I Bite My Tongue So You Don't Hear Me

Josh returned without Abbie but with food.
He walked in on Dan and Gemma cuddling on the sofa.
He explained that Abbie had work.
Josh laid the food out and they all ate.
During eating lunch Josh suggested that they go buy Gemma some new clothes.

They went out to Oxford Street the same place where Dan and Gemma first met.
They were in Primark.
Josh walked off to look at shoes and Dan had gone to look at jeans leaving Gemma to wander around looking at clothes.

She kept looking at clothes but she felt like eyes where watching her constantly ,as if someone is watching her every little move.
She walked fast to the back of the store where no one was.
She sat down on a stool with her head facing down.

She noticed trainers in her view.
Her eyes moved upwards.
Past the ripped jeans.
The drop dead vest.
The brown swept hair.
And the evil grin.
'Long time no see Gem' The all to familiar voice said

'Austin' She breathed
She couldn't believe her eyes.
'You-You-You should b-be in prison' She stumbled.
He laughed at her stumbling.
'Well since the police couldn't find you they assumed that you were dead,they needed a re-trial but since they assumed you were dead they let me go' He informed her smiling the entire time.
'You bastard' She breathed stepping up to leave.
He grabbed her wrist tight.
She winced at the sudden contact.
'Where do you think you are going' He grinned
He pinned her against the nearest wall.
'You are a bitch' He spat out.
'You are the guy who was in prison' She muttered
He put his right hand to her throat.
'I'm sorry, you ruined my life' He replied
She laughed. Well tried to she could barely breath.
'You ruined mine' She tried to say but he heard.

He switched his left hand to hold her throat.
'If I recall correctly I burnt this leg' He pondered whilst slapping her right leg.
She screamed. Austin's left hand went over her mouth.
'Shhh babe no need to scream' He whispered
She tried to break from his grip but couldn't.
'What are you gonna do' She breathed
'I havent decided yet,hun' He replied

He took her by the wrist and took them both into a nearby changing room with no workers or customers around he forced her in there.
She was pushed on to the mirror.
'You have to understand you made my life hell' He informed her
'What did I do?' She yelled
'You were born' He snapped

Dan couldn't find Gemma.
He found Josh and they both couldn't find her.
Dan decided to leave it a few minutes so he could try jeans on.
There were no free changing rooms so Josh suggested they go to the back of the shop.
He was right. There was no one there. Well not that they could see. They went into the unattended changing rooms.
Josh waited outside of the curtained box where Dan was due to get changed.
But he stopped as he was about to begin taking his clothes off but heard whimpering from the next stall.

Austin was punching her in the face.
She was whimpering with every touch.
He laughed at every whimper.

Dan stepped outside of the changing room.
Josh raised an eyebrow at him.

Dan pulled the changing room curtain to see his girlfriend being beaten to a pulp by some random guy.
Get nose was bleeding and the guys rings had cut her arms along with her face.
'You son of a bitch!' Dan yelled. Josh stood behind Dan with his jaw dropped.
'Problem?' Austin grinned
'Get your fat hands off of my girlfriend you bastard!'
'Aww you have a boyfriend,how cute' Austin said squeezing Gemma's cut cheeks.
Dan pulled the guy off of Gemma.
Gemma fell to the floor and Josh went to her side.

Dan began to punch him in the face,chest and anywhere he could find.
'Dan,leave it!' Gemma yelled 'He isn't worth it!' She yelled through all the blood in her mouth.
'Dan!' Josh yelled
'Yeah Dan listen to the bitch and twat!' Austin spat
Dan punched him once more in the face.
'I never want to see you again' Dan began 'That is my girlfriend so don't you dare call her a bitch because you fucked her up!'
He threw one more punch at Austin who then fell to the ground.

They all ran from the shop and back to the apartment.
Gemma was sat on the sofa having her cuts and bruises cleaned up by Dan.
Josh was getting at first aid kit from the shop.

Every time Dan pressed the wet cloth to a cut it stung more and more. She whimpered everytime.

He went to clean the cut on her face but she grabbed his wrist.
'Thank you' She breathed
'Its okay,so that was Austin?' He asked. She nodded.
'He is a dickhead' He admitted
She laughed.
But then she stopped.
She remembered Austin's words 'They think you are dead'.
His voice ran around in her head saying those words.

She stood up just as Dan was going to wash another cut.
'They think I'm dead' She muttered.
Dan put the cloth down.
'Babe' He muttered standing up and placing his hands on each of her shoulders.
'Austin said that he was let out because they needed a re-trial but couldn't find me so assumed that I was dead' She informed him.
'So my family think I'm dead' She mumbled 'Not that they would care if I was dead or alive' She added.

'Its just the thought that he is out of prison and that at least for a hour of my life I was safe with you' She cried falling back into the sofa behind her.
She burst into to tears.
Dan fell to his knees and rested his chin in her knee like a dog.
He ran his finger up and down her leg.
'You are still safe' He told her 'I beat him up remember'

She smilied at him.
His face lit up like a puppy when she smilied.
'Josh will tell the others to watch out for Austin so that whenever we are out all the guys are on guard,if that would make you feel safe'
She nodded and went to hug him.
'Now let's get you cleaned up' He grinned

She couldn't believe that Austin was back.
But what was more shocking was that Dan beat him up.
She felt safe once more.
She had Dan.
His friends.
But her mind always traced back to the moment that she realised that Austin was back.
It kept replaying in her mind.

Until Dan's smile and blue eyes came into her view as he wiped away the blood.