In Loving Memory, Frank Warren

Chapter 13: June Oh Holy Crap

Loud buzzing filled his head, the air, the whole room. With a sensation of electric ants crawling over his bare skin, Frank jumped to full wakefulness. His eyes scoured the room searching for the source of the insistent buzz. The alarm was not on. Maybe something outside? A helicopter buzzing the building?

Over this part of the city? Doubtful. Then what?

"Dean," he hissed, reaching over to shake his lover's shoulder.

"Huh?" Dean blinked bleary eyes, staring first at him and then at the clock on the nightstand. "You're awake at five? What happened? Is the building on fire?"

"Maybe," Frank replied. "Do you hear a noise?"

Rubbing his eyes, Dean sat up next to him. Even groggy Dean was a thing of beauty. Momentarily forgetting what woke him, Frank stared at the masculine perfection sharing his bed. Sleepy green eyes stared on the far wall while his handsome face concentrated. Broad muscular shoulders rippled as he hunched forward, listening intently.

"Do you hear silence?" Dean guessed. "Because all I hear is silence. It is Saturday, there aren't as many cars on the road."

"You don't hear a buzz?" Frank demanded, casting another suspicious glance at the alarm clock.

"Are you going to be weird again today?" Dean groaned, flopping back on the bed.

"I don't know," Frank replied honestly as the buzzing intensified. What day was it? "What's the date?"

"Yesterday was the eighteenth," Dean reminded him patiently, "which makes today the nineteenth."

"I don't think I like that," Frank replied slowly as the buzzing intensified.

"I noticed." Dean sat up again and a warm hand landed on his upper back, just below his neck. "Any particular reason you don't like it?"

Frank turned his head to meet Dean's inquisitive gaze head-on. "It's a bad day. We ought to rent a car and go pick up John."

"No." Gently Dean grasped his shoulder and massaged it one-handed. "No, Baby. You promised you wouldn't flip out about John until after ten. Remember? If I can use the phone I'll call and tell him to come over early."

Good idea and bad idea. Grappling with the decision, Frank's insides writhed in turmoil. Using the phone could compel John to show up earlier which meant less time for him to worry. However turning on a phone, any phone, invited the airline to call.

"No," he made his gut-wrenching decision, "no phones. It's safer. We'll just have to wait and worry."

"We don't have to worry," Dean argued in a reasonable tone. "I could go next door to Craig's and ask to use his phone."

Again Frank shook his head. "Then the airline will know what phone to use. No, it's a bad idea. No phones." A shiver ran through him at the thought.

"Hey, all right, no phones." Two hands massaged his shoulders, comforting and easing his tension. "I have an idea. Since you're up, let's go ahead and get dressed, eat breakfast. After you and Mom have the food ready we can watch another movie while we wait. Then we won't have to sit around worrying."

"This is the best idea you've ever had." Impressed, Frank stared into those gorgeous green eyes. "I don't appreciate you enough."

"No you don't," Dean replied as he continued the massage. "But it's okay. I know I'm awesome."

"Amazing," Frank corrected. "You are amazing."

"Yeah, yeah," Dean grumbled, his hands falling away as his cheeks pinked. "Whatever."