"I'll have a plain vanilla cone, please." Frank smiled at the woman behind the counter and then looked at Gerard, who was still peering at the menu above and tapping on his chin, twitching his fingers in order to get his brain to focus.

"I'll have..." Gerard looked up with one last glance, confirming and repeating his order in his head one more time before he felt confident enough to say it out loud, "Yeah, a waffle cone with chocolate ice cream, caramel sauce, and sprinkles."

"Good God." Frank cringed, "You'll die at twenty."

"Worth it." Gerard grinned as he handed the woman some crumpled notes before they went and sat at one of the high-bar tables, watching as the woman began preparing their cones. Frank looked around nervously at the people, drumming his fingers on the metal tabletop, "Relax. You're fine." Gerard reassured under his breath as he went to grab Frank's dessert for him. Gerard returned, smiling as he gave Frank his ice cream, noting that his unease still tampered with his pretty features.

"May-Maybe we should go." Frank cleared his throat, his brow still furrowed, "I don't-"

"Frank, relax..." Gerard chased a drip of melting ice cream and slurped it - probably louder than he should have - and pushed his glasses up on his nose with his knuckle, "No one is even looking at us."

"Stop being so fucking disgusting," Frank muttered, "You're a wolf, not a dog. Have some class."

Gerard couldn't help the grin on his face as he slurped at his ice cream a second time, watching the shudder crawl up Frank's spine at the very obnoxious sound. The omega glared at his counterpart, biting at the bottom of the cone to suck at the innards of his soft serve. Gerard smiled smugly, knowing that he had come out of that silent argument with a clear victory.

He softened when he saw the irritation dissipate and the anxiety return to Frank's face, contorting his expression once more, "Let's go for a walk."

Gerard made his way to the door, pausing when he realized that he was alone. He turned to see Frank grabbing a large handful of napkins from the counter before he crossed the floor. Gerard stared at Frank's legs for a moment longer than socially appropriate, glancing up at his face with a sheepish grin as he held the door open.

They walked out of the parlor, both wolves automatically gravitating toward one another for reasons opposite; to protect and to be protected. Gerard felt an immediate swell of pride in his chest at the thought of protecting his omega and at the fact that the omega felt safe around him. He pushed the smile from his lips, doing his best not to look like an idiot as he looked up at the AMC Theatre next to them as well as across Halstead Street at the large wooden doors of the public library, "Where do you wanna go?"

"Well, we're at the top of the hill..." Frank looked at the park that was across from the library, "Let's just go and sit by the bridge."

"Sure thing, amigo." Gerard licked at his ice cream, doing his best to keep his incessant slurping to a bare minimum, as they turned and made their way toward the park. They walked idly through the grass and looked around at the few people who were enjoying the broiling Midwest sunshine. They walked past the enormous bronze statue of The Boy that stood next to the river, gleaning ominously as it guarded the Red Mill. Gerard gave the installation a scowl, always having hated that enormous statue and its creepy uncanny-valley gaze. They walked through the few trees at the end of the park and walked onto the road of the bridge near the Red Mill dam.

"We could go to the Springs?" Gerard shrugged as he chased a droplet of melting ice cream down the side of his hand. He made a mental note to wipe his hands on a napkin before touching Frank in any way, remembering his pedantic meltdown the last time Gerard had sticky fingers. He cleared his throat, "Pretty sure the gang isn't there anyways."

"The bridge is good." Frank looked up at the old red barn-wood that covered the overpass and licked his soft serve. Gerard could smell the anxiety rolling off of his omega in ebbing waves and he automatically stepped closer to him, wanting to put an arm around him, but he knew it would only make Frank's panic worse.

"Here." Gerard pulled Frank closer as they sat on the fence that was just outside of the bridge, casting his own worries aside to abate his omega's fretting.

"It's nice." Frank took a bite of his cone, nibbling around the rim of it like a little mouse as he stared down at his overscrupulously white sneakers, "Quiet."

Gerard nodded in agreement, following Frank's gaze down to his sneakers, remembering how he had sat for about forty minutes in a happy haze after sex just watching his omega avidly polish his sneakers. He blushed and pushed the thought aside, "So, it's almost Halloween, are you still going to Tyler's party?"

"Of course" Frank scoffed derisively, "I already have a costume."

Gerard looked up in surprise, wiping sauce from the corner of his mouth, "Really?"

"Don't you?" Frank frowned, "Aren't you dressing up?"

