*Vince*

I groaned as I woke up the next morning and saw MJ still asleep, looking exhausted.

I frowned and sighed as I carefully leaned down and kiss the top of her head before relaxing in bed again, just watching her.

That's when I saw the finger shaped bruises on her shoulders, arms and even throat, already turning purple, and my eyes widen before I felt my blood boil, realizing just what happened before I showed up last night.

She doesn't deserve this kind of shit in her life... She cared about Nikki, despite everything, and yet this is how he repays her? Cheating on her, blaming her for being scared, now this?

To top it off, leading her to point a fucking gun to her own head and almost pulling the trigger... God, I don't think I could ever get that image out of my head... I don't even want to think of what would have happened if I didn't walk in on time....

However... Last night wasn't meant to happen.... I guess in a way, it was heat of the moment.... We were both scared, we were both hurting one way or another, we just wanted to forget about everything even if it was just for one night....

Yeah, MJ and I were in a few orgies back then, but it was different. We had Nikki and Sharise and we were at parties and stuff, things were better.... But this.... This is a whole different situation....

Nobody has to ever know what happened here last night.... Nobody can know...

Mallory is my best friend. I love her, but just as that, my best friend. Hell, I'm lucky to even have her as a friend at all when its partially my fault her life took a turn for the worst. I don't deserve her forgiveness, yet she's given it to me.

I continued watching MJ sleep before she suddenly started to shift, soft whimpers escaping her lips as she fidgeted.

Fuck... She's having a nightmare...

I quietly sat up and shook her gently.

"MJ... Hey... MJ, wake up," I said.

The whimpers turned into cries and I shook her just a little bit harder.

"MJ, wake up, wake up, come on," I urgently said before her eyes shot open and she suddenly cried out as she sat up, but I held her.

"Hey hey hey hey hey hey, shhhh," I said as she stopped and looked around then at me, catching her breath. "Its okay, its me... You were having a bad dream..."

She sighed and relaxed a little as I pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked her once she had calmed down.

She took a deep breath as she rubbed her temples. "I-I don't know..." I said.

I gulped as she relaxed a bit, and I pull her back a little to examine the bruises on her shoulders as she pulled the sheets to her chest.

"MJ... Tell me exactly what happened last night," I asked. "What happened before you called me?"

She was quiet as her eyes got watery, but she held back the tears and sighed.

"Tommy asked me to check on Nikki, make sure he was gonna be fine for the wedding, drop off the suit and everything... I went, and Nikki, it... I-It was like he was a completely different person...." She said in a shakey tone. "H-He even held that gun up to my head...."

My eyes widen in horror at her words.

"We got into a fight, i-it almost got physical, and... I left him... I left alone," she whimpered. "A-After I promised t-that I wouldn't..."

"No, wait a sec, that's not on you, MJ," I said sternly. "One thing's being upset with you, another is doing this to you. You have fucking bruises for Christ's sake!"

She let out a shakey breath as I pulled her into a hug.

"Maybe I should leave... Start over again..." she mumbled.

"MJ..." I asked, looking down at her with surprise.

"Vince, its for the best... I don't know how much more of this I can take of this..." she said. "I can't stay in Tuscon, Los Angeles is becoming a nightmare... I don't want to go, but I can't stay, Vinnie...."

I frowned, as I looked down. "W-Where will you go?"

She sighed. "I-I don't know... I mean... Mick said I could consider going back to medical college..."

I looked up at her. "Have you considered it?"

She sighed and looked up as she wiped the last remaining tears from her eyes.

"I mean... Yeah, honestly... Its something I always wanted to study," she said. "Maybe its time I take a new turn..."

I sighed and nodded, knowing she was right.

Mallory is really smart, and so caring. She's meant for a better life outside the rockstar world, away from all the drugs, booze, sex and violence.

"If you do decide it, though, promise me one thing," I ask her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Don't disappear on us... Any of us.... Especially Skylar," I said. "She still needs her favorite godmother, too, you know."

She smiled up at me. "Of course... I'll visit as much as I can... Hell, wherever I land on the map, I'll be sure to come to a show."

