kutee: Miranda never has been one to hold back in telling Frankie what she thinks. And if anyone can tell Frankie anything, it'd be the kid. So...what you're saying is...is that you just want more of this story? :)

Note: Alright folks, once again we've reached the final part of a story. I'd love to hear what you thought of it - the good, bad, and ugly. Leave feedback and bring a smile to this writer's face and get a big mental hug in return.


The light flicked off with a mute click as Bianca softly padded out of the bathroom. She glanced over to see Frankie sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling with the clasp of her wristwatch. The metal hook gave way after a second, and deft fingers undid the joined parts and tossed the timepiece onto the small side table behind her to the left. Frankie looked ragged. The dark splotches under her eyes were threatening to overwhelm the once playful brown orbs. Brown orbs that were now full of exhaustion and half formed walls. Frown lines creased the edges of her stoic mouth, and the white tank top rested on slumped shoulders.

She looked how Bianca felt.

Sensing her presence, Frankie barely peeked up at her before standing up and moving to her side of the bed. She pulled back the covers and sat down in the small space. A heavy noiseless sigh brought her hand up to her face, the tips of her lean fingers scrubbing at her eyes.

Wordlessly, Bianca followed suit, slipping beneath the sheets and resting her back against the headboard. Her gaze landed on Frankie's back. She could see the outline of her spine through the thin tank, and she silently counted each bump.

Gosh, this hurt. The strangled silence. The unspoken tension. Watching Miranda's finished video didn't help. Her daughter did a great job. The movie was wonderful. But, the happy family it portrayed only served to highlight how strained the relationship between all of them had become.

How strained Frankie's role in their lives had become.

Bianca knew Frankie felt it. Understood it. Hated it. Frankie didn't always speak, but gosh did she feel. Her lack of words at the moment told Bianca just how much this was bothering her. Frankie cherished her place in their lives, just as the three women cherished having her in them. She was the one who completed their little group. The piece that had gone missing for years yet showed up and fit perfectly. The other woman loved their children. It was obvious. And, Miranda and Gabrielle loved her back. Yet, all through the movie, Miranda kept her distance from Frankie. She barely talked to her. Instead, she stuck to Bianca's side, showing some sort of solidarity that wasn't needed because they were all family. Gabrielle seemed to be confused and even slightly anxious, sitting between her two parents and reaching for both of their hands.

The look of hurt and fear was bright in her eldest's eyes when she executed a perfect Kane hair flip and stormed away from Frankie, Gabby following behind her with a sad look.

And Frankie just took it. She didn't say anything to Miranda. Didn't follow her. She simply stood there and watched her go, rubbing at her chest in a way that made Bianca think back to years ago.

"I talked with Miranda." Bianca finally spoke up.

Frankie didn't react to the words.

Sighing, Bianca bit her lip, "She's upset. She doesn't understand what's happening. To be honest, none of us do."

Frankie shook her head.

"I feel like I'm losing my wife, and I don't know why."

Frankie's back tightened at that. Bianca could see the tendons of her arms flex, and she pictured Frankie making a fist and uncurling it again and again. She could feel the emotion bubbling beneath the surface of her lover. Controlled yet still there. Frankie was reverting back to tried and true methods she lived by when she was an agent. Methods she hadn't needed to use for years, because she was with someone she loved and trusted. Frankie knew she didn't have to hide anything from her. Knew that secrets were no good. It was always better to be open and honest. They worked better that way. They always had. No matter what, Bianca was on her side and supported her. Bianca loved her.

Yet, with one phone call everything they built together appeared to be unraveling.

It hurt. It hurt just like seeing Frankie in pain hurt. Frankie might not be speaking but Bianca knew Miranda's actions hurt her. Knew the tension hurt her.

There was so much hurt going on, and Bianca didn't understand why it even had to be there in the first place.

The mattress dipped as Bianca crawled the few paces separating them. Her hand pressed lightly against the back of Frankie's shoulder, sweeping down to curve around her hip. With so much happening – work, the kids, this brewing stress – they hadn't touched in what seemed like forever. The couple hadn't connected, allowing the fight to wedge between them. In that moment, all Bianca wanted to do was be with the woman she loved. Hold her. Feel the love that existed within them. In some small way strengthen their bond. Bianca tenderly kissed the back of her neck, quietly relishing in the small shiver that simple act still induced. Her lips brushed along the side of her throat, resting on her pulse point. Her hand tightened around Frankie's hip as her other hand pressed against her belly. The pad of her thumb rubbed against the cotton of her shirt as fingers slid toward the edge of the loose pajama pants.

