You sure? I think some social interaction might do you some good--"
"Gavin, I want to be alone. Please."
He merely nodded before heading out the bus door, finally giving you what you asked for.
Out of respect for the fans, you managed to pick yourself for performances again, but it felt like you were merely going through the motions, your passion nearly extinguished. You became angry at yourself for feeling this way, like you were giving up on yourself and your goals. Between sadness and guilt, there was no bright side you could look to as an escape.
Then, you ran into Alex.
This was what you had really been dreading. You knew how smug he must be, knowing he must've gotten under your skin, his favorite place to be. You'd snuck out of the bus for some much needed fresh air, but you didn't need to go far before you heard your name being called.
"Y/N! wait up!" a chill shot down your spine. You didn't turn around. Instead, you began walking faster.
"Hey, hey, hold on a second--" He grasped your arm, but you pulled it back so quickly it seemed to surprise him.
"Leave me the fuck alone."
"C'mon don't be mad."
You couldn't help but laugh at the nerve of his comment. "How could I not be? I didn't even know you had filmed me. I didn't get to agree to any of this! And then you decide to make it public? And you," you said, angry tears building up to a waterfall, pushing a fist into his chest, "you are a nightmare that won't go away! Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Alex was calm-- So calm that it only angered you further. "You're thinking about this the wrong way. The publicity could be great--I mean people are already eating it up. They love us together. Honestly? I did us both a favor." He smirked, making your skin crawl. "But there's something else, Y/N. Something you should remember." He leaned forward, speaking into your ear in a low, serpentine voice, "This is what happens when you think you can go off and make something of yourself without me."
You were speechless, your stomach dropping as if it had been kicked. "You're disgusting. I'm leaving."
"Going to see your friend Gerard? Hey, ask him what he thinks of our movie for me. I'm making another one with some My Chem fans anyway." He spoke to you with your back turned, already walking away, but you could hear him smiling.
You halted in your steps, torn between slapping Alex across the face, crying, or simply walking away. After a deep breath and far more self control than you knew you possesed, you chose the latter, swiftly walking back towards your bus to isolate once more.
****
The sun was revolting.
That was the first thought when Gavin flung open the curtain that marked the border of your bunk, your own personal ecosystem that no one had dared enter for the past few weeks. He kneeled on your mattress and reached over you to open the blinds on your wall, and you winced as the sun struck your face like a laser.
"Merry Christmas, Y/N!"
"Gavin, its August."
"Well it might as well be Christmas when you hear what I have to tell you."
You groaned and rubbed your eyes. "What is it? I'm prepared to be underwhelmed."
"I didn't even need to open that window! There's that bright and sunny optimism we've come to know and love."
You hit him with a pillow. "Out with it."
"Alex got--"
"ALEX GOT KICKED OFF WARPED TOUR!" Liz shouted, bursting into your bunk from out of nowhere.
"What the hell Liz! I wanted to tell her!"
"Too slow!"she teased.
Your head was reeling. "Wait, wait, wait....what? How?"
"Don't know all the details but it definitley had to do with his...activities. Turns out he was asking underage fans to flash him and his band to get backstage and shit. Someone snitched I guess, thank god. The whole band's been kicked off and banned from Warped tour.
For the first time in forever, you laughed.
You practically cackled. You laughed so much that it felt like you couldn't stop.
"I think we broke her." Liz muttered to Gavin.
"That's fucking amazing." you said, wiping tears from your eyes.
"It is, and its good to hear you laugh again." Gavin said. "Come out with us later, to celebrate."
"I will sometime, but I'm still not quite ready. People are gonna try to ask me questions, I just know it. I'm still not up for it."
Liz and Gavin nodded. "We'll be here when you are."
***
Later that afternoon a few quick knocks sounded from the bus door. You debated getting up to answer it, but human interaction was the last thing you wanted right now. There were a few more small knocks; and you able to ignore the unwanted visitor until, after a moment of silence, something slid under the door. Once you heard their footsteps disappear into the distance, you peeled yourself from your nest on the couch to investigate.
It was a white envelope with your name scrawled across the front. You hesitated for moment, wondering if another piece of your past was about to jump out and bite you. But after steeling yourself you pressed on, your fingers swiftly retrieving the mysterious contents.
You immediately smiled. It was a card with a drawing of you on the front, in a style that was unmistakably Gerard's. You were on stage wailing into the mic, confidently waving your middle finger. You couldn't help but laugh.
Fuck em all. The world needs you out there. If you're feeling up to it, come to our set tonight.
Hope to see you there.
-G
You closed the card and reveled in the much needed buzz of happiness it gave you. Gerard. You thought he would've have been angry with you since you had all but ghosted him these past few weeks, but that clearly wasn't the case. Your legs wanted to run after him, but you as you were covered in dorito dust and sadness, you decided to stay put. You'd make yourself somewhat presentable and then see their performance tonight.
***
You stood just off stage, Β just hidden enough in your oversized hoodie to feel comfortable. Right before they began their set, Gerard turned and saw you, eyes widening with a glad surprise as though he hadn't thought you'd actually come. His expression quickly melted into a welcoming smile, and you couldn't help but break out into soft grin of your own.
