"NANCY!"

Frank was panicking. Why couldn't he find her? Where was she? Was she alright? Was she alive? Frank took a deep breath. He refused to go to that territory. Nancy was a fighter. She wouldn't die that easily. She would be fine. He knew she would. He didn't know what he'd do if she wasn't.

"Frank!"

Frank didn't know which way to turn. It seemed like, to him, her voice was coming from different directions. Left and right. North and south. Everywhere. He didn't know which way to turn. He couldn't see her. All he could see was the chaos. Of course, he couldn't ignore the thousands of dead bodies around him and the smell of fire. Where was she?

Nancy.

The thought of her name made the bottom of his stomach clench uncomfortably. Why did he feel like something bad happened to her? No. Why did he feel like he already lost her?

Beads of sweat trickled down his temple. He heard the voice again.

"FRANK!"

It was then followed by a cough. The voice sounded hoarser than the first time. It was like she was struggling to stay awake. To keep herself alive. Where was that voice coming from?

"FRANK HARDY, BEHIND YOU!"

He turned around in instinct. He raised his hand just in time to block A fist that was coming his way. He pushed it with all his might until his foe staggered backward, leaving him unguarded. He seized the moment and thrust his knife in his unguarded stomach. The man merely looked at him, fell to his knees and dropped dead on the ground. Frank raised his eyes just to see Nancy in the arms of another man.

And not in a way that would have broken his heart.

It was in a way that would have killed him.

With one arm keeping Nancy's arms behind her back, the hooded figure pushed the dagger further into her throat. Nancy whimpered as a line of blood trickled down her throat.

"You should have saved her first."

With those words said, and with a smile thrown in his direction, he slashed Nancy's throat open. Frank watched in horror as, much like the man he had slain earlier, Nancy dropped onto her knees and fell to the ground. He rushed to her, cradling her nearly lifeless figure. He shook her helplessly, trying to keep her awake. She merely smiled at him and raised a hand to stroke his cheek tenderly. It was a struggle to speak, and it was nearly unintelligible, but she breathed out those three words.

"I love you."

With that, her hand dropped to her side and for one last time her eyes shut close.

"NANCY!"

He jolted awake as shivers ran down his spine. He blinked helplessly as he wiped the sweat from his brow. It was then that he noticed that a certain woman was staring at him in horror and worry from the foot of his bed.

"Frank?" she asked with a trembling voice. She rushed to his side, trying to see if he was alright.

"Nancy," he breathed out as he reached out to her. He pulled her in his arms, receiving a slight squeak of surprise from her. But when she noticed that he was trembling, she merely gave in to the embrace. Frank didn't even ask her what she was doing in his room in the middle of the night-- he just needed to feel that she was alive. "You're alive. You're breathing."

"Frank, what's wrong?" she asked with an edge of worry in her voice as she pulled away. She brushed his fringe away from his eyes. He was still holding on to her, as if he was so afraid that she would disappear. "I'm here. I am not going to disappear. Now, please tell me, what's the matter?"

"I dreamt I lost y-you," Frank said as his voice broke at the last word. It was true. Because even if it was just for a fraction of a moment, he lost her.

Nancy was surprised at that. "You are not going to lose me, Frank. I am not going anywhere."

"Will you stay, just this one night?"

Nancy just stared at him and nodded. After all, how could she refuse after seeing him so shaken like that? So she just helped him lay down on the bed, with her arms securely around his muscular build and his around her waist. It was not a struggle to find a comfortable place because they just seem to fit together.

Nancy watched him close his eyes. She will not feel contented until she could hear his soft breathing – until she's sure he's asleep. She freed her one hand and stroked his face. His arms were tight around her, as if making sure that she was not going anywhere. Nancy couldn't help but smile at that.

I'm not going anywhere, Frank. I am always going to be here, whenever you need me. And even if you don't need it, I'm always going to be here. I know I'm only a friend but at times, you make me feel more than that. You make me feel like a lady who deserves to be respected. A lady who deserves to be listened to and if takes death for you to achieve that, then so be it. I will die for you. Because there's this ache in my heart whenever I see you so troubled or so torn – especially with your father. I would never want to see a single tear in your eyes, or a trace of worry in your eyebrows, even a scrunch of your forehead."

"Nancy."

"Hush. I'm here. I'm always going to be here because I love you, Frank. I am never going to leave you."

"Don't leave, Nancy." She turned to look at him in alarm, thinking he was waking. Instead, he just wrapped his arms tighter. "I love you too."