Sapphire

Something woke me up, and at first I had no idea what. I slowly opened my puffy eyes and saw my poor hand. Then I felt something on the back of my neck, a pressure that sent tingles across my skin. Someone was breathing loudly, sighing with each exhale. A hand held me close to a body I felt was cold.

"Frank?" I whispered, barely daring to believe it? Was this a dream?

"Sparkle," he whispered to my hair, kissing my neck again. I made a noise of happiness, half between a cry and a giggle, and slowly turned around to see him.

"Oh Frank!" I whispered, and then I cried again. I was so happy to see him, I felt my entire body lift and I couldn't stop the smiles or the tears. I touched the bandage on the side of his head, the whiteness shocking me just as much as his sudden appearance in the flesh.

"Are you really here?" I whispered, stroking his cheek. His skin felt prickly under my fingers, he needed to shave. Two days not knowing if he was alive! And now he was with me again, holding me close with his rough hands.

"Yeah, and I'll never leave you again," he told me, kissing my forehead lovingly. I wrapped my good hand around him, ignoring the discomfort from my cuts. To hold him close was to feel his heartbeat, to really know he was with me. I held my sore hand to my chest.

"Promise?" I asked him, looking into his deep brown eyes under that bandage. What had happened to him?

"I promise,"

"What happened to you? Why did you run away from me? Why couldn't you just talk to me? I promise I'm not a slut," I told him quickly. He smiled softly, his head resting on my pillow. I thought about all the tears that had dried inside it.

"You're not a slut, I never thought that. I'm sorry I ran from you, I'll never leave you again. Do you really want me to tell you what happened?" he asked, unsure. "It's pretty grisly,"

"Tell me," I said firmly.

"I ran until I couldn't run any further. My legs were frozen and sore and I fell over. I cut my hands on glass and my head too, and I spent the first night on a gravestone, cold and wet and bleeding. I got taken to hospital and they took out the glass and stitched me up and I spent the second night away from you in hospital. Gerard picked me up the next day when I asked him not to tell you because I wanted to tell you I was ok like this," he told me slowly and calmly, before leaning forward and kissing my forehead again. I shivered and raised his hand to see it. The ugly black stitches stood out in the darkness and I couldn't hold my gasp.

"Oh Frank! You idiot!" I said, kissing his hands. "You're poor hands!"

"You're poor body! You're a mess!" he said, kissing my hand that I held to myself, and running his sore hand over the bruises on my arms.

"Why, oh why did you go skating? You always get beaten up when you skate!"

I shrugged, nestling close to him and lying so I could hear his heart.

"I was so upset, I thought you hated me. I needed to escape from myself. I didn't mean to get so hurt, I was just being an idiot, like you,"

He chuckled and kissed my head again.

"So we're both idiots. But we'll both heal,"

"Yeah," I agreed sleepily, before remembering something important.

"So you don't think I'm a slut?"

"Never! You're only a slut if you jump from one guy's bed to another and you've been pretty consistent on sharing just mine!" he laughed and I giggled.

"Good. I feel so much better now," I sighed, and a tiny part of me started rejoicing because I could now see Vince with a clear conscience. But right now I was with Frank and that's where I wanted to stay.

"I love you Frank," I whispered, holding on to him hard.

"I love you Sparkle," he told me, giving me a soft little smile and closing his eyes as he lay back. We were both exhausted and we were together. We could sleep safe and that's what we did, our broken bodies entwined and our arms securely locked around each other.

"Owowowow, get off my arm Sparkle!" gasped Frank, rudely waking me up. I instantly sat up and got off his sore hand. I paled when I saw blood on his skin and blood on the sheets. I looked and saw his blood imprinted on my top. Great, another top ruined.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm ok now," he smiled, holding his hand close. "Come back to me," he said, holding his arms out and I hugged him hard. I ignored the painful twinges from my ribs. But still he saw me grimace.

"What?"

"Oh nothing, just my ribs," I said, sitting up again. My legs were cold and I crawled under the duvet crumpled beneath us, hiding the purple and green-tinged bruises from him.

"Can I see?" he asked. I held my top up enough to show him the bandages across my ribs now smudged with crimson blood. I also showed him the stains on my back and my knees. I saw him grow more and more upset as I bled more.

"Sparkle, go change those, now," he warned.

"Only if you wash your hands carefully!" I warned back, poking his nose. He bit my finger. "Ow!"

"Go on, gorgeous," he said, gently pushing me out of bed and watching me leave. I waved at him, smiling and double checking the fact he was still there. I was smiling like I hadn't smiled in days. Frank was back! And he didn't hate me! I had yet another shower, enjoying the water rushing over me and changed my bandages. When I came out, I found Frank on my computer, reading the fiction I had been working on.

"Frank!"

"Oops! Caught red-handed!"

"Those are my new chapters!"

"Well I couldn't wait! You're story so good it's mean to withhold vital chapters from your adoring fans!" he shrugged, grinning at me. I laughed and poked him out of my seat, clutching a towel around my body.

"Go shower you smelly idiot," I told him. He made a big show of sniffing himself and then making a face of complete disgust.

"Dear God!" he said, pretending to choke. He then left me alone to get dressed. Today I wore a short black skirt and a blue T, glad Frank was back and deciding to celebrate by wearing a skirt. I only wore skirts on special occasions or when I knew I'd have a boring day to lounge around in. I went online and saw Kleaver, who I had blocked, had changed his screen name to If I Ever Find Who Fucked Up My Car, You're Dead Meat. I giggled to myself and found myself attacked by Instant Messenges from people who knew Frank had vanished and was not back, or knew that I was going insane. I only replied to Gerard.

::Vampires Are Normal People With Romance Added::- Hey Blue. Everything ok?

Sapphire Stars- If you mean did Frank wake me up, the answer is yes, he's in the shower.

::Vampires Are Normal People With Romance Added::- So you two are ok now?

Sapphire Stars- Totally. Frank's hands are so fucked up, aren't they?

::Vampires Are Normal People With Romance Added::- Disturbingly so

Sapphire Stars- You coming around to see us this morning?

::Vampires Are Normal People With Romance Added::- Yeah, me and the guys plan to invade so we can all collectively yell at and hug Frankie. We missed him pout

Sapphire Stars- Didn't we all! Oh, he's out. I'll see you later Gee

::Vampires Are Normal People With Romance Added::- Tell him I say hi. So long Sapphire

----Sighed Out----

"Hey, who was that?" asked Frank, remerging from the shower with wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Gee. He's coming around later," I said, yawning. Frank leaned over me in a wash of moist smells.

"Hey, who's the car one?" he asked, reading my list of contacts. I giggled again.

"Kleaver,"

Frank raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Why haven't I deleted him or why is his screen name about his car?"

"Either will do,"

"Yesterday morning I paid his car a particularly sticky visit," I grinned, giggling manically. Frank grinned and circled my neck in a one armed hug.

"You didn't?"

"I so totally did!"