Chapter 30

Mel took a step forward, her anger reaching sudden flashpoint as the need to wipe the smirk from Jon’s face rose like a storm. She didn't know whether she wanted to punch him in the nose or kick him in the nuts, she'd decide that one as soon as she reached him. "YOU wouldn't.. Ooooooh you don’t DARE say such shit!"

Richie fought back laughter; Jon was digging himself in deep. He was gonna feel the wrath of Mel and it served him right for being such an instigator. Richie egged her on "You tell him Mel!"

Shannon heard the voices as she turned the door knob, a grocery sack in each hand. It'd taken her longer than she thought, she had absolutely no idea what to get for a dinner, Mel always did that, so she'd gotten a little of everything.

As she entered she saw her sister advancing on Jon and Richie standing there grinning like a crazed idiot "HEY! " She shouted to be heard over Richie’s booming laugh and her sisters high pitched words. "What's goin' on?"

She heard her sister and ignored her as she edged closer and closer to Jon. "You don't say shit like that Ya hear me? He's fun to know cuz he's Rich. Maybe YOU need to be famous to get friends, Hell. HE don’t need it. And don’t you fuckin’ dare ever tease him about his eye sight. It works just FINE dammit!"

And as it suddenly went to slow motion in her mind, she felt her fist balling, her arm going back and her eyes started to narrow as she settled on her target. "Stupid, stubborn, idiot, poofy headed, singing rock star!"

Jon jumped backwards at the windup, his Italian anger rearing its head. "You're fuckin' insane lady. I was teasing him, Sweet Jesus, I do it all the time!"

Richie moved fast, getting to Mel just as Jon moved "Whoa there baby... don't hurt the guy......."He looked at Jon "Better watch it Jonny boy, she don't like it when people pick on me," he gloated.

Shannon dropped the bags on counter and crossed to her sister "Mel?!?!" She looked at her as if she'd sprouted three heads

She twisted slightly, fighting to get loose as she glanced at Shannon. "WHAT? HE started it!"

Shannon turn to look at Jon quizzically. "What did you do??"

He shrugged, "Fuck if I know, I said she was being nice to him cuz he was famous."

She pulled at the arms holding her. "Lemme go Dammit, he was.. OOHHH lemme go Rich!"

"No, no, no, Mel," Richie crooned. "Ya can't hurt my buddy, sorry honey."

Shannon looked confused "You were gonna hit him for THAT?"

Mel squirmed wanting to get free, "He didn't ask to be.. well.. to have ... DAMMIT, its not his FAULT, I ain’t nice to him any hows, him being famous has nothing to do with it, LEMME GO SCARECROW!" She glanced at Shannon, her slender form nearly vibrating, "HE DONT GET IT!"

Richie didn't loosen his grip he simply shrugged at Shannon and Jon.

"Christ Mel get a fuckin' grip!" Shannon scowled as she walked to Jon giving him the once over to assure herself her sister hadn't caused any bodily injury before she'd arrived. Once she assured herself he was none the worse for Mel's outburst she leaned in and kissed his cheek whispering a quick "sorry." She turned back to Richie and Mel "You two are something else you know that??? Both of you need some fucking medication!"

She settled into Richie's arms and let that familiar nasty calm invade her. "Try it sometime Jonny boy. Tie on a blindfold and then get dressed. Take all the wrappers off the cans and try to decide which is corn and which is soup. Walk a mile you jack...." She turned to Richie muttering, "I could care less if you are famous or not, you know that right?"

"I know that.... I know," he assured her then tilted her head up for a kiss.

Shannon glowered and huffed in disgust. Just when she thought things might be ok she returned to this? She glanced at Jon then looked away, ashamed to meet his gaze. Would he think she would end up like Mel? Turn on in him in a flash? She was trying so hard to seem normal to him and Mel was doing nothing to help her in that respect.

Mel was doing nothing to help ease her fears at all, and neither was Richie. It was just like Mom, this is how it started, she vaguely remembered, her calm cool loving mother changing, over night it seemed, into an angry uncaring cold shadow of a human. She couldn't take if the same thing happened to Mel.

She forgot the room and lost herself in the kiss. As it ended she turned in his arms, looked at Shan and saw frightened confused brown. God she'd done it again, and again Shannon caught the full effect of her inability to control. The confusion she could fix, why did she look afraid? She wasn't really gonna hurt the oh so poofy one. "I wasn't really gonna hurt him, Shay, I wouldn't.. well ok I might have, I tend to well, lose it when I think.. " She sighed, "Shit I can't explain."

Jon reached over and pulled Shannon too him, his arms wrapping around her securely. "Ehh she couldn't hurt me Lil Bit, she probably can't even hit hard."

Shannon looked at her, untrusting, but nodded; the use of her pet name was enough to ease her anger and fears for the time being. She allowed herself to lean into Jon for just a moment then pulled away, not wanting to do anything to spark her sister’s seemingly uncontrollable anger "You hungry?" She asked Jon softly

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, all the while keeping an eye on the one in Richie's arms. "Yeah, just a bit."

"Okay," she smiled "You go relax... shower... tv..whatever. I dunno whatever you do when your ... not working, I'll make us something ok?"

"Id offer to help but I tend to burn water babe, so sure I'll go watch TV."

She watched Jon and her sister intently, the urge to beat Jon into the ground fading. Damn just a slight amount of someone teasing Rich and she was ready to fight, just like she'd always been. Her eyes turned to Shannon as the need for her to understand shone in her eyes. Damn she was going to hate her, or maybe she already did.

Shannon gave Jon one more chaste kiss before moving to the kitchen to unpack what she'd bought.

Richie leaned down and whispered in Mel’s ear "Why don't you go get all prettied up for me baby? You and me we'll go out and grab a bite and leave these two to themselves for awhile"

She nodded, getting out of here for a few sounded like a decent idea, maybe she could figure out how to handle things if she wasn't getting riled every five minutes over that stupid poofy headed singer’s humor. "Ok. I'll be right back."

She started towards her bedroom, pausing close to Jon as she considered still giving it to him, but with a shake of her head she started to back off. Got to start trying to behave around him, no matter how aggravating he is. She sighed and moved through the door to her bedroom, closing it softly behind her.