Chapter 16

~*~2 months~*~

"We're here" Marcus, AJ's body guard yelled back to AJ and Julie who were sitting on the couch watching TV.

AJ stood up and looked at Julie, "Well, are you gonna stay on the bus or get off"

"I'll get off I guess" she sighed putting on her shoes. She followed AJ out and into the venue.

*****

Julie sat in a chair watching the boys do their meet and greet.

"Hey" a person said.

Julie looked up and saw an African American guy about 21. "Hi" she smiled

"Are you here for the guys?"

"No" she said showing him her pass, "I'm with them?"

"Oh yea, what do you do?"

"I'm AJ's girlfriend" she said

"Oh" he said

"What are you doing here, you don't seem like a fan"

"Oh, my little sis got backstage passes, so I'm waiting for her to get an autograph so we can go."

"Awww how sweet, you came with your sister to a BSB concert. How old is she?"

"14. You know, she's die if I got your phone number so she could call you"

"I can't give you my phone number, but here's my E-mail" Julie said writing down her E-mail, "give her this and tell her to e-mail me."

"Thanks" he smiled, "I never got your name?"

"Julie, yours?"

"Mike"

"Do you go to college out here?" Julie asked

Mike was about to answer when Marcus walked up to them.

"Julie, can I speak to you for a second?"

"Yea, I'll be right back" she said to Mike. She stood up and walked to Marcus, "What's up?"

"AJ said that he wants you to go wait for him in his dressing room."

"What? Why?"

"I dunno, but he told me to come and tell you that"

"What does he expect me to do in there?"

"There's food and a TV"

"Where's Farrah?"

"She stayed on the bus cause she's sick"

"Ok," Julie nodded looking over at AJ. She walked back over to Mike, "Well, I gotta go. It was nice meeting you"

"You too" he smiled getting up, "I hope you don't mind if I use your e-mail too"

"No it's cool" she smiled, "bye"

"Bye" he said watching her walk off.

Julie walked into AJ's dressing room and sat on the couch. She grabbed a bottle of water and a bag of chips. After thirty minutes she heard voices outside the door, "Alright, my bus might be a little late" AJ said opening the door to the room, "See ya'll"

Julie looked up at him, "What's wrong?"

"You" he said walking towards her

"What did I do?" she asked sitting up straight

"Oh you think I didn't see you give that guy your information?"

"AJ I gave him my e-mail for his sister.."

"Bullshit Julie" he screamed yanking her up.

"You promised" she whispered.

"I don't fuckin care. Now don't lie to me Julie. You told him to meet us at the hotel huh? SO you could fuck him?"

"No" she said as AJ's grip tightned.

"Yes you did you fuckin whore." he yelled slamming her against the wall.

"Please" she said as tears came out of her eyes

"Stop crying"

"I can't..."

He slapped her, "I said stop crying you dumb bitch"

Julie tried to stop her tears but was unsuccessful.

"I was sitting right there Julie, everybody saw you do it. Everybody saw how you were flirting with him. Right in front on me" AJ said grabbing a fistful of her black locks, "but now I'm gonna fuck you so hard you'll never even think of wanting to have sex again"

"AJ, you don't know what you're talking about. I swear, His sister's a fan and I gave her my e-mail so she could keep in touch."

"I told you not to Lie to me!" he said forcefully throwing her on the couch.

Marcus stood outside AJ's room waiting for him so they could leave. He felt so bad for listening to AJ beat up on Julie, but he couldn't risk his job on her. He heard glass shatter and then Julie's pleas for him to stop. After a loud groan from AJ and a muffle the door swung open.

"Let's go" AJ said walking out past Marcus.

Marcus peeped in the room to see a distraught Julie. She was shaking as she slid back on her jeans. She caught sight of Him and covered her naked breast

"I..I'll just be a minute" She said softly while wiping blood off of her face.

"Tell her to hurry up" AJ said after he took a drag of his cigarette. He stood in the empty hallway staring at his purple knuckles.

