I slid a glass across the bar to Gerard, smiling at him.
“I'm glad that fight didn't go anywhere,” he said quietly. We were closing up for the night, and it was almost silent, only a couple people still around.
“Me too,” I sighed, leaning against the bar. “I trust him, but when he grabbed me, I got so scared.”
Gerard smiled slightly. “That's okay, Frankie. You're allowed to be scared of things that bring up memories. Mikey would understand.”
“You gotta-”
“I don't gotta do anything, Frank,” Gerard interrupted quickly. “We were talking about you and Mikey, not me and Mikey.”
“He's your brother, Gerard, and he loves you. Just try and remember that. He told me he was worried about you.”
Gerard got up, downing the rest of his drink. “I know, Frank. I don't know how to let people in.”
I slipped out from behind the bar. “It's hard, yeah. But you'll get there. Keep talking with him, keep the relationship going.”
“Well, I could if he wasn't spending all his free time with you,” Gerard chuckled, following me out of the club.
I blushed and rolled my eyes. “It's not that bad.”

---

Mikey smiled when I walked in the door. I stared at him briefly. “Y’know, the resemblance between you guys...I'm surprised I didn't spot it sooner.”
He came over to me, kissing my forehead. “Hey.”
I frowned, rubbing his arm. “Mikey? You okay?”
He nodded and pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly.
“Mikey, you're worrying me,” I murmured, gently pushing him away. “What's going on?”
Mikey sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I just got some news..”
I took his hands carefully, squeezing them lightly. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
“My mother died.”
I froze up a little and then hugged him, rubbing his back. “I'm sorry, Mikey.”
It was his turn to push me away. “Frankie, it's okay. Can we sit down?”
I nodded and hurried over to the couch, desperate to get this right. He sat down next to me, leaning forward and staring at the floor. I moved a little closer to him, placing a hand on his back.
“Does Gerard know yet?”
Mikey shook his head. “They won't contact him until tomorrow. I think you should tell him.”
I sighed and kissed Mikey’s cheek. “If you think that's best.”
He looked at me, stroking a lock of my hair back from my forehead. “I want to tell you everything, but I think Gerard should. Can you please talk to him? I can't...I can't talk to you until you know.”
I frowned, but nodded, rubbing his back. “I'll do whatever helps, Mikey. Should I call him now?”

Gerard sat me down on his couch, sighing. “This is gonna be a really fucking long night.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I'm sorry, Gee, I wouldn't ask normally, but he's worrying me and won't talk to me.”
He smiled sadly. “It's okay, I totally understand. You're fine. But why do you want to know about our childhood? And why is he so upset?”
I shifted uncomfortably. “He got a phone call to tell him your mum died.”
Gerard went still, staring at me blankly for a few eerie seconds. “Good.”
I blinked and opened my mouth to answer, but he beat me to it.
“Mikey was too young to really remember, he’ll be sad because he feels like he should be. But I'm glad that bitch is dead. One less bitch on the earth.”
I felt lost, running a hand through my hair nervously.
“Look..” Gerard sighed and looked away, but I could tell he was tearing up. “What Mikey probably wants me to tell you about is when he got taken away.”
I nodded slightly, still too uncomfortable and nervous to speak.
“He was six at the time, I was ten. So nineteen years ago. Our parents were...not normal. The things they did and the things we went through were...bad. Mikey started having breakdowns at school where he'd kind of have a nightmare in the day about it and he'd tell people what they did, and everyone said he was psychotic. They checked our house and didn't find anything, so they took Mikey away to a hospital and left me there. Less than a year later, they found our parents out and I went into foster care. Mikey doesn't remember any of what happened to him, except some of it in the hospital. He got out when he was twelve and was cycled into the foster system as well, but never got adopted.”
I rubbed one eye shakily. “So he went through horrible stuff he can't remember and then had to spend six unneeded years in a mental hospital?”
Gerard nodded, taking a deep breath as the tears rolled down his cheeks. “That's what we were fighting about the other night. I feel guilty because I could have backed Mikey up, but I was too scared.”
“I'm so sorry, Gee,” I murmured. “What did-”
“We don't talk about it,” Gerard interrupted sharply. “Please don't ask.”
I nodded quickly, looking away. “I think I should get back to Mikey.”
Gerard sighed and stood up. “Probably. He’ll be okay, just let him process this. Be there, but don't overdo it, yeah? He needs to breathe as well.”

