What's wrong with Way?...(edited)

"Hello?...is there anyone in here?..."

The voice was distant, but getting closer.

"I heard screaming from in here...are you ok?..."

The red-haired boy, bound and naked on the cold floor would've screamed now...if he could. He would've screamed for help and fought his binds...if he could. But he couldn't, and instead he lay there, silent and still as the stranger moved through the rooms toward him.

"Answer me if you can..."

The girl, no more than 15, crept through the ruined rooms. She had heard screaming and she'd seen the tattooed man leave shortly after the noise stopped. Then she'd gone in.

"Hello?..."

Stepping into the last room on the ground floor she saw him, and had to stop herself from screaming. There was so much blood. It was everywhere and on every surface.

"Holy fuck..."

She breathed, colour draining from her face. Quickly she pulled her cellphone from her jacket pocket and dialled 911. After three rings, the call was answered.

"Hello?...Yes, ambulance please?...Katie Jones...No, I found this guy...I'm not sure if he's alive...Oh, err, 34 Columbus Drive...It's an abandoned house...Yeah well, I heard screams...What?...Oh, err...I'll check..."

Katie stepped closer to the mangled body and reached down with a shaking hand. After a moment she stood back up and stepped away, turning her back.

"No, there's no pulse."

~meanwhile, across town~

"Did you here something?"

"No!...What?"

Mikey bit his lip, eyes darting toward the floor.

"I thought I heard someone scream."

Ray frowned, looking toward the hallway. Mikey stood up.

"Why don't we all go look for Frankie?..."

He looked around the group.

"We can split up and try places we know he likes."

Patrick stood to join him.

"That's a good idea. I'll try the park...Pete?...you go to the arcade...Bob...the woods, you know them best...Ray...the comic book store...and Mikey?...you, um...you go speak to his dad. Ya never know."

Everyone stood up, accepting their given assignments and headed for the door. Once outside, they all walked off in different directions, having first agreed to call each other if they found him.

Ray got to the end of the block and looked back. The road was empty, the others were all out of sight so he turned and went back to the house. Using Mikey's spare key, that only the guys knew existed, Ray let himself back into the house and went to investigate what he was certain he'd heard coming from somewhere close by. Stepping into the quiet hallway, he listened intently for a minute...and heard nothing.

"HELLO?...ANYONE THERE?"

He yelled into the silence. Then he heard it again, and this time he knew it was close.

"HELP ME?"

The muffled voice seemed to come from below him, and it only took Ray a moment to remember that Mikey's brother used to have his bedroom in the basement. Ray rushed over to the door and found it locked, but putting his ear to the wood he could quite easily hear the panicked cries coming from within, and immediately started trying to bash the door in with his shoulder.

"HOLD ON...I'M COMING!"

After a half dozen hits his arm was hurting so he took a break and called Bob. Phone to one ear, door to the other, Ray waited for his friend to pick up. Three rings later...

"Yo Fro...you find him?"

"Bob...get back to Mikey's house. Now!"

"Woah dude...what's goin' on?"

"Please Bob?...and don't speak to Mikey...just come."

"Ok, I'm coming. But you better explain this when I get there."

"Will do. See ya in a minute."

Ray hung up and tried kicking the door instead. Suddenly the lock gave way and the door slammed away into the wall with a loud *bang!* Heart racing with nerves, Ray stared into the pitch black doorway.

"HELLO?..."

He called down the dark stairs.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"RAY?...OH MY GOD, RAY...HELP ME!"

Frank shouted, hot tears burning relieved streaks down his skin.

"Frankie?..."

Ray breathed. Quickly he searched for a light switch and clicked it on, blinking against the sudden brightness before he dashed down the stairs.

"FRANKIE...I'M COMING!..."

As his feet met the solid floor below and he froze at the sight before him, he heard the front door open then close again. Presuming it was Bob, he shouted out to him.

"BOB...DOWN HERE!..."

Then he turned back toward the bed and his clearly distressed friend. Starting on the ropes at Frank's wrists, Ray fought hard not to cry.

"It's ok Frankie, I got ya...ya safe now."

Frank's eyes were closed as he sobbed into a pillow that somehow still smelled a bit of Gerard. Footsteps coming down the stairs...Frank opened his eyes and looked past Ray as he continued trying to free him. His eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open.

"MIKEY...NOOOO!"

The hammer slammed into the back of Ray's skull and he collapsed in a heap beside the bed. Mikey stood there with a look of complete outrage on his face.

"Now look what you made me do!"

He spat through gritted teeth as he advanced on the terrified younger boy, still tied tight to the bed.

"Mikey?...oh fuck Mikey...what have ya done?..."

