Owen repeated himself. "Was she raped?"
The detective let out a breath of air, before he answered. "She was lucky that he did not get that far. A passing couple heard her screaming and they saved her. Your girl fought her attacker. She has lots of cuts and bruises all over her body and he did hit her on the face. The doctor says she might have some broken bones."
Owen wanted to cry, when he heard her injuries.
"Well, we've taken her clothes for evidence, as well as any DNA evidence under her nails because she scratched the bastard on his face," the detective said. "We think Miss Yang may have been the victim of a mugger/rapist who has been targeting young women in that area, attacking girls with dark, curly hair."
Owen wished he could get his hands on the perpetrator, so he could deal with someone his own size and not petite women.
"Can I see her now?" Owen asked. He was preparing himself for the worst.
"Well, it would be up to the doctor. We already collected our evidence. Oh, there he is. You can ask him," the detective said.
He was a young doctor, seemingly only a resident. He came up to them.
"Are you the next of kin?" he asked. Owen answered in the affirmative, even though legally, it was not true.
"Well, don't be shocked at what she looks like. She does have broken bones and some other injuries and she has taken some blows to the face, so there is extensive bruising. Just be prepared," he said. "Follow me."
As Owen prepared to follow the doctor down to Cristina's room, he turned around, "Detective, I forgot to tell you that I think I spoke to Cristina's attacker."
"What?" the detective said, astonished.
"I called her phone and he answered. Her phone number is 678-555-4521. Maybe you can track it," Owen said,
"Thanks, going to get on that right away. Maybe he left it on and we can triangulate the signal," the detective said.
Owen followed the doctor to the room. There were two other patients in the room. Owen made a mental note to himself that he had to get Cristina moved to a Manhattan hospital, as soon as she was able.
When he saw her, he started to cry. She barely looked like Cristina he knew. If not for her curly, dark hair, he probably would not have recognized her. Her face bore huge purple and red bruises. She opened her eyes, when she heard him crying.
"Hey," she said. He looked up at her.
"Hey, baby," he got up and touched her hair. He didn't want to touch her face, in case he hurt her.
"I messed up," she said, a tear rolling down her battered cheek.
"No, no. This is not your fault," he said. "You were the victim of an evil, evil person. Does everything hurt?"
"Just about," she said. She tried to smile for him but her face hurt to do so. She winced.
"Hey, you don't have to smile to make me feel better," he said. "You're the one who has been hurt."
"Did they catch the guy?" she asked.
"No, but I am sure they are going to catch him soon," he said. They damn better catch that asshole, he thought. He knew that if he could have had a chance to be alone in the room with that guy, he would show him no mercy and beat the crap out of him.
"Good," she said. "Don't want this to happen to anyone else because it sucks."
"You didn't tell me that you were coming to the Bronx for your interview," he said. "I wish you would have. I would have tried and persuaded you not to go."
"I know that. That's why I didn't tell you," she said. "I wish I did. It was poor judgement on my part."
"I am going to see about moving you to a hospital in Manhattan, closer to home, as soon as you are able," he said, looking at the room. He wanted her to be in a her own room, so she could heal in privacy.
"Okay," she agreed. "Where's Maddie?"
"She's at Janelle's house. That reminds me I have to call them," he said. He took out his phone and rang Janelle's number. She listened to him, telling Janelle that she was alive, badly beat up but was going to make it.
He looked at her, "Maddie wants to talk to you." Cristina nodded, so Owen put the phone next to her ear.
"Hi, Maddie," she said. She listened to the sobbing of the little girl on the other end. "Don't cry, Maddie. I am going to be alright."
Through her sobs, Maddie said, "I love you, Cristina. I hate the bad man who did this to you."
"Yeah, I hate him, too," Cristina said. "But I am going to be okay. I will be coming home soon. Not right away, but sometime soon."
"Okay, Cristina," Maddie said. "Bye."
"Bye, Maddie," Cristina said, as Owen took the phone away from her ear.
"Okay, Maddie," Owen said. "Be good and don't give Janelle any trouble. Bye, honey. I will pick you up in the morning."
She looked at him. "Are you staying with me during the night?"
"I want to. But it doesn't seem all that comfortable in this room, especially since you have roommates," he said. He just wished he could whisk her out of there.
He found a chair and dragged it next to her bedside. They talked until she was too tired to talk anymore. He watched her sleep, staring at her bruised and battered face. The rage he felt for her attacker was tempered by the love he had for her. She was so grateful that she was alive. Soon enough, he fell asleep, too, albeit in a very uncomfortable position.
The next morning, they were awakened by the doctor, making his rounds. It was a different doctor from the one from last night. Owen's whole body ached from sleeping in that chair. But when he looked at Cristina, he felt he could not complain.
"Ah, Miss Yang, how are you, this morning?" the doctor asked. "I am Dr. Houser."
"Okay, I guess, considering the circumstances," she said.
"Did you have a good night's sleep?" the doctor said, as he checked her wounds.
"Yes, my boyfriend stayed with me. He made me feel safe," she said. Owen smiled that he could at least give her some measure of comfort.
"Doctor, I was wondering whether she can be moved to a hospital in Manhattan. I am sure she is getting excellent care here but I was wondering whether she could be transferred to a hospital closer to where we live in Manhattan. It would be more convenient and we have a little girl," he asked. He hoped he wasn't sounding like if he was dissing the place. After all, they did tend to Cristina in her greatest time of need.
