Continued from chapter 1. There will be some talk of the gh episode from April 9, 2020. That's when Carly and Nelle discuss their past. May make this into a story since its kinda begun writing its self.
Entering the house, Carly continued talking in a low, soothing voice as Nelle, who had been glued to her side since being released moved closer to her, terrified she would disappear if she wasn't in Neles line of sight. "Avery is growing like a weed." She was saying as she entered the living room and took a seat on the couch, watching as Nelle dropped to her knees and waited for further instructions. Carly immediately went on alert. She had never asked her what it was like living with Frank Benson, but she had her suspicions.
He had shown up at GH and Nelle had completely lost it, pleating with Carly not to leave her. "Are we sitting on the floor?" She whispered as she took a seat next to her but Nelle only shrugged. "Honey, do you want me to hold you?" She questioned, needing to do something. She had slowly begun to realize that all Nelle wanted was her. She knew their relationship was not good before. She also knew that the reason Nelle did the things she did was because she wanted her to recognize her but none of that mattered now. She had been violated and assaulted in the most horrendous way possible and she'd be damned if she was not going to be there for her now. "Dad hired those men." She said in just above a whisper and Carly gasped in horror. "Men?" She asked, the thought of one man hurting Nelle hard to deal with but the thought of multiple men almost made her sick.
"They took turns. Said you'd still hate me after this. They knew where I was going. I-I called out for help. I called for you." She revealed before a torrent of sobs came bursting out.
"Oh, Nelle. Is that how you ended up here?" "Ye-yes. I ca-came in through the o-open back door." She said, her sobs making it hard for her to breathe properly. "Ok. Shhh. Come here." She said, carefully pulling her into a secure embrace, mindful of her broken ribs.
"Carlyyyy." "Shhh. I'm right here. It's ok." She whispered.
"Hey, mom. Come on in." Carly said two days later as she let Bobbie into the house. "How's Nelle?" "Not good. She won't let me out of her sight." "I'll bet. I'm surprised she came to you though." Bobbie responded after a few minutes of silence.
"I'm not. She's just like me. All the things I did to you she did to me for the same reason." She explained, reentering the living room where Nelle immediately made her way over to her, seeking comfort which Carly willingly provided. "Nelle, Bobbie is here." Carly whispered. "Hey, Nelle. How are you doing?" Bobbie asked kindly, her heart breaking when Nelle didn't respond and cuddled more firmly into Carly's body. "She doesn't really talk unless it's to me, and she can't even be in the same room as Sonny." Her daughter explained, remembering Nelle's reaction when Sonny came home and shifting her position to accommodate her injuries but still keeping her in her arms. "Dante needs a statement." Bobbie explained and Carly sighed. "This isn't going to go well." .
"No, please. Let me stay with Carly." Dante sighed sadly, hating this situation. Nelle was absolutely terrified, and all he wanted to do was let Carly stay with them. "Nelle. I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?" He asked and her frightened eyes met his and she nodded, now having dropped to the floor and Carly lowered herself down to be at her level so Nelle could hug her. "I promise you she isn't leaving. She will be right out here." Dante explained softly, kneeling down in front of them to be at eye level. "Carly stay?" She questioned in a small voice and both Carly and Dante looked at each other in surprise.
"Nelle, why do you think I wouldn't stay?" She questioned, not at all prepared for the answer. "You said Daddy sent me away and told you he didn't have money." She said innocently and Carly's frown deepened as she looked at Dante. "What is she talking about?" He asked, not having a clue of what was going on.
"It's a long story." Carly responded before turning her attention back to Nelle.
"I'll stay. I'll never leave again." Carly vowed, gently hugging her." "You have to go with Dante now though. Talking to him is the only way he can catch the men who hurt you." Carly explained. Please." Nelle begged, wrapping her arms more firmly around Carly's waste.
