Alexxis

-new reader-
I agree with everyone, I love it.

Can't wait for the next update. <3

__________________

Daisy

Chapter Three.

The hospital allowed both Constable Malkins and Rosenbergen to visit frequently. The 'big lead' had been cuffed, questioned and presented with a cold cell for the remainder of the week. The car in question was found dumped at the bottom of Hudson lake after residents of the near area had been woken by the screeching of tires and the sound of the car submerging. After eating a breakfast which could not be described as 'edible' Scott came by to announce that he'd dropped Rose off at her camp for the week a little early and Dad was catching up on some sleep.

"So you feeling alright?" asked Scott, dropping down into a seat, leaning forward and pinching a few grapes from the vine which lay in a bowl next to my bedside.

"It doesn't hurt as much," I picked up the floaty material of my hospital gown, "I'm hating this though."

Scott laughed, "Makes a change from seeing you in all the black though; guessing you've not been wearing as much now you're back at Rutger's though, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh yes, because with Tia and Mallery wearing black band shirts is really allowed," I drawled sarcastically. I flicked the ring in my nose, "They barely tolerate this."

Scott tapped the side of his lip. "What about that?"

"Take it out as soon as I get there - Doctor Harris doesn't know I've put it back in, apparently it could cause some reaction from the medicine," I shrugged, "But I'm good, you know me, four by four."

"Did you see the guy? What's his name, Iero?"

"Yeah - he seems like a pretty cool guy when he's conscious. He's in a band."

Scott winked, "Just your type. Do I need to go give the brotherly speech to him?"

"Ugh, the one where you promise to break every bone in his body if he hurts me? No thanks." I snorted and lay back against my pillows. "I said I'd go see him today though. Just to talk and stuff," I added after seeing the look Scott shot at me. There was silence for a few seconds, I stared at the ceiling and occasionally looked at Scott who played with his laces.

"Hey, Livvy?"

"Yeah Scott?"

"Why'd you do it? With Tia and Mallery, I mean, why'd you put up with them?"

I thought about it for a few short seconds. Honestly, why do I put up with them? It was a miracle that they'd even been granted a place at Rutgers for their scholastic ability. They were the opposite of me; at age sixteen they'd be going to Senior parties, getting drunk and swimming in the pools of the rich kids whilst I stayed at home, babysat Rose or went with Scott to one of his friend's bands shows. I'd never tried with Tia or Mallery until we hit junior year. "Because it's what Mom would have wanted."

There was silence and then, "Yeah. I guess - Mom always wanted you to try harder with those two. Just - don't kill me if I tell you this okay? I think that you've changed a little with being around them. You're more quiet, a bit more reserved. You get me?"

Slowly, I glanced at him and nodded.

He carried on, "Dad doesn't know - he only truly came home after Mom died. And Rose was too little to notice and Dad was always running his flights. I think I'm the only one who's noticed."

"Yeah."

"I uh, brought you something," Scott bent down and reached into his bag, pulling out a CD player and a handful of CD's. Handing them to me, he unravelled the earphones and placed them next to my side. I carefully flicked through the CD's: My War, Best Of Bowie, Low, Out Of Step, Forty Hour Train Back To Penn. I grinned up at him and he smirked, "I didn't think they'd let me bring the boombox but still - there you go."

"Thanks Scottie."

He shrugged his shoulders and pulled on his beige jacket, "Thought you'd want something to keep you sane in here. Anyways, Dad'll be picking you up tomorrow at six-thirty, all right?" He placed a kiss on my cheek, "Get some sleep 'sis." He moved towards the door, "And before I forget, Bowie's song sounds pretty fitting right now, doesn't it?"

I cocked a brow.

"Always crashing in the same car," said Scott with a rogue grin, "Bye Liv."

