Dead in the Water

(Nonnie’s POV)

I threw a right punch and Pete quickly dodged it then dropped down to sweep my feet from under me. I jumped and just as my feet touched the ground he was there to throw another punch. I knew he was moving too fast for me to keep up, but I wasn’t going to quit till I at least hit him once. I hadn’t been using my left shoulder much cause I still had stitches in the wound from Gerard.

I’ve been out of the hospital for about a week now and Amanda kept her word and has me in full-blown slayer training. Not that I think I’m doing very well. I just get the crap beat out of me everyday and hope that I at least learn how to block a punch.

I saw my opening and threw a punch with my left arm. I knew it was a mistake the moment the punch landed against Pete’s cheek. Not that it was a mistake in the overall fight, just that I knew I had torn my stitches and that I was going to catch hell from Frank and Joe. I didn’t let the pain faze me for too long, but it was already too late. Pete was already sweeping my feet from under me. I landed with a thud and all the air rushed out of my lungs. I coughed to catch my breath and all the pain from my shoulder rushed to the forefront of my brain.

“Non you alright?” Pete asked offering me his right hand. If it didn’t hurt so much I’d take it with my left hand instead I reached up with my right hand and he gave me his left. Pulling me up from the floor.

“I’m fine, let’s go again.” I said. I knew I wouldn’t be able to use my left arm, but in a real fight, I can’t expect to not be hurt. That’s just not going to happen.

“I smell blood,”

“Maybe someone spilled a packet, come on.” I said taking a fighting stance.

“It’s too close…” he said then he looked at me. I tried to shrug, but the pain made me grimace. “Your stitches tare?”

“No,” I lied. He reached out to touch my shoulder and I grabbed his arm flipping him on his back. Then stepped away taking the fighting stance they had taught me.

“Non come on we have to go and get that fixed before we continue.” He said standing up.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said waiting for him to try and touch it again. Instead he took his fighting stance.

“If you really want to do this…”

“She won’t Non that’s enough for today.” Frank said from the door. He was still against me training this hard. He had hoped that he would be able to convince me not to go out at night. Or during the day, he basically wanted me to become a shut in until we either killed Gerard or Ian. Either way he just wanted me under his thumb so he could keep an eye on me.

“On more match then…” I started.

“Non…” he stopped. “You’re bleeding.” I looked at my shoulder. Blood had started to seep though the fabric.

“It’s fine,” I said trying to move my shoulder.

“Pete…” Frank growled.

“I told her we should stop but she didn’t want to. She wasn’t going to let me walk away.” He said with his hands up.

“Whatever, Non come on please?” I rolled my eyes.

“Fine,” I walked over to him and he called Mikey. We still hadn’t told him or the other’s about Gerard, we did tell them to be more careful while hunting. That there was a new group out there more dangerous than the dandies. It didn’t take him long to get there and he was immediately surprised to see my wound. We hadn’t told them I had been in the hospital either.

“What the hell Frank? You staying with her was supposed to keep her safer. Don’t think I missed those extra bite marks either. What the hell are you doing to her?”

“It wasn’t his fault Mikes, trust me. He had to bite me to break the control of another vampire.”

“And what happened to you getting her to stop hunting, wasn’t that part of the whole I’m going to move in with Nonnie plan?” I looked up at Frank. I obviously wasn’t supposed to know this.

“Plans change,” he said looking away. “Can you just stitch her up?”

“How did she even get this, it looks like someone took a wooden… wait someone tried to stake you. Who? Why?” his questions were starting to give me a headache. Finally he finished and looked at Frank disapprovingly. “If Gerard were here he would kick you ass for this.” I saw Frank tense at the mention of Gerard.

“So, you can’t tell the guys you were over here.” Frank said ignoring what Mikey just said. “In fact you weren’t over here okay,” Mikey just nodded and walked out the door to his car. It surprised me cause Mikey wasn’t one to let questions go unanswered. “You aren’t the only one who has been working one their skills.” He said. “I persuaded him into thinking that none of this happened.”

“Good job, but you better not try and do that crap with me.”

“I don’t need to cause you want to do most of the things I want you to do.”

“No I don’t,” I said.

“So you don’t want to join me for a shower?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“Well I never said that,” I said standing and walking over to him. My arm still hurt like hell, but I’d be able to take a pain pill in a little while and that would help with them pain.

“Nonnie I’m really proud of you,” He said as we lay in bed after our shower. I snuggled into his arms.

“Frank I’m happy to hear that even though you fight me all the way in all my decisions.” I said.

“I don’t mean to. I just want to make sure you’re safe. I feel like because I’m here things have only gotten worse for you.”

“Frank, what do you think would have happened if you weren’t there that night to save me? Or when Gerard came after me that first time? Or the second time?”

“Well the second time was sorta my fault I shouldn’t have let you come…”

“Frank you can’t always make me do what you want me to.” I said. “Even with your vamp powers. I wouldn’t have let you leave me so you could get yourself killed.”

“I know. I just don’t like to see you hurt and I don’t like to think you are in trouble. That’s why I backed off when you met Joe. I thought there she’s going to be safe cause he’s saved her once he can do it again…”

“Frank I’m just tired of having to depend on you and the other’s to save me. I mean I’m not the only one who doesn’t have super strength and they all do just fine against vampires.”

“Gerard’s stronger than a lot of vampires out there.” he said. “They don’t have one after them in particular. They just get random vampires after them. You have one of your best friends coming after you and he’s willing to do anything to get to you. I think that me and everyone else can understand why you were having trouble at first.”

“You didn’t have any trouble fighting him.”

“I saw he was going to hurt you. I could tell he wasn’t good. I…I wasn’t as close as you were to him. I hate to admit it, but I’ve always been jealous of him. I know that you were never in love with him, but I always thought that you might one day discover that you had feelings for him. When he died, how torn up you were about it. I wondered if…” he stopped.

“If what?”

“If you would miss me as much as you missed him if I was the one who had died.”

“I missed you more. It hurt so much more,” I said closing my eyes and remembering the nights I cried missing him. “Gerard was my friend, but I love you so much. If he had attacked you I probably would have moved a bus to help.” we both laughed.

“Get some rest now,” I knew he was using his persuasion, but I also knew that we would probably finish this conversation in my dream. I shook my head a little as I fell asleep in his arms.