"I kind of thought that he'd be naked," Mikey said.
Frank looked over. Mikey was chewing his thumbnail, eyes fixed on the Vatican doctor who was moving quietly around the bed.
"You know," Mikey went on. "Like Angel. Or the Cylons?"
Frank nodded, slowly. "Or the Terminator."
Mikey laughed, suddenly, then stopped, then started again, giggling helplessly. He leaned heavily against Frank's side and wheezed, "The Terminator isn't dead, you dumb shit, it's time travel."
Frank didn't know why it was funny, but it was, it was the funniest fucking thing he'd ever heard in his life and he laughed too, trying to keep it down and avoid the suspicious glances from the doctor. He turned his face into Mikey's shoulder to muffle the sound - he could feel Mikey shaking with laughter, both of them struggling for composure and breath.
"The Terminator," Mikey hacked out, and Frank lost it completely, clinging to Mikey and laughing until he felt weak all over. "Frank," Mikey giggled, "Frank, he's alive."
"I know," Frank sniggered, flattening his hands over his stomach in an effort to calm down.
"Guys," Brian hissed. "Keep it together, for fuck's sake."
He was using his sternest voice, but it only made Frank laugh harder.
"He seems to be unharmed," the doctor said, and Frank managed to calm down enough to listen to him. "If he doesn't regain consciousness in the next twelve hours we'll run some more tests."
"For what?" Brian wanted to know.
"The best thing you can do for him now is let him rest," the doctor went on, avoiding the question. He indicated the two nuns who were assisting. "The sisters will take good care of him."
"Not going to happen," Mikey said immediately.
The doctor frowned. "It would really be best if-"
"He said he's staying," Frank interrupted, meeting the doctor's eyes. "And so are the rest of us."
"It's all right, Vincent," said the Cardinal, appearing suddenly in the doorway. "Let them stay."
"But," the doctor protested, only to be silenced by a wave of the Cardinal's hand.
"They are Father Way's closest companions. It can only do him good to have them here when he wakes."
Ray looked up. "So you think he will? Wake up?"
"I certainly hope so. I think everyone here has questions they would like answered."
Personally Frank didn't care if Gerard couldn't answer a single one, as long as he woke up. He bit his tongue, though. He just didn't trust the Cardinal at all - he seemed like he was on their side, sort of, but after everything that happened with Luke, Frank just wasn't sure.
He did convince the nurses that they should stay just outside the room instead of in, though, which Frank was grateful for. As soon as the door closed behind them Mikey was up and on the bed with Gerard, touching him anxiously; his hand, his face. "Should we try to wake him?"
"I don't think so," said Ray. "I mean, sleep is the way the body heals itself, right?"
"But the doctor said his body's fine," Mikey protested, laying his hands on Gerard's shoulders. "If it was me I'd want him to wake me up."
Brian shook his head. "If he didn't wake up from getting transported back here and put into bed and prodded by the doctors and you two," he indicated Frank, "doing your best impressions of hyenas, then he probably isn't ready."
