I've Been Here All Along

My dreams were filling with nothingness as I laid on Frank. His warm body gave me the comfort I needed to fall straight asleep. It didn't last long enough. I woke myself up and 3:00 in the morning for no reason what so ever. I had no nightmares, I wasn't cold, and nobody tried to wake me up. I didn't have dreams at all so I was surprised when I was wide-eyed in Frank's arms.

"Olivia, I think you should take the day off. Go stay with your sister." Frank said smiling. The ambulance was still here meaning, so was Claire and my parents.

"I'll go talk to my parents." I said yawning. I unwillingly unwrapped myself from his body and opened my door. The cold air hit my legs in a swift breeze and it made me shiver and want to run back to Frank's warm body. I talked myself out of it , even though it was quite tempting. There was chatter and chaos downstairs in the kitchen.

"You're saying Travis Hanny, the chief's son, raped your daughter?" I overheard and police man ask.

"Yes, Claire has come home many nights with fresh bruises and cuts. He comes over almost every night and beats her profusely." My father said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Why haven't you called the police before this incident?" The officer asked skeptically. He was pissing me off from just hearing his words, and my mother and father have been talking to him for half the night. My dad was already fuming and my mother was just a wreck. Her head was in her hands while she sat on the couch. Her black hair was tangled and in knots falling off the side of her shoulder's, which were shaking as she cried.

"Because, we knew this would happen. The law would never believe us but I beg you. Please look into it. This whole family has been scarred for too long because of that kid. I beg you, please." My dad was almost in tears as he begged the officer. He was right, our family has been scarred for too long.

"Alright, we'll see what we can find. If you too would like to ride with your daughter you may." The officer said pointing to the ambulance. I took that as my chance to walk the rest of the way down the stairs and talk to my dad, seeing as my mom was already making her way out the door to the ambulance.

"Hey dad?" I asked tentatively. I leaned on the counter and looked at him.

"What is it kiddo?" He said rubbing his eyes. He looked absolutely exhausted. His bags were dark and prominent, his voice was hoarse, and tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Could I ride with you guys?" I asked looking at the ambulance. I could see a glimpse of Claire in the small window and she still wasn't awake. She looked almost....dead looking.

"Not right now kiddo, you stay and if Travis comes in my .22 is under my bed. You remember how to use it?" He asked shifting into his shoes.

"Yeah. Call me as soon as you can okay? I'll have one of my friends drive me up to the hospital after school." I said running a shaky hand through my knotted hair.

"Alright that's fine. Just try and get some sleep okay?" He asked calmly and I nodded. Officers filed out of the house before my dad shut the door and I locked it. I closed the curtains on all of the window's and it was a,most pitch black, save for the light's above the island. School wasn't coming fast enough for me. I know, sounds weird right? But, school meant distraction and distractions were needed right now.

"Olivia?" I heard Frank call from my bedroom.

"Yep, still here." I yelled back folding my arms on the counter, letting my head drop onto them.

"They didn't let you go?" He asked much closer than before. I jumped up and held my hand over my heart in shock. He was standing by the counter now staring at me with worried eyes. The hazel stood out under the dim yellow lights, the green flakes dancing in his concerned eyes.

"Nope, I'm gonna have a friend take me tomorrow." I said rubbing my eyes before putting my head back on my arms. His footsteps echoed in the empty space. His hands were on my back and rubbing in less than a minute.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you, Olivia." He said and a frown was evident in his voice. I smiled and let a tear slip out of my eye.

"You know Frank you're too good for this world. You literally don't belong down here. What are you doing? You could be up there prancing with horses and shit. Why did you decide to come down here?" I said crying into my arms. Claire deserves to be protected, not me. I was selfish and prayed for myself and not her and I just can't wrap my head around it.

"Olivia... Olivia, look at me." He said calmly, the rubbing on my back gone.