A calloused palm stopped their descent.

"Honey," Bianca whispered, resting her forehead against the curve of Frankie's neck. A ball of emotion formed in her chest.

"Let's just go to sleep, Bianca." Frankie muttered, guiding her hand to the sheets beside her.

"I can't even make love to you, now?"

"I'm tired."

"That's never stopped us before." Bianca pulled Frankie against her, "Why don't you want to make love to me?"

"I'm tired, and I've had a really long day."

Bianca wasn't buying it, "What's the real reason?" She swallowed thickly, a tinge of anger seeping into her voice, "Does Agent Stone not make love?"

"God, Bianca." Frankie worked to untangle herself from Bianca's hold.

Bianca strengthened her grip, "You are not leaving this bed. Not until you talk to me."

Frankie scoffed and shook her head.

"Don't even think about it." Bianca warned. She could read Frankie like a book at times. The fight was churning inside, and Bianca knew an explosion would only result in hurt feelings and regretful memories.

Frankie was close to lashing out.

It was scary, because it had been a long time since Frankie lashed out.

It scared her even more that the lashing out would be to cover the innate grief swirling inside of Frankie.

Wrapping her arms fully around Frankie, she nuzzled the back of her neck, "I miss you."

"I'm right here."

"You know what I mean." She took a breath, "We all love you, Franks. All of us. We don't want to lose you."

"You're not losing me."

"Why are you still talking to the FBI?"

Frankie exhaled tiredly, slightly wilting in Bianca's strong embrace. She repeated the words that were becoming a mantra, "Whether I am offered a job or not has nothing to do with me wanting to be with you and the kids."

"You can't go back to them."

"Why not? Everyone is acting like I've already accepted the job and I'm running away or something. I am right here, in our damn apartment with our kids. I'm in our bed. I'm not going anywhere."

"Then, you've told them not to consider you?"

Frankie didn't say anything.

Bianca closed her eyes, "Damn it, Frankie."

"It's a job."

"It's your life!" Bianca released her and swiftly stood up. Her eyes burned, "You always said it was your life, Frankie, don't act like it's just a job now."

Frankie stared up at her, jaw locked, "It's a paycheck. If they give it to me, I would be sitting behind a desk doing something I'm good at and being paid for it."

"A paycheck? Is Cambias not paying you enough?" Bianca stormed over to her purse. She picked it up and rifled through it, tearing out her checkbook. "How much more do you want? A couple hundred?"

"Come on, Bianca." Frankie stood up.

"No, you come on, Frankie!" Bianca threw the purse and checkbook to the ground. "This was never a job to you. You were gone for eight years with them. You almost died because of them." Her bottom lip trembled, "You have to take medication because of them. Did you forget that? Did you forget how many times you've been hurt because of them? Let me remind you." She marched up to Frankie and caught her shoulder with her right hand. The heel of her palm dug into the flesh.

"Fuck," Frankie winced as a blinding bolt of pain raced through her shoulder and down her arm.

"You've been stiff all day. You didn't even put your jacket on because you couldn't move your arm earlier." Bianca's hand dropped down to Frankie's chest. She flattened her hand above Frankie's heart, covering the scar, "Or maybe we can talk about this." Her hand slid below her breastbone, "Or this." Her fingers griped the cotton of Frankie's tank top, "I could tell you about what it was like to see you in the hospital. To think you might not even be alive."

"I won't be a field agent."

"You weren't even supposed to be working when you quit." Her voice hitched, "Yet, I saw you get tied to a chair and stabbed in the back. I saw you nearly have a heart attack."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek, head lowering at the sadness and pain in Bianca's words.

Bianca pointed at the closed bedroom door, "You know how much you mean to this family. How much you mean to our daughters. I don't understand why you would ever even think about leaving them."

"I'm not leaving them!" Frankie shouted, head snapping up.

