(1) Imagine Dragons - Demons

Chapter 25
Demons (1)

When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold

Ross woke up at the feel of light shining on his face and eyes. He opened his eyes, squinting at the sunlight that was pouring into the room he was in. He slowly sat up in the bed he was in, looking around confused to where he was and why. But then it came flooding back to him within seconds. He sighed and flung himself back onto the bed, he was kinda hoping yesterday didn't happen and it was just one of those dreams/nightmares where you think your awake but your not.

A knock was heard on the bedroom door Ross was in, he looked to it as it opened and Vanessa walked in. Damn, what was he thinking? Going to Vanessa for help. Though, she was his last option and she is good at getting by stuff like this. Already she's seemed willing enough to help him, maybe she could get him out of it?

Vanessa stepped closer to the bed "Ross, I made something to eat. It's downstairs if you want anything.."

Ross shook his head, looking away from Vanessa and up at the ceiling "No thanks. I'm not hungry."

"Ross, you have to eat something. You never ate anything yesterday ever since you've been here," she stepped a little closer "don't let yourself go all because of what happened. There's still people out there who care for you and want you to be better, like for instance the fans who don't believe you did it and trust me, there's more than you think. And the people who you know and love who know you never did it."

Ross rolled his eyes "Like who? Rocky? He's in jail because he took the wrap for me. I don't see him coming out any time soon either. I don't think Maia's going to bail him out, she's got to use that money for the baby and I know for a fact Rocky won't let her use it just for him to be released."

"What about me?" Vanessa asked "I know and believe you didn't do it off your own back," She said with a smile "sure we haven't got on and hated one another in the past, but I know yo Ross Shor Lynch, your not capable of something like this. Especially when your in your right mind."

Ross looked at Vanessa for a moment and smiled slightly, that's when Vanessa took his hand "C'mon," She said, standing up from the edge of the bed and going towards the door as Ross got out behind her "your going to have something to eat and drink, even if I have to force it down your throat."

Ross laughed a little as Vanessa was taking him through the house and down to the kitchen "Who'd of thought it, Vanessa Marano helping out her enemy Ross Lynch."

Vanessa turned her head to Ross smiling "Oh sweetie, I'm doing much more than that."

"What do you mean he's 'gone'?" Rocky asked, sitting at a table across from Ratliff in the prison.

It was visiting day, and Ratliff decided that he would come tell Rocky about Ross and Maia. The one thing Rocky didn't want to hear was that Ross had gone missing. Because god knows what he'll do on his own, he could do anything stupid. "I don't know," Ratliff shrugged "I told him to go back to HIS apartment after you'd been arrested, I talked to Riker, Rydel and Laura and then I went back to his apartment and he wasn't there. I panicked at first because his door was open. I thought someone had broken in to get him. But he was no where. There was no sign he'd hurt himself though, that was the good thing."

Rocky sighed, putting his head into his hands. He looked over at Ratliff after a few moments "You need to find him. Make sure he's safe and make sure he stays that way until I'm released from this shit hole."

"C'mon Rocky, I know he's in a bad situation right now but I don't think he'll do anything majorly stupid."

"Ratliff, he's desperate. Desperate for a way out of this situation.. god knows what he's capable of while he's like this," Rocky told him, leaning over the table a little "he could do anything. He could get himself killed, he could get into drugs or he could kill himself. I don't want him to do that Ratliff, just don't let him do that. This is Vanessa's fault. And I want him to be around after she's unmasked for what she's done to him. Not only has she destroyed Ross's life but no doubt she's probably destroyed R5 too I'm guessing. Any word of the record label about that?"

Ratliff nodded "Yeah, they said we can go on as R5."

Rocky smiled "Awesome."

"But..." Ratliff paused "only if we get rid of Ross.. and if this whole thing clears up and it turns out it wasn't Ross.. the second one is very unlikely."

Rocky nodded "Your right." He sighed sitting back.

"Visiting hours are over. Can all visitors please leave."

Ratliff looked from the police women who'd announced and at Rocky "Guess, I better get going," He said standing up "I'll keep on trying to find Ross."

Rocky nodded, also standing "Good. Do me a favour though? Go check on Maia, make sure she's okay?"

Ratliff nodded "Will do."

"See ya later."

"See ya." Ratliff waved, turning around and walking to the exit.

Ross had been sat down at the dining room table in Vanessa's home for the past ten minutes being watched by her so he would eat and drink. And when Vanessa was satisfied with how much he had eaten, she turned around and walked into another room which was the living room, leaving Ross on his own.

She walked over to a near by cabinet and opened up both of the doors, going right down to the bottom where there was a blanket covering something. She lifted up the blanket, looking over her shoulder incase Ross came into the room but he was quite happy sat in the dining room. When she pulled off the blanket, it revealed needles along with a lot of drugs to go with the needles such as heroin, cocaine etc.

No, before you ask she doesn't take drugs. Even though it's hard to believe, especially since she's not holding them for a friend either. Oh no, she was just waiting for the day when Ross would come begging for help to her, then she would somehow succeed on getting him hooked onto drugs. When one day by "accident" he would take an overdose and die. But for that to happen, first she had to make it seem like she was on drugs and taking them.

So she took a needle, that wasn't full, put the blanket nicely over them so they were hidden and closed both cabinet doors. She then took her make-up bag and a small mirror, sitting down on the couch beginning to use her make-up to make her face go pale. Once that was done and she was satisfied, she took the needle and began to prod herself with it in the arm to make it look like she'd been injecting herself. When that was done, she hid the make up bag, left the needle where it was and kept her sleeves rolled up.

She smiled, walking into the kitchen putting on a little bit of a shake. "Y-you done?" Vanessa asked.