Mikey was asleep when I got home, so I just carefully pushed him aside and got into bed next to him, stroking his cheek as he slept soundly.
“Fucking hell,” I mumbled, kissing his forehead. “I hope you're not having any nightmares.”
Mikey shifted sleepily and I sighed, wrapping an arm around his waist.
He grunted softly and his eyelids fluttered open. “Frankie?”
I smiled and brushed his hair out of his face. “I'm here, Mikey. I talked to Gerard.”
“Thanks, baby.”
I kissed him softly, pulling him a little closer to me. He broke away first, smiling sadly.
“I really care about you, Frankie.”
I nodded, rubbing his side slowly. “I know, Mikey. I care about you too.”
“Can we go back to sleep now?”
I grinned and kissed him again, just a peck. “Okay.”

---

It took about a week for Mikey to get back to normal. He spent more time away from me, at his place, and would use the worst excuses. I let him go anyway, busying myself with other things and trying not to let it bother me. Gerard had told me he'd need space, and I was doing my best to listen, but it wasn't easy.
Especially after I got a call from my lawyer.
“Hello?”
“Am I speaking to Frank Iero?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry Ian, I didn't get call ID. What's up?”
He sighed and paused. “Paul may get out of prison a lot earlier than we expected.”
I sat down on the couch promptly, staring at the opposite wall. “What?” I whispered, running a hand through my hair.
“Overcrowding, they're having problems at the prison and they may have to release him on parole in a month or so. I thought you should know, so you can be at least somewhat prepared. The restraining order you got before he was convicted still stands. You don't have to worry too much, I promise.”
I sniffed, starting to rock myself slightly. “Thanks, I uh...I have to go. Have a nice day.”
I hung up and immediately dialed Gerard.
“What's up?”
“Paul might get out in a month,” I choked out quickly, my breathing already quick and shallow.
“Oh fuck. Do you need me to come over?”
“I-if you can..”
“You sound like shit, should I stay on the phone?”
I sniffed again and hugged myself with my spare arm. “N-no, I'm not that bad. I'm g-gonna go have a smoke and try and calm down.”
“Okay. Do you want me to call Mikey?”
“No!” I almost shouted, much more sharply than I'd intended. “No. He's um...he's having some alone time.”
“Oh. Is everything alright?”
I sighed, brushing the tears off my cheeks impatiently. “Yeah, I'm just trying to give him space, like you said.”
“Okay, but if you need him, you should call him.”
“I just need you,” I answered firmly.

