Chapter 10
At Megan's apartment Charlie has just hung up from speaking with Don.
"Don's sending an ambulance and agents."
Larry shakes his head as he suddenly and with determination stands still holding Megan tightly in his arms.
"No."
Larry starts to move but Amita blocks his path.
"What do you mean, no? Larry, she needs to go to the hospital you both do!'
"And she will but not by way of some cold unfeeling ambulance attendants and not with her fellow agents gawking at her! She has been violated enough! I'm not letting her co workers see her like this and I am certainly not letting a couple of EMT's who could very easily be men anywhere near her! Now get the hell out of my way!"
Amita is clearly startled by his fury but re groups quickly.
"But what if she's not comfortable with you touching her either? Larry, some rape victims don't even want male family members touching them. You may be doing her harm right now!"
This brings Larry up short he gazes down at Megan's face worriedly and speaks softly.
"You know, I love you and I'd never hurt you. You know, I only want to help you and protect you, right?"
Amita sighs feeling guilty for causing Larry more distress.
"Of course she knows it but that doesn't mean she's going to feel comfortable with you touching her and I just think…"
Larry shakes his head having regrouped.
"Amita, if I knew for sure that female EMT's were coming and if the agents weren't going to get a glance at her like this I would wait. And, yes, I realize she may not want even me touching her. However I do believe that a man she knows loves her and only wants to help her taking her to the ER will be far less traumatic then men she's never met before taking her. This is simply the lesser of the two evils."
"Okay… But let us help you, please?"
Amita grabs a blanket from the couch and tries to cover Megan with it.
"Thank you."
Larry then looks over at Charlie suddenly looking vulnerable.
"Charles, I…"
Charlie nods as he heads for the door.
"I'll drive! Amita, call Don and tell him we're going on to the hospital!
Amita nods pulling out her cell phone as the group leaves.
oooOooo
Alan is pacing around the living room checking and re checking his watch.
"Don, said he'd be right over, I don't know why he isn't here yet."
Millie smiles at him patiently.
"Perhaps he has better things to do then go chasing down a harmless prank phone call."
Alan looks at her questioningly.
"This really doesn't bother you?"
Millie sighs and shakes her head.
"Well, obviously it is rather unsettling, but I'm not willing to panic every time something unsettling happens. Part of healing for me was reclaiming my peace of mind. And I'm not giving it up."
Alan smiles and shakes his head.
"Well, as soon as I talk to Don you can help me find mine."
Millie smiles.
"Deal."
Just then the phone rings Alan grabs it quickly.
"Don?!"
"Yeah, Dad listen. I'm not going to be able to come over, something's happened."
Alan can here the obvious strain in his son's voice and at once becomes concerned.
"Donnie, what is it? What's happened? Are you okay? Is Charlie okay?"
Millie comes over to Alan's side and places a calming hand on his arm.
"Yeah, yeah we're fine Dad. It's…It's Megan."
"What about Megan?"
Don takes a deep breath barely able to control his raging emotions.
"We underestimated Ray, Dad. He raped her."
oooOooo
At the hospital two nurses and three orderlies are trying with out success to get Megan from Larry who is holding her to his chest like his life depends on it.
"Get those men away from her!"
"Sir, they aren't going to hurt her we just…"
"She is a rape victim and until she can tell us that she's okay with having a man besides me around her I'm not allowing it!"
The other nurse jumps in trying to help.
"No male doctors will examine her sir you have my word. But we do need to check her over and we'll need someone to look at your head. You could have a concussion."
"I'm fine! The stars and planets will disintegrate before I leave her alone! She is defenseless can't you see that?!"
The nurses look pleadingly at Charlie and Amita who are looking around uncertain of what to do. Charlie finally steps forward.
"Larry, if you have a concussion then you have a statistically better chance of protecting her if you have it taken care of. You are not going to be able to help her if you're injured. And with out treatment a concussion can worsen."
Amita jumps in then hoping to help.
"And you certainly wouldn't want to add to Megan's worries by allowing your injury to go untreated."
Larry is in tears as he clutches Megan tightly.
"I just…I just don't want her to be alone or scared."
Amita nods sympathetically.
"I can stay with her, okay?"
She looks at one of the nurses for conformation who gives her a grateful smile.
"Yes, yes you can stay with her."
"You won't let her out of your sight? You'll stay right with her?"
"You have my word."
"And you won't let any male doctors examine her?"
"No."
"Come on Laurence, the sooner you get patched up the sooner you can get back to her."
The two nurses have ushered the male orderlies away and are now standing with a gurney ready to take Megan into an exam room.
"Please sir, we really need to check her over."
Larry gently lays Megan down as he places a soft kiss on her forehead. He then looks up at one of the nurses and address her forcefully.
"She is a federal agent who has devoted her life to protecting the people of this country, I expect her to be treated with the respect due her."
The nurse nods her understanding as Charlie and Amita exchange amused looks at Larry's tough and protective attitude. Larry turns back to Amita still holding Megan's hand.
"Amita, Megan isn't used to being helpless…"
Amita nods stepping over and gently taking Megan's hand from Larry and gives it a squeeze as she looks at Larry reassuringly.
"She won't be helpless for long. And until she isn't she won't be left alone."
Larry nods as the other nurse pulls on Larry gently.
"Sir, we really need to get your head looked at"
Charlie wraps his arm around Larry's shoulders.
"I'll come with you."
Larry reluctantly allows Charlie and the nurse to lead him away as Amita and the other nurse take Megan to be examined.
oooOooo
David and Colby are walking through Megan's apartment as CSI and about a dozen agents scower the place.
"So Fleinhardt took Megan to the hospital himself, huh?"
David nods grimly as he looks around.
"Yeah, I think he's trying to protect her as much as he can. He apparently saw everything."
David examines the chair where Larry was tied with disgust. Colby nods bending down to get a look at some scuff marks on the floor.
"Can't even imagine how that must've felt."
Colby shakes his head David sighs as he looks around.
"All the more reason to get this guy."
"Yeah, then hopefully get him put in a cell where some guy will give him a taste of his own medicine."
Don comes over looking grimly at them.
"Yeah well let's just focus on catching him for now, because until we do we have a whole bunch of potential victims to worry about."
David and Colby look confused.
"Okay, look, Millie fired him so he's got a reason to go after her and she's already received one rather ominous phone call. Amita helped prove those pictures were forgeries and is friends with both Larry and Megan. And Charlie is Larry's best friend. Which means right now none of them are safe.