Julie slowly walked out of the room. She followed Marcus and AJ to the bus.

"Get that pitiful look off of your face" AJ said stopping to look at her.

"I-"

He stepped towards her.

"No" Julie sobbed blocking her face and crouching down.

"get her away from me" AJ said as he started to pace.

Marcus stood there and looked down at Julie

"Marcus I swear to god, get that bitch away from me before I fuckin kill her right now"

"Alright, bone just get on the bus and go into the entertainment room."

AJ walked on while Marcus blocked Julie so the driver couldn't see her. AJ grabbed a coke and walked to the entertainment part.

Julie sighed while sitting at the kitchen table.

"We'll be at the hotel soon" Marc said, "You'll be ok"

All Julie could feel was the constant stinging in her privates as well as the other place where AJ had hit her.

"You should clean up a bit before we get to the hotel, I mean the fans will probably be there"

"K" Julie said softly. She took some wet naps out of the first aid kit and cleaned her face, "Can you hand me my make-up bag?"

Marc handed it to her and watched as she covered up the bruises that were forming. She still couldn't cover the black eye that had formed quickly, almost to the point where she couldn't see strait.

Ten minutes later they pulled into the garage of the hotel.

 AJ walked out of the room and stopped, "I'm not up for signing autographs so were going up the back and strait to the rooms"

"Alright" Marcus said getting up. Julie followed them.

"We'll be off in just a second" AJ said holding Julie back.

Marcus sighed, "Age, let's just go to the rooms ok?" 

"Marc, I said we'll be off in just a second"

Marc walked by Julie and touched her shoulder before walking off the bus with the driver.

Julie breaths got short as she realized they were alone.

"relax, I'm not gonna hit you" he said. He motioned for her to sit down.

She did while wincing in pain.

AJ sat down and moved a hand up to her face, "I'm sorry ok?" he said rubbing his thumb over her swollen lip.

Julie could barely even think right, so she just stared at him with her one eye

He pulled her into a hug, "I love you so much, I just couldn't take the thought of you with another man. I just wanted to show you that we're meant to be, not you and him"

"Just my e-mail..." she said

"Just get up" he said, "I still can't believe you're lying"

He took her out of the bus and walked with Marcus to the elevator. They rode up to AJ's suite.

"Alright, see you tommorow" Marcus said walking away.

AJ led Julie in, "Go to sleep"

Julie walked into the bedroom and layed down on top of the covers.

AJ went over and undressed her.

"Damn" he said softly as he saw the work her had done on her.

Julie had fallen asleep so he just place her under the covers and crawled next to her.

~*~**~

Julie woke up in the morning to an empty bed. She slowly got up, but fell back when the pain hit her. She tried again and got up while putting on a robe. "What the hell?" she said to herself as she realized that she could only see out of one eye. She looked at herself and saw her eye swollen shut. She started crying when she looked at her face.

AJ walked in the bathroom and stopped when he saw Julie there, "Baby"

She turned to look at him.

"Are you mad at me?"

She didn't say anything as she turned back and looked at herself.

"let's go out to breakfast"

"I can't...look at my face"

"a little bit of make-up..." he started

She shook her head and walked past him.

There was a knock at the door.

AJ walked to it as Julie went back in the room.

"Hey" Farrah smiled, "where's Jules?"

"uh, she's uh, sleeping"

"I'll go wake her up. I have to tell her something"

"She had a long night..."

"Trust me, she'll wanna know this"

"I'll have her come to you after she gets up"

"Why wont you let me see her?" Farrah asked, "AJ please tell me you didn't hit her again"

AJ didn't say anything.

Farrah sighed, "You promised her you wouldn't do it anymore"

"I know..."

Farrah walked past him and into the bedroom.

Julie looked up at her.

"Oh shit" Farrah whispered. She sat next to Julie and embraced her in a hug, "Are you ok sweety?"

"Yea, I'm fine" Julie said, "Don't worry about it"

"What happened? Why did he do this to you?"

