Their Hearts Don't Beat Like Ours

“Frank, c’mon! We gotta meet the landlord!”
“I’m coming!”
Today’s the day Frank and I move into our new really nice home. And I’m ready to kill someone because Frank is slow and we have to give the 3 months’ rent to the land lord before we can unload this fairly expensive U-Haul I rented.
“Oh, finally. My prince has arrived.” I joke as Frank walks down the stairs.
“Oh, shut up princess.” Frank scoffs.
“Hah, make me.” I say sternly.
“You know what I did last time you said that?” I blush. And Frank just giggles with a proud smirk on his face.
I’ve already done 7 final sweeps of the apartment making sure nothing has been left. I checked all the closets, cabinets, hidden corners.
I close the door to the place for the final time. It’s been good to me for the past 4 years.
I lock the door and we hope in the car the car. My dad got his truck to pull the U-Haul, and it’s parked at the new house. I stop by the front office and run in turning in my final key.
Frank grabs my hand before I get in the car. He has to drive his car to the house.
“Gerard, we’re going to our house. Our home. Our little families home.”
I smile at him and squeeze his hand, pecking his cheek. The house is only 5 minutes away, which is kind of perfect. We get in our cars and are reunited shortly. The landlord is waiting outside the front door with a smile on his face. I step out of the car and Frank runs to my side.
“Hi, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.” I reach my hand out, and he takes it firmly.
“Oh, I just got here myself!” This guys’s nice.
“Oh, well good. Here’s the check!” I hand out the piece of paper. He looks it over, and looks back up at me.
“Okay, you’re all set. Enjoy your new home, love birds!”
Me and Frank laugh as we wave and watch him get into his car. It’s nice that he’s not a homophobe. Having a landlord against you is never a good thing.
Here it is, our first house. And soon little Bandit or Miles.
God, I never imagined my life getting like this. I figured me and Lindsey would stay in the apartment for a while. And she didn’t want to start having kids until she was 30. More proof she did this in a failed attempt to ruin my life.
I go to unlock the door, and Frank wraps his arms around my waist as the door swings open. The house is just as perfect as I remember it being. Frank moves to be facing me and plants a soft kiss to my lips.
“This is the beginning of our forever, baby.”
“I love you.” I reply.
“I love you, too.” Frank kisses me again and we break apart.
“C’mon, let’s get this U-Haul unloaded. Dad’s gotta take it back by 6. And we have to be at the hospital by 5.”
Frank tenses up at my words.
“Frank, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have too.” I tell him.
“But, you’re going?”
“Yes, I wanna be there. It’s important to me. And I want you to be there.” I turn to him and grab his cheek. “But I won’t be mad if you don’t want to go. I completely understand.”
“I’ll go, baby.”
“There’s gonna be a prison guard there with her. She can’t do anything, and if she does, she’s just fucking her self over.”
At 5, we have an appointment. With Lindsey.
Lindsey’s now 18 weeks pregnant. Which is Pregnant enough to discover the sex of the baby. Her lawyer told me both Frankie and I can come. He didn’t tell her. The only thing she knows is that I have full custody of the baby as soon as it’s delivered. She doesn’t know that Frank’s raising her with me, or anything. Lindsey thinks she’s ruined my life.
We don’t really speak until we get the trailer unloaded completely, it’s already a little after 4 when we get done.
I call my dad, tell him he can come get the U-Haul.
I grab Frankie’s hand and pull him to me.
“It’ll be okay.”
“I know.”
I kiss him and gesture towards my car. We walk to it hand in hand and get in.
The hospital is about 20 minutes away in Newark. She’s at Northern State Prison in Newark. The drive goes by painfully slow. Me and Frank talk a little, listen to music and chain smoke. We’re not quitting when the baby comes. We know we should, but we know we couldn’t. We don’t believe in ourselves.
But, we’re not smoking in this new house at all, and we’ll stop smoking in the cars, too.
We finally pull into the hospital with about 15 minutes to spare before Lindsey will be here. Williams have set up for us to go through just as if it was our appointment. So we go to the front desk.
“Can I help you?”
“Gerard Way. I have an appointment at 5.”
“Okay… Ah, yes. Ms. Ballato has not arrived yet, so if you will wait in the seating area and when she arrives you can just go back with her.” She smiles.
I say thank you and me and Frank go to sit down.
It’s 10 till 5, and my heart is beating out of my chest. I haven’t seen Lindsey since that day. I didn’t have to go to court. I didn’t have to do anything except for report her.
Five minutes until 5 o’clock.
