Swallowed in Grief, Healed by Time

A week had passed and I was barely talking to anyone. My father was the only person I really had any conversations with. Gerard would force me to talk with him at least once a day while most of the other stayed their distance. Everyone now knew what was taking place thanks to my caring brother. Braden and I had barely even looked at each other over the last couple of days, much less spoken. He was still treating me as though I had some sort of disease. I guess in his mind I probably did, I was pregnant.

"Elise?"

I looked up from where I was hiding in my fathers bunk. Matt was standing there with a small smile on his face. I took a deep breath and pushed myself up trying to hold back the tears that never seemed to stop. Matt reached out and gently brushed my hair out of my eyes. Mikey soon came up behind him and they shared a look a moment before I found myself being picked up and carried off the bus. The cool air hit my skin and I cuddled into Matt.

"Where are you taking me?" I whispered.

"Your father needs to know that you're alright," Matt replied. "You need to watch this concert."

"Dad talks to me everyday," I protested.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that he knows you're alright," Matt replied.

"What if I'm not alright?" I questioned.

"Then you are letting Aaron win," Mikey said. "You are letting the man beat you, something I know you've stated that you would never allow."

"Maybe he has won Mikey," I whispered.

"Brianna Elise Conley Haner," Mikey yelled causing kids who were milling around the venue to look over. "He has not won unless you let him win. You are stronger than that."

"You are attracting attention," I said trying to hide in Matt's chest.

"Baby girl," Matt whispered. "Aaron doesn't have the ability to beat you unless you let him. You're mother was a strong woman-"

"And he beat her. He beat her, so what's to stop him from beating me," I snapped.

"Because you aren't going to let him," Mikey said as we stepped backstage. "You are going to fight him because you have something she didn't have."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" I questioned.

"You have a family behind you," Mikey said. "All of the guys are behind you in this and we all want to help you through this."

Matt set me down gently on a random couch. Mikey knelt down in front of me and gently grabbed my hands in his.

"Sweetheart, we all want to help you just need to let us," Mikey said.

"I'm fine," I said stubbornly.

"Elise you are clearly not fine," Matt protested. "There is a ton going on with you right now and we understand that but girly you need to at least try to work through this."

"He killed my mother and now I carry his child," I whispered. "How do I work through that knowledge?"

"This isn't his child," Mikey whispered.

"Then whose is it? Because I know I haven't had- haven't- whatever, I haven't done anything with another guy," I protested.

"This is your child," Mikey whispered. "Growing inside you is a wonderful little life that is yours to protect and care for. You have been giving an amazing opportunity and a huge responsibility. All of us are going to be right beside you every step of the way."

"Mikey I'm turning rockstars into grandfathers," I complained.

"And do you see any of us complaining?" Matt asked.

"Matt I just found out who my father is," I whispered. "Now I'm making him a grandfather when he just discovered that he has more kids."

"Elise, your father would do anything for you two. Nothing you do will take away his love for you, and he knows you didn't ask for this but it's been given to you," Matt replied. "Let him be the father that he wants to be."

"Matt," I whispered.

"What?" he questioned.

"There's a child growing inside of me," I told him.

"I know, and you're going to be an amazing mother," Matt said.

Slowly I eyes locked with his and a small smile spread across my face. Mikey reached up and hugged me tightly as a laugh left me.

"Thank you guys," I whispered.

"Don't thank us too quickly," Matt said standing up with me in his arms.

"What are you doing?" I questioned.

"There's just one more thing that needs settled," Mikey replied opening a door to a dark room.

"What's going on guys?" I questioned a bit panicked as Matt set me down gently on a couch.

"Everything will be alright," Matt whispered. "Trust me."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You have a few things that need worked out," Mikey replied as Matt left the room.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned.

Mikey walked over to the side of the room and switched on the lights. A door was right beside him and he slowly turned the knob. My eyes followed his hand wondering what was being held behind that door. Mikey cracked the door then quickly walked out of the room. I got off the couch and tried to follow only to discover that he had locked the door. They had locked me in this room. After a few panicked moments I pulled myself together and slowly walked towards the cracked door. Mikey and Matt would never leave me with something that would harm me. I had to trust them. Cautiously I reached out and grasped the cool knob in my hand. I pulled the door open slowly and peered inside.

"Hey Elise," Braden whispered looking up at me with broken eyes. "I think we need to talk."