Baby I'll Be Your Frankenstine

Claudia's POV

Gerard's been very nervous lately. He's scared of dad finding out that he told Frank about it. He's sleeping peacefully right now, thanks to the pain relievers I just gave him.

"Go to bed, Lidi. I'll watch him the rest of the night." I whisper softly to Lidia, who's sitting right next to me.

"Good Night, Cloudy." She whispers back, as she walks quietly out of the room.

I lean forward and kiss the top of Gerard's head. Poor thing, he doesn't deserve all the stuff he has to go through. He cares so much for us.

The night passes quickly as I'm lost in thought. I look at Gerard's clock by his bead, saying it's six o'clock. I get up quickly as I hear my father already stepping out of his bedroom. I walk towards the door and open it quickly, step out and close it behind me, but keep standing right in front of it. My father looks at me quickly before heading down the stairs and out the front door.

I lie back on the door, sighing in relief. Lidia comes out of her room quickly and stands in front of me.

"Lidi, I can't take it anymore. Gerard doesn't deserve this!" I tell her.

"I know, but you heard him. We can't do anything...He says he's protecting us..." She whispers.

"But I can't protect him!" I scream exasperated. I feel tears running down my cheeks. Lidia pulls me into a hug. I hear the door open behind me. I pull away from the hug to see a very beaten down Gerard holding the door frame.

"You don't have to, Cloudy." He says faintly. He clutches his side with one hand as he talks, the other still holding the door frame for balance.

Lidia and I quickly help him to his bed again.

"You're gonna stay here today. I'll come home early and watch out for you, okay?" I state rather than ask.

"No, I'm fine, I can go to school." Gerard insists a bit, still holding his side.

"No. You're not fine. You're staying here." I tell him sternly. I take out the pain medications and give him two. He swallows them dry. I run a hand through his hair.

"Please, stay." I say again. Lidia looks at him and nods. He sighs in defeat, and nods.

Lidia and I walk out of the room to get ready for school. Before leaving, we enter Gerard's room again and bid him goodbye.

"I'll protect you, Gee." I say as I close his door again. "I will."

-During Lunch-

"Hey, Where's Gerard?" Frank asks Lidia and I as we sit down. Frank's sitting right next to me, and Lidia and Skylar are sitting on the other side of the table, talking animatedly. Mikey's gone off with some of his friends somewhere.

"He's sick." Lies Lidia quickly, before turning back to her conversation. Frank eyes us suspiciously. He drops his voice to a whisper so only I can hear him.

"Your father beats him up." He whispers.

"You think I don't know!?" I whisper back, angrily. "Who do you think patches him up every day?"

"Why don't you do something?" He says a bit louder. "It-"

"We can't. He won't let us." I say, lower than before, interrupting him. "And you can't tell anyone about this. No one." I add, staring him right in the eye. He starts arguing something, but I cut him off "Please. Our dad, he can't find out anyone knows. If he does, I don't know what he'll do." I say worriedly.

He's still looking at me like I'm completely mad. I notice Evee's eyes on us. I meet her gaze, and with that one look I tell her all she needs to know.

The bell rings, telling us lunch's over.

"I have to go. I'll see you later guys." I say quickly before heading to the parking lot and getting into Gerard's car. I drive as quickly as possible to our house and park.

I was worried sick about dad coming home early. We never know when he will. I enter the house and hurry to Gerard's bedroom. Just as I reach the door to his bedroom, I hear the front door opening, closing with a loud thud, and my father yelling. I freeze.

"Gerard, I know you're here!"

I gasp as I hear him coming up the stairs. I turn around and stand in front of the door, blocking my father's way. He reaches the door and glares at me.

"Claudia, move away from that door, now!" He bellows.

"No, I'm not moving." I tell him angrily. "Leave him alone!"

"Claudia, move! I'm not gonna repeat it." He yells again.

"No! How can you do this to your own son?! He can barely stand up! I've had enough of it!" I scream at the top of my lungs, stubbornly staying in my position, glaring at him. I hear Gerard screaming my name from inside the door.

My father raises his hand as he screams something else at me. I feel it contact with my head, and I fall to the floor. My head hits the floor, and everything becomes dark.