Ross looked up from where he was staring out of space, he saw Vanessa shaking slightly and her face had gone pale "Yeah... are you okay?" He asked.

Vanessa smiled "I'm f-fine. Just a little cold." She walked over and went to go pick up the plate, making sure her arm she'd just put the needle into was showing to him.

Luckily, Ross caught a glimpse of it and grabbed her arm "What's all these holes in your arm?" Ross asked, looking at them and tracing his fingers over them.

Vanessa snatched her arm away from Ross and walked over to the sink, dropping the plate and cup into it "Oh, they're nothing. Just.. an accident happened." She was trying her best not to grin, this was working.

Ross stood up from where he sat, making his way slowly over to Vanessa and taking her arm to get a closer look at it. His eyes widened a little when he realised what they were. Now, he and Vanessa may be enemies in the past but that doesn't stop him from caring. Anybody who's on drugs or are abusing them should ALWAYS be helped. "Your taking drugs aren't you?" Ross asked. Vanessa didn't breathe a word, Ross shook her "Vanessa! Answer me!"

"Yes okay! I am!"

"Why? You know you could die right?"

Vanessa shook her head "Nonsense, if I was gonna die from taking drugs. I'd of died a very long time ago. I wish I could stop, but I just can't.."

"Then I'll help you!"

Vanessa shook her head "No, you won't. Titus tried to help me.. but it didn't work," She said, making Ross go silent. She then smiled, grabbing Ross by both of his arms "you don't know what your missing out on. It's so.. good. The rush you get, how happy it makes you feel-!" and at that point, Ross looked at Vanessa starting to listen to what she had to say "All your worries you have seem to disappear, you don't have to worry anymore. It may be deadly but GOD it helps you out so freaking much! You should try it..."

Ross stalled for a few moments, seeming like he was about to actually fall into the trap and say yes but he didn't "No," Ross shook his head "No.. I don't want to. I don't wanna do that to myself."

Vanessa sighed "but Ross.. I know your looking for an escape route out of this whole situation with Jenny without dying.." She paused, looking at Ross in his eyes "and.. I think this is your option for an escape route.."

Ross looked down at Vanessa for a brief second, and like a fly... he fell into the trap. He just nodded "O-okay then.."

Vanessa smiled "Good," she patted Ross on the head "I'll be back in like half an hour. I just need to do something first."

Maia laid down the couch by herself staring at the ceiling above her, something she felt like she'd been doing for the past day ever since Rocky got arrested. She was so alone in the apartment that she felt like she was going to go mad, she knew it was visiting day at the prison but the baby was tiring her out and she couldn't make it. She would just have to tell Rocky that next time.

Someone knocked on the door, Maia got up and went over, opening it to reveal Ratliff stood there, hopping from foot to foot. "Hey," Ratliff smiled "I went to go see Rocky today. So, I thought I'd come see you and tell you about it."

Maia smiled as she leant against the door "That's great," she noticed how Ratliff was hopping from foot to foot "What's wrong?"

"I need to go to the toilet."

Maia moved out of the way "Go. I don't need to be changing nappies just yet."

Ratliff laughed sarcastically as he made a B line for the bathroom. Maia made her way back over to the couch when there was another knock at the door, she groaned, turning around and making her way over there, re-opening the door where Vanessa was stood there "Vanessa?" Maia asked "what are you doing here?" She asked, making it come out angry.

"Aw, don't let your pregnancy hormones get the better of you," She walking into the apartment "anybody else here? Well obviously it's just you, Rocky's in jail." She spun round, facing Maia.

Maia shut the door, folding her arms as she stood a distance away from Vanessa "What do you want?"

"To help you get Rocky out of jail."

Maia rolled her eyes "I don't need your help, now leave."

As Ratliff went to go leave the bathroom, he'd only opened the door a smidge when he heard Vanessa's voice. So he started to listen closely. "Oh c'mon Maia, I think you should let me help."

Maia laughed "And why's that?"

"Because I know where Ross is. Have you noticed he's gone missing?" Vanessa asked, giving Maia a grin "and if you let me help.. I can promise you I'll keep him safe and alive."

"And if I don't?"

"Consider one less person on this planet."

All of a sudden, Ratliff just burst out of the bathroom "Don't you dare Vanessa!" Ratliff said as he stormed over to her "you've done enough! Now leave before I do something I regret."

"What like Ross?"

Ratliff pushed Vanessa hard enough for her to lose balance, but regain it soon after "That's your fault he did that, so don't even start."

Vanessa laughed "Oh, Ratliff, your precious. I thought he was your best friend? Aren't you suppose to believe he didn't do it?"

Ratliff looked at Vanessa confused "But.. he did do it.. just... drunk and not in his right mind."

Vanessa then let out another laugh "Oh, you really think he did it?"

At that moment Maia and Ratliff's eyes widened "He didn't do it!" Maia said "you just made him think he did!"

Vanessa gave them both a round of applause "Took ya long enough," She said making her way towards the door "you know, it's really easy to couch a child you know," She turned around to think "you should try it sometime." Vanessa winked at them both before she left.

"I'm going to kill her." Ratliff said, going to walk out the door.

Maia grabbed Ratliff by the arm "No! There's already one of us in jail, we don't need a second," Maia said "we'll think of something.. I know we will. I know it won't be as evil and as cunning as her plans and what she's done, but we'll take her down. I know we will."

When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale

Oh my god, I am so sorry for the late update I've just been lost updating my other story "Written In The Stars" you should go check it out :) I hope some of you do! :D

originally, I had Vanessa telling Titus about the thing at the end.. but I got bored and lazy cx so.. I hope her telling Maia and Ratliff was a little bit better than Titus ;)

Also, I am running low on ideas for this story, so do you guys have anything you would like to see happen? Let me know :)

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