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

Frank unlocked the chain and turned the door handle down, then hesitantly pulled the door open toward him.
Stepping out into the icy-cold night air, Frank's eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark, then...

.. A small, weak noise came from Frank's left.

Turning his head slowly that way, scared and unsure of what he would find.. Frank was surprised to see what appeared to be a figure, completely wrapped up in a blanket, and curled up on his porch swing.

"Hel.. Hello?.."

He whispered into the dark, the cold, totally forgotten now.

Frank couldn't move, he was frozen in place by the fear that threatened to consume him. His breathing was rough, and his heart was racing.. And he absently wondered if this was what it felt like to die.

".. Who.. Who are y..you?"

There was no reply, except a tiny gasping sound, coming from the bundle of fabric.
Frank swallowed heavily, and scanned the area around his porch.
If this was some kind if trick, then Bert could jump out of the darkness and attack him, and in the state that Frank was in right now, he wouldn't really stand that much of a chance against the mad man.
But Frank saw nothing anomalous in the dark. The two working street lamps down his road, shone dim yellow over the scruffy front yards, and showed, surprisingly well, that there was no one else around, and certainly no one trying to hide nearby.

Returning his attention to the figure on the swing, Frank took a careful, tentative step towards it.. on edge, and ready to run if necessary.
Heart pounding against his ribs, Frank extended a slow, shaky hand, and grasped the top edge of the blanket, peeling it down to reveal just who was within...

"I'm dreaming.. I'm dreaming.. Th.. This is a dream.."

He stuttered out, as he stared, wide-eyed at the pale, thin face before him.

".. G.. Gee?.."

Unseeing hazel eyes slowly fluttered open. Frank was finding it hard to breath. How was he here? Why had Bert let him go?

".. Gee?.."

Frank bent over the quiet man, needing to know for sure that this was real.

".. C..can you.. Hear me?.."

"Fr.. Fran.."

That voice was so small, yet so familiar.

".. Frankie?"

"I'm here Gee.."

Frank cooed, tears running in rivers down his cheeks, chilled by the winter air.

".. Oh my God.. You're home.. You're.. Oh wow.."

He could barely make a whole sentence.

".. I'm gonna.."

He sobbed uncontrollably for a moment, before pulling himself together, and trying to carry on.

".. I'm gonna t..take you inside.. Ok?"

Gerard didn't answer, as he'd slipped back into unconsciousness, so Frank carefully scooped the frail man into his arms, blankets and all, biting his lip as he felt how little he weighed, and carried him into the house, kicking the door closed with his heel, before walking quickly to the sofa, and laying the silent and cold man down, then taking a deep breath in.

Still in shock, it took Frank a minute to get his brain in gear.. And then..
He was on the phone, calling 911, and stuttering out his need for an ambulance, before carefully unwrapping the blankets, just enough to be able to hold Gerard's pale, cold hand in between his, and talking softly to him, trying to get him to open those beautiful eyes, one more time.

"GeeBaby?.. Can you hear me?.. Please wake up angel?.. Please?.."

Tears continued to flood his eyes, falling to soak the scratchy grey blanket as Frank lay his head close to Gerard's.

".. I need you baby.. Please?"

Frank was only vaguely aware of the sirens and lights, as the ambulance drove into the road, and parked up outside.
A moment later, there was knocking on his door.
Blinking stupidly, cos his mind was struggling to keep up with what was happening now, Frank stumbled to his feet and over to the door.
Two paramedics rushed inside, as Frank pointed to the limp form on his couch.
He lost track of what happened from that point on..

His mind registered the medics saying "..Critical condition..", and "..starved..", but not much else, and then they were in the back of the ambulance, Frank clinging to Gerard's delicate fingers as if his life depended on it.. then bright hospital corridors, and doctors in blue scrubs, and Gerard was being whisked away through a set of flappy doors, and Frank was on his knees, on the floor.. a blonde nurse called Charlene, or Charlotte, or something like that, Frank couldn't remember, helping him to his feet and over to a chair.

