To her horror after the guards had left, she heard Jefferson whistle at her. Anger rose in her chest. 'Fucker!' But then she consoled herself with one fact. She could feel anger towards men again, not just fear. Adam had quashed her hatred of him with pure terror, so it was good to know she could still feel it towards an asshole like Jefferson. She took a deep breath then realised why he had whistled in the first place. It was hot and she wasn't covered completely. Furious at him she quickly covered herself.
"Too late honey bunch," he sneered. "Already got a nice look at your tits and there's no one to protect you this time. What a nice welcome home present. Now all I need to see is your cunt and I'll be totally happy."
It was then that she felt the first wave of panic. 'No,' she shouted at herself. 'Stay in control!' She hadn't had a panic attack for a while and she didn't want to have one now. But the text, along with Jefferson's jeering words… She lurched, grabbed her shirt and put it on. She desperately took sips of water trying to calm herself. But all the memories were suddenly as sharp as tape recordings. The rapes… the shouts… the orders… She scrambled back to her bed.
Joanne had told her and it'd been in her documentation that if a patient had a panic attack the doctors could prescribe sedatives. She had no choice, she needed help. Feeling around frantically, she tried to find the call button. She couldn't find it. 'Where the fuck was it?!' The panic worsened as she continued her fruitless searching. 'Fuck I hate being blind, fuck I hate being blind!' She shouted in her head again and again. 'Where the fuck was the fucking button?' She searched all over, feeling like the blind woman she was as she felt everywhere, but still no trace of the damn call button. She wished more than ever she could go back to the first day, when Joanne had asked if she needed to show her where the call button was again. 'Yes!' She'd say. 'Yes, please!'
Still no button. All she could think of in her panic fuelled brain was to get help another way. Almost running over to the bars she hit them as hard as she could, once, twice. She needed to get out, she was stuck in a small box both physically and mentally and she couldn't take the mounting pressure. She would hit the bars until her fucking hands were bleeding if she had to. 'I need out, I need out!' She shouted in her head. 'Why! Why was she still alive?'
"I told you bitch!" Adam yelled, seeing Charlotte blanch, first in surprise, then fear. "I'm Sir at home! Are you deaf?" At last. Oh fuck yes, at last. It was almost enough to make him cum. Women did as he said, he was boss.
"I'm sorry Sir," Charlotte said meekly as he grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her upstairs. She needed a good seeing to. A good fucking would show her that he meant business, meant every word he said. Now she was beginning to realise Danielle may have been right. Too late bitch, he thought as he pounded into her. Too late.
Danielle had no idea how long she'd been desperately hitting the bars. She couldn't shout out loud because her mental box was closed, constricting her voice. The next thing she knew the door had opened and just like in her dream, except this was for real, Joanne had her arm around her, whispering into her ear. "Danielle, it's alright, I'm here. What happened sweetheart? Bad dreams?"
"I couldn't find the call button," She eventually broke down, sobbing against the guard's shoulder. "I searched and searched but couldn't find it! I… I was so scared! I'm so sorry I…"
"Shh," Joanne kept repeating as she held her close. She may be her guard, but right now Joanne felt like her mother. Just as she had in her dream a few nights ago. "It's here sweetheart," Joanne murmured eventually, setting her hand on the light switch then the round button built into it. At this she began crying soundlessly. She'd been so close…
"Hey it's ok," Joanne soothed. "You know where it is now, if you need it again."
She felt another hand on her shoulder then. "Danielle," it was Dr Stark. "What happened?" She had never heard the doctor speak so kindly to her, in all the time she'd known her. Joanne handed her a glass of water.
"Panic attack," Danielle gasped. "I took my meds at breakfast today; my anti-depressants and they normally help keep them under control but…"
"Did something happen?" Dr Stark asked. "Today, I mean?"
She didn't want to lie. "Yes Dr Stark," she managed to say before she broke down all over again against Joanne's shoulder. "Yes!"
Adam lay beside Charlotte, heartily wishing he could wake her up. But not yet. Picking up her phone he began to check her text messages, and bingo, he had his first shot of showing her that she belonged to him. A male colleague named "TJ" had texted her "Hey babe how are you?" Adam didn't like that, not at all. It made his blood boil. "TJ?" That was too friendly for his liking. The bitch would pay for this. Pretending gentleness, he woke her, trying desperately to keep his anger in check, at least for now. "Baby," he said, keeping his voice casual as if just curious, when in reality he wanted to punch her in the face. "What's this?"
She raised her eyebrows and squinted at him before looking at the message. He saw the spark of anger cross her features, that he dared look at her phone while she was sleeping, but he immediately silenced that by bellowing out. "ANSWER ME BITCH!" grabbing her shoulder. Instantly, terror replaced her anger and Adam relaxed. "Good," he hissed. That was what he wanted to see. Fear. "It… It's my boss," she stammered, trying not to meet his eyes. "Tim Jennings. Just checking that I'm ok. He… He does that every day."
