April 1, 2006
Title: Redemption.
Author: Kerri
Category: All CC with hints of UC
Rating: Strong Mature for strong language, dark subject matter, and sexual content.
Disclaimer: I don’t own so don’t sue.
Summary: When tragedy strikes, strength, love and friendship come from the most unexpected sources. Redemption is found for all, as past sins are forgiven, and the rebirth of a loved one pulls them all together again.
Feed back: Yes, please.
Authors note:
This takes place during season two right after prom. Jim never lost the Sheriff’s position; Tess and Max never hooked up; Alex never went to Sweden; and Tess was never mind warping him. Everything else that happened in the show has happened. Future Max, Copper Summit…. so on and so forth.
This is my first real attempt at a dreamer fic, so feedback is appreciated. This fic will hint at rape, but no more than hint. OK…. you’ve been warned. It’s going to be as angsty as all get out, but be patient…I promise a happy ending, OK! Thanks to Jenny for agreeing to be my beta on this one. I owe you one girlfriend!
This one goes out to Jenny and Abby. Hope I make you two hard-core dreamers proud! Love to you both. And big thanks to Paul for my amazing banner!
Prologue:
Her footsteps were quick as she hurried along the path towards home. Her bag bounced against her back as she walked, the darkness of the path and the cold wind unsettling her more than she’d like to admit. She could see the bright flashing lights of the Crash Down just ahead, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Her relief was short lived however. The silhouette of a man blocked her path, causing her to pull up sharp. “Hello, beautiful. I’ve been looking for you,” he said cheerfully. She took a step backward as the man took one toward her. “What do you want?’ she asked quietly. He smiled. “I can smell your fear,” he continued cheerfully, as if she hadn’t said a word.
Without another word, he lunged for her. A frightened cry escaped her lips as her bag was yanked from her back as she turned to run. The strap broke, bruising her shoulder as she ran toward the light. She was tugged back suddenly, her hair swinging violently around her face. The girl shrugged free of her cardigan wildly as she continued to run.
As she neared the lights, pain exploded in her head. Her attacker caught her by the hair, swinging her back to him. Her scream of fright died when she saw his eyes glowing in the darkness, her screams further cut off by the hand that squeezed at her throat, cutting off her airway. She clawed at his hands, his low chuckle echoing in the silence.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” he whispered, licking the side of her face. The girl reared back, her knee coming up instinctively. For a moment she thought she was free when he let go of her, and she once more turned to run. But the thought was fleeting as she heard the curse coming from behind her. Pain exploded in her skull as she was picked up and slammed down on the ground.
Stars exploded behind her eyes, leaving her stunned and helpless. His face loomed above her, a sadistic smile crossing his face. “I wonder if his highness will want you when I’m finished,” he murmured. Anger flashed in her eyes, her words slipping out before she could stop them. “I’d rather die than let you touch me!” He smiled. “You might die yet baby…but not before I’m done…”
Part 1.
Tess hummed to herself as she walked through the moonlit park. The group was all meeting up at the Crash Down to look at the prom photos. Liz was picking them up while Maria and Michael cleaned up the restaurant after it closed. The night air was cool and damp, the park silent in its leafy darkness. Not even the light of the full moon penetrated the darkness of the park, the only light coming from lamps set every few yards.
A cold chill skittered down Tess’s spine, causing her to pause. She took another step, stumbling over something at her feet. Tess looked down, seeing the brown leather book bag at her feet. Dropping down to one knee, Tess turned the bag over, her eyes narrowing when she saw the familiar green alien head dangling from the zipper. The strap was broken. Tess swallowed hard as she stood up.
Tess scanned the park, her breathing erratic. An object on the path further up had her dropping the bag and breaking into a quick jog, her heart suddenly in her throat when she saw a familiar red wool cardigan on the ground, the sleeves inside out. Her breathing came out in sharp gasps as Tess searched the surrounding area. As a sound caught her sharp hearing, Tess froze, trying to locate the direction of the sound. The sound came again - a strangled moan of deep pain and distress. It came from under the tall oak tree and Tess broke into a run.
The sight before her brought her to a screeching halt, nausea rolling through her stomach. “Oh my god,” she whispered, shaking off her fear and distress. She crossed the distance quickly, shrugging out of her knee length wool jacket as she did. Dropping to her knees, she draped her jacket over the shaking body in front of her before yanking her cell phone out of her jeans. Flipping it open, she hit speed dial, glancing around the park as she waited for an answer.
