Safe?.... Never! (Re-edited for easier reading)

It was six and a half months since Bert had taken Gerard from the hospital. Six and a half long, painful months, during which Gerard's will to survive had crumbled to dust.
He longed for death now.. Prayed that Bert would let him take his final breath.. But the monster kept him alive.. Barely.

On this particular morning, a chilly December 18th, Gerard was awoken to find he was being moved.. Carried, almost tenderly, in Bert's skinny, but strong arms.
Gerard whimpered as the pains that ran constantly through his ruined body, made him wish, yet again, to die.

Bert turned bloodshot eyes his way, and Gerard flinched, expecting violence from the younger man, but weirdly, only receiving a small, tired smile.
Bert carried Gerard through to what he'd been using as his bedroom, and gently lay him on the bed.

"Rest GeeGee.."

He murmured, turning to leave the room.

".. I'll get you some food."

Then he was gone, quietly closing the door behind him.
Gerard was understandably confused, but was too worn out, and too worn down to even attempt to work out what Bert could be up to now.
If this was some new way to torture him, then Gerard didn't get it.

In the grubby kitchen below, Bert waited for the kettle to boil, so he could make some instant mash potatoes and gravy, about the most that Gerard's starved stomach could handle now. While he waited, he took a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, and read the typed letter for the 5th time.
The information was only now beginning to sink in, and it made him sick to think about it.
The letter was from his doctor, and it confirmed what the consultant at the Newton Medical Centre had told him five days ago..
Cancer!
Bert was dying!

The doctors said that if he'd sought medical attention when the first symptoms showed up, then they could've treated him.. But he didn't.. And now, they said it was too late.
Bert was in the end stages of lung cancer, and it was unlikely that he'd last another week, so he'd come to a decision.. He was going to let Gerard go.

The kettle whistled its shrill call, alerting him that it was finished boiling, so Bert took it off the stove, and poured some into the instant mash, then some into the gravy granules, before stirring both bowls, then pouring the gravy into the mash, and heading back upstairs.

When he reached his room, Bert hesitated outside the door, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, and trying to take a slow, deep breath. This, of course, led to a coughing fit, that had him nearly on his knees on the floor.
After a minute, Bert managed to collect himself enough to continue, and opened the door, stepping inside and over to the side of the bed.

Gerard's weak, thin body lay exactly where Bert had placed him. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell with each jagged breath he took.
Setting the bowl on top of the small set of drawers, Bert climbed onto the bed, and pulled Gerard up to sit against his chest.

Gerard winced, but otherwise remained silent. His eyes stayed closed.
Bert picked up the bowl of mash and gravy, and carefully scooped some onto the spoon.

"GeeGee, open your mouth.."

He said softly, right next to the other man's ear. Gerard did as he was told, and was rewarded with a small mouthful of warm, soft mush. He gagged slightly, but somehow managed to swallow it down.

".. Well done baby.. Again?"

Gerard couldn't figure out what was happening, but he'd given up trying now, and quietly allowed Bert to feed him the soft mixture.
The only thing he could think, was that it was poisoned, and was going to make him sick, but at this point, he was just way past caring any more.

Bert continued to spoon the food into Gerard's mouth, until the man in his arms whined softly, turning his head away, to signal that he could handle no more.
Bert put the bowl back on the side, and carefully wiped a little gravy from Gerard's chin.

"You did good.."

He muttered, then gently moved out from behind Gerard's limp body, and lay him down on the warm grey blanket.

".. I'm going to get you some clothes now."

Standing from the bed, Bert opened the top drawer of the little chest, and rummaged inside, withdrawing a few seconds later, with a pair of blue sweatpants, and a thick black hoodie.

Gerard sobbed as Bert dressed him.. Every movement sending shockwaves of agony throughout his frail and exhausted body.
The warmth was a nice change, but as he began to slide back into unconsciousness, he really didn't have a chance to enjoy it.

Bert looked down at the stick-thin figure on his bed and sighed.. He'd had fun breaking Gerard, but his time was nearly up, and somehow, he just couldn't face the idea of Gerard dying here alone.. It was time to take him home...

Notes

Hi there chipmunks..
So we're getting close to the finale now.. I don't know how many chapters I have left, probably 2 or 3.. But that MIGHT not mean an end to the story, you'll have to wait and see.
I've had the last chapter of this written since before the first.. Everything has been heading towards it from the start.
Please comment on what you think the final chapters will hold, and..
peace out babies!
<3