"Alright Maria, here is your vegetarian omelet with EXTRA mushrooms and sauteed onions. And you Martha, here is your hash browns, strawberry syrup, and two eggs scrambled WITH ketchup cooked in," I said as I placed their orders down and smiled as they said thank you.

I went back to the counter to grab the newly filled coffee pot to refill people's mugs. It had been a week since my outburst in the alley, my need for closure sated. I still wore the bandana around my neck as the bruises were still fairly visible in places, the faint outline of hands still visible. But they were healing, they were going away, they were taking their sweet ass time in doing so but they were nonetheless. I hadn't heard from the guys this morning but that was okay, I had found myself dealing with them not being there better. Much better than before. I chalked it all up to it being so near, and then actually, my birthday that I had taken it so rough. I knew they were doing what they loved, and that it was crazy hectic, but I also knew that at some point they would be coming back home. So it was all good in my book.

It wasn't until around the very beginning of the lunch period, the time between the end of breakfast and the beginning of lunch, right before lunch got hairy, that I heard the tell tale ring of the bells of the front door. But not just any normal entry of a customer were they ringing, no this time they sounded like they had been ripped off their hinges. I knew what it meant and spun around on my heel.

"JAY BIRD!" five voices chorused in unison as they all stopped in front of me, mid faulty step.

And here I had expected to be tackled to the ground, but then understood. A giant grin broke out onto my face.

"I'm not going to break guys. I'm healed," I said as I opened up my arms wide.

It was then that I was almost able to see them collectively sigh, like being able to see an invisible weight lift off their shoulders before I was then tackled like I had normally expected. And had wanted.

Finally they helped me off the ground as I had eventually actually crumpled to the ground, as a mass, a group, the guys weighed a lot. And while I was healed like I said, I wasn't going to be able to hold up the weight of five young adult males all at one time all on my own. I dusted off my uniform and straightened my neck bandana before looking up at them a grin on my face, though it fell a bit when I saw Gerard looking at my neck where I had covered, a sad look in his eyes. I smiled though as I had come to terms with it at this point, but it still stirred some emotion inside me when Gerard's eyes didn't lose their hurt and guilty look as he slowly stretched out a hand and pushed down my bandana to touch a bruise softly with a fingertip.

"Oh Jayden," he said softly, sounding sad.

"It's okay," I said as I pushed his hand away and then lifted it to my neck.

I untied the knot of the bandana took it off of around my neck. I heard the remaining guys hiss an intake collectively at the sight. Luckily these looked like sugary pastries compared to what they first did, otherwise reactions would have been different. Gerard just stared at them, the sad look still in his eyes as he silently stared at them.

"It's really okay, I'm better and so are they," I said, more to him than any of the other guys, though I saw them all collectively nod while I looked into Gerard's eyes as I spoke.

"Jay hun, why don't you take the rest of the day off with the guys," Reta said from behind the counter as she picked up her order.

"But Reta the lunch rush is going to start soon. It's Friday, we'll be swamped," I argued, especially since I had already missed so much work.

"No, I'll get Sam to get out front with me. You need the time to explain and be with them. Just work the first half of tomorrow for me since I know that's the only way I'll get you out of here with them," Reta said as she placed down her order and smiled at the patrons.

Sam had already come out and taken my ready order and was delivering it as Reta spoke.

"Fine. Let me go change and then we can go walk to the park or something," I said, the last being directed at the guys.

"We'll be here Jay bird," Frankie said excitedly.

It was good to see him back to his normal self already, I had missed it and didn't like the serious side of him. So it was nice to have him snap back so quickly, go back to normal. Unlike Gerard who was still watching me with guilt ridden eyes. Which I couldn't understand, none of this was his fault, he couldn't have prevented it. Turning I went upstairs to change.

