Dead in the Water

(Nonnie’s POV)

I left Pete and Amanda alone in his room. I had to go find Frank, Pete made a good point. Frank always feels the need to protect me and if he thought that this would hurt me then he would keep it from me. It was a little weird cause when I was around Erelin that day in the house I could tell she was different. I could tell she was the slayer, but just now in the room with Amanda I didn't feel it. I mean I knew she was there, but she just felt like any other human. There was no difference between her and the doctor I just passed in the hallway.

I headed for the morgue and the closer I got the worst it smelled. It smelled like death and even though I was a vampire I didn't like the smell. I walked in to find Sisky handing Frank an urn.

“Here, it’s a John Doe; I'll write up a coroners report and say that he was in the fire at her place. I'll make him look like a hero, say he got her out and went back to make sure no one was still inside. It’s believable cause so many people lived there.” Sisky explained.

“That's great man. I owe you. Non's going to be happy you could pull this off." I smiled. He knew what it meant that this time we could provide Mikey's parents with a body. I walked up to the.

"Thanks Sisky," I said even though I still remembered what he had done to Amanda. He was trying to make it up to them by helping them anyway that he could and I was glad for that help.

"No problem Non, I'm glad you are okay," he said genuinely. "I heard that Gerard...Well lets just say I heard what happened and you did the right thing." I just nodded.

"We should get back home and tell the guys about this," I said motioning to the urn. I followed Frank out to Bob's car and sat in the passenger side. Then put on my seat belt. I watched him intently as he maneuvered the car out into traffic. I was trying to read him. To see if he was hiding something from me I hated to think he would keep something about Amanda away from me, but as Pete had said it was more than likely that he wouldn't tell me these things. He wants to protect me.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asked as we pulled up to a red light.

"I...Well if something were going on with one of my friends you would tell me right? I mean if you knew you would tell me right?" I saw his grip get a little tighter on the stirring wheel.

"Most times," he said.

"When wouldn’t you?"

"When someone asked me not to tell you or when I think it would be bad for you to know." he said turning to look at me.

"Frank tell me what's wrong with Amanda," I said convinced that he knew what was wrong.

"Nothing is wrong," he said turning to face forward. Then drive through the intersection.

"Frank, I can feel that something is wrong. Please I need to know."

"I promised her I wouldn't tell you. When she's ready she'll tell..."

"Amanda isn't like that she won't tell anyone. If there's something wrong don't you think her friends should know in case they can help?"

"You can't help," he said. "No one can, that I know of,"

"How would you know?" our voices had been steadily getting louder and louder.

"I just do..."

"Frank tell me,"

"I promised..."

"Who are you sleeping with?"

"Oh so now you're going to threaten not to have sex with me? Wow I knew you were mean when you didn't get your way, but now you're just taking it to another level,"

"I didn't say I was taking anything from you. I was just pointing out that you should keep in mind who is more important,"

"You are which is why I’m not telling you. If I tell you, you will go on some ‘Save Amanda’ crusade and it won't solve anything and most likely you will get yourself killed."

"I'm already dead, there's no reason for Amanda to join me."

"Shut up," he said.

"Don't you mouth off to me Frank Anthony Iero I’ll call your mother,"

"And what tell her that her dead son was being rude and keeping someone else’s secret from you?" he smirked over at me. I just sat there glaring at him. "I'll ask Amanda if I can tell you okay. Look you know she and I don't exactly get along, but really I can't tell you this without making sure its okay with her first."

"It's that bad?"

"After I call her I’ll tell you,"

"Even if she tells you not to?" he took a deep breath and nodded. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone else, and I mean anyone. Not even Joe."

"Fine," I said as he pulled into our new homes driveway. I left him in the car leaving the door open and stood right inside hidden. I listened to him dial the number to the hospital.

“Hey I need you to connect me to Amanda,” I figured he probably called Sisky or someone’s cell phone. “Hey Amanda, you should probably find some place quiet…you good?…Yeah you remember that secret you asked me not to tell anyone?…Yes that your dying…” I gasped loudly tuning out the rest of the phone call. No way. Amanda can’t be dying. I mean I just saw her she looked fine. She was a little weak from blood lost, but she’s going to be fine once she gets some rest. I heard him get out of the car and I rushed into the kitchen so he wouldn’t know I had been listening. “Non?” I took a deep breath before I came out of the room.

“Yeah babe?” I said walking over to him.

“Amanda’s…” I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears started streaming down my face. “Non you heard?” he said a little disappointment in his voice. I just nodded. “You just couldn’t wait could you?”

“Frank what can we do, there has to be something,”

“Baby there can only be one slayer. I’m sorry,” he said wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. Amanda’s going to die and there’s nothing you or I can do about it. She doesn’t want anyone coddling her and she doesn’t want people fighting her battles. So you have to promise not to tell anyone else.”

“Not to tell anyone else what?” Bob asked coming into the living room where we stood.

“Uh…” Frank stuttered.

“That we are using a John Doe’s ashes for Mikey,” I said saving him.

“Well duh Frankie. Non probably could have figured that out by herself,” he smiled at me. “I mean she’s smarter than you,”

“Can’t argue with that,” Frank said looking down into my eyes. He cupped both of my cheeks in his hand and wiped my tears with his thumb. Then leaned in and gently kissed me. I pushed myself up tip toed to press my lips harder to his and he moved one of his hands to the back of my neck and the other to my waist pulling me closer.

“Eww can you guys go do that in your room? I have to call Mikey’s mom and I really don’t need to see that while I’m talking to her,”

“You’re just jealous,” Frank said breaking the kiss and taking my hand leading be back to the room I’d woken up in almost two months ago when he saved me the first time. “So what do you think we should do?” he asked closing the door behind us.

“Until we find out the gangs next move I guess we can just hang out here,” a smile creased his face.

“I bet I can think of something to pass the time,” he grabbed the belt hoops on the jeans that I was wearing and pulled me to stand between his opened legs as he sat down on the bed.

“Frank…Can we just cuddle?” I knew that that was probably the last thing he wanted to hear, but I had just learned that a good friend was dying and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do about it.

“Sure babe,” he said pulling me to lay on top of him. Then he lifted me scooting at the same time toward the top of the bed. Once he got settled he wrapped his arms around me. “It’ll be okay Non,”

“I…I’m just tired of losing my friends.”

“I know Nonnie. I know,”