"He thought I gave a guy my phone number, but I gave him my e-mail so his sister could keep in touch with me."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Yea, but you know how he is when he's mad"

"Was he drunk?"

"No, he doesn't drink anymore"

"You wanna stay in my room tonight?"

"No, I'm fine" she said, "he's not mad anymore"

"Jules, what about your eye?"

"It'll go down"

"He really messed you up this time. What about the rest of your body?"

Julie slowly opened her robe to show Farrah her black and blue body.

Farrah just sighed, "Julie, I hate seeing this happen. I mean I can't get mad anymore because this is what you're letting happen"

"I love him" Julie said between tears, "and he loves me, he just gets mad"

"Well, I came to tell you some good news"

"Yea?"

"I'm having a baby" she smiled softly.

"You are?" Julie asked

"Yep, we just found out this morning"

"Wow, I'm so happy" Julie said smiling.

"I wanted to go shopping while the boys were at the concert...but I mean it's kinda hard to hide a fat lip and a black eye"

"Yea" Julie laughed lightly, "I've never felt so ugly before. I mean usually he doesn't mess up my face, I mean I usually can cover it up. Farr, I can't even stand long enough to take a shower, and it hurts to sit down."

"Did he rape you too?"

"Yea, he said he was gonna fuck me so hard that I wouldn't even think about having sex again...and he did. I was bleeding so much, I mean there was a pool of it on the couch after he finished. Then he just left me there, and Marcus saw me naked"

"He did, how?"

"After AJ left, he looked in to see if I was ok"

"He knew it was going on and he didn't stop it?"

"well, Aj's his boss, I'm sure he didn't wanna get fired over me"

Farrah just shook her head, "Do you want me to help you take a shower?"

"No, I'm ok"

"You sure?"

"Yea, thanks though"

"I'll come back when the guys leave for the show ok?"

"Ok, bye"

"Bye" Farrah said standing up and walking out. She looked at AJ who was sitting on the couch with his chin rested on his hands.

He looked up at her as she gave him a look. She walked out and closed the door behind her.

AJ bit his lip while standing up. He walked into the room and saw Julie starting the shower. She took off her robe and climbed in.

"Oh" she moaned as pain shot through her lower body. She stood on her wobbly legs and slowly ran the soap over her body. AJ just stood there watching her.

Julie looked over and saw him standing there.

He walked up to her and took the cloth from her hands. He let her rest against the wall as he cleaned her body. "You're so beautiful Julie, don't think you're not"

"I was before I had this black eye and fat lip"

"It'll go down I promise. My mom can help it go down"

"She'll find out. I'm just gonna stay in here until I get better"

"We leave tonight" he said putting shampoo in her hair.

"Ok" she nodded. AJ ran his fingers through her hair as he washed it. After her shower he took her out and let her get dressed.

"baby, please stop being so quiet. I love you and I'm sorry" He said

"I just need to chill" she said, "I'm sorry, but I need to"

"Ok" he said, "here, watch a movie and put some ice on your eye."

Julie layed on the couch and called the front desk.

"Yes, can we help you?"

"Yes, i'd like to order a movie please"

"Ok which one?"

"The fast and the furious please, in room 1256"

"Ok, i'll put in in the computer now"

Julie waited until the TV showed the movie screen. She pushed play as Aj came over to her with two bags of ice. He placed on on her eye and one in between her legs.

She adjusted to the coldness and turned back to the movie.

"Ummm" AJ started

"Shhh" Julie said

"Ok, I'll leave you alone" he said walking out of the room.

Julie fell asleep on the couch.

*****

"Julie" Farrah said walking in, "it's time to go"

"ok" Julie said as she finished her last bag. Farrah helped her get her bags and they walked down to the buses

"Do you wanna be on my bus?"

"No, I'm ok" Julie re-assured her.

"Jules," Nick said coming up behind her.

She turned around and looked at him.

"Whoa! What happened?"

"Uh...I'll see you" she said getting on the bus. She walked to the back and climbed on the bed closing her eyes. Her eyes flew open when she hear Denise's voice, "shit" she whispered

"Julie" Denise called walking back.

