The Personal Assistant - COMPLETED

I opened the door to Gerard's house, everything was quiet. So they both were still sleeping, which was good. First thing, like always I started making coffee. Just like clockwork the sound of little feet came running in, I turned around and grabbed Bandit.

"Shiloh!" She gave me a great big hug. Then she tilted her head and looked at my face, "Shiloh? Did you get hurt?" Bandit placed one of her tiny hands on the bruise, she knew something wasn't right. I sat her in one of the kitchen chairs for breakfast.

"Okay so "B" what do you want for breakfast?" Her legs kicked under the table, and she was humming a little tune. "Bandit?"

"I'll be right back." She got up and left back upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I grabbed a mug and poured me a cup of coffee, still thought it tasted bad but needed it. I wonder what Bandit was doing.
-------------------------------------------------------
The smell of sweet coffee filled my nose, Shy was here and it was time to get up. However, I was warm and comfortable and so I didn't want to move. "B" came running in and jumped on the bed. I guess this means I have to get up now.

"Daddy! Wake up!" She jumped on top of me. I wrapped her into a big hug. "Shiloh's here."

"Is she?"

"Yep, but she has an owie on her face."

"Oh does she now, well did you kiss it better?"

"No, not yet."

"Well we better go make her all better, let's go." I got up and carried Bandit down the stairs into the kitchen. Shiloh had her back to us and was drinking......coffee? Did I wake up in an alternate universe? When did she start drinking coffee?

I placed Bandit on one of the chairs and moved towards Shy, she didn't hear us come in. It looked like she was off in her own world. "Shiloh?" She jumped dropping the mug, her eyes watched it shatter into pieces.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up, I'll clean it up." She became frantic and was almost in tears. As she started to clean up the mess, I stood there in shock. Shock from her drinking coffee, shock from her being almost scared of me and shocked of the bruise that appeared on her face.

I kneeled down next to her, tears were falling rapidly. "Shy, stop." She did but she kept her eyes to the floor. "Where did you get the bruise? Did someone hit you?"
-------------------------------------------------------
Oh no, I dropped his mug and spilled coffee all over the floor. I dropped to my knees with a towel to start cleaning up the mess, I tried to hold back the tears. Gerard kneeled beside me, out of the corner of my eye I could see his hand reaching for me.

"Shy, stop." I did as he said but I couldn't look at him. "Where did you get the bruise? Did someone hit you?" What do I do? Matthew had given me a story to tell, something Gerard would hopefully believe. Do I lie to him or do I tell him the truth?

Matt's words started to echo through my head, "No one will ever love you as much as I do. I'm the only one who finds you beautiful, don't forget that." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and slowly looked at Gerard. My heart dropped, he was so concerned and scared.

"Gerard, I'm so sorry. I have no idea what is wrong with me today. Last night I slammed into the sliding glass door that leads out into the balcony. Luckily the glass didn't shatter or this could have been worse. Now I broke on of your mugs and spilled coffee everywhere."

We finished cleaning the mess up in silence, did he buy it? Gerard stood first, offering a hand to help me up. "Thank you." He looked at the bruise again, then he glanced at Bandit sitting at the table eating her breakfast.

"Bandit, why don't you go eat your breakfast in the TV room. Shy and I need to talk in private."
She hopped down, "okay. Can I watch Aquabats?"

"Of course you can." Bandit grabbed her plate and left the kitchen leaving Gerard and I alone. His facial expression changed from concern to almost anger. "Sit."

"Gee, I have a lot...."

"Shy, I wasn't asking now please sit." He took me to the table and we sat next to each other. "Look at me Shiloh." My head lifted and I stared into his hazel eyes. "Now, I don't want you to lie to me. Did Matthew or Zacky do this?"

"Gerard, I told you what happened."

"I asked you a question, did Matthew or Zacky hit you?"

And so the lies begin.

"No, Matt loves me. There's no one who can love me like he does. He would never hurt me, Gerard."

I felt his hands move over to mine and squeezed them tight. "Swear to me, if anyone hurts you, you will tell me."

"I swear."

"Why don't you take today off?" Matt was home and I really didn't want to go back, not yet anyway.

"No, Gerard I'm fine." He finally seemed to relax and even smiled. The work day was great, Gerard played me a new song he was working on. Bandit and I watched the Antibats episode of Aquabats, she laughed at her Uncle Mikey's hair. Everything was great again, I stayed late to help Gerard work on a new Art Is Smart contest.

By the time I got home it was two in the morning, Matt had tried to call and text me. However, when I'm with Gee, I don't answer my phone. So I'm sure he was going to be upset with me, I just hoped it wasn't enough to receive another slap.

I softly closed the door, it was dark and very quiet. I tiptoed from the front door into the living room, a light popped on scaring the crap out of me. My foot slammed into the coffee table and I screamed in pain. "Ow!" Then I saw Matt, sitting on the couch watching me. "Matt? What are you doing up?"

"Where have you been? I tried texting and calling but you just ignored me."

"You know I was working, Gerard and I worked late tonight. We had a lot going on and I lost track of time. He's creating new music, comics and a contest for his fans."

I could tell by my voice I was excited about all the new things, Matt didn't share my enthusiasm. I felt like I had wronged him again and couldn't bare to look at him. Matthew got up and put his hands on my arms, he squeezed them. It started to hurt, but I didn't say anything.

"Shiloh, I want you home by six every night. You're not safe, not without me. I want to start dropping you off and picking you up."

"That's not needed, I can't just stop work, Bandit likes when I put her to bed. Matt, I'm sorry but that won't work."

He loosened his grip and dropped his arms. I thought everything would be fine, but then I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I fell to my knees, Matt had sucker punched me. His hand grabbed my hair and yanked my head back.

"Don't disobey me, be the good girl I know you can be. Make it work." I wasn't fully crying but a couple tears had fallen, Matt leaned down and lick my cheek. I cringed in fear. Next he grabbed my face with one hand, squeezing my cheeks.

We stayed like this for several minutes before he stood and left for bed. He turned around at his door, facing me. "Let's go to bed." Matt entered his room, I finally let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Matthew loves me.....I know he does.....He means well.....No one loves me like he does.....Right?

Notes