DISCLAIMER: I do not own this story The original story is called 'Slapped', It was written for the Austin and Ally Fandom by @ThePenIsMighty. This story belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and places have been changed. No copyright infringement intended.
I actually did write chapter 1 to 5 then the rest is not mine.
...
Matt ran off the stage panting heavily, having performed two encores. Karl was waiting for him with a water bottle.
"Awesome as usual dude." Karl complimented as Matt drank the entire bottle in two gulps.
"Thanks man." Matt said, clapping his friend on the shoulder, "God, I'm exhausted. Let's get back to the hotel."
They moved to the backstage door when suddenly a woman blocked their path. She appeared to be 17 and was dressed in barely-there clothing.
"Hello Matthew." she said in a breathy Australian accent.
"Uh-hello?" Matt glanced over at Karl who shrugged.
"You were incredible." she said, eyes shining.
"Thank you Miss..." Matt said.
The woman stepped closer. Matt took a discrete step back.
"My name is Sheila Sinclair." the woman beamed, "For now."
"For now?" Karl asked.
Matt stifled a groan. He did not want to engage any further than this creepy girl, but Karl's natural curiosity got in the way once again.
"Well, soon it will be Sheila Phillips." she said, reaching out to touch Matt's face.
"What!" Matt exclaimed, backing up quickly, "Come on Karl, we're out of here."
They hurried out the door to the waiting limo.
"They really need to screen who they let back stage." Matt grumbled.
He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He was in the midst of a wonderful dream when pounding on his hotel door jarred him awake. He cursed. Sometimes Karl got genius ideas in the middle of the night and had to share them immediately. The knocks became insistent.
"I'm coming Karl, geez." he called out.
He swung open the door when he was suddenly knocked back by the force of a massive hug.
"What the-" he sputtered, shoving the person away.
"What's the matter love?" a female voice said, her arms wrapping around his neck.
Matt slapped at the wall until he found the light switch. He grimaced when he saw who it was. It was that creepy Sheila girl. He pushed her away.
"You need to leave before I call the police." he said.
Sheila pouted, trying to look sexy.
"Oh don't be like that."
"Leave." Matt pointed out his door.
"But love-"
"I'm not your love." he said sternly, "This is your last chance to leave on your own."
"Is this because of that Maddy girl?" Sheila said, unabashed by Matt's blatant rejection, "That can be taken care of."
"I'm calling the police." he went over to the phone beside his bed.
He picked it up and turned around. She had vanished. He shivered involuntarily.
What a nut job.
...
Maddy walked inside the lobby of Sonic Boom but she came to a complete stop when she heard an announcement on the TV mounted on the wall.
"Matthew Phillips is in the news again and he isn't even in the country." the newscaster said.
Maddy felt all eyes on her. She wanted to shout 'seriously' at them, but figured that would just make them stare more. She focused on the television.
"That's right. Matt Phillips hosted several concerts in Sidney, Australia. But that's not why he's in the news."
"Well get on with it." she snapped, then blushed realizing she had said that aloud.
"A woman was spotted leaving the rock star's hotel room late last night. We do not know who the woman is, but we have to ask. What about Maddy Carson? We thought she had reformed the once player, but has he fallen back into his old habits? We will just have to see."
The newscaster moved on, but Maddy's head was stuck in the statement about the woman being in his hotel room. She shook her head. She trusted Matt.
...
Matt felt like he was going mad. He could swear that he was seeing Sheila everywhere. She had sent notes, fruits, and flowers. He was so glad to board the plane and head home and see Maddy and the twins. Karl was grabbing a later flight; he had wanted to film more of Australia.
They were waiting for him at the Miami airport. The twins ran into his arms.
"Hey Little Man! Hey Princess! I missed you!" he said, hugging them tightly.
Maddy watched with a small smile. He set the twins down and embraced her. He froze suddenly, something appearing in the corner of his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Maddy asked, concerned.
"I-uh-nothing. Let's go home." he said.
He glanced around as they headed out of the airport. He could have sworn he saw-. He shook his head.
Nah.
...
"You were on the news again." Maddy said when they arrived back at the apartment.
The kids were in their rooms playing with the souvenirs Matt got them.
"What now?" he sighed.
"It was about woman leaving your hotel room." she said, pulling things out of the fridge to make lunch.
"A stalker." he responded, "She was so delusional. Somehow she got backstage and found out my hotel room number. She thinks we are going to get married. You know it's only you, right darling?"
She smiled at him over her shoulder, busy at the counter.
"I know Matt." she said.
He let out sigh of relief. Maddy set down the knife she'd been using and approached him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his own arms wrapping around her waist seemingly by their own accord. She looked into his eyes.
