AN: Content warning for depictions of rape. National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

"Hey! Let go!" Emily demanded, but Rowena held fast to her arm.

"No, not until I've proven to you how good I am!" Rowena insisted, eyes crazed.

"Look, I don't disbelieve you," Emily tried to back up, but Rowena had a shockingly tight grip for someone so thin. "But I'm not interested!"

"But I love you!" Rowena pleaded. "I've been in love with you for so long! So please! Just let me make you happy!"

For a moment, Emily was caught off guard by the confession. Relations of all kinds were common across the inmates, but because Emily didn't feel that close to Rowena, her confession had come as a shock to Emily.

"What does Veronica have that I don't!?" Rowena continued to press. "You say yes to her all the time!"

"Respect for personal space, for one," Emily replied, trying again to wrench her arm free. But Rowena did not seem to understand the concept of the word "no", and instead, she only tightened her grip around Emily even more.

"Oh come on! You know you love this!" she insisted as she began to kiss and lick Emily's neck the same way Veronica would. Only this time, Emily only felt fear and disgust. She continued to try to push Rowena away, but Rowena was heedless, holding Emily fast with one hand and ripping off her corset with another. God, her tongue felt so slimy and demanding! This was nothing like Veronica…

After long enough, Emily began to scream for help, but Rowena had been clever. Intentionally cornering Emily in a time and place where no other guards or inmates were around, there was nobody who could come save Emily from Rowena. She continued her kisses and caresses as she disrobed herself and Emily until they were both naked.

Once Rowena was finished, she left Emily lying on the cold hard ground.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked. "I told you I'd be good!" But Emily didn't reply. Rowena only shrugged.

Ah well, she'll probably come around once she gets some of her energy back… the woman thought to herself. But it didn't happen. Long after Rowena had wandered away, Emily continued to lie there in total shock. The pain, both physical and mental, were much worse than she'd thought. She just felt so… dirty! But perhaps it was because, even though she'd been treated much worse by the doctors, the doctors were supposed to be the enemies while Rowena, well, she was supposed to have been a friend…

The mere thought of that word tore a sob from Emily's throat. She'd been betrayed by a friend… It just felt so wrong and backward! Rowena was supposed to have been one of the people she could trust! It felt… insane! But then again, this was an asylum. Contrary to their names and mission statements, insane asylums didn't cure madness, they bred it. It festered and grew, spreading like a plague between doctors and inmates alike until no one was safe…

ooo

In the days to come, Emily made sure to minimize her time with Rowena as much as possible. She never went anywhere alone anymore. But it still took a while for her to tell anyone about what had happened. But the person she did finally talk to was a very dear friend of hers from outside the asylum. A photographer named Thompson.

"Come on, W14A!" It was Dr. Greavesly, one of the cruel surgeons of the asylum who took great pleasure in torturing and dissecting the patients, dead or alive. "That idiot, Thomas, is here to see you again!" He impatiently dragged Emily out of her cell and through the asylum.

As soon as Emily saw Thompson, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Suddenly, all the cares of the world were gone and she felt like she was coming home, even though she was still very much trapped in the asylum. There was just something so gentle and kind about Thompson that it felt impossible to be sad or scared when he was near. He was one of Emily's most beloved friends and even just being in the same room as him took a bit of the burden off her shoulders after days of weighing her down.

The photography session went as well as usual, however, right before the very end of it, Thompson finally spoke up.

"I hate to intrude, but you've seemed a little… off… today. Is everything alright?"

And for a moment, Emily froze. It was funny, she didn't trust men. She didn't even trust some of her own fellow inmates! And yet here she was, seriously considering spilling her heart to Thompson.

"I promise I won't pry if it makes you uncomfortable, but if you need any help, or just a listening ear…"

And that was what finally got Emily to tell him everything. Here she was, telling him things she could barely admit to herself. But still, once she started speaking, she didn't stop until she'd recounted every little last detail of what happened between her and Rowena. She felt like a dam that had just burst open and would not close again until all the water, all the tears and secrets, were out.