Frank whimpered, terror ripping through him.

"That's Ray!...ya know...our FRIEND!"

Mikey was kinda beyond reason at this point as he shifted from foot to foot and gripped the hammer tight in his hand. He stared down at Frank's immobilised body and thought of all the things he wanted to do to him. Just as he started to move closer to the bed, watching the sheer horror in the younger boy's eyes, a bang came from upstairs followed by a voice.

"RAY?...DUDE, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Mikey slapped his hand firmly over Frank's mouth to hold back the scream he knew was about to rip through the air. He held the index finger of his other hand up to his own lip.

"Shhhh..."

He whispered.

"Quiet baby."

He picked up the sock that he'd used before as a gag, though apparently it had fallen out at some point, and roughly stuffed it back into Frank's protesting mouth. Frank choked slightly, his eyes watering and his heart racing in his chest. Footsteps started down the basement steps.

"Ray?...ya down here?..."

Bob called out. Mikey moved to a dark corner, hammer still in hand.

"Hello?..."

As Bob reached the ground, his eyes took a second or two to process what was happening. Frank was naked and tied to a bed, and Ray...fuck!...that was blood!

"Frankie?..."

Bob breathed, eyes wide. Frank looked with terrified eyes to Bob's right, shaking his head desperately. Behind him, a floorboard creaked slightly but Bob showed no sign that he'd heard it. He stepped toward Frank, seeing the younger boy collapse into a flood of tears.

"It's ok Frankie..."

Bob felt someone moving up behind him, and as soon as they were close enough he spun, lashing out with a heavy fist to the other person's jaw. The hammer hit the floor with a thud and was followed by Mikey a second later.

Bob swallowed hard and stared down at the boy. The hammer he'd been brandishing had blood on it...had Mikey really hurt Ray?

Frank shouted from behind his sock-gag and Bob finally snapped out of his daze to go to the younger boy's aid. Pulling out the gag, Bob was almost too shocked to speak.

"Frankie?"

Sobbing heavily, Frank tried to find the words to say.

"Bob...un-untie me?"

Bob jumped into action and hurriedly undid the knots holding his friend, then pulled him up and into his arms, not caring that Frank was still naked.

"You're ok...you're ok now..."

He comforted, stroking the younger boy's messy black hair and cradling him against his chest.

"I don't understand this."

Frank sniffed into Bob's shoulder.

"Mikey got j-jealous of me and Gee...I think he d-did something t-to him..."

Frank paused, but continued when he saw the confused look on Bob's face.

"Gee's Mikey's b-brother. He came back from college...he and I...but Mikey got mad."

Bob frowned slightly.

"You got it on with Mikey's brother...and he got jealous?..."

Frank nodded, fresh tears streaming down his face.

"Where's the brother now?..."

Frank broke down again, clinging to Bob's shirt.

"Hold on..."

Bob picked Frank up and carried him up out of the basement. When they reached the living room, he pulled off his hoodie and helped Frank to put it on, then sat with the smaller boy tucked into his side.

"I'm gonna call the cops..."

He pulled his cell from his jacket and dialled 911. Frank buried himself against Bob, pulling his knees up to his chest inside the massive hoodie and yawned wide. He could feel his body shutting down, just like it always used to.

"Hello?...Yes, police and ambulance please?..."

Frank's hearing started to fade as he fell toward sleep.

"Yes...69 Salter place..."

Frank really needed Gerard right now, but where the fuck was he?

"There's a lot of blood..."

Those were the last words that Frank heard, as he slipped away into a not so peaceful sleep.

~meanwhile, across town in an abandoned house~

"Charge to 360...clear...charging again...clear...one more time. He's been down too long. Charging...clear...Anything?"

"Oh my...I got a pulse. It's weak!"

"I'll call it in and get the back board."

The younger of the two paramedics said as he got up and quickly left the room. The older medic turned to the girl.

"You...what's your name?"

"Katie Jones?"

"Ok...Katie...I'm gonna need you to come hold this bag up for me. Think you can handle that?"

"O-ok."

The girl stuttered, stepping over and trying not to slip in the blood. She took the saline bag that was held out to her.

"Good...yep, that's right. Keep it nice and high."

"Got the board."

The younger medic said as he returned with a backboard under his arm. He set it down next to the unconscious redhead.

"Ok, let's move him nice and slowly. Watch his head."

"How's his pulse?"

"He's in bradycardia...BPM's 47."

"Shit...he's lost too much blood!"

"Katie!...hold it up!"

Katie gasped, she hadn't realised that she'd let her arm drop a bit.

"Sorry."

The older medic nodded to her then looked back at his colleague.

