FicWad

Okay... so just before we star here. I'm going to expand the amount of time until her graduation, so it will be about 8 weeks till then....so it will be in the middle of January... now I know.... No one graduates from high school in Jan, but humour me... it's only fiction.

Anyway thanx for reading!
Xx
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***
Toni's POV
***

OH MY GOD!

I took in a loud, sharp breath and sobbed slightly when I felt Gerard's arms grab me in a tight, painful.... No, not painful... excruciating embrace. I didn't mean to... it just kinda... came out, like a reflex or something.

I scrunched my eyes tight shut as if it would help the pain go away.... It didn't.

Gerard let go abruptly as he heard my little yelp of pain. He pulled away with complete and utter worry on his face. My eyes were watering. I just wanted to get out of there right then. Mikey came rushing round to kneel in front of me and Frank and Alicia had now stood up.

' Toni... what's wrong... Toni!' Mikey had me by the shoulders, not knowing that he was only making my current state much worse.

'Don't...ahh.... let me go... please.' was all that my mouth could form. The pain was worse than when Adam grabbed me.

Mikey got the hint and let go of my shoulders, letting his arms hover at my sides and scanned my body with his eyes looking for any kind of injury.

'Toni.... Let me see your shoulders sugar.' Gerard coaxed from beside me on the couch.

'N...no, I'm o...okay.' I assured swallowing hard.

'Well... It doesn't sound like it.' Alicia was the next to speak up.

' Come on Tones it's okay.' Mikey said in a soft tone.

I didn't know what to do. My head was literally buzzing. And... of course, I did what I usually do. I ran. I ran away from the problem. Right past Mikey, Between Alicia and Frank and straight for what I was guessing was the bathroom. I was right. I quickly shut and locked the door behind me. My arms were throbbing now and my ribs were aching from running down the hall. I slowly and carefully slid down the wall parallel to the door.

And as I had predicted a few seconds later there was a knock on the door.

'Toni? Can I come in?' It was Mikey.

'.....' I merely sniffled in response.

' Toni please... we're all really worried now. Please just let me in.' He obviously wasn't going to take my no for an answer.

I shakily got up from the floor and made my way over to let him in, nearly doubling over in pain. I swivelled the small chrome lock around and he let himself in. I backed away as he came through the door.

'Hey... come on let me see what's wrong.' His voice was demanding yet soft.

'Um... I don't know.' And thing is... I didn't know... I didn't know what to think... what to do. And I really didn't know why I was hiding all this from them... I mean what's the worst that could happen? And why the hell did I freak out when they asked me about it. I was just being stupid now.

I gave in and started to unzip my hoodie. I slipped it down my arms far enough to show the ugly purple and yellow bruises. A gasp escaped Mikey's lips when he caught sight of them.

I looked away. I don't know why... maybe I was ashamed of myself?

'Are you hurt anywhere else?'

I just lifted up the bottom of my hoodie and t-shirt to show the beginning of the slowly bruising marks on my ribs. Once again, there was another gasp that managed to slip past the bass player's lips.

'Who did this to you Toni?' It sounded as though he was getting angry. Which was quite unusual for him.

Once again my reply was silent, I stayed like that, not looking him in the eye. But I really don't know why. What was there to hide?

'Okay, I'll leave you alone for a little while.' He said while walking towards the door. Opening it and closing it behind him.

Why didn't I just tell him what happened at school? Was I that ashamed of myself? God, I'm shallow, aren't I?

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*
Gerard's POV
*

I really hope it wasn't me that hurt her. She disappeared to the bathroom about ten minutes ago. Mikey followed her and hasn't come back yet. So I guess she must have let him in.

I don't know what it is with those two. It's like they know what each other are thinking sometimes... I'm telling' ya... it can get kinda creepy. And he always manages to calm her down. But that's just what he's like. Mikey's always knows how to calm me down, and be the rational one in bad situations. That's what I loved about my baby brother.

'What do you think happened?' Frank asked Alicia and I.

'Don't know... Hopefully Mikey will find out.' Alicia replied.

We were brought out of our thoughts when Mikey came back into the room looking slightly agitated. He came in, let out a deep breath and took a seat next to Alicia on the two-seater.