"Oh..." Gerard smiled cryptically as he remembered his costume, "I didn't need to get anything, I already have all my stuff."

Frank rolled his eyes, "Going as yourself isn't a costume, Way."

"I'm not going as myself." Gerard shrugged noncommittally as he bit the bottom of the cone and sucked the melted ice cream out like a funnel, "Won't tell you, though."

"Know what any of the guys are doing, yet?"

"Nah," Gerard shrugged again, only one lazy shoulder this time, "I have no idea. Tyler said that he wanted to be Wayne from Wayne's World but I don't think he will, the long hair freaked him out. He said it was beatnik behavior, but I'm pretty sure it was a dig at me. Rat bastard."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Frank chuckled as he finished the soft serve and was now gnawing on the last bit of sugar cone, "Good thing he isn't, though. Our group already has a clown."

"Who- Hey! You little bitch." Gerard squinted, nudging Frank playfully as the latter laughed, sticking out his tongue.

"Eat me, Way."

"Don't try me. Right here, right now." Gerard scowled as Frank looked up at him with innocent eyes as he leaned in, keeping their eye contact completely locked, and licked Gerard's ice cream.

"Do it then, Alpha. I dare you." Frank threatened simply and Gerard opened his mouth to speak before he shut it again, quietly consuming the last remains of his dessert. Frank smiled triumphantly, "That's what I thought, big man."

"Shut up. The only reason I'm not bending you over right now is that I don't want the whole town to see you being a slutbag." Gerard snorted, watching as Frank went pink, muttering to himself; no doubtedly about how annoying his Alpha was and how he hated him. He didn't. They both knew that. Frank was just in denial.

They sat in comfortable silence for a long time, just enjoying the semblance of tranquility as the water kept up a peaceful ambiance behind them. The equanimity was shattered so suddenly, the distant spur was immediately caught by their heightened hearing, and their heads shot up at the same time. They looked down the road toward the Jackson farm, a dust cloud alerting them to the roaring sound of an engine; a familiar motor that had them both tense and vigilant akin to two meerkats.

Gerard felt the cold and unwavering sense of dread wash over him as though he had been dowsed in frigid glacier, his insides twisting into an infinite knot much like a stressed snake that had begun eating its own tail. He swallowed, his tongue suddenly two sizes too big for his mouth, his throat tightened much as it did whenever he would ride the rollercoaster at the local fair. His eyes locked in on the high-gloss gleam of an old car hood, the two words falling from his lips instinctively, "Oh, fuck."

"Gee- Gerard- Fuck, we gotta go!" Frank tugged on Gerard's shirt to pull him up from his perch on the bridge railing but he didn't react, the glint of the Pontiac speeding towards them at an alarming rate had him frozen with genuine fear, had him nauseated to his very core, and his knees buckling instantly. The world around him seemed to bubble outward, every sound distilling into mute, the periphery around the menacing machine blurred into morphless shapes. He could hear someone calling his name, he could feel their nails digging into the soft skin of his forearm in an attempt to both drag him away and garner his attention, but all that he managed to do was let out a feeble whimper.

Gerard finally jumped up when he felt Frank bite his arm, the shock of pain kickstarted his brain and surged him back into reality. He scrambled off of the fence, his sneakers skittering over the loose gravel as they both tried to run through the bridge. The car spun around them to block them off as it caught up to them, the back end popping out as the driver did a handbrake turn. Gerard came to a skidding halt at the side of the car and stared down at Jepha Howard with wide eyes, his stomach sinking as it wrapped itself around his throat somehow simultaneously.

"Well, well, well boys." Bert stood up in the passenger seat and sneered, his hair looked extra greasy today and it made his blue-eyed sneer somehow more menacing than Gerard remembered. Bert's lips curled as he snarled, looking at his usual prey, "What do we have here, huh? A couple'a cock-suckin' flamers."

"Fuck off, McCracken." Gerard stepped in front of Frank to instinctively protect him, "Leave us alone."

"Oh, now y'see..." Bert climbed out of the car and walked slowly around the hood, his switchblade twirling in his fingers, "We ain't gonna do that, boys."

"Yeah." Jepha crooned as he slid from the driver's seat, an action that had Gerard stumbling back with Frank behind him cautiously, clinging to his arm like a vice. Gerard gave Jepha a warning snarl that the beta openly ignored as much as he could, obeying his pack Alpha over some town-trash.

