Mors Ab Alto
Title: Mors Ab Alto
Author: Fabfan
Fandom: All My Children
Pairing: Frankie/Bianca
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Not my characters
Summary: Slightly AU. Takes place in 2003. What if Maggie arrived in Pine Valley first? What if Frankie never met Vanessa and took a different route in life? A different means of “getting out?”
Frankie slung her pack over her shoulder as the bus pulled away. She watched it go for a moment, dust and grit kicking up behind the large tires as the gargantuan vehicle pulled away from the station and back onto the highway. Exhaling softly, she turned away from the sight and headed in the same direction the bus came from. It was getting late, and it didn’t look like this was the sort of town to have taxis racing about ready to pick someone up at a second’s notice. Combine that with not really knowing anyone, and it looked like she was walking.
No big deal. She’d done plenty of walking in her time. At least she didn’t have to do it in time.
Her calloused hand reached the front pocket of her shirt, and she pulled out the crumpled envelope folded haphazardly inside. The ink was smudged and the edges of the once white paper were torn and ripped. Hefting her pack further up her shoulder, she flipped open the flap and slid out the letter. It was unexpected, that was for sure. She never in a million years thought something like this would come to her. Frankie unfolded the paper and, without thinking, her finger carefully traced the letter’s elegantly written words. In the dim light of the fading sun, she reread the message that was already memorized and stuck in her head.
The letter shouldn’t matter to Frankie. She should have just tossed it the minute she saw what it was and what is was about. There was enough stress and craziness in her life without having to deal with something like this. Yet, when she smoothed out the creased paper for the first time and scanned the neatly scrawled sentences, it was like a hand grabbed hold of her and wouldn’t let go. It dug deep down into her psyche and refused to budge. If Frankie even thought about trashing the letter, the grip only tightened. Her heart physically hurt in her chest. She got anxious and nerves tingled up and down her arms so badly she actually dropped a candy bar she’d been treating herself to once.
That got her a few looks.
Sure, she shrugged it off and picked up the candy bar like nothing happened. Sure, no one really called her out on it. Maybe there were a few cracks here and there, but that was it. No one cared that she kept a letter in her pocket every single day. That she checked to make sure it was there each time she left her bunk like it was an important piece of equipment anyone would be a fool to leave without.
No one said anything because they all understood. They might not know what it was exactly that she kept close to her heart, but all of them had something they cherished and held on to. A link to back home. To family. Love. Friendship. Hope.
This was Frankie’s token. The thing that kept her going.
Which was confusing and strange because it was a letter from someone she never met before.
Frankie swallowed as she glanced at the name signed at the very bottom. Bianca Montgomery. A faceless woman who haunted Frankie’s dreams at night. Chased away the demons and nightmares with gentle friendly words. It didn’t make much sense to Frankie why or how, but once she got that letter, it was as if a tiny chunk of the huge invisible weight that pushed down on her shoulders was chiseled away. For a long time, Frankie didn’t know what to make of it. She couldn’t ever remember not feeling the pressure, so having it slowly lift was startling. Sure, life was a lot easier and freer than when she was younger, but ghosts never go away, and she had a lot of them. This letter silently shoved at those ghosts and skeletons like no one in Frankie’s life ever had.
It was the first letter she ever got.
Frankie squinted her eyes as she recited the contents of the letter to herself, sneakers slapping soundly against the asphalt of the road.
Dear Frankie,
Hi. You don’t know me. We’ve never met, but I feel like I know you. I know that doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve heard so much about you I can’t help it. You see, I’m a friend of your sister Maggie. She’s my best friend, actually. We both go to Pine Valley University together. She told me about you. She told me about how you used to read whatever books you could get your hands on even though you never liked school. That you had a sweet tooth and would eat candy bars all the time. You would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you could.
She also told me you two haven’t spoken in years.
It’s not my place. But, your sister means a lot to me, and I feel like I’ve gotten to know you through her, and I can’t help but care about you, too. She doesn’t know I’m writing this letter. She doesn’t even know where you are. She told me she got out of where you both lived growing up and left you behind with your parents. She was going to return and find you, but by the time she was able to, you were already gone and no one could tell her where you went. She misses you. She’s studying to be a doctor. Your cousin David is a doctor, and they get along really well. She is dating a nice guy named Henry. She’s happy.
I hope you’re happy, too. It might be weird hearing that from a stranger, but I do. After she told me about how she misses you, I knew I had to find you. I searched and found out where you ended up. Please don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to stalk you or whatever, but I think it’d be nice if you two had the chance to reconnect. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but Maggie would like it, and you might too.
I also wanted to say I hope you stay safe. I would like to meet you one day. Put a face to the name. Yeah, you and Maggie are twins, but I think you get what I meant. If you ever want to write back, I wouldn’t mind. You probably have a lot of friends, but it could never hurt to have one more, and I would like it if I could call you a friend.
Anyway, I should finish this before it gets too long. It’s already longer than it probably should be. Stay safe, and I hope to meet you one day.
Yours truly,
Bianca Montgomery
Frankie peeked up to see her feet led her to a shop-lined street. People were milling about, lost in their own little worlds, not paying one speck of attention to the stranger. Blinking, Frankie refolded the letter and jammed it back into the envelope before turning it so the front faced her.
The front where Bianca Montgomery’s address was written.
Stopping on the sidewalk, Frankie rubbed at her face. Was this a good idea? Was she nuts? She had to be nuts. One of those mental cases that littered the news. Why was she there? In some town she’d never been to before far away from where she lived. Far away from her buddies and her favorite bar. Away from everything she knew and was comfortable with.
All because of a random letter from some chick that was crazy enough to write her. Who did that? Who wrote a stranger a letter saying she wanted to be friends? Was this preschool?
Saying that she knew about her from her sister.
What did Maggie tell her? Why was Maggie even talking about her? Maggie didn’t like her. They didn’t get along. Hadn’t since they were little kids. There was no way Maggie missed her. This was a joke. A prank or something. Maggie wouldn’t want to see her. Never had. And this Bianca Montgomery knew that. Had to. It was common knowledge.
Why had Bianca written to her at all? Why? Why mess up her life like that? Everything was fine before this letter dropped into her hands. It wasn’t perfect. Not all sunshine and roses, but it was her life. Sure, she thought about Maggie, but not enough to take a bus halfway across the country.
And yeah, she liked women, but boarding a Greyhound for Pennsylvania was different from throwing back a shot of whiskey and following some chick in a short skirt back to her bed for a few hours.
Not that she felt anything toward Bianca. She had never even seen her. Didn’t know what she looked like. What her voice sounded like. If she was cute or tall or what color her eyes were. For all Frankie knew, this woman was an insane ax murderer. Normal people didn’t write pen pal letters to their supposedly best friend’s twin sister who hadn’t spoken to said sister for years.
This wasn’t right.
She should get back on the bus. Walk back to the station and grab the first bus out of town. This was dumb. Stupid. She should have known better. None of these people wanted to see her. They didn’t want her coming to town. Maggie left her behind for a reason. Whatever this trick was, Frankie wasn’t falling for it.
Nodding to herself, she made a decision. She was going back.
As she began to turn around, that annoying hold on her heart squeezed a warning.
Damn it.
A step toward the edge of town, and the grip nearly took her to her knees.
Frankie let out a frustrated growl low in her throat. Her lips pursed harshly, and she curled her fingers into a tight fist. It shouldn’t matter if she ever saw Maggie or this Bianca. Frankie wasn’t that scared little girl desperately searching for a place in someone’s life anymore. She grew up. Got the hell out of her parent’s rundown trailer and made something of herself. She did that all without her twin sister by her side, perfect grades and girl next door charisma overshadowing Frankie at every turn. Maggie never needed her. Never really wanted her. Why start now?
The letter said Maggie didn’t even know.
Bianca was messing with things she didn’t understand. This was how the Stones worked. They were not family material. It was one reason why Frankie was as single as the day she was born. Commitment was not her forte. It never would be. She was by herself, and she liked it that way. No obligations, no worries. She didn’t need anyone. Besides, what would come of this? They’d say hi and then what? It wasn’t like Frankie was staying. She had to be back to Florida by Monday.
Yet, a tiny part of her was yelling at her to turn around. Go find this place on the envelope and see her sister. See this girl who took the time to track her down and say she cared about her.
Bianca Montgomery cared about her.
Frankie snorted. No one cared about her. Not like that. Yeah, there were buddies who cared if she lived or died, looked out for her, but not like…not like something Frankie didn’t want anyways. Not at all. Frankie didn’t give a damn about Bianca. She never spent time thinking about what she looked like. Wondered what she liked to do. Who she was. Didn’t pick up a pen and almost write back nearly every day for a month after getting the letter.
