Return To Me, My Love

Later that afternoon I wake up to the smell of something wafting from the kitchen and I stretch out, feeling all my joints pop and a shiver runs through my whole body as I go loose and I can't help the smile that pulls at my lips at the way I feel. I climb out of bed and stumble out in search of Frank, going into the kitchen and when he hears my footsteps he turns from the pot he's stirring, smiling wide at me and I run across the room and into his arms, crushing myself to his chest and he lets out a soft chuckle as he wraps them around my waist and lifts me off the floor slightly while he presses his lips to mine. "I love you" I whisper in his ear as Frank sets me back on my feet and he smiles even wider as he says "I love you too, with all my heart." We stand holding each other for a few minutes, my head resting on Franks shoulder while his hands rub up and down my back and I feel normal again, content and completely in love with my husband and when Frank has to check on the food again he turns and keeps one arm wrapped around my waist while he stirs with the other, bringing the spoon up to my mouth for me to taste the sauce he's working on and I groan softly at the taste, turning my head to look at him as I open my mouth to tell him it tastes perfect but before I can get any words out Franks mouth seals over mine, his tongue licking inside and when he pulls back he smiles and says "Okay its tasting pretty good" making me giggle before I pull away and take a seat at the table, just watching Frank work and just as he turns the burners off, the food ready someone knocks on the front door.

A few long seconds go by, Frank and I just staring at each other before whoever it is knocks again and Frank says "Do you want me to..." "No I can get it" I tell him, pushing myself up from the table and making my way down the hall to the door, taking a breath before I reach out and open it and I immediately wish I hadn't, the air leaving my lungs and every cell in my brain screams for me to run but my body won't work, my feet frozen to the spot as Ian stares back at me, his face still bruised and slightly swollen in some places and his lips pull into a foul smirk and when he takes a step towards me, his hand reaching out I snap back to myself and I let out a scream, my hand balling into a fist at my side before I drive it up and into his face, catching him off guard and I punch him in the face, his nose gushing blood as he groans in pain and I hear footsteps running behind me but I go on instinct and keep swinging, throwing more punches and I manage to land three more before Ian swings back and I catch his punch to my jaw, my head snapping to the side and that's when I feel myself snap, launching my whole body on him and I throw one more punch, hitting Ian in the nose again and he falls to the floor in the hallway. I drop down onto him, wrapping my hands around his throat and I start to choke him, slamming his head into the floor a few times before he manages to flip us over, driving his fist into my face again and I cry out in pain, Ian's body suddenly lifting off me and I push myself back up, seeing Frank and Ian on the ground nearby, both of them throwing punches and I hear a door open behind me and when I spin around one of our neighbours is standing there watching what's happening and I beg for him to call the police and he nods, his eyes widening at the sight before he disappears back into his apartment.

Fifteen minutes later Ian is gone and Frank and I are in our apartment, me curled in Franks lap on the couch as he holds me to him, my face buried in his neck as I sob when there's a knock at the door and Frank gently shifts me off his lap, knowing it will be the police and when he comes back two officers are with him and he takes a seat beside me again, letting me curl into his side as the officers take a seat on the opposite couch. Half an hour later I have given a statement to the police, telling them everything that Ian did to me and by the time I'm done I can barely speak, my whole body shaking with fear and the officers assure me he won't be allowed to hurt me again, taking a statement from Frank too and when they're gone I collapse into Franks chest as I sob again and he just holds me, letting me cry it out and by the time I'm done I'm exhausted, slumping over on the couch when Frank leaves the room and I end up falling asleep again.

The next morning I wake up before Frank, slipping out of bed and going into the living room, turning on the tv as I grab my sketch pad off the table and I start to draw, sketching out the things I see in my dreams when a breaking news headline on the tv catches my attention and I pause to look up, seeing the words 'Rock guitarist Ian Crawford arrested for sexual assault' across the bottom of the screen and I drop my pad and pencil, leaning towards the tv as I hear the reporter say "Arrested this morning over the alleged sexual assault of Gerard Iero, the husband of Crawford's fellow band member Frank Iero. The incident is alleged to have taken place on their most recent tour, coinciding with the band taking an unexpected hiatus from the tour. We will update on this story as more details come to hand." I watch in horror as a picture of Ian in handcuffs, his face busted up as he's being guided towards a police car flashes up on the screen for a few long seconds before it cuts to commercials and I push myself to stand, turning to flee the room but when I turn I see Frank in the doorway, his expression telling me he heard it too and I run into him, his arms grabbing me and he leans in to whisper in my ear "Baby I'm so fucking sorry, I wish I had known so I could have stopped this from getting out like that. Are you okay?" I shake my head, my chest tightening and I gasp for air as the realisation that now the whole world knows fully sets in.

Notes