Just a Shadow in the Night (Mikey Way / OC)

Chapter 27 (Last Chapter)

  5:45 pm

Silence. That's all there was. There was no music, nobody was speaking, and everybody was thinking. Thinking about how things could play out, thinking about how our lives have been changed, and thinking about the aftermath.

Gerard was driving, his knuckles turning a ghostly shade of white from his grip on the wheel. Frank was in the passenger seat looking straight ahead, a look of determination etched into his features. Ray was nervously twirling his fingers in his hair, and I was looking out the window, my brain somewhere in the cold December clouds above. Mikey was beside me, rubbing his thumb on his hand in a circular motion, looking awfully spaced out.

We're been driving for about half an hour, the bumpy road jolting us upward every so often. I'm surprised none of us have collapsed from exhaustion; I don't think I can last much longer.
Mikey's voice echoes through my head and pulls me out of my thoughts.

"If anything happens to you...You can't let him know you're afraid. Hold back the tears, and kill your emotions.." He spoke softly, looking at me.

I nodded, looking up at him.

"You got this." He whispered, kissing my cheek.

"That goes for you guys as well, we don't show fear. Got it?"

"Got it." They chorused.

"...Do we get kisses too?" Frank joked, smirking back at us. I smiled softly, a genuine smile that felt foreign to my mouth.

I looked around, seeing small smiles creep up onto everybody else's face.

5:58 pm
We sat in the parking lot, the cold and unwelcoming atmosphere returning. The silence and the winter air flooding back when the engine switched off.

"Mikey... What's your plan?" Gerard spoke, his eyes darting around nervously.

He chuckled briefly "Let's just say I'm a good actor..." he paused "I just hope I'm good enough"
And with that, we got out of the car.

I cursed myself for not wearing a warmer sweater when we were out in the open. The wind was numbing my skin bit by bit, and my hair blew over to one side. I pulled my sweater closer to my body, but it was no use. Snow gathered around us in the small gusts, creating small snow tornadoes.

I could see a shadow like figure in the distance; there were a few more figures behind it approaching us. My blood ran cold and my breath hitched in my throat, but Mikey leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"Remember, no fear. Do what he asks- if he asks, and you'll be fine." I straightened up and accepted whatever fate may come my way.

We stood in rows, almost like a western showdown. Mikey and Pete were closer to the middle. I was half expecting them both pull guns on each other, but who really knows what'll happen.

Pete was the first to speak

"Hello, Mikey." He said rather formally.

"Hey, Pete." Mikey replied in a rather calm voice, which surprised me a bit.

"How've you been?" There was real concern in Pete's voice.

"I've been alright, how have you been?"

"Lonely" Pete admitted, sighing. This was an odd thing to be seeing. Pete was so vulnerable, as if he was only in a world with Mikey. He was all Pete saw, all he cared about. I could see it in his eyes, in his voice and in his body language.

Mikey didn't know how to respond, I could tell by the way he shifted uncomfortably, shoving his hands in and out of his pockets.

"Emilia, come here for a second." Pete's eyes switching to mine, before motioning for me to stand next to Mikey. I tried to regulate my heart beat, but it was all I could hear in my ears.
Pumping, pumping, pumping, deafening.

I didn't want to, but I reluctantly shuffled over to where he wanted me to go.

He walked closer, his eyes scanning over my face. I couldn't help but to slump my shoulders. I felt so small in his presence, so scared. Nobody prepared me to feel this vulnerable. I wish I stood taller, felt more powerful.

I began to look up, but it all happened so quickly. He grabbed my arm so that I spun around, then he proceeded to hold my body close to his, before putting me in a choke-hold. I was about the same height as him, but was he ever strong. Before I could do anything, he pulled out a gun.

"This," I thought to myself "I should have seen coming"

I felt like I was floating, like I wasn't really there-
but I was.

I was here whether I liked it or not. I was here with Mikey, Frank, Gerard, Ray, Pete and his gang, and his gun to my head.

"If anything happens to you...You can't let him know you're afraid. Hold back the tears, and kill your emotions." The words bounced around in my head as my eyes scanned the area, landing on Mikey. He looked calm and composed.

Looking at everyone else, I could tell they weren't as good of actors. Gerard and Frank looked terrified, their eyes wide and mouths slightly agape. Ray's eyes were pooled with sadness, and he was on the verge of tears.

I could feel Pete's body shaking from behind me. Was he laughing? Crying? Shivering? Who knows.

Time passed, I'm not sure how much time. Everything seemed to stand still.

After what felt like an eternity, Pete spoke. "What are you going to do now?" He was chuckling.

Mikey kept a straight face, his world famous 'poker face', apparently.

"I still want to talk, Pete." He answered calmly.

"About what?!" He raised his voice, holing me tighter. "About how you don't love me anymore?!"
"No, not exactly..." Mikey spoke softly, barely audible over the wind.

"I've written songs about you..." Pete mumbled. "Have you listened to our songs, Mikey?"
"Of course I have." He said sincerely, softening his face.

