A/N: New fanfiction book for the next saga of Andrew and Frankie's lives! Hope you enjoy. If you've not read my last two pieces you should read them first or this one won't make sense.
Frankie stepped out into the beautiful city of London. The sun was shining gloriously and she couldn't believe she was actually here. She and Andrew had got separated coming out the airport so she waited to one side with her suitcases.
"Alright love spare any change?" A man said coming up to her with a pot. He looked scruffy as hell but she'd been there.
"Sure." She took out some coins from her pocket and looked at them. "I'm sorry there all US dollars…"
"No worries…" He smiled and thanked her. "Wait!" She called him back, taking a note from her pocket. "Knew I had something." She gave him a ten pound note.
"You want change?" He said not expecting it. "No don't be silly, have a great day!"
"Thanks love, means a lot."
"Just getting to hear your beautiful accent was pleasure enough." She smiled, she had a thing for it.
"Well let me know when I can come over beautiful…"
"I'm married sorry." She laughed a little showing her ring.
"Damn all the best ones are always gone." He laughed.
"I'm Frankie Kiernan by the way." She held out her hand, he lifted it and kissed it, in a friendly manner.
"David Holt." He said back. "If you're ever thinking of a divorce…" Andrew arrived catching the tale end of the conversation, "…come and see me beautiful." He kissed her hand again and winked as he walked away.
"You're considering divorce?" Andrew asked with a chuckle.
"I gave him some money, I think he's on hard times. He wanted to make out, told him I was married you got the rest." She laughed.
"Ahh well I know where to find you then." He said. Frankie put her arms around his neck and kissed him lovingly. "I must have tunnel vision cos you're the only one I see."
He laughed, "smooth Frankie, you trying to flirt with me?"
"Oh yes always!" They kissed and he took one of her suitcases and his own. "This way." He said and she followed him with her other suitcase.
The cruise wasn't for another three days but Frankie and Andrew arrived early in London to do some sight seeing. Getting in the cab Frankie and Andrew's journey to the hotel was amazing she kept saying "oh my god!" And "look at that!" The whole way there.
"Wow traffic here is crazy." She said as they pulled up to the hotel.
"Oh….my….god…." Frankie said getting out at the foot of the four seasons hotel. Andrew paid the cab and got the suitcases as Frankie stood there, gobsmacked.
"It's huge!" She said looking up at the grand entrance.
"It's pretty big." He laughed and took her hand, smiling, he was so happy that she was happy and seeing a world she'd only dreamed of, he couldn't be more in his element.
"Wait till you see our room." He smiled and pulled her up the steps. "Wait!" She said getting her phone out and taking a hundred selfies. Taking plenty of the two of them too, he snapped a few shots of them and they went in.
He laughed as they walked into the lounge area, "Good afternoon ma'am, sir, do you have a reservation?" He asked Andrew nodded and the staff member nodded leading them to the desk.
A snotty nosed woman looked Frankie up and down and rolled her eyes at the pair, another businessman and his bit of skirt. "Mr and Mrs Kiernan." Andrew said smiling. The woman couldn't crack an egg let alone a smile.
"Clearly." She said tapping away on the computer.
"Yes I have you here, do you have your identification?" Andrew got the passports out and handed them to her. Frankie was getting a weird vibe from the woman.
"I see, you said your name Was Mr and Mrs Kiernan, correct?" The woman said looking at the passports.
"Yes?" He furrowed his brow.
"It says Frankie Paige here." She pointed. Frankie hadn't changed the name on her passport yet.
"I haven't changed my name yet clearly." She said to the woman. The woman eyed them up and down and Frankie got annoyed.
"We're not here in secret you know?" Frankie started, "I'm not his mistress, I'm his wife!"
"Frankie…" Andrew stepped in.
"I mean really?" Frankie stepped back and Andrew stepped in.
"I suggest you calm your lady friend." The woman replied, "this is a high end hotel and we will not have one's reputation mucked."
"She's not my lady friend, she's my wife!" Andrew was starting to get sassy now.
