Closure ~Asking Alexandria Love Story ~

Chapter Eleven - Alerion

It was pitch black on the bus. I was wide awake, Ben with his arms still wrapped around me, he looked so peaceful sleeping.
I woke up because I was too afraid of having a nightmare on the bus, with everyone around. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't. My head was full of too much shit and I couldn't handle it.
I went took a deep breath and forced myself back to sleep.

-Ben Bruce POV-
All I heard was screaming.
The whole bus in fact.
It was Shane.
Crying, she was frantic. I shot up and pulled her into my arms and held her close. The lads were crowded around the bunk, even James.
"Shhh it's okay Shaney!" I exclaimed. "Calm down it's okay, it was just a dream!"
She was crying into my chest, I sat up and pulled her even closer.
"What's up with her?" Danny shrieked.
"It's her nightmares" James sighed. "She's had them since I've known her"
"So what do we do?" I hissed.
"I used to sing to her" he shrugged, it was like he didn't care.
"Sing what James?!" I shouted. I was rocking her, she was still frantic.
"Anything for fuck sake!" He held his head in his hands. "Just calm her down so we can sleep yeah?" He sighed and walked back to his bunk.
Danny sat in the bunk with us. "Fuck you James, it's not her fault!" Danny snapped.
James turned around and folded his arms he leaned against the wall.
"Oh really?" He bowed his head and then crouched down looking at Shaney. She had calmed a little now, she was shaking though and staring right at James.
"Shaney, you got something you want to talk about?" He stared.
She shook her head.
"No? Nothing like..hmm..I don't know why you keep having nightmares? I told you to talk to someone Shaney!" He spat.
She jumped out of the bunk and pushed James on the floor.
"Shut up!" She screamed. "Just shut the fuck up!" She screamed. She punched the walls and kicked the bunk.
"You never listened to me, so why should I start listening to you James?" She cried.
I jumped out of the bunk and grabbed her. "Shaney stop it!" I shouted. "It's not worth it, so just get back into bed and calm the fuck down" I said, brushing my fingers across her cheek. I pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back.
"James go back to bed mate" I nodded.
He got up and stumbled back to his bunk. I'm guessing through this whole time he was still drunk.
Danny got up and kissed Shane on the cheek. "It's okay kid" he smiled. "See youse in the morning" he yawned, he climbed back into his own bunk.
Sam walked past and patted her on the shoulder, and me, cam too.
"Night" they yawned.
I put Shaney back into her bunk and I managed to climb in too. She was facing me, lying there.
"Ben?" She croaked.
"Yeah?"
"Can I tell you something?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I nodded.
"I've only ever told two people about this" she began. "James, and my therapist"
She but her lip and then nodded to herself.
"You saw burns on my body didn't you? The scars?" She asked.
I didn't know what I saw, I was drunk for god sake, I just nodded.
"Those were from when I was a kid" she started to shake. "You see, when I was little..well about 11, a fire broke out in my house, let's just say it wasn't accidental, someone did it on purpose. It I never found out who." Tears were forming in her eyes now. "But whoever it was, they, they destroyed my family, the fire spread through the house and I was the only one who could get out, I just remember my mum telling me to run, she was in her room, with dad, I didn't have any brothers or sisters, just my mum and dad. I remember running down the stairs and the fire was gaining on me all over, that's how I got my burns. And I just remember getting outside, and everyone was there, the neighbours, the police, the firefighters. I was alone, I had no one, they died. And ever since then I had no one, I was put into care and I got fostered now and again, but I always ran away, that's all I did, if it wasn't from the foster parents it was from the care home, cos it never felt like home. I got fostered by a woman called Lindi, from the age of 13, I went to live with her at 16 I kept running away from her but I always ended up back. I didn't like her she didn't like me simple as, I met James at 13 from running away, and we became best mates. We'd sneak out to gigs, sometimes his, we'd go missing for a few days, it all changed. He got kicked out by his parents and I hardly got to see him, then they made up and we got close again. I got bullied in school for the marks on my skin and that sent me west pretty much, I attempted suicide, overdose and hurting myself. I woke up in hospital, didn't hear anything from James, nothing not even a note. And that's when everything went even more fucked." She sighed.
"Wow" I gasped.
So that's what she's been holding in all this time. James leaving her, her parents, the fire. Everything.
"Yeah" she said. "I'm a mess I guess"

"No" I said sternly. "You're not a mess, you're perfect" I pressed my finger on her lips and leaned in, moving my finger to her chin to lift her head up. I kissed her lips softly.

-Shaney's POV-

He kissed me. Ben fucking kissed me. My first ever kiss was Ben Bruce.
"B-ben?" I hesitated. Feeling completely full of butterflies from the kiss.
"Yeah?" He whispered.
"You've just taken my first kiss" I blushed.
"I guess I did" he smirked. "Come here"
He wrapped his arms around me and rocked me to sleep. He began to sing "Someone Somewhere"

____________________
I didn't have feelings for Ben, I don't think he had feelings for me either, he must of just did what he thought was right in the moment.
It was morning now, and although I felt numbness in the emotion area I felt fresh, I finally told someone else. I major step in my life.
I rolled over to find myself in my bunk alone. Everyone else was up and I could hear them. I felt a presence near my curtain of my bunk. I swooshed open. There stood a very hungover James.
"Shaney!" He gasped. He climbed into my bunk and swung his arms around me. "I fucked up" he groaned. "I am so fucking sorry!"
I pushed him off me. "James stop pretending" I sighed. "What did Ben talk to you or something?"
"You told Ben?"
I nodded.
"Wow Shaney" he gulped. "Everything?"
"Yes" I groaned. "All of it"
"I'm proud of you" he gave me a nervous smile.
"You've changed your tune" I spat.
"I was a major dickhead to you yesterday and last night, I really think I should make up for it all, you didn't deserve it, you don't deserve it" he bowed his head.
"Well it's good you said sorry, but it's gonna take me a while to forgive you" I sighed.
He nodded and then got out of my bunk. Ben flew into it straight after James left.
"Morning sleepyhead" he smiled. "Come on you have to get ready!" He nudged me. "Half an hour yeah?"
I pulled myself out of bed and grabbed some clothes out of my drawers, I headed to the bathroom stumbling past the guys. They all greeted me with a goodmorning and asking if I was okay. I said yeah and carried on to the bathroom.
I showered, got dressed, did my hair and put on my makeup.
I left the bathroom wearing my ripped black jeans with a chain attached, a studded belt, a black and white striped shirt, black high tops and a black hoodie the hoodie was bens.
"What's the plan today then?" I asked.
"Well then, we're going for another show and another party pretty much Shaney so just sit back and relax" Danny smiled patting the space next to him. I sat down and took a breath.
I felt, different.