Protection, Zack Merrick, All Time Low

13

Zack

We catch a ride in the back of a police car, with Alex with us too. She's shaking and leaning into Alex and all I want to do is grab her and set her on my lap, with her head buried into my kneck and her feeling safe again.

I kissed her, and I want to do it again and, again.

We're in the other room on the side of the two way glass, Alexs eyes are bloodshot from crying too, and Jack and Rian have worry lines across their faces. I'm scared to know what my face looks like.

"What did the man do to you while you were locked up?" A lady officer asked her.

"H-he beat me constantly." She says, her voice cracking. "When he wasn't at work, that is. He had raped me maybe twice a day?"

"How long do you think you were in there?" I flew out here on the 18th and went to break up with him," She starts to explain. "My family thought I was going to visit my aunt, and I tried to, but she wasn't home. The main reason I had come was to break up with him. I didn't think he would do this. I was arrogant."

"Has he hit you before?"

"Y-yes." Alex wipes a tear from his eyes, and Jack wipes it away. Whispering that it will be okay. Rians fidts are clenched, and he doesn't say a word. "Lots of times. I couldn't leave him, he wouldn't let me."

She starts crying, and I yearn again to comfort her. "Will you show us your bruises?" The officer asks. "Don't take off your pants, but you are wearing a bra, yes?" She asks.

Kim nods and stands up, shaking, she takes off her ripped shirt and you can see gashes on her stomach and bruises too. I involuntary whimper a little bit, and Alex looks at me.

I look away, and I look at the ground, not being able to see her in this way.

I've dreamed of this moment. Seeing her take her shirt off in front of me. At the beach, or in my bathroom, or in my bedroom, my eyes locking with hers. Reaching out and touching her, but I would hurt her. I would hurt her just by looking at her with sympathy.

"How did your brother know to come look for you?"

"I suppose it was because I didn't call him at all. We talk at least once a week, maybe even once a day. I guess he was worried, and he probably called my aunt to see if I got there safe, or to see if I was mad at him."

"What about his band mates?"

"I don't know, we didn't talk much before, they probably only talk to me now because they have to, since I'm their manager."

My heart sinks down into my stomach, with her thinking that she doesn't mean anything to us?

●●●

"Kimberly Lenay Gaskarth how dare you think we don't love you." Jack jumps the gun. "Of course we do!"

He hugs her, careful not to hurt her. "I love you guys too," she whispers.

Rian hugs her next, and then I just want to pick her up and take her home. "Lets get you cleaned up." I tell her, putting her in the cab with me and Alex again, I pull her against me and kiss her head a few times.

"I love you. A lot." I tell her. "I do."

"Now c'mon and lets get you clothed and clean so you can go to lisas appointment with us." Alex says once we get to the hotel.

Kimberly

Lisa looks at me worried, and hugs me gently. I guess Lex filled her in, or maybe it's just the way I look.

Alex hands me my suitcase that he found on my Aunts porch, and I grab it and step into a warm shower, keeping my head down as I go to the bathroom.

"What are we going to do with her?" I hear someone whisper, after I turn on the water.

"I don't know. I guess we take it day by day."

"He's in jail now, it'll be okay."

"Lisa, she has emotional damage."

"Of course she does, we just need to give her space, but also be there for her. She will be okay."

"I vote not letting her travel again without one of us. She's going to move to America."

"Clearly she has to."

"She just went to break up with him, cut her some slack."

"She could have been killed!"

I stop listening and step inside the shower once I'm naked and I whine slightly at it hitting the cuts of where Denny had his nails.

The police officers took pictures, to show their proof. The one at the front desk was my old friend, and I was scared to look at their face, figuring it would hold an "I told you so," look. They warned me. And I didn't listen.

●●●●●

Lisa gets the gel on her stomach, and they take a look at the nine week old baby. I grin at the little orb, that's upside down.

"Look at its arms!" Alex giggles.

"And its legs!"

"I'm going to be a dad." Alex suddenly pauses with the biggest smile on his face.

"I'm going to be a mom!" Lisa does rhe same.

"I'll be an aunt to this baby." I grin, and they kiss. The tech grins and tells them news and I smile at Lisas stomach as Alex rubs it.

They got the pictures printed, and as they're kissing, I talk to the tech. "I'll be right back." I tell Alex and Lisa, and I follow the lady out. "Thank you for doing this lady minute." I tell her, she lays me down on a seperate bed, and I hold my breath at the child gel.

She rubs the monitor on my stomach, searching every where. "No baby." She says with a smile.

I let out a breath of relief and smile, thanking God I don't have a baby inside me yet. Hopefully never Dennys baby.

I don't know if he has let out a load in me, all I felt was blood, I haven't missed a period, because I should be on it next week. I pray I have it.