Part of Rita's Four Seasons fic for the lovely anon that requested it! Written with totti10 (flashingbluelight), beautyofthend (chloehowman), and read-a-holic17 (casualtyfan)
We all hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as we loved writing it. Would love to hear your thoughts!
If you haven't already read it, totti10 has written Autumn. To get to it, replace the numbers after the '/s/' with 11924792/1/
A, G, T, & M xxx
Trigger Warnings for: domestic abuse, rape, self-harm, suicide attempt.
Winter seemed to sneak up on the short brunette woman. The cold had gradually begun to set in, but the bleak, dark, hopeless nights had appeared seemingly out of no where.
Rita ran a hand through her hair, sighing as she examined the latest bruise to her face. She picked up her concealer from the side of the sink and applied it gently, covering the green and black mark on her cheek. A pair of arms slipped her around her waist and she stiffened, ice cold fear flowing through her.
"Hey baby."
"Hey Mark."
"You are soooooo beautiful babe." Mark stroked the side of her face and smiled at her in the mirror.
Rita smiled back, gripping the side of the sink hard to stop herself from shaking.
"Mm you smell good." The stench of whiskey burnt Rita's nose as the grip around her waist tightened.
Mark spun her around quickly her back hitting the edge of the sink hard. Rita gasped in pain as his lips crashed on to hers. The brunette let herself go limp as Mark ripped of the jeans she'd put on moments ago. She waited until he'd finished and dropped her unceromoniously to the floor, leaving to find his whiskey bottle again, before letting the tears slip down her face. Is that what her marriage had been reduced to? Beatings and rape? Where had it gone so wrong? What had SHE done so wrong?
She picked herself up off the floor again, putting her jeans back on again and fixing her make up.
"I'm going to work!" she called, passing through the living room. No reply came, and she sighed, leaving the desolate house behind her.
Snow flakes began to fall gracefully, dancing around the petite brunette. She ignored them, pulling her jacket around her ever thinning frame a little tighter. It was a long hike to the hospital from her house, but she didn't care. It was nice to clear her head. She needed the time to prepare herself for seeing her collegues.
…
"Hey Rita!" Rita spun round as her collegue caught up.
"Hey Jen, what's up?"
"Me and the girls were wondering if you wanted to come for a drink? It was a pretty hellish shift after all."
"Nah, you're alright. I need to get home really. Thanks anyway though."
"Oh come on Rita. I can't remember the last time you joined us! Just one drink. It'll be a quick one I promise."
"I'm really sorry Jen…"
"Alright. Next time though yeah?"
"Yeah… sure."
"See you tomorrow then!"
"See ya."
The snow had been falling thick and fast for the last two hours, and had reached ankle height. Sighing, Rita pulled her phone from her pocket and phoned a taxi, looking up at the starless night sky. It took twenty minutes for the taxi to reach the ED entrance, and another forty five minutes for them to reach Rita's house. She handed the driver the fare and a tip, before climbing out of the cab. She entered the house and was instantly greeted with a very drunk Mark.
"There she is! Where'd you go baby?" He drawled.
"Work. I told you I was going." Rita made straight for the drinks cabinet and pulled the vodka bottle from it. She poured herself a large glass and downed it in one, wincing as the liquid burnt her throat, before pouring another.
"Come and sitty down next to me."
Obediantely, Rita joined her husband on the couch.
"How was your shift nursey?"
"Awful. But it's the ED. What's new?"
"Awww poor nursey. Y'know whattd cheer yooooou up? A good f'kin."
"I'm not in the mood Mark."
"But it's your duty to sa'isfy me." Mark growled, grabbing Rita's wrist.
"Mark-"
"Sex is the only thing you're good at. You're not gonna disappoint me with that as well are you?"