"Umm just a second" she called reaching over and grabbing her make-up bag. She pulled out a mirror and piled the concealer on. She fixed her hair so it was covering the black eye, "Ok"

Denise pulled open the curtians, "Oh honey"

"huh?"

"You have a swollen lip"

Julie cursed herself, "oh, it's my lipstick. I just found out it has animal fat in it...and apparently, I'm allergic to it."

"Oh, I hope it goes down"

"Me too" she said.

"Mom?" AJ asked

"Hi"

"Look, I can explain about Julie" he said when h saw she was talking to her.

"go ahead" Denise said looking at Julie strangly.

"We just had a really bad fight and I went too far. I promise it'll never happen again"

Julie sucked in a breath as Denise moved Julie's hair out of her face.

"Oh..." She said as she felt herself get sick, "I didn't raise you like this Alex!"

"I know, mom" he said as tears sprang to his eyes.

"How long has this been going on Julie?"

"about two years"

"I asked you, you told me he didn't hit you"

"I was scared"

"Come on, you're staying with me until this tour is over."

"Oh come on" AJ said

"No, Denise, I'm ok"

"No I want you to be on my bus"

"Denise please? trust me, I'm ok"

"Alex, I'm so, so disappointed in you" Denise said walking off the bus.

"I didn't know she was coming on the bus" Julie said scooting away from AJ into the corner of the bed.

"I'm not mad" he said

"Oh, ok" she nodded

"You feeling ok?"

"Yea, I'm fine"

"Let me get you some more ice"

"Just for my eye" she said watching him walk away, "Why can't this be over?" she asked herself.

AJ came back a second later and handed her the bag, "You wanna go to sleep? Cause we were all going to go on Kev's bus"

"I can't"

"Just fix your hair and make-up"

"I'd rather stay on here"

"Please?"

"AJ, it's best for both of us"

"Fine" he sighed. "I'll be back on here when we go to the rest stop"

"K" she said. she watched as he walked out.

Aj walked out of his bus and onto Kev's, "Hey"

"Ask him" Nick said nudging Kevin.

"Farrah and Leigh, could you go tot the front for a second"

"Ok" they  nodded getting up. They walked away.

"AJ, Nick saw what you did to Julie"

"What are you talking about?"

"AJ, you can't hide it anymore, We all know that you're hitting her again, you need to stop"

"Forget this shit, stay out of my business"

"No AJ, it's all of our business. Were in this together, and if one fucks up, then we all go down"

"I don't know why you're worried about it anyway"

"Cause you need help"

"I don't need help, I love her ok"

"No you don't, If you loved her, you wouldn't hit her" Kevin said peeking out to make sure Farrah and Leighanne weren't listening.

AJ just sat on the couch and crossed his arms, "I'm not dealing with this right now"

"Whatever J"

A few hours later, the bus pulled to a an all night diner. AJ got up and went back to his own bus. He saw Julie laying there sleeping. She looked so peaceful.

"Julie?" he whispered shaking her lightly.

"Hmmm?" 

"We're at a restaurant, let's go eat?"

"What time is it?"

"one in the morning"

"Are you serious? Why can't we all wait till morning?"

"Cause were hungry, now come on. Your eye looks a lot better"

Julie slowly got up. She still was walking a little funny from when he raped her, but she wasn't feeling as bad. Julie fixed her hair and make-up again and walked off the bus with AJ.

"Can't you walk better than that?" he asked

"No maybe if you weren't so rough with me I would be able to" she spat back.

"Shut up, and walk better"

"Seriously" Julie started, "I don't know what you expect me to do. I do all this shit so that other people don't know, and this is all you do to me. You beat me again and again and again. I'm so sick of this shit!"

"Shut up" he said in a low gruff voice as he noticed people staring. He took her by the arm and drug her on the bus.

"What are you gonna do AJ?"

"You are such a bitch. Nobody would love you except for me anyway"

"You know that's not true!"

