Gerard glanced weakly at Ray.
"Ray?" He rasped.
"I'm here." He rubbed his friend's arm.
"Frank..." He wheezed anxiously. "Where...where...?"
"He and Mikey had to go take care of some things." They had to go make some final arrangements for you.
"You have to...have to do..." He thought hard for the words. "Something."
"Yeah?" Ray brushed the hair from his eyes.
"Have to...get the letter...in the...the...drawer..." He struggled for each syllable.
"What drawer, Gee?" He held the delirious boy's hand.
"Nightstand...the letter..."
He opened the drawer and surprisingly, there was a letter.
"I found it." He looked at the folded paper. "Do I read it?"
"No." Gerard coughed. "No...give it to...to...to..."
"You can do it, who do I give it to?"
"Frank. After I'm...after I'm dead...give it to him..." He wheezed loudly, eyes fluttering shut.
"Gee? You still awake?"
Gerard groaned.
"What do you need?" He spoke clearly so Gerard could understand him.
Gerard's eyelids fluttered and he sluggishly licked his lips.
"Water?"
"Mh." He lolled his head to the side.
"Okay..." Ray picked up a glass of water with a straw from the nightstand.
He took Gerard's head into the crook of his arm, propping it up. He placed the straw into Gerard's mouth, stroking his hair soothingly.
Gerard tried so hard, but couldn't suck the liquid through the straw.
He tiredly closed his eyes, mumbling.
"Can't do it?"
No response, which Ray took as a yes.
Gerard just furrowed his eyebrows, moaning in pain.
"'Kay, let's try something else."
Ray took the straw, pinching the end to create a vacuum and hold the water in the straw. He then put the end of the straw into the dying boy's mouth and released the water.
Gerard smiled faintly, coughing and drooling in a small attempt to swallow. His lips weren't dry anymore, which was a good thing.
Gerard's breath shuddered and he wrapped his fingers around Ray's sleeve. "Don't leave."
"I won't, Gee." He promised.
Gerard fell asleep.
At one of the last shows, Gerard had a seizure onstage.
It was bad. The crowd screamed and some fans cried as Gerard seized helplessly in Frank's lap.
He couldn't walk at the time, but he was able to sing most of the lyrics.
Bob did a drum fill as he'd been instructed to do in situations like these.
Gerard's pitiful yelps were echoed by the microphone. His boots thudded against the floor as his back arched and he moaned, seizing harder.
"Shh, baby. I'm right here. Stay with me. Focus on me."
Gerard was far gone. His eyes were wild and distant and had no sense of recognition.
It wound down after a few minutes and the only sound was Gerard panting and Frank crying softly. Ray was rubbing the guitarist's back comfortingly. "Should I call an ambulance?"
"No, he's okay." Frank sniffed.
He stood, leaving Gerard laying on the floor.
"We can't finish the show. Gerard had a seizure, as some of you could tell. He needs to rest." Frank's voice was broken and tears streamed down his cheeks.
He lifted Gerard up bridal style, carrying him offstage.
