The Stars in Your Sky Aren't the Same Stars in My Sky

The next morning, Real Bad came down stairs changed and ready to leave.

"Let's go get you a proper outfit so we can get on the plane ok?" I nodded and let him carry me out to the car again.

He brought me to a mall and instead of carrying me, he had me hop on his back. Probably due to the fact the he knew I couldn't walk still, but he couldn't constantly carry me. First stop was Victoria's Secret for under garments. He grabbed what I pointed at and then helped me into the dressing room and left me to put them on and remove the tags to pay for them. We got a ton of stares, but neither of us really cared at that point. The next stop was the first clothing store I saw, it just happened to be a hot topic.

"That one." I jokingly pointed at the only Amity shirt on the wall.

"Why? You can get that tomorrow." We both laughed.

I ended up grabbing a pair of jean shorts and a loose ADTR long sleeve. We also grabbed some socks. The final stop was Journeys. My shoes weren't too bad on the outside, but the inside was caked in blood and rather uncomfortable to wear. I grabbed a pair of black canvas Docs before we went back to the house. We grabbed food on the way and I changed into my clothes immediately when we got there. My pain level went up significantly, so I had to take some meds. They made me sleepy so I ended up taking a nap. When I woke up Real Bad was on his phone on the chair next to the couch I was stretched out on. His computer was in his lap and it sounded like he was making sure the guys were still staying at the same hotel as we planned.

"Yeah we should be in around 10, we're gonna leave as soon as she's awake." The person on the other side took the details down before they said their goodbyes and I stretched a bit.

"Ready to go?" He asked dryly.

"I've been ready." He tried to help me up again but I waved him off.

"I need to be able to do this on my own." I grabbed the crutches and tried to stand.

I barely got to my feet before my side started to scream. It hurt, but if I couldn't do this then there was no way I was going to be able to get on stage.

"You good?" I nodded and he helped me towards the front door. In the interest of not leaving JJ's car at the airport he had called a cab.

Despite how helpful he been and how much I couldn't have done this without him, I was really worried that he had stayed. I'm almost 100% sure he hadn't slept in two days and while we were at the airport, he looked like he was going to be sick. They had to run me through the xray machine because of the plate and we could see it on the xray. On the plane was even worse. He kept going in and out of sleep for the two hours we were on the plane and at one point he grabbed my hand in his sleep and mumbled something about me dying. When I woke him up because we were about to land, his eyes were blood shot and I know he needed sleep. We got a cab and left for the hotel.

"You need sleep." I quietly reprimanded him.

"I'll get some eventually." He sat back with his eyes staring at the scenery that passed up by.

"Matt...." He looked at me when I used his first name.

"You're going to spiral out of control if you don't try and let this go." I timidly grabbed his hand.

"I'm here and I'm ok." Before I could say anything else we pulled up to the hotel.

He paid the driver and quickly helped me out of the car. I didn't expect everyone to be waiting in the lobby for us. Joel was the first one to hug me carefully.

"I thought we lost you..." He sighed into my ear as he held me for a decent amount of time.

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong." I smiled carefully towards him and looked past him to everyone else with the same smile so they would know I'm ok.

"Jax," Ahren and my boys were the ones immediately behind Joel,"You were dead...." I shrugged to them.

"Look, I understand the severity of the situation. I'm not going to dwell on that right now though. If I let it get to me it's going to hurt me. So everyone needs to go up to their rooms and just chill. We have three days off. Let's all go out tomorrow ok?" They all looked flabbergasted, but listened. One by one they left to do something. Joel, Ahren, Nikki, and Matt stood next to me after everyone else was gone.

"You really scared us...." I sighed. Matt walked away and sat on the couch next to JJ who I hadn't seen until now.

"I know, I'm sorry. Let's all just go get a good night's sleep ok?" Nikki handed me my room key before leaving himself.

"Is JJ ok?" I looked between Ahren and Joel.

"I think he's a little freaked out." Joel started.

"Yeah, we only saw the room after they were almost done cleaning it up, but there was a lot of blood. He was super sick all night..." I sighed.

"Matt hasn't slept since he found me.... he was freaking out on the plane and honestly he is scaring me..."

"Oh we call him by his first name now?" I rolled my eyes at Joel.

"Now isn't the time to reprimand me." But knowing these two and them knowing I wouldn't even keep this serious for long it continued.

"Whoa, reprimand for what? What did you do?" I sighed and looked around both of them. Matt and JJ had gone out the back area to smoke. I could see them through the window.

"The first night I slept with Real Bad." Ahren's jaw dropped.

"He called you a broad!" I shushed him and then smirked.

"He called me plenty of things." Ahren awkwardly scratched the back of his neck at my comment.

"I thought you didn't remember?" Joel asked.

"You don't even remember?!" Ahren asked before I shoved him.

