48 Sapphire

I loved my dad so much. Every morning when Frank left to change, he'd give me a look as if to ask 'well?' and I'd shake my head. Being so open with him was so relieving, so different to how I was with my mom. I was still buzzing from the intensity of the night before, and he goes and makes it all better by letting me go on the road trip with my beautiful Frank and the guys, and giving a rather large amount of money.

Guess he was just proud I was dealing so well with Vince and all that shit. I surprised myself how well I was dealing with it. At Frank's request, I went to a counsellor, worked a lot of stuff out. Ok, I hadn't been going very long but I'm just good at moving on from these things. Once my scars healed, so did I.

Pressing another 30 dollars into my hand, Dad told me and Frank to wander into town to buy some more offensive music or something. He loved seeing us together, it was almost weird. I didn't mind too much. I grabbed Frank's hand, pulled on some more marvellous boots and we headed off into town, stopping every so often to make out in someone's bush or on a wall.

I couldn't stop looking at Frank, seeing him in such a new light. I'd always loved him, but now we'd loved each other we saw more. We were completely transparent to each other. He knew everything about me. He knew the patterns of every one of my scars. he knew the way I thought about things. He knew about the birthmark on my upper thigh. He knew exactly why I was laughing, even if I wasn't laughing at something in front of me. He knew what made me moan and he knew what made me giggle. He knew me.

In town we got looks from people, half narrowed, half awed. I looked away, gripping Frank's hand hard. The story of Vince's death and the event surrounding that entire night had been printed a few days after I got taken to hospital with Frank. Everyone recognised us, even though I was missing the majority of my hair. Some people pointed, others just stopped and stared as we passed. Frank glared at every one, I could feel the tension inside his arm, his muscles clenching as he death glared everyone who dared to stare back at us. I saw reddened faces look away, stung by his eyes.

We walked stiffly into the CD shop, the post-love buzz we had being enjoying all morning beginning to fade slightly. That is until Frank grabbed me behind the vinyl wall and began kissing me roughly, almost pulling me off the ground.

I returned his kisses with just as much passion, holding my heavy boot up in the air like that girl from the Princess Diaries movie. Unfortunately our steamy return to happiness was interrupted by a polite cough.

"Can you please not do that in the store?"

They turned, breaking contact to find Mikey grinning at them, wearing the black shirt of the store.

"When did you start working here?" demanded Frank, taking it in a lot quicker than I did. I was admiring the way Mikey's hair looked almost reasonably presentable. Mikey shrugged and grinned, going slightly red.

"This morning…I need to the money to pay for comic books," he said sheepishly. Frank shook his head sadly.

"Oh, Mikey. Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. I told you where those Role Playing Game Debts would get you…you and all your nerdy little friends…"

I laughed, as Mikey smirked and punched Frank's arm.

"Sorry Mikey, but you do look nerdy in that outfit! And your hair!" I laughed, giving him a hug and ruffling it for him.

"Much better," smirked Frank, wrapping his arm around my waist. Such a small touch made me caught my breath, biting my tongue.

"Thanks guys, you're so sweet," said Mikey sarcastically, trying to smooth down his crazy hair as best he could. We followed him back to the counter, bugging him over CD discounts and his name badge that currently read 'Fred'.

"Hey, guys, my manager's coming over. I get lunch in half an hour, be back then, ok?" he begged. Frank looked ready to cause some mischief but I smacked his arse and pulled him out of the shop, waving to Mikey.

"Where now, sugar?" asked Frank, winding his fingers through mine and kissing them softly, his eyes going all soft and gooey when he looked at me.

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care," I told him, reaching up to stroke his fringe out of his eyes.

"To the bakery it is then!" he grinned, starting to lead me in the right direction. I laughed.

"But we just had breakfast!"

"Your point? Come on Sparkle! Doughnuts!" he grinned like a little kid, his youthful face full of excitement and happiness. That face. He could be so expressive. I'd seen him convey hate, intense sorrow, shock and enough pleasure to satisfy every girl in America. I'd seen those eyes die a million times over and then come magically to life. I'd seen that face filled with concentration, intensity you only saw on guitars onstage, beating music out of instruments they looked like they were making love to. That was the face of face you idolised.

"What are you staring at?"

His voice interrupted my happy gazing.

"Huh?"

"You, Sparkle, what are you staring at?" he asked again, his eyes telling em he knew the answer already.

