Frank didn't sleep at all that night, he was thinking too loudly. Gerard couldn't sleep either, he was curled up against Frank with his eyes closed, but he wasn't asleep. Frank was scared, but he'd decided that he was going to win for Gerard, he wouldn't let himself think that he wouldn't return and eventually laid down beside Gerard, both of their faces on one pillow. Gerard opened his tired eyes, staring dreamily into Frank's own. Frank couldn't put into words how much he loved Gerard in these moments, the small ones where they were both alone and it was quiet and nothing was happening. When Gerard looked at him like that, he could forget for a few moments and just enjoy being with him. He brought his hand up to brush at his cheek, pressing his thumb on his cheek. His face was warm and fit on Frank's palm, he was soft and pressed closer to Frank's hand.

"I'll come back, miele*," Frank whispered, his face too close to Gerard's. He wanted to kiss him, just allow himself to be with Gerard and forget for a while. They both had a good time this afternoon, better than great, but he wanted to be close to him again.

*'honey'

"I know you will. I'll kill her myself if you don't," Gerard said darkly, hand resting on Frank's waist. Frank didn't answer him and instead dove forward to kiss him. Gerard whimpered as Frank kissed him, parting his mouth for him and pushing into him. They moved closer to each other as Frank threw a leg over Gerard's hip and let their cocks grind against each other. They both gasped against the other's mouth as their cocks touched, both of them glad that they slept naked.

Frank didn't move his mouth away from Gerard's and continued to kiss him lazily. Their movements were desperate but slow, just allowing themselves to be with each other as Frank rocked against Gerard. Gerard had one of his hands on Frank's back, scratching at it and bringing him closer which trapped his cock against Frank's. His other hand laid on Frank's neck, keeping their faces together while Frank was still cupping Gerard's face with one hand and another palm pressed against the small of Gerard's back with the other. Frank kissed at Gerard's neck, moving down to his chest and wanting to suck his nipples, but that would cause them to shift and lose contact which neither of them wanted.

"Please," Gerard whispered, desperate. Frank knew what he wanted and he wanted it too. He used the hand that was on Gerard's spine to blindly feel for the lube, trying not to move from Gerard. Unfortunately, he couldn't find it without looking through his nightstand and reluctantly pulled away from Gerard which caused him to whine at the loss of contact. Frank found the bottle immediately though and brought himself back to Gerard, happily kissing him.

He tried not to break contact as he moved on top of Gerard, the blanket covering everything but his head and keeping the two of them warm in their bed. He uncapped the bottle of lube, spreading it on his fingers and using his hand to smother it onto his cock, letting out a gasp as his hand made contact with his dick and then using the lube that was left on his fingers to press one into Gerard's hole, not that he needed to be prepped. Gerard let out a groan at the intrusion, his mouth opening the way it did when he moaned. Frank could look at Gerard forever, he was ethereal. His eyes raked over Gerard's exposed body, from his bent legs to his soft belly and chest and up to his favourite part of Gerard; his blissed-out face. He had always wondered how one person could look like that, so perfect, so beautiful. Gerard's jet-black hair was in his eyes, covering his eyes. He pulled his finger out of Gerard's ass and used his other hand to move the hair from Gerard's eyes so he could look directly into the hazel coloured depths. Pretty.

"Così carino,*" Frank said as he lined his cock up to Gerard's hole, listening to Gerard's gasp as he pushed in slowly and bottomed out. Gerard wrapped his legs around Frank, pulling him closer and coaxing his head to his own. His nails clawed at Frank's back as Frank moved inside of him slowly, letting them both feel every moment. Frank kissed Gerard again, captivated by his mouth. He loved Gerard's mouth, especially when it was bruised from kissing Frank and red, a mix of their saliva coating his lips. He always tasted of coffee and cigarette, but Frank craved it all day and he would kiss him all day if it was possible.