I smiled with relief as we pulled each other into a hug.

Thank goodness I won't be losing my best friend.

*Mallory*

Vince and I sat there hugging before he took a deep breath, kissing the top of my head and then moving to sit at the edge of the bed.

"I'll get started on breakfast... You can rest some more if you want," he said.

I sighed and nodded as I laid back, pulling the blankets closer to me.

"I'll also call Mick, let him know you're here," he said. "We'll go deal with Nikki... What he did, that's crossing the fucking line."

"No... Don't do that," I said, lifting her head up a little. "I don't want anymore problems than there are, and the wedding is in a few days..."

He looked back, frowning, before he sighed.

"Fine... But I'm still calling Mick," he said.

I sighed in defeat, laying my head back down before nodding.

He placed my hand on my thigh as I looked up at him.

"Get some rest, I'll bring up breakfast for you," he said, then got up, pulling on some boxers and jeans before heading towards the door, but then stopping before leaning down to pick something.

The gun... I forgot he tossed it aside after he grabbed it from me...

He sighed as I saw him put the safety back on.

"I'll be keeping this with me, putting it in my safe," he said.

I gulped and nodded as he put the gun in his pants before exiting the floor.

I sighed as I laid back and curled up in the bed, deciding to catch a little more sleep.

*Vince*

"I ought to fucking kill him!!" Mick snarled loudly on the phone, obviously pissed about what happened.

"MJ wants us to leave it alone," I said, mixing the eggs in the pan.

"Oh like hell I fucking will!" He snapped. "He put a fucking gun to her face!! Vince, don't even have me see those bruises you're telling me about, so help me I actually will gut him like a cold, dead fish!! I swear on it!!"

I sighed as I decided it was best I tell him.

"She took the gun from him..." I admitted.

He went quiet. "Wait, what?"

"She... She took the gun, snuck it in when I went to get her, Mick, she.... I found her holding the gun to her own head," I said.

He was quiet. "W-What...?" he asked.

"She tried killing herself, Mick... I managed to stop her in time, but I was seconds away from her pulling the trigger," I said, trying to hold it together.

He sighed. "I knew she needed help, but... But I didn't think it was this bad...."

"She said she felt she should go... Start all over again, maybe join medical college again...." I said.

He was quiet.

"Mick... What do we do?" I asked.

He was quiet for a while before he spoke.

"We need to let her go, Vince...." Mick said.

I frowned. "B-But..."

"Vince, if she continues living like this.... We could end up with a repeat of last night," he said. "And we might not be so lucky this time..."

I gulped nervously as I clutched the tabletop nervously, thinking the worst case scenario.

"Its for the best... For everyone's sake, mostly her's...." He said. "Better she be alive and somewhere else than six feet under with a bullet in her head or something..."

I frowned and nodded. "You're right...."

"Look, if it makes you feel better, it probably won't even be forever... If its really meant to be, Mallory will come back one day," he said. "She could have left even after Razzle died, his family was willing to let her live with them, yet she came back..."

I sighed. "Your right... I lost one friend... I don't want to lose another..." I said.

He took a deep breath. "Anything else happened last night that I should know about?"

I gulped quietly as I remembered the rest.

"N-No... Just that... After I talked her into putting the gun down, I... I stayed with her, until we both fell asleep," I said.

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Look, I'm gonna head over there, pick her up... I'd feel better if she were with me and not on her own," he said.

I sighed and nodded. "I'll have some breakfast ready."

"Thanks. See you soon," he said, and we hung up.

I then movement at the doorway and see MJ stood there, wearing a sweatshirt of mine and some shorts, her hair looking combed

"Hey.... You can just rest some more," I said to her.

"I figured some food would have made me feel a little better," she said.

I smiled. "Then grab a seat, I'm almost done."

She smiled shyly and went to the island table and sat down.

"Lucky for you, I had some coffee ready," I said as I grabbed two mugs, and got the coffee pot, pouring coffee for us both before serving it to her.

"Thanks," she said, taking the mug in her hands.

I smiled at her before heading over and getting some plates for the eggs.

"So, umm... I called Mick..." I said.

She looked up from her mug.