"No. I look like shit." I said laughing at myself. The fact was I didn't want to look at him because I know I would cry more. Not a whole lot of people care about me and just to know that he does makes my heart warm.

"Olivia, look at me please," Frank said pulling me up to face him. I let myself be pulled and opened my eyes. More tears came down my cheeks at the sight. "I do it to help people like you." His eyes sparkled as he spoke and I jumped into him, wrapping my arms around his middle section. He wrapped his long arms around me as well, smoothing out my hair.

"Thank you Frank." I said through my choked sobs. Sometime in this endeavor he put me on the counter, giving my legs a break and letting my head rest of his chest easier.

"It's okay," He said rubbing the back of my head. His prominent chin rested on my head allowing me to cuddle into his neck. Despite him not taking a shower since he got here and no signs of deodorant, he smelt good. Like earth, and water mixed together to create a good mixture of scents. I wish they sold that at Walmart. "Let's get you in the shower. You stink." He whispered the last part before chuckling. He lifted me off the counter and situated himself so I was easier to carry.

"You know I can walk right?" I whispered, not taking my head out of his neck.

"Yeah. I just have this odd feeling that you like when I do this." He said sarcastically. I laughed and smacked his arm.

"Yeah yeah." I said blushing deeply. He carried me up the stairs without making a sound. He set me on the the counter in the bathroom and walked out. I took that as a sign that I could get naked and pulled my shirt off. I was about to hop off the counter and do my shorts but Frank walked in with more clothes and a towel.

"So I picked you out something to wear to school today. I don't know if you'll like it but here it is." I stood there in my bra, horrified. He walked around the bathroom like nothing wrong. He placed a black fluffy towel on the rack and turned on the shower. "Do you need help or?" He asked pointing to my shorts and bra.

"No!" I exclaimed blushing even more. I crossed my arms over my bra and scoffed. "I'm not getting undressed with you in here." I said stubbornly. He smirked and shook his head.

"I'm sorry I forgot that you guys aren't naked down here." He said shrugging.

"You're naked all the time?!" I exclaimed looking shocked.

"No, I'm just fucking with you. Sorry about this. The last person that I had to protect always got naked in front of other people. It was quite uncomfortable for me." He said walking toward the door. "It's 4:00 now so be out by 5:00 I'll be back by then." He said wrapping his hand around the door handle.

"Where are you going?" I asked checking the water in the shower.

"Out, I'll be back soon." He said shutting the door lightly. Before he could come back in I locked the door and stripped the rest of my clothes off. The water was warm when I finally got into the shower. Frank had picked out a red dress with black leggings and red converse, which surprised me because it was my style. While I was showering Frank ran through my thoughts non-stop and I found my hands running over places they shouldn't and I stopped myself as soon as I realised.

"Damn it. He's gonna know." I said to myself as I finished washing.

"Who's going to know what?" Frank asked from behind the shower curtain. I almost slipped as I jumped and dropped a bottle of shampoo.

"Dang it, Frank. Please stop scaring me." I said discreetly trying to change the subject, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Sorry, I really don't mean too. Who's going to know what?" He asked again. He's not going to fall for that shit. He's an angel.

"Nothing. Do I have to get out now?" I asked running my hand under the now cold water.

"Sadly, yes. I brought breakfast and made you and Gerard's coffee." He said as I turned the shower off.

"How did you know that Gerard wanted coffee? And how do you know Gerard?" I asked peaking my head out from the shower, hiding the rest of my body. Frank pointed to his head and I nodded remembering that he can read minds. I blushed remembering what I was just about to do to the thought to him but pushed it out of my head before he could focus on reading my mind.

"Olivia, your mind is racing. What are you trying to hide?" He asked leaning against the counter. I grabbed the towel and began drying myself off behind the shower curtain.

"Just school. Seeing Justin, that's Travis' brother by the way." I said frowning.

"Yeah, it's weird you're trying to think of something to cover something up. Are you alright? You know you can tall me anything, right?" He asked his voice sounding worried from behind the shower curtain. I smiled at his concern for me and giggled.

