FicWad

After being treated by the medics at the base, Frank was sent home, quickly, to a military hospital in Jersey. Frank needed to be treated by specialists for not only his physical health, but also his mental health and the medics overseas could only help set bones and wrap cuts, they couldn't help the mind of a captured man.

So Frank was sent to Jersey, staying in the hospital room while they tried to contact his family. You see, while Frank was being treated for starvation, dehydration, multiple broken bones, blood loss, and the inevitable mental trauma, his mother could not be reached to tell her the good news on her son's homecoming. The reasoning? His mother was too upset and broken to stay in that big house all alone, so she decided to stay with the Ways. And at that home sat the answering machine with several messages from the New Jersey Military Hospital. Which the answering machine kept recording the same message from the young receptionist for three days, telling Ms. Iero that her son was home and at the hospital. By the fourth day the nurse came into the hospital room that was holding a young, Frank Iero and stood carefully next to the bed as the frail man stared at the wall.

“Frank?” The kind nurse spoke softly.

The thin, weak man turned his head to look at the bright, smiling brunet nurse, “Mm?” Was the only response he offered.

Placing a gently hand on Frank arm that wasn't in a sling, she let her smile fall a little, “There isn't anyone answering at your home, is there anyone else that can come get you? You're ready to be released, sweetheart.

Frank just shrugged and turned his face away from the petite woman. He had no idea where is mother was, if she wasn't home. He hadn't heard from Gerard in months, so he didn't want to call him. Donna would pick him up, he guessed. He wasn't even sure at this point. “Donna Way” He spoke quietly, staring out at the closed curtain covering the window. After being trapped underground for so many days, the sun had hurt his eyes, and now that his eyes had adjusted to the bright burning fire in the sky, he felt safer in the dark rooms. After giving the caring nurse Donna's home number, she walked out of the room, going to call the Way residence.

Donna Way and her sons, Mikey and Gerard, had been helping Ms. Linda Iero with the grieving of her son. They had been making sure she ate and slept and got out of the house at least once per day for the past four days. So as Mikey and Gerard cooked dinner, both men extremely heartbroken by the loss of their best friend and lover, Donna and Linda sat on the couch...knitting. Yes as crazy and 'old lady' like as it sounded Linda had taught Donna how as a way of comfort and relaxation. Both women really needed it after the past few days.

As Donna worked on her third scarf since she began, the house phone rang, breaking the silence that was taking hold of the house. Putting down her needles and yarn, she stood up, walking to get the house phone off the charger, furrowing her eyes brows when she read the ID 'NJ Mil Hos”,

“Hello?” She spoke hesitantly.

“Hello, this is Aimee from the New Jersey Military Hospital, is Donna Way there?” The cheery nurse from Frank's room spoke through the receiver.

“This is she,” she nearly whispered as Gerard and Mikey came out to the living room to sit and wait while the lasagna was baking.

“Great!” Aimee nearly cheered, happy to finally reach a family member of Frank's. The poor boy had been through so much and he hadn't even had his family visiting him like most war veterans did. “We have a Frank Iero here and he's ready to be released. We've tried calling his mother...Linda Iero, but she has not picked up the phone. Is there anyway you could come down and pick him up?”

“Frankie?” She gasped looking at the eyes of her sons, “He's alive?”

“Yes, alive and well. Do you think it's possible for you to pick him up? Or do you know someone else that could?” The nurse asked, trying to keep her calm stature, she had been trying to get someone to pick up the small boy since he arrived four days ago.

“Uh, yeah, I can get him. How do I get there?” She asked. After the nurse gave her simple directions the turned to the three sets of eyes in the room as they stared at her.

Linda stood up from the couch, dropping her knitting to the seat, “He's alive, Donna?” Donna just nodded not being able to form other words. She just stared at her eldest son, swallowing. Was this a dream? How is this even possible?

The next few minutes that passed were a blur of tears, smiles and hugs. All four of the people standing in the Way living room were astonished to learn that Frank was alive and that they would see him. Today. After deciding that Mikey would stay home and finish cooking the lasagna, Linda, Donna, and Gerard all piled into the car and headed out of Belleville to the New Jersey Military Hospital. During the entire hour and a half ride to the hospital, the car was silent, all three thinking about how amazing it was that Frank was alive and home and safe. They all couldn't wait to see Frank's smiling, happy face. They couldn't wait to hear all of his stupid jokes that makes everyone laugh just because how hard he was laughing. Little did they know that, that wouldn't happen.

