No cookies for Gee! :(

This is the story of four little boys. Frankie, a cute, hyperactive ball of fun...

Ray, a little puffy-haired sweetie pie...

Gee, a sensitive, sweet little angel...

And Mikey, a glasses wearing meanie, but because he is also Gee's little brother, he kind of gained his place in the group by default.

This is the story of the day, that Frankie discovered that he liked his best friend a little more than he already thought he did...

That Ray played follow the leader, and picked the wrong leader...

That Gee went from a happy little angel, to a sad weeping one...

And that Mikey finally showed his true colours, and everyone saw that they were black!

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7 year old Gee's grandma Elena had given him some money for being such a sweet little angel, and sitting with her when she wasn't very well. They'd talked about his school and his friends, they'd listened to music, and Gee had shown her how good he was at reading now, by reading his Harry Potter book to her, with only a few mistakes along the way, and he'd drawn her countless pictures of superheroes that would come and make her better. And he did all this, without even being asked.

Gee was just a genuinely nice little boy, and he loved his grandma Elena very much.

She'd given him $30, a huge amount for Gee, and he even told her it was too much, but she insisted, and after a little mild arguing, he gratefully accepted it, though secretly, he decided to give some to his mum, cos he knew how hard she worked, and she was always scrimping and saving, especially when dad was away, and they never had very much at the end of the week.

But when he went to give it to her, she wouldn't take it. She said it was his, and he should spend it on whatever he wanted to, and she wouldn't let him spend it on something as boring as housekeeping.

Gee thought long and hard about what he wanted to spend his fortune on, and eventually decided on some new paints and proper artists pencils that he'd seen in the window of the little art supply shop in town.

So, he asked his mum to take him down that Saturday morning, and he bought his chosen items, and still had nearly $5 left over.

"Why don't you buy some cookies, and share them with the boys?"

His mum asked as they were heading back toward home, just about to pass the grocery store.

Gee's face lit up, and he decided that yes, that's what he'd do.

Dragging his mum by the hand, a huge grin plastered on his sweet little face, Gee ran into the shop and headed straight toward the cookie aisle.

"Can I get these ones mummy?"

He smiled up at her, sweetly, as he pointed to a large pack of double double, chocolate chip cookies.

Donna chuckled softly, ruffling her sons long black hair.

"Of course you can..."

She sighed.

"...it's your money, sweetie."

Gee picked up the packet, and they both went to the checkout to pay.

As Gee handed $4 over to the girl behind the counter, a voice rang out to him from the shop doorway.

"GEEEE!"

Turning his head quickly, Gee saw his best friend, Frankie, pulling his own mother over toward him, with that familiar cheeky grin on his happy little face.

"FRANKIE..."

Gee cheered, throwing his arms around the smaller boy, and momentarily forgetting all about the cookies.

"Why weren't you in school yesterday? I had to eat lunch on my own."

Memories of that bigger boy taking his candy bar made him want to cry again. The boy wouldn't have dared do that if Frankie had been there.

Frankie sniffed and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his bright green hoodie, thankful his mum was too busy talking to Gee's mum to notice.

"I wasn't well..."

He sniffed again, the smile never leaving his face.

"Mummy took me to the doctor..."

He shuddered slightly, grabbing onto Gee's arm and pulling him closer, whispering out as his grin finally dropped.

"He gave me a...shot."

Gee's eyes grew wide and teary, as he pulled Frankie back into a hug.

"Oh Frankie..."

He whimpered.

"Did it hurt lots?"

Trying to act brave for his friend, knowing how afraid Gee was of needles, Frankie shook his head and grinned again, pulling back a little, so Gee could see his smile, but not enough to break their embrace, cos he really liked hugging Gee.

"Nah..."

He giggled.

"It was nothing..."

Gee didn't look convinced.

"Honest Gee. I'm fine...see?"

He stuck his arms out to the sides and grinned the biggest grin he could manage, hoping that this would be all the proof Gee would need, cos if it wasn't, he didn't really know what else to do.

Gee seemed to consider this for a moment, then decided that Frankie would never lie to him, and he let his own smile spread back onto his face.

