Iero's Family!

Frank woke up to the sound of sobbing. Turning his head toward the noise, he found Gerard curled up on his side, with his back to him.

"Gee?"

The smell of vomit invaded Frank's nose as he heard Gerard's breath hitch. Frank sat up and leaned over his husband, seeing the mess on the floor, and over the side of the bed.

"Oh baby."

He cooed, carefully rolling Gerard toward him. The younger man's face was paper-white and slick with sweat and tears. His eyes looked hollow and bruised.

"That's it.."

Frank stated.

"I'm taking you back to Doc Brown."

Gerard weakly shook his head, his shaky hands grasping at Frank's bare arm.

"He.. He said he'd call."

Frank frowned, hearing how small Gerard's voice was.

"Well he hasn't.. So I'm gonna take you to him."

Frank climbed off the bed, dragging his jeans and shirt back on, but leaving the shirt undone. He carefully picked Gerard up and moved him to the other side of the bed, onto the clean sheets, then kissed his clammy forehead. Gerard's eyes fluttered softly.
Frank frowned, then walked quickly from the room. Lucas was sat at the kitchen table, cleaning his rifle. He looked up, but didn't speak.

"Lucas, can we shelve this for now?.."

He crossed the room to get a cloth, wetting it under the cold tap.

"Gerard's really sick.. I could do with your help."

Lucas sighed.

"Of course.. What do you need?"

His words were clipped, but his tone held concern.

"I'm taking him to Doc Brown.. Can you help me get him dressed, and then clean up when we go?"

"Clean up?"

Frank bit his lip.

"Yes.. He was sick on the bed."

"Oh... Ew!"

Frank chuckled, then led the way back into the bedroom.
Gerard was whimpering and clutching weakly at his stomach as his body trembled.

"Ok baby, I'm here."

Frank crouched down beside the bed, so he was eye level with the younger man and reached out to push his damp hair out of his face, before running the cloth over his forehead.

"We're gonna get you dressed now."

He turned to Lucas.

"Can you grab some pyjamas from that drawer?"

He pointed to the top drawer of the dresser in the corner. Lucas nodded and went to fetch them. Frank carefully lifted Gerard into a sitting position, but had to hold him, as he was too weak to sit up on his own, his head falling onto Frank's shoulder as he sat next to him.

"Stay awake love."

Lucas walked over, worry plain on his face.

"Here you go dad.."

All the animosity from before had seeped away the second he'd seen just how sick Gerard was.

"These ok?"

Frank looked up and saw Gerard's Batman pjs in his son's hands. He smiled slightly.

"Perfect. Can you help me get them on him?"

"Sure."

Between them, they got Gerard's limp body into the clothes, then Frank indicated for Lucas to sit down on Gerard's other side.

"Can you hold him while I put my shoes on?"

Lucas nodded, and Frank moved Gerard from his shoulder, to his son's. Standing from the bed, he crossed the room to fetch his boots, while buttoning his shirt on the way.

"Thank you."

Frank said, softly, as he returned to Gerard's side.
Lucas knew that this wasn't just a straight- thanks.. He knew that his father was thanking him for putting their differences aside, for the sake of his stepfather, and for now, that's what he'd do.. But later, once Gerard was well, they would be getting into it.

Frank picked up his keys, then gently took Gerard from Lucas' arms, scooping him up, and cradling him against his broad chest.

"Can you hold the doors?"

Lucas took Frank's keys from his hand and headed out of the room.

"Why don't I drive you?.. I'll clean up when we get back."

Frank nodded, a grateful, yet frightened smile touching his lips.

"Thank you Lucas."

Once they were in the truck, Lucas behind the wheel, and Frank in the back, with Gerard's thin, shivering form in his lap, Lucas started the engine and headed into town.
He drove carefully, but with speed, and soon was pulling up outside Doc Brown's surgery. Switching off and climbing out, he quickly went to assist his father, before locking the car, and trotting to overtake Frank, so that he could get the door for him.
As they entered the small reception, Miss Howard looked up from an ageing typewriter, and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Well I know that you don't have an appointment today.."

She snipped.

"And we don't have any available."

Frank gritted his teeth. He had neither the time, nor the patience to deal with that bitch right now.
Lucas picked up on his father's anger, and stepped in to try to defuse the situation.

"Good day Miss Howard, how are you?.. It's been a while."

The acerbic witch turned her greying eyes toward the younger man, her scowl slipping a little.

"I'm well. Thank you for asking.. So many young people forget how to be polite, I find."

Lucas nodded.

"I find that too."

He said in a hushed tone, glancing around as if going against his own age group, would get him kicked out of the club, or something. Miss Howard smiled slightly.. Or as close as it was possible for her to get.

"Now.."

Lucas continued, calmly, as he could practically feel Frank seethe behind him.

