"You make sure you call me okay? And you bring them all over at least once before they go so I can see them okay?"Linda said firmly as she hugged Frank.
"Yes Mum I know. I'm not stupid. They're gonna want to see you,"Frank smiled.

"Okay Frank we've gotta go. They'll be landing soon,"I shook my keys and grinned at them.
"Alright boys. Dont stay away for too long. I know I'll at least see you on your birthday but still,"Linda let Frank go.
"Dont worry we'll come by tomorrow night for dinner. Sound good?"I smiled as Frank and I backed out.
"Sounds brilliant. Bye,"She called and then we were out the door.

It's been two days since the gun lessons. I had taken even more procautions and had started using the stairs to get up to my apartment. I hadnt seen anybody watching me again but that didnt meant ehy had stopped. Frank had gotten more and more suspicious looking. I had gone back for two more sessions of target practice and wasnt all that bad with my aim. Right now, it was wednesday and we were about to leave to go pick the guys up from the airport. I was fucking ecstatic.

"I cant believe we're finally gonna see them. I mean, its been like a year since I've seen them,"Frank smiled to himself as I started the car.
"A year? Dont you mean two? We've been here longer than a year, dork."
"Oh right yeah, two years. My bad,"Frank muttered.

"I'm gonna need your help okay? I dont know my way to the airport and I've never driven this far north. The furtherest I've been is Disneyland,"I muttered.
"Dont worry I have a map,"Frank held it up with a triumphant look on his face.
"You're so cute,"I smiled.
"Whatever. Lets get this show on the road. Okay, to leave my street, go forward."Frank said seriously. This was going to be one long drive.

-time lapse-

"Where is it? Do you see their flight number? Have they landed?"Frank stood on tiptoes to try and see over all the people standing at the international arrivals gate.
"They've landed and they're being processed. Calm down, Frank,"I grinned.
"Gerard you have no idea how desperate I am to fucking see them,"Frank turned around and grinned back at me.

"Well here, I cant see very well either. Hold on,"I put my phone in my pocket and turned Frank around the other way. I bent down slightly and wrapped my arms around his waist then hauled him up.
"Jesus christ! Gerard!"Frank spluttered as I somehow managed to get him onto my shoulders,"Gerard put me down this is ridiculous!"

"You said you wanted to see though! Come on, is anyone coming through?"I took a few dangerous steps forward. Frank wasnt heavy. But he wasnt exactly light either. He was a good weight. I was just weak. And didnt have very good balance.
"No- yeah. There are people walking through now... I see them! I see- oh my god. Gerard get me down,"Frank slapped my head excitedly.

"Fuck, Frank, stop,"He was about to fall off,"Frank stop I'm gonna drop you if you keep hitting me."
"Sorry just- they're coming round now,"Frank said with a huff as he dropped down my back to his feet.

"Gerard! Frank!"Mikey shouted behind us. I spun around, a huge grin on my face but it fell when I got a look of Mikey's face.
"I know I know, I got into a fight with a douchebag at the airport but hey, you should see him,"Mikey grinned. His left eye was swollen and black. And he was limping.

"Mikey what the fuck?"I rushed to him and grabbed him for a hug,"What the hell happened?"
"I told you, I got in a hug. Careful of my leg. He kicked it real bad,"Mikey said over my shoulder. Ray, Pete and Bob were all looking around awkwardly.

"Oh who cares,"Frank said and tackled Bob in a hug,"Bobert! I missed you man."
"Yeah you too. Have you always been this short? Or have you been shrinking?"Bob grinned down at him. I let go of Mikey and got a good look at him. His eye looked terrible.

"Gerard get over it. Hug your friends. Now,"Mikey smiled at me and grabbed Frank before he hugged Pete. I tackled Ray and grinned as I almost choked on his hair. It had been so long since that had happened. I was ecstatic, holy fricken christ.

A good five minutes later we had all stopped huggung each other and were talking about their flight.
"Fucking turbulence man. I think one of you guys should drive us back to Jersey when we go,"Bob graoned.
Ray nodded enthusiastically,"Gerard should do it. Frank's already been ba- gotta work so."

Frank was staring at the roof. Bob was staring hard at his phone and Mikey was glaring at a blushing Ray. I was about to call him out on it but decided to make it easier for him.
"I'm totally up for going back to Jersey for a couple of days or something. I could see Mr Stump and meet your new boss Mikey. Would be good to see whats happened to everything over there,"I smiled, watching everyone relax at my 'stupidity'. They had no fucking idea.

"Yeah. We'll have to sort that out later though because right now we need to sort out how we're all gonna fit in one car. And how we're gonna fit all your guys' suitcases in the fucking trunk,"Frank said as we all started walking.
"Oh fuck. I did not think of that,"I sighed. There was 6 of us. My car only fit 5 people.

"Well I dont mind sitting on Mikey's lap,"Pete said.
"Yeah but the suitcases,"I grumbled. Why the fuck didnt we think of this before?
"Well Mikey and I are sharing one. So thats only 3. You never know it could fit,"Pete said as we walked into the baggage pick up area.

"Lets just get the bags first. But, I think you guys might be sitting around here for 3 hours while we go back and get Frank's car,"I sighed as Bob plodded forward to haul his bag off of the conveyor belt.
"Man, its so weird seeing Frank drive,"Mikey smiled,"Uh gonna be weird,"Mikey cleared his throat and jumped forward as his and Pete's bag came round.

Frank's hand suddenly got a hold of my own.
"I think we're gonna need to go get my car,"Frank sighed as a man came through a door next to the conveyor belt with a huge bag on a trolley. I had seen that suitcase only once before when Mikey and I were fucking around in Ray's house and had broken into his attic.
"Ray! What the fuck have you got in there?"I said as the guy wheeled it even closer.

Ray ignored us and met the guy halfway, they were talking like they were old friends. And then Ray was giving him- money? I couldnt tell, either way it looked fucking suspicious.
"What the hell's going on?"I looked at Frank who shrugged his shoulders.

Ray came back over smiling to himself, dragging his bag along behind him, but then he looked up at us and his face went from 'I'm a boss' to 'whats wrong' to 'oh fuck' in about 2 seconds flat.
"Ray what the hell?"Frank glared at him. Why was he glaring? He just had a really fat bag. And was- freaking out. Nothing suspicious about that. Right?

"Whats wrong? I brought stuff for the halloween party. Some of Mum's decorations,"Ray broke out into a smile.
"But your Mum's decorations suck. And I've got my own..."I said and bent down to open his suitcase.
"No dont open it!"Ray screeched and slapped my hands away.

"Jesus Ray calm down. I just wanna see which ones,"I stared up at him. I glanced around and saw everyone else looking panicked.
"I- Frankie's present is in there and- its really big so you cant open it cause he'll see it straight away,"Ray started blushing furiously.

There was a second of silence before Frank started clapping and said,"Oooh I cant wait to see what it is!"
We all started walking towards the exit when something made me stop. I could feel someone watching me. I turned around and looked back at the crowd of people still waiting for their bags and almost choked on fucking nothing.

The fucking dick that always held me down while Cole beat me up was standing next to the fire exit, grinning at me from underneath his hood.
"Gerard?"Frank's hand went on my shoulder.
"Frank,"I looked at him then pointed to where Tom was standing. Or had been.

"What? Gerard come on we have to drive back and get my car,"Frank sighed and walked away.
"No but-"I stared at the fire exit for a moment before groaning and following Frank. Today was going to be ridiculously long.