Waving a hand in acknowledgement, I watched as he left before taking hold of the CD player, pressing the eject button and snorting as one of Scott's Motley Crue CD's came into view. I switched the CD's over and inserting Low. After adjusting the headphones and placing the buds in my ears, I pressed my thumb down on the triangular play button and sighed as I heard the familiar sounds come through the speakers, Bowie's voice drifting me off peacefully.

Every chance, every chance that I take
I take it on the road
Those kilometers and the red lights
Never looking left or right
Oh, but I'm always crashing in the same car

"Hey you," I said that afternoon as I opened the door into room 654A. Frank was sitting on his bed, sheets of paper surrounding him and I listened to the steady flow of the heart monitor once again; the speed had picked up from last time. Frank looked up, grinned as he spotted me and waved over to a chair. Following his instruction, I sat down, placing the CD player on my lap. Frank looked over at it,

"Hey - what are you listening to?"

"The Movie Life, well I was," I rambled, "But I decided to come see you like I said."

"Well that's good," said Frank slyly, "I feel special now. I spoke to the nutjob earlier - you'll be leaving tomorrow right?"

"Nutjob?"

"Harris." He said simply.

My mouth formed a perfect 'O' shape and I nodded, "My Dad will be picking me up tomorrow night - did your parents just leave?"

"Yeah," said Frank, "About ten minutes ago. My Mom sat and practically wanted to castrate me for getting someone else hurt." He shot me an apologetic glance, "I'm still sorry about that. But my Dad just shook his head like he expected it. He's dropping my Mom off home now I think. I reckon that's the longest they've been in the same room for the past eight years. They're divorced," He added after seeing my confused look.
"What do your parents do?"

"My dad's a drummer, he's worked for bands and a tonne of other stuff like that, it's pretty neat, I think he counted on me being a drummer like him, and my Mom she's pretty much a homemaker. What about your dad?"

"Dad retired after Mom died. He was a Fed-Ex pilot, he was hardly ever home. My parents never really divorced but they couldn't carry a relationship when he was flying off to Japan or Europe every day. They separated when I was about nine. God that's almost ten years." I realised as I rested my head in my hands, "I didn't know time went that fast."

"Hey," said Frank as he peered over from his bed, "I didn't notice that before," he pointed to my wrist, "What does it say? Bre- Brea? Whose Brea?"

I giggled and showed him the rest of my the tattoo, "It say's 'breathe' I had it done when I turned eighteen. Dad went ballistic of course even though Scott has dozens."

"Scott?"

"My older brother." I saw realisation hit his eyes and he gestured over to the walkman.

"What you got?" I showed him the CD and he nodded in approval. "Good album. So Oliva - Liv, can I call you Liv?" I nodded, "Do other people call you Liv?" Again, I nodded, "Okay, we need something different then. I'm not one for following trends uh... Ol-liv-ee-a... Olive-ee-a. Vee, can I call you Vee?"

"You'd be the first."

"Great," commented Frank, "So, 'Vee' tell me more about you. Y'know, all the likes, the hates, favourites, least favourites and stuff. What's your favourite color?"

"Aqua."

"Really?" Frank looked surprised, "I took you for more of a green person."

"Aqua is a shade of green."

Frank wrinkled his nose, "I always thought it was blue?"

I shrugged, "Who knows."

"Not me, okay so favourite food?"

"Pasta."

Frank nodded in appreciation, "Kind?"

I grinned, to most, my favourite flavour was considered 'grossly disturbing' but I liked it, "Cheese and Brocolli." From one glance at Frank, I knew he'd be no different. "That's fucking nasty," He wrinkled his nose, "Okay, favourite past times."

"Getting into car accidents?" I offered innocently. Frank grimaced and buried his face in his hands.

"Man, I'm still so sorr-"

"Hey!" I cut him off, "I'm not mad or angry or anything. Malkins made us watch the tape remember? If you hadn't have swerved, you'd probably be dead."

