"What happened?!"
Charlotte and Becky raced into the bathroom, their eyes widening as they saw Bayley still in the shower, cowering in the corner as Sasha tried to get her to let her help.
"Oh, Bayley, what's wrong, honey?" asked Becky, sitting down next to Sasha.
Bayley sobbed into her arms, choking on her tears, her body shivering from the water some, but mostly from crying. Sasha glanced over at Charlotte and Becky before returning her attention to Bayley, easing herself into the shower, Becky reaching up to turn the water that was still running, off.
"Shh, shh, shh," whispered Sasha, wrapping her arms around Bayley, holding her close. "He's not here, Bayley. He's not here, okay? You're safe, sweetheart. So, so, safe," whispered Sasha, rubbing her hand down her distraught friend's arm, placing her chin on the top of Bayley's head.
Bayley whimpered, trying to catch her breath. Sasha held her tighter, placing her lips by her ear. She wanted to get her out of the shower and dressed, but she wasn't sure if that was going to be a possibility at the moment.
As if reading her mind, Charlotte popped out of the bathroom, returning a few seconds later with an oversized shirt and a pair of sweatpants.
"Bay, honey, let's get out of the shower now, okay? It's all over, sweet girl," whispered Charlotte, Sasha moving to help her up, Bayley shaking her head.
"Noo. Just leave me alone. Just leave me alone, please, please," she begged, refusing to look up, refusing to move. She rocked herself back and forth, just wanting to disappear, just wanting to stop feeling him all over her.
"Baylz? Do you wanna get dressed by yourself? We can leave if that's what you want, sweetpea," whispered Becky, wanting to reach out and offer some physical comfort to her friend, but not wanting her to be upset with more people touching her.
Bayley shook her head miserably, continuing to cry.
"Do you wanna stay with her or….are we just gonna let her…."
Charlotte's voice drifted off, not sure at all of what they should or could do to help her. She should have listened to her sister Megan who was always trying to get her to watch those stupid crime shows. Maybe then she'd have an idea of what to do in this situation….
"I don't wanna leave her like this. No way," whispered Sasha, knowing Bayley was probably hearing every word they were saying, not sure she was in any condition to contribute to the conversation.
"Come on Baylz, let us help, love," whispered Becky, grabbing the clothes that Charlotte had brought in and climbing into the tub with Sasha and Bayley. Charlotte headed out of the bathroom, not wanting to overcrowd Bayley at the given moment; knowing full well that Becky and Sasha were okay for now.
Sasha reached for the only remaining towel in the bathroom, gently wrapping it around Bayley's still shaking body. Bayley tried to push her friend's away, but neither of them were giving in. Sasha gently dried off what she could, Becky quickly pulling the T-shirt over Bayley's head.
"Come on love, can you put your hands into the shirt, Bay?" whispered Becky, freeing Bayley's long brown hair from the neck of the shirt.
Bayley slowly pulled her arms through the sleeves, going right back into her earlier position of curling her arms around her knees, her hair falling in front of her face.
"Bay, it'll be easier to help you get dressed if we can get you out of the tub," whispered Sasha, still running her hand down Bayley's back.
"I can't. I can't. I can't," cried Bayley, trying not to have another panic attack, trying to focus on her breathing.
"Okay, alright. The shirt is big enough. It goes down to your knees almost. Come on, Sasha and I are gonna help you love to get out of the tub, alright?"
Becky made eye contact with Sasha once more, both girls gently lifting her up and over the walls of the tub, Sasha stepping out with her and holding her up as Becky tried to help her with her pants, Bayley flinching away, kicking at Becky, who just barely avoided the kick.
"No! No! No! Please, no!"
"Bayley, I- honey, we're just trying to get you dressed, baby," muttered Sasha, holding Bayley close.
Bayley broke down into tears, again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she cried, almost whining.
Sasha sighed, holding Bayley a little tighter. "Okay, why don't we just try going back into the room, sweetheart, hmm?"
Bayley nodded, keeping her face completely shielded from both girls as Sasha helped her back into the room, settling her onto her bed.