"I understand that you're very busy, but we really need to see Dr. Brown.. Gerard's very ill, and we're really worried."

Miss Howard looked past Lucas' shoulder, the young man moving slightly to the side, and it struck her that the young school teacher looked even worse than he had yesterday. Almost dead even.
She straightened up and met Lucas' eyes again. Sighing slightly, she stood from her desk and went to the doctor's door, knocked twice, then entered.

Lucas turned toward Frank.

"It'll be ok dad."

He reassured, softly. Though he himself wasn't entirely convinced of this.
Frank gave a tight smile in return, then looked toward the door and waited.
A few minutes later, Doc Brown came out, shortly followed by Miss Howard.

"Oh my.."

He breathed, as he saw Gerard.

"Bring him through."

He gestured for Frank to enter his examination room.

"I'll wait out here."

Lucas said. Frank nodded, then disappeared into the room.

"I know you said you would call.. But he's not getting better.. In fact, he's a lot worse.. Please Doc?.. Can you help him?.. Please?"

Frank didn't like to beg, but for this, he'd get down on his Goddamn knees and kiss someone's feet, if he thought it would help.
Doc Brown stood in front of Frank, who still held Gerard in his arms.

"Take a seat Frank."

Frank breathed deeply, then sat down, with Gerard on his lap. Gerard was asleep. The doctor sat down in the seat next to him and felt Gerard's pulse, then took his temperature.

"Frank.."

He seemed nervous, Frank thought.

"The blood results came back."

"And?"

"Frank.. Gerard needs to hear this too."

Frank looked down at the frail man in his arms, and nodded slightly, then gently stroked Gerard's hair.

"Gerard?.. Sweetheart, you need to wake up."

Gerard's eyes fluttered sleepily, then opened. His usually bright, hazel/green eyes looked dull and faded. He looked up at Frank, and a tiny, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.

"F..Frankie."

"I'm here sweetheart.. So's Doc Brown, and he's got your blood results."

Gerard's lip quivered, fear flashing through his eyes. Frank gently kissed his forehead, holding him close.

"It's gonna be alright.. I'm here."

Frank looked up at the doctor, who had just retrieved Gerard's results from his desk.

"Go on Doc."

Dr. Brown sighed deeply, looking between the two expectant pairs of eyes.

"Ok.. So it's not a stomach bug."

Gerard shivered against Frank, frightened tears slipping from his eyes.

"Then what is it Doc?"

Frank asked. A touch of desperation entering his voice.
The doctor looked unsure how to continue, and this just scared Gerard more. After a moment, the older man cleared his throat and started again.

"I had them run a full blood work up.. because I wasn't exactly sure what they should be looking for.."

He paused, frowning slightly.

"You remember that I said there was a problem with the urine test I carried out?.."

Both men silently nodded.

"Well, it turns out that there wasn't."

"Doc, what are you talking about?"

Frank asked, sharply.
Dr. Brown looked Gerard in the eye.

"Gerard, when was the last time you had a blood test, before yesterday?"

Gerard looked confused, exhausted and confused.

"I.. I don't think I ever have."

Dr. Brown nodded, knowingly.

"As I suspected.. Alright, now, what I have to tell you, will probably not make a lot of sense to you."

Gerard looked up at Frank, his lip shaking. Frank pressed a hard kiss to his forehead, before turning his eyes back to the doctor, and giving him a small nod to continue.

"Ok.. So there was a high level of a particular hormone that showed up in the urine test, and again in the blood test. This hormone is why I thought that the urine test was wrong.."

He paused again, biting his lip and looking down at the papers in his hand.

"The hormone is called hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin.. And you shouldn't have any."

Frank knew that Gerard was too scared right now to ask questions, and to tell the truth, so was he, but he gathered his courage around him, squeezed Gerard to him, and asked anyway.

"And what exactly is hCG?"

Dr. Brown looked really uncomfortable, but Frank didn't give a shit.. They needed answers. After a moment or two of slight squirming, the doctor spoke again.

"It's.. It's what is looked for in a.. a pregnancy test."

Frank laughed out loud in the tense room.. How could he not?

"Pregnancy test?.. You're kidding Doc.. Gerard's not a girl.. Trust me on this.. I know."

Gerard blushed slightly, his eyes dropping to the floor.
Dr. Brown shook his head.

"I'm not saying he is.. What I'm saying, is that he has this hormone that he shouldn't have, and I think that is what is making him sick.. I want to admit him to the Billings Clinic, under an Endocrinologist by the name of Christopher Sorli. He's an expert on hormones, and if anyone can get to the bottom of this, he can."

Frank felt Gerard go limp against him.

"Gerard?"

He looked down and saw that the younger man was asleep again. He sighed, pulling him tighter into his chest, before turning to the doctor.

"You want him to go today?"

