(Mis)fortune (Frerard, Petekey)

Chapter 24

Two weeks later and a quite familiar person emerged from the front door of a rehabilitation centre. He looked around and frowned, throwing his bag to the ground and sitting on it.

"Where is he, goddamn it?"

Doubt was evident on his face and a lip stuck between his teeth as he chewed on it only added to the restlessness that was eating him alive. Nervousness was an understatement but fear was another thing. Gerard was afraid Frank wasn't coming for him. Yes, of course he knew Gerard was being realeased that day, but what if he had forgotten? Anything could have happened and maybe he was just late but what if he wasn't? Gerard just wanted to get home and be happy that the treatement was over.

Oh man.

The treatement was finally over and he was free to go. Theoretically. He was free to go if he had somebody to pick him up because it certainly did not look like Frank was coming for him.

He couldn't be angry with him, though, because he was way too happy he was going to see him again soon. And as much as he would have punched himself for saying this a month ago, he was glad Frank made him do this. He was really determined to stay sober this time. He knew he could do this. Especially when Frank was going to be at his side, supporting him through it.

Meanwhile Frank was just driving through the entering gate of the rehab centre. He saw Gerard almost straight away and when he did, he had a flashback of the time he picked Mikey up from the bus stop. He pulled over in front of Gerard and rolled his window down.

"Hey babe, need a ride?" He smiled at the red-haired man and Gerard grinned back. He jumped up from the ground and threw himself in the car and then at Frank. He pecked him on the lips and then his cheek and nose and basically all over his face while Frank giggled.

"God, I've missed your face so much."

"Hey, and what about the other qualities that I offer? Haven't missed those?" Frank raised an eyebrow, jokingly, being the little annoying shit that he was.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, sugar." Gerard teased and gave Frank another peck on his cheek.

The ride home was full of talking, fun and hidden worries. The last one coming from no one else but our favourite walking disaster. Also known as Frank. Because he knew that the fun will be over the second Gerard finds out what's going on. And quite honestly, the month Frank got to prepare himself for this moment just wasn't enough time. But not that he could do something about it now, unless he left Gerard in the middle of nowhere, and he really wasn't feeling like doing that either. Not anymore, at least.

Well, good thing he knew he was in for a shit-storm. In the worst of the scenarios – and he's thought about all of the most-likely ones – he would jump out of the apartment window and hope he'll survive. This was plan C. Plan B was using the door, but you never know what situation you end up in so Frank was prepared for every single one.

"Have you heard from Mikey, by the way?" He questioned, cutting off the string of thoughts that were getting dangerously lethal.

Gerard nodded. "Yeah, he's written me a couple of letters. Said he's moved into a flat with Pete and that he'll be starting a new school in fall and that he's also found himself a job. I'm sort of scared, you know, that something's gonna happen to him or that he and Pete won't have enough money and will end up on the streets or something worse. But I'm happy for him, Frankie."

"Yeah, yeah, me too."

Frank offered to carry Gerard's bag up the stairs, the gentleman. His heart was beating so fast the whole way home and up into their apartment, he was suprised Gerard hadn't noticed anything. Or if he had, he didn't say anything which was very much appreciated. He could have blamed it on the heavy bag but really it was the not so much anticipated moment when Gerard found out what was up.