SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH FRANKIE.

Angela thought Frankie was insane as she stood in the sand in just a pair of sweat pants and a bikini top, her long hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Everyone else was bundled up with knit caps and wool blankets wrapped around them as they got ready for the beach trip.

"I hate you sometimes," Angela said, shaking her head. She felt colder just looking at Frankie's exposed, tanned skin.

"I'm not even in the water. It's not that cold," Frankie told her while sitting next to Bella in Tyler's van.

Across from them, Jessica, Mike, and Eric were getting dressed in their suits so they could go out in the water without freezing to death. Tyler was already ready and ran out there with his orange surf board in hand, not slowed down by the weather either.

"I'm paddling out, Coates," he declared fearlessly.

"I don't know if it's worth it anymore," Eric whined, regretting coming outside at all.

"We drove all the way out here. I'm at least paddling out," Jessica said as the boys groaned. "You guys are babies."

"We've always known that though," Frankie chimed in. Then she heard Angela speaking quietly with Bella.

"So, I keep thinking Eric's going to ask me to the prom, and then he just... doesn't," she said, sounding so sad.

"You could ask him," Bella then told her, seeing her flustered expression over the idea. "Take control. You're a strong independent woman."

"I am?"

"Yes," Bella said firmly while Frankie nodded in agreement.

Then Jessica approached them and turned her back to Angela. "Hey, will you do me up?"

"Yeah."

"Make me proud out there, Jess," Frankie requested. "And don't get hypothermia."

"Promise," she grinned. Then she eyed the bruises that were still on Frankie's face. "How's the head today?"

"Better. I can remember the whole crash now," she told her. "Shouldn't be long before I'm back in working order."

"Bella! Frankie!" It was Jacob who called out to the girls, two friends from his school following behind him. Frankie wasn't familiar with them, usually seeing him with Embry and Quil, but she still smiled at them nonetheless.

"Hi, Jacob. Guys, this is Jacob," Bella quickly introduced.

Angela and Jessica greeted them with smiles as Angela finished up with Jess' suit. Jacob came and squished Frankie between him and Bella when he sat with them in the van. Bella looked around her and smiled at the younger boy.

"What, are you, like, stalking me?"

Jacob just laughed and shook his head. "You're on my rez, remember? Are you surfing?"

"Definitely not," Bella scoffed while offering him a Twizzler.

"I wish," Frankie grumbled.

"Well, get in less car accidents and it won't be a problem," Jacob told her, nudging her shoulder.

"You guys should keep Bella company," Jessica told the boys in a teasing tone. "Her date bailed."

Eric looked up sharply, as did Mike. Though Mike had already been turned down for Prom, so he wasn't as surprised. "What date?

"She invited Edward," she said, grinning mischievously. Frankie rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Jess.

"To be polite, that's it," Bella said, getting embarrassed.

"I think it's nice she invited him," Angela spoke up, defending her. "No one ever does."

"Because Cullen's a freak," Mike muttered.

One of Jacob's friends laughed in agreement. "You got that right."

Frankie let out a huff and leaned her head on Jacob's shoulder, hating how people talked about Emmett's family over here. Bella looked at him with interest. "You guys know him?"

The boy just looked at her and sharply said, "The Cullens don't come here."

☽︎

The beach day didn't last very long with how the weather was. Rather than accept a ride back home, Frankie opted to stay on the reservation. She wandered around until she ended up at the small house that Sam and Emily had moved into a few months ago after getting engaged — Frankie had a permanent invitation to come over.

"I hope the couple is decent," Frankie said loudly while letting herself inside. Sam never locked the door.

"Yes, but I can get un-decent," Paul called back, coming from the living room.

"Ew," she grimaced, looking at the shirtless boy. Jared and Sam followed right behind him.

"Hey, Frank," Sam greeted, coming to hug her. "How's the head?"

"Probably worse now that she's looking at Paul," Jared teased, earning an elbow from Paul and a laugh from Frankie.

"It is getting better. Don't worry," she told him. "I just wanted to hang out here for a while. My beach day was ruined by the weather and my friends being babies."

"Wanna go surfing?" Paul offered, excited about the waves.