He couldn't stop shaking, and he couldn't hear what the nurse was saying to him, as she tried to calm him down.. His head spun, and there were dots invading his vision.. And the next thing he knew, he was waking up on a hospital bed, dressed in one of those stupid yellow gowns that open at the back, and he had a needle in his arm, dripping some clear liquid into his exhausted body.
The nurse was sat at his bedside, keeping a check on his vitals.
She smiled kindly as she noticed that he'd woken up.

"Well hi there.."

Her voice was soft and light, with an accent Frank couldn't quite place.

".. Feeling any better?.."

Frank nodded slightly and looked around the room.

".. You collapsed from a combination of things Frank.."

How did she know his name?.. He didn't recall telling her.

".. Exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition.."

She frowned slightly, tutting like a mother-hen.

".. When was the last time you ate?.."

Frank didn't want to talk about that, he turned his head away. The nurse sighed deeply.

".. Well.. If you don't care about yourself.. Do you care about Gerard?"

At the mention of his fiancé's name, Frank's head snapped back around, nearly fast enough to give himself whiplash.

"Gerard?.. Where is he?.. Is he ok?"

Frank could feel himself starting to hyperventilate again.

"Calm down Frank, calm down.."

The nurse placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back down as he tried to sit up.

".. He's being taken care of.."

She checked to make sure Frank hadn't dislodged the I.V needle from his arm.

".. He has the best doctors in the state doing everything in their power to help him. But you need to let us take care of you too."

Frank huffed, and rolled his eyes. He just wanted to be with his Gee.
There was a soft knock on the door, and it quietly opened. Frank was more than a little bit surprised when Mikey, Ray, Bob, and Detective Callum Blue walked through the door.

"Hi Frank."

Ray murmured, a shy smile on his lips.
Frank wasn't exactly on great terms with his three friends right now.. In fact, it was some time since he'd even spoken to them.
They had all tried to get Frank to see that Gerard was gone, but he wouldn't.. And he was right!

The nurse, sensing the tension, turned to the newcomers.

"5 minutes gentlemen. He needs to rest."

Ray and Mikey were holding hands, and smiling, happy to be proven wrong.
Bob, weirdly, wasn't his usual cheerful self. Why would he be less happy, now that Gerard has been returned?

Callum stepped forward, and handed Frank a small white envelope with his name written on the front.

"This was tucked inside Gerard's top.. The nurse that found it, gave it to me.. But it's addressed to you, so.. here."

Frank carefully opened the seal, and removed the single sheet of paper from within.
The room was silent as he read the note, everyone waiting, patiently, to find out what it said.
When Frank had finished reading, he folded the letter in half, and handed it back to Callum, looking the older man in the eyes, and silently telling him that it was important.
The detective raised an eyebrow, then nodded, and preceded to read the page.
Less than a minute after he'd read it, Detective Blue turned to face Bob.

"I think we need to talk.. Don't you?"

Bob paled, but nodded and left the room with the Detective, the door closing behind them.
Mikey and Ray looked at Frank with questioning eyes.

"I'll tell you later.."

Frank yawned.

".. I need to sleep now."

Holding hands still, the confused couple left Frank to rest, ensuring him that they would bring him any news they got on Gerard's condition, as soon as they got it.
For the first time in, he didn't know how long.. Frank fell asleep.
It wasn't exactly peaceful, and he woke to the sounds of his own panic attacks twice that night, but he slept, at least a little, while the nurse kept watch on him, and Mikey and Ray waited for news on Gerard, and the rest of the hospital slept...

Notes

ONLY NEW NOTE!


Hi there.. Not sure how, but I somehow failed to put this chapter up last time, or it got deleted or something?!... This site is a bitch sometimes!

Anyway.. If you didn't see it before, hope you enjoy!

Please comment and peace out!
<3