"Yeah?" Adam sneered. "Does he call everyone babe?" He stressed the last word. "He needs to stop, you hear me? No one will call you babe! I don't like it. You tell him that." He thrust her phone at her. "Text him back right now and tell him never to call you babe again and I'll read it before you send it! Do it!"
"It's 3 AM," she started weakly but was stopped when Adam punched her in the face. She gasped more in shock than pain. It wasn't hard but hard enough to make his point. "Do it," he snarled. "Now!" Her hands were shaking, Charlotte raised her phone and texted back.
Hi Tim, I'm fine, but please don't call me babe again. C.
Adam took her phone and read it before hitting send. "Good girl," he said, pulling her back to him. Charlotte didn't stop him. By now she knew what she would get for that text. Quite literally fucked.
For the first time, Dr Stark entered Danielle's cell. She only knew this when she knelt on Joanne's other side and touched her shoulder, Joanne still with her arm around her.
"What happened?" Dr Stark asked softly. Danielle was still crying uncontrollably, willing her mental walls to disappear so she could think, speak, anything… "I… I…" She tried, but her voice still wasn't working. Joanne continued to stroke her back and slowly but surely she began to relax. Dr Stark didn't push and Danielle was pretty sure the doctor smiled at her guard in thanks, though of course she didn't know this for certain.
"I… I got a text," She whispered eventually, pulling out her phone, turning off voiceover and activating the screen, as she'd had to do so many times before. Charlotte's text was still open, she handed it first to Joanne, proof of her trust and Joanne handed it to Dr Stark.
"Charlotte was one of my best friends," She sobbed, not giving a fuck who could hear her. She was past caring. "That means the fucker Adam's got his claws in to her now. He'll treat her the same way he treated me and there's nothing I can do about it!"
"But that's not your fault," Dr Stark said. "You can't control another's actions. Charlotte will get the help she needs. We have domestic violence experts here and I'll get some of them on her trail right away. They'll discreetly keep an eye on her and work out how to get her away from him. Trust me?" Dr Stark took her hand and squeezed it once. She slowly nodded. "That's my girl," Dr Stark said. "We'll get her away from him."
"Then there's that jerk to the right of me," She sobbed, still not caring if he heard. 'Fucker deserved to die. Why hadn't they let Michael kill him?' "He made a sexual advance on me as soon as he got through the fucking door. It's really hot tonight and he was just standing there staring at my fucking breasts! The asshole even had the audacity to whistle at me! I can't take much more of it… Not, not with my… My past…"
Before she'd even finished speaking, the door had opened and three guards had come in. Jefferson's cell was opened and he was wrenched violently from his bed, then was chained. "What the fuck?" He snarled.
"Solitary Jefferson," a voice Danielle recognised as Rick's said. "We warned you. Leave this woman alone, you sexist bastard." She didn't hear Jefferson's reply because he was being shoved out of the block. God she hoped he rotted in there.
"Thanks," she said to Dr Stark. "I wasn't asking for you to do that but…"
"That's not the first time he's done something like that and he has been warned previously, Rick said," Dr Stark said. "We're actually trying to get him moved. He's not helping your recovery at all."
'Should've just let Michael kill him,' she thought but didn't say. 'Why didn't you?'
"Come on sweetheart," Joanne eased her to her feet. "Let's go and get you something cold to drink. You're right, it's stifling tonight."
"Joanne," She had to ask the question as her guard and doctor guided her towards the door. "How did you guys know I was in trouble? Did you hear me?"
"Not at first," Joanne said and Danielle was certain she could hear a smile in her tone. "The gentleman on your left pressed his call button for you."
Adam heard a knock at the door. "Hey bitch!" He yelled to Charlotte. "Get the fucking door!" When she opened the door a Sheriff was standing there with an envelope in his hand. "May I speak with Adam Dawson? Is he home?" the Sheriff asked. Stuttering, Charlotte told him to wait a moment and she would get him. Adam then marched to the door, opened it roughly and shouted "What?" The Sheriff showed him the envelope and said "You are being served a subpoena, please sign here." Shocked, Adam signed for the envelope and closed the door. The letter said:
Dear Mr. Dawson, this is a formal subpoena to appear at Haddonfield Court this Wednesday to give your testimony in the case against you for Domestic Violence and Abuse against Ms. Danielle Hayward. Failure to appear will result in your arrest
Adam stared at the letter, anger rising in his stomach, along with a twinge of dread. He quickly stifled the latter. They wouldn't be able to prove a damn thing. He was safe. His tightest alibi being Danielle was now in a nuthouse. Charlotte's text to her could also work in his favour. Nope, he was safe. 'Just try, you assholes,' he thought. You won't be able to send me down no matter how many of her bitch friends try.
