I'll Wait Forever

-24-

"I did cause a scene, and I'm sure that some people were uncomfortable, but it's not like it was a goddamn arms race. And Gerard and I had no sexual relations, he was someone who had simply offered to let me stay with him while I sorted things out."

"Be that as it may, your parents were concerned, and you ignored all of their texts and calls. For all they knew you could have been dead. That was highly irresponsible of you."

"Please stop referring to them as my parents- they made it very clear that they no longer want me to be their son. And it was only, like, two days, and I still went to school. I should've, in retrospect, talked to them, but I can't change that now." He nodded and continued to scribble.

"Ok... Also, you and your family are Catholics. That is the religion you were raised in, correct?"

"Yes, I was raised catholic, but I recently decided to explore different religions and formulate my own opinions. In doing so, I learned that my beliefs differed greatly from the catholic way of thinking and I no longer associate myself with that."

"Well, if I may ask, what are you?"

"I am a lot of things, and not one of them should alter my value as a human being. I am a person- and my choices and what I was born into do not define me. I am done with this conversation." I snapped and folded my arms across my chest and laughed internally at the bewildered expressions on the Iero's faces.

After recollecting his thoughts, Bill met my gaze, "Alright, then. Now, as I'm sure they explained to you," he gestured to the couple beside him, "you will no longer be in their custody. If you have no one to take over as your legal guardian, you will be sent to live at Miss Nora's orphanage which is just outside of Belleville so you will still be able to attend your high school. Now, I'm assuming that... Gerard, is it? Is here so you may be signed over to live with him. I will have to run some background checks, but if everything comes back clear then I'll just need some signatures and I'll be on my way. I'll be right back." Bill smiled and excused himself before heading to his car and grabbing his laptop to double check everything. I was smiling internally until I looked beside me and saw Gerard a shade lighter than usual.

"Gerard, are you okay?" I asked.

"I-I'm okay... If you could get me a drink of water?" He smiled and followed me into the kitchen. Once I had given him the cup, he remained in the kitchen while I went back to the dining room, leaving me alone with my 'parents'.

"Frank," Linda looked close to tears, "I'm so sorry..." After that, we sat in silence and waited.

---

After about an hour and a half, Bill returned from looking through his laptop and asked to speak with my parents privately. I was a tad bit nervous to say the least. Gerard hadn't said a word to me since he had gotten water. He looked bad. Ill, even.

"May I speak with Gerard, please. Alone." Bill returned with my parents a few minutes later.

"Of course-" Gerard started, but my father interrupted.

"No. Anything you need to say to Gerard you can say in front of the rest of us."

"Sir, I don't know if that's the best idea, I just needed to clear some things up and ask a few-" Bill spoke to my father.

"I said no! Now say what you need to say dammit!" He yelled.

"Alright... I researched Gerard and some of his family history, or tried rather. But nothing current came up. The only things relating to a 'Gerard Way' are from over a hundred years ago, and I have the death certificate of said Gerard Way on my laptop. I needed to speak with Gerard to see if he had changed his name at some point or moved here recently under a different name. Because as of right now, there is no 'Gerard way'." Bill glanced around at us, and then at Gerard and waited for a response. But none came. "Well, it appears that the man before us is either a liar or has some secrets. Regardless, Frank, this means you need to gather your things as you will be going to Miss Nora's orphanage at 8:45 tonight."

No one spoke. Not even my mother. I nodded and headed upstairs to get the things that I found important enough to bother saving. I heard muffled chatter from downstairs, but I did my best to ignore it. I then heard a car door shut the and saw Bill drive away. That's when the yelling started. I couldn't make out what was being said, but I could tell that Frank Sr. was really laying into Gerard, but Gerard said nothing back. Linda didn't say a word either. I slipped in my earbuds and tried to ignore what was going on around me. I couldn't change it even if I wanted to.

---

Gerard left soon after that, and I waited silently in my room for the inevitable. It was 8:40, and within minutes I knew my life would change forever. Sure enough, at 8:45 on the dot, a van pulled into the driveway and a tall, dark haired, prim woman stepped out and made her way to the door. I sat with my ear pressed against my own door in a futile attempt to hear what they were saying. But it didn't really matter. They came upstairs to get me anyway, and they all helped me take my things to the car. The people who were once my parents waved goodbye as they sent me away to live with a perfect stranger.

---

Gerard's P.O.V.

They took him. They fucking took him to live at some goddamn orphanage because of his shitty parents and the fact that they can't figure out who I am. I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I followed 'Miss Nora's' car from a safe distance. I would find a way to talk to him, to see him, to be with him again, even if it killed me. They finally pulled up outside a large building and I pulled off the side of the road just past them- god I'm such a creep. Sometimes I give myself the creeps. Maybe it's just because I'm a basket case. I watched as the two unloaded Frank's stuff and carried it inside.

I sat in my car for hours just down the road from Miss Nora's. I had to talk to Frank so he knew he wasn't as alone as he thought. He needed someone- and it appeared that I was the only one available, not that I minded. After some time, I ran down and looped around the building to see if he was there. Sure enough, he was looking out his window when I came by and popped it open so I could come in. He was on the second floor; God, I hope I don't break my foot from jumping out the second second floor...

I climbed up and whispered, "There might be something outside your window, but you just never know..." He scoffed and pulled me in for a hug.

"What the hell, Gerard. Why don't you have files? Seriously, now I'm stuck in a fucking orphanage on shit street and I just-"

"And up you just, and you just, and you just..." I trailed off, smiling at him. "Okay, I'll explain... I actually do have files, they just aren't current. I am very old, Frank. I-..." He looked at me with confusion evident on his face. "Technically, I died... A long time ago. And that death certificate that Bill had was mine... But when I died, I wasn't dead. Not really." Frank looked even more confused now. "Let me start from the beginning... After my parents died and I was able to legally adopt Mikey, I-I made a rash decision. I found out about this... Thing, that made you immortal, and I struck a deal with my friend. He agreed to turn me and Mikey in exchange for some old plaque that my father had."

"Wait, 'turn'? What do you mean by that?" Frank asked.

"I'm a vampire, Frank..." I sighed. "A bloodsucking, good-for-nothing... I don't know. I'm sorry, I should've told you sooner." His jaw hung open, so I decided to finish my story, "Anyway, after I was changed, I didn't tell Mikey about it. I don't know why, I just told the guy to go do it. I thought it was a good idea at the time. Mikey hated me for it for a long time, but eventually grew accustomed to it and we built a house out here. You know the rest of that story. But people thought I died because once injected with the venom, your body temporarily shuts down and makes it appear as though you're dead. This happened- hence the death certificate." I shrugged and Frank just stared at me.

"Ok... So you're a... Vampire. And you're brother was one too. And you did it so you would both live forever... Right?" I nodded. "Then how did Mikey die?"

A frown found its way onto my face, "He... He couldn't take it anymore. I can't explain that right now, Frank. I'm sorry..."

"Ok. I'm... I'm gonna try to sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Frank." He switched off the light and climbed into bed. And then I joined him.

***

Tbh I think this chapter was shit. Ok well please vote/comment and May the 4th be with you...

Merci pour le venin...