“Hello?” came the strong, familiar drawl and Tess slumped in relief. “Sheriff, it’s Tess…oh god…I need your help…I don’t know what to do,” she cried softly, her strength deserting her when she heard his voice. Tears ran down her cheeks; Tess started to shake as the reality of the situation dawned on her. “What is it Tess?” Jim asked, already swinging up from the couch and putting his shoes and jacket on.
“I was walking through the park, and I…I…found her like this Sheriff…I don’t know what to do,” she whimpered. “Who, Tess?…Who did you find?” he asked gently, already climbing into his land cruiser and starting the car. Tess started crying again, her voice choking her as her gaze was drawn back to the body in front of her. “Liz, Sheriff…I found Liz,” she whimpered.
Jim paused, swallowing as a mental picture of the petite brunette flashed through his mind. “Found her how Tess?” he whispered, throwing the car into reverse. “She’s hurt sheriff…badly hurt,” Tess whispered. “Is she alive, Tess?” Jim asked, putting the sirens on as he did well above the speed limit, desperate to reach Tess and Liz.
Tess swallowed. “Yes…I think so…I’ll check,” she whispered. Putting the phone down, Tess reached out hesitantly. Tess’s hand trembled as she touched Liz’s throat, finding the faint beat of her pulse. Tess swallowed hard as she tried not to throw up her dinner. Liz moaned again and Tess picked up her hand gently, surprised at the strength of Liz’s grip.
“Sheriff…she’s alive…please hurry,” Tess cried. She could hear the sounds of sirens approaching, tears running down her cheeks as Liz’s head slowly turned towards the sound. When Tess saw Liz’s face, her stomach rebelled in one large wave. Tess turned her head quickly, her stomach heaving as she swallowed hard once again, breathing shallowly as she controlled her nausea.
Liz whimpered as Tess swung her head back around. Compassion filled her heart, even as her mind stored the horrible sight before her. Tess reached out, smoothing the hair back from Liz’s face, the long silky strands sticky with blood - Liz’s blood. “You’re OK now Liz,” Tess whispered, watching as tears welled in Liz’s eyes, spilling down her face, cutting tracks through the blood and dirt on her face.
Footsteps thudded on the ground behind them and Tess whirled around, her hand outstretched and humming with power as she hovered over Liz. “Tess it’s me,” Jim’s voice called. Tess lowered her hand with a sob as he came running into view. Jim skidded to a halt, his face contorting with pain as he took in the scene before him.
Liz was curled into the foetal position behind Tess, a long cream jacket covering her body. Tess was kneeling in front of her, her hands coated in Liz’s blood, her hand glowing as she crouched protectively over Liz. Tess lowered her hand, turning back to Liz as Jim yanked his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialled quickly, requesting an ambulance to the park.
He hung up, approaching the two girls slowly. Liz whimpered, her grip on Tess’s hand tightening. “It’s OK, Liz…It’s Jim,” Tess said gently, smoothing the wet strands of hair back over her head. Liz started crying and Tess bent down to shield Liz from view. “Sheriff…please,” Tess whispered. Jim paused, struck silent by the fact that Tess had actually just pleaded with him.
“Lizzie…it’s Jim…Sweetheart…are you ok?” he said gently, kneeling down beside her on the other side. Liz didn’t answer him, trapped in her mind and her pain. Tess transferred Liz’s grip to her other hand, using her free hand to smooth Liz’s hair back some more. Liz looked up at Tess, not really seeing her as Tess kept her touch gentle, just stroking her hair and face.
They sat in silence, Liz never letting go of Tess’s hand. She simply laid there, her body shaking as a gentle touch kept her from disappearing into her pain completely. The sound of a siren reached their ears, faint at first, but rapidly growing louder as it got closer. It came down the path, stopping at the sight of the police cruiser. Tess sat back, watching in numbed silence as Liz was lifted onto the gurney, and placed into the back of the ambulance.
Tess stood up, pushing her hands through her hair to move it back from her face before wiping the drying tears off her face. She took a step backwards, a soft voice stopping her movements. “Tess?” Tess looked into the back of the ambulance, watching as Liz looked around, her fear coming off her in waves. “Tess?” she cried again, her distress mounting.
The ambulance officer looked at Tess, motioning for her to get in beside him. Jim helped her up into the back of the ambulance as Tess took Liz’s hand once again. “I’m here Liz,” she whispered, putting her discomfort aside. Liz’s dark eyes sought Tess’s, their gazes locking as another tear slid through the dirt on her face. “Don’t leave me,” Liz whispered. Tess choked back another wave of tears as she forced herself to smile gently.