Charlotte glanced at the trio and then at the pants that Becky was still holding. "Don't ask," said Becky, Charlotte sighing.
"Bay, honey, we gotta get these pants on you. Do you want to do it yourself?" asked Charlotte, kneeling down so she was eye level with Bayley, not that it mattered since Bayley was still refusing to make eye contact with any of them.
Becky handed Charlotte the sweats, Charlotte gently placing her one hand on Bayley's leg near her ankle. "Is this okay, honey? I know you're not liking being touched right now and that's alright. Just say something if me touching you isn't wanted, alright?"
Charlotte waited a second before proceeding, gently easing the first leg of the pants on, before doing the same with the second leg. She could feel the uneasiness throughout the entire process, Bayley whimpering with each feel of the pants touching her skin.
"Bayley, honey?"
Charlotte's voice was soft as she spoke after the getting the pants fully on, reaching up to touch her friend's cheek, wishing she'd make eye contact again.
"Bayley, we really should take you to the hospital….they….they can do a rape kit there that….that'll help with um, with evidence," said Charlotte, glancing at the other two girl's in the room before looking back at Bayley.
Bayley shook her head, immediately pulling her legs back towards her, Charlotte stopping her, tucking her fingers under Bayley's chin, gently forcing her to look up, wishing she hadn't when she saw the unbearable sadness in her friend's gaze.
"Bayley, honey, the hospital will help you. That's what it's there for…." whispered Charlotte, her finger stroking Bayley's cheek.
"No. No, I don't wanna go to a hospital," cried Bayley, cringing away once more from Charlotte. "Everybody will know. I-I don't. I don't. I don't w-w-want an-any-anyb-body to- to
She was panicking again, her words coming out in between short gasps for air. Charlotte gently grabbed her hand, holding it to her heart. "Baby, stop. Focus on your breathing again. Focus on your breathing. Deep breaths, remember?"
Charlotte quietly coached her through it again, watching as her eyes once more went back to normal. "Good girl. Nice and slow. No more panicking," soothed Charlotte, brushing her hand through Bayley's hair.
"Bayley, the hospital is confidential. The doctors can't tell anybody that you're there or why you're there. That's the good thing about them, baby," whispered Sasha, joining Charlotte on the floor.
Bayley shook her head, licking her suddenly dry lips. "People will find out...they always find out when we are at the hospitals when we g-g-get injured and stuff. They always-always f-f-find out," she cried, trying to make sure she kept breathing the right way.
"Honey, if you don't go to the hospital, they can't...there won't be any way to, to-"
Charlotte tried to figure out the best way to phrase the situation, not wanting to upset Bayley anymore than she already was, which was enough for two lifetimes right now.
"Baylz, the hospital can help you more than we can, my love," whispered Becky, sighing as she sat down on the bed next to Bayley. "They can find evidence that could um- that could uh-
"Not that easy, is it?" asked Charlotte, shaking her head. Becky just shrugged, struggling to find the words.
"They could help police arrest him and put the bastard in jail forever," said Sasha, never being one for a loss of words.
Bayley shook her head, pushing herself away from all three of the girls in the room, nearly falling off the bed in the process. If they found out who it was, everybody would know. It would be everywhere. All over work. All over the media. All over social media. Everywhere. Everyone would know.
And not just about him. Not just about what he did.
But about her. And what happened to her.
They would know everything.
Her friends, her coworkers, her family…..
"No! No hospitals! No hospitals! I'm not going! I won't go! I won't go!" cried Bayley, sliding off the bed and into the corner, drawing her knees up to her chest, and burying her head once more.
Bayley sighed, hating herself even more as she cried. She didn't know what to do anymore. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to go to the hospital. She didn't want to tell her friends who had done this to her. If she told them, they would know, and soon her bosses would know, everybody she worked with would know….
She couldn't tell. She wouldn't tell. She wouldn't go to the hospital. There was nothing she could do. Nothing that would help.
Nothing except going back in time and changing it. And she couldn't do that either.
So she just had to figure out a way to move past it.
If there was even such a thing as doing that.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! Hope you enjoyed the latest update and let me know what you guys think with a review!