Chapter 4: Time (almost) Heals All Wounds

7 days, 5 hours, and approximately 28 minutes after the day their lives changed forever, it was finally time for Lightning and Francesco to be reunited back to one another. Francesco was up and over the moon with excitement. He had been painstaking counting down each and every hour until he could at last hold his precious love in his arms again. Francesco missed him more than he could have imagined. He missed everything about him. He missed waking up in the mornings to him, he missed seeing him walk around the house in one his shirts and a pair of boxers making them an American style breakfast or just fixing them coffee. He missed the sweet sound of his laugh and the angelic tone of his voice. He missed staring into the deep blue pools of his gorgeous eyes, God he missed that especially. He even missed finding blond strands of hair on almost everything Francesco owned.

But what he really missed the most was Lightning's presence in his Francesco's life.

Lightning completed Francesco. He was the yin to his yang, the sweet to his salty. Without him, he felt unbalanced. His world was thrown off it's kilter for 7 long days. But now his world was coming back together again in just a few more short minutes when his mama would bring Lightning back to his apartment.

He had not been able to so much physically touch his love at all for all that time. Sure, Mama Bernoulli did weasle some contact in with her son and his lover, via phone only, but that was it. But Francesco always managed to find a way to make absolute certainty that Lightning knew how much he loved him each and every day that they were apart. He sent him a care package every day. Francesco somehow got into Lightning's Amazon account and ordered him every single thing on his Wishlist. He sent him flowers and to die for sweets, along with anything his heart desired, everyday. He had instructed Mama Bernoulli to take Lightning to a furniture store and pick out a completely new bedroom suite, new bed, mattress, sheets, comforter set, everything; and he would come in a pay for it. Francesco wanted everything in that room to be completely different than who it was the night 'it' happened. Hell, he even was willing to go so far as to get a new apartment. But Lightning was against it. Lightning told him that he didn't need to pick up everything and move to a new place just because something bad happened in it.

Because of that stupid law enacted by the authorities, Francesco was unable to come into come in any sort of physcial contact, but Francesco did managed to sneak a few glances at Lightning while he and Mama Bernoulli were out and about the town. It took every ounce of his will power not to rush up to the blond and hug the life out of him. Francesco wouldn't say that he stalked him, he was just keeping an eye on him from afar.

They say to see the big picture, you needed to take a good step back and observe. Francesco was able to see alot keeping an eye on his love from a distance. And he didn't like what he saw when he seen his older brother accompanying Lightning, alot. Fernando was nearly everywhere Lightning was! Everytime he called his mama, he was there with Lightning. Everytime Lightning and Mama Bernoulli went out, there he was. Mama Bernoulli just brushed the attention her eldest son was giving the boy off as genuine care and concern. Francesco saw something completely different. He saw malliscious intent.

Behind every action Fernando made, there was an alterior motive. Growing up, Francesco noticed that practically every reason Fernando ever done anything was so that he could profit from it somehow, in one way or another. Francesco had seen his brother pull many-a tricks and he knew he had a whole deck of cards up his sleeve for him to pull at any given opportunity. And when he saw his older brother get close like that to HIS precious love, it made his blood boil.

If Fernando honestly thought he could woo his brother's love away just like that, then he had another thing coming.

Francesco really pulled a 180 than how he was a week ago. The apartment was spick and span and fit to be on the cover of a magazine. Every square inch was clean, and put in its place. The bedroom was redone with immaculate precision and order the exact way Lightning had picked out. He had made sure everything was in perfect order for his perfect little prince.

Francesco look at himself one last time in the mirror before Lightning was to arrive. He looked like he was going back out on his first date. He had an a black pinstripe suit with a white button up shirt. His tie was a fitting shiny, charcoal grey. He even sprayed on a couple of sprays of Lightning's favorite of his cologne.

As he he finished checking himself over for the third time, all there was left to do was take a seat on the couch and wait for those few knocks on the door to be heard.

Lightning was a whole variety of emotions as he looked in the mirror of his boyfriend's old bathroom next to his bedroom where he had been staying for the past week. He was happy, excited, anxious, and scared all wrapped up in one. He should be feeling just happy and excited that this week was finally over where he could be reunited with the man he loves. But he was always very nervous and even scared at what might come from all of this.

