Frank was gone when I woke up. I searched the apartment for notes but found none. There were no traces of him here at all.

Did I dream all of this up? I held my fingers to my aching head, trying to remember what was real and what wasn't.

I went to my phone, rereading Brendon's text for the hundredth time. That much is real. There's something wrong with Frank, something that Brendon was trying to protect me from. What could be that bad?

I dialed Frank's number and bit my cheek nervously. In the living room, I heard a ringtone all to familiar. With a huffy breath, I stormed out to find his phone laid on the couch. Wherever he went, he forgot his phone.

I knew Frank's password. It had been the same since I've known him. He never got around to changing it. I was very tempted to look in his phone for any chance of finding what was wrong. But was I that person?

I slid his phone to the right, bringing up the screen to type in those four letters.

The door opened and I dropped the phone back to the couch, spinning around to find none other than Frank Iero himself.

"Frank," I growled angrily and started over towards him.

"Hey Ro, what's wrong?" he asked sweetly. I hated when he did that. It was so hard for me to be mad at him.

I slapped his arm playfully. If he wasn't so cute I would've slapped his face, "You half scared me to death. Where were you?"

He laughed and put his jacket down on the table, placing his arms around my waist and kissing my lips tenderly, "Don't worry. I had a doctors visit. I scheduled it a while ago, not a big deal, just a well-check. I thought you might want to sleep a little after the craziness of last night."

Doctors...that is not where I wanted him to say he was. I tried to ignore it for a while. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Brendon was just trying my scare me. Maybe Frank was alright.

I was never good at pretending.

"Rose?" Frank asked, noticing my state.

I was probably paler than ever. I felt the room get hot as my nervousness grew. I wanted to ask him so bad, but I also didn't want to know the answer.

Frank held my head in his hands and searched my eyes, "Honey, is everything okay?"

I breathed deeply and nodded, "Yeah, I was um... I was just about to ask you the same thing."

Frank raised an eyebrow and pulled me over to the island stools. He helped me into one, even though I didn't really need it.

"Is this about the doctors? Honestly Rose, I'm okay. Don't worry about me," he laid his hands on my legs.

I shook my head and looked up from his hands, labeled 'Halloween'. There were tears in my eyes now.

"Tell me why I don't believe you," I whispered and took his arm, holding out his hand that was shaking wildly. There were needle holes in his veins where the doctors had injected something.

Tears fell at a faster pace as he looked away. He was starting to break away from hiding.

"What's wrong with you Frank? What's going on?" I asked hopefully. I needed an answer at this point. I didn't care how bad it would hurt.

He swallowed hard and looked at the ground. His lips opened up, but nothing could come out. And when they did...it was the last thing I wanted to hear.

"Turn away. If you could get me a drink of water 'cause my lips are chapped and faded..." he sang hoarsely.

I covered hands over my mouth and swallowed back a sob. It barely took me a second to trace the lyrics back to the title, that damn title.

He swallowed too, "Call my Aunt Marie. Help her gather all my things and bury-"

I threw my arms around him to shut him up, "Please don't sing the rest of that song..."

He cried quietly into my shoulder.

I had to stay strong for him. I didn't know it then, but I would have to be strong with him forever and it all started at this moment in time.

"H-how long have you known?" I stuttered to ask.

"Just confirmed it today...it's in my lungs and it's spreading," he began to shake. I've never seen him like this. My little jokester is breaking.

I held him tightly because that was the only thing I could do.