Penny’s POV
It was morning in Paris, I had tried to call and text Brian once I knew the concert would be over. All my calls went to voicemail and my texts went unanswered. I couldn't hold back telling him what Adam had done, even if it was by voicemail.

“Bri, I just landed and I am on my way to meet you. I found out that Dr. Gabriel has been lying ever since the 1st of July. I am better, the treatments were fake. You were right, I should have seen it. I love you and I can't wait to see you. It's over Honey, we can have our life back. I didn't want to tell you until after the show, but I can't get hold of you. I hope you’re ok.”

Once I was at the hotel, I headed straight up to Brian's suite. I was so anxious to see him and be in his arms. I knocked on the door multiple times, finally it opened. I yelled “Surprise!” Then I realized it was Gwyn wrapped in a sheet.
“Penny, we didn't expect you here.” She said. “Brian's asleep.”
I stormed past Gwyn pushing her out of my way. “Brian!” I yelled as I headed to the bedroom.
The door was open and there was my husband naked and passed out on the bed.

I heard Gwyn behind me. “Penny, I'm sorry. This is not how we wanted you to find out.”
“WAKE UP BRIAN!” I yelled.
Brian woke up and looked at me through blood shot eyes. “Penny! You're here!” Then he looked at Gwyn. “What's going on here?” He said.
“Oh My God.” I muttered, barely able to breathe. “It was you! You two had Adam fucking lie to me all these months!”
“What are you talking about? What did Adam lie to you about?” Brian asked faking confusion.
“Don't try to act innocent! No wonder you didn't want me to “risk it” and come here!” All kinds of crazy thoughts were going through my head. “I bet you wish Jimmy hadn't told you I was sick! That would have been so much more convenient!”
“Of course not! No Penny, I love you.” He said.
“Yes, you love me SO MUCH that you're sleeping with one of my best friends.”
Gwyn tried to speak, “Penny, of course we want you to be well.” I looked at Gwyn with pure contempt.
“YOU do not get to take part in this conversation!” I yelled at her. “Shut your fucking mouth!”
“Penny, she and I are not a ‘we’.”
“Brian, don't lie to her.” Gwyn said smugly, I just wanted to rip her hair out.
“Look, I have no interest in your fucking lover’s spat.” I looked at Brian “We're through, you'll be hearing from my attorney. Other than that, I don't want to see or talk to you. Either of you!”

I ran out of the suite, made my way down to the lobby. I ran outside and tried to breathe as I cried uncontrollably. Brian ran out behind me in just jeans.
“Penny please, I don't even remember what happened. Don't leave like this!”
I looked at him standing there on a Paris sidewalk, shirtless and shoeless. I felt like a 200-lb. weight was on my chest. He tried to touch my arm, I jerked away.
“I love you, only you. I don't even know how this happened, she got me drunk. You kissed Adam when you were drunk.” He said. I slapped his face.
“That was one kiss! It's obvious that you went beyond that. She is making sure I know you are a couple! How long Brian? Does everyone else in the band know? Was it your own guilt that kept you from being mad at me for kissing Adam? How could you?” I pushed him away. “I can never trust you again.” I hailed a taxi and jumped in, as he stood watching me leave. I wanted to look back, but I couldn't.