*'So pretty'

Frank moved his mouth from Gerard's, wanting to hear his noises and starting to kiss his neck, nipping slightly as he moved down to his collarbone and then he was finally able to get his mouth around one of Gerard's nipples. His teeth grazed the bud and he swirled his tongue around it as he heard Gerard let out a louder moan, either from Frank hitting his prostate or from getting his nipple sucked, Frank didn't really care. He moved his attention to the other one, feeling Gerard's nails claw even tighter at his back as he picked up the pace of his thrusts and bit down. Once Frank was left satisfied, he buried his face in Gerard's neck, his lips only grazing the skin as he fucked Gerard and listened to him moan. As much as he loved to fuck Gerard roughly and wreck him, listening to his loud moans as he squirmed beneath him, he also loved to slow down and let himself feel Gerard. He enjoyed the way he let out breathy moans and gasps as he clenched around him and held on to Frank, their bodies sweaty as they moved together.

Gerard moved his face closer to Frank's, their forehead's touching and Frank lifted his head. They breathed into each other's mouths before Frank brought his hand back up to Gerard's face and kissed him again. He bit at Gerard's lip, reopening the soft tissue he had bitten at before and sucked on it, tasting Gerard. He could tell Gerard was close, he knew the signs and so he brought his other hand to his cock, pumping it in time to his thrusts. Gerard let out another gorgeous breathy moan as Frank's hand clasped around his cock, back arching and head tipping back.

"Vieni per me, amore,*" Frank murmured into Gerard's mouth, releasing his bottom lip and keeping their lips touching, but not kissing. Gerard groaned at Frank, hips bucking into his hand and crying out as he came. Frank didn't last any longer, a few more shallow thrusts and he came, stilling inside of Gerard. They both breathed heavily into each other's mouth, kissing frantically at the same time as their hands moved everywhere.

*'Come for me, love'

They didn't get much sleep that night, but it felt like it had been hours when they woke at 8 AM the next morning, only 4 hours later. There was an uneasy tension in the air and neither of them spoke during breakfast, eating their waffles silently. Even their chef could feel the uneasy air, removing himself from the room as soon as he could. Frank could tell that Gerard wanted to stop him, to tell him not to do it but he and Gerard both knew that he couldn't stop him from doing it. He would do almost anything for Gerard, he was doing this for him, which is why he had to do it. Frank's phone chimed, and Frank read the message before turning his phone back around.

"Ava's on her way. I need to go when she gets here," Frank said, voice tight. He didn't look at Gerard, just kept his eyes on his food. Gerard didn't say anything; he looked sad and was picking at his food. "Gee, I'm doing this for you and I'm coming back."

"You keep saying that, but we both know what she's like," Gerard grumbled, hair covering his face but Frank could see he was pouting.

"Don't underestimate me, Gerard. You haven't seen me at work, I can be just as cruel as her. If I didn't think I could kill the bitch, I wouldn't," Frank growled, standing to face Gerard. "I've been doing this shit for a long time, have some fucking faith in me."

"It's not that I don't have faith in you, I believe in you more than anyone! Can't you tell that I'm just scared? That I don't want my husband getting killed because he thinks he has to kill one of the most dangerous people in the fucking world! I just- I can't lose you," Gerard stood up, his face and voice distressed and Frank could see a few tears running down his cheeks. Frank didn't say anything, just pulled Gerard into his arms and held him as Gerard sobbed lightly into his chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm scared too, but I can do this. I will keep myself alive and I will keep Mikey and Ray alive," Frank said, running his fingers through Gerard's hair.

"I know. I just don't think you understand how scared I get sometimes, not knowing if you or Mikey are alive. Not knowing if you're gonna come home," He moved his face away from Frank's chest to look at him, his eyes teary-eyed and his face wet. It broke Frank's heart to see Gerard like this.

"You're right. I always thought not telling you what I'm doing is better, but it's not is it?" Frank asked and Gerard shook his head. He wanted to kiss him, to tell him everything would be okay again, but then the door rang. The two of them walked to their front door and stood as the butler opened it, welcoming Ava inside. Her face was cold as always as she gave Frank a nod, standing in front of him for her instructions.

"Good morning, Boss, Gerard," Ava spoke, her posture perfectly straight.

