"How much money do you have left?"

    Frank looked up suddenly. Gerard hadn't spoken in about ten minutes; neither of them had. He didn't know where Gerard was in even going, but it seemed they were leaving town. He could tell Gerard had a plan, so he simply kept quiet.

    "A couple hundred." Frank answered.

    Gerard nodded and reached for Frank's hand again, holding it firmly. Frank wasn't scared anymore; he knew something big was still going on, but he could not for the life of him be afraid of any of it now. They had both been in danger, and were probably going somewhere to hide from it. But he was hiding with Gerard. That was as safe as he needed.

    "Good. That'll do." Gerard said. He paused. "Frank?"

    "Hm?"

    As they came to a stoplight, Gerard turned to look at Frank and smiled, looking a little sorry. "You ready to run away with me?"

    Frank grinned wide and reached forward, pecking Gerard on the lips. He stayed close to him and nodded. "Always." He whispered.

    Someone honked. They pulled themselves together and drove, the intensity completely gone inside the car. They both smiled.

    Gerard parked at a hotel. Frank looked over at him a bit worriedly. Gerard nodded sadly.

    "It'll only be a day or two. I'm sure of it." Gerard reassured him.

    Frank nodded and they went inside to check in. It wasn't a glamorous hotel, as they weren't trying to spend all of Frank's money at once. The receptionist gave them a disgusted look as they walked in holding hands. Frank noticed, but Gerard hadn't seemed to. That or he didn't care. Frank knew he didn't care, and he wished he could fully say the same for himself.

    Gerard paid and got their key, and they scurried away to their room. Upon entering, they soon discovered it smelled like old people and food of the same age as the people. Frank opened the window, airing it out, and that's when he noticed Gerard had a bag in his hand the entire time.

    "You packed?" he asked, sitting at the window sill.

    Gerard nodded. "I knew I'd find you right away, and that we'd have to come here." He answered.

    "Got any clothes in there that'll fit me? I'll be on day three for these threads tomorrow." Frank asked.

 Gerard joined him at the window and looked down at the city as the sun was beginning to set, holding his hand again. He'd never realized before how much Gerard loved holding hands. He had seemed to be doing it more and more lately. "I'm sure you'll fit in something." Gerard finally replied quietly.

Frank frowned. "Gerard," he said, getting his attention, "Are you ready to explain all this to me?"

Gerard stared at Frank a long time and thought. Finally, he nodded.

"The cops found the junkyard again. They're shutting us down; got cops there all the time from now on." Gerard began, "Jimmy's girlfriend Chantal was arrested and he's mad. He knows the last three people there before they got there were me, you, and Becky. He knows that you and I broke up and...Frank, he thinks YOU did it; that YOU turned us in."

Frank almost acted like he was shocked, but he wasn't. He fucking wasn't. He sat there and nodded his head, grinning sarcastically as he was unable to contain his anger. Gerard sighed and stood up, traveling to the bed and sitting there instead.  

"I'm afraid if he found you, he'd hurt you..." his voice trailed off and soon he wasn't alone. Frank slowly joined him and forced eye contact.

"Gerard...did Jimmy...hurt you?" he asked cautiously.

Gerard swallowed and looked away again, holding his side. Frank was getting angrier and angrier by the second he was hearing this. He slowly reached his fingers out and pried Gerard's hands away. He then placed his own fingers at the hem of Gerard's shirt, looking at his face for any signs of objection. There was none, so he progressed. He slid the shirt up just enough to see the giant purple and black mark on Gerard's side. He grazed his fingertips across it, earning a wince from Gerard. He regretted it a second later.

Shaking his head, Frank put the shirt down and showed Gerard his eyes now filling with tears.

"Don't cry, please," Gerard pleaded, wiping the tears away, "I'm fine. You're safe now, that's all that matters."

"NO!" Frank yelled, "You got hurt trying to protect me. You—you didn't have to do that!"

"YES I DID!" Gerard yelled back now, standing up, "I got you into this shit—I was supposed to PROTECT you and make you want to stay but all I did was screw you up some more! And now look at us—running away like before. Keeping Jimmy from you was the first decent thing I've done for you in weeks. I deserved this."

"You didn't deserve any of this, Gerard!" cried Frank, not hiding his sobbing as he yelled and stood too, "I know where you're going with saying that, but you do NOT deserve pain! Not pain from Jimmy, yourself, or ME. But to say that you screwed me up MORE...is a fucking lie. I did that to myself way before you came along." He paused slowly fell to the floor, "You made me whole again. You taught me how to be happy. And I just screwed it up and pushed you away...I'm sorry."

Frank shoved his head between his knees, not daring to look up at Gerard who was kneeling down in front of him. "Frank, I..." He slowly looked up at Gerard who was inching closer. Finally, he grabbed Frank's head in his hands and kissed him hard. Frank didn't hesitate holding onto Gerard's middle, carefully avoiding putting force on the bruise.

Gerard pulled away, breathing heavy and in tears all over again. "I just...want what's best for you."
Frank shook his head and moved his hands onto Gerard's neck and shoulders. "Then don't leave me again."

    Gerard mimicked Frank and stole a quick peck on the lips while breathing out, "Never again...never...." He kept kissing him over and over again until they were in a lovely mess of tangles and tongues on the floor.

    Frank stood up and sat on the bed, but Gerard stayed on the floor, reaching up to continue kissing him. Frank tangled his fingers in his long, black hair, and Gerard couldn't help but moan into his mouth.

    They separated due to Frank, who spoke. "Gerard, I...do you forgive me for last night?"

    Gerard nodded vigorously. "Of course I do."

    He swallowed. "Well...what if I told you that...I still feel that way...right now." He quickly added, "N-not for you, not like I said last night; I just...I want this."

    Gerard was silent for a long moment, running his hands from his knees to his thighs and then stopping at his waist. "I would love to, Frank. But don't do it because you think you need to."

    Nodding, Frank took Gerard's hands and guided him on the bed with him. "I'm ready, Gee. I love you and I'm ready."

    They progressed, pulling and tugging at clothes until they were just two boys making out in their underwear on a bed. Frank laid down and expected Gerard to follow by straddling him, but he froze.

    "What?" Frank asked.

    Gerard shut his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. "Nothing, I just—I didn't know you wanted me to..."

    "I—I assumed...I'm the virgin here, so—"

    "Yeah, but it's not like I've fucked anyone." Gerard retorted. "I really haven't. I'm the—erm—fuck-ee."

    Frank smirked and got to his knees so he could level with Gerard. "Well then; looks like this is a new experience for both of us."

    Gerard's cheeks changed color as he stole a quick kiss and then nudged Frank off his balance and into his position. As they continued to kiss and tease at the straps of their underwear, Gerard pulled away and slowed down, getting ready to say something.

    "Frank, I—there's something I gotta tell you, I—fuck...it's Fun Ghoul, I..." he was battling with his urge to touch Frank and get this going, but he had to say this now.

    Frank groaned. "What ABOUT Fun Ghoul, Gerard?"

    He paused and looked him straight in the eyes, his face edging closer to Franks. "It's you." He whispered.

    Chills were sent down Frank's spine and he smiled, eyes wide, before Gerard met him in a deep kiss and finally, ended his suspense.