Brian’s POV
There I stood on the street in Paris, half dressed. But l didn’t even care, she was gone and I didn’t even know what happened. It was time I headed back up to my suite to get some answers.
I walked in and Gwyn was in the shower. It didn’t seem like she was worried about Penny at all or ashamed.
“Gwyn, why are you here?” I asked.
“Taking a shower, want to join me?” She was unbelievable.
“No Gwyn, I don’t ever want to take a shower with you. You also have a suite down the hall, take your showers and get dressed there.”
“Somebody is cranky this morning. You must have a hangover.” She said as she stepped out of the shower, clearly trying to arouse me. She just made me sick, I walked out of the bathroom and spoke to her through the door.
“No Gwyn, I’m cranky because my wife just left me. Get fucking dressed and then come out here and explain to me what the hell happened.”
She walked out in a hotel robe. “Brian, you made love to me last night.”
“We may have had sex, but I did not make love to you. Honestly, I don't know that I believe you when you say we did anything.”
“Well, you did make love to me. That's what you said last night.” She said, she was almost cocky about it.
“I was obviously so drunk I didn't know what I was saying or doing. You kept giving me beers and liquor. You knew I was upset about Penny, you manipulated me. Then you basically tell my wife that we have been a thing for a while!”
“No Brian, I helped you relax so that you could see your true feelings. We belong together, you've just been in denial. You were too afraid to hurt Penny. Now she knows, she's giving you a divorce and we can be together.” It was amazing how nonchalant she was and how she believed what she was saying.
“Gwyn, listen to me. I love Penny, I only want to be with her. Whatever happened last night was a drunken mistake. We do not belong together and we never will.” I started throwing my things in my suitcase. “If you'll excuse me, I have to find Penny.”
“What about the concert tomorrow?” She asked.
“It will have to be rescheduled.”
“What about me?” She asked.
“I suggest you go to your suite and then after that, stay away from me and Penny. Other than that, I don't care what the hell you do.”
“I'm not giving up. You will see eventually what you know deep down. I can give you something she can't, I can give you children.”
“Even if that was an issue for Penny and I, I would never leave her to have a child, especially with you! I am leaving to beg her forgiveness!”
“Brian, you can run away just like weak little Penny, but you will realize…”
I was not interested in what she had to say anymore. I interrupted her.
“I have to try to call Penny and get hold of the guys. Where’s my phone?” She pointed at an end table. I picked it up. “Turned off of course, wonder how that happened! Goodbye Gwyn.” I was packed and flew out the door.
I turned my phone on and listened to the voicemail from Penny. I knew that bastard was up to something, we were apart for over 4 months and now I've probably lost her forever. She also now thinks that I had him keep her away.

Penny's POV
It's crazy how my life fell apart so quickly. I had to wonder how long this had been going on. When he still had the cast on in Ohio? In California? When I was sick in bed, were they right there in our house? I remembered the ever so cleverly arranged dinner where she said she was going on tour. What an idiot, the three of them were playing me! Brian acting like he was so jealous of Adam was just another ploy. He was probably hoping I'd fall for Adam to get rid of me. How did I let this happen? All our friends, the “Avenged Sevenfold Family” did they all know? I must be huge joke to everyone. I just wanted to vomit, my heart was shred into bits. I didn't want to see anyone; I didn't want to be recognized anywhere. Once I was off the plane in Columbus, I threw my luggage in the back of the Mustang and took off. There was only one place I could go and no one would be able to find me. One place that was all mine, not Brian's. Once I picked up enough groceries to last awhile and made it there, I could escape from all the liars and cheaters in my life. Especially my soon to be ex-husband and my former friends. How could I have been so wrong? Especially about Brian? I was going off the grid, no phone, no internet, no contact with the outside world until I was ready.

Brian's POV
Penny wouldn't answer my calls or texts. I could trace her as far as getting off the plane in Columbus and leaving in the Mustang. No one in Springfield had seen her, which was weird since her car is so distinctive and our other vehicles were still in the garage. She called Chloe when she landed in Columbus and told her that she needed time alone. She clearly had not been to our house and hadn't used a credit card since buying gas and a lot of groceries in a town between Columbus and Springfield on the day she flew back. Why would she buy all those groceries if she wasn't going home? Yet she never made it home. I checked all the hotels around, talked to everyone I could think of that she might have talked to. I was scared, what if something happened to her? I had even tried to track her phone; it came back that the phone was not turned on. I kept calling her cell and leaving voicemail messages, hoping she would turn it on.

“Penny, please at least let me know you are okay. I didn't know about Adam lying to you and there hasn't been anything going on between Gwyn and me. Yes, she has been coming on to me for months, but I made it clear I wasn't interested. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you and hamper your recovery. I love you.”

