Life is but a Dream for the Dead

“Way. You’ve got a visitor.” Gerard raised an eyebrow at the overweight, balding prison guard who stood in his cell. Gerard didn’t like the way his eyes roamed over him. It felt like the guy was undressing him with his eyes. “I don’t have all day. Get moving,” the guard snapped at him. Gerard gave him a brief roll of his eyeballs before tossing aside the book he’d been reading and swinging his legs over the side of the bunk and climbing down. The guard wasted no time in securing Gerard’s hands together behind his back with a pair of handcuffs and marching him out of his cell. Gerard didn’t know where Frank was. He hadn’t seen his small, inked cell mate for the entire day and he was trying to convince himself that he really didn’t care where he was. But Gerard did care and all he could keep thinking about was the way Callum had beaten Frank up so badly, worrying that he was doing it again. Gerard tried to shake his thoughts of Frank from his mind as he was led through the prison and in to the visiting room.
Because it was a high security prison there was glass separating the inmates and their visitors and a phone to speak through. Gerard smirked at the scene before him. He’d always wanted to have a conversation like this. He was sat down in an uncomfortable, hard plastic chair and met with the disappointed gaze of Ray. Gerard sighed and picked up the phone, rubbing his tired eyes and staring solemnly at Ray. “Surprised you’re here,” Gerard slurred tiredly into the phone, watching Ray’s face. “So am I,” Ray replied flatly. “Thought you’d be tied up in a body bag floating in a river by now. What’d you do to talk my old man around?” Gerard asked, studying Ray intensely. His face was bruised and was littered with gashes and it looked like he was having trouble breathing, wincing with each breath. “Not quite sure how I got away with nothing but a few scratches,” Ray chuckled darkly. “I’m in trouble though. Bob’s taken over from me for a while. The boss isn’t a happy bunny at the moment.” “Bryar?” Gerard asked, raising an eyebrow. “But he was there with us that night. My dad should be just as angry at him as he is at you.” “Gerard, [i]I[/i] was the one who let you come with us. [i]I’m[/i] your mentor, your dad appointed me to look after you, you know that! You know what he told me he’d do if anything ever happened to you and it was my fault? He told me that he’d-” “Ray, I’m sorry,” Gerard sighed heavily. “I didn’t...I don’t know what happened. I just lost it. God, I didn’t...I didn’t [i]think[/i], I was stupid-” “More than stupid. You fucked up [i]bad[/i] Gerard,” Ray cut him off bitterly, glowering at him. Gerard glanced over at the guard hovering by his shoulder before leaning closer towards the glass and lowering his voice. “How long till I get out?” Gerard asked, barely audible. Ray’s eyes flickered over the guards before he looked grimly at Gerard. “Longer than anyone of us would like. Wouldn’t be as hard if the fuckers didn’t have so much evidence. They saw you standing over the guy with the gun in your fucking hand Gerard. Your prints are all over the gun, people saw us going into the building.” Gerard stared sadly at Ray. “I’m sorry.”
Ray shook his head. “Apologise to the Boss, not me. It’s gonna take more than a bit of money to win the judge over this time Gerard.” Gerard frowned. “But how long do [i]you[/i] think it’s going to take Ray?”
“A month at the least,” Ray muttered. “A [i]month[/i]?!” Gerard spat, hissing angrily. “I’m not staying here for that long!”
Ray shrugged. “Sorry. But it’s the best we can do. We can’t just pay them off that easily this time Gerard, you’re just going to have to wait. But your dad’s working on it as we speak, don’t worry. Maybe it’ll do you a bit of good to be in here for a while anyway.” “Don’t fucking joke with me about this Ray,” Gerard snarled. “It’s your own fault! Maybe if you’d just [i]listened[/i] to me instead of thinking you’re the big man and acting like you’re fucking [i]invincible[/i], you wouldn’t be here!” “I don’t act like I’m invincible!” Gerard snapped. “One time Ray, one time in nine years! Don’t sit there and tell me you haven’t made one single mistake for the entire time you’ve been with the Family!” “I haven’t Gerard, not once. Our line of work doesn’t have [i]time[/i] for any mistakes,” Ray replied flatly. “You act like you think you’re your dad but you’re [i]not[/i]. You’re not ready yet Gerard and you just proved to all of us, to me and to [i]him[/i].”
Gerard didn’t have anything to say because he knew Ray was always right and he hated the man for it. Ray could see he’d won and didn’t say anything more on the subject because he was soft when it came to the sullen dark haired young man that sat on the other side of the glass.
“So,” Ray sighed. “How’s prison life so far?”
Gerard made a disgruntled face and looked at the guards in disgust. “Irritating to be honest.”
Ray smirked. It was typical Gerard behaviour, to turn his nose up and act like a bitchy teenage girl. “Really? I’m guessing you’ve already stabbed a couple of poor souls for bumping into to you or something.”
Gerard rolled his eyes. “No, Ray, I have not stabbed anyone. It’s been quite boring actually. Only a few broken bones.”
Ray laughed. “You wanna be careful there. If you keep going round terrorising these guys none of them are gonna want to lend you their bitch.”
Gerard laughed. “Oh, don’t worry Ray, I don't have any problems with that."

Notes