Fearful and the Fearless- A Jonathan Crane Fan Fiction

Chapter Four

A/N: Yay update ^.^ Haha, enjoy everyone!! Pretty please vote and comment! It'll make me feel super special and motivated :D

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"Shannon," a voice whispered right next to Shannon's ear, "Wake up, sissy!" Shannon blinked her eyes open to see little James Jr. staring right at her, his face an inch from hers as he was cuddled up next to her. Shannon smiled, letting out a yawn.

"Morning, Jimmy," Shannon greeted, wrapping her arm around the small boy and squeezing him.

"Shannon!" James laughed, struggling against his sister, "Let go!" Shannon chuckled and released Jimmy.

"What time is it, kid?" she asked, pushing herself up.

"Seven-thirty," Jimmy told her, to which her eyes went wide.

"Crap!" she squeaked, then she began to order around Jimmy, who usually helped her out in the mornings. "Jimmy, please go get my clothes; their folded on the dresser! Oh, and my walking stick!"

"Yes, captain!" Jimmy laughed, giving her a salute. He fetched Shannon's clothes and brought her walking stick to her, and then left the room, the door clicking behind him.

Shannon rushed to pull off her pajamas- something that she usually took slowly because of her leg- and then dressed herself in a black pencil skirt and a light blue short sleeved button up blouse. All of that she amazingly did still sitting. Only after she had slipped on her worn black flats did she use her stick for support to rise from her bed. Shannon then proceeded to hobble to the bathroom just across the hall from her room to brush her teeth, happy she still had enough time to do so. Jonathan had not yet arrived; she had dressed in ten minutes, a new record for herself. Of course, when Barbra used to help her dress, it was quicker and easier, but Shannon had began doing it on her own a few months ago when the therapy sessions had stopped and it had been proclaimed she would never walk normally again...

"Shannon!" Shannon heard Barbra call just as she was setting down her toothbrush. Was Jonathan already there? She had thought he had said eight? "Shannon! There is a boy at the door for you!" Barbra sounded extremely happy as she called for Shannon, but that was expected since he was first boy that had ever been at the door for her.

"I-I'm coming, Barbra!" Shannon called back. She came out of the bathroom and started walking down the hall to the front door... Which was closed with no one at it.

"In the kitchen, Shan!" Of course Barbra would invite someone she didn't know into the house for breakfast..Shannon wasn't very surprised as she had actually done it before- of course, Shannon later learned Barbra actually did know those people and it was more of an exercise so Shannon could see not all strangers were out to hurt her. Maybe it was just a sort of reaction for her now- see someone at the door, give them food.

"Gotcha," Shannon responded with a huff, turning towards the kitchen area. She could see through the arch that was the kitchen door that Jonathan was in fact seated in the kitchen,  looking bored as usual.

"So, how long have you and Shannon known each other?" Barbra asked from the stove as Shannon entered  the kitchen.

"Since the sixth grade," Jonathan informed her flatly, before looking to Shannon with those soul penetrating eyes, "Isn't that right?"

"Yes," Shannon agreed, nodding as she took a seat at the small table across from Jonathan, "Since sixth grade." Barbra nodded and turned toward her cooking, right as Jimmy entered the kitchen. As soon as he saw Jonathan, however, he stopped.

"Who are you?" Jimmy asked curiously, staring at Jonathan.

"Oh, Jimmy, this is Jonathan," Shannon introduced, "Jonathan Crane, a- um- old friend. And Jonathan, this is-"

"I'm her brother!" Jimmy finished for Shannon, grinning as he ran to grab the seat between Shannon and Jonathan. He looked to Jonathan, and lowered his voice as he continued, "Are you two dating?"

"Jimmy!" Shannon and Barbra exclaimed at the same time, Shannon's hands slapping the table top. Shannon felt a blush fill her face. Why in the world would Jimmy ask something like that? Did he want her to go back to being friendless? He was going to chase Jonathan with that question, Shannon just knew it! And that was why she was oh so surprised to see that oh so slight smile creep onto his face.

"Why not?" Jonathan asked, his voice actually having some emotion in it as his hand slipped across the table and covered her own, "I think yesterday could be considered a first date, don't you think?"

"I-isn't this going a little f-fast Jonathan?" Shannon asked, dark eyes widened. Barbra had turned away from the stove, her hands placed over her heart as a delighted look spread across her face.

"You said it yourself," Jonathan told her softly, "we've known each other a rather long time." This was perfect; the perfect opportunity for Jonathan to get close to Shannon... and possibly to further agitate her father. He did have slight feelings for Shannon, too, though. It was odd for him, really... Love was not something Jonathan had come in contact with since... Well, never. Sure, his grandparents had been fond of him, but they didn't much care for him. If they had, they would've stopped his older brother from terrorizing him... This thing he felt for Shannon was completely new.

"Oh, um, I" Shannon stuttered, unsure. But then a shy smile came upon her lips and Jonathan knew exactly what she would say before she said it. "Yes, um, I will be your girlfriend, Jonathan."

"Oh my gosh!" Barbra squeaked, clapping her hands together. It was a step up for Shannon; a step Barbra didn't know if Shannon would ever take after her bad experiences... Both of which involved men. But, here Shannon was, getting in a relationship with what seemed to Barbra to be an excellent young man that made Shannon happy and was going to make something of himself.

"Barbra," Shannon mumbled, smiling but obviously embarrassed.

"Well, I believe we need to be going, Shannon," Jonathan said, standing. He had returned to his normal, composed self.

"Right!" Shannon chirped, standing up with the help of her stick. But as Jonathan rounded the table and snaked his arm around her waist, she found she no longer needed it as Jonathan was once again supporting her weight.

"You can just leave that, if you want," Jonathan told her, his voice low as he walked her to the door, "I'll make sure not to leave your side today. You don't need it." As they reached the front door, Shannon paused a moment. She leaned her walking stick- her crutch for two years- against the wall. Jonathan was right; with him around she didn't need it.

"Bye Barbra! Bye Jimmy!" Shannon called behind her as Jonathan opened the apartment door and took her out.

The door shut before the rushing Jimmy had reached it, the new couple already on their way to the campus. Jimmy huffed angrily. Shannon hadn't given him a goodbye hug! He was about to go back to the kitchen when he saw a very familiar object propped against the wall.

"Mommy!" Jimmy called, running back to the kitchen. Barbra was in there, smiling as she looked out the window of their apartment, "Mommy! Sissy forgot her walking stick!"

"I know," Barbra sighed, glancing away from the window as the black car carrying Shannon drove off.