REJECTS\\M.C.

-43-

-mikey-

Mikey gives Hannah a kiss and leaves her with Tannar to watch more of The Bachelor before he heads out to the garage to meet the guys, feeling ecstatic to get back on stage tomorrow night. He walks in and goes straight to the platform they are all waiting on to open his headset case and get wired to a pack.

"Took you long enough," Luke grumbles, but he smirks at Mikey afterwards.

Mikey rolls his eyes, "It wasn't that."

"I'm just teasing ya," Luke shoves his shoulder and then rests his hands on his dangling guitar. "I'm actually worried about you. You seemed really upset this morning."

Mikey glances at Calum who is watching him too, and sighs, "Yeah."

"Everything all better though?" Calum asks and Luke looks at him then back at Mikey.

"What's going on?" Luke asks as Mikey goes to grab his guitar and Ashton looks at him concerned.

"Is Hannah okay?" Ash asks and Mikey feels sick again, reliving all of his emotions from this morning.

"Not really," he close his eyes and swallows, pushing away the illness. "I mean she is, but-" he releases a sigh. "She doesn't want anyone to know. So you can't say anything," he looks at Calum who nods.

"Then maybe you shouldn't tell us, Mate," Ashton says with caution.

"I just," Mikey rubs his forehead, "I want you guys to know so you know, 'cause," he looks at all of them, "I'm gonna need you."

"Okay," Ashton readjusts on his stool and sets his sticks in his lap.

"Promise this stays between us?" Mikey asks and then looks at Luke, "You can't tell Tannar."

"I promise," he lifts a hand and they all nod.

Mikey swallows, unsure of how to tell this again, his eyes already beginning to smart before he looks at Calum, getting his encouragement before he tells them everything. He tells them about last night, tears falling as he remembers how beautiful it was; how gorgeous she was. Then about her nightmare and how scared he felt. He chokes out his discovery of her bruises, Ashton quickly connecting the dots and pressing his fingers into his eyes while Luke looks on confused. Mikey explains how he confronted her, Luke finally understanding and sitting down, feeling sick and actually hanging in head in disgust when Mikey reveals the truth about her monday evening and the current bruises.

"No wonder she didn't like me," Ashton says, "She probably doesn't men trust at all."

"She doesn't," Mikey says sadly. "She was very reserved with my dad at dinner tonight."

"Why hasn't she gone to police?" Luke asks, anger already taking over him.

"I don't know," Mikey shrugs, "I haven't asked her yet. I think its overwhelming for both of us and I don't want to attack with questions."

"Yeah that could trigger her right?" Calum asks unsure.

"It's not that easy though," Ashton says to Luke and then looks hard at Mikey, "its her father. She may hate him for what he's done or want to leave him to escape it, but that doesn't mean she wants him punished. It's heavily psychological and you need to be prepared for that."

"She needs taken out of that house, Ash," Calum counters.

"I'm not disagreeing with you," Ashton shakes his head, "I'm just saying that might be why she hasn't done anything or may not want to."

"But what if we report it?" Luke asks, "We don't need her permission to report a fucking crime. They'd have to go take her."

"No they'd go do follow up, maybe bring her in for questioning. Possibly see the bruises, but she could still defend him until her last breath. They can't do an assault test without her consent."

"And who knows what kind of retaliation he would inflict upon her," Mikey shakes, feeing nauseous.

"We have to tell somebody," Luke looks at them, begging them.

"You promised," Mikey says to him, "Please let me talk to her. You could fuck things up for her more."

"Luke," Ashton, shakes his head, "He's right. Let Mikey talk to her."

"I don't agree," Luke shakes his head but looks at Mikey earnestly, "But I promise."

"Thank you," Mikey says as Ashton gets up and collects a square tin can from near their laptop.

"Right now? Really?" Mikey huffs as Ash pulls out a joint and lighter.

"Yeah, like you don't need to fucking relax after that? Just one hit to chill out."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Calum removes his bass and hops off the stage.

Ashton lights it and takes in a deep drag as his eyes close. He holds in the smoke as he passes it to Calum and parts his lips gently so the airy smoke coils around his face before he blows it out. Calum pinches the small blunt and also takes in a long drag, sighing as he releases the smelly vapor. He takes another hit on his way to Luke and Mikey at the stage, his cheeks sunken in as he squints at the smoke around his eyes.

Luke bends down to take it, placing it between his lips before he stands and takes his own drag, and then hands it to Mikey as he blows the smoke out with a sigh. Mikey takes it, letting the tendrils caress his face as he waits before taking in an inhale, the smoke immediately filling his lungs with a gentle sting before he closes his eyes and lets the THC leak into his blood stream to relax him. He hands it back to Ash who keeps it, occasionally sharing with Calum between songs until he gets to giggly and Ash decides to put it out, noticing he has become lethargic anyway and they need to nail this rehearsal for tomorrow.