Silent Scream

13.

Nate's Pov:

"It's my dad!" Ashton said, her voice shaky.

"Woah woah woah, calm down. It's gonna be okay." I tried calming her down, but it didn't seem to work.

"If he sees you- if he sees this- no no no no no!!" She started breathing heavy and I knew she was on the verge of a panic attack.

Out of instinct I tried my very best to help her. "Ash.. he's not gonna see us.. we're on the roof and he's in the house.."

"You have to.. you have to go inside.. he.. he sees you.. I am in big.. big trouble." She said as I pulled her into a hug. She buried her face in my chest. I felt my shirt get a little damp which told me she was crying.

"I have.. have to go down there. So he doesn't.. doesn't get suspicious. Ju-.. just stay up here." She started climbing down and even though I didn't like her idea, I went along for her sake.

She climbed down and I anxiously sat on the roof, praying that she will be okay.

I heard a loud knock below me.. her dad's going into her room. I got as close to the edge as possible without falling off to hear what was going on.

"Where's your brother!" A deep voice said. He didn't sound mad, but not happy either. Kinda like he would strike at any moment if something wrong was said.

"Wi-.. with a friend.." came Ashton's small, mousy voice.

"Oh finally talking are we!" There was foot steps, heavy ones.

"Yes.."

"What's up with you girl! What are you hiding! When I came in here you were panting.. were you on the roof again!!" His voice got louder. The louder he got, the more scared it made me.

"No.. no.. I was.. was exercising in my room." She said.

'God she's a good liar.' I thought.

"Where's Dylan? Huh? His car is gone!"

"With a.. a friend. He's with.. with Adrian.."

"I don't believe you." He walked a little more and then I heard a SLAP. Loud, hard, and definitely painful. Then I heard a scream. At that point I was halfway down to her room.

I crawled in with a stick for protection. There was blood, a knife and a crying Ashton in the corner. With her dad standing over her.

He heard me and turned around just in time for me to hit him in the head as hard as possible with the stick. He fell over motionless, but I knew he was alive. The broken stick fell beside him.

I ran to my girlfriend and scooped her up into my arms. "Shhhh.. it's okay. Let me see." I gingerly grabbed her arm. There was a cut. Not very deep, but pretty long that went along her forearm. "Babe.. it's gonna need stitches."

Her eyes widened and she cried harder. "In.. in the closet.." She said pointing with her good arm.

"Yeah what about it?"

"There's an.. an inside lock. It.. it's safe."

I didn't object. I picked her up bridal style and hurried into her closet. I locked the door and sat her down on a conveniently placed stack of pillows and blankets.

"I'm gonna call Dylan. What's his number?" I asked her.

"(205) 427-6210."

I punched in the number and he picked up on the third ring.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Nate. Ashton's boyfriend."

"Nate! Is everything okay!?!"

"Uh.. not really.."

"What happened?! Is Ash okay?!?"

"For now. Your dad slapped her and cut her arm open.. Not very bad, but it needs stitches." I hesitantly said.

"Oh my god! I'm on my way home now! Noah lives close it shouldn't be long. Where's my dad??"

"I hit him in the head with a stick and knocked him out.."

"Thank you so much Nate. I owe ya."

He hung up and I knew within 5 minutes he'd be here. And sure enough I was right.

"He's here Ash. We have to get downstairs."

She nodded and I picked her up bridal styler once again and got us downstairs as quickly as possible.

Dylan ran to Ashton and hugged her. "We need to get her to the hospital." Noah said.

"Please no.." Ashton whimpered.

"Yes Ashton. You have to. No one here can stitch your arm. You have to." I said.

Ashton didn't seem to keen to the idea, but didn't object.

We all got in the car quickly and drove to the hospital in silence. Once we got there we walked inside and got checked in to get Ashton stitches.

"Nathan can we talk to you please." Said the doctor. I nodded and we walked into the hall.

"You were there right?" I nodded. "How did this happen?"

"Her dad..."

"Her dad did this?" He said and I nodded.

"He's hit Dylan.. look at his back if you don't believe me.." I continued to look at the floor, ashamed with myself for letting this happen.

"Thank you Nathan." We walked back in. I sat by Ashton and said, "I'm sorry." She gave me a perplexed look. But then understood once the doctor spoke.

"Dylan may I see your back." He didn't fight it, but lifted up his shirt. The doctor wrote on his notepad and left after saying we were free to go.

"It's okay Nate. I know why you did it." Ashton told me.

"He hurt you and Dylan.. that's not okay.. I've almost told someone before but chickened out. Please don't be mad at me." I directed this to Dylan and Ashton.

"We're not." Ashton and Dylan said in unison. We drove home in silence. There was no truck in the driveway to our relief.

"We'll be downstairs. If you two go upstairs just be good please." Dylan said, his voice low would exhaustion. Slowly, Ashton and I made our way back upstairs.

It was now pretty late at night and since Dylan offered to let me stay over I accepted. Noah was staying too.

"What's gonna happen now?" I asked Ashton.

"Well Dylan graduates soon and turns 18 in two days. We will probably be taken away from my dad. I'll be put into the foster system and Dylan will be free."

"Can Dylan adopted you?"

"Technically yes when he turns 18, but I don't know. That's a lot of work."

"Let's not focus on that now. Let's focus on you and me." We watched some more movies until she fell asleep on my chest.

I turned off the tv and whispered, "I love you and I'll always be here to protect you."

A/N
Hey guys!! Kinda sad chapter, but I have a lot of good ideas!! Thanks so much for reading. Comment. Vote. Follow. Thanks again. Bye!! :)

                                                  -Bluejay