---

I was sitting on the step outside, smoking my third cigarette when Gerard walked up and sat down next to me. He lit his own, watching me worriedly. “Feeling any better?”
I shrugged and scuffed the toe of my sneaker against the brick step. “He said to me last time I saw him that as soon as he got out, he'd rape me again.”
Gerard sighed and leaned his shoulder against mine lightly. “I don't think that's gonna happen, Frankie. I don't think he's got the balls. I really don't.”
“Well you don't-”
“I don't know him as well as you do, I know, Frankie. But I've seen him make a lot of empty threats. He used to threaten me a lot.”
I blinked, looking up at Gerard. “Really?”
He nodded slightly, not making eye contact. “He said I was putting ideas in your head and making you unhappy, I dunno. It was all bullshit, anyway.”
“You should have told me at the time,” I muttered, but didn't bother taking it further.
“Probably. Look, I'm just trying to say that you've got a month or more, have a plan. Check all the documents you have for loopholes, change your locks, I don't know. Just be ready, yeah? It'll make you feel a lot better, and I'm sure nothing will happen. He’s got to be on parole, so if he does anything, he knows he’ll go away again. You're in control now.”
I rested my head on Gerard's shoulder, stubbing the end of my cigarette out on the brickwork.
“I just hate feeling so vulnerable.”
“So take some self defense classes, they do them at that gym you like.”
I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “I haven't been to the gym in ages.”
“Does it matter?”
I shrugged and looked up at him. “You're such a great friend, Gerard.”
He kissed the top of my head, rubbing my back. “You deserve nothing less.”
I watched a car pull into the parking lot down the side of the building and sighed. “I think that was Mikey.”
“Shouldn't you be excited?” Gerard asked gently, glancing at me.
“Yeah, but I don't really like him seeing me so...weak.”
“I don't think he sees it that way, Frankie. You're his boyfriend and I'm sure he's just glad you share your feelings with him.”
I heard a car door slam and sighed. “I guess. Fuck, I hate how complicated relationships are.”
Gerard grinned and kissed my cheek. “If it is him, I'll go, okay? You guys could do with some couple time and I should really get back to organising my files.”
I saw Mikey walk around the corner, holding two big brown paper bags. Gerard stood up, blowing me a kiss. “Call me if you need anything.”
I nodded and waved, then looked up at Mikey as he set the bags down in front of me. “Hey.”
“Hey. Was that Gerard?”
“Yep,” I said quietly. “Do you wanna come up?”
Mikey smiled slightly. “I'd love to.”
I got up and opened the lobby door, leading Mikey through the second set of doors and up the stairs to my apartment. I unlocked the door and slipped in, leaving the door open slightly. Mikey walked in and set his bags down on the kitchen counter as I slipped my coat and shoes off, leaving them by the door.
“What's all this?” I asked, gesturing to it.
“You didn't answer my calls, so I got us some takeout instead of going out to dinner.”
I stared at him blankly, then sighed. “Fuck. I left my phone here, I'm so sorry.”
Mikey waved a hand dismissively. “No, it's fine. I've been a jerk lately, and I just wanna make it up to you.”
I walked over to him, hugging him tightly. “I understand that you needed your space.”
He stroked my hair slowly, holding me against him. “I'm so glad.”
I pulled away after a couple of seconds, blushing. “That food smells really good and I haven't eaten anything since this morning,” I said sheepishly, giggling a little.
“You're so cute,” Mikey grinned, walking back to the bags and pulling a huge bunch of flowers out of one of them. “These are for you.”
I blushed even darker, taking them delicately. “Thanks.”
“I wasn't sure if you liked flowers, so I just...got some anyway, I guess.”
I kissed his cheek softly. “It's perfect, but I don't have a vase.”
He chuckled and grabbed a pint glass from the cupboard. “This should work okay.”
We sorted the flowers out together, then piled the Indian takeout onto plates and curled up on the sofa. I turned the tv on, just for background noise.
“You looked upset when I walked up. Is everything okay?” Mikey murmured, after a couple minutes of silence.
“Um. No, not really,” I sighed, taking another big bite of my food. Mikey put a hand on my leg, waiting patiently for me to finish. “Paul, my ex husband, is getting out of prison in about a month.”
He bit his lip, gently pulling me to lean against him. “Jesus. I'm so sorry, sweetie. What can I do?”
I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, very carefully brushing him off. “Well...I don't think there's much you can do, but thanks for asking. I'm gonna take some self defense classes and go over my restraining order and stuff, but..”
“But you mostly just need support?” Mikey suggested.
“I mostly just need a life,” I smiled, shrugging. “I need to go on dates with you and have coffee with Gerard and enjoy work. So I don't have to think about it all the time.”
“Okay,” he murmured, kissing my cheek. “I can help with that. You should eat before it gets cold, we can talk a little more after.”

I washed up the last dish and Mikey dried it for me, putting it away. “Would you like to watch a movie or do you need more sleep?”
“A movie would be great, but I think I'd fall asleep,” I chuckled, leaning into his side.
“Maybe an episode of something, then? A little shorter.”
I nodded and followed Mikey back to the couch, crawling half into his lap as soon as he sat down. He wrapped an arm around me as he flicked through the channels. I grabbed a couple blankets, nuzzling up to him as I made myself comfortable.
“What are you scared of? With Paul getting out, I mean.”
I looked up at him, a little surprised by the question. “The last time I saw him, to make him sign the divorce papers, he told me that when he got out, he'd...force me to have sex with him again.”
Mikey's grip on me tightened protectively. “Jesus. I'm sorry, Frankie. But Gerard and I won't let him anywhere near you. We’ll keep you safe, I promise. And if he lays a finger on you, I'll kill him.”
I yawned and shuffled closer to him, letting my eyes slip closed.
“You're okay, I've got you.”

Notes

Slightly longer chapter, a little bit more drama as well :)