I hope that week without an update hasn't killed you guys... onto the chapter...
Chapter 14:
'It's okay Light... I'm not going to leave you... I'm sorry I let that memory slip...'
"They aren't going to touch me again... I won't let them."
'Of course we won't let them touch us again...'
"They aren't going to touch me again... "
Sitting in the chair, the blonde hair doctor just continued to stare at the catatonic half naked girl sitting in the corner of the room. Glancing towards the three orderlies still trying to stand up after the beating they had just been put through.
Looking towards the psychiatrist who had walked back into the room. Holding an ice pack to her jaw. Standing up, the blonde doctor turned to the men and woman who had just been beaten like they were in a school yard again.
"Okay, who wants to tell me what happened here?" The head doctor asked as the brunette psychiatrist lowered the ice pack from her jaw.
"I don't know Rosa. I was talking her through what each sample was, we went from the control to a sample of succinylcholine. A sample that should have lasted five minutes and within thirty seconds she was vomiting, her eyes glazed over, and by the two minute mark she already punched me and started beating the orderlies. I then called you as they tried to restrain her but she eventually crumbled and went into the corner." Yuna said trying to catch the head doctor up on the situation.
As they turned around to look at the once proud woman turn into a terrified girl, head between her legs, hands in her hair as she rocked back and forth in some form of comfort, Yuna spoke up again. "She didn't do it out of malice though... and she suffered some of an allergic reaction. But I think we might have triggered some sort of PTSD episode... or worse a repressed memory." Yuna continued as Rosa took a deep breath.
"Has she made any sort of connections since she started this morning? We can't hinder any more good will with her, and you being injured could hinder her recovery further... and she doesn't trust me." Rosa asked as she turned to face her employee who had a slight look in her eyes as though she didn't want to really mention something. "What is it Yuna?"
"The only person she really interacted with is Vanille... and from what the orderlies who saw them said, and from the brief interaction I had with them... they are hitting it off. But you know how Vanille is around other patients." Yuna said softly before reapplying the ice pack to her jaw.
Taking a deep breath, Rosa pinched her nose as she turned to the head orderly standing up with tufts of tissue paper up his nose to stop the bleeding, the blonde haired doctor just spoke up. "Sazh, can you bring Vanille here. Tell her, her assistance is needed." Rosa said calmly as the dark skinned man just nodded his head as he walked over to the bin and tossed the blood soaked tissues into it.
"On it." The man stated as he quickly walked out of the room.
"I freaking told you Hope. I can be a good girl when I want to be... especially when there is somethin-"
"Vanille, a word." The group could hear as Vanille deflated while sitting at the table. She wasn't sure what this was about, and she could swear that if it was Hope that was laughing, she might just break a rule and punch him there and then.
Taking a deep breath, Vanille looked down into her lap as she began to count to five. Reaching the number, Vanille looked up and spun around in the bench to stare at the orderly standing there. "Sazh I didn't do anything. Whatever anyone told you it is a lie." Vanille said as the man rolled his eyes.
"Not the reasons we need a word. There has been an incident that we can use your help. I'm sure if you come along, Rosa will gladly overlook a single maybe even a few infractions." Sazh spoke as Vanille rolled her eyes and stood up.
Following the man out of the room, Vanille crossed her arms and started to just bite her lip. Actually noticing for the first time the pseudo lock down they were on. That was actually making it far more interesting for her. Even if she was positive this was going to lead her to getting some sort of punishment that she totally didn't deserve. Especially seeing as she even followed the rules.
Stepping into the elevator, Vanille could finally take in everything as Sazh pressed a button for the medical floor. Groaning vocally, Vanille spoke up, "Are you serious? I was joking about taking the pills in front of them." Looking towards the man, Vanille could see some darken red clinging to the corner of his nostrils. "And what happened to you? Did someone go swinging? Did you swing back?"
"This has nothing to do with your medication. And yes someone did swing at me, and just about everybody else in the room. Which is also why we need you. It is about the new girl."
"What did Light do? Don't tell me you got your butt handed to you by her. You have like half a foot on her. Plus you know... you aren't crazy... and have what amounts to a gang to back you up." Vanille asked as the doors opened.
"It is complicated. Ask Rosa or Yuna when we get to the room." Sazh said calmly as they started to walk down the hallway.
"Ah, please tell me Light popped Rosa... that would just make my day for being forced to be a nark... I don't like that." Vanille muttered as she Sazh opened the door for Vanille.
Frowning as she stepped in Vanille could see the two psychiatrists standing in the room with Lightning in the corner just seemingly making her hurt a bit more at the fact she could see a woman who was in the corner in near tears.
