FicWad

“Do you want me to take you to the police station?” Music played softly in the car, and neither of them were wearing their seatbelts.

Mikey had stayed behind with Frank, who had seemed to lose all of his fight.

Hayley didn’t say anything, lost in her own thoughts.

“I just… Can I just ask you one thing?” Gerard hesitated before asking.

“What?” Hayley didn’t even look over at him as he pulled over to the side of the road. There wasn’t much traffic at this time of night.

“Can you just… leave Mikey out of this?” Gerard licked his lips. “You can blame me and Frank. Just don’t bring Mikey in to it. He really didn’t want to hurt you. I’m the one that let Frank influence him in to this stupid, awful idea.”

Hayley glanced over, seeing the concern on Gerard’s face. “He is the one who actually kidnapped me. He is the one that brought me to your apartment. If anything, he is the one most to blame, aside from Frank.”

Gerard closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I understand that, and I’m not in a position to ask anything of you but – please?” He opened his eyes and gazed at Hayley, looking completely vulnerable. It reminded Hayley of how she still felt.

“Just… take me to the hospital please.” Hayley’s leg still hurt and the last thing she wanted was for it to get infected.

Gerard didn’t say anything as he pulled away, headed in the direction of the nearest hospital. He was still worried but there wasn’t much he could do.





**

Hayley had spaced out again by the time they reached the hospital. Gerard got out, and came around to open the passenger side door for her, offering his hand.

Hayley hesitantly took it, stepping out of the car, careful to not place much weight on her hurt leg. It was throbbing now. Somehow the dart had hit her pretty deep.

Hayley took her hand out of Gerard’s once she was out of the car. He awkwardly followed her in to the ER waiting room, unsure of what to really do – he just knew running wasn’t the right thing.

Hayley checked in, turning to see Gerard sitting in the waiting area. He looked lost, and exhausted.

Hayley went and sat a few seats away from him. “I don’t know why you’re still here.” She commented.

“Leaving doesn’t seem right.” Gerard muttered. “I don’t really want police coming after me with guns.”

Made sense.

Someone called Hayley’s name and she stood. So did Gerard. Hayley didn’t stop him. She kind of didn’t want to be alone, but she also didn’t want him there. She felt very conflicted.

Then came the hospital room, and she had to change in to a gown. “Well, I’ll… uh turn away.” Gerard awkwardly turned towards the wall.

“I could have changed in the bathroom.” Hayley pointed out as she slipped her jeans off so that the doctor could look at where she was hurt.

As they waited time seemed to slow down, about as slow as it could.

“I had my reasons for not telling Frank.” Hayley almost felt as if she were to blame for the entire situation. The guilt had weighed on her since she broke up with Frank.

“I’m sure you did.” Gerard replied.

“It’s not easy to tell someone that you’re not ready… for something like that.” Hayley said, feeling defensive.

“I can’t imagine.” Gerard said, lacking any judgement towards Hayley.

Hayley still felt judged, though it was judgement from herself. “I didn’t know how to look at him after… after I decided.”

“It would suck not knowing though.” Gerard murmured. “You know, not knowing why someone just up and left.”

“We were just dating. I didn’t owe him anything.” Hayley snapped.

Gerard shut up.

“I just didn’t know…” Hayley closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to cry anymore than she already had.

“Didn’t know what?”

“I just didn’t know if I loved him.” Hayley admitted, just as the doctor came in.



**



Hayley suffered through various questions. Gerard got sent back out to the waiting room. Apparently it was protocol to ask if he was abusing her, given the injury.

Hayley got tired of saying that her friends were drinking and someone accidentally hit her with a dart. She hated lying, and she wasn’t even sure why she was protecting the men who kidnapped and then hurt her.

She felt so completely conflicted, and still so at fault. She didn’t want to feel anything at all. It was all too much.

Hayley stepped out in to the waiting room with her prescriptions for pain killers and antibiotics. It would heal, so said the doctor.

Gerard stood upon seeing her, slipping his cell phone back in to his pocket. “You good?”

“As good as I can be… do you know where Mikey put my cell phone?” Hayley felt a little bare without it.

