Chapter 9
As Kevin and Paul tore down the stairs, Nancy knew they had mere seconds to get out of this. They were still at least twenty-five feet away from her father.
She barely registered it as she saw her father stand up and run…towards the grenade? No! He wasn't--! "Dad! No!" She screamed. She started toward her father but Frank pulled her down to the ground, shielding her body with his own.
The explosion wasn't as loud as she had thought it was going to be, but the force of it still pulsed through the room. After the explosion sound stopped though, the room was far from quiet.
As Frank rolled off of her, she could see that the general area where the grenade went off was a total wreck. The walls were black and crumbling, and the ceiling looked like it was going to collapse. Other than that, it didn't do a whole lot of damage. "Why didn't it do more dam--?" Nancy began to ask, but stopped.
Lying where the grenade was set off was what was left of a body. Peaces of it were scattered about, as were ashes. Dad!
The rest of the night was a blur to Nancy.
She remembered the police thundering up the stairs. She remembered Chief, Frank and Joe helping her through a statement while she sobbed uncontrollably. She remembered exiting the building, practically being carried by Frank, and entering into the bitter cold of a Chicago winter. Bess and George had ran to them, but the conversation wasn't forming in Nancy's mind.
She sat now on her bed, the next morning, tears already falling, though they were slow. She knew she couldn't do this. She knew she had to be strong. She stopped crying.
As she got dressed for the day, she continued to be strong. As she put her makeup on, she continued to be strong. But, as she walked out into the small living room of her apartment and saw the pictures of her and her father, she stopped being strong. The tears came again. She wasn't sobbing as she was last night, but the tears came steadily.
Two strong arms wrapped around her waist, and she instantly felt better. Not a lot, but enough to slow the tears and stop the sobs she was sure were coming. She didn't have to turn to know who it was. She breathed in his scent and felt instantly calmer.
"Nan," Frank said. "I know it's early but we have an appointment at eleven with your father's lawyer."
Nancy turned around in his arms and looked at him confusedly through her puffy eyes. "My father's lawyer?"
Franks shrugged. "I don't know why he would have one, but...unless, well...I wouldn't want to write up my own will either."
Nancy's eyes lost their emotion. She looked at him sadly before closing her eyes and nodding. "I agree." she said softly. "I guess I should go and make myself presentable again." She managed a small smile, but somehow there was sadness in this, too.
She left Frank's embrace and walked back down the small hallway and into her bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Frank could hear the sink start to run as he walked into the apartment's small kitchen. He sat at the counter, staring at the open pantry, but not wanting anything to eat.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting like that when he was distracted by the door to the apartment opened. He turned to see Bess, George, and Joe entering. they had spent the night in Nancy's apartment also, but had left earlier, for Joe, to get food, and for Bess and George, change their clothes.
After a chorus of hello's had subsided, Bess asked the question Frank knew they had all been wondering.
"How is she, Frank?"
Frank lifted his eyes to meet Bess'. "Better. And worse."
The met each others' gazes, silently mourning for a man that they all had considered a second father. For a man that had given his life to save theirs.
A/N: OMG!! It has been almost 9 months since I've updated! I hope you haven't given up on me. I am soooooooo sorry! My laptop 100 crashed! It took me a while, but I've finally got off my broke butt and bought a new one. Now, relating to the chapter, please don't kill me!! No FLames!! Also, I would really like at least 10 reviews before I update! We're almost at the end!! PS. Yes. I know...cheesy ending. But at least I updated, right?
