Bruno’s POV
“Whats up?” I said answering my phone call. It was weird Presley never rang me.
“It’s Melanie!” She panted as if she’d been running.
“What’s happened?” I asked suddenly concerned.
“She’s…. been taken.” She said hesitantly.
“WHAT? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?” I boomed down the phone.
“I-I-I he came out of nowhere, I-I-I don’t know Bruno. He had a gun and… and…” She started to cry down the phone.
“Where are you?” I asked her.
“We’re at Belles the dress shop. We followed the van as far as we could we’ll show you. Get down here Bruno!” It was my mom this time. She sounded really concerned, but knowing her she wiould always have a brave face on.
I grabbed the twins in their car seats and my keys and ran to the car. Fastened them in and then ran to the front seat. I had the keys in the ignition and I was driving away straight away. It took me no time to find the shop and I seen my mom and Pres stood outside. Presley was in my moms arms with her head on her shoulder.
I ran out of the car and to their sides. “Where mom? Get in the car and show me.” We all piled in the car and she gave me directions. We came up to an abandoned warehouse. Here of all places.
“You two stay here and I’ll go check it out.” I instructed them as I got out and headed towards the warehouse.
I felt like I was in a really bad horror movie. I heard a voice coming from upstairs, a muffled voice. I went up the stairs and burst into a room. There was no one there. I continued down the hall and when I came to the next door it was locked. Breaking and entering it was then. I put all of my force behind it and kicked the door, once, twice, three times. On about the tenth time I heard the wooden door crack and my foot went through. I looked through the gap that my foot had made.
There was Melanie tied up in the corner with a gag in her mouth. She was looking towards the door in fear. When she noticed me her expression softened.
“Mel!” I sighed. I was so relieved to see her, “I’m going to get you out of here.”
I stood up and looked around for something that might help me open the door easier. I found a metal bar in the empty room I had found earlier. I ran back to the door and wedged it open with the bar. If only I’d found it earlier.
I ran to Melanie’s side and untied the gag and the rope that was binding her hands together. As soon as I untied her mouth she was whispering to me. “No. No Bruno stop, get out of here. They will kill me if you don’t leave now.” When her hands were free she started pushing me away.
“Get out of here. Please. I won’t have you be hurt like this. He’s going to come back and he wil-”
She was interrupted by a noise from downstairs. Both of our heads snapped towards the open door. Or what was left of it.
“Bruno leave now,” I heard footsteps coming up the steps, “Go, hurry.”
“No I’m not leaving you!” I insisted as the footsteps drew nearer, I hid Mel behind me as the figure finally came in to sight.
“Well, well. What do we have here? Mr Bruno Mars himself. I knew if I got her you would come running” The masked figure said.
I didn’t recognize the voice. Who was it?
“You son of a bitch let her go now, take me. Just let her…” I was distracted as a gun was now pointed in my face.
“One more word and I’ll pull the trigger.” They instructed. Melanie quivered behind me.
“You’re probably wondering who I am. Well you don’t know me. But I know a lot about you. I know all about you. You may say I’m obsessed. I call it fascination,” they started to take off their balaclava.
Underneath the mask was a woman. Mid twenties I’d say.
“I’m Alissa. I’m you biggest fan. And I want you,” She moved the gun to Melanie, “Out of the picture.”
“No!!” I shouted lunging towards Alissa.
A loud gunshot rang in my ears and before I knew what was happening my vision blurred and the room around me went black.
Melanie’s POV
I can’t believe Bruno passed out. He’s such a pussy. So much for a rescue mission. Alissa only fired the gun as a warning shot, it neither touched me or him. And now he’s tied up too. Moron. I just hope that Bernie called the cops. And now I’m tied up again too. Great. Luckily without a gag this time.
Alissa was sat right in front of me never taking her eyes off me. Occasionally she would go over and touch Bruno’s cheek or stroke his hair. One time she actually said “Always wanted to do that.” When she touched him I tried to protest by kicking the floor, but that just resulted in me having a gun pointed toward my head. Result Mel.
She took pictures of everything. Of her with Bruno, of her with me. There was something definitely not right there. Bruno always loved his fans but this was just going too far.
About half an hour after he blacked out Bruno finally came round whilst Alissa was out the room. He looked dazed and confused, “Bruno, it’s me Mel.”
“Mel, what the? Where are we? Oh shit.” His face held so much emotion within the space of a minute.
“My mom has gotta have called the cops or some-” Bruno was saying.
“Let’s hope not.” Alissa interrupted, “How are you sleepyhead? You passed out Bru.”
“Don’t call me that.” He snapped at her.
“I’ll call you anything I fucking like. I hold the fucking gun. Watch your mouth or I’ll shoot her.” She directed the gun at me. Yet again.
