The Bruised
The closet walls felt like they were closing in on Lucy. Time was lost to her. The air felt cold on her naked and sticky skin, as she curled up tighter to conserve warmth. The only solace she had was that he was leaving soon, most likely to go get more alcohol. She couldn't take what he did to her anymore. She had to leave.
"Oi, bitch I'm go'in to town for my drinks. Don't try anythin while I'm gone," his drunken voice slurred.
Lucy took a deep breath and waited for the front door to slam and the car to start. It took a minute, but he finally left. Lucy knew she had less than an hour, to put as much distance between her and this house as possible. She left her closet and tried to find something to wear. His unwashed, whiskey stained shirt was laying on the floor. This will have to do, she thought. She picked up the shirt and put it on, it was gigantic on her, the hem falling past her knees. Then she ran, as quickly as she could down the stairs. She threw open the front door and slammed it behind her. She ran, past house after house after house. She ran till she hit a single lane road surrounded by trees. Rocks had cut into her feet, but she could barely feel it. Lucy froze when she heard a faint sound of a car coming her direction. Fear took over her. She knew it's been over an hour and her father had most likely discovered his 'sex toy' missing from her closet.
Has he found her already? she thought.
A red Mercedes-Benz Convertible slowed down and pulled up next to her. Freezing her thoughts. The passenger side window rolled down.
There sat a beautiful, long-haired brunette. Who looked to be about her age. "What are you doing running in nothing but a man's shirt?" she said with concern in her eyes.
Lucy said nothing to the woman, in hopes that the stranger would leave her alone. She hated that this stranger had to see her with a black eye, and bruised arms and legs while she was practically nude, running down a dark street. It didn't take a genius to see that something bad had happened to her. This woman pitied her.
"You're running down a dark road at 11 pm practically naked. If a man were to drive by, he'd probably pull over and rape you because that's what you're screaming to the world, rape me!" the woman said.
Lucy sighed the woman made a good point. This wasn't the best outfit to be running in at the dead of night. "Name," she stated the question.
"Excuse me?" the mystery woman asked.
"I'm not getting in the car with you t'll you tell me your name," she said.
"Oh," said the woman, "My name is Cana. I'll give you a ride to anywhere you need to go as long as you tell me what has a cutie like you running down the street like that."
Lucy thought about it. She knew she couldn't keep running. She felt like she was going to collapse, and her feet stung. This could be the best option of putting even more distance between her and her father. Plus, if any unwanted men drove by and saw her she knew Cana was right. "Sure," she said and moved to get into the car.
"Hold up, cutie. I gave you my name now I need yours."
Lucy groaned at the term of endearment, but she gave in. "Call me Lucy."
"Thank you, sweetheart. Come on in, I'll take you anywhere."
Lucy got into the car starting to feel exposed next to the glitzy Cana.
Cana spoke after several moments of silence." I believe I was promised a story for this lovely car ride."
Lucy's heartbeat picked up. She took a deep inoperative breath to calm herself. Despite her panicked state she spoke anyway. " My father is not a good man. He used to be, but after my mother died 5 years ago, he changed and started drinking. Then one day, the beatings came, then he wanted more and he started touching me, he pulled me out of school when I was 11, isolating me." she was crying now, "I just can't take his hands on me anymore!"
"It's okay, Lucy. You can come and live with me. I live a few states up from Virginia here, in New York."
She took a deep unsteady breath "Okay," she said, " Just get me away from that bastard."
Cana moved to calm her by rubbing her back.
Lucy freaked out and jerked her body away, her breath picked up she felt hot and lightheaded "don't touch me" she said as memories of his hands flow through her head making her panic worse.
"I-I'm sorry Lucy," she said removing her arm like it was on fire. Cana then started driving to New York. There was quiet in the car for quite some time before Cana started filling it with nonsense. "So, my father pays all of my bills so you don't have to worry about nothing; you came around at the right time I was looking for a roomie. I party a lot, but I don't think you'd mind would you..."
Lucy said nothing when Cana paused and waited for an answer.
