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She was missing. His Mandy was missing... The fight at the club had swept over everyone there and by the time Alex and Jake could get to her, Mandy turned up missing. Whoever took her couldn't have gotten far. Jake and Alex cornered the in house security to help them look for her while the Chicago PD took care of the guilty parties in the fight.

'I thought you'd be out of my mind
And I'd finally found a way to
Learn to live without you

I thought it was just a matter of time
Till I had a hundred reasons
Not to think about you

But it's just not so
And after all this time
I still can't let go'

He'd tried denying it to himself with little luck. Frank thought if he could put enough distance emotionally between them that he could repress the love he felt for her and how much he needed her, to force her to realize that she needed to be apart from him. But now when she needed him, where was he? The sense of urgency caused him to press down on the accelerator, the speedometer arcing up over 60MpH as he sped down through downtown's main drag.

'I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Scrawled upon my soul
Etched upon my memory baby
I've got your kiss
Still burning on my lips
The touch of your fingertips
This love so deep inside of me'

He turned the corner 10 minutes after getting the call and fishtailed into the parking lot. He could see the flashing red and blue lights as he rolled the car to a stop directly in front of the door. Sasche and Monica ran up. "Frank! Mandy's gone!!" "A fight broke out and-"

"Yes, I know. Alex called me. Get in the car and stay put you two." He turned the car off and took the keys with him. A whole crowd of people were still in the parking lot, watching the police round people up. Where could she be?

'I was trying everything that I can
To get my heart to forget you
But it just can't seem to

I guess it's just no use
In every part of me
Is still a part of you'

Frank saw Jake and Alex across the street combing through the parked cars. He turned and went back into the club on the chance that she was still in there somewhere. He had an idea that she was just as inebriated as Sasche and Monica were. If that were the case, she might not have made it out of the club.

'I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Scrawled upon my soul
Etched upon my memory baby
I've got your kiss
Still burning on my lips
The touch of your fingertips
This love so deep inside of me'

The house lights were all on and it was empty save a few of the waitresses cleaning up in the aftermath. Frank asked around to see if anyone had seen someone with Amanda's description. No one had. He still searched all the nooks and crannies on the upper level before flying down the stairs to look around the dance floor.

"Stop..."

'I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Painted on my heart
Painted on my heart'

Frank saw some male walking towards the emergency exit with a blonde in his arms. She looked like she was struggling to get out of his arms, but couldn't manage it. Either she was half out of it, or drunk beyond all means.

"Don't... I'm here with someone."

It was Mandy. Frank saw red and ran over to the two as the man found the exit and pushed on the release bar. He grasped him by the shoulder and spun him around. Mandy was in his arms, one under her ribs and the other had her knees draped over. Before he could control his temper, he heard Mandy tell the man to put her down again. Frank's left fist flew out and across the man's nose. The crunch meant he'd broken it.

As the man fell, Frank caught Mandy and pulled her up close to his chest. She buried her head in his neck and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He could smell the whiskey on her breath. How much had she consumed?

Mandy felt herself jerk and fall, then felt a pair of strong arms catching her. Someone snuggled her up against their chest. She couldn't see who it was, her eyes were closed and she couldn't get them to open. But whoever it was smelled... sweaty. But it was a comforting smell... Frank. She could smell his masculine scent, the scent amplified by his sweat. She felt safe and curled up against his chest. For a brief moment she managed to get her eyes open and she looked up at him as he held her.

'Something in your eyes keeps haunting me
I'm trying to escape you
And I know there ain't no way to
To chase you from my mind'

Frank wanted to kiss her so badly, but before he could, her head rolled back as she passed out cold. He shook his head and shifted her in his arms as he turned to leave the club. His Mandy was safe in his arms... now to get her home.

'I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Scrawled upon my soul
Etched upon my memory baby
I've got your kiss
Still burning on my lips
The touch of your fingertips
This love so deep inside of me'

He came out of the club to see Sasche and Monica running up to him. Alex and Jake weren't too far behind them.

"Oh thank GOD you found her!"

"We were so worried!"

"Where was she Frank?"

"Is she OK?"

"She's fine. She passed out just a minute ago. Apparently someone was trying to go out the back exit with her." He turned as two uniforms were carting out the man Frank had hit.

"I was only trying to keep her from being arrested... I didn't want her to get hurt in the fight!!" he protested as they put him into a car.

"Mandy needs some rest. I have a feeling she'll be hung over when she comes to."

Alex and Jake took her from his arms and put her into the car. Alex threw a glare at Frank, as if this was his fault. Monica climbed into the car with Amanda, then Sasche and Alex climbed into the front passenger seat.

"I'll take them home Frank."

"Thank you Jake. Hey.."

"Yeah Frank?"

"Take care of them, ok?" Frank gave Jake a look.

Jake blinked, then nodded his head. Frank was telling him to take care of both Mandy and Alex. "I will Frank." He slid behind the wheel started the car up. As Jake drove off with the ladies, Frank watched the taillights. The red and blue lights of the police cars were departing one by one, each carting off a participant in the fight. He looked up at the moon overhead. He would have preferred to have taken Mandy home with him, just to make sure she was all right. Hopefully she would remember him being there to find her...

'I've still got your face
I've still got your face
painted on my heart
painted on my heart
painted on my heart'

--

- song titled "Painted On My Heart", performed by The Cult from the Motion Picture Soundtrack "Gone In 60 Seconds"

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