A Night to Remember

Not So Much Where As When

You could have heard a pin drop. Frank had apologised again, as he had done five or six times previously. Now the only sounds in the control room were breathing, an occasional throat clearing and the shuffle of a chair whenever any of them shifted in their seat. Ray glanced over at Frank and pursed his lips as if he was about to speak, but the right words were nowhere to be found. Frank blamed himself; anyone could see that. Bob had already tried to explain that it wasn't his fault, but Frank had refused to accept it. The way he felt went far beyond blame and fault; the level of guilt he felt implied intent and no amount of words were going to change his mind. Ray decided he was going to try again anyway.

"Frankie, you have to stop blaming yourself."

Gerard rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"No," he snapped, "he doesn't! If he wants to blame himself, let him!"
"Gee!" Bob chimed in, his tone filled with surprise at the singer's reaction.
"What?" Gerard got to his feet and turned to face them. "Mikey didn't want to come here in the first place! And when we got here, what happened? He separates us and weird things start happening."
"That was me!" Bob interrupted.
"Was it you who stuck the knife into the kitchen table? Was it you who nearly made me push a knife through my heart? Was it you who snatched Mikey? Was it? Well?"
"No, but it wasn't Frank, either!"
"I have to blame someone!" Gerard yelled his voice cracking as the pitch rose higher. "I can't blame Mikey and I'm damn sure I can't blame a ghost, so who does that leave?"
"You're not being fair, Gee," Ray replied disappointed by his friend's outburst.
"Fair!" Gerard yelled in reply. "Do you think any of this is fair? Mikey's vanished and it's all his fault."
"Shut up, Gee!" Bob snapped as he and Ray rose as one in case the need to physically defend Frank arose. "Frankie's not to blame and you know damn well it!"
"Yes he is! Even he knows it!"

Gerard jabbed an accusing finger in Frank's direction as he yelled the words.

"I'm sorry, Gee! I'm so sorry!" Tears stood in Frank's eyes as he got to his feet and moved one step tentatively toward his friend. "I'd do anything to get him back, you must believe me."

Gerard screamed in frustration.

"You can't do anything right, can you!"

Frank shrunk back away from him and closed his eyes. Bob narrowed his; one more word of abuse from Gerard and he was going to make him the sorry one.

"Can't you see I'm trying to make you angry? You're supposed to argue with me! Stand your ground!"

Gerard's shoulders sagged as he looked at Frank's pained expression.

"I was trying to provoke you into saying it wasn't your fault."
"But..."
"Frankie," Gerard sighed extending a hand lazily to pull Frank closer into a hug, realising only as he did how much his friend was trembling. "You've got to believe it's not your fault, please. I can't listen to you apologise any more."
"But, Gee, if I..."
"No!" Gerard insisted. He gently pushed Frank away from him a few inches and, placing his hands on his shoulders, he locked eyes with the other man, going on to emphasise the next three words in staccato fashion. "Not. Your. Fault."

Bob relaxed. None of them had realised what Gerard was trying to do and it was a good job he explained when he did or it could have degenerated pretty quickly into a full-blown fight.

"It'll be dawn in just over an hour," Frank commented, turning a worried expression to the others, "they'll be expecting us to leave."

Gerard's eyes met his; the determination on his face there for all to see.

"I'm not leaving this place without Mikey, even if I have to buy the place, I'm staying here!"

Frank nodded his understanding and approval, immediately joined by Ray and Bob.