Enjoying the crisp morning air, Ryan followed along the jogging trail.
Running was a sure-fire way to blow off the steam that had been building up
ever since he had made the mistake of kissing not only Greenlee, but
Kendall as well. Picking up his pace Ryan decided the last thing he needed
was to analyze that fiasco.
Pushing himself to the limit he headed to the park bench in the distance.
He needed to stay focused. He needed to figure out what in the hell he
wanted to do with the mess that he had begun. Slowing down he took deep
cleansing breaths, and began to walk in order to cool down.
Bending down to stretch Ryan once again tried to block out thoughts of Kendall and Greenlee. Both were part of his past, and both most definitely would cause him nothing but trouble. Looking around Ryan began to enjoy the peace in quiet of the park around him. Taking a seat on the bench he tried to sort out the jumbled thoughts in his head.
Kendall was right. When they kissed he had felt something. He just wasn't sure he wanted to explore exactly what he had felt. Leaning forward, Ryan tried to pull his mind from the woman who had once been his fiancée
Suddenly, a moan came from the bushes behind him. " What the.?" Ryan jumped up and began to look through the thick row of shrubs behind him.
That was when he saw her. It was hard to tell exactly how old she was, but from the length of her long curly brown hair, he knew with out a doubt that he was staring at a female. Bending over her, he slowly reached down to check to turn the girl's face towards him, his heart pounding in his ears, hoping against hope he wouldn't recognize the face he was about to see. The most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen suddenly opened with fear, and a shaky hand reached up and touched his cheek. A wave of relief flooded him. He didn't recognize her, but still a feeling of deep protectiveness filled him. "Angel." was the only thing the girl said as her eyes closed again. "Shit!" Ryan exclaimed, " Hold on sweetheart. I am gonna get you help. Pulling off his sweatshirt Ryan covered the girl and pulled his cell out of his pocket. Quickly dialing 911, he could hear the worry in is voice as he directed the operator to his location. "She's unconscious. no I don't know how long. She's been beaten pretty badly. I don't know her age. look just get someone here!" Putting his arms beneath the girl's bruised and bloody legs he picked her up and cradled her next to his chest trying to put some warmth back into her body. From the slight weight of her he would have thought she was a child, but now holding her lush body next to his Ryan knew for a fact that his girl was indeed a woman, and for some reason he still felt protective of her.
Hearing the sounds of sirens getting closer Ryan stood up holding his precious burden tightly in his arms. The driver of the ambulance ran over to Ryan and tried to take the girl from his arms, but Ryan refused. "Just get me to the hospital with her." Ryan snapped as he walked to the back of the ambulance. Seeing the determined look in Ryan's eyes the tech knew better than to argue. Hoping in the waiting ambulance, Ryan allowed the other tech to check the girl's vitals and answered the few questions he could. Arriving in the emergency room, Ryan carried her over to the cubicle they had pointed him to and gently laid her down on the gurney. "Ryan. what's happened?" Looking up into the familiar eyes of Maria Gray Ryan shook his head and looked down at the unconscious girl. "I was jogging when I found her, she's so little Maria, you have to help her." Maria stared down at the bruised and bloody little body, and quickly went to work ordering nurses to take blood, send for x-rays, and start cleaning the girls' wounds. "Ryan, it would be much better if you would leave. for a minute." "No. she needs me. I can't leave." "You know her?" "No. but she needs me. I can't leave her alone. she." Gently Maria placed her hand on Ryan's arm," Ryan, go outside and wait. you can do nothing for her right now. I'll get you as soon as she wakes or as soon as I know something." Nodding silently, Ryan quickly squeezed the girl's hand and left the room.
Maria turned back to her patient and said a quick prayer. Someone had wanted to hurt this girl, and they had succeeded. There were cuts and scratches over most of her body. Both eyes were still in the process of swelling shut, and her face was an assortment of blues, blacks, and purples. Noting the state of the girl's clothing, she briskly ordered a rape kit. Who would do this? Who could do this to such an innocent looking girl? Putting aside her feelings Maria let the professional take over.
Ryan paced the lobby staring at the door to the room he has left over thirty minutes ago. "Ryan?" He turned to find himself staring into Kendall's worried eyes. Though they had parted in anger after their brief impulsive kiss, she had obviously put those feelings aside when she had seen him standing there. Aidan walked up behind her and put an arm around her waist. "Lavery? What's happened? You've got blood all over you?" Ryan looked down, and grimaced at the blood covering his shirt. blood. her blood. Rubbing his hands over his eyes Ryan shook his head," It's not mine. I found someone in the park. she"
"Ryan?" Maria called as she poked her head out of the door, "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you would want an update." Without so much as a backward glance Ryan quickly walked back into the room.