Frankie perked up. "Absolutely—"

"No," Sam said in a firm tone, giving her a knowing look. "You have a concussion. One accident and that turns into a serious brain injury."

She groaned and dropped into one of the chairs around the small dining table. "Buzzkill."

"How about we help you work on the Jeep?" Paul offered, wanting to spend time with her. Which was stupid, because he was the one still restricting the hours she worked in the shop. "We got a spare carburetor at the shop. Needs a few tweeks, but it should work."

"You're not gonna get under the car though," Sam told her. Frankie opened her mouth to argue, but he stopped her. "How often do you bump your head when working?"

She huffed and looked down at her shoes. "A lot."

"Exactly," he said with a smug smile. "Oh, and Em is making pork chop tonight if you want to stay for dinner with us."

"Oh, hell yeah," she said, her mood getting a little better.

"I'm there," Paul said, inviting himself along.

"I can't. Picking up Kim for our first date," Jared said with a shy smile.

"Oooh, who is this Kim?" Frankie asked in a cooing tone.

"Just a girl in my class," he told her while blushing. "I've known her a long time but just lately she's all I think about."

"Awe," Frankie said, wiping away a fake tear. "They grow up and join cults and find love so fast."

☽︎

When Monday arrived, so did a warm front. Even though it was still barely sixty degrees, the sun was out, so everyone spent as much time as they could outside. The picnic tables that Frankie liked to make out with Emmett at were full of students during the lunch period as they all soaked up the vitamin D.

For once, Frankie wasn't the only one showing skin in a baggy cropped top and a skirt. Both she and Jessica were sitting on top of a table and lying out in the sun while Bella sat next to them, finishing up an apple. As she did so, she looked around the crowded courtyard, searching for someone familiar.

"Not here," Frankie said in a playful tone.

"She's right," Jessica sighed. "He's not here. Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullens disappear."

"What, do they just ditch?" Bella asked them.

"No, Carlisle and Esme take them out for hiking and camping and stuff," Frankie told her. "Like, I hate school, but I hate hiking more."

"Even still, I tried the idea out on my parents. Not even close," Jess muttered.

Suddenly, Angela appeared, sliding onto the free spot next to Bella. She had a huge grin on her face, clearly excited. "Guys, I'm going to the prom with Eric! I just asked him. I took control!"

"Hell yeah," Frankie said as Angela hugged Bella.

"I told you that would happen."

"Are you sure you have to go out of town?" Angela asked Bella, smiling sadly now.

She hesitated, and Frankie was pretty sure it was just a lie she came up with to let Mike down gently. But then she was nodding along. "Oh, yeah. It's a little family thing."

"Okay, we should go shopping in Port Angeles before the good dresses get cleaned out," Jessica declared.

"Guess I'm not getting one since Em hasn't asked me yet," Frankie mumbled childishly.

"Oh, please," Jessica said, rolling her eyes in amusement. "You know you're gonna be the hottest couple there."

"I know," she said with a smug smile as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

"Port Angeles?" Bella then asked as the others got up. "Mind if I come?"

"Uh, yeah," Angela said happily. "I need your opinion."

"Wanna go today after school?" Frankie asked, knowing she wouldn't have any plans with Emmett until they got back from the hike.

"Perfect," Jess agreed. "I'll drive."

☽︎

The prices in the dress shop weren't too bad, but there were only two on the sale rack that Frankie could even remotely afford. Both were really simple, but that was okay because girls didn't wear runway gowns to Prom in Forks. It was fucking Forks, after all.

But even in her favorite of the two, which was a dark purple color with red flowers printed on it, she didn't love it. Frankie looked at the material hanging off of her in the mirror in front of her, turning from side to side, figuring she'd have to get it.

"You don't look very happy to be in that thing," Bella noted, looking up from the book she'd brought along. Jessica and Angela were both changing into their sixth dress each. "Not a dress person?"

"Not an ugly, cheap dress person," she specified with a sigh. "It'll do though."

"No way," she said with a frown. "If you don't like it, don't get it. Dances are already miserable enough without being in clothes you hate."

