"We should do something fun for New Years."

Mikey was lying in the bed of the hotel while he watched David undress for bed. He was in just boxers cos hotel rooms are stuffy and hot all year round.

"You know, find an all ages shindig. We deserve a little break...even though we have not had much luck finding Gee yet."

David sighed as he sat down on the edge of his bed.

"A club Mikey?...I don't know. I'm not sure I want to be surrounded by bad music and too many people right now."

"I'm sure if we look online, we can find a place with decent music. Maybe even something like a retro party from the 80's. Gee would have liked something like that, you remember how he went on about how MTV is shit now and the better music is all the old videos on YouTube."

David smiled fondly at the memory, looking down at the old photograph of the three of them that sat in his hand...it was taken on the twins' fourteenth birthday, and they all just looked so happy.

"Yeah...he'd like that."

He looked up and smiled wider.

"If we can find a retro gig...then I'm in."

Mikey already had his tablet in his lap.

"I'm already on it."

Mikey was quiet for a bit as he surfed and they listened to the music coming from David's iPod.

"Here! It's not even a club! Action Burger in Brooklyn. It's a sci fi restaurant that is all ages friendly!"

"A sci fi burger joint...really?"

David scoffed, but shrugged after a moment.

"Well, I said I'd go if you found something...so why not."

"Awesome! Let's get some sleep tonight and we can start searching in the morning, come back to the hotel for lunch, search again and then change for the party and have dinner there!"

"Ok, sounds like a plan."

David yawned and climbed into his bed.

"Goodnight Mikey."

"Night Davy."

Mikey turned off the light and rolled over hoping that tomorrow would be the day they find their brother.

(time passes)

"So, where should we try first?"

Mikey bit into his egg sandwich.

"I was thinking we could try the top end of Central Park, and work our way down. What do you think?"

David took a sip of his coffee.

"I'd rather do that in the day anyway."

Mikey's hot chocolate was only luke warm, but for him it was about the taste, not the temperature.

"Then after lunch we should check the museum blocks again. It couldn't hurt."

"Ok, but we stick together..."

David raised an eyebrow at his younger brother.

"No wandering off this time Mikey...I can't lose you too."

"I said I was sorry! Fuck, I just got lost for a moment!"

Mikey angrily ripped into his sandwich. He was going to be 16 this year, he was not a child!
David raised his other brow.

"Yeah, and I found you talking to a hooker with a bigger Adam's Apple than coach Walker..."

He scoffed.

"So stay close...ok?"

"She was nice. She showed me where to catch a Laprs."

They may have been on a mission, but Mikey was still gaining levels in Pokemon Go.
David rolled his eyes.

"There are more important things than imaginary monsters you know...so eat up so we can get out of here."

Mikey finished his food and downed his hot chocolate. He threw his wrapper away and put his coat back on.
David threw away his own trash then they headed out.

(time passes)

Mikey caught a shit load of pokemon including a snorlax, but no luck finding his brother. He headed to the fountain to meet David for lunch.

David was sat, crosslegged on the edge of the fountain with a large take out coffee in his hands, and a bagel balanced on his knee when he saw Mikey approach. He silently thanked God and grinned at his brother.

"Hey Mikey. I got you chocolate and a bagel...did you have any luck?"

His smile dropped as he said this cos a, he hadn't found any clues, and b, Gee clearly wasn't with Mikey.

"No, no luck."

Mikey looked at the bagel and sighed.

"I can't wait to have real food tonight."

"Yeah..."

David chuckled as he sipped his coffee.

"I fancy a chicken sandwich...they remind me of him."

Gee always used to get them instead of normal burgers...he never had been a fan of red meat.
Mikey smiled.

"Onion rings too. Gee liked them better than fries."

David smiled and nodded, swallowing a bite of his bagel.

"Yeah, he used to put the little ones on his fingers and pretend he was a princess...I miss that."

"Me too."

They ate quietly while Mikey wasted four pokeballs on an Abra.

"Okay so the museums are next. I'm gonna get a pretzel from that vender in front too."

David wrapped up the second half of his bagel and put it in his back pack for later.

"I think I'll give the pretzels a miss, I'm kinda full."

"Your loss."

Mikey tried one more time for the Abra and caught it this time.

"Okay lets go!"

They caught the M and headed to the museum.

(time passes)

"So that was a fuckin' waste of time!"

David exclaimed, kicking a trash can angrily as they headed back into the hotel to clean up and change for their night out.

"Davy...come on, NYC is huge, we only just started looking the last six months. We don't even know of he is in the city! We are going by Gee saying he always wanted to live here!"

