Behind The Makeup

Ashley's Pov

*Internal Conversation* WHAT??....did I really just hear what I think
I heard....No way!! It's not possible that she just asked me that.

"Can you repeat the question?," I managed to get the words out of my dry mouth.

The reporter looks at him and without any emotion asks him again, "Is it true that Nikki Jerome was found dead earlier today?"

*internal Conversation* my mind is suddenly blank...I am completely
shocked. I look down at the table trying to process what's
happening..

*muffled conversation*

"That's a highly inappropriate question." Andy said immediately.

Reporter looks at Andy and chimes, "I am simply relayin information we've recieved from a close personal friend of Ashley's......"

"I dont care what y......" CC trails off and fades into muffled distorted sounds.

Ashley internal conversation continues....

This can't be true it just can't..someone would have called me.. I look
back at the reporters and they are staring at me virtually foaming at
the mouth waiting for my response.. I stare blankly at the reporters so shocked I can't
find the words to speak. My brain is on hyper drive, I'm not able to
think clearly. I shoot up out of my chair knocking it over, suddenly I hear someone saying No
repeatedly and it actually takes me a minute to realize that person is
me.

The guys all reach for me but I refuse them. This can not be true it can't
and with that thought I bolt from the stage
My thoughts are racing, My heart is about to strangle me its so high
in my throat... Im in absoulte panic... I grab my phone and dial the
number..Heart pounding..voicemail...A small cry leaves my lips..

"Please answer the phone!" I begged then I redialed their number..voicemail again!
I'm not even paying attention to where I'm going I'm on autopilot my brain is
still in shock...

*redial...voicemail...*

Finally I look up to see ourtour bus then it dawns on me. I'm dreaming I instantly reach back and scream "TIME TO WAKE UP ASH!" and I punch the bus as hard as possible....OUCH!!!! shit that hurt....my hand goes numb as pain shoots up my arm...realization sets in IM NOT DREAMING. I tuck my now throbbing hand under my chest and lean my forehead against the cool steel of the bus. Ok Ash you have got to get a grip.....

*takes deep breath and exhales slowly*

I close my eyes and try to calm my racing mind..that's causing my head to start to pound "YAY! Fantastic that's the last thing I need right now.." I say exasperated.
It cant be true it just cant...I click redial again and again it goes straight to voicemail....the sudden realization that this could be true starts suffocating me. Struggling to breath through my panic I crotch to the ground with my head resting against the bus...glaring down at my phone screen.

*redial...voicemail...redial....voicemail....redial....*

"I'm sorry but the voicemail box you are trying to reach is full.. please hang up and try
your call again later.."

Then I hear the all to familiar sounds of my friends approaching lol I swear most days they are the four rubber walls I can bounce off of to keep from going insane. These four guys are my life they, are my friend's, my family, my brothers..and let me be honest right now I really needed themright now.

Andy *internal conversation* (please don't be doing anything stupid Ash)

"I swear I am so disappointed... I mean is there like a book of
redundant questions that are like reporters go to freaking place...
geez who asks questions like that..." CC says bluntly.

"They're just doing their job CC you can't hold that against them. I mean morally they probably hated to ask especially once they saw Ashley's reaction, but they dont get to make that call their bosses do and if they didnt ask and someone else had they'd probably loose their job. I'm not saying its ok far from it acutally." Jake said sadly.

"That's true but was it really neccesarry to keep on and keep on....after they saw that he was blind sided by the news...they need to have limitations." Jinxx sounded very irritated.

"Guys can we talk about this later... cause there's Ashely... let's see if there's anything we can do for him and then maybe we can sit down and talk about this later." Andy said worried that Ash could hear everything the guys are saying.

Jinxx *internal conversation* (This is seriously getting old..people never
respect anyones privacy)
"Yea Im just glad he came here..in his state no telling where he could have gone...."

all the guys nod in agreement..

I turn my head in the direction of my friends I see the worried looks on their faces my tears pour down my face.

Guys- "Awwww ash!" They rush over to comfort their friend.

Ash- "It's not true" ..voice breaks.."it cant be true..." *continues rambling*

*commotion*
Everyone turns their attention to see reporters approaching and some papparrzi snapping pictures...

Jake- "Son of a...."

Jinxx- "Come on guys lets get on the bus."

Reporters....ASHLEY..ASHLEY..ARE YOU GONNA MAKE A PUBLIC STATMENT ABOUT...

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I scream, "GO THE FUCK AWAY DAMNIT!!!"

Andy tells them no comment no comment As Jinnx, CC and Jake block the press as Ashely and Andy board the bus...

