Chapter 14

The Weight of Worry

Isabel paced the waiting room, she hated being on this side of the situation. Hated it. She wanted to be in there, helping, using her God given talents or simply just being there for a friend. But the healers kicked her out. She was a "conflict of interest" or some rubbish like that. Sarah needed someone, she needed a familiar face, she shouldn't be alone. It wasn't right. "How long has it been?" She asked without actually addressing anyone. George and Fred had stayed with her, sitting side-by-side in the waiting room near where she pace like a caged lioness with a missing cub.

"Ten minutes." Fred answered, looking at his watch.

"Erg!" She cried in frustration, she couldn't do this, she couldn't. It felt too much like when her parents- "I'm terribly sorry to inform you..."- She blinked and shook her head at the flashback. "I can't do this!" She stomped toward the front desk, about to give Gertrude a very large piece of her mind, when two arms grabbed her from behind and she was tugged right into a strong warm chest.

"Bell, you have to let them do their jobs..."

"My job! I can't just sit here and wait. I can't. This is why I became a healer." She muttered and looked towards the entrance to the Emergency Department again. He figured now wasn't the time to ask what she meant, when had 'this' happened before.

"You'll be able to go back there soon. The healers said soon as they check her out we can all come back..." Though George was thinking that maybe it'd be better for Sarah if only Isabel did, but he didn't voice that thought quite yet. "It shouldn't be long now."

"Yeah..." But Isabel's eyebrows knitted together as she pulled away from him to continue pacing, locked inside her jumbled thoughts and emotions. George ran a hand through his hair, watching her, and sitting back down at Fred's side. They were both seated in similar positions, leaning forward, elbows on their knees, hands clasped in front of them. Doing the only thing they could do. Wait.

"Do you... do you think she was raped?" Fred asked in a low voice, not really wanting Isabel to hear.

"I- I dunno... Dunno, Fred. But..." His jaw went taught a moment and he glanced over at his brother. "I hope not."

"Yeah... me too, mate." Silence fell again for a few minutes, there wasn't much talking between the three as they waited. "Merlin..." Fred stood, took Isabel by the arms, and sat her down in the chair he'd just stood from. "Sit. Pacing only makes you anxious."

"I can't-" She began to protest, but he cut her off.

"Sit." He repeated, sitting on her other side.

"Think what my brother is trying to say is," George gave Fred a look, then glanced back at Isabel. "You did everything you can, and you trust the people you work with, they'll take good care of her. You're only wearing yourself down fretting like this."

"I- I-" But whatever she was trying to say was lost to the suddenness of the tears that sprang from her eyes. Head ducked down, muffling cries into her hand, her hair creating a thin barrier around her face. All her energy and emotions had been focused into worrying and fretting. Take that away and she was just broken. Broken for what Sarah had just gone through, what she was still going through. Broken for what she'd seen. Isabel's shoulders shook with the cries she was still attempting to muffle.

"Oh Bell..." George murmured and gently rubbed her back, having a mini conversation with Fred via their expressions. Way to go. George glared.

What'd I do? Fred looked at him questioningly.

Look'it her! George's eyes moved to her still slightly shaking form, then back to Fred with an obvious look. You tell me.

'Snot my fault!

George muttered and turned his attention back to Isabel, just gently rubbing her back in a soothing way, not really knowing at all what to say to her. He couldn't imagine anything he could say would help, or that she could be cheered up at a time like this. They remained like that for what seemed far too long, before someone spoke.

"Isabel?" A man spoke her name as he walked over to the three of them. A sniffle was heard, and she quickly wiped her face, before lifting it to look at her boss, chief healer of the Emergency Department. Her eyes were rimmed red and there were still tears welling up there.

"Leopold... Can I see her?"

"I'll show you back." He said with a nod. Isabel stood and stepped to follow him, then glanced at George and Fred when they didn't stand.

"Maybe it'd be better for Sarah... if we stayed here." George answered the questioning look on her face. "But we'll be here. If you need anything." Isabel only nodded. She hadn't really thought about it, though she should've, but he was right. She followed Leopold through a set of swinging double doors and into the Emergency Department. They walked through the room, to the other side where Isabel recalled being near where they apparated in at. Sarah was on one of the beds nearest to the back with the privacy curtains drawn.

"I'll leave you two alone..." He told her, stopping just in front of where the two curtains met. "A couple folks from the Ministry showed up, took her statement and our findings."

"Leo... the findings?" She asked, hoping with every fiber in her being that she had gotten there in time. He shook his head slightly and wore a gentle smile that suggested a glimmer of good news in this devastating time.

"Outside a few bruises, no sign of physical trauma." He answered, much to Isabel's relief. "She's awful shaken though. Isabel... I have a colleague who works with cases like Ms. Petersen's..." Leopold handed her a small business card with a friendly looking witch wearing square-rimmed glasses on the front and the name Elmira Groggin, then on the back a London address. "I already made a call. Elmira is expecting her Monday." Isabel pocketed the card and thanked him, grateful for the graciousness of her coworkers. There was a lot to consider about what would happen after this, how they would get back to normal life, but at that moment she just wanted to see Sarah. She took a step towards the curtain, but he stopped her before she could pull it open. "I know you're anxious to see her, there's just one more thing...It may be best... if she isn't left alone for long periods. If I am to understand, you're her flatmate, you may need to work something out..."

