Pieces

By the time I landed in New York I had eight missed calls and a headache the size of Jupiter. Seeing as I stormed out of Zack's house, I didn't have much to pack up at my apartment. Just a few clothes I had left behind and some other important things. All I had was the money in my bank account, which could last me for up to a year without a job, if my calculations were correct.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I sighed, pulling it out. I looked down at the screen to see it was Jimmy. I groaned and silenced it, only for a text to show up ten minutes later when I reached baggage claim.

I'm going to call again. Please answer the phone.

As if on cue, my phone rang and it was once again Jimmy. Reluctantly I answered it with a heavy sigh, "Hello?"

"Are you okay?" He asked suddenly and I raised an eyebrow.

"I was just disowned by the only family I had left, all of them think I'm a lying gold-digging bitch, and I just lost the only man I will ever love completely," I stated, "I'm perfectly okay," I snapped.

He sighed, "If I were there, Vi, I wouldn't have let them do that to you. Dan and I had no idea what was going on until you left," He reasoned.

"Doesn't matter anymore. I'm in New York now," I informed him.

"I know. A black town car is parked on the East Gate for you," He said softly and my mouth fell opened.

"W-What?"

"You can't just suddenly move across country, Vi. You're going to need a little help. A friend of mine tracked your flight to let me know when you'd be landing," He explained.

"Jimmy… Thank you," I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Vi. Also, there's several apartment options I found for you, but for now you have a week at the Hilton near Times Square. The driver already knows where to take you," He informed me.

"Does any one know you're doing this?" I questioned.

"Leana, Michelle, and Dan," He answered, "Michelle is really pissed at Brian for what he did. Him and Matt shouldn't have stormed over there, and they should have let you explain," He started, "I don't know what's going on, Vi, but I trust that you're not the person they think you are."

"I'm not," I whimpered.

"Dan told me about what happened in Vegas. He saw all the signs and he pieced it together. We don't believe those articles, Violet," He stated firmly.

"Thank you guys… How's Zack?" I asked softly.

"He's… Not doing so well. He's pretty upset, Violet. I mean, the guy's been in love with you since you started working for him. He put all his trust in you and he kind of feels betrayed,"

"This is a nightmare," I groaned, "Will you do me a favor and make sure he doesn't go back to Amber?"

"We're already on it. He hasn't mentioned her, but we're prepared if he does. There's no way we're letting that bitch back in his life," The assurance in his voice was comforting and I sighed deeply, "Violet, it's going to be okay," He said softly.

"I don't know about that, Jimmy," I stated softly.

"What are you going to do now?" He questioned.

"Get a job and continue what I started in Huntington. I'm going to start a new life," I sighed.

"You're going to come back, Vi. I'm going to make sure this gets resolved. Sit tight while Dan and I think of a way to convince Zack you're not like Amber. We'll find a way," He promised.

"Okay, Jimmy."

"Oh, and when you get to the hotel call Dan. He's been trying to call you. He just wants to check up on you."

"Okay, I will. Bye, Jimmy."

"See you soon, Kid."

-

"What the hell were you doing talking to her," Matt growled at the taller man and Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"Calm down, Matt," He said softly.

"Calm down? Why are you helping her!?" He demanded and Jimmy sighed, eyes narrowing on his friend.

"You can't honestly tell me that you believe Violet would do such thing. You can't. It doesn't add up, Matt. Why would Vi be so scared of Craig and why would he beat her like he did?"

"Because she stole his money," Matt scoffed, "She deserved it."

In all of their years of friendship, Jimmy has never punched one of his friends. Sure, he'd beat up Johnny once in a while, but that was all in good fun. Jimmy was the mediator. He calmed the situation down, not made it worse. So it thoroughly shocked Matt when he felt his friend's fist connect with his cheek.

"You don't ever tell me that a woman deserved to get beat, Matt!" Jimmy shouted as Matt brought a hand up to his sore cheekbone, "You know deep down that Violet is telling the truth! And I think there's more to the story than that article lead to believe."

"It had quotes from the family, Jimmy," Matt retorted and Jimmy almost raised his fist at him again.

"Are you that fucking dense, Matt!? How many false articles are written about us!?" Jimmy yelled, "How many people last year told magazines that Val was pregnant when she wasn't? It's called lying Matt. And if the Stevensons are as powerful as they seem, then I'm sure they can get a phony article printed about Violet."

Matt didn't say a word as he looked away from his friend, staring at the floor. He, more than anything, wanted believe that Violet wasn't the bad guy. He wanted to believe it, but he couldn't believe that everything was one big coincidence. How could she move to a new state only to start dating Zack?

"Are you guys done yelling in my house?" A voice caused both of them to look to the doorway.

Jimmy couldn't deny that Zack looked like a complete mess. He had been bad when Amber always left him, but this was an entire new level. He looked completely lifeless, "We were just-"

"Talking about her," Zack growled, his eyes dark as they filled with tears.

"Zack, I think Violet was telling the truth. She truly loved you," Jimmy said softly.

Zack scoffed, shaking his head before turning to walk away. Jimmy watched him sadly. The guitarist was a wreck and didn't know what to do with himself. Jimmy knew that deep down Zack wanted to believe that Violet was telling the truth. It didn't help that most of the evidence pointed otherwise, and that frustrated Jimmy beyond belief.

"You stay away from her, Jimmy," Matt stated lowly, "If you keep her around she's going to do something that'll hurt all of us."

Jimmy shook his head, "No she won't," He turned to him, "Vi would do anything for us. You know that, Matt. Stop being such an asshole."

Matt was speechless as Jimmy pushed past him, leaving him alone in Zack's house.

-

"We're trying to get through to Zack. It's going to take a while," Dan explained and I sighed.

"He's better off without me, Dan. I think he should move on," I urged for the millionth time and I knew he was getting frustrated, "As long as Craig is around we'll always be like this. I will always be running."

"What do we have to do so Craig isn't around? You have to give me something, Violet," Dan pleaded.

"I don't know," I cried, "Everyone sided with him. My friends all turned on me, his family hates me, and everyone in Las Vegas thinks I'm a tramp," I explained.

Dan sighed, "I don't think you should be in New York by yourself."

"It's better this way. Craig doesn't know I'm here. As long as I stay out of his way, I'll be fine. Once he realizes I'm gone he'll go back to Vegas and you guys will be fine. It needs to be this way," I told him firmly.

"You've been hurt enough, Vi."

I shook my head, "For what I did, Dan..." I trailed off, "There's not enough pain in a lifetime that would be enough."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Violet! What was so horrible that you deserved this?

"I used him, Dan," I confessed, "I used Craig. I knew who he was and I purposely tried to make him mine. I did what ever I had to, and I made sure I had him wrapped around my finger. I manipulated him, thinking he'd fall in love with me and we'd live happily ever after. But it came with a price. Craig turned out to be someone completely different."

Violet..."

"Dan, I was Amber. For an entire year I was just like her, only worse. But I promise that I changed. I promise that I didn't mean for any of this to happen with Zack. I thought Craig was out of my life for good."

"You made mistakes, Vi, but that doesn't mean you have to live by them for your entire life. You've changed. Don't live in guilt forever. You don't deserve that."

"I deserve a lot worse for all the pain I caused Zack."