Trust Me

**Next morning**

GERARD'S POV.

We all get to leave hospital today. All except Bob. He was having his first chemo treatment and I really hope it all goes alright for him and isn't too bad. He promised he would call straight after-wards to tell us how it went. We have been given the task of finding a new temporary drummer so we can keep the tour going while we are without our precious Bob, Ray and Mikey seemed very hostile to the idea at first but then as Frank pointed out, we can't really do without somebody on drums.

It's about 11am and I'm the only one who's awake. We have to say goodbye to Bob this morning, and I am dreading it. I guarantee that everyone will cry. Or Frank will cry and then set me off which will set off Mikey and Ray. I feel bad enough about Bob having this illness and having to face the horrible treatments for it without having to think that he has to do it alone.

I heard Frank yawn and fumble around in his bed for second then he got up, stretched and then shuffled into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Mikey was stirring.

He glanced across at my bed and saw I was awake.

"M...morning Gee," he said through a yawn.

"Hey Mikey you alright?" I said quietly so as not to wake Bob and Ray.

"I don't want to leave Bob here on his own, no matter how much he pretends like he doesn't care, he does deep down and I feel so bad leaving him all alone with what he's going through! It makes me feel so selfish going back on tour without him."

"But Mikey," said Bob, without moving from his laying down position.

"No matter how bad or guilty or selfish you feel it doesn't make me any better. If you take me on tour with you I will be dead in six months if I don't get treated so this is the only way. Don't worry about me I'll get through it, I mean how bad can it be?" he sat up now and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Bob I didn't mean... What I was trying to say was... I didn't...." Mikey stammered, completely shocked that Bob had overheard our whole conversation.

"Mikey, I mean this is the nicest way possible, Shut up man! There's nothing anybody can do and I will have to put up with the treatment and not you so stop worrying!"

"Alright I'm not worrying," said Mikey.

Frank came out of the bathroom and threw himself down heavily on his bed. He sighed very loudly and moodily flicked his fringe out of his face.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" asked Mikey.

"Nothing," he grunted, rolling over so he wasn't facing Mikey.

"Come on! spill! I am the spiritual adviser of the band so you can tell me," Mikey said, putting on his most persuasive tone of voice.

Frank didn't reply, he just lay there, eyes tight shut.

"Someones on their period," mumbled Mikey. Bob and I laughed but luckily Frank didn't hear what Mikey had said.

"Guys what time are you leaving cause I have to go at 1 o clock," said Bob. I could hear the fear in his voice, he sounded terrified and I don't blame him.

"Whenever sleeping un-beauty over here wakes up we can get dressed and go," said Mikey, gesturing at Ray, still asleep in his bed.

"I dunno, he looks quite cute when hes sleeping, like a little angel with a fro," said Bob looking at Ray with a very strange expression on his face.

Mikey laughed and Frank gave a strangled kind of giggle.

"You must really be sick to think that Ray looks cute and like an angel!" laughed out Frank, sitting up. Bob shrugged and then winced and reached up his good hand and clutched at his chest. His breathing became shallow.

"What is it?" I said, getting up and hurrying over to his bed so that if he passed out I would be able to catch him so he didn't fall out of bed and knock his head.

"I'm... fine... seriously... I... just... need... to... rest," he panted out and laid back down and pulled his blanket over himself.

"Are you sure now?" I asked him again, just to double check.

His breathing was starting to even out again and he nodded.

"OK I'm going to wake up Ray. Can I tell him what you said just to see the look on his face?" I asked, pulling my puppy dog eyes expression in the hope he would let me. No such luck.

"No."

"Please"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

He sighed, "No."

"Pretty please with sugar coated Ray on top?" I asked smirking to see if this would get a reaction. Oh it got a reaction alright.

"I SAID NO!" He roared at the top of his voice.

"Nope I've changed my mind, Bob man has his period," said Mikey.

"Mikey if you don't shut up I will snap you like a twig," said Bob threateningly, closing his eyes again, he suddenly looked very very tired.

"Who was yelling?" asked Ray sleepily.

"Bob, cause he's on his p..."

"SHUT UP MIKEY!"

"I warned you," said Mikey and everyone laughed, except Bob who shot him a death glare.

"Had any ideas about the new drummer yet?" asked Bob.

"Not really, we could either hold some kind of audition thing or maybe ask Tre to help us out because he's not up to any serious touring at the moment so he could maybe do it," I said.

"They're working on their new album I think," said Frankie.

"Oh yeah, shit, forget that then."

"So we could hold auditions? But what if we get like loads of pricks show up?" asked Mikey.

"Somebody else could see all the initial entries and then send us only the best ones, we could pick somebody out of them," said Ray, getting up out of his bed and heading towards the bathroom.

"We need to talk to Brian about this not discuss it now," Frank said.

I nodded and looked at Bob again. He looked so vulnerable laying there in his bed, half asleep, It made me think how sick he really is. I wonder why he got so mad when I said about the Ray thing though... ah well... I will ask him later before we leave.

The doctor, Katie came in.

"Are you guy's ready to get dressed and then say your goodbye's?" she asked.

Frank, Mikey and I nodded and mumbled our 'Yeahs' and 'OKs' before getting up from our beds and fumbling around for some clothes.

Ray came out of the bathroom as Katie left and then we all got dressed. Mikey kept complaining that there was no straighteners and that his hair was fuzzy until Ray pointed out that if his hair was as straight as Mikey's was now, he would be very thankful. Mikey shut up after that.

Bob got up out of his bed as we were going to leave. He hugged Mikey first.

"I'll miss you man," he said into Mikey's shoulder as he hugged him tightly.

"You too, get better OK?" he said patting Bob on the back and leaving the room.

Frankie went next, bounding up to Bob like an over excited puppy and hugging him so tight, it seemed as if he would never let go.

"Frank can you let go now, It's just my arm is kinda squished and Frankie don't cry, please don't," he said, breaking out of Frank's embrace.

"But what if this is like, goodbye?" he sobbed.

"Frank this is goodbye, for now, but I will see you next week yeah? And I will call you tonight after my ch...chemo and tell you how it went.... Hell, I'll call every day if it stops you worrying." His voice cracked as he said chemo and he teared up but fought it and kept himself together.

I stepped forward and hugged him like a brother, Hoping what he said was true and that he would be alright.

"Get better OK?"

He nodded and I left the room, praying that this wasn't goodbye, just goodbye for now.

BOBS POV.

It feels like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. Saying goodbye to the guys is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Just Ray left now and I knew it would be the hardest to say goodbye to him.

"Well, bye I'll see you next week, try and call tonight?" he said, stepping forward to hug me.

I hugged him back like there was no tomorrow, breathing in his scent for as long as I could before he pulled back. His eyes were wet and he quickly wiped them on his hand.

"Ray this isn't easy for any of us..." I began. I really wanted to tell him but I couldn't do it.

"No Bob you don't understand and you never will I'm sorry. Here, if you feel lonely or whatever, have this," he said, pulling off his hoody "It might make you feel better to have something to remind you of us guys while were not here so have it and keep it as long as you need." He pushed the hoody into my good hand.

"Ray I..." My voice caught in my throat and tears spilled from my own eyes. I hugged him again and then he had to go... I was all alone and about to have chemotherapy.

"Ready Bob?" Katie, the doctor had just come in as Ray left.

"Yeah, one second," I said, pulling on the hoody.

"Is it OK to wear this?" I asked.

"Yeah that's fine now we really have to go," she said.

I followed her down the corridor, we approached a plain white door and my heart started to race, this was it.