Safe?.... Hardly! (Re-edited for easier reading)

Taking a deep breath, in an attempt to calm his frazzled nerves, Frank quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

The room was about 4 metres square, and had very little in it. There was a sofa, that looked hard and lumpy, two plastic chairs, a small lockable cabinet, and the bed.

Laying in the bed, hooked up to machines that beeped and hummed, needles and tubes poking into his pale skin, looking like death himself... was Gerard.

There were bandages covering his arm, wrapped all around his torso, and also round his face and head, with thick gauze pads over his eyes.
His chest rose and fell in a slow, shaky rhythm, an oxygen mask resting over his nose and mouth, Frank recalled the doctor telling him about that, lung damage, from drowning.

Tears slipped from Frank's eyes as he took it all in. How could someone be that evil?

The uneven *beep.....beep...beep* of the heart monitor told Frank that Gerard was probably awake, but he found himself frozen in place, unable to take those few steps forward, terrified, wanting to turn and run... But he wouldn't. He would stay. He had to. This was Gerard. And Gerard needed him now, more than ever.

"Hel..*cough*..hello?...."

My God, his voice was so small. Frankie's lip started to shake.

"Pl..please? ... Is there someone th..there?...please?"

Frankie swallowed back his fear, and took a step towards the bed.

"Gee?..."

The name came out as a horse whisper, he cleared his throat.

".. I'm here Gee."

"Frankie?..."

"I'm here"

Heavy sobs wracked Gerard's thin chest.

"Fr..F..Frankie?...Frankie?... Oh God...Frankie..."

His hand was grabbing at the air, his fingers reaching, straining.
Frank took Gerard's slim hand in his and leaned down to press a soft kiss in his palm.

"I'm here baby...I'm right here..."

"..Frankie.."

Gerard's hand was all the only part that Frank could hold, and he really wanted to just take him in his arms and never let him go, but Gerard was too badly hurt for that, and Frank didn't know how long he'd be in this state.

Before long, the painkillers started to make Gee sleepy again, and his breathing evened out.

"Gee... I love you so, so much.."

Frank sobbed softly.

".. You are my entire world... And I want to spend every day, for the rest of my life... making you as happy as you make me..."

He sniffed loudly, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his hoodie. Shaking his head and staring at their joined fingers, Frank felt himself break down completely.

"I...I lo..love y..you.....ba..by.....I ne..nearl..nearly l...lost y..you.......I n..need...you.."

Huge shaky breaths tore through his lungs, as he began to hyperventilate.

"G..Gee...Gee.."

Just then, Gerard's thin fingers tightened around Frank's inked digits, and Frank gasped in a massive breath, realising that Gerard was still awake.

"Gee?.."

"Frankie.."

"Marry me Gee..."

"................ Yes."

Frank didn't think he'd ever been so happy, and as Gerard drifted off to sleep, their fingers entwined, Frank smiled... Gerard had said "yes". They were engaged. He'd have his happily-ever-after, just like the fairy tales. Resting his head on the edge of the bed, he finally let himself sleep...everything was gonna be ok....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Six months later~

"Gee? I'm just popping next door..you be ok?"

Frank asked gently, as he poked his head into the bathroom, where Gerard was relaxing his aching joints in a nice hot bath.
Gerard smiled softly.

"I'll be fine Frankie. You won't be long, right?"

He still gets jittery if he's left alone.

"No baby.."

The smaller man answered, leaning down to kiss his fiancé on the lips.

".. I won't. Mikey just wants some help hanging some curtains, or something. Ten minutes tops."

"And you'll lock the door? And the windows?.."

Gerard whimpered slightly.

"Already done sweetie. Now, you don't go trying to get out before I get back, you hear?"

He warned gently.

"You remember last time?"

Gerard chewed his bottom lip and blushed pink.

"I remember."

"Ok then. Ten minutes and I'll be right here, ok?"

Gerard nodded.

"Then I'll help you out... Ok...here's the phone.."

He pressed Gerard's cell into his wet hand.

"You need me, you call, ok? I'll be here before you hang up, ok?"

"Ok Frankie."

Gerard whispered, reaching out of the tub to place the phone on the edge of the bathmat.

"Ok..."

Frankie hesitated.

"Are you sure Gee? Mikey could wait till tomorrow, then we could both go?"

Gerard smiled up at his concerned lover.

"Mikey moved in there two weeks ago now, and he's had no curtains in his bedroom all this time. If we ever want him and Ray to get their fuckin' act together, and admit they're a couple, they're gonna need curtains."

Frank giggled, kissing Gerard's nose.

"You're right beautiful, I just worry about you is all."

Frankie stood up.

"I know you do, and it means the world to me... Now go. Before Mikey comes looking for you."

Frank squeezed Gerard's hand once, then left the room, closing the door to keep in the heat.
Gerard lay his head back in the water, and listened for the front door opening, then closing and locking. Alone. He was alone. And he really didn't like it.

Gerard felt vulnerable. Not only was he naked and alone, but ever since that whole... Bert..thing... His eyes just hadn't healed.
Sure, he had some sight, but it was always dark, like if you're awake in the middle of the night, and the only light is the faint glow of the moon through closed curtains. Even on the brightest day, he never had much more than that. And the doctors said that was it, that's as good as it was ever going to be.

Gerard bit his lip and tried not to cry, it was really hard, he really wanted his Frankie.

Suddenly his phone rang, and, thinking it would be Frank, calling to make sure he was ok, and not climbing out of the bath on his own and nearly braining himself on the edge of the sink, like last time, Gerard picked it up and pressed the answer button.

"Hi Frankie.."

"...."

"Frankie? You there?..."

"...."

"F..Frank....?"

"Hello GeeGee.."

"NO!!!!!"

It couldn't be him!!!.. Dear God no!!

To. Be. Continued...

Notes