Frankie looked at herself once more before nodding, listening to Bella's advice. "Thanks," she murmured before disappearing into the dressing room just as Angela exited in a lavender-colored gown.

"Cute," Frankie called quickly before getting undressed and back in her clothes.

"Thanks," Angela said while looking at her reflection. "Jess, what do you think? Lavender? Is that good? Is that my color?"

"I like it. I like that dusty rose one, too," Jessica said while also coming back out.

"Or that cream-colored one," Frankie said, rejoining them, leaving the dresses in the room. She took a look at her other friend's pink dress. "Damn, your boobs, Jess."

"I know! I like this one," she said, readjusting the halter top straps. "It makes my boobs look good."

Just after she said that, they heard someone knocking on the window of the store. They looked and saw a group of men passing, all of them catcalling Jessica and Angela, who turned away from the window quickly. Frankie rolled her eyes and flicked the men off as they kept going.

"Oh, God," Angela murmured while pulling her neckline up.

"That is uncomfortable," Jessica said, just thankful they didn't linger.

"That's disgusting," Bella said, glaring at them as they left.

Then Jessica focused back on the task at hand. "Bella, what do you think?"

"That looks great," she said absentmindedly.

Jessica peered at her, able to tell it wasn't a genuine opinion. "You said that about the last five dresses though."

She just shrugged. "I thought they were all pretty good."

Frankie knew that wasn't true, as she'd given her real thoughts on her dress situation.

Angela just smiled empathetically at Bella. "You're not really into this, are you?"

"I actually really just want to go to this bookstore," Bella finally said, admitting to the real reason she came with them. "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant?"

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked, unsure about her going out alone.

But Bella just nodded, not thinking about it. "Yeah, yeah. I'll see you in a minute."

"Well, I'll come with," Frankie offered, getting up as well. "It's getting kinda late. You shouldn't be walking around the city alone."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. Then they left together, leaving Jessica behind to stare at her reflection a little longer.

"She's right, though. This looks awesome."

☽︎

Bella failed to mention that the bookstore, which was called Thunderbird and Whale, was on the outskirts of the city. By the time they walked, they realized it would've been quicker to just have Jess drive them. The sun was already down by the time they left, Bella stuffing some book she wouldn't tell Frankie about in her bag.

Granted, Frankie wasn't much of a reader, so she didn't press her on it.

"Do you have any cash we could use to call a cab? How do you even call a cab?" Frankie asked as they started walking back toward the center of Port Angeles. "They've definitely started eating without us."

"Sorry," Bella said with a grimace, knowing how important food was to Frankie. "Your dinner is so on me."

"I guess I'll forgive you," she grinned as they turned down an alleyway that would lead them toward a more populated sidewalk.

But then they saw two men walk by at the other end, so Frankie grabbed Bella's wrist and pulled her back a few steps. "Let's take the other way," she muttered quietly, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

It was too late though, as when the girls looked over their shoulders, the two men were already heading toward them, swaying with each step and cans of beer in their hands. They started to call after them, and Frankie realized they were part of the group that'd been leering at Jessica and Angela at the dress store.

"It's just two," Frankie whispered as they kept walking, picking up the pace. "I can take two wasted idiots."

"Not two," Bella said quickly, seeing three others up ahead, making them come to a fast stop.

The men kept getting closer, and the girls stood back to back, holding onto each other as they were herded into one spot. The drunk boys circled around them, rambling back and forth at each other and them.

"Saw you in the dress store," one recognized, looking at Bella.

They tried to sidestep him, but one of his friends got in the way. "Hey, where you running to?"

"There she is. It's my girl," another said, walking toward Frankie. "What's up, baby?" Then he looked at the two that originally found them. "How you guys doing?"

"Look who we just found," one smirked, the look on his face making Frankie's skin crawl.

Frankie grabbed Bella's hand and pushed past two of the boys, but a third grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked her back. "Hey, whoa, whoa. Where you going?"

"Come get a drink with us," one with a stupid grin on his face offered.

"Get away from us," Frankie said, beginning to get angry. "Don't touch her."

"It's fun," he said. "What's the problem?"

"She doesn't like that, man," another said, laughing.

