Title: The Five Times Frankie Didn't Cheat and Die

Author: Fab_fan

Fandom: All My Children

Pairing: Frankie/Bianca

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

Summary: The five times Frankie Stone did not cheat on her girlfriend and end up murdered.

1

Bianca raced through the park, taking it as a shortcut to Opal's. Angry tears streamed down her face, and she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. How could she! Her mother wanted to plant drugs on Frankie! She was going to make Frankie get arrested and sent to jail just because she couldn't accept that her daughter was gay and in love with another woman. A woman Erica despised. God, she hated her. She hated her mother. To do something like that - to take advantage of Frankie's past troubles with drugs just so she could get her away from Bianca - was horrendous. That would ruin Frankie's life, and her mom didn't even care. She didn't care that she would send an innocent girl to jail just as long as she got her way.

Bianca wiped at her tear stained face. Didn't her mom understand? She was in love. She was in love with Frankie, and Frankie loved her back. Her mother thought Frankie was lying. She didn't believe Frankie felt something real for her. But, Bianca knew. She knew it because she trusted it. She trusted in the way Frankie made her feel like she was special. When she was with Frankie, she felt like she could do anything and be anybody. With one look, Frankie could make her believe that everything was going to be ok. Gosh, Bianca had been so happy before she walked into that office. Had it only been an hour since Frankie had confessed to loving her? Hearing those words slip from Frankie's mouth made her heart flutter like she never experienced before. Not even with Sarah, the first girl she had ever dated. She should have stayed there. Instead of staying with Frankie, she had run off because she was supposed to meet her mother. When she could have been with the girl she loved, and who loved her back, she was arguing with Erica Kane.

Bianca rushed around the bend, her feet nearly stumbling over the loose gravel. She kept her balance, though, too determined to find her girlfriend and forget about hearing her mother say she had been planning on wrecking Frankie's life - wrecking Bianca's life, too. If Frankie went away, was forced to leave her, Bianca couldn't take that. She wasn't going to let her mother ruin this. Not when she finally found someone who loved her the way she wanted to be loved. Not when she found the one person she could see a future with.

A future she wanted more than anything.

Rubbing the tears from her eyes, Bianca looked up. When her eyes landed on the park bench a short distance away, her feet crashed to a halt.

Frankie was sitting on the bench. She would recognize her slouch anywhere.

Inhaling sharply, Bianca sprinted toward the bench. Frankie was there! All she could think was that she needed Frankie, and there she was. Tiny pebbles and dirt kicked up behind her heels as she skidded up to the bench. "Frankie!" she joyfully cried out.

Bianca flew onto the bench beside her and went to pull her into a hug, but paused as Frankie almost jumped off the seat. The blonde's eyes were as wide as saucers, and her mouth gaped open. Bianca frowned. That was not the greeting she was expecting.

"B-Bianca." Frankie choked out. She blinked and shook her head, "What...uh...are you doing here?"

"I was coming to see you." were Frankie's eyes red? "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Frankie flicked her hand behind her over the bench, "Why wouldn't I be?" She narrowed her eyes slightly and leaned forward, "Are you ok? You look like you've been crying."

Bianca wiped at her wet cheeks, "My mom..." how could she explain what her mother was going to do?

"Oh, right." Frankie nodded, "You were gonna meet her."

"I was." something seemed off with Frankie. It was like she wasn't fully there.

Frankie swallowed and scratched at her head, "Did she say something? What'd she do?"

"It was about us. She still doesn't accept us." her nose twitched. There was a pungent smell in the air. What had Frankie thrown behind the bench?

Frankie smoothed her hand over her hair, "She just doesn't like me, Bianca. She hates me."

Bianca leaned forward so her face was inches from Frankie. The blonde went cross-eyed for a second at the suddenly close face. Then, she tried to turn her head and move backwards, but Bianca lightly grabbed her chin, "Your pupils are blown."

"Are they?"

"Frankie, are you high?" she'd never seen Frankie like this before, but she'd seen others.

"What? What are you getting at, Bianca?" Frankie got defensive. "Huh?"

"Frankie, are you here doing drugs?" alone after telling her she loved her.

"So what if I am?" Frankie jerked out of her grasp. "You know I've done stuff, and you said it didn't matter."

