Mirror Image

SHEA POV

"Fuck you fucking Bryan Stars." I hissed at the screen in frustration, tugging my hair.

"I'm sorry this happened, we've got good security usually, that's never happened before!" Sammi was stressing out too and you could tell. Her practically white hair wasn't its usual standard of perfect.

I swear to God, even on tour, her hair is fucking perfect. Who the fuck has perfect hair on tour? You live on a God damn bus for crying out loud!

Okay, I'm really stressing.

"He doesn't say where to find the pictures!" We'd just spent all morning, literally, searching for these damn pictures online. They aren't coming up on Google which is the place one would think they would be.

"Check the description." She tried, drumming her fingers on the table.

Okay, besides the fact we're friends and these pictures are hers, she's also got a sort of reputation on the line dealing with how trust worthy she is work-wise. She might work for a larger company, but you loose a disc in a robbery and your work gets leaked before it was meant to and magazine editors and all of those don't like it.

"There!" She pointed at the blue type face under a load of other useless links and I click it.

"Found them." I bit my lip. I started scrolling down but Sammi grabbed my hand.

"No need to look at the comments." She pulled it away and closed the laptop.

"Yes there is."

"No, there isn't." She shook her head, "I do it all of the damn time and it fucking sucks. All they do is sting, it's pointless to read them if they're just going to hurt."

"I want to know." I frowned.

"Just remember, they don't mean anything to him…" She whispered, looking down at the ground. I nodded and opened the laptop again, scrolling to the very bottom of the page and skimming over comments.

"A lot of 'who's that?'" I read softly. She got up, looking like she was about to cry, and left the room. I watched her leave, confused, and turned back to the comments to see what'd upset her. There was a lot of shit about me and Jacky, too, and some sweet comments by girls who noticed the ring he'd given me… I fidgeted with it at the thought. Then my eyes caught something.

I got up, too, and left the room to find Sammi sitting on the floor against the wall of the hallway, crying.

"I don't usually cry this much." She admitted, "It's just been so stressful…I guess it made me snap."

"It'd make me snap, too." I sat down next to her. "You've always been there for me, so now I'm here for you." I said when she looked at me oddly. She smiled. "I'm sorry." I told her, "No one has a right to criticize you like that."

"They have a right." She shrugged, "It's a free country, and I know not everyone likes what I do. it's just…"

"They took it way too far." I agreed, "Bringing Jinxx and your engagement and wedding into it was going way too far."

She sniffed and nodded.

"I get it all the time, it just…upset me more because I was already upset." she shrugged.

"it's not fair that you get that shit all of the time." She's a nice enough person, and even if she wasn't, no one deserves this shit.

"I'm sorry." She looked up at me.

"This isn't anyone's fault except Jared's." I grumbled.

"JJ is all over the internet and that's exactly what we wanted to avoid--"

My phone started buzzing and I shook my head.

"It's fine, Sammi." I assured, answering without checking the caller idea.

"Shea!" I winced at the sound of my cousin-by-marriage's voice.

"Yes?" I bit my lip.

"What are these pictures of you and that guitarist from your brother's band? Who is that kid?" And the deluge began. I tried to calm her down so I could answer her questions, but she wasn't having it.

"Liz, Lizzi, please." I whined.

"Shea, tell me that isn't your kid." She pleaded.

"His name is JJ, Lizzi." I bit my lip, "And, yes, he's mine."

"Shea!" She gasped.

"Jacky and I took it a little too far once and it wasn't supposed to happen." I tried. "And next thing I knew, I'd given birth to a four months premature kid--"

"You didn't know you were pregnant?!"

"Shea, Jacky's back with JJ…" Sammi whispered, looking out the window. I nodded.

"I'm coming to visit, can I? Where do you live now?"

"I'm in LA, I'll email you the address." I told her, "I need to go, Jacky just got home and I promised I'd--"

"We're all coming down, Eddie told me to tell you." She corrected.

"That's great, Lizzi, I'll email you details." I hung up, a little rudely.

I hurried down the stairs and Sammi followed me. JJ watched me with happy eyes and I reached out to pick him out of his father's hands.

"The police found him." Jacky said quietly, "They called Ronnie. They want a statement from both of you, about the harassment and the stealing…"

Sammi nodded.

"I was sent to get you guys." He told us, but he watched me.

"I don't want JJ near him." I shivered.

He nodded.

XXX

He was gone, in jail. I mean, he won't be there for long.

The trial is finally over with, and even when he gets out--I have a restraining order against him.

It was difficult, though. No one really understood what made him just...suddenly start acting out like that. I figure it was Jacky, but still. He went...too far.

And now JJ is getting too much attention from paparazzi, and Jacky and I hate it. On top of that, the ring's been getting attention. People think we're engaged, which is funny because I always correct them and say we're not, but they just look confused and congratulate us anyways.

I thought I heard a cry on the monitor, but it was just steady, rhythmic breathing.

I didn't have to worry about Jared kidnapping my son in the night anymore. I feared that after the pictures were stolen, we'd face new extremes with Jared, but it never reached that height. And, I'm thankful for that.

But, now he's locked away and I don't have to worry, at least for a little while.

"He can't touch you, don't worry." Jacky whispered against my shoulder, as if echoing my thoughts. "Get some sleep."

I closed my eyes.

"Jacky?"

"Hmm?"

"My cousins and their kid are coming next week." I said, innocently as I remembered the conversation I'd been emailing Liz about for the past month. Since the case had taken more time than it should have, we figured them being here would add too much stress.

But, I'd forgotten to tell Jacky...

He groaned.

"Fuck, Shea…"

Let the games begin...