His friend reached for some of Bella's hair. "You're pretty."

"Don't touch me," she snapped while smacking his hand back.

"Seriously, you should—"

"Don't touch me," Bella repeated while hitting him in the gut with the book in her bag.

He groaned and pushed Bella back. "Bitch!"

"Call her that again!" Frankie said, getting in front of Bella. "I said don't fucking touch her."

"Fine, we'll touch you," he shot back.

"Hey!" Bella shouted as two came up behind Frankie and grabbed her arms, keeping her in place. Two others kept her back as the last one remaining smacked Frankie across the face, the sound echoing through the empty parking lot.

Frankie, though she was scared, didn't show it as she looked up and glared at the one in front of her, clenching her fist so tightly that her nails dug into her skin. "I'm gonna break your goddamn hand for that."

"Ooh, we got a tough one," he said in a mocking tone. "How about—"

The sound of tires screeching on the pavement cut him off, and a silver car whipped in, the headlights blinding them as it pulled up. The boys holding Bella released her and jumped back.

Frankie quickly threw her elbows out and hit the two holding her, making them let go. Treating their heads like soccer balls, she threw her leg out and spun in a circle, kicking one in the face hard enough to break his jaw. He fell over and knocked the other one down with his weight.

Then she grabbed the shirt of the one that smacked her and pushed him to the ground. She let out an angry scream as she formed as fist and began punching him over and over again in the face. His arms flailed around uselessly as he tried to grab onto her and get her to stop.

So, Frankie caught one of his hands and got up while keeping him down. Then she brought her shoe down on his fingers hard, making him scream as she broke the bones.

"Frankie!" She hadn't even heard Bella yelling at her from the passenger side of the car.

She hadn't noticed Emmett and Edward either. But his cold touch was familiar as he pulled her away from the man and toward the back seat of the car. Frankie was still seeing red as the men left her sight, her view replaced with the nice, leather interior of Edward's Volvo. The blood was pumping in her ears loudly, making her head ache from the still-healing concussion.

"Babe, babe, look at me," Emmett said, cupping her cheeks and turning her head. Finally, she zeroed in on him and her shaking slowed, focusing on just Emmett. "They're gone."

"I told him not to touch Bella," she muttered, her tone void of everything but anger.

"Did he touch you?" Emmett asked, knowing Edward was worrying about his own mate. Emmett just needed to know that Frankie was okay. "Did they hurt you?"

"I hurt him," she mumbled, shaking her head. Then she tried to look out the rear window. "Take me back."

"What?" he asked in alarm. "Fuck no."

"I had it handled," Frankie insisted, still full of adrenaline and rage.

"That wasn't fucking handling it, Frankie. That was five against two. They could've fucking killed you."

"No," she said, a wild look in her eyes. "I could've killed them."

Uncertainty flickered in Emmett's eyes, seeing the rage that lived in her bloodline for the first time. Sure, he wanted to fucking kill those guys too, but that wasn't something he wanted Frankie to see. He just wanted her to be as far away from them and as safe as possible.

Not knowing what else to do, Emmett wrapped her in a tight hug and practically smothered her with his chest. And it wasn't until her lungs were burning that she was forced to take her first deep breath, followed by another and another. Slowly, she stopped shaking in his arms and pulled back, looking up at him.

"Are you okay?" Emmett asked again, seeing that she was calm. He gently tucked some of her hair behind her ear, and she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes.

"I'm okay," she murmured. "You're here. I'm okay."

He let out a needless but relieved sigh and pulled her back into his arms, not wanting to let her go. Neither said anything else as she burrowed into his chest, feeling safe with him as always. And they didn't part until Edward parked outside of the restaurant where they were meant to meet Jessica and Angela at.

"Can I stay with you?" Frankie asked Emmett, not even getting out of the car with the others.

"Like I'm letting you leave after that," he huffed. "Want me to take you home? My Jeep is just a few blocks away."

"Please," she whispered, feeling tears come on as she calmed down more and realized what happened. What could've happened.