"Yes, I think she can be moved, later today, if she is not in too much pain. Do you want to move?" the doctor asked.
"Yes," Cristina said. "It would be better for Maddie for me to be closer to her."
"Maddie, that's your daughter's name?" the doctor asked.
"Well, actually, she is my niece," Owen said. "She is seven. I am her legal guardian but we are like her parents."
"That's great," the doctor said. "It seems that you are doing really well, considering everything. I will see about getting those transfer orders."
"Thank you," Owen said. "We are very grateful."
Later that day, Cristina was moved to a hospital in Manhattan. It was a private room and he made sure there were flowers and balloons there to greet her.
As she got comfortable and when the nurses left, "You did this?"
"Yes," he said. "I wanted to make you feel welcome."
"Thank you, nice to see all of these flowers," she said.
"I have to tell you that Maddie is coming by to see you. Janelle is bringing her. I already spoke to her to prepare her," he said.
"You mean how I don't look like myself, where there is more purple skin than normal skin on my face," she said.
"Yeah," he said, caressing her hair.
Half an hour later, they heard the sound of Maddie's voice. Cristina sat up and tried to look as presentable as she possibly could. There was a small knock on the door. Owen called out, "Come in."
Though she tried to hide it, Cristina clearly could see the shock on Janelle's face, when she saw her. Maddie, on the other hand, could not hold anything back and promptly burst into tears. She ran up to Cristina and got in next to her and started sobbing, hysterically. Cristina hugged her close, even though her ribs hurt.
"Hey, Maddie, be careful," Owen said.
"You were so pretty," Maddie said, touching Cristina's bruised face.
"Oh, Maddie, I will get back to normal; the bruises will go down," Cristina said. "I just look like a zombie, now but it will get better."
"No matter what you look like," Maddie declared. "I love you very much. I just want to beat up that man, who did this to you." Owen understood that sentiment very well. So did he.
"Thanks, Maddie. I know you'll protect me," Cristina said, laughing a little bit. Maddie rested her head on Cristina's shoulder.
Janelle, who had been in shock, finally found her voice. "Don't worry about anything with Maddie. She is going to stay with us until you get home, since Owen will probably be here, most of the time."
"Owen, aren't you going to go to work, tomorrow?" Cristina asked.
"No, I called and told them I needed the week off because of a family emergency," he said. "I told them what had happened to you and they told me that I could take as much time off as I needed. But I figured I could take the week off and when you come home, next week, I will hire a nurse to stay with you."
"What about school? I don't want to miss any lectures or assignments," she said.
"I already spoke to Toni about that. She will film your lectures and she will collect any assignments and she got your professors to agree that you can submit all of your assignments online," he said.
"What a relief! You take good care of me," she said, gratefully. "You're really a great guy."
"Thank you for noticing," he said, smiling.
"Well, we better leave," Janelle said. "My husband has the boys in the lobby and they are probably getting restless. Come, Maddie." Maddie reluctantly got up from Cristina's bed but not before leaning over and giving her a kiss. She reached into her knapsack and pulled out her favorite teddy bear.
"I brought Mr. Snookums to stay with you," Maddie said. Cristina knew it was a huge sacrifice for Maddie to do this, as she slept with Mr. Snookums every night.
"Thank you, Maddie. I will take good care of him. When I get out of the hospital, I will give him right back," Cristina said.
"Yeah, you need him, more than I need him, now. He will comfort you in the night," Maddie said, solemnly. "Bye, Cristina."
"Bye, Maddie," Cristina said, hugging Mr. Snookums close to her. She looked at Owen. "You're doing such a good job with that girl."
"Not just me, it is you, too, and Elizabeth," he said. "She is a fantastic little girl." Cristina nodded in agreement.
The week passed and Cristina was soon back at home. Owen had put her back in her old bedroom for the rest of her recovery. A nurse was hired to stay with her during the day. Toni made daily visits, fresh with news about what was happening in school, as well as handing over the lectures that she had filmed. Cristina made sure she kept up with the lectures and assignments.
While she was recovering, the detective called and said they had found the suspect. He came by with mug shots and she identified him on the first try. He said that three other victims had already picked him out in a line-up and she just confirmed that he was also her attacker. Owen was glad that the man was in jail and couldn't hurt any more young women.
Maddie's dad, Brandon and his wife also came to visit, bringing flowers. Maddie's sister Caroline was also now a visitor, since she always came with her dad to pick up Maddie. Phillip still had his problems with Maddie and still would not have anything to do with her.
After a couple of weeks at home, Cristina finally felt it was time to go back to school. The swelling on her face had completely gone down and she looked quite normal. Most of her injuries had healed and she had slight pains now and then, but mostly, she was alright. She dressed carefully that morning. Not many people knew of her injuries, not even her parents. She had declined to call them because they would have become extremely worried about her being in New York.
She went downstairs and had breakfast with Maddie and Owen. After breakfast, it was time to leave. She put on her coat and picked up her knapsack. Maddie and Owen went out of the front door and got into the car.
As Cristina looked outside, she found herself frozen at the top of the stoop. Owen looked up at her. He knew something was wrong. He got out of the car.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She seemed paralyzed by fear.
"I am afraid, Owen. I can't move," she said, her eyes filling up with tears.
A/N: Please leave your comments. Thanks for your thoughts.