Chapter 2

Will squatted in front of the dying fire wrapped in a blanket. He poked at the embers with the tongs hanging on the hearth and reached for another log from the crib. After settling it in the fireplace he stood and turned. He hadn't heard her move. Frankie was standing in front of the windows again wrapped in Will's coat. Will paused a minute, wondering what was going through her head, before he crossed the room. Silently he wrapped the blanket around both of them. Frankie leaned into him, thankful for the warmth. Her eyes never left the storm ravaging the sea below. Will pulled her close.

"You ok?"

Frankie nodded. Will could see her face reflected in the window. He wasn't sure where she was right now but he knew she wasn't totally in that room with him. Will ached at the look on her face. She looked lost, almost sad but not completely giving in to the emotion. He wanted to slay all her demons for her and show her he could keep her safe from every last one. Lost in his thoughts Will didn't see the lone tear trickle down her face until it threatened to fall from her chin. He leaned down and kissed it away.

Frankie knew she was treading on dangerous ground. What was she doing? She was going to hurt him. She knew it would happen no matter how hard she fought it. He was so damn NICE. Too nice. That's what she'd told him when they were laying in that body bag and she meant it. Frankie didn't do nice. She didn't know how. Sex was a means to an end for her and mostly an unhappy end. Susan was right. Her boyfriends ended up dead. For some reason that never bothered Frankie until now. Now it hung heavy somewhere between her heart and her brain and she didn't know what to do with that feeling.

"Knock, knock."

Will was gently tapping his finger just above her ear. She hadn't even noticed she was crying or that Will was kissing the tears away as they fell down her face. Frankie's head dipped and she closed her eyes.

Will sighed. The wall was threatening to rise between them. He wasn't sure how to stop it.

"Frankie, let me in."

Frankie turned and lifted her eyes. Will saw it immediately. The curtain had slid firmly back in place. He froze, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"I don't know where you were just now but I know that look. What did I do? Why is the wall back up?"

Frankie didn't know what to say so she said nothing. She pierced his soul with the steely look in her eyes.

Will straightened his spine and pushed his shoulders back. The muscle in his jaw started to twitch. If she wanted a fight he was going to give her the ass-kicking of a lifetime. He didn't want to do it, especially tonight, but he wasn't going to let her run away from him again.

Frankie put both hands on his chest and shoved. Hard.

Will expected it and grabbed her wrists, twisting her arms over her head and locking her in a bear hug. He knew his size alone wouldn't be enough to hold her but he hoped at some point she'd realize it was pointless to fight him.

Frankie growled. She tried to head butt him but Will had her pulled too close. Her head lolled to the side and bumped his shoulder instead. Frankie contemplated a back kick to the groin but even she wouldn't be that cold. She didn't want to hurt him. She just wanted him to let go.

"Might as well give up. I'm not letting go."

Will's voice was calm. Some would say deadly calm if the situation were different.

"WHY?!" Frankie screamed.

"Why do you want me here? I'm an awful person! You know that too! You've told me as much on more than one occasion!" Frankie was still screaming which was weird because she didn't scream. Frankie rarely even raised her voice. What the hell was happening?

Will just held her and let her scream. She called him every obscene name she could come up with. She twisted and writhed, trying desperately to face him so he could feel the full fury of her rage.

Will held on for dear life. Damn she was strong!

"Look, you can call me every name in the book…."

"Believe me, I'm trying here…."

"But it's not going to work. The ONLY thing you MIGHT accomplish is dislocating your shoulder which would mean I'd have to pop it back into place for you. And YES I would do that for YOU if for no other reason than to show you that YES, YOU DO NEED ME. I know it's weird and messy and you'd rather shove red hot needles in your eyes while walking barefoot on a bed of broken glass but…."

Will was so lost in his monologue he didn't even notice when her body stopped fighting. He felt her spine go slack against his chest. Her body began to shake. Will froze for a minute, not sure what was happening. He loosened his grip on her wrists. Frankie was silently sobbing. Not a sound escaped her lips but her body trembled in his grasp. Will stood stunned. He slowly lowered their arms and turned her around to face him. Rivers of tears were streaming down her face and her eyes were clenched shut. Without a thought Will crushed her to his chest. His arms wrapped around her back. She squeezed him tight. Will's heart broke. Frankie was the strongest woman he'd ever known and here she was just a rag doll in his arms. He gently rubbed her back, his hand starting at the back of her head and traveling down to just above her waist.

"It's ok Frankie, I've got you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Why?"

It was barely a whisper but Will heard her.

"Because you matter Frankie. You've mattered for a long time now. I don't know when it happened but it's real. And I'm not letting go."

Frankie let him comfort her. She felt his breath on her ear as he murmured quietly to her.

After a time Frankie pulled away just enough to look up at Will.

"I'm going to hurt you. Not because I want to. It's the last thing in the world I would want to do but it's going to happen."

Will's face dropped. The look of raw honesty in her eyes twisted something deep inside him. He wanted to take on every guy who ever treated her badly. Images of pain and blood flashed dangerously through his head.

She saw it all. She knew what it meant. Will was very dangerous when he wanted to be. Edgy Will was real and she could see echoes of the beast in his eyes right now.

Will blinked. Edgy Will was gone and it was just Will looking at her.

"I know you believe that's true and I won't lie, part of me is terrified that it will happen. But Frankie, it's not up to me. I can show you in a thousand ways that I'm not going anywhere but it's going to be up to you to decide if you want this. If you want me. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. I'm not like the other guys. I'm not asking for payback. This isn't some mission where you have to sell your soul to get a little on the side."

Frankie flinched and Will immediately regretted his last words. He pressed on if only to erase the pain from her face.

"I'm offering to meet you on level ground. No illusions, no games. All I want is you. All of you, not just the pieces you think I'll find acceptable. I want the whole messy package. The only thing I ask is that you give this a chance. A real chance. No more shutting me out. I can do space, I can't do having the door slammed and locked tight every time you get scared. Do you think you can handle that?"

Frankie stood in silence. She knew she wanted this or whatever this was at the moment. Still, the shadows threatened to pull her away.

Will waited patiently, searching her eyes for a glimmer of what she was thinking.

With a sigh Frankie leaned into him. She rested her forehead on his chest.

"I know I'm not an easy person to be around."

Will tried to shush her but Frankie wouldn't let him.

"There are things buried inside me that are too dark and ugly to let out, even when I'm with you. Will, you center me. I don't know how or when it happened. I just know when I'm with you the demons go back in their cage."

Will's face showed a small look of triumph.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to let you see them all but I'm willing to try. If your big dumb heart will let me in I promise I'll do my very best to never break it. I can't promise you forever but I'll give you tomorrow and we'll see where it goes ok?"

Frankie sighed. There was that goofy grin again…

Will knew Frankie had just waged a personal war of a lifetime. He knew what it cost her to say those words to him. He made a silent vow to show her every day that they were worth the fight.

Will kissed the tip of her nose.

"Are we good now?"

Frankie nodded.

"We're better than good."

Will hooked his hands under her arms and drew her up until her feet were dangling. Frankie let out a shocked gasp before his lips crushed her own. He twirled her around in the air grinning that stupid grin then let her slowly slide down him until her feet touched the floor again.

"Hey Will?"

"Hmmm?"

"I want you too."