"But - "

I mimed sticking cellotape across my mouth, "Zip it." I told him firmly, "Had that idiot actually bothered to call a cab, we'd both be at Rutgers attending classes and seeing as I hadn't finished by Bio paper, I'm pretty thankful for that."

Frank shuffled forward on his bed and flashed me a weak smile. There was a knock at the door and both Doctor Harris, Sandra and two other nurses entered the room. The gathered proffessionals took one look at us and Harris shook his head at the pair of us, and through the silence, I knew that he was referring to the apparent body jewellery on our facial skin. Harris took one step forward, picked up the files of Frank from the edge of his bed and gestured to the others to leave the two of us in peace. As they did so, I looked at Frank who seemed to be deep in thought. "Hey - you okay?"

[continued in next post.]

__________________

Daisy

"I'm good," replied Frank with a small grin, "Just thinking. That when I get away from here and stuff - do you think maybe we could hang out? Like see eachother when we're not in these things?" He gestured to his hospital gown, "I feel like a drag queen in this thing."

"I have lipstick in my purse if you want some?" I teased him, laughing as he flipped me off, "My, what a gentleman you are."

Frank laughed as well, "Yeah. That's me, gentlemen of the year."

"I think we can arrange that, not you in drag," I said hastily, "But us hanging out. Which campus are you on?"

"Hestia." Frank said.

"Seriously? Me too. Whoa that's weird."

As always, I sat momentarilty stumped at the realisation. Frank and I happened to be two strangers who had chosen the same path home one night, our cars had collided and so had our lives. For we both attended the same university, lived in the same block of small dorm rooms which I shared with an art student called Hayley, and as I looked back up, I saw Frank agree with me. "Hey, this is odd." He said, "I'm not complaining though, we could have bumped into eachother in the halls and have no clue who you or me where." He gingerly touched his stomach, "'Sides this," He said, "I'm pretty glad we met."

I found myself nodding in agreement with him, "So am I."

"It's like fate, isn't it?" commented Frank, "You know - us meeting and being that close to eachother without knowing."

I nodded. I'd never believed in fate until now; but as Frank said it, I slowly found myself believing in every aspect that fate did indeed exist and it entwined us together and placed the two of us upon a path which lead in directions that were unknown. And as I smiled at him and he grinned back, I did not need a heart monitor to tell me that my heart rate increased and that butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

__________________

Jo

__________________

JAC<3 | I support Chent.<33 | Mini-Shaz is mine.

Know that we'll still have each other,
You can stand under my umbrella.<3
@}---}------

Music. Click it.

Rhia

me too ^_^

definately a great update

__________________

Daisy

Chapter Four.

My chest was hurting and my sides ached. My mouth was still curved into the smile I had adopted as I laughed at the jokes Frank was telling me. By far, my favourite had to have been the one about the Irish Man, the Japanese, the Chinese and the American. I tucked back my hair behind my ears and shook my head at Frank's foolishness. "That," I breathed, calming myself down, "Was the dumbest joke I ever heard in my entire life, really." Frank grinned over at me, showing his set of straight white teeth, unlike models which seemed to gleam in light, Frank's were just... perfect. He wiped at his eyes and raked a hand through his hair before turning back to me.

"Okay, okay," Frank said finally, "I have another one. You ready? A brunette and a blonde are walking along in a park. The brunette says suddenly, "Oh, look at that dead bird." The blonde stops, looks up, and says, "Where?"'. Frank started laughing at his joke and I couldn't help but feel compelled to do the same.

"Stop!" I laughed, "With the awful jokes, honestly. Where do you come up with these things?"

Frank shrugged, "My dad tells me them mostly. My mom's a brunette, so she never got offended-" A lightbulb seemed to click on in his head, "Shit, you're not offended are you?"

"No," I told him. "I'd like to think I'm a bit more clever than those blondes."
"That's good, want to hear one more?"

"Okay, okay, try me."

