23. Their anger is justified.

Jessie stared outside the the window throughout the drive home, she was thankful that Jason did nothing about the deafening silence in the car. At this point she was to shocked or numb to say or hear anything. Slowly the car came to a stop and although her eyes where open she just realised that they were parked in the basement of his building.

Jason turned to look at her curled up shivering frame. Opening his door he walked out and around to the passengers side. Tapping on the glass for her to sit up he opened it.

"Can you walk?" He asked.

Jessie looked at her ankle and even though it was sprained she could manage, but she still shook her head. She didn't think she could walk even if she didn't have a sprained ankle.

Jason bent down and picked her up, carrying her into the elevator, Jessie tucked her head, hiding her face away in the crook of his neck.

She was still shaking, and she was still crying, Jason could tell because her tears were soaking his shirt. It was a slight struggle to press the button on the elevator but he managed somehow. He hoped Katherine had already arrived, Jessie would need a doctor immediately, but he couldn't bring himself to take her to a hospital. The only thing he knew at the moment was that he needed her to be safe in his penthouse, he should never have let her go.

As they got off the elevator he didn't have to worry about ringing a bell because Katherine and Paul were waiting outside for them.

"Oh my gosh" Katherine gasped when she saw the bruises that littered her once perfect and flawless skin. The Jean jacket she wore earlier torn to shreds and one boot was gone. Paul opened the door immediately and Jason carried her in. Katherine walked in after them and went to look for a first aid box.

"Jason were do you keep your first aid box?" She asked.

"Top cabinet, beside the toolbox." He said.

Paul walked into the kitchen after her.

Reaching for the box as Katherine struggled to get it even on her tippy toes. She looked right above and met gazes with Paul's chin. He handed the box to her and she took it without a word and walked away quietly.

"I can't believe they did this to you, Poor thing." She said and she knelt beside the couch Jessie was currently sitting on. She took out the cotton wool and disinfectant and struggled with the bruises littering her skin. The treatment was also done in silence, nobody knowing what to say in the moment.

"We have to go to the station later Jason, the culprits have been caught. The police weren't able to get most of them but they at least got the instigators." Paul said finally breaking the silence.

"Alright, let's go tomorrow. They should at least spend the night in jail." Jason said.

"No" Jessie said firmly. "You can't do that."

"What?" They all said simultaneously.

"Why not? Look at what they did to you." Katherine said.

"It doesn't matter, you can't arrest them. Those are my fans." She insisted.

"What do you mean? If they were your fans why would they hurt you the way they did? Fans my foot!" Jason yelled.

"It doesn't matter what you say or how you see it. Those people trusted me and I failed them, they looked up to me and put me on a pedestal and I was the one that failed them." She said.

"Then did you really kill that driver then?" Paul asked

"Of course not, but that's not the case. I'm pretty sure what is being said on the news is really bad, and they must have felt betrayed and angry."

"So you're saying their anger is justified? What they did to you is justified?!" Jason asked.

"I'm not saying that what they did was right, but I should be used to this, after all I accepted their love, their admiration, their heart and I promised mine in return. I promised to always do my best and make them happy but I failed them." She said.

"What the hell are you saying! You did nothing wrong!" Jason screamed.

"Correct. I did nothing wrong, you know that and I know that but they don't know that. And you are to blame." She accused him.

"Me? Did I give them the eggs or tomatoes to stone you? Look at you Jessie." Jason said.

"No, but I was kidnapped and you bought me! If I hadn't been kidnapped, if you hadn't bought me-"

"If I hadn't bought you, you'd be a sex slave for some man somewhere." Jason said with so much venom.

Jessie pushed Katherine's hands off her and stood up.

"Alright then, it's all my fault." She said fresh tears falling, as she tried to balance on her good ankle. "It's all my fault, I got myself kidnapped, I got myself sold, and I became a murderer. I have no idea what exactly is on the news about me or the demon the media have made me into. But don't pin this on the innocent masses who like me have been wronged. Let my fans go because unlike anything in my life right now, they left their houses and jobs in the middle of the cold night to request answers. Their anger and confusion is well justified, they are being played and toyed with, just like I am."

"Jessie." Jason said softly moving towards her but she held her hand in front of him to stop him. Her tears already becoming sobs.

"I want to be alone." She said, limping away.

Katherine wiped her eyes and stood up, turning to face Paul. "Do you still think she is pretending?" She asked him, walking past both men and out of the apartment. Making sure to slam the door behind her. Leaving the two very guilty ridden and disappointed men in silence, alone with their thoughts.