That wasn't true. She didn't judge her, but that didn't mean she wanted Frankie getting stoned. She didn't want Frankie anywhere near drugs. "Frankie, why are you doing drugs?" She worked to keep her voice even and soothing. She was desperate to know, but she'd known Frankie long enough to know the girl could clam up easily.

"I just am. What's the big deal?" Frankie shifted away from her, her shoulder turning to block her face from view.

Bianca bit her lip. "It's a big deal, Frankie."

Frankie's voice came out choked, "Now's not a good time, Bianca."

"Why? Because you want to get high by yourself? You don't want me to know about it?"

"You already know."

"Yeah Frankie, you told me you've done drugs sometimes." After her mother had learned Frankie was an addict - her words - she told Bianca and acted like it made Frankie a horrible person. Well, Erica Kane had her own bout with drugs and getting clean, and Bianca was not going to judge just like her mother had repeated over and over in her book and school lectures. "You said you did it to feel better. Do you need to feel better about something?" Bianca felt her stomach clench at what that something might be.

"Just back off, alright?"

"No."

"No?" Frankie's voice grew panicked, "What do you mean no?"

"I mean I'm not backing off, Frankie. I love you, and clearly you need to talk about something."

"I don't need to talk about anything. Go back to your mom and tell her how much of a druggie I am and leave me alone."

Bianca took a deep breath, forcing herself not to react. Frankie was wanting to pick a fight, but Bianca wasn't going to let her, "You say it's no big deal."

"It isn't." Frankie quickly agreed.

Bianca scooted closer to her and softened her voice, "Then why are you feeling so guilty?"

"I'm not!" Frankie glanced up at her.

In the half second peek Bianca had at her eyes, she saw the tears and pain flashing strongly. Frankie was feeling guilty about getting high. "Are you ashamed I saw you like this?"

"Stop." Frankie ground out.

"Are you upset I saw you when you're weak?"

"Stop it."

"Is it because of why you're getting high?"

"Don't."

Bianca didn't want to think it let alone say it, but she had to. Stealing herself, she uttered, "Are you getting high because you told me you love me?"

Frankie's face crumpled. She wheezed in air, failing at keeping the tears from breaking across her face, "Damn it, Bianca."

Bianca felt her stomach drop. She knew Frankie had trouble saying the words. When Bianca had told her how she felt, Frankie had freaked out. She said no one ever said that to her, not even her family, and she didn't know how to love. She couldn't say it back because she didn't know how to, and she refused to lie to Bianca. "Frankie, it's ok." It wasn't, but Frankie was breaking down.

Frankie shook her head and pressed her palm to her eyes, "I..." Her voice trailed off as she gulped down a sob.

Bianca touched Frankie's arm, battling her own sob, "You told me what you felt for me earlier. If I pushed you, or made you think you had to say it," her mom couldn't have been right, could she? Had she forced Frankie into feeling like she had to say those words even if she didn't really mean them?

"No, no." Frankie repeated, her body shaking.

"Frankie, if it was too soon, if I made you feel like..."

"God, Bianca!" Frankie ripped her hand away from her eyes and stared at the brunette. Bianca gasped at the look. So much was swirling in the enlarged brown orbs, "I meant it. You didn't force me."

She didn't understand, "Then what is it? Is it my mom? She won't do anything to you." Bianca wouldn't let her.

"You don't get it."

"Try me."

Frankie bit her lip, "There's so much going on." She looked at the ground, and it was like she was talking to herself, "Everything is falling apart and it's all my fault. I'm ruining everything."

"Hey, hey." Bianca rubbed smooth circles on her back, "You're not ruining anything. This isn't going to ruin us. Ok? I'm not going to stop being with you because you got high today."

Frankie peered at her, "There's so much you don't know about me."

"You'll tell me one day."

Frankie stared at her for a moment, and Bianca felt the intensity throughout her body. Then, without warning, Frankie lunged forward. She grabbed the back of Bianca's head and smashed their lips together. Bianca moaned at the kiss, not used to Frankie being so forward.

Frankie pulled back and touched her forehead to Bianca's, "I love you." The words were a broken whisper.

"It's ok, Frankie. It's ok." Bianca soothed.