Nope. Frankie was as free as a bird and never cared enough about anyone else to think about them for one second let alone days.
A burning in her chest had her rubbing at it pitifully.
Damn heartburn was what it was.
If she were smart, she’d skip out of town. Return to her comfortable life far away from family and phantoms. Forget Bianca ever wrote to her.
With a silent curse, she spun around and marched further into town.
----
It only took another fifteen minutes to find the apartment building.
Another five to get to the right door.
Frankie set her pack against the wall and tugged at the ends of her long sleeves. The plain white shirt hugged her body, showing off her defined arms and slender abs. The cotton was warm against her skin, and the black leather bracelet felt tighter than ever around her wrist. The metal of her tags clinked mutedly against her chest. She could hear laughter and voices on the other side of the door. Her fingers tapped anxiously against her denim-clad thigh.
She shouldn’t do this.
She could still turn around and leave. No one would be the wiser.
Except, Frankie Stone wasn’t a coward.
Sonofabitch.
Gritting her teeth and locking her jaw, she quickly knocked on the door before her hand dropped lifelessly to her side.
The voices quieted down and footsteps could be heard moving toward the door. Frankie straightened her spine and pulled back her shoulders, as the door swung open.
The woman who answered it was faced away from her, chuckling at whoever was out of view. Her short dark brown hair blocked her face, the thick locks reaching toward her chin. With a shake of her head, the woman tilted her face around to see who was at the door.
Frankie’s breath caught in her throat at the beautiful heart shaped face that appeared.
She was stunning.
Brown eyes that seemed to be deeper than the ocean yet filled with so much humanity it nearly knocked Frankie off her feet. Flawless ivory toned skin with pale pink lips and smooth cheekbones.
The woman stared at her for a second, surprise and confusion flashing across her features before a huge smile took over, “Frankie?”
All Frankie could do was nod, voice stuck along with her breath.
“Oh my goodness,” her hand went to her mouth. They stared at each other for a second. To Frankie, it felt like an eternity and the blink of an eye all rolled into one static buzzed instant. Then, without warning, the brunette’s arms were wrapped around Frankie in a warm embrace.
It felt like nothing Frankie ever experienced before.
It felt like coming home.
“I’m sorry,” the woman pulled back slightly, a tiny hint of tears in her voice, “you don’t know me and I just attacked you but…I can’t believe you’re here.”
Frankie tried to smile, a small quirk of her lips cracking through. She fought to not think about how beautiful those brown eyes were or how amazing it felt to be held this way.
Or how much she suddenly wanted to taste those lips.
She pulled back fully, and Frankie almost pouted at the loss. “I’m Bianca.”
Clearing her throat, Frankie mentally barked at herself to get a grip, “Frankie Stone.”
“Wow…this is…it’s so good to meet you. I didn’t know if you got my letter or not, or if you even wanted to come visit. This is great. I’ve wanted to meet you for the longest time. Gosh, you look so much like your sister, but you’re different. I can tell.” Bianca rolled her eyes, “And here I am talking your ear off in the hallway. Please, come in.” She moved out of the way and gestured for Frankie to enter.
Blinking at the cheerful greeting, it took a moment for Frankie to comprehend what she was being told. No one was ever this excited to meet her before. Catching up, Frankie grasped her pack and slid past Bianca into the apartment. She quickly glanced over the place as she heard Bianca close the door and move around. It was a smaller apartment, a studio. It looked like a normal place. Furniture. Giant scary-ass painting of a three-eyed woman on the wall.
Black haired woman in business attire sitting on the couch.
“Frankie, this is Lena.” Bianca stepped up beside Frankie. She placed a welcoming hand on Frankie’s elbow, “Lena, this is Frankie, Maggie’s sister.”
The woman stood up and smiled at Frankie. It was nice, but nowhere near Bianca’s, “Hello, Frankie. It is a pleasure to meet you.” And, it seemed, she had a bit of an accent. Polish to be precise.
“Yeah,” Frankie dug her fingers into the strap of her pack, “you too.” Was she interrupting something?
Lena shot Bianca a look before walking toward the door, “I must be going. I have a meeting. Bianca, I will call you later. It was nice meeting you, Frankie.”
Bianca squeezed Frankie’s elbow before following Lena to the door. Frankie didn’t watch them, instead moving further into the apartment. She could sense them at the door, whispering to each other.
Yep, she’d interrupted something.
She didn’t know how she felt about that.
The sound of the door opening and closing again reached her ears, and Bianca’s voice spoke up, “I’m sorry about that. She has a really important meeting otherwise she would have stayed.” She walked toward the couch, “Please, sit down. Can I get you anything? Water? Juice?”
Now that she mentioned it, Frankie was thirsty, “Coffee would be good.”
Bianca stared at her, a smile playing at her lips.
Frankie dropped her pack and frowned, “What?”
“Nothing. It’s just…you sound so much like Maggie yet…I can tell you’re not her.”
Frankie shrugged. What was that supposed to mean?
Bianca’s face morphed, “Maggie! I should call her! She will be so excited to see you.”
“Wait,” came out before Frankie even fully processed Bianca moving to her purse on the kitchen counter.
Bianca paused.
Frankie scratched at the side of her neck, “Can you just…wait…on that?” She couldn’t handle seeing Maggie this soon.
Bianca nodded, understanding in her eyes, “Sure. I’ll make some coffee.”
“Cool.”
Bianca grinned and went the few feet further for the kitchen. Frankie could see her fiddling with a coffee machine, pulling down mugs and measuring out the water. She shook her head at herself. Here she was, in the apartment of a very attractive woman, and she was looking at the furniture and acting like a weirdo.
She needed to get her shit together.
“When did you get in?” Bianca asked.
Frankie strolled into the kitchen, “Half hour ago.”
“Was it a long trip? Where are you staying?”
“Not too bad. Had a window seat.” Frankie leaned against the counter next to Bianca, “View’s a bit better here, though.”
Bianca’s hand paused on the buttons, “Window seats are nice. Did you fly here?”
“Took the bus,” Frankie crossed her feet at the ankles, “I get enough planes at work, don’t need to be dealing with them on my time off.”
Bianca started the machine and turned to face her, leaning her hip against the counter, “Do you fly planes?”
“Not all Air Force are pilots,” Frankie winked, “Doesn’t mean I don’t know my way around a bird, though.”
“You didn’t want to be a pilot?”
“Thought I’d let Tom Cruise keep the wings. Not my style.”
“What is your style?”
Frankie smirked, “Intelligence.”
“Intelligence? Really?”
Frankie frowned, “What? Maggie tell you I’m too dumb for something like that?” Did she have to sound so surprised?
“No,” Bianca shook her head, “I mean, she said you didn’t like school but…” she pressed her palm to her forehead, “Let me try that again. Intelligence? That sounds really cool.”
Did she have to look so cute doing that? “Yeah, it is.”
“What is that like?”
Frankie leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper, “Top secret.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and chuckled, “Ok.” She put her hand on the counter, “Why the Air Force?”
“It was my ticket out.”
A glimpse of sadness flashed in Bianca’s eyes, “Maggie told me what your parents were like.”
“Oh man,” she did not need pity because her sister told some sob story.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“It’s fine.” Frankie did not want to talk about her parents, “What about you? All I know is that you like to write letters to girls you’ve never met before.”
“It’s not like that.” Bianca flicked her arm.
“Then what’s it like? You heard I was in the Air Force and just knew you had to see what a hot chick in a uniform looked like?”
“If I did, that didn’t work out.” Bianca pointedly gestured at Frankie’s jeans and shirt.
“Not supposed to wear it off base, unless it’s formal or whatever.” Frankie shrugged, “If I’d known, I would have made an exception for you.”
“Would you have gotten in trouble?”
“For you, it’d be worth it.”
Bianca’s smile grew, “You’re a flirt, aren’t you?”
“Only with beautiful women.”
“That sounds like a line. Do they teach you those at basic training?”
“Nah, they wait till our first assignment. I got that one from a pilot, though. That’s why you caught it so easily.”
“You have better lines?”
“So good, you don’t even know I’m using them.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah,” Frankie rested her arm across the counter, thumb brushing Bianca’s hipbone, “not that I need lines, though. You were the one to chat me up first. It was through a letter, but still…”
“I didn’t chat you up. I was trying to see if you wanted to reconnect with Maggie.”
“You didn’t want to meet me?” Frankie hooked her thumb over her shoulder, “I can go.”
“You are impossible, aren’t you?” Bianca laughed.