"The hell happened?" Vanille snapped walking in getting met by a hand being placed on her chest by the brunette haired doctor that she found to be the more reasonable one given just about any circumstance.
"Vanille, this is a long story. But the quick version is during the allergy test, we might have triggered a repressed memory, a very bad one given her history. We need you to at the very least coax her to come out of the corner and into the her room. We can not afford to lose anymore good will with her this early Vanille. And seeing as you are just about the only person besides me that she trusts even remotely here, we need your help." Yuna said as Vanille glanced back towards the teen in the fetal position.
"Vanille, I'm going to cut to the chase and avoid any bargaining. If you help us, I'll forgive the radio of yours that we can never find and I'll let you continue to use it provided you continue to use headphones." Rosa stated as Vanille just smiled.
"Deal." Vanille said as she moved closer into the room. With each step she took, she couldn't seem to not notice the destruction that just seemed to have been brought to the room. Something that alone was making her wonder further what had happened in this room.
Taking a few steps towards the woman, Vanille could almost feel her heart sink at the sight of the woman uncoiling an arm that was wrapped around her leg previously and took a swing at the air that Vanille would have occupied if she continued to walk.
"Hey Light. It is just me..." Vanille said as she started to sit on her knees. She could see the tears seemingly not stopping from falling. "It's Vanille." Vanille said hoping to jog some memory.
"Light... we can wait here as long as you want."
'Light... they aren't going to touch us again. Talk to me.'
"They aren't going to touch us again... right?"
'No Light. We are so much stronger now... if I can help it I would never let anyone touch you like that again.'
Closing her eyes tightly, Lightning took a deep breath as she coiled her arms around her leg. She couldn't let them near her again. They were just going to open whatever was inside the Pandora's box that was her mind. She couldn't let them break her. She had survived hell once, and she would be damned if she let something that was meant to help her actually damage her further.
"Light... I won't let them touch you"
Lightning could hear the soft voice break through her clouded mind. Cracking an eye open she could see the red haired teen that had helped her that day sitting patiently just outside of her striking reach.
'See Light... even that annoying overly affectionate patient won't let them... right now, we need to get to our room. From there we can close the door and nearly no one will be able to enter. If you want that extra security the door opens into the room so you just need to sit in front of it.'
Everything at this point was starting to confuse Lightning further. How was she meant to combat this constant assault on her mind. She was ready to just bunker down where she was. At least here she knew the guarantee of the wall was going to prevent her assailants from being able to get to her while she is at her weakest and easily her most vulnerable point.
"Light, why don't I lead you back to your room? The establishment will stay here." Vanille said softly as she could see the woman close her eyes tighter. As though she was trying to just will the situation away.
'Light... we can't stay here. We are just as vulnerable. We can't control the situation. In your room, we can. Remember step two.'
"Light... we don't need to go now. We can go when you are ready." Vanille continued in her soft tone as Lightning's eyes opened and she started to look around. As though she was trying to prevent any and all people from getting closer to her. She couldn't let them near her again. Not after last time. They had to stay away. "Light, I promise whatever they did I won't do... I'm just here because this is the best time to be the distraction while things get smuggled in." Vanille continued, as she leaned back a little, placing her hands on the floor.
'Light, this is the easiest way out. You need to trust her for a total of two hundred steps. We don't even need to turn our back on her. We will be behind her all the time.'
Uncoiling her arm again, Lightning started to swing ideally at the air where people were standing behind Vanille. Something that just made Vanille feel a little special about the entire thing. She had been the only one allowed close to the woman.
"Everyone except Vanille, Yuna and Sazh get out. We've got the situation covered." Rosa stated matter of factly as the group started to disperse.
Ignoring what was happening behind her, Vanille just continued to smile at Lightning. "Don't worry about them Light. Just focus on me and you." Vanille said calmly as she could see Lightning seemingly relax at that simple comment. It wasn't some large reaction, but it certainly was noticeable to Vanille.
'Light, it is far easier now to get out of this room. The vile three are in a corner. We can get out of the room in five foot falls max. We could probably do it in two once we stand up. Just keep your back flush to the wall.'
Taking a deep breath, Lightning looked towards the people as she started to stand up slowly, her back pressed against the wall as she could see the red haired teen jump up from her spot. A smile plastered on her face as she turned around.
It was almost as if the woman was intentionally showing Lightning her back as she looked at the professionals standing there. "Can you guys go wait as far from Light as you can while still in the room?" Vanille asked as Rosa smiled a little and gestured towards the furthest possible reach from the door where Lightning would no doubt be wanting to run to.
