Ghost Of You

...notice the lack of Frank and Bridget in this update.

If they are not careful by the time Frank leaves there will be a little Iero baking in her oven.

i believe that what they want...

well... maybe... i mean Daddy Iero is STILL a soldier boy.... *cringe*

but HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

THE NEEDLE!!! PUAAHAHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH

loves it loves it...

Gerard sighed as he let them in. Jared and Gabe were almost vibrating they looked so cold. "Come in! come in I will get you some hot coffee or something else if you prefer."
Jared opened his mouth to suggest something "DON'T Leto!" Gerard warned him before he could get anthing out. He looked at the soldier sitting next to him. Gabe slowly shook his head no. Jared closed his mouth. Gerard quickly changed the subject. "You guys look like you been out walking for hours.."
"Actually we kinda have.." Gabe said as Anna brought a steaming hot mug of coffee. He smiled. "OHHH Anna This feels like heaven in my hands..And the place.." he inhaled, "it smells like heaven in here."
"Anna's been cooking all day to get ready for Christmas." Gerard said with MORE than a hint of admiration in his voice.
"We envy you guys, you got a place ta' be...if there wasn't much ta do ta'day think what ta'marrah's gunna be like."
"You could have Christmas with us." Anna offered kindly.
"Oh..." Gabe looked at a glaring Sarge. "We..we wouldn't want to intrude."
"Nonsence..your Sargeant himself said I cooked for a small army..Stay...Bridget and Frank will not need two rooms, Ray and Bob could share a room and you two if you dont mind sleeping in some one else's bed could have Ben's Mama's apartment if you'd like the company."
"Wulll it sounds GREAT...but...where's Sarge going to sleep?"
"Never you mind Saporta....it's a need to know basis and you don't need to know."
Anna laughed a small laugh and blush came to her cheeks. "OOOOH" Gabe said softly, as Gerard looked at her with his heart on his sleeve.
"Then it is settled then.. now one of you whomever is youngest watch for the star. The First Star then we may eat."
A few moments later Bridget and Frank came giggling down the stairs. "We got a job for you Iero, Mrs. Iero.." Gerard said with a smile. "Anna wants one of us the YOUNGEST of us to let her know when we see the first star." Bridget even MORE perkier than usual said. "I'll watch! I'm probably the youngest anyway."
Soon Bridget informed them she saw it and Anna had a few of the guys push some tables together. She started bringing out the food and with the help of Gerard and Bridget and Bob all the food was soon on the tables. She handed Gerard a copy of the Bible, a page was marked. "Would you mind reading that marked section...the oldest male in the home is supposed to do it...The head of the family so to speak. I have no one else to do it.."
His voice was deep with emotion. "I would be honored Anna."

And so they all bowed their heads and listened to part of the Christmas story. Then Anna started passing around Very small very flat cakes, wafers really. Anna explained it was a tradition of blessing those you loved. It was VERY dear to her. So they all particpated as best they could. She offered Gerard a small piece of the wafer. "I hope you have health and safety and PEACE in the new year..And that God sends you many blessings and exactly what you want."

Gerard looked deeply into her eyes. "I hope he does Anna...I truly do.. May- maybe He already has." She broke off a piece of his wafer.
"You are suppossed to offer me a blessing.." she said a bit amused. "Oh..Uh..I guess Happiness and health and peace and what ever it is that you want most."
"I am not sure that..I should want what I do..." she said as she blushed, "But we shall see."
The blessings continued until everyone had recieved a blessing from everyone else. Then they sat down to a FILLING though meatless dinner. There were two places set that were left empty. One, should the holy child decide to visit, and one for fallen comrades and missing family...just incase their spirirts should find their way home. Every one ate and there was still left over.

At the end of the meal, Anna stood from the table, "You will all excuse me..I must change..I cannot be late to Mass tonight..Infact I must be early. Excuse me." and she almost ran up the stairs.

"What's going on with Anna?" "Didn't she tell you..? the young man shook his head. "The pastor asked her to sign tonight...a solo...she's VERY nervous."

Gerard stood. "I guess that means I'm going to Mass." He thought for a moment and looked around the table. "I think we all should..Anna needs to see friendly faces..and besides we made it through this year...It wouldn't hurt to be a bit thankful."
It was in that moment, the Boys of the Big Red One, that sat in Anna's diner, knew they were going too.
'

Yay...all good army boys should go to church! XD

awwwww that was absolutely adorable... cant wait to "hear" her sing

first commie!!!

and oooo betta watch yo'self sarg... dont wanna say anything that'll offend her...

...*pfft*... *snicker*... *chuckle*... *laugh* okay cummon! I couldnt say that with a straight face... Anna's PAST the shy awkward stage, just poor G dont think so yet

Go Sargie Gee go!

[font=Georgia]Anna sat in the Choir loft all during Midnight mass. She could see the small party in Army green. Her friends, most of whom she had not known just a few days prior, filled almost two rows.

She spent most of Mass in a fantasy world. She TRIED to pat attention but her mind kept wandering to what life might be like with Gerard. Would he make a good husband? A good father? Would they have a chance to have a happy life? If he made it through the war would he prefer a nice American-born girl? Anna was so busy worrying about those things she forgot to worry about her solo. And sooner than she was expecting it was time for her to sing.

