Chapter Forty Two

Richie opened the door and quietly walked in "Ces baby?" he asked but then realized he was asking an empty room, no one was there, he whirled around and went back out starting to panic. "She's not there!" Richie exclaimed looking around for a note.

Jon glanced up, "You gotta be shitting me."

"Um no, where she go? I thought she was all cool now?" Richie looked around panicking.

Jon snorted and managed a grin, "Maybe she’s talking to her mom finally?"

Richie looked at the door "Good point, you wanna go and check? Just incase she's indecent or something?" Richie asked.

Jon rolled his eyes and stood. Moving to the door he cracked it open slowly, peeked in, chuckled then backed up. "Look for yourself."

Richie followed him to the door and saw a sight that warmed his heart. She was asleep in her mother's arms. Richie looked a little longer and couldn't help feel his heart strings tear knowing that this would soon come to an end. He walked into the room. Careful to not wake CC he shook Frankie gently. "Ces, baby, you need to eat" he whispered gently in her ear.

She woke slowly to a set of brown eyes staring down at her. "Ohhh hey there."

"Hey you" he said as he stroked her hair.
"I need you to come and have a bath and get some food into you Princess, its been too long" he softly whispered, aware of Jon still watching through the crack in the door.

She wound her arms around his neck and smiled. "Okay baby. I am kinda hungry, and mom even mentioned the bath."

Richie chuckled "Well good thing that you've got your own private bath boy to assist you tonight" he chuckled as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out to the bathroom past Jon.

Frankie snuggled in closer and laughed. "Yeah I knew there was a bonus to having you around."

"You haven't seen my fee though" he said as he sat her down in the bathroom on the stool while he began to fill the tub with hot water and bubbles.

Slender fingers moved up to slide down his back, "Ohh I can imagine."

He tested the water once it was just right, he lifted her top off her and stood her up before removing her bottoms. He took in her sight, he sucked his breath as it was obvious that she had lost weight, she was still just as beautiful though. He lifted her slowly lowering her into the water, and kissed her tenderly on the forehead as he positioned her in the tub of sultry suds.

She shivered as the heated water caressed her skin, a soft sigh escaping her. "Now this is nice."


Richie reached over to the lavish sponge and dipped it in the hot water soaking it all up and then ran it across her back letting the hot water trickle down across her skin.

She whimpered softly at his gentleness and just sat there soaking in the heat, and the caring of his hands.

He poured some shower gel onto her back and glided the sponge across it, gentle circling motions building it into a generous lather taking time to massage around her shoulders and neck, he then washed it all away, reaching for the shampoo, he put some in her hair and massaged her scalp with his long talented fingers.

She groaned as he massaged her scalp, the sweetness of it washing away days of stress. "You're too good to me you know."

"Someone's got to look after you when you worry too much about looking after everyone else" he said with a smile as he rinsed the water away and replaced it with conditioner.

"But cuz of me things are just so strained. You're at odds with Jon too much. That's gotta stop ok?" She glanced up at him seriousness in her gaze. "He'll learn to deal or not, but don’t let it fracture the friendship. I don't think Ii could handle that guilt."

Richie sighed, his sweet Cesca still worried about others. "Princess, your father and I have been at odds before and we always get over it, he's got an understand of how I feel about all this now, and I think you will find he's started to do some serious thinking about all this" Richie said. "I just wish you and him would sort things out, he'd be so good for your Ces" he said as he washed away the conditioner.

"If we didn't end up killing each other first," she muttered on a laugh. "We are tooo much alike him and me."

Richie chuckled. "Oh I know that darlin, believe me, I knew your father when he was your age, and you are just the same, except prettier" he joked/

"I dunno Prince, I've seen pictures. He was damned pretty back then."

"I didn’t want to fuck him though" Richie choked back a laugh.

She blinked then started laughing. "Well thank God, cuz if ya had I sure wouldn't be here right now."

"Amen to that" he said as he finished rinsing the last of the soap off her.
"Now Princess, ready to step out?" he asked picking up the big white fluffy towel.

She sat there a moment, seriously considering pulling him into the tub, then thought better of it. Standing she stepped from the tub as he wrapped the towel around her.

He rubbed her gently and laced her into his arms for a tight hug. "Now you never are to do that again ok?" he said as he kissed her forehead.