"How'd a faggot like you turn up as an Alpha, anyhow? I heard you was gonna be some knotslut, too. Makes me fuckin' sick." Bert practically spat as he came to a stop in front of Gerard and looked up at him, despite the fact that Gerard was taller, Bert was definitely stronger and had the leaner muscle to show it - the red muscle top was definitely a striking point in that arena - as was the barbwire tattoo wrapped around his bicep.

"Eat my fuckin' shorts, McCracken." Gerard scowled, a growl bubbling in his chest, his vision reddening around the edges. Frank let out a whine at the idea, the sound instantly shifted McCracken's focus from Alpha to omega, his dark blue eyes darting as a sickening twist of a smile pulled at his thin lips.

"Oh, now, here's the freak. Hey, knotslut, you ain't find an Alpha that wanted ya, so ya fuck the first Alpha 'round?" Bert taunted with a head nod at Gerard, "I knew y'were too much of a little bitch to handle a real Alpha's knot." Bert leered as he grabbed at his own crotch, a tiny bit of drool on his bottom lip at the sheer prospect of an unclaimed omega. It made Gerard's inner Alpha crouch in wait, just waiting for any sign of weakness- waiting to lunge.

Gerard growled, his fists curled at his sides as fury bubbled up in his system, "Leave him the fuck alone."

"Oh, are ya brave now, Alpha-bitch?" Bob sneered as he pulled his heavy weight out of the car, lumbering to a stop beside Jepha who was leaning against the car with a wicked grin. Gerard was about to open his mouth to reply when McCracken's fist collided with his jaw, the force was enough to have him spinning and toppling onto the asphalt with a grunt, his face radiating with the initial pain. Frank yelped out as Bob and Jepha grabbed him, holding him against the wooden wall of the bridge and out of the way. McCracken kicked Gerard in the stomach with his infamous steal-toed boots, the pain that shot through Gerard was immeasurable, his organs throbbing. He could feel at least two of his ribs cracking immensely, his glasses were also gone, having skittered across the road from the first blow to his face.

Frank kicked continuously, fighting to get free from the grip of his two captors, but he was no match for the betas that were holding him. Bert dropped and held him down, punching and effectively breaking his nose with a visceral crunch that echoed through his head like the sound of the ocean in a seashell. Gerard spat blood instantly, the unnerving feeling of his own plasma filling his mouth was enveloped in a disgusting iron taste, as his nose throbbed with pain and almost itched at the snap of cartilage. Frank screamed out, the sight of his Alpha's mangled face was enough to terrify him to his core. The sound instantly caught McCracken's attention and his head shot up, his eyes zeroing in on the trembling omega as he got up, shaking his fist to crack his knuckles.

"Oh, y'think you're off the hook, knotslut? You're a bigger freak than he is! Just 'cause he don't deserve to be an Alpha don't mean shit. You're a fuckin' mutant queer." McCracken nodded at his two goons who then threw Frank to the floor unceremoniously. Bert pushed Gerard's glasses up onto his broken nose, making the Alpha cry out at the numbing pain that shot white-hot knives through his face. He shoved Gerard's head to the side, forcing him to look at his omega through his barely-open eyes, "Bet ya wanna see how an omega should be treated, faggot, huh? Should we show ya'how to be a real Alpha, freakazoid?"

Frank was pushed onto his knees and he hissed at the asphalt that scraped his skin abruptly, gritting his teeth as Bob laughed, holding Frank's arms out behind him. Jepha slapped Frank with full force, the loud sound of skin on skin had Gerard writhing under McCracken, but the topped Alpha was way too strong. Frank's head was displaced by his big hand, pushed unceremoniously into Jepha's crotch, his face being used as a dirty source of friction. Frank grimaced and tried to get away, squirming as Bob guffawed oafishly, "Bet he likes it, huh, Jepha?"

"He's an omega. Course, he does." Jepha laughed and aimed a kick at Frank, his steel-toed boot connecting with Frank's ribs, the sharp blow had Frank toppling over with a groan before Jepha climbed on top of the omega, pinning him down. Frank began to kick and scream, his eyes wide as the tall beta rutted against him, his fanny-pack ripped at the strap and thrown aside carelessly. The sound of tearing fabric was a roar in the echoing tunnel and all three members of Bert's gang were laughing, howling menacingly because it was clearly so funny to see an omega be put where he belonged. McCracken held Gerard's head down to force him to watch as Frank couldn't move from the grip on his forearms, the beta on top of him drooling and grinning, staring down at the omega. Gerard tried to wriggle free when a knife was pushed against his throat that effectively shut him up.

