FicWad

Chapter 11

(still Gerard's POV)

"Very well. I'll have your first bottle made up for you. It's an outpatient procedure, of course, so I'll need to see you back once a month to refill it. After that, if you're still doing well considering, all that's left to do is keep taking the chemo and wait. Although if at any point you start feeling weak to a point where you know it's not just a side effect of the treatment, come in immediately. Aside from that, I want you here once a week for me to monitor those tumors." Lee put a hand on my shoulder. "I can't tell you how truly sorry I am. I hate having to give such news to patients."

I nodded, completely out of it. I'm not sure I even heard any of what he had said. Only twenty eight years old and I was dying. I wouldn't even make it to thirty. I wouldn't-

Okay Gerard. Just accept it. You'll be gone within the year. There are going to be alot of things you'll never do, never accomplish. But you need to stop moping and live your life; what's left of it, anyways. You're not afraid to keep on living, right until the bitter end, right?

Right.

I thanked Dr. Lee and took my bottle of pills with me from the hospital after scheduling the day and time for my weekly appointments. I checked the time on my car dashboard. Nearly five thirty. I hadn't realized how long I'd been gone. I briefly wondered if Frank was worried. I decided to give him a call.

Frank's POV

"Hey, babe."

"OhmygodGerardwherethefuckareyouI'vebeenworryingmyassoffthiswholetimedammitareyouokay?!"

It was five thirty and Gerard had finally called me. Hearing his voice relieved me, but only for a moment until Iremembered where he'd been. He shouldn't have taken that long at the hospital unless something was seriously wrong. "What'd the doctors say? Are you okay?"

Gerard's laugh sounded over the phone. "Of course I'm okay! The chest pain was just due to this stupid cough that I've had. Just a cold. No biggie."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness. But what took you so long?"

"Get this. I saw one of my old friends back from high school. She's actually working as a nurse at the hospital. We got to talking and went and had a coffee after her shift was over to catch up. And guess where I'm off to now?"

"Where?" I couldn't imagine.

"I, Frankie darling, am going to get a haircut. It's gonna be a big change. I think I may get it dyed, too."

I could picture him grinning mischievously as he said this and I smiled. "Dye it that white-blonde color you've been admiring. That'll be hot!" I giggled.

Gerard squealed with excitement on the other end of the line. "Okay! I'll see you when I get home. Love you." And he clicked off.

Gerard's POV

I had just gotten off the phone with frank, assuring him everything was fine. It was all too easy to lie to him and make him believe every word I said. I would've found it comical if not for the circumstances. I had to snap out of my funk before I got home or Frank would notice right away that something was wrong. So I shoved all thoughts of my sickness out of my head as I swallowed the first two pills. Time to get ahaircut. If I was going to lose most of my hair, I was going to lose it on my own terms, not the cancer's. And after I got my hair cut and dyed, it would be time to write. I knew exactly what the next My Chemical Romance album was going to be. I felt every lyric, every guitar riff inside of me. Oh, I would tell them it was just a concept album about "The Patient" dying (ironically of cancer), only they'd have no idea that "The Patient" was me. We'd finish it before my death, and when I died they'd finally know. But not until then. It will tell about the death, expected afterlife experiences, and reflections of life. My life. As I would write it and we would record, death would slowly come for me. Come for me in my fondest memory. Just as I believed it to be. Just as the album would entail. The last thing I would know before I fade to black. The Black Parade.

Frank's POV

I sat impatiently by the front door, fiddling with random odds and ends that had yet to be unpacked. I was waiting for Gerard to come home, with his new haircut. I wondered why he decided to get a haircut all of a sudden. Not that I cared; he would look beautiful all the same. I heard the Honda pull into the driveway and jumped up to meet him. I hid behind the wall that was close to the door as his keys jingled in the lock. As he pushed the door open, I jumped on him.

"HOLY FUCK, FRANK! Midget attack!"Gerard shrieked, laughing.

"Hey!" I said, offended. "I'm average height."

"Average for a midget, I suppose,"he shot back, and then pulled me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head. I pulled away so that I could get a good look at his hair. Oh my. It was so much different. The long, messy locks of raven black hair were completely gone, having been replaced with white-blonde color. Not only was the color different, but the length. It was cropped short, and you could actually see Gerard's whole face and even his ears. It was going to take some getting used to. But it looked nice.

"What do you think? I mean, do you hate it?" he asked, chewing his bottom lip.

"I love it," I replied, stepping up to kiss him. He wound his arms around my waist, pulling me closer.

"C'mon, Frankie," he whispered. "I need you tonight."