Saving Tin Man (#Wattys2014)

Chapter 16

Hello. :)

The long awaited chapter. Yes. It does in fact contain the song that Justin wrote. Hope you guys like it. :) So you are not confused as to who sings what, I will be posting a chapter after this with just the song in it so that you can read it without all the talking and thoughts inbetween.

Thanks so much for your suppose with this story guys. :) It means the world to me that you care and I treasure every little comment and vote. With that being said..

1000+ reads! Wahooo!!!

I dedicate this chapter to "Music Brain (Kris), my sister who helped me polish up the song and made it a zillion times more better than it had originally been. :P

Warm cookies for everyone! Here's your free tickets and enjoy the concert!

(well, almost. Nothing is ever THAT easy.)

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Imagine you're a teenager who's just gone and done a really stupid, bad thing. Use your imagination. Maybe you set a house on fire or something equally as horrific. It doesn't really matter what the deed is you have done, the fact is you now have to answer to someone for it.

Your parents. The police. Your Russian hot headed boyfriend maybe?

The point is, there is a feeling of dread that comes after doing the thing you now sort of regret. You can't escape it, it's making you doubt your sanity of mind for doing whatever it was in the first place. That looming feeling hovers over me like a dark storm cloud ready to rain down razor sharp knives.

Maybe from the eye of the storm. Or in this case, pitch black eyes of death.

As Eric gets out of the taxi with me in tow to stand in front of Madison Square Garden building once again, I can't help but envision that the storm cloud ready to launch knives at me is waiting for me somewhere inside.

I feel nauseous, like I've drank curdled milk. I'm not kidding either, I actually HAVE drank curdled milk in the past and it leaves you with this same kind of puke your guts out kind of feeling. Fortunately, I haven't drank anything bad today so I know that THIS sick feeling? It comes from the guilt of making Justin worry and have to look for me. I would never have intentionally made him go through that. I imagine the gutted, empty feeling of loss I had felt back in Paris after I'd left him and had wanted to know where he was so I could apologize. I had felt desperate and so alone.

I'm sooo sorry Justin and I can't wait to tell you as much.

Eric puts a hand on my back and shoves my hesitant butt forward. I drag my feet, distracted by the conflict waging war in my brain. Logic versus fear. One part of me is telling me to run towards him so he can see I'm safe with his own eyes, the other part is saying "run away, he's going to yell at you just like your parents always did when you got in trouble."

I swallow hard and open the double doors to step inside. I feel my armor plating encase my heart to protect it. Once he gets done tearing me apart I want to be able to unlock my heart and find it safe and sound. I know whatever he's going to scream at me will be words he can't control. They will be formed by all the anger and fear that will come pouring out of him and I'll understand, because I would do the same thing. If he had gone off and done something stupid like I had, I'd be mad at him too.

I step inside and feel the presence of the storm cloud before I can see him. The temperature of the room is ice and I don't think the thermostat goes down that low. I brace myself for the torrential downpour of rusty blades that will slice all the skin from my body as I count to three, raise my eyes and find him.