"Look how he likes it!" Bob taunted as Jepha flipped Frank over onto his chest, his face pressed against the road. He winced, the tears flowing in heavy tracks down his scraped and abraded skin. His hips were pulled up and Jepha just continued to grind against him, laughing as they shouted slurs at the small omega, four hands manhandling and pushing him in every direction.

Frank could barely breathe, his chest constricted not only because he had a large shin on his back to push him down but he was panicking so much that his lungs had forgotten how to function. His brain was screaming out in terror at the thought of what they were going to do. He didn't want to even think of the word, his mind instantly flashing back to what they did to Billie last year. The pushing was getting to the point that it was breaching the point of agony and Frank was so sure that something inside of him was going to snap. It was a sudden twist in the wrong direction from Bob Bryar that had Frank's forearm bones snap.

He screamed out, the tears spilling out automatically as a white-hot pain shot through his body in heavy waves. The two betas burst into raucous laughter at Frank's torment. Frank's arm went numb despite the intense thrumming that was so deep down it was in his soul. He sobbed out, his eyes squeezing shut when he saw Gerard's bloodied face again.

"Let him go!" Gerard screamed and kicked up against Bert as Frank cried out, his head lifted and pushed back down into the paving.

"Do it, Jepha! Do it!" Bob jeered in his usual barbaric tone that seemed way too enthusiastic. Jepha grabbed onto Frank's shirt to lift it up and Gerard managed to pull one of his arms free. He lifted it up and slammed the heel of his hand into McCracken's nose. McCracken screamed out and rolled over, clutching his nose. Gerard scrambled up and grabbed the switchblade before he stuck it into Jepha's shoulder. The scream that left Jepha was loud and bloodcurdling. Gerard brought Bob's head down into his knee and threw him over.

"Frank!" Gerard yelled and helped the omega up as Jepha started panicking and tried to pull the knife from his back, "We have to go!"

Frank scrambled up and they both began to run, dodging past the car and around towards the closest place they knew. They both climbed over the fence, hearing McCracken scream after them, and they ran down the hill at a fast pace that almost bowled them over. They got down to the river and ran along the gravel and stones of the Springs, looking for the large gnarled tree that was a marker for their secret space.

Gerard's immoderately strong hearing could still pick up on Bert and Jepha as they got to the fence. Gerard took a left and grabbed at the handle of their old childhood clubhouse and pulled the door up. Frank climbed in, throwing one last glance towards the river before he jumped in. Gerard climbed down the ladder and closed the roof down above him, plunging them both into darkness. He got into the underground clubhouse and looked around, squinting and panting. He clutched at his nose suddenly, remembering the pain despite the adrenaline that was coursing through him.

"Frankie?" He called out in a whisper and looked around in the dark, "Frank?" Gerard walked into the dusty clubhouse and looked again when he saw Frank curled up on the ground in a ball against one of the support pillars.

"God, Frank." Gerard came closer and went down on his knees beside the quivering omega. Frank scooted away slightly without looking up, his knees against his chest with his head buried in his arms. Gerard could hear Frank's breathing so loudly in the clubhouse that he was genuinely worried about the possibility of Bert hearing them from outside, "Frankie..." Gerard whispered, "Frank, c'mon. Sit up. You can't breathe when you're all curly-Sue."

"Go away." Frank sniffed and balled himself tighter against the column. Gerard blanched at the comment but remained unmoved.

"C'mon, Frankie."

"No! I said 'no', okay!" Frank sat up and pushed Gerard over, the Alpha toppled a little and looked up as Frank stood, cradling his arm, "Don't fucking tell me what to do! Don't fucking say a fucking thing! I can't fucking believe this is still fucking happening! Look at me- Look at you!"

Gerard got up and reached out to the trembling omega, his instincts guiding him to comfort the smaller wolf that was radiating panic and pain. He tried to stop his hands from shaking as he took a step closer, "Frank, please-"

"No! I fucking said 'no'! They beat the shit out of us and tried to fucking rape me, Gerard! They broke my fucking arm! Look at the fucking mess! And I- You-" Frank began to gulp for air, his body heaving as the air just wouldn't take. He went to reach for his middle where his inhaler would usually be. His eyes went wide and he looked down and back up, the realization hitting him as he clearly remembered his fanny pack being torn and thrown away.

"Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, fuck- Fuck-" He started trembling as he panted quickly, his breathing picking up into a stuttered and raspy uneven bar, "Gee, my bag- My- All of-"

Gerard pulled Frank closer and pulled the spare inhaler from his shirt pocket. He took Frank by the jaw and opened his mouth to put the inhaler between his lips. He gave the aspirator a squeeze and Frank inhaled shakily, "Just breathe, okay?" Gerard whispered as Frank took in another heavy puff from his inhaler and then took it from Gerard, his eyes wide.

"You- You had one?" Frank whispered, his eyebrows knitting so close together, "Why?"

"For this exact reason. Just in case you lost yours, silly billy goat." Gerard shrugged, "Well, not this exact scenario. Less blood and less broken bones and-"

"Gerard Arthur, shut up." Frank whispered as he cradled his arm against his chest, "I can't fucking wait for this to heal. It's gonna suck for the next hour or so."

"I'm so sorry." Gerard sighed, the simple act making his ribs ache tremendously and his entire face twist into a wince.

"Fuck, they're gonna find us. Why did we come down here? We're trapped down here. Gerard- I- I can't- They were gonna-"

"Frank-"

"They were going to fucking rape me, Gerard! Because I'm an omega! Because I'm gay! And now they know about us! Gerard, we are so fucked! I can't believe..." Frank's voice rose in volume with each exclamation but Gerard's ears were tuning in on something else. He could hear boots crunching on gravel a few yards away. The heavy crunch and two softer but more determined gaits. Gerard's eyes widened when he realized that Bert was still looking for them.

"...And now I'm fucking hiding in this fucking hellhole with God knows what!" Frank sobbed out and wrapped an arm around himself as he shook, his face twisted into genuine torment. Gerard didn't say a word as he grabbed Frank and pressed the omega into his chest to stifle Frank's screaming. He held Frank's body close to his and looked up at the trapdoor. Frank was instantly silent, his sob being cut off as he was taken in. Gerard shushed Frank, a hand on the omega's head. He looked up at the ceiling of their clubhouse and he could hear the crunch of boots on stones above them.

"Where did they go?" McCracken snarled and Frank shuddered out a terrified whimper, the sound made Gerard's insides involuntarily knot yet again.

"I don't know!" Jepha yelped back and McCracken let out a warning growl.

"Find them! I swear to God, I'm gonna kill them both!" McCracken screamed out and Gerard grimaced and held Frank closer, trying to stifle his own terrified breathing.

Gerard could hear their footsteps receding as they continued their search above ground. Gerard exhaled with shaky relief as he physically relaxed a few moments later, "I think they're gone." Gerard breathed out, "Thank fuck." Gerard dropped his arms slowly but Frank didn't budge from his spot against Gerard and stayed close to him. Gerard looked down at Frank before he took him by the shoulders and sat him down on the sofa. Gerard sat on the other side of the sofa nearby, watching Frank curl up in silence, keeping himself as small as he was physically able - surprisingly impressive.

"Frankie..." Gerard reached out and put his hand on Frank's leg, the omega flinched and moved from the touch, curling away from the Alpha, "Frank?" Frank didn't respond and pulled his legs in closer, his body still trembling, "What is it?" Gerard frowned and blinked, realizing that he could barely see in the dark as it was, but now his glasses were missing and it was starting to show. The lupine adrenaline was wearing off and it was taking away any extra abilities that had surged in his body, eyesight and all.

"Don't touch me." Frank whispered barely above a whisper, "Don't ever touch me."

"Okay..." Gerard replied quietly and reached out, taking Frank's shoulders to pull him down until the omega was wrapped in Gerard's arms and kept safe, "How's that?"

Frank didn't reply and lay there, still curled up against Gerard on the dusty sofa. The breath that left him was shaky and Gerard realized that Frank was crying. Gerard was instantly nervous when he figured it out. Usually, when Frank cried, Gerard would hold him and comfort him but in this instance, Gerard was sure that the last thing Frank wanted was to be touched.

Gerard lay there with Frank and kept his hands in place on Frank's arm and back. For some reason, there was a difference between holding Frank and touching Frank. Gerard seemed to understand that Frank wanted to be held, not touched. He could do that. He would do that. For as long as it takes to make it better.