You're My Favourite Sound

As David predicted, the bar was insane tonight. I was starting to get dizzy as people yelled drink orders at me from all directions. I tried my best to remain focused on what I was doing, but my mind drifted off to other things going on right now. Ethan had gotten home whilst I was sleeping last night and he was in a rush this morning, so that was my excuse I hadn't told him I'd met up with Frank... yet.

Just as soon as I thought I was about to get a break, a familiar face appeared at the bar in front of me.

"I hoped you'd be working tonight," Derek smiled. I looked up at him as I grabbed a rag to wipe off the counter.

"What can I get you? Another Miller Lite?" I asked casually.

"You remembered," he said, taking a seat at the available bar stool.

"I have a good memory," I stated plainly.

"Still have my number?" Derek continued as I pulled a Miller Lite out of the bin in front of me.

"You wish," I replied, trying to act as uninterested as possible. I opened the bottle with my belt buckle again and placed it on the counter in front of me. Derek grabbed my hand before I could pull it off the bottle and pulled me close to him.

"I love it when you do that," he whispered in my ear. I clenched my teeth together and forced a smile through my closed mouth, but pulled my hand back gently, showing very little response to his comment.

"Can I get you anything else?" I replied blankly. He winked at me and shot me a sly grin.

"No, this will be it, unless you've changed your mind about getting together?" he suggested. I shook my head and forced another polite smile. "Sure?" he pushed, "We could always just go back to your place, you know, apartment 37, it would just be like old times."

My heart stopped in the next second as my apartment number echoed in my head and the feeling I'd got the night before came back to me, like someone was watching Frank and I.

"Have you been following me?" I demanded.

He simply grinned, that sly smirk across his lips. "Would you be disappointed if I hadn't?"

"Are you looking for another broken nose?" I snapped. He just laughed. "You stay the fuck away from me Derek, I swear to God..."

"So fiesty," he stated huskily. A disgusted noise erupted from my throat and I turned around to clean out a few glasses for someone that had ordered shots.

When I got home that night, I found a note from Ethan laying on a pizza box on the kitchen table with a rose neatly next to it. He must have come home and had to go again. The note read:

'Going to be late again tonight, Max needs me. I got you your fav, will call you later. I love you'.

After heating up the Margherita pizza, I decided to turn on my laptop and get started on the big essay I had to give in next week for school. I was in the middle of it as I munched on pizza, when I heard someone knocking on the front door.

I frowned and went to the door, but didn't open it because of who I saw through the lens.

Derek.

"Come on, October, just open the Goddamn door. I know you're home!" he yelled, pounding on the wood.

"If you're not gone in the next minute, I'm calling the police!" I shouted back. I bit my bottom lip, chewing my piercing, and stayed quiet, waiting until he would leave. He did so about thirty seconds later and slowly my heart rate went back to normal again.

"Hello?" I put my ringing cell phone between my head and shoulder, carrying on writing.

"Hey, October," Frank replied cheerfully.

"Oh, hey." I was surprised.

"Just wanted to check you're okay and stuff. How are you?"

"I'm not a baby, Iero," I scoffed, stopping the typing.

"I know, I just... worry?" He sighed.

"I'm fine, a little annoyed, but okay," I said finally.

"Annoyed?" he questionned. I sighed.

"Derek was here."

"Napkin guy?"

"Yeah, the creep was banging at the front door but I didn't open it. He must have known Ethan wouldn't be here."

"Do you want me to come over?" He sounded concerned.

"No, no," I said quickly, "I'm fine, he's gone now... I think."

"How's he know where you live?"

"He must have followed us back here last night," I said and added more to myself, "I knew I wasn't being paranoid."

"He followed you and he's just been at your front door? That's it, I'm coming over."

"Frank, come on, it's okay. Don't worry about it, really." I sighed again, not wanting to pull him away from his night. "What are you up to anyway?"

"I'm at Gee's place with Jamia and the guys, just hanging out... What are you doing?"

"Homework," I exhaled tiredly and continued sarcastically, "Pretty exciting stuff." I heard Frank chuckle lightly.

"Aw, shit, I gotta go," he said then, "Are you sure you don't want me to come-"

"I'm fine," I stopped him, "I'm a big girl now, Frank."

"Yeah, you are," he agreed and paused for a moment. "Okay, well have fun with your homework."

"Have fun with the guys," I replied, "Bye."

If I'd known what would happen later the night, I wouldn't have gone to bed. Alright, I wouldn't have been home at all, if I'd known, but I didn't know.

It was around half 1 in the morning when I felt someone slip into bed behind me. I smiled and opened my eyes in the dark bedroom as Ethan's hand slipped under the duvet and softly made its way up my thigh... Well I thought it was Ethan. I rolled over and instantly felt the weight of a man on top of me as one of his hands covered my mouth, the other holding me down.

Unfortunately I froze in the bed, unable to move at all.