The band greeted the crowd, already energized and cheering them on. You'd expected them to launch into a song, but instead Gerard began speaking.
"This is a special set tonight guys, because someone very important to me is here. Someone so strong, so kickass that sometimes I wonder if she's even a real fucking human being." He glanced over at you, eyes electric and impassioned, immediately i heat rise to your shrouded cheeks. "Well some asshole tried to hurt her. Tried to make her feel small. But I want her to remember she's too fucking amazing to ever let someone make her feel that way."
You could feel the sting in your eyes as tears began to build.
"And that goes for all of you out there, cause these same assholes have been messing with fans too. So if you ever see shitty ass rock dudes in shitty ass rock bands asking you to show them your tits for backstage passes, I want you to spit right in their fucking faces and yell 'FUCK YOU!β
The crowd went crazy, and you couldn't help but let out a small cheer as well, despite the tears streaming down your face.
"Y/N," Gerard breathed, "This is for you." and with that, the band launched into one of the most passionate sets you'd ever seen. You stayed for it all, loving every moment. As soon as it was finished, Gerard thanked the crowd and made a beeline off stage, directly where you had been stationed all evening.
His eyes were dancing with happiness at the sight of you, pumping with the adrenaline of performing, sweat still dripping from his dark hair. "Hi," he said,pausing for amoment as though he was holding back from so much more, "you came!"
"After the invitation I received? How could I not?"
"So you liked it?"He beamed, his cheeks, pink from exertion, reddened further. "I wanted to do like a mini comic but I ran out of time." As he grinned, fresh crimson gleamed from a small split in his lower lip. What you thought had been makeup turned out to be a genuine injury.
"You're bleeding." you observed softly.
His brows furrowed in confusion, a finger darting to his lip. He dabbed it, smearing blood onto his chin.
"Damn, again? Don't worry, it's nothing."
You didn't hesitate to grab a tissue from your pocket, step forward and gently press it against his cut. He looked down at you with affection, causing you to look away as your heartbeat picked up its pace. Instead you analyzed his face and noticed it was patterned with small bruises.
"Doesn't look like 'nothing' to me. What happened?"
It had been just the two of you speaking intimately just off stage, but crew and media began pouring through and milling about the area. You realized just how close you were standing to Gerard, and pulled your hand back when you noticed people watching. A pew passerbys patted Gerard on the back, offering their compliments of the band's performance. He quickly thanked them, barely turning his attention from you, afraid you might run off. He grabbed your hand, leading you to a quiet area.
"I may have gotten into a fight."
"What!? You don't even leave your bus, how did you get into a fight?"
"I had to. Someone very important to me was being hurt."
You stared at him for a moment, putting the pieces together in your head. Gerard knowing about the video, Alex's sudden departure from the tour...
"Gerard, you didn't."
"I did, and I'd do it again, Y/N. Besides, you can't say he didn't have an ass-kicking coming to him."
You let out a soft laugh, but your vision began to blur as tears welled. A swirl of emotions welled inside of you, tumultuous and much more than you had anticipated feeling tonight. You were touched that Gerard was so concerned about you. Embarrassed that he had to get involved at all. Glad that he did, after all.
At the sight of your tears, he stepped closer. It was him now who tenderly wiped your face, brushing away stray tears with his thumb.
"Jesus, Y/N, I can stand a few punches to the face but I can't stand seeing you cry."
That was all you needed to hear to get oceans pouring from your eyes instead of streams. You embraced Gerard, burying your head into his shoulder. Gerard folded his arms around you in response.
"Y/N I want to tell you...I mean I hope you know...just how important you are to me and how I feel about you. You deserve to be happy."
"You're so nice to me that I almost don't know how to process it." you admitted beneath an awkard, tear-ridden laugh. "Thank you. You need to know you're important to me too. I..I just--" You planted an aggressive kiss on his cheek, unable to express your myriad of emotions in words.
"There, I think that expresses everything."
"Everything?"Gerard asked, brushing a strand oh hair behind your shoulder, "There's a few points I'd like to add."
His hand cupped the side of your face and your lips met, softly at first, a salty mixture of tears and coppery blood. The kiss quickly deepened, caught in your own world, unable to get enough of the taste of each other. That is until Gerard winced and pulled back, blood dripping from his lower lip. His cut had only deepened from your exertions.
"We'll have to postpone this until that's better." you said, handing him another tissue.
"Damn. Kinda regretting that fight now." He laughed.
"Don't regret it. Besides, its not an entirely bad look on you." you teased.
A bashful expression crossed his face as he brushed his hair back from his face.
"I hate to say it but I have a press thing to do in a few minutes with the guys. Meet me in my bus later?" He said, offering another peck on your cheek.
"I'd be crazy not to." you replied, ambushing him with one final hug before he walked off.
You realized something immediately. Despite everything, the heartache, the surprises--you regretted nothing. And as you lifted your fingers to your lips, still buzzing from impact, you knew this had been a tour that changed your life, after all.
Tomorrow, you'd be back onstage, ready to begin again.