Frank cleared his throat, "Okay, here we go - so there's blonde who's really strapped for crash right?" He stopped and looked up as the door opened, Harris popped his head around the door. "Miss Fontaine, time for you to return to your room." said Harris. I nodded and looked at Frank apologetically.

"Hey, just one last quick one?" Frank asked me quickly.

I glanced at Harris before nodding my head.

"Why did the blonde have tire tracks on her back?"

"I don't know Frank." I humoured him.

"From reading the sign on the highway which read, "Don't Walk" and crawling across the street."

I rolled my eyes, "Night Frank."

Harris nodded as he stifled a chuckle, "Yes, goodnight Mr. Iero."

As Harris guided me back to my room, he turned to me, "You two seem to be getting along smashingly. It's good of you to keep him company during the long days here." He told me as I clambered into my bed. I nodded overat him, stifling a yawn behind my head. "Hey Harris?" I called.

"Yes Miss Fontaine?"

"You worked with my Mom, right?"

Harris smiled sadly, "I did, Miss Fontaine. Your mother was a lovely, kind and caring woman. It was a shame to see her go. She knew it was inevitable though. I see her so much in you. The same sparkle in your eyes. It would be a pleasure for you to get an intern here after you finish at Rutgers."

I felt bold as I said my next few words, "Is that why you refuse to call me Olivia and just stick with Miss Fontaine?"

Harris nodded. "Goodnight, Olivia." He paused and closed the door, leaving me in silence. I lay back on my bed, thousands of thoughts flying through my mind. But as I closed my eyelids and felt them flutter as sleep drew nearer, my thoughts remained on Frank Iero, the boy literally next door in the room opposite. And that night I managed to fall asleep with a smile apparent on my face.

The next morning dawned later than I had expected. I found myself being woken up by a small hand brushing against my cheek. Opening my eyes, I moved closer to the hand and grasped it in my own, focusing my eyes in the bright light to see a familiar face to my right. "Frank?" I spoke, my voice hoarse in it's early non-used state. He smiled down at me, "What are you doing? You should be in bed!"

"Nah, Harris said as long as I stick to this thing," He patted the arm-rests of the wheelchair, "I'm set to wander around the place freely. And seeinga as you get to leave today, I thought you'd be upto pushing a handicapped guy, such as myself, around."

"You certianly have a way with words, Mr. Iero." I told him with a grin, "Give me ten minutes all right? I'm not pushing you around whilst I'm dressed in this attire." I moved forward out of the bed, noticing that Frank had a black Misfits hoodie over his hospital clothes. "Nice gear."

He grinned, "Thanks. You like them?"

"Yeah, I've liked them since about forever. Scott was the one whose really into them though - you'd probably like eachother. Now where did he drop off my clothes?" I searched around for the duffle bag but I couldn't find it. Huffily, I turned and pressed the button to alert a member of staff, "I'll meet you in your room in ten minutes."

"Sure thing - hey, think I can pull a wheelie?" Frank asked as he rolled himself to the door and left the room, just as a coloured nurse entered, her hair braided and pinned at the back of her head. After explaining that I didn't know where my spare change of clothes were, the nurse, whose name I know knew to be Clarice handed me my bag and left me to change, telling to me to call her if I had any difficulties. I rummaged through the bag, inwardly praising Scottie on his choice of clothes for me to wear. Pulling out a pair of dark, slightly baggy jeans, I slipped them on, pulling on my old, scuffed up and faded nike shoes and my white babydoll shirt alongside my black cardigan which was pinned with a number of assorted badges on the breast pocket. After dragging a brush through my hair and tying it up at the back of my head in a low, messy ponytail, I left the room, careful not to hurt my arm anymore than I had to (Harris told me it was only sprained and would remain painful if pressed was applied for a couple more weeks) and knocked on Frank's door.

"Hey again," he greeted, his dark eyes looking me over, "You look... nice." He complimented me.

