Big Baby (Sequel to Cry Baby) (Frerard)

Gerard, Frank Sr, and Linda made their way up the elevator to the fifth floor in silence, the hum of the elevator being the only thing heard. It was so deathly quiet that it made Gerard’s skin crawl. What made his skin crawl even more, however, was the fact that he was to come face to face with the real Frank again, and not the Frank he’s been hearing in his head. He had no clue how to handle something like this, and because of that, he was on edge. His body perspired as it shook uncontrollably, anxiety getting the best of him. His chest constricted as his heart raced. Before he knew it, his vision began to blur as he felt his body lose it’s balance from how dizzy he began to be.
“Oh, g-god…,” Gerard whispered to himself shakily. “Oh g-god, oh m-my god, oh m-my g-god--”
“Gerard?” Linda asked suddenly as she put her hand on Gerard’s shoulder. “Gerard, are you alright?”
“Oh...y-yeah,” Gerard lied. “Yeah, I’m f-fine. J-just n-nervous,”
“It’s alright. We understand,” Frank Sr. added. “When we get up there, we’ll talk to him and let you know you’re here to see him, alright?”
“O-okay,” Gerard said as he watched the small screen on top of the elevator door change numbers, counting to five. Gerard felt his insides turn to jelly when the screen showed the number five as the elevator stopped moving. The doors opened, and Gerard just stood there with his feet glued to the floor. He felt powerless as he saw heads turn and stare at him. He was so close to being reunited with Frank after several years, but he didn’t know if he would bear to be faced with Frank’s supposed deteriorating condition.
“Gerard? You coming?” Linda asked, who was standing in front of Gerard with her husband. Gerard realized that he is so far out of his mind that he didn’t see Linda and Frank Sr. walk ahead of him out of the elevator. As it’s doors began to close, Gerard bolted out and ran up to Linda and Frank Sr., joining them as they began to walk down the hall. He could feel all the eyes of the doctors, nurses, and patients lock onto him, staring through his soul. He didn’t know why they all stared at him, but for whatever reason it may be, it freaked him out. What freaked him out even more is the fact that he’s soon to be faced with Frank, who isn’t the same anymore. Gerard felt his heart stop when Linda and Frank Sr. stopped in front of one of the rooms; room 528 to be exact. This must be Frank’s room, Gerard thought to himself. He’s literally only footsteps away, and Gerard hated himself for the fact that he didn’t come prepared. He perspired and shook with fear as his heart raced, as well as his thoughts. He was a panicking mess to say the least, and now he was crying too.
“Gerard, it’s okay,” Linda said, putting a comforting hand on Gerard’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard. It is for us too,”
“I’m s-sorry,” Gerard choked up, tears running down his face. “I’m s-sorry, I’m so--”“It’s okay,” Frank Sr. replied, cutting off Gerard. “It’s okay to be scared. We still are too. We’ll go in when you’re ready,”
“O-okay,” Gerard nodded, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. He peeked inside Frank’s hospital room, with the door cracked open a bit. He knew he had to get in there. He’s got some words to exchange with someone that he thought was his special friend. He paused for a few minutes and then shut his eyes, breathing in and out slowly. He then opened up his eyes. “I’m r-ready,”
“Okay. I’ll go in there and tell Frank that he’s got a visitor. He doesn’t like to be surprised,” Linda said reluctantly, sounding anything but happy to see her sick son. Her husband gave her a look of reassurance and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she slowly stepped inside. There was nothing but silence that filled the vicinity, despite the noise of busy doctors and nurses down the hall at the front nursing station. Gerard looked around nervously, then to Frank Sr, whose head was down as his absent eyes stared at the ground. Gerard couldn’t help but notice a wetness in his eyes, with tears falling from them. Gerard suddenly jumped when he heard a shrill cry come from beyond the door of Frank’s room.
“M-mommy!” it yelled, it’s voice weak and sickly. “M-mommy, mommy, m-mommy!”
Gerard felt his heart drop to his stomach when he heard that familiar voice. He knew that voice, and it has come back to haunt him. It was the voice of a man that pretended to be Gerard’s friend, but hurt him behind closed doors. It was the voice of a man that he thought he could trust. He thought he could hear this man’s voice in his head, but it all turned out to be a delusion. Now that Gerard has been told nothing but the truth about Frank, he has some words to exchange with him. Linda suddenly stepped out of the room and looked at her husband, then to Gerard, tears also in her eyes just like Frank Sr’s.
“He’s not doing too well today, but…,” Linda said, sniffling a bit as her voice trailed off. “But I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you, Gerard. He loves visitors, like we said before,”
“O-okay,” Gerard said, nodding his head, trying to keep himself together and not become an anxious mess again.
