And Tell Me You Love Me

-Alex's Point of View-

"Open up, Barakat. I know you've got him hidden in there somewhere. He can't hide forever you know," Dan's voice came muffled as he beat on the front door. I cowered at the top of the staircase, just listening to him call in at us like we were caged animals.

"Don't make me call the cops, May. You wouldn't want to lose Mommy, would you?" Dan taunted and that's when I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I turned around and saw Leeyh standing there in a bathrobe, eyes blurred, and his hair ruffled.

"What is he doing here this early?" He muttered looking down at me as if I knew the answer. I shook my head and pulled my knees up to my chest, rocking back and forth like a young child would. Knowing that Dan being this close to me made me nervous. I almost feared that he'd open the door and drag me back to the little hell that he now called home.

"Have you seen May?" I asked softly as Dan continued to yell from outside as if anyone was listening to him. Leeyh and I were ignoring him, but slowly I began to shake in fear.

"She's waiting on Jack's flight to land. I've already told her about Casanova outside. The fact that I found Mom high in her room this morning doesn't make this entire situation any better," he muttered just as we heard the door frame splinter as if someone was trying to bust through.

"This is your last warning, Barakat. Let him out or I'm getting the police," Dan shouted, his voice a bit louder. I heard Leeyh cuss under his breath as he began to walk down the staircase. He motioned for me to get back and out of sight and that's when I heard the front door open with a new creak.

"If you don't get off my property in five minutes, I'm calling the police on you. I don't know where the hell Alex is, but I'm pretty damn happy if he got away from you. You're a crazy son of a bitch. Now, stop threatening my family, get of our property, and if I ever see you here again, I won't think twice about getting police involved in this. I can get you carried away for a very long time. Don't even test me," I heard Leeyh growl and I knew that Dan was going to finally leave us all to be in peace.

When I heard the door shut and Leeyh let out a loud sigh, I peeped my head out of my hiding place and I saw him staring at me with his Jack brown eyes. It was a trait that three of the siblings had. Joe's eyes were the only one that was a different color, making him stand out of the four of them.

"I'm hoping that'll keep him away for now, but I don't know. Is he really desperate to get you back?" Leeyh asked me and I nodded my head before saying, "He'll do anything. I'm his little... play thing." I flinched at the word and he frowned at me.

"Well, you might as well get a little bit of sleep before Jack shows up. I know you haven't gotten much. I'm sure you'll know when he gets home also. Jack is the loudest of all of us," he said, laughing and I just nodded my head before heading back to my room and pulling the blankets over me.

I fell asleep in only a matter of minutes.

~~~

I woke up to the sound of the downstairs door opening. I stumbled out of my room, rubbing my eyes and that's when I heard the heavenly voice that I had been waiting for. "Alex!" I began to run towards the staircase when I heard him call again, "Alex!" I could hear my heart beating in my ears and I almost swore that this life was a dream.

"Jack!" I said running down the steps, stumbling, as I made my way towards his arms. I longed for his touch, his scent, him. He was just everything that I had been missing and more. He was everything that I needed and wanted and now, for now, I had him back with me.

I wrapped my arms tightly around him and kissed his neck. "Jack," I sighed, probably knowing that he missed the sound of my voice as I whispered his name. He rubbed my back gently and I let out a sharp hiss of pain as his fingers ran across the whip marks.

"What's wrong?" He asked me, pure concern lacing his tone.

"It's - it's fine," I stuttered, as he ran his fingers across them again, earning another hiss from my lips. I'm sure that he could guess what had happened to me. I mean, he knew what kind of shit that Dan was in to, no matter how kinky it was.

Before I knew it, he kissed my temple and whispered, "Don't worry. Dan won't get to you ever again. I won't let him." I gave him a small smile and I heard someone clear their voice. Slowly I turned around and heard Leeyh's voice say, "You have each other, now get out before you defile my house."

"Leeyh!" May scolded him, stopping him in his tracks, "They are allowed to stay as long as they need to. This is my house, if you do recall."

"Separate beds," Leeyh growled.

"No," I shouted without warning, surprising myself. I wasn't expecting to snap out like that, but I guess I had the right to since all I had been through the past few days. "I stay with him."

May pointed a single finger at her older brother and said, "You will leave them alone. They have both been through hard times and for God's sakes they need their privacy." She then turned to look at Jack and I and said, "Go upstairs. Alex, I'll bring you up some ice."

"I can get it-" I started, buy she cut me off with a simple, "Now."

