Thanks to every one who reviewed means a lot to me well here is the third chapter.
"I... I want to"
"Are you sure?" Rigsby asked concerned, he didn't want to push Grace.
"Yes I'm sure" Grace said taking another deep breath and preparing herself for what she was going to tell Rigsby. She had never spoken to any one about what had happened, other than the small details she gave the police; she had even rarely spoken about it with her parents.
"My best friend Violet, her dad was in the drug world, and apparently he crosses this big time crook. We were going home after the end of a party my boyfriend at the time was supposed to pick me up but he couldn't so Violet said shed drive me home. I wasn't feeling so good so I laid down in the back of the car. The party had been out of town so it was about a thirty minute drive, apparently we were about fifteen minutes from home when a parked car that looked like a cop car pulled Violet over and asked her to step out of the car for a breathalyzer" Grace paused for a moment and looked at Rigsby for reassurance to continue.
"Keep going, it's okay" Rigsby said.
"As soon as she stepped out of the car they grabbed her and began dragging her away. Her screams woke me up and I saw them dragging her away, I don't know why but I ran after them and tried to stop them, it was clear by the looks of their face that they hadn't seen me. I.. I tried to stop them taking her I really did but one of the men hit me and everything went black, I tied as hard as I could." Grace started getting more upset.
"Hey Grace I know you did everything you could, that's who you are that's why you became a cop and that's one of the reasons I love you" Rigsby wished he could take back the last part he hadn't meant to blurt it out. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have..."
"I'm glad you did" Grace leaned in and kissed him it was a similar kiss to before gentle and sweet. "But I can't.."
"I know I Know I don't expect you to"
"Ok" Grace said not knowing if she could continue telling him what happened or if they needed to have a 'relationship talk'. Rigsby sensed that Grace was unsure what to do or say next, he knew they'd have to have the 'relationship talk' at some point but he wanted Grace to finish telling him what happened to her before she closed up again.
"You can keep going Grace"
"Ok. After I woke up in some sort of cabin I was tied and gagged. Violet was tied to a chair. The guy had us for about three days, at first he just kept us there, yelling threats and stuff but then he started asking Violet all these questions about her dad and then he started hurting her trying to get her to answer, but she didn't know anything" Grace took in a shaky breath as she remembered the fear in her friends eyes as she was tortured. "I had to watch him hurt her over and over again, at some point I tried to escape but he caught me and.. and" Grace tried to make the words com up so instead she broke away from Rigsby slightly, Rigsby wondered what she was doing and was about to comment when Grace lifted up the hem of Rigsby's shirt that she was still wearing. Rigsby gasped as he saw large scars that went from her stomach around to her back.
"Are they…?" Rigsby couldn't bring himself to say the words.
"…From a whip?" Grace filled in for him.
"Oh my God! Grace I am so sorry you had to go through that" Rigsby pulled Grace back to his chest kissing her on the forehead. "I'm so sorry" he repeated not believing what Grace had been through, he absentmindedly ran his fingers over one of the scars on the side of her stomach.
"On the third day he left us alone together Violet said that when he came back shed make a distraction so I could escape I told her that she shouldn't and that he'd hurt her but she didn't listen, when he came back she took the chance and ran out the open door, I… I didn't want to run but I just did, I ran to the highway and some locals driving past recognized me and pulled over."
"Oh Grace" Rigsby didn't know what to say and he felt guilty for pushing the subject in the first place.
"Afterwards when the cops went back they found her body" Tears were now streaming down Grace's face as she was remembering the horrors from the traumatic event. "I should have stayed! I shouldn't have left her" Grace tore her self away from Rigsby. "She's dead because of me! She sacrificed her life to save me!" Grace shouted. Rigsby stood up and went to where Grace was standing.
"And now that son of a bitch who killed her is going to walk free" Rigsby reached out to touch Grace's arm but she jerked away from him.
"Grace it wasn't your fault if you had stayed he would have killed you too."
