Running

Chapter 19

She woke up, trying to scream, but there was hardly any sound that came out. She was pulling the covers off of her, trying to get out of the bed. She felt an arm around her waist, holding on to her. She slapped at it, struggling, and crying.

"Vyla," she heard the voice say. "Vy! Stop!" She heard as she kept slapping at the hands holding her. She kept fighting. Someone was suddenly in her face. She covered her face, flinching away, crying.

"Vy. It's Corey." She heard, still not sure if it was. "Baby, it's just me. It's Corey, ok?" He said softly, almost whispering.

She was breathing heavily, not removing her hands from her face. She was sobbing, but she was hardly making a sound, due to her voice. She dropped her hands to her lap, looking down at them.

She couldn't look at him. She felt ashamed, and sad. "Vy, you ok?" She heard Sid's voice now. Not looking up she nodded her head.

"Corey, why don't you go get a shower. I'll stay until you get back." She heard Sid say.

"No I'm ok." He said stubbornly.

"Dude! Go! You smell awful, man. It'll be ok for an hour. You haven't changed clothes in almost 4 days. Go." Sid said sternly.

"Vy? I will be back as soon as I can, ok?" He said to her.

She didn't look up. She just nodded a little. She felt him kiss the top of her head, and then heard the door close.

She felt Sid sit down next to her. She wiped her eyes, still looking down. He put his arm around her shoulder, giving her a side hug.

Letting go of her, he said, "Vyla. Look at me."

She shook her head, refusing to look up. "Vyla, please?" Sid asked.

She slowly turned her head to him. She looked at him as he spoke. "We're not doing this again, understand?" Sid said to her, looking her in the eyes.

She gave him a puzzled look, not sure of what he was saying. "You're not letting him win. Got it? You haven't come this far to let this shithead ruin all of it for you. I'm not letting you shut everyone out again. I'm just not." He said.

"I'm not going to sit here and let you shut down, ok? You're too important to me and everyone else. He's not going to take anything more from you ever again. I'm not being mean to you. I'm not mad at you. I'm giving you the kick in the ass you need so you don't sink futher away. Ok?" He said, as he looked at her.

She had tears in her eyes. She knew he was right. She nodded, as the tears fell from her eyes. She turned and hugged him tight. She sat crying, holding on to Sid.

He had her lay back with him on the hospital bed, and he just held on to her, as she cried. They didn't say anything else to each other.

She fell asleep on Sid. He didn't move. He just held her close, so she felt safe while she slept.

A while later, the door opened quietly, and Corey walked in smirking at them. "3 times now, asshole. 3 times in bed with my girlfriend." He said in a whisper, chuckling quietly.

Sid smiled at him. "She was comfortable. I wasn't moving her." He whispered back.

"How is she?" Corey asked, still whispering.

"She's gonna be fine, man. I told her she wasn't shutting everyone out again, and she wasn't letting him win again. Then I let her cry. I told her I was giving her the kick in the ass she needs right now." Sid whispered.

"I can still kick your ass Sid. I'm awake, you assholes." They heard a scratchy voice say.

For the first time in days, Corey laughed, as did Sid. "She's fine." Corey said still laughing.

"Told you she was." Sid smiled at him.

Vyla lifted her hand, flipping both of them off.

She sat up as Sid moved from under her. She looked at Corey. He had changed clothes, and shaved. He looked a lot better. She noticed a dozen black roses sitting on the table in her room.

Where did these come from? She wrote to Corey. He smiled and said "Marilyn called one day and Sid answered your phone. Sid tried telling him you couldn't talk, but Marilyn wasn't taking no as an answer. Um, Sid told him what happened. I hope you're not upset. The flowers came yesterday actually."

She smiled softly and shook her head no. Black roses, so Marilyn, she wrote to Sid and Corey. They laughed and nodded. "I'm gonna take off. I'll see you soon Vy." Sid said kissing her on her head.

"Now you're kissing my girlfriend?" Corey laughed.

"I can kiss you too if you want." Sid laughed.

"Nah I'm good. Thanks man. I'll see you later." Corey laughed.

Once they were alone, he sat down on the bed next to her. "I was so scared Vy. I thought I lost you." He said.

She turned to him and wroted,asking how Mason got on the bus. "I don't know. The cops said he had been following us since we left on tour. He couldn't find us when we were at the cabin." Corey said sighing, "They think that for the two months he couldn't find you, he finally lost his shit, and snapped." Corey shook his head.

"I am so fucking sorry Vy. I really am." Corey said looking at her.

She put her finger over his lips, shaking her head. "Don't. Don't blame yourself. You got him away from me." She squeaked out.

He kissed her forehead. "The cops said he has a lot of charges against him." He said.

"What are they?" She asked whispering.

"Um, attempted murder, breaking and entering." He said uncomfortably.

She looked at him, knowing there was more. "Babe, it's a lot of charges ok." He said. She continued staring at him.

He sighed, "Sexual Assault, and attempted rape." He said, finally.

She nodded looking down. He lifted her chin up to look at him with his fingers. "I saw him with his hand up your shirt. Um, Jim. He, um, noticed your shorts were half way pulled down. I'm sorry Vyla. I know this is hard for you. And it's hard for me too." He said. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at her.

