Part II Chapter 43
Taping for the video was scheduled in October. Win decided to worry about it when it came around, as did everyone else. The tour went on as planned. Win was working her tail off, while the guys were getting tired of the tour. Brian was missing Brianna and Winnie terribly. So much so, that when they had more than one night off, he flew home to Florida. Lately Kevin and Tessa had been arguing, and no one was sure about what. Kevin had not spoken to any of the guys, and Tessa had not spoken to Win.
Despite the attitudes that were going around, Win was doing her part to keep people in good spirits. She acted the clown, burst into song at odd times and would use anything in reach as a hat. However, AJ’s spirit could not be dampered as long as Win was around. He did his best to keep the tour from becoming monotonous. He and Win’s relationship was flourishing. He’d never been so happy in a woman in his life. Win was never happier in her life, except maybe when she’d been a kid, living with Elizabeth, but she felt just as safe and just as loved now.
The one person who had been unusually quiet during all of what had happened lately was Red. There were of course several reasons, and he was not happy about any of them. First off, his girlfriend had dumped him. Then Win had been hired away, he had no gopher to treat like a piece of crap any more, or take his aggressions out on. Not only that, but because he had no assistant he was much busier than usual. He was also especially mad that Win was getting all this attention. Here she was, on the tour less than a month, and sleeping with one of the Backstreet Boys, not to mention probably Daemon as well, and then she is promoted. Not only that, then she’s offered a music deal. Nothing else could have made Red more angry than watching Win, a woman he considered so beneath him, a homeless bum, and drug addict to boot, sleep her way to the top. But he’d show everyone what she really was. He’d show her.
One evening when there was no concert, Win was practicing on her own at the piano. Brian, Kevin and Howie had just left to get something to eat, and AJ and Nick would return shortly, bringing dinner back for Win and themselves. No one else was at the venue because it was a free night and they were all taking advantage of the city.
Win was picking at the keys when she remembered that’d she’d left her keys by the control panel while she had talked to Gina that morning when they were setting up. Not wanting to forget them again, Win went to look for them.
It was quite inconvenient to look for her keys in the dark, so she flipped the lights on and found her keys. She was just walking back to the piano when she saw Red.
“Hey Win, you’re just the person I wanted to talk to.” He said casually approaching her with a smile on his face.
“Hi Red, what do you need?” Win asked in a friendly matter. She’d not seen or talked to Red in a while, considering her new job, and the obvious reason, she didn’t like him. But she thought it best to be friendly as she could.
“Well, I just got something, that I thought you’d like.” Red said putting a hand on her back, leading her towards to the back of the stage.
“What would that be?” Win asked.
“Oh, I thought you and I, could just go into one of the vans, drink a little vodka, listen to a little Hendrix, smoke a little reefer, get a little friendly.” Red said smiling. Win stopped in her tracks.
“I don’t think so Red, maybe some other time.” She said retreating.
“No, not some other time,” he replied grabbing her arm.
“Let go of me!” Win screamed twisting her arm out of his grasp. She started to run but Red knocked her down, pinning her arms behind her and wrapping something around them. He flipped her over and she tried to scuttle away on her back.
“Oh no you don’t, you think you’re so high and mighty, fucking everyone around here, just to get ahead. Taking away, what should have been my rightful promotion, I’ll show you, you bitch!” Red yelled at her, grabbing an ankle and pulling her back under his legs.
“Get off of me!” Win screamed. Red slapped her hard across the face.
“Shut up, it’s time to pay your dues!” he shouted back. He unbuckled his belt and Win’s eyes grew wide and she screamed again, pushing backwards with her feet.
“Not so fast, your so quick to pay everyone else a visit, you can do it for me too!” Red slapped her again and ripped at the button on her jeans. She continued to scream and struggle for what seemed like an eternity. Red slapped her again to make her shut up but this time she took aim and kicked him in the groin. He crumpled for a second and she pushed away from him again with her feet, struggling to get up.
She screamed for help as she ran but Red caught her again and she slammed headlong into the piano bench. He kicked her ankle sharply and stars popped into her eyes as she felt a lump growing on her forehead. Red flipped her over on her back, slapping her again as she tried keep from losing consciousness. She cried feebly for help as she saw Red exposing himself. She felt her jeans being loosened from her hips, and her vision became blurry. She tried to kick her leg again, but Red had sat on them and pinned them down. Cold tears hit her cheeks as Red positioned her hips for him. He grinned evilly. She called out for help one more time.
“Please, some one, anyone, help me.”
“Get the fuck off her!” Red looked up long enough to see AJ diving at him. Win felt Red’s body fall off her legs with a crash as AJ fell beside her.
She heard the scuffling beside her and she did her best to crawl backwards.
“Hold on Win!” she heard as she was pulled out from under the piano and helped her up, fixing her clothes.
“I got ya, I got ya.” They said again pulling her up and releasing her hands. Her head hurt so much she couldn’t see. Her vision cleared for a moment and she saw Nick’s worried face pulling her close to him and holding her tight.
“You son of a bitch!” AJ roared pinning Red to the floor as he struggled.
“What the hell is going on here?” Taylor called jogging onto the stage.