"At your age?!" The woman scoffed and continued, "bit perverted if you ask me."
"Good job nobody did then." Frankie said getting more worked up.
"Patricia!" A man came up from behind her and shouted at her. "I suggest one removes oneself from one's presence, I'll deal with you later." He said as she huffed off.
"I'm sorry sir please do accept my apologies on behalf of the hotel and my staff we do hope you enjoy your stay here." He said genuinely. Andrew calmed down he didn't want this to be the highlight of the trip.
"Can we just book in and go to our room?" He said sternly.
"Yes of course sir, please…Humphrey!" He called, an older man came with a trolley. He loaded their suitcases on and poised as the man spoke to Andrew and Frankie. "Here is your key cards, I hope you'll enjoy your time with us and please again accept my sincere apologies for my staff members rude behaviour."
"Thank you." Andrew said and took Frankie's hand as the trolley man led the way to the room.
Their room was almost top floor and you could see the city of London for miles, the sight was amazing, Frankie pushed open the doors to the balcony and ran out to the railing. The summer breeze was glorious and Frankie sighed in happiness.
"Andrew come here!" She called. Andrew tipped the porter and shut the door behind him, taking off his sweater he joined her on the balcony wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.
"Look you can see the Tower of London and I'm sure that's Prince William in Buckingham palace." He laughed and kissed her neck. She put her hands over his and they swayed softly. "This is amazing, I can't believe I'm here with you, I'm the luckiest woman ever!"
"I don't know about that." She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around him. "I do." She kissed him passionately, "thank you for this…"
"You're welcome." He smiled and kissed her again. "Hey we haven't looked around!" She ran inside, it was massive, the ceilings were so high and everything looked like straight out of a catalogue. "Andrew!" She shouted as she ran in and dived on the bed.
"Look!" She flayed her arms. "Oh my god it's so comfortable." He slid on the bed next to her laughing.
"Can we stay here forever?" She laughed and jumped up going in the bathroom.
She gasped and jumped in the jacuzzi, "that's it! I'm moving in!" He came and sat by the tub looking at her. "It suits you."
"They call me Lady Kiernan."
"Would the lady like to go out and do some sight seeing?" He asked, she took a few photos of them and some selfies and laughed. "Yes please good gentleman." She said in an attempt at a British accent.
He took her hand and helped her out, she followed him out of their room. Getting outside they walked into the city, Andrew took her to a few fancy shops, they went to see the Houses of Parliament, taking a ton of photos, seeing inside and outside the building, the cenotaph, Westminster abbey and jubilee gardens. They were exhausted but there was time for one last thing, he'd pre booked.
"We should get some dinner." He took her hand and kissed her. She held his hand tight and he stopped her. "Frankie would you like to go on the London Eye?"
"Yes!" She pulled him. "It's this way?!" He pointed She ran the way he pointed and he laughed as they went to the head of the queue. Andrew showed their VIP tickets and they got on the London Eye, having a car all to themselves.
Andrew put his arms around Frankie from behind holding the rail so she wouldn't slip whilst taking pictures. The sun was setting just as they reached the top. The cars went so slowly they were sure they had stopped. Andrew held her his head on her shoulder, and leant back into him watching the sun set over London. It was a magical moment…
Frankie started to cry soft tears and he frowned turning her to him, "what's the matter?" He asked worried. "I know what Mary Poppins and Burt felt like on the rooftops of London now…it's beautiful."
He laughed out loud and held her to his chest, swaying with her. She stopped crying and they enjoyed every second…
Later after dinner Andrew walked with Frankie towards their hotel, Frankie linked arms with him, every now and then they stopped to see something. "My god I'm tired." Frankie said, her feet were beginning to ache.
"Jet lag." He said as they walked up the steps towards their hotel.
"I'm looking forward to jumping into that jacuzzi and then into bed."
"Not too long in there it's very relaxing, you'll end up sleeping in there." He laughed, "you'll be all pruneish and wrinkly." He joked.
"You know pruneish isn't a word right?"
"Made it up, for comic effect."
