Dead in the Water

(Nonnie’s POV)

The heat inside the car helped a lot in my getting warm. I knew the other’s were probably getting hot. I snuggled closer to Frank and he held me a little tighter. I wasn’t really looking forward to getting back to Pete’s. I mean it was only going to mean trouble. Joe was definitely going to freak when he saw me soaking wet.

“Okay so Frank you know my friends are all a bit…” I paused so I could think of the right word. “Overprotective. I need you to promise not to lose your temper.” he looked down at me.

“Haven’t I promised enough tonight?”

“Well babe just this last thing,” I got really close to his ear. “I promise to make it worth your wild.”

“I heard that.” Mikey said from the front seat.

“Hey mind your business Way,” I said. “Promise me?”

“I promise not to throw the first punch.” he said.

“Hey…”

“I will have to defend myself.” he argued.

“Maybe you shouldn’t come in…”

“You say that after you nearly killed yourself to get me to stay?” he said with a grin. At that exact moment we pulled up to Pete’s place. We all got out of the car and walked toward the house Frank’s arms wrapped around me. Amanda and the other’s made it to the door first and I tried to slow my pace so that I could delay what was coming. “Babe it’s okay.” Frank said.

“He’s going to try and make me choose between you and my friendship with him and I don’t want to.” he stopped walking and pulled me so that I was facing him. He tilted my head up and brushed his lips with mine. His arms wrapped around me again so that they rested on the small of my back, crushing our bodies together.

“I’ll try and reason with him. He’s just looking out for you.” I smiled. Frank just two minutes ago was ready to fight each and everyone of my friends and now he was making excuses for them. We walked into the house and everyone looked up. Joe sprang from his chair and instead of going to Frank he started yelling at me.

“Nonnie what the hell were you thinking? You know you don’t swim well and you jumped into freezing cold water.” I rolled my eyes which seemed to just piss him off more. “Are you even listening to me?” he yelled.

“Okay, I think she gets the point. Take a step back now,” Frank said.

“Shut up you’re the reason she’s doing these stupid things in the first place. Why the hell don’t you just die, like any other normal person?” I wanted to say that he couldn’t say that cause Pete, Elissa, Sisky, and even Amanda all didn’t die but I didn’t. “Why did you have to show up…”

“If I hadn’t shown up when I did, you would have let Nonnie get herself killed.” Frank yelled back.

“I wouldn’t have let that happen.” Joe responded.

“Guys,” I tried to get between the two of them but Ray pulled me back.

“You don’t wanna get between them right now Non,” he whispered. I tried to get loose, but he held me a little tighter. Frank was saying that there was no way any of my friends could have made it to me in time that night. Not even the one’s with super strength. Joe must have gotten tired of listening to Frank’s explanation cause he just swung hitting Frank square in the jaw. I saw that old familiar smirk that Frank used to get when he knew he was about to win at a game.

“Frank don’t,” I said in my mind. He looked over at me. Then flexed his jaw.

“It’s self defense,” he said jumping on Joe. The scuffle didn’t last long and when it ended Joe seemed pretty much unharmed, Frank on the other hand had a broken nose and a bloody lip. I rushed over to him, Pete and Sisky held him back, and Erelin and Amanda held Joe.

“Baby,” I said. “Did you get it out of your system?” I asked turning to Joe. He smiled.

“Yeah I guess…I guess I can deal with seeing him around. But I swear if you bite her again or harm her in any way I will kill you.”

“If he doesn’t I will.” Amanda chimed.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Frank said. Then they shook hands.

“Boys are so weird.” I said grabbing Franks hand.

“The sun will be up soon, Frank will have to stay the night.” Pete said. I couldn’t help but to get this big cheesy smile. “I guess the rest of you can come back tomorrow.”

“Wait who are you guys? I mean we know Frank and Mikey.” Amanda asked. I smiled. I’d forgotten they didn’t know the others.

“Well that’s Bob, and that’s Ray. They were in a band…” I started to explain and stopped thinking about Gerard. He much like the others had been like a brother to me.

“But things didn’t work out.” Frank said pulling me into his arms. “Hey babe, can you show me where I can wash up?” I knew he was trying to get me to stop thinking about Gerard, but it wasn’t going to be that easy. I had a firm belief that his being dead was my fault. I had asked him to go out that night to get some ice cream. You would think I was pregnant or something the way he jumped up to go and get it, but that’s just the way he was with me. I mentioned that fudge brownie ice cream would taste really good and he jumped up to go get it.

“Yeah follow me,” I said heading upstairs. I helped him clean up his face.

“I couldn’t throw most of your stuff away. I let Mikey keep Pansy cause I knew I wouldn’t be able to not think about you with it around. The rest of it is in storage.” I explained handing him one of his old shirts and a pair of sweat pants. “No one really noticed cause we are almost the same size.”

“Yeah I know, I kinda broke in and got most of my things.” my mouth fell open.

“No you didn’t…”

“You haven’t been there in about four months.” I had been feeling guilty about that. “Baby that’s okay, I mean that’s the main reason I went into hiding. I didn’t want you to be stuck with this,” he motioned to his body.

“Well lets just go see what’s so bad about this,” I said pulling him into the bathroom. Before he could protest I pulled his shirt over his head. “Nothing wrong with that,”