"I love you." she said definitively, "And I know you love me too. I know you love my children and they love you. I trust you. You were the one who helped me trust again, so naturally, it should be given to you."
He closed his eyes, his forehead meeting hers, and sighed.
"How'd I get so lucky?" he asked.
Maddy giggled and pecked him on the lips. She turned back to her earlier task.
"What do you want?" she asked, "Turkey or ham?"
"Turkey please." he said.
"Can you find out what the kids want?" she asked.
"Sure."
He knocked on the Micah's' door.
"Come in!" Maia yelled.
He smiled when he saw them playing with their gifts. He had found some Outback toy figurines for Micah and a koala stuffed animal for Maia who was currently trying to stuff it into one of her doll dresses.
"Hey kids, your mom wants to know if you want turkey or ham on your sandwiches." he said.
"Ham." they both chorused.
"Are you eating here too?" Micah asked hopefully.
"You bet kiddo." he said.
Micah's grin made Matt smile.
"Can I play?" he asked Micah.
Micah nodded and Matt joined him on the floor.
"Oh, wait. HAM!" he shouted.
Out in the kitchen, Maddy rolled her eyes.
...
Emily Collin was struggling to keep the mask she thought she had perfected in place. Seeing her parents like that had just shaken her up. She had tried to forget about them, Johnny had all but ordered her to. He wasn't what he was before they got married. She had met him at her friend's party a month after she turned 18. He was charming, sweet, and funny. They had this whirlwind romance that she felt like came out of a romance novel. It didn't feel wrong to marry him two months later.
But not even two weeks after they got married, she saw a different side of him. He was moody, volatile, shouted at her over the smallest things. She argued with him, fought back. That was until he hit her for the first time. She was stunned. After that he had all sorts of rules for her. What she could or couldn't say, where she could or couldn't go, she had to look perfect, and he basically locked her into the house, letting her out occasionally for appearances sake.
She sighed, trying to stifle the tears that threatened to fall. Johnny would be home soon, and he didn't respond well to tears.
"Come home. Come be safe."
Her father's words echoed in her mind. She wanted to go home, she wanted to be safe. She wanted to escape, but she didn't know how. Madeleide Carson escaped though. Maybe Maddy would help her. She didn't want Johnny to hurt Maddy's kids either.
She jumped when the front door slammed, reminding her of how dangerous her thoughts were. Johnny had had a bad day. She was in for a bad night.
...
Matt was relaxing in his lounge early the next morning when his cell rang.
"Hello?"
"Matthew, its Maria." her voice was frantic.
"Maria, what's wrong?" he asked, tossing aside his video game controller.
"I need you to go to the hospital. I am forty miles away at my Tia's house and I can't get ahold of Maddy and her father's at a business conference in Seattle."
Matt shoved his feet in his shoes.
"Back up, who's in the hospital?"
"Micah!"
Matt felt his hear drop as he ran out to his car. No, not him. Not his Little Man.
"What hospital?" he asked, "What the hell happened?"
"Bellevue Hospital Center . I'm not sure. I'm the emergency contact if they can't reach Maddy, but I've already told the teacher that went with him that you are coming. I'm on my way."
"What about Maia?"
"Still at the school. I'll keep trying Maddy."
Matt hung up and tried not to speed, the last thing he needed was to be delayed.
He ran into the hospital, nearly crashing through the front desk.
"Matthew Phillips. I'm here for Micah Carson."
The receptionist nodded, made a call, and then handed him a visitor's badge. He felt as though the process took years.
"Room 14."
The receptionist unlocked the doors and he ran through them. He found room 14 and burst into the room. Micah was asleep, at least, Matt hoped that he was. A young woman stood, the teacher.
"What happened?" he asked, pleasantries the last thing on his mind.
"He started to have severe stomach pain, he couldn't even stand. The doctor thinks it might be his appendix. They did some testing and gave him some pain medicine."
"It is his appendix." A man in a lab coat said, "We are going to have to operate. Who are you sir?"
"I'm Matthew Phillips. Micah's mother is my girlfriend. Myself and her best friend have been trying to reach her."
Suddenly Maddy burst into the room, tears running down her face. Matt caught her.
"Slow down. Deep breaths." he said, "This is Maddy Carson, his mother."
"I'm so sorry. I turned my phone off for a meeting and I didn't turn it back on." she went over and kissed her son's forehead.
"Miss Carson."
Maddy turned back, finally noticed the doctor. Matt held her as the doctor explained the diagnosis and the procedure. He asked the necessary questions and eventually they were transferred to a room upstairs. The surgery was scheduled for later that night. Maria called to say that she was back in town and would take care of Maia. Matt and Maddy sat quietly in the uncomfortable chairs provided.
