Tragic Magic

Chapter Thirty

I had no idea what was going on when Gerard pushed me onto that set. I would have killed him for that if it was another band on stage, but he kept his promise to me. He told me he would help me back to Craig and that's exactly what he did. I didn't think he would make it this dramatic though.

"Holy shit!" Robert and Craig drop everything and run to me.

The audience seems so confused as Craig and Robert smother me. They basically stopped the entire show because of me. The only one's who looked more confused than the audience was the unfamiliar guitarist and bassist. I didn't care about anything at that point, I was home.

"Who is that?" the guitarist asks the bassist awkwardly.

A rush of silence ran over the crowd so quiet, you could hear the bands across the venue. I fell back into reality and looked out at the shocked faces in the crowd. I can see Gerard looking at me from the sidelines with a smirk on his face. What did you just do, Gerard?

"Where the fuck have you been?" Craig refuses to let me go.

"Where have I been? Where the fuck have you been? I haven't heard from you in months, I thought you were dead!" I'm on the verge of tears, but I manage to control it.

"I smashed my phone and lost everything on it, including your number, I swear I'm okay. Are you okay?" He finally looks at me. Oh my god, he hasn't changed a bit.

"I'm okay now," I look back at the audience. "Oh, I think you might have a show to get back to." Robert runs back to his drum set and waits patiently. I feel horrible for interrupting their show, but I honestly don't regret it.

"Shit, you're right." I expected him to let me get back to Gerard (not that I wanted to leave his side again) and finish off the show, but no, he dragged me with him everywhere he went from that moment on.

Craig apologized to the audience and introduced me. So if you didn't know me before, you sure as hell know who I am now. I'm no longer known as, "random photographer for Alternative Press." I'm now known as, "weird long-lost girlfriend who decided to make an awkward surprise entrance." The show didn't go on after my arrival, which pissed off the guitarist and bassist. Where is Max and Bryan though?

I looked back to the spot I saw Gerard last and noticed he hasn't moved finger since he pushed me out her. I race back to him and almost knock him over with a hug, "Gerard, thank you!"

"I told you I'd get you back to your knight in shining armor, kid," he tells me with pride.

"I can't believe you went through all of the trouble to do this for me," my feelings gather up together and I burst out into tears.

"The day we met I made you a promise that I intended to keep even if it killed me. You deserve it, Juliet," he gives me a warm smile.

"Thank you so much, Gerard." I look back at Craig and Robert waving to fans in the audience and feel a wave of relief, I finally found them.

"Go catch up with them," Gerard tells me, "you can come find us tonight and we'll party, okay?"

"I can't thank you enough, Gerard," I give him one last hug and return to Craig's side.

"Dude, we've missed you so much," Robert clings to me.

"I've miss you too," I pat his head and smile. "But where's Max and Bryan?"

"Bryan is still helping us out, he's just not preforming anymore," Craig tells me.

"Max is on a little vacation," Robert admits in a quiet voice.

"Vacation?" I ask.

Craig returns his attention back to the drifting audience, "yeah he's not in the best shape right now, but he'll be okay."

Max was sent back to a rehab facility in Nevada during the UK tour, apparently he wasn't doing to good. Escape The Fate needed a new bassist while Max was recovering from his addictions, so TJ filled in.

TJ had a happy vibe and always looked cheerful, at least until I interrupted his show. TJ had dark hair and actually wore a bit of eyeliner, unlike the rest of the band. TJ was originally playing for a band called Motionless In White before he filled Max's place. By the few looks he gave me, I already knew what he was thinking about me.

Kevin on the other hand seemed mutual about the entire situation. Kevin, who went by the stage name "thrasher," was Bryan's replacement. I didn't know much about Kevin, but I knew I didn't like his vibe.

Craig kept me close for the rest of the day, which was fine with me, I hadn't seen him in almost a year after all. I spent the day with Robert and Craig on their tour bus while Kevin and TJ did their own thing. We talked for hours and hours about everything that has happened since England.

When we finally met up with Kevin and TJ again, they slowly warmed up to me. I haven't heard from Gerard or Ronnie yet, so I wonder what's going on with them.

"So when can I destroy Ronnie, babe?" Craig interrupts my thoughts.

"What?" I give him a 'deer in the headlights' look.

He looks at me seriously, "so where were you the past year?"

"Nevada, waiting for you to come home." That's a lie, I've been with Ronnie and Gerard in Los Angeles.

"Okay, and remind me why you weren't with me?" He rolls his eyes.

Oh, I guess he might have a point. I never confronted Ronnie about the idea of him kidnapping me while I was passed out, so maybe he might know more than he's leading on.

"Do we have to talk about this?" I get up off the couch and move to the back lounge, trying to avoid the situation.

"Yeah, we kinda do," he follows me.

I turn around and face him, "Look, I'm okay and you're okay. That's all that matters, right?"

"Juliet, why are you avoiding this?" He asks me, defensively.

"Why did you just leave me there? Why didn't you come find me when I didn't come back?" I felt my anger boil up.

"I couldn't find you, babe. I searched everywhere, but you were gone."

"So that was it? Where were you after the tour anyways?" Why would he just leave me for an entire year?

"I was in California, Juliet. TJ thought we needed to be closer to our new record label in order to be more successful as a band. Like I said, if I could have called you, I would've," he says.

"I wasn't okay, Craig," I admit, "I didn't want to lose you that fast."

"You haven't lost me, I'm here now," he pulls me into his arms. "I love you, Juliet. I did the day you went away and I still do now.

I give into him and let the anger float away, "I love you too, just don't ever leave me alone again, okay?"

"I'll kill him before he has the chance to take you away from me again."