Dear readers

This chapter is a bit painfully personal. More so than the first chapter. I should warn you this is a rape chapter which I have glossed over a bit for fear of triggering any unpleasant memories you might have if you've experienced anything similar.

I advise all sensitive readers to skip this chapter. Your mental health is important.

Warning:Rape. Non consent. Torture tactics.

Disclaimer: J'onn doesn't belong to me.

Chapter Sixteen

Fear

My head is killing me. What the hell just happened?

Great, I can't move my hands nor my feet, some wonderful example of goodness has tied me to a chair. What is this? A classic black and white film with a helpless dame tied under a swinging light bulb? Not that I'm feeling any better than a helpless dame, pretty sure I can feel dried blood sticking to my hair at the back of my head.

Why didn't I learn escape artistry from Batman when I was cooped up in the watchtower, sure would come in handy right about now.

Glancing around through a black hazed vision, all I can see are four walls, my effectively tied up self, a couple of cameras and a nice big door. Great, I'm under surveillance and I just alerted my captors to my wakefulness. If there's one thing movies have taught me, its never alert your captors that you're awake. They only torture you when you're awake.

And speak of the devil. The door opens to a large, black, ugly- gorilla?!

"Ah how lovely to see you awake."

A talking gorilla. Right. This is a dream. Only a dream.

"We were looking for you for quite some time, you know."

Right, so not creepy at all. Another lesson from movies, don't talk back unless you want to get punched in the face. Never pays to be a hero without backup. Backup that I currently have none of. No one will notice my absence till tomorrow morning when I have to report to work and J'onn has removed the mind link so I can't call out to him either. I could call Superman... But I doubt this gorilla is going to give me a phone.

"Not very talkative for a female, I can see why the Martian choose you."

Martian? This is about J'onn... I meet the gorillas frightening eyes, I don't remember him in any papers..

"Who are you?"

"You don't know me? Why, I'm Grodd."

The name is vaguely familiar.. "What do you want?"

"Revenge of course."

This villain is surprisingly patient, always a problem with the leaders. They love to gloat and then switch into aggression.

"Why me?"

"Lets just say I have a bone to pick with a certain Martian. He ruined my plans!" The gorilla violently stalks forward, his massive hand giving my chair a shake. "Tricked me when success was at my fingertips! But you," my jaw is tightly clenched between thick fingers, tipping my throbbing head backwards. "You're the key to his downfall. The key to bringing the Justice League to its knees!"

Aggression right on schedule. I tug my face back from his painful hold, this creature doesn't understand his own strength. His grin is all teeth as he steps back. Not a good sign.

"I hear you can call the Martian through your thoughts. Lets have you beg for a rescue."

The door violently opens for a few choice criminals to stalk in, nothing good being promised by their gleeful faces. They don't look all too familiar except the all black costumed thin man with a walking stick. Shade. The other two are a mismatched set of villains. A dark version of green lantern and a purple synthoid with silver definitions. I turn back to Grodd, praying desperately that he's not about to do what I think he's about to.

"I can't call him. He removed the link."

"A pity then, it'll have to be the old way."

"What?"

He just waves his hand in dismissal. "She's all yours gentlemen. And please, nothing too gory. I hate to touch blood."

"No! THIS IS POINTLESS! I CAN'T CONTACT HIM! I'M TELLING THE TRUTH!"

"I believe you."

"You do? Then why?"

"You see, this organ," he taps thick fingers to his skull. "can read minds. Unfortunately for you, you are correct, you can't reach him. But that doesn't mean a nice little video broadcast can't."

No...

The door slams behind me and instantly the air is menacing, these three, less than gentle, men approaching me with various intentions in their eyes. Cold breaks out over me, fear racing through my veins at the obvious outcome.

Shade gives me a once over, his sunglassed face deliberately moving up the length of my legs to my heaving chest before cupping my face in a thin hand. "Such a pretty face."

The dark green lantern undoes the ropes binding me only to pull me up and hold me in a yellow tinged energy vice.

"Now, now Sinestro, we should let the little lady struggle." Shade chides the lantern, Sinestro.

And struggle I do, but no amount of twisting is helping me snap out of those yellow binds. If anything my struggling is amusing these men. The synthoid leers at me, the minute his fingers touch my throat I scream out, energy draining from my body as I collapse.

Sinestro pushes him away with a bolt of yellow fire. "Parasite we want her alive!"

Their arguing is pushed out of my mind when Shade cups me through my skirt. His fingers leaving repulsive trails that burn into me. Sinestro stops me from flinching, his body flush against my back, arm locked inappropriately over me. The two of them angle me towards the camera in the corner, the red hand tugging my chin up to face the mechanical lens.

"We don't want them to mistake your identity now do we?"

Eyes slipping shut, I try desperately to not let any emotion show on my face but the thought of J'onn seeing me like this is enough to pull tears from me against my will.

"So much better..." he croons into my neck, sharp teeth running along my throat. I wrench myself away from his body only to have the synthoid run another finger, this time across my chest, my shirt ripped off of me in his quest to drain me with an invasive squeeze.

Shade catches me against his chest with a grin, pushing me lower. "You only had to ask sweetheart. Lets have that mouth put to some use."

