18th Floor Balcony (Frerard)

Chapter Sixteen: The Hardest Part Of This Is Leaving You

*Two months later*

"How was work?" Frank called out from the kitchen as he prepared dinner. Mikey walked in after a long day. He decided last month that he needed to get back to his life outside of the house. This did not include drinking and one night stands. Instead, it was work, meetings with work, and then dinners and nights with Frank. It had been a strange courtship compared to anyone else. After all, Frank still had feelings for the older Way, but as the months went on, he could see how special Mikey was and how blind he was at his feelings. He didn't jump into anything, though. Other than a few sweet kisses, there was nothing else, and Frank continued to sleep with Mikey in bed now instead of Gerard. He still missed it. He missed his first crush. He missed it all. Frank kissed Mikey lightly and took his briefcase.

"Hope you brought your appetite with you, Mikes. I made stir fry tonight," Frank said. Down the hall, Sasha emerged from Gerard's room and gathered up her things.

"Alright Frank, I'm out. Thomas should be here soon though. Thanks for letting me go early," she said.

"Sure, have a good time at the movies,"

"Thanks," Sasha smiled, hugging both Frank and Mikey, then leaving out the front door.

"How did the meeting go?" Frank asked, mixing the vegetables in the frying pan and turning off the rice cooker.

"It was alright. Felt like an eternity being in there, though. How's Gerard?"

"He's resting. Sasha was reading to him. I gave him some medicine for his cold," Frank frowned, remembering how hard it was to see Gerard tremble and cry in his bed when he had to inject a needle in his arm to give him his medicine intravenously earlier today. He just hoped it helped, seeing the patient cold and wheezing through the tube cut into his throat, his nose sniffly and skin so pale like never before.

"Okay. I think I'm gonna go check in and see him," Mikey said as he left a small kiss. Frank nodded and went back to preparing dinner as Mikey walked down the hall to Gerard's room. Before Mikey knocked, he breathed deeply, feeling his pulse rise slightly. It was still hard to see Gerard in his current state today, even two months later after returning home from the hospital. He had to see him, though. He was his brother, after all. He lightly tapped on the door and walked inside, seeing Gerard in his bed, his eyes shut and looking peaceful despite his rapidly deteriorating state as of lately. "Everyday is Like Sunday" by Morrissey softly played from his mp3 speakers as he slept, his machines around him doing their jobs for his sick body. It was all a sad sight for both Frank and Mikey himself to see, but he couldn't avoid it. He knew Gerard needed company, especially now. Mikey pulled up a chair and sat at his brother's bedside, watching him sleep. It wasn't long before Gerard's eyes slowly opened, his dull hazel orbs barely showing themselves. It was like he was expecting to see Mikey. He could have sworn he saw them twinkle, like those eyes were trying to greet him.

"Hey, Gee. Sorry if I woke you up. I just wanted to check up on you," Mikey spoke calmly, leaning forward to give Gerard a kiss on his hot forehead. He frowned, seeing that he still hasn't made much progress with recovery from his supposed cold. He knew that yet another doctor's visit is soon to come for Gerard. "I hate to tell you this, but I think we're gonna have to get you to Dr. Urie for this cold. It's been two weeks and you're not getting any better,"

Beside Mikey, Gerard began to wheeze and choke up through the tube in his throat, his entire body slightly quivering from the sickness. Mikey could tell in Gerard's eyes he was in so much pain, and the worst part about it was that there wasn't much that could be done, other than to make Gerard comfortable in his final days. Mikey hoped that Dr. Urie could at least give him something to soothe his hurt, even if there was almost no point in doing so. He knew Gerard was close to death. He reached out and held his brother's limp hand until Gerard's body stopped tensing up and soon passed out, his dying eyes shut. Mikey sighed deeply and looked over to Gerard's speakers for his I-Pod, then got an idea. It was an idea so good that he might as well have had a lightbulb light up above his head, making a ding sound. He kissed Gerard one last time before he walked back out to the dining room for some dinner. He needed to talk to Frank about this idea.