AMGL7: Erica and Frankie have such a wonderful rapport with each other, don't they? I don't know if there's a suitable description for the color Erica's face probably turned. It's Erica Kane, so it'd have to be a color unto its own. Uncle Jack – wonder if he knew his job in life would turn out to be calming down Erica. He's so good at it, though. I can neither confirm nor deny that Bianca will dress in a certain way. You'll have to wait and see (which is good that you don't want me to tell you, cause I wouldn't. Where' the fun in that?). Sally? Do you think there's a meaning behind the name? Thanks for the feedback and comments!

MelovePezberry: Erica seems to have a wide range of insults at her disposal just for Frankie, doesn't she? Is Opal right? Jack get a break? This is Erica Kane we are talking about. He should have read the fine print when he took her in. Thanks!

Time is an unstoppable force. It goes on, even when people don't want it to. It's an invisible phantom that passes with the rising sun and fading moon. If one does not pay attention to it, time will go by and you would never know.

With time comes moments. Moments happen every second there is life. Bianca might not have lived in time, but she lived in moments. She had her books and Frankie. She had her dreams of adventure and wishes for tomorrow.

"Frankie, you said you knew how to do this."

Frankie chewed her lip and eyed the needle in her hand. "I do…or I will. It can't be that hard." She lifted the thin brown thread and pinched it roughly between her fingers, fearing she'd drop it again. She squinted till her eyes were nearly closed. The thread slowly moved towards the needle. Millimeters away from the metal, Frankie suddenly poked the thread forward. The end of the thread buckled as she missed the hole again.

"May I try?" Bianca fought to hold back the giggles. They had been there for quite some time. Frankie had yet to thread the needle. No, that's not true. She did it once. The smug satisfied look on her face only lasted an instant before the thread slithered out and fell unceremoniously back on the table.

"I can do it." Frankie grumbled in frustration.

Bianca scooted over to the blonde girl. At her side, she wound her hands around the much tanner ones. "I am certain you can. But, if we keep this up, that hole in your trousers will never be mended."

Frankie relinquished the thread and needle with a sigh, "Guess I ain't cut out for this home stuff."

Bianca's eyes never left the needle as she threaded the brown through the hole and tied it off. The bashful hue on her face gave her away, though, "It is good that we are friends, then. I can help you with those things."

Frankie ducked her head, "Guess so."

The midday sun was hotter than ever. Bianca was sitting on the log in what she now had deemed to be her and Frankie's spot. Her dress felt heavy on her tiny shoulders, and she was sticky with sweat underneath all the layers. But, it was fashionable for the time, and her mother would never recover if her daughter left the home clothed in something of lesser value and status.

So, Bianca was left to visibly wilt in the hot weather.

Frankie, on the other hand, was sprawled out on the grass next to the water. Her vest and cap were off, thrown down at the base of the log. Her shirt sleeves were rolled up as far as they could go, and her trousers were rolled up to her knees. She whistled a few notes and stared up at the sky. Her hands were behind her head, and a contented grin lightened her features.

Hazel eyes lazily peeked over at her friend, unable to go any faster in the oppressive heat. She saw Bianca slumping second by second with the reddest face she had ever seen. "Bianca?"

"Hmm? Yes, Frankie?" Bianca straightened up.

Frankie rolled onto her stomach, "Why're ya all dolled up?"

Bianca gazed down at her outfit. She was dressed normally.

Frankie pushed onto her feet. To Bianca, it seemed like a cat waking up from its afternoon nap. The smaller girl ambled over to her and collapsed on the log. She looked the brunette up and down. "Come on."

"What are you doing?" Bianca felt a hand grip her shoulders and lift her up.

"You're gonna faint if ya stay like that." Frankie tugged at the frills.

Bianca leaned into her, unable to stay upright. "I am fine."

"Yeah, I bet." Frankie snorted. "Why do ya dress like that?"

"How should I dress, Ms. Frankie? Like you in trousers and that cap?" Bianca was feeling a tad lightheaded.

"It makes things easier." Frankie held firmly to her arms, "And don' you like my cap?"

"It's swell." She really liked the cap. She awkwardly bent down and scooped it up. She plopped it on Frankie's head so it stuck up at a jaunty angle.

Bianca admired the cap and wondered what it would be like if she wore it. Her mother would have a fit. That was a given. Before her mind could go any further, though, she heard a loud splash and felt icy coldness envelope her.

"What!" she sputtered. Her arms flailed in the water of the stream. Frankie had thrown her in!

Frankie squatted at the edge of the bank, a smirk on her face, "Feel better?"

"You…mother is going to murder you. Look at my dress." Bianca was drenched. The garment in question was spread out around her in a very good impression of a life saver.

"Nah, she'd hafta catch me."

While this method was crazy and might have ruined her dress, Bianca felt all those cares go away. She did feel better in the cold water. Her head cleared. Her skin did not feel like it was on fire. "You don't think she could catch you? She would have the entire town after you."

"Those goops? I'd outrun all of 'em. None of them can catch me." Frankie boasted.

Bianca swam over to her. Maybe it was the sun. Maybe it was the fact that she felt a sense of giddiness within. Whatever it was, it shot her arms out and had her pulling an astonished Frankie in beside her.