~~~

"What are we going to do now, Jacky?" I asked as I laid on my stomach, Jack pressing the ice against my cuts and trying to numb them. I let out a small hiss, but I hoped that he didn't hear it. I knew that he didn't want to see the pain that Daniel had caused.

"I don't know. For now, I guess we should hide out from Dan here. I know that Josh is going to find out where I've went, if he hasn't already. He's going to come for me and the fact that Dan was here earlier looking for you doesn't make this any better for us. I don't want to hide, Lex. I just want to be happy with you and do whatever I want," he said, stretching out on his stomach and pressing his side against mine. His body heated up my bare skin and he leaned his head on my shoulder and let out a sigh.

"That doesn't seem like our case for now. I mean, you've seen the damage that Dan's done," I said, throwing my head back as if I was gesturing towards the welts and cuts that made themselves known on my pale skin.

"If I got my hands on him..." Jack said, but I shushed him.

"We don't have to worry about that now. At least we have each other, that matters the most, right?" I asked, trying to think of the most non-cheesy line to use, but ended up failing.

"Ha, I suppose," Jack said and I leaned over and kissed his cheek gently.

"Can you take this ice off of me? I want to cuddle," I said and Jack smiled at me before grabbing the cup that May had put the ice in and pulled off the little pieces before placing it on the bedside table. I rolled over on my back and Jack put his head on my chest, wrapping an arm around my waist. I put my arm around his shoulder and held him tight to me.

"I miss this," he whispered.

"You're not the only one."

"I miss you," he muttered, rolling over on his side and holding his head up with his hand, a sneaky grin was on his lips and I knew what was on his mind.

"Not right now. Please. I'm still..." I trailed off as I felt tears well up in my eyes as Jack stared at me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and I just shook my head.

"It's fine."

~~~

-Josh's Point of View-

I flipped the table over and screamed out a throng of curses, not caring who would hear me. Jack was gone, escaped while I was at work. I came home to two people spraying out questions and it didn't take me long to figure out that they had something to do with Jack's disappearance. Especially when Alex and his father have similar facial features.

"I should have never left him alone," I growled, walking into the kitchen and jerking open the refrigerator before pulling out a beer. I popped the top off with ease and drank the dark liquid, hoping that it'd calm my nerves and give me a buzz, an idea, just something.

My cell rang in my pocket and I jumped slightly. Dan's ringtone broke the silent air and it took me a moment to realize that it was him call me, not the other way around. I suppose this was him checking up on me for his issue with Alex, but I just blew it off. I hit the accept button and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Franceschi, speaking," I said, taking another sip of my drink before taking a seat in a chair that belonged to the overturned table.

"Josh, we've got a problem," Dan said.

"What?"

"Alex is with the Barakats and if I'm right, I saw Jack come home a little while ago. I thought you had your hold on him? What happened with you? Usually you're the one who can make someone forget and move on without a flick of the wrist," Dan's voice said and I growled.

"Don't you dare, Dan! You're the one that lost Alex. I actually had to go out and help Elissa since she's kind of short of a drummer right now," I spat and I heard Dan scoff.

"She's about to be short of a back up singer. I can't be the only one who gets them back. Do you expect me to ship Jack to Essex on my own? You'd have to buy me drinks for the rest of my life, mate," Dan muttered and I rolled my eyes, twirling the bottle cap in my fingers.

"I'll be there as soon as I get a flight out. Watch them," I said before I ended the call and downed the rest of my drink.

They asked for trouble. Well they're going to get trouble.

Notes

EmptySighsAndWine
Title Credit: Angel Eyes by New Year's Day feat. Chris Motionless