Drums Of The City Rain

chapter 8

"Bandit time to go" gerard called up to her. Lindsey was on tour with her band so gerard decided he would take bandit to see lily, cherry and miles. Bandit ran over to gerard tugging her suitcase behind her, gerard picked it up and carried it out for her along with his own. He placed the suitcases in the back and helped bandit into the car, he got in and drove to the airport.

They waited in the sitting area after clearing security, with bandit looking at a book despite her inability to read.

"Flight 283 to new jersey now pre-bording passengers with young children 5 and under. Gerard stood up taking bandit's hand and walked over to board the plane when he felt a tap on his shoulder but he was next to board and couldn't hold up the line so he turned around and said "sorry" to the teenager who had tapped him and handed the flight attendent him and his daughter's ticket. They walked onto the plane and took their seats, a little while after take off bandit fell asleep and shortly later so did gerard.

Gerard awoke suddenly to bandit poking his nose and forehead.

"Daddy!" Bandit squealed. "You're finally awake" she said.

"Yes B, how long have you been up?" He asked.

"About an hour"

"What!" Gerard gasped.

"Yeah the flight 'tetendant gave me apple juice" bandit exclaimed pronouncing 'attendant' wrong.

"That's nice dear"

"How much longer daddy?" The little girl whined. 

"2 hours" he replied.

Bandit frowned and gerard pulled out her book and read it to her, after they finshed the book he grabbed her colouring stuff hoping it would occupy her for the rest of the flight.

They got off the plane in new jersey, rented a car and drove to frank's house.
Gerard got of the car and walked up to the door holding bandit's hand, he knocked on the door and waited for frank to open it.

"Hey gee and bandit!" Frank said as he opened the door.

"Hey frank"

"Come inside guys"

Gerard let bandit in, letting go of her hand and followed her inside.

"Hey Bee" frank said ducking down to the child's height which was easy for frank because he's short.

"Lily and cherry are in their room they're waiting for you to come why dont you go find them?" Frank said.

"Okay frankie" she said and ran down the hall.

"Follow me gee"

"Okay" gerard responded.

He followed frank to the living room where miles was sat on the couch watching mickey mouse clubhouse.

"Hey miles, bandit is here she's in lily and cherry's room"

"Okay" he said climbing off the couch and toddled down the hall to find the 3 girls.

They sat down on the couch and gerard took the book out of his backpack.

"Is this the book you told me about?"

"Yes" gerard responded.

"What should we try first?" Frank asked.

"How about the sleeping pill method?" Gerard suggested 

"Okay we'll begin tonight after the kids go to bed" frank answered.

Frank and gerard heard jamia walk in so they got up and helped her start making dinner. After dinner and when all the kids were asleep gerard followed frank into the spare room and handed him the pills.

"It reccomends to take two to put you into a deep sleep almost immediately giving you more time for your dream" frank read out loud.

"Okay"

Gerard swallowed the pills and laid down, he started to feel his eyes grow heavy and then he fell unconsious.

Gerard ran down the street it was a sunny day but he was in panic. He could hear the sirens in the distance as he kept running he turned the corner and ran towards mikey's house. He slammed himself into the door with all his weight 1, 2 , 3 times and it opened he ran inside searching all the rooms, when he reached the final room he went to open the door, he opened it and his mouth dropped open and he ran into the room dropping to his knees-

Gerard woke up sweating, he sighed and pulled the covers off as it was 9:27 am, Frank came in hearing gerard getting up.

"Did it work? Did you see what happened?" Frank asked.

"No I didn't" gerard said.

"Oh"

"But this is only the first attempt" gerard tried to reassure himself as well as frank.

A week later after many attempts and no success, gerard and bandit were getting ready to go home.

"Don't worry gee you'll figure it out soon"

"I hope so" gerard responded.

Frank kissed gerard's nose like he used to when they were still a band, he helped carry bandit's suitcase out to the car and said goodbye before they pulled out of the driveway.

Little did frank know this would be gerard's last visit, the last time he would see gerard alive.

They got to the airport and got on the plane they both fell asleep as the plane took off.