He was scared that this wouldn't be the first and last time that he ever saw his lover's 'darkside', as Fernando had put it. Ever since he's known him, even with Francesco's ego through the roof at times, he's never seen him in such a fit of pure hate/anger/rage like he has seen him that awful night. No matter how hard he tried to forget, he just couldn't.

He squinched his eyes shut as the hate in his lover's eyes flashed before his eyes; hate he had never seen before in his life, much less from someone that supposably loves him, directed at him. Lightning honestly didn't know if he could ever look in those eyes again without reinvisioning that hate everytime he gazed into those deep brown pools.

"Light-aning-a," he heard a knock on the bathroom door, instantly recongizing it as the eldest of the Bernoulli brothers, "Are-a you alright-a?"

"Yeah," Lightning said hastefully, "Yeah, I'm alright Fernando," Lightning said as he wiped the few tears forming in his eyes.

"You don't-a sound alright-a," Fernando said, slowly opening the door.

"Well," Lightning said, "You would be right." "I'm not."

Fernando sighed as slowly aprroached the blond and put a strong, massive hand on his shoulder.

Lightning flinched at the touch, just slightly though. It was so different, compared to Francesco's. Fernando's was strong, like Francesco's, but it was a different kind of strong. Francesco's as a kind, loving strong. The kind that will pull you together when you're falling apart. Fernando's was the kind of strong that would choke the life out of you. He's always claimed it was 'the grip of his career'. Being one of the best tennis players in all of the world, his grip was as crucial to him as a steering wheel were to Lightning and Francesco. The thing is, Lightning didn't know if he was steering himself in the right direction.

"Do-a you want to-a talk about it-a?" The towering man said as he approached the younger.

Lightning took a few sighs and gently placed his small hand over the massive one lying on his shoulder.

"Yes, and no," Lightning admitted, "I'm just scared." "I'm scared that this won't be the last time I ever see that side of him."

"I've seen him mad and even angry before," Lightning recalled one of the many times Francesco's overprotectiveness reared its ugly head, "Like that time we went out to this casino in Vegas and some guy just started talking to me about something; the guy put his hand on my shoulder in a friendly way and Francesco saw him and snatched me away and looked like he wanted to rip the poor guy's arm off."

"But never have I seen in such a state of anger and pure rage like I did that night," Lightning sniffled, lifting a hand to wipe away the few tears that were forming, when Fernando turned him around and done the act for him.

"Hey now, no more-a tears-a," Fernando said in a kind voice, as he cupped the side of Lightning's face and wiped the tears away with his thumb, "It will-a ruin those-a beautiful blue eyes-a."

Lightning couldn't look up at the older man for fear that if he did that he would burst into another ball of tears. Until Fernando took a hand and lifted his chin up gently, making the two look each other in the eyes. Upon gazing into eyes so similar to his lover, Lightning lost all control and burst into tears as he clung to the man that was ten years his senior.

Fernando wrapped his strong arms around the boy as he emptied his broken heart out onto his shirt. If Lightning were to look up, he would have saw the older man smiling in a way down at him.

"Light-a-ning-a," Fernando said as he ran a hand gently through the goregous hair of the blond, "Do-a you feel safe-a going back to-a Francesco?"

Fernando's statement practically stopped Lightning in his sobs. He truthfully didn't know how to answer that. Up until that night, he had always felt safe around Francesco. He always knew Francesco would protect him no matter what. Up until that night.

Now, he didn't know what to think, or feel, about Francesco.

"I," Lightning began, clenching a fist full of Fernando's shirt, "I don't know."

Fernando unwrapped his arms around Lightning and leaned down to his level so he could look at him directly in the eyes.

"Light-a-ning-a," Fernando told him firmly, "You don't-a have to-a do, or go, or be with-a anyone-a you don't-a want to-a. You don't-a have to-a go back to-a Francesco if you don't-a feel safe-a. And if-a I were you-a, I wouldn't."

"You-a can't trust-a someone that-a hurts you like-a he did-a," Fernando told Lightning.

In a way, Lightning felt that Fernando was right. How could you ever trust someone again that hurts you like Francesco did? In reality, no one in their right mind would.