I slipped into my Iron Maiden shirt and an old pair of use to be skin tight medium blue jeans, that had more than their fair share of holes in them, the two biggest being in the knees. I was going to have to do something about them soon or the bottom halves were going to fall off and I was going to be left with capris. Not something I was fond of, well at least not out of these jeans, I loved these too much. I slipped on my broken in pyramid belt and my hole filled Vans that no longer looked like they were once black and white. I grabbed my Cure hoodie, my black canvas bag, my silver aviator shades and called myself done. My bandana still tied around my neck. As I exited my apartment I grabbed my camera and threw it in my bag. Now I was ready.

"Let's rock," I said as I came out the apartment street entrance, where I had seen the guys' silhouettes outside the door.

"And roll," Frankie said as he looped his arm with my own.

I sighed internally.

I really had missed them.

I felt myself smiling as the group of us pre-ambled down the streets and sidewalks, crossing finally into the park that had come to be our favorite spot to all be together. My apartment was too small, though we still used it, but on beautiful days the park was what called us.
-xXx-
"And I don't know, I made my piece with the place I guess," I finished.

I had explained everything that had happened while the guys had been away. They mainly of course wanted to know about my incident and I had indulged them. I explained the series of events as I knew them, filled in what Reta had told me, and then everything after that. Including my coming to closure with the alley it had all started in. The guys had all sat around me on the grass in the park, solemn and quiet I recounted everything. Though Frankie was absent mindedly pulling out grass by the handfuls as he listened, that had made it easier.

"Wow," was all Mikey uttered after I had finished talking, and he had been the first one to utter any sound.

"Yeah," Ray said, still lost in his thoughts seemingly as he complied everything I had just laid down on the table.

"You're amazing," Bob said as he stared me in the eyes, and I knew what he meant.

"Thank you," I replied, a smile on my face.

I really was better.

"I'm going to create a super hero that fights crime with coffee and jelly crawlers," Frankie said as he tossed a few blades of grass up into the air.

I smiled even more.

Now I was completely better.

I laughed at the idea, envisioning bad spandex suits.

That seemed to get the other guys out of their down like stupor, getting them to chuckle and Frankie to laugh out loud. They all did, all of them except for Gerard, he only barely managed a quick weak smile.

"Ooo fishes jumping," Frankie all of a sudden shouted as a water like noise was heard from behind us.

How Frankie had known it was the sound of the fish jumping in the pond behind us I'll never understand. But at his outburst he leapt up and went racing off towards the pond behind us, yelling happily. I chuckled a little, he was such a kid.

"You chuckle, but you should see what its like being trapped in a large van with him for the duration of a tour. I'm going to go keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't try and go sticking his head in with the fishes to see them better or something," Bob sighed as he stood up and made his way towards a loud Frankie and the fish pond.

It was the truth, Frankie might really stick his head in with the fishes to see them better. His carefree behavior yet ability to be responsible and be a musician all at the same time boggled my mind and I was envious of his ability to let go. Even if he needed supervision from time to time. Which tended to be Bob. I would hate to see what poor Bob would have done if there were two Frankie's around with us.

Shaking my head as I mulled over what life would be like with two Frankies, or at least two people both like Frankie, I leaned back on my hands and smiled over at Gerard. He managed another quick weak smile at me before averting his eyes towards his brother.

"Ahh, I'm going to go get us something to drink. Ray, why don't you come with me," Mikey said as he jumped to his feet.

"But I'm not thirsty," Ray said from his spot on the grass across from me.

"Doesn't matter, I'll need help carrying shit. So up off your ass, you just spent weeks in a van you can walk a bit," Mikey said as he dragged a pouty Ray after him, off towards some mysteirous vendor.

As the two of them walked farther away I adjusted my hands on the grass, bearing my weight as I leaned back, and enjoyed the silence of just sitting beside Gerard in the park after what felt like so long. After a moment or so of silence and stillness I felt Gerard move into a similar position as my current one, and we just stared out into the boundless green ahead of us, watching people and life pass by.

"I," Gerard started to say but was interrupted by Frankie shouting my name at top volume as he came running towards me.

"Jay, Jay, Jay!" Frankie continued shouting and waving his arms as he ran towards me even though I had turned my head and acknowledged him.

