Disenchanted

Frank sighed as he rolled over in his bed. His hazel eyes were open and staring at the roof and his left had was grasping the key hanging around his neck. "It was just a dream..."

"What was?" Frank shot out of bed with a yelp when he heard Gerard's voice. He was standing in the doorway, looking somewhat confused and a little shocked that Frank Iero had actually gotten out of bed without having to be pulled out.

"Nothing! Why are you here?" Frank snapped and pulled a black t-shirt over his bare torso. He was used to sleeping in only his boxers but that didn't mean he wanted Gerard to see him in his all.

"To get you out of bed like always, but it seems you don't need me for that." Gerard shrugged and tried to hold back the happiness that was shining through. Frank hadn't even moved from his bed or the couch in nearly six months and now he was actually getting dressed. That was improvement for sure.

"I'm not as incapable as you think." Frank spat. He was suddenly rotten about realizing that everything had been a dream. Kara hadn't been there last night, everything had merely been a dream.

Suddenly, Franks phone vibrated from his bedside table and both sets of eyes darted to it. Franks hand snatched the iPhone off the table and felt his heart skip a beat as he saw who the message was from.

Kaaaaaaraaaaa! It had said. Does that mean Frank was still dreaming or this entire thing was a hallucination. For the moment, Frank honestly didn't give two shits. If he could see his best friend, even if she was just a dream, that was fine by him.

"Who is it?" Gerard asked and Frank shrugged.

"Just a friend, not like its any of your business." Frank answered and Gerard sighed loudly but didn't say anything.

'Hey, Frankie! Want to do something today?' the text read. A small smile grew on the guitarists face as he quickly replied.

'I knew you couldn't stay away! Of course, what do you want to do?' Frank replied.

Gerard eyed the grin spreading across Franks features but there was no way in hell that he was going to ask about it. The best he could do right now was give the guy some space to do whatever was making him so happy. But that wasn't going to stop him from asking questions later.

Gerard slipped out of the room and out of the house altogether. He got in his car and was about to drive away when he spotted Frank step out of the house as well, still with that stupid grin on his face as he walked down the street.

The singer shook his head and drive off to his own apartment. Mikey was slouched on their couch, staring at the TV as he watched a sitcom. "You will never guess what just happened." Gerard announced and Mikey's gaze turned to his brother.

"You finally left the kid alone to wallow in his own misery?" Mikey asked and Gerard snorted.

"Please, Mikey, let's not think too dramatically here. But no, I saw Frank get dressed on his own, and leave his house on his own!" Gerard was acting like this was some sort of miracle. Like Frank had suddenly turned all his water into Heineken.

"Woah, shit has hit the fan now!" Mikey gasped sarcastically. "He's a human, Gee, not a dog. He knows how to open a door and leave his house."

"Okay, so you're telling me that after a half of a year of doing nothing but moping, drinking and crying, and Frank suddenly smiles and goes around without us having to force him out, that doesn't strike you as odd?" Gerard urged.

Mikey's jaw dropped in mock shock, "a smile? I've never seen one of those before! We'd better call a doctor! Something might be wrong with the poor guy!"

Gerard was getting pissed off by now, "Mikey, I'm serious! I think he met a girl because his phone vibrated and when he answered the text he had this dopey grin on his face."

"Honestly, Gee, it isn't any of your business. I get that you're happy and that Frankie hasn't been his usual self since Kara but you need to stay out of his life. If he met a girl, just wait until he lets you meet her instead of meddling like you always do." Mikey said in complete seriousness.

Gerard sighed in frustration, "fine! But I swear if this ends badly, I will kick your ass."

"Franks a big boy, he can manage himself." Mikey said. Gerard shot him a look that made him rethink what he just said. "Well, sometimes he can manage."

About twenty minutes away, Frank was ringing a buzzer to an apartment building. Kara had given him directions on how to get to her place. Frank shifted on his feet as he waited for the door to buzz and Kara too let him in.

There was a loud screech followed by a click as Frank was let into the building. He took the elevator to the third floor and walked down the dimly kit hall until he came across the room he needed.

"Hey!" Kara greeted him at the door, "come on in! I was just attempting to make cookies but I can't bake. Like, at all..."

Frank chuckled and followed Kara through the apartment. It was fairly small and empty, except for the full bookshelves pressed up against the wall. There were a few pictures of Kara with her Papa and brothers that lined the mantle but other than that, the place was what you would find in any boring apartment.

"So how long have you been living here?" Frank asked as he studied the pictures. Kara didn't look like she fit in with the others with her pale skin and freckles while her 'family' was all Italian.

"In this apartment or New Jersey? Because I've only been living here for about two or so months and in New Jersey for as long as I can remember." Kara answered. It was true, she didn't remember much of her life but that, that she did remember took place in New Jersey.

Frank and Kara made their way to the kitchen where they could smell brownies from the oven. Dirty dishes scattered the room and the raven haired woman rushed around to try and shove it all in the sink before Frank noticed how messy it was.

"They smell good, even if you claim that you can't cook." Frank complimented. "When are they ready?"

Kara's face blanked, "you stick a toothpick in, right? And that tells you?"

The girl grabbed a toothpick and opening the oven, shoved it into the brown mush. She didn't exactly know what to do after and just kind of left it sticking out of the brownies, waiting for something to happen.