"He's here! I know he is..."

David deflated visibly, flopping onto his bed once they were in the room.

"He has to be."

"I think he is too."

Mikey sat next to David and put an arm around him.

"We can't give up."

"Never..."

David turned to face his brother.

"But like you said, New York's huge and he could be anywhere...if I could just feel him, just know he's ok."

"Maybe we'll get lucky tonight. Gee liked the 80's."

David frowned.

"Don't do that."

"What? Hope? Dammit Davy, hope is all we have left!"

David shook his head.

"No, I mean don't use passed tense, cos he's not dead, and we will find him...one day."

"I'll never stop looking with you. I promise no matter how old I get."

David sighed.

"I know, but right now, let's get ready for the new year cos you're right...we could get lucky...he might be there."

Mikey smiled and turned grabbing his clothes, and headed into the bathroom.

(time passes)

"So...where is this place again?"

David asked as they left the train station and stepped out onto the dark street, teeming with revellers in varying stages of drunkenness.

"Just around the corner....there! Wow, it looks fucking amazing!"

The lights and noises gave way to a time when things were not so fucked up. It looks like a place that they would have eaten as a family when they were younger.
David grinned wide.

"Gee would love this place so much..."

He grabbed Mikey's hand and squeezed.

"Now let's go have fun."

(time passes)

"Dude this place is amazing! How did you find it Frankie?"

"I saw it in one of the trades. I figured we could use a good time tonight, plus it's all ages so Gee would not be left out."

Frank grinned as he watched how excited his strays looked. Even Gee, who had opened up quite a bit since Christmas, looked like he was going to burst.

"What do you think Kitten?"

Gee looked around excitedly.

"I-it's wonderful F-Frankie..."

He whispered out from his spot, practically glued to Frank's right arm.

"I l-love it."

They went in and found a round booth big enough for all of them.

"So what are we eating?"

"Oh man I am starving too! I just want to junk out!"

"Do they have anything other than junk food?"

"Ryan..."

"Sorry, I just...it's lots of grease and..."

"Look, they do have a salad, but you will eat more than that right?"

"Sure Frankie, I promise."

"Yo! I want a mac and cheese burger!"

"What the hell is that?"

"Check it out Bertie."

Bert looked at the picture and rubbed his jaw.

"Huh, well I never saw that before."

"Lynz, we gotta share this. Mexican Cheese Fries!"

Brendon was practically bouncing in his seat as he shoved the menu toward the girl.

"Ok..."

Lindsey grinned.

"If we get tots instead of fries, I'm in..."

She looked at Gee.

"What do you want kid?"

Gee looked over the menu with wide eyes before they settled on something that reminded him of Saturdays with his brothers and his grandmother.

"Ch-chicken and w-waffles..."

He said hopefully.

"Please?"

"We should get onion rings too and fried mac and cheese tots!"

Brendon and Bert were pouring over the menu with Lindsey, but Ryan was shrinking back into the booth. He wanted to run out of there and throw up everything he had eaten in the past week.

"R-Ry..."

Gee shuffled closer to the boy on his right.

"I-it's ok."

He whispered softly.

"I hate it. I hate this. It's too much, I can't..."

"Hey, Ry, they have a veggie burger wrap, it comes with a salad and you can hold the guacamole if you want."

Frank was using the soothing voice he used when his strays were distressed.

"I...yeah, I can do that, but just half okay?"

"Sure Ry, we can take the other half home."

Ryan looked visibly calmer now. Frank leaned in and whispered to Gee.

"Thanks Kitten, you did good."

Gee smiled shyly, a blush colouring his cheeks.

"What're y-you h-having Frankie?"

"I'm gonna give their best seller a try, the Toragon."

"Garlic chipotle wings!"

"Oh man and we gotta get a pitcher of Gravity Shockwaves!"

Everyone nodded.

"Hey Gee, you can get the Cookie Overload, it has no alcohol in it."

Ryan looked at Gee.

"I'll join you with the same."

He smiled and moved closer to the boy.
Gee smiled sweetly back at him...he kind of reminded him of Mikey.

"S-sounds g-good."

The waitress came by and they ordered all their food. The DJ came on and said they were going to start the party real soon.

"I can't wait till the music starts."

Brendon was shaking his leg under the table.
Gee giggled, hiding his mouth behind his hand.

"Allright cats, lets get this party started! We're gonna start with one of the most famous songs of the 80's. The one that started it all for MTV back in 1981. Here is the Buggles with Video Killed the Radio Star."

(time passes)

David grinned wide as he picked up his chocolate mint milkshake and took a sip, looking around and trying to take in all the lights and sounds.

