A/N: We often forget when rape occurs inside a marriage it isn't only the victim's trust that is violated, the conversation between Frank and Roland later in this chapter is meant to touch on that.

Frank saw her hiding the minute he walked in the room. Two nurses were trying to get her to come out and lie down but she wasn't listening to them, just crying silently and rocking back and forth. Frank moved right next to her, he knew she'd respond to him, "Hey, Beautiful."

She instantly moved towards him trying to get away from the nurses

"I'm going to help you move because I know you're hurting really bad, okay?" Frank said gently. He'd never seen a rape victim before, but she looked like POW, and that recovery was about getting control back, he assumed so was this.

She nodded and let him help her back to the hospital bed, she lay down but grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go.

"I'm not going to leave you, Dee," Frank said holding her hand. "You're coming home with me and I am never going to leave you again. No more hotels, okay, Baby?"

"Okay," she whispered, and then suddenly began to cry.

"Oh, Dee," he said gently. "Tell me, Baby, please."

"I'm sorry Frank, I'm sorry I let this happen," she cried.

"Oh, Denise, honey, you didn't let this happen, okay?" he said soothing her with his hand on her hair. "When I get you home you'll tell me what happened, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, she was tired and her voice was weak.

"Can I hold you?" he asked wanting nothing more than to cradle her to him and rock her to sleep like he'd done so many times before when she's been sad or frightened.

She nodded; she needed the comfort of his arms more than she ever had.

He was gentle as he took her into his arms and held her, swaying to and fro, keeping her calm, but soon Michael and Claudia Joy appeared and the peace was shattered.

"Oh my God, Denise! Sweetie, are you alright?" Claudia Joy asked rushing in the room not thinking straight.

Denise heard a voice that was not Frank's, smelled a scent that was not Frank's, and felt a touch that was not Frank's and tried to crawl away from it. She shrieked as she did this, and then cried out of pain when her ribs hit the bedrail. "Don't touch me!" she cried and hid her face in Frank's chest.

Claudia Joy jumped back quickly, she looked at Frank and mouthed "I'm sorry" as he tried to comfort Denise, who was now hysterical.

"What's wrong with her?" Michael asked. He was shocked at the reaction.

Frank rubbed her hair and kissed it, "She's just in shock."

Michael saw what Frank was doing and moved closer, he reached to touch her back lightly, "We're going to keep you safe, Denise."

She jumped at Michael's touch and held on to Frank for dear life.

Michael backed off, "Frank, a moment?" he asked nodding for him to follow.

"I will be right back honey," he said and laid her down on the hospital bed and walked out to where Michael was standing.

"What are you going to do with her?" Michael asked. "She can't stay alone like this."

"She isn't, she is coming back home with me, I'm not letting her stay alone," Frank replied.

"We have MRX evals tomorrow and the next day," Michael reminded him. "An all day affair."

Frank sighed. "That's right, I forgot about that, I will figure something out," he said.

"We'll go. Roland Burton's going to meet you at your place," Michael told Frank. "He can help you with her."

"Okay, I will see you tomorrow," Frank said and went back inside to Denise.

They released Denise an hour later, she and Frank were in the car, but she hadn't said a word since they left the hospital. She just held his hand tightly and faced the windshield. When they got home, Roland's car was sitting in the driveway; he got out when he saw them. Frank acknowledged him then went to help Denise out of the car since she was so sore.

Denise started moving with Frank, but the minute she saw Roland she dropped to the ground and covered her face with her arms.

Frank knelt down beside of her and put an arm around her, "It's okay, it's just Roland, he just wants to talk, I'm right here, he isn't going to hurt you," he soothed.

"Don't hurt me," she said rocking herself back and forth. "Don't hurt me; I'll do whatever you want. Don't hurt me, please.

"Ssh, it's okay baby. Nobody is going to hurt you," he said quietly. "Let's go inside okay? It's alright. I am right beside you," he said and tried to get her to stand with him.

She whimpered a bit but did let him lead her to the house. Roland moved back out of sight until Frank had Denise inside, then he went to their door and signaled Frank he was there.

"Okay, it's alright Denise, Roland just wants to talk to you, I'm right beside of you," he said and signaled Roland to come inside.

Denise leaned to whisper in Frank's ear, "I don't want to talk to him."

"Okay, you don't have to, he just wants to check on you," he soothed trying to get her not to be scared but it wasn't working

"I want to go to our room. You talk to him," she said still whispering to him.

"Okay you go lay down, I will be there in a little bit to check on you," he said, he didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready.

Denise made Frank walk her to their room. He set her on the bed and went to talk to Roland. He needed a drink, "Single Malt?" he asked the doctor.

"Sure," Roland replied "She say anything about what happened?" he asked taking the drink Frank gave to him.

"No," Frank shook his head. "She only said she told "them" no and begs me not to "let them hurt" her. Doc says she was raped, and that she didn't put up much of a fight."

"Some victims don't," Roland replied. "Some victims go into survival mode, if I do it, they'll go away so they lay there and let it happen. It doesn't mean she wanted it to happen."

"I know that," Frank said taking a sip of his drink.

"I know you know that, Frank, but going forward it's important to make sure she knows you know that," Roland said. "Denise is going to feel a lot of anger, fear, and unfortunately shame so it's crucial that the people she let's get close to her don't enhance those feelings even unintentionally."

Frank nodded, "She was attacked like an animal. How on earth can she be ashamed of herself for that?"

"I don't know, we don't know, Frank, until we are violated like that, we don't know," Roland explained. "And in essence you were raped too so you are going to feel the same anger, the same rage, the same humiliation Denise does, and it's important that you feel those things and talk about them with anyone but Denise unless she asks you to that is very important Frank."

"What do I do? I want to just hold her close and keep her close, but she's so frightened. I've never seen her like this," Frank confessed. "And I'm angry, I don't want her to think it's at her, but I'm so pissed at the son of a..."

"Calm down," Roland ordered heading Frank's temper off at the pass. "Like it or not right now you are the only thing she equates with being safe and anger or rage even directed properly will diminish her ability to feel secure," Roland replied. "It's like with a baby, if you are nervous, so are they, and she's likely to transfer your anger from her attacker to herself and withdraw from you and right now you are the only link she has to safety."

Frank nodded again, "I get that, and I appreciate the advice. What scares me is keeps saying "them" not him, them," Frank said sitting down. "She's even afraid of Claudia Joy."

"So more than likely it was more than one, it's normal for her to be scared male or female, she will eventually get through that," he said calmly. "Just carry on like we talked about, be there for her, listen to her, talk when she asks you to talk and call me for anything day or night. Do you want me to try and talk to her before I go?" Roland asked

"I don't think so," Frank said. "Come by tomorrow, maybe she'll feel better then."

"Okay I will see you then, thanks for the drink," he said then headed for the door.