“OK,” Tess whispered, smoothing her free hand down Liz’s hair again. Tess looked towards the back of the ambulance, her gaze finding Jim watching them. “I’m following you to the hospital Tess. I’ll see you there OK?” Jim said calmly. Tess nodded as the ambulance officer slammed the doors shut. Tess could still see him through the darkly tinted windows, and she watched as he pressed his hand to the glass, before the ambulance jerked and pulled away.
Jim turned and jogged to his land cruiser, climbing behind the wheel once more. As he followed the ambulance, he wasn’t aware of the screaming sirens that drew attention to the two vehicles. All he could see was the look on Tess’s face. Her cold outer walls had been stripped away in one foul act, leaving her more human and vulnerable than he had ever seen her.
Her eyes had betrayed everything, her emotions laid bare for the whole world to see. Fear. Pain. Rage. Confusion. And uncertainty. Jim knew the jacket he had found placed over Liz was Tess’s, showing that she had the compassion to hide Liz’s obvious injuries from public viewing. When Tess had wiped her face, she had left smears of Liz’s blood in her hair, on her forehead and under her eyes. She hadn’t even realized; she was simply too focused on concentrating on Liz.
Then there was Liz herself. Jim didn’t know if she had been raped or not, but he knew she had taken one hell of a beating tonight. The injuries he had seen on her face had sent a white-hot bolt of anger through him, the image of her face burnt forever into his brain. In all his years on the force, he had never felt the urge to throw up like he had when he saw her face.
The blood had stood out on her normally tanned skin, her face a mask of pale pain. One eye had been swollen nearly shut, bruises already mottling her face and throat. Fingerprints stood out starkly against her skin, a large jaggered cut on her temple the source of the blood. Only a complete examination would show the full extent of it all.
Jim was brought out of his thoughts as he pulled into the hospital grounds, parking and jumping out of the car. He jogged around to the emergency doors, catching up with the gurney as it was wheeled inside. Tess walked quickly beside the gurney; her hand still clenched in Liz’s. Tess’s eyes never left Liz’s face, even though Liz was now unconscious.
“Tess, are you ok?” Jim asked, his breathing choppy as he jogged alongside her. Tess nodded sharply, the jerking motion of her head sending her blonde curls bouncing wildly. The ambulance attendants wheeled Liz into an examination room, separating Tess and Jim from Liz with a swish of pale blue curtain. Tess came to a screeching halt, her eyes never leaving the shadowy figure that lay on the bed only inches away.
“Tess…I need you to sit down and tell me what happened,” Jim said gently, leading her to a nearby chair. Tess’s head turned slowly to meet his gaze, her eyes unfocused. “I was…walking…we were…we were meeting up to look at the prom pictures…didn’t Kyle look great in his suit?…we danced all night…god it was such a great night…and I found her bag on the ground. I started running, and then I found her…I wonder if she picked up the photos …I should go and check.”
Jim watched Tess in silence, knowing she was going into shock. He reached out, restraining her gently as she went to stand up. “Tess…I need you to focus for me. Can you do that?” Jim asked softly. Tess nodded, her movements still jerky as she stared up at him. “Did you see anyone?” he asked softly. Tess nodded, “I saw Liz…oh god.”
Tess was horrified to feel tears well up in her eyes, the unfamiliar emotion threatening to drown her. “I need to go…Liz will need some stuff…I…I need…” Tess stood up and bolted, her hair bouncing as she ran down the corridor. Jim let her go, knowing he had to make some phone calls. With a soft sigh he stood up, moving around the curtain that separated him from Liz.
The sight of a nurse cutting through Liz’s torn top with scissors large enough to do fatal damage almost brought him to his knees. The nurse spread Liz’s top open, before moving on to her jeans. Jim watched in mute fascination as the scissors ran slowly down Liz’s thighs, opening her jeans around her legs as another nurse placed an oxygen mask over her bloodstained face.
With a shudder, Jim stepped away, the image of the broken girl lying on the bloodstained sheets burnt into his mind. Opening his cell phone, Jim stared at the glowing numbers, wondering how the hell he was going to tell Jeff Parker that someone had taken their fists to his baby girl. That some monster had tried to kill her. That she might have been raped. How…
Nausea rose, overwhelming him as he ran for the men’s room. He was violently sick, his chest heaving as the acidic taste of bile caused him to gag again. And again. His stomach empty, Jim sank to the floor, sheer despair running through him. “How the hell am I going to tell him that his daughter might have died?” he whispered. But no answer came. Only the soft sounds of his sobs echoed through the empty bathroom as Jim cried quietly into his hands. “How…”
Part 2.