Once she was sure that they weren't going to be anywhere near them, Vanille turned back around to Light and smiled at her. "Come on. Let's leave." Vanille said calmly as she could see the almost calculating look in Lightning's eyes. As though she was trying to figure out the best possible route for her escape from the confines that was this room.
As she could see an almost defiant smirk develop, Vanille quickly turned around and started to walk out of the room, knowing for whatever reason that Lightning wasn't going to be too far behind her. Something that was made abundantly clear as she looked behind her as she turned the corner to see Lightning nearly hugging her shadow that was cast onto the wall causing a single thought to appear in Vanille's head. 'If she is that quiet when she clearly doesn't have her full senses... how quiet can she be if she actively wanted to be?'
"Don't worry Light. They won't be getting to you." Vanille said as they walked up to the elevator. Quickly pressing the button, Vanille started to turn around as so she could look at the hallway as Lightning clamoured into elevator.
She knew that no matter what this was going to be an interesting elevator ride given how naked the woman appeared to be. She could feel her mind starting to drift towards an area that she knew she really shouldn't allow it to.
Once she could hear some light padding into the metal box, Vanille started to take strides backwards into the metal box. Just wondering if Light was going to be okay with walking down the hallway if she was that naked.
Glancing over her shoulder, Vanille could see Lightning starting to hunch over in the furthest corner away from her. Turning around, Vanille just smiled at Light. "Light... it is okay. It is just us in here. I'm not going to let them touch you if you don't want to be touched." Vanille said calmly as Lightning took a shaky inhale.
It was almost if she was just barely holding herself together. Something that Vanille couldn't even begin to fathom how hard it would be once someone was catatonic as badly as she was. She knew how hard it was to hold yourself together on their first day in this place.
If Vanille was being honest there was even a few times she caught herself still not really keeping everything inside when she was by herself. But to see someone that just a few hours ago... just look so broken and nothing but a shell... it left the idea inside Vanille's mind of this place preferring to break people down.
Feeling the elevator start to stop, Vanille quickly turned around to see where they were causing her to frown internally. As the doors started to part as though they were a great sea, Vanille started to smack the close door button.
Once they were fully open, Vanille held up her hand and glanced towards the people she couldn't place a name to the faces as she spoke up, "Sorry guys, orders from Rosa. Get the next one." Vanille could see the doubt on their faces as the doors closed. Something that gave Vanille a little bit of pride as she could see they were only a floor below of where they had to be.
"Light, I'm going to try and make this last part easier for you. Once I get you to your door, feel free to run in and do whatever you need to feel comfortable again. It doesn't really matter what it is that can bring you that comfort." Vanille said as they could feel their stomach sink a little as the elevator came to a stop.
Lightning took a deep breath and the doors opened showing the almost empty hallway. The occasional door open but not a single person was there. Vanille smiled as she started to walk out of the box and smiled at the sight of the few doors that were open that were starting to close. As though Pulse was looking down on Vanille wanting her to make this next part much easier.
In long quick strides, Vanille walked over to one of the open doors, and just casually blocked it as she could see Lightning nearly jumping from foothold on the ground to the next. The long strides she was taking making the normally long distance to her room a very short one. Before Vanille could really do anything Lightning quickly passed her and nearly jumped into the room.
Slamming the door shut, Lightning took a deep breath as she started to slide down the door. She had just enough time to start coiling her arms around herself. Placing her head between her knees, Lightning could let her tears flow free now.
'It's okay Light... we are safe now. They can't get in if we don't want them in, and in twenty minutes they won't be able to get in either due to the locks.'
The voice knew that the comfort it was bringing was so minimal to Lightning. She had just been forced to relive one of the worst memories of their past because the voice itself wasn't strong enough to hold back that dam.
'Light... I can't begin to say how sorry I am. I never wanted you to relive those moments... I wasn't strong enough for you back then to stop them from holding us down... and I'm not strong enough now to keep those thoughts away. I'm sorry Light... I'm so very sorry.'
Author's Note:
And boom... 'nother chapter for you all to enjoy. I personally like the voice in this one. Onto the guest review...
Kirika: I don't know... does it really count as an update? And I wouldn't mind if the story had zero reviews, I have a story to tell and I'll stand by the story. Even if it means I'll be screaming into the void of space. But the voice is meant to be funny in a troll like way. The cliffhanger kind of had to happen for this chapter. But I can do it... be glad I didn't do it again. I have been known to do it five or six chapters in a row before. And while you are sitting there... do you want some hot cocoa and a homemade cookie?