"there is a house built out of stone. wooden floors, walls and window sills. tables and chairs worn by all of the dust. this is a place where i don't feel alone, this is a place where i feel at home." - to build a home [the cinematic orchestra]
Lindsey's sitting at the door when they arrive back, she rushes forward to Maya, hugging her "God you scared me." She turns to her husband with a glare "Don't do that again." He grins sheepishly and apologises as they enter the house once more.
Maya rolls carefully onto her side, Bandit opens the door excitedly as she runs into the room "Guess what!" She jumps onto the bed, careful to avoid Maya's leg before crawling to her lap. Maya smiles and hugs Bandit "What?" Bandit throws her arms in the air "Uncle Mikey and Uncle Frank are here!" Maya laughs softly and nods "Yeah? Do you wanna take me to see them?" Bandit nods and jumps from the bed to the floor, Maya stands slowly behind her and picks up her crutches as Bandit leads her to the kitchen.
Frank glances over the counter as Maya enters the room "Hey, there's my favorite LA kid." He laughs, picking Maya up and hugging her before placing her on the counter as Mikey waves "Hey kid, how's the leg?" Maya shrugs "Good." He nods and high-fives her. Frank picks Bandit up and spins her around "And how's my favorite little demon." He jokes, Gerard rolls his eyes and turns to Maya to explain "Bandit used to put things in Frank's bunk and in his guitar cases whenever she was with us at a show. It was pretty funny." Frank rolls his eyes as well "Yeah, well I bet her dad had something to do with it." He mutters, Maya laughs and swings her legs back and forth as they continue to talk.
Frank stays for the night, Mikey leaves after dinner. Maya sits in Frank's lap as the five sit on the sofa. Maya's phone buzzes and she answers the facetime call to Amelia sitting with Jenna, Tyler, Josh and Pete "Hey, no fair you get Pete." Maya feigns hurt and Pete immediately panics "May I'll see you in a few days kid." Amelia raises her eyebrows and Maya giggles "Pete-za calm your farm. I'm kidding, Frank and Mikey were here today." she holds her phone up so they can see everyone. Pete rolls his eyes and the two girls laugh "Anyway, how're you doing Maya?" Tyler asks. Maya nods "I'm good. Life's good." Josh rolls his eyes "That's your answer to everything. But it's good that you're good." Maya nods "Good." she pauses "How's the head?" she asks Amelia, who nods as well "Cool, there's a sick bruise near my ear. Jenna and I named it boof." Jenna smiles and nods from next to Tyler. Maya giggles and Bandit begins chanting boof and runs around the room excitedly. Pete laughs before Amelia shakes her head laughing "Anyway, I'm glad you're okay. See you soon." Maya nods "You too Mel. Bye." She hangs up and leans back resting her head on Frank's shoulder. Her phone buzzes once more and she picks it up quickly
brendad 💫: hey kiddo, how're you doing?
maya: good. tired. leg's all g
maya: what about you
brendad 💫: i'm all okay. final doctor's appointment tomorrow, then i've got the all clear to go back to normal stuff
maya: awesome
maya: i miss you dad
brendad 💫: i miss you too kiddo
brendad💫: you'll be home soon though, two more days.
maya: i know
maya: but still.
brendad💫: i love you maya
maya: i love you too dad
She locks her phone and closes her eyes, hugging Frank who smiles sadly "You'll be okay kid." She nods slowly before falling asleep.
She wakes up panicked, but not screaming and shaking like the last time she had a nightmare. Maya fumbles through the dark room to find her phone charging on the floor. She picks it up and pulls the cord off, sitting up in bed and pulling the blankets around her as she unlocks it, scrolling through contacts until she reaches Brendon's "Dad?" She asks, the screen flashes as he turns his video on "May, what's wrong?" He's in the studio, she knows that when he can't sleep he'll go there. She shrugs, realising she's crying "Nightmare." He nods "Are you alright now?" She shakes her head "I miss you." He nods, she's overly tired and it's almost four am "I miss you too kiddo. Lay down Maya." He places his phone on the top of the desk, against the wall "I'll sing for a while, okay? Just close your eyes, it'll be okay kiddo." She nods, and does as he asks, but she needs a hug and she needs Sarah and she needs Penny and Bogart and she needs home. And Brendon knows this, but the best he can do is sing for her.
"Well I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord. But you don't really care for music, do you? Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth. The minor fall and the major lift. The baffled king composing hallelujah." She sniffs as her head rests on the pillow and she watches Brendon play "Hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah." He glances up to check on her, and in the light of her phone screen he can see that she's still crying a little, but she's calmed down "Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you. She tied you to her kitchen chair, she broke your throne and she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah." She takes a deep breath as he sings "Hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Baby I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor. I used to live alone before I knew you. And I've seen your flag on the marble arch, and love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah." He pauses for a moment to see if she's asleep, but as soon as he stops her eyes fly open. He laughs quietly and continues "Maybe there's a God above. All I've ever learned from love, was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you. And it's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah." He finishes as she falls asleep once more. He smiles softly "Goodnight may." He closes the call and locks his phone, standing and closing the studio door behind him as he returns to the house.
a/n: gosh life is good i went to a party that had like 6/8 people and it was super chill and good vibes and we watched mean girls and played murder in the dark and lots of jokes and memes and wow i love life rn how are you guys doing i only have 5 days left of school until summer holiday woo
hope you liked the chapter kids !
grace x