"What. is she.is she going to be ok?" Was all Ryan could manage as he looked past Maria at the patient lying unmoving on the bed. "Ryan. I had to call the police. and they are going to want to ask you some questions." "Of course." Ryan nodded," Her parents must be frantic. poor kid." "Ryan. I agree that somewhere her parents are probably worried, but she is no kid. from the tests and examine we did she is in her approximately in her late twenties. her injuries are bad, but I think if it was as case of broken bones and bruises she would heal. but." Sensing the hesitation coming from Maria, Ryan finished her sentence, " But, she was raped wasn't she?"
Nodding in affirmative Maria took a deep breath. Ryan began to shake in fury," Son of a." His loud outburst was interrupted by a moan from the bed. Quickly both Maria and Ryan ran over to the girl. Ryan reached for her hand and waited patiently for the girl's. no woman's he silently corrected himself, eyes to open. Opening her eyes as much as she could, the woman looked from Maria to Ryan.
Moaning softly she tried to ask. the questions that were racing through her head.. Who were these people? Where was she? Who was she?
Seeing panic and tears fill the young woman's eyes, Maria quickly stepped forward. "Miss. can you hear me. you are going to be fine. your in the hospital, I am Dr. Grey and this Mr. Ryan Lavery. He is the one who found you and brought you here."
Letting this information be absorbed, Ryan quickly gave he hand a reassuring squeeze. "Sweetheart? Can you tell us your name?"
Name? What was her name? Terror began to build, and the girl started trying to drag deep breaths into her aching body to calm herself. "Calm down. it's ok. no one is going to hurt you. You are safe here, I promise," Maria reassured her patient gently.
"My name. " She quietly whispered," I don't know my name.' As if the omission had drained every last bit of energy from her she let herself be sucked back into the oblivion of darkness.
Ryan looked up at Maria in alarm. Quickly checking the woman's pulse, Maria reassured Ryan, "Don't worry . it seems like she just fainted. "Maria. what do we do? If she doesn't remember her name?" Ryan asked never taking his eyes of the unconscious girl.
"Give her time. I am going to make arrangements for her to be admitted." Maria walked out of the room and went to arrange the transfer. Brushing the hair away from her face, Ryan made a silent vow. He would help her find out who she was and if it was within his power he would find the people that had done this, and they would pay.
Bending down to stretch Ryan once again tried to block out thoughts of Kendall and Greenlee. Both were part of his past, and both most definitely would cause him nothing but trouble. Looking around Ryan began to enjoy the peace in quiet of the park around him. Taking a seat on the bench he tried to sort out the jumbled thoughts in his head.
Kendall was right. When they kissed he had felt something. He just wasn't sure he wanted to explore exactly what he had felt. Leaning forward, Ryan tried to pull his mind from the woman who had once been his fiancée
Suddenly, a moan came from the bushes behind him. " What the.?" Ryan jumped up and began to look through the thick row of shrubs behind him.
That was when he saw her. It was hard to tell exactly how old she was, but from the length of her long curly brown hair, he knew with out a doubt that he was staring at a female. Bending over her, he slowly reached down to check to turn the girl's face towards him, his heart pounding in his ears, hoping against hope he wouldn't recognize the face he was about to see. The most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen suddenly opened with fear, and a shaky hand reached up and touched his cheek. A wave of relief flooded him. He didn't recognize her, but still a feeling of deep protectiveness filled him. "Angel." was the only thing the girl said as her eyes closed again. "Shit!" Ryan exclaimed, " Hold on sweetheart. I am gonna get you help. Pulling off his sweatshirt Ryan covered the girl and pulled his cell out of his pocket. Quickly dialing 911, he could hear the worry in is voice as he directed the operator to his location. "She's unconscious. no I don't know how long. She's been beaten pretty badly. I don't know her age. look just get someone here!" Putting his arms beneath the girl's bruised and bloody legs he picked her up and cradled her next to his chest trying to put some warmth back into her body. From the slight weight of her he would have thought she was a child, but now holding her lush body next to his Ryan knew for a fact that his girl was indeed a woman, and for some reason he still felt protective of her.