Frankie didn't care if it was rude, she didn't spare her friends a second look as she got out of the car with Emmett. He kept his arms around her as they found his Jeep, the vampire glaring at nearly everyone they passed, feeling more protective than usual. The walk felt like a blur to Frankie, but soon, he was lifting her into the car.

As soon as Emmett was behind the wheel, Frankie slid over, not caring about buckling up as she leaned against him. And Emmett was all too happy to wrap an arm around her, keeping her tucked under his arm as he sped off, not giving a shit about the speed limit.

"Em," she mumbled after five minutes of silence.

"Yeah?" he asked in a gentle tone.

"How'd you guys find us?" she questioned, furrowing her eyebrows.

In that moment, Emmett panicked and lied, the words, "Edward is sort of stalking Bella," falling from his mouth a little too easily. And that just confused Frankie even more because she thought Edward hated Bella.

"Your brother is confusing," she finally said, not giving it too much thought. Her head hurt too much to think. Frankie didn't like that that was starting to feel like her new normal. "I'm glad he's a freak, though."

"Yeah, me too," he said, laughing a little. Then it died down. "I know your dad is working the closing shift. Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Definitely," she said, already liking the idea. "Just park the Jeep somewhere he won't see. He never checks my room."

☽︎

It was the first time Emmett was permitted in the Roman home. It wasn't much compared to his own family home, but Frankie led him by his hand to her small bedroom with a twin bed shoved in the corner. The walls were covered in band posters and pictures of her friends taped to them. Soccer equipment and her guitar and stuffed animals and clothes were strewn all over — it was impossibly Frankie, and Emmett loved it.

For a while, they just watched a movie on her small, boxy TV set, but by the time her father got home, Frankie turned it off to make sure he didn't stick his head in, realizing she was still awake so late on a school night.

"Don't talk," Frankie whispered, covering Emmett's mouth as she heard her father passing by her door. Raylan would kill Emmett if he found him in her bed.

Emmett's eyes filled with amusement as he stared at her, then he childishly licked her hand, making her roll her eyes. Like she didn't know where his tongue had fucking been. She still removed it and wiped her hand along her blanket to get rid of the wet feeling.

That had been a mistake, because a second later, Emmett swooped down and dragged his tongue up her neck. Her mouth fell open as she focused on the feeling. His mouth trailed up until he reached her ear, kissing the shell lightly.

"Em," she whispered, her eyes falling shut.

"Thought we're supposed to not talk?" he asked, raising a cocky eyebrow.

Frankie let out a pathetic whimper before turning in his arms to kiss him properly, licking his bottom lip as she did so. Emmett pulled her onto his lap as he leaned back against the wall, deepening the kiss.

To both their credit, they did an amazing job at not making any noise unless you counted Frankie's heavy breathing. She had to bite her lip hard when Emmett pulled away from the kiss to trail his lips along her neck, sucking just underneath her ear with the intent of leaving a mark.

Slowly, she slid her hands down his chest before bunching up the fabric of his shirt, slipping her hands underneath. Her fingers traced the sculpted outlines of his torso, feeling the muscles contract as she went lower and lower. When she began to draw a teasing line over the waistband of his jeans, Emmett let out a strained groan and caught her hands.

"Babe," he murmured, pecking her lips quickly. "Keep that up, and your dad is definitely gonna find out I'm here."

She sighed and pressed her forehead to his, staring into his amber eyes. "How is it that even without soccer, the band, and work, we still have no alone time?"

"It's probably for the best," he said while brushing his thumb over her swollen lips. "I wanna take my time with you."

"Since when?" she asked with a quiet laugh, knowing how fast-paced their relationship formed.

He rolled his eyes playfully. "Just go to bed before I decide not to take my time."

☽︎

The thing about vampires was that they didn't sleep, and even though Frankie was sound asleep, no way was Emmett leaving her alone after what those men nearly did to her and Bella. So, with the volume on her green GameBoy turned down, Emmett was playing through an old Pokémon game.

Every now and then, Frankie shifted in her sleep, but it wasn't until she sat up completely that he was more alert.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he whispered, looking at her oddly.

But Frankie was staring ahead at the wall, not acknowledging him. Before he could shake her and make sure her concussion hadn't gotten worse from getting hit, Frankie was sliding off her bed and moving.