"Keep it down, nosy. It's old news and keep it to yourselves I said I wouldn't tell anyone..."

"Anyways," I continued after a moment," I'm still pretty tired. Can we just get through these next few days without issues please?"

That we did, or so I thought. Everyone went out the next day and the natives showed us around the areas they had been to before. It was cool to see all the landmarks and as much as I tried to have fun, they were breathing down my neck constantly. The day after that, Amity had a bunch of events scheduled while Issues and Architects had in store signings else where. The boys scheduled a meet up to see if I could deal with fans. We had been swarmed and I was a bit overwhelmed but I made it. The night everyone met up at the pool, much like the first night. We were shooting to the wind and while I couldn't drink, everyone else was drinking enough for me.

"I'm gonna turn in guys..." I carefully stood. I was hoping that I could wake up early tomorrow and get to the venue before everyone else so I could get some practice in.

"Whattttt?" Ahren was gone. He didn't want me to go.

"Well I can't drink anyways." They all protested but eventually let me go.

I hobbled through the lobby and stopped when I saw Real Bad on the couch. I hadn't really noticed him missing from the group.

"What are you doing hiding in here?" I chuckled and sat next to him.

"Not in the party mood." He looked at me and I could tell he still hadn't slept.

"Look, Matt, I never got to thank you..." He sighed.

"You really did save me and that means more to me than you understand. It hasn't really hit me yet that it was as serious as it was, but I know you're in a lot of pain right now because of me. I'm so-" He grabbed my hand to cut me off.

"This is not your fault. Everyone handles things differently. Please do not beat yourself up over this...."

"Then come sleep with me." He gave me a concerned look.

"Actual sleep, not sex." He sighed and stood, helping me up with him.

He gave in and came upstairs to my room. At first he sat on the chair like that's where he was going to sleep. I sat on the bed and placed my crutches against the wall where I could reach them in the morning.

"You're not going to sleep on the chair are you?" He sighed.

"I haven't slept in four days, no matter what it won't go away..." I laid down and turned so I could see him.

"What won't go away?" I officially couldn't get up and had to beckon him towards me.

He kicked his shoes off with a sigh before sitting next to me on the bed.

"I'm sorry..." I pulled my self into a sitting up position against the pillows and stared at him with my arms crossed.

"For what?" He looked down at his hands.

"When I close my eye I see you." My eyes narrowed at him a bit.

"You see me what?" I tried to make him continue.

"I see you in the pool of your blood..." No wonder he's been so fucked up. That image was fucking with my brain. I grabbed his hand again.

"Matt, I'm here. I'm alive. I've been hurt plenty of times before and I can assure you that it will take a lot more than some blood loss to kill me." He sighed....

"Didn't you want to sleep?" He tried to change the subject.

"Are you going to sleep?"

"I can't...." I laid down and pulled on his arm.

"What?"

"Lay down," He listened and I pulled his arm over my waist," I'm not going anywhere, ok?" He sighed.

"This is weird." I chuckled.

"Yeah most people don't end up with their booty call." He was silent after I joked.

"I don't even know how that happened..." I sighed and turned towards him. We were pretty much face to face and it was killing my side but I felt bad as is and had to try and explain.

"I'm known to try just about anything when I'm drunk. There's a reason that the Amity guys haven't seen me with a drink since last summer and my boys for several years before that." He gave a small chuckle.

"I'm used to being drunk 24/7. It's just how we live."

"We?"

"The band, we like to party. Shit happens I guess..."

"Well, I told Ahren and Joel so I hope it's still shit happens." He groaned.

"That's why they've been glaring at me? God, it's like I slept with their sisters." I chuckled.

"I'm an adult. I can mark who I want." I chuckled noticing the marks that till adorned his skin.

"Yours don't look much better." He brushed my hair off my neck where the now yellowing spots were.

"At least it was fun while it lasted." I could feel my eyes getting heavier, but I was determined to make sure he fell asleep first.

"How did you end up in a band full of Aussies?" He chuckled.

"Like I said we like to party." I rolled my eyes.

"No really, This is a pretty interesting group you have here."

"Well, they had been touring and I just knew them through friends. Then we were all friends and then I was on tour with them. That's really it...." I chuckled.

"I thought for sure I would get a better story than that." He scoffed.

"What about you miss TM turned front woman." I raised my eye brows at him.

"internet stalking much?" His face turned a little red.

"Oh my god! you were!" I laughed.

"Hey, I thought the point of this was so we could both sleep, not wound my ego." I chuckled and turned back over.

"What did you want to know?"

"Gimme your life story." I looked over my shoulder at him.

"Why do you want my life story?" He shrugged.

"Curiosity and I'm hoping that your voice will put me to sleep."

"Ouch, that's not something most singers like to hear." His arm suddenly wrapped around me much tighter and he buried his face in my hair.

"Or is it?" I shivered involuntarily.

"Well I'm from New York...."