'Hey, what happened? Is she okay now?' Alicia asked taking Mikey's hand.

I looked at his face, It was as though he was thinking about how to word something. He used to do all the time when we were kids. He clenches his teeth slightly, narrows his eyes while staring at the floor and furrows his brow only a tiny bit and then relaxes his features when he has come up with the solution.

' Um... I don't really know. Um... she ... her shoulders and all of her left side are completely bruised. The ones on her arms look older than the ones on her side.' I tried to process all of what my brother had just told us.

'So... did she tell you what happened?' I asked trying to get some useful information out of him.

' No... no she didn't, she didn't really speak to me at all. But I'm really worried. It looked as though someone pretty strong did it to her. The bruises on her arms are clearly finger marks.'

Alicia gasped slightly.

'I... I mean I know it's not like him at all, but what if ... Brian did it?' She questioned us.

'Well.... We know his drinking has been getting worse... you know what he gets like when he's stressed out. He reaches for the bottle.' Frank spoke up.

'And Toni has been avoiding the subject of her uncle when we ask of him. And she asked to come here instead of going back to Brian's.' I said not wanting to believe any of it... Brain was a great guy and a really good friend to me. But the pieces were fitting together too well.

I watched Mikey's face go from worried to furious in a split second. Now... lately he had been having really odd mood changes... but this was different. He was in control of this emotion... and quite frankly it scared me a little.

The door bell sounded and Mikey's face grew angrier and he clenched his teeth tight together. He got up steadily. All of us knowing that it was Brian at the door.
***

*
Mikey's POV
*

When the door bell rang I knew right away who it was. I had only been on the phone to him fifteen minutes ago. I couldn't believe it. How could someone do that to their own flesh and blood.

I swear, my blood was boiling just thinking of him.

I slowly and calmly removed the chain form the snib and unlocked the front door. As soon as I saw his face turned slightly away to the left, I just snapped. I pulled my right arm back bending my elbow in the process and also curling my fingers into my palm. In that split second I propelled my arm forward, using as much force as my shoulder would allow.

Brian's head turned just in time for my knuckles to connect with just above his lip and just below his nose.

He stumbled backwards into the wall across the hall, cradling his face in both hands.

'WHAT THE FUCK MAN!!, IT'S ME !!!' He shouted at me as though I hadn't realised it was him I was hitting.

'YEAH I KNOW! THAT'S THE PROBLEM!.' I didn't even really know what I was saying... But it sounded good in the heat of the moment.

Gerard, Alicia and Frank were all standing behind me now. I don't think they had expected me to act like this... okay so it wasn't really like me to just go and hit someone. But he hurt Toni, there's no excuse for something like that.

'I think you should just go man.' Frank said to him in a deep voice.

'Yeah?... don't worry I'm going. I just came to pick Toni up.' He replied wiping the now flowing blood from his top lip.

' She's not going ANYWHERE with YOU!' I spat back at him.

' Not after what you did. We all thought you were better than that.' I added

'What do you mean what I DID?' He retorted standing up straight.
'Look man... Mikey saw the bruises. Why'd ya have to go do something like that huh?' My brother was the next to chirp in. I was just holding onto our front door, trying to keep my balance.

'What? What bru.... Oh right, I get it. She tell you I've been roughin' her up... that it? God that kid sure does know how to get the sympathy vote!.' He was laughing slightly at the end of his sentence.

I was furious now. How dare he accuse Toni of lying. We all know that she's not like that. I lost my cool again and shoved Brian by the chest, off the threshold of our front door and then I stepped back in standing next to Alicia.

None of us heard Toni coming out of the bathroom and down the hall to where this scene was playing out.
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**
Normal 3rd person POV
**

After hearing the shouting, Toni made her way out of the bathroom and down the hall towards the front door.

All three band members and Alicia were standing around the door. She took another few steps forward and then Brian's bloodied face came into view.

She took in a loud gasp of shock.

' Oh my god Brian, what happened to you?' she questioned with worry in her voice.