"Good morning. Step into the living room please," Frank said, leading the three of them to the living room and motioning for Ava to sit. "You are to keep eyes on Gerard at all times. If you hear anything, stay near him. If he wants to go to another room, go with him. I don't care if you have to follow him to the bathroom just don't let him leave the house. I've put you on guard duty because you're good at it, I'm trusting you with his life. He is the most important person in my life, which makes him the most important person in your life. At least for the next few hours, he is. Got that?"

"Of course. I will guard him with my life," Ava promised. Once Frank was satisfied with that, he nodded and stood, bringing Gerard to stand with him.

"I need to talk to Gerard privately, wait outside," He told Ava and waited for her to walk out of the door, closing it behind her. "If everything goes the way I planned, which it will, you'll be fine. Ava is just a precaution."

"I know," Gerard said in a low voice.

"I love you," Frank said, hands on either side of Gerard's face.

"I love you, too," Gerard said and Frank kissed him, trying to show Gerard just how much he loved him. Gerard responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around Frank and pulling him closer. Frank fisted at Gerard's shirt, but eventually pulled away. "Reste en vie pour moi, reviens vers moi,* Frankie."

*'Stay alive for me, come back to me'

"Sempre," Frank whispered

*'Always'

"I have to go," Frank said, forehead resting against Gerard's. He gave him one last kiss, making it last and then let go of him. He walked towards the living room doors, bringing Ava back in. "Keep him alive."

"Sir?" Ava asked as he turned away, causing him to look back at her. "Good luck."

"Thank you."

Frank turned away again and followed the butler out and to his chauffeur. Gerard watched him through the window as he left, heart beating fast as Frank sped away. Gerard didn't know how to feel, on one hand, Frank had told him that he was confident that he was going to be successful, that he was just as vicious as she was. Gerard believed in Frank. However, he was still terrified. He knew about Lindsey Ballato, he knew a lot about her that Frank didn't tell him and he knew she didn't hesitate to kill. His brother could get killed too, which scared him almost as much as Frank dying. Mikey had been there for Gerard almost his entire life, Gerard had basically raised him and he didn't know what he would do without him.

"He'll be fine," Ava said, her voice fearless and confident. "I've seen him at work, I've been at every meeting we've had, trust me."

"You're right. I have nothing to worry about," He said, but he was still pacing around the room nervously.

"You know, we've never hung out together. You're close to Frank and Mikey for obvious reasons, and Ray too, but I'm around here just as much as them," Ava said, trying to find a way to calm Gerard.

"Yeah well, you're kind of terrifying. Has anyone ever told you that?" Gerard asked, stopping in front of Ava.

"Yeah. I have to be though, there's a lot of misogyny in the mafia. Always saying that a girl can't do this or can't do that. If I let my emotions show, it makes me weak. Obviously," Ava said, a hint of amusement to her voice.

"How can anyone say that when someone like Lindsey exists?" Gerard asked, missing the way Ava's eye twitched at the name.

"Because she's a psychopath. She doesn't allow her emotions, if she even has any, to stop her from doing her job. That's what it takes to be a woman in this line of business, suppressing yourself. I hate doing it," Ava explained, her voice tired and dull. Gerard could tell that the misogyny had drained her. Throughout the years he had watched her become a shell of herself, even through short conversations. She seemed so different three years ago when he had first met her, scary but there was something about her that kept her human.

They talked for a while and Gerard found himself getting to know Ava and finding that she wasn't as scary as she appeared to be. He understood why Frank trusted her, she was smart and creative. Gerard still couldn't sit still, so he was stood as they talked and facing the window, waiting for Frank.

He missed the moment Ava's phone hummed, and the silent way she stood. He was so focused on looking out of the window, trying to hear the faint growl of the car and Frank's feet on the gravel. He didn't hear the way Ava sighed.

"I need you to know, I'm really sorry about this," Ava said and Gerard started to turn around, to ask what she meant when he felt a clothed hand over his mouth and nose before the light around him faded and he succumbed to the dark.

