Chapter 19

            AJ sat in a large Doctors office and he looked to his right at Chelsea sitting beside him.  He watched her as she picked at her nails; he knew that meant she was worried and nervous.  Reaching over he took her hand and she quickly looked up at him.  He smiled at her and she lightly smiled back as he brought the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it.  When the door to the office opened her hand gripped his tighter as the Doctor walked over to his desk in front of them.

“Well I can honestly tell you Chelsea I don’t think you need us to run any tests.” The Doctor told her.

“What do you mean?” She asked as she looked at AJ and then to the Doctor.

“I’ve seen this behavior before, in patients that have had a lot of trauma in their lives.” He spoke.  “It could be a couple of things causing it, it could be the stress you’re under because of your brothers or it could be your memory is blocking something, something you’re not ready to deal with, so it sends you into an episode.”

“Blocking something, like what?” AJ asked as he sat up a little.

“Most likely a memory from when she was with her father.” The doctor told her.  “We can run some CAT scans just to make sure but I really think the best thing for you Chelsea is to talk to a psychiatrist and see if they can help you get to the bottom of it.”

“What about the stress from her brothers?” AJ asked as he snuck a look over to Chelsea.

“Well if it is the stress from them, the only thing she can really do is talk to them with the help of a councilor.” He told them.

“We’ve tried that, they don’t listen.” Chelsea sighed.

“Then maybe for right now the best thing to do is disconnect yourself from them, at least until they realize you do know what is best.”  He said as Chelsea let go of AJ’s hand.  “But they are family so maybe go to a psychiatrist first; they can help bring out hidden memories, like with hypnotism.”

The Doctor told them he would send them a list of Psychiatrists in the California area that could help her with her memory, to dig and see if there was anything there.  He took down a couple of more notes and then the couple headed out of the office and down to the streets.

“So.” AJ said as they waited for a cab.  “What do you think?”

“I dunno.” Chelsea said quietly.  “Just need time to think about what he said.” She replied as she stared across the street.  The cab pulled up and AJ opened the door and let her climb in first.  He told the cabbie which hotel to go to and then the couple left the Doctors office.

“Hey dude we need to talk business for a sec now that you’re back.” Howie said as AJ and Chelsea walked off the elevators. 

“Sure.” AJ said as he turned to Chelsea.  “I’ll meet you in the room.” He told her with a light kiss on the cheek.  She lightly smiled and walked down the hall.

“Did everything go ok?” Howie asked.

“The Doctor said they really don’t need to do tests, he’s seen episodes like what she has before, he wants her to go to a psychiatrist try some hypnotism.”

“Why?” Howie asked.

“Because her memory might be suppressing something.”

“Like what?” Howie asked as they walked into Brian’s hotel room.

“That Howie is what scares me.” AJ told him trying not to loose all control and let his mind wonder to bad places.  Howie patted AJ’s shoulder with a light smile.  “So what’s going on?” AJ asked as he saw Nick and Brian sitting on the bed.

“Just some business we need to go over before we finish up this tour.” Brian said as AJ sat down in a chair.

AJ had stayed longer than he wanted too; the talk took about an hour.  Everyone discussed what shows they had left, wondering if AJ and Chelsea had decided on a date for their wedding and they talked about what they wanted to do after.  When he was finally allowed to leave he went right to his room.

“Chels?” He said as he closed the door behind him.  When she didn’t answer he found the usual nervousness come over him and he walked into the back room that was their bedroom.  “Chel…” He stopped when he saw her lying on the bed, fast asleep. 

AJ walked over to her and lifted her legs, sliding the blankets from under her, and tucked her into bed.  He walked around to the other side and stripped down to his boxers, thinking a nap would be a good idea.  He slipped in beside her and carefully wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him and nestled his head against hers.  His eyes started to get heavy and he realized he was sleepier than he thought.

A noise echoed in the other room and he lifted his head, he looked around sluggishly and saw an image of an unfamiliar room.  Sitting up AJ looked around as he sat on a mattress in a dirty old room, the walls looked like they were made from hard, packed sand, the windows were dirty and dusty and he couldn’t see out them.  Confused on where he was he stood up and looked down at the clothes he knew he didn’t go to sleep in but for some reason it wasn’t much of a concern to him at the moment.  He heard a scream and dashed at the room door swinging it open. AJ scanned the living room in front of him.  A broken couch, an old TV showing nothing but snow, dirty dishes and food everywhere as flies buzzed around the room.

“Alex!” He heard a voice scream from his left and he looked.  “Alex help me!” Chelsea shouted as her Dad dragged her down the hall.  In a milla second he had shock go through him, shock that she was there, then fright as he realized her Dad was there too, and then panic as they both disappeared around the hallway corner.