“I can be whatever you want me to be.” She was laying it on thick, but it felt good to be joking around like this.
“Be all that you can be?”
“Air Force, Bianca.”
“What’s that?”
“The army.”
“Oh, right.” Bianca playfully waved her hand, “My apologies Senior Airman Stone.”
“Ah, you know my rank.”
“Had to know who to address my letter to.” She slid closer to Frankie, “You never did answer my question.”
Frankie shifted, “Yes, I look hot in my uniform.”
“Not that!” Bianca huffed, “Where are you staying?”
She hadn’t actually gotten that far, “I saw a motel on the way in.”
“The Pine Cone?”
That was the name? Seriously? “I’ll crash there.”
“You could stay with me.”
Frankie faltered against the counter. Had she said, “with you?”
Bianca shrugged, “Sure. Why not?”
“If you wrote a letter to someone you never met, I guess it makes sense for you to let them stay with you.”
“I know you, Frankie.” Bianca sighed, “I know more than you think I do.”
Frankie glanced at the coffee machine, “You know what my sister told you from when I was ten. I’m not who my sister thinks I am.” She probably never was.
“I know.” The machine beeped and she picked up the mugs, “I’d really like to get to know who you’ve become.”
Frankie watched her pour the coffee and take the mugs to the small kitchen table. Why was this gorgeous girl so interested in her? It made no sense, “I’m not much for talking about myself.”
“That’s ok. I’ll take what I can get. Tell me whatever you want.” She sat down, wrapping her hands around the hot mug.
“I’m not Maggie.” She wasn’t going to spill her guts and be all buddy buddy.
“I know that.”
Frankie went to the table, “Not sure you do.” She sat down, kicking her legs out in front of her.
“I’m not sure you know me well enough to say what I do or don’t know.” Bianca shot back.
Frankie smirked.
“Sugar? Milk?”
“How does Maggie drink it?”
“With lots of both.”
“I don’t.” Frankie lifted her mug to her lips, “Black, no sugar.”
Bianca stood and went to the refrigerator, taking out the carton of milk, “I like a splash of milk and a little sugar.” She plucked the box of sugar packets from the counter, “Anything you don’t like to eat? Since I’ll be cooking tonight.”
Why did she want to memorize how Bianca took her coffee? “Nothing, but I tend to live off of Chinese take-out and pizza. No allergies, either.”
“I don’t like cauliflower.” Bianca sat down. “Right side or left side of the bed?”
“I assumed I was getting the couch.”
“Never said you weren’t.”
Frankie laughed, “Right side.”
Bianca’s lips quirked up, “Left.” She stirred in the sugar, “How long have you been in the Air Force?”
“Since I was seventeen.” And forged her parents’ permission to join.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s my life.”
Bianca bit her lip, “And…do you share that life with anyone?”
Frankie froze, “Like dating?”
“Yeah,” she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “Tell me, Stone. Do you have a girlfriend?”
Frankie swallowed, “Who says it’d be a girlfriend?”
Bianca gave her a curious look, “A boyfriend?”
“Neither.” Frankie traced the handle of her mug, “I’m not much for dating.”
“Maggie wasn’t either when she first got here. But, she’s had a few boyfriends since then.”
“Like this Henry guy.”
“She’s been with him for a while now. They were study partners for a science class. He’s a musician.”
Frankie’s eyebrow went up, “He uh, he’s an ok guy?”
“They’ve had their ups and downs, but I think he loves her.”
“Ok,”
“No one back home for you, though?”
“You with that Lena chick?”
“No.”
“But, you were.” She could tell. There was something between those two. A tension that wasn’t between two people who were merely acquaintances.
“We were.” Bianca’s eyes landed on the table, “But, it didn’t work out.”
Frankie didn’t know the appropriate thing to say to that. So, she just took another gulp of her coffee.
“I know this is very forward of me, and you can ignore me if you want, but are you gay?”
Frankie’s grip tightened, “Technically, I’m not supposed to be asked that.”
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Bianca breathed. “I forgot. I don’t know anyone else in the military so I never…”
“Forget about it.” Frankie twisted the mug in her palms.
“That must be difficult.”
“Like I said, I don’t date so it’s not that big of a deal.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not like you have to worry about it.”
-----
Bianca’s back smashed against the wall, the three-eyed woman painting rattling from the impact. She moaned as a hot tongue delved deeper into her mouth and a hand slid up her leg. She hooked her knee around Frankie’s waist, one hand fisted in the other woman’s hair as the other tugged at the back of her shirt.
It all started with the bottle of wine at dinner. Bianca cooked pasta, and she remembered a bottle of red wine a friend had given her as a house-warming gift when she moved in. By the time the bottle was empty, the two were lounging around the living room, talking about everything and nothing. Frankie made one remark about Bianca being a lightweight, and the younger girl took it as a challenge.
More shots of tequila than Bianca could count later, and Bianca’s mouth claimed Frankie’s so hot and fast it made her head spin.
There was no way Frankie could turn that down.
Especially when she’d had just as much tequila.
“Mmmh, Frankie.” Bianca pulled at the shirt, exposing the woman’s toned back. She scraped her nails against the skin.
“God, Bianca.” Frankie pushed into her, shivering as their bodies melded together. She cupped the back of Bianca’s thigh, pulling it tighter around her as she pressed against the juncture between the brunette’s legs. Her lips slid from Bianca’s, nibbling a path along her jaw. She slipped her fingers under Bianca’s shirt. The tips danced along her ribs before discovering the curve of her breast.
Bianca’s head fell back as a rough palm cupped her chest, rubbing teasingly across her nipple. Panting, she twisted her face and captured Frankie’s mouth in a searing kiss. With a grunt, she ripped Frankie’s shirt up. The shorter girl stepped back and let her lift it the rest of the way off before diving back in. Bianca gasped at the bare skin open to her touch. “Bed.”
Frankie rolled her nipple between her fingers, “No…time.”
“Bed…please, honey.” Bianca nipped at her bottom lip.
Frankie allowed herself to be maneuvered back. They stumbled around, finally collapsing on the bed in a tangled heap of limbs and flesh.
Bianca crawled up Frankie’s body, sucking at her collarbone and licking the hollow of her throat. Frankie arched up as Bianca’s hips pressed down on hers. Her mind was hazy with alcohol and need, stars flashing in her eyes as hunger growled in her veins.
Bianca hovered over her, lips swollen and rumpled shirt pushed up enough to reveal her bra, “I…I don’t…do…”
Frankie leaned up and kissed her, grabbing the shirt and pulling it the rest of the way off.
Bianca broke the kiss, leaning her forehead against Frankie’s, “One night stands. I…make love…to…my girlfriend.”
“Ok.” Frankie ran her hands over her body, fingers tripping along the bumps of her spine.
Bianca smoothed her hands over Frankie’s flat belly, “Means something.”
Frankie flipped them over, lips melting into Bianca’s. She fumbled with the button of her jeans, making a tiny growl in the back of her throat that caused Bianca to giggle. The giggle turned into a gasp, though, as the button gave way and the zipper went down. Frankie’s hand worked into the opening, pushing inside her underwear and meeting scorching heat.
“Frankie,” rang in the woman’s ear.
Frankie kissed her face, “Beautiful.” Her fingers became coated in wetness.
“Oh god,” fell from Bianca’s lips as Frankie entered her.
Frankie slowly thrust in and out, “So beautiful. Feel so good.”
“Baby,”
Frankie kissed her mouth, swallowing each breath.
“Don’t stop,” Bianca whispered against her lips, “Don’t ever stop.”
Frankie looked into passionate brown orbs, losing herself in them as she felt Bianca succumb to her touch.
----
Sunlight was bad.
Very bad.
Frankie groaned as the evilness attacked her closed eyelids like a knife. Her head pounded like a jackhammer and her mouth felt like a cotton ball had been shoved into it.
God, she felt terrible.
Yet, at the same time, she felt better than she had in a long time. Which made no sense.
Her muscles ached and her bones creaked sorely as she rubbed at her face. She pushed half of it deeper into the pillow, blindly trying to hide from wakefulness. She needed to sleep. Wake up when she didn’t feel like a gorilla tried to eat her after going all Donkey Kong smash on her little body.
A slender arm draped over her hip from behind, a graceful hand flattening over her stomach as a warm naked body cuddled up to her.
She stayed the night at some chick’s house? She’d need to leave soon. But not now. Now, she needed to sleep. A lot. Without the damn sunlight.
A mouth brushed the shell of her ear, “Frankie?”
Frankie murmured, “What?”
The voice was gravelly with alcohol and sleep, “Morning.” She placed a tender kiss to the curve of her throat.