"Ah. Flirting I see." She laughed.
"Is it working?"
"Are you a jacuzzi I can just slip into?"
"No…?" He stopped, looking at her she smirked at him. "Then it's not working." She winked.
He laughed hard and chuckled most of the way back up to their room. Getting inside she kicked off her boots and collapsed into the armchair.
"Pooped." She said the mood lighting came on as Andrew turned off the over head lights. "Jacuzzi!" She said getting up. "You coming in?"
"I'm going to bed I'm exhausted, don't stay in there too long sweetheart." He kissed her lovingly and she smiled as he went off to bed, she got some pjs and went into the bathroom filling the jacuzzi up, she poured in some bubbles and stripped off, getting in she put her hair up, put her headphones on, put the bubbles on and sat back. The music played soft and slowly and she hummed the songs being played, slowly she started to drift off to sleep, she didn't even realise it and she was gone.
A couple of hours passed and Andrew woke up feeling the bed for Frankie. She wasn't there so he got up, wondering if she was ok. There was no sign of her in the lounge and he had this sudden thought she must have fallen asleep in the jacuzzi, he raced in worried out of his mind, to see her peacefully sleeping with her headphones on, arms on the side of the jacuzzi, head in her arms.
He let out a breath and turned the jacuzzi off emptying away the water, any bubbles had mostly dissipated. He put a big towel around her, drying her a little, she looked so innocent.
He got down on one knee and kissed her softly, she stirred a little, "what time is it?"
"2am, you fell asleep in the jacuzzi." He chuckled a little. "Come to bed." He said taking her headphones off, standing up and pulling her to her feet, helping her out the tub. He wrapped her in the towel as she stood dozing. He lifted her up into his arms, her legs went to his hip, carrying her into the bedroom he laid her down in the bed and got in next to her covering them both, she rolled over onto him and he wrapped his arms around her holding her to him as they fell asleep.
The next morning Andrew woke to the arm in his ribs. He looked at her all twisted up. Laughing he gently woke her, "Frankie."
"Five more minutes." She grumbled.
"Your elbows are in my ribs." He poked her side, she jolted and hit him. "I'm tired leave me alone." She grumbled again taking a pillow to her head.
"Wait!" She suddenly lifted herself up. "I forgot where we were!" She said excited again, he laughed and nodded. "Fancy seeing the king today?"
"You don't get to see the king without an appointment and you're not that important." She smirked, "not to him anyway, to me you're very important."
"I'm glad." He chuckled and watched her get up, leaving her towel behind.
"Wow amazing." He smiled, she looked down, suddenly embarrassed, running back and grabbing the towel around her. "I hope you enjoyed the view!" She smirked.
"I did very much."
"Get up we've things out yonder to do!" She jumped excited.
A couple of hours later and after breakfast, Frankie and Andrew took once again to the streets of London. First on the agenda was a trip to Buckingham Palace, they walked the entire length of the mall down to Buckingham Palace gates and stopped outside. "Do you think he's there?"
"Possibly, the flag is up so he must be in residence."
"What if he goes shopping for groceries? Do they take it down?"
"The King doesn't shop for groceries." Andrew laughed. "He has servants who do all those things for him."
"Must be nice being King of one of the most powerful countries in the world." She said, grabbing the gates poles with her hands.
Suddenly the crowd started to cheer and Frankie wondered what was going on. Andrew helped her down off the gates as they started to open. Two black cars came up the mall and went around the statue and stopped just inside the gates, Prince William and Princess Catherine got out and Frankie looked at Andrew mind blown.
"Not me this time I swear." He joined Frankie waving at them, the Prince and Princess. Both waited for George, Charlotte and Louis to get out, all the children waved as they all walked into Buckingham Palace.
"Oh my god the kids!" Frankie felt her heart melt. "We love you!" She shouted waving as they disappeared.
"Oh my god." Frankie screamed, looking to Andrew and jumping on him. "Thank you!" She had tears in her eyes, Andrew got a couple of shots of the royal family, he took a few photos of Frankie as well for record.