"You don't look too shabby yourself," I told him with a grin, "So where to?" Frank and I moved around the hospital carelessly for a few hours. We made it to the cafeteria, where Frank's wallet suddenly appeared and he brought us some health food: a ploughmans type lunch and two bottles of mineral water. We wheeled ourselves over to a table and sat down, Frank remained in his wheelchair, as we ate the food, occasionally talking. Frank told more and more about his band, how he hoped to get big and how he had a couple of shows lined up at some of his friends houses. Apparently Geoff Rickley, someone who I was a huge fan of, had been snooping around at shows looking for new acts.


"Would you like to make it big?" I asked him as I uncapped my bottle and took a sip.

Frank took his time replying, "I think so. Y'know... getting away from here, seeing the world, -"

"Groupies?" I pushed.

Frank shook his head, looking me in the eye, "No way - they're not for me. Give me a meaningful relationship, that's great. Besides, I already have a girlfriend."

[continued in next post.]

__________________

Daisy

It was at that point that my heart stopped and everything else around me seemed to slow. I turned to Frank, my composure failing and fleeing with each passing second. Why was I so bothered that Frank had a girlfriend? Why on earth would Frank want to be with me? He probably only offered to hang out with me because he still felt sorry for getting me into all of this mess.

Was she pretty? Was she a brunette? Frank had already made it clear that he thought all blondes were 'stupidly-dim' by his jokes. Was she skinny? Did she like better music? Was she clever? Could she play an instrument? What had been with the talk about fate? Was Frank merely suggesting it was odd that we'd happened to meet in such a strange way? But before I could say anything, I found my brain reacting on jealousy rather than common sense. "My boyfriends like that too."

Frank looked up, his eyes staring into mine, "What's his name?"

-----------------

"Gerard, please!" I'd gotten home that night, cursing myself mentally for being such an idiot. How on earth could I have told Frank that I was actually dating someone. How stupid was I for agreeing to go on a double date with my imaginary boyfriend. After arriving back at home I'd instantly contacted the only person I knew that could pull this entire thing off. "It's only for one night!"

"No, Liv." said Gerard as he picked up bits and pieces of artwork off his floor, "No fucking way."

"Please!" I cried, "Ger, you're the only person who can help me pull this off!"

I pouted as Gerard turned back to me, waving his portraits around wildly in his arms. "No, Olivia." He sadi before turning around and pinning the pictures on his bedroom wall. I huffed and folded my arms,
"Some best friend you turned out to be." I snapped.

"Hey!" called Gerard, "Don't look at me like that! I'm not the one who ropes people into these things. At least I didn't lie!"

"What else did you expect me to do? Be happy for him?"

"Tch, yeah!"

I slumped down on Gerard's bed, burying my face in his pillows. "This is so fucked up, Ger. I just felt as though I couldn't let him have a girlfriend and me not not have one. I fucked up, Gerard. I know I did and I'm sorry and I'm so sorry for dragging you into this but as my older brother-type friend, and my bestest friend, mate, chum, amigo in the entire world, please just go on one measly little date with me?"

Gerard sighed and turned back to me, I felt him sit on the bed as it sank slightly with his weight, "How long have we been 'dating'?"

"A few months."

"Fine," He subsided, shaking his head. "I'll do it. Holding hands, fine, kisses on the cheek, sure, we do that anyway, but you're paying for dinner, and gas money, and you're coming to that art gallery with me in New York next month okay? And when we walk through the park on Sunday as usual, you're paying for the crepes and you can totally take the blame for breaking Mikey's glasses frames."

I considered my options. Turn up with no date or be Gerard's slave practically? I shook his hand, "Deal."

__________________

Juliet

YAY!
^_^
I proper love this story - obviously, since you wrote it

__________________

Jo

__________________

JAC<3 | I support Chent.<33 | Mini-Shaz is mine.

Know that we'll still have each other,
You can stand under my umbrella.<3
@}---}------

Music. Click it.

Rhia

loving it! ^_^

__________________