All That I've Got

“Your mom’s not home. No one’s here. Ray’s going to report you missing.” was the text Frank woke up to the next morning. And a minute later, “Please be okay.” Which was from Pete.

Before getting out of Gerard’s (now messier) bed, Frank texted back to all, “I’m okay, I’m not missing, and you can stay at my house for as long as you need.” Then he shut down his phone and went down stairs.

----

Frank stayed at Brian’s for three days. He didn’t bother with school, or calling his mom. He just spent the time with Nate and Mark and helped Brian research the Jury’s NYC headquarters.

Each day that passed, Frank’s heart constricted a bit more. Each day meant Gerard could be further and further away. Or dead.

That last thought caught Frank hyperventilating almost every night. And every morning, he could function a little bit less. In some moments of the day, Frank would find himself in a room he didn’t remember entering, or he would find himself standing for minutes at a time, not thinking and not moving in the same spot.

During these times, Mark and Nate would quiet down and when their worry became too much, they’d gently shake Frank from the state he was in. At least for the moment.

Brian insisted Frank go back to school, however, on the forth day. He didn’t even warn Frank beforehand, he just shook Frank awake at 5 in the morning and ordered Frank to get dressed for
school.

On autopilot, Frank had, and now he found himself in the kitchen smoking out the window again. He found solace in it, knowing it was one of Gerard’s habits.

Brian tried to feed him, but Frank refused to eat, so Brian shoved a banana at Frank and gave him a “tough love” look before kicking Frank out the door.

The morning was fucking gray. Gray as it had been before Gerard. Gray and not even the comparison to cigarettes would make Frank happy now.

He almost didn’t drive to school, but the look of disappointment on Brian’s face made Frank do it. He sat in the parking lot until he knew he’d be good and late, then Frank headed inside.

Ray was the first to see him, in between 1st and 2nd periods. Frank couldn’t even see his friend fully, he only saw Ray’s afro perk up from among the crowd and start hurtling Frank’s way. Who knew hair could move so fast?

“Frank! Frank,” Ray tackled Frank against a locker and smushed him into a bear hug. “You’re okay! What happened? Where’ve you been? Where’s Gee? Where’s your mom? What-”

Frank slapped a hand over Ray’s mouth. “Gerard’s missing, and I’ve been looking for him. That’s all I can tell you, and I need you to understand, please.” Ray’s eyes softened at Frank’s defeated expression, and he nodded.

That almost put Frank over the edge, and he hugged Ray again, blinking back tears and wondering
why the world gave him such great friends.

Fate.

Ray repeated what Frank had said to everyone else so Frank didn’t have to, and everyone started focusing their worry from Frank to how they could save Gerard. Frank’s eyes teared up again, and instead of teasing him for it, Bob hugged Frank hard and didn’t let go for at least thirty seconds.

Until lunch rolled around, Frank had been ghosting through his classes, there in body but not in mind.

During lunch, though, he sat between Ray and Patrick and listened intently to them retracing what had happened the day Gerard had disappeared.

They were at the part where Gerard gets the voicemail, when Frank sensed it. For a second he’s not sure what it is. But then he turned to the cafeteria doors and saw.

Gerard.

And around him, an aura so unmistakably huge, that Frank was sure everyone can see it. It was a swirling mass of putrid colors and dark shades, and it gave off a cold chill that had the whole lunchroom stopping and staring.

And then Frank registered the group behind Gerard, and he knew this wasnt Frank’s Gerard anymore.

This couldn’t even be Gerard at all.

He was accompanied by two girls, with sickly pale skin and metal limbs, and a boy only a bit younger than Frank. The boy’s jacket has been slitted in the back, and through the gaping holes potruded a pair of sprawling metal wings.

Nothing moved. Gerard’s eyes scanned the room systematically, and then came to rest on Frank, who was half-standing and half- crouching.

And when those once familiar olive eyes fell on Frank’s own, his whole body screamed “run”.

So Frank did, and the room exploded into chaos.

“Frank!” half a dozen voices yelled from his table, just as screams erupted from all corners. The girls’
legs have grown long and stilt-like and they were moving fast, knocking over people and tables. Then, the lights went out and Frank heard Gerard scream “Get him!”

Frank ran harder. He was aiming for the patio doors, hoping for freedom in the outdoors. Only now he could see nothing between him and escape.

Frank stumbled over a girl crouching in fright, then he tripped over a chair. His heart was in his throat the whole time and his brain was screaming louder than anyone, what the fuck is happening?

He was only a few yards from the glass doors when arms wrapped around his middle, and over the yells and crashes and catastrophe, someone whispered in his ear. Gerard. “You shouldn’t have run, Frankie.”

The arms tightened, and suddenly red aura is encircling Frank, forcing its way into Frank’s mouth, and he can’t see. He can’t feel anything other than bone-shaking terror, and he can’t speak, can’t scream.

Nonononono!

He senses someone else joining them, and then scrawny, but strong arms are around him, and Frank’s lifted into the air. Nonononono.

The doors were still shut when they crashed through them, and the glass fell like a thousand defeated stars, cutting and scraping and dying on their way. Nononono. . .