One night I went out to the gazebo and sat there. I remembered the last time we made love there. I should have told her that Gwyn had been coming on to me. I tried to save her from that hurt and ended up hurting her even more. I drifted off to sleep sitting there. Then I had a dream that kept me from sleep the rest of the night.
We were at the restaurant that we went to with Gwyn and Adam. I was with Gwyn and Penny was with Adam.
I hugged her like he did that night and whispered in her ear “I miss you Penz.”
“I haven't missed you at all.” She said in my ear. “I'm going home after this and fuck Adam in the gazebo.” I could tell as she leaned up against me that she had nothing on under her dress. I woke with a start and realized I had fallen asleep.

Penny had been missing for four days when I had a call to my cell phone from our house phone in Huntington Beach. I thought I heard a woman crying and then they hung up. I called back and there was no answer. I booked the next flight to California. I asked Matt to go over to the house and see if she was there in the meantime.
“Brian, there's an envelope here for you.”
“What does it say?” I asked. “Open it!”
“I will be back for the rest of my clothes in a few days. Please just leave me alone.” Matt read.
“Can you go look in her closet?” I asked.
“It's half empty.”
“Damn it! I have been looking for her in the wrong state. The groceries were obviously a decoy.” I said. “I'll be there on the next flight.”
“Do you still want me to take care of that other issue or wait until you get here?”
“If you don't mind, I need to stay at home when I get there.”
“I don't mind at all; it will be my pleasure.” Matt said with great satisfaction.

I had talked to Chloe when I got back, luckily, she didn't hate me. I called her and asked her to keep an eye on the house in case somehow Penny did come back here.

I took a nap on the plane. I dreamt that when I got to our house, I could tell Penny was there. I walked into our bedroom and there she was naked sitting on top of Adam Gabriel in our bed. She acted like it was nothing.
“Hello Brian.” She said.
“Why are you doing this Penny?” I asked.
“Adam's helping me forget you.” She laughed.
I woke up at that and I was sweating.

Adam's POV
It had been a few days since Penny found out that I had been lying to her. I hadn't heard from her or Gwyn, but I knew that soon I would hear from someone. I had a price to pay and I couldn't tell them that I did it to keep Penny from harm. I would just have to take my lumps, not for myself but to keep Penny safe. I owed her that. I was leaving my office late and I saw the silhouette of a man wearing a ball cap backwards leaning against my car.
“Okay Brian, let's get this over with.” I said as I was walking up. Then the man stepped into the light.
“Brian couldn't make it, so I'm here instead.” It was Matt Sanders. Before I could even say anything, he punched me in the face. I was sure my nose was broken. I had been in a few fights in my younger days, but that was by far the most forceful hit. “That's for getting Penny drunk and kissing her.” He said.
“That was only for that?” I could feel the blood running from my nose.
“That's the least of it, you are going to get what you deserve. You can't hide behind Penny now. I'm here for her and for Brian.” Matt said, slamming his right fist into his palm.
“Look Matt, I know I did a terrible thing and I am very sorry.”
“You're sorry? That's all you got? Before I break your fucking jaw, tell me why you did that to them. You couldn't have really thought she'd leave him for you. Were you trying to set her up so they would break up?” Matt was clearly getting angrier as he spoke.
“No, I wouldn't trick her or make her look like she had cheated on Brian. I refused to do that.” I was hoping Matt missed my slip up.
“Refused who?” He obviously didn't miss it.
“I refused my urges to do so.” My response kept me from exposing Gwyn, but made Matt angrier.
He punched me in the stomach, I doubled over and that is when he punched me in the face again the force of it making me stand up straight again. He then punched me in the stomach again throwing me up against my car.
“Are we done yet? I'm not going to fight you, Matt. If you want to just keep beating the crap out of me go ahead.” I could taste the blood in my mouth and feel the stabbing pain in my rib cage. “I will never forgive myself for what I did, any physical pain you inflict will not compare to the shame I carry inside.” I could see the anger in his face subside a bit.
“I think we're good for now, once Brian finds Penny he might want to continue this conversation.”
“Find Penny? Is She okay?” I asked.
“That's none of your fucking business.” Matt turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.

Notes