"You don't talk much do you?"
"You talk way too much."
"I don't like it when there's awkward silence. I'd rather have words spoken then nothing at all. It's better than you saying absolutely nothing. We are roommates now we should get to know each other better."
"I say what needs to be said." Lucy heard Cana sigh at the lack of words she was getting from her. Lucy turned up the radio louder to discourage anymore talking. This is going to be a long car ride she thought. She felt her exhaustion catch up to her and she fell asleep in the front seat of the car.
She awoke to the sound of cars, lots of cars.
"Good Morning, Sunshine, how'd you sleep?" Cana very chipperly asked. "You slept the entire time you must have been exhausted. Your feet are still bleeding. Do you still have that headache you had mentioned? Do you want to go to the hospital?"
"If you shut up, you can take me anywhere," she said as her head and feet screamed in agony.
After a couple minutes Cana pulled into a parking lot of an ER. Lucy watched Cana get out of the car and walk around to her side. Cana opened the door for her and knelt.
"Hop on, Sweetcakes, I don't give out piggyback rides often," she said sweetly.
"No."
"Is no your favorite word?" she teased and turned to face her. "But seriously, you're not walking those feet, and I doubt you can. So, get over your fear of touching people. Plus, you owe me you got blood everywhere in my brand-new car."
"I'm not going in there dressed like this."
"And I'm dressed like a fancy whore."
Lucy finally noticed how low-cut Cana's shirt was, it went down to her belly button, and her skirt she was wearing barely covered her butt. She sighed, "You sure you can carry me in those hooker heels."
"Darling, I can be Wonder Woman If I want to be." Cana turned her back to Lucy.
"I have never been called so many pet names in my life before you," She struggled to get on her back without hurting her feet. Lucy felt strangely comfortable around the unique girl named Cana. When they walked into the E.R. it felt like everyone was staring at them, it made Lucy uncomfortable. Who wouldn't stare at two underdressed women in an ER, she thought.
Cana set Lucy as gently as she could in a waiting chair, but the sudden drop caused her headache to worsen. " I have to tell them we are here, so wait here I'll be back."
"I think everyone knows we are here," Lucy said pointing out the looks people were giving the strange duo.
"Mind your own damn business, people!" Cana said, drawing even more attention to them.
"Just get away from me, Cana," Lucy said as she pointed to the counter
"But I'm totally your best friend!" Cana said. Overdramatically walking to the counter. "I need a Doctor," she said.
The nurse running the counter gave Cana a very unapproving look "What's the problem with you?" she sneered.
"It's not me, I was driving home on a highway when I found that girl running barefoot, beaten, and I decided to drive her to a hospital after her feet won't stop bleeding and she's complaining of a headache." Lucy heard all of Cana's long-winded explanation as to why they have a right to be here.
The nurse looked past Cana to poor Lucy who was still in a man's shirt. Some of her bruises had darkened a bit in the car ride. She didn't want to know what her face looked like. To make things worse she had dried and fresh blood coating her feet because her foot wounds where still open.
"You look pretty messed up there, blondie." A gruff voice next to Lucy turned her attention from the front counter to the dark-haired man sitting a couple chairs down she could smell the brandy from where she sat.
Lucy ignored the man, being in his presence was causing uncomfortable Deja Vu.
"It's not nice to ignore people, and I'm being nice," he said
"Screw off."
"You're kinda nasty."
"Excuse me, what's going on here?" Cana walked up to them.
"You can move along I'm having a nice conversation here," the Bourbon smelling man said.
This made Cana laugh "I've been stuck in a car with her for 5 hours, there is no such thing as a good conversation with her."
"Lucy!" a nurse shouted looking around the ER holding a blanket.
"Over here."
The nurse walked over and brought a wheelchair and started to take her to her examination room. When Cana started to follow them.
"I'm so sorry miss I can't let you in the room." the nurse told them.
"I want her there," Lucy said softly
Cana's eyes widened "Y-you want me there?"
After the nurse got them situated. They took Lucy's vitals then left.