Rather than leave through the door, Frankie climbed out of the small window in her room, her bare feet hitting the dirt as she landed. Emmett called after her again, getting no response, which just worried him more.

"What the fuck?" he whispered to himself before following her outside. He also grabbed a jacket and threw it over her arms, knowing it was cold out. "Frankie, what are you doing? Where are you going?"

Whatever it was, she was determined to keep doing it. Frankie seemed to know where she was going as she walked through the woods. And Emmett noticed she was walking perfectly along the treaty line, which worried him. What if she wandered where he couldn't go?

When he couldn't get her to respond, Emmett gave in and fished out his phone, calling Carlisle to ask what to do.

"Something's wrong with Frankie," he whispered, not even greeting Carlisle. "She's like walking barefoot in the woods and won't respond to me."

"What do you mean?" he questioned. "Did she just zone out? Disorientation is a side effect of the concussion, but that should be nearly healed."

"No, she was sleeping and then just sat up. She climbed out her window. I don't even know if she can hear me," he went on, getting more worried. "She's walking along the treaty line, Carlisle."

"Emmett, it sounds like she's sleepwalking," Carlisle told him. "It's common in some humans. Just stay with her and don't wake her suddenly. If she crosses the border, call me and I'll inform one of the elders. They'll send Sam to find her."

Emmett didn't want Sam to watch her. So, he was grateful when Frankie stayed right on the line. Frankie kept walking aimlessly until she came to a sudden stop. It was where the land parted into the river that ended up splitting their lands. She just stood with her feet in the freezing water for a moment before slowly sitting down in it.

"Frankie, you'll get sick," Emmett said worriedly, which she didn't even hear.

"It wasn't my fault," Frankie suddenly said, staring to her right. But there was no one there.

"What wasn't your fault?" he questioned.

"I told him not to touch her. He touched her."

"The drunk guys?"

"I know I have to be careful, but he deserved it."

It was then that Emmett got the sense that Frankie wasn't talking to him at all. She was talking to someone or something he couldn't sense.

"I could've done worse. I wanted to," Frankie admitted, hollow-eyed. "If Emmett hadn't stopped me..." Then she smiled a little, whatever she was communicating with responding to her. "I think Dad hates him a little less. I hope you do too."

"I never hated him," Elena said from the spiritual plain. "I don't particularly like him."

"Well, I love him."

"I know. You brought him with you this time."

Frankie frowned at her mother before turning her head to the left. Slowly, her vision faded in and out before she focused on Emmett's figure. She blinked slowly, confusion washing over her.

"Emmett?" she asked before looking around, seeing that they were in the dark woods and she was sitting in a bunch of water. "Why the hell did you bring me to the woods?"

He looked at her with wide, confused eyes. There they were, two confused people, sitting in a creek. "Me? Why the hell did you bring me out here?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, raising her voice as she stood up. "And why the fuck am I in the river?"

"You don't remember any of that?" he questioned, his mouth hanging open. "The sleepwalking, the weird, cryptic talking to a ghost?"

"Sleepwalking?" she repeated, her frown deepening. "I... Was I sleepwalking?"

"Yeah," he said while pulling her close comfortingly. "Babe, you climbed out your window and kept walking until you made it here. Then you just sat down and started talking to yourself."

Except Frankie wasn't talking to herself. In her dream, she'd been in the exact same spot, sitting at the river with her mother next to her. But this time, she didn't wake up in her bedroom.

Frankie looked down at her bare feet, growing concerned. On nights she dreamt of her mother, she'd always been less rested, something feeling exhausted. Was that because she was physically going to all those destinations in the real world? Was she going crazy and trying to hallucinate her dead mother outside of just her sleep cycle?

"Can — Um, do you know the way back?" Frankie finally asked, looking back up at him with a vulnerable expression.

"Yeah," he said softly, not letting her go. "Maybe we can have Carlisle check you out — make sure it's not concussion-related. He'll know if this is normal or not."

Frankie didn't have to consult the doctor on that though. Walking through the woods and back in a daze to rendezvous with her dead mother every few nights in various woodland destinations was anything but normal.