Arriving at the hospital, Donna parked her car and the two women and Gerard piled out, heading toward the entrance of the hospital. Walking straight tot he receptionist desk, Linda leaned against it anxiously, trying to get the attention of the receptionist. Once she did, the three of them signed in, and were led to Frank's room, smiling happily as they walked the white halls. When they were outside the room a nurse came out and smiled at them as Linda stepped forward, looking behind the woman's shoulder.

“Can we bring him home now?” Linda asked, barely even looking at the nurse.

“Yes you can. Are you Donna? I’m Aimee, we spoke on the phone.” Aimee smiled at Linda.

“Oh, no. I’m Linda, Frank's mom. I had been staying at Donna's house cause we thought...” She trailed off not wanting to think about that anymore. Frankie was alive. He was home.

“Oh! Alright, of course you can bring him home. Let me just go over how you need to care for him while he's in recovery, first.”

“Recovery?” Linda asked, now turning to look at the nurse completely. “What happened to him?”

“Well, ma'am, he broke his left arm, shattered his right knee cap, and broke a few ribs. The doctors were able to set everything back in place, and even surgically fix his knee cap. Now he just needs time to recover. He needs to go to physical therapy twice a week and you need to keep him hydrated. Also, sometimes he doesn't eat, you need to make sure that he has something at each meal throughout the day. It's going to take time to get his appetite back. He's also required to go to the Army's therapist twice a week. She may require more time after she has a few sessions with him, but as of right now twice a week is fine. I have a list of his prescriptions for the pain in with his belongings, the army does over the co-payment, but somebody needs to be in charge of the medicine because it's very strong and habit forming. And he needs to come back in four weeks to check on the way the bones are healing. But that's it.” The nurse said cheerfully while the three of them listened to her in shock as she went over what happened to Frank.

“What exactly happened to him? How did he get those injuries?” Donna asked cautiously, stepping forward to placing a hand gently on Linda's back as she saw the woman getting working up again.

“Only he can tell you for sure.” Aimee said softly and looked at the faces in front of her, “But don't expect it soon. He's been through so much.” Donna nodded and looked back at her son who's face was even paler than usual. What had his poor baby been through? “Well you guys can go in now. I'll be back soon with the release forms.” Aimee said before strolling off toward the front desk.

Linda stepped to the door first, turning the handle and slowly pushing it open. She cautiously made her way inside and stopped when she saw her son. Laying the in all white hospital bed was Frank, nearly being eating by the sheets he was so small. His leg propped up by pillows, his arm resting in a sling on his small stomach and his head turned toward the curtain covered window in a daze, not even noticing the guests entering the room.

Taking a step closer to the bed, Linda placed a hand over her mouth as she took in the sight of her bruised son. “Frankie?” She nearly squeaked out as she stepped closer and closer to the bed.

Frank turned his head to his mother and she let out a small sob, tears strolling down her cheeks. His face was pale with dark bruises, the olive tint to his skin, gone. His eyes were sunken in, and there were bags under them, his stare was distant, almost like he didn't know she was there, like she was a dream. “Ma?” Frank spoke hoarsely, this was the first word he'd spoken in days.

“Yeah, sweetheart, it's me.” Linda couldn't contain the tears as they streamed down her face. As she stepped next to the bed, Frank sat up and winced as pain coursed through his side. She sat down next to her son, reaching up to stroke the small man's hair. “Oh, Frankie.” She sobbed as she gingerly leaned forward, wrapping her only son in a hug.

Frank slowly wrapped his uninjured arm around his mother, resting his chin on her should as he stared toward the door where Gerard and Donna stood. Once seeing Gerard he slowly moved back away from the hug that his mother was currently engulfing him in. Seeing Gerard was a shock to the small man. He didn't expect to see him. He didn't think his boyfriend cared. Which was stupid, of course Gerard cared, but spending a month buried beneath the world with only your thoughts could make a person think irrational things.

Seeing Frank notice him, Gerard stepped closer to the bed smiling behind tears at his small boyfriend. “Hi, baby.” He stepped just behind Linda and watched as Frank eyed him. Frank just gave a small, almost nonexistent, nod, his eyes drifting back to the dark curtains.