"Don't worry, I.... I didn't tell him about last night... About us, that is," I said. "But, he did say he was going to come here, he wants you to stay with him..."

She sighed and pursed her lips. "That's ummm.... That's probably a good idea... I left my purse at Nikki's though, I jusy realized that..."

I nodded. "That's okay. I'll call Tommy to go grab it for you. I won't tell him what happened yet, though," he said. "It is best you move in with Mick, though."

She nodded. "Yeah.... Especially since.... Well..."

I frowned. "What?"

She sighed. "I didn't want to tell you guys, but, my building's getting evicted... Someone bought the land on it, wants everyone out, caught up on rent or not...."

My eyes widen, "MJ, why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to worry anyone... I was already looking for a new place but everything in the Sunset Strip is either too much or I'd have to give the disgusting landlord a handjob to even stay cheap," she said, a disgusted look on her face.

I frowned as I served her the scrambled eggs, placing a slice of bread on her plate.

"Well, you always got us to stay with until you decide your next move," I told her as I started to eat my food. 

She smiled. "Thanks, Vince..."

I nodded when we heard the door open and we look, seeing Skylar walk in, Sharise in tow.

"Auwnt Mawie!" Skylar cheered as she saw MJ, who smiled and knelt down and caught her, picking her up.

"Hey sweet pea!" She smiled as she kissed Skylar's cheek, Skylar giggling uncontrollably as MJ peppered her face with kisses and tickled her, Sharise walking in.

"Mallory, thank god," Sharise said as she pulled Mallory into a hug.

I walked over and smile as Mallory handed Skylar over to me as she and Sharise hugged each other.

"Vicen called, but the storm hit hard by my parents's place," she said as they pulled back and she stared at the bruises on MJ's neck. "God, I should have Nikki's head on a god damn spike!"

"Shhh," MJ scolded her before motioning to Skylar, who played with my hair.

"Sorry," she sighed. "Its just... MJ, you don't deserve that kind of treatment... From anyone..."

She sighed and looked down. "I've made mistakes, Sharise, I'm not as innocent, you know that," she said.

"Even if, that's no way of treating anyone," she snapped.

MJ took a deep breath, then Sharise sighed and pulled MJ into another hug.

"I'm just so glad you're safe," she said. "That Vince made it to you on time."

I gulped and nodded, smiling at me.

I smiled back before turning to Sharise. "Did you guys eat, I made scrambled eggs."

"We only managed some juice before rushing here," Sharise sighed. "Once it was safe to drive over, I took the chance, so we're starving."

"I made plenty," I assured as I went and sat Skylar down to get her a plate.

"Thanks," Sharise smiled as then MJ took Sharise's hand.

"Umm... I've decided that... Its best I leave town... Start all over again...." She said. 

Sharise's eyes widen in shock. "R-Really? But..."

"Nikki is beyond saving...." MJ said. "These bruises prove that... I tried, I really did, but.... Mick suggested I try medical college again, but.... But it can't be here.... Its best I start a new chapter...."

She sighed and nodded. "So... You're really leaving, huh?" she asked sadly.

MJ sighed and nodded. "Yeah... I'll be staying with Mick until I decide my next move... But staying in Los Angeles is not an option anymore, and  no way in hell I'm going back to Arizona..."

Sharise nodded before holding both of MJ's hands.

"Just know you always have a home here, too,"

I can probably understand how MJ is feeling.

Even if Sharise and I split up, in the even in the process of a divorce and everything, she probably feels she betrayed Sharise, who's like a sister to her.

Its best this is kept quiet, though. For everyone's sake, MJ and I have to carry that night to our graves.

"Daddy, I want juwce," Skylar spoke, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Sorry, baby. Coming right up," I said, heading to the fridge as MJ and Sharise got settled and we all waited for Mick.

~~~~~

Decided to post this since I'll be in Orlando this weekend for Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, and then just be busy with Halloween the week after!

So, hope everyone has a fun, safe and amazing Halloween 2019! 🎃👻💀🖤

🎼Currently in Sapph's playlist:

Childish Gambino
"This is America"

♡~ sapphire.