"I was so scared." he said finally.
"Thank you for coming." she said, reaching over and squeezing her boyfriend's hand.
"Not a problem at all." he said earnestly, "I love Micah. I'd do anything for him. Anything for you."
And as it usually does with hospitals, it took forever, but Micah was eventually rolled away for surgery. They waited together for four long hours. They were so relieved when the doctor informed them that Micah made it through just fine and would wake up within the hour. Around 3 a.m. Micah's eyes fluttered open.
"Hey Little Man." Matt whispered, Maddy had fallen asleep.
Micah yawned, but lifted his hand and waved.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Sleepy." Micah said, "Good night Daddy."
Matt stopped breathing as Micah drifted off once again.
Daddy?
...
Maria brought Maia to see her brother the next morning. The little girl had her mother's tendency to over worry and practically chew her hair off.
"May!" Micah exclaimed, startling Matt and Maddy awake.
Maia ran up to the bed and grabbed her brother's hand.
"Are you better?" she asked him.
"Am I Matthew?" the little boy asked.
"Yep. You got all fixed up."
"Hi Tia Maria." Micah said.
"Hey squirt." Maria said, hugging him gently, "Don't ever scare me like that again."
"I'm hungry." Micah said, rubbing his stomach.
"Let's see what we can do about that." Maddy said, pressing the nurse call button.
They allowed Maia to sit with her brother up on the bed and they even got her a meal too. The kids thought the meal was gourmet; the adults looked at the food in distaste.
The party was complete when Karl showed up with two dozen balloons, four potted plants, eight stuffed animals and at least 20 candy bars.
"I didn't know what to get, so I got everything." he said, stumbling, "Is he ok?"
Maddy let out an emotional laugh and hugged the red-head tightly. Such a wonderful man. She remembered wanting a sibling when she was growing up, an older brother. Now she felt as though she had one.
"Thank you Karl. And he's just fine." she said, "Micah, what do you say?"
"Thank you Karl." Micah said, grabbing a candy bar.
Maddy snatched it out of his hand.
"Not this early." she said.
"Come on Mads, the kid just had surgery." Maria said with a snort.
Micah's puppy eyes appeared. Maddy groaned and handed the candy bar back to Micah. He smiled victoriously.
"Only this once." she said, but she couldn't find it in her to be harsh about it.
Her little boy was healthy again. That's all that mattered.
...
Maddy had just run home for a shower and a change of clothes. She was about to leave again when there was a knock on her door. She heard someone open the door.
She put her heels on and walked downstairs and almost had a heart attack when she saw,
"Emily?"
"Can I come in?" the blond asked, nervously, "Please."
"Um, ok." Maddy conceded, but she was suspicious, "Come on in. You can go now Crystal" she told her maid. She nodded and left.
"Listen, um, I know you think I'm here to help Johnny get the children, but I promise that I'm not. I need help Maddy."
Maddy examined the pale woman standing before her. Maddy could see where Emily had used make-up to cover a bruise on her face. Emily appeared to be telling the truth though. Maddy gave Emily a curt nod.
"Come on; let's go to the living room. I have to make a call first."
Maddy went into her bedroom and dialed Maria.
"Holy crap." Maria said after Maddy informed her of Emily's arrival, "Do you think it's safe to talk to her?"
"I'm calling Mr. Matlock. I think he should be here."
"Good call."
Maddy ended the call and went back out to the living room.
"Emily, I have to have my lawyer here, do you understand that?"
The blond nodded. They waited in silence for the stiff lawyer. Mr. Matlock arrived, along with a woman.
"This is Mrs. Kingston. I figured it would be best if Mrs. Collin had representation as well."
"I-I don't have much time." Emily said, "Johnny will be home in an hour and a half."
Maddy knew that fear, and she was starting to soften towards the cold-looking woman.
"Then let's get started." Mrs. Kingston said.
Emily poured her heart out, telling them everything. Mr. Matlock and Mrs. Kingston wrote notes like crazy.
"I-I have to go." Emily said suddenly.
Maddy put a hand on her arm to stop her.
"Not anymore Emily, remember?"
"Sorry." Emily said, "Habit."
"You'll stay here until the trial next week." Maddy said, waving goodbye to the lawyers.
Emily suddenly hugged her. Maddy held her and Emily just cried.
"Let it all out." she said.
"Do you think I could see my parents now?" Emily asked in a child-like voice.
"Yes. You can do anything you want now. You're free."
Emily cried harder, but Maddy knew it was all the pent-up stuff she couldn't let out before.
That bastard was going to get it good.
She'd see to it.