Somewhere In Neverland

Chapter 22

It wasn't like we were afraid of them, we were afraid for them. They all had cuts and bruises on their faces and, to be fairly honest, it was sickening to look at them.

"What happened?" Toby and I asked at the same time.
I referring to their beat up faces, and he referring to my tear stained face and Jd asleep in my arms... oh and Jack.

I sighed. "Jack, can you take Jd?" I asked. Jack nodded and took the sleeping Jd out of my arms. I got up and walked over to my band, trying my hardest to hide my worry. I took off "my ring," or rather the closest thing I had to a ring and hid it in my pocket without making it seem too suspicious.
I quickly got some napkins and a bottle of Vodka (which Joel had left at my place some time ago) and used that to clean their bleeding facial cuts. I tapped on their wounds and added the least amount of pressure as possible, as if I were cleaning one of Jd's scrapes... careful and gentle.
Joel and Matt didn't seem to mind their wounds as much. They put up with it, not once pulling a face or showing pain. Toby, however, winced at the pain and jerked away... his cuts were the worst out of all of them. Like, whoever did this gave him an extra beating.

"Who did this?" I whispered into his ear.

He shrugged. "I don't remember."

I nodded and stopped cleaning his cuts. He didn't want to tell me, and I respect that. He would eventually tell me, I suppose he just needed some time? And if he didn't, Matt or Joel would.
I debated whether to tell them that Jack and I were now engaged but decided against it... they probably had other things to worry about.

"Um, why did you guys come after me? Didn't I tell everyone not to follow me? And yet, I arrive at the airport to find Jack running after me, I get here and Alex is in my apartment and then you guys show up with messed up faces." It wasn't like I was having a go at them. I just didn't understand why they had come after me. Now Alex was gone, Jack and I were engaged, Jd was possibly scarred for life, and my band was wounded. So, when did my authority vanish? When did my saying in my own life not have meaning anymore? When I fucked up. When I let two guys into my life only for them to completely flip it around, and not necessarily in a good way. When I became weak, and fragile, unable to live my life without hurting others. This was all my fault.

"So tell me, what happened?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"Iris... you're not gonna believe us?" Matt questioned. He was actually questioning whether I would believe my best friends or not.

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him quizzically. "Try me."

Joel sighed, "So... Rian and Zack kind of told Alex that he was the father? So we, trying to protect you, got all fed up and somehow ended up getting physical with them?"

Jack cleared his throat from where he sat on the kitchen floor. "So either you guys engaged in a gay orgy or you got in a fist fight?"

Everyone glared at him, especially Toby and I.

"Why did you come after Iris? You know she doesn't love you." Toby growled at him. "And why are you still here and not with your friends?"

Jack shrugged and smiled like a dork. "Your troubles with my band isn't any of my business... any of our business. Keep Iris, Jd, and I out of it."

Toby faked a laugh. "Who are you to decide what's best for them?"

Jack sighed, clearly not wanting the argument to rise. "Just keep them out of it."

"Keep them out of it?" Toby repeated. "Keep them out of it?! Don't you get it, Jack!? They are the problem! Alex loves Iris and he thinks she took his son away. You can't forgive someone like that. Iris and Jd are deeply involved and they always will be."

I looked at him as he spoke. He was right. I was the problem. I was the cause of all of this and I had brought my son into this. My son was now suffering the consequences of my actions... all my stupidity.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my eyes fixed on Jd and Jack. "I never wanted any of this. I'm sorry, Toby. I'm sorry, Matt. I'm sorry, Joel and I'm so sorry, Jack."
I tried my hardest to hold in my tears, yet I ended up balling my eyes out in front of all of them.

"I don't want to lose Jd."

I cried.
And cried
And cried as the possibility of that happening haunted me. Everyone around looked at me like I was crazed, except for Jack.

"Why would you say that?" Joel asked carefully.

"Alex wants a paternity test and if he's the father, he's gonna take him from me."

"I won't let him." Toby growled, so fierce and full of authority... he was determined. He was not going to let anyone take Jd, who was like his nephew... one would even say he was like his son.

"I won't allow that either." Joel pitched in with a smile.

"Me neither." Matt murmured.

I smiled as more tears fell from my eyes.

"Neither will I." Jack joined in, standing from his position on the floor and still holding Jd. "Alex may be my friend... but you're my fiance."

Everyone gasped while I flinched, waiting for Toby to yell at me, insult me, lecture me. And then set me back up just to do it again, to make sure I really understood his point.

But his words were never heard, they didn't hit. I looked over to see him smiling... smiling? He was smiling, his cuts expanding from side to side as he grinned at me.

"Are you both seriously going to marry and settle down?... for Jd?" There was a strange look to his eyes. The way he stared at us made me feel hopeful and happy.

I nodded. "For Jd."

Jack smiled and nodded as well, interlocking our fingers together.

"For Jd."