Nicole POV;
Well that was certainly a great way to start off work. I felt embarrassed, I could usually bury my emotions but when he put his hands on me.. It brought out emotions that weren't able to be controlled. I had to distance myself from people, and Jon had to go about his day as we did have a live show tonight that he was a large part of. I sighed as I walked to one of the more secluded areas of the arena. It wasn't unfamiliar territory to me as I used to use them as a hideout to get away from John. I found a crate and pulled myself onto it. One knee was brought to my chest, the other leg dangling over the side. I took a deep breath inward, eyelids closing as I felt an ache in my arm. "Fucking asshole." I said aloud, the emptiness threatening to echo it back to me. I began to rub my hand over the sore area, sighing once again. This wasn't the first time I felt like this..
(Flashback.)
"John I didn't mean to! It was just an accident." Crash. There went another plate. He was fuming and I hadn't even done anything wrong. "How do you accidentally open someone's phone Nicole?" I couldn't get the words to leave my mouth, my whole body was shaking. "I.. I was just trying to check the time!" He didn't believe me, I knew he didn't. Smash. Another plate. "John, please! It was an accident, I'm sorry!" I'd never seen his ocean blue eyes look so cold. He didn't even have the right to be angry here. I did. He began moving towards me, and I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "You saw nothing, understood?" He was eerily calm now. I felt confused, but my pride pushed words out before my brain could process them. "That wasn't nothing, John. It was another woman. Naked! How could you do this to me?" I could feel tears now. It was sinking in that he was probably cheating on me. Based off those texts.. The next thing I felt was a stiff shot of force against my jaw. I didn't know what it was, but it knocked me back into the counter. I heard heavy footsteps beginning to walk away as I felt tears soak my cheeks. I could feel the bruising begin under my skin and fell to my knees.
(End of flashback.)
Tears had stained cheeks once again from just the memory. I'd never told anyone about that incident. Not even Jon. Parts of me were wishing I had in this moment, but it was a little late for that now. I reached up, wiping under each eye to try and clean myself up. It didn't work much, as I saw when inspecting my appearance on my phone. Just then, I recieved a text from Jon. Hey Princess, I need the keys to the car. I dropped them in your bag and I left something in the trunk. Of course Jon needed to see me at a time when I'd been crying my eyes out. Whatever he needed, it had to be important enough for a text rather than him simply waiting to see me again. I slowly lowered myself off the crate and headed back towards the main part of the arena. Once there, it was a quick stop to my bag before headed towards the garage. The keys were in my hand, and I had taken an extra minute or so to wipe my eyes and try to seem as okay as I could before meeting my fiancé. I saw him near our car, and smiled. He did too, giving me a kiss when I was near enough. "Sorry, hope you weren't in the middle of somethin' important." I shook my head. "No, you're good baby. I was just enjoying some alone time." He stopped and looked at me. "What kind of alone time?" He was concerned, both about the fact I was by myself and vulnerable to an angry John but he knew. He knew of my tendency to hide out when things were wrong. I just sighed. "Nicole.." He moved closer, noting the way my hand was covering a spot on my arm. It wasn't a normal stance for me. He knew it was because of John, and the hurt in his eyes felt like daggers into my heart. "It isn't bad, probably not enough to make much of a bruise." He just looked at me, echoing my words. "Not much of a bruise.. Nicole, there shouldn't be any bruises from him." I grabbed his hand, feeling myself getting emotional again. "Oh my god.. This isn't the first time, is it? He's done this to you before hasn't he?" I got quiet. The look in his eyes was a mix of rage and sorrow. I didn't know what he was gonna do. "I didn't want him to be that guy, even after everything, I didn't. I buried that memory after it happened." He sighed now, moving to me and wrapping arms around me. "Please don't ever do that.. Don't ever bury anything, you can tell me it all. I'm here for you, Nicole. I'm not leaving." I bit down onto my lip. "I love you." It was all I could say at this point, breathing heavily against his skin. All of a sudden, that familiar force was felt bluntly. This time it was my back and neck. I tried to open my eyes when I heard Jon cry out. I was scared. "Jon?! Jon where are you?!" I was in a state of panic. I heard a loud thud, it sounded like a body hitting a car. Jon groaned again. My back and neck were crying in pain from meeting the asphalt so forcefully. But I tried to move my body to try and see Jon, and the attacker. Eyes were blurry and hazy when I finally got them to open, and off to my left was my fiancé on the ground as well. He was holding his shoulder and ribs. "Jon! Can you hear me?" The yell wasn't as loud as I wanted it to be, but I was losing strength and fast. The once blurry scene flickering before my eyes for a moment, sound slowly becoming mute and blackness overtaking the flash of life. There was.. nothing.
