Did We All Fall Down?

*Lavender's POV*

After the exam it was decided that the damage was mostly emotional. Although I had sustained a broken scaphoid (the small bone in your wrist that breaks the easiest). After Dr. Sanchez repeatedly suggested therapy I was free to go. I quickly got dressed and called a taxi.

I entered the apartment, quietly, as though expecting John to still be there. I was so exhausted, I just wanted to fall asleep and forget everything that had happened. I looked at the couch, it was where he had first grabbed me and thrown me to the floor. I slowly willed myself to go into the bedroom. I saw the bed with its jumbled covers and felt as though he were forcing himself on me again. I took a deep breath and walked over to the bed. I began to strip it, I had to get rid of everything. The pillows, the sheets, the bloodstained blanket. I dragged it all to the kitchen (much like he had dragged me) to stuff it in a giant garbage bag.

A wave of nausea hit me and I ran to the bathroom. I purged until nothing was left, it was as if I was trying to erase the memory from my being. I felt dirty, twisted, the way he touched me.... I ripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower, blasting the water as hot as possible, wiping away every sinister caress. I scrubbed at myself for an hour, until my skin was rubbed raw. I turned the shower off with shaking hands and sat down in the tub, clutching at myself. The tears began to fall, faster than the shower head, it seemed.

Even if Rebecca said it wasn't my fault, a part of me knew it was. If I had just turned him in at the beginning he never would have been able to hurt me the way he did tonight.

Rebecca... she had said to call if I needed anything. And I realized I needed to know if he had hurt Gerard too. I gingerly stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped myself in a robe.
I went to the kitchen and called the police station.

"I need to speak to Rebecca," I said when a man answered. A moment later a woman's voice was on the line.

"Hello?" Rebecca asked.

"H-hi. It's Lavender. You said to call if I needed you. I need to know if he hurt Gerard." I told her shakily.

"Okay, I'll check for you, what was his last name again?"

"Way. Gerard Way."

"Hang on a second, Honey," she told me. I heard the clacking of keys as she typed in a search for Gerard.

"We got a call around midnight. Your friend is in the hospital."

"Thank you," I said, hanging up. I choked back another torrent of tears. I had to see him. I had to tell him how sorry I was. How stupid I was not to take his advice. I looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was almost three. I'd have to wait until tomorrow.

I went into the living room and turned on the TV. I carefully sat down on the couch, suppressing the memory of him grabbing me that wanted to burst forth. I flipped through the channels until I found a children's movie. I stared at the screen, trying to immerse myself in the simple plot. I was terrified that if I allowed myself to fall asleep he would come back, it would happen all over again.

*Frank's POV*

Mikey and I had stayed together at his place. At ten o'clock we drove to the hospital to see Gerard. When we entered his room he was fast asleep, but not alone.
Sitting in a chair next to his bed was Lavender. I quickly wheeled myself over to her.

"What the fuck are you doing here? You did this, you know!" I whispered angrily.

Tears streamed from her eyes, "I know," she whispered back, sadly.

"But please, let me stay. I need to let him know how sorry I am," she begged.

I shook my head, "Get out of here!"

"Please, please!" she whispered desperately.

I looked over to Mikey. "Just let her stay for now," he said softly.

"Thank you," she told us both.

I looked away from her, at Gerard. I could see movement behind his eyelids. His breathing began to quicken and he woke up with a small gasp. He looked around the room, at the three of us.

"Why are you here?" he asked Lavender.

"Gee, I found out what he did to you. And it's all my fault. I know, I just had to tell you I realized how fucking stupid I was to think I could just ignore him and he would go away. Gerard, I'm so, so, so sorry I didn't turn him in when I had the chance." she said tearfully.

Gerard softened a little bit, "Thank you for saying that." She leaned forward and grabbed his hand, he quickly took it away.

"I'm so sorry. And I know that I can't make it better, but..." Gerard looked at her hand, it was bandaged.

"What happened to you? You didn't have that yesterday when we talked," Gerard asked her.

"Oh, uh, he came by to gloat after he attacked you. But, um, the police came before he could hurt me too much." she explained hurriedly. There was something about the way she said it that sounded like a lie. I looked over at Mikey, then Gerard. They had picked up on it too.

"Is that all that happened?" Gerard asked her gently, trying to get the truth from her.

"Yeah, I got off easy compared to you," she said. A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. It was Dr. Sanchez. She looked around, slightly surprised to see Lavender.

"Ms. Charles, you know Mr. Way?" she asked her.

"Uh, yeah. John was the one that attacked him," she said quickly.

"I see. Well, while you're here, could I speak to you for a minute?"

Lavender nodded. The two women walked out of the room together. We watched them through the window that displayed the hallway.

I couldn't hear what they were saying but from the looks of it, it was about more than a damaged wrist. Dr. Sanchez put her hand on Lavender's shoulder and continued to speak. Lavender just stood there, nodding, clearly wanting to get away as quickly as possible. After another moment Dr. Sanchez walked back in the room. From the hall, Lavender waved to us and ran off.

"I just wanted to tell you that --"

"What's wrong with Lavender?" Gerard cut her off.

"It's private, Doctor-Patient Confidentiality, you understand. But yesterday I forgot to give you the prescription for painkillers that you're going to need when you check out, so here." she handed Gerard a prescription and left the room. He stared at it blankly, his mind was obviously on Lavender. To be honest, I was concerned as well.