And Tell Me You Love Me

-Alex's Point of View-

"Wake up, honey. You're finally home," a voice whispered pulling me out of my groggy state. I began to pull my hand up to rub my eyes and I heard the sound of metal on bars and my hand being held back by some force.

"The hell?" I muttered still half asleep and I heard someone laughing like a maniac in the corner of... my old bedroom? The bedroom that I had made home in Baltimore? In the house that I grew up in after we left England?

"Good morning, Alexander. Sleep well?" Dan asked me from his corner and I tried to sit up and pull myself free. He had handcuffed me to the bed like the kinky bastard he was. Dan had drugged me in Essex and brought me all the way home in Baltimore. I was a prisoner to a mad man.

"Where's Jack?" I snapped at him and he smiled.

"Joshie, our boy has woken up," Dan said in a singsong voice and Josh stepped into the room, smiling at me evilly.

"Nice place you have here, Alex. What a shame for it to go to waste by selling it. Good thing Dan has a nice bank account and a think for finding out someone's past," Josh said and I tried to break free from the cuffs, but I was sadly no Superman.

"What are you doing to Jack?!" I snarled knowing that if they had me, they were bound to have the younger male also. I hope he wasn't in a worse position. Jack didn't need that, he was just too innocent for the torment of the crazed men. It was something that I didn't want him to suffer.

"Where is Jack?" I asked, just wanting an answer I wanted to know if he was safe from harm's way or if I had to break free and save him. I-I just had to know...

"Should we tell him, Danny-boy?" Josh said, glancing at Dan and he smiled. It was a scary smile, a smile that told me that there was something missing from here. I didn't know what, but it scared me if I was to find out what it was going to be.

"I think we should, Josh," Dan said, standing up and walking over to me. He leaned over my pinned body and Josh stood on the other side, hands folded behind him. The smile was also on his face, but his eyes held his intentions. Those were not ever close to being in my favor.

"Jack isn't here. He's safe in Essex, mate. Thing is, you're not and neither Jack's feelings. There's a letter in your apartment addressed to Jack and written by you saying that you don't want him. While he's hurt, I'll regain my claim on him. You, on the other hand, shall live your life in Baltimore with your new 'husband' Dan. You will resume normal life here with Dan and if you have any contact with Jack or any Barakat, Dan-Dan shall treat you nicely. Okay?" Josh said and I looked at Dan. He looked like a villain. That scared me.

"What if Jack doesn't want you? What if he wants me? What are you going to do then?" I asked and Dan grabbed me by the throat, his grip tight enough to keep from any air getting to my lungs.

"You don't want to know, Alexander. It won't be pretty though. I promise you that," he said, giving me one tight squeeze before releasing me. I gasped for air and Dan laughed again, another maniacal one.

Josh glanced at his watch and his eyes darkened, "I need to leave for my flight to London and claim my boy. Bye, Dan. I'll talk to you later," Josh said, giving a small wave before I heard the front door slam as if he didn't have any respect for my childhood home. He probably didn't. Knowing him, it was just another place to him.

Dan sat on the edge of the bed and traced his fingers down my jawline. I hissed at him slightly and he leaned down and placed a kiss on my neck before whispering, "You're mine now, Gaskarth. Oh, how you're all mine..."