"Thank you, I truly appreciate the advice." She said sincerely, she could use all she could get. "But if that is all..."

"Oh yes, I'll be tending to other patients if you need anything." Leopold told her, before he went off to see a man multiple beds away. Isabel took a deep breath and walked through the curtain into the little fabricated room. Sarah was laying in the bed, scooted down with the covers pulled high up over her and holding it to her, eyes jerking up to Isabel and then looking relieved that it was her.

"Hey Sarah..." Isabel greeted in a gentle voice, moving closer to the side of her bed. Even though she looked fairly terrified and like she wanted nothing more than to get out of there, not to mention humiliated, Sarah still looked remarkably better than the last time Isabel saw her.

"H-Hey Iz..." She answered in a small voice with a slight shiver. Isabel frowned slightly and summoned two more blankets to cover her. "Th-thanks..."

"Do you need another? I can-" She lifted her hand to summon another, but Sarah stopped her.

"No, no... That's ok. I'm ok..."

"Do you need anything? Anything at all?"

"To get out of here..." Sarah muttered, arms wrapped around the front of herself. Isabel took a seat in the chair beside the bed.

"It shouldn't be too much longer...sounded like they were about finished." There was a sound off to the right and Sarah's head jerked towards it a bit, though they couldn't see anything because of the curtain.

"Where's Ben? Did they get him?" Sarah asked, her head turning back towards Isabel.

"Yes, yes. The Ministry took him. You're safe Sarah." She answered reassuringly and gently touched her arm. Sarah flinched at being touched, but then relaxed a bit more at the knowledge Ben was in the custody of the Ministry. Being touched still freaked her out a bit, but after her initial reaction, she could remind herself that it was only Isabel trying to comfort her and relax again.

"Good..." She breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good..."

"Sarah..." Isabel began hesitantly. "What- what happened?" She was a curious person and she openly admitted it, but this was more than just curiosity. This was the need to know exactly what had happened to her friend. But at the same time she realized how difficult and sensitive the question she asked was, and she didn't want to push. "I mean... Sorry. You don't have to answer. Forget I even asked."

"No, no it's alright Iz. I um- I'll answer..." Sarah said, trailing off and going silent for a moment. She'd been forced to tell the worst experience of her life to some complete strangers, but she needed to tell her closest friend. Isabel waited patiently not expecting anything, but then Sarah took a deep breath and began to speak. "I- I made that surprise dinner for Ben... He really liked it and he really liked my dress too... I was.." She made a choked sound and bit her lip, pushing back the emotions to speak clearly. "I went to the kitchen to clean up and... He- he came up behind me and... wrapped his arms around me. I- I thought he was being romantic. I thought it was a thank you for dinner... I- but- but then he turned me around and... looked at me... he... looked at me... in that... and then I started trying to slip away... guess he thought I was just being... feisty or something... but he kissed me hard and I wanted him to stop. I tried to push him away...slapped him, bit his lip and hard, grabbed my wand, but... it just made him angry. He- he... broke my wand, slammed me against the the wall... p-pushed my dress up... I told him he was hurting me... I told him to stop... he didn't care... he- he s-started trying to unzip my dress...that- that's when you got there..." Sarah whimpered out the last part as the tears came back and she cried, hiding her face in the pillow.

"Oh Sarah..." Isabel murmured, frowning deeply and clenching her jaw as a tear fell. For a moment all the ways she could most painfully kill/castrate Ben flitted through her mind, but she pushed those thoughts back, reaching out and gently touching the back of Sarah's head. It filled her with pain seeing Sarah like this, gently stroking her hair again in that soothing, nurturing way. Sarah was a lot like having a sister to Isabel. They knew each other since they were only eleven, grew up together at Hogwarts, and Sarah was there for her when she lost her parents. It was killing Isabel inside, seeing her this way. She shifted closer, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed and stroking her hair as Sarah cried in earnest into her pillow.

"Sh-Shh, it's gonna be alright. It is. They're gonna throw that slimy bastard into Azkaban. He'll never be able to touch you. Ever again. It'll be okay, Sarah, it'll be okay..." Isabel murmured soothing things, trying to comfort her in any way she could. Sarah cried hard for a few long minutes, but eventually was calmed by her friend, drying her face the best she could in the now damp pillow and facing up again when she felt able. Isabel offered a small reassuring smile before graciously swapping out her pillow for a dry one and handing her some tissues, then sitting again on the edge of the bed. Sarah gave a sudden kind of laugh, half still sobering up from her tears, as she wiped her face. Isabel looked at her, a bit confused. "What?"

