This did not suck at all. I really liked this. I'm glad that Frank was finally able to get a hold of Gerard. Now I just can't wait to see what happens when Gerard actually gets back. Anyway, I really liked that it was in Frank's point of view. Frank is always the sensible one that fixes everything, but it makes you wonder how he deals with all the things that are in need of fixing. I liked that you get to see a side of Gerard that is afraid for once. He doesn't believe any of the stuff he says, no matter how many times he says it and how much it may seem as if he really does believe it. He's really just afraid that Mikey is slipping from him and won't need him anymore. Maybe he feels like he's losing Mikey to Pete and that's why he hates him so much, he knows deep down that Mikey is a smart kid and would not even look at anyone who he suspects is a danger. He somehow knows who's not good to hang around, and Gerard knows this, so he knows Pete isn't a bad person and that he can't hold the kissing against him forever. It's like now that Pete is in the picture he isn't as important anymore, and he's afraid of Mikey not thinking he is important. They both want to be good brothers to each other. It was really sad to see Gerard so open with all his true emotions, even if it was just through a phone call, but at the same time I was glad to see him opening up and not bottling everything up so that it all explodes in such a terrible way. Gerard really does want the best for Mikey, and it seems as if he's starting to accept that Pete is what is best for Mikey. It seems like he's always believed it, knew it when Mikey spoke back to him when he punched Pete, but he never wanted to and just kinda pushed it to the back of his mind. I really like Gerard in this chapter. I also really like that Frank accepted that he had to tell the complete truth in order to help Gerard understand where he and Mikey stand right now. Frank knows better than anyone where they stand because he's seen Mikey through this and he is now seeing Gerard through it and he knows they can't survive without each other. He had to tell Gerard that he's not what Mikey needs. Mikey doesn't need a parent, he needs a brother, and that's what Gerard needs to be. What he can be and what Frank can tell he wants to be. I really, really liked this chapter. It was so amazing and it was really beautiful. There were so many interesting things shown about Gerard and how he really feels. This chapter was fabulous. Great job!!! Also, I would love to see what else happens in this story and how it ends. I am also looking forward to that new Frikey fic. Anyway, I really, truly loved this.
Author's response
Thank you very much; I'm relieved that you think this didn't suck and that you liked it!
I was torn between doing this in Gerard's or Frank's POV, I wasn't sure if by using Frank it would take away from the (attempted) portrayal of Gerard's emotions, so it's a really good to know that you liked that was from Frank's view point. I wanted to show how Frank copes with pretty much being the Way brothers' relationship repairman, so I hope that came across.
Gerard never truly means any of the bad things he says to Mikey, he might mean them at the time but he never thinks them through enough to fully mean them (I hope that made sense). He is, like you said, afraid of losing Mikey and of Mikey not seeing him as the important perosn in his life that Gerard once was/wants to be. Your interpretation is spot on with what I was trying to get at; he resents Pete for making Mikey happy, for replacing a role that Gerard is constantly trying to fill. I doubt that even Gerard can hold a kiss against someone forever. The Way brothers are almost the same in this; they are both insecure, but in different ways, because they both just want to be good brothers.
I'm glad that you liked Gerard in this chapter, I thought that it was about time for me to not give people reasons to hate his character in this story.
I think that Frank knew he had to tell the truth to fix this because he'd tried sugar-coating it, he had tried being nice and nothing changed; the only way to deal with this was to shock Gerard into action. Also, like you said, Frank knows what's going on because he has seen this before and has seen Mikey's side to this in full.
I've posted the prologue to the new Frikey fic up, it's called Guardian Ghost and I will add more chapters to it once I've finished this story.
Thank you soooooo much for taking the time to leave such a friendly and helpful review! :)