Beep. Beep.
She was awake. She thinks, anyway. Her eyes weren't open, but she could hear the slight beep noise and a fragrance of vanilla. Ally wasn't sure where she was, or who she was with, but she knew she'd have to open her eyes to find out. Slowly, slowly she fluttered her eyelids open, to see a white ceiling and a slight pain in her head, ribs, and arm. She looked down to find an IV in her wrist, which was attached to an EKG. She squinted at the bright light, before it seemed to focus on her pupils, and she looked around. It was definitely a hospital, and the smell of vanilla was more of latex. She tried to sit up, then fell back down to the bed again. Moving? Not a great idea. She looked over to her left to find an Austin reading a magazine, not paying any attention. A vampire could've flew in the window and he wouldn't have noticed. She tried to tilt her head and it made a popping noise, and she moaned and decided she'd stay put. Fortunately, Austin heard her and looked up.
"Ally?! You're okay!" he said, hopping up from his chair to be at her bedside.
"Kind of…what happened?" she said, squinting her eyes again.
"I should be asking you that. I got a call at eight saying that you had stumbled into a coffee shop and fainted in the barista's hands. Apparently, you have a concussion, two cracked ribs, and I'd stay off your ankle for a while," he said, gently taking a seat on her bed.
"Why do my neck and back hurt so much?" she said, then remembered. He had thrown her against the wall. "Nevermind."
"Ally, what happened?"
She hadn't planned on telling him, really. It's just… one look into those eyes, and she spilled. Everything. He clenched his fists and groaned.
"If I ever see that guy again, I'm going to kick him in a place God meant for guys to be treated nicely at," he said, gritting his teeth together.
"I already took care of that," Ally said. "That's how I got away."
He gave her a soft smile and covered her hand with his. She patted the edge of the hospital bed, and he knew exactly what she was gesturing to. He gently climbed on the hospital bed, wrapping his left arm around her. She still felt an ounce of security just by being near him.
"Austin," she murmured, quietly.
"Hm?"
"Why do you keep doing this?" she asked, looking up at him. "I can handle this myself."
"I know you can. But I'm not going to let you," he said, breathing in her scent of cinnamon. She gave him a puzzled look.
"Why?" she asked, tightening her grip on his hand. He smiled.
"I have my reasons. I'll tell you later," he said, as she drifted into sleep on his chest.
After being released from the hospital, she walked into Clef, hand-in-hand with Austin. She gulped and tried to stay calm.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Austin asked, calm.
"What else can I do?" she asked, clinging onto him.
They knocked on Mr. Smith's door, and he answered with a mischievous smirk. "Well, if it isn't whore and her little boyfriend."
"Save it, Smith. I have visible camera evidence from the security tapes in the corridor to the ones in the coffee shop. We may not have gotten you on a rape charge, but we damn well can get you on an assault charge," Austin mouthed, stepping in front of Ally. "And swear on my life, if you hurt her again, I will not hesitate to hurt you."
"I'm really scared of a pre-puberty pop star," Smith said, rolling his eyes. "And as for you, Kitten," he said, pointing to Ally, "Meet Hugo."
A large, round-shaped bodyguard came out. He gripped Ally's arms together.
"What the hell, Smith?" Austin said, feeling his arms be pinned as well.
"As of now, Miss Dawson, you're under a 2 week suspension. Please take them out, Hugo."
She struggled, and when the reached the main centre, she screamed.
"You raped me! Greyson Smith raped me, and his stupid lawers will stop at nothing to protect him! He preys on young girls who just want to have an actual career!"
Hugo tried to pull her, and she pushed him off. "Don't touch me! Nobody at this office has permission to touch me, and definitely no one that works for him can touch me!"
Several people gave Smith scornful looks, and Ally ran out of the office. Austin shot a glare at Smith and ran off, trying to find her.
She sat on the ground outside of the office, sobbing into her hands. She heard a distant patter of footsteps.
"Go away, Austin."
Instead, she heard a much softer, more feminine voice.
"Are you Miss Ally Dawson?" she asked, and Ally lifted her head up and nodded.
"Come with me," the girl said, leading her to the same coffee shop. Ally reluctantly followed.
"What's this about?" she asked, wiping her eyes.
"I know how you can get Mr. Smith convicted," she said, quietly.
"What?! How?"
"I've been in your shoes before…but I never actually got enough courage to go forward with it. Look," she said, handing Ally security tapes. Ally gave her a puzzled look.
"I work in the security area. These tapes have everything that happened that night on them. Both rape, and assault. I would've come to you sooner, but I didn't know how," she said, sliding the tapes over. Ally's mouth grew in shock.
"I don't know what to say…thank you, I.."
"Don't say anything. Just make sure he doesn't get away," she said.
"I never caught your name, what was it?"
"Jennifer Drew," she said, before slipping out the door.
Ally paused. That name sounded familiar. Then, it hit her like a pound of bricks. That was the girl who filed the sexual assault charge on Smith three years ago.
"Ally! Are you okay?" Austin said, running into the coffee shop. She smiled, fiddling with the tapes in her hand.
"I am now."