If You Can't Handle The Heat...

Frank looked at the clock, he’d got the kitchen ready for the day and was avoiding doing front of house stuff so Mikey would have something to teach his brother. He had the uniform shirt Gerard would be wearing today sitting on the front counter and was simply waiting for them to show up.

"Get your ass up fucker..."

Mikey punched his brother in the shoulder.

"Ow...what the fuck do you want fucktard?...its..."

Gerard looked over at Mikey's alarm clock.

"...it's 6:30 in the morning."

"I know. We gotta be in work in half an hour, so get outta my bed before I chuck water over you."

"You wouldn't."

Mikey picked up a full glass from the nightstand and held it over Gerard's head.

"Try me."

Gerard stared up at Mikey for a moment then rolled his eyes and shuffled out of bed and to the bathroom. Mikey nodded in satisfaction, drank the water then finished getting ready for work.

20 minutes later the brothers walked in the front door of Deidre's.

"Morning Frank. Help has arrived."

Mikey cheered. Gerard smiled slightly from behind his brother when he saw Frank stick his head out of the kitchen upon hearing Mikey's greeting.

“‘Bout time you got here, you’re lucky there haven’t been any customers in here yet...”

Frank said to Mikey before turning to smile at Gerard.

“Morning.”

"Hi..."

Gerard said quietly. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

"Could I get a coffee before I start please?...Mikey wouldn't let me have one before we left. I'll pay."

He said hopefully, looking at Frank with big eyes.

“Yeah, you can have coffee. You don’t have to pay for it though, employees don’t pay for drinks while they’re working and food is half-priced while you’re working...”

Frank smiled at Gerard.

“Why wouldn’t you let him have coffee? Mikey, that’s just fucking mean.”

Mikey shrugged.

"If he dragged his ass out of my bed earlier he could've gotten some."

Frank rolled his eyes and shook his head at Mikey.

“Make sure he gets that uniform shirt I left on the counter for him.”

Mikey nodded and dragged Gerard behind the counter, grabbing the shirt and shoving his brother toward the toilets to change.

"Be quick then I'll teach you how to work the coffee machine."

Gerard took the shirt, grimacing slightly at the scratchy fabric, and disappeared to get ready. Mikey looked at Frank.

"What?"

“Be nice to him, or I’ll remind you of how your first day of training went.”

Frank grinned and went back into his kitchen.

Mikey cringed at the memory, then went out front to wait for his brother.

Gerard came out of the toilet, trying to straighten the shirt. Mikey rolled his eyes and walked over to help him.

"How did you dress yourself while you were away?"

He asked as he swatted Gerard's hands away and sorted his clothes out for him.

"I didn't."

Gerard said with a smirk. Mikey looked up at him, freezing for a second then turning away.

"So the coffee machine is a bitch."

(time passes~ lunch)

Gerard took an order at a table with four adults and two small, loud children.

"So that's three bacon potato hashes, one plain omelette, two small portions of fries, four coffees and two chocolate milks...right?"

He got nods of conformation and a sugar packet chucked at his face. He smiled and clicked the send button, sending the food order through to Frank before going behind the counter to start the drinks.

Gerard hated that coffee machine. It was, like Mikey said, a bitch!

He put the first cup in its spot and gingerly pressed the button. The machine instantly sprayed burning hot coffee all over him.

"Eeee!!"

He cried out, flapping his hands and stumbling backward.

Frank came out of the kitchen and looked at Gerard.

“Shit, what happened?...”

He pulled his towel off the belt string of his apron and moved over to help Gerard.

“That stupid machine has gotta be possessed, I keep telling Tony to get someone to fix it.”

Gerard whimpered, showing Frank his hands...the skin was wet and a little red.

“Shit, hold on a second.”

Frank said before going back into the kitchen to get the first aid kit. He brought it back out to the front to deal with Gerard’s hands. Frank turned on the cold water and gently guided Gerard’s hands under the water to cool the burn.

"Shitshitshit..."