While the boys had been distracted, Donna had finished the cookie purchase, collecting Gee's treat, and his change, then she and Frankie's mum Linda had steered the boys outside, without them even noticing.

The two women had been making arrangements while Gee and Frankie caught up, and they were pretty sure the friends would approve.

"Gee?...Frankie?..."

Donna said, grabbing their attentions. Both boys looked up at her with sweet toothy smiles. Donna chuckled, noticing that Frankie had lost a tooth recently, and it just made him look even cuter.

"You boys fancy a sleepover at our's tonight?"

Eyes wide, and with cheek splitting grins on their faces, Gee and Frankie started jumping up and down, and shouting "YES YES YES" at the top of their lungs.

The mothers rolled their eyes fondly, then Linda gently stopped her son from bouncing like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, and bent down to his level, to ensure she had his full attention again.

"Ok Frankie..."

She started, once he'd calmed down enough to listen.

"You're going to go home with Gee and his mummy now, and I'll bring your pyjamas over later, ok?..."

Frankie nodded so hard that Gee, who was watching the exchange intently, worried that his head might fall off...happily, it didn't.

"Promise you'll be a good boy Frankie?"

"Yes mummy..."

Frankie smiled his most innocent smile.

"I'll be good."

He had one hand tucked behind his back, and his fingers crossed, but he would never do anything really naughty, honest.

Linda kissed Frankie on the cheek, telling him she'd see him soon, then turned and headed off home.

Frankie turned toward Gee and frowned slightly, as his friend's eyes grew wide, then he burst out laughing.

"Whaaat?"

The smaller boy whined. He didn't get the joke.

Gee calmed himself after a moment, then pulled the end of his sleeve down over his right hand, and rubbed it softly over Frankie's cheek.

"Lipstick..."

He explained, a little giggle escaping his lips as he saw that the bright pink mark didn't seem to want to go away. He rubbed a bit harder, and this time it worked.

"There!..."

He exclaimed.

"All gone"

Frankie grinned up at Gee, then they both turned toward Donna, as she "Awwwed" at their cuteness.

"Ok boys, let's go..."

She ushered them along the sidewalk toward where she'd parked her little red car.

"Do you want to call Ray, and see if he wants to sleepover too?"

"Yes please mummy..."

Gee smiled up at her happily, letting her take his left hand while he grabbed Frankie's with his right as they approached the big road they had to cross to get to the parking lot.

"It'll be like a party."

He grinned, knowing Frankie would love this idea too.

"Well, if it's a party..."

Donna said seriously.

"...then you have to invite Mikey too."

Gee's face dropped. Sure, he loved his little brother, but the boy could just be so mean sometimes.

"But mummy..."

He whined.

Donna raised an eyebrow at him, and Gee gave in. That look meant he was not getting his way on this.

"Ok mummy."

Staring forlornly at his feet, Gee dragged his shoes along the pavement, trying to figure out a way to make Mikey be nicer to him. After a few silent minutes, while Frankie attempted to cheer his friend up with a story about the funny man in the doctors waiting room, who tripped over his shoelaces and fell on his bum...Gee only vaguely smiled at this...he suddenly realised that he had the perfect thing to get his little brother to be nice...the cookies!

After this realisation, Gee was a much happier little boy.

The short journey home in the car was filled with excited chatter from the back seat, as the boys talked about all the fun games they planned to play that night, while Donna drove quietly, and wondered just what she had let herself in for.

As she parked the car in the driveway, the boys were already unclipping their seat belts, and looking to her for permission to open the doors and get out.

Donna nodded as she undid her own belt, and the boys were off.

Once in the house, Gee and Frankie charged off upstairs to Gee's bedroom, as Donna brought in the things that Gee had bought on their trip.

After she'd put the bags on the kitchen table, she fished her cellphone out of her pocket and dialled her friend Julie's number, as she waited for the coffee machine to finish her much needed drink.

The phone rang twice, then the other woman's voice sounded down the line.

"Hi Donna. What's up?"

Donna poured herself a cup of black coffee, then sat down at the table and sighed.

"I've kind of shot myself in the foot Jules."