Frankie snuggled further into the pillow, “Sleep.”
“’k” the woman’s face nestled against her back.
Sensing the oblivion of slumber…or passing out…fast approaching, Frankie unconsciously linked her hand with the one on her belly.
A very loud, very obnoxious knock slammed against the front door like a demonic torture device.
“No, g’way.” Bianca mumbled against Frankie’s shoulder.
Frankie couldn’t help but grin at how adorable she sounded. Bianca was cute.
Bianca.
Frankie’s eyes opened a fraction. She had sex with Bianca.
And it was amazing.
The knocking didn’t stop.
With a grumble, Bianca slowly crawled out from beneath the sheets and stumbled to her feet. Frankie watched her, eyes half open. That body looked like a goddess in the sunlight. Frankie felt something in her chest, that damn hold on her soul, squeeze as the sheets fell away and Bianca stretched, the length of her nude body doused in an ethereal glow. It was like a work of art from heaven.
She clearly needed an aspirin and another hour of sleep.
Bianca trudged to the closet and lethargically pulled on a robe. She peered at the bed, a lazy happy smile on her face, “Hey.”
“Hey.” Frankie reluctantly rolled to a sitting position. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and ran a hand through her mussed hair, ruffling it even more.
The knocking got louder.
Bianca glared at it, “Sorry.”
Frankie waved a hand.
Bianca ignored the door for a second longer, padding up to Frankie and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll make breakfast. Pancakes ok?”
Frankie nodded, her head tilting against Bianca’s stomach as she croaked, “Coffee.”
“Lots of it. And bacon.” Bianca ran her hand through the messed up locks, smoothing them out and placing another kiss against them before staggering toward the door.
Frankie grudgingly bent over and spied her shirt. She slipped it on, not caring that it was inside out. She reached for her blue jeans, not seeing where the hell her underwear ended up. Slowly, she pulled the denim on as she heard the door open.
“What the hell were you thinking?” a new voice nearly shouted, causing Frankie to close her eyes at the headache the screech produced. Couldn’t she screech quietly?
“Kendall?” Bianca asked.
Frankie rubbed the back of her neck, debating if she could stand up or not.
So much for being able to hold her liquor.
“I am trying to do this family thing, but you cannot leave me alone with our mother like that.”
“Leave you alone?” Bianca clearly was as lost as Frankie.
“Dinner? Last night? We were supposed to have that Kane Family reunion where we all sing kumbaya and hold hands.”
“Oh, no. I completely forgot.”
“I’ll say. Have company Binks?” There was a slight pause then, “Oh my god.”
“No, Kendall. It’s not…” Bianca began but was cut off.
“Maggie? Oh wow. Way to go Binks.”
Frankie opened her eyes and looked up to see Kendall smirking at her. Rising to her feet, Frankie steadily ambled toward the duo. Guess this Kendall knew her sister, too.
“It’s not…”
“I didn’t think you had it in you.” Kendall eyed Frankie. “I mean, I know you’ve been after her for a while, were madly in love with her, but I thought you’d finally given up on that crush.”
Frankie stopped dead in her tracks.
What. The. Hell?
Bianca’s face froze in horror.
“I know you two had something going on, but I didn’t think she’d ever give in. Nice job. I understand why you skipped dinner.” She winked at Frankie, “Found the Sapphic side more appealing, Mags? This why you haven’t gotten back with Henry yet?”
It all became clear, like that stupid sunlight. Bianca didn’t want her. She wanted Maggie. Cue the twin sister. Bring her in. Frankie worked just as well as Maggie for a night.
“No, that’s not it. It’s not true.” Bianca moved toward Frankie.
Frankie stepped back from her. How dumb could she be? Thinking this chick actually wanted her. Of course she wanted Maggie. Everyone always wanted Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Maggie was the smart one. The nice one. The one who got out of town because she was smart and resourceful, not because of Uncle Sam. She was the one everyone liked. Not Frankie.
“Frankie,” Bianca pleaded.
Frankie shook her head and turned, ambling over to her forgotten pack. It was all a ruse. A lie. The letter. Wanting to be her friend. Get to know her. Want her. Them making love. It was all a sham. A con. She’d been played. It burned in her chest like a branding iron. It was always about Maggie. Every single good thing in her life ended up being about Maggie. Maggie got it all. Frankie was the one left in the shadows with nothing but herself and her demons. She never should have left base. Never should have come anywhere near this. Her life was perfectly fine without Maggie coming back into it. Without Bianca coming into it.
“Kendall, just go.” Bianca ordered before following her lover. “Go Kendall!”
“Alright, alright. Jeez. Sorry. Little early for you two to be having a lover’s tiff…”
“Kendall!”
“I’m gone.” The door closed.
“Frankie,” Bianca rounded the couch.
“What?” Frankie searched for her shoes.
“Stop. Wait. Please.” Bianca grasped her elbow.
Frankie shook her off, “I gotta go.”
“It’s not like that. It wasn’t like that. Not at all.”
“Doesn’t matter what it was.” Where were those damn shoes?
“What do you mean?”
There they were, “It was one night.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
She picked them up and leaned against the wall, sliding one shoe on.
“Will you stop?” Bianca took the other shoe from her.
“Can I have my shoe back?”
“Not until you listen to me.”
Seriously? This chick just used her as a replacement for her sister, and now she was holding her shoe hostage?
“I wanted to be with you last night. Not Maggie.” Bianca spoke firmly. “I felt a connection with you. I made love to you.”
“Whatever,” she shrugged.
“I don’t do one night stands. I told you that. I don’t want this to be for just one night.”
Frankie scoffed, “We met yesterday, got drunk, and slept together.” Sounded like a one night stand to her.
“I know. It was fast and not how I ever wanted it to happen, but it happened. It happened, Frankie, and I’m not ashamed of it or wanting to take it back. It was amazing. All I wanted when we woke up was to lay in bed with you. Talk with you. Learn more about you. Then, have pancakes and coffee and…I don’t know…watch tv or go for a walk. Spend time together.”
“Great, can I have my shoe back?”
“Frankie,”
She held out her hand.
“If I give this to you, are you going to leave?”
These shoes were made for walking, “No, I usually put my shoes on to take a shower.”
“Then, no, I’m not giving it to you. Not until we talk.”
“Talk about what?”
“Us.”
“There is no us! We met, had sex, and now I’m going back to Florida.”
“You came here to see your sister.”
“And instead I got fucked by the girl who’s in love with her.” A pain like she’d never experienced before bloomed in her chest, “Quite a trade-off.”
“I’m not…”
“What? In love with her? Did you love my sister?”
“At one time I thought I did. But, nothing happened. She’s straight and…”
“And you found the gay one with her face and body. Glad you put those searching skills to good use.”
“That’s not it.”
“Isn’t it? Does Maggie even know you wrote to me?”
The answer was clear on Bianca’s face. No, she didn’t.
With surprising speed, Frankie snatched her shoe back and slipped it on, “We had a good time together. Let’s forget anything else, alright?”
“I don’t want you to go.” Bianca blocked her. “I didn’t sleep with you because of Maggie.”
Frankie painted a smirk on her face, “Bianca, it doesn’t matter why you slept with me. I don’t care. I had sex with a hot chick for a few hours. That’s what I do. I don’t hang around and play house.”
“No…last night…”
“I was drunk and having sex. Now, I’m not.” Frankie stepped to the side to pass her.
Bianca moved with her, “Give me a chance, us a chance. At least stay for breakfast. Let me call Maggie. You two can reconnect. She would really like that.”
Frankie rubbed at her eyes, “I’m not in to helping you fulfill your fantasies involving my sister. How about we stop while you’re ahead.” She marched past Bianca and snagged her pack.
“If I wanted Maggie, why did I call your name last night?”
“I was so far gone I don’t even know what you called.” Lies.
“Please, Frankie.”
Frankie opened the front door, “If you don’t do one night stands, why did you sleep with me the first night we met if it wasn’t because of my sister?”
“Because you made me feel a way no one else ever has.”
How was this voice tugging at her heartstrings like a damn violin player?
“There’s something about you, Frankie. Something unique. Special. No one else I’ve ever met is like you.”
Like a Mozart or Beethoven.
“Please.”
“I have to be on base Monday.”
“I’ll drive you to the station when you have to go. I’ll drive the bus myself if I have to.”
Frankie curled her fingers around the strap, “I’m not Maggie.”
“I don’t want you to be. I want you to be Frankie. I like Frankie. I want to have breakfast with Frankie. I made love to Frankie. Let me spend time with Frankie.”
Sonofabitch.
“Make sure there’s lots of syrup.”