He didn't know how long it was till he awoke again, head fuzzy and tired. As soon as his mind woke, though, he jolted forward. Nothing happened. He looked down, seeing the ropes that tied his feet to the chair legs and his hands to the arms. His mouth was covered by a piece of tape and now he was panicking, because what the fuck? His head whipped around the room, stopping instantly when he saw Ava talking on the phone.

"He's awake. Okay," Ava said and then hung up, sliding her phone into her pocket. She didn't speak at all, she just looked at him and he looked back with fear in his eyes. He startled as he heard the front door slam and prayed for it to be Frank, but what he was met with was terrifying.

"Good job, Ava. I knew I could count on you," Lindsey said, a wicked smile across her face as she looked at Gerard and then back at Ava.

"Of course you can count on me," Ava smirked back. "Why else would you have married me?"

Gerard's eyes widened as far as they could go as he watched Lindsey saunter over to Ava, who was her wife apparently, and pull her into an animalistic kiss. Gerard mumbled a 'what the fuck' as Ava leaned into her. Lindsey pulled away, turning her gaze back to Gerard and walked towards him.

"Let's see what we have here then. Yeah, I can see why he likes you so much. It's a shame I have to kill someone with that pretty a face, but a girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do," Lindsey grinned, reaching out to clutch at Gerard's jaw painfully. She ripped the duct tape off of his face, the burn of it stinging his mouth.

"What the fuck!" He managed to shout before he received a punch to the eye. She could punch hard, his eye already starting to ache as she pulled at his hair.

"Did I say you could speak? I'm sure Frankie won't be happy with me once he realises what I've done with you," Lindsey said, her voice sickly sweet.

"He'll fucking kill you. Do you expect to get away with this?" Gerard sneered, his voice like venom. He was scared, but mostly he was pissed. He was pissed at Ava for turning out to be on the other team the whole time, he was pissed at Frank for not knowing it and mostly pissed at Lindsey.

"Of course not. Why do you think I left you at home?" Lindsey asked and Gerard noticed that, yes, he was still at home. "When he arrives home, unsuccessful to see you dead on the floor he'll be at his weakest. And then? I'll put this gun to his head and he will beg me to kill him. But I won't, because letting him live knowing that he caused your death is worse than dying."

Lindsey looked elated, which terrified Gerard down to his very core. He didn't know how someone could be so happy to kill someone and let another suffer because of it, why she could feel so much joy at someone else's despair.

"Fortunately, we have some time before Frank comes home which means I get to play," Lindsey giggled, pulling out a rather large knife. Gerard started to shake and just the size of it.

"N-no, please!" Gerard tried to shout, but Lindsey just shook her head and laughed again.

"Keep screaming, it's more fun that way," Lindsey brought the knife up to Gerard's cheek, the blade cool against his skin before she pulled, and Gerard's skin ignited at the pain. He had a high tolerance for pain, but her knife cut deep enough for it to really hurt.

"Is that the best you can do?" Gerard taunted because if he was going to die, he was going to fight. Lindsey smiled again and landed a blow above Gerard's jaw. It didn't hurt as much as the eye or the cheek, but there was an ache.

"Can I at least ask why? You're going to kill me anyway, tell me what the fuck this is," He was looking at Ava now, who was stood against the wall. She glanced over at Lindsey, who gave her an approving nod.

"We've been married for almost ten years, she wanted inside information from Frank so I hacked a database, removed any trace of even knowing Lindsey and he let me in just like that. She wanted me to become one of his most trusted, so I did. I worked my way up. I've been feeding her information since I joined, she knows everything. She knew I'd be perfect for the job because, well, I am perfect for the job," Ava grinned, smug.

"You fucking-"

"Now, now. Let's not get heated. Or I'll show you what real pain looks like," Lindsey said, knife to Gerard's throat.

"I suggest you take your hands off of my husband," Frank's voice startled Gerard and Lindsey, the knife slipping out of her hand and grazing Gerard's neck. There he was, flanked by Ray and Mikey, with his gun pointed towards Lindsey.

"Or what?" Lindsey growled, the knife to Gerard's throat. "If you shoot me, I might slip with my knife. Who knows what will happen?"

Then, Ava moved.