She blew on her drink to cool it down, and listened as Julie asked her what she'd done now.

"Well..."

She began, taking a sip and wincing, cos it was still too hot.

"I thought it would be a fantastic idea to let Gee have a sleepover with Frankie, and I even suggested that Ray join them too..."

Donna could hear her friend laughing down the phone.

"Hey, don't laugh...I'm already regretting it."

Julie composed herself somewhat.

"And let me guess..."

She said between giggles.

"Don's away this weekend...am I right?..."

Donna groaned, and thumped her head down on the table. Julie sighed.

"I could say that Ray can't come, if that would help?"

Donna sat back up, turning the idea over in her mind, then rejected it.

"No..."

She said, resignedly.

"This is a treat for Gee. He's been a bit down lately, what with Elena having to go back into hospital again."

"She's still bad?"

Julie asked, gently.

"Yeah..."

Donna replied.

"...and just between you and me?..."

She lowered her voice and looked toward the stairs.

"I don't think she's got long left."

"Oh Donna, I'm so sorry. I know you're close."

Julie felt bad for her friend.

Donna sighed for like the tenth time in the last half hour.

"Not as close as Gee is to her. It'll devastate him when she dies..."

She took another sip of her now slightly cooled drink.

"He needs this sleepover, it'll do him good..."

She nodded to herself.

"So, can Ray come over?"

Julie agreed, and said she'd bring him over in a few minutes. Then the friends hung up their phones.

Mikey had been at his friend Bob's house all morning, but now he was back.

Bob and his mum had just dropped him off home, on their way to the market, and Gee could quite clearly hear his little footsteps as they thundered up the staircase.

Gee had promised his mum that he'd invite Mikey to join his party, but he really didn't want to.

"Go on Gee..."

Frankie pushed him gently toward his bedroom door.

"He's not that bad."

Gee rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to live with him."

He moaned, but allowed himself to be steered into the hallway, and over to Mikey's closed door.

Sighing dramatically, like the diva in training that he was, Gee knocked on the door.

"Come in..."

Mikey called. Gee tentatively opened the door and stuck his head inside.

"What do you want?"

The younger boy grumped, seeing his nervous brother's pale face in his room.

"I just..."

Gee wanted to run away now, but Frankie was stood right behind him, blocking his path.

"I'm having a sleepover with Frankie and Ray, and mummy said I had to ask you to come...I got cookies?"

That was an ok invite, right?

Mikey thought for a second, then a devilish smile spread across his pink lips, and he looked up at Gee, with as innocent an expression as he could manage.

"Of course I'll come Gee..."

He cheered.

"I even know a good game we can play."

Now Gee was scared, but he decided that whatever Mikey had planned couldn't be all that bad, seeing that Frankie and Ray would be there too. Quashing his concerns, Gee smiled at his brother.

"Ok then. I'll call you when Ray gets here."

And Gee slipped back out the room and closed the door.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Gee and Frankie charged down the stairs, Gee shouting to his mum that he'd get it.

Skidding to a stop at the front door, Gee flung it open with a big grin on his face, and was greeted by a huge fro-topped hug.

"GEEE..."

Ray squealed, lifting the younger boy up and spinning him around. Gee yelped, and Frankie giggled from behind him as Ray set him back on his feet.

"I missed you."

Ray had been moved to a different school a couple of months back now, and the boys barely even got to hang out any more...this was a treat for them all.

Donna appeared from the kitchen and smiled at her friend.

"Hi Jules...coffee?"

The two women headed off into the kitchen, while Ray kicked off his Vans and asked Gee and Frankie what the plan was for tonight.

"Well..."

Gee explained.

"...you two go up to my room, and fetch Mikey from his..."

Gee still hated that bit.

"...and I'll go get the cookies."

Ray's eyes lit up at the mention of cookies, then he and Frankie were racing each other up the stairs, with calls of "Last one up gets a wedgie" and "You can't beat me, I'm Batman" heard as they went.

Gee giggled as he watched them disappear around the corner at the top of the stairs, secretly hoping that Frankie won the race, cos he really didn't want his best friend to get a wedgie today.