“Chelsea!” AJ shouted as he started running after her, his voice loud but it was shaky.  He bolted down the hallway almost slamming into the door in front of him when he reached the end.  Looking down the other hall, he saw Chelsea’s Dad standing in the doorway staring at him.  His eyes dashed and looked behind the man and he saw Chelsea on a mattress, chained. 

AJ took off down the hall at the man, the closer he got the more rage pushed him faster but then he was stopped cold as the door slammed almost in his face.  He reached for the knob but there wasn’t one.  His eyes dashed around the door frame, around the door as he looked for something to open it. 

“Chelsea!” AJ yelled as he pounded on the door.  Her screams had turned into wails and she shouted for her father to get off her.  “No, no no.” AJ’s voice was panic stricken as he stepped back making sure there was no knob to open it.  He grunted as he slammed his shoulder into the door.  “Chelsea!” He shouted as he slammed into it again.  The frustration of the door not moving or breaking at all started to build up inside him and he began to kick at the door hard.  “Cheslea!!” AJ screamed as tears rushed down his cheeks. 

He started flinging his arms when he felt someone touch him.  “Whoa, Whoa.” He heard Chelsea say and he looked at her.  His face soaked from his tears, his lungs gasped for air, and weirdly his throat hurt.  Her hand gently cupped his face as he looked at her confused and then looked around at the hotel room in more confusion.  When he realized it was all just a horrible nightmare, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight, maybe a little too tight at first.

“It’s ok.” Chelsea whispered as he felt her hands slide up his back.  He rested his head on her shoulder when something caught his eye and he looked up to see Nick standing in the door way.

“You ok man?” He asked staying put. 

“Yeah” AJ finally spoke as his body and mind began to calm.

“Are you sure?” Chelsea asked as she pulled away and looked at him with worry.

“Yeah” He replied again with a light smile.

“Was it that wedding dream again?” She asked.  He looked at her as the nightmare quickly replayed.

“No, it was just about the accident.” He said lying.

“You’ve never reacted that way.” Chelsea replied.  “You were screaming in your sleep.”

“I’m fine really.” AJ said to her trying to smile.  “So what are you doing here?” He asked looking at Nick changing the subject and cleaning his face.

“I busted him trying to hot pepper my food.” Chelsea said looking back to Nick.

“I was not, I just wanted to see what you were eating since it was outside the door.” Nick huffed.  “You started freaking out just after that.”

“Well I’m fine now.” AJ replied faking another smile.  “I’m gonna go hop in the shower and then I’ll come eat.” He told her as he got up.

“Ok.” She replied as he walked into the bathroom.

When he walked out into the living area, freshly cleaned and dressed, brushing the towel across his head drying off his wet hair, he saw Chelsea sitting at the small table poking at her food.  “Hey” He whispered as he bent down and kissed her cheek.

“Feeling better?” She asked as he sat down across from her.

“Yep, much.” He said still lying.

“I didn’t know what you wanted so I just got you a club.” Chelsea told him as he lifted the lid to his good.

“Sweet.” AJ said with a light smile, he scoped through the sandwiches like he was looking through some papers.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Making sure Nick didn’t touch my club.” He said as he lifted a triangle shaped toasted sandwich to his mouth. 

Chelsea chuckled.  “I already checked for you we’re both safe.” She smiled.

“I was thinking we could go out tonight, if you wanted, maybe to a club or something?” AJ said as he grabbed a glass of soda.

“Are you sure, we could just stay in, maybe talk about what happened.” She told him.

“Oh at the Doctors office, yeah that sounds good.” AJ nodded.

“No, I mean with your dream, or nightmare, what ever the hell it was.” Chelsea said as AJ looked at her.

“I told you I’m fine sweetheart.” AJ said.

“Are you sure? Because I’ve never heard you scream like that before, sleeping or not.” Chelsea replied as she looked at him.  He took a deep breath trying to find the right words, lie or not.  “Why won’t you tell me?”

“Cause there’s nothing to tell Chels, really it was just a nightmare about the accident.”

“Then why were you screaming my name?” Chelsea asked.

“I dunno, I was still sleeping.” AJ said almost a little sarcastically.

“Alex this isn’t funny.” Chelsea said with a hint of anger. 

AJ looked up at her.  “I swear to you sweetheart just a bad nightmare about the accident, I don’t know why I yelled your name but I’m fine, really.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” Chelsea said and little did she know the firestorm it would set off.

“I don’t fucking know!” AJ shouted as he slapped his hand on the table.  He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up.  “But I’m not sticking around for twenty questions, I told you I was fine, you don’t wanna believe me that’s your problem.” He said angrily as he walked out of the hotel room leaving Chelsea at the table, stunned.

“Hey where’s Chels?” Brian asked as AJ came out of the room.  AJ ignored him as he walked right onto the elevator as the door opened and a couple walked out.  “Alex?” Brian called after him but he still didn’t’ answer as the doors closed over him.