Frankie got her back with a well timed dunk a minute later.

"Then, we can go to Africa!" Bianca spoke excitedly.

She was on her back in the grass of the expansive lawn. Her eyes looked up at the passing clouds and the small green stalks of grass tickled her face and hands.

Frankie furrowed her brow beside her, "Wha's that?"

"Africa?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, it's this amazing place. There are animals there you cannot find anywhere else in the whole world. We can go there and see them. It will be wonderful." Bianca could picture it in her mind, the two of them chasing a lion down the plains.

"How do we get there?"

"By boat, of course."

"Oh," Frankie rubbed at her nose, "I-I don't know. I've never been on one of those before. Why don' you go with your Uncle Jack or someone?"

"Because, I want to go with you."

Bianca was crying. Large tears dripped from her eyes and down her cheeks. Her body shook with the force of her sobs.

"Bianca? Why ya crying?" Frankie found her friend in the game room. Opal had left something in there and asked her to go retrieve it for her. She completely forgot about the task, though, when she spotted Bianca huddled against the wall, a letter smashed against her chest.

"Don' cry. It's no use, remember?" Frankie approached her quickly. She knelt down in front of her and clumsily wiped at the tears. "Please, stop cryin'."

"She…she's not coming." Bianca blubbered.

Frankie frowned, not understanding. She pried the letter from Bianca's fingers and tried to make out the words. She'd been getting better, but it was still hard at times. She couldn't make out everything, but she got the point of the letter. Bianca's sister had to stay in Chicago. Someone had gotten in an accident and she had to be with them.

"It's fine, Bianca. She said she'll see ya at Christmas." Frankie attempted to console the upset girl.

Bianca fell into her friend. She clung to her and took comfort in the feel of the rough fabric against her cheek and the quiet mumblings in her ear.

Bianca sat in her room, arms folded and face frowning. She had not seen Frankie in five days. Five days! Ever since her uncle had informed her mother that Frankie was staying, Erica had done everything she could to keep the two children apart. She always found some task that Frankie had to do, and this task included being as far from the house as possible. She had to go into town to pick up something. She had to go to the next village and see if the latest fall collection of garments had come in.

This time, though, she had sent Frankie and Tim to the city to find her some brooch she had heard was the latest style. Erica could not go herself; the weather was not right for traveling.

Bianca huffed. She missed Frankie.

Bianca woke up, her mouth open in a silent scream. Sweat soaked her nightgown, and her hair hung damp in her face.

It had been so long since she had dreamed a dream such as that. She had been back in Chicago. Her father had died, and she had to go to the funeral. She remembered walking up to his casket and peering at his unmoving form one more time. Her mother had been there too, dressed all in black and chatting with anyone who would listen about how terrible it was.

Her body trembled at the dream. She did not like thinking of that time. A lump formed in her throat and she told herself not to cry. With a shuddering breath, she crawled out of bed. The floor was cold under her feet, and she gasped at the sensation.

Moving as fast as she could, the brunette darted out of her room and down the hall. She maneuvered through the house in the dark, knowing her way around after being there so long. Soon, she was outside a closed door. She blinked a few times and opened it. The hinges squeaked, and she froze at the sound.

A soft snore echoed. Bianca squeezed through the small opening and crept up to the bed. A lump was in the middle, curled up into a ball. The blankets were pulled so far up she could barely see the outline of the top of the person's head.

"F-Frankie?"

Another snore.

"Frankie?" Bianca spoke louder.

"Wha'?" Frankie murmured.

"Frankie, wake up." Bianca whispered.

"Bianca? Wha's wrong?" Frankie slurred. She rolled over onto her side and peeked over the covers at the other girl.

Bianca bit her quivering lip, "I had a dream."

"Oh," Frankie rubbed at her eyes, "of what?"

"My daddy."

"Oh."

"Can…can I stay here with you?" Bianca asked hopefully.

"No."

Bianca's face fell.

Frankie rolled toward the edge and tumbled off the bed. Bianca watched her warily.

"This ain't no place for someone like you. Come on." Frankie sleepily grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.

"Frankie, what are you doing?"

Frankie ignored her. She led them back to Bianca's bedroom. She pulled the girl inside and closed the door behind them. "Go to bed, Bianca."

Bianca looked at her sadly for a second before following the order. Why was Frankie being like this? She nestled under the covers and Frankie stepped up at the edge of the bed. She tucked the blankets around Bianca.

Then, she dropped to the floor.

"Frankie?"

"Go ta sleep."

"What are you doing down there?"

"Try'n ta sleep. Now, shhh."

Bianca took comfort in the soft snoring all night.

Time passed without notice. The heat of the Pennsylvania summer soon gave way to the crispness of autumn. The leaves turned colors and the sun began to set sooner. The colorful leaves fell from their perches on strong wooden branches, and winter was upon the little town of Pine Valley. Bianca's childish mind only took in the changes as something to experience. She saw the changing leaves as something she could talk about with Frankie. They could pick them up from the ground and admire the beautiful reds and golds. Winter meant snow and the chance to frolic in the pure whiteness. She did not pay attention to the passage of time because she was with her best friend. That was all that mattered to her.