Swallowed in Grief, Healed by Time

Zacky and Frank dragged me onto the Avenged Sevenfold bus where Braden was just waking up. To my horror Matt and Brian were both sitting there when we walked in. I wouldn't walk any closer than the kitchen while they sat in the small living room type area. Matt kept looking over at me and watching me closely while Brian ignored me all together. This is a terrible idea, I can already tell. Frank was trying to convince me to walk through towards the back room but I was refusing to move. Matt still kept throwing us questioning glances as he also kept on eye on Brian's reaction. Finally Zacky came out of the back with a very sleepy looking Braden. At this point I lost it. I thrust the letter into Braden's hand and quickly ran off the bus. Frank tried to stop me but I managed to dart away from his arms and escape.

"Elise," Zacky yelled as the bus door slammed behind me and I ran from it.

I ran from everything, from the past, from the future, from life, from my father. Everything seemed to be crashing down around me and there was no way to stop it. My mother was dead, killed by the same man who stole my innocence. She was murdered before my eyes and her death still haunts me at night. Now she's come back and told me that I have a father. A man who I'm not on good terms with is my father. A man who already has a daughter and wants nothing to do with me is my father. I'm sure he'll take a shine to Braden right away and I'll be left in the mud. Maybe that's where I belong.

I finally collapsed in the middle of the venue. Nothing around me was recognizable so I had no idea exactly how far I had run. I looked up at the sky as thunder broke the silence. Slowly rain drops started to fall, steadily picking up speed. There was a tree nearby that I took shelter under. I curled up and just laid there trying to forget about everything, but I had nothing to distract myself with. That was until miss perfect ran past me trying to get out of the rain, though she was standing underneath a huge umbrella and not getting wet at all. To my horror though she saw me and stopped. Quickly she turned around and walked back over to me with a very stony expression on her face.

"What are you doing?" she asked annoyed.

"Just leave me alone," I whispered hugging my knees closer to me.

"Look, I don't know who you think you are but stay away from my father. He doesn't want anything to do with you and you need to just back off," Angelica said harshly.

"No fear there," I whispered still looking at the ground.

"Good," Angelica said throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, and stay away from Derek too. I don't want him to catch anything from you."

"Whatever," I whispered.

"Look, just stay away from everyone. You'll do them all a big favor," Angelica said. "They don't want some gold digging whore to come into their lives. So just stay away from them."

"Whatever," I whispered once again.

"What is your problem? Are you too 'good' for the rest of us now?" Angelica asked.

"Can you please just leave me alone?" I begged.

"Fine," Angelica said turning around and walking back towards the buses. "Stay out here and get sick for all I care."

I kept my eyes on her as she stomped away from me. It really was a bit amusing to see her trying to stomp in soaking wet grass yet not get wet. It didn't really work out for her very well. I would've been laughing at her had I not been thinking about her words. Maybe she was right. Maybe I just needed to leave everyone alone and everything would be much better. Once this tour ends I will stay wherever and get a job so that the second I turn 18 I can get out of their lives. I won't have anything to do with them and they won't know that I'm there. Once I get a job I'll be able to get myself a car and pay for everything that it needs and I'll support myself while saving up to move out. That's if Brian will even let me into his house.

"Elise, Elise answer me!"

I slowly raised my eyes trying to find the voice that was calling for me. I tried to pull my body tighter to save heat because I was freezing at the moment. The rain was falling in sheets and it was very cold. I was shivering from the freezing rain and I could slowly feel my body temperature dropping. Before I could evaluate my situation anymore soft hands slid underneath me. I tried to fight to get away but whoever it was was too fast for me. Strong arms lifted me up and held me close to a warm chest. Flashes of Aaron flew through my mind and I fought to get away before whoever this was could get away with whatever they were planning. However, whoever this was is stronger than I and hasn't been out in the rain as long as I have.

"Derek, I got her!" I heard a male voice yell.

I was a bit to panicked to try to figure out who it was. All I heard was a male voice and I knew that I needed to get away. However this was didn't act like they were going to hurt me but then again Aaron was like that at first too. For a very short while but he was still like that at one point.

"Calm down Elise, it's alright," the voice whispered.

"Let me go," I begged still having no idea who this was.

"Elise it's me sweetheart, it's Matt," the voice whispered and I finally looked up at the face.

"Shit!" I whispered and still tried to get out of his grip though I knew it was going to be impossible.

"Elise what the hell were you thinking running off like that?" Derek questioned as he came over to us.

"Please just leave me alone. I won't get in anyone's way," I begged still trying to get out of Matt's grip while trying to figure out how much he knew.

Matt and Derek didn't listen to a thing I said as I was carried back to the bus. The door was thrown open and Braden quickly ushered us inside. I was descended on as I was placed on the small couch. A huge blanket was thrown around me and hands were trying to get my soaking clothes off. Finally I just stood up and pushed everyone away. Braden guided me to the bathroom and I changed out of the clothes. I could already feel myself getting sick. This was not good at all.

"Elise come on," Braden said knocking on the small bathroom door.

I opened the door and Braden took my wet cloths from me. He went to throw them away leaving me alone with the one person I didn't want to see. Brian stood in front of me just calmly looking me over. I took a deep breath and started to move around him but my body had other ideas. As my legs gave out I tried to reach out for something to catch myself but Brian was quicker. He picked me up and carried me out to the small living room where Matt wrapped another blanket tightly around me. Brian sat down on the couch with me in his lap and I was just waiting for the world to implode. The second Angelica sees she's going to flip a lid. Hopefully I can get away before that happens.

However, I think there is a worse problem at hand right now. Brian seems to know that he's my father. At least he's acting like it. He hasn't mentioned anything, actually he hasn't said anything at all. I don't really know which is worse, the fact that he's acting like this or the fact that Angelica just walked through the door. Can someone please just kill me now?

"Dad," Angelica growled.

"What?" Brian questioned holding me tightly.

"What are you doing?" Angelica asked.

"Angelica meet your sister," Brian said looking down at me.

"What!" Angelica screamed. "What the hell?"

"What is your problem?" Braden asked sitting down beside Brian and I.

I tried to look anywhere but Angelica. Brian wasn't letting me out of his grip and quite frankly I didn't really want to move. Not because I was growing attached to Brian or anything but I was very warm and didn't want to become cold again. So far this whole idea to tell everyone wasn't going over well at all. I blame Zacky and Frank as this was their 'brilliant' idea.

"Angelica this is Elise and Braden, they are your siblings," Brian stated calmly. "They are my children."

"And who's word are you taking?" Angelica hissed. "Hers?"

"No, you never met their mother though she is the one who told everyone that these twins are mine," Brian said calmly.

"So what?" Angelica growled. "I'm nothing now? You know what forget it. I'm calling mom and leaving this tour."

"Dad can Zander come out?" Derek asked as soon as the sentence was out of Angelica's mouth.

"That's up to his father," Matt replied trying to not smile.

"Whatever," Angelica growled as she walked into the back and shut the door to our room. After a few seconds we all heard the lock click and I knew no one was getting in that room until tomorrow. Shit! I just ruined a family with this idea. Damn it Zacky and Frank.