I sat on the side of her bed. "I need to show you something. You have to promise me that you won't get angry." I looked at her a bit puzzled but I nodded. "I promise."
As she slipped the robe off her shoulders to her waist I tried my hardest not to show how livid I was. How could anyone do this to her? Ash turned round to show me her back and I could feel the tears in my eyes. "You're still beautiful to me. You always will be. Ash, none of what happened to you is your fault."
I pulled her into my arms and sat cuddling her until she eventually fell asleep. I couldn't believe someone had done this to her. Laying her down on the pillow and pulling the blanket up I crept out of the room and back downstairs.
I crashed out on the sofa and tried not to cry. The guys wandered in and we sat and watched a movie before heading to bed. I couldn't get to sleep. I was thinking about tomorrow at school and whether her step brother would attack her again. Eventually I fell asleep and it wasn't long before I was awoken by the sound of her screaming.
Rushing to her room I saw Gerard was already there. He doesn't sleep much so I guess he heard her first...
She was sobbing and holding onto his shirt. "Is everything okay? I heard screaming." Gerard looked down at her and then back to me. "Nightmares. Do you have any spare tops Frank? The poor girl has sweated through this one." I nodded. "I'll be right back."
She was so scared. Her body was shaking. I grabbed a band t shirt from my drawer and headed back to her room, I'd just got back as she'd taken the wet top off. I could feel my face drain as I saw the shock on Gerard's face. We got her into the fresh top and laid her back down to sleep. "G, you can't say anything. I only saw them before she went to sleep. I promised her I wouldn't get angry." Gerard sat cross legged at the end of the bed and sighed. "I've never seen anything like it. How could anyone do that to her?"
"Hey G, do you think maybe... That I could ask Ray to file for custody of Ash? Only if she wants to of course. I'm just scared that if she goes back to her step father's something serious is going to happen..." Gerard thought about it. "I don't think he'd have a problem with it. I know you are worried about her Frankie. I could tell the moment you started talking about her, we hadn't even met her and I knew something was wrong. She will be okay. She's got us." We sat with her all night eventually falling asleep.
"Oh God..." I awoke to her beautiful self looking down at me. "Morning beautiful." She had a slight panicked look. But I gave her a big smile. "Gerard saw didn't he?" I nodded and apologised. "I'm sorry." Ash shook her head. "Don't be. I think I should go though..."
I kicked Gerard to wake him up. "G! Go put the coffee on." We watched as he groaned and headed to the kitchen.
"First tell me about your nightmare." She sighed and looked at her hands. "That's why I've got to go. I can't put you guys in anymore danger. If he finds out I'm here he will kill all of you to get to me." I kissed her on the forehead. "We won't let him get to you. I was going to ask Ray to file papers to adopt you. He's like twenty two so it would be more of a legal guardianship thing..."
"I can't ask you to do that. I'm ok honestly. The bruising will fade and the broken bones will heal eventually. Just know that I won't let you get hurt." Ash was still shaking and I sighed knowing that she wasn't going to accept that we were going to protect her, very easily. I got up and turned to her. "I'll go and find you some clothes." my voice was sad and frustrated all in one. As I left her room I bumped into Gerard. He took one look at my face and gave me a sorrowful look.
I didn't understand why she wanted to go back. Why she was desperately pushing me away. I rummaged through my jeans to find a pair that were a little tight on me. Hopefully they'd fit her. I headed back to her room and was enveloped in a hug. "Please don't be angry with me." I smiled. "I'm not angry Ash. Just give it a thought about asking Ray to file for guardianship." She nodded and hurriedly got changed. Heading downstairs she grabbed her things and turned to me. "I'll see you at school." I nodded and she quietly slipped out.
"Frankie? Where's Ash? She's not had any breakfast..." I looked up at Mikey. "Oh. She's already headed to school. Hey Ray... if Ash asked you to... would you be willing to file for guardianship of her?" He thought it over. "Yeah if she wants me to id be more than happy to help her out. shit you're all going to be late if you don't get going."