“Don’t please I’m sorry.” He apologized.
“Tell me you love me.” Alissa demanded.
“You can go to hell.” He screamed back.
“I’ll do it. I’ll shoot her right in her pretty little head. Now shut the fuck up or someone will hear us.” She tried to sooth him.
Suddenly we were all interrupted by the sound of tires screeching and sirens wailing. About fucking time. I heard many footsteps downstairs now running around.
“It’s the police. Come out with your hands up and release any hostages you have.” They announced on a megaphone.
Alissa just came to my side and stood me up and pointed the gun to my head and walked out slowly. I heard Bruno awkwardly get up behind me.
“You make a move and I shoot.” Alissa shouted at the police below.
“Ma’am put the gun down. Let her go.” they calmly instructed.
“Fuck no.” She turned me around and pushed me against the wall. A policeman was at the top of the stairs to our right. “I told you not to fucking make a move!” She directed the gun at me.
I seen her pull the safety catch and pull the trigger time moved in slow motion as the bullet hurtled towards my stomach. Before I knew it I was knocked to the ground and out of the way. I heard Alissa scream and looked up to see what had happened.
There was Bruno lying on the ground covered in blood.
“No.. no.. no.. NO! CALL A FUCKING AMBULANCE!” I screamed rushing over to Bruno’s side. The policeman was behind me now and had cut my hands loose. Bruno must have gotten his hands loose somehow too. I took his hand in mine laying my body on top of his.
“Bruno. No you can’t die on me. You can’t. Stay alive please.” I was mumbling through my tears. I seen one of them land on his cheek.
“Mellie. I can feel myself slipping away.” He looked into my eyes for what felt like the longest moment and then his eyes closed.
“Bruno?” I asked him. No response.
“BRUNO!?” I screamed shaking his still body this time.
I thrust my mouth upon his and started doing CPR. “You’re not dying on me baby.”
I was rushed out of the way by all of he police officers but I just threw my body on Bruno’s. “Save him…. save him please. I love you Bruno” I said as I was dragged off his body.
Alissa was in handcuffs and Bruno was getting loaded into an ambulance. They said he was still breathing but only slightly.
“Ma’am?” I looked up to see who was calling me.
It was the police officer that was at the top of the stairs when Bruno was shot, “Yeah?” I replied, my voice broke.
“You can come in the ambulance with us if you like?” He asked me.
I didn’t even reply I just went into the back of the ambulance where the paramedics were at work on Bruno. I broke down crying.
My Husband wasn’t going to die.
He just fucking couldn’t.
When we arrived at the hospital it was such a rush. Paramedics were flooding around Bruno as he was carried in to the hospital. Nurses were gushing round him when they realized that he was Bruno Mars, the paparazzi were also surrounding the hospital. Whilst we were rushed into the emergency room a doctor turned to me, “Sorry miss you can’t come any further, please wait out here.”
“I can’t! That’s my husband in there!” I cried.
They touched my arm with a sympathetic sound in their voice, “I’m sorry. We’ll do the best that we can.” and with that they disappeared.
I felt my heart break as I could hear all of the commotion on the other side of the door but I couldn’t see what was happening. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. It was killing me, I felt so stupid sat there crying. Bruno couldn’t die. He just can’t.
I called Phil and he said he would be here as soon as possible.
While I was waiting for Phil and a few of the other guys to arrive a nurse came over to me. She said, “Mrs. Hernandez?”
I just nodded my head.
“Your husband is stable. They said that when you were laying on him you saved his life by stopping the worst of the blood loss. But he is in a fragile state, he’s awake so we want you to come and see him while you can.”
I stood up and followed her into the room where Bruno was. There he was. He looked so fragile. He was taped up with tubes sticking into him from every direction possible. There was dried blood everywhere. He was a mess.
I slowly made my way over to the side of his bed and sat down on the chair that was next to it. I noticed he had a huge wad of bandages covering his middle. He was such a state.
“Mel?” He croaked out.
I looked up to his eyes, they were half closed. “Petey,” I took his bloodied hand.
“I just want you to know I will always love you. Be strong for me.” He managed to get out but pain was twisting his beautiful features.
“Of course baby. Every day. You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here.” I begged.
“Hey man. How you feelin’?” I looked up and it was Phil, Jamareo and Phred.
“Like shit.” Bruno’s body shook as he laughed lightly.
“You look like it bro.” Phred joked.
“Bruno why did you jump in front of the bullet for me?” I asked him.
“Think Grenade.” Was all he said and he closed his eyes and grimaced.
“Grenade?” I asked him confused.
“The song. I wrote it about you when we first broke up.” He whispered through clenched teeth.
“What? No way. I never knew you felt that way.” I said.
“I never stopped loving you Mel and I will never sto-” His body thrashed and every machine in the room started going crazy.
