Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Stockholm Syndrome

Twenty-Four

by whoah-that 9 reviews

Category: My Chemical Romance - Rating: R - Genres: Drama - Characters: Frank Iero - Published: 2011-03-23 - Updated: 2011-03-24 - 727 words - Complete

5Original
“Vaguely,” Paulina said quickly, leaning in towards Frank. Was she really about to get the explanation for which she’d been waiting for over six months? It almost seemed unreal, like she was about to wake up at any moment, and find that she was still back at the mansion, Algernon hopping around on her pillow, not an answer in sight. “But you’ll have to refresh me.”

“Well…” Frank sat back in his chair. Paulina’s heart raced, and she hoped that he wasn’t second-guessing his decision to tell her. “Put simply, Stockholm Syndrome is when someone…falls in love with the person--or people--that kidnapped them.”

It was quiet for a moment. Paulina and Frank just looked at each other. Grey eyes on green, the girl’s mind raced with what he’d just said. What did that have to do with her, exactly? Paulina felt that she had an idea, but it made her sick to think of.

“I don’t think I want to know anymore,” Paulina murmured, her stomach churning.

“Basically,” Frank said, ignoring this request. “Our experiment is to see if love can happen under any circumstances, as long as it’s meant to be--”

“I don’t want to hear this,” Paulina repeated, standing shakily and trying to walk away. Frank stood as well, following the girl to the bathroom where she was headed.

“We want to see what love is. If it’s just a release of chemicals, or…something more--”

“Stop! Stop! Please stop! I don’t want to hear any more!” Paulina ran into the small lavatory, collapsing at the toilet’s edge and heaving everything she’d eaten that day into the bowl. Her nails gripped the porcelain as though holding on for dear life, and she didn’t notice Frank approach her from behind until she felt her hair being caressed from behind. If she hadn’t been retching into the toilet, she would have pushed him away. Instead, she just cried harder through her illness. When she was done, she leaned her face against the flawlessly white and clean edge, letting tears stream down her face.

“I’m sorry…” Frank murmured, beginning to pull his fingers gently through her short hair. “I’m so sorry…” In response, Paulina stood and flung her arms about Frank’s neck, sobbing into the crook between his throat and shoulder. Short, strained gasps escaped her throat. Frank ran his hands up and down her back.

“Why,” Paulina whimpered between hiccups of sobs. “Why did you tell me that? Why?”

“I had to tell you,” Frank murmured into the top of her hair. “You had to know the truth. I couldn’t bear for you not to know the truth.”

“This is sick,” Paulina said, leaning her cheek against Frank’s chest. “Sick, and terrible, and disgusting. You’re messing with fate.” Frank tightened his arms around the small girl and leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

“I’m not messing with fate,” he defended. “I’m just testing it.”

“I don’t love you,” Paulina murmured as Frank led her back to their seats. “I don’t. I can’t. I won’t.” Frank didn’t say anything; he just sat her down, one hand on the girl’s back, the other gripping her palm lightly between thumb and forefinger. She could feel her pulse beating against his fingers, rapid at first, beginning to slow down as he coaxed her into closing her eyes and leaning her head back on his chest. Paulina was asleep to the rhythm of Frank’s beating heart before the tearstains had dried on her cheeks.


Okay. So, I know this is ridiculously short. It's just over a page long in ten-point Times New Roman. But here's the deal: It was either post a full-length chapter, but completely skip the plane scene, or post this and then post a full-length chapter. Honestly, this bit is so important that I couldn't not post it, and I couldn't think of a way to put everything that was in here into a full-length chapter that takes place later in the story. So...yeah. I'll do my best to get the next chap up as soon as possible, so be on the look out for that. For now, go comment/rate/subscribe, plz. OverAndOutxx
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