Tess walked aimlessly, her heart thumping slowly in her chest as she whispered to herself, “Keep putting one foot in front of the other Tess. Just keep going.” Tess paused, glancing across the street at the Crash Down Café, watching as the others laughed and joked, not knowing the horrors that had befallen their friend.
Tess could see Kyle sitting at the counter; her hand automatically rose to smooth her tangled blonde curls. The need to forget the night and join Kyle was a physical ache, Tess taking a step toward the curb. She could imagine taking him home, and curling up together to watch a movie, the taste of spicy popcorn almost real on her tongue. The red Tabasco sauce would be handy. Red like Liz’s blood.
The roll of nausea in her stomach had Tess moving again, her whole body shaking as the cold air settled on her skin. She barely remembered taking her jacket off. She only knew she no longer had it with her. Tearing her eyes away from Kyle, she crossed the street carefully. Tess kept to the shadows as she skirted around the side of the building, heading for the ladder that would lead her up to Liz’s room.
Gripping the ladder rungs, Tess cried out softly, jerking away when she felt how cold it was. Lifeless. Hard. Cold like Liz had been. Her stomach heaved again as Tess lost the battle with her nausea, and vomited on the ground. Dropping to her knees weakly, she stared at the mess in front of her in mute fascination. “Kyle was right…peas and carrots,” she muttered, giggling softly as hysteria threatened her sub-conscious again.
It took a supreme effort to drag herself up off of the ground; Tess gritted her teeth as she quickly scaled the ladder to Liz’s room. The window was open as always and Tess slipped silently into the room. Liz’s bedroom door was shut, the silence heavy. Tess turned the small bedside lamp on, bathing the room with a soft glow. She realized that this was the first time she had been inside Liz’s room since the FBI had taken Max.
Swallowing hard, Tess could taste the bile on her tongue, another wave of nausea threatening to take her under. Crossing to the bathroom, Tess turned the water on, cupping her hands under the cold water and bringing her hands to her mouth. She rinsed her mouth out quietly, the taste of bile slowly leaving her mouth as she continued to gulp the water down.
She turned the tap off, watching as drops of water ran down over her hands, reminding Tess of the drop of blood that had slid from the corner of Liz’s mouth. With a harsh sound, Tess shook her hands dry, quickly returning to the bedroom. Yanking the wardrobe open, Tess spotted the duffel bag in the corner of the wardrobe. Reaching down, she grabbed the bag, shaking it out as she methodically began to throw things into it.
Clean underwear. Socks. Tee shirts. Tracksuit pants. Slippers. A jumper. The colourful blanket off the end of Liz’s bed. Hairbrush. Tooth brush. Toothpaste. Some vanilla bath soap. Shampoo. Conditioner. Tess paused, looking at the box of tampons. Would Liz need them? Tess sighed, her head dropping as another wave of emotion swept through her body. With a soft grunt, she turned around, heading back into the bedroom with the toiletries.
Tess dropped them on the bed, tucking each item into the nearly full bag. As she went to zip the bag up, a photo on the bedside table caught her gaze. It had been taken the evening of the prom, eight friends jammed into one photo. Happy smiles on their faces. Happiness had been theirs for an evening of fun. Happiness was now gone.
Reaching out, Tess picked the photo frame up, tucking it carefully into the bag between a tee shirt and a worn pair of tracksuit pants. Spotting what could only be Liz’s pyjamas under her pillow, Tess reached for them, a strip of paper fluttering to the floor as she pulled the garments free. Tess bent down, turning the strip over, her heart clenching when she saw Max and Liz laughing in the strip of photos.
The strip was worn; Tess realized that Liz must sleep with it under her pillow, and that she looked at it often. It obviously meant something to her, even though Tess viewed it as a piece of the past, when innocence was still lingering. Innocence was gone now, stripped away and left to die on a cold, hard ground, not even the light of the moon able to chase away the demons.
Tucking the photos into the bag, along with a teddy bear from Liz’s bed, Tess zipped the bag shut. She wiped her nose as she stood up before turning around and freezing when she saw Mr. Parker standing in the doorway, his face pale. They stared at each other in the silence that followed until Mr. Parker’s silence was broken when he started to cry…
Twenty minutes earlier….
Jeff Parker glanced at the clock, wondering what was taking Liz so long to return from picking up the photos. A burst of laughter caught his attention. Jeff watched Liz’s friends through the window in his office, a smile playing over his mouth as he watched the relatively secretive group laugh over drinks.