Bianca’s smile was blinding.
Author: Fabfan
Fandom: All My Children
Pairing: Frankie/Bianca
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Not my characters
Summary: Slightly AU. Takes place in 2003. What if Maggie arrived in Pine Valley first? What if Frankie never met Vanessa and took a different route in life? A different means of “getting out?”
Frankie slung her pack over her shoulder as the bus pulled away. She watched it go for a moment, dust and grit kicking up behind the large tires as the gargantuan vehicle pulled away from the station and back onto the highway. Exhaling softly, she turned away from the sight and headed in the same direction the bus came from. It was getting late, and it didn’t look like this was the sort of town to have taxis racing about ready to pick someone up at a second’s notice. Combine that with not really knowing anyone, and it looked like she was walking.
No big deal. She’d done plenty of walking in her time. At least she didn’t have to do it in time.
Her calloused hand reached the front pocket of her shirt, and she pulled out the crumpled envelope folded haphazardly inside. The ink was smudged and the edges of the once white paper were torn and ripped. Hefting her pack further up her shoulder, she flipped open the flap and slid out the letter. It was unexpected, that was for sure. She never in a million years thought something like this would come to her. Frankie unfolded the paper and, without thinking, her finger carefully traced the letter’s elegantly written words. In the dim light of the fading sun, she reread the message that was already memorized and stuck in her head.
The letter shouldn’t matter to Frankie. She should have just tossed it the minute she saw what it was and what is was about. There was enough stress and craziness in her life without having to deal with something like this. Yet, when she smoothed out the creased paper for the first time and scanned the neatly scrawled sentences, it was like a hand grabbed hold of her and wouldn’t let go. It dug deep down into her psyche and refused to budge. If Frankie even thought about trashing the letter, the grip only tightened. Her heart physically hurt in her chest. She got anxious and nerves tingled up and down her arms so badly she actually dropped a candy bar she’d been treating herself to once.
That got her a few looks.
Sure, she shrugged it off and picked up the candy bar like nothing happened. Sure, no one really called her out on it. Maybe there were a few cracks here and there, but that was it. No one cared that she kept a letter in her pocket every single day. That she checked to make sure it was there each time she left her bunk like it was an important piece of equipment anyone would be a fool to leave without.
No one said anything because they all understood. They might not know what it was exactly that she kept close to her heart, but all of them had something they cherished and held on to. A link to back home. To family. Love. Friendship. Hope.
This was Frankie’s token. The thing that kept her going.
Which was confusing and strange because it was a letter from someone she never met before.
Frankie swallowed as she glanced at the name signed at the very bottom. Bianca Montgomery. A faceless woman who haunted Frankie’s dreams at night. Chased away the demons and nightmares with gentle friendly words. It didn’t make much sense to Frankie why or how, but once she got that letter, it was as if a tiny chunk of the huge invisible weight that pushed down on her shoulders was chiseled away. For a long time, Frankie didn’t know what to make of it. She couldn’t ever remember not feeling the pressure, so having it slowly lift was startling. Sure, life was a lot easier and freer than when she was younger, but ghosts never go away, and she had a lot of them. This letter silently shoved at those ghosts and skeletons like no one in Frankie’s life ever had.
It was the first letter she ever got.
Frankie squinted her eyes as she recited the contents of the letter to herself, sneakers slapping soundly against the asphalt of the road.
Dear Frankie,
Hi. You don’t know me. We’ve never met, but I feel like I know you. I know that doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve heard so much about you I can’t help it. You see, I’m a friend of your sister Maggie. She’s my best friend, actually. We both go to Pine Valley University together. She told me about you. She told me about how you used to read whatever books you could get your hands on even though you never liked school. That you had a sweet tooth and would eat candy bars all the time. You would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you could.
She also told me you two haven’t spoken in years.
It’s not my place. But, your sister means a lot to me, and I feel like I’ve gotten to know you through her, and I can’t help but care about you, too. She doesn’t know I’m writing this letter. She doesn’t even know where you are. She told me she got out of where you both lived growing up and left you behind with your parents. She was going to return and find you, but by the time she was able to, you were already gone and no one could tell her where you went. She misses you. She’s studying to be a doctor. Your cousin David is a doctor, and they get along really well. She is dating a nice guy named Henry. She’s happy.
I hope you’re happy, too. It might be weird hearing that from a stranger, but I do. After she told me about how she misses you, I knew I had to find you. I searched and found out where you ended up. Please don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to stalk you or whatever, but I think it’d be nice if you two had the chance to reconnect. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but Maggie would like it, and you might too.
I also wanted to say I hope you stay safe. I would like to meet you one day. Put a face to the name. Yeah, you and Maggie are twins, but I think you get what I meant. If you ever want to write back, I wouldn’t mind. You probably have a lot of friends, but it could never hurt to have one more, and I would like it if I could call you a friend.
Anyway, I should finish this before it gets too long. It’s already longer than it probably should be. Stay safe, and I hope to meet you one day.
Yours truly,
Bianca Montgomery
Frankie peeked up to see her feet led her to a shop-lined street. People were milling about, lost in their own little worlds, not paying one speck of attention to the stranger. Blinking, Frankie refolded the letter and jammed it back into the envelope before turning it so the front faced her.
The front where Bianca Montgomery’s address was written.
Stopping on the sidewalk, Frankie rubbed at her face. Was this a good idea? Was she nuts? She had to be nuts. One of those mental cases that littered the news. Why was she there? In some town she’d never been to before far away from where she lived. Far away from her buddies and her favorite bar. Away from everything she knew and was comfortable with.
All because of a random letter from some chick that was crazy enough to write her. Who did that? Who wrote a stranger a letter saying she wanted to be friends? Was this preschool?
Saying that she knew about her from her sister.
What did Maggie tell her? Why was Maggie even talking about her? Maggie didn’t like her. They didn’t get along. Hadn’t since they were little kids. There was no way Maggie missed her. This was a joke. A prank or something. Maggie wouldn’t want to see her. Never had. And this Bianca Montgomery knew that. Had to. It was common knowledge.
Why had Bianca written to her at all? Why? Why mess up her life like that? Everything was fine before this letter dropped into her hands. It wasn’t perfect. Not all sunshine and roses, but it was her life. Sure, she thought about Maggie, but not enough to take a bus halfway across the country.
And yeah, she liked women, but boarding a Greyhound for Pennsylvania was different from throwing back a shot of whiskey and following some chick in a short skirt back to her bed for a few hours.
Not that she felt anything toward Bianca. She had never even seen her. Didn’t know what she looked like. What her voice sounded like. If she was cute or tall or what color her eyes were. For all Frankie knew, this woman was an insane ax murderer. Normal people didn’t write pen pal letters to their supposedly best friend’s twin sister who hadn’t spoken to said sister for years.
This wasn’t right.
She should get back on the bus. Walk back to the station and grab the first bus out of town. This was dumb. Stupid. She should have known better. None of these people wanted to see her. They didn’t want her coming to town. Maggie left her behind for a reason. Whatever this trick was, Frankie wasn’t falling for it.
Nodding to herself, she made a decision. She was going back.
As she began to turn around, that annoying hold on her heart squeezed a warning.
Damn it.
A step toward the edge of town, and the grip nearly took her to her knees.
Frankie let out a frustrated growl low in her throat. Her lips pursed harshly, and she curled her fingers into a tight fist. It shouldn’t matter if she ever saw Maggie or this Bianca. Frankie wasn’t that scared little girl desperately searching for a place in someone’s life anymore. She grew up. Got the hell out of her parent’s rundown trailer and made something of herself. She did that all without her twin sister by her side, perfect grades and girl next door charisma overshadowing Frankie at every turn. Maggie never needed her. Never really wanted her. Why start now?
The letter said Maggie didn’t even know.
Bianca was messing with things she didn’t understand. This was how the Stones worked. They were not family material. It was one reason why Frankie was as single as the day she was born. Commitment was not her forte. It never would be. She was by herself, and she liked it that way. No obligations, no worries. She didn’t need anyone. Besides, what would come of this? They’d say hi and then what? It wasn’t like Frankie was staying. She had to be back to Florida by Monday.
Yet, a tiny part of her was yelling at her to turn around. Go find this place on the envelope and see her sister. See this girl who took the time to track her down and say she cared about her.
Bianca Montgomery cared about her.
Frankie snorted. No one cared about her. Not like that. Yeah, there were buddies who cared if she lived or died, looked out for her, but not like…not like something Frankie didn’t want anyways. Not at all. Frankie didn’t give a damn about Bianca. She never spent time thinking about what she looked like. Wondered what she liked to do. Who she was. Didn’t pick up a pen and almost write back nearly every day for a month after getting the letter.