Gerard quietly hissed out through clenched teeth, tears forming in his eyes.

"That fucking stings."

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.”

Frank looked up at Gerard and felt bad but the burn needed to be dealt with. He’d had his fair share of burns and that coffee maker made the coffee really hot. He took Gerard’s hands out of the water and turned it off before he grabbed one of the clean soft towels the wait staff used for cleaning. He very carefully and gently pressed it around Gerard’s hands to dry them off.

Gerard sniffed, looking at his hands in dismay...what if he couldn't draw?!?

"That m-machine's a m-menace."

“Yeah, I know it is. Tony is either going to get it fixed or I’ll try and fix it...”

Frank glared at it.

“This is the final straw on that cursed thing...”

He tossed aside the towel and looked at the distressed expression on Gerard’s face.

“What’s the matter? You look worried. I’m gonna put some Polysporin on it and bandage your hands where the worst of the burn is but your fingers look fine so I don’t have to bandage those and if it doesn’t hurt too bad you can try to keep working with Mikey if you want. This shit happens in restaurants, even to the waiters.”

"But...but..."

Gerard looked up sadly.

"What if I can't draw anymore?"

“No, it’s not that bad, you’ll be able to draw but it’s gonna hurt until your burns heal.”

Frank shook his head as he bandaged Gerard’s hands carefully, trying not to be rough and keeping his dry, rough hands from brushing against Gerard’s too much.

Gerard breathed slow and deep, trying hard not to cry. He nodded slightly.

"O-ok Frank."

Frank finished wrapping up Gerard’s hands and looked at him.

“You ok? What were you trying to do anyway?”

"F-four coffees..."

Gerard stuttered quietly, peering at his bandaged hand.

"For table 3."

“Ok, I’ll help you get those done and carry them over. Then...where is Mikey?” Frank frowned and looked around.

Gerard looked around aswell and couldn't see Mikey.

"I...I don't know."

“Well when I find him I’m gonna kick his ass for ditching you on your first day...”

Frank shook his head.

“Let’s get these coffees done right now though.”

He smiled gently at Gerard and then turned to see where the coffee cups were stored and cursed under his breath at Tony for putting them up just where Frank wouldn’t be able to reach.

Gerard looked up at the cups, then at Frank.

"I already got some cups..."

He pointed to the counter behind him...giggling slightly.

"Maybe they need to be kept lower down. I'll get the kid's chocolate milks while you do the coffees...yeah?"

He said, moving to start on the much safer kid's drinks.

“Yeah I’ll do that, and no the cups are fine if you can reach them. I never really come out here for stuff like that so I’ve never noticed they were even up there before.”

Frank shook his head and got the four coffees ready, wary of the machine being stupid again but it behaved.

"Thanks Frank..."

Gerard said with a grateful smile, putting the coffees on a tray with the chocolate milks.

"I'll tame that thing one day, maybe."

He smirked, eyeing the coffee machine before taking the family their drinks, wincing slightly at the sting in his hands.

Frank glared at the machine and grabbed his phone to text Tony and tell him the damn thing had done the stupid thing again and burned Gerard. The text he got back was distressed and said that he’d send someone to fix the stupid thing.

Gerard went back to the counter with a red face and his eyes lowered, biting his lip. He had the empty tray clutched against his chest.

Frank caught the look on Gerard’s face and his frown deepened.

“What’s the matter, Gerard?”

Gerard swallowed, he glanced at the table he'd just served then back at the floor between him and Frank.

"Nothing..."

He said quietly.

"I should get on."

Frank caught Gerard’s arm.

“No, what happened?”

Frank looked at Gerard and his face softened.

Gerard sighed, refusing to look up.

"The man said...he said he didn't want..."

He trailed off, frowning.

“What did he say?”

Frank frowned again and couldn’t help but feel a little irritated that Gerard was getting crap from the customers already on day one.

"He said he didn't want a klutz serving them that can't even pour coffee."

Frank all but growled.