Maria was wiping down the counters, a bounce in her step as she sang along to the boppy music that was blaring from the small CD player she kept behind the counter for when she was closing. Jeff could see her silent boyfriend Michael cleaning the grill, his ever-present blue head bandana keeping his long hair off his face.
Jeff watched in silence as Michael followed Maria’s movements with his eyes, obviously listening to his girlfriend’s powerful voice as she began to really get into the song she was singing along to. Michael smiled, his whole face lighting up. Jeff was so astonished that he dropped his pen. In the twelve months Michael had been working for him, Jeff had never seen him smile until now. It transformed his face; his eyes sparkling as he started clapping when Maria finally stopped singing.
Jeff let his gaze wander across the room, a smile splitting his face as he watched Alex bounce out of his chair, pulling his beautiful girlfriend Isabel with him. Isabel started laughing as Alex dipped her backwards over his arm, reminding Jeff of Alex’s impromptu strip routine for Isabel’s eighteenth birthday only months earlier. God the kids had laughed that night. Jeff knew he hadn’t seen the group of friends that happy all summer.
Isabel’s brother was sitting in the booth Alex had just pulled her from. Max. Serious Max Evans, who had stolen his baby girl’s heart, no matter how much she tried to deny it. Max and Liz hadn’t been together for some time now, but it didn’t stop Jeff from noticing the looks of longing they gave each other when they thought the object of desire wasn’t watching.
But Jeff saw them all. The frustration. The anger. The love. Not some puppy love as Nancy so blindly called it, but a strong love. Pure love. Jeff sighed. Max had taken Liz to the prom last week, a sure sign they were working things out. Movement caught his gaze, causing Jeff to look at the final member of this mismatched group.
Kyle Valenti sat at the counter, a part of the group, yet alone. Something had happened in the fall - something that divided the group. Jeff knew things had cooled between Max and Liz back then, and that Max didn’t bother to disguise the mistrustful looks he aimed at the sheriff’s son.
Jeff had found out first hand how much Kyle had changed over the summer. He had spoken to Jeff for an hour about Buddha, and how the divine teachings of this fat little icon were showing him his true path in life. That he was part of a bigger picture, and that life was an unbreakable circle. It had left Jeff both astonished and amused.
The sound of the phone ringing broke him out of his thoughts; Jeff waved to Maria as he answered the call that would change his life forever. “Crash Down Café, Jeff speaking,” he said cheerfully, sitting back in his chair.
“Jeff, it’s Jim Valenti here,” a voice said quietly. Jeff smiled as he watched Maria start dancing with Alex.
“Hello Jim, how are you?” Jeff asked.
Jim sighed softly, “Jeff, there’s been an incident.” Jeff continued to watch the group of friends, a cold band of steel tightening around his chest. “It’s Liz, Jeff. She’s in the hospital.”
“What happened?” Jeff asked calmly, even though a voice started shrieking in his head.
“She was attacked in the park Jeff. She’s about to go in for x-rays, to determine the extent of the damage to her body.”
Maria slipped on a wet patch of floor and Alex caught her as she laughed out loud.
“Jeff?”
“I’m here,” he said softly, watching as Maria hugged Alex.
“I need you to come down here Jeff. I need you to sign the release forms for the lab to do a rape kit.”
The band around Jeff’s chest continued to tighten; suddenly Jeff found breathing very difficult. “Jim…answer me something,” he said faintly.
“What’s that Jeff?”
“Is my baby girl OK?”
The question was open ended but Jim obviously decided honesty was the best policy. “I don’t know Jeff. We’re just lucky Tess found her when she did, otherwise I would be saying no.” Jeff stood up slowly, feeling every one of his forty years of age.
“Jim, I’m giving you permission to sign those forms. Lizzie will need some things. I’ll be there soon,” he said faintly, hanging up before Jim could answer. Jeff left his office slowly, climbing the stairs to the apartment. His bones creaked. His heart thudded in his chest slowly.
He could hear movement in Liz’s room; his heart thudded painfully in his chest as he realized Jim must have been wrong. Liz was home safe, moving around her bedroom. Opening the door quietly, Jeff stopped short, watching as an obviously agitated Tess packed Liz’s pyjamas into an already overflowing bag.
Jeff watched in frozen silence as Tess wiped her nose on her sleeve before she bent down to zip the bag shut. She hoisted the bag over her shoulder, turning towards the door - spotting Jeff as she froze herself. Jeff’s gaze took in everything. The blood stains on her clothes. The blood in her hair staining the pale blonde strands red. The blood highlighting her pale face with colour. His daughter’s blood.
