I BEG OF YOU, READ THE UPDATED VERSION OF THIS CALLED SAFETY IS A PERSON, IT'S SO MUCH BETTER, K THANKS

Trigger warning: Physical and verbal abuse.

This is different to the original chapter 1 so it's worth the read :) I'll slowly start re-writing this whole book.

Moving hurts. It makes Remington groan. He can't remember the last time he woke up painless. It's his fault. Every time, it's his fault. He should stop doing things that Holly doesn't like. Staying out too late, not getting home from the studio until after midnight, meeting with his brothers for coffee and lunch. Answering the phone before he's told her who it is. He should just stop.

His side is bruised up this morning. It wasn't yesterday, but he got home too late for her liking and she made sure he'd feel pain because of it. She pushed him halfway down the stairs, which are wooden, and made him sleep on the couch. Remington hardly slept.

She's been hurting him for a good few years. It started as just grabbing his wrists tightly and slapping his face when he said something she didn't like, but soon escalated into kicking, punching, even biting in some cases. Remington doesn't know how he got here and he doesn't know how to get out.

He stands up and hisses in pain, wishing he had made an excuse to leave the studio earlier last night. It seems whatever he does he's always in the wrong somehow. The house is silent. Holly is still asleep. Remington shakily makes his way to the front door, quickly putting his shoes on. The boy opens the front door and slips out, closing it silently behind him and walking briskly away from the house. He lets out a breath of relief, flinching when his phone rings, mind automatically jumping to the worse conclusion.

It's only Emerson.

After trying to calm down, Remington answers carefully, not wanting to make his brother suspicious.

"You've been lying to us," Emerson opens with.

"Sorry?"

"You've been telling us; me and Sebastian, that she loves you, that you're happy."

"What are you on about?"

"That bruise on your cheekbone. You said you'd done it by accident. We shouldn't have believed you." There's a pause and then he speaks again. "She's hurting you, isn't she?"

"No! Of course she isn't!" Remington insists hastily.

Emerson shakes his head at their older brother, who's just walked through the door. "Go and get him," he says to the man, "please. Go and get him."

Sebastian nods, turning right back around.

"Tell me the truth," Emerson says into the phone. Remington hangs up. The drummer dials for the police straight away.

Holly grabs Remington's arm, forcing him back inside. "Did I say you could leave?" She asks sharply.

Remington shakes his head.

"No. So why did you?"

"Sorry."

"Sit the fuck down."

Remington does.

"Who were you talking to, huh? One of your slutty brothers?"

"Holly, please-"

"Not a fucking word! You listen here! I do so much for you, Remington, that no one would ever do, and how do you thank me? By ignoring everything I say and making me out as some joke!"

Remington looks down at his shaking hands. "I'm sorry, I really am."

"You can say sorry all you want, it's not gonna do you any favours."

"Please."

She laughs and it makes the boy feel sick. "You are so damn selfish! I do all the giving in this relationship! All you do is sit on your fat fucking arse and complain about your head hurting. News flash! No one cares. Your head hurts because you deserve it. Get a fucking grip!"

Remington bites the inside of his mouth and tastes blood.

"Now you're gonna sit right there and stop complaining!"

"Hol-"

"Shut up, for the love of God! Your voice is the most irritating sound." She picks up a sleight coaster from the coffee table. "You keep your fucking mouth shut or I swear, you won't ever talk again!"

Remington swallows a sob desperately.

"Good. Now stay. If you've moved when I get back, we're gonna have a problem." She throws the coaster at his head and walks away, leaving him sitting, trembling so much he can't keep still. He doesn't turn his head to see why the front door is being opened, only moving when Sebastian's familiar voice is heard.

"Where the fuck is my brother?" He asks the woman, agitated. After the conversation he had with Emerson earlier today, he won't risk letting Remington stay another minute in this house.

"He's still in bed," Holly lies, putting on her sweet act.

"Bullshit!" Sebastian pushes past her and sees Remington in the living room, quickly darting to him and wrapping him in his arms to keep him protected. "You don't lay another fucking finger on him, d'you hear me? You don't fucking touch him!"

Remington begins sobbing heavily into his brother.

"Look what you've done to him! Look! This is not normal! You don't make people feel this bad!"

"I didn't do anything," Holly insists.

Sebastian strokes the boy's hair to soothe him. "You deserve to burn in hell!"

Remington finds it hard to breathe because of how hard he's crying. He flinches when the door bursts open and grips his brother as tightly as he can.

"We've had reports of domestic abuse," a police officer announces, standing in the doorway to stop anyone leaving.

"Her," Sebastian spits, motioning to Holly. "She's been hurting my brother."

"He's lying!"

"Miss, you are being arrested under suspicions of domestic assault. You have a right to remain silent and anything you say may be used against you."

Holly tries to escape but is caught.

"Sir, please come with us to the station."

Sebastian helps Remington into one police car as Holly is forced into another. He sits beside the boy and holds his hand, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles and texting Emerson with his free hand, letting him know Remington is safe now and Holly has been arrested.

They're in the station for a good hour. Remington has to show them all the physical damage and stand still while photos are taken. The men sit in a coffee shop afterwards, Remington with a sweet mug of hot chocolate to comfort him. "Hi," he mumbles, when Andy Biersack, who they toured with a few years ago, approaches, recognising them.

"Nice to see you," the man greets.

"You too," Sebastian returns, picking up his phone when it rings.

"I like your jacket," Remington says shyly, still shaken up, though now relieved that Holly's gone.

Andy smiles. "Thank you. I like your docs."

"Thanks."

Sebastian puts the phone down. "Rem," he begins, "I need to go. Larisa's car has broken down. I need to go pick her up."

"Okay."

"You gonna be alright? Em's at home if you need someone, okay?"

Remington nods.

"Something happened?" Andy asks, as carefully as he can.

Sebastian stays quiet. He doesn't want to say anything about it in case his brother isn't comfortable with it. Remington sips his drink. "Shitty girlfriend," is what he says.

Andy frowns. "She give you that bruise?"

Remington nods silently.

"Fuck, I'm sorry. I really don't mean to be intrusive, but if you wanna sit with someone, I've got time."

"Really?"

Andy puts his mug down on the table. "Sure. And anyway, I'd like to get to know you better."

"You would?"

Sebastian stands up. "Thanks Andy, you're a life saver."

"I hope Larisa's car's okay," Andy says, and sits in the guitarist's seat. "So, Remington, how's your band going?"

Remington shrugs and manages a smile.