"If you go back to the FBI, you'll get yourself killed." Bianca forced her face not to crumble, "Michaels won't be there anymore. It'll just be you and Jones. And god damn it Frankie, I'm not going to risk losing you because Michaels wanted you to be his heir. You're not a kid anymore. Neither of us is. We have lives. Responsibilities. A home. You can't go running off because Jones and Michaels want you to be an agent again. You quit because you can't do it anymore. I'm sorry you miss it, I am. I am sorry. But, why would you give up everything to go back to a job that tried to take you away from us? You're not well, Frankie!"

Frankie rubbed at her face, shaking her head.

Bianca stepped up to her, "This doesn't make sense. You never once mentioned wanting to go back until you got that call. Why now?"

"I was put on the list of potential hires. That's it."

Bianca studied her, "You're lying."

Frankie threw her hands in the air and spun around.

"No," Bianca grabbed her arm, halting her, "what aren't you telling me? It must be something."

"Why does there have to be something?"

"Because our family is hurting, and you don't seem to give a damn."

"Everything I ever do is because I give a damn about this family."

"Even right now?"

Frankie stared at her. Bianca met her look, not backing down. She'd tried giving Frankie space. She'd tried yelling. Tried pleading and softly whispering her love. Nothing was getting through. God help her, she was going to get all of this worked through now. The four of them couldn't take any more of this.

After a moment, Frankie relented, "They're offering me Goldstein."

"That's over with, Frankie." It had been for years.

"No, it's not." Frankie smoothed her hand over the top of her head, "Fuck." She closed her eyes for a few seconds before slowly opening them and letting her gaze land on Bianca, "I would do anything to protect you and the kids. Anything."

"And you do!" this didn't make sense, "The Goldsteins are no longer in our lives. They haven't since before we were even married. Since the girls were little." She finally thought she would never hear that name again.

"That was the father."

"What?" Bianca's eyebrows furrowed. Who was the father?

Frankie fully faced her. She pursed her lips, fingers tapping against her leg a few beats before she replied, "The Goldsteins are a family organization. The father was the one who went after Cambias the first time. Who hired Carrington." It was clear she didn't want to be telling Bianca any of this, "He's retired. Seems to be going around." There was no humor in her small grin. "His son is taking over."

"I don't understand."

"The one stain on the family name is you." Frankie's face went expressionless, "Cambias was the only thing the Goldsteins went after and lost. The father gave up on it. Knew it was a lost cause. You were in the Feds' radar. It was too risky after Carrington fucked it up." Her throat bobbed, "He's gone. The son's in. The dad wrote it off, but the son is in charge of operations and he sees it as a slight on the family name. A slight he wants to erase."

Bianca felt the air leave her chest. Was Frankie saying….

"There's been information that he wants Cambias again. He'll do anything to get it back. He's more ruthless than his father. Young. Arrogant. He wants to show the world how powerful he is. That he shouldn't be messed with. Cambias is his way to do that."

Bianca's hand went to her chest.

"The FBI…Luke is offering me him. I'd be in charge. I'd get him."

They were going to go after Cambias again? "Frankie, why…no. No, we need you here. If this is true, I need you here. You're the head of our security."

"Which means nothing." Frankie's tone was firm, "All I can do is react. Put more guards at the door. Put more security cameras on the walls. That's it. With the FBI, I can arrest him. Lock him up."

"Frankie…"

"He's a fucking killer, Bianca!" Frankie's voice rose. "I'm doing this to protect our kids. Updates from Jones and Michaels only go so far. Goldsteins went far enough to plant Reese to get to you, and that was before this punk got pissed off because we stopped his dad from having you and Miranda killed. He's mad and he wants to show the world we need to fear him. What's to say the next time Miranda sneaks out to meet a guy that the boy's who he says he is? Huh? Maybe he tells her he's a classmate, and maybe he's actually a hired gun who wants to put two bullets in her head the second her back turns. Or, maybe she'll just get gunned down the second she steps outside our building." Though her words were fierce, they were laced with guilt and tears. "Maybe her guards wont react in time. Maybe…maybe she'll be with Gabby walking down the sidewalk when a car rolls by and pops out a few rounds." She wiped at her cheeks harshly and rubbed her nose, "I'm not going to let that happen. Not when I can stop it."