“Stay here...”

He told Gerard and wandered out into the dining area and stopped at the table. He looked at the kids and frowned. He’d have to be a little more...polite...about this then.

“Excuse me, but which of you had the audacity to insult my waiter?”

"I did..."

Said a thin young man with virtually shaved hair at the back and sides, and dark blonde curls on top.

"He's clearly incompetent if he can't even pour coffee."

“Did you perhaps take into consideration it’s his first day here? Or that the machine is wonky and broken and has done that to even our most experienced waiters?...”

Frank tapped his foot impatiently.

“Gerard is perfectly competent. We’ve all burned ourselves on that thing and it is going to be fixed. In the meantime do not disrespect my wait staff.”

The man rolled his eyes.

"Whatever hobbit-boy."

“I don’t need height, at least I don’t stoop to petty name calling when I know I’m wrong. Respect my waiter or you’ll find yourself on the curb with no food and the owner of this place hot on your tail.”

Frank glared.

"That a threat little man?"

"Rob, stop it and apologise or I'm cutting you off for a month and you can sleep on the couch."

The small woman with bright pink dyed hair sat next to the asshole said with one eyebrow raised.

"But Hayley I..."

"Now Robert."

The man swallowed under his wife's hard stare.

"Alright alright..."

He turned back to Frank.

"Sorry."

Hayley clipped him round the back of his head.

"OW!"

"And now like you mean it!"

"Fine...I'm sorry for being rude to you and your...waiter."

“I forgive you, now if we are good and everyone is going to behave I’m going back into my kitchen to make whatever it is you decide you’d like to eat today...”

Frank smiled at them.

“And if I have to come back out here, Robert, I will not hesitate to call the owner to deal with you. He’s quite protective of his employees.”

Robert said nothing, but Hayley smiled apologetically at Frank.

"Don't worry, he'll be good."

Frank nodded and headed back towards the kitchen. He stopped to look at Gerard and smiled.

“It’s dealt with and if they give you anymore trouble tell me, ok? You have to let us know when customers are being unreasonably difficult.”

Gerard nodded.

"Ok Frank. I put their order in before I burnt my hand by the way."

Frank’s eyes went wide.

“Ah shit. Ok, I’ll go do that then. You alright here?”

Gerard nodded with a small smile as he turned to the bell ringing over the opening door. His smile slipped a little when Mikey walked in.

"Where'd you go?...one minute you were here and then..."

"For a smoke. What got your panties in a bunch?"

Gerard looked down, shrugging slightly.

"Nothing, just wondering."

He said quietly, moving to clean up behind the counter without another word.

Frank frowned at Mikey but decided to stay out of it and ducked back into the kitchen to do the order sitting there waiting for him. He picked up the ticket and sighed.

“Mikey! I think Gerard did the thing on the last order he sent me, show him how to fix it.”

He called out at them.

Mikey rolled his eyes.

"That figures..."

He huffed.

"Gee, you did this wrong."

Gerard looked up.

"I did?...wait, what did I do?"

"You double ordered this."

Mikey pointed to the potato hashes on the order, that instead of there being 3, there was 6. Gerard looked at the screen and frowned slightly.

"So, how do I fix it Mikes?"

Mikey sighed like this was just too much bother then proceeded to show Gerard what to do.

"...Then you press send and Frank will get the right order. It's not that hard."

Gerard chewed on his lip, nodding.

"Ok Mikes, I see. I'll try not to get it wrong again."

Mikey huffed and walked away to greet a new couple who'd just entered the diner. He took them to sit at one of his booths. Gerard sighed, maybe this job wasn't for him after all.

“Hey Gerard?”

Frank called from his serving window. He was seriously questioning Mikey’s deal with his brother.

Gerard looked up with a small smile.

"Yeah Frank?"

Frank sighed.

“Don’t let him get to you about shit like that, he still fucks it up. The only difference is he knows how to fix it. It’s your first day, you’ll pick this stuff up. It’s a matter of repetition and getting used to it. You should’ve seen him on his first day. I thought Halsey was gonna die laughing at him.”