"Yes Frankie dearest?" I asked as he stopped in front of me, out of breath, so I didn't have to strain my head to see him.

"Can I borrow your camera so I can take pictures of the fishies as I feed them?" he asked, still out of breath from running and yelling.

How he went crazy on stage while playing, acting like a monkey AND singing without dying amazed me. Especially when this left him out of breath.

"Yeah go right ahead," I said as I pointed to my bag, indicating that he should go through it and find it.

"Thanks!" He said as soon as he had found it, bounding off back towards where Bob was standing, now playing along with Frankie and feeding the fish.

"Are you sure it's safe with him?" Gerard asked, breaking his bought of silence.

"I'm sure, and Bob is with him. Besides, I'd trust Frankie with my life, not just my camera," I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

"So would I," Gerard said and then fell silent.

I figured he wasn't going to finish saying what he had started to when Frankie had rushed over and interrupted. But I didn't really care, I was just happy about having him back.

"Hey Jayden," Gerard said softly, using my full name as he had back in the diner earlier today.

He had to be serious.

"What's up Gerard?" I asked happily, wanting to show him that being serious didn't mean he had to be doom and gloom.

"Are you are okay?" he asked.

It had been about the millionth time I had heard those four words since everything had started. But he hadn't been here, so I let him repeat himself.

"Yeah of course I am," I said, beaming him a smile.

But it didn't help, my smile, his eyes still looked lost and guilt ridden.

"Are you sure? Like seriously?" he asked, eyes speaking more than his words could.

"I'm dead serious Gerard, I really am okay. Outside as well as in," I said softly, trying my hardest to reassure him that I was okay and that life was okay.

"Okay, I'll believe you this time. It's just that, that, I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe if I had been here I could have," Gerard started to ramble.

"Gee!" I said loudly, getting him to stop his train of thought and verbal rambling.

"Stop talking as if I'm not here anymore and you couldn't stop my death or something. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. And you couldn't have prevented anything even if you were here, you NOT being here has nothing to do with the events that took place. Besides," I said, softening my voice as it had gotten a little agitated during my little rant.

"Besides, you did save the day, and me. You called and sang me happy birthday. If it hadn't been for that, I, well let's not go there," I said, smiling reassuringly at him.

He smiled back, the look of guilt and loss fading from them as he did so, as he beamed me a smile I was realizing only came out every once in a while. A very rare occurrence.

"Okay. You win. I just don't know what I would do without you around, I can't see living in Jersey without you anymore," he offered, the smile falling slightly from his face but not from his eyes.

"Me neither," I answered beaming him a smile, and then felt his hand softly lay over mine.

We smiled at one another and then went back to facing forward and being silent, just watching life unfold in front of our eyes. Watching Frankie run around chasing Bob as Bob had suddenly lost some of his reserve and was running wildly with my camera, playing catch it if you can with Frankie. Mikey and Ray were both watching from a distance, laughing as it all happened across the green. Bob and a yelling Frankie weaving in and out of all sorts of park inhabitants, dog walkers, bikers, little old ladies waiting for their husbands to finish playing chess, and families with hordes of kids. They danced an invisible knot work through the throngs causing people they passed to laugh at their antics, completely oblivious to the wild scene they were creating.

I sat back and watched, breathed in the cool air that smelled of green leaving and brown arriving, smelled crisp, like the coming Fall, and smiled. Gerard's hand was a soft warm contrast to the change in the air, it felt constant and unchanging, solid, and his silent form beside me watching the world pass made me feel safe. Jersey was beginning to feel like home and most importantly I was finding me in the life that thrived around it's streets. It wasn't so much a fairy tale anymore. I had seen the good, the beautiful, the fair and kind and I had finally seen the bad, the cruel and scary. Finally it was seeming like a real place, where I as a real person could find myself living and existing.

Notes

Theeeeeey'rrrrre baaaaack!
Hooray for many happy returns!
One more chapter up next for the night until tomorrow!