Mark knocked the glass from her hand, letting it smash onto the floor, dragging Rita through to the bedroom. The young nurse struggled in his grasp, but her struggles were feeble. She knew it was futile. Her husband threw her through the door before him, Rita wincing as the carpet burnt her forearm as she skidded. He was on top of her in seconds. He ripped at her clothing, casting it aside, stopping once he'd revealed Rita's naked body. The young woman trembled as the cold hit her, her eyes looking anywhere but at her husband.
"Look at me." He growled. Rita fixed her eyes on the wall.
"Look. At. Me." He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him.
"Y'know, I'm the only man who's ever going to love you. No-one else would put up with your shit. You're not even that good in the sack. And God knows you're far from beautiful."
Rita whimpered as his grip tightened.
"I'm not in the mood anymore." He dropped Rita to the floor and left her there. She waited until she heard the front door slam shut before sobbing into the carpet. She sobbed for twenty minutes before picking herself up off the floor and redressed. She made her way to the front door, but found it locked. No matter how hard she looked she couldn't find her keys anywhere. Sighing, she grabbed the vodka bottle she'd left on the side and collapsed on the couch.
She'd finished three quarters of the bottle before Mark came back. The door slammed shit with such a force that the house shook.
"I KNEW IT YOU WHORE!" He screamed, dragging her off the couch by her hair. The vodka bottle shattered as it the floor, bits of glass sinking into the blonde's legs as she was dragged across the floor.
"I RAN INTO JEN AT THE PUB. SHE'S TOLD ME EVERYTHING!"
"Mark I don't know what you're talking about. Please let go." Rita sobbed as they stopped outside the door that led to the basement. Terror filled her chest as she realised what was about to happen.
"Mark no. Please. PLEASE. Not in there. Please!"
"This is were skanky whores sleep."
"Mark what're you talking about it?"
"I KNOW YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH DR HIDER!"
"What? You're being ridiculous!"
"Jen says he's the only one you spend time with these days. What other reason could there be?"
Mark unlocked the door and dragged Rita down the steps. He tossed her to the concrete floor and the blonde woman cried out as her head smacked painfully on the floor.
"You're a scank Rita. You'll pay for this."
…
It was two days before Mark came down to the basement again. Rita was curled up in the corner, deep black bags under her eyes. She trembled as she heard his footsteps come down the wooden stairs. The basement was freezing cold and the thin clothes she was wearing did little to help. Mark was carrying a bottle of water and a plate as he sat down in front of his wife. She looked down at her bare feet.
"You made me do this Rita." He shook his head pitifully at her, "If you hadn't have slept with your boss I wouldn't have to do this."
"I didn't Mark. I swear. You've got the wrong end of the stick."
"Don't lie to me Rita." He spat.
"I'm not. You said it yourself, nobody else even looks twice at me. Without you I'd be alone."
Mark unscrewed the cap on the water bottle and handed it to her. Rita all but snatched it out of his hand and finished it in seconds, letting out a sigh of relief as her aching throat was soothed.
"So you never slept with him?" Mark asked, handing her the plate.
Rita shook her head as she tore it into the sandwich like an animal, devouring it quickly. Mark stroked the side of her face, and Rita stiffened in fear.
"I don't believe you. Clearly you need to spend a bit longer down here to get you to be honest with me."
"No Mark. Please don't leave me down here any longer."
"You should have thought of that before you slept with your doctor friend."
"I didn't. I swear I didn't. Please Mark. You're the only man I want."
"Words are cheap."
"Then let me show you. I'll prove to you that it's only you. Forever."
"You think I want to lay a finger on a cheap slut like you? You made me do this Rita. Now you can spend the time reflecting on that."
Mark got to his feet and made for the stairs. Rita went after him, stumbling slightly. She grabbed his arm as he started to climb the stairs.
"Don't leave me here Mark. I need you. I miss you. Please."
"You should have thought of that before hopping into his bed."
Mark shoved her, causing her to collapse in a heap on the icy basement floor. He quickly ascended the stairs, leaving his wife sobbing as he locked the door.
"Mark please!" She cried, "Don't leave me here!"
"MARK!"