The Tabby Cat Outside My Door (Frerard)

Cats or Get the Fuck Out

A/N: Slowly, I will write the remaining chapters of this fic and the next updates (actually, beginning with this chapter) will be shorter compare to the usual length of the previous chapters (2K-5K words). This is because if I'll try to write the chapter, targeting the same word length like before, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish this book. Thanks to everyone to read this fic (though the storyline is unusual).

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Frank is devastated. His whole world is crumbling right before his eyes. The pain is much worse than what he felt when Mikey threatened to take Gerard away from him.

"Frankie?"

Frank refuses to answer, decided not to look at those bright eyes. He feels everything in his whole world shifted to the wrong place and he can't breathe. It's very hard to accept what will happen to next to them. Why does Gerard have to forget about him?

"Meow... Frankie..." Gerard softly calls his name again, soft hands gently shaking both his shoulders.

But Frank still continues to pretend he didn't hear him. And the pain he felt yesterday crashes down to him like a tidal wave, this time, the force is tenfold.

"I'm really sorry, Frank," Mikey mumbles. "I'm sorry..."

Frank shook his head. "No... It's not your fault," he mumbles and his throat feels dry. "But why? I don't understand, Mikey... Why does he have to forget about me?"

"Sorry, but even I didn't know why it has to be this way," Christa says. "There's nothing we can do to change it."

"But –" Frank looks at Gerard longingly. "How am I supposed to live without him?"

Neither Mikey nor Christa have no kind words to offer to Frank.

And Frank suddenly broke down, wrapping his arms tightly around Gerard. He didn't know what to say anymore, or what he need to do because he already knows that he will lose Gerard no matter what.

"Frankie... Frankie, come on..." Gerard whispers, and Frank felt him patting his back gently. "It's okay..."

"No. It will never be okay, Gerard," Frank sobs, his voice muffled against Gerard's warm neck.

"Frank," Mikey calls, his voice gone firm. Frank heaved a deep breath, wiping his tears using the hem of his shirt before he looked at Mikey. "Gerard is my brother but I'm leaving the decision on your hands."

Frank blinks. "What?"

"It's up to you if you want to give Gerard his old life back or if you want him to stay that way," Mikey says firmly but it's evident that he's shaking. "And whatever your decision is Frank, I may not agree with it, but I will to accept it."

Frank curses under his breath, whole body trembling. "Mikey, I don't know... This is... this is just too much and I really don't know how to even handle all this information."

"I know that it's difficult, Frank," Mikey said, shoulders sagging and he sounds exhausted this time. "He's my brother but I know a lot has changed and I could see that he's really happy with you. And you're the reason why. And that's why I still stand to what I say Frank. I'm giving you all the time that you need. Just give Christa a call once you have made your decision."

Frank closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I still don't know what to do."

Frank someone gently squeezed his arm. It was Ray. "Of course you already know what to do," Ray offered him a sad smile and although Frank doesn't want to admit it, he knows that Ray is telling the truth. "But get all the time you need. Talk to Gerard too."

"Okay," Frank answers, looking at Gerard sadly.

-

A few hours later, when Gerard is sleeping peacefully in his bed, Frank decided to phone his mother. What Ray said earlier stuck strongly in his mind. Ray knows him very well, and even if he didn't tell them yet, he knows he will have to give Gerard his old life back, even though in the process, he will no longer remember him.

"Hey mom."

"Hi Frankie," his mom enthusiastically greeted him from the other line. "How are you, baby?"

"I'm..." Frank heaved a deep sigh, shoulders dropping. He knows he cannot really lie to his mom, and if he did, his mother can see, or hear through it. "I'm not really okay right now..."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Mom?" Dad fell in love with another woman, right? That's why you divorced him."

"Yes baby. But why are we talking about this right now? I really hope that our relationship isn't bothering you."

Frank refused to offer an answer to what his mother just asked. "But you love dad right? I mean, you really love him."

"To be honest, baby, I still love your dad."

"But if you love him, then why did you let him leave you? Why didn't you fight for him?"

"Oh, Frank... Now that I think about it, the reason is actually simple. I didn't fight for your dad because I would rather see him happy with someone else than stay with me whom he doesn't love anymore. I know he's no longer happy and I realized that we're better off just friends. Don't get me wrong though. I hated the fact that he fell in love with another woman and that he left us, but I cannot just force him to stay in our marriage. It gets tiring and it's even more painful to know that he's not happy with me.  Maybe we're both selfish, but I just want him to be happy and I'm ready to move on."

"But dad's only the selfish one. You're not selfish." Franks says.

"Don't say that, Frank. Your dad's a good guy. Our decisions both hurt us but we cannot lie what is in our hearts. You dad is happy with his new wife and I would rather see him like that than to stay with me and be unhappy. Sometimes, you just had to let someone go because you love them so much even though it will be painful on your part."

Frank shut his eyes. He could feel his heart beating so loud against his chest. His mother is right. "Thanks, mom," he tried to smile but he terribly fails. "I'll see you on Thanksgiving."

"Don't be hard on yourself, Frank. You're a good guy. Whatever that's bothering you right now, I believe you'll make the right decision. I'll see you. Love you, baby."

"Love you too," Frank replies before he ended the call.

Rubbing his face with his palm, Frank has another call to make.

"Hey Christa?" he mumbles. "It's Frank."