"Yes, and can you please get out? I want to get dressed." I asked chuckling.

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot about the... naked thing." He said and I heard his footsteps recede, but the door didn't shut. Unless he could walk through walls! Nope. As I pulled the curtain open I wrapped the towel tightly around my waist, and the door was wide open for all the see. I brushed my hair and began putting my clothes on in a rush so Frank couldn't come out and see my goods. I brushed my teeth and grabbed my shoes from the counter. I stopped in my room and grabbed my bag which had some books and my sketchpad in it.

The wooden stairs were cold under my bare feet as I walked down them. Frank was in the kitchen cleaning up. A plate was sitting on the counter with eggs and fruit, freshly cooked and chopped. I smiled and tried to remember the last time somebody made me breakfast, as I quickened my pace. The aroma in the air was amazing. Fruit, eggs, and coffee all mixed together was the scent that was my life. Frank, I noticed, had changed into a black jacket with black jeans and the same dirty converse he wore the first time I saw him.

"After you eat, your makeup is in the bathroom down here. Since I knew you would forget it I brought it down here. Am I taking you to school?" He asked while putting some dishes away. I dropped my shoes by my chair and sat down. My mouth watered looking at the strawberries and kiwi on my plate.

"Are you coming with me?" I asked picking up the fork and shoveling food into my mouth. The taste was even better than the smell.

"If you still want me too. I went to the school and signed up this morning. She said I could start today, with a little persuasion done on my part." He said smiling to himself.

"Of course I want you too." I said with my mouth full. I finished off my plate in only a few bites, which made me feel fat, but I really didn't care because it was so good. I put my plate in the sink finished my small cup of coffee and ran to the bathroom. My makeup, toothbrush, and toothpaste were waiting for me on the bathroom counter and I smiled. laying on my thick black eyeshadow I began to hum. I didn't know the song but it just came to mind and I was really liking it. I had already brushed my teeth and I was feeling like a million bucks.

"Are you ready?" Frank asked from the doorway as I was packing up my stuff. I jumped a little but he didn't seem to notice. He has scared me like three times today and I was really not appreciating it right now.

"Yep, did you grab yourself a bag?" I asked grabbing some socks from the laundry room as I made my way to the kitchen to get my shoes.

"Yeah. It's in the car." He said pointing to the door. I was shocked at first to hear he had a car and we weren't teleporting to school.

"Car?" I asked untying the red hightops.

"Yeah. Being an angel has it's perks." He said smiling down at me. He held two thermos' in his hand and I guessed one of them was Gerard's but I was just worried about the car right now. I grabbed my keys, bag, and phone before walking out the door after Frank. With the door locked and everything I needed in my hand I turned and saw the most gorgeous car I've ever seen.

"An Impala!" I asked walking over to the sleek, black car.

"Yeah. Isn't she sweet." He asked opening the door for me. I sat down gently and marvelled at the leather that I was sitting on. The smell of the car was amazing by itself. She smelt exactly like Frank always does. Like Water and Earth. Frank hopped in and started up the engine. The seat under me vibrated and I gasped smiling as the smell of gas hit my nose. I buckled my seatbelt and we took off down the road looking at the trees and the kids as I past. My hair flew back as I cranked the window. The cold september air bit at my cheeks and nose as we went over the hills leading to school. The trees cleared and Hell made way into our views.

"Shit." I mumbled under my breath as I watched kids hurry into the doors. Frank picked a parking spot close to the doors and I rolled up the window watching as kids looked at the car, shocked.

"Are you ready for this? We can go home right now if you want to." Frank said turning to me in his seat. The engine rumbled underneath me and I took a deep breath in.

"Who else is going to give Gerard his coffee?" I said chuckling. And with that, he shut off the car and ran around to my side, opening the door for me. I thanked him, took the coffee, and we made our way into Hell.

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