"Ok...on 3...1.2.3, lift."

"Got it."

"Doesn't weigh much."

The younger medic frowned, then turned his head as footsteps sounded through the house.

"Hello?"

"Officers...thank God. We thought we were gonna have to leave before you got here."

Two police officers walked in the room.

"We were dealing with a call across town. Some kid went nuts and tied his friend up in the basement, then brained another friend when he found out. It was a right mess."

"Shit!...sounds it."

"So what's happened here?"

The young black officer asked.

"Katie here heard screaming from inside the building and investigated. She found this guy in the back room and called 911."

"That was very brave of you Katie."

"Thanks."

The girl kinda wished she hadn't gone in the house now.

"He wasn't breathing, and there was no pulse when we arrived, but we've done CPR and shocked him three times, and he's back with us."

"Was there any ID on him?"

"No, he was naked. There might be something in the house though...doubt he came here nude."

The black officer chuckled.

"Yeah ok...we'll check it out and get the CSIs in. Then we'll come to the hospital to see how he's doing."

"Ok. See you later."

The officers got to work and the medics took the broken boy out to the ambulance. They got him settled inside then said goodbye to the girl as one of the officers came out to get her statement.

"All set. Let's go."

"Not sure he's gonna make it to the ER. Put your foot down Gerry."

"ETA 5 minutes."

"Just hope he's got that in him."

As Frank's eyes fluttered open to bright fluorescent lights and sterile white walls, he quickly realised that he wasn't alone. In what appeared to be a small private hospital room, he was surrounded by the people he trusted most in the world...well, most of them.

To his left, sat side by side on uncomfortable looking plastic chairs and leaning against each other apparently asleep, were Don and Donna Way. At the foot of the bed on a small sofa against the wall, Bob sat with Pete (bizarrely) curled up in his lap, and Patrick next to him with his head rested on Bob's shoulder. They were all asleep too.

Frank looked toward the window and saw that it was dark outside. He gazed around the room and eventually found a small clock on the wall that read 4:17am...well that explains all the sleeping people, but what had happened?...he couldn't quite remember.

He lay there quietly trying to recall the events that had lead to him being in a yellow backless hospital gown, with nearly all his friends looking sad and worn out around him...

Nearly all. Who was missing?...Mikey, Ray and...Gee...oh fuck!...how could he have forgotten about Gee? His head swam as it all started to come back to him...waking, tied to Mikey's bed. The rape! The basement...Ray!

"Oh God..."

He whined as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Ray."

A gasp sounded out across the room and suddenly Patrick was moving quietly to his side and wrapping his arms around the younger boy, pulling him into his chest.

"Shh shh Frankie...you're ok...you're safe now. I got ya..."

He rocked Frank in his arms as the traumatised boy shook and clung to him desperately.

"It's ok Frankie, it's ok now."

Frank sobbed quietly for a couple minutes, then lifted his head to look up into Patrick's gentle eyes.

"Ray?..."

He murmured, almost silently.

"Mikey?"

Patrick swallowed deeply. He really didn't want to have to be the one to tell him this, but seeing as everyone else was asleep...

"Mikey was arrested...but they're thinking he had a breakdown or something, so he's being assessed in the psych ward."

He looked away from Frank's frightened eyes, hating seeing him in so much distress.

"And... and R-Ray?"

Frank whimpered, cause he was terrified he already knew the answer. Patrick sighed deeply, letting tears slip from his green eyes. He shook his head sadly.

"He's...he's dead Frankie. They tried to save him, but...but he's gone."

Both boys broke down, crying heavily into each other's shoulders. They didn't hear as Pete and Bob woke up and moved to join them, wrapping them both up in a warm group hug. Frank gasped and met Bob's wet eyes. Bob, always strong, never one to show weakness or emotion, was crying like a baby now as the four boys clung together, offering each other support and comfort.

After a while the huddle broke apart, but all four remained on the narrow hospital bed, holding hands and trying to reassure each other that they were alright.

Don and Donna were somehow still asleep, that was until a doctor entered the room, looking slightly taken aback by the sight of the four teenager boys, all curled up together on the bed. He quickly got over it though and approached the sleeping couple, gently shaking Don awake.

"Excuse me...sorry to wake you, but are you Donald Way?...father of Gerard Arthur Way?"

Don was suddenly very awake.

"Yes. Yes I am, is he here?...is he ok?"

Frank scrambled to the edge of the bed, ignoring the pain and the draft around his suddenly bare ass. He needed to know about Gerard.

The doctor glanced at the boy on the bed, then turned back to Don.

"A young man was brought in earlier this evening with no ID, but the police took his fingerprints and they came back with the name Gerard Arthur Way..."