Frank giggled at the memory.

Gerard smiled a little wider, shrugging slightly.

"It's ok Frank, I'm used to it..."

He turned as the bell over the door rang, a young man with floppy black hair and a sleeveless shirt that must've left him cold, but at the same time showed off a lot of tattoos, walked in.

"Hi, welcome to Deidre's. Would you like a booth or to sit at the bar?"

The man said he'd like a booth and Gerard led him to one near the back with a friendly smile.

Frank frowned and went back to working on the order. He didn’t like the implication of Gerard being used to being treated like shit.

Mikey pressed the button on his order pad, sending the order to Frank before going behind the counter to fix the couple their coffees. He looked back into the kitchen.

"Frank, can you make one of those burgers really well done, like almost to the point of burnt?...customer was very specific."

“I wouldn’t even feed something like that to my dog but sure, if that’s what they want then that’s what they can have.”

Frank shook his head in disgust.

Mikey snorted a laugh.

"His wife wants salad dressing for her fries too."

“Pfffft what the fuck, is she pregnant? Who eats shit like that?...though I guess I can’t really say anything.”

Frank said and ducked away to work before he could be asked to clarify on that any further.

Mikey set to making the coffees as Gerard returned to the counter, pressing send on his order. He waited quietly for Mikey to finish with the dreaded machine before approaching it nervously as Mikey walked away.

"You don't like me and I don't like you..."

Gerard muttered to the machine as he collected a cup and set it in place.

"...but unless you want to be thrown into the dumpster out back, I suggest you refrain from burning me again, ok?..."

He swallowed then pressed the button for coffee, pulling his hand back quickly to his chest protectively as the machine spluttered noisily before delivering a perfect cup of hot black coffee.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Frank rang the bell on his counter loudly and grinned as he saw Gerard jump.

“Order up, Gerard.”

Gerard turned and smiled at Frank.

"I'll just take this coffee out then I'll be back. That order's for the couple with the kids...right?"

He was nervous to face that guy again, but he knew it was just part of his job.

Frank looked at the ticket in front of him.

“Yeah, think so.”

Frank passed the ticket over for Gerard to check.

Gerard nodded, sighing.

"Yep, that's it. I'll be back for it in a second..."

He picked up the solo customer's coffee and took it to him, then returned for the family's order.

"Ok, here goes nothing."

He muttered to himself as he collected the plates of food.

Frank watched him go out until he couldn’t see him anymore, then he settled for trying to listen and hear what was going on in the dining area over the noise of the kitchen.

“Fuck.”

Frank muttered when he couldn’t catch anything and went back to making Mikey’s order.

Gerard approached the table with a slightly forced smile.

"I'm sorry for the wait..."

"Not at all sweetie..."

The woman interrupted.

"It's my idiot husband who should be apologising to you..."

She turned to the man with a hard look.

"Rob?"

The man sighed then looked up at Gerard.

"I'm sorry for before, I hadn't realised it was your first day."

"That's ok sir, no harm done. So, I have three bacon potato hashes, one plain omelette, and two small portions of fries...was there anything else?...did you need any more drinks?"

The woman shook her head with a kind smile.

"No, thank you."

Gerard nodded as he placed the food down.

"Ok, well just give me a wave if you do."

He smiled then walked back to the counter, shaking slightly as he got behind it and leaned against the wall next to the kitchen door.

Frank tapped at his counter bell again and stuck his head out the serving window.

“Eh Mikey, order up!”

Mikey walked back over to the counter and stepped behind it, giving Gerard a look on the way passed but saying nothing. He got to the serving window and started picking up his order.

"Hey Frank, which one is the charcoal burger?"

“Oh you can tell by looking at them.”

Frank shuddered.

Mikey looked at the two plates.

"Oh yeah..."

He turned to leave the counter and stopped, tilting his head at Gerard.

"Taking a break Gee?..."

