Rollercoaster

Frank's POV

I woke up in a cold sweat. Well when I say "woke up" I actually mean got up. I couldn't sleep all that night, I was too worried about Aimee. Pacing Gerard's spare room, I made the decision to go down and check on her for what seemed like the hundredth time that night.

Taking the stairs one at a time, I couldn't wait till she woke up. I really needed to talk to her, get some answers to what happened to make her want to leave.

Finally reaching the lounge, I pondered whether to go in or not. I didn't want to wake her, she needed her sleep badly. Just as I was wondering what to do, the door opened. Taking a step forward, I was roughly pushed aside. I turned round to see Aimee heading for the front door.

"Aimee? Wait!" I called as she viciously tugged at the locked door. Seeing she was getting nowhere, she fell to her knees and sobbed loudly on the wooden floor.

I reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," She said coldly, shrugging me off.

"What? Aimee, what happened?" I was shocked at her sudden bitterness.

"Open this door." She ordered, her back still turned to me.

"No," I wasn't going to let her win that easy, "Please Aimee, come into the lounge. We need to talk."

"No we don't. I don't want anything to do with you, and if you don't open this door immediately I'm phonin' the cops."

I laughed. I guess I didn't mean to, but she was being so stupid now and I didn't know what to do.

"Don't you dare laugh at me," She turned to me this time, her eyes filled with unfallen tears. "I want my dad that's all. I know I'm being a burden to you, Frank, and I just want to go." As she blinked, the tears fell, though she wasn't crying.

I went over to her and held her in my arms. She didn't flinch, this was a good sign. I stood back and cupped her chin in my hands.

"Aimee. You'll never be a burden to me," She looked up at me, those olive green eyes searching my own hazel ones, "Let's go in and talk, eh?"

We sat in the lounge, an awkward silence looming. She was the first to break it.

"Why didn't you leave me in the alley, Frank?"

"What kind of question is that? I care about you Aimee, I really do." I looked at her. "Why did you run away?"

She didn't say anything and just looked at the floor.

"Speak to me, Aimee. I came to see you yesterday and found..." I couldn't seem to finish the sentence.

"You have no idea..." She trailed off, still looking at the same spot on the floor.

"Well then tell me! I'm not psychic, Aimee! Please, just tell me what's wrong," I was getting desperate for answers now.

"You really wanna know?" I nodded. "Okay then. Here it goes. My life is a mess, an absolute mess. My mum left me with my abusive dad when I was three. He would always get drunk, then come home and beat me, telling me everything bad that happened was my fault. I never quite understood, but believed him anyway. I loved him, even when he hurt me so much, I still loved him. Probably because he was the only one I had in the world. That night of the concert was the best night of my life. But then he had to go and ruin it. And now he's in jail. And to be honest Frank, I'm terrified. Absolutely terrified of when he gets out... and what he's gonna do." She stopped, wiping her tear streaked cheeks. "I was so happy when you came into my life, Frank. I thought it would all be over. He wouldn't be able to get me, the bullies would back off... But they didn't.." She said as she told me exactly what happened with that girl, Heather.

I couldn't believe it. Here I was, thinking she was all happy and fine and she wasn't. She held this in all the time, and I didn't know a thing. I rubbed my hand through my hair and sighed.

"Aimee.. , I'm so... I'm so," I never got to finish my sentence, my emotions beat me to it. I couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through that night. No wonder she ran away.

I finally managed to pull myself together. "We need to get you checked out, Aimee. What if you've got a broken rib or something?"

She shook her head. "Frank, I'm not going to the hospital. I mean, what if they think you did this? What will I do then? I can't lose you too." She put her head in her hands, I guess trying to hide that she was crying.

She had a point, they were really protective nowadays. And I didn't want her to be taken away from me when I just found her.

I went over and sat beside her. "Don't you worry." I held her tightly, not wanting to let go. "We're gonna be fine. Or as Gerard once said, we'll carry on."

She relaxed and put her head on my chest as I rocked her back and forth, quietly singing "Welcome to the black parade".