"Do you need me to show you the call button again?" Joanne asked 10 minutes later as she guided Danielle back in to the block, Dr Stark walking behind them.
"Yes please," Danielle said without hesitation. The sedative Dr Stark had given her started to kick in and as a result she could think, but she was still badly shaken up. The old her was gone. She would've again said no. But after what'd just happened, she wasn't taking any chances. If Michael hadn't pressed his for her…
Michael. 'What the hell did he think of her now?' She'd fallen to pieces. She mentally winced.
'Wait', said that quiet little voice in her head. 'Why do you care so much what Michael Myers thinks?'
'Because I think I trust him,' said an even quieter voice.
'Don't start this again,' she shouted at herself. 'Don't! It was bad enough for the last fucking week! Just except it! He's shown you kindness, just except it for fuck's sake!'
They were almost at her cell when she squeezed Joanne's arm, the signal for her to stop. Joanne stopped and turned to face her.
"Are you still here Dr Stark?" Danielle asked. Now was no time for embarrassment.
"Yes," Dr Stark touched her arm. "I'm right here."
"You know," she said, not keeping her voice low this time. She didn't care, they needed to know the truth and if she was honest, so did he. "I wish Michael had strangled me instead of Jefferson. I'm only alive because I was found, and dear God, sometimes I wish I wasn't. I think I'm getting too emotionally involved with Michael, and that terrifies me. At the same time, however, I love it and want more. But damn it I also wish Michael had just killed me right there and then in the damn yard! He's a killer after all! Why has he treated me like he has? He holds my key out of here and yet he hasn't used it."
She got no further in her rant because that was when she was gently pulled against a cell door by the hand. Myers' other arm was through the door at such an angle so as she wouldn't make contact with the hard metal. Myers tightened his hold on her as she automatically squeezed back for all she was worth.
"I think that's your answer," Dr Stark said. Danielle heard Joanne's "Aww," and it sounded as if she was blinking back tears. "What have I told you about feelings? You can't control them. Nor can you let Adam control your life. You have to try to move forward, one step at a time."
Michael squeezed her hand again then released it. She went to move back to her own cell, when there was a buzz and his door opened. She only knew this for certain when his arms came around her. She couldn't stop herself as she pressed tightly against him.
"I rest my case," Dr Stark said. "Go on Michael."
Myers led her towards his cell, then the door was closed and locked. This time she had no room for embarrassment, fear, shyness, whatever it was. She clung to him as if she never wanted to let go again. After a minute, she heard the cell block door closing as Joanne and Dr Stark left. She and Myers were alone in his cell.
"I… I'm sorry," She began. "I didn't mean for you to hear all that. Well I did, but, oh fuck! I can't thank you enough for…"
Myers led her to the bed and softly pushed her down, before lying beside her and pulling her close to him. At the same time, he raised his free arm and took her hand in his. She started crying at what he did next. Slowly, he guided her hand up so it was resting on the light switch, then the call button. Michael Myers was showing her where it was. This small but kind gesture had touched her beyond belief. "Thank you," she just managed to say through her tears. "Thank you so much!"
Michael squeezed her hand again before releasing it and putting both arms around her, holding her tightly. Before she knew what she was doing, she started to speak and it all came pouring out. Now, it was too late to turn back.
"Damn it Michael Myers, what are you doing to me? You're in my dreams, thoughts, and life! Every night before I go to sleep I think about you. The last couple of nights when you've been next door to me I've longed for you, needed you, wanted you. A few days ago I actually had a dream that you killed that fucker Jefferson and that was before you actually tried to do it. I'm so scared of getting emotionally close to you, especially when you consider the fact you're… Inclinations make Adam look kind," she actually faintly smiled at him then. "But I can't stop what's happening to me. I've tried to tell myself for the last week it's just because you've shown me some kindness, the first in a long time, but I can't think like that anymore! Michael I…" She swallowed and cleared her throat. It suddenly felt very dry.
She felt him hold the plastic glass against her mouth then. She didn't even think, just trusted him. As he tipped it back, she gladly accepted its contents in to her dry throat. The water was cold and felt good.
"Thanks," she said when he drew the glass back. She lent in to him and for some reason found herself whispering into his ear. She knew it was totally pointless as they were alone, but she couldn't help it. It was something she'd longed to do with Adam and he'd let her, just once to make her think she had the perfect man and then…
She forced those thoughts out of her mind as she opened her mouth and whispered in to the ear of a cold blooded killer. "Michael Myers I think I'm starting to trust you and have feelings for you, and if I'm not very careful I feel like I could end up falling in love with you."