He said sarcastically.

"Don't think you're due one yet, are you?"

Then he walked off to deliver his order without waiting for a response. Gerard sighed, looking down.

Frank poked his head out to see what Mikey was talking about and spotted Gerard.

“Hey, Gerard?”

Gerard looked up. He tried to put on a smile, but was pretty sure it wasn't that convincing. He let it fall again.

"Yes Frank?"

“Your customers all taken care of for now?”

Frank asked him with a gentle smile.

Gerard looked out into the diner then back at Frank, nodding.

"Yeah...why?"

“Wanna come play back here with me? I can teach you how the kitchen works...which I’m supposed to do with all the wait staff but I haven’t had a chance to with Mikey yet. You guys are supposed to at least know the basics of what I do back here in case of a rush or something and I need help.”

Frank grinned widely.

Gerard smiled slightly, grateful for the break from customers...and Mikey.

"Yeah ok..."

He stepped into the hot kitchen and understood why Frank rolled his sleeves up...it was like stepping into a sauna.

"Woah...how do you work in this?"

He said, blinking and wiping his hand over his face...belatedly remembering the eyeliner he'd rushed to put on that morning. Well it was likely ruined now.

Frank shrugged.

“Get used to it I guess?”

Gerard smiled softly, following Frank further into the kitchen.

"So what're you going to teach me Frank?"

Frank grinned and shook his head.

“Well...I’ll start with asking what you already know. Do you know how to work the restaurant styled toaster?”

Gerard tilted his head.

"Is it different from a regular toaster?"

Frank chuckled and pointed at the toaster.

“Yeah, a little bit.”

Gerard looked at the large shiny box thing on the counter to the right of the chiller.

"Oh uh...no then, I don't know how to use one."

He said with a small giggle.

“It’s not real hard. You turn this dial to four and put the bun in the top here with the face down on the conveyor thing...”

Frank pointed at the bag of buns on the little shelf.

“You break them in half, and then put them in and they just pop out at the bottom in a couple minutes. If it doesn’t that means it’s stuck and you have to turn it off and take it out.”

Gerard nodded along to Frank's instructions.

"Ok, yeah that seems simple enough..."

He looked up, smiling shyly.

"So what's next?"

“Are you as bad as you say your brother is?”

Frank looked at him warily.

"Nope. I've never burnt down a kitchen, and I can actually make a pretty good omelette if I'm in the mood."

“Ok good, you are allowed to use the flat top then...”

Frank chuckled and gestured behind him.

“We par cook bacon in large batches so that when someone orders something with bacon all I have to do is but it back on the flattop with the weight on it until it is as crispy as the customer wants it. You with me so far here?”

"Yeah, I think so..."

Gerard nodded with a smile.

"How do you..."

"Am I meant to be doing your job too now?..."

Mikey said, interrupting his brother from the kitchen doorway.

"Are you gonna spend all day in here?"

Gerard's cheeks flushed pink and he fumbled his reply.

"S-sorry Mikey, I'm coming now..."

He glanced apologetically at Frank.

"Sorry."

Then he headed back out into the diner, squeezing passed Mikey who rolled his eyes at him then looked at Frank.

"Sorry if he was disturbing you Frank."

Frank let out a frustrated huff.

“Actually no, he was doing his job. I’m supposed to train all the wait staff to help me handle minor stuff in here in case of a rush, which I told you on your first day. He had a minute so I was going over some of it with him and doing his training.”

Mikey swallowed.

"Oh um, sorry."

He turned and returned to work.

Frank shook his head and went back to what he’d been doing before he’d brought Gerard back to train. He got the flat top as clean as it needed to be and started cutting up some veg. He kind of hummed to himself and worked, he’d hear the ticket machine if an order came in.

Gerard smiled nervously at the couple with the kids as the woman tried to get her children to choose a desert. Eventually they both chose cookies, cos they could take them with them to eat on the way to the park.

"So I'll get you those cookies and the bill...if there's nothing else?"