She stood up to sing and saw the young Sergeant turn to watch her. He smiled a gentle smile and she forgot about everything except singing to please him.

Normally the hymns were sung in Latin but the Pastor had made an exception. The meditation song after Communion, the song Anna was about to sing, was to be sung in English. Anna swallowed and with a trembling smile down at Gerard she began to sing....[/font]

awwww how choot...

and i betcha its gonna be like an angel's chorus!

She will lament her love of Gerard!

"Oh Gerard...Gerard you make my heart burn..."


Ahh...such sweet music.

*in comes freddie, sliding in on his knees and throwing out his arms*

"THANK GOD its CHRRRISSSTMAAAAAAS!!! THANK GOD it's CHRISTMAS!!"

im so 'cited!!

Freddie....Freddie Mercury?

(This is re-covering a bit of the story that's already been told but I like the flow of this one a bit better. So forgive me but I can't bear to edit it..I tried I REALLY did...Three times infact I just like this one better. But dont worry there is some new stuff too. Think of this more as Gee's personal POV of the Christmas dinner, then it leads into AFTER mass when Christmas can FINALLY start. Sorry I am so long winded This all came out in a rush today after a VERY SEVERE case of WB Enjoy!)




Gerard and the boys helped out as best they could. Anna though seemed to have everything undercontrol. She had planned perfectly and there was very little left for them to do.

Except, Eat. Drink. And Be Merry.

Gerard sat and thought over the events before mass. The small supper they had had. It was an intimate meal. One he would never forget so long as he lived.

After a short prayer, there was a small ceremony. Small pieces of a wafer, that to Gerard's eye looked and tasted very much like communion, were broken. Following Anna's example, wishes or blessings for the coming year were made by each of them to the others.

Anna had looked around the room. "Sargeant are you the oldest?" Gerard nodded. "Yes Mam I am." He looked around at the small group of his closest friends. "I'm SURE I can't be older than you."
Anna blushed prettily.
"Then stop calling me Mam. Atleast for tonight it's Anna."
"Yes M-Anna...But only as long as you agree to call Me Gerard or Gee and NOT Sarge."

Anna smiled as she broke a piece of the wafer and handed him a small Bible. "The Christmas story is already marked. Since there is no real man of the house here..I would like to ask you to read it please. If My Father were here or my husband , he would do it..As I have no husband anymore and My Father, I have no idea where he is or if indeed he is even still alive, I'd like you to do it. Please?"

Gerard puffed up. Nevermind he was third. If Anna asked him, he'd Gladly do whatever she needed."I'd be honored Anna." He took the book from her and in a low soft voice read aloud a portion of the story they had all heard over and over. Anna had marked were she wanted him to start and end and it was over fairly quickly. He remembered his italian relatives doing something very similar. And the year before when they had been stuck in action during the holidays, he knew there were guys in his outfit that had done almost the exact thing.

This year Christmas was more meaningfull. He wasn't sure it was because he was stateside, but he KNEW being with Anna had ALOT to do with it. Anna seemed to REALLY believe. To really take comfort in her faith. And it gave Gerard faith too, and a reason to hope.

He finished reading and handed the worn book back to her, it was obviously an old family bible. And VERY importatnt to her.

Now as he sat here thinking, as Anna insisted there was nothing else for him to do, he knew all he wanted for Christmas he already had.

He was spending it with her.

There wasn't much else he could hope for. He knew in a very short time, little more than a week he'd be shipping out again. He wanted MORE, much more. But how could he ask her to risk her heart, and perhaps her faith, if she started to feel for him as he had begun to feel for her? What would happen to her if they DID fall for each other and then something happened to him?

'Then again...' He thought, 'what happens to her if she's all alone? I mean look at Frank. He and Bridge are happy, crazily so. IF anything happens to him ATLEAST the army will take care of her. He'd be a serviceman's widow..She'd get a pension and respect. and She's safe from her looney brother Adam. Or any other man. But what about Anna? Who would protect her?'

Suddenly Anna's voice broke though the images that were whirling around in his head. "Gerard?" He shook his head trying to forget about the "What If's?" "Gerard are you allright? You didn't say goodbye to you friends."

Jared and Gabe had decided to leave. They had met two VERY attractive young women had come into the diner, while they were watching it for Anna while everyone else was at mass. The young ladies had invited them to a MUCH smaller, and they assumed Very much more intimate celebration, and now they were each planning on having a VERY MERRY Christmas.

Gee looked up in time just to ssee them walk out the door with HUGE grins on their faces. "Yeah..I mean Yes m- Anna. I am sorry. I just.. I was thinking about tomorrow is all." Anna smiled. "Christmas presents?"
"Yes..I can't wait to see what old Saint Nick'll leave."

Anna laughed, it's joyus sound made Gerard's worries FLY away. "Gerard tomorrow is Boxing Day. It's after midnight, TODAY is Christmas. AND as HEAD of this little group, we are waiting for you to slice the Christmas ham."

Gerard rolled his sleeves up, "Yes M- Right away Anna!" He got up and followed her helping her bring the heavy platter to the table. "Anna! There's enough to feed an Army here!" Anna beamed with pride at Gerard's delight. "That's Exactly what I had intended."

(more later)