I Found You

Zacky, Rosie, Jimmy, Valary, Matthew, Johnny and Brian were all gathered in front of the tv as Fuse was about to premiere the video for A Little Piece of Heaven. 

“Well Avenged Sevenfold fans you are in for a treat.” said the host. “A Little Piece of Heaven shocked the critics with its harsh lyrics and intense sexual situations, the critics were also intrigued as well as impressed by the boldness of this track. Premiering on Fuse is A Little Piece of Heaven.” 

Rosie had never seen the video when it was finished so she was a little bit more into it than the others. 

As she watched she couldn't help but cringe as she thought of Michael. Valary looked over to her, sensing her distress. She gave Rosie a small smile hoping that it would cheer her up.

Rosie pulled her knees to her chest and hugged herself as she watched. She tried her best to get through this without showing any fear but she could feel her hands starting to shake. The song combined with the video was causing her to remember things she made an extra effort to forget. 

When the video ended everyone clapped and turned to Rosie who had managed to compose herself. They group hugged her and thanked her for what seemed like the thousandth time. 

They ate dinner afterward and went their separate ways. Rosie wandered outside by herself, staring at the sky. 

A breeze caused her to shiver a bit and wrap her arms around herself. Out of nowhere Brian appeared with her robe. He set it gently on her shoulders; he was out there trying to see if she was okay. When they were watched the video, he was sitting next to her and could feel her shaking.

“You okay? You were kind of quiet during the video.” asked Brian

“Yeah, I'm fine.” she nodded.

“That song was awesome.” 

She chuckled. “Thanks.”  

“Where did something like that come from someone so...like you?” 

“It...I've been through some stuff.” 

“Oh come on don't put it off like its not something important. I'm no therapist but you clearly have some feelings inside that you need to let out.” 

“I wish I could Brian.” she said quietly

“I'm all ears.” he smiled. 

“I can't.” 

He grabbed her by her shoulders forcing her to look into his chocolate brown eyes. “Yes you can. I won't think any different of you.” 

She stood there for a minute. She stood there just terrified of telling the truth. But at the same time she also felt like a water balloon filled with too much water. 

All this time she had been living with them, she had been holding all of the stuff she felt in. All this time she has been walking around with the feeling of this dead weight on her shoulders. As she stood there in front of Brian, she was forced to face the reality that they would have to find out eventually. She also knew that it was only a matter of time before she would explode with all of this packed tightly inside of her. 

So she had come to a decision. 

“Fine. But I wanna tell everybody.” 

He nodded his head and led her back inside. Rosie sat on the couch waiting patiently while Brian gathered everyone else in the house hold. 

Soon everyone was gathered in the living room wondering what was happening. 

“I guess it's time I told you the truth about my past. When I first got here I was so ashamed of it and I still am but, I can't hold this in any longer...” 

And she told them. The same story Valary was given in the coffee shop her first week here was the same story being told nearly a month later. 

Rosemarie looked at her hands the entire time, afraid to look them all in the eye. Especially Zacky. 

She knew that by the time she was finished saying what needed to be said that whatever they had begun to have was over. 

Inside she felt a deep and passionate hatred for herself for ruining something that had the potential to make her happy. 

When she finished her story she apologize. “I'm sorry for imposing on you. I'm sorry for not telling you. And I can understand if you don't want me here anymore.” 

A silence passed in the room as everyone, excluding Valary, processed what they had just heard. 

Zacky who was growing angrier by the second finally stormed out of the room. He ran all the way up to his room, slamming the door behind him. 

He was confused as to who to be angry to. He loved Rosie and couldn't believe what he had just heard and that he had to hear it the way he did. He was upset that she didn't feel comfortable enough to tell him something like that. 

He sat down on his bed with tears dripping from his face. Taking a deep breath he wiped them away. 

He couldn't believe that she used to sell herself. That a number of men have already done what he dreamt night after night of doing. He wanted to be so angry at Rosie but he couldn't. Deep inside of his kind he knew that his real anger laid with Michael. 

That lowlife son of a bitch hurt her, raped her and used her. The more he thought about what she said he had done to her, the more his hand tightened into fists. At some point his nails were digging into the palms of his hands. 

Meanwhile downstairs Rosemarie sat in the chair silently crying. When Zacky stormed out of the room, she thought that her worst fears had been confirmed. 

“He hates me.” she whispered 

Jimmy was the first to stand up, he swooped her in his arms and carried her outside. 