They stared at each other as eternity stretched out between them. Jeff felt the band around his chest break, along with his heart. Emotions boiled over, spilling out as he dropped to his knees and started to cry. The silence was broken by his harsh sobs, Tess shuffling her feet nervously. She approached him cautiously, Jeff slowly falling silent once again when he felt Tess tentatively touch his shoulder.
“Mr. Parker? Sir, we need to go. Liz needs you,” she whispered.
Jeff nodded, standing up slowly as Tess took a step backwards. Jeff looked at her, really looked, and saw emotional fatigue on the girl’s face. Reaching out, Jeff took the bag, slinging it over his own shoulder before taking Tess’s hand in his. “Thank you,” he murmured as he drew her out of the room, leading her down to the café.
Tess paused. “For what?” she asked in confusion.
Jeff simply looked at her. “My daughter’s life.”
Part 3.
Kyle drummed his fingers on the counter before glancing at his watch again. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he dialled Tess’s number, almost dropping his phone in surprise when he heard the familiar jingle of Babylon Zoo’s “Space man” echo in the back room. He had changed the ring tone on Tess’s cell and Tess had kept the jingle as proof that she had a sense of humour. Turning around, he caught sight of a familiar head of blonde curls, and slid out of his seat to greet her as Mr. Parker gently guided her through the door.
The greeting immediately died on his lips as Kyle saw the bloodstains on Tess’s face. “Tess!” he cried, knocking his stool over in haste as he ran the few steps separating them. Kyle caught her by the upper arms, his hands sliding up over her shoulders to cup her face as he searched her body frantically for signs of injury. “Tess?” he asked uncertainly, unable to find the cause of the blood on her clothing and skin. The others crowded around them. Kyle fell silent as he watched Tess raise her eyes.
Before she could answer, the phone rang. Jeff dropped the bag in his hand to go and answer it. “Tess?” Kyle said softly once more. Blue green met brilliant blue; Kyle watched as the ocean-coloured orbs turned a murky blue green as they filled with tears. Tess whimpered and Kyle immediately pulled her into his arms. Tess clung to him, her body racked with silent sobs as she buried her face in his chest.
“Tess…what happened?” Max asked. Kyle glared at him as he tightened his grip on the shaking girl in his arms.
Before anyone could speak again, Jeff ran out of the office, touching Tess gently on the arm. “Tess…that was Jim. Liz is asking for you. He said she was nearly hysterical. We have to go now.” Tess pulled herself together so quickly it left the others wondering if she had broken down at all. Her carefully constructed walls were back in place, a grim expression on her face as she turned to follow Jeff to the front of the restaurant.
“Mr. Parker…what’s happened?” Maria cried.
Jeff paused, opening the door for Tess as she ducked under his arm. An expression of surprise crossed his face, almost like he had forgotten the others were even there. He shuddered. “Liz was attacked, Maria. She’s in the emergency room. I have to go. Can you lock up please?” he mumbled. Not even waiting for an answer, he let the door close with a bang. The others watched with mounting horror as Jeff and Tess took off at a run. The squeal of tires a few minutes later spurred them all into action.
Isabel dumped their empty glasses in the sink while Michael used his powers to finish cleaning the grill. Max and Kyle had the chairs on the table in a matter of minutes. Alex counted the till as Maria quickly grabbed her spare clothes out of her locker, changing even though she knew if the others looked into the back room, they would see a lot more than they bargained for. Within minutes of Tess and Jeff leaving, the others were piling into the jeep, Max pushing the speed limit as they raced through the empty streets.
When they pulled up at the hospital, Maria and Alex scrambled out of the jeep before it had even slowed down enough. Maria fell but Alex grabbed her hand and dragged her to her feet as they ran towards the front entrance. Maria heard Michael yell out behind her but she ignored him, continuing to run as Alex dragged her through the double doors of the hospital. Reaching the nurses station, Maria bit back a sob. “Liz Parker?” Alex asked desperately. The nurse’s welcoming smile faded as she took in their desperate expressions as well as the four other people running up behind them.
“She’s in with her father and another girl at the moment. Go through to room 809…. quietly though, please,” she said gently, watching as six young heads nodded before they moved at a fast yet quiet pace down to the hall she had indicated. As they disappeared around the corner, she heard their footfalls break into a run, a sigh escaping her mouth. She knew they were upset. Most the staff had been horrified when the young Parker girl had been bought in. So young. Such a tragedy for all of them to overcome.
Coming to the room the nurse had told them Liz was in, they all skidded to a stop, unsure of how to proceed. It was actually Jim who decided their fate, opening the door as Maria reached for it. “Kids…what are you all doing here?” he asked softly.
