Title: Family Ties Author: Sorika e-mail: Webmaster@katlair.zzn.com Rating: PG13 (adult language, and scene in chapter 7) Archive: YES!!! Just tell me where, I'll give you a link back! :) Web page: www.geocities.com/Paris/Sorbonne/5647 Note: I have to thank my friend, Donny for telling me about fanfiction.net   (The only other place this story is so far.  Check it out!  And, I'm Sorika on the site, if you want to post a formal review) Disclaimer: I am in no way connected with the BSB *whimpers* Oh! And to those of you that will flame me because of Brian and Leighanne, please don't. I'm happy for them and they're happy together. So, don't hate me for breaking them up! okies? ~*~*~ Chapter 6 : The Encounter ~*~*~ I started to tremble, as Jackson pressed the gun to my temple. He seemed more furious than I had ever seen him, and I soon learned why. "You little bitch. You got me thrown out of the dance studio to come and be a whore to these assholes. You've probably already become one of their little sex toys." My throat was dry from terror, as my world once again spun out of my control and into Jackson's harsh hands. I closed my eyes as I felt his hands on my body once again, attempting to undo my jeans. His futile attempts to arouse me only made me more terrified, and my knees began to rattle as I fought to remain standing. I tried not to imagine what he would do and desperately prayed for oblivion when.... "Liz? Come on, its time to go!" Nick's voice rang out across the hall. Phil and Brian turned the corner, and Phil switched from the big, loveable teddy-like man I knew to a furious, maniacal whirl-o-fist, directed at Jackson. I had never been more relieved to see Phil furious than I was right then. "Get your god-damned hands off her, and run before I get a hold of you and smash you into a bloody pulp. " Phil's voice rang through the hallway as Jackson struggled to get away, panicked. Brian caught me before I smashed my head on the floor, my knees finally giving way. I watched through tear-glazed eyes as Jackson leapt out the window and got away on the fire escape. He had gotten away.... this time. As I buried my face into Brian's shoulder, and let the tears overtake me; I knew he'd be back, eventually. Next time, I might not be so lucky. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why did I forget about that bulky idiot? I let myself forget I was paying to much attention to that scrawny brat, Lizabeth. I wanted her back, with me. No one in the world can stop me from having what's mine. Liz is mine, and she knows it. I'll make Liz pay for everything that she's done, getting me thrown out, and tonight. I was going to make her pay dearly for tonight. "I'll get you, Liz. Don't you worry about that. I will get you back, and that damned pretty-boy ain't gonna stop me from havin' what's rightfully mine!" I yelled. She knew it, and she knows that brute won't stop me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I cuddled further down in Brian's lap. Carmen and Rachel sat next to him and the three of them had tried to calm me down, finally succeeding enough that I stopped crying, and now just wanted to remain here, in Brian's arms for the rest of my natural life. Brian smoothed my hair down and swept it away from my face. We were on our way to the arena, and Fatima had indeed given the Boys quite a lecture over the cell phone. She was going to meet us at the back of the stage. When we arrived, Brian refused to release me from his arms and I didn't mind; as long as I was close to him, I knew I'd be safe. He didn't set me down until I was sitting in the front row for the sound check. He ran the sound checks with the others, then I came onstage for our emergency rehearsal. The rehearsal went off without a hitch, to everyone's relief (especially Fatima). Immediately following the short rehearsal, we were all told to prepare for meet and greet. Phil glued himself to my side, and I continually saw Brian glance back to reassure himself that I was still here, and safe. After meeting 5 people who were fans of mine, and noticed in the back of the line the entire cast of Madam's Studio. They all waved to me, as I rushed over to them. "Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?" I asked, excited. I never realized how much I'd missed these people, the only family I really knew until I saw them again. "Going to the concert of course! We all got tickets to come and see the show. They were sent to the studio, free." Just then, the call for everyone to get ready for the show rang out. I said good-bye to everyone and went to the dressing rooms to get ready. I noticed something on my duffel bag when I walked in the door. There was a red rose on top of it. I looked and saw a note attached. I picked up the note (hoping the rose was from Brian), opened it, and began to read. "Lizzie, Honestly, doll did you think I'd go away this fast? I won't stop 'til I have what's mine. That includes you. I'll see you again soon. Love, Jackson I felt like I had been hit in the stomach with a tank. Jackson had been here!? I know he had to have been here within the last hour. The thought brought a sour taste to my mouth. Jackson had a way of making me feel totally helpless. "Hey Lizzie! What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Carmen shouted across the room. I stuffed the note into my duffel and hurried to get ready. "Nothing, I just started thinking about earlier." I slipped into the blue turtle neck, then seized a brush and began the long process of brushing out my knee-length black hair. I usually kept it pulled up in a tight bun, so as soon as I let it down, to brush it, I heard a gasp from Carmen. "Oh my gosh! Lizzie! Why don't you just leave your hair down?" "Yeah, sure Carmen. I'd be stepping and sitting on it throughout the performance out there, but, I might leave it down later, though." I smiled. I'd done that before, and it had NOT been fun. Carmen's eyes started to glitter. "I don't think that look, Car. What are you thinking of doing to me?" "Be afraid, Liz. Be VERY afraid." Rachel called out. Carmen shot her The Look of Death. "Just relax, and come sit right here," she motioned to the chair that she now stood in front of, "and let me do the work." Her shoulder-length blonde hair was already pulled up in a ponytail. She took the brush and began to work on my hair. "Tada!" Carmen wheeled me around to face the mirror. "What do ya think of your odangos?" She had pulled my long hair into two tight knots on either side of my head with long pigtails hanging free, and now looked so...Carmen. I walked out and took my place on the trapdoor I would ride to the stage. Brian was standing behind me, probably still staring at the back of my head. (He had been surprised when I came out with odangos.) The trapdoor started to rise, and I was blinded for a moment as the sudden pyrotechnics as they went off. The music started, and Brian burst into song. I spun around and started the dance that Fatima had so carefully planned out. At just the right instant, Brian fake kicked and I back-flipped so that it looked as if he had really kicked me. I turned to the audience, faking hurt. I stood frozen in that position when I saw Jackson. He was in the first row, directly in front of me. He smiled that dangerous I-told-you-so smile. AJ noticed Jackson; furious, he jumped down, and walked to where Jackson stood. When he reached the place that Jackson was, AJ grabbed his shirt and lifted him off the ground. I noticed that the music had stopped as Phil stormed out and grabbed Jackson from AJ. Everyone on stage was seething with hatred for Jackson as Phil dragged him off the stage. AJ turned back to the audience. "Sorry about that, everyone. He's not exactly someone that we'd want around you or us. So whatdiya say we get on with this concert?" He started apologetic, but at the end, he began to pump the crowd back up. The crowd eagerly responded and the hall once again filled with the sounds of the guys' voices as Larger Than Life started up. I jumped down and tried to shake off the huge case of nerves that seeing Jackson had stirred up.