I stood in my mom's living room, my eyes on my parents as they stared at me, open mouthed. "Why Gerard?" My dad asked.
"Because I love him. I want to be with him forever, but I wanted to know what you thought. I mean, you are my parents after all." I explained, grateful that my dad was at least asking why.
"So, you wanted to know what we thought of you asking him to marry you?" Dad clarified, his eyes gleaming. I nodded softly, my eyes on my mother. "I say go for it son. You love him, and that's all it takes. I've seen the way you look at each other, and I know how much he means to you."
"Thanks dad." I smiled. "Mom?"
"Gerard, I may hate him, but that doesn't stop you loving him does it? What you feel for Frank will never change, not now, not ever. If you really want to marry him, then I guess there isn't anything I can do to stop you. I can warn you because you are both young, but that's it. Just... be careful Gerard, don't get hurt."
"I won't mom." I whispered as I embraced her.

Mikey was practically bouncing off the walls when I walked into his room. "You heard?" I asked as he threw himself at me.
"Yeah! God Gerard, I am so happy for you! You are perfect for each other, you really are!"
"Thank's Mikes." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him. "I just wanna.. I dunno Mikes, I wanna spend the rest of my life with him and I wanna make it special, ya'know?"
"Yeah! I totally do." He laughed, his face suddenly getting serious. "What about Danny? He'll flip man, you know he will."
"I don't wanna think about it." I sighed as I chewed the inside of my lip.
"Gee, you know Danny will try and take him away from you, it's what he always said he would."
"I know Mikey. I have to go and sort it out, but.... please goddamnit, don't worry, I won't get into trouble, I won't let him hurt me." I promised as I ran my fingers through my hair.
"Please don't. Don't go, not alone. Take me and Frank, we'll help back you up. I promise."

---

"Explain everything." Frank asked when I sat him down and told him who I needed to see.
"I don't know where to start though." I whispered, my eyes downcast, Mikey's hand on my shoulder for support.
"The beginning babe, start at the beginning" Frank pushed. I nodded and took a deep breath, looking over at Mikey for reassurance.

"Well, a couple of years ago, I mixed with the wrong crowd. I'd just come out and everyone started acting cold towards me, my old friends turned and ran and my new friends were... different. Danny, he's the one that started my downhill sprint, and he's the one that tried to get me to follow it towards the end. God, how I wish I'd listened to everyone.

"Danny started being different as well. He became touchy and only wanted to do things. They weren't always sexual, but they hurt, and they sucked. I started going downhill, clinically depressed according to my doctors. They put me on loads of med's and just kept pumping me full of them.

"I got addicted. I took more than the stated dose and I ran out. When the doctors stopped giving them to me, I went to Danny, begged him to get me some. He did, but for a price. Each bottle he got was fifty bucks. I could pay him off to start with. I emptied my college funds to pay him but it wasn't enough.

"He started charging interest and if I couldn't pay, he would make me do what he did the other day. He would send me to his friends to clear up the debt, but I'll never do it, not with how much I owe him.

"I have to pay him off Frank. I need to otherwise I will have no future and my life will suck. I can't do it, living my whole life owing him money or sexual favors or even my life if it gets that far."

Frank looked at me, his mouth open, his eyes filled with pain. "And what are you thinking of doing?" He asked me, his hand on mine.
"Well, I'm going to go and speak to him, find a way to pay him off in one go. I don't know how, but I have to do it...." I whispered.
"We're going with him." Mikey stated. "Just in case."

"Why so sudden though Gerard? Why do you have to pay him off now?" Frank asked as he slid closer to me, his legs hanging over mine.
"Because Frank, I don't want my husband living in fear of what Danny's going to do."
"But you're not.....Oh... OH..." Frank stuttered when he realized what I was saying. "Oh my god Gerard, I love you so fucking much." He leant forwards and pressed his lips to mine, his arms wrapping around my neck as he placed his head on my chest.
"I take that as a yes?" I asked, my chin resting on the back of his head.
"Of course it is Gerard. Of course I'll marry you."

"When do we go?" Mikey asked, his eyes on mine.
"Well, you mean when do I go. And now, the sooner the better." I explained.
"Gee... We agreed me and Frank were coming." Mikey protested.
"And that will only get you hurt." I reasoned. "You can't get hurt because I love you both too much."
"I'm coming no matter what Gee." Frank whispered. "I'm not leaving you for anything."
"Get your stuff then." I sighed reluctantly, knowing I would never get out of there if I didn't let them come.

---

I stood outside of the agreed location, my hand wrapped around Frank's, Mikey stood to the right of me, his breathing even as he looked at the doors. "You can do this Gee." He muttered supportively.
"Thanks." I whispered as I squeezed Frank's hand and stepped through the door, coming face to face with Danny.

"I see you brought friends." He sneered as he looked at my brother, a hungry look on his face. "This could be fun."
"No Danny, you are going to hear me out." I said evenly, acknowledging Frank and Mikey's presence with a small step forwards. "I want my debt written off any way possible. I don't care how, just leave Frank and Mikey alone. I'll pay however much you want just as long as you leave them out of it."
"Well, we can come to an arrangement then." He laughed as he raised a gun and aimed it at my head. "One, you step away from them or I shoot. Two, you do everything I want, or I kill them. Three, I never see you again or I kill you all. Understand?" Danny asked. I hesitated before nodding.

Slowly, I stepped away from Frank and Mikey, my hands raised as I gave them a reassuring glance. "On your knees." Danny ordered. I hesitated, probably a second too long as he turned the gun on Frank. "I. Said. On. Your. Knees."
"Fine." I whispered as I dropped the gun, holding back tears as I saw how scared Frank was, his face white.
"Now, you will do what I say or I kill this one first." Danny laughed, poking Frank;s chest with the barrel before coming to stand in front of me.

Notes

Right killjoys,

I apologise that this chapter is shit, but it's setting up for the penultimate chapter. Yes, you read that right, penultimate. By the end of tonight, this story will be over.

I apologise for that, but I'm dragging this on too much.

At the end of the final chapter, I will announce a decision, and then, it is up to you, my subscribers, to do what they wish.

Thankyou.

Toxic Rebel