I'm Broken and So Are You

Hidden Away

"I'm sorry Dimebag, but I need some time to process this..." I walked out of the bar and outside to collect my thoughts.

'Why the fuck is my father here and looking for me? That asshole doesn't deserve me giving him the time of day. And how does Dimebag know him? Is he harassing him? I needed to know more information. I had to go back to Dimebag.' I took a second to breathe and went back inside. "Hey... I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. I need to know some more information. How do you know my dad?" Dimebag nodded and began explaining it to me. My father had found out through a friend of his that I was here in Texas. He came to this bar when I wasn't here and that's when he met Dimebag.

'I suppose my father did some serious digging to find me. That's a lot of effort just for me. Should I let him back into my life?', I thought about it for a moment. No. He can't find me. I'm not letting it happen. "Dime, can I call you that?" Dimebag nodded his head. "Dime, I can't let my dad find me. I just can't. I won't let him back in after what he did to my mother and I, the hurt he caused us. What should I do?" I looked him in the eyes and he gave a knowing look. "I won't let him find you. I promise. The guys and I will protect you. Why don't you come stay with us for a night or two? Just until everything is settled down. Our studio is basically a second home. Would you be okay with that? Phil won't try anything. I'll keep him in check." Dimebag smiled.

"But what about my cat, Cadillac? He needs to be fed every day. And what about my clothes? I'll need something to wear." I was concerned about some things but it seemed Dime had the answers. "One of the guys or I will come with you to feed your cat and get your clothes. The others will stay put at the studio to make sure your father doesn't come looking for you. We'll be quick enough at your place to make sure he doesn't show." I nodded at Dimebag and he smiled warmly back at me. "After work tonight, I'll come pick you up and take you to your place. We'll get your clothes and go to the studio where the guys, who will know the plan, will be waiting for us. Sound good?" "Yes, thank you so much." I was so grateful for Dimebag and his kindness to help me hide from my father. "Alright, I'd best be off. I'll see you tonight at 10, Emily." I waved to him and went back to my place behind the counter.

Closing came sooner than I thought it would, it was 10 to 10. I finished cleaning the counters, tables and chairs, then waited for Dimebag. He didn't tell me what kind of car he drove so I didn't really know what to look for, but it was closing so his car should be the only one here. I waited for a few minutes and not a minute late, a maroon Camero pulled up. I figured that was him so I bid goodnight to Kiara and went to the car. I hesitated before approaching the window in case it wasn't him. But my worries were alleviated when Dimebag stuck his head out the window, "Emily, come on." I smiled and approached the car. Dimebag opened my door from the inside and I hopped in. "Hi, Dime. Thank you again for helping me." "Not even a worry, Emily. Don't tell him I told you, but Phil has problems with his father too. Absent drug-abusing alcoholic, I'm sure you get my drift. It's had a major impact on how he turned out. I don't judge him. We've all got flaws you know?" I frowned sadly and nodded my head. As Dimebag drove, I felt almost secure but I still wondered if we were going to pull this off. Is he going to find me in hiding and be angry? Did he bring his friend with him? I know which friend Dime mentioned and he's not one to fuck with.

After stopping quickly at my house to get some clothes, Dime and I got back on the road. After a while, I asked him, "Dime? Are we almost there?" Dimebag spoke in a softer tone "Yeah it's just right up this road. Try not to worry about it. I've got your back." I thanked him. Soon enough, we came upon a little place tucked away in the shadows. It had a torn up Confederate flag in the yard and looked pretty unassuming. "Here we are." Dimebag pulled up into the tiny driveway and got out of the car. "Any reason there's a Confederate flag here?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. "You're not from around here are you?" I shook my head no. "Ah. Well, it's just because we're from the South. Think nothing of it. My guitar's the same." (a/n: but this takes place around Cowboys From Hell. Just imagine he had it before then.) I nodded my head and followed him inside.

The lights were on and there were two men laughing on the couch. One of the men was thin with long hair and a beard. The other was kind of heavy set with a baseball cap on. "Hey you're back, man. And this lovely lady is Emily?" Dime nodded. "Vinnie, did Rex tell you why she's here?" The thin man, Rex, nodded his head yes in sync with Vinnie. "Good. Emily, this is my brother Vinnie and this is Rex. Guys, this is Emily." The two men greeted me. Phil walked out of one of the back rooms. He had no shirt on, shorts sagging a bit, and a cigarette in his mouth, "What'd I miss? Oh, Emily's here." He winked at me. He stopped for a minute to take in the room and I couldn't help but look at his bare chest, one tattoo across his stomach. 'Unscarred' it said in boldface letters. God, he was so sexy. "Like what you see?" He smirked, sauntering into the room. I blushed madly and Vinnie shot him a knowing look. Rex looked over at them and knew exactly what was going on. Dimebag seemed left out of the loop. As he began to help me with my clothes, Vinnie and Rex said they wanted to turn in for the night. "You already tired? What about your half-empty beers?" Dimebag asked. They shrugged and said they'd be good tomorrow. Rex faked a yawn as he and Vinnie headed to their rooms in the back. Dimebag shrugged it off and put my stuff in the closet with the equipment. "Looks like everyone's turning in for the night. I'm going to bring a blanket and pillow out here to sleep on the couch to keep a close watch on the front door in case your father comes looking. All that's really left is Phil's room and the small couch. Sorry there ain't much else. Where would you like to sleep Emily?" Dime asked me. I looked out to see Phil on the porch putting out his cigarette. I knew he'd come inside in a second. "I think I'll ask Phil if he doesn't mind sharing his room with me." "Are you sure? I promised you I'd make sure there's no funny business." Just as he said that, Phil came through the door. "Umm.. hey Phil, can I stay with you tonight? I promise I don't take up that much space and I won't be any trouble." I said shyly while fiddling with my hands. Dimebag shot him a look and Phil seemed to understand. "Sure thing. Follow me." He said offering his hand. I said goodnight to Dimebag and took Phil's hand as he led me into his room.