A sob croaked out, "I won't do it anymore. I told her I won't."

Bianca's brow furrowed in confusion, "Told who what?"

Frankie kissed her again, "I am going to be with you. I am. I don't care anymore. She can go to hell. All of them can." She cupped Bianca's face, "I'll take care of you."

Bianca didn't understand what Frankie was talking about, but she could hear the conviction in her tone. She wrapped her arms around the crying girl and pulled her into her body, "Shhh, I love you. We'll take care of each other."

They sat there until the sun set.

2

Bianca sat there in stunned glee. Frankie had said she loved her. She said those three words. Bianca replayed them over and over in her head. Frankie loved her, too! "I wished for it, too. I couldn't help it!" Her smile spread across her whole face, "Thank you."

"Hey, don't dissolve on me." Frankie joked, but there was a touch of concern in her eyes. She must have noticed Bianca was getting really emotional.

"No, I won't. I won't." she promised. Frankie wasn't too comfortable with a lot of emotions. Bianca was sure it stemmed from her past, but Frankie wouldn't go into it too much. She hoped maybe one day she would. Especially now that they both knew they loved each other.

"So, we both got what we wanted, huh?" Frankie asked, an unfamiliar gleam in her eyes.

"Yeah," that gleam made her wonder, "what's the matter?"

"I didn't get you anything - I mean, like the locket."

Bianca felt her insides melt at the sweet confession. She'd given Frankie the locket her father gave her before he died. It meant the world to her, and she wanted Frankie to have it to always remember someone cared about her, "Frankie, come on. You just gave me, like, the most beautiful gift I've ever gotten in my entire life." Having Frankie's love meant more than any object could ever hope to.

Frankie stared at her in wonder, "You are so amazing."

"You are." Frankie was more than words could describe. "I'm so lucky to have found you." She felt like crying, but this time they would be happy tears. Words stopped as they gazed at each other, both feeling the effects of the moment on their hearts and minds. To hold back her tears, Bianca reluctantly glanced away. Her eyes landed on the clock, "God, I don't want to leave!" She had told her mom she would help her, but she never in a million years thought this would happen.

"Then stay." Frankie couldn't keep the smile from her voice.

Bianca pulled at her hair, "Oh, I have to go. I promised my mom I'd run these stupid errands for her."

"Well, then maybe you should go because, I don't know, our truce thing is still really shaky, and I don't want to mess anything up now." Frankie replied. Erica said she would start trying to accept Frankie, but the blonde knew one little thing could set her off.

Bianca reluctantly prepared herself to leave, "All right. I'm going to see you later, right?"

Frankie leaned back and smirked, "No, actually, I think I'm going to find some other fantastic girl."

"Stop it!" Bianca chuckled, loving the playfulness, "You better not!"

Frankie grew serious, "Like there could be another."

"You look in the mirror."

They shared another look, then Bianca slowly stood up and went toward the door. She glanced back to see Frankie watching her, a resigned expression on her face. Bianca gave a tiny wave, and Frankie grinned with adoring amusement as she waved back. Then, with a breath for strength, Bianca opened the door and stepped out of the room. She began to walk down the empty hallway, her mind playing over and over again what had just happened. Frankie had told her she loved her back. They loved each other.

Bianca froze.

Frankie had just told her she loved her. Bianca had been waiting for so long to hear what she knew was growing within the blonde. From their brief talks, Frankie had made it clear she was not used to love. She didn't know anything about it. Bianca had seen how much the simple thought of love scared the older girl. But, she'd still said it. Frankie had said those three words to her.

And in response, Bianca was leaving to run errands for her mother?

What was wrong with her?

Spinning around, Bianca ran back to the closed door. She burst inside to see Frankie moving toward the stereo she had been listening to when Bianca first arrived. She looked up at the sudden arrival, confused at her girlfriend's sudden reappearance, "Bian...oomph." her words died away as Bianca tugged her into a heated kiss.

Their lips molded together, whimpers purring in their throats. Bianca let her bag strap fall from her shoulder and curled her arms around Frankie's neck. Frankie's hands slipped to Bianca's waist and held on as Bianca made her body beg for more.

When Bianca broke the kiss, both were flushed and gulping for air. Frankie gazed up at Bianca through hooded eyes, "H-Hey."

