Frank's head was swimming. He couldn't grasp exactly what had happened. His throat hurt, his head hurt, his whole body ached. He knew that he wasn't at HQ, though. His heart immediately seized up with fear. What had happened? He had been in the room he and Gerard shared. Alright, that was a start. He remembered James running in and locking the door behind him. Yeah, yeah... Frank thought harder.
James had walked calmly over, ignoring Frank's written question. Then he had stabbed Frank in the leg. Frank had fallen to the ground. A man had come in, wearing a ski mask, and then Frank couldn't remember anything. But one voice kept rattling around in his head. "Over my dead body." Who... Who had said it? Frank strained at the memory of who, but he couldn't recall anything. Large bits of his days were missing now. He knew of everyone at HQ... He blushed, remembering someone touching him intimately and loving him, saying those words. He saw the man's face, but he didn't recall the name.
The man had black hair, pale skin, piercing hazel eyes... His voice melted Frank's heart... But who was he? He blinding felt around him before realizing his eyes were shut tight. He cautiously opened them to a semi-lit hospital room.
"Frank, you're awake, I see." A voice next to him made him jump and emit a squeak. The man next to him was... Mikey Way. The man's older brother... Way. That last name got him a step closer to remembering the man. Frank nodded slowly. Mikey was a sheriff.
"Good. Say something for me, Frank." Frank looked at him confused.
"W-what?" His voice came out thick and muddled, but it was there. Frank's hand flew to wrap gently around his throat. They met thick gauze. He realized where he was, then. He was in the hospital, yes. But he knew why he was there. Mikey had forced him to get the surgery. The surgery he hadn't wanted. He would have gotten it for Gerard, though...
"Gerard!" He gasped out, his tongue moving properly after years of little use. Mikey smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Gerard. Big brother, Gee. We'll get you back to him in no time, alright? You can be back with him tomorrow. I just have to tell you a few things now, though." Frank nodded slowly.
"G-go on." He swallowed. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth. He didn't realize how much he had used his tongue before the accident. He knew it would take some getting used to. But he would do it. He wanted to be able to call out Gerard's name, speak to him quietly. Mikey eyed him carefully.
"Careful with the talking. If you overuse it, the chords will snap again. It won't hurt nearly as much, but you'll be back to where you were before-mute." Frank nodded, signaling Mikey to go on with what he was going to say. Mikey took a breath. "We weren't supposed to get you here yet. It was to save your life." He paused. "You had been kidnapped, taken, from one of the men we had been following. We lost him and found his vehicle. When we gunned the van's wheels down, we found you, hog-tied and gagged and unconscious in the back. We had no choice. My deputy, Spencer, and I- we untied you and took you to the police station. We got an ambulance to take you here. We figured that while you were here, we'd get you the surgery, whether you liked it or not... Which I thought was asshole-ish, but it wasn't up to me, mind you." He clears his throat. "You lost a lot of blood. You almost didn't make it. They stitched up the stab wound in your leg and treated your concussion. They said you may have gone blind or lost all your memory..."
"I remember everything." Frank whispered. He almost hadn't, though. He had almost forgotten Gerard. The person he loved and lived for, and he had almost forgotten him. Mikey nods.
"Spencer and Gerard got into a tousle yesterday night. Gerard ended up being told what we did. He went berserk. Throwing things and demanding that you be brought to him right that instant or so help him God, he would blow up the place." Mikey smiled bitterly. "Same old Gerard, same short temper." He sighs and stands. "Anyways. That's all I needed to tell you. Tomorrow morning we'll give you back to Gerard, okay?" Frank nods slowly as Mikey makes for the door. Just as he's turning the handle, the door opens and Mikey has to jump back to keep from getting hit with it.
The person is unfamiliar to Frank at first. Hunched over slightly. Faded, light blue jeans and scruffy white sneakers. A black zip-up jacket with a hood that covers the person's face. Their bangs do the rest, concealing the person's eyes and almost their nose. Mikey smiles and steps around them, out the door, closing it behind him.
Then the hood is quickly pushed back. The bangs are pushed with it. The person is turning slowly towards Frank. Then Frank notices. Pale skin, dark hair, piercing hazel eyes. Then Frank his being enveloped in a tight hug that he's returning as much as he can. Gerard is rocking him lightly in his arms, crying. Frank feels Gerard's tears on his hospital gown. Frank is crying, too. Sobs are actually coming from him as Gerard pulls back lightly, smiling and gently thumbing away Frank's tears as Frank does the same for him.
Just two days. Gerard had lost himself and re-found himself in two days. He had lost frank and found Frank in two days. Frank was there, in his arms. Frank was okay. Frank had been stabbed in the leg, knocked unconscious and tied up and thrown brutally in the back of a van. But here he was. Gerard pressed his lips against Frank's, ghost-like and almost not there. Frank's lip had split, but Frank didn't care.
"Gerard." He whispered, watching Gerard's previously-closed eyes fly open.
