After Headlines

23: Dark Past

Bexley stared in the mirror. Her hair wasn't done, she had no makeup on, her glasses were perched on the bridge of her nose. She could still see the faint scar that ran across her jaw, left from her biological mother's boyfriend.

Josh came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

" You okay?" Josh asked quietly.

" I still have the scar." She whispered. Josh pressed a light kiss to were her scar was.

" I know." He nodded.

" I hate it." She murmured.

" So do I." He stated. She sent him a hurt look.

" Not because it changes anything about you. You are the most beautiful person I've ever set my eyes on. But because it's a reminder of a time that I didn't know you. I wasn't there to protect you." He elaborated.

" You didn't even know me yet." She replied.

" That's exactly my point." Josh hugged her tighter.

" The worst part is, this is even the worst scar...it's just the most visible." She leaned into him.

" I know." He ran his thumb over the scar on her slightly exposed stomach.

" Is this because of what happened last night?" He asked gently. She gulped, nodding lightly.

" Okay, I'm going to talk to Kenneth today. Did you want to come?" He rested his chin on her shoulder.

" Yeah." She whispered.

oOOo

" LOOK AT ME! I'M THE KING OF NEW YORK!" Jeff leapt on top of the nearest table.

" Wrong show." Someone called.

" FORGET ABOUT THE BOY! FORGET ABOUT THE BOY! FORGET ABOUT THE BOY!" Jeff quickly switched songs.

" Bexley, come collect your child!" Jane begged.

" Jeffrey!" Bexley called as she passed the doorway. Jeff scrambled off the table.

" Sorry mom!"

oOOo

Josh and Bexley made their way to the rehearsal room after their talk with Kenneth.

" How'd it go?" JoJo asked from where she was stretching on the floor.

" He said that there's not very much he can do right now." Bexley sighed, leaning into Josh after they sat down.

" Of course." Ben muttered.

" Didn't we go through this already?" Sky asked.

" Yeah, remember Maya?" JoJo chuckled humorlessly.

" Oh, I hated her." Josh commented.

" I hated her, and I never even met her." Cara shook her head.

" Mommy!" Penny ran over excitedly.

" Hey Penny!" Bexley smiled, her mood instantly changing.

" Can we go swimming tonight?" Penny asked.

" I don't see why not." Bexley laughed.

" Yes!" Penny jumped up.

oOOo

Bexley paced nervously backstage while she waited for the show to start. Castmates and crew were all moving around her, trying to get to where they need to be.

" Bexley." Josh came up behind her, gently grabbing her wrist.

" You never get this nervous, what's up?" He wrapped his arms around her waist.

" I'm just worried." She muttered.

" About what?" He knit his eyebrows.

" About messing up." She glanced away from him.

" Angel, you are the strongest, kindest, most talented, most amazing person I've ever met. You can do anything." He rested his hand on her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone.

" I love you, you know that?" She smiled lightly.

" I love you more." He grinned.

oOOo

Bexley sat on the bed, staring at the old album in front of her. Her entire past sat in that book. Josh had taken Penny to the pool with some of the others.

She slowly flipped open the book. The first thing she saw was a picture of herself. Her only existing baby picture. Her hair was blonde as it's always been. The grainy image was taken by her father before he took off.

The next picture was a family photo. Her, her mother, and her father. Before everything went wrong. Bexley never did learn what happened that made her parents the people they became. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

She then saw a picture of two year old Bexley, in the arms of Harold, her mother's first boyfriend at the time. Her stuck around until she was five. He wasn't that bad. A little rude, but much better than what was next.

There were a few pictures her and there, mostly taken by Harold. Her mother was occasionally in the background, holding a wine glass or cigarette.

Next came Mike. He's the reason she had scars all over her body. He's the reason she would cry herself to sleep. And her mother would watch as he tortured her only daughter.

She flipped through the pictures including him quickly, stopping a picture of her at the age of ten, a man and woman next to her. Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone. Her first home and what she thought was her last. They were going to adopt her. Until they got pregnant. Then they sent her back faster than she could blink.

She spent the next four years jumping from house to house before landed at the Times. Lord knows she gave them hell. But they stuck by her. And two years later, they adopted her. The final picture was at her adoption day.

There was still so much of the story missing.

She tossed the album back in her suitcase, flopping onto the bed.

" We're back!" Penny sang as she skipped through the door, Josh right behind her.

" You have fun?" Bexley asked, hopping off the bed.

" Lots." Penny nodded.

" Good, why don't you get changed into your pajamas." Bexley said. Penny grabbed her pajamas, running into the bathroom.

" How are you?" Josh sat at the foot of the bed.

" Not bad." She stood between his legs, draping her arms over his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

" Hmm, you lying to me?" He cocked an eyebrow.

" Maybe just a little." She smirked. He chuckled, leaning up to kiss her.

" EW!" Penny screeched.

" Every time." Bexley laughed, pecking Josh's lips one more time before turning to Penny.

" Let's get you ready for bed." She grinned.