The blinding light that Brittany woke to was so harsh, she was forced to close her eyes again. She suddenly felt something press on her hand. Her eyes flew open, ignoring the harsh light and looked around. She caught a glimpse of long dark hair as someone moved out of her line of sight. Before she could move she heard a voice calling out to someone.
"Come on. She's awake." Then the person appeared back in her sight. It was Santana.
"Santana?" Brittany whispered. She didn't trust her voice yet. For the past year, she had not spoken much and when she had it had either been a whisper or a scream of pain.
"Yeah. It's me. How are you feeling? We've missed you so much. We've been out looking for you everyday since you left." Santana was beginning to babble when a blonde head appeared. Quinn.
"San, shut up and let the poor girl speak." Quinn scolded, slapping Santana playfully on her arm.
"Sorry, Q. I got carried away." Brittany watched the small exchange in silence. She got the feeling there was something more than friendship between her two friends but she didn't want to ask yet so instead she asked the only other question on her mind.
"Where's Sam? Is he okay?"
"Sam? You mean the blonde guy that was found with you?" Quinn asked. Brittany nodded.
"He's in the room next door. Apparently he's completely exhausted still. Not that I blame him. The police told us that he carried you out from somewhere in that house even though he was practically passed out himself from beating up one of your captors." Santana told her.
"He saved me?" Brittany asked. She had thought that Sam would leave to find help and then come back for her.
"Yep. Although the police are kind of confused because the doctors found traces of his DNA in, er…" Quinn went red and seemed to be unable to continue her sentence. Brittany immediately knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah. They forced us to sleep together. They threatened to kill his little sister and I was already so used to the abuse there was nothing for me to fight for." Quinn and Santana listened to their friend telling them about her experience in shock. How could she be so calm about this. She had just spent a whole year being beaten and raped and she just blew it off like it was nothing?
"Uh, San can I talk to you outside? I think Britt's parents want to see her too." The two girls left, leaving behind a very confused Brittany. Her parents came rushing in a few moments later and showered her with kisses.
"Brittany, we've missed you so much. I'm so glad you're safe." her mother gushed.
"I'm glad to be back too. I'd almost given up hope." Brittany told her mum, tears forming in her eyes as she hugged her mother.
"Never give up hope. We spent every day searching for you, hoping against hope that we would find you alive and well." her father told her.
"How long was I asleep?" Brittany asked, Santana's comment about Sam still being tired ran through her head again.
"Two days. We've been talking to the young boy you were rescued with and he was telling us about how those men threw you around like a rag doll." it was a statement but Brittany could hear the question in her mother's voice. She looked around and tried to sit up. Her father rushed to help her, putting pillows behind her to prop her up. She felt the scars on her back as she leant against the pillow and winced.
"Yeah, they were petty violent but I kind of just held on to the tiny shred of hope I had left." Brittany told them. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and a police officer poked his head inside.
"I'm sorry but I need to talk to Miss Pierce. I know she has only just woken but we need to get details to go any further in the case." Mrs. Pierce nodded and wiped her eyes. Then she and her husband left, promising to be back later. The officer sat in the chair by Brittany's bed.
"Alright, can you tell me exactly what happened, starting from the day you were taken?" he asked. Brittany nodded and began her tale, giving details where she could remember.