Walking into the kitchen, Gee saw his and Ray's mums sitting at the table, already deep in conversation, each holding a steaming cup of coffee.

"Mummy?..."

He asked, sweetly. Donna turned to smile down at her little angel.

"Can I take the cookies upstairs?...pleeease?"

He gave her puppy dog eyes, and she melted in a second.

"Of course sweetie..."

She pushed his fringe from his eyes.

"Go fetch a big bowl, and I'll open them up for you."

Meanwhile, upstairs...

"I got a great game we can play..."

Mikey said excitedly, the other boys sitting criss-cross on the floor opposite him, and waiting for details.

"It's like playing jokes on each other..."

Frankie looked confused, so Mikey continued.

"We'll do the first one on Gee, cos we can plan it before he comes back..."

He grinned, mischievously.

"When he brings the cookies up, you both distract him, and I'll take his share out of the bowl and hide them."

"I don't get it."

Frankie said, his little face screwing up, as he tried to work out what comes next.

Mikey sighed.

"Then I say 'lets play Pirates', and you two gotta make sure Gee says 'yes'...and we play for a bit, then I'll say that Gee has to walk the plank, and we'll tie him up."

Mikey looked proud of his plan, but Frankie wasn't so sure.

"I don't know Mikey..."

He said, interrupting Mikey's speech.

"I don't think Gee would like that game."

"I've not finished..."

Mikey snapped, and Frankie fell silent, glancing toward Ray to see if the older boy was buying this...it seemed he was.

"So..."

Mikey carried on quickly.

"...then we eat our share of the cookies, and pretend like we ate his too."

"He won't like it."

Frankie whined, but Mikey's mind was made up, and apparently Ray's was too.

As they heard light footsteps coming up the stairs, Mikey sent Frankie a "Shut up or else" stare, and the smaller boy reluctantly complied.

Entering his bedroom, Gee saw his two friends, and Mikey, all sat on the floor.

Mikey and Ray were looking up at him with big goofy grins on their faces, while Frankie stared down at his hands.

"Frankie?...what's wrong?"

Gee asked, plopping down onto the carpet between Frankie and Ray, and placing the large bowl of cookies in the middle of them.

"He's fine..."

Mikey assured.

"He just banged his knee a minute ago."

Gee looked at his best friend.

"Does it hurt Frankie?"

He asked, always worried about the smaller boy getting injured.

Frankie looked up with moist eyes.

"It's...it's ok."

He stuttered out, then looked back down as Mikey gave him a mean glare. Perhaps Gee was right about Mikey.

"That's a lot of cookies."

Ray said in awe, distracting Gee from his concerns.

"Oh, yeah!..."

Gee turned and grinned at his fro-haired friend.

"Grandma Elena gave me some money for sitting with her when she was ill."

"Let's play a game..."

Mikey cut in, wanting to get his evil-genius plans under way already. Ray and Gee cheered this idea, but Frankie still didn't like it, and really wanted to tell Gee his brother's plans. Mikey stood up.

"Let's play pirates, and the cookies can be the treasure."

As it turned out, Gee didn't actually need to be persuaded to play, as his new favourite movie was The Pirates of the Caribbean, and he loved the idea of being Captain Jack Sparrow.

Frankie was reluctant, but in the end Gee was the one to talk him around, and even drew some tattoos on him, to help him get in character, including a scorpion on his neck, that he said he liked the best...even though it tickled.

So, Mikey hid the cookies...and the game began.

Mikey had decided that he was Davy Jones, cos he liked that weird squidy face...and it also made him a bad guy, so he could capture poor, unsuspecting Gee.

After about half an hour of having sword fights with toy lightsabers, cos they didn't have toy swords, Mikey felt it was time for the next stage.

Pulling a move on his brother that he'd seen on TV one time, Mikey disarmed Gee, and announced that he'd caught Captain Jack, and that he had to be tied up, and made to walk the plank.

Gee's exuberance for the game wavered a little when Mikey mentioned tying him up, but he figured that Frankie wouldn't let anything bad happen to him, so he went along with it.

Mikey had found some rope in the garage the previous week, and had been trying to think of a way to use it against his sensitive older brother, and now seemed the perfect opportunity.

