Gerard II

Back home, Gerard took one look at Mikey passed out on the couch, fingers still half-wrapped around the neck of his guitar in his sleep and crumpled to the floor in a mixture of relief and exhaustion, tears squeezing themselves down his cheeks as he fought to hold it together.

He hadn't prepared for this and now he had 20 lives to save. And that was just the beginning. What had he gotten himself into? He wasn't trying to make any noise but Mikey was a light sleeper out of habit and as soon as he got up to get himself cleaned up the boy woke and was on his feet before Gerard could tell him to go back to bed.

"Gee, hey! You're back, are you ok?"

All he needed was a few seconds to gauge that he wasn't.

"Dude..."

He was across the room in a flash and Gerard was in his arms before he could think of a good lie. The feel of Mikey's strong but skinny beanpole of a body and the familiar scent of his brother, his home was enough to start the tears falling again.

"I have to save them." He mumbled thickly into Mikey's boney shoulder.

"I know you do, Gee, but not right this second. Right now you gotta get a wash and get some sleep. Cause t'be honest: you stink!"

Gerard laughed weakly.

"Thanks a lot, bro."

He disengaged himself, sniffing, but still smiling and headed upstairs to use the shower. Mikey shook his head in concern that his brother was going to crash and burn over these kids. But he knew that was just how Gerard was: saving the world one broken child at a time. And he would do whatever it took to help him. Because that's just how he was. He would do anything for Gerard.

The next day Gerard didn't even have to ask, Mikey happily volunteered to be the next one to go to the fair. Gerard knew that he would be a good information gatherer. He was less easily affected than Gerard, which meant he wouldn't be bogged down by the emotional side of it. He was good at following instructions, he was a quick learner and he was a very practical person.

Whatever unstable, extroverted, obsessively artistic genes Gerard had, Mikey had the traits to balance him out, with a little artistry thrown in for good measure. For example, Mikey could easily work out the layout of a place if he'd been there a few times. And with Ryan's help they could work out where everything was, including the exits. Gerard gave him the drawing of Ryan that he had reworked some hours earlier. Mikey looked at it for a long moment, then pushed it carefully into his pocket.

"I know what the plan is," he said calmly. The two brothers had been discussing for weeks how hey could get the boys out long before this particular circus had rolled into town, "But what if I don't get Ryan?"

"Well don't ask for him, that's definitely taboo cause he's Dragon, not Ryan. If you get there on time n all I don't see how you can't tell one of the other kids about it. I don't need to tell you to be careful."

"You don't. Why can't you come with me?"

"I need to sort a hell of a lot of stuff out here, Mikey, we need to be ready before they leave town."

"When will that be?"

"Three weeks."

"That's not very long."

"Especially if we don't wanna get caught. I mean, once they're out, we're gonna have to put them somewhere to recuperate before they can get back their lives. Somewhere safe."

"So not here then?"

"Well we could put up a couple of them but this house isn't big enough for more than four people. I need to figure out who can help us in the area. We know a lotta kind people who would help out, it's just a case of commodities n shit."

"The people who put us up, they're bound to do the same for these kids."

"You're right." Gerard ran his hand through his hair and Mikey put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"You'll get some sleep though, yeah? You won't be any help to these kids on the verge of collapse all the time."

"I know..." Gerard agreed, "I promise. After you get back tonight."

"Deal. I better write down what I need to tell him and memorise it. Also, we need to set a date."

"Yep, I'm on it. Ray and Frank'll help me out, don't worry. I'll send them in next."

"Right-oh, well I've got my orders, I better get my costume sorted." He headed towards the stairs to change, then turned back to Gerard.

"Should I bring any food, do you think?"

Gerard shook his head vehemently.

"No, no way. If they get caught you'll be banned and that would screw up the whole thing."

"Gottit."

He disappeared up the stairs and Gerard set about organising his contacts, hoping there were enough people he could trust to help him in his expedition.






Mikey was right, Gerard was still awake when he got back, even though it was the early hours of the morning.

"Gee, you should be asleep man..."

"I couldn't. Not until you were back."

"Well I'm back now."

"What happened?"

"I saw Ryan." Mikey didn't say anymore. He wasn't usually a man of many words but three was less than Gerard wanted to hear.