'Oh don't even start Toni. Is this what you wanted huh? For someone to beat the shit outta me? I hear you've been speaking bullshit about me! Well ANTONIA! I'm outta here. And you better not follow me. I'll dump your stuff here tomorrow morning.' Brian spat out at Toni.

She just stood in the hallway totally dumfounded. What the hell happened she thought. She really had no idea what was going on. She clocked Mikey's raw knuckles and pieced it all together.... Well some of it anyway. Why would Mikey hit him?

Brain turned around and started for the elevator but then turned on his heel and came back to the door. Leaned in and looked Toni directly in the eye.

'Oh.... And don't expect me to be at your graduation either.' And with that.... He was gone.

Mikey shut the door, Frank played with a loose thread on his sleeve and Gerard ran a hand through his growing platinum hair. Alicia turned and gave Toni a sympathetic smile. She just stood there confused and hurt by her uncle's venomous words. He knew how important her graduation day was.

'Okay... NOW could someone PLEASE tell me what the hell just happened?' Toni asked her voice shaking a little.

' Well...Um.... Mikey hit Brian?' Gerard stated unsure.

' Yes, thanks Gee, that much I figured out... but why? What did he do?' She replied, her voice getting slightly louder.

' What do you mean why? For what he did to you!' Mikey said raising his voice a little also.

' What do you mean what he..... Oh ..... No....no, please tell me you didn't say what I think you just said. You think it was him that gave me these bruises?' She swallowed hard. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was hung open slightly.

' Yeah... it WAS him ....right?' Now it was Mikey's turn to be wide eyed.

Toni bit her lip, lowered her head and closed her eyes.

' No Mikey... it wasn't, it was some jerk at school.'

' Aw shit... This is bad...really bad... I'm so sorry. We just all assumed that...'

'Mikey, you know he would never lay a finger on me. He's better than that.' She said shaking her head at the man in front of her.

'I know... it's just -'

' It was my fault Toni.... I was the one that brought up the idea in the first place.' Alicia interrupted, a look of worry and sympathy mixed into the delicate features of her face.

' No... no, it was my fault. I should've gotten over myself and told you guys about Adam.'

'Adam?' Frank inquired

' The jerk at school. The one that did this to me.'

They all made their way back into the sitting room. Gerard tried to get Brian on his cell. No answer. They soon gave up on that idea and just sat back down.

' So what happened with this ... Adam guy?' Frank asked as he sat down.

' Um... he was just giving me a hard time. He.... Uh.. Pushed me down the stairs today. That's why the bruising is pretty fresh.'

' What an asshole! Have you told anyone?' Gerard asked.

'Um yeah my friend Sam. And you guys. But I don't want anything done about it. It'll just give him more ammo to use against me.' There was a silence for while, everyone was going over what had happened in their heads.

' Guys.... What am I gonna do? He's now officially kicked me out...AND he hates me.' She stated. Sitting with her head in her hands. She could already feel the tears stinging at the raw rims of her eyes. She would swear that she has cried more in the last four months than she has in her whole life.

' Hey... don't you worry about that. You're staying here!' Alicia said wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

'Yeah Brian already said that he was going to dump your stuff here anyway.' Mikey added with a pitiful smile.

'No... No.. I couldn't I'd be intruding. I..'

'No buts! You're staying!' Alicia stated.

' You guys really are the best.' Toni thanked them while Alicia enveloped her in a careful hug, being weary of her bruises.

' But what are we going to do about Brian?' Gerard asked sitting on the edge of his seat.

'I'm just gonna do what we both agreed on last night.... I'm going to stay out of his Way, which should be fairly easier now. And after graduation. Well... I might go back home, see Joey.' She said not really sure.

They all nodded their heads in response. A sad and lonely silence came over them once again. They were all thinking again. No one sure what to say to make everything seem okay.

......AAAAACCHHOOOOOO!!!

'Sorry.' Frank sniffled.

The all giggled at their little allergy infested friend.





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REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT U THINK PLEASE!!!

have I gone too far with Brian thing??? hmm?

I just luv wakin up to find comments.... sooooo.... the rest is up 2 u!!!
thanks 4 reading!

Bye bye! xxxxxxxxxx