In The Darkest Hour

Part Two - Chapter Twenty: I Miss You

Gerard took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair exhausted as he stepped into the apartment that Manchester United had given him; he was in the city alone since it hadn't been possible for Isla to join him yet. 

It was a little hard for Gerard to be alone in the city, he wished that it didn't have to be this way but Isla had to give at least two weeks' notice to the hospital before she could leave. 

Gerard took a deep breath as he wondered how much longer he would be alone in Manchester for, he missed his family and he wished that there was something more that he could do. 

Isla wouldn't be coming to Manchester for another two weeks and Gerard was doing everything that he could to make this distance work; he called and skyped with his girlfriend and son as much as he could. 

Gerard wasn't sure what Barcelona had planned if things didn't clear up, he was sure they would happily get rid of him and he knew that things wouldn't be getting better; whoever was causing all this trouble was getting what they wanted. 

Gerard set down his things and collapsed onto the couch, he was tired and he couldn't imagine what he would do if things didn't get better; he wasn't going to let things slip away from him for a second time. 

Gerard took a deep breath and closed his blue eyes thinking about the engagement ring that he had gotten; he had barely been in Manchester a day or two before he had picked the gold chocolate diamond cluster engagement ring up. 

Gerard had been thinking a lot about asking Isla to marry him, it was something that he wanted and he was sure she wanted the same thing; they were going strong after six months and he knew how lucky he was. 

Gerard smiled a little, he wanted nothing more than to have things settle down and he was sure that they would in time; he just hoped his future would one day settle down.

***

Isla grumbled to herself as she attempted to get through her shift, she was tired and she missed Gerard and she hoped to see him soon; she wasn't sure how much longer they had to wait until things quieten down. 

Things were hard right now with Gerard was 1,143 miles away in Manchester without his family, Isla missed her boyfriend and in the week that he had been gone it had made her think about the future. 

It seemed unreal that they were currently doing all of this, Isla had never thought that Gerard would be forced out of the club that he loved; she had always thought that he would retire at Barcelona. 

Isla rubbed her temples and rested against the desk, she was tired and she couldn't wait to go home and sleep before Milan was brought home; she was just glad that Gerard's parents were helping her out when they could. 

"Isla," Joanna called rushing towards her friend, she was sure that Isla would want to hear this from her and she doubted that her friend was going to be pleased; she knew just how tough things were right now.

Isla looked at Joanna curiously and she could see the look of concern on her friend's face and it made her wonder what was wrong; she moved away from what she was doing to face her friend. 

"It's your madre," Joanna stated knowing that this wasn't going to end well, she had been in the staff lounge when she had seen it and she knew that Isla was going to be devastated at what had happened. 

Isla stared at Joanna not sure what to make of what she was saying, she looked surprised when Joanna grabbed her arm and started to drag her down the corridor and into an empty hospital room that had a television.

"Joanna?" Isla asked not sure what was going on at that moment, her friend rushed over to the television and Isla couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on; she watched her friend search for the right channel before she felt sick. 

Isla brushed some hair from her face as she moved to sit down, her blue eyes staring at the television; she felt sick and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. 

Joanna turned to look at Isla, she didn't know what the hell Tracy had been thinking by going on television and talking about private matters but she knew that Isla wouldn't be able to forgive her mother this time. 

Isla clapped a hand over her mouth as tears filled her eyes while she watched her mother trying to work out why she had done it; she couldn't stop staring at the screen and she hoped that this was all wrong. 

Along the bottom of the screen ran the words that made Isla wondered why her mother couldn't let the past go; she had moved on and was happy and now things were being dragged up again. 

Joanna watched Isla before she moved to hug her best friend, she cursed Tracy for her selfish behaviour and she wished that the woman could see that she was hurting Isla. 

Isla sniffled closing her eyes, she still had two hours left to her shift and she couldn't wait to go home; she was sure everyone was going to have seen this and she hoped that they wouldn't stare at her all afternoon. 

"It's gonna be okay," Joanna whispered to Isla, she was beginning to think that maybe Tracy had something to do with all the rumours about Gerard; she seemed quite happy to drag his name through the dirt on live television. 

Isla shook her head, she didn't want to think about what was going to happen now; she needed to speak with her boyfriend and she hoped he wasn't mad at her.

***

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Gerard insisted smiling at Isla as they talked over skype, he had seen the news and he was angry that Tracy was doing this; he wished that she would just let this go. 

The couple had discussed the possibility that Tracy was behind everything that had happened, it seemed more than likely and even more so now that she was talking to the press about them. 

"I'm still sorry," Isla replied softly, her mother's lies about how Gerard had cut her off from her parents and about how he had caused her to try and take her life had hurt; she just wasn't sure why Tracy wasn't going to let all of this go. 

Gerard shook his head, he didn't want Isla blaming herself for what her mother had done; he didn't understand it but he had talked to his lawyer about what could be done to stop her. 

"I miss you amor," Gerard murmured changing the subject, the last week had been hard without her and he hoped that things weren't going to get worse from here. 

Tracy knew that Isla was still in Barcelona and he doubted that she would wait long before she tried to speak to Isla; she wanted the couple to break up and that wasn't going to happen. 

Isla smiled at Gerard, she missed him too and she wished that there was some way to fix all of this; she knew the transfer was only for five months but she had a feeling that it could go on longer if things didn't get better. 

"I miss you too," Isla whispered swallowing the lump in her throat, she was planning a small surprise for her boyfriend and she hoped that it would cheer him up. 

Gerard took a deep breath, he wasn't sure what was going to happen but he knew that he wasn't going to let Tracy ruin things for them not now.