But love sometimes causes one to overlook it when someone they love causes them pain. Almost like how a mother forgets the pain of labor when they want to have another child.

He loved Francesco and he knows Francesco loves him; and Lightning knew he would never do anything intentionally to ever hurt him.

"I'll, I'll be alright Fernando," Lightning said as he wiped his nose on his sleeve, "I love him, and he loves me. Love conquers all, right? We'll make it through."

"Nothing like this has ever happened between us," Lightning told the man, looking him the eye, "Trust me, if it had, I drop him like a bad habit and run for the hills. But he's never so much as yelled at me before," Lightning said.

"Whatever caused him to act like he did that night was just a fluke, he had to have been drugged or something," Lightning said, trying to convince himself, "We'll be alright."

Fernando sighed at the younger man's stubbornness as he grabbed a tissue from the counter, "You are-a as stubborn as-a a mule-a, you know-a that-a?" Fernando said as he held the tissue up to the boy's running nose, "Blow-a, it's-a grossing me out-a."

Lightning couldn't help but smile as he done what he was told.

"Thanks, Fernando, you don't have to worry about me," Lightning shot him a reassuring smile, "I'll be okay."

"For your-a sake-a, I hope so-a," Fernando said as he ruffled his blond hair.

Lightning turned from the man to exit the bathroom, Fernando had him turn to him one more time, "Call me if-a ANYTHING goes-a wrong-a, will you?"

"Don't worry, I will," Lightning smiled at him before he walked out the bathroom door.

Francesco was sitting on the couch, his leg shaking and him as nervous as a whore at mass. Mama Bernoulli said that she would bring Lightning by 12:00, and it was close to 12:30. Being Mr. Punctual Always On Time, Francesco was fearing the worse.

"What if they gotten into wreck? Was Lightning alright? Did he feel alright? Did-a he get sick and Mama have to take him to the hospital? Did Fernando try anything and hurt him? I swear if he made so much as a scratch on him, I'm gonna beat his face in so much that Mama won't even recognize him," Francesco stammered on like a nervous wreck as he began to pace around the living room.

Francesco continued to mumble and make other threats to his older brother and other obcentities in Italian if anything or anyone harms his beloved, until he was stopped in his tracks by a few knocks on his door.

Lightning's heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest, he was almost shaking as he held his fist up against the door after he knocked. No, scratch that, he was shaking. He was terrified at what could be waiting for him just on the other side of the door. Had everything gone back to normal, or as normal as things could get? Was Francesco okay? Was he back to his lovey dovey goofy self? Or was his "darker self" just beginning to show his ugly side?

"Hey," Lightning heard as he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder, "You alright-a? You're-a shaking," Fernando said softly as he leaned down to Lightning's level.

Lightning bit his lip, what he wanted to say was 'no', but his voice was frozen. He opened his mouth, but before he could get his voice to work, the door flung open.

In an instant, the only thing that seperated the two lovers was no more, for the first time in a little less than 2 weeks the two saw eachother face to face.

The mouth that was agape on the blond turned into a smile.

The deep brown pools that he adored to stare into that belonged to his passionate lover stared at him for just a moment before they turned watery.

For just a few moments, there was nothing but silence.

"Well I feel like I missed a memo," Lightning laughed jokingly, seeing Francesco all dressed up in his best like he was going to be meet the Queen of England or something, while he was just wearing a casual shirt and his faded holey jeans.

"Lightning," Francesco choked, slowly reaching his arms out to the blond before engulfing him in an enourmous hug, "Oh my Lightning!"

"Please! Please forgive me!" Francesco cried as he held onto his love as if his life depended on it.

Lightning buried his head in the crook of Francesco's neck as the tears freely poured from his face as he wrapped his arms around him tightly. That bottle of emotions was shaken up and popped like a cork of a bottle of champange on New Year's. All the anxieties, all the fears and worried just let loose and Lightning was overcome with a joy and happiness that he feared he would never feel again.

Francesco's knees became weak as he embraced his love and the two collapsed to the floor.

"Oh my darling!" Francesco cried as he held Lightning's head in his hands, wiping away his tears as he kissed him all over his face, "What did-a I ever do to-a deserve you-a! I love-a you, so so much-a! Please, please forgive-a me!"