"Bang the Doldrums. Do you know it?" he asked, I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Best friends, ex friends 'till the end." Mikey quoted.

"Better off as lovers, but not the other way around." Pete finished, his voice wavering as he spoke.

Everyone else stayed quiet, I didn't move, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Frank fumble with his sweater pockets. I hoped Pete didn't notice, besides, I don't think he noticed anything else that was happening. All that mattered to him at that moment was Mikey.

"What happened to us, Mikes?" Pete continued, his voice breaking.

"We were so happy, weren't we?" Mikey asked, cracking a smile.

"Yeah... We were the Sweet Little Dudes... Hanging out in '05"

Mikey giggled, "And we'd invite each other up on stage..."

"Remember that time we dedicated Grand Theft Autumn to you?" Pete asked, both laughing and crying. "You were the last good thing about this part of town."

Mikey smiled softly, looking flustered. Pete loosened his grip on me slightly as he smiled back.

The strong grip returned only seconds later as the sound of police sirens erupted from around the corner.

"Who called the police?!" Pete screamed over the sirens, pressing the gun further into my temple.

"Listen to me, Pete..." Mikey spoke loud enough to be heard. "I know you don't want to do this."
"You don't know what I want!" he sobbed.

"I do know what you want. You don't want to hurt an innocent girl just to get to me. That's not going to make me love you any more than I used to." He spoke, with pleading eyes.

"She's such a distraction; I just want you, Mikey..." Pete replied breathlessly.

"I know you do, and I want you too..." He spoke with sincerity.

"You do?" He asked, taking off a little bit of pressure from the gun.

"Of course... But we can't be together if you get hurt or go to jail." The police were standing around, now pointing guns at Pete from all angles.

"Mikey..." Pete sobbed. "I'm sorry for all of this. For every song being about you, for following you, for being so obsessed. You drive me crazy."

"It's okay" he chuckled, "I don't mind."

"You don't?" He asked, moving his hand to quickly wipe a tear.

"No... But I do mind that you have a gun to my friends head." Mikey sighed.
"Friend?" Pete asked, surprised.

"Yes, my friend. Nothing more, nothing less." Mikey reassured him.

I looked back to see everyone else looking at each other with shocked expressions. I didn't react just yet. I wasn't sure how to.

"You don't... love her?"

"No, of course not. If I loved her, then I couldn't love you" Mikey replied breathlessly

"You mean that?"

"Absolutely... but I do enjoy having her as a friend. You like having friends, don't you?"
Pete was hesitant to answer, and he was shaking again. I was trying not to, but my body was cold and I avoided eye contact with everyone. I didn't want to look at scared and sympathetic eyes. I didn't care about much of anything right now.

"What about Patrick, huh? He's fun to be around, isn't he?" Mikey asked

"Yeah..." Pete spoke in almost a whisper.

"Andy? Joe? They're cool, right?"

Pete nodded, Mikey smiled at him softly.

"Well, Emilia is like that to me. She's one of my friends."

Pete was nodding harder now, showing more understanding.

"Do you think you can let her go?" Mikey asked softly

"Are we going to be... together after this?" He asked, his voice cracking once more

"Of course we are." Mikey smiled sweetly

"In a house?" Pete asked

"Where else would we be?" Mikey asked, making Pete smile.

"Can we share the bed?"

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Mikey replied, the smile growing wider and wider.

"Just like old times?" Pete asked

"Just like old times."

He let me go.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I gasped, filling my lungs with air that I didn't know I needed. My legs were weak and they almost gave out as they stumbled towards Frank, Gerard and Ray. I almost fell, but Frank helped hold me up.

I turned to see the police taking away Pete's gun and beginning to handcuff him. He was screaming now, but I couldn't hear him, my ears were ringing. It hurt to see him like this, but I couldn't look away. He was screaming for Mikey, tears streaming down his face. He struggled against the police men's grip, but it was no use.

Mikey began to stumble backwards, covering his hands with his ears. Gerard ran to his side, putting his arm around Mikey's shoulder to try to coax him away from the scene.

Frank turned me away from everything and brought me into a hug, he began to hum into my ear. I began to shake, to cry, I let the fear get to me. Frank began to sway me back and forth, trying his best to calm me down. I appreciated it, but I just wanted to go home. I wanted to be with Mikey and to be back in New Jersey.

Frank and I stayed like that in the cold for a long time, I didn't know how long but it must have been a good 25 minutes. I stopped crying and he stopped humming once he made sure I was okay, and he brought me over to where Mikey and Gerard were.

Frank and Gerard left Mikey and I alone, they left to go talk to the police. Mikey opened his arms, inviting me into a hug, and I accepted. The cold winter air couldn't touch me, as my head was buried into his chest.

"I love you" He spoke softly

"I love you too" I answered, my words probably sounding like a mumble.

We pulled apart and he smiled at me.

"I'm so glad you're okay"

"As am I, and you were right... you are a good actor" I giggled.

"Good enough for T.V?"

"Sure" I said sarcastically, patting his head.

"Wanna go give our statements?" He asked, taking my hand in his.

"Let's go."