We're All Just Victims of a Crime

Dedicated to the following readers who last commented and have waited patiently for months on an update. I know I'm not supposed to post it here, but not many people read the A/N and they deserve it.
Just.a.Kid
tranquility69
MCRisMyHero
septicemia.
Psycho.
EmyB56
LexieRhi
Graceeee!!!!
violet vixen.
BleedingBlackHearts
ungrateful soul;
Neon_Skies_Killjoy

Groaning I rolled over slapping the alarm clock, cursing at it under my breath even though I knew I was the one who had decided to get up this early.

“Finally,” I grumbled when the piercing noise had stopped.

Sliding out of bed proved to be more difficult then planned as I realized too late that my legs were wound up tightly in my sheets. Tripping I landed on my side, the cold floor not making it feel any better.

“Fuck,” I mumbled kicking trying to get them loose but it wasn’t working.

I sat up the best I could and managed to pull them off before pushing myself up only to stumble.

“And people want to know why I’m not a morning person,” I grumbled making my way into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.

I sat at the table, my face pressed against the cool top as I waited patiently for it to brew. My eyes kept falling shut, threatening to send me back to sleep. The only thing keeping me awake was the smell drifting from the coffee pot. The sound of dripping was somehow soothing, so soothing that I had to pick up my head. Slouching in the chair I ran my hand through my hair grimacing as my fingers struck knots. Looking over my shoulder I smiled lazily and stood up grabbing a mug and filled it with the hot liquid.

“Dude, what the hell?” I jumped, nearly covering myself in my coffee as I looked over to see Bob coming out of the hallway.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“Whoa, easy there sunshine. Just thought it was strange to see you up so early.” he laughed eyeing the coffee pot.

“Yeah well what’s your excuse?” I retorted sipping the scalding hot beverage.

“Work, you know the thing I get up at the ass crack of dawn for?” I rolled my eyes stepping away from the counter so he could pour himself a mug.

“What’s your reason?” he questioned eyeing me.

“Going to Frank’s, figured I’d show up early,” I yawned.

He nodded dropping in spoonfuls of sugar causing me to grimace.

“Dude, you’re ruining it,” I mumbled causing him to laugh.

“Not all of us prefer straight black you know?”

“You’re still ruining it,” I replied as he headed back towards the hall.

“Well then Frank ruins his too!” was his last comment before I heard his door shut.

“Frank is the only exception Bobby,” I stated to myself as I refilled the mug and ventured back to my room.

I felt better, now that I was finally waking up. However it was still six in the morning and I was not a morning person. I dressed in regular black tight jeans and matching shirt before grabbing my things and a hoodie before heading out. I paused at the door though, looking back at Bob’s door and then towards the kitchen that was empty. With a smile on my face I walked in and grabbed the jar that had his sugar and picked it up.

“Oops,” I laughed softly dumping it in the trash and placed it back in its spot on the counter.

Satisfied with myself I left the apartment, tugging on my hoodie when the cold air outside proved to be just a bit too much on my walk to the car. The heater seemed to work a lot quicker this time, laughing to myself as I thought about that night with Frankie.

The ride wasn’t unbearable, the radio keeping me company as I jammed out to the mix. It was the stops that drove me crazy. It seemed like it was impossible for there to be so much traffic this early, then I remembered that it was the weekday so people were probably working.

It wasn’t until I was pulling into his driveway that I had to think, I couldn’t remember if Frank was going back to school or if he was just going to redo the school year at a place that was now more suited for him. I still got out though, turning off the engine and locking it up and headed to the front door.

Waiting I tried to remember if I had ever come to Frank’s house before, sure there were times when I had dropped him off because Mikey had asked if I could give him a ride. Then I remembered the movie night, and his slightly crazy Mother. I looked up at the sound of a turning lock just in time for it to open.

“Hi Mrs. Iero,” I smiled as she looked at me.

“Oh, Gerard! Dear I haven’t seen you in ages, and you’re here early. Here your brother was always joking about you not getting up before noon,” she laughed.

“Yeah, well that’s Mikey. I was wondering if Frank was home?”

“He’s upstairs, come on in, he might be asleep though.” she explained standing back.

“That’s okay, do you mind if I go on up?”

“Go right on ahead, I was going to wake him up soon anyways,” she stated heading into the living room.

I walked up the steps looking at the walls, I had only been in here a few times and I had never paid attention to the photos that decorated the stair walls. There were family photos, most of them looked like family reunions. There were even a few of Frank when he was younger, I had to laugh at some of them, I guess he had always been a crazy kid.