"And is he okay? Did you tell him I sent you?"

"Everything's still on track, Gee, and Ryan is probably in the same state as when you saw him."
"Okay. Great. Well not great, but you know what I mean-."

Mikey gave his brother a quick pat on the shoulder.

"One thing at a time. Now get some sleep. Everything will still be there tomorrow."

"Okay. But thank you."

"Anytime bro."

The next week rushed past in a blur of awkward radio calls, carefully considered but swift meetings with everyone Gerard and Mikey thought they could trust with the lives of the boys.

They agreed that 1. They would have to break them out all together, 2. It would have to be at night and 3. That they had one shot and they could NOT under any circumstances screw it up.

Gerard and Mikey talked things way into the nights and although they'd been through everything hundreds of times, Gerard couldn't help but think of everything that could go wrong and laid in bed awake far too often worrying.

It reached the week before the break and everything was set and it was Gerard's turn to go in; to check that everything was ready inside as well as out. He knew Mikey was concerned so he made himself sleep for most of the day so he was better rested for the visit.

He stood in front of the stage again, trying not to mentally run through everything for the millionth time in the past five minutes when the music started and he took a deep breath, clapping along with the rest of the scum bags as the performance began.

It wasn't really any easier the second time round and he had to really convince himself that that the plan was going to work to stop himself crashing the party and telling all the clients where to stick it.

Ryan didn't spot him immediately, but when he did a tiny smile spread across his lips before he could quell it. He managed however, and didn't give him any unnecessary attention until Gerard did his customary smirk and held out his hand to pull him down from the stage. They headed to a caravan, putting on a show of customer and sex-worker until they are safely inside. They both physically collapsed on the couch before Gerard fixed a concerned gaze on Ryan.

"Are you alright?" Ryan leant back on the pillows and closed his eyes with a ghost of a smile.

"I will be."

"I'm sorry it's taken so long."

"What is it gonna take for you to stop apologising?"

"All of you free?"

"You're quite a character, Gerard Way." Gerard didn't really know what to say to that he shrugged awkwardly and fiddled with the hole in his jeans.

"I didn't want to have to tell you this…but there's gonna be a problem with the plan."

"What do you mean?"

"One of us, Fiver, has been sent to solitary."

"What's solitary?" Gerard felt himself getting more freaked out by the second.

"It's a pen on the outskirts of the camp. It's on the map." He looked exhausted and Gerard didn't want to press him but he had to know more.

"How do we get in?"

"The boss has a key."

"Great. I hope we can break the lock."

"Probably, with the right equipment."

"I'll see what I can-." Suddenly, there was loud footsteps outside and Gerard immediately shut up, his gaze connecting with Ryan's as the boy hissed: "Blowjob. Now!"

The red-haired man shot to his feet and Ryan was on his knees in front of him almost instantly, although he clung to Gerard's skinny hips because he knew if he didn't he would collapse.

The footsteps got louder and it was clear whoever it was, was headed straight for them.

Ryan unzipped Gerard's pants and desperately palmed him in an attempt to get him hard. The older man almost jerked away in shame, but steeled himself and tried to imagine that the whole thing was a kind of performance, some sort of nightmare superhero film where he is playing the villain.

He could do it if it was make-believe? Right?

He had a hard-on very quickly because of course the boy knew about this stuff and it wasn't exactly difficult considering he hadn't been touched in some months or even years.

As the door opened, Ryan had his pants down and to the person who had just entered everything appeared to be 'normal.' Gerard rounded on the newcomer with all the venom he could muster, his red hair haywire around his face and his Hazel eyes flashing dangerously as he snapped:

"Can I help you?" Following it with, "The damn thing ain't gonna suck itself!" And the pose was so artistic, so over the top that it worked perfectly and the person at the door – an older boy with jet black hair and heavy makeup raised his eyebrows with a drawn out:

"Oh-kaaay…I was just making sure everything was alright in here, sir. Sorry to bother you."

The boy made a swift exit and Gerard let go of Ryan's hair, stepping away and pulling up his boxers. Ryan stayed on his knees, apparently too exhausted to move. Gerard offered him a hand up, but Ryan refused and painfully pulled himself back onto the couch one limb at a time.