"Oh Franny!" Lightning said with an ear to ear grin, with tears still streaming down his face, "I love you and there is nothing you could do to ever make me stop loving you!"

Francesco could only stare into those big beautiful eyes for only a few moments before he errupted into another ball of joyous tears of the proclamation of his love. He had never felt such a deep, unshakable feeling of love and compassion towards another soul like he does for his Lightning. He didn't deserve his love in return, much less his forgiveness for the atrocities he committed against him. Francesco felt like a new man, a fresh new beginning was being given to him that he didn't feel he deserved. He had messed up so, so much in the past, even way before the incident that shook their lives to the very core just a week prior. He never forgave himself for how he treated Lightning when they first met. How he basically trashed talked him on live TV. If only he had knew the incredible soul, truly one of the greatest beings on earth in his eyes, that was Lightning Owen Hudson McQueen then Francesco would have been singing the highest of high praises about him. But his petty cockiness blinded his view and could have very easily trampled on the friendship that would bloom into the passion they had for one another today.

He had messed up so much in the 3 years they have known each other, and Francesco could never understand how Lightning managed to forgive him each and every time, including now. Francesco had failed Lightning so much, and yet Lightning forgave him and love him just the same. And Francesco was determined to never fail his love ever again; even if he had to make him fall in love with him again each and every day, just like Lightning had unknowingly made Francesco, then Francesco would do anything and everything to make his love's heart sing like he made his very own sing.

Francesco gathered himself with his love in his arms off the floor and carried him bridal style across the threshold into the apartment. Leaving the two others alone in the hallway. Mama Bernolli's eyes twinkling with tears to see her son and his lover with such bliss. Fernando, on the other hand, only rolled his eyes as he followed the bunch into the apartment.

Lightning's eyes lit up as he saw the presion that his lover put into their home. The only time he seen the place looking this neat was when he first came over. They kept the place clean most of the time, but not like this. Lightning could actually see their reflection in the polished floor and the counters just seemed to sparkle.

"Wow Franny!" Lightning said with amazement, "You really out done yourself. The place looks amazing!"

"Not as amazing as you, my love," Francesco nuzzled the blond, who was still in his arms, not wanting to let him go for a moment.

Lightning smiled as he wrapped his arms around his lover's neck as he gave him a passionate kiss on this lips, "I love it, honey," Lightning said reassuringly.

Francesco repositioned the boy in his arms where he was no longer being held bridal style, but instead frontwards face to face. With his spare hand, he ran it through his love's gorgeous hair as he kissed him again all over his face and head.

"You will never know how much I love you, my dear angel," Francesco tenderly said as he leaned their foreheads together.

For a moment, it was just the two of them in the whole world; each staring the other in the eye with such tender love and affection, until Fernando cleared his throat.

"Nice place-a, Little Fratello," Fernando said with a mocking tone in his voice, "too bad-a you don't-a keep it like-a this all the time-a."

Francesco felt his eye twitch as his brother's remark, tightening his hold around his love.

"Why it was a shame I didn't keep the place in such a nice condition before," Francesco smoothly spun his words as he placed his hand over Lightning's head protectively, "I can assure you it will be kept this way from now on. Only the best will be in the presence of my love."

With that Francesco glared at Fernando, daring him to make another comment.

Fernando only smirked as he made his way past his younger brother, and sat on the couch like it was his own. Francesco swallowed his pride and resentment, and turned his attention back to the two most important loves of his life.

He turned to his mama, who was standing in the doorway with pride and love beaming in her eyes for your youngest.

"Mio bambinos," Mama Bernolli said with tears in her eyes as he embraced her son and the boy she considered to be her own. To which both Lightning and Francesco graciously returned.

"Thank you, Mama!" Francesco told his mother as he kissed her over again, "Thank you for taking care of my love!"

Mama Bernolli returned with kisses the kisses to her son, and then to Lightning, "I love him like my own, I would do anything for him."

"Thank you, Mama!" Lightning replied, hugging the older woman, to which she graciously returned.

Lightning may not have known her five years ago, but she made him feel like he was her own flesh and blood, like Flo had made him feel all his life. Francesco and Fernando were both lucky to have her as their biological mother.