Oh, how I wanted freedom. Oh, how I knew no escape from this hell...

~~~

Ten days passed. I hadn't left the house. Dan had dyed my hair a darker shade of brown and streaked most of it blond, a new look for me for some reason. He made sure that I had stayed cuffed when I wasn't doing anything just so I wouldn't get away. There was still no word from Josh so I had guessed that Jack had taken him back or Josh just hadn't gotten around to doing it.

I laid on the bed staring at my "wedding ring" and waiting for my next torture to happen. Josh and Dan had created a story along with their plan to explain why I had suddenly returned to Baltimore. Jack left me in Essex for Josh and I met Dan at the bar. We fell in love and wanted to get married. After the wedding, I wanted to come back to my home in Baltimore to get away from Jack and his new love. Now I'm Alexander William Flint-Gaskarth... or that's what everyone is going to be forced to believe here.

"Alex, I'm home!" Dan called as I heard the front door slam shut, causing me to jump ever so slightly. I couldn't move much because of the shackles on my pale wrists. They had already rubbed welts into my skin, painful to the slightest movement.

He came into the room and laid a bag out on the bed. He then pulled a key out of his shirt that was attached to a necklace and freed me from my place, making me rub my wrists out of instinct at the sudden feeling of air getting to them.

"Someone told me that you were a musician when I was out in town. They were surprised that we were married and asked if you would be playing again," Dan said, rifling through the closet and pulling out an old black guitar. He laid it on the bed and I traced my fingers over the finely tuned strings. "Are you going to play if I take you?"

I nodded my head and he smiled stroking my hair. I wanted to hiss, but he'd slap me. I was already covered in bruises from the ten days of confinement with Daniel.

"Get dressed, cover up the bruises with a scarf and some large clothes, get the guitar, and meet me by the front door in under ten minutes. Alright, Alex?" He said and I nodded my head before climbing off the bed as soon as he was out of the room.

My first thought was go through the drawers, find something to get contact with Jack or maybe May. I went straight to the bedside drawer, but it had a lock on it. This was new furniture (probably Dan's) and most of it had locks on it (to keep me out of it). I cursed under my breath and grabbed a pair of clothes that Dan had set off on a chair. They consisted of a scarf, some black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a comfortable jacket. I had pulled them on fairly quickly and grabbed the guitar.

When I walked through the house, I noticed that it was so much different than before. I hadn't moved out of the bedroom much since my arrival, but now that I was actually saw what had been changed in the house, it felt so foreign. This wasn't the house that I grew up in. This was a place that I didn't recognize. Yes, I knew the layout of it, but I didn't know this home. This place couldn't even be considered a home after I went through what I did.

"Alex? Are you alright?" Dan said, placing a hand on my shoulder and I jumped and looked at him, almost dropping the guitar on the floor.

"F-Fi-Fine," I stuttered out and he looked at me.

"Good, let's get going then," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door, though I didn't want to face Baltimore without Jack by my side.

~~~

"I'll see you in my dreams....
Waiting to say...
I miss you I'm so sorry..."

I sang softly feeling Dan's eyes behind me. They were boring holes into my back and the song just was a secret plea for help. I wanted Jack to know that I needed him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to apologize for everything that I didn't even do. It was horrible, but it was what I wanted to do.

The people surrounding me clapped loudly and I gave them a small (fake) smile. They dropped change in a hat that Dan had laid out and went about their day, just like they used to when I wasn't playing against my will.

"Continue, Alex," Dan whispered in my ear and I strummed the guitar softly as I heard heels clicking against the concrete and I looked up and saw a pair familiar brown eyes. Her black hair swung around in the wind and I saw the look in her eyes.

"Alex, what are you doing here? I thought you were still in Essex?" May asked and that's when Dan grabbed my shoulders tightly.

I couldn't say anything. He'd punish me if I did. I didn't want that. I just looked up at May with eyes pleading for help and she stepped towards me, holding out her hand. I didn't even try to move mine though, I knew what would happen.

"Alex?" May asked.

"Leave my husband alone," Dan growled, his grip getting tighter on me and I reached up and fixed my scarf, loosening it accidentally.

May let out a gasp, but her eyes weren't on Dan, they were on my neck. She pulled away the scarf and that's when everyone saw the bruises that were lining my neck. Some were love bites, others were from where he choked me for his enjoyment.

"You're not his husband! Who the fuck are you?!" May shouted, attracting more attention and that's when Dan grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

"Come on, Alex. Let's get going," He pulled me away with a slight force and I looked back at May. She was still holding my scarf in her hand and her eyes were locked with mine. They held fear, confusion, and longing.

'Help me,' I mouthed and that's when the fear increased.

"Come on, you fucking bitch," Dan growled in my ear and I turned away, heading back to the place I can't consider home anymore.

Notes