"You said bastard." Rare were the times that Isabel swore, Sarah simply found it a bit humorous when she did and it was nice to feel something besides the deep pain and humiliation. Isabel stared at her for a moment, taking her a bit longer to process something as funny, but then gave a bit of a laugh as well.

"I did, didn't I?" She asked, giving another slight chuckle. "Well, he is one. And deserves to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. I wonder if gelding is an option for punishment..." Sarah covered her mouth and gave another small laugh.

"Gelding is for horses, Iz."

"Sounds about right to me. He's a dumb beast who deserves nothing less." The conversation lightened the tension and eased their hearts, if only a little. Sarah chuckled softly again, and shook her head a bit.

"Oh Iz... hmhm..." Her expression turned a bit more serious though as a thought occurred to her. "George...and- and Fred... where are they?"

"Oh, well... they're in the waiting room actually..." Isabel hadn't even thought about telling her, figuring she'd be more uncomfortable with them here, but she was almost certain they hadn't left. George said they would be there anyway.

"They're still here?" She asked, pretty surprised.

"Well, yeah. Who do you think kept me sane until the healer came told me I could see you?" She answered with a soft smile.

"Hmhm... Suppose that's a valid point. But um... I just thought... it'd be... you know... nice to.. thank them... in person." Sarah spoke a bit uncertainly, but she did want to thank them.

"I can go get them, if you'd like?" Isabel offered as more of a question, not wanting to sway her decision.

"I erm... yeah, yeah I think I would like... oi... I must look a horrid mess though..." Sarah muttered, wiping beneath her eyes with her forefingers.

"Oh honestly, Sarah. You look fine." Isabel shook her head a bit, Sarah would be concerned about something like that at a time such as then. She was always worried about how she looked. Not in a conceited way, but in a self-conscious way. Though Isabel couldn't see any reason for the beautiful girl to be self-conscious.

"You'd say that if I got trampled by a herd of hippogriffs."

"No, I'd say you look like you got trampled by a herd of hippogriffs."

"Uh-huh." Sarah said as if she knew better.

"Oi... if it makes you feel better, I'll get you a mirror and a damp cloth first, alright? But you do look fine." Her makeup was all but gone, she'd cried too much to leave any running down her face, her hair as a bit frazzled, and her face a bit blotchy, but all things considered, she really did look fine.

"Yeah, think it would. Please?"

"Oh, alright. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." Isabel joked lightly, standing to her feet.

"Aw... Was gonna hop over to Knockturn Alley, go on a nice little shopping spree in my hospital gown." Sarah responded, joking in return.

"Mhm, just stay outta trouble, and don't talk to strangers!" She called behind her as she walked out of the curtained room.

"Yes, mum!" Sarah called back, as Isabel went to the staff room to get the promised cloth and mirror. She grabbed a mirror off a shelf belonging to another healer. Romilda Vane. Probably one of her only coworkers she didn't like, in fact, she scheduled herself to work with the woman as little as possible. Stuck-up, dramatic, conceited, and most of the time just downright mean, Romilda grated on Isabel's every last nerve. But she was also the only one she knew to leave a full self-grooming kit at work. Including a mirror. Isabel then grabbed a washcloth from the clean linens, then deciding to made it two and stopped in the employee locker room. She washed her face with cool water at one of the sinks, drying it with one of the cloths, and then taking the other, wetting it down, and heading back out. She made for Sarah's bed, but ran into another healer first.

"Martha! I'm glad I ran into you. Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What'cha need?" Martha asked and Isabel handed her the mirror and the cloth.

"Take these to Sarah Petersen, bed 38? And erm... keep her company until I get back?" She asked with a sort of hopeful look.

"'Course I don't mind, Iz." Martha gave her a soft smile.

"Thanks, I won't be long." Isabel said, already heading off towards the waiting room entrance. She took a deep breath, standing just outside the door, taking just a moment to gather her thoughts; it was just a heavy night. She pushed open the door, and the pair of red-haired twins lifted their heads to look at her. Part of her wondered if they did that everytime the door opened, but she didn't dwell on that thought and walked over to them as they stood to their feet.

"Bell..." George pulled her into a hug, she looked so rundown. He was both relieved and concerned to see her. "Everything alright?"

"What's going on? Sarah okay?" Fred asked, standing just off to the side.

"Well um... better than she was. Yeah. She just wants to see you two actually." Isabel answered. George's arms around her helped inexplicably and she leaned on him a bit.

"Well that's good... that's good right?" George asked uncertainly, keeping her in the hug until she pulled away.

"Sure she's up for... company?" Fred asked with the same hesitance.

"She asked, so I'm gonna say yes. And well... you two did have huge parts in rescuing her."

"That was you lovely." George kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah well..." She couldn't stop wishing she'd just been there a few minutes sooner. "Come on, she's waiting." Isabel pulled away from him and led the two of them back through the Emergency Department. They paused for a moment, hesitating outside the part of the curtain, before going in.

A/N: Another chapter up! :) I'll post the next chapter next Sunday, unless some lovely reviews convince me to post it sooner ;) ~Jenn