Save me. (Remington Leith X Andy Biersack)

Chapter 20

On the last day of tour the boys are excited for the last show. They have enjoyed this tour so much and the last show is always the most memorable one for them.

They're all excited apart for Remington.

He's terrified.

Holly hasn't shown up, not yet, and with today being the last show, God knows what she'll have in store for him. Something wonderful, he's sure.

The VIP arrives and he can barely hold himself together. And then he looks up and she's there. Her grey eyes glimmer with hatred and her stained pink lips twist into a dark, sly smirk, masked with layer upon layer of fakery.

Remington gulps, horrified. He knew she'd turn up.

Holly puts a poster on the table, takes the sharpie from the boy's hand and scribbles all over his face on the photograph. "You can't escape," she whispers, leaning in so none of the sweet, kind fans hear.

Shivering in fear, Remington avoids looking directly at her. He desperately kicks his older brother's leg under the table, begging for help. "Thank you for coming," he says, having to try so hard to keep his voice stable.

He sees Sebastian out of the corner of his eyes stand up. "Rem, they're having trouble with the microphone," he says, quickly coming up with something to get his brother out of there.

With a nod, the younger pushes his chair back and stands up. He nods. "I'll go and see what's wrong," he says, and leaves the room. Away from Holly and everyone he heaves a breath and tries to calm down.

The door opens and Emerson comes in, a worried expression. "I saw her," he says, and lets Remington hug him tightly. "Deep breaths, it's okay."

Remington shakes his head. "Why won't she leave me alone?"

Emerson sighs, his arms around his brother protectively. "I don't know," he whispers, "but I'm not going to let her hurt you." The man's tone is so gentle, so soft, so caring. When everything is going wrong Emerson is always the one that can make it better. Always.

"I miss him," the boy mutters. Emerson know straight away who he is talking about. "I just-I just miss him."

Later on, after the show, Remington can't sleep. He lies in bed wide awake for hours, feeling like he needs to cry but not being able to. Holly has been traumatising him for so long that it's all he expects from a relationship. He used to tell himself, on days where she would make him sleep on the sofa, that she is just making him a better person. Because he couldn't even manage to consider the bitter reality of it all. To be stuck in a position where one doesn't know how to escape yet wishes for it every day and night is deadly.

The man turns over on the mattress over and over again, the dull buzzing of the generator the only noise on the vehicle. He checks the time to discover it is nearly two in the morning. They'll be at the airport in five hours and home the next day.

Remington scrolls his phone, squinting, liking posts without paying attention to them. Nothing feels right anymore, and God does he wish Andy was here with him. In his tired and shaken state, he ends up on Andy's page, and finally cries. Tears slide down over his cheekbones slowly.

And the boy sends him a text.

I miss you.

After waiting half an hour for a response he accepts that Andy is not going to reply, and tries again to sleep. His phone buzzes in his hand.

Me too, Remington. But you ended it. You broke my heart, you know?

I'm so sorry. Really, I am. Holly is in my head and I can't sleep. She turned up tonight. 

So you're messaging me to waste time?  I haven't heard from you for months and suddenly you miss me when things get hard. Coincidence. 

No! I've been missing you since I ended it. Things haven't gotten hard, Andy, things have been hard for years. I'm going through hell. 

The man doesn't text back after this, and Remington assumes he's given up. Why wouldn't he? Andy had been so understanding, so kind, but that can't still be expected after months of not talking to him . They're practically strangers again.

He sighs, slides out of the bunk, and pulls back Emerson's curtain. He taps the younger man's arm a few times and Emerson opens his eyes. "Can't sleep," Remington whispers. 

Emerson frowns, lifting the cover. "Get in," he offers, and shuffles up to make room. The older lies down beside his brother, closing his eyes. 

Soon both of them are sleeping. The presence of Emerson beside him is so comforting that finally Remington doesn't have a nightmare.