"So how does it feel?" laughed Roger, leaning over her.

"…"

"What it feels like to be beaten, hm?"

"…" she was still laying on the ground, trying to process what had just happened.

"You always have a fucking opinion on everything, so come on! Just say it!"

"You're a…" she tried to speak, but she felt an awful pain in her cheekbone.

"Oh no, what happened?" he was mocking her, "Has the cat got your tongue?"

"You're a bastard…" she hissed with clenched teeth, when he slapped her hard again and grabbed hold of her mouth,

"Look at that! What a big talk from such a slut like you!"

"Get off me!" she cried, but he just held her so strongly, that it hurt. "Ow!…"

"You know, I've thought you can't sink lower than Rob… but this nobody really goes beyond everything."

"Shut up! He is like you'll never be!" she remarked scornfully, then suddenly scratched him on the face.

"You fucking bitch!" he cried up in pain. "It seems you're just as wild as you used to be, but now you won't get away with it!"

"Get off me!" she screamed and tried to push him away, but he just pushed her back and pinned her down with his body.

"And now you'll get what bitches deserve…"

When David arrived she was already half naked, screaming and shouting, writhing on the ground with Roger on top of her… as he saw them, he felt such anger that his strength became tenfold as before, then everything happened so fast… a moment later he grabbed Roger and literally tore him off of her… although Roger was not weak, he had no chance against David, so after a few angry hits, blood covered his face and he almost lost consciousness… with his last effort Roger tried to grab David's gun, but he was not fast enough and a gunshot made an end to their fight… just when Tom and another police officer have arrived in full armor…

"He is dead…" said David breathlessly, kneeling over Roger's body.

"I would say I'm sorry, but I don't really feel that way." Tom remarked with false regret. "But where is she?" he asked, searching her in the background with his gaze. "Is she okay?"

"Well I… I really hope so." answered David, looking desperately at the bedroom's direction.

"What do you think Skip, do I need to call a doctor?"

"I'm not sure, just… give us a few minutes, okay?"

"Sure."

"And please, get him out of here." he said with disgust, pointing to Roger. "I really don't want her to see this mess…"

"Of course," nodded Tom and they did as he asked…

David slowly got up from the ground, not because he didn't want to rush to her, but because it was his turn to be awfully afraid… awfully afraid of what he'll find. From the ground he saw that she was sitting in front of her bed, but in the semi-darkness he couldn't see more… just as he stepped closer.

He never felt such despair in his life like now, as she was sitting there with her legs pulled up and her clothes ripped off. Her trousers with her knickers were hanging on her ankle, her shirt was in pieces… it was a heartbreaking sight to see. But the worst thing was the way as she was staring at the floor with glassy eyes. He was sure she didn't even hear the gun's loud noise, she obviously got a shock…

For a moment or two he just stood there, looking at her, trying to decide how to speak to her, how to touch her… he was trained for such situations, but now it was completely different. She was not another soldier, but a woman, a woman he loved with all of his being…

So he slowly sat down next to her, trying not to take any quick movements, but she didn't even realize him, she was just staring at the floor… he grabbed the blanket from the bed and slowly wrapped it around her, while he didn't take his hand off of her, just tried to keep her warm and despite her gaze was the same, he felt relief that she didn't push him away…

"You okay?" he asked softly, then quickly realized how stupid it may had sounded in a situation like this. How could she be okay? Of course she was not okay… he scolded himself, but it didn't really matter, because she was in another world. "Do you have any pain?"

"…"

"Your cheek… does it hurt?" he tried, then added quickly. "But maybe you just don't feel it from the adrenalin."

"…"

"Hey, it's over…" he kept trying with something positive. "He won't hurt you anymore."

"…"

"Everything is gonna be alright, okay? I'm here with you," he said with a loving tone, stroking her face gently and her gaze finally changed. "You really don't have to be afraid anymore."

"…"

"Do you have any pain?" he asked again and she just shook her head. He was so happy that she finally reacted. "I'll get something for your cheek, okay?"

"…" she nodded barely noticeably, while he just stroked her arm softly, trying to comfort her… but he also knew there is one certain question what he had to ask… and he was terribly afraid of this question.

"Did he…" he started, then suddenly stopped. He didn't know how to ask it. How to ask such a thing? "Did he hurt you?" he tried again, but it sounded just as stupid as his first question. "I mean…"

"…" she just stared at her legs.

"Did he…" he took a deep breath and asked it in a whisper, "… rape you?"

"…"

"Julia?… " he asked and didn't dare to breathe as he was waiting for her answer.

"…" and she finally shook her head slowly.

"Thank goodness!" he sighed with an indescribable relief and closed his eyes for a moment, when he heard her voice barely audibly,

"Not now…"

To be continued…