"No, just the cookies...and again, I'm sorry about before."

"No worries."

Gerard went to the covered container on the counter and retrieved two large triple chocolate cookies, then went to the register, added the cookies and printed up the bill. He returned to the table and handed the little brats their cookies and the man the bill, as his hand was held out for it.

"Just come to the counter when you're ready."

He smiled and walked back to the counter to gather himself a little. The man hadn't spoken to him, but he hadn't hidden his nasty looks each time his wife's attention was elsewhere.

After a minute the wife went up and paid as the husband ushered the kids out into the cold.

"Thanks, come again."

"We will, and Rob will be on his best behaviour next time, I promise."

Gerard smiled at the woman, then she left. Gerard sighed in relief.

"Gerard, don't just stand around...take the rubbish out would you?"

Mikey said as he pushed passed to make his customer another coffee. Gerard nodded and went to empty the trash bin that was next to the door. He took the bag out, replaced it with a new one, then took the half-full one outside to the dumpster in the ally.

(time passes- twenty minutes later)

Gerard hadn't come back. Mikey stood in the kitchen doorway.

"Have you seen Gerard?"

“Not since you scared him out of my kitchen, no, why?”

Frank looked up at Mikey. He’d about got all the prep done and mainly just had cleaning and dishes to do.

"Cos I sent him to take out the trash and he never came back...I've been covering his tables for half an hour..."

Mikey said with a shrug.

"I'm guessing he's wandered off."

Frank frowned. That didn’t seem right. He may not know Gerard very well but he didn’t seem the type to have wandered off.

“I’ll go check and see what’s up. Keep an eye on the diner.”

Frank looked pointedly at Mikey.

Mikey shrugged then turned around and went back to work.

Frank wiped his hands on his towel and tossed it aside. He went out into the dining area and out the door, forgetting his sweater, to go look around back. He peaked around the side of the building and didn’t see anything so he went down the side to look around the back.

Gerard groaned as he struggled to sit up against the rough brick wall beside the dumpster, holding the back of his head...he didn't remember getting hit by a truck?!

"Urgh."

Frank heard a small sound and moved around to look on the other side of the dumpster.

“Shit!, Gerard?!”

He moved towards him.

Gerard turned his head a little and instantly regretted it.

"Ow fuck."

He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

Frank crouched down in front of Gerard.

“Gerard?...”

Frank reached out to hold Gerard’s face in his hand.

“Hey? You ok?”

"I-I don't know...what happened?"

“We’ll figure that out but I’m asking if you’re ok. Does anything hurt? Do I need to take you to a hospital?”

Frank shook his head and looked down at the other boy.

"My head..."

Gerard whimpered slightly, moving his hand from the back of his head to in front of his eyes...there was a small wet and red patch on his palm. He looked up at Frank, eyes wide.

"F-Frank?"

“Shit, it’s ok, can you stand up?”

Frank asked him. He pulled his cell out of his back pocket to text Tony and ask him to come in.

Gerard bit his lower lip to stop it wobbling. He nodded but shrugged at the same time.

“Do you want me to go get Mikey?”

"No! Can you..."

Gerard swallowed heavily, feeling a little sick.

"Can you help me up please?"

“Ok...”

Frank reached forward and slipped his arm under Gerard’s shoulders to bring him up to his feet.

“Listen, I can take you to the hospital or Mikey can take you, one way or the other you need to go to make sure that isn’t serious.”

Gerard leaned heavily on Frank and squeezed his eyes shut as his head spun.

"Can *urgh*, can you...please?"

“You realise I don’t actually have a car and you’ll be on my bike on the seat in front of me, right?”

Frank looked at him warily.

"Please, Frank?"

Frank nodded.

“Ok, Gerard...”

Frank helped him around the back of the building to the parking lot side where his bike was parked right beside the building. Mikey wouldn’t be able to see them here. Frank caught sight of Tony, who saw Gerard and nodded in understanding. He went inside with his phone in his hand and Frank knew to expect a text. He pulled off his apron and stuffed it in the saddle bag. He pulled his keys out of his pocket.