"Oh it's not? Why do you think all those people out there who are listening aren't doing anything?"

"Cause you scare the shit of them" she said referring to the backstreet crew.

"I don't think you learned your lesson last time" he said

"What do you mean?"

AJ just grabbed her and threw her on the floor. He straddled her while putting his knees on her arms so they couldn't move. He gave her a good punch as she screamed out in pain.

"Are you sorry yet?"

"No!" she sobbed, "I hate you!"

"Oh yea?" he said getting off of her and pulling down her sweat pants, "I bet you're real sore huh?"

"please don't"

"I think I will." he said dragging her by her hair into the entertainment room. He let her go and took off his pants. He grabbed a condom this time and slammed into her.

It hurt Julie so bad that she was almost in shock. She tried to breath but found that she couldn't. AJ raked his nails on her thighs and bit her shoulder roughly as she cried out in pain. AJ kept going before he exploded. He slowly pulled out and stood up.

"Get up Julie, we're going to eat now" he said putting his clothes back on.

Julie was crying so hard she couldn't speak.

"Get up!" he screamed

She still just layed there.

AJ yanked her up and shook her, "get dressed"

"I'm bleeding" she whispered

AJ looked down and saw the blood running on her leg and on the carpet of the bus, "Clean that shit up"

Julie started to squat down, but fainted.

AJ rolled his eyes, thinking she as faking it. He cleaned himself up and walked off the bus. He walked in the restaurant and joined the others.

"Where's Jules?" Farrah asked

"She doesn't want to get off"

"Oh" Farrah nodded. The waitress came back and took AJ's order.

"Are you going to order something for Julie?" Nick asked

"Uh, can I get a chicken burger and fries to go?"

"Sure" the waitress said walking away.

"Kevy, do you think I could go home? I don't wanna be on tour with the baby"

"You wanna go home?" He asked sticking out his bottom lip.

"Yea" she nodded

"Ok" he said, "when do you wanna leave?"

"In a couple of days I guess"

"Ok" he nodded rubbing her leg, "I love you" he said softly

"I love you too" she smiled, and she intertwined her fingers with his. They finished eating and sat around for a while.

"Alright everyone, it's time to get going" one of the body guards said. AJ grabbed Julie's food and walked back to his bus. He got on and saw Julie still laying in the same spot. 

"Julie?" he asked. He noticed the blood had run more than before and had formed a small puddle. He put the food down and knelt down to her, "Julie?"

Julie just made a small noise.

"Oh no" he said softly.

"J?" Marcus asked walking through the open door, "Whoa, what happened"

"Just, get me some wash cloths" AJ said as he looked for something to cover Julie with, since she was still clad in only a hooded sweatshirt.

Marcus went and got some wet wash cloths and handed them to AJ.

"I'll be out in a minute, thanks" AJ said trying to remain cool.

"Age...I think we should get her to a hospital"

"She's fine."

Marcus just walked away.

"You'll be just fine" AJ said to himself. He moved Julie and began to clean her off. He finally got off all of the blood and put her on some underwear and sweats.

"Far" Julie whispered

"No baby, it's me"

Julie began to push away from him, "Farrah, I'm sorry"

"Julie" AJ said shaking her

Julie weakly opened her eyes. She looked around and saw that her head was in AJ's lap. Immediately she started sobbing.

"What? What's wrong"

Julie didn't say anything as she continued to cry.

"Julie baby"

"I hate you so much!" she screamed trying to get up, "I hate you, I hate you , I hate you!!"

"Shhh, no you don't you're just upset."

She finally was able to get up, "No! I hate you! I want off of this tour now. I don't wanna be with you, and I swear to GOD AJ if I ever see you again..."

AJ just started at her.

"I'm not doing it anymore. I haven't been happy for Three years! Do you understand that? Three years. This isn't how it's supposed to be, I'm only 21. I'm supposed to be with some guy whose gonna hold my hand, and take me to the movies and kiss me and make love to me and just plain love me. I'm not supposed to be with you. You beat me, tell me I'm worthless and rape me. I guess it's true what they say, Love is blind. You're not a real man AJ. I'm done" She said taking off the promise ring he gave her a couple months after they were together, "Here" 

AJ looked at the ring that was sitting  in the palm of his hand now. 

