Title: Not Alone

Rating: G

Pairing/Characters: Frank/Laurel, Frank Delfino, Laurel Castillo

Spoilers: Up to and including 4x02

A/N: This is just a little bit of an introspection to try and give some motivation for Frank hanging out around Laurel's apartment. Though it's clear that he's worried about her, he was a little extra about it. This was in my head after the episode, so here it is (and exactly 500 words!). I liked how it turned out, and I hope you do too! Let me know.


He's worried about her. He knows he shouldn't be doing this, sitting outside of her building, keeping tabs on her; he knows it's not right, and that she wouldn't appreciate it, can take care of herself; he knows that if anyone found out they would freak. And they should. He knows he shouldn't be doing this.

But he can't help it. Because she's abandoned her home, has been bunkering down in Wes's apartment, skipping class, skipping who knows what else. She's always on her computer, always pacing around, barely sleeping.

And he's worried about her. He's so worried because this is not his Laurel. This is not any Laurel that he has ever known. This isn't healthy. And he knows that this is about more than losing Wes.

She's worried about something else, too. He can see that plain as day, even from where he sits across the street. She's working on something, trying to figure out something. If he had to guess, she's preoccupied with the truth about what happened to Wes. He doesn't blame her for that. He gets it.

But he thinks she's scared. There's something more that's made her uneasy. She barely sleeps; some nights it seems almost as if she's fighting it, afraid of what will happen if she does.

So, he's going to protect her. He is going to do whatever he can to make sure she's safe, make sure nothing happens because he can't lose her.

And he's starting to think that she doesn't care what happens to herself. She doesn't care what happens to her baby. She's not Laurel anymore. She's a shell of the woman he used to know. Something is wrong. Something more than Wes dying. And he needs to know she's okay. Because he's not sure she's taking care of herself.

Whoever tried to kill Wes is still out there. And they almost succeeded in killing her, too. He's not going to let that happen again. He's not going to let anyone hurt her.

He glances back up to her window, sees her sitting at the desk, fingers typing away on her computer before he sighs and looks around, surveying the area. He's done this now for a few weeks, since that night he went to her apartment and realized she was no longer living there. It didn't take him long to find her.

He doesn't just spend all night watching her, but he glances her way once in a while, makes sure she's still okay. It's late; the neighborhood is quiet, but he can sleep later.

Bonnie thinks he's studying. And he is, but not at the library like he tells her. Reaching across to the passenger seat, he picks up the LSAT book and opens it to the bookmarked page. He'll wait for Laurel to finally fall asleep, and then, he'll keep watch until she goes to school the next morning.

Because something is wrong. She's scared and worried, and she shouldn't have to do this alone.