Chapter 16

He slid back into the car, two six packs of corona in hand. "Well looks like we have to just sit and drink. Everyplace is closed. Fuck I keep forgetting his hometown rolls up the sidewalks at dark."

She chuckled "Not used to down time huh?"

He shook his head. "Not used to small towns is more like it." He settled the cartons on the floor board, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. If he stayed alone with her he'd make a play for her, he might be able to sleep at the Sambora’s but he couldn't take her there. "Well there are two choices, the lake or your house."

Shannon thought long and hard, the lake? No way not after earlier, that was just too risky with him. The house? By now they had to be asleep. Right? Sambora had to have gone home and sis in bed like always. She was always early to bed, well except for tonight. She made her decision. "The house."

He nodded. Good call, he didn’t trust himself around this little firecracker. Cranking up her did a quick 180 and headed back to her house. The drive was quick, but not quick enough to stop him from noting how the wind had her hair moving like it was alive, or enjoying the way she just simply leaned back and enjoyed the simple breeze.

Pulling into the driveway he shut off the car and smiled. "Well full circle. Here we are again, wonder what we'll find this time? They're probably fighting again though."

"Hopefully they knocked each other out." She grabbed one of the six packs and got out of the car

Picking up the other carton of beer he slid from the car and moved to her, smiling as they walked up the stairs. "This should be interesting eh?"

"Yeah." She opened the door noted Mel's open bedroom door and called out "Mel?? Richie??"

He looked around curiously noting the silence. "Jesus you don't think they killed each other?"

"It's possible " Shannon crooned wickedly as she grasped a cold bottle fumbling with the top.

"Shit! Don't say that!"

Shannon laughed and walked thru the rooms calling as she went. She ended up back in the living room. The beer bottle still not opened "They ain't here."

His brow arched as he stepped to the door. Poking his head out he looked towards the Sambora's, only to see all lights off and Richie's car missing. "His car is gone."

"Well what the?" she frowned "Where the hell would she go at this time of night? She won’t even run to the store if its dark."

He pulled his head back in and shrugged, "Better question is where the hell did HE go, cuz I bet she's there. Man, he could be anywhere."

"This is not like her, she never does......"Shannon stopped in mid sentence. Nothing Mel did lately made any sense anymore. She felt her anger well up again and had to take it out on something so she shoved the still closed beer bottle into Jon’s hands and snapped "Open the damn thing for me will ya?"

Wow, she was fiesty. He twisted the cap off then muttered, "Fuck I forgot the lemon or lime. You got any?"

"Fresh out," she said cynically as she lifted the bottle to her lips and sucked down half of the bottle in one go. At least it would help calm her a bit. She needed it now that her sister was going crazy.

He sighed, "Look, I dunno what's up, but they probably went somewhere. It’s no big deal she’s a grown lady right? Rich, well he's pretty convincing when he wants to be."

"That was obvious!" She sighed and sat on the couch. After a moments silence she spoke again. "Look I'm sorry... just.... I worry about it... I mean the last few weeks she's been acting so strange.. I worry that maybe ...." She shook her head not wanting to put it into words. Putting it into words would make it real.

He moved to the couch and settled in beside her. "Spit it out, you worry what?"

"She might end up like mom."

"Dead? Naah, Rich will keep her safe babe. He might be a goof, but he treats ladies right." He took a pull of the beer and leaned back. Somehow he didn't think that's what she meant, but he had to reassure her somehow.

"No no.. not dead..... not physically anyway.." She wondered how much she should tell him. Would he even care? She took another long drink, finishing off the beer before he'd even drank half of his first one and motioned to him for another. "See.. after dad died, things were ok, at least that’s what I was told. I was so young I don't really remember a lot of it, but.... things changed. I don’t know how, I don’t know why. Maybe it was when we moved... Mom, she just totally shut off. She tried to keep working, she tried to be there but, she just faded into herself, She died... a long painful death... emotionally painful... I say she died of a broken heart it just took years."

His arm slipped out to wrap around her, pulling her into a comforting hug. "Listen I doubt it’s that. She's just adjusting, like you are right? You said she knew Richie way back when. Seems to me their relationship is kinda complicated, along with his job and such, I wouldn't worry too much, she didn't seem THAT crazy." Hell what was he saying? She seemed crazier. No one ever yelled at the King like that. Jesus, but he had to make her smile, this little frown she had going had to go.

She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but for all his trying it really wasn't working. Relationship? His job? Mel hadn't even known who he was.

Shannon relaxed into the hug for a moment then pulled back to look at him "Fuck it. Enough worryin' bout her, she's grown." She smirked a bit, "I bet ya weren't expecting to get dragged into the twilight zone when ya hopped outta that hot car earlier today hmm?"

He winked, glad to see some semblance of a grin back, even if it was a smirk. "Baby I live in the twilight zone." He leaned forward and grabbed another beer and twisted the cap off before handing it too her. "So why do you think she’s going crazy? I mean yeah she was acting a little left of normal, but most people do."

"Because she's always been just...... normal." She didn’t know how else to explain it.
"I've always been the crazy one." Shannon laughed and took a long pull of her beer again then held it up "See this... she'd never touch the stuff."

He leaned back again his head turning to watch her silently. "Never?"

"Not that I can remember," she grinned. "She don't know what she’s missin'.”

"She hasn't dated, she doesn’t drink, she works all the time, and doesn’t know how to have fun. Sounds to me like she was a walking corpse." Man she sure didn't sound like something Richie would get interested in, he was all about a party, all about having a good time. Hell, no regrets was his motto. Wonder what the hell he ever saw in her?

He pulled her closer, tucking her head into the curve of his chest, It amazed him how well she just fit there. He had to be careful; she was a bit younger than what he normally dated and for all her brashness he sensed a little bit of the innocent there, but fuck if that didn't feel just as nice and totally at odds with all he knew.

She almost purred, the closeness of him invading her senses. His arm around her felt so strong, so comforting. She had to watch it with him. If she let herself get too drawn in she'd forget those little things she coveted called morals. But damn did the feel of solid man chest beneath her cheek feel.... stimulating.

"Who knows.....The way he was teasing her makes me wonder what she would ever see in him." Besides the fact that he's drop dead gorgeous? She unconsciously let her palm flatten against his chest, and shivered as felt his heart beating there.

"Hey no putting down Sambora!" He snorted then started to laugh, "He's pretty damn popular, especially with the.." Ok so not the place to go when he was off with her sister. She didn't need to know his alley cat ways. "I gotta admit, from what little I've witnessed, there has GOT to be some deep seated something those two have, just not sure what. Other than being each other's first, but hell even THAT wouldn't cause that yo-yoing they were doing. He smiled. "I get a feeling we've only seen the top of the mountain Lil Bit."

His words trailed off slowly as the heat of her palm soaked through his shirt, causing reactions he just didn't need to explore right now, at least not until her sister was back in one piece. Shifting slightly, he lifted his hand to capture hers. Pulling it to his lips he kissed the palm and settled their clasped hands beside him. He was here for the duration. She didn't seem to deal well with her sister being gone; he wouldn't leave her alone. Not now.