Chapter 27

Mel turned, a gentle smile creasing her lips as she watched him sleep. She knew he had to be exhausted after a two day roller coaster ride. Hell she wasn't tired though, she felt nearly exhilarated. She'd missed the up and down around and around that only he could bring.

Slipping out from under his arm she reached down and snagged his tee-shirt, settling it over her slender shoulders. Damn if it didn't nearly swamp her now. Back in the old days his shirts fit her as well as hers did but he was all skin and bones then. Now? Her eyes traced over his sleeping form as she muttered, “nothing bony about that."

She stood and padded out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. She needed to think and she knew she'd never get any done lying beside him, the urge to wake him would keep interrupting her thoughts. Setting the coffee to brew she stood, lost in thoughts her eyes staring out the back window. What the hell was she gonna do about Scarecrow? What was she going to do about Shan? Jesus, what a quandry.

Shannon rolled quietly from the shelter of Jon's arms. After their last little foray of passion it hadn't taken him long to fall into a completely deep and relaxed comatose state. As she sat up and looked him over she couldn't help but smile. She'd always heard men were famous for passing out after doing the deed, she could see now, that was true.

She wanted to stay right there and snuggle close to his warmth, just laze away the rest of the day, but her mind was going a million miles an hour and if she didn't get up and just move she was going to have to have herself committed. So she slipped away from him gently, donning her comfy old cotton nightshirt she slid thru the door and headed to the kitchen.

He might be hungry when he woke up, maybe she should fix him dinner? She would bet he missed good homestyle cookin' out there on the road... yeah that's what she'd do... cook him a good meal. Men loved 2 things, she knew Sex and food....

She chuckled He'd already gotten the sex part out of the way... ok maybe not totally but he'd gotten his rocks off and so had she.. close enough.....food... food was the next step!

She rounded the hall corner and stopped. Mel was there. Shannon eyed her warily but silently stepped into the room and over to the refrigerator. Opening the door, she tried to decide just what to cook for him.

She perused their staples... what would he like? Italian?? Nah that was too cliche', hmmm. She opened the freezer. Roast? Potatoes? Yeah that's it! She grabbed a big frozen roast from the freezer and sat it on the counter.

She turned at the sound behind her, one brow arching, "What are you doing?"

He sisters voice cut into her. She was still so damn angry with Mel! But she didn't want to fight, not right now, so she decided to TRY to be cordial "I'm gonna cook Jon dinner," she said calmly

She shook her head and tried to not laugh, "dinner for when? Next Wednesday? You can't cook a frozen roast Squirt."

"Don’t call me squirt," she sighed in exasperation. The nickname that use to do no more than make her roll her eyes now felt like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Shannon eyed the roast as she grabbed a few potatoes, carrots and a half an onion and placed them on the counter "Why not? It's going in the oven... it'll cook"

Mel leaned in and flicked her sister's nose, "Do you wanna feed him or kill him? Frozen meat won’t cook properly." She turned and reached for the coffee pot and refilled her cup, a soft sigh on her lips as she forced the urge to laugh or tease down. "Hey it’s your meal, I guess you're trying to impress the man, I'd just try it with something a bit simpler is all."

She glared at her sister and rubbed her nose. "Ohhh I see... then what would you suggest oh wise one?"

Mel's shoulder lifted her voice going soft. "I know its important to ya sis, just trying to help. Maybe that left over lasagna? He's used to mama Joan’s cooking, or heck, do a spaghetti? With a name like Bon Jovi he'd probably appreciate it."

Shannon mumbled profanities under her breath as she picked up the roast and slammed it back into the freezer. "Ok..... left over lasagna... spaghetti...... you KNOW he's used to mama Joan’s cooking?" She spat "What's this... 2 days screwing his guitarist and suddenly you’re a wealth of knowledge on Bon Jovi facts?"

Hold it in Mel, don't get angry Mel. “Rich and I talked. Sheesh Squirt, the guy spent months in Rich's bedroom writing that damned record you like so much. He's probably ate dozens of meals at Mama Joan’s." She winced at Shannon's anger and felt the ice cover her emotions in defense. She turned; her voice cool and unemotional. "I grew up here remember? I may not have KNOWLEDGE of that stupid singer, but I know Rich, and he did tell me some things. Cook the roast if it’s important but I thought you'd wanna impress him and not kill him."

Stupid singer? Oh no she didn't! Shannon lost her cool and whirled around "STUPID singer? Just where the HELL do you get off calling him STUPID?!?!" She slammed the uncut vegetables back in the fridge before continuing her ever growing tirade "What the HELL has gotten into you Mel? What's wrong with you???? First you quit talking to me when we come here and that MAN shows up and suddenly I don’t know WHO the hell you are!! Rude, loud.... RUDE!!!" she huffed as her voice took on an almost whining tone and she hated it!

"I'm talking to you now Squirt." Her hand slipped into the junk drawer and pulled out a stray hair band, swiftly pulling her hair into the tight ponytail she always wore. "Just trying to help you sis."

"DONT CALL ME SQUIRT!" She yelled in frustration fighting tears for the second time that day.

She took a deep breath as she forced her composure to remain calm. "I've always,” she sighed, Shannon WAS growing up, she had to remember that. "I forget, you're just my sis, it’s what I call you, but if it bugs you so badly I'll try to remember ok?"

Shannon opened her mouth to shoot out another scathing retort when she was stopped by a low calm voice. "Don't talk to your sister that way Shay."

Richie stood behind her, she turned to look at him in disbelief. What right did he have? "Ex...excuse me??"

"You heard me," he said, his tone matter of fact, as he stepped around her to wrap Mel in a warm hug placing a kiss on her cheek.

She shivered a moment. God being boring was going to be so hard with him standing right there. "It's ok Rich, I deserve it."

She turned to look at Shannon. "I'm sorry for upsetting you." She was sorry, she shouldn't have let this place or the guy change her. She had to be the one Shannon looked too, she had to be normal.

Shannon stood finally silent, totally unsure of what to do. This Mel, the one talking to her now, seemed like the Mel she was used to. She sounded sincere.

"No you don't deserve it and you know it. You can't keep playing nice all the time Mel. If you have something you think she needs to hear you need to tell her," Richie reasoned. "You said yourself she looks to you for everything right? Just telling her what she wants to hear ain't gonna teach her shit about the world. Tell her you think messing with Jon's a big mistake, Tell her you think she should open her mind a bit more and try to accept the real you, tell her you aren't a push over."

Shannon eyed her sister. Was that what she really thought??

Her shoulders tightened as she forced the comments back. She took a deep breath her eyes closing. She wasn't a push over; she was just calm, cool, logical and reasonable. She could be that. "It's not that I think it's a mistake, I just…" She opened her eyes to study her sis. "I think she needs to go slower, she doesn't know him."

"Bullshit Mellie," Richie said "You don't like him or anything about the whole lifestyle I know that for a fact."