Mikey and Ray actually showed up earlier than I had expected, which made the agonizing wait much more bearable now that I was no longer alone. They had brought with them breakfast from McDonald's, and my empty stomach was quickly filled by the fatty food.

We passed the time by reminiscing about old times with Frank, filling Ray in on the majority of it, because back then he and Mikey had just started hanging out, so he was unaware of most of the situation.

We avoided the uncomfortable topics involving if he was going to pull through and the drugs he had been carrying on him, and I was immensely grateful to them for not bringing it up.

I needed to be distracted right now, and thinking back on the happy memories I had shared with Frank was definitely working. It gave me hope that maybe one day soon I would be able to add to my bank of special moments with him.

"Gerard Way?"

Finally my name was called out by the new lady manning the desk, Liz was nowhere to be seen, much to my relief.

"That's me," I hurried over, eager for any new of Frank.

"Frank Iero has just gotten out of surgery, they are transferring him to his room right now, so you will be able to see him soon. His doctor will be out here momentarily to discuss how the procedure went with you."

I released the pent up breath I had been holding during the entire conversation as her words sunk in. Frank had made it, and even though I know it was still possible for something to go wrong, I was convinced that he was strong enough to make it through this.

"Thank you so much Marci," I thanked the new receptionist by the name plastered to her shirt, since she had been much more courteous than Liz.

I returned to my seat, relaying the news to Mikey and Ray, who both beamed in excitement. It meant the world to me that I had my brother's support in this, it would be so much more difficult to bear without his understanding presence.

A few minutes later, I had to stifle a chuckle when I spotted a familiar eyeliner wearing doctor striding toward me.

"Well if this isn't just like old times!" Doctor Wentz joked when he came within earshot.

After I had been released from Laurel Hills, Pete and I had actually become something resembling friends, since his boyfriend had become my therapist, we had stayed in contact and we hung out every now and again. I knew he worked at this hospital, but I hadn't expected him to be the one performing the surgery on Frank.

"They should have told me you were treating him Pete, then I wouldn't have been half as worried!" I exclaimed before pulling my friend into a hug, which he eagerly returned.

"I actually was just about to leave when they brought him in. I heard his name, and since you never shut up about him, I demanded to be the one to do the surgery. It helped that I already knew what caused it too."

"It was from his stepdad wasn't it? All those beatings fucked with his head?" I asked, curious to see if my guess had been correct.

"Yep you hit the nail right on the head...oooh - maybe not the best choice of words there, but you get my point. The last time he was in here, I discovered the bleeding on his brain, but it was minor at the time. I told him to be careful of it, but car wrecks aren't exactly something you can predict." Pete shook his head sadly.

"So - is he going to be okay?" I needed to hear it from his mouth before I believed it absolutely.

"Yeah - he should pull through just fine. I managed to reduce the swelling, and I will put him on medication to keep it down when he wakes up. He might have a few small seizures until it heals entirely, and there is a chance he might suffer some slight memory loss, but luckily you got him here just in time before any further damage happened. If you want to come wait in my office until he can receive visitors, I'm totally cool with that. The chairs are much comfier in there."

Relief flooded my body at the positive news, and I finally relaxed for the first time all day.

"I could kiss you right now Pete - I swear. Thank you so much for staying to help him," I gushed happily as he led the way to his own personal office.

I waved to Mikey and Ray, who had motioned to me that they were going to stay behind for now, probably to get more food from the cafeteria, or go suck face, or something.

"Whoa back up lover boy, these lips belong to Patrick. But seriously - it was no problem, I mean - this is the elusive Frank Iero we are talking about. I couldn't take the risk that some newbie would fuck up his procedure."

Pete was a cocky little shit, but it was understandable, he was the youngest surgeon in Jersey, and probably one of the best too, so he sort of deserved to have a big head.

"Thank you again Pete...for saving him. It means a lot to me."

We had reached the wooden door embossed with his name on it by now, and he pushed it open, revealing a large desk and quite a few chairs, along with some filing cabinets lining the walls.

"It's kind of in my job description, but seriously though - how did you find him? Last I heard, you still hadn't discovered any trace of your mysterious boyfriend." Pete made himself comfortable in the cushy chair behind his desk while I settled into the one facing across from him.

"Well there isn't much to tell...I have no clue what he is doing here honestly. I was at just leaving Mikey's place when he hit my car, and I basically had a heart attack when I realized it was him. He was unconscious when I found him, so I didn't get to talk to him at all..."

"Fuck man - that's like destiny or some shit."

I laughed out loud at Pete's language now that we were behind closed doors, how he ever managed to appear professional all day eluded me.

"I know...I can still barely believe it. I am so ecstatic, but at the same time I'm terrified. He's not the boy I knew all those years ago, and I don't know what is between us still - if anything." I voiced my inner fears to my friend, knowing he couldn't help, but it felt good to get them off my chest.

"I'm sure he still feels something for you, I mean - what other reason would he have to be in Jersey besides you? Once people leave here, they usually don't come back." Pete smirked, and I had to admit he was right.

"I was sort of thinking the same thing, but I didn't want to get my hopes up," I confessed with a soft smile.

"There is one other thing you should know though. His tox screen was off the charts Gerard. I mean - name basically any drug you can think of, and it was probably in his system, besides cocaine that is. I don't know what shit he has gotten himself into, but I'm more worried about his addictions right now than the brain hemorrhage." Pete looked guilty, as if the test results were somehow his fault, but thanks to the officer's information earlier, I had already known about this.

"Yeah - the cop that met us at the crash told me he was carrying...I was just praying that it was for someone else, or he didn't know it was in the car or something. What does this mean for him?" I could hear the fear in my voice, but let's face it - I didn't know anything about drug addiction and its side effects except that they were all bad.

