Me With(out) You

That was the song that haunted my dreams at night. I was fifteen when I first saw the video for "Famous Last Words", watching him thrash around in the dirt. Mikey was playing quietly in the background, his glasses missing along with his shy demeanor. And Ray-Man was almost as bad as Him, banging his head along with the blond-haired man's beat. There was another one too who was just going insane playing his guitar. I could only watch with shock as I saw the man who had forgotten me sing.

The day I left the Way household was a horrifying one. I remember screaming for Gerard to stop Ms. Hastings from taking me away. He just looked at me, then walked away disappearing around the corner, ignoring me. For days I cried in the new foster home they put me in wondering why gee hated me and what I had done to make him mad. I still wonder it to this very day, but I care less as time passes.

It's been three years and now I'm almost free. I've made it to my eighteenth birthday, barely alive, but I made it. As of the moment though, I'm in a jail cell. I had been caught shoplifting and tried to run for it but my ass was clotheslined and I was left gasping for air on the mall floor. The store manager came then and dragged my butt away and now I'm in here for shoplifting and assault on a security officer. I think I may not be free after all.

No one came and got me for three days so I spent my birthday behind bars. Now I was able to face the maximum sentence for what I did; I was unaware of the time of day because it was since my cell was so dim. Memories of a basement long ago were clear in my head; i tried to make them go away but they stayed fresh in my mind. My dreams were painful nightmares when an officer banged his nightstick against the bars, making my head snap up from my nap.

They really didn't let you bathe when you're in jail apparently so I still Had the same clothes on from the day I was arrested. My faded, dirty jeans smelled along with my green t-shirt and the judge did not look too happy to see me. i know I wouldn't be happy to see me if i got a good look at myself.

"Madison Penelope Jameson, you are charged with shoplifting and assault. How do you plea?" The judge asked, not bothering to glance up at me but continuing to read the papers in front of her. A feeling of helplessness washed over me, then I realized something quite important that I had forgotten.

"I want a lawyer!" I yelled. The officer beside me who was holding my arm jumped at the sound of my voice. But the judge just rolled her eyes as if I was acting like a small child.

"You have one Ms. Jameson. He's standing right beside you." I glanced at the man on my other side who I thought before was a clerk for the court. He looked a little familiar, but I couldn't name him in my mind; who the hell was this man?

"I've never seen him before in my life and haven't conferred with him. Don't I have rights that say I may meet with a lawyer and confer with them?" I asked the judge, who ignored me and spoke to my "lawyer" instead.

"Mr. Way, please confer with your client." She was getting tired of this, I could tell. Wait a minute! Did she just say Way? No, it couldn't be.

The man was dark haired and had brown eyes to match; his suit was black and a green neck-tie that accompanied a black shirt. Whoever this man was had style and a smile that was warm and trustworthy. I felt safe when he looked at me unlike I did with other men. I felt as if I knew him already.

"Madison here has been through a lot these past few years, Your Honor. Her mother is a drunk and does not provide for her in any way; she must do what she can to survive when others will not help. The reason for the abuse of the officer is also not her fault. Madison was molested as a child by a family member is not comfortable with men handling her. Your Honor, Madison was acting on basic instinct." Senor Way informed the judge whose face fell slightly as his words sunk in. Soon the judge left the room to make her decision and I was kept there pondering where the hell this man had come from.

How did he know what happened all those years ago? What about my mom? I know this man has never met her and I've never seen him before in my life. I was scared as I surveyed him as he text messaged someone, rapidly hitting the buttons on the phone.

Twenty minutes later, the judge still hadn't returned from her chambers. I had asked my officer what her name was and now I knew that Judge Mason tended to take her time coming to conclusions on cases like mine. My stomach was performing a three ring circus with its guest star, my heart, who accompanied it with its own wild beat. I glanced over at Mr. Way who was still texting on his phone.

"I thought you weren't allowed to have cell phones in a courtroom." I said, breaking the long silence. The ass didn't even glance up to answer me. Rolling my eyes, I added, "Who are you?"

"I'm your lawyer, Madison. I thought Judge Mason had already cleared that up for you." Mr. Way replied, all snippy, as if he was impatient. He acted as if he had way better things to do than be my lawyer. Those goddamn brown eyes hadn't even moved away from the screen of his Blackberry.

"I'm not dumb, dipshit. What's your full name and don't be a smartass with me."

Sighing, he answered, " Isaac Anthony Way." There has to be a million Ways in this country so it was not even possible that he could be related to Gerard and Mikey. It was impossible.

"Why are you my lawyer?" I asked. My mother couldn't and wouldn't pay for a lawyer to bail me out. I was on my own and no way could I pay for this guy.

"Your guardian sent me, now be quiet, Mason's back." Isaac stood up and I followed suit; my birthday was only a couple days ago, so how the hell can my mother afford this and why? She is finally rid of me, there's no reason to help me at all.