"It's got to be tight Gee..."

Mikey said, securing Gee's hands together with the rope, as the older boy sniffed a little and said that it hurt his wrists.

"...so it looks real, and we can take a picture."

He pulled out his PS Vita, and snapped a quick shot to see how it looked.

Gee pouted.

"It still hurts."

"Can't we loosen them a bit?"

Frankie asked, but was shot down by Mikey, and surprisingly, by Ray.

"You wanted to play this."

Mikey spat at Frankie, accusingly.

"No, I didn't."

Frankie huffed.

"It's ok..."

Gee's small voice broke through the fight. Frankie turned to look at him.

"Really, it's not that tight."

Mikey seized the given opportunity, and ran with it.

"Excellent!..."

He cheered triumphantly as he tied the rope around Gee's tiny waist, locking his arms down, so he couldn't move them.

"Now, it's time for Davy Jones and his new crew..."

He slapped Frankie and Ray on their backs.

"...to fetch the treasure, and share out the loot."

Going over to Gee's wardrobe, Mikey opened the door, and picked up the bowl of cookies.

He had told Frankie and Ray that he'd taken Gee's share out already, that he'd hidden them in Gee's sock drawer. He hadn't!

Bringing the cookies over to the other boys, his "crew", Mikey said with a big grin on his face...

"We win, eat up pirates."

Mikey and Ray started munching on cookies, but Frankie hesitated, and looked over at Gee.

The restrained boy was starting to get scared again now.

"Err...M-Mikey?..."

He whimpered as he watched his "friends" eating the cookies without him. Mikey didn't answer, and just stuffed another cookie in his mouth.

"Frankie?...R-Ray?"

Frankie was about to go over there, Mikey could tell, so he leaned toward the older but smaller boy and hissed a warning in his ear, quiet enough so that only Frankie heard it.

Frankie's eyes grew wide, and he swallowed uncomfortably, turning to look at Mikey to see if he was serious. Apparently, all he saw in the other boy's eyes was truth.

Holding back a small sob, Frankie shakily picked up a cookie, and took a little bite. He couldn't honestly say he wanted them any more.

Gee could feel tears starting to well up in his big hazel eyes, but he had no way of wiping them away.

He wasn't even that bothered about the cookies anymore, he'd only got that kind cos they were Frankie's favourites. What did upset him though, was that his friends were ignoring him now, like; they'd got the cookies and now they didn't even care if he was even there or not.

Did he do something wrong? Did they not want to be friends with him now? Did...Frankie...hate...him?

And now the tears were falling down his pale cheeks, and he tried to hold in his sobs and sniffs, but he couldn't.

Frankie heard the pained noises, but a sharp pinch on his arm drew his scared eyes back to Mikey's cold ones, and he returned to nibbling that one same cookie that he'd started off with.

Within about 20 minutes, the bowl was empty, all except 1.

"Mikey?..."

Frankie sniffed, picking up the cookie.

"Can I untie Gee now?...and give him his cookies?"

Mikey snatched the last tasty treat from Frankie's tiny fingers, and shoved it in his mouth..for such a skinny kid, he sure could eat a lot!

"What cookies?"

Mikey laughed, before jumping to his feet and running from the room.

Frankie and Ray sat in shock. He couldn't mean what they thought he meant, could he?

The boys looked over at Gee's wardrobe, at his sock drawer, where his share of the cookies were supposed to be...they had to be!

Frankie scrambled over to the drawer, and basically emptied it onto the bed. Socks, socks, and more socks...but not one single cookie...not even a crumb.

They'd been tricked, and now Frankie felt even worse, cos he'd believed the bit about Gee's share...he hadn't even questioned that for a second.

Turning slowly around, Frankie locked eyes with Ray, who seemed to be pleading with his now, and shook his little head. Then, both boys turned to look at Gee.

Gee was sat in the corner, bound tight with rough rope that they could now see was cutting into his little wrists till they were red, his head bowed so low that they couldn't see his face at all, while quiet sobs shook his light frame...it was a heartbreaking sight, and Frankie just wanted to hold Gee close, and tell him he was sorry...but he wasn't sure Gee would ever let him hug him ever again.