"Hey." Bianca grinned. She shrugged her coat off, quickly swinging her arms around Frankie's shoulders once the material had fallen away.

Frankie struggled for words, her eyes flickering between Bianca's eyes and her plump lips, "What...um...you had to..."

Bianca kissed her, "I love you."

Frankie inhaled deeply, "I...love you, too."

Bianca slowly urged her backward, "I'm staying."

Frankie's grin brightened as the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed. She fell backwards, pulling Bianca with her as their lips met again.

3

All Frankie could think was she shouldn't be there. Anywhere but there. She could be hunting down one of Vanessa's dealers for a free toke or packing up her things to get the hell out of dodge. The underpaid stoner kid at the gas station outside of town didn't give a damn that she wasn't legally old enough to buy the packs of beer in the cooler case. He'd barely blinked when she'd gotten a pack that one night. Of course, that had led to her getting drunk and calling Bianca up to beg for a chance her sober self would have been too proud and terrified to ask for. She could be getting drunk, high, or running away. All the things she did before when life got to be too much. But she wasn't doing any of those things.

No, she was standing in the lobby of the Enchantment offices.

Frankie had no idea why or how she had ended up in the building her girlfriend's mother's company was housed in. It's not like she wanted to see Erica Kane. All that crazy woman would do was make the swirling vortex of fear and confusion worse. But, there she was.

Frankie rocked slightly, her cracked and worn sneakers creaking against the polished floor. She shoved her hands in her pockets and hunched her shoulders. What was she doing? How could she let this happen? What was she going to do?

She'd told Bianca she loved her.

It was the truth. Frankie felt her stomach clench at the memory, and her throat tightened. A strangled cough fell from her lips as Bianca's sweet face appeared in her mind, gloriously happy to hear those three words. Her hands shook in her pockets, and she clenched them into fists. Love. She loved someone. Not just someone - Bianca Montgomery. God, the first person in her entire life that she ever loved and it was the girl she was supposed to be conning for her aunt. She was always a screw-up, but this was beyond anything she had ever done before.

She shouldn't have said it. She should have just let it go and not told Bianca what was churning through her like a bolt of lightning. No, not a bolt of lightning. It was longer and more profound than that. Like a roaring fire. It had started the moment she laid eyes on the brunette and had slowly built until she couldn't control it anymore. That's why she had said it. She couldn't stop herself. And with the look Bianca gave her, she wouldn't take it back. Not in a million years.

Didn't mean she was ok. Far from it. Love wasn't a word in the Stone family vocabulary. Her parents never said it to her. Her sister didn't. No one had. That is, until Bianca. Frankie didn't even know what love was. What did it look like? How did it feel? Well, it looked like a beautiful girl with deep brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. It felt like more than words could say. It was also probably the most scary thing Frankie had ever dealt with.

Add to that her Aunt Vanessa was planning on Frankie breaking Bianca and tearing her heart to shreds, well, Frankie was quite possibly screwed. She told Vanessa she wouldn't do it. She was out. Vanessa could do whatever the hell she wanted, she just had to leave Bianca alone. Vanessa didn't like to hear that. Frankie knew she was in trouble. Her aunt had more than enough capability to ruin whatever chance she had in this town.

But for once, Frankie didn't care. She didn't care that her aunt was going to end whatever future she had. She didn't care that no one in this town liked her. All she cared about was that Bianca Montgomery loved her. That was why she found herself standing in the Enchantment lobby instead of out scoring drugs and getting high. She finally had someone, and she was going to do everything she could to be good enough.

The elevator doors dinged open, and Frankie glanced over, her body stilling as she held her breath. Dear god, she hoped it wasn't Erica. It wasn't. Her eyes lit up as she caught sight of Bianca storming out of the lift, her long hair whipping around her like a brown halo.

Bianca looked over, sensing someone else there. She was so angry she didn't know what to do. She nearly tripped over her feet as she saw Frankie standing there, looking adorable and real. "Frankie?" she breathed out, a smile starting to form.

"Hey." Frankie looked her over. Her eyes narrowed a bit, "What's up?" Bianca looked ready to go ten rounds...or like she already had.