"Don't think you can get away from me that easy," Derek's unmistakable voice told me. I screamed then, but it was muffled by his hand. I tried to struggle but it only made him angrier and much more aggressive, which was the reason why I found myself being shoved into the bed roughly, getting harsh insults.

"Derek, stop! Let me go!" I whimpered now that he'd had to use both hands to hold me in place, fearing for the worst.

"I can get any girl I want, what makes you different?" he spat in my face.

"I'm not desperate enough to go through that again!" I hissed. Definitely the wrong answer. His hand made a loud sound when it's back came to contact with my cheek.

From then on I only had one thought: to get out of there. No matter what, now matter how, just out.

I fought him, but it only earned me more bruises and phrases. I hoped to God that Aidan had found a corner to hide in.

Completely caught up in tears, I saw my last chance in my laptop, sitting closed on the nightstand. I picked it up and wacked it on his head as hard as I could as he cried out in agony. I grabbed my cell, pressed 'last call' without looking and sprinted into the bathroom, pushing the door shut hard, locking it and shoving a vanity in front. By then the person had picked up their phone and was calling my name, worriedly.

"October? What's going on, are you okay? October!"

"Frank?" I gasped, flinching when I Derek pounded against the door.

"October, what's going on?" Frank repeated his question.

"Derek, he's here, I... he's angry, he tried to... help me, Frank," I sobbed.

"Gee! Get the car! Now! October, stay where you are, okay? Stay calm as much as you can. Where are you?" He yelled to his front man, but spoke softly and calmly to me. I could hear the fear in his voice clearly.

"The bathroom." I jumped in surprise when Aidan hopped onto my lap, looking terrified himself.

"Alright. Don't move. Don't let him in there, lock the door and block it with something. And if anything happens, Octy, don't hang up. We're coming," he told me.

"Thank you," I breathed, wincing when Derek started to pound on the door again.

"We'll be there in a few minutes, don't worry. Jamia, call the police, quickly." Jamia said something in the background and so did Gerard, but Frank stayed with me. "Is Aidan with you?" he asked.

"He is," I replied quietly, hugging the cat to my chest tighter.

"How old is he now?" he questionned, obviously to try and keep me calm. He was one of the very few people who knew about my panic attacks.

"Two and a bit years," I nodded to myself.

"And you said your dad got him for you for one of your birthdays, right?"

"My nineteenth." I ran my fingers through his soft fur. We kept talking about Aidan for a little bit, then he told me they were there and not to move.

Soon it got loud outside the bathroom, Derek yelling, what sounded like Frank yelling and others. I curled up with Aidan on my chest behind the door, so if it would open, it would hide us at first. I held the cat and my phone close to me, pressing my eyes shut, wishing myself into a different world.

I winced and jumped with every crash that reached my ears, the tears rolling down my cheeks.

And suddenly it got eerily silent. Not a sound but my own breathing and the beat of my heart pounding in my ears.

A soft knock on the door cut through the stillness, completely startling me. "October?"

My eyes filled with tears, blurring my sight, as I heard the familiar voice. I set Aidan down and pushed the vanity away from the door. Slowly I unlocked and opened it, collapsing into his arms. If he hadn't have held me tightly, I'd have collapsed into a mess by his feet.

"Sshh, it's okay now, you're safe," he kept telling me over and over again as the whole situation sunk in, and I only grasped onto his shirt tighter.

My face was buried into Frank's shoulder whilst Gerard and Bob brought Derek outside. Frank's grip on me tightened, and relaxed as they had him out of the apartment. He brought me into the kitchen, seating me on the table. He asked Jamia for the paper towels quietly, brushing my hair out of my face. I could see anger burning in his eyes as he brushed his thumb over my bruised cheek, but more than that there was deep concern and care.

"The front door was open when we came, did you let him in?" he asked softly, dabbing a wet paper towel on my bottom lip. I was lucky the asshole didn't tear my piercing.

"No," I answered shakily, shaking my head.

"We called the cops, October, they're outside waiting, do you feel up to answering their questions now?" Jamia looked down at me, seeming shaken up, but not as much as I was.

"I, um... I don't know." I frowned and hugged myself.

"They've arrested him, how do you feel, October?" Gerard came in and looked at me.

"My arms hurt," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment as I felt his fingers all over my arms, the bruises already appearing from where he squeezed them to hold me down.

"A paramedic's on their way up," Gerard informed me softly.

I sighed and looked at Frank. He smiled lightly, reassuringly, and gave me a hug, kissing the top of my head. "You're safe, Octy," he said gently. I nodded slowly and closed my eyes, feeling very tired and jaded.

"What's going on?" a voice belonging to my fiance insisted as he walked in, panicingly looking at me. "Shit, babe, you're hurt, what happened? What the fuck have you done to her now?" he cried to Frank, rushing to my side and shoving his cousin out of the way.

"He saved my life, Ethan," I spoke up before anymore damage could be done.

The police officers collected my contact information and Ethan's, and then they let me leave. Ethan told me he'd called a lawyer and that he'd take care of everything.

I just wanted to sleep and forget.