He looked between all the expectant faces that were now silently urging him to continue.

"He's in the ICU. He's in critical condition right now, having apparently been quite severely assaulted...but we're doing everything we can for him so please, try not to worry."

Frank sobbed and hugged himself.

"Can we see him?"

He whimpered, softly. The doctor shook his head.

"Not yet, no. But I'll make sure that any news of his condition is brought to you, and as soon as it's possible for him to have visitors, you will be informed..."

His pager beeped in his pocket and he took it out, frowning at the tiny screen before replacing it.

"I have to get back now, but I'll get someone to bring you regular updates, if you like?"

Don and Frank nodded and thanked the doctor, and then he was gone.

"I knew he wouldn't just leave me..."

Frank murmured through his tears as Bob pulled him into a tight and warm embrace.

"I just knew it."

But what he didn't know was what had actually happened...or how close to losing Gerard for good he'd really come.

~time passes~

The next few days went by at an agonisingly slow pace. They were filled with doctors and police interviews and talk of therapy and really, really bad hospital food. Frank didn't care about any of that...he just wanted to see Gerard.

Frank had been very clingy since he'd woken up, always sitting in someone's lap, (usually Bob's) as his brain kept shutting down every time he fell asleep randomly, just like he used to do, only worse. Bob didn't mind...he'd do whatever it took to protect his pal, and make him feel safe again.

Frank wouldn't talk much, he ignored the hyper side that tried to force itself to the surface, choosing to cling to Bob's shirt as his muscles twitched painfully. Then he would just fall asleep.

On day four they were finally allowed in to see Gerard. Bob carried Frank, the smaller boy's legs wrapped around his hips and his arms around his neck as they headed down to the ICU. Don and Donna walked at the front of the group, holding hands silently...even they hadn't been allowed in til now. Behind them was Bob and Frank, with Patrick and Pete trailing at the back.

When they reached the ICU, Don asked a large woman with mousy brown hair and a kind face, where his son's room was. She pointed the group towards a door with the number 3 on it, directly opposite the nurses station. Don thanked her and they all moved as one toward the room.

Opening the door, Donna was the first to step inside, a small gasp leaving her lips as she saw her baby, her first born son hooked up to monitors and drips with an airway tube down his throat, needles in both his arms and bandages covering his head, arms, hands and chest.

There was a blanket covering his lower half, but Donna would guess that there were bandages below that too.

Everyone slipped quietly into the room and over to the bedside. Bob sat Frank on the edge of the bed and the younger boy tentatively took Gerard's cold, pale, bandaged hand in his.

Bob, Pete and Patrick had never met Gerard...they were here for Frank. They had stayed in the hospital, sleeping on hard floors or uncomfortable chairs and refused to leave while Frank was still there. Everything Frank had gone through, they new about. From meeting Gerard, to the rape, to seeing Mikey kill Ray...they'd heard about it all. But once Frank had told them all once, he hadn't spoken of it again.

The boys were frightened for their friend's sanity at this point. He'd been through so much and had now just seemed to shut down...were they gonna lose him too? They watched as Frank pulled his legs up onto the bed and silently curled up against Gerard's side, never letting go of his hand, his face unreadable...jaw slack and eyes dull and empty. If Gerard didn't wake up, they feared they'd lose Frank completely.

Donna stood at the other side of the narrow bed, holding Gerard's other hand as Don stood to her right with an arm wrapped comfortingly around her waist. There were tears on her face, but she made no effort to wipe them away. Everyone remained silent, not knowing what to say, or do.

After a few long minutes, the door opened and a woman in a doctor's white coat walked in.

"Hi there. I'm Dr. Sciuto..."

She smiled kindly, looking around the tired, worn faces.

"Are you Gerard's parents?..."

She directed at Don and Donna. Don nodded.

"Ok, so Gerard sustained some very serious injuries as I'm sure you're aware?..."

Again, Don nodded.

"He had lost a lot of blood when he was brought in, and he has been in and out of surgery every day to fix the damage that had been done..."

She took a breath to prepare herself for what she had to say next.

"He is currently in a coma and we don't know when, or if he's going to wake up. I'm sorry I don't have better news for you right now, but he is stable, and we are doing everything we can to keep him that way. Hopefully that will give him the time he needs to heal, and then maybe to wake up..."

She offered them all a sad smile.

"I'll leave you with him now. Try talking to him, he might be able to hear you."

Don nodded and quietly thanked her and then she left, leaving the room in a concerned silence once again.

Ten whole minutes passed before Frank's tiny, lost voice was heard in the quiet of the room.

"Gee?...come back."

Notes