Lucy and Cana sat there waiting for the doctor. "Why?" Cana asked.
"What?"
"Why invite me in?"
"Because I..." Lucy started then mumbled incoherently.
"Because you what?"
"I trust you, and you're all I have," she whispered.
Cana's face lit up, "I knew you liked me!" Cana was about to continue when a middle-aged female doctor came in through the curtain her distinguishable pink hair in a tight bun.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Marvel. I'm your doctor for today. What brings you in today? The nurses said you refused to talk."
Cana jumped into the conversation "She doesn't like talking, but she's mentioned a headache, and her feet haven't stopped bleeding since I picked her up off the road, she's been beaten and raped."
"Cana!" Lucy hissed trying to shut Cana up.
"What? She's a doctor she has to know what's going on, and your intimidation tactic wears off after a while."
Lucy just glares at Cana.
"There is something I want to ask you do you want a rape kit? It's completely optional, it also gives you an advantage in court, and in the state of New York it's completely free."
Before Lucy could decline Cana jumped in, "yes, she'll do it."
"I'm sorry, but that's Lucy's choice. It's highly recommended to do a rape kit and we can preserve the evidence till you're ready to take steps against the person who did this to you."
"Lucy that asshole needs to get locked away, I know you want this behind you, and I think this is the first step, Lucy." Cana pleaded sincerity in her eyes.
Lucy thought about it then spoke softly, "yes, I'll do the kit."
The doctor opened the curtain and picked up a phone and said a few things and hung up. She then called over some female nurses. They came in and started moving her bed.
"Is Cana coming?" she asked one of the nurses.
"If she'll put you at ease then she can come." the nurse replied.
"Thanks" she said her nerves running wild.
They took her to a large private room with several female nurses and Cana.
"Hello, we are your SANEs, and are going to do the examination. We want to get a picture of your feet before we wrap them."
"Okay" and she laid back on her hospital bed and showed the nurses the soles of her feet. She saw a flash as they photographed her feet.
"Now we are going to treat your cuts," she said as she started to disinfect all the cuts on her feet. Then she put gauze and wrapped them. "I need your shirt," the nurse picked up a large bag
"But this is all I have to wear."
"The hospital will provide you with clothing after we take pictures,"
"Okay," she said as she stripped the single piece of clothing she had and handed it to a gloved nurse who folded it and put it in the bag. Lucy now stood naked before the strangers.
"We need to know what happened and where to inspect." the nurse said
"It's been happening for years."
" I want a mouth, Vaginal, and anal inspection."
Lucy was thoroughly embarrassed. She's been swabbed in the most embarrassing places, they've scrapped under her fingernails, combed her hair, and took pictures of all her bruises and injuries.
"How old are you?" a nurse, who sat with a clipboard writing everything down, asked
"I'm 17, 18 in two months," she said.
"I'm sorry, Lucy, but because you're under 18 at this time we have to report this to the police." the nurse said.
"B-But it didn't even happen in New York."
"I still have to report it, they can send all the info to whichever state it happened in." and the nurse turned and left.
Lucy was crying when the female police officer came in.
"I'm Officer Strauss, I know this is hard, but I need to have all the information."
"It happened in Front Royal, Virginia, the person who did it was Jude Heartfilia."
"Can I have your full name miss?"
"Lucy Heartfilia, Jude's daughter." Lucy watched the Officer wince.
Lucy told her full story to the officer, and the officer wrote it down in detail.
"Okay, that's all I need. You should update your address so when we contact you in the future, we can find you." that's all the officer said before she walked out.
Lucy was still crying on the hospital bed. All her secrets have been thrown out, strangers have seen all of her intimate parts, and she's had to recall everything that has happened to her. "Cana," she said sadness welling up inside her. " I want a hug..."
"Oh Lucy, come here," Cana said as she pulled Lucy into a hug, and they cried together. They cried for a while before Cana said with tears in her eyes, "let's go home Lucy."
AN: This is it I might be willing to continue the story if I get enough messages. This is my first story I have posted on Fanfiction I hope you guys like it!
White Kit!