Frankie stepped cautiously toward his best friend, who, it occurred to him, meant more to him than anything else in the world, and dropped to his knees with a small thud.

For a moment he just sat there, not sure what to do, then his fingers reached for the ropes that held Gee prisoner. Gee flinched away, his breathy gasp, loud in the silent room. Frankie placed a small hand over Gee's tied ones.

"Let me help you Gee."

He whispered, and the other boy relaxed to allow him to undo the binds.

After a minute of struggling with a particularly stubborn knot, Frankie looked over at Ray, and the older boy finally moved over to help.

They worked in silence, save for the quiet sobs and cries coming from the distraught boy between them. Neither knew what to say, and when they'd finished, Gee just stood shakily to his feet, and left the room.

Frankie and Ray stayed sat on the floor.

Gee walked slowly down the stairs, he could hear his mum and Julie still talking in the kitchen...they would probably be on their third cup of coffee by now.

Taking a deep shuddery breath, Gee pushed the kitchen door open and stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Quietly he stood against the wall, with his head down, his hands hidden behind his back, and his cheeks wet. It was nearly two minutes before Donna noticed him there.

"Oh, Gee sweetie...you startled me..."

She laughed, hand going dramatically to her chest. But after a moment of him not replying, she realised something was wrong.

"Gee?...what happened?...are you alright?..."

She stood up from the table and crossed the room to her clearly upset little boy, and crouched down in front of him.

"Baby?...what's wrong?"

All sign of the happy laughter she'd shared with Julie was gone now, and in its place, a mother's deep concern for her sweet, sensitive little angel.

Slowly, and still with his head down so he could hide behind his curtain of raven-black hair, Gee brought his hands around in front of him.

He heard a frightened gasp as the two women saw the thick red abrasions on the little boys delicate white wrists, and fresh tears flooded down his face as his mum scooped him up into her arms and carried him over to her seat at the table, sitting him down on her lap and brushing his hair from his face.

"Oh baby..."

She saw his tear-stained cheeks.

"Who?"

Was all she could manage to get out before he collapsed into a weeping mess against her chest, clinging to her blouse with shaking fingers, and burying his face in her neck.

Julie placed her hand on Donna's arm.

"I'm gonna go talk to the boys."

She said gently, then got up and left the room when she received a small nod in reply.

Gee was inconsolable, and Donna was on the verge of calling Don back from his work trip, when a small broken voice whispered out in the still, slightly coffee scented room.

"Mummy?..."

Gee's eyes lifted to meet Donna's, and she knew that she would rather die than see that level of sadness in her baby boy's eyes ever again. She smiled softly at him to continue, because she wasn't sure that she could trust her own voice right at this moment.

"Mummy, why do they h-hate m-me?"

His bottom lip quivered, and his face screwed up in despair.

"Oh, sweetheart..."

Donna cooed, holding him close and stroking his hair tenderly.

.Baby, they don't hate you...I'm sure they don't..."

Her voice wavered at her son's grief, and she swallowed back her own tears, for his sake.

"You know Frankie doesn't hate you...that little boy adores you, you know he does."

Donna and Linda had often talked about how close their boys were, and they had both decided that if they were to ever end up as a couple (cos even at such a young age, it was pretty obvious to both mothers that their sons were gonna be about as straight as a rainbow) then that would be alright with them.

Gee sniffed pitifully, and Donna grabbed him a tissue from a box on the table. After he'd wiped his sad red eyes, and blown his snotty red nose, he looked up at her through his lashes.

"I don't th-think Frankie wants t-to be my f-friend anymore."

He stumbled over his words as exhaustion started to take him over, his eyes barely able to remain open.

Donna pressed a kiss to the top of his head as his eyes drifted closed again.

"Sleep my angel...everything will be ok."

Then she picked him up in her arms, and carried him through to the living room.

Sitting down on the sofa, she watched as her baby curled up in her lap, and started to suck on the tip of his thumb...like he always does when he's upset or scared.

She still didn't know what had gone on upstairs, but whatever it was she'd get to the bottom of it...and whoever was responsible, would be in a whole heap of trouble.