“Ok, you gotta sit right on the seat so I can get on behind you. I’m putting you in front of me so you don’t fall backwards or something. I’ll drive careful.”

"Mhmm...ok Frank."

Gerard slurred slightly, climbing awkwardly onto the bike and nearly falling right off the other side.

Frank caught hold of Gerard and sighed. He swung his leg up and over the bike to settle onto the seat behind Gerard.

“You can lean against me, just hold onto the handles here...”

He indicated the metal part between the handlebars, on the inside of the grips.

“Okay?”

"Yeah, o-ok Frank..."

Gerard slurred as he placed his hands on the handles.

"Don't go t-too fast, yeah?"

“Of course not...”

Frank turned the key and had to lift his weight a bit to kick the thing to life, the thing rumbling loudly below them. He worried he’d moved to much for Gerard but there wasn’t much he could do. He got them onto the road and headed towards the hospital, he took it slow but he definitely wanted to get there soon. He tried to keep his eyes on the road but quite often he found himself looking at Gerard in front of him to check on him. When they finally got to the hospital he parked as close as he could get to the front and set out the kickstand. He turned off the bike and looked at Gerard.

“You alright?”

"W-where are we?"

Gerard turned unfocused eyes toward the other man.

“We’re at the hospital, you ok?...”

Frank held Gerard in his arms and steadied him.

“Do I need to carry you inside?”

"Frank?..."

Gerard said uncertainly.

"W-what happened?"

“Yeah Gerard, it’s me...shit...”

Frank frowned and got off the bike, holding Gerard up with his hand. He slipped an arm under Gerard’s legs.

“Put your arms around my neck, ok?”

"O-ok."

Gerard lifted his arms and put them around Frank's neck limply...he leaned his head against Frank's shoulder because it felt too heavy...so did his eyelids...he closed them.

“Gerard? No buddy, no sleeping. You can’t sleep, stay awake and talk to me baby. Tell me about...tell me about that drawing you were doing yesterday...”

Frank picked Gerard up, hugging him to his chest. He realised after he said it and far too late that he’d called Gerard ‘baby’. He sighed, he’d deal with that later if Gerard even remembered, and carried him towards the front door.

“Ramble about anything, just no sleeping right now.”

"M-Mikey's got a sssstuffed unicorn...it's called Pierce and he kissssess it g-goodnnnight..."

Gerard giggled sleepily.

"I thhhink heee did mmmore than kisss it when I was awayyy."

“Dude, that’s a little weird. Seriously?...”

Frank chuckled and smiled at Gerard.

“Does his unicorn have a name?”

Gerard frowned slightly, eyes still closed...he was so tired.

"What unicorn?"

Frank got him into the hospital and gave a nurse a look that made her come over to see what was going on.

“I don’t know what happened to him but he hit his head and it’s bleeding. He keeps trying to go to sleep and can’t seem to remember anything. He was talking fine when I first found him but now not so much. He just told me something and then forgot he even said it a couple seconds later.”

"F-Frank?...what's happening?"

Gerard mumbled against Frank's shoulder.

"Oh Lord..."

The nurse said with concern in a strong Texas accent.

"Bring him through here and lay him down, I'll go fetch a doctor..."

She lead Frank toward a curtained cubicle and pointed to the bed.

"Try to keep him awake til I get back, ok?"

Frank nodded and set Gerard down as she walked away. He wouldn’t let him lay down though.

“Come on Gerard, talk to me. Tell me about that unicorn so I can pick on Mikey for it later.”

"I...Frank I...I don't feel so..."

Gerard stuttered out weakly before throwing up all over himself and the bed.

“Shit, Gerard, you ok? Where the fuck is that nurse?”

Frank looked out to see if he could spot her.

Gerard leaned his head against Frank's shoulder and mumbled quietly.

“No sleeping, come on, you gotta stay awake.”

