Stranded

"He's finally asleep." Frank said, looking at a now calm infant, asleep in his arms. He and Ray had spent hours trying to get him to fall asleep.

"Finally...now *I* can get some rest." Ray said, starting to lay down in spot where the sand was spot. He had closed his eyes and kept them closed when he opened one, only to find Frank staring at him.

"What? He's asleep!" Ray said, motioning to the baby.

"Yeah...but tonight's your night to make dinner for everyone, remember?" Frank said. Ray slapped his forhead.

"SHIT! I completely forgot-"

"Not in front of the kid." Frank said, holding his fingers to his lips. Ray looked down at Frank's arms.

"Well...Frank, c'mon, he's an infant. He's been around for a few weeks now. I don't think he'll be *offended* if I-"

"Just. Don't. Get up, and, without profanity, make everyone's dinner because it's your turn." Frank said. Ray was about to argue, but something in Frank's eyes told him that he'd be sorry if he said anything else. He quickly got up and ran for the water.

"You know, YOU never make dinner." A voice behind Frank said softly. Turning around quickly, he discovered that the voice was Gerard's. Frank sighed in relief.

"You scared me!" Frank said, looking down at the child he was holding, who had shifted his weight. Gerard looked at the child a minute, then back up a Frank.

"Sorry about that. So...you and Ray were babysitting?" Gerard said, still looking at the infant, as if mesmerized.

"Yeah...we were, but that he's asleep, Ray's fixing dinner." Frank said, looking out at Ray, who was shouting numerous profanities at the water. It was getting harder to catch fish than it was before. Gerard looked at Frank, confused.

"But tonight's my night to make dinner."

Frank suddenly winced. He then opened one eye.

"Really?" Frank said. Gerard nodded, but then stopped Frank as he started to go over to tell Ray.

"I...I think he's got it under control." Gerard said. And, looking at Ray shouting at the water, he knew this was a false statement. But he was given the chance for a night off, and he was not going to lose it because of his big mouth.

Frank looked over at Ray and chuckled.

"Alright. Fine, Gerard. But just this once. Man, I'm glad I don't ever have to go through that." Frank said.

"Yeah...why don't you ever cook?" Gerard asked.

"Because I don't eat fish...we discussed this MONTHS ago,Gerard." Frank said. He looked around at everyone on the island. The others were still playing some game by the fire. He suddenly saw Marty and Carol amongst them, and got a bit angry. Gerard instinctively knew what Frank was seeing, and touched his shoulder.

"Relax...let them have their fun. They won't have a lot of free time the next couple of years anyways. If you want to go, I'll watch, uh...what's his name again?"

"He doesn't have a name yet." Frank said, gazing at the people. He suddenly turned back to Gerard. "You really don't mind watching him?"

"No...not at all. Go." Gerard said, taking the infant from Frank's arms. Frank waved goodbye to him (the infant) sweetly and ran off. Atleast, he started to, before he turned back towards Gerard one last time.

"Are you warming up to the idea of, say, having a kid someday, Gerard?" Frank said, with a grin on his face. Gerard's smile quickly faded, and he became very nervous.

"What-? No! No...parenting is cool and all, but it's not for me. Never will be. I just wanted to help out." He said, looking around at everything BUT Marty and Carol's son. Frank then chuckled.

"Heh, that's what I thought. Well...thanks anyways. I'll be back in a bit." Frank said, running off towards the others.

When Frank was at a distance, Gerard's smile slowly crept back onto his face, and he looked at the small boy in his arms. Even as he spoke those words...he wasn't sure how much he meant them.

At the very moment that he held the child, the man who wore all the makeup in the world, who dressed in dark colors and made"loud" music, turned into complete mush.

He may just want a kid of his own someday...

Well, if there is a "someday."