“He attacked Win!” Nick said.
“You jerk! Hold on to him AJ.” Taylor called the police and then helped AJ pull Red off the floor.
“You bitch, you’ll get what’s coming to you!” Red screamed.
“Come on Win, let’s get you out of here.” Nick said trying to lead her forward, but she stumbled.
“Here Win, take it easy.” Nick said leaning down and picking her up, pulling her close to his body. Her head hurt so much she couldn’t really think of much else. Nick carried her out to the lobby and sat down with her still in her lap.
AJ came out a minute later and took Win from Nick.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry, I am so sorry. I should have been here.” He said holding her and stroking her hair.
“I’m okay, really,” Win replied. Her eyes were still full of tears, her head hurt so bad, and she felt humiliated.
The police arrived and took Red into custody. They spoke to Win, with AJ hovering over her, and she gave her statement and agreed to press charges.
“When you take her to the hospital, make sure they take pictures of the injuries.” The head policemen commented as AJ picked her up.
“We will.” Nick said putting a hand on Win’s shoulder and rubbing it.
“Miss, we’re going to take him down to the police station now, you don’t have to worry about him. We’ll have the court set up a time in the morning to get this taken care of right away.” He said looking at Win.
“Thank you officer.” She replied quietly.
Win was silent on the ride to the hospital, and even quieter as she was taken care of. Both cheeks were extremely swollen and she had a large bump on the left side of her head. Her ankle was twisted and she had bruises on her abdomen and hips from where Red had grabbed her. When she was finished, the doctor handed her a folder with all her information, and copies of the pictures for the court hearing.
The doctor accompanied her out to the waiting room to help her on her bad leg.
“I gave her an ankle brace, it’s sprained but not too bad. She really got a bad bump on her head, and the rest are just really bad bruises that will hurt for a while. I gave her some sleeping pills and some pain pills for the next two weeks. If she’s still in pain, she’ll need to see another doctor. I suggested to keep ice on the ankle and the bump until the swelling goes down.” The doctor handed Win over to AJ who picked her up immediately. Nick took Win’s pills and folder from her, and listened to the doctor’s explanation.
“She will be all right? Won’t she?” AJ asked.
“Give it a few weeks, and she’ll be right as rain. But stay off that ankle as much as possible, and just rest.”
“Thank you doctor.” Nick said before they walked out.
Win stayed silent on the ride back to the hotel in AJ’s arms. When they arrived, the whole of the tour was in the lobby waiting to see if she was okay.
Nick quietly pushed them all back and let AJ take Win to bed.
Upstairs, AJ laid her gently down on the bed and went to get her medication.
“Lets see, two, every eight hours, and these, one before bedtime.” AJ said opening the bottles.
“Throw them away.” Win said quietly, curled into a ball on the left side of the bed.
“It’ll make you feel better.” AJ said grabbing a glass of water from the bathroom. He sat down on the side of the bed and held out the water and pills for her.
“I don’t want any pills, just throw them away.” She said sternly, not looking at him.
“Win, it’s just for you to get some sleep.” He tried.
“I don’t want to get rid of the pain. I don’t want to bury it and forget about it.” She said, still looking at the wall.
“Okay, okay, you don’t have to take anything.” I’ll just leave it here for you, in case you want it.” He said setting the glass down along with the three white pills.
“I said I don’t want them at all, why can’t you understand that!” she said sitting up and grabbing the pills off the side table. She scrambled up off the bed and hobbled over to where the other pills were and grabbed them.
“Win, you shouldn’t be walking!” AJ said going after her. She hobbled into the bathroom, ripping the lids off the pills and threw them in the toilet and flushed. She threw the bottles away and looked up at AJ.
“I don’t need any more pills!” she said, “I don’t want to medicate it away. It happened, I have to face that!” she said, the tears building in her eyes.
“You don’t have to face it tonight,” AJ said, trying to console her.
“Yes I do, cause that is the best time to do it.” She replied, the first of many tears spilling out of her eyes.
“Not always, Win, I understand.” He said, but that was the wrong thing to say. She put her hands up to her face and shouted.
“You don’t understand! You don’t know! You don’t get it!” She started to sob. She leaned back against the wall and slid down the wall till she was sitting on the floor. AJ kneeled and sat next to her.
“Then make me understand. I want to know, I want to get it.” He said, watching her shake and tremble, wanting to make her feel better, but not knowing how.
“Give me one of your cigarettes.” She said removing her hands and wiping away some of her tears.
“What?” he asked surprised.
“Just do it.” He pulled his pack out of his pocket and pulled one out of the package, sticking it between his lips and lighting it before handing it to her.
“Thanks,” she said taking it with shaking fingers and putting it to her lips and dragging on the stick. The smoke flared out from between her lips and out of her nostrils as she blew it out.
“Tell me Win.” He said gently. She puffed on the cigarette for another moment and then turned to him, her tear-streaked face just making him want to die.
“Elizabeth’s death wasn’t the only reason I starting doing drugs.” She said holding the cigarette in a shaking hand.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Warning this chapter and the next two or three contain explcit material not suitable for those under the age of 18. Read at your own discretion, you have been warned!
