****

She heard thumping in her dream… why would she hear thumping?  Groggily, she lifted her head off of the pillow and squinted.  The lights were still on?  She didn't remember lying down.  But there the proof was in the rumpled sheets and her bleary vision.

Frank stood in front of the door and looked at his watch.  He'd been knocking for 5 minutes and still no answer.  Maybe she was dead to the world...  He turned to go, pausing only when he heard movement inside the apartment.

Buoyed by the noise, he raised his fist to knock again.  Right as his knuckles were about to strike the door, it opened up.  There, in front of him, was a very sleepy Miss Weathers.

Frank paused, looking her over slowly.  Her auburn spirals were tangled and slightly mussed from sleep, her pale green eyes were half-closed and the clothing she wore was rumpled like she had fallen asleep still completely dressed.

Hope blinked at the bright light from the hallway, then shrieked and slammed the door.  Frank stumbled back, not from being hit by the door, but from surprise.

"Miss Weathers?"

"Uhm, please go away..." came the muffled reply

Frank chuckled softly.  "Miss Weathers, open the door please, I'd like to talk with you."

"I'm really tired and need to go to bed."  Hope groaned and closed her eyes.  What a pathetically lame excuse.

"I do apologize for waking you up.  But, if you do not open the door, then I will push my way in."  Not that he would really, but maybe she'd see reason and be the gentle Lady he'd seen in her letters.

"You… You would NOT!" she gasped.

"Try me.  I really do want to talk with you.  Please open the door and let me do it face to face."

Frank held his breath when no reply was given.  He stood there for precious few minutes.  Maybe she was ignoring him.  His stomach began to sink the longer the silence echoed in the hallway.

Hope was trying to keep from hyperventilating on the other side of the door.  Would he really break the door in?  'Stop it Hope!' she chided herself.  'He is an adult and so are you, so STOP acting like a scared child!'  Tentatively she reached out and grasped the doorknob.

Frank's breath expelled slowly as he heard the door open slowly.  Hope stood there, her hair still mussed and a half-frightened look on her face as she looked at him.

"I won't hurt you." He said softly as he stepped closer.

"I know," she breathed.  She couldn't lift her head to look up at him.  Instead she kept looking at his shoes the closer he got.  The closer he got the faster her breathing got.  By the time he was literally inside the door and mere inches from her, she was near hyperventilation.

"Hope… please calm down.  Why do I scare you so much?" he asked quietly as he stepped to the side and allowed her both some room to breath and some room to close the door.

"You don't.  This does." She answered, her eyes still looking at the carpet.

"What is this then?" Frank gently took her hand off of the door and closed it for her when she didn't move.  She appeared to be absolutely terrified.

Hope closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths of his scent.  Jesus he smelled divine.  All she wanted to do was bury her face in the curve of his neck and breathe in that scent.  But, she could not summon the strength to lift her head.

Frank looked at Hope, studying the stop of her head.  Absently he put his hand under her chin and ever so gently lifted her head up so that he could look her in the eye.  His chocolate brown eyes met her pale green eyes and studied them for what felt like an eternity.  Behind those eyes was the woman who'd touched him heart and soul.  The same woman who had fallen in love with someone she'd never met and that, through her words, caused him to fall in love with her.

"You wrote one time, that love should end with hope."

"Is that what this is, Frank?" she whispered.  "Is that why you are here now?"

"I don't know, Hope."  Frank paused and stepped back a bit.  "What is your real name, by the way?"

"Hope."  Hope blinked and smiled.

Frank found himself warming with her smile.  The simple gesture warmed up her eyes and she literally radiated sunshine when she smiled.  "Seriously?"

"Hope Quinn Weathers, at your service."

****