"This was a great idea Mikes..."

He enthused, picking up one of his cheese fries and waving it around at the room.

"I'm glad you made me come...this could be just what we need."

He popped the fry into his mouth as an old song was put on by the DJ.
He remembered Gee dancing around their bedroom to it once, he'd been wearing a hot pink miniskirt and a fluffy white sweater, cos their dad was away for a fishing weekend with his friends...the memory made David feel warm inside.

"Yeah, we really needed this."

He took a note of his super-villain burger.
David laughed.

"You gonna manage that thing?...it's nearly as big as your head."

"Watch me."

Mikey laughed and took a bite. His cheeks were full like a chipmunk.

"Don't choke."

David laughed, turning to see people up on their feet, dancing like idiots.
Mikey chewed carefully and swallowed.

"I wanna dance after we finish too. You want to cut a rug with me Davy?"

Mikey did a little shimmy with his shoulders to the music.
David rolled his eyes, but nodded straight after.

"Sure Mikey...but I'm not dipping you like I did with Gee."

"That's cos Gee weighs nothing and I'm all sharp edges."

Mikey winked.

"Yeah..."

David frowned, glancing out of the big window next to them at the cold city street.

"I hope he's somewhere warm tonight."

"Davy...if you can't feel him it means he is not in a bad place."

"It means he's not hurt...it doesn't mean he's safe."

"Okay fine, but not being safe usually accompanies being hurt in some form and you told me you can feel him physically, mentally, and emotionally hurt. Maybe...maybe you should concentrate on the emotional instead of the physical. It might work."

David chewed on his lip for a moment in consideration, then smiled.

"I'll try."

He closed his eyes and relaxed and felt...happy. His eyes shot open and he looked at Mikey in awe.

"Did you feel him?"

"I think so, yeah."

"How is he?"

"Happy...wherever he is?...he's happy."

David grinned.

"That's good!"

Mikey sipped his milkshake happily.

(time passes)

"F-Frankie?...can we...can we d-dance?"

Gee whispered out, his fingers tugging lightly on Frank's sleeve.

"Of course Kitten."

Frank took a sip of his Action Zinfandel and then got up and offered Gee his hand.
Gee took the offered hand with his bottom lip pinched between his teeth, and the corners of his mouth raised in a shy smile. His cheeks were pink as he stood and followed Frank out onto the floor as Soft Cell's Tainted Love started to play.

"Sometimes I feel I've got to *bop bop* run away, I've got to *bop bop* get away from the pain you drive into the heart of me."

Frank started to sing as he led Gee backwards to the dance floor.
Gee giggled, wiggling his hips a little.

"I wish I had my skirt on."

He whispered to himself, hoping no one (Frank) heard.
Frank did and he had an idea.

"Be right back Kitten, hold my place."

Frank quickly ran to one of the workers and asked if he could take a grass skirt they had randomly for decoration. He ran back.

"Here, put this on."

Gee's eyes widened.

"A s-skirt?"

Had Frank heard him?

"I mean it's a grass skirt so it goes over you pants."

Frank was worried he was upsetting Gee.

"You know, never mind, it was a dumb idea."

"No no I..."

Gee blushed pink.

"I l-like it."

Frank smiled and got down on one knee in front of the boy.

"Okay, give me your foot."

Smiling shyly, Gee placed one hand on Frank's shoulder for balance, and lifted his right foot.
Frank helped Gee into the skirt with a little shimmy. Just as they got it on the song changed to Hot Hot Hot and someone shouted Conga line. Frank smirked at Gee and grabbed his waist, spinning him.

"Lets go Gee! Oh lay oh lay oh lay oh lay."

Gee giggled...he'd not done a Conga since his and David's eighth birthday party. He wasn't so sure he liked being at the front though.
Someone grabbed Frank's waist and they were off. Frank was surprised that Gee was good at this. He leaned in.

"You're doing great Kitten."

"I n-never l-lead bef-fore."

"Well you're doing it well and everyone is having so much fun behind us."

Gee looked back and saw that the line was starting to get pretty long now. He smiled happily, putting his small hands over Frank's on his waist, then started the line weaving through the tables.

(Time passes)

"Come on Mikey, let's join the Conga...remember when we did it with Gee?"

David said as he pulled his brother toward the middle of the long line that was snaking around the room.

"I wish Gee was here."

Mikey moved in front of David cos he didn't want a stranger to grab his waist.

"Can you still feel him?"

"Yeah..."

David nodded, holding Mikey's waist and ignoring the guy who latched on behind him.

