Danger Days

Epilogue

Frank rapped his knuckles against the door. "Wait, what are we doing here again?" he asked.

Gerard shrugged. "I dunno," he said. "Mikey texted me and said they had great news and to come over right away, so..."

Frank nodded. "Got it."

It didn't take long for the door to open. Mikey's bright face beamed at them in greeting. They all said hello, and Mikey ushered the pair inside. Frank removed his shoes and made his way to the living room of the apartment. His eyes went straight to the same thing they always did. On the wall above the television sat a framed copy of an adoption certificate. He smiled. It had been hell and back for Mikey and Ray to get legal custody over Opal, but it had clearly been worth it.

Opal emerged from the back of the apartment with Ray. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Frank, and she ran over to hug him.

"I'm so glad you're both here!" Mikey clapped his hands together. "We have great news! Opal, tell them!"

She grinned. "Steve and Ricky are engaged!" she announced.

"Oh, that's so great!" Gerard said, taking a seat beside Frank on the sofa. He leaned closer to Frank's ear. "They weren't already married?" he whispered. Frank laughed and nudged Gerard's thigh.

"We're thinking of throwing them a surprise engagement party," Ray said.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Frank said.

"Thanks, it was Opal's!" She beamed at the encouragement from her uncle.

"Wanna help us plan it?" Mikey asked.

"I mean, yes?" Gerard said. "Of course? Mikes, that's like, top five dumbest questions." Mikey swatted at his brother.

The five spent the next few hours discussing possible ways to surprise Steve and Ricky. They discussed if they should go to San Antonio, or if the pair would come visit the others a few hours south. They discussed how many people to invite and who, and what the theme should be, if there would even be a theme.

Eventually it grew dark, and Frank and Gerard decided it best to retire to their own apartment. They bid the others goodnight, then made their way out to the elevators.

"Huh," Gerard said.

"What is it?" Frank asked.

"I just actually thought they were married already."

Frank laughed. The elevator door slid open with a ding, and they stepped on. Frank pressed the 15, and they started to go up. They returned to their own apartment, and Frank quickly changed into more comfortable clothes while Gerard brushed his teeth.

Frank lifted the covers and crawled into bed. He leaned against his pillow and looked to Gerard. "I wrote a letter," he said.

"Oh, yeah?" Gerard responded, speech garbled by the piece of plastic in his mouth.

"Yeah. Before I left Jersey. Before I met you."

Gerard rinsed his mouth. He removed his jeans, then climbed into the bed beside Frank. "What kind of letter?"

"It was about BL/ind. What happened, and all that. In case they won."

Gerard grinned and kissed Frank's cheek. "But they didn't."

Frank smiled. He had wanted to return to New Jersey for a while, but soon realized he associated it with the apocalypse. He liked being in the same building as Mikey, Ray, and Opal, anyway. "Yeah," he said. "Thanks to us."

"Thanks to us."

"I love you, Frank."

"I love you, too, Gee."