Chapter Forty

She shook her head, "don't want him mad at you. Is ok. Haven’t seen the outside for days, just... tired of being nothing. I used to be something, a teacher, mom's helper, She needed me, I had.. a purpose. but that’s not me anymore. I have to learn to be good."

Richie shook his head "Frankie listen to yourself, you do have a purpose, and your mother still needs, you, I need you, and you need to go outside and we are going now, fuck being good, never got me anywhere in life" he chuckled as he started to lead her outside.

She let him lead her, then winced at the first touch of daylight, her hand moving up to shield her eyes. Glancing over she saw Jon and froze, sadness silvering her eyes to dark blue. "I... "

Richie intervened 'We're going out and if you try and stop us, I will pummel you into the ground," Richie said seriously daring Jon to challenge him.

Jon eyed them both, his heart tore at how disheveled she looked, how broken and sad she looked. He just shook his head and shrugged not saying a word "Whatever man, your call," he said as he turned away from them.

He wasn't happy, she could see it, could see the disappointment in his gaze. "I'll be good Jon, really. I just need air. I just wanna be me for a few minutes ok? I'll be careful, I won’t talk to anyone or go where people are. I... just wanna pretend I'm a grown up for a few minutes ok??? "

Jon shook his head "I see you as an adult Frankie, it’s ok baby go with Richie, just please go," he said quietly as he walked back inside to go and see CC.

Jon walked in the door and leaned back against it closing his eyes. What the hell had he done here? She was a mess, and it was all because of him. He had no idea how to make her see how this was, she was damn right about something though, he hadn’t treated her like an adult at all. He had in an instant, taken away all of her choices. But to him it had been the only choice as she had fought him in every way, she had blocked his every move that had led to where they were now.

She stepped closer to Richie and took a deep cleansing breath of air and smiled. Leaning against him she watched the ocean in the distance and thought how beautiful it was. "Richie?"

He watched her breathe some life back into her in an instant seeing the difference.
"Yeah babe?" he asked as he wrapped his arm around her as they began to walk.

She shook her head a wry chuckle managed to work its way up her throat. "I got so mad, I ... and then I was stuck keeping to what I said. I do understand what he's saying, but he doesn’t seem to get I'm old enough to know the facts and choose. So I gave him what he wanted. Not so smart of me huh?"

Richie laughed glad to see that the fresh air had maybe made her see things clearer already. "No Ces, it wasn’t smart but in a way I can kinda of understand why you did it, I have done it to him before you know, just wanted to prove him so damn wrong I went to an extreme and it backfired on me and made us both see we were being pigheaded about stuff" he said. "I know he hasn’t really given you much choice, but that’s protective Daddy Jon, and I think he's made a little but of a mistake here, best intentions but played completely wrong" Richie agreed with her.

She nodded and leaned against him more, already tired but unwilling to stop. "Its just that it was a long week, and so lonely and the damned papers just kept coming with new stupid shit. "

She glanced up at him, "I wouldn't change things, If I could go back and change meeting you or how things happened I wouldn’t, even if it has totally turned my world upside down. The Jovi machine is a pretty scary beast; dealing with it alone well I don’t think I handled any of it too well."

Richie smiled. "It has been a stressful time, for all of us Frankie but for someone so new in all of this, you would have wanted to fix everything your way, like you've always coped with everything else... but this Jovi machine is a little different and special" Richie explained "Its not something that’s normal at all, and its taken me 20 yrs to get my head around that Cess. And for the record, I would have never changed anything either, I have you now so it’s all been worth it" he said kissing her on the lips softly.

She sighed into the kiss, her arms wrapping around him as her body decided that it had finally had enough. She leaned against him, her eyes closing as the air whispered over her skin the same as his lips brushed against hers.

Richie felt her tiring in his grasp so he scooped her up in his arms. "Someone is really tired aren’t they?" he teased as he rubbed his nose into her hair.

She snuggled into his arms, her own slender ones wrapping around his neck as she laid her head on his shoulder. Heaven, she'd found heaven after a couple days of hell. Maybe it was worth it.

Richie started to carry her back to the apartment his thoughts turned to her, and he finally realized that why she had put such a fight up, why she was perceived to hate Jon so much, she hated that all she had ever known had been taken away from her and she felt lost and unneeded, when all she needed was so tender loving care and to be treated like an adult. Jon would just have to learn she needed some control in her life, just like he did. And soon her mother would be taken from her and she wouldn’t have any control in that situation, The road ahead for them was long, but Richie swore that he would be there for her, every step of the way.

Jon glanced up as Richie walked back in carrying Frankie. "She ok?"

Richie nodded "She'll be ok now bro, be back in a second" Richie said as he noticed she was already asleep. He walked into the bedroom and laid her down and pulled the covers up around her. "Sleep well my Cess" he said "I will just be out in the living room when you wake" he whispered kissing her on the forehead.