Frank rested his face again the top of Gerard’s head and looped his arms around him.

"You're warm..."

Gerard mumbled against Frank's neck.

"Comfy."

“I know I’m warm but you can’t go to sleep, we need to wait for that nurse to come back with a doctor to look at you and make sure you’re ok.”

Frank looked around again wondering where the hell that stupid nurse had gone to, surely it did not take this long to find a doctor in a hospital.

"Tired."

Gerard mumbled, his eyes closing. The nurse walked into the room with a man in a white doctor's coat right behind her. He had floppy, sandy blonde hair, glasses, and a friendly smile on his face.

"Sorry it took so long. This is Dr. Stump."

Dr. Stump nodded.

“Alright let me get a look at him, what happened?”

He moved around to look at Gerard. Frank tried to get Gerard to sit up away from him so the doctor could look.

“I don’t really know what happened, but his head was bleeding a bit so I’m assuming he hit it. He doesn’t seem to remember what happened either and he keeps trying to go to sleep.”

Frank looked at the doctor warily.

“Ok, what’s your name?”

Dr. Stump asked Gerard.

"Um...Gerard?"

Gerard said uncertainly.

Dr. Stump looked at Frank for confirmation, Frank nodded and watched silently.

“Can you sit up here for me so I can look at your head?”

The doctor motioned for Gerard to sit facing him.

Gerard blinked dopily and shuffled around, almost pitching forward off the bed.

Frank instinctively reached to catch Gerard before he could fall.

“Alright, now I’m sorry if this hurts...”

The doctor tilted Gerard’s head down so he could look, carefully moving his hair with his hand. He didn’t poke and prod too much.

“Looks like he’s got a bump and there is a bit of a cut but it doesn’t look too bad. He seems very unfocused though. This is gonna be bright just look at me and keep your eyes open, ok?...”

He said and pulled out his little flashlight to shine it at Gerard’s eyes, kind of holding his eye open and making Gerard whine at the light.

“Gerard, can you count to ten for me?”

Gerard groaned quietly, he really just wanted to go to sleep.

"1, 2, 3...uh...5?...6, 8, 9...10. Is that right?"

“Hmmmm...can you recite your alphabet?”

The doctor looked at him, and shot Frank a worried look.

"Uh...a, b, c...um...d, e, f, g..."

He paused to yawn, then looked at Frank.

"What's happening Frank?"

Frank frowned and looked back at the doctor.

“He’s got a concussion, I’m going to give him some painkillers and we’ll keep him here overnight to keep an eye on him. I’ll leave the nurse with him right now if you’ll come to the desk I need you to fill something out and give me some way to contact you.”

Dr. Stump motioned for Frank to follow him.

"F-Frank?"

Gerard whimpered slightly.

“You’ll be ok, Gerard, they’re gonna keep you safe and take care of you. I’ll come back, ok?...”

Frank hugged Gerard tight.

“You’ll be alright, I promise.”

"I don't like neeeeedles..."

Gerard whined in Frank's ear.

"Tell them not to stab me."

“I’ll make sure he knows...”

Frank gave Gerard one last squeeze before very carefully pulling away from him.

“They won’t hurt you.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Gerard’s head, internally kicking himself when he realised he’d done it. He turned and headed for where the doctor had gone.

Gerard whined slightly then turned to the nurse with a petulant look on his face.

"Don't stab me."

He mumbled, sleepily. The nurse chuckled slightly and shook her head.

"I wasn't planning on it hun..."

She made sure he was safely sat on the bed then stepped over to a trolley that had hospital gowns on it. She grabbed two and returned to the bedside, placing them next to Gerard's legs.

"So, let's get you changed then."

Gerard sighed, he hated hospitals.

Notes

Hi there chipmunks, how's you?

So here's a new chapter and I think Gerard's had possibly the worst first day at work ever...if you disagree, tell me about your worse first day.

Until next time, PLEASE COMMENT and peace out babies!
<3