Nope. Frankie was as free as a bird and never cared enough about anyone else to think about them for one second let alone days.
A burning in her chest had her rubbing at it pitifully.
Damn heartburn was what it was.
If she were smart, she’d skip out of town. Return to her comfortable life far away from family and phantoms. Forget Bianca ever wrote to her.
With a silent curse, she spun around and marched further into town.
----
It only took another fifteen minutes to find the apartment building.
Another five to get to the right door.
Frankie set her pack against the wall and tugged at the ends of her long sleeves. The plain white shirt hugged her body, showing off her defined arms and slender abs. The cotton was warm against her skin, and the black leather bracelet felt tighter than ever around her wrist. The metal of her tags clinked mutedly against her chest. She could hear laughter and voices on the other side of the door. Her fingers tapped anxiously against her denim-clad thigh.
She shouldn’t do this.
She could still turn around and leave. No one would be the wiser.
Except, Frankie Stone wasn’t a coward.
Sonofabitch.
Gritting her teeth and locking her jaw, she quickly knocked on the door before her hand dropped lifelessly to her side.
The voices quieted down and footsteps could be heard moving toward the door. Frankie straightened her spine and pulled back her shoulders, as the door swung open.
The woman who answered it was faced away from her, chuckling at whoever was out of view. Her short dark brown hair blocked her face, the thick locks reaching toward her chin. With a shake of her head, the woman tilted her face around to see who was at the door.
Frankie’s breath caught in her throat at the beautiful heart shaped face that appeared.
She was stunning.
Brown eyes that seemed to be deeper than the ocean yet filled with so much humanity it nearly knocked Frankie off her feet. Flawless ivory toned skin with pale pink lips and smooth cheekbones.
The woman stared at her for a second, surprise and confusion flashing across her features before a huge smile took over, “Frankie?”
All Frankie could do was nod, voice stuck along with her breath.
“Oh my goodness,” her hand went to her mouth. They stared at each other for a second. To Frankie, it felt like an eternity and the blink of an eye all rolled into one static buzzed instant. Then, without warning, the brunette’s arms were wrapped around Frankie in a warm embrace.
It felt like nothing Frankie ever experienced before.
It felt like coming home.
“I’m sorry,” the woman pulled back slightly, a tiny hint of tears in her voice, “you don’t know me and I just attacked you but…I can’t believe you’re here.”
Frankie tried to smile, a small quirk of her lips cracking through. She fought to not think about how beautiful those brown eyes were or how amazing it felt to be held this way.
Or how much she suddenly wanted to taste those lips.
She pulled back fully, and Frankie almost pouted at the loss. “I’m Bianca.”
Clearing her throat, Frankie mentally barked at herself to get a grip, “Frankie Stone.”
“Wow…this is…it’s so good to meet you. I didn’t know if you got my letter or not, or if you even wanted to come visit. This is great. I’ve wanted to meet you for the longest time. Gosh, you look so much like your sister, but you’re different. I can tell.” Bianca rolled her eyes, “And here I am talking your ear off in the hallway. Please, come in.” She moved out of the way and gestured for Frankie to enter.
Blinking at the cheerful greeting, it took a moment for Frankie to comprehend what she was being told. No one was ever this excited to meet her before. Catching up, Frankie grasped her pack and slid past Bianca into the apartment. She quickly glanced over the place as she heard Bianca close the door and move around. It was a smaller apartment, a studio. It looked like a normal place. Furniture. Giant scary-ass painting of a three-eyed woman on the wall.
Black haired woman in business attire sitting on the couch.
“Frankie, this is Lena.” Bianca stepped up beside Frankie. She placed a welcoming hand on Frankie’s elbow, “Lena, this is Frankie, Maggie’s sister.”
The woman stood up and smiled at Frankie. It was nice, but nowhere near Bianca’s, “Hello, Frankie. It is a pleasure to meet you.” And, it seemed, she had a bit of an accent. Polish to be precise.
“Yeah,” Frankie dug her fingers into the strap of her pack, “you too.” Was she interrupting something?
Lena shot Bianca a look before walking toward the door, “I must be going. I have a meeting. Bianca, I will call you later. It was nice meeting you, Frankie.”
Bianca squeezed Frankie’s elbow before following Lena to the door. Frankie didn’t watch them, instead moving further into the apartment. She could sense them at the door, whispering to each other.
Yep, she’d interrupted something.
She didn’t know how she felt about that.
The sound of the door opening and closing again reached her ears, and Bianca’s voice spoke up, “I’m sorry about that. She has a really important meeting otherwise she would have stayed.” She walked toward the couch, “Please, sit down. Can I get you anything? Water? Juice?”
Now that she mentioned it, Frankie was thirsty, “Coffee would be good.”
Bianca stared at her, a smile playing at her lips.
Frankie dropped her pack and frowned, “What?”
“Nothing. It’s just…you sound so much like Maggie yet…I can tell you’re not her.”
Frankie shrugged. What was that supposed to mean?
Bianca’s face morphed, “Maggie! I should call her! She will be so excited to see you.”
“Wait,” came out before Frankie even fully processed Bianca moving to her purse on the kitchen counter.
Bianca paused.
Frankie scratched at the side of her neck, “Can you just…wait…on that?” She couldn’t handle seeing Maggie this soon.
Bianca nodded, understanding in her eyes, “Sure. I’ll make some coffee.”
“Cool.”
Bianca grinned and went the few feet further for the kitchen. Frankie could see her fiddling with a coffee machine, pulling down mugs and measuring out the water. She shook her head at herself. Here she was, in the apartment of a very attractive woman, and she was looking at the furniture and acting like a weirdo.
She needed to get her shit together.
“When did you get in?” Bianca asked.
Frankie strolled into the kitchen, “Half hour ago.”
“Was it a long trip? Where are you staying?”
“Not too bad. Had a window seat.” Frankie leaned against the counter next to Bianca, “View’s a bit better here, though.”
Bianca’s hand paused on the buttons, “Window seats are nice. Did you fly here?”
“Took the bus,” Frankie crossed her feet at the ankles, “I get enough planes at work, don’t need to be dealing with them on my time off.”
Bianca started the machine and turned to face her, leaning her hip against the counter, “Do you fly planes?”
“Not all Air Force are pilots,” Frankie winked, “Doesn’t mean I don’t know my way around a bird, though.”
“You didn’t want to be a pilot?”
“Thought I’d let Tom Cruise keep the wings. Not my style.”
“What is your style?”
Frankie smirked, “Intelligence.”
“Intelligence? Really?”
Frankie frowned, “What? Maggie tell you I’m too dumb for something like that?” Did she have to sound so surprised?
“No,” Bianca shook her head, “I mean, she said you didn’t like school but…” she pressed her palm to her forehead, “Let me try that again. Intelligence? That sounds really cool.”
Did she have to look so cute doing that? “Yeah, it is.”
“What is that like?”
Frankie leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper, “Top secret.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and chuckled, “Ok.” She put her hand on the counter, “Why the Air Force?”
“It was my ticket out.”
A glimpse of sadness flashed in Bianca’s eyes, “Maggie told me what your parents were like.”
“Oh man,” she did not need pity because her sister told some sob story.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“It’s fine.” Frankie did not want to talk about her parents, “What about you? All I know is that you like to write letters to girls you’ve never met before.”
“It’s not like that.” Bianca flicked her arm.
“Then what’s it like? You heard I was in the Air Force and just knew you had to see what a hot chick in a uniform looked like?”
“If I did, that didn’t work out.” Bianca pointedly gestured at Frankie’s jeans and shirt.
“Not supposed to wear it off base, unless it’s formal or whatever.” Frankie shrugged, “If I’d known, I would have made an exception for you.”
“Would you have gotten in trouble?”
“For you, it’d be worth it.”
Bianca’s smile grew, “You’re a flirt, aren’t you?”
“Only with beautiful women.”
“That sounds like a line. Do they teach you those at basic training?”
“Nah, they wait till our first assignment. I got that one from a pilot, though. That’s why you caught it so easily.”
“You have better lines?”
“So good, you don’t even know I’m using them.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah,” Frankie rested her arm across the counter, thumb brushing Bianca’s hipbone, “not that I need lines, though. You were the one to chat me up first. It was through a letter, but still…”
“I didn’t chat you up. I was trying to see if you wanted to reconnect with Maggie.”
“You didn’t want to meet me?” Frankie hooked her thumb over her shoulder, “I can go.”
“You are impossible, aren’t you?” Bianca laughed.
“I can be whatever you want me to be.” She was laying it on thick, but it felt good to be joking around like this.