“I gotta go to the bathroom, babe. I’ll be back.” Frank leans in and tells me. I kiss his cheek and he gets up and goes.
A few minutes later, I’m staring off, and I’m kicked out of my daze by the sound of my name. It’s that smooth sweet voice that I once craved to hear.
“Gerard?” I look over to see Lindsey. In an orange pair of scrub like clothes. It reminds me of Frank’s teal scrubs. Yeah, Frank has scrubs. He’s a weird one. Speaking of Frank. I need him. He’s not back from the bathroom yet. Lind’s hair is now a dark brown, lucky for her, the black faded to her natural hair color so she doesn’t have horrible roots. But her hairs longer and all down, not her usual pig tails. It still looks just as soft.
My heart kinda cringes. She’s still beautiful to me. I don’t think she ever won’t be. I gave her three years of my life. I don’t love her anymore, but seeing her makes me wonder what I did to make her do what she’s done to me.
“Hey, Linds.” I reply.
“Why… Are you alright?”
“Yeah, things are fine.” Then I remember, she didn’t know we were coming. “We’re here for you.”
“We’re?” I see her eyes widen and move to the left of me. I feel a hand grip mind and then hear Frank’s voice.
“Yeah, we.”
“Oh.. Well. Okay. Let’s go figure out the sex.” Lindsey’s voice is shaking. Her eyes are still wide. I can tell she’s upset. I look at Frank and the guard starts to walk Lindsey to the ultrasound room.
I kiss his forehead and he smiles at me as we walk behind them, hand in hand. The room is relatively large. Lindsey hops on the bed and her hand goes to her stomach. I’m just now realizing the bump she has grown. It’s not huge, but it’s definitely there. I stare at it in awe. There’s my child. Little Bandit Lee or Miles Anthony. I know Frank sees it too, cause his grip on my hand tightens.
“I’m not as big as most people are, but the doctor says that’s fine.” Lindsey speaks. My eyes shoot to hers. “So…” She tightens her lips. “Yall are still together.”
“Yep, we actually moved in to our new house today.” I reply. Lindsey’s face sinks. Her eyes go sad.
“You two got a house?” She ask, her voice higher than usual, like when she’s about to cry.
“You know we couldn’t raise a baby in that apartment.” I tell her.
“Yeah… I forgot.”
It’s silent then for a few minutes. Linds’ breaks it again. Her eyes connect with Frankie’s.
“So, you’re gonna help Gerard raise my child?” Her voice sounds slightly bitter. She emphasizes the “my.” That slightly pisses me off.
“I’m gonna help raise Gerard’s child.” Frank replies, his voice stern, returning her bitterness.
“Will she call you dad?” Lindsey ask.
“Yes.” I cut in. Frank looks at me, and I nod. Giving him permission to tell her. Lindsey’s eyes are already wide.
“We’re gonna raise our child.” Frank tells her, raising a hand and moving a finger between me and him.
Lindsey’s just staring at Frank. I watch a tear fall from her eyes.
“Good. Good. She deserves to have two parents who are together and happy. Good. Fucking good. Fucking great.”
“Lindsey…” I begin.
“No, Gerard. I did this to myself. I didn’t realize the different outcomes. I fucked up my own life. I won’t be able to be a mother to the little girl inside of me because I’m stupid and jealous and angry at everything.”
I just sit there. I didn’t expect her to be like this. She really does regret it. I know Lindsey. And she’s telling the truth. I look at Frank and his brows are furrowed.
“Little girl?” Frank ask.
Lindsey laughs a little. “I’m almost positive it’s a girl. I’m showing all the signs of a girl.
I smile. “Bandit.” I whisper.
“What?” Linds ask.
“We have names picked out.” Frank tells her. Her face lightens up.
“What are they?” She practically beams.
“Bandit Lee Way-Iero.” I tell her. She smiles.
“Lee.” Is all she says, looking at me with knowing eyes, I nod and smiles before continuing.
“Miles Anthony Iero-Way.”
Linsey’s still smiling.
“I like them. I see why you did the last name flip for each. Anthony is your middle name right, Frank?” She ask.
How does she know that? Frank looks at her with confused and scared eyes.
Lindsey laughs. “I kind of searched you a little bit when I found out.”
“How did you find out?” Frank ask.
“Kitty saw you together holding hands a few days before the party.” She tells him. Kitty is her best friend. Frank doesn’t ask who she is, either not caring, already knowing, or assuming.
I nod, and then a doctor walks in. It’s my doctor. From the ER. What. Why is he in here?