Her face was red with embarrassment. She felt her eyes filling with tears. "Did he...fuck! Did he, rape you?" Corey finally managed to get out.

She shook her head no. "You would tell me right? You know you can, right?" He asked her.

She grabbed the pen and paper and wrote, He tried. I punched him. I spit in his face and laughed at him. He didn't get my clothes off. I fought him as hard as I could.

She handed the paper to Corey. He read it, running the back of his neck. He breathed a sigh of relief. Nodding his head he looked at her.

"Are you sure Babe? I just want to make sure. I would never be upset with you about it ok? I just don't want you to think you can't tell me or hide it from me. I love you no matter what." He said.

"I swear on my parents and Gabe, he didn't." She whispered.

"You hit him?" He grinned at her.

She nodded. "I never fought back before. I wasn't dying without a fight this time." She whispered.

He laid down on the bed, motioning for her to lay with him. She curled into him, laying her head on his chest.

"Will you please get me the fuck out of here?" She squeaked out to him.

"The doctor said 2 more days." He said.

"I can't stay here anymore. I have spent too much time in a hospital because of him. I need to leave. Please." She said in a whisper, almost begging him.

"Ok. Let me see what I can do. No promises." He said smiling at her.

3 hours later, a lot of begging and numerous promises to the doctor, Corey was able to get her discharged. They were in a car he rented, and they were going to a hotel for the night.

They entered their room, and she smiled. He had gotten them the penthouse suite. She turned to him and smiled. He smiled back, setting their bags down.

Without saying a word to her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her in the bathroom. They had a Jacuzzi tub. She turned and smiled happily. He started the water, then turned to help her undress.

She winced in pain a few times as she got in the tub. He got in, sitting down behind her. She leaned her back against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Both of them sighed.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked.

"About 3 days. The doctor was glad actually. He said you needed to rest your mind for a while. You are not supposed to be doing anything for the next 2 weeks. Bed rest. No lifting anything for the next month. Your ribs are cracked. So that means you have to let me take care of you, understand?" He said.

She nodded and slowly turned to him, wincing a few times. "Ok. But only until I feel better." She grinned, making him smile. She slowly turned back around. She leaned against him again.

"There is going to be a trial Vyla. We have to come back to California at the end of next month. We all have to testify against him, unless he pleads guilty. I wanted you to know." He said.

She nodded. "Corey," she said, moving a little to look at him. "Did," she shook her head.

"What is it baby?" He said softly.

"Did..did Jim see..." She trailed off, feeling tears.

"Vy," he said, moving in front of her now, "If he did, it wasn't for long. He cover you up with a blanket, before he picked you up." He said, wiping her tears.

She looked at him. "Picked me up?" She asked.

He nodded, a gentle expression on his face. "He wrapped you up in a blanket and carried you off the bus, and held on to you until the ambulance came." He said moving her hair from her face. "He said he wanted you away from Mason." He said quietly.

"He has been worried sick about you. He has texted or called a lot. He has stayed back since you woke up. He just wanted to give you a little space right now." He said, wiping her tears.

She looked at him and gave him a small smile, nodding her head.

"Mick wouldn't stay away. He came by a lot when you were sleeping. And Sid, only left because Chris said he would kick his ass if he didn't." He said, making both of them grin.

"The guys have been trying to give you some space, and not be too overbearing right now. They all hung out in the lobby a lot actually." He said, running his hand down her face softly.

She grabbed his hand, and held it to her face, closing her eyes.

"I was thinking we would stay here tonight and tomorrow. Then I'm not sure after that. Do you want to go back to Iowa?" He asked her.

"No. You have a tour to finish. You have taken enough time off because of me. You need to finish it. We have a month and a half left. I'll be fine." She whispered out.

"I don't know babe. How do you feel about being on the bus again?" He asked, concerned.

"I bought you guys a new and improved bus." She whispered.

"What?! When...how?" He asked, stunned.

"Last week. I already talked to Shawn about it. He tried arguing that he couldn't let me do that. I argued back, telling him it was done. You guys have done so much for me. I wanted to do something for you." She said squeaking.

"Babe. You didn't have to do that. But, god. Thank you." He kissed her gently on the mouth.

"How did you do that?" He asked still stunned.

"I called my investor, and had him take care of it." She smiled. "It will be here they day after tomorrow."

"I love you so goddamn much Vyla." He said, carefully pulling her close to him.

"I love you." She squeaked.

"Let's get you into bed." He said helping her up and out of the tub.

They climbed into bed together. She was trying to get comfortable, and wasn't able to. "Do you want some pain meds?" He asked her.

"No. I have weird dreams with them." She said.

"It's just us here, ok? You need rest. Do it for me, please?" He asked. He was giving her the sad eyes.

"Low blow Taylor." She whispered, grinning at him. She nodded and took the meds.

She laid down, as he gently held her. "I can't sleep." She said.

"Shhh...." He said, as he softly sang to her.

She sighed, relaxing into him, as the world seemed to disappear around her, and she fell into a deep sleep.