Opening his door I peeked in only able to see what the light from the hall lit up in his room. Stepping inside I shut the door behind me quietly and waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of his room before trying to walk to his bed. Nothing like being woken up while blind to something crashing in your room. I knew that wouldn’t have ended well.

I found his bed without mishap and sat on the edge looking down at him, his hair a mess from the nights sleep. Sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his shoulders from moving around. I laid down, trying my hardest not to wake him up as I got comfortable. I felt like a creeper watching him sleep, but enjoying the sight too much to care. He must have noticed the change as the hand that was laying to his side moved bumping into my arm, lingering for a moment before grabbing it.

“Gee?” he mumbled, his voice cracking from sleep.

“Its me,” he nodded pulling my arm towards his body.

Taking the hint I scooted closer wrapping my arm around his waist and holding him close to my chest. He sighed lacing his fingers with mine and cleared his throat.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“I know, it was a surprise. You can go back to sleep, I just got here,” I whispered kissing the back of his head before resting back on the pillow.

“Mm, no I wanna stay up with you,” he stated pulling his hand from mine to roll over and press his face into my neck.

“You’re warm and you smell like coffee,” his voice was muffled and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I think that’s a compliment?” he nodded sliding his arm over my side and used it to pull himself closer.

“So what do I owe this surprising and lovely visit to?” he questioned.

“I thought we could go out today and I uh kind of wanted to talk to you about something,” I answered running my fingers up and down his back.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“I owe you an apology,” I stated and his breathing paused for a moment.

“Why do you owe me an apology?”

I sighed rolling onto my back and pulled him with me so that he was laying on my chest.

“Remember last weekend when I told you about my dream? How it was a car accident?” he nodded, his hand clutching my hoodie.

“I lied, it wasn’t a car accident. You didn’t die in it,” I sighed feeling the guilt leave me.

“Then why did you freak out so bad in it?”

“I was freaking out because I was the one who died in it. You were there, and I was screaming your name trying to get your attention but you couldn’t hear me,” I explained resting my hand on his lower back.

“Do you want to talk about it? Maybe you’ll feel better Gee,” he reasoned.

“It was late, or early I don’t know. I was just laying there in the middle of the road, just a few feet away from the ambulance and people that were there. I thought something was up with my Dad, because Mikey was there and he was... its like he was catatonic, at least I thought he was. But he couldn’t hear me, and then you showed up and you tried to get his attention, I tried to get your attention. Neither of you could hear me or see me almost as if I wasn’t there. Then my parents just appeared from the house and that’s when I saw the body bag,” I stopped when I realized Frank had stopped breathing.

“Frankie? Are you okay?”

“Sorry, keep going,” he stated and I let my head fall back onto his pillow staring up at the ceiling.

“Its like I knew, but I didn’t want it to be true. So I ran, I got in the back where they had placed the bag and I opened it and there I was. Just soaked in blood and my throat was slit. That was it, you asked if I had had anymore nightmares, and I didn’t. Just these random dreams about you.”

“What were those dreams about?” he asked, his voice sounding thicker than usual.

“Frankie are you okay? You don’t sound good,” I sat up on my elbow and noticed the tears in his tired eyes.

“Frankie don’t cry, it was just a nightmare. I’m fine, okay? I’m here,” he shook his head clutching tighter.

“Baby what’s wrong?” I sat up all the way and pulled him towards me cradling him to my chest.

“You’re not.... no,” he choked.

“I’m not what?” I asked.

“You’re not supposed to know... you’re not,” he sniffled burying his face in my chest.

“Not supposed to know what? Frank you’re worrying me, what’s wrong?” I tried to get him to look at me but it was useless.

“Frankie please talk to me,” I begged, I couldn’t handle the tears.

He pushed himself away from me and reached out for his pillow and laid down. I reached out for him but he pulled away causing me to frown.

“I think I want to go back to sleep now Gerard,” he whispered causing my frown to deepen.

“I won’t ask again Frankie, I promise. You just worried me,” I stated wanting to hold him close as I watched his shaking body.

I sat there for a few minutes, watching him intently realizing he wouldn’t stop crying anytime soon and reached out for him again.

“Can I hold you Frankie?”

When he didn’t protest I scooted closer and wrapped my arm around him, I kissed the side of his head and held him tight until his cries finally stopped. It wasn’t long after until he was asleep again and I was left wondering what the hell had just happened. What did he mean I wasn’t supposed to know?