"Well - all legal ramifications aside, withdrawal symptoms are a bitch, and if he wants to get clean, it's going to be a long hard road. If he doesn't - then well...he probably isn't going to live past thirty at the rate he is going. I just thought you should know." Pete gave me a compassionate look, and I tried my best to smile at him, but it was really more of just a twitch of the lips. That was the best I could muster up at this moment.

"Thanks Pete. I know this won't be easy, but if he wants me to, I will help him through this."

I would do anything for Frank, he helped me get clean from all of my past addictions, and I knew I could do the same for him.

"It will be a difficult, but having someone like you there will be a big help," Pete reassured me while unbuttoning his white coat and throwing it over the back of his chair.

"I hope so..." I mumbled softly, unsure if Pete could even hear me.

"Don't lose faith in the little dude now, he has been through a lot, but so did you, and look at you know." Well I guess he did hear me after all then.

"Yeah - you are right. I'm not giving up on him, not now, not ever."

"That's the spirit! Well I am sure he is settled into his room by now. He is probably still knocked out because of the meds, but you can go sit with him if you want. I need to go soon, I promised Patrick I would be home for lunch with his parents." Pete grimaced, and I couldn't help but laugh at his obvious distaste of the situation.

"Well that sounds like an exciting afternoon," I teased him.

"Shut up...just wait until you and Frank hook up again, and he is dragging you to painful events against your will. I will never let you hear the end of it," Pete fired back as we walked out of his office.

"I am looking forward to it."

We stopped in front of a door marked Room #156, and my breath caught in my throat. This was it...Frank was inside there, after all these years, my struggle to find him was over.

"Well - here we are. Visiting hours are until ten, and I'll be back to check on him tomorrow. For now, Doctor Leto is monitoring him, so he is in good hands. Call me if he wakes up though."

"You will be the first to know. You are the best Pete, seriously." I was so grateful for everything he had done, and I couldn't think of any words sufficient enough to truly thank him.

"I know, and don't worry, I will tell Mikey and Ray where you are on the way out." Pete waved before retreating back down the hallway, leaving me alone in front of the door to Frank's room.

I was so nervous to go in there, even though he was still asleep, and I wouldn't be able to talk to him for some time. Just the fact that he was really truly here still felt like a dream, and I was terrified that I would wake up at any moment and find myself back in Mikey's apartment.

Before I could freak myself out any further, I shoved the door open quickly and entered the room, the sound of the heart monitor greeted me, bringing back old memories of my own stay in the hospital all those years ago.

And there in the bed was Frank - he wasn't a dream or a hallucination I had created out of loneliness, and it wasn't until now that I realized how worried I was that maybe I was mistaken; maybe I had just wanted to see Frank so badly, I had projected him onto the stranger who had hit me.

But no - this was him, I knew it without a doubt. He looked different sure, but the familiar facial features were all there, accompanied by the small scar on his hairline from where his stepdad had hit him with a beer bottle for the first time.

I delicately perched on the chair next to his beside, afraid to move too quickly just in case I shattered this moment, my first real encounter with him in over eight years. My eyes drank him in like a man dying of thirst, and I absorbed every minute detail of his changed appearance.

His hair had grown out, curling slightly at the edges, and I could tell it had been some time since he had maintained it. The dyed black locks were slightly faded, and I could see his natural brown hair peeking through the roots.

My original observation of him was even more apparent now that he was laid out on the stark white bed, he was almost dangerously underweight, and his skin had a sallow tone that worried me more than I wanted to admit, even to myself.

I realized this was probably because of the drugs, and I made a mental vow to him to help him get clean, because I couldn't lose him to something like this now, and I didn't want to watch Frank destroy himself.

Maybe the biggest change was the tattoos adorning his body, his arms and hands were covered with them, which made me curious if he had any more hidden beneath the hospital gown. The scorpion on his neck was my favorite of the ones I could see, it just seemed to suit him for some reason, and I ran my thumb over it gently.

He didn't react at all, but I hadn't expected him too; I didn't know how long he would sleep, but I knew the drugs they used to knock you out for surgery took a long time to wear off.

I wasn't leaving until he awoke though, visiting hours be damned. I wanted to be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, because if I wasn't there, then he would be left alone and maybe afraid in a strange hospital with no one to comfort him, and I refused to let that happen.

I just prayed that he recognized me, and most of all - that deep down somewhere in his heart, he still harbored feelings for me. I knew it was unrealistic, but I cared too much for him to hide my emotions for long, and if he didn't return them, I didn't know how I would react.

I would always be there for Frank, whether he need a friend or a boyfriend or just a helping hand, but I didn't know how long I could suppress my love for him, and I was terrified that he wouldn't be able to return the sentiment.

But none of that mattered right now, because Frank was here, and he was alive, and the fact that I had found him really was like destiny had intervened in our lives. Maybe this one time, things would go in our favor, and we would have one of those storybook endings that I always adored.

Hey guys, here is the next chapter for you. I actually am pretty unhappy with how it turned out, but it was necessary to move the story along, and I am tired of trying to fix it.

This story just reached 8k reads, and I literally never expected it to do so well, so thank you guys seriously.

This chapter is dedicated to BenedictCumberbooty for being awesome and binge reading this story. I love every one of your comments almost as much as I love you.

Also if you guys could do me a super huge favor and check out my new Frerard fic called Pyre. I just started it, and I would love some feedback. I am trying a new writing style, and I really like how it is turning out, so it would be great to hear what you think.

Stay beautiful

<3 starr