"I think you're supposed to take it out now." Frank laughed and watched with amusement as Kara blushed and tried to take the toothpick out. She made the mistake of leaning too far in and ended up stumbling forward, only to catch herself by falling on the oven rack. Her hand was the only thing that hit the metal and she let out a squeak of pain as the metal seared her flesh.

The smile disappeared from Franks face and he grabbed Kara by the waist and yanked her away from the oven to avoid her burning anything else. "Are you okay?"

Kara but back the tears as the two lay sprawled on the ground. She held her hand out to show tender black and red skin on her hand.

"Oh, come here!" Frank gasped and pulled his friend to her feet and led her to the counter. He set her on the marble countertops and looked through all the cupboards until he found some burn cream and bandages.

"How does it feel?" Frank asked. He was no doctor and he couldn't really tell the state of the burn. But as far as he knew, first degree was when you burnt through only a layer or so of skin.

"It fucking hurts." Kara scowled as she held out her hand for Frank to take. The guitarist gently held the unburned parts with his left hand and using his right hand, gently massaged Polysporin onto the wound.

"I can't believe you fell into an oven." Frank snorted as he stared intently at the burn. He was rubbing circles into the tender area and he hasn't even known how close they had gotten until he looked up.

Kara's legs were on either side of him and she was leaning over enough so Frank could just see down her shirt, not that he was trying to. Before Frank could even be tempted to take a peak, he snatched the roll of gauze from beside him and started wrapping her hand.

Frank wasn't even aware of his surroundings anymore. He could only hear his heart beating and his breath quicken.

He had never - well, maybe a few times - wanted to be romantically involved with Kara Thompson. She was his best friend, but he couldn't deny the fact that she was utterly gorgeous. No wonder she held so much power in high school.

But all those times that Frank had seen the real Kara in a bikini or a slutty dress, not once had he even tried to make a move on her in fear of ruining their relationship. But now, when Frank was 99.99% sure that he was having a very long and vivid dream, he finally wanted to do what his dick was telling him and not his mind.

Frank looked up again and straight into Kara's chocolate eyes, once the bandage was wrapped. She hadn't even noticed that their position could be even remotely sexual, but now that she did, there was no way she would back down.

Slowly, without breaking eye contact, Frank lifted Kara's bandaged palm to his lips and placed a kiss on the burn. Kara's hand moved from his to around Franks neck and she tugged him a little closer.

They were so close that Kara could feel Franks hot breath on their lips and the cold metal of his lip ring just barely touching her lips. Their lips were just brushing as a million and one thoughts were racing through Franks mind.

'Am I about to kiss my best friend?'

'Am I about to kiss a hallucination?'

'Why the fuck am I hesitating, she's hot and I haven't seen her in ages. Kiss her!'

'DO NOT KISS HER!'

'Yolo'

'Kara is dead. This is not Kara, do not kiss whoever the fuck this is, whether a dream or a hallucination. Do not kiss her.'

Just as their lips were about to lock, Frank broke away. "That's a bad idea" was all he said. Kara had no idea why it was a bad idea but she thought the best thing she could do at the moment was agree and hope he explained.

"Probably." She muttered.

"I'm going to- to take the brownies out." Frank pointed to the oven. He slipped on some red oven mitts and carefully took the pan out of the oven and turning it off. Once the goodies were safely placed on the stove top, Frank turned back to Kara.

"Are they ready?" Kara asked, not knowing what else to say.

Frank shrugged, "they look good but we have to wait for them to cool so someone doesn't burn herself again." he teased and Kara's face reddened ever so slightly.

"Er, right. I'll show you around my place then." Kara stuttered. "So this is obviously the kitchen..."

Kara showed Frank where the living room, bathroom, guest bedroom and finally her own bedroom. The bedroom was definitely the most personal room in the house. Photos of Kara with her family and friends were pinned to a cork board and a vanity table was pushed up against the wall with makeup and hairspray scattered over it.

Kara's duvet was soft white with grey sheets and pillows. There was a jewellery box on top of her grey dresser that for some reason, drew Frank to it.

"I don't wear much jewellery. My dad likes buying it for me though so I could never tell him I rarely wear it." Kara blabbered as a long silver chain with a heart locket on the end caught Frank's eye.

"I like this one." he held out the chain. He had gotten that for the real Kara as a birthday gift one year. She never took it off and Frank never took off his; a key hung around his neck that would open the locket.

Kara smiled slightly. "Me too, I've been trying to get it open for ages now and I've finally given up."

"Does that mean you should stop wearing it?" Frank asked and Kara shrugged.

"I guess not, do you want to attach it for me?" Kara asked and held up her black hair so Frank could carefully clasp the necklace on. "Thanks."

Frank and Kara ended up not going back to the kitchen, instead, they popped in Iron Man into the DVD player and cuddles up under Kara's duvet. Franks arm lay wrapped around her shoulders andKara had one arm around his back and the other laying on his chest. To most, it would seem almost romantic but tey just went with it.

"Hey Frank..." Kara whispered just as they were both falling asleep, "why was it a bad idea to kiss me?"

Frank tensed up, "because you reminded me of someone I used to know."

"Ex-girlfriend?" Kara guessed.

"Best friend, she died though and you just remind me so much of her. I miss her a lot."

Kara looked straight into Franks hazel eyes and with complete seriousness, said "I'm sorry. But I'm also not this girl and I'm not going anywhere."

Frank let a sad smile fall on his face, "thank you."

The two didn't say anything, they just curled up again and fell asleep with Iron Man on mute.