"Oh, Emily, I am so sorry," Thompson's voice was full of genuine empathy as he listened, genuinely listened, to Emily's tale. He opened his arms, but didn't do more than that, waiting for Emily to make the first move. How unlike Rowena… Emily swallowed nervously but she nodded and leaned into Thompson's hug. He closed his arms around her slowly, giving her time to back away, but she didn't. Even though a small part of her hated feeling him touch her, a larger part ached for his affection.

For a few minutes, they remained in that position, Emily simply clinging to Thompson like a drowning man to a rope while she whimpered and sniffled. He said nothing, simply allowing her to cry into his shoulder for as long as she needed. It was more than she could've ever asked for.

But alas, it could not last forever. Before long, Thompson was forced to depart.

"I'll come back as soon as I can!" he promised. "Do you think you'll be ok without me? Do you think you can stay strong until then?"

"That's all I've ever done," Emily muttered hollowly, but she nodded anyway. "And Thompson, thank you so much," she added, gentler now.

"No one should have to go through this," Thompson replied, packing up his camera. "And you stay away from that Rowena girl, ok?"

"I plan on it," Emily laughed brokenly. "I just can't believe she actually did it…"

"Whatever you do, don't blame yourself," Thompson pleaded. "You said no, and that was all you could do. She's the one who is at fault! Rape is never the victim's fault. And no matter how rough or gentle it was, it was assault all the same. Even if Rowena didn't have a knife at your throat, and even if she wasn't punching or kicking you, it was still assault! She's the one who betrayed you, not the other way around! And even if she didn't leave any physical scars, she left mental ones, and that's what makes her a monster!"

Thompson wasn't saying this to turn Emily against Rowena, but rather, to prevent the poor girl from thinking she was somehow at fault for what had happened. And it was a good thing, too, because even though Emily cognitively knew all the blame fell upon Rowena, she still couldn't help but feel personally that she hadn't been able to do more to protect herself. But as Thompson had pointed out, she shouldn't have had to protect herself at all because Rowena should've been the trustworthy friend she presented herself as. So truly, the only one to blame here was her.

It was hard watching Thompson leave, but his words stayed with Emily long after he'd departed, and with his words was his comfort. It was enough to help Emily feel some semblance of safety again. And it gave her the courage to eventually tell her other friends what had happened.

ooo

Several hours later, Emily was back in her cell for the night. She still hadn't told Veronica, but as Thompson had reassured her, there was no rush or pressure to tell anyone. Although talking about it with trusted friends and family was a good thing, she was under no obligation to do so, unless she wanted to. Which she did! She just needed to find the right opportunity…

But even though she hadn't had the strength to tell Veronica, she had told Captain Jolie Rogue. She knew that Jolie would understand. She would understand what it felt like to be hurt by someone she loved. Jolie's speech had been much the same as Thompson's, though more aggressive.

"Nobody is allowed to tell you what to do with your body except yourself!" she insisted loudly.
"Shhh!" Emily pleaded, not wanting the entire floor to hear. This was still very private and personal.

"Ooops, sorry!" Jolie repeated, softer. "But like I was sayin', it's nobody's right but yer own to do stuff like that with your body. And Rowena's a right foul git for what she's done to ye!" Jolie shook her head. "No member of my pirate crew is allowed to harm a comrade! Tis mutiny!"

Emily smiled as Jolie continued to rant. She was so well-meant, even though she was a bit rough around the edges. But at last, she calmed down and opened her arms to Emily just like Thompson had. It was then that Emily understood why she liked Veronica, Jolie and Thompson so much more than the doctors or Rowena. Unlike the latter two, the former three always waited for consent. Whether it was verbal or not, they never did anything to/with Emily's body without getting her explicit permission first. The same could not be said of Rowena and the asylum doctors.

So there Emily lay, in the arms of her Captain. She decided that she would indeed tell Veronica, but not yet. She still needed a bit of time to think and rest. She'd told Thompson and Jolie and that was enough for now, even if neither of them could do too much to help. But they were going to try, and that was Emily could ever ask for. So while Emily slowly drifted off into the dreamworld, Jolie continued to hold her throughout the night, eyes wide open as she continued to keep careful watch over her beloved friend.

AN: National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

I know this was a very serious topic, so please tell me if anything seemed offensive or off-color.