"If I don't take a bath again, I'm pretty damned sure I'll be sleeping alone forever." Her smile was innocent as the sparkle in her eyes began to flicker, "But if you insist."

He shook his head "What am I going to do with you" he chuckled as he moved his hands to her sides and started to tickle her.

She shrieked and tried to figure out how to get away from the tickling, but with the smallness of the bathroom was effectively trapped. "Now Richie this isn’t fair!"

"Well its your punishment!" he said as he continued backing her into a corner starting to giggle insanely himself, she always made him feel so young and free.

She grinned a moment as the words a good defense is the best offense filtered through her mind. As a smirk slid onto her lips her hand reached out to slide slowly over his zipper. "Punishment huh?"

Richie stifled a groan as he buried his head in her neck and whispered, "If you start this, I won't be able to stop," he felt her hand stroke him, and groaned softly as his cock immediately came to life.

Her hand stilled before wrapping around him. "Bathrooms just too small any hows."

Richie chuckled "And your father is outside the door" he chuckled.

She sighed softly. "Course he is. Probably listening in at the keyhole."

"Now now, no he's not, come on lets go and face him and I can whip you up a Sambora Special Omlette" he said as he led her out to the living area.

She arched a brow slowly and tied a knot in the overly large towel. "Well okie dokie then Prince." She followed him into the living room, the towel her only adornment and took a long look at Jon.

Jon looked up from the couch and watched as she came back with Richie, his breath sucked into his throat as his eyes roamed over her body, obviously weak and starved. He closed his eyes, what the fuck had he done and how did he undo it? "Hey Frankie honey, how are you feeling?" he asked softly.

She stopped and glanced at him, her gaze quiet, no storms no flickers no anger or sparkles. "I'm ok now."

He motioned at Richie to keep going to the kitchen and leave her here with him, he got up and took her hands. "Frankie, I know I haven't made a good impression on you so far, but I am gonna try and do better ok?" he asked softly searching her blue eyes, startling blue ones so identical to his own.

She nodded and fought the urge to just pull away. "OK," she sighed a moment, "Mom wants you here, you seem to do her good. That means a lot to me, so it’s all good for now Jon."

He nodded understanding her, "I love- I mean I care about your mom alot so I just want her to be happy, but that goes for you too Frankie, I promise, I will try harder" he said as he looked into the kitchen at Richie grating cheese."Looks like you got your own personal chef there" he said trying to lighten the mood.

She managed a laugh, "Damn good personal bath assistant too, does a mean shampoo."

Jon laughed "Well good to know, listen you go eat, I am going to spend sometime with your mom if that’s ok" he said.

"OK Jon. She’s asleep though." It worried her how much she was sleeping and what that meant. Turning she moved to Richie and leaned against him as he grated the cheese.

"Sit right down darlin, you're about to get the taste explosion of the food kind" he winked as he tipped all his ingredients into a bowl and began to stir it vigorously.

She slipped up onto a counter seat, and twirled the seat back and forth as she watched him cook up his special omelette. "How long before you both have to go again?"

"A few days I am afraid" Richie said as he poured the mixture into the hot pan.
"I wish I didn’t have to go, I am getting too old for this" he chuckled.

She snorted and shook her head, "Right, ahhuh, too old. You fucking love it and you know it."

"Hell yeah wouldn’t give it up for the world, well maybe you, but yeah," he said as he flipped his omlette perfectly.

"I'd never ask you to do that Richie. It's who you are." She shook her head "I'd never even think of it."

"I know you wouldn’t princess, but I just wanted you to know, that’s all" he said as he served up the fluffy omlette on two plates. "Dinner is served" he said as he handed her as fork.

She took a bite and chewed. "Your hired."

She quickly finished the omelette as her eyes drooped again. Two days of stubborn had worn her out in more ways than one. Before she knew it she was scooped up into two very strong arms and carried to the bedroom.

The next few days passed in mostly amiable silence, Jon was trying so hard to be agreeable, but each time she even thought of going out, Jon or Richie always managed to find a way to get her mind off the going.

Richie's ideas were always a lot more fun than Jon's but they served their purpose. She was still effectively housebound, even with an eager and willing partner to keep her occupied.

A week before they had to head out Richie woke her with a kiss and told her about a meeting that Jon and he had, something about their team the Soul. He promised he'd be back by that night, and he'd make it up to her. With a sleepy smile she returned his kiss. Maybe she could just sleep through the entire day.