A/N: I feel dreadful for the lack of updates...the second part of this chapter is a dream, the first time it's Isabella's point of view.
Rain: I know, I love R&I! I can't wait till it comes back on! I've recently gotten into Stargate: Atlantis (I get it instantly on Netflix, I am a happy girl!) and yes, I'm a VERY busy girl. Jane and Frankie both have good points, and they see that, so it's always alternating. I'm a little happy I was able to make you feel so much lol.
I will stand by you, I will help you through
When you've done all you can do
And you can't cope
I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight and I won't let go
Rascal Flatts - I Won't Let Go
Frankie took a deep breath as he rang her doorbell. When Teagan was revealed, her heavily pregnant body partially shrouded by the door.
"Is Isabella here?" he asked. She nodded and poked her head back inside. He heard his name murmured between the two before the door was opened wider.
"I'll leave you two alone," she said softly as she picked up her purse. Isabella stood in front of the door and invited him in.
"How've you been?" Frankie asked. She hadn't returned to work in two weeks following Dante's funeral. "We've all missed you." He didn't want to add that he missed her the most, for fear of scaring her away.
"Tired, mostly," Isabella answered. Her eyes seemed to be returning their color, the sadness slowly melting away. "Stressed, definitely."
"That's to be expected," he said. He held out his arms and felt her slip her arms around his waist. She had looked healthy pre-Dante's death, but now, she looked about ten years older and about ten pounds lighter. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Just hold me," she requested in a small voice. "Just promise me you're not going anywhere." Frankie kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back soothingly.
"I promise."
All she could see was darkness. Pure nothingness. She sat down alone, her knees to her chest. The walls that seemed to thin out and lower were back and stronger than ever, the dragon perched at the top. Isabella could only see a glisten of emerald green scales in a pencil-thin beam of light. The lone wolf of her heart pawed at the cage, letting out a growl. Her golden eyes seemed to glow as the light seemed to broaden.
"Why are you out here all by yourself?" a familiar voice asked. The dragon emitted an uneasy growl, its tail swaying with discontent. The wolf's ears perked, her tail wagging. Dante moved from the darkness, the once pencil-thin light glowing from his body. Isabella felt her heart swell and the wolf emitted a happy yelp. Isabella and the wolf were one, she realized. Her heart was happy to see Dante, therefore, the wolf was as well.
"I've always been by myself," she murmured. He chuckled.
"Liar," he teased. "You've never been alone." He sat down beside her, the darkness evaporating. The wolf seemed to be pleased to see him, wriggling on her belly in pure delight. Dante petted her jet-black pelt, its tail wagging quietly in contentment.
"Even when I wanted to be," Isabella sighed. Her eyes closed for a moment before opening again. "I really miss you. You were one of my closest friends, even before we were together."
"Because I was one of the only people to put up with your pain-in-the-ass tendencies," Dante replied. There was that devil-may-care grin she had adored. He stopped petting the wolf for a second before raising his dark brown gaze. "Let him in, Bella. He wants to be with you, to let you know he cares. If I had ever been in love with you, Frankie wants to be with you and take care of you."
"How?" Isabella whispered painfully. Dante chuckled, nodding down to the wolf. Her jet-black pelt had once been ravaged with scars and bruises, her golden eyes blazed over in stubborn independence. Now, her body seemed to be well on its way to healing into its former glory.
"I didn't do that," he uttered. Isabella looked up and saw Frankie standing near them, hesitant. "He did."
"Let him in."
Dante was gone. Isabella felt her eyes flood with tears as the wolf lifted her head to greet the new visitor. If she had been happy to see Dante, she was ecstatic for Frankie. The wolf dropped her front, her tail wagging madly with excitement. Even the dragon seemed to purr with contentment.
"It was you," she said, the tears rolling down her face. Frankie smirked and sat down next to her, his arms encircling her. "It was always you."
He nuzzled her shoulder and she nestled closer to the source of warmth and healing.
"It will always be me," he assured her as the tears came harder. She could feel the battered, broken mess of her heart become healed again. "I'm not leaving you. Not now, not ever."
Isabella jolted awake on the bed, her head snapping up. She saw Frankie's handsome face asleep in the dim light, his arms securely around her. Her head came to rest on his chest again, the sound of his heartbeat resonating in her ear. She ran her fingers down his arm delicately, memorizing the emotion she felt and imprinting every inch onto her mind. Frankie looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, dark circles marring his olive skin, and his dark hair unusually unkempt.
She loved him, plain and simple. He had picked up the pieces of her soul and bandaged the mess of her heart, bonding it stronger in its wake. And he did it for her sake, not his own. He was the only one who had access to her heart, the only one who was able to fix the mess that was her life.
Frankie Rizzoli truly loved her, and she truly loved him.
"How long have you been awake?" he murmured in her ear. A smile crossed her features as she snuggled closer to him. His hand caressed her thigh through her purple sweatpants.
"Not very long," she answered. When he ducked down to kiss her head, she tilted her face upwards to catch his lips with hers. Isabella had missed this, the sense of intimacy between them. This was right.
"Are you sure?" he asked against her lips. She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her again, this time long and slow.
"I love you," she murmured against his mouth.
