A Splitting Of The Mind- Alt Ending

Both Frank and Gerard had conversed with Donald. The President. It was quite a surreal experience for Frank, talking over what he had suffered through and discussing the options for him. And then he'd been asked to leave the room. Donald wanted a moment alone, with his son, and Frank could respect that, it'd been, what, 3 years? Gerard didn't even remember him. He couldn't even imagine what the two of them must be going through right now, hell, he could barely imagine what his own parents were experiencing seeing their son's face plastered all over tv next to the President's son, although the thought of his neighbor saying 'I thought he was at boarding school' when he saw the news that Frank had been in a mental asylum, and the dumbfounded look on his parent's faces, was quite a thought. Quite an amusing thought. He looked up at Doctor Markman, shooting her a nervous, guilt-laden smile for all the trouble he'd caused her the past few weeks. She shot him a glower back.

-

"Gerard.. I forgave you, your mother and I, forgave you, long ago, I hope you know that." His father spoke wearily. As if being the President wasn't enough, Gerard could see what having a mentally 6 year old son and a psychotic monster of a son had done to him. He hadn't expected either of those outcomes when him and his brother were born, that much he was sure of. "You never came to see me." He commented absently, trying not to make the sadness in his voice too evident. "I was told it would hinder your progress. Speaking of which. You know I can't let you stay out here." He chastised, and oh, how Gerard hated that.

He hated how fatherly it sounded. He'd taken care of himself for the past three years, and he had Jasper, of course. Although, he wasn't quite so sure of that at the moment.

"So what's going to happen to me then? You're going to make me stand trial now that I've shown guilt, and I'll rot on death row, right?" He spoke defensively, lowering the bar for himself so that he wouldn't be too disappointed when those exact words slipped out of his father's mouth. "Gerard. I'm not a monster.." He paused, trying to find the words. "Your mother and I have forgiven you. There's no reason for you to stand trial for something that was accidental."
Gerard shook his head, he knew that he was a monster, that much he was sure of, whether Jasper was commanding him or not, he knew what he'd done. That much wasn't a secret. "And all the secret service members? I killed them. In cold blood." He looked down, picking at the skin on the side of his thumb.

"They were perfectly aware of your condition, as were the countries.. top doctors." Gerard didn't miss the bitterness in his voice, the small pause he took before stating that. He knew things. "They shouldn't have been carrying service weapons, not in the house, at least, those outside the house I can understand. But especially not the ones on your personal detail. I've forgiven you Gerard. You've gotten better in the past, you can get better again." He spoke kindly, Gerard flinched away as his father went to place a hand on one of his own, immediately he folded his arms and settled back. "And then they'll deem me competent. Either way, I'm not going to have a life after this."

He waited as his father shakily ran a hand through his hair, chuckling as if he sounded he was about to cry. Gerard didn't make any attempt to comfort him. He was an ass, he knew, but, his father wasn't going to let him live, not really. He knew he was going to some sort of federal prison, some sort of trial, sooner or later. "You weren't competent in what you did.. son." Gerard didn't like that word. He preferred being addressed as Gerard much more. "I'm granting you a presidential pardon."

Oh.

He hadn't been expecting that. Not at all.. he slowly nodded, looking out to Frank in the hallway, who appeared to be anxiously trying to read the body language of both him and the other man with him, sitting across from him. Speaking of which, he turned back to face him. What did he even say? Thank you wasn't enough. It was an accident. But how could he ever make up what he'd done? "What.. what do I have to do?"

"Get better." His father simply spoke.

"Where?" Gerard couldn't help the mix of anxiety and challenging taunt in his voice.

"I think sending you back to Bluestone would be best, you need structure. Familiarity. And putting you somewhere for the criminally insane.. you'd just get yourself hurt. You need full-time, long term care, until you recover, not simply harsher institutionalization. But let me make myself very clear. You need to take your medication." Yes, he knew from his own experiences Gerard's habit of tonguing medication. He'd already spoke to Markman, informing her that Clozapine wasn't necessarily needed and that the only reason the effects of his previous medication hadn't been working was that he had most likely not been taking them. Clozapine would just pose greater risk to his son's already frail constitution.

Gerard immediately protested. "They control the drug industries, I can't take medication." He spoke firmly. His father shook his head and explained things how he had to with Mikey when he thought he saw monsters under his bed. "Gerard. Listen to me very carefully because I'm only going to say this once. They are not real. Let me put this in a way where there is no possibility for you to misunderstand me. Jasper is not real, and I know you're already aware of that, despite how you choose not to admit it. Jasper's whole purpose is centered around "them." And they, are not real. Trust me Gerard, I am the President. I would know if someone was out to get my son."

Gerard stayed silent for quite a long time, or at least, to him, it felt like a long time. He looked around the room, where was Jasper? He needed an explanation.. but.. maybe this was the truth. He wasn't sure. But.. his father was the President. Gerard wasn't a stupid person, he knew that if something was going on, his father of all people would know. But he still felt them creeping up the walls, into his skin... but then again. Maybe everyone was right. Hurting Mikey had been an accident. Maybe he really was sick. Mikey was sick. And he didn't seem weak at all, the Doctor had told him he was fighting every day to learn and grow. Maybe sickness.. wasn't weakness. And everyone had told him he'd gotten better previously. This wasn't a curse. And surely, his secrets could help the nation, with who his father was, he was surely protected. Now that he thought about it.. Frank was right, about Zach and Ben. He did have protection nearly everywhere, didn't he..?

"Okay. I'll get better."

His father beckoned Dr. Markman into the room. She kindly handed Gerard two pills, they didn't look like Clozapine. They looked like his old medication. He looked to his Father, to her, then to Frank, now standing in the doorway and giving him an eyebrow raise that spelled out his expectations quite clearly. He took the small triangular cup of water. He felt the pills dissolve as he swallowed them. He felt.. safe, seeing the smiles light up around the room. And although he didn't like the feeling of being treated like a puppy who'd just learned to sit, he had to admit that the thought of getting better, of being able to be out and help his brother recover to the best he could, and serve his penance by continuing to help Frank, well, it was a comforting thought.

He didn't even mind Jasper's frown as he walked out of the room.

It made him even give a little smile of his own.