We'll Meet Again (Frerard)

The Only Hope For Me Is You

Chapter Six:

The Only Hope For Me Is You

I woke up, startled by the lights that suddenly flicked on. I reached my arm lazily out to where Frankie was laying, but didn't find him next to me. I sat straight up, afraid last night was just a sweet nightmare, and realized I was still in the psych ward.

Am I really crazy? Did I imagine Frank being here?

I started wringing my hands in worry, and quickly went to see if he was in the commons room or the cafeteria. I walked over to the table we ate supper at yesterday, but he wasn't there. Warm arms wrapped around my waist, and I tried silencing the rest of my scream when I realized it was only the man I was looking for.

"I can't say I remember you scaring this easily, Gerard." He mused, leaning up to kiss my cheek.

I glared at him, "I can't remember the last time you scared me."

That comment made him put his head down into my chest. He sighed, "I'm sorry I left you for so long."

"It's alright," I lifted his chin up with my finger, "It's okay, I promise. We found each other, and that's all that matters. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Frank, don't be like this. I thought you were dead for almost a year! I will not let you be right in front of me, and beat yourself up over something you had no control over!" I let go of his arms and started waving my own to prove my point.

He looked up to me, and I thought I saw guilt in his eyes, but it was quickly washed away by eager happiness, "Wanna go get breakfast? The pancakes are killer," He winked and led me to the line. "Oh! By the way, visiting hours are today! You only have to wait a couple hours to see Mikey again!" He smiled and grabbed a plate and tray.

Visiting hours already? Mikey will be here, today, asking me "Why?". I don't know if I can handle this.

"Do you want to see Mikey too? Maybe it'll soften the blow of my suicide attempt question and answers."

The only hope for me was that he'd say yes.

"Why?" was a question better never explained, especially to my own brother. He's had such a hard time with me already; for three months after Frank's disappearance, I became addicted to the venom of my past; It was terrifying.

"Sure, Gee! I'd love to see Mikey. Are him and Ray together yet?" I smiled at him calling me Gee.

"They weren't before my attempt, but if they read my note, they should be now." I sipped the stale orange juice out of my stained plastic cup; it didn't dare even dent the craving for coffee I had.

.

After breakfast, we both changed into day clothes; I was wearing a plain, dull-green tee over black skinny jeans, and Frank wore a Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt over grey jeans.

I almost cried when he turned around, showing me the shirt he bought, and was wearing now, on one of his many escape missions for the ward. He stopped smiling and stepped forward, reaching his hand out toward me, as I sat back on my bed and my mind went back too far.

An officer, Jeremy Alcott, knocked on my door, holding a plastic bag full of something ripped up. My heart jumped into a pit of despair- this was the lead officer on Frank's case. I shakily unhooked the latch and opened the door, inviting him in.

"Mr.Way," Alcott sat on my crinkling leather couch, "We found a new piece of evidence, and wanted to confirm that it had belonged to Frank."

A new piece of evidence? Had belonged?

I sat down across from him, folding my leg over the other, "What did you find?"

Before he handed over the bag, he gave me a look of sympathy.

"We found a shirt; it turned up torn on a search in the woods."

I grabbed the bag from him and turned it over in my hands. The shirt was still intact, but looked almost in separate pieces. One side of it showed a Smashing Pumpkins logo. I stifled a sob. It was the limited edition shirt I had bought Frank. The band's signatures were ripped up, but still in the same place. This is- was?- Frank's shirt.

"It's his." I whispered, handing the bag back to the cop.

Frank shook me, and I assumed he had been for awhile. His eyes were full of worry and curiosity.

"Are you okay? You stopped breathing for a couple seconds towards the end." Both his hands were in my shoulders, and he leaned his head into mine.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm fucking fine." I stood up, faking a smile, and ignored his shirt

"Okay. Whatever you say," He returned a smile, a real one, "Let's go. Visiting hours start in a couple minutes."

.

There's a special room off the commons area for visitors. It has welcoming yellow walls, and I itched to paint a mural on it. Maybe they'll let me.

Frank sat next to me in a grey-blue plastic chair that matched my own. I tapped my fingers on the table and my leg was bumping up and down. Frank caught both my nervous actions in each hand to calm me. He kept his hand in mine when I settled down a bit. A few visitors had already arrived; one patient's mother and another's best friend. Eventually I saw the familiar tuft of puffy brown afro and a grey beanie through the window of the sign-in table. I sighed, this is it. Maybe we can get a private room so Mikey can yell without scaring any-

"GERARD ARTHUR WAY!"

I turned to Frank, "Go ask for a private room?"

Frank's eye were still wide with shock from Mikey yelling, "Yeah. Sure. Going." He unsteadily stoodup and jogged over to the nurse on duty. Frank signalled me over and I ran into the open door with Mikey on my heels. Ray jogged behind us, and also closed the door before Mikey could start yelling again.

"Gerard! You just thought you could leave me? I'm helpless without you! You were my only hope in this life, and then you went off to kill yourself! I need you!" He became quiet for a moment and looked down. I could see tears racing down his cheeks, "Why would you do this to me?" He looked at me for the first time since he arrived. Then he noticed the man sitting next to me. His eyes mimicked that of Frank's when he had been yelling.

"Is that- It can't be. That's not possible. You're dead," He looked to Ray, who had just noticed Frank as well, "You see him too, right? I'm not crazy? Please, say something." he pulled on Ray's sleeve a little.

"What? Yes. It's him. It's Frank. Right?" They both looked back and forth between him and I.

Frank smiled, replying to their utterly confused stares,"Did you miss me?"

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THIS CHAPTER (INCLUDING THIS A/N) IS EXACTLY 1234 WORDS AND THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW.

Gerard's memory of the officer was painful to write. That's why this update took so long. I'm sorry, KillJoys.

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-xobee