Eric's POV

I walked out of the cave and out too the meeting room where I had left CJ thinking about everything that she has been through, and wondering what I don't know about. I mean, I know about the abuse and about her parents deaths but i still feel like she's hiding something.

I walked into the room and she had her forehead laying on the table arms crossed above her head , I hadn't really noticed when I picked her up last night because it was dark but she looks awful. She sat up and I took in the full extent of the damage, her clothes were baggy and she was skin and bones, most likely malnourishment, she face was pale and she had bags under her eyes, she had a split lip and her forehead was bruised, and that was just what i could see. The doctors said she had scars on her back and stomach and some broken ribs, I just wondered how nobody noticed. Or even worse did they notice and just not care?

I walked up to her and realised her eyes had glossed over and she was staring into space. I crouched down in front of her and tucked a piece of her auburn hair behind her ear, I rested my hand on her shoulder drawing soothing circles, trying to bring her back from whatever was happening and whispered,

"Hey CJ, I have some people I'd like you to meet." No response.

CJ POV

Eric had left me alone in the meeting room so he could go and talk to someone, I didn't really know what was going on, all i knew was that there was something in my fathers will that said where i was to go if he died. He's been gone for so long I almost forgot that I wasn't supposed to be in that dreadful orphanage I was meant to be somewhere else but there was a problem so I was placed in 'temporary' foster care, it's been 2 years.

Flashback

I couldn't take it any more I was in pain all the time, I winced everytime I moved and people were starting to pick up on it. I always said I had been hurt at practice, I played on the school rugby, football and hockey teams, so everybody believed me. Mr Olsen could never stop me from playing sports as he knew it was how I explained what he did to me, and as soon as he put a stop to it his secret would come out.

But today I was done, I packed what was left of my clothes in my backpack, packed the photos of me with my family, my school stuff and everything else I needed or had, which wasnt much. I grabbed my sports bag and snuck down the stairs as quietly as possible.

I had been so focused on getting out I didn't account for Alyssa to still be awake, you see Lyss was always Mr Olsens (or House Master as we have to call him) favourite never got hurt, got three meals a day and never had to do any chores, so when she saw me trying to escape an evil smirk crossed her lips and a sadistic glint flashed through her eyes before she let out the shrillest scream I had ever heard.

The House Master came pounding down the stairs and ran straight to Lyss and asked her what happened, she told him that I was trying to escape and that I had threatened to kill her if she told, she was scared so she called him to help her. He spun round and his eyes steeled as they landed on me. I gulped, I knew I had done it this time. He told Lyss to go to her room and that he would deal with me, with that Alyssa threw me one final victorious smirk as she left the room.

The House Master stormed over to me and held me up against the wall by my throat, sneering as he edged his face closer and closer to mine "You ungrateful slut, after everything ive done for you, you try and pay me back by running away, i'll teach you a lesson..."

I could have fought back, and I did the first time his fist collided with my ribs I dont remember much after that, I remember snippets like the breaking of the glass as it collided with my ribs, the ringing in my ears after my head was thrown back against the wall, the feeling of something running down the inside of my thigh... the rest is just a blur of slurs and abuse, not that I would want to remember it anyway. Then I heard sirens and the bang of a door hittin* the cement and I finally fell into unconsciousness.

Flashback over

"...ear me?" Eric said worry lacing his voice.

My head snapped over to where he was crouched down next to me with his hand on my shoulder studying my face. I wiped my face and fake smiled before speaking,

"Pardon?" I question.

"I said are you ok?" He repeated slowly so he knew I had understood.

I just nodded and asked, "Why am I here?"

He let a small smile graze his lips even though it was clear he didn't believe me. He spoke gently to me, not like I was some fragile piece of glass about to break like all the doctors and nurses that had treated me just a few hours prior, but like a father, someone with genuine concern for my wellbeing,

"Well, you remember you're parents were in the navy right?" He asked, I nodded confused as to why he was saying that, "And you remember that you're social worker was having trouble accessing your records right?"