They sat on the ground by the pool as she cried into his chest. 

He sang a soft tune into her hair. A tune that she recognized. 

“I've been looking in the mirror for so long, 
that I've come to believe my souls on the other side, 
all the little pieces falling shatter, 
shards of me, 
too sharp to put back together...”

“Too small to matter, 
but big enough to cut me into so many little pieces, 
if I try to touch her, 
and I bleed, 
I bleed, 
and I breathe, 
I breathe no more.” she finished the song with him, which calmed her. 

He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. “Why didn't you tell us?” he asked 

“Because what I used to do was disgusting and I was afraid of what you guys would do when you found out.” 

He chuckled. “We weren't gonna make you do anything if that's what you mean. I, ma'am, am a gentlemen who happens to be sexy. I don't need to pay my women to sleep with me, I'm just naturally good with the ladies.” 

She gave a tiny laugh before frowning again. “But Zacky hates me now. He made me so happy and I had to go and ruin that.” 

“No what would've ruined things is if you would've lied or never told him. Give him time, he'll understand.” 

“No. It's over.” she said as more tears cascaded down her face. “He doesn't want anything to do with a disgusting hooker.” 

Upon hearing those words come out of her mouth he instantly became angry. He pulled her from his chest, lifted his finger to her chin and raised her face so that she looked him in the eyes. 

“Do not ever let me hear you say that again. You are not disgusting and you are not a hooker. You are a beautiful, intelligent, generous, creative person and if Zacky or anyone else who judges you can't see that then damn them all to hell. Anyone would be lucky to know you, hell I feel like the luckiest man alive that you stumbled onto our door step. Rosemarie, promise me that you will never say anything like that about yourself ever again.”

She sniffled and replied, “I promise.” 

Suddenly the unmistakable voice of Valary echoed throughout the night as she screamed, “Zachary James Baker get your temper tantrum throwing ass down here right now!” 

Rosie had never seen this side of Valary and had started to fear the wrath that Zacky would face. 

“Zachary if I have to come up those goddamned stairs I swear to god I will beat you to within an inch of your life!!! Downstairs, now!” 

“Wow.” whispered Rosie 

“Yeah.” said Jimmy. “Now you see why Matt is the perfect boyfriend.” 

The two of them sat outside as sentences filled with a heap of profanities poured from inside their home. This went on for about five minutes as Valary and Zacky argued back and forth, it was hard to tell about what due to how muffled their voices were.

Finally Zacky had appeared behind Rosie and Jimmy, Valary standing next to him. 

“Jimmy. Inside. Now.” commanded Valary through her teeth. 

Jimmy hugged her once more before disappearing inside leaving Zacky and Rosie both staring at their feet. 

He sat down next to her unsure of what to say. His mouth was a tense line of nervousness which Rosie mistook as angry. 

“Zacky before you say anything, I should've told you first it's ju--” 

“I have something that I need to say first.” 

She went quiet and waited for him to begin. 

“When you first got here there was something different about you. I didn't know what and I still don't...I never left your side that night, you know. I waited up all night just hoping that you would wake up and be okay. Then you had that nightmare where you cried about Michael trying to get us and when I laid you into bed I wanted nothing more than to curl up with you and never leave your side. But I knew you had been through some stuff and I didn't wanna scare you or make you feel uncomfortable so I kept my distance. Then when you told us where you came from and stuff tonight I just...I'm angry. I'm angry because I don't feel like I'm holding up the vow that I made to protect you. I'm supposed to make you so happy that you will forget that stuff. But I saw tonight that I wasn't successful. Rose I didn't realize how much you were hurting, I was stupid not to see that and I'm so fucking sorry that I didn't. When I stormed off it wasn't because of you...it's just that I'm not good at all this love shit. I'm trying my hardest to be but I'm not...but starting right now I will do whatever it takes to make you truly happy again. I love you Rosemarie.” by the time he finished he had tears in his eyes 

For the first time ever in his existence, he had poured his heart out to someone. It felt good to have how he felt out there. He wanted her to know how much he loved and cared for her. 

He reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly. 

“Zack, when I got here...you were the first person to actually make me feel comfortable and welcome. You make me happier than you realize and when I'm with you I don't feel like I used to be a prostitute. I feel like a girl who met a guy and is falling in love with him.” 

She slowly crawled towards him. She put her hand to his cheek and stroked lovingly. 

“I love you too Zacky.” she whispered.