Frerard - Guys Like Us

The Waiting Game

Frank didn't sleep at all that night. He was unable to rid himself of the image of the blood soaked floor. He cried for Gerard, desperately needing to know how he was. Nobody had been able to tell him anything for the remainder of the previous day and he was going mad with worry. When the cell doors were opened the following morning, he rushed to find Ray to ask what had happened.

Ray was sat in the canteen with his hands wrapped around a coffee cup, just staring into it's contents.

"Ray?" Frank rushed over to him shaking him by the shoulders.

"Oh fuck Frank" Ray stood up to hug his friend. "Have you heard anything?"

"No" Frank replied. "I'm going to find Bob soon, but wanted to see you and ask what the fuck happened."

"I don't know man" Ray shook his head and swallowed hard. "I don't even know why I was going to look for him now, but thank fuck I did."

"How bad was he?" Frank asked nervously. Part of him didn't want Ray to answer, but he needed to know.

Ray just looked at Frank solemnly. He knew Frank wanted him to tell him everything would be ok, but he just couldn't.

"I don't know" he simply whispered. "I think it's pretty bad Frank."

Frank's breath hitched in his throat and he felt tears sting his eyes.

"He was just lying there man," Ray answered looking into space as though he was re-living it.

"I just heard a groaning sound as I got near his cell. At first I thought he was with you, you know?" he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I was going to turn away but there was no towel man, so I just walked in."

Ray paused. He took a deep breath and tried his very best to compose himself. "He was just lying there Frank, and I swear I've never seen so much blood. I didn't know what the hell to do, so I just pushed a shirt to his stomach, told him to hold it tight and ran for a guard."

"I should have been there" Frank chastised himself. "But I insisted on having a lie down because of a stupid fucking headache. I should have been there!"

"It's not your fault" Ray replied kindly.

Frank couldn't help but feel guilty. If he'd been there he could have done something. Who knew how long he'd just been lying there? Just the thought of Gerard maybe calling out for him for help had Frank reeling. Why the fuck would someone do this to him? Why?

The two went to find Bob, only to be told he wasn't on shift until the following evening. The other officers insisted they hadn't heard how he was doing, but would hopefully find something out later in the day.

There was no evidence as to who had done this to Gerard, although there was a lot of speculation and rumours. If Frank found out that it was Bert, he would fucking kill him. Ray had told him to keep his head down though, not wanting him to be on the receiving end of anything similar, and not wanting him to jeopardise his release date. Ray was a good man and Frank was glad that he would be out of here in the next few weeks, so Frank didn't encourage him to get involved in the matter either.

All day, and the next, Frank, Ray & Pete tried to find out anything they could about Gerard's condition, but nobody would tell them or knew anything yet. Frank lay on his bed and cried at night. The love of his life could be fucking dead and he wouldn't know. He needed some answers as to what was happening.

Finally finding Bob two days later, Frank almost pounced on him. Bob hadn't heard anything either but promised Frank he would look into it and let him know.

Appearing at his cell a couple of hours later, Bob made his way to the chair in the corner. He sat and ran his hands through his hair sighing loudly.

"Bob?" Frank shouted to him.