My Harlequin Romance (MCR Fan Fiction)

Epilogue: Carry On

Lola never left Gerard. She watched over him for years and years and years. Her careful eyes studied him from the heaven she hadn't believed in until she went there by herself all alone. She watched him grow up while she stayed young. She watched him grieve, but never get over the depression that followed her death. Not even years and years later. She watched him leave for New York City, only to be crushed when he found art school was not what he had imagined. She watched him stand in the subway station as the first tower began to fall only a few miles away.

He stood there in the subway station that smelled of urine and sweat, hands in his pockets, his art bag at his side. He was the only still, unmoving person in the room. Gerard only leaned against the wall, his head bowed as he listened to the people around him. His black hair draped over his pale, nearly green face, shielding his black eyes. Most of the people were crying or running or talking so quickly that their words moved faster than their lips did, so it was like an off-sync cartoon. There was a man beside Gerard who was pacing. His phone was clasped against his right ear. He was wearing a suit, now ruined by the ash and soot and rubble, sweat or tears was running down his face. Gerard wasn't sure which one it was. Probably both. Gerard glanced over at the pacing man.

"H-Honey, I didn't make it in t-today. My taxi got stuck in downtown, and I'm okay. I've been t-trying since the first plane hit to call you, but the lines are so busy. I'm trying to get home, but they shut the subways down and the taxis aren't picking anybody up. I don't know when I'll be home, but I love you. I love you so much," The man hung up his phone and began to cry. Gerard had no idea why this man was crying. His wife, or fiance, or girlfriend, or whoever, was alive. He was alive. Gerard turned away from the suited crying man and continued leaning against the post. He felt himself begin to cry though. Not because of the disaster that was consuming the city, but that was really horrifying. He began to cry because he had no girlfriend to call. He hadn't had feelings for anybody since Lola those many years ago. Gerard pretended like he didn't think about her anymore. He wasn't fooling anyone though. Lola was all he ever thought about.

The years rolled by. Gerard aged just as every person does. Lola watched him join with his brother and several of his friends and start a band. This was a nice start. Perhaps he was finally overcoming her death. As much as Lola would have liked to think that, she knew it was not true. The reappearance of Mikey in Gerard's life only made him miss his late best friend more. But that didn't change anything.

Everything reminded Gerard of Lola. Anything blue would remind him of her once lovely hair. Every comic seemed to be a giant slap in his face; they reminded him of the week they spent sitting on his bed, laughing and reading. Worst of all, the jack-o-lanterns. October was always the hardest month of the year for Gerard. In fact, he had once seen a smallish jack-o-lantern carved like the moon and the stars. It was nothing like the one Gerard had carved for Lola years ago, but it was close enough to make Gerard burst into tears on the spot.

Anyway, she watched Gerard's band grow. Lola also hesitantly watched Gerard mess around with one of his band mates, Frank, for a few months. They never went much farther then making out, and Lola was thankful for that. Gerard was only with Frank because he felt that Frank could feel the void Lola's departure had left. It was a rather foolish, childish, and selfish move for Gerard. Frank had no idea about the emptiness Gerard had been feeling for years now. Frank thought Gerard really had feelings for him. That was a laugh all on it's own.

Eventually, the romantic relationship between the two died, just as Lola knew it would. Frank moved on from his bi-curiousness and found a young lady he fell deeply in love with. Gerard had, as well, noticed his brother and fellow band members were gathering girlfriends or love interests of their own. In his own way, Gerard felt left out. Why was it that he couldn't get over his love of a girl who had died almost ten years ago?