Julie went and grabbed her purse, put on some shoes and walked to the front of the bus, "I need you to pull over and let me of at the next hotel you see"

"Look honey, we're on a schedule, we don't have time for these little games" the driver said.

"Fine, let me off right here"

"Were in the middle of nowhere" Marcus said, "Julie, you can go someone else's bus tomorrow"

"No, I need to go now!"

The driver rolled his eyes as he pulled over.

Julie stormed off of the bus.

"Julie" Marcus called

"I'm fine" she said as she started walking down the dark road. Julie looked at her watch and saw it was only 2 in the morning. The bus slowly started to drive away. Julie pulled the hood of her sweatshirt on and tucked her hands inside the pocket. She walked for what seemed miles before she saw a rundown motel. She sighed in relief as she walked in the office.

An old man turned around.

"Hi, I need a room, just for tonight"

"Sorry, no rooms here tonight"

"Are you serious?"

"Yep, there's a hotel about twenty miles yonder when you get into town"

"Ok, Ummm, can you tell me what city this is?"

"This is Yuba, you're about an hour or so from  Houston"

"Texas" she mummbled, "I know no one in Texas. Well thanks" she said. She took out her cell and called information. She called a cab service and waited for them to pick her up.

"Finally" she muttered as she saw a cab pull up. She got in the back, "Hi, you wouldn't be able to drive me to Houston would you?"

"It'll be costly little lady"

"That's fine" she said relaxing. She closed her eyes, "Do they have a lot of nice hotel's in Houston?"

"Yep, would you like me to take you to one of them?"

"The nicest, I'm gonna treat myself"

"You got it" he said

Julie drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~

AJ came to the front of the bus about thirty minutes later. He looked around, "Where's Julie?"

"Oh, she uh, got off"

"The bus!"

"Yea, we tried to stop her"

"You people are just letting her walk around this damn town in the dark"

"We can't baby-sit her"

"When did she get off?" Aj asked paniking

"A while ago J"

"Shit, well where are we gonna be next?"

"Houston"

AJ took out his phone and called Julie's.

~*~*~

Julie woke up to the ringing of a phone. She answered it without looking at the number, "Hello?"

"Baby where are you?"

Julie just hung up and closed her eyes again.

Thirty minutes later the cab driver pulled up to a big and fancy hotel.

"We're here" he said

Julie woke up and looked at the hotel and then she saw buses, "shit" she said hitting the seat

"Nice huh?" the driver said

"Ummm, is it possible to take me somewhere else?"

"Look honey, it's three in the morning, I still have a drive ahead of me"

"Ok" Julie nodded, "How much do I owe you?"

He told her the amount and she paid him and gave him a tip.

"Thank you" he smiled, "Do you have any bags?"

"No" she said, "thanks again" she said getting out and walking past the fans. She saw Howie's body guard Ron was guarding the door. She walked up to him

"AJ and Marcus just left looking for you" he said looking at her.

She just sighed, "how long are they gonna be here?"

"Two nights"

"Damn" she said rolling her eyes, "Well I'm getting a room, don't tell anyone I'm here, but you can tell Marcus to tell AJ I'm ok"

"Ok" he nodded taking out his phone as Julie went in the hotel.

 She went to the counter, "Hi, I need a room"

The man studied her for a second. Julie touched her face to make sure her hair was still covering her eye., "Are you here for the Backstreet Boys?"

She reached in her purse and took out her pass, "I'm with the backstreet boys"

"Oh, ok" he said finding her a room. He checked her in and then gave her her room key.

"Can you tell me what room Kevin's in?"

He looked it up, "he's  in room 1348"

"thanks" she said. She went up the 12 stories and got off at her floor. She walked to her suite and smiled in satisfaction., "all to myself"