A few minutes later, Julie tiptoed back down the stairs, with Frankie and Ray close behind her.

"It was Mikey..."

Julie said, a little reluctantly.

"He told them all they were going to play a game, but it was all a trick. He took Gee's share of the cookies, and he threatened little Frankie."

Donna felt like she was going to be sick.

"Are...are you sure?"

She asked weakly. She didn't want to believe her little Mikey could be so cruel. Julie nodded and looked to the ground. Donna sighed in defeat. WORST SLEEPOVER EVER!!

Looking at the two little boys, hiding behind Julie's long skirt, peeking out shyly, Donna knew she had to ask.

"Frankie?..."

He gasped, and hid a bit more like he was afraid of being told off.

"It's ok Frankie, you're not in trouble..."

He looked up at Julie, then stepped slowly toward Donna, and his sleeping best friend on her lap, as she smiled kindly at the plainly frightened little boy.

"Gee thinks you don't like him anymore..."

She said softly.

"That's not true, is it?"

Frankie felt a new wave of tears and unidentifiable emotions flood over him at those words.

"No!..."

He said, maybe a little louder than he should've. Gee stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Frankie saw this, and quietened himself down.

No, that's not true..."

He whimpered a bit.

"I love Gee...he's my bestest friend in the world."

The look on his face was enough for Donna. She knew Frankie would've never hurt Gee on purpose.

"Come sit down Frankie..."

She nodded to the other end of the couch. Frankie sat.

.Now, I've got to go and talk to Mikey..."

She saw Frankie flinch at her younger son's name, and it made her sad.

"...so I'd like you to look after Gee while I'm upstairs, ok?"

Frankie nodded quickly, and Donna transferred the sleeping boy from her lap, to Frankie's. He wrapped his thin arms around his friend, and couldn't help but think how cute he looked with his thumb stuffed in his mouth like that.

Donna headed off upstairs, and soon the sound of raised voices rung throughout the house.

Julie sat in the armchair, across the room from Frankie and Gee, with a quiet, nervous Ray on the arm of the chair, absently playing with his fro.

She knew this hadn't been Ray's fault at all, but he'd gone along with it, and she would have to think of a suitable punishment for that...maybe no Skittles for a month?...too harsh?...oh well, she'd think about that when she got home...when she got him home...no sleepover tonight.

Frankie wiggled Gee and himself around on the sofa, so that they were both laying down, and Gee was cuddled up against his chest. How could Gee ever doubt Frankie's feelings for him? Frankie never had!

Humming in content, Frankie closed his eyes and before you could say "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of Number 4, Privet Drive", he was asleep, softly snoring and wrapped around his sweet little Gee.

By the time Donna came back down stairs, it was getting late.

"I better get Ray home."

Julie said quietly, trying not to wake the sleeping boys from their dreams.

"He's welcome to stay."

Donna replied, though honestly, she was kind of glad that there would be one less child for her to deal with...especially after the events of today.

"No..."

Julie assured.

"...you've got your hands full already..."

She glanced up at the ceiling. Donna knew what she meant.

"But we'll all get together soon, yes?"

The two old friends agreed that they'd try this, or maybe a day out, at some point soon. But for now, they hugged each other goodbye, Donna ruffling Ray's fro to prove to him that she wasn't mad at him for what happened, and then Julie and Ray were gone.

Sighing deeply, Donna made herself a coffee, her seventh one today, then flopped into the armchair in the corner of the room and watched as the two little boys slept peacefully in each other's arms.

Yes...one day she was sure, those two would know what everyone else already knew...that they would always have each other, no matter wHat life throws at them.

And they would always be able to have more...cookies!

THE END!!!

Notes

Hi there chipmunks...
so this is my second ever one-shot. It's based entirely off the title pic, which I saw, and just thought was the cutest thing ever. it's a lot longer than my first one, but it's also so COMPLETELY different from anything else I've written on here, that I'm a little worried how it's going to be received.
so, please comment, and let me know if I did ok, or if I should stick to chapter fics again from now on.
peace out babies, goodnight
<3