"You don't know that!" Grace sobbed loudly. Rigsby Reached otr to her again this time he place a hand on either side of Grace's shoulders.
"Grace look at me" Grace continued to look away from Rigsby. "Grace" Rigsby said firmer but still kindly Grace gave in and looked at Rigsby.
"Grace it wasn't your fault I want you to understand it wasn't your fault okay?"
"Ok" Grace stuttered. Rigsby then wrapped his arms around her.
"Why don't you go have a shower, and I'll make us some Breakfast?"
"Ok" Rigsby kissed Grace on the forehead before releasing her and watching her disappear up the stairs to his bathroom. Rigsby rubbed his brow trying to wrap his mind around what Grace had told him and the sudden progression made in their relationship. Rigsby headed to the kitchen thinking about what had happened. He felt so sorry for Grace and it made him so angry that she had to go through it. He was glad she had opened up to him it helped him understand her better.
Just as Grace came back down stairs Rigsby served a plate full of pancakes.
"Wow they smell good I didn't know you could cook" Grace said smiling and taking a seat at Rigsby's small table.
"Well when you have my appetite learning to cook is a good idea" Rigsby smiled back also sitting down. The two enjoyed their pancakes and chattered as they ate, Rigsby was happy to see Grace smiling again but he could tell she wasn't exactly herself.
"We should probably go get your car" Rigsby suggested he placed their breakfast dishes in the sink.
"Ok, ah, thanks again for last night" Grace said blushing embarrassed about what had happened. Rigsby just smiled.
"I'll quickly go have a shower and then we can go, the remote to the TV should be on the coffee table"
"Ok thanks" Grace smiled, Rigsby smiled back before placing a soft kiss on Grace's cheek and disappearing up the stairs. Grace watched him as he climbed the stairs and a wide smile spread across her face at the thought of Rigsby in the shower… but it was quickly replaced with darker thoughts. The night before Grace had received a phone call from her old attorney informing her that because of some loop hole the man who had kidnapped her and violet was going to be released from jail in a matter of days. This thought terrified Grace; she didn't know why but for some reason she had the feeling that he would want to tie up loose ends, her being one of those loose ends. Grace felt shivers run down her spine as her kidnappers face flashed through her mind, he had eyes that reminded her of rats, his head was shaved and he had various tattoos of horrid images covering his arms and neck.
Grace grabbed the remote from the coffee table as she tried to shake the thoughts of the creepy man from her mind and she flopped down onto Rigsby's large and very comfortable couch and turned the TV on, she surfed through the channels until she found an old re-run of friends. Despite the effort she made to let herself become absorbed in the episode Grace couldn't stop her mind from wandering, she didn't know what she was going to do in a few days when he was released from prison, to say she was worried was and understatement. She was just glad that she had Rigsby because she knew the next couple of months would be challenging.
At that moment Rigsby came down the stairs and entered the living room, he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt something Grace wasn't used to see him dressed so casually but she had to admit she liked it.
"Ok ready to go?" Rigsby asked interrupting her train of thought
"Yes" Grace said switching off the TV and standing. Rigsby grabbed keys and his wallet from the table and began heading towards the door, Grace followed as they stepped out of the front door Rigsby reached for Grace's hand and intertwined his fingers with his as he led her to the car.
Rigsby watched as Grace pulled out of the parking lot of the pub where Grace's car had been left over night. Grace had invited Rigsby over that night and Rigsby had insisted on her letting him cook her dinner. Rigsby was elated that he would see Grace again that day but he knew that tonight would bring the 'relationship' talk and that made him nervous, he was worried Grace would break it off before it even started.
Ok the next chapter will involve the 'relationship' talk. There will be Jane and Lisbon either in the next chapter or the one after that.
I love feedback from my readers so if there is something you want to see in this fic let me know I cant promise to include it but I will try, that said if there is any other stories youd like to see let me know
P.S. in your personal opinion what do you think traumatic event is Grace experienced??
Thanks for reading xx