I laid on my bed, glancing around the bus at everything. Everything was really cool. I was just feeling... overwhelmed.

"Honey, are you okay?" Brendon asked, sobering up for the first time in the 10 hours we had been driving.

"Yeah, Brendon," I lied, looking at him in the eyes so he would think I was telling the truth. If you ever have to lie, look in the eyes. My heart pounded waiting for his reaction. He shrugged.

"We're stopping soon to get some pizza, do you want to come in with us?" He asked quietly. I nodded, rolling off my bunk and nearly into Brendon's arms. He laughed, sidestepping me at the last second so I crashed to the ground.

"You were supposed to catch me," I grumbled.

"Oh well!" Brendon said, ducking into the bathroom with some clothes. I wondered for a second why he wouldn't be dressed at 11 AM but gave up as I dug around for my phone. I plugged both my headphones in, blasting something by Brendon's band. It sounded nice...

Hey moon, please forget to fall down

Hey moon, don't you go downSugarcane in the easy mornin'

Weathervanes my one and only...

I was humming along quietly when Brendon came out. He noticed what I was singing and joined in quietly. I looked at him to see him smiling. I smiled back, pausing the song.

"Do you like that song?" He asked, pulling his shoes on.

"Yeah, it isn't very 'heavy', per se, but it does relieve anxiety," I said, pulling my own shoes on.

"Is that what's wrong?" Brendon asked, standing. I merely nodded. He hugged me, walking out of the bus. We met up with the rest of the crew inside the restaurant, which had been conveniently been rented out by the Fall Out Boys. Kenny, Dan, and the new girl (Nicole) were there and joined us on the bus.

"When we got back to the bus I went in and collapsed on my bunk. I wasn't feeling good at all. I looked at what the date was.

April 6, 2018.

Of course. A year ago today was the day I was found. I had been kidnapped. They didn't give me back to my family because they were all dead. Today was also my child's birthday. And I didn't have them.

The world isn't a nice place you know.

I looked back up at the roof of my bunk. If Brendon came in to check on me and I was crying, I would have to tell him. Maybe that's why I'm sick. That's all. My body's natural clock figured it out before I did. I wiped tears that were forming away quickly, looking at my phone. I plugged my headphones into the jack and started blasting music. I saw Brendon peek into my bunk, but I ignored him. At least, until he tapped me.

I unplugged my headphones and looked at him.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked, looking at me, "You're crying."

"It's a long story," I whispered, wiping furiously at tears that were forming. Brendon shooed the other members away and then climbed into the bunk with me, just wrapping his arms around me. I cried into his chest for a good half an hour. When I finally stopped, I was about to fall asleep.

"I've got time to listen to you if you want," Brendon offered. I finally nodded.

"August of 2016, I was kidnapped. The kidnappers... they brought my entire family together in the living room and after some decision killed everyone but me. They took me, of course, and they did some terrible things. I was tortured... experimented on... raped..." I heard Brendon gasp quietly and I took a shuddering breath.

"Did you get pregnant...?" He asked. He ran his hand through my hair.

"Y-yeah. They took the baby as soon as I gave birth to it. I didn't get to see the gender. I was tortured immediately after, the worst I had ever gotten, then was thrown out on the streets. That was a year ago today," I mumbled.

"I'm so sorry honey. Did they ever find the baby?" Brendon rubbed my back.

"They never found the group. The police department didn't have the tools and the FBI thought it was nothing," I gulped.

"I can hire someone to look you know," He said.

I looked up at him, "Really?" Tears sat heavily in my throat.

He nodded, wiping away his own tears, "Of course. Call it an early birthday gift. Do you mind me telling everyone else so they can back the heck up?"

I laughed slightly, "Better you than me. I'd end up crying again." Brendon nodded and rolled out of the bunk.

Now I really thought. I hadn't told anyone that. Not even John. I trusted Brendon way more than I trusted any of my friends. Was I ready to call him dad yet? I continued to think, deciding finally that he had earned the title. If that sounds mean, consider who you would call your dad. The man (or men) in your life who had made a significant impact right? I wasn't sure until now because I haven't had very many men who were nice to me. Brendon, of course, was one of them.

I rolled out of my bunk, slowly walking out into the living room. Nicole immediately walked over and hugged me, nearly crushing me. "You can come talk to me whenever honey," She said. I nodded, hugging her.

The rest of the ride was silent. When we got to the venue in Albuquerque, the rest of the bands had already arrived and started to unload. I asked Pete where John, Seth, and Theresa were. He pointed me to the Twenty One Pilots dressing room. I opened the door, fearing ridicule from my friends. All I got were hugs.

"Mari, why didn't you tell us?" Theresa asked.