Sounds muffled, vision distorted - it's hard to breathe. Voices taunt, laugh, and her lungs scream for air. She can hear water piling passed the rapid pulse in her ears, his limbs are locked. She begs, cries, screams - but they do not listen. This may be the point where they finally kill her... One particular voice is faint, echoey - like coming from down a long tunnel. The more it speaks, the clearer - and closer it sounds. It's gentler than all the other voices. It says something. He focuses on it as it forms words. It sounds like a name.

Her name.

Nell...

She likes that voice. She tries to block everything out except that voice.
Nell.

"...It's okay, Nell. You're safe; you're not in danger. I've got you."

Her vision was getting clearer, her hearing less distorted. She was not choking for air; she was breathing too much, too fast. Nell greedily gulped as much oxygen as she could, while she still could. She was growing more lightheaded, her blood pumping madly from the overworking heart. But she could still hear that voice - feel the protective arms, which she clinged to.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here..."

Her vision began to clear and a bathroom hazed into view. It's not her bathtub that she was sitting in. She's fully clothed, but never felt so vulnerable and exposed. She can't protect herself against them. All they want is pain, blood, revenge -

"Focus on me, Nell." The voice sternly interrupted her racing thoughts. "You're not there anymore. You're in my trailer now. You're safe, help is on its way." Her arms shaking with pain, and the adrenaline from fear. Her heart rattled against her chest. "Keep breathing. Count with me. One...two...three...four..."

She tried to do as asked. Her breaths were just too shaky to hold the whole four counts. But she wasn't reprimanded when the air left her in one, shuddering gust before the count was over.

"It's okay; try again. One...two...three...four..."

Her breath still shook when she let it out, but she was able to do it slower this time. The dizziness finally began to subside. And it didn't feel like she was about to lose what little was in her stomach at any second.

"That's good. You're doing better. Just keep breathing. You'll be okay. I got you."
Following the soothing voice, Nell kept breathing - Gradually, the pressure in her chest eased and breathing no longer hurt, nor was it as difficult. She could see everything clearly, and she could see why she was sitting inside a bathtub. It was stained with her blood. Had she been jumped? She couldn't remember? All Nell knew was she was in a lot of pain. Then everything went dark.

"It's okay. You're okay, now." The voice behind her began to crack. A banging noise caught both their attention.

"Fangs! What the fuck is going on, you said it was urgent in your text!", it was a females voice from the outside of the trailer shouting.

Nell pursed his lips and nodded her head stiffly, giving him permission to go get the door. Nell was so drained. And stiff. And sore. Not to mention nauseated.
She could hear muffled voices from the other side of the door but could only make out some of it.

"What..?", the females voice was a lot closer and softer "what happened this time?". Nell couldn't hear anything else that was said after that. What the hell? She was starting to become angry, she had no idea what had happened. She just wanted to go home...except she didn't have one anymore.

"Fangs..." She urged firmly; he entered the bathroom again with a pink haired girl by his side.

Nobody said anything. After a few moments they silence was broken, "You're looking better that you did a few hours ago; I'm glad you came."

"Yeah, well, I shouldn't have to 'come back' at all," Nell growled bitterly. "I can't even get out of this fucking bathtub"

"what happened..." Fangs said softly.

"Let's not forget you've put me in a bathroom, instead of taking me to a hospital" Nell plowed on as if Fangs hadn't spoken.

"Nell, after what you've been through - "

"And not to mention leaving alone! God, what am I, five?? Yeah, I bet that's a real commendable quality. My stupidity..."

Fangs released another silent sigh as Nell's fist beat frustratedly into the side of the tub. "Don't do that. What happened wasn't your fault. Nobody blames you for anything."

Nell didn't want to hear it. It was bad enough that she couldn't remember almost every damn thing that happened that night. The fact that she was found staggering by the side of the road, by her cousin - just made it all worse. And she hated the pity - the way he hadn't even thrown a jibe at her. She couldn't stand the way the pink haired girl looked between him and her - as if she were some fragile, abused animal at the mercy of blood-thirsty sadists. Well, being at the mercy of blood-thirsty sadists was accurate... But, nonetheless, Nell hated feeling this damn helpless - hated being this damn helpless.
What the hell happened to strong, independent, unshakable Nell Martian?

"I want out," Nell stated suddenly. "Help me out of here."

Fangs wasn't one hundred percent sure is she meant the gang life, or the bathtub. But he went with the latter. "Okay, Nell. Just take it slowly."

A scoff was her only answer as she pushed herself up. Nell stopped short when she had to grab onto the rim of the tub when her balance wavered for a moment, but Fangs and Toni helped her to her feet.

"You'll sleep now, babe. I'll leave Toni to watch over you while I'll make a few calls"