“Good afternoon, folks.” He says. His eyes move to Gerard. “Mr. Way, nice to see you.” He shakes me hand. And moves to Frank. “Mr. Iero, correct?” He ask. Frank smile and nods. And shakes his hand, too.
“I’m sorry, but… How?” I ask.
Dr. Urie laughs. “I’m a pediatrician, but I also have credits with other types of work, and that week Dr. Weekes, who normally works the ER was out for vacation so I stepped in.”
“Wait, you know each other?” Lindsey ask.
I look at her. “He’s the one who told me what you used to drug me and make sure I was fine.” I say coldly. Lindsey immediately looks away.
“Okay. Well, I’ve already been told by Mrs. Ballato’s Lawyer that you’d be here and why and such. Let’s get started.”
A nurse steps in and sets up some machine with a TV on it. Lindsey lifts up her shirt. I look at her forming stretch marks before the nurse lathers her stomach in jelly. She hands Urie this tool thing, I have no idea what any of this stuff means. But he gently lowers it to Lindsey’s stomach. And an image on the screen pops up.
“Lady, Gentlemen, this is your baby.”
My breathe hitches. And I stand up, Frank comes up with me. I feel a hand grab mine, but no calluses. I look down and see that’s its Lindsey’s. My eyes go back to the screen as I watch Dr. Urie explain what everything is and means and he keeps telling us it’s incredibly healthy.
“Do you want to know the sex?” Urie ask. We all nod furiously.
He laughs and points to a spot on the screen. He looks at us, somehow he seems to make eye contact with all of us at once.
“It’s a girl.” He says.
My smile stretches over my face. It’s what we wanted. I look at frank who’s staring at me. “Bandit Lee.” He whispers, and I move my face closer to his and kiss him. It’s a short kiss.
“Way-Iero.” I reply in a whisper.
Lindsey is looking at us, smiling. I turn to her.
“You were right, Linds.” She smiles.
“I’m so glad it’s a girl for you.” She says.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You’d do better raising a girl with how feminine you are.”
I just nod, understanding.
Frank kisses my cheek.
“You two have to stop that.” The doctor finally speaks up again. I look at him, eyes wide. God, he’s a homophobe.
“My husband’s on a business trip. And you’re making him miss me more.” Urie says. Oh, good. Not a homophobe.
“May I ask his name?” Frank says. He must know all the gays in this area.
“Ryan Ross.” Urie replies. Where have I heard that name? “And you’re Frank, he’s told me about you. It was actually on that same trip of his that we met.”
Oh. Ryan is the guy Frank fucked for a whole weekend straight.
Frank chuckles and nods. “Small world, eh?” he says.
Urie laughs with him. “Very.”
“Okay. Ballato, you can take one print out back with you. What would you like?” He continues, looking at Lindsey.
“One pointing and saying female. You know what I’m talking about?” She tells him.
“Yes. I do. Do you gentlemen want the printouts?”
“Yes, please.” I answer.
“Okay. Ms. Ballato. Your picture will be at the front desk. I’ll see you next time.” Urie smiles.
He exits the room, and me and Frank wait for Lindsey and the guard to leave.
Linds turns around. “Will you be there in the delivery room?” She ask. I didn’t think about it. I never have. Shit, do I want to be? “Both of you.” She adds with a smile.
“Yes.” I answer. She just nods and exits the hospital.
The doctor stops us on our way out to personally hand us the print outs.
“As soon as they told you were gonna be here all the pieces clicked. I’m so sorry all this happened to you.” He tells us.
“It’s turning out to be okay. We don’t have to adopt or go through anything for at least our first kid.” Frank tells him.
“Ah, yes. You’re lucky. I’m currently searching out surrogates that have a long line of dark hair and brown eyes. It’s complicated.”
We all laugh and talk for a few minutes before saying our goodbyes.
Me and Frank enter my car, and suddenly my neck is being grabbed and my lips are being crashed against Frank’s. We make out for a few minutes, passionately. He finally releases.
“I’ve never loved you more than I do today. We have a house. We found out it’s a girl. Bandit Lee Way-Iero. God, today is…”
“Perfect. Just like the rest of our life will be. Remember what you told me earlier? Today…”
“Is the beginning of our forever.” Frank continues my thought. I smile and we kiss again before driving, hand in hand to our new house.

Notes

IM BACK. so sorry for the almost week long wait! i was at a friends!
this chapter is really long, and kind of crappy. sorry.
anyways, comments make me happy!
thanks for reading! stay lovely!