“Are you ready to see him?” Linda asked, to which Gerard nodded again, sealing the deal. Linda turned to her husband, to which he shook his head.
“I’ll let Gerard have some alone time with Frank. It’s necessary,” he said blankly as he fought to hold back his tears, but failing.
“Alright, that’s fine,” Linda replied, turning back to Gerard. “Gerard, can you handle being in there by yourself?”
“Y-yeah, I’ll b-be f-fine,” Gerard said. He could feel his whole body still shaking as his heart raced. He knew what was coming, and he had to get it over with. He has someone in that hospital room to see.
“Okay. Go on in there whenever you’re ready,” Linda said, her voice subdued to a whisper as she stood by Frank Sr. They both stood to the side of the door, letting Gerard in. Gerard gulped and closed his eyes briefly as he slowly began to step inside, then opened them back up after he set foot inside the room and closed the door behind him. Instead of seeing Frank in the hospital bed, he saw a curtain drawn all the way out, with what appeared to be a silhouette of Frank, appearing to still be in the bed. Gerard breathed deeply, closing his eyes again and breathing in and out slowly. He knew he had to get over himself and get to Frank already. He just didn’t know if he was prepared to see what’s behind that curtain. He opened up his eyes again and pushed himself further into the room past the curtain, now in front of Frank’s bed. He looked over to see him, and like lightning, he felt his soul drain from his body.
“M-mommy?” Frank asked in his childish voice, his frail body under the covers of his bed and hooked up to a series of machines. His eyes looked as sickly as the rest of him, the blind hazel orbs weak and vacant. Gerard couldn’t help but look away for a moment, grimacing as tears welled up in his eyes. What he just saw left him at a loss of words. He hoped in the back of his mind that what he’s seeing is all some sort of twisted dream, but it wasn’t. Frank is right there in front of him in that hospital bed. Gerard knew this was all real.
“N-no, Frankie. I’m G-gerard, r-remember?” Gerard asked, taking a seat on a chair at Frank’s bedside as he wiped at his eyes. “Me G-gerard, you F-frankie,”
“G-gee-rard?” Frank said back, his head turned to his visitor. There was just a part of him that Gerard saw within his almost fully blind eyes, and that was a child-like innocence, despite all the horrible things Frank did to Gerard all those years ago.
“Yeah...G-gerard,” Gerard repeated, despite Frank pronouncing his name wrong. “I r-remember you w-would call m-me G-ger-bear s-sometimes, but--”
“G-ger-bear! Y-you G-ger-bear, m-me F-frankie!” Frank said suddenly, his eyes lighting up as he playfully smiled at Gerard. That was when Gerard felt himself grimace again from the tears in his eyes again. He turned away and held his face with his hands. He knew he couldn’t let Frank see him cry.
“I’m s-sorry, F-frankie,” Gerard sniffled, trying to recollect himself as tears ran from his eyes. He knew it was gonna be hard coming face to face with Frank in the state he is, and right now, he could barely handle it. After a few more minutes, Gerard was able to stop crying and look back at Frank, his eyes raw with tears.
“Wh-why y-you c-cry, G-ger-bear?” Frank asked, his child-like eyes looking up at Gerard. Gerard cursed to himself under his breath. He didn’t want Frank to see him like this, and he just did.
“I’m...I’m s-sorry, F-frank. It’s just that…,” Gerard paused, thinking of a lie. He couldn’t tell Frank the truth of why he was crying. He soon thought of something that wasn’t a lie and stuck with it. “B-because I m-miss you,”
Frank didn’t reply. He just let out a giggle as he began to suck his thumb. Gerard couldn’t help but smile bittersweetly at the child-like man. He was so oblivious to everything, from the fact that he’s close to death, to Gerard crying after seeing the deteriorating state he’s in. But now Gerard had some things to say to Frank. He deeply sighed as he closed his eyes and then opened them back up. He grabbed Frank’s cold hand put it in the both of his, softly wrapping it in them.
“F-frankie, th-there’s a f-few th-things I n-need to t-tell you,” Gerard said as he continued to hold Frank’s hand. Frank sat there silently, his eyes looking up at Gerard as he continued to suck his thumb.
“O-okay,” he said, waiting for Gerard to start talking.
