In Love and Death ❧ Frerard/Gerbert

Chapter 2: I Caught Fire

"I didn't know Frank had turned into...such an asshole." Mikey spoke. "We were always cool in high school. I mean, we weren't close like you guys but, y'know, this is just..." He shook his head. "A drug ring? In New York? They seriously said that?"

Gerard kept his silence.

"Hey, they're not going to hurt you again. They'll be locked up by the end of this."

Ray nodded in agreement. "He's right, man. And Frank, he's an asshole with asshole friends. He'll go down too. Don't worry." He rubbed his back.

The thing is, despite the awful things that Frank had done – or hadn't done – Gerard didn't want to see him locked up or even caught. He still cared for him. Deeply. Then again, Frank probably wouldn't want anything to do with him, and that scared Gerard. He knew that if Frank were to somehow be released, he wouldn't come back and explain everything like he had said. He would flee the first chance he got, and that was something he wasn't ready for. One year had been hard enough. He needed to wrap his head around the idea of living without Frank — forever.

"Hey. How 'bout we go out and do something?" Ray suggested. "You wanna get out of town? I think it'll help get your mind off of things."

Gerard inched away. "Thanks, but no thanks. I think I just want to sleep the weekend away. Ray, you have no idea how sorry I am for your uncle's store. I swear I'll come up with the money somehow."

Ray put up his hand halfway through his rambling. "Dude. Don't sweat it. You serious? He knows it wasn't your fault. He'll figure it out somehow. Insurance and stuff, y'know?"

Mikey's eyes widened. "Oh, yeah. Did you ever find out what happened to the guys who did all that to the store? Did the police catch them? Where are they now?"

Ray shook his head. "Apparently, they only caught the man who was seriously hurt from the window accident. His name is, like, Shawn or something? My uncle said he's gonna be questioned after he's out of the hospital. Frank and the other two had escaped by the time the police arrived, unfortunately."

Gerard's arms speckled with goosebumps. Heath was on the run, along with Frank.

He was going to find him.

He was going to kill him.

And maybe Frank

was already dead.

"By now they must be on the run." Mikey concluded. "Maybe they went back to New York."

Ray turned towards Gerard. "You need to get out and be around people. Go to a movie, go for a walk – do something. You can't just stay in your room rotting away."

"Why not? It's what I do most weekends anyway." Gerard shrugged, taking a bite of his donut. Ray cringed as some of the custard plopped onto Gerard's lap.

"I know it's bad right now," Mikey intervened. "But hiding away in your room all day next to a pile of vomit isn't going to do you any good."

"It could if you left me to it." Gerard mumbled, only half joking. "Which you will now do. Thanks for coming over — see you next weekend." He pulled the blanket over himself and then fell on his side, hoping they got the hint.

"G, it'll be—"

"Just go! Please. I appreciate you both for trying but...please. I don't want to be angry with either of you."

His two friends exchanged worried looks. Without sharing a single word, they both knew there was nothing they could say or do to further comfort him. He was beyond devastated by the whole situation and his depressed state pulled on their heartstrings. He was a picture of pure agony and wretchedness so severe they could almost see a blue glow emanating from his miserable figure. They got up and walked out the door, where it closed with a small click.