"I promise you, I'll be right out here. I'm not going anywhere." She said, sighing in relief as Bobbie entered the station. "You'll be out here?" "I'll be right here." She confirmed, her eyes filling with tears as Dante carefully lead Nelle into an interview room, Nelle stopping every few seconds to look back at her, tears pouring from her own eyes and flinching at Dante's gentle hand on her arm.
"She's gonna be fine." Bobbie whispered and Carly finally let out the tears she'd been holding back.
"It's strange. She's been my enemy for so long. I've hated her for everything she's done, pretending to sleep with Sonny, everything and now I can't imagine hating her." She explained, glancing at the closed door of the interview room. "Things have changed." The older woman acknowledged without a hint of judgment and Carly nodded. "Despite everything, the lies that Frank told her, the lies about Sonny and how she got me locked up I can't hate her, not after this. When I saw her on the floor, bruises covering her body and the blood on her pants, that were unbuttoned and the torn shirt-" She started as another sob broke free. "Things are different now." "Yes, they are." Bobbie responded. "How are things going at home?"
"Fine. She usually ends up in bed with me before the night's over, but other than that fine." Carly answered and Bobbie just raised her eyebrows. "You wanna try that again?" "Ok..." Carly said with a sigh. "She's terrified of every one who isn't me and she has flashbacks any time a male enters the room." Carly said and Bobbie frowned in concern. . "Are you back at work?" "Not yet. She isn't able to be alone yet." Carly explained, head snapping towards the interview room at the scream she heard.
"Nelle." She said before throwing the door to the room open, seeing Nelle under the table, rocking back and forth, clearly trapped in a memory. "What happened, Dante?" "I don't know. She was telling me about her father and she just started whimpering and rubbing her temples." He explained as Carly dropped to her knees and crawled under the table.
"Nelle, hey. It's Carly. Can you hear me?" She asked gently, a hand stroking soothingly through Nelle's hair. "Nooo. Carly, please help." "Nelle, open your eyes." She encouraged, shooting a pleating look at Dante. "You're safe. Just open your eyes. I'm right here." She said, pulling Nelle into her arms and beginning to rock her gently back and forth.
"Please. No more. Daddy, make them stop." She pleated. "Nelle. Hey. I promise you you're safe." She said and finally Nelle opened her eyes.
"Carly?" "Yeah, I'm here." She said as Nelle tucked her face into the crook of her neck, trying to get her racing heart under control.
"I wanna go home." She whispered, pressing her face more firmly into Carly's neck. "Ok, sweetheart. We are going home right now." She said, glancing at Dante who nodded. "Take her home and take care of her." He said sadly, just wanting to allow her to recover. "Ok. Thank you." Carly said, kissing Nelle's head comfortingly.
"Hello?" "Hello, Janelle. Miss me?" Frank Benson's voice asked and Nelle began shaking uncontrollably. "N-no. Y-you hired them." She stuttered out, searching the room for her protecter and he chuckled, the sound of it making her skin crawl.
"Yes, I sure did. Don't get comfortable, Janelle. I'm coming for you. You aren't staying with her." He said before hanging up the phone. "No. He's not taking me away from Carly." She whispered, beginning to rock back and forth steadily, arms wrapping around her knees which she pulled to her chest.
Suddenly Carly entered the room and made her way quickly to Nelle's side. "Are you ok?" She questioned gently and the younger woman immediately threw herself at her, whimpering at the strain the action caused her battered body but not caring as Carly cradled her against her chest. "He called." She said shakily, whining when her injuries wouldn't allow her to shift closer. "Hey, easy. I've got you." She cooed, standing and making her way down the hall toward the bedroom, humming a tune she often hummed to Michael and Morgan and soon it worked. Nelle was sleeping peacefully, and so as to not wake her, Carly crawled in beside her, smiling as Nelle buried her face in her chest. All the while though, she was concerned with Frank still being on the loose.
She just hoped Dante found him in time, before he came for Nelle, or worse, her.