Bianca didn't know a tear was falling down her cheek until she tasted the saltiness on her lips. Her children were in danger? This was all meant to be over. They were safe now. They were all safe. She didn't want her children living in fear.

God, her girls.

And Frankie was going to get herself killed because this nightmare was starting all over again.

A tiny crash sounded outside the door, and Bianca whipped around, eyes wide. Frankie rushed past her, quickly opening the door, body poised for attack and eyes sharp.

Gabrielle tumbled in, holding her elbow as Miranda, legs tucked underneath her, leaned in against the doorframe.

Frankie glanced down at them, throat closing up at the sight of the two girls. She stepped back, silently cursing and rubbing the back of her neck.

It was obvious.

The two had been listening on the other side of the door.

"Girls," Bianca subtly wiped at her cheeks and eyes, "what are you doing? It's past your bedtime." She strolled over to them, bending down to inspect her youngest's arm.

Gabrielle cradled her stinging elbow as Miranda sat up taller, "You two were yelling again."

Bianca swallowed roughly as she gently prodded the bruised joint, "It's ok. We're sorry we woke you up. It's nothing to worry about." She placed a light kiss on the elbow, "Hit your funny bone, Gabby. It'll sting for a bit."

Miranda glared at her mother, "It's not nothing. We heard you."

Bianca sighed and knelt down, "Sweetheart…"

"No!" Miranda crossed her arms, "We heard you."

Gabby's soft voice griped Bianca's heart with a glacial ripping ache, "Maman's going to die because of us."

Bianca rocked back, feeling like she was hit. Her eyes were wet as she reached for Gabby, "No, baby, no one is dying. "

Miranda's pout quivered as she looked at Frankie, "It's true, though, isn't it? You…you want to leave because they want to kill us."

Frankie was next to Bianca in a flash, "Hey, no one is going to hurt you, ok? I promise. No one will ever hurt you or your sister."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Miranda pushed into the frame. "Why?"

Frankie ducked her head, searching for the right thing to say. Bianca jumped in, "Miranda…"

"No!" Miranda cut her off, "Maman knew, and she never said anything." She stared at Frankie, "You were going to leave and not tell us." The accusation was clear.

"I didn't know how." Frankie lifted her head. "I couldn't."

"I'm not a little kid, anymore!" Miranda yelled. "I'm not some baby you need to protect. I'm not six anymore!" Tears streamed down her cheeks, "I'm not…I'm not…"

Frankie hesitantly raised her arms, and Miranda fell into them, clinging to her as she wept. She peeked over to see Bianca holding Gabby, shushing her gently as she rocked the scared girl back and forth. Her eyes met her wife's, both knowing their lives had changed and neither knowing what the future held.

The four of them stayed there, locked in tight embraces, tears jumbled with sniffles and sobs. When the weeping finally subsided, Gabby rested her head on her mother's chest, "Can we stay with you tonight?"

"Yes, sweetheart." Bianca murmured, kissing her forehead and lovingly running her fingers through her hair. She carefully stood up, keeping an arm around Gabrielle's waist as she held out her hand to Frankie.

"Let's get some sleep, kiddo." Frankie whispered to Miranda, who simply nodded in reply. She took Bianca's hand and stood up, Miranda leaning on her as they all stumbled to the bed. The four tucked beneath the blankets, the girls in the middle, surrounded by their parents.

Frankie and Bianca clicked off the lights, and the four huddled together in the twilight.

"Maman?" Miranda asked softly.

"Yeah?' Frankie murmured.

"Can you tell us a story?"

Bianca pressed a hand to her mouth to hold back a choking sob.

After a moment, Frankie's gravelly voice replied, "Sure. What story?"

"The one with the princess falling in love."

Frankie cleared her throat, "A long time ago there lived this princess. She lived with her mom and a bunch of servants. She loved her mom, but she was lonely."

As the story continued, the shadows dimmed and the outside world seemed to fade away leaving them in a world where there were no worries and no fears. Miranda felt herself succumbing to the gentle pulls of slumber, and the last thought she had before entering the darkness was – she loved her family.

And she would do anything to keep them safe.

The End