"Yes, I do.."

Dr. Brown stated, seriously.

"He's already expecting you, and I've arranged for an air ambulance to collect you both from Parson's field in an hour.."

He looked at his watch.

"Make that 50 minutes."

"Air ambulance?.. It's.. It's that serious?"

Dr. Brown smiled, sympathetically.

"It may be.. But until Dr Sorli has a look at him, and runs some more tests, I really can't say."

Frank felt tears on his face. Frank never cries.
He looked down at the man in his arms. So fragile and weak. So different from the fierce tiger he'd been when they first met.
He couldn't lose him.. He just couldn't.

"Doc?.."

Frank's head shot up, wet eyes imploring. The doctor raised his eyebrows for Frank to continue "I can go with him, can't I?.. I mean.. He doesn't have to go on his own, right?"

Dr. Brown smiled.

"Yes, you can go with him.. I made sure of it."

"Thank you Doc.."

Frank sighed, swallowing back more tears.

"I just can't stand the thought of losing him.. you know?"

"Of course."

They fell silent for a minute, before the doctor spoke again.

"Now, did I see your boy out there?"

Frank smiled, fondly.

"Yes, that was Lucas."

"He certainly has grown since I last saw him."

"He would.."

Frank chuckled.

"It's been what?.. 5 years?"

Doc Brown laughed, shaking his grey head.

"Huh.. Yeah, I guess it has.. You think he's ok with Gwen?"

Frank smirked slightly.

"That boy could charm the wings off an eagle.. I think he can handle Miss Howard."

Both men laughed for a moment, until a small, pained gasp came from Gerard's lips.
Frank leaned closer to his face, softly brushing his lips over Gerard's.

"Easy sweetheart."

He murmured.

"It's time to go, I think."

Dr. Brown said, gently.
Frank nodded, carefully standing, while trying not to jostle Gerard awake.

"You coming with us Doc?"

Frank enquired, seeing the doctor fetch his coat from a hook on the wall.

"I'll come as far as Parson's field.. And pass you over to the medics.. That's if there's room in your truck?"

"Sure.."

Frank nodded as they reemerged into the waiting area, seeing Lucas jump up from where he was sat in the corner, and head toward them.

"That would be good, thank you."

Lucas reached them and looked worriedly at Gerard, before meeting his dad's eyes.

"So what's happening?"

Frank took a breath, then told his son everything.

"Wow.."

Lucas exclaimed with large eyes. He ran his hand through his hair, looking so much like his father in that moment.

"Well.. I best drive you to Parson's field then."

After Doc Brown had asked Miss Howard to cancel his next few appointments, and take any messages that might come in, he followed the Ieros out to Frank's truck.
33 minutes later, they arrived at Parson's field.. An unofficial landing strip on the edge of town. Helicopters and light aircraft often landed and departed from there, though the FAA was completely unaware of this, and would probably shut the place down if they knew.

The air ambulance was just coming in to land as they parked beside the runway.
Dr. Brown went to meet the medics, explaining Gerard's condition, and that Frank was going with him, then handed over Gerard's medical file, and waved Frank over.
Frank climbed out of the truck, Lucas falling quickly into step at his side, and headed towards the helicopter. Once there, the medics gently took Gerard from his arms, though he was reluctant to let go, and got him strapped into the back of the vehicle, before beginning various tests.. Blood pressure, etc.

Frank turned to Lucas, and was surprised when the boy pulled him into a tight embrace.

"He'll be ok dad.. You'll see."

Lucas said through his own tears.
Frank hugged him back.

"Yes.. He will."

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them.

"Lucas, I need you to go tell Michael what's happened. Then I want both of you to drive down to Billings, together.. Do you understand?"

He looked in his son's eyes.

"This is about your half brother, isn't it."

Frank nodded.

"He was expecting his answer today, and I'm not sure how far he'd go to get it."

Lucas nodded.

"Don't worry.. I'll get Mikey, and we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Thank you."

Frank held his son for a moment longer, until a tap on his shoulder caused him to turn.

"Sir, we have to go now."

The dark skinned medic said, kindly.
Frank nodded, then turned quickly back to Lucas.

"Call or text me when you're on the way."

Lucas nodded, then Frank climbed onboard, seeing that Gerard was hooked up to a heart monitor, oxygen mask, and an iv bag of saline that was flowing steadily into his right arm.. He'd hate that.

As the chopper took off, Frank held Gerard's small, pale hand.. and prayed.
He couldn't lose Gerard.. He just couldn't.

Notes

Hi there chipmunks.. You ok?..

Gee's not doing too good, is he?.. But at least he's on the way to hospital now.. What do YOU think they'll find out there?.. (3 guesses, but you'll only need 1)

Anyway.. Pleeeeeeeeease comment, stay safe, and peace out babies!
<3 Love ya all!