It was late when Cuddy heard the knock on her door. No one dropped by this late except House and that defiantly wasn't his knock. Curiosity driven, Cuddy answered the door. It was her neighbor's daughter Dahlia.
"Dr. Cuddy," she started, her voice quivering.
Cuddy took a closer look at the girl, now that she could focus her eyes. The girl didn't look much older than twenty, but Cuddy knew she was closer to twenty-five. She looked like she'd been used as someone's punching bag. There was blood coming from various wounds and bruises were starting to show.
She gasped slightly, before taking action. "Get in here Dahlia." She motioned the girl inside and shut the door. Gripping the younger woman by the biceps, she ducked her head to meet her eyes and asked, "What happened? Who did this?"
Cuddy's anger was coming across all wrong. Before she realized it, the young girl was crying. Without thinking, Cuddy pulled her into her arms. "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm not mad Dahlia. Shh."
Dahlia tensed at the first contact, but Cuddy felt safe. Her soft croon's were a brand of comfort the broken girl had never known. Her tears started to overflow onto her cheeks as she clung to the doctor.
There was another knock on the door, causing Dahlia to tense once more. "Oh god it's them," she whispered, "please don't let them know I'm here." Her eyes pleaded with the older woman's.
Cuddy hesitated then nodded. "Go to the end of the hall, you'll find my room. Wait for me there." She walked with Dahlia to the edge of the hallway and pointed towards her room.
There was another knock on the door. "I'm coming," Cuddy yelled, trying to sound more tired than she felt. Leaving the chain hooked, she opened the door.
"Dr. Cuddy," Dahlia's father greeted.
When Cuddy opened her door, the girl's parents were not what she expected. But here they were, both standing on her doorstep. Cuddy told herself that it must be a mistake; they must just be looking for her or wondering what happened. The logical part of her brain pointed out that if they weren't involved why didn't Dahlia go home.
"Do you realize what time it is?" she groaned. Surely, they couldn't be responsible for what happened to Dahlia. They had lived next to her for years, always seemed so normal. She caught the girl's father staring at her chest lustfully and rethought his innocence.
"Our daughter is missing. We know she sometimes comes to talk to you. We were wondering if you've seen her tonight?" Dahlia's mother, spoke quickly.
"Dahlia's missing?" Cuddy asked, trying to sound surprised.
"Yes, Dr. Cuddy. Has she been here?" Dahlia's mother asked, as her father searched the area behind Cuddy with his eyes.
"No, I haven't seen her. I'll be sure to call you if I do though," Cuddy smoothly lied. "I really hope she's okay." She had to fight to leave the venom out of her tone.
"Me too," her father sound, attempting to sound worried. "You should be careful tonight just in case Dr. Cuddy. I would hate for anything to happen to you," he said, sounding more threatening than worried.
"I will goodnight," she said, quickly. Cuddy shut the door behind her and leaned against it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. This was not the situation she wanted to be in, but that poor girl in her bedroom. There was no way that she could abandon Dahlia.
Cuddy found Dahlia sitting on the edge of her bed, trembling. She kneeled down in front of the girl and grabbed both hands in hers. "Did he do this to you?" Cuddy asked, emotionally. She knew the girl had heard every word of their conversation.
Dahlia nodded. She wouldn't meet Cuddy's gaze, even in the dim lights of the bedroom. She was trying to be strong, trying not to fall apart. The worried look in Cuddy's eyes would have sent her toppling into another fit of tears.
Cuddy gulped. She had dealt with cases this bad and worse. They didn't happen all the time, but often enough that she should be in better control. She knew what she needed to ask, what she needed to take care of, but she was honestly overwhelmed. She was scared for this girl and hurting for her in a way that she never felt about patients.
"Okay honey, be honest with me. Did he do anything else?"
Dahlia looked everywhere about the room, except at Cuddy. She was trembling again and obviously panicking.
Cuddy moved a hand to the girl's chin and guided her to make eye contact. Cuddy braced herself as the girl started to break down.
"He…he…raped me," Dahlia gasped, trying not to sob.
Cuddy pulled the girl down into her lap. Her arms instantly brought the girl closer to her chest, embracing her with all the love in her heart. "Oh sweetie," was all Cuddy could manage to murmur. Her own tears were slipping down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."
Cuddy rocked the girl in her arms for what seemed like hours. She was the only anchor this girl had. She vowed to herself that she would protect Dahlia. Running her fingers through the girl's hair, she spoke quietly, "We need to call the police Dahlia."
The girl instantly tensed in her arms. Pulling back, she shook her head no. "Please no Dr. Cuddy. I can't! I don't want to report this." She was trying to pull away.
Cuddy knew the girl would run if she gave her the opportunity. She held onto the girl's hands trying to calm her. "Okay. Okay," she pleaded, "We won't call the police. You're in control over everything that happens, just please don't leave. Let me help you."
Dahlia felt Cuddy's grip on her wrists loosen. Everything about the doctor was comforting to her: the gentle, yet firm movements, the soft quiet understanding words, the gentle yet pained expression. "Okay, just no police. Please," as she spoke, she looked up to Cuddy with tear-filled eyes.
"Alright," Cuddy agreed. She pulled the girl back into her arms, needing the comfort herself as well. "I need to call a friend of mine then. I need him to bring me some stuff over so that I can take a look at you." Thinking over her plans, she realized she had once again left the girl out of the decision making process. "That is unless you want to go to the hospital. I can get someone else to examine you, but it needs to get done. We need to make sure there's no permanent or dangerous damage."
The young girl bit her lip at the thought of facing anyone else. She'd come to Cuddy not only because she thought she could trust her, but because being a doctor she thought she could avoid some of those procedures. "Will you do it?" she asked, quietly.
"Of course honey. I just want you to be comfortable," she hesitated, hating to bring reality into this girl's world," It's not going to be easy." She didn't want Dahlia to have to go through an exam, she'd been through enough. Neither woman really had any choice in the matter though, not if they wanted to make sure Dahlia was safe.
Clinging to Cuddy a little tighter, Dahlia said, "I trust you."