Maria tried in vain to peek over his shoulder. “Where’s Liz? What happened to her?” Maria asked, standing on tiptoe as Jim continued to block the door. Jim gestured to the waiting room just opposite, sitting down as six faces looked at him, the tension mounting as he fiddled with his hat.
“From what I understand, Tess found Liz in the park when she was on her way to the café tonight. She called me, and I went to her straight away. I rang the ambulance from the park, and I’ve been here ever since,” he said quietly.
Maria blinked. “Found her how? What happened to her Sheriff?” she asked, her mounting hysteria evident in her voice.
Jim looked at her sharply, his eyes turning cold. “Pull it together Maria, or I won’t let any of you in to see her,” he said. Maria paled as the others voiced soft protests.
“I don’t know. She was in x-ray for quite some time, and her father is currently filling out the paper work for the lab to do the necessary kits on her, due to her being a minor.”
“Kits?” Michael asked.
“Rape kits,” Max said dully. Jim nodded as Maria paled again, turning to bury her head in Michael’s chest. “Pull it together Maria. Tess is with Liz right now…” Maria stood up, her whole body shaking with indignation.
“What?” she cried. “I’m her best friend! I should be with her,” she cried.
Jim snorted softly, gripping Maria’s hand in his, and tugging her back into her seat. “No, you shouldn’t, Maria. Tess was the first thing Liz remembers seeing when she opened her eyes. And to be honest with you, Tess is better suited for this because she won’t let her emotions get the better of her. So sit down, and shut up,” Jim said quietly. Maria went to protest but Jim silenced her with a single look.
“Do you honestly think you’re prepared to watch as your best friend is given an internal examination to collect any fluids that might be left behind? To watch while they take photos of all the bruises and cuts? To watch as they measure the fingerprints that are currently bruised on her throat? To watch as they scrape what DNA they can from under her nails? Or what’s left of them. She fought, Maria. She fought hard. And whoever did this to her fought back. She’s a mess Maria. So as I said, either pull it together, or go home. I won’t have you just go in there, and say dramatically, “It’s OK now…I’m here.”
Maria bit back a sob. Jim shook his head as he stood up.
“Sheriff,” Max said softly, squirming as he tried not to think about what Jim had just said.
Jim turned to face him. “Yes, Max?” he asked.
Max sighed. “Can I heal her?” he asked softly.
Jim shook his head. “I wish you could Max. If I didn’t think that rape was involved, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. But I don’t know all the facts, so I had to bring her here. I wish I hadn’t had to, that I could have called you, but I couldn’t Max.” With a soft sigh, Jim turned to Maria.
“Maria honey, I’m sorry I yelled at you. You have such a big heart, and I know you only want to do what you think is best for Liz. But you have to understand something. You all do. Liz was brutalized tonight. And it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than ice cream and cuddles for her to heal. Make sure that when you go in that room tonight, you are all aware of that. Because this is only the beginning. From here on out…it’s going to be an uphill struggle, and it’s going to take all of you. Remember that.”
Part 4.
While the others were on their way to the hospital, Tess was calming Liz down, stroking her hair back from her face gently. Jeff had been warned not to go in yet, to let the lab team do their thing while Liz was unaware that her father knew she was there and what was happening to her. The doctors had already stitched up the cut in her hairline. All that needed doing now was to bandage her other injuries. A young woman entered the room, closing the door behind her.
“Hi Liz. I’m Fiona. I’m here to take the photos and collect the trace evidence, OK sweetie?” Liz looked at her blankly through her good eye, the drugs they had given her leaving her in an incoherent state of mind. Her gaze slid to Tess, who was still in shock that Liz even wanted her there. “Tess?” Liz asked softly. Tess squeezed her hand gently. “Its OK, Liz…Let Fiona do her job. I’ll wait outside,” she said gently. Liz shook her head vehemently. “No! Please Tess…. will you stay with me?” she pleaded. Tess swallowed, glancing quickly at Fiona, who nodded her consent. “What do I do?” Tess asked softly.
Fiona smiled. “Why don’t you help Liz sit up? I’ll start with her face, and we’ll move lower as we go. How does that sound?” she asked gently. Tess nodded as she sat down next to Liz on the bed. Sliding her arm around Liz, Tess took her hand, squeezing gently as Liz’s grip tightened. Fiona moved in closer, checking the dials and flashes on her camera before she raised it to her eyes, studying the devastation through the viewfinder. She moved quickly, documenting the bruises and cuts as she went.
Tess studied each injury as Fiona documented them.