Frankie took selfies of her and Andrew outside the palace. When they were done they walked to Royal Horse Guards Parade grounds and Frankie got a typical tourist photo with Andrew next to a horse and a Royal guard on the horse. They walked to the nearest fish and chip shop from there and had lunch.
Next Andrew took her to Harrods and Madam Tussaud's. They took some amazing photos, funny and serious. He took her to a few of the important museums, a few of the Churches that meant something to him, finally they walked and walked Hyde park. It was getting dark as they came back into their hotel room.
She collapsed into the sofa and looked at him smirking as he sipped some water. "Oh hell no I'm too tired." She said.
He about spat his drink out. "The day isn't over yet." He said, "put on something pretty we're going to eat." She laughed and sunk into the sofa, arms outstretched. "I'm too tired Andrew!"
"You didn't come all this way to stay in did you?" He asked. "Come on, I'm older than you and I'm ready for it."
"Okay, okay!" She drug herself into the bathroom. Andrew showered and changed, putting on a formal dining outfit. He stepped into the lounge and she took his breath away.
Wearing a red strapless dress down to mid thigh, red heels and a clutch bag, she looked absolutely stunning. "Will I do?"
He stared at her for a long time unable to fathom how the hell he got so lucky. "Oh my god Frankie….you're stunning." He walked over and took her hands kissing them then her lips.
"Thank you, mister handsome." She straightened his tie.
"We're not walking far I hope?" She asked, following him out their room.
"Only down to the ballroom, there's a comedian performer followed by dinner and dancing." Frankie smiled brightly, "sounds great to me ." She linked his arm, getting in the elevator. The elevator stopped at their floor and Andrew handed the bouncer their VIP tickets.
They saw the show and had a wonderful dinner, the ballroom was opened up and Frankie felt underdressed, everyone was wearing gowns and there she was looking like a dolled up stripper.
Though she was thankful there were a number of younger people there. This reflected in the music, not a lot of golden oldies. The band started to play their rendition of Bob Marley's classic, one love, Frankie practically ran to the floor and Andrew almost spilt his drink down him.
She grabbed him around the shoulders and he held her hips as she swayed with him. She sung her pretty little heart out with the guy singing on stage. A soppy song came on next and Frankie rested her head on his shoulder, he stroked her back slowly, kissing her neck.
The song finished and Frankie pulled back to look at Andrew, "I…" She was about to say when a woman came up to Andrew and smiled, "may I cut in? You're a wonderful dancer." She said, Frankie rolled her eyes laughing. "Of course I'm going to sit down."
Andrew silently shook his head at her and she laughed as she walked off. He started the dance with her trying to keep the slightly older than him woman at arms length.
Frankie found their table and sat down, her feet were killing her, she thought about the jacuzzi seeing as it was their last night. She crossed her leg and rubbed her heel.
"Foot ache?" A man said approaching her.
"Yes. I've done a lot of walking today I've just about had enough." She laughed, he smiled and took the seat next to her.
"Names Lord George Hackenback." He introduced himself holding out his hand to her.
"Wow posh name, I'm Frankie Kiernan."
"American?" He asked.
"Born and bread." She smiled.
"I like the American accent, very sexy." He joked.
"My husband likes it too." She added now knowing he was hitting on her.
"Okay, okay." He smirked "I like a challenge." He said and stroked her leg.
"I don't think so." She stood up, looking for Andrew he wasn't on the dance floor. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the main hall down the quiet alley towards the toilets. Half way down a bunch of girls came out the toilets and a man from the men's.
"Excuse me is there anyone else in there?" She asked pointing to the men's.
"No love, you can use it though." He laughed and walked off. She sighed and went to walk back when her admirer followed her. He pushed her against the wall and started to touch her up. "Get off me you pig!" She tried to knee him in the balls but he was quick, spreading her legs with his feet. He put his hand one side of her head, the other grabbed her breast. "Get the fuck off me before I scream."