“Be all that you can be?”
“Air Force, Bianca.”
“What’s that?”
“The army.”
“Oh, right.” Bianca playfully waved her hand, “My apologies Senior Airman Stone.”
“Ah, you know my rank.”
“Had to know who to address my letter to.” She slid closer to Frankie, “You never did answer my question.”
Frankie shifted, “Yes, I look hot in my uniform.”
“Not that!” Bianca huffed, “Where are you staying?”
She hadn’t actually gotten that far, “I saw a motel on the way in.”
“The Pine Cone?”
That was the name? Seriously? “I’ll crash there.”
“You could stay with me.”
Frankie faltered against the counter. Had she said, “with you?”
Bianca shrugged, “Sure. Why not?”
“If you wrote a letter to someone you never met, I guess it makes sense for you to let them stay with you.”
“I know you, Frankie.” Bianca sighed, “I know more than you think I do.”
Frankie glanced at the coffee machine, “You know what my sister told you from when I was ten. I’m not who my sister thinks I am.” She probably never was.
“I know.” The machine beeped and she picked up the mugs, “I’d really like to get to know who you’ve become.”
Frankie watched her pour the coffee and take the mugs to the small kitchen table. Why was this gorgeous girl so interested in her? It made no sense, “I’m not much for talking about myself.”
“That’s ok. I’ll take what I can get. Tell me whatever you want.” She sat down, wrapping her hands around the hot mug.
“I’m not Maggie.” She wasn’t going to spill her guts and be all buddy buddy.
“I know that.”
Frankie went to the table, “Not sure you do.” She sat down, kicking her legs out in front of her.
“I’m not sure you know me well enough to say what I do or don’t know.” Bianca shot back.
Frankie smirked.
“Sugar? Milk?”
“How does Maggie drink it?”
“With lots of both.”
“I don’t.” Frankie lifted her mug to her lips, “Black, no sugar.”
Bianca stood and went to the refrigerator, taking out the carton of milk, “I like a splash of milk and a little sugar.” She plucked the box of sugar packets from the counter, “Anything you don’t like to eat? Since I’ll be cooking tonight.”
Why did she want to memorize how Bianca took her coffee? “Nothing, but I tend to live off of Chinese take-out and pizza. No allergies, either.”
“I don’t like cauliflower.” Bianca sat down. “Right side or left side of the bed?”
“I assumed I was getting the couch.”
“Never said you weren’t.”
Frankie laughed, “Right side.”
Bianca’s lips quirked up, “Left.” She stirred in the sugar, “How long have you been in the Air Force?”
“Since I was seventeen.” And forged her parents’ permission to join.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s my life.”
Bianca bit her lip, “And…do you share that life with anyone?”
Frankie froze, “Like dating?”
“Yeah,” she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “Tell me, Stone. Do you have a girlfriend?”
Frankie swallowed, “Who says it’d be a girlfriend?”
Bianca gave her a curious look, “A boyfriend?”
“Neither.” Frankie traced the handle of her mug, “I’m not much for dating.”
“Maggie wasn’t either when she first got here. But, she’s had a few boyfriends since then.”
“Like this Henry guy.”
“She’s been with him for a while now. They were study partners for a science class. He’s a musician.”
Frankie’s eyebrow went up, “He uh, he’s an ok guy?”
“They’ve had their ups and downs, but I think he loves her.”
“Ok,”
“No one back home for you, though?”
“You with that Lena chick?”
“No.”
“But, you were.” She could tell. There was something between those two. A tension that wasn’t between two people who were merely acquaintances.
“We were.” Bianca’s eyes landed on the table, “But, it didn’t work out.”
Frankie didn’t know the appropriate thing to say to that. So, she just took another gulp of her coffee.
“I know this is very forward of me, and you can ignore me if you want, but are you gay?”
Frankie’s grip tightened, “Technically, I’m not supposed to be asked that.”
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Bianca breathed. “I forgot. I don’t know anyone else in the military so I never…”
“Forget about it.” Frankie twisted the mug in her palms.
“That must be difficult.”
“Like I said, I don’t date so it’s not that big of a deal.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not like you have to worry about it.”
-----
Bianca’s back smashed against the wall, the three-eyed woman painting rattling from the impact. She moaned as a hot tongue delved deeper into her mouth and a hand slid up her leg. She hooked her knee around Frankie’s waist, one hand fisted in the other woman’s hair as the other tugged at the back of her shirt.
It all started with the bottle of wine at dinner. Bianca cooked pasta, and she remembered a bottle of red wine a friend had given her as a house-warming gift when she moved in. By the time the bottle was empty, the two were lounging around the living room, talking about everything and nothing. Frankie made one remark about Bianca being a lightweight, and the younger girl took it as a challenge.
More shots of tequila than Bianca could count later, and Bianca’s mouth claimed Frankie’s so hot and fast it made her head spin.
There was no way Frankie could turn that down.
Especially when she’d had just as much tequila.
“Mmmh, Frankie.” Bianca pulled at the shirt, exposing the woman’s toned back. She scraped her nails against the skin.
“God, Bianca.” Frankie pushed into her, shivering as their bodies melded together. She cupped the back of Bianca’s thigh, pulling it tighter around her as she pressed against the juncture between the brunette’s legs. Her lips slid from Bianca’s, nibbling a path along her jaw. She slipped her fingers under Bianca’s shirt. The tips danced along her ribs before discovering the curve of her breast.
Bianca’s head fell back as a rough palm cupped her chest, rubbing teasingly across her nipple. Panting, she twisted her face and captured Frankie’s mouth in a searing kiss. With a grunt, she ripped Frankie’s shirt up. The shorter girl stepped back and let her lift it the rest of the way off before diving back in. Bianca gasped at the bare skin open to her touch. “Bed.”
Frankie rolled her nipple between her fingers, “No…time.”
“Bed…please, honey.” Bianca nipped at her bottom lip.
Frankie allowed herself to be maneuvered back. They stumbled around, finally collapsing on the bed in a tangled heap of limbs and flesh.
Bianca crawled up Frankie’s body, sucking at her collarbone and licking the hollow of her throat. Frankie arched up as Bianca’s hips pressed down on hers. Her mind was hazy with alcohol and need, stars flashing in her eyes as hunger growled in her veins.
Bianca hovered over her, lips swollen and rumpled shirt pushed up enough to reveal her bra, “I…I don’t…do…”
Frankie leaned up and kissed her, grabbing the shirt and pulling it the rest of the way off.
Bianca broke the kiss, leaning her forehead against Frankie’s, “One night stands. I…make love…to…my girlfriend.”
“Ok.” Frankie ran her hands over her body, fingers tripping along the bumps of her spine.
Bianca smoothed her hands over Frankie’s flat belly, “Means something.”
Frankie flipped them over, lips melting into Bianca’s. She fumbled with the button of her jeans, making a tiny growl in the back of her throat that caused Bianca to giggle. The giggle turned into a gasp, though, as the button gave way and the zipper went down. Frankie’s hand worked into the opening, pushing inside her underwear and meeting scorching heat.
“Frankie,” rang in the woman’s ear.
Frankie kissed her face, “Beautiful.” Her fingers became coated in wetness.
“Oh god,” fell from Bianca’s lips as Frankie entered her.
Frankie slowly thrust in and out, “So beautiful. Feel so good.”
“Baby,”
Frankie kissed her mouth, swallowing each breath.
“Don’t stop,” Bianca whispered against her lips, “Don’t ever stop.”
Frankie looked into passionate brown orbs, losing herself in them as she felt Bianca succumb to her touch.
----
Sunlight was bad.
Very bad.
Frankie groaned as the evilness attacked her closed eyelids like a knife. Her head pounded like a jackhammer and her mouth felt like a cotton ball had been shoved into it.
God, she felt terrible.
Yet, at the same time, she felt better than she had in a long time. Which made no sense.
Her muscles ached and her bones creaked sorely as she rubbed at her face. She pushed half of it deeper into the pillow, blindly trying to hide from wakefulness. She needed to sleep. Wake up when she didn’t feel like a gorilla tried to eat her after going all Donkey Kong smash on her little body.
A slender arm draped over her hip from behind, a graceful hand flattening over her stomach as a warm naked body cuddled up to her.
She stayed the night at some chick’s house? She’d need to leave soon. But not now. Now, she needed to sleep. A lot. Without the damn sunlight.
A mouth brushed the shell of her ear, “Frankie?”
Frankie murmured, “What?”
The voice was gravelly with alcohol and sleep, “Morning.” She placed a tender kiss to the curve of her throat.