“F-frankie...I always th-thought you w-were my f-friend wh-when w-we first m-met. W-we were b-both younger. Y-you w-were my b-babysitter. Y-you t-told my m-mom that you w-were gonna t-take care of m-me,” Gerard started. He swallowed hard, feeling himself on edge again. “B-but...you d-did some th-things to me. Y-you did b-bad things to m-me. Y-you hurt m-me. Y-you took advantage of m-me. Y-you...v-violated me, F-frankie,”
As Gerard began to feel himself shake again, he looked over at Frank. The sick boy was still looking up at him with his finger in his mouth. Gerard knew that Frank wouldn’t understand what he was talking about, knowing the state of mind he’s in. But did he notice the state Gerard’s in? He would perhaps never know, but Gerard knew he didn’t come fully prepared for this, confronting Frank and losing his cool in the process. He has to keep going though. He didn’t want his runaway to all be for nothing.
“Y-you used m-me, F-frankie. Y-you abused m-me. I w-was nothing b-but a sex t-toy to y-you,” Gerard said, more tears running from his eyes. “Y-you t-tried to k-kill me, t-too, F-frankie...Y-you did all th-this to m-me wh-while I th-thought that y-you were m-my friend. I th-thought you w-were my b-best friend…,”
Distraught and full of sorrow, Gerard covered his eyes and wept into his hands. He sobbed loudly through them as Frank continued to stare, bewildered and ignorant. Gerard cried for a few long minutes until he finally was able to recollect himself. He looked up at Frank as he wiped his eyes.
“G-gee no c-cry,” Frank said suddenly, still sucking his his thumb as he looked at Gerard. Gerard looked back at him, almost stunned by what Frank said to him. Gerard smiled bittersweetly again, not at all hesitating to lean forward and hug Frank gently. More tears slipped through his eyes as the two embraced.
“B-but y-you know wh-what, F-frankie?” Gerard said, sniffling. “I f-forgive y-you for all y-you’ve d-done,”
“I l-love you, G-gee-rard!” Frank said suddenly as he laughed in a carefree way. That was when Gerard felt his heart stop. He resented Frank for all he’s done to him, but Gerard knew he couldn’t hold a grudge against him forever, and that’s why he forgave Frank. But Gerard didn’t know what to think after what Frank just said to him. Gerard didn’t ponder on it for too long, though. He smiled as he wiped away at his tears, still holding Frank.
“I...I l-love you t-too, F-frankie,” he said. He soon separated from Frank and held on to his hand, rubbing it with his thumb. They both sat in silence as Gerard continued to hold Frank’s hand. Frank’s eyes suddenly started to grow heavy, and he yawned before he slowly began to close his eyes. Gerard smiled sadly as he watched Frank fall asleep.
“S-sleep well, F-frankie,” Gerard said, still holding Frank’s hand in his. He watched as Frank fell into sleep mode. He looked so peaceful the way he laid in his bed, despite appearing to be fragile and sickly. Gerard couldn’t help but smile. It didn’t last long, though. One of Frank’s machines began to beep loudly, indicating that something has gone wrong with Frank’s body. Dismayed, Gerard watched as Frank’s breaths of air grew labored and his skin turn pale. Gerard immediately panicked, bolting up from his chair and running to the door.
“S-somebody help!” Gerard yelled, making a dozen heads turn, including Linda and Frank Sr.. “Th-there’s something w-wrong with F-frankie! P-please, someone help--”
“Gerard, what’s going on?” Linda asked calmly, trying to contain the frantic Gerard.
“I-it’s F-frankie! S-something’s wrong w-with him! He’s--”
“Gerard...that can only mean one thing,” Frank Sr. said flatly, looking at Gerard with empty yet serious eyes. He put a hand on Gerard’s shoulder and squeezed it a bit. “It’s his time to go, Gerard,”
“Wh-what d-do you m-mean?” Gerard asked, his head turning back and forth from Linda’s to Frank Sr’s.
“We told you that he didn’t have very long left to live, Gerard. Don’t you remember?” Frank Sr. asked, his wife beside him rubbing at her tearful eyes. “He’s passing on, Gerard--”
“N-no, he c-can’t!” Gerard revolted, backing away from the couple. “Y-you’re both l-lying!”
Gerard ran back into the room, returning to Frank’s bedside with the machines still beeping loudly, indicating that they’re failing to support Frank’s dying body. He grabbed Frank’s shoulders and began to shake them, his body limp.
“F-frankie, w-wake up!” Gerard pleaded, his eyes wet with tears. “F-frankie, p-please wake up! P-please!”
Hearing no response from Frank, Gerard wrapped his arms around him and sobbed loudly into his chest. Behind him, a series of doctors, nurses, and techs rushed into the room and tried to separate Gerard from Frank, but Gerard resisted. He pushed and pulled away from them until a few of the techs got hold of Gerard and forced him out of the room, Gerard’s screams and cries being the only thing heard throughout the vicinity.

Notes