As I top the stairs of the bus I see a beer bottle I grab it then I scream at the top of my lungs, "MOTHERFUCKERSSSSS!!!!!" As I throw it in no general direction ..it slams into the wall and shatters...all the guys jump.. I storm off into the bunk area and slam the door behind me I can't fight back the tears anymore and with that I surrender to the tears I slouch to the floor. *SOBBING*


Andy looks at the guys and walks towards the bus, "I'm gonna go check on Ash."

Guys- "Ok."
"Let us know if there's anything we can do." Jinxx said concerned.

Andy turns around to face the guys, "yea...well we can't change the past..all we can do is whether thestorm...Can yall try to find out if this is even true?"

Jake looks at Andy very determined, "absolutely I'll go through all his contacts. Someone's got to know something..."

CC chimes in not missing a beat, "I'd like to know who this so called " close personal friend" is so I can close personally punch them in the throat."

Andy opens the bunk door and sees ashley curled up in the floor...

Andy runs to Ashley, "Ash??"

Ash looks up with tears streaming down his face. Andy's heart breaks to see Ashleys tears.. He sits down beside him and wraps his arms around him and whispers words of comfort and calming as Ashley lays his head on Andy's shoulder.

Ashley try's to form words with his dry mouth, "Andy??"

Andy rubs his back, "hmm?"

Ashley's voice breaks, "you know it's not true right??"

"Ooooo...honey.." he wraps Ashley in his arms. "I'm hoping it's not but the guys are looking into it now."

"Andy..I'm scared." Ash cries out.

"I know you are baby.." Andy holds him tighter.

Ashley mumbles, "Andy??"

Andy replies, "Yea??"

Ashley hugs Andy super tight, "promise me something?"

"What's that?" Andy asked worried desperately about him.

Ashley sighs and says, "That you wont leave me..... I dont know what I would do...without you... I..I..I."

Andy instantly comforts him, "shhhhh don't do that I'm not going anywhere you never have to worryabout that."

Ashley looks at him, "promise??"

Andy looks him in the eyes, "I promise as long as I have breath in my body I will be here and
even then it maybe negotiable.."

Ashely smiles amd hugs Andy and blushes, "I love you."

Andy looks back at him and blushes as well, "I love you too..come on baby." Andy gets up and offers Ashley his hand. He pulls Ashley into a tight embrace and after a few moments pulls back only enough to lean down and sweetly kiss Ashley's lips. "Come one baby the guys are worried about you.."

Ashley nods in agreement and opens the bunk door and walks back into the
living room shyly glancing around at everyone.. "I'm sorry guys," and with that they get up walk over to Ashley hug him.

Jinxx looks at him concerned, "You dont have anything to be sorry for Ash."

Jake laughed, "hey I'd probably have done worse than that."

CC started laughing then sounded strangely calm, "speaking of damage...dude look at your hand."

Ashley* looks down* at his bruising hand

Guys- "what happened?"

Ashley looked down with embarrassment, "Well to put it simple I was loosing it and my temper boiled over and I punched the bus."

Jinxx's motherly instincts we all know and love kicked in, "ASHLEY WHAT THE HELL MAN! WHAT IF IT'S BROKEN!!!"

Andy looked at him sadly, "Can you move your fingers?"

Ashley keeps looking down, "not really...it feels kinda like my hands asleep actually."

Jake looks at everyone, "do we need to call John?"

Jinxx nods..."I'll get some ice..but Ash I think you may have broken your hand."

CC looked at everyone's shocked faces and with this chance to attempt to lighten the mood he said, "dude if it is broke can i be the first to sign your cast!"

Ashley flips CC off with his good hand everyone laughs...
Then there was a knock onthe bus door.

Jake looks at the door, "It's John.."

Jinxx looked at Ash n back at Jake, "well don't just stand there let him in."

Ashley falls on the couch and cowers into a ball tucking his hand in his lap.
Andy sits down beside him and gently rubs his back and whispers in
Ashley's ear, "everything's gonna be ok baby." Ashley turns his head to
Andy and Andy quickly kisses Ashley's lips...

John enters the bus looks at everyone, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

Andy looked at Ash then back to John, "well someone decided to feed the sharks."

Jinxx chimed in, "what he meant was someone told the papparazi that...." he looks over at Ashley who lowers his head to his knees he leans in and whispers the events of the press conference in Johns ear.

John looks at everyone very concerned, "Is it true?"

Jinxx shook his head, "we dont know yet...."

John looks over at Ash, "Ashley..." Ashley lifts his head and looks at John. "We really
need you to go to the hospital and have your hand checked out.." With that Ashley
nods in agreement.

Notes

Hey guys hope you enjoy reading this we've got more to come just doing the last minute editing. Next chapter should be up later or some time tomorrow. :)