Frankie snuggled further into the pillow, “Sleep.”
“’k” the woman’s face nestled against her back.
Sensing the oblivion of slumber…or passing out…fast approaching, Frankie unconsciously linked her hand with the one on her belly.
A very loud, very obnoxious knock slammed against the front door like a demonic torture device.
“No, g’way.” Bianca mumbled against Frankie’s shoulder.
Frankie couldn’t help but grin at how adorable she sounded. Bianca was cute.
Bianca.
Frankie’s eyes opened a fraction. She had sex with Bianca.
And it was amazing.
The knocking didn’t stop.
With a grumble, Bianca slowly crawled out from beneath the sheets and stumbled to her feet. Frankie watched her, eyes half open. That body looked like a goddess in the sunlight. Frankie felt something in her chest, that damn hold on her soul, squeeze as the sheets fell away and Bianca stretched, the length of her nude body doused in an ethereal glow. It was like a work of art from heaven.
She clearly needed an aspirin and another hour of sleep.
Bianca trudged to the closet and lethargically pulled on a robe. She peered at the bed, a lazy happy smile on her face, “Hey.”
“Hey.” Frankie reluctantly rolled to a sitting position. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and ran a hand through her mussed hair, ruffling it even more.
The knocking got louder.
Bianca glared at it, “Sorry.”
Frankie waved a hand.
Bianca ignored the door for a second longer, padding up to Frankie and dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll make breakfast. Pancakes ok?”
Frankie nodded, her head tilting against Bianca’s stomach as she croaked, “Coffee.”
“Lots of it. And bacon.” Bianca ran her hand through the messed up locks, smoothing them out and placing another kiss against them before staggering toward the door.
Frankie grudgingly bent over and spied her shirt. She slipped it on, not caring that it was inside out. She reached for her blue jeans, not seeing where the hell her underwear ended up. Slowly, she pulled the denim on as she heard the door open.
“What the hell were you thinking?” a new voice nearly shouted, causing Frankie to close her eyes at the headache the screech produced. Couldn’t she screech quietly?
“Kendall?” Bianca asked.
Frankie rubbed the back of her neck, debating if she could stand up or not.
So much for being able to hold her liquor.
“I am trying to do this family thing, but you cannot leave me alone with our mother like that.”
“Leave you alone?” Bianca clearly was as lost as Frankie.
“Dinner? Last night? We were supposed to have that Kane Family reunion where we all sing kumbaya and hold hands.”
“Oh, no. I completely forgot.”
“I’ll say. Have company Binks?” There was a slight pause then, “Oh my god.”
“No, Kendall. It’s not…” Bianca began but was cut off.
“Maggie? Oh wow. Way to go Binks.”
Frankie opened her eyes and looked up to see Kendall smirking at her. Rising to her feet, Frankie steadily ambled toward the duo. Guess this Kendall knew her sister, too.
“It’s not…”
“I didn’t think you had it in you.” Kendall eyed Frankie. “I mean, I know you’ve been after her for a while, were madly in love with her, but I thought you’d finally given up on that crush.”
Frankie stopped dead in her tracks.
What. The. Hell?
Bianca’s face froze in horror.
“I know you two had something going on, but I didn’t think she’d ever give in. Nice job. I understand why you skipped dinner.” She winked at Frankie, “Found the Sapphic side more appealing, Mags? This why you haven’t gotten back with Henry yet?”
It all became clear, like that stupid sunlight. Bianca didn’t want her. She wanted Maggie. Cue the twin sister. Bring her in. Frankie worked just as well as Maggie for a night.
“No, that’s not it. It’s not true.” Bianca moved toward Frankie.
Frankie stepped back from her. How dumb could she be? Thinking this chick actually wanted her. Of course she wanted Maggie. Everyone always wanted Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Maggie was the smart one. The nice one. The one who got out of town because she was smart and resourceful, not because of Uncle Sam. She was the one everyone liked. Not Frankie.
“Frankie,” Bianca pleaded.
Frankie shook her head and turned, ambling over to her forgotten pack. It was all a ruse. A lie. The letter. Wanting to be her friend. Get to know her. Want her. Them making love. It was all a sham. A con. She’d been played. It burned in her chest like a branding iron. It was always about Maggie. Every single good thing in her life ended up being about Maggie. Maggie got it all. Frankie was the one left in the shadows with nothing but herself and her demons. She never should have left base. Never should have come anywhere near this. Her life was perfectly fine without Maggie coming back into it. Without Bianca coming into it.
“Kendall, just go.” Bianca ordered before following her lover. “Go Kendall!”
“Alright, alright. Jeez. Sorry. Little early for you two to be having a lover’s tiff…”
“Kendall!”
“I’m gone.” The door closed.
“Frankie,” Bianca rounded the couch.
“What?” Frankie searched for her shoes.
“Stop. Wait. Please.” Bianca grasped her elbow.
Frankie shook her off, “I gotta go.”
“It’s not like that. It wasn’t like that. Not at all.”
“Doesn’t matter what it was.” Where were those damn shoes?
“What do you mean?”
There they were, “It was one night.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
She picked them up and leaned against the wall, sliding one shoe on.
“Will you stop?” Bianca took the other shoe from her.
“Can I have my shoe back?”
“Not until you listen to me.”
Seriously? This chick just used her as a replacement for her sister, and now she was holding her shoe hostage?
“I wanted to be with you last night. Not Maggie.” Bianca spoke firmly. “I felt a connection with you. I made love to you.”
“Whatever,” she shrugged.
“I don’t do one night stands. I told you that. I don’t want this to be for just one night.”
Frankie scoffed, “We met yesterday, got drunk, and slept together.” Sounded like a one night stand to her.
“I know. It was fast and not how I ever wanted it to happen, but it happened. It happened, Frankie, and I’m not ashamed of it or wanting to take it back. It was amazing. All I wanted when we woke up was to lay in bed with you. Talk with you. Learn more about you. Then, have pancakes and coffee and…I don’t know…watch tv or go for a walk. Spend time together.”
“Great, can I have my shoe back?”
“Frankie,”
She held out her hand.
“If I give this to you, are you going to leave?”
These shoes were made for walking, “No, I usually put my shoes on to take a shower.”
“Then, no, I’m not giving it to you. Not until we talk.”
“Talk about what?”
“Us.”
“There is no us! We met, had sex, and now I’m going back to Florida.”
“You came here to see your sister.”
“And instead I got fucked by the girl who’s in love with her.” A pain like she’d never experienced before bloomed in her chest, “Quite a trade-off.”
“I’m not…”
“What? In love with her? Did you love my sister?”
“At one time I thought I did. But, nothing happened. She’s straight and…”
“And you found the gay one with her face and body. Glad you put those searching skills to good use.”
“That’s not it.”
“Isn’t it? Does Maggie even know you wrote to me?”
The answer was clear on Bianca’s face. No, she didn’t.
With surprising speed, Frankie snatched her shoe back and slipped it on, “We had a good time together. Let’s forget anything else, alright?”
“I don’t want you to go.” Bianca blocked her. “I didn’t sleep with you because of Maggie.”
Frankie painted a smirk on her face, “Bianca, it doesn’t matter why you slept with me. I don’t care. I had sex with a hot chick for a few hours. That’s what I do. I don’t hang around and play house.”
“No…last night…”
“I was drunk and having sex. Now, I’m not.” Frankie stepped to the side to pass her.
Bianca moved with her, “Give me a chance, us a chance. At least stay for breakfast. Let me call Maggie. You two can reconnect. She would really like that.”
Frankie rubbed at her eyes, “I’m not in to helping you fulfill your fantasies involving my sister. How about we stop while you’re ahead.” She marched past Bianca and snagged her pack.
“If I wanted Maggie, why did I call your name last night?”
“I was so far gone I don’t even know what you called.” Lies.
“Please, Frankie.”
Frankie opened the front door, “If you don’t do one night stands, why did you sleep with me the first night we met if it wasn’t because of my sister?”
“Because you made me feel a way no one else ever has.”
How was this voice tugging at her heartstrings like a damn violin player?
“There’s something about you, Frankie. Something unique. Special. No one else I’ve ever met is like you.”
Like a Mozart or Beethoven.
“Please.”
“I have to be on base Monday.”
“I’ll drive you to the station when you have to go. I’ll drive the bus myself if I have to.”
Frankie curled her fingers around the strap, “I’m not Maggie.”
“I don’t want you to be. I want you to be Frankie. I like Frankie. I want to have breakfast with Frankie. I made love to Frankie. Let me spend time with Frankie.”
Sonofabitch.
“Make sure there’s lots of syrup.”
Bianca’s smile was blinding.