"Something really ugly!" I teased. He pouted and bent down to kiss away my giggles. I wrapped my arms around his neck, never wanting to let him go. I forgot the stares and I forgot the pointing. I forgot everything but Frank's lips and his tongue in my mouth. I tasted lemon and sugar on his lips, running my tongue across his lips to catch every last bit.

"Taste good?" he chuckled, knotting his arms securely around my waist.

"Way too good. You must be bad for me," I replied softly, my face still pressed into his. I never wanted this warmth, this happy zone to leave me. I felt like life was perfect, and nothing could ever hurt us again.

"Oh, look who it is,"

A sharp, nasal voice interrupted us. A tone heavier than spite, laced with hatred, tainted with grief. A familiar accent. Oh God.

Vince's sister.

"Tracy," I said monotone, dropping my arms so my hands rested on Franks' chest. My eyes were wide, my face frozen. It felt like my heart had stopped beating. One squeeze of Frank's arms and it started beating again. She was like a wasp; you had to watch it to know where to run from it.

"If it isn't little Sapphire. And her boyfriend," spat the girl, glaring at me with such fury I was sure my eyes were about to be stabbed out. Frank's shoulder shielded me from her, I looked over it, gripping him hard.

"What do you want Tracy?" asked Frank loudly, trying to evaporate some of the stinging tension between her and me. I felt fear stab with every breath, the scars from my wounds reopening.

"What do I want?" she laughed, shifting her death glare to Frank. Free from her accusing eyes, I found oxygen re-enter my lungs. I clung to Frank's warmth.

"What do I want, Iero?" she repeated, her brittle cackle draining away from her like blood draining out of a corpse. "I want revenge," she hissed and I almost whimpered, her daggers aiming back at me. My legs trembled underneath me. She looked so much like him…

Those eyes, that mouth. The way she stood, the colour of her hair. She was him, all over again. All I could see was his face, taunting me, hating me, killing me.

"No…" I whispered, my body beginning to shake. I couldn't drag my eyes away from her. Frank's hold tightened.

"Fuck off Tracy, get away from us!" he yelled, leading me away as fast as he could without me collapsing. My heavy boots clumped on the ground, my legs trying to run but my body trying to fall.

That girl had been so close to her brother. After everything I went through with him, I knew she could do worse. She could kill me without a regret. She could seek revenge.

"Oh God!" I gasped, thinking of my body lying cold in a casket, Frank's tearstained face. Then I felt Frank's arms hoist me up again, lifting me off the ground and around the corner as Tracy stared after us, already planning her shots.

Frank let me down behind the back of the shop, me collapsing against the wall and trying to breathe.

"Oh fuck…Frank…" I gasped, holding my head and stumbling. I felt his hands on my arms, gently leading me to sit down against the brick wall, stroking my hair, my tears. I felt light-headed, dizzy, sick.

"Shh, it's ok Sparkle. I promise I won't let her hurt you, or us," he whispered, crouching down beside me and wrapping his arms around me. I saw her face again, then Vince's and my stomach heaved. I lurched to the side, violently throwing up. My stomach clenched horribly, my eyes smarted. Beside me, Frank held my shoulders, aiming me away from myself, stroking my hair, whispering comforts in my ear. I needed him so badly. Gasping for breath, spitting out the taste of bile and wiping my eyes, I reached for him, losing myself in his embrace.

"It's ok, I promise. We're going away from here soon, we'll be fine. I'll never let her hurt you," he told me, wiping my mouth with his sleeve and dabbing at my wet eyelashes with his thumb. I nodded mutely, afraid to open my mouth again. His smile warmed my core, quietening the clenching in my stomach. His hand was on my waist, his thumb stroking the sore skin above my bellybutton. I placed my hand over his, his touch making me feel so much better. I laid my head back, breathing in cold, fresh air.

"Bitch…" I muttered finally, making Frank chuckle. He helped me stand, my legs wobbling terribly and my head spinning. I felt gritty, tried. All I felt like doing was crawling back into bed with Frank and sleeping until everything sorted itself out.

"Come on Sparkle. Let's go annoy Mikey," smiled Frank, and I smiled back weakly, wrapping my arm around his waist for support. I saw in his eyes worry and devotion once again. He would never leave me, I knew it. He would protect me forever. Against Tracy, against my nightmares, against life.