*Flash* The cut on Liz’s temple. The cut was angry, the edges jaggered.
*Flash* The swollen eye. The blood vessels in the delicate tissue broken, throwing black bruising to the surface.
*Flash* The split in the right hand corner of Liz’s mouth, brought on by a vicious right hook.
*Flash* The fingerprints on Liz’s throat, where her assailant had squeezed hard, trying to snuff out the bright light that was Liz.
“OK Liz, that was really good sweetheart. Now what I need you to do is undo your gown and lower it to your waist OK?” Liz nodded, her face burning with humiliation as she fumbled with the blue gown she was wearing. Tess saw her fingers shaking, and slid from the bed, placing herself between Liz and Fiona.
Liz looked up slowly, the two girls regarding each other silently. When Tess reached for the ties that held the gown together, Liz felt the burning sensation that came with blinking back tears. Tess slowly undid her gown, helping her tug it down around her waist. Liz felt the slight tremble in Tess’s hands as she sat back down, her eyes never leaving Liz’s face.
*Flash* The bite mark on her left shoulder where her neck and shoulder met, the edges already bruising.
*Flash* The discoloration on Liz’s ribs where her attacker had kicked her repeatedly, the indentation of the boot clear.
“OK Liz, while we’re sitting here, I’m going to take the evidence, before we go any further,” Fiona said gently. Liz nodded as Tess squeezed her hand again. Fiona turned to her evidence case, taking out glass vials, swabs, and sheets of what looked like contact paper. Turning back to Liz, Fiona slid the portable tray over Liz’s lap.
“OK Liz, I want you to put your right hand on this piece of paper.”
Liz’s movements were slow. Tess slid around behind Liz on the bed, sitting with her legs on either side of Liz’s hips. Liz leant back against Tess as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world as Tess absorbed the tremors that wracked her body.
Tess watched as Fiona took what looked like a cuticle stick out of her bag. She picked Liz’s hand up and Tess watched as Fiona scraped the stick along Liz’s nails. One thing Tess had always envied her for was the fact that Liz had long, oval nails, perfect in length.
They were no longer perfect though. Liz’s nails were all broken, the edges jagged and torn. As Fiona gently moved the stick along Liz’s nails, dirt and dried blood fell onto the paper. Fiona smiled gently, “You fought back Liz. I’ll be able to get a good DNA match with this. Good girl.”
Fiona repeated the process on Liz’s other hand before picking up a pair of tweezers. She gently removed a small shard of glass from Liz’s hairline, dropping the bloodstained shard into a vile. Fiona moved methodically, using the sticky paper against Liz’s wrists. Tess watched in amazement as fingerprints were revealed when Fiona put the paper onto another sheet. “Wow,” she said softly. Fiona gave her a quick smile.
Fiona put her samples away, turning to face Liz and Tess with a grave expression on her face. “OK, Liz. Now comes the hardest part. But we’re nearly done, so I’ll do this as quickly and as painlessly as possible OK?” Tess turned to face Fiona, who lowered her gaze. “I need to do the rape kit, Liz.” Liz nodded mutely before Fiona pressed her down onto the bed and covered her lower body with a sheet.
Tess sat down beside Liz on the bed, holding her hand and looking into her eyes. She heard the sheet rustle as Fiona lifted it and felt Liz tense up almost immediately. A small sound of distress escaped Liz’s pale lips, tears slipping silently down her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. Tess couldn’t handle it. Reaching out, she placed her hands on either side of Liz’s face, her own eyes sliding shut as she used her powers.
Liz felt Tess grip her face and the familiar tingle that came when one of the hybrids were using their powers. Liz felt warm water wash over her feet; her eyes flying open in astonishment. Looking around she saw she was on a pristine beach, the warm waves washing over her feet. The sky was bright blue, the sun beating down and warming her cold body.
“Hey Liz…come and have a pinna colada with me,” a voice called. Liz turned around, spotting Tess behind her. She was lounging on a sun chair, a bright pink drink in her hand. Liz knew that Tess was mind warping her, but she was grateful for the few minutes’ escape it gave her. Liz took a step towards Tess, confusion swirling around her as the beach melted away, the grey walls of the hospital room returning.
“It’s over Liz,” Tess whispered. Liz nodded silently even as the tears continued to run down her face. “OK Liz, you can get changed now, have a shower, whatever,” Fiona said. She came to stand by the edge of the bed; her hand gripping Liz’s hard for a moment. “The doctors will be in shortly to finish dressing your injuries, but until then, you can just rest OK?” Liz nodded and Tess watched as Fiona left the room, leaving the two girls alone.