Lightning went to get down out of Francesco's arms, as he wanted to settle back in, but Francesco tightened his grip around him.

"No no, my love," Francesco said affectionately as he gazed in Lightning's eyes, "Please let Francesco hold you. I can't bare to be away from you even for a moment."

Had anyone glanced over towards the couch, they would have seen Fernando rolling his eyes. If they had been listening, they would have heard him mumble under his breath, "Lightning MIGHT not want to be around you."

But Lightning didn't protest, he only smiled and wrapped his arms around Francesco's neck and kissed him.

"Don't worry, I'll always be right here," Lightning told him lovingly, resting his head under Francesco's chin.

Francesco felt his heart melt. What did he ever do to deserve this bundle of unconditional love, that filled his heart with such joy, in his arms? He loved the gorgeous blond more than the boy would ever know. He couldn't imagine his life without him in it. Even if they were away from each other for just a moment, Francesco would tear the world apart to find him. He felt that he would have no other reason to live if he couldn't have his heart and love by his side.

"Come darling," Francesco sung, "Let me show you to your new suite."

Francesco was giddy with excitement to show him their, his, new bedroom suite.

"Close your eyes my love," Francesco told him before he opened the door, "And don't open them until I say so."

Lightning smiled and giggled like a small child as done as he was told, he turned his head to the crook of Francesco's neck so he wouldn't be tempted to peak.

He felt Francesco take a several steps into the room before he stopped and shifted Lightning in his arms. Lightning was about to ask if it was okay to look, until he felt himself being gently laid down on what felt like a pile of soft clouds.

"Okay, open your eyes, my sweet prince," Francesco said, kissing Lightning's nose.

Lightning slowly peeked open his eyes, and when he finally opened them, for a moment he thought he was a beautiful majestic gilded palace. Virtually nothing in the room remained the same like it was that night. Everything was different. The walls were painted an ivory white, with painting and tapestries hung on them. The floors were now a deep mahogany and had several ornate rugs on it. The bed itself was now a canopy bed with red curtains around them. The Comforter was red with gold trim in the center and the edges, and sheets were off white stripes. Everything he had described and picked out was there.

"Do you like it, my darling," Francesco cooed.

"Oh my gosh, Franny!" Lightning said excitingly, his eyes beaming at the beauty of it all, "I love it! It looks like a castle, a palace!"

"Only the best will be in the presence of my darling angel," Francesco said as he leaned down on top of Lightning and kissed him gently, first on the lips and then down his neck.

Lightning lightly moaned as Francesco kissed him as he ran his hands through his hair, and then down his body. God, it felt good to be back with his love. He missed him so much when they were away from each other. He missed his gently touches, his sometimes rough kisses. He missed his smell, his embrace. If he wasn't certain Mama Bernolli was still in the room, Lightning would have climbed on top of Francesco and rode him like the stallion that he was.

Just when Lightning was reminiscing on all the wonderful times they had spent together as two lovers becoming one, flashes of that horrible night resurfaced in Lightning's mind. Tears began to swell up in Lightning's eyes and he clenched his jaw shut. He felt himself instinctively draw up and reject any further displays of affection brought on by Francesco.

"Wha-what's wrong my love," Francesco asked, perplexed as to the sudden change in demeanor, until it too dawned on him.

"Franny, I'm sorry," Lightning said, shaking his head in a hushed tone, "I can't. I'm sorry, I just can't."

Lightning could feel Francesco's heart breaking, as was his own, but he hoped Francesco could understand.

"Hey," Francesco gently said, as he lifted his chin up gently, "It's okay, darling. We won't rush things. Things will get there in time. You take all the time in the world you need; and when you are ready, I'll be ready," Francesco finished as he wiped away the tears that were forming in his lover's beautiful eyes.

Lightning could only smile with love in his teary eyes and he hugged and held onto Francesco with all his might, as Francesco almost instantly following suit.

By the time, Mama Bernolli made her leave out of the room, to give the two some much needed privacy. But on the other end of the door, Fernando had been watching the whole scene unfold. After witnessing Lightning temporary mini meltdown, he too left the two with a smirk on his face.