"It's strong...I think he's close...like within a couple of blocks."

David started to think about it. They had never been apart for this long before, nowhere near, so maybe that had weakened their connection somewhat...and maybe he could use their connection more now, cos he could feel it was stronger here...maybe he could use it as a tracker.

(Time passes~ it's close to midnight)

Michael Jackson's Thriller was playing loudly through the restaurant. Gee was sat giggling into Frank's shoulder as he watched Lindsey and Brendon singing along at the top of their lungs.

"'Cause this is thriller, thriller night,
and no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike.
You know it's thriller, thriller night,
you're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight."

Lindsey looked over at Frank and Gee.

"Join in guys."

Gee shook his head, cheeks heating up...he didn't like singing in front of people. Well, no one except David and Mikey that is.

"Brendon is beyond drunk."

Ryan giggled, himself slightly buzzed cos he didn't drink too much milkshake. He stumbled near Frank and Gee.

"Hey Gee, what are you gonna wish for this year?"

Gee tilted his head curiously.

"I get a w-wish?"

"Sure we all do! I'm gonna wish that I'm not so afraid of food."

"Oh..."

Gee thought for a moment, then smiled softly.

"I'm g-gonna wish t-to s-see David and M-Mikey."

"Good for you! Mavid and Dokey love you! I love you! Frankie loves you right Frankie?"

Frank shook his head.

"Ignore him Kitten."

Gee smiled slightly and looked away, over to where Lindsey and Brendon were now trying to do the moves to Thriller, while avoiding bumping into any other drunk idiots.

"Alright guys and dolls. 15 more minutes before we say goodbye to the old and ring in the new!"

"Davy? What is it?"

Mikey watched his brother concentrating hard.

"Can you sense him?"

David chewed on his lip, his forehead creased.

"Yeah he's..."

He swallowed thickly.

"I think he's...here."

"WHAT!?"

Mikey could barely hear himself since the room was getting excited for the count down.

"HE'S HERE...IN THIS ROOM!"

"WHERE!? WE GOTTA FIND HIM!"

David nodded quickly, grabbing Mikey's hand and pulling him into the crowd.

"GEE?...GEEEE."

He started yelling out, jumping to try to see over people's heads.

"Five minutes cats!"

Frank laughed as he watched some of his strays, more than slightly inebriated, get more and more excited. He watched his newest stray looking around with wonder. He reached out and took Gee's hand with one and then Bert's with the other. Slowly the small family made a circle. Bert shouted over the noise.

"So Gee, we have a tradition where you kiss the person's cheek next to you."

"Wait...which way are we goin' this yeeeear?"

Ryan laughed at Brendon.

"Right I think...or maybe left?"

Gee raised his eyebrows, looking to Frank for confirmation.

"Get ready guys!"

Mikey was stumbling as David dragged him through the place, they were pushing people out of the way and Mikey was trying to apologise, but his mouth was too full with his brother's name.

"GEEEE!"

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6..."

"GEEEEE!"

"5, 4, 3..."

Frank hadn't confirmed left or right, so Gee made a decision.

"2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"

Gee turned right and tiptoed to kiss Frank's cheek.
Frank turned to kiss Gee on the cheek and instead met his lips.

"Whoops, I guess we were going left this year."

Frank laughed and hugged him tightly.

"Yappy Hew Near!"

Brendon stumbled into Gee and Frank.

"Okay, I think it's time to get the strays home. Frankie you drive cos you are probably the most sober."

"Man I have not had a drink since I started dancing with Gee."

Gee giggled, but it turned into a yawn...he wasn't used to staying up past tenish.

"Alright kittens let's go."

Frank herded Gee and Ryan out the door as Bert carried Brendon and Lindsey.

"GEE!"

Mikey ran into the middle of the room.

"He was here..."

David panted as he felt Gee's presence stronger than he had since the last time he'd seen him...like an intense concentration of Geeness.

"He was right here."

He looked around desperately as he felt Gee drifting away again.

"FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK! WE LOST HIM AGAIN!"

"We'll find him Mikey..."

David said, turning Mikey to face him and grinning wide.

"Cos now at least we know."

"How can you be so fucking happy!?"

"Cos he's alive, he's happy...and he's here in the city. We will find him. I know it!"

Mikey just stared at his brother. There was light coming from him that he had not seen since they lost Gerard. Maybe...maybe things were going to work out after all.

Notes

Hi there chipmunks...how's you?

HAPPY (fake) NEW YEAR!...so near, yet so far...will they find each other?...will they get a happy ending?

Until next time...PLEASE COMMENT, and peace out babies!
<3