“Bruno? BRUNO!” I screamed as the room was flooded with doctors.
I was dragged from the room by Phil, “Mel come on we gotta get out, let the docs do their thing.”
“NO. PETER!!” I screamed again and the room went black.
***
I woke up disorientated.
I seen Jamareo looking at me as I came round. “How are you feeling?” He asked me. He had tears in his eyes. This was never a good sign.
“I’m fine wheres Bruno?” I asked him in return.
“The nurse wants to talk to you about that.” he said pointing to a woman who was stood next to me.
“Mrs. Hernandez, we have some bad news about your husband.” She said, sorrow was clear on her face.
“No. He can’t be dead.” I choked back my tears.
“No he isn’t.” She said simply.
“Then what?” I asked her.
“He’s in a coma.” She said looking at the ground.
3 months later
For the last three months all I’ve done is mope around in Bruno’s clothes, listening to his songs. Of course I’ve been looking after the twins. They’re so big now.
The wedding is supposed to be in a few weeks but obviously if Bruno doesn’t come round then the weddings off. I miss him so much. It’s like a part of me is gone. I want him back. Not the lifeless man just laying there in the hospital. The headlines of the papers and on the news all the time made my heart break a little every day they were all along the lines of ‘Looks like Bruno’s still on Mars’.
I’ve barely left the house and I haven’t been returning anyone’s phone calls. Hayley has found her own place so now I’m on my own. The twins were out with Jaime so I felt so alone.
I heard the phone ring and I ran to answer it, “Hello?”
“Mrs Hernandez?” The voice asked me
“Yes.” I said.
“We need you to come to the hospital right away please.” They said and hung up.
I didn’t even hesitate. I grabbed the car keys and ran out the door. Moments later I was at the hospital running through the automatic doors and up to reception.
“I’m here for Mr. Hernandez.” I panted a little out of breath from running.
The receptionist allowed me through and I kept walking quickly to the elevator. When I was in the elevator I glanced down and took in what I was wearing. A Doo-Wops and Hooligans shirt and a pair of Bruno’s shorts. These were the same clothes I’d slept in. I seen my reflection in the elevator doors just before they opened. My hair was a mess.
Walking quickly to Bruno’s room I tried to smooth down the birds nest that was my hair. When I reached Bruno’s room I knocked on the door and the doctor that was in there shouted “Come in.”
As I opened the door I recognized the doctor that was there the night bruno was brought in.
“What is it you wanted me for?” I asked him
“Take a seat please.” He gestured to the seat besides Bruno. He looked frail with all of the machines helping him breathe tied to him.
“We’re thinking about switching the machines off.” He said.
“What no.. but you…. you can’t! Look at him he’s fine!” I stuttered.
“We’ve had no sign of life in 3 months now. This room could be used to save other patients lives. We’ll give you 3 days and then the machine is getting switched off. I’m sorry Mrs. Hernandez.” He replied and I stormed out the room and drove home tears already flooding from my eyes.
***
Three days later and everyone was here ready to turn the machine off. Myself, the twins, Bernie, his sisters, Phil and the guys. It was an emotional time for all of us. Especially me. Since receiving the news I’ve been an empty shell for the last three days. Crying and calling Bruno’s cell and listening to his voice on his answering machine over and over.
I was holding Peter and I sat him down on Bruno’s chest. He laid down and gave him a hug. It was the cutest thing ever.
The doctor entered the room, “Everyone ready?” He said as he made his way over to the machine Bruno was hooked up to.
“Ready as we’ll ever be.” I said nodding my head.
“Okay. I’ll turn the machine off in three, two one.” There was the slightest click and the beep on the heart rate monitor started to slow.
Peter was now right next to Bruno’s head pulling on his hair. He put his head to Bruno’s and started going “dadadadada”
Was that? No it couldn’t be.
Peter kept saying over and over “dadadada.”
I’m sure. Yes there it was! The tiniest bit of movement. Bruno’s lips twitched. His fingers. His nose.
I ran over and sat on the side of the bed just watching Peter talk to his dad. The heart rate monitor picked up speed again. I seen Bruno’s chest rise and fall. I just watched him breathing. On his own. He was breathing. He was alive.
His eyes flickered open and were instantly on Peter.
“I thought I heard you little man.” He said smiling slightly. There were gasps all around the room
His voice was music to my ears. “Bruno,” I breathed touching his cheek fresh tears in my eyes.
He looked at me in the eye, “Melanie.”
I leaned down and kissed him on the lips and I felt him kiss back straight away.
“I love you.” I said.
“I love you too.” He replied, “I’m surprised you’re still here. How long have I been out?”
“Three months.” The doctor said.
“Like I said. For you I’d wait for life.” I smiled and kissed him again.
“For life” He said against my lips.