“I don’t, sorry.” Gerard grabbed his phone back out of his pocket and extended it to Hayley. “Here, if you need to call someone.”

Hayley dialed her father’s number. He answered on the first ring. “Hello?” The gruff voice she had missed so much filled her ears and it took everything within her not to cry.

She missed her dad and the way he made her feel safe. He was all she had, and she almost didn’t have him anymore.

“Hey Dad, it’s Hayley.” She sounded so normal, somehow.

“Sweetheart… where is your phone, whose number is this??” The concern was evident.

“I was just staying at my friend Chelsea’s house and I lost it. I am so sorry. I should have called sooner but we got caught up in you know, catching up. We hadn’t really gotten to spend time together in awhile. I am actually headed home now… are you at home, or are you gone still?” Her dad travelled a lot for work.

“I’m actually in Australia for a business meeting but I will be home tomorrow. I booked a quick flight because I hadn’t heard from you and that’s unusual. I’m glad you were just visiting a friend. Tomorrow we can go get you another phone. I hate not being in contact.” He was super protective after losing her mother.

“I would like that… what time will your flight be in?”

“1:45 PM.”

“I’ll see you then, love you dad.”

“Love you too sweetheart.”

The line went dead and Hayley was a little sad. She wanted her dad to keep talking to her but she didn’t have a legitimate reason to keep him on the line that wouldn’t make him suspicious that something was wrong.

“Here.” Hayley handed Gerard his phone back.

“Where do you want to go next?” Gerard asked.

Hayley realized she didn’t want Gerard to have her address, but she also didn’t want to walk home all by herself. She was kind of stuck. “I don’t know. It is pretty late.”

Gerard nodded.

“Shit.” Hayley cursed. “Did Mikey happen to have my house key?” She must have dropped it in the struggle.

“I’ll call and ask him.” Gerard answered, dialing a number.



**



Hayley was sitting in Gerard’s car outside of his apartment. She felt panicked. They were back and she didn’t want to go inside but apparently Mikey had her cell phone.

She had already dropped off her prescriptions and she had nothing else to do but go and get her cell phone and then figure out where she could stay for the night, until her dad got back so that he could make her another set of keys since she still lived at home.

“Do you want me to have Mikey run your phone out here?” Gerard asked.

That sounded brilliant. Hayley shrugged, realizing she needed to be brave. She didn’t want any of these guys to think she was weak, after all they had done to her. Her dad had raised her to be stronger than that. “I can get it.”

She got out of Gerard’s car and felt like she was walking to her death. It could have been. She could have died in that apartment. What if the dart had hit somewhere else… what if Frank had gotten his way…

**



Frank was sitting on the couch. Mikey was sprawled out on the ground for whatever reason. He perked up when they entered, and Gerard rolled his eyes.

“So, here’s the thing.” Mikey dug around in his pocket and what he pulled out made Hayley’s heart sink.

It was her cell phone, broken. Apparently it had hit the ground in the struggle.

“Why wouldn’t you just tell Gerard my phone was broken?” She felt broken. This was the final blow, one she really didn’t need.

She felt destroyed, broken down, and just done.

Mikey frowned. “I’m sorry… I wanted to apologize to your face. I will replace it.” He promised. “I have some money saved, and it’s yours.”

Hayley’s eyes filled with angry tears. She was so frustrated. Frank sat up and seemed to take notice. “Hales, it’ll be okay. He will buy you a new phone and if he doesn’t then I will.”

Hayley wanted to roll her eyes at Frank suddenly being friendly but she didn’t have it in her.

“I just don’t have my house keys.” Hayley admitted. “And I can’t get a hold of anyone right now, not without my phone.”

Gerard tried to reassuringly place his hand on the back of Hayley’s back and she violently jerked away. “Don’t touch me.” She snapped.

Gerard stepped back, surprised.

Frank stood up. “I’m going to bed… Come on Hales… You can sleep in my room tonight. Promise I won’t try anything.”

Hayley hesitated but she didn’t really have many options.

In that moment she could see how so many women stayed in abusive, shitty situation. She didn’t want to be that girl, yet she followed Frank to his bedroom as Gerard watched – completely surprised with the situation, and unsure of how to feel.