"Who's going to hear you in there?" She started to scream but he put his hand over mouth, lifting up her dress a little. Frankie started to go into one of her panic attacks and stared straight ahead not breathing. She could feel that man touching her back at that house.
She started to shake and he looked at her funny. "What's the matter with you whore?" He asked, suddenly someone tapped his shoulder and he turned around receiving a fist to his face. Andrew knocked the guy clean out, Frankie slumped to the floor, Andrew came down in front of her.
"I'm here it's okay, shhh…" he whispered. "Breathe Frankie." She was going blue again. "Come on breathe." She shook her hands coming up to grab Andrew's arms.
"It's okay I'm here, you're safe now." He tried reassuring her as much as possible. "Breathe Frankie." She suddenly gasped for air and he sat back whilst she fought her way out of her nightmare.
"Frankie!" He grabbed her wrists as softly as he could. She suddenly looked at him and her head lowered as she cried.
"It's over…" he whispered and held her to his chest. "It's all over I'm here you're safe."
"Come on, let's get you back upstairs." By the time they had reached their level Frankie was checking herself in the elevator mirror. "I'm sorry." She said as she brushed her hair back.
"Don't be it wasn't your fault." He said taking her around the waist as he walked slowly with her. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I don't know why I can't just deal with it like a normal human being, why do I have to have stupid panic attacks?"
"It's just your brains way of dealing with the trauma of it all, your processing strong emotion, when you were in that situation back there you panicked and it brought about feelings of that other time and it's the great circle of life." He unlocked the door and opened it letting her in first.
She stepped inside and threw off her heels and Andrew's jacket that he leant her for the walk back up. "Can we pack tomorrow? I'm exhausted."
"Of course." He put his arm back around her and walked her into the bedroom. "Will you unzip me?" She asked moving her hair. He did so gently dropping the dress off her. He touched her shoulders and kissed her neck softly. She put her hand on his and turned to him. "I'm sorry I can't…"
He wasn't angry of course he wasn't, she had the right to refuse it's not like she'd done it all the time. "Okay my love." He kissed her softly and she got into her pyjamas getting under the sheets she pulled her knees to her chest and sat there, staring again.
"Frankie?" He asked curious, hoping she wasn't having another panic attack. She looked at him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." She replied solemnly he finished getting undressed and got in beside her laying next to her. He pulled her down to him and she looked into his eyes. "I'm scared."
"Of what?" He asked, stroking her side.
"You not being there." She let a few tears slip and he leaned in kissing them away. "I'll always be here." He whispered, bringing her close to him. "Always." He stroked her back lovingly and she fell asleep in his arms. He pulled the covers over them and turned the lights off.
Andrew's eyes opened to an empty bed. He stretched and looked around. He wondered where Frankie was and he got up, pulling a top on over his boxers.
Walking out into the lounge he saw her on the balcony, he walked out to her and slid his arms around her kissing her neck. "Morning sleepyhead." She smiled and turned to him.
"Good morning." He kissed her lovingly and she hugged him tight. "You excited?" He asked.
"I can't wait." She laughed a little, "I couldn't sleep for excitement." He lifted his head and kissed her forehead, stroking her back. "That's my girl."
"I'll order some breakfast." He smirked and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You've got breakfast."
"Really?" He asked kissing her, "my handsome husband." She giggled.
He lifted her up wrapping his arms around her. She jumped on his hips and he held her legs. "There's my wife."
"Always." She said. He kissed her softly taking her into the bedroom and softly laying her gently on the bed coming over the top of her he leant down and started kissing her, she pulled off her clothes and he did too…
A few hours later Frankie stepped out the bathroom and finished putting her things back in her suitcases. She went out onto the balcony, taking it all in. She had loved her time here in London, it was amazing. She'd even picked up a little bear dressed in a kings guard uniform.
Today they were going to Dover to board the cruise she couldn't believe how lucky she was. Andrew was so good to her, she'd never be able to pay him back for all the things he'd brought for her.
"Ready my love?" He called and she turned nodding. Coming back inside she shut the doors and went over to him. Today would be another amazing journey.