Hearing the sounds of sirens getting closer Ryan stood up holding his precious burden tightly in his arms. The driver of the ambulance ran over to Ryan and tried to take the girl from his arms, but Ryan refused. "Just get me to the hospital with her." Ryan snapped as he walked to the back of the ambulance. Seeing the determined look in Ryan's eyes the tech knew better than to argue. Hoping in the waiting ambulance, Ryan allowed the other tech to check the girl's vitals and answered the few questions he could. Arriving in the emergency room, Ryan carried her over to the cubicle they had pointed him to and gently laid her down on the gurney. "Ryan. what's happened?" Looking up into the familiar eyes of Maria Gray Ryan shook his head and looked down at the unconscious girl. "I was jogging when I found her, she's so little Maria, you have to help her." Maria stared down at the bruised and bloody little body, and quickly went to work ordering nurses to take blood, send for x-rays, and start cleaning the girls' wounds. "Ryan, it would be much better if you would leave. for a minute." "No. she needs me. I can't leave." "You know her?" "No. but she needs me. I can't leave her alone. she." Gently Maria placed her hand on Ryan's arm," Ryan, go outside and wait. you can do nothing for her right now. I'll get you as soon as she wakes or as soon as I know something." Nodding silently, Ryan quickly squeezed the girl's hand and left the room.
Maria turned back to her patient and said a quick prayer. Someone had wanted to hurt this girl, and they had succeeded. There were cuts and scratches over most of her body. Both eyes were still in the process of swelling shut, and her face was an assortment of blues, blacks, and purples. Noting the state of the girl's clothing, she briskly ordered a rape kit. Who would do this? Who could do this to such an innocent looking girl? Putting aside her feelings Maria let the professional take over.
Ryan paced the lobby staring at the door to the room he has left over thirty minutes ago. "Ryan?" He turned to find himself staring into Kendall's worried eyes. Though they had parted in anger after their brief impulsive kiss, she had obviously put those feelings aside when she had seen him standing there. Aidan walked up behind her and put an arm around her waist. "Lavery? What's happened? You've got blood all over you?" Ryan looked down, and grimaced at the blood covering his shirt. blood. her blood. Rubbing his hands over his eyes Ryan shook his head," It's not mine. I found someone in the park. she"
"Ryan?" Maria called as she poked her head out of the door, "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you would want an update." Without so much as a backward glance Ryan quickly walked back into the room.
"What. is she.is she going to be ok?" Was all Ryan could manage as he looked past Maria at the patient lying unmoving on the bed. "Ryan. I had to call the police. and they are going to want to ask you some questions." "Of course." Ryan nodded," Her parents must be frantic. poor kid." "Ryan. I agree that somewhere her parents are probably worried, but she is no kid. from the tests and examine we did she is in her approximately in her late twenties. her injuries are bad, but I think if it was as case of broken bones and bruises she would heal. but." Sensing the hesitation coming from Maria, Ryan finished her sentence, " But, she was raped wasn't she?"
Nodding in affirmative Maria took a deep breath. Ryan began to shake in fury," Son of a." His loud outburst was interrupted by a moan from the bed. Quickly both Maria and Ryan ran over to the girl. Ryan reached for her hand and waited patiently for the girl's. no woman's he silently corrected himself, eyes to open. Opening her eyes as much as she could, the woman looked from Maria to Ryan.
Moaning softly she tried to ask. the questions that were racing through her head.. Who were these people? Where was she? Who was she?
Seeing panic and tears fill the young woman's eyes, Maria quickly stepped forward. "Miss. can you hear me. you are going to be fine. your in the hospital, I am Dr. Grey and this Mr. Ryan Lavery. He is the one who found you and brought you here."
Letting this information be absorbed, Ryan quickly gave he hand a reassuring squeeze. "Sweetheart? Can you tell us your name?"
Name? What was her name? Terror began to build, and the girl started trying to drag deep breaths into her aching body to calm herself. "Calm down. it's ok. no one is going to hurt you. You are safe here, I promise," Maria reassured her patient gently.
"My name. " She quietly whispered," I don't know my name.' As if the omission had drained every last bit of energy from her she let herself be sucked back into the oblivion of darkness.
Ryan looked up at Maria in alarm. Quickly checking the woman's pulse, Maria reassured Ryan, "Don't worry . it seems like she just fainted. "Maria. what do we do? If she doesn't remember her name?" Ryan asked never taking his eyes of the unconscious girl.
"Give her time. I am going to make arrangements for her to be admitted." Maria walked out of the room and went to arrange the transfer. Brushing the hair away from her face, Ryan made a silent vow. He would help her find out who she was and if it was within his power he would find the people that had done this, and they would pay.