Bianca shook her head, "Nothing. Just...nothing." she quickly walked up to Frankie and threw her arms around her, "I love you." she exhaled softly, hugging Frankie with all she had.

Frankie swallowed thickly and forced the words passed the lump in her throat. "I love you, too." She'd get better at saying it. She would. As long as Bianca stuck with her.

Bianca melted into the embrace, "Just hold me."

Frankie did.

4

"Get out."

JR looked bewildered at Frankie, "What?"

Frankie shook her head and scrambled off the bed, "Get the hell out."

"What's wrong?" the boy stood up, his face still crumpled in confusion.

Frankie pointed at the door, "Are you stupid? I said to get out!"

JR stared at her for a moment. Seeing that she was deadly serious, he stomped toward the door, "Fine. Whatever."

He marched out, and Frankie shut the door behind him. She spun around and pushed her back against the hard wood, her eyes slamming shut. The last half hour played in her mind. She'd been in the park, toking up on a joint when that kid caught her. He asked for a hit, and Frankie let him have a few puffs. What the hell, not like she really cared. She was too busy trying to not think about her life. So, instead of thinking about the pretty girl she was in love with and who she was supposed to be conning, she got high and invited a complete stranger back to her room.

A stranger who was male.

Frankie shuddered. It wasn't like she was attracted to him or anything. She wasn't at all. But, everything was spinning out of control, and for a split second she felt like she had some power. She could control what was happening with this boy. She could focus on him, and not on the fact that she was feeling things she never was supposed to feel.

But, before she could do anything more than flirt a bit, Bianca's smile flashed in her head. A bright happy smile that was more beautiful than a million sunsets. She couldn't do it. She couldn't hurt Bianca like that. So, she kicked him out.

Frankie banged her head back against the door. "You're so stupid, Stone." she muttered bitterly. To prove to herself that she was what she said she was - an in control con who didn't fuck up the job - she was going to have sex with a guy? She didn't even like guys. But, having sex with him would show she wasn't turning on her aunt and tossing everything she'd ever known about herself out the window in favor of a bright smile.

She was, though. She was in love with Bianca Montgomery. She - Frankie Stone, the girl who was pure con and never gave into emotion or lost sight of the job - was none of those things anymore.

A gentle knock on the door had her opening her eyes, "Frankie? Are you in there?"

It was Bianca. Frankie gulped and wiped at her face before turning and grabbing the handle. She bit her lip, hard, and hesitated. Then, before she could let her mind start ticking off how this was wrong and she was about to fall into the dark pit of the unknown, she pulled open the door.

Bianca's body wrapped around Frankie, and the blonde sighed. This felt right.

5

The hit man crept down the the silent hallway. He didn't make a sound as he approached the bedroom near the end of the corridor. The door was open a crack, allowing him to get a glimpse inside before he marched in. He crammed his hand into the inside flap of his jacket and felt the cold hard handle of the pistol. Reaching the door, he hunched over and peek through the opening.

His boss Proteus had been ranting nonstop ever since Frankie Stone told her she wasn't doing her dirty work anymore. The whole crew had heard the woman shrieking about how Stone had betrayed her. She had done everything for the little ungrateful ingrate. If it wasn't for her, Stone would be nothing. There had been something about Beckett or something, he didn't really get that part. What he did understand was that his boss was angry and the source was Frankie Stone. That's when the idea came to him. If he got rid of Stone, he'd be making his boss happy. If the boss was happy, he got good cred with her.

So, he snuck out to the place he knew the kid was staying at. He didn't know Frankie Stone all that well. She stayed out of his side of the business. Really, she didn't hang out around Proteus all that much. But, he'd seen her a few times talking with the drug lord. He knew her face, and he knew where she was living. That was enough to get him just outside her bedroom.

Wordlessly, he looked inside. A frown marred his face at the sight. He thought Frankie would be alone. But, she wasn't. No, she was sitting on the bed kissing some other girl. This must be that Bianca Montgomery. He hesitated. He was only going to get rid of Stone. If he went in there, he'd have to knock off both of them, otherwise there'd be witnesses. Damn it. Two bodies would be a lot to explain. Besides, the boss might not be ok with that.

Without making a sound, he turned around and left. Looked like his plan was a bust. For now.