Save Me.

I woke up all of a sudden, sitting upright and gasping for breath. "Just a dream," I muttered to myself after a moment. "Just a stupid dream."

I could only remember about half of what happened. But what I did remember shook me to the core. I'd been having reoccurring nightmares for almost a week now, and it wasn't getting easier to deal with at all.

There was a sudden knock at the door before someone opened it, that person being Matt. "Hey there, sleepyhead," he smiled at me. "You okay in here?"

I hesitated, knowing I had most likely yelled in my sleep. It was common.

I nodded at him, trying to reassure nothing was wrong. "Yeah, just a bad dream," I told him. I didn't want to talk about what happened, to be honest.

I think he got that vibe from me, so he didn't ask. "Alright. We're headed down to the studio today, you wanna join?" He asked.

"Of course," I grinned. I knew that I needed to get out of the house, and I wanted to spend time with everyone, as well.

"Okay, just come down when you're ready. You hungry at all?" I thought about the question for a moment. After the nightmare I had just moments ago, food was the last thing I wanted. So I shook my head in response. "Alrighty then, see you in a few." And with that, he exited the room.

I picked out a shirt and a pair of jeans, slipping them on as quick as I could. I headed downstairs after that and after meeting up with everyone else, we left.

~*~

"Jimmy please stop fucking crashing into me," I said to the man spinning around in the office chair. We were all sat in the recording studio, except for Matt, who was doing the vocal tracks for the current song.

"But it's fun! Here, try it!" He said, getting off the chair and pulling me into it. I shook my head, getting up again and taking a seat back in the other chair I was already in. "At least come sit on the couch with me," he pouted.

"No way, I'm good." To be honest, the only reason why I wasn't sitting over there was because of Zacky, who was also with him on the couch.

I had kind of been avoiding him like the plague for the last couple of days since we kissed. I knew he didn't like me like that, so I doubted that it meant anything to him. I thought that he just felt guilty.

But goddamn, did it mean everything to me.

"Helloooooo, Earth to Emily," Johnny called, waving a hand in front of my face. I shook my head.

"What?"

"What the fuck kind of drugs are you on?" Brian asked, laughing at me. "We were asking why you've been so quiet." Not that it made much of a difference, Jimmy was talking enough to make up for me as well.

"I dunno," I muttered. "Just tired, I guess."

"Come sleep on the couch then!" Before I had a chance to respond, Jimmy pulled me onto the couch between him and Zacky.

He smiled at me. "'Sup?" He asked, acting casual. Thank god, I thought. If he can act normal, so can I.

"Nothing much, you?" I replied.

I had to shift a bit when Matt returned from the sound booth; he decided to join us on the couch. At this point I was halfway onto Zacky's lap. The worst part was that there were so many empty seats in the room, yet Matt just had to sit on the couch.

"I think I'm gonna move, since Matt's fat ass decided to make a spot on here," I laughed.

"My ass isn't that fat," Matt pouted.

"Then why can't I breathe?"

"Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty," Jimmy laughed at us. "Matt, you done with the vocal tracks?"

"Yeah, for that song at least," he nodded. "Brian and Zacky, if you two want to get started on your parts for the song, go on ahead." The two of them nodded and stood up, which I was thankful for, for two reasons. One, because I could breathe for a moment, and also because I wouldn't have to be next to the man who was making me sort of uncomfortable.

I knew I most likely wouldn't be able to handle watching Zacky play guitar, as stupid as it sounds. So I stood up, telling everyone else that I needed some fresh air.

"Want any of us to go with you?" Johnny asked me.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'll be fine," I told him. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes, at most."

After managing to find my way out of the studio I took a seat in one of the patio-looking chairs. Something didn't feel right. It felt like someone was watching me. I tried to shake the feeling, knowing that it couldn't be possible. We were, in essence, in the middle of nowhere. No one I knew could find me here.

But oh, was I wrong.

"Well look who we have here," I heard someone say.

My head snapped up, recognizing the voice immediately. As soon as I recognized my father I stood up, trying to get away from him as quick as I could.

I must be hallucinating, I thought. This can't be possible.

Somehow he knew I was trying to make a run for it, and grabbed my arm before I could get too far. "I don't think so," he sneered.

The next thing I knew, his fist collided with my entire face. I heard the crack of either my jaw or my nose (or both) before I felt it. But when I did feel it, damn did it hurt.

It was definitely both of them.

He threw me against the concrete wall after that, holding me by my throat, and I hit it with a loud thud. I tried to fight back with everything I had; kicking, punching, flailing, anything to get him off of me.

"If you quit struggling, this won't be as hard on you. Now be a good girl," my father snapped, once again hitting me across the face. I somehow let out a yelp (not sure how with his hand on my vocal chords), which I doubt he appreciated. "Keep your fucking mouth shut or I'll do it for you."

He let go for a moment, making me fall to the ground. He continued after that, kicking me wherever he could; my ribs, legs, chest, everywhere. The last kicks he managed to give me was straight in the head. I lost count after four.

I heard the door swing open, but I didn't see it firsthand. I also heard five sets of feet running outside, catching my father before he managed to escape. He put up a good fight, I'll give him that; but between both Matt and Jimmy holding him down, he didn't stand a chance.

I heard Johnny on the phone with 9-1-1 while Zacky and Brian approached me.

"Are you okay?" Zacky asked me. They crouched in front of me, their faces only inches away. Too close for comfort.

"Dude, that's a stupid question and you know it," Brian said to the man across from him. "It's obvious that she's okay after getting the shit kicked out of her." I could tell he was trying to make light of the situation, but I doubt it was working.

I couldn't think straight. Black dots clouded my vision here and there, and things were turning blurry. Everything hurt and I didn't want to move.

"Emily, stay with me. Help's coming," I heard Zacky say to me, repeating it over and over. "Don't go to sleep on me. Just stay awake." He kept petting my hair, moving it out of my face. I wanted to freak out when I saw the blood on his hand. I knew it was mine, and with the amount that covered him in mere seconds, I knew it didn't look good.

Everyone sounded like they were underwater. Or was that me? I didn't remember anything about water.

I knew they wanted me to stay awake, but I couldn't fight it anymore. Exhaustion hit me like a brick, and I passed out before the paramedics arrived.

Notes