Okay, here we go. WARNING: This is about child abuse. Please do not read if you cannot handle it.
I had a hard time getting the mood right. There are so many great authors here who could do it much better, but I hope it works out anyway. I'm out of practice to write English fanfiction. In the second chapter, the story becomes very fluffy.
The secret
Robert Goren hurried down the hall of the hospital it was 7:30 and he was supposed to meet Eames at 8 o'clock in the room of their victim, Melanie. He was early as always but as he reached the door of the room from the 15-year-old girl he heard the voice of his partner. He was surprised that she was already there and he was a bit hurt that she went into questioning the girl without him.
"You don't know how it is!" Melanie shouted.
Bobby stopped with his hand at the door handle. He heard Eames sigh. Something about that sound convinced him no to enter the room. Maybe she would be able to get Melanie to talk, they had suspected that she had been abused by her stepfather and maybe she would open up to Eames.
"I know exactly how it is," Alex said calmly.
"Oh really? The fear when you hear the footstep's in front of your door? And then it opens and the person comes close to your bed and…" Melanie's voice went silent.
"Yes, I know all of that," Alex said and Bobby's heart stopped.
"And I can assure you that this feeling lasts long and can be triggered even after decades." Alex's voice was firm and tense.
Bobby could not believe what he heard.
"Okay," Melanie whispered: "You tell me your story and I'll tell you mine."
Bobby wanted to run, he did not want to hear that story but something kept him there, listening. He heard Alex clear her throat. He could tell that she tried to lock away her heart from those memories of the past. Then he heard her calm voice.
"It was my uncle. I and my sister were allowed to stay in his house outside of New York. Small town, nice neighbors, happy dogs, and kids. My sister was too old to stay home with the grown-ups so she was off with the kids of the town and left me with my uncle and his poker friends. At first… it was only him… but … well…" Alex stopped to take a deep breath and then continues: "These friends gave him each 20 bugs and some returned the next day, and the next and the next."
Bobby felt like he had to throw up. She was not lying to Melanie. It was a true story. He wanted to go in there, grab Alex and take her someplace where nobody could hurt her. He wanted to shoot those guys, every single one. But the cop in him knew it would be wrong to interrupt the conversation now.
"How old have you been?"
"Ten."
Both remained silent for some time. "Does it… I mean has it still any effects?" Melanie asked carefully. Bobby could hear that she was thinking what that ment for herself.
"It does… and I'm sure it would have been easier if I had told my parents who it was."
"You didn't?!"
"No, they found out that something had happened to me,"
Bobby could tell how they found out. His imagination made up pictures of mutilated dolls and screams which came with nightmares. Alex... no. Please say it isn't true.
He was so horrified that he almost missed her next words. "They knew what it was but I never told anyone that it was uncle Barnie. I got help and was able to be a child and a teenager but there was always something missing."
"What was that?"
"Trust. And believe me that caused many problems in my marriage. If you have to be in control of everything, if you are never able to give it up… people get scared and walk away."
Again silence. This time longer.
"Did your husband leave you because of this?"
"No, we had been married a year when he was killed in the line of duty. There was no chance for him to leave. But maybe he would have eventually."
Bobby could not believe how calm Alex still was. This was horrible.
"And do you have a boyfriend, someone you…" Melanie could not finish the sentence. Her voice broke.
"I do."
Through the little window in the door he could see how Melanies head shot up maybe she found hope in Alex's words.
"And does he know?"
"No, if he knew he would have killed my uncle two weeks ago before even being introduced to him."
"You saw that guy who did it again?!" Melanie exclaimed.
"I see him every time my family decides to have big family meeting. Two weeks ago my mom turned 70 and there was a big party. And suddenly I found myself alone with him in the kitchen and he reached his hand out to me and… it was all back. And even after I joined the academy and learned self-defense I just could not move. My nephew rescued me when he came in, to show me his new baseball." Alex took a deep breath. "That is why you need to tell us that he did it. We will lock him away and you'll never ever have to see him again."
"Okay." Melanie whispered.
Bobby could not stand it any longer he had heard dozens of stories like this, from several victims but hearing it from Alex… He could not face her now, she would know he had been ears dropping by the look on his face. So he run down the corridor to get to his car.
Sorry, got stuck in traffic. Meet you at the office. He texted her and drove off.
tbc