Swallowing, he looked back at his mother who shrugged sadly and stepped to Gerard, rubbing his back softly just as the nurse walked in with a clipboard filled with papers and a wheelchair. “Alright, Mr. Iero, lets get you out of here.” Aimee smiled and pushed the wheelchair next to the bed. “If you'll just sign these forms while I’m getting him into the chair, that'll be great.” She continued as she handed the clipboard to Linda, who nodded, signing her name at the bottom of each sheet.

As Frank got out of the bed, and into the chair, Linda, Donna and Gerard were able to see just how much weight he had lost. There was literally skin, stretched over bones. The clothes that once fit Frank perfectly, looked like they were three sizes too big. It was heartbreaking to see. When Linda passed the forms back to the nurse she smiled, thanking her and handing Linda the prescriptions, with some further instructions on how to care for Frank. The nurse then turned back to Frank smiling brightly at him.

“I'll see you back in a few weeks, honey. Feel better.” Frank just nodded, distantly, the nurse had been very nice and helpful these past few days, but he couldn't bring himself to form any words.

Getting Frank out of the hospital and home was uneventful. The car ride was silent except for a few hushed questions or concerns from Linda, who was sitting in the back seat next to her son. She got minimal response, though, nothing more than a head nod or a grunt. After arriving back at the Way house, dinner was all set up and ready to be eating, thanks to a phone call to Mikey once they were close to the house. All five adults sat at the dining room table, eating the lasagna that Gerard and Mikey had prepared early that evening, in silence. Frank barely ate anything, not because the meal had meat, Mikey had gotten a vegetarian meal and prepared that for Frank, but because he simply wasn't hungry. You would think that a person who was starved for weeks would eat anything they can get, right? Well not when you've been through what Frank has.

After dinner was finished and cleaned up, Frank whispered to his mother that he was tired and he'd like to go to sleep. He was also silently hinting that he wanted to go back to his own home and sleep in his own bed, away from Gerard, but she didn't get the hint and asked Gerard to help him down to the basement for bed. Frank, deciding to let it go, hobbled down the stairs with the help of Gerard and then onto the bed. He curled against the wall, trying to make himself as small as possibly, the only way he felt comfortable to sleep. Gerard sat down next to Frank and placed a large hand on Frank's back, which caused Frank to jump slightly, not unknown to Gerard.

“Baby?” Gerard tried, rubbing the smaller man's back softly. Frank didn't move or make a sound, just laid, staring at the wall. So Gerard tried again, “Frankie?”

And again Frank didn't respond. He didn't really want to talk to Gerard, he was hurt by the older man, he had had a whole month to go over the events in his head that would lead Gerard to cut off contact with him, and he didn't think he deserved it.

“Frankie, please talk to me.” Gerard tried once more and scooted closer to Frank on the bed.

“Why?” Frank mumbled after a few moments, keeping his eyes on the air bubble in the pain on the wall.

“Why? Frank, I haven't spoken to you in months. I thought you were dead. I want to talk to you.” Gerard responded starting to get heated. Why was Frank acting like a child?

“It's not my fault. I tried.” Frank mumbled staring at the wall. Don't let them see you cry. Don't let them see you cry. He said over and over in his head.

“I know you did, baby, but that doesn't matter anymore, okay? It only matters that you're home now.” Gerard spoke softly, getting close to the small man, stroking his side. He had ignored that Frank wasn't talking about trying to get out of the caves that he was trapped in. He was talking about trying to talk to his boyfriend for months before his disappearance.

“It does matter.” He mumbled again, his emotions starting to overwhelm him. Why didn't Gerard want to talk to him while he was fighting? Why did he want to talk now?

“It doesn't, Frankie. I’m going to stay here tonight, I’m not going back to my apartment. I promise, baby, I’m here for you.” He ran his hands up Frank's back to stroke the hair that was slowly growing back in.

“Your apartment?” Frank questioned, turning his head to face Gerard.

“Uh, yeah, you didn't know I moved out?” Gerard questioned, sure he didn't tell Frank but he was sure that either his mom or Frank's mom did. Frank just shook his head and turned back to the wall.

“You can go back to your apartment, Gerard. I’m okay on my own. I have been for months now.” Frank spoke surprisingly loud and clear. He had survived this long without his lover, he could do the rest on his own. Gerard could go back to his apartment and live the life he had while ignoring Frank. Frank would be okay on his own, he just had to make sure they didn't seem him cry. Never let them see you cry.

Thank you all for commenting and giving your opinions! There will be more! :D