"Oh fuck no!"I shouted in shock.
Everyone was looking confused except for me and Linda. She was dead white, fear spreading across her face and I was pretty sure I looked similar if not more angry.
"I- Are you sure?"Linda said softly as Frank came running into the room.
"Whats going on? I heard Gerard shout,"He looked round at everyone. His eyes fell on Linda's face and he dropped to his knees in front of her, taking her hands.

"Frank your- its- he- but I thought-"Linda stuttered, fanning her face.
"Gerard whats going on?"Frank said, not taking his eyes off Linda's pale face,"Someone get her some water!"He barked. Pete shot to his feet and out of the room.
"Malcolm Griffiths. Cole is working with Malcolm Griffiths..."I said slowly.

"I dont understand... Who is he?"Mikey piped up from on the other side of room as Pete came back in and handed Linda the water who took it and gulped it down, setting the glass on the floor next to her.
"Malcolm is-"Linda started to say but I couldnt stop myself.
"A fucking abusive shit eating maggot,"I spat and walked over to Linda, taking her face in my hands and looking at her seriously,"Its gonna be okay. I wont let him get to you. I'm gonna find him and I'll kill him myself."

"Will someone please tell us who the hell Malcolm is?"Frank threw his hands up in the air.
"Your father,"Linda said weakly,"Thank you Gerard. But thats not needed. I can handle him."
"No- Linda. I saw what he did to you. I was-"I glanced at everyone before saying in a more quiet tone,"I beat him off of you."

"You what?! Jesus christ you two. How long do you go back?"Frank snorted slightly. Good. At least he wasnt angry.
"We met properly at the therapist. I had never seen him at school before but when he was out walking one day, this was before we were at the therapist, he was heading the same direction as me and realised Malcolm was following me so he followed to see what was gonna happen and he saved me,"Linda said matter of factly.

Frank turned to me, a look of admiration on his face. Boy that was a nice look to get from him.
"After that we just- sort of became good friends. Then Cole started on him in school and then I got to see him more often. We grew closer with me working at the school. And then of course he fought back and made the whole school scared of him. But no... It was nice having someone close to me again,"Linda smiled. Frank's face flashed with doubt and something else for a second before being replaced with that sweet sweet look.

"Okay none of this matters because the fact is Cole is working with that fucker and he is obviously over here if he... He... Jesus fucking shit mother fucking hell..."Frank faded off.
"What?"We all said in unison.
"I- thats who I've been seeing. You remember yesterday? When I said I had kept seeing someone vaguely familiar. Always in the distance but always watching me? Fucking him. God,"He groaned and rubbed his face,"I cant believe Sam is his son. Shit that means he's my half brother..."

"We've gotta get you guys back to Jersey. The longer we're all here, the more risk there is for everyone back there,"Linda stood up and walked out, calling for Claire as she went.
"We only just got here though..."Ray mumbled quietly.
"I know. Once this is over you guys can come back here and we'll celebrate with a massive party,"Frank sighed and rubbed his face,"But for now? We've gotta get moving."

-time lapse-

"God I'm so glad you're taking over,"Frank sighed against my chest.
"I'll be glad to give you a break,"I smiled and kissed the top of his head. It had been an hour since the weirdest meeting in existence and right now Frank and I were watching the guys put their suitcases in mine and Linda's cars.

It hadnt taken long for Linda to literally make a few calls and have our plane tickets ready. I still had to run over to mine with Frank so we could grab our shit but otherwise we were driving to Washington in an hour and flying to Jersey from there, arriving back home close to midnight. I was already stressing out about taking over but I didnt want to tell Frank cause I knew he'd just stop me from taking over.

The truth was, despite me liking being the leader and knowing that I could probably sniff Cole out easy, I was scared now. Malcolm Griffiths was a fucking scary man. He was just like in the movies with that big hulking shape and a heavy brow. Thick beard and tattoos all over him. But not nice tattoos like Frank's. Just big black scary things on his arms. Frank's had meaning to me and him. But Malcolm's were more of a 'I'm tough I've got tattoos' sort of type.

Back when I had seen him attack Linda, the only reason I had done anything was because I knew the cops would take too long. Oh dont get me wrong I had called them straight away but after two minutes he was still beating her and there had been no cops. So I had of course gone running our from behind the dumpster and into the alley to dive on him. It had worked for a moment but he had just punched my temple and had gone back to Linda.

God that had been horrible. Lying on the ground. Dizzy as I watched her face become less and less distinguishable. He had stopped to stare at her and that was when her face had fallen to the side and she'd looked at me. She looked so scared. It just made me kick my leg out and trip him over. That had been it really. As soon as he was on the ground I was up and kicking him. And then, Linda, the amazing woman, had gotten up and taken off her heel and shoved it straight through his arm.

After that he had swung his arm out and had gotten away with her heel still stuck in his arm. The fact that he had a shoe in his arm and he had still ran away, scared the living daylights out of me. I didn't want to deal with him again. He was a dangerous man and if he was working with Cole then it made things even worse. I was scared shitless and sooner or later, no matter how hard I tried to hide it, Frank would find out and send me back here.

"You okay?"Frank looked up at me, scanning my face.
"Yeah I'm fine... I was wondering though..."I said slowly. A thought popping into my head,"When Linda said that we became good friends... You had doubt on your face... And something else... I cant figure it out though..."

"Oh... Uh... I uh... Hmm,"Frank looked away from me.
"What?"I moved away from him so I could look at his face. He was blushing and looking ashamed,"Frankie what is it?"
"I- well when Mum said you guys got close or whatever the- the first thought that crossed my head was you guys had- you know..."He blushed even more.

"Wait wait wait you mean you think me and your Mum-"I stared as he somehow managed to go an even brighter shade of red and look away,"Dude! No! No way oh my god!"
"I'm sorry okay! I- It was just for a second stop looking at me like that- jesus man,"Frank stumbled away from me slightly.

"Frank thats- thats just wrong! I mean- not that- not that I wouldnt-"I started to say before back tracking,"Not that I've thought about it! I just- uh- fuck. Lets just-"
"Forget this ever happened?"Frank smiled at me through his hair.
"Sounds good,"I nodded eagerly, certain I was as red as Frank now if not redder.

"You boys got your stuff?"Linda called from her car.
"Oh fuck. No, We'll get it for you now,"I snorted as Frank burst into giggles next to me. Linda gave us a look before going back in the house.
"Come on dork. Lets go get our shit,"Frank sniggered and grabbed my hand, tugging me towards his car.