It feels like hours before Grodd walks in after these pigs have had their way with me. Parasite taking inordinate amounts of pleasure in zapping the life out of me whenever I resist till I'm too weak to push away from whatever they force me to endure.

My skirt has been discarded, shirt torn to shreds in Parasite's crudeness and underwear strewn across the room. Their unwelcome touch feels branded into my skin, painful marks littered across my body, every part of me trembling in violated shame.

"Gentlemen report to your stations. Don't forget your training, the others are waiting."

After they've left, Grodd pushes me back into the chair. "You should have seen the reaction to our little video. The best kind of blow is always emotional, I'll come finish you off once we're done."

I probably look too broken to bother with tying, for that I'm grateful. Getting out of my chair, I crumple to the floor, legs far too shaky to support me. I want my clothes, being exposed to the surveillance system in this humiliated state I curl up behind the chair. Its the only thing capable of hiding me at least partially from the cameras.

I can tell the minute the Justice League has arrived. The sudden chaos that ensues is enough evidence, the building vibrating with the hard impact of super-powered humans. I struggle to my feet, stumbling to the door in a fruitless hope that Grodd left the door unlocked.

He did no such thing.

Nothing left to do but wait, I cross my arms over my chest and sink to the floor, pitiful tears retracing the dried tracks on my face. This is how J'onn finds me.

The Martian Manhunter has never looked more fearsome, eyes blazing in anger he phases up through the floor.

"J'onn..."

The moment our eyes meet I look away from him, in an instant he has me in his arms, his cape wrapped securely around my trembling body. I am unable to respond to anything he asks, his voice filled with anguish, instead I just hide my face in his tall collar.

The door is kicked out effortlessly, J'onn flying us through the building and into the Justice League aircraft. During the short length of this flight I breathe in his scent, ignoring everything around me. His arms tighten around me whenever I whimper or loosen my grip.

J'onn sets me onto a gurney at the corner under what looks to be an emergency medical unit. His fingers press a comlink in his hear to bark out a command. The first time I've ever heard him sound angry.

"Superman send a pilot."

He doesn't wait for a reply but pulls out a thick blue blanket to wrap me in. I clutch it to my chest, curling up as much as possible on myself.

"Hera..." Diana's soft gasp snaps my attention to the blue eyed princess. She glides into the pilot seat, immediately starting up the craft.

J'onn keeps me steady in place when the sudden lift off results in me loosing balance. My eyes focus on his gold buckle, I don't want to look at him. I don't want to know what he's thinking of me after the video. Large green fingers quickly wipe away my tears, running over my body to assess for damage. When I flinch from his touch, he doesn't say anything but his hands fist temporarily, a low rumble filling the aircraft.

A cold pack is held to the back of my head where the blood has dried over the bump. My trembling body pulled forward into his chest once more. I'm tired, I don't have the strength to object to the large fingers prodding at my marked arms but I whimper in protest when those fingers part the blanket to check my thighs. I push against J'onn J'onzz with every last bit of strength I have, my distressed cry stilling the Martian in his tracks.

His voice echoes around me. "I will not hurt you." his fingers very slowly tip my chin up, my eyes automatically look away from him. "Look at me.."

I don't. He doesn't force me. A sudden jolt of landing tumbles me into his chest.

"J'onn do you need help?" Diana softly calls his attention to the opened door of the aircraft.

A quiet "No." is sent her way before he picks me up and flies us off to the bathroom in the medbay. I'm beginning to hate this place. It seems to be my permanent residence in the watchtower.

J'onn tugs the blanket away, soft apologies whispered into the air when quiet noises of protest escape me. He works quickly, propping me up against him under the shower, water washing away all the blood under his careful fingers. My tears mingle with the cascading water down my face and into his chest where I've taken refuge.

The water is shut off, lifeless limbs eased into a large white t shirt that the Martian has somehow acquired. He lays me out on the bed, silently working at every mark on my body. Tears make another appearance when his fingers press inside me, the tortured alien inserting a numbing cream into me. A hypodermic of antibiotic is injected into my arm and I'm all wrapped up in thick blanket.

My blank stare at the overhead light is broken by J'onn who returns from cleaning up to lean over me, blocking my view with his body. Averting my eyes to the red cross spanning across his chest results in a soft plea from J'onn for me to make contact with him. I can't bring myself to look at him.

"Forgive me." his fingers touch my temples, my mind shutting down in a telepathically induced sleep.

"How is she?"

"Non responsive, she hasn't said a word."

"Grodd has been handed to Solavar, he'll make sure he never escapes again. You did a number on him J'onn."

"I lost control in my anger."

"We don't blame you J'onn."

Voices, so many voices speaking around me. Blearily waking up I can see the Justice League members surrounding me bed. All too lost in conversation to notice my opened eyes. Superman has a supportive hand on the Martian's shoulder, Diana and Green Lantern flanking him. Flash and Hawkgirl having a conversation of their own. Batman the only one who is staring right into my eyes. My breath stills as he approaches quietly, all eyes turning to me.

Panicked harsh breaths surround the room.

"Back off you're scaring her!" J'onn pushes him aside, breaking me out of my trance. Batman's black suit reminding far too much of Shade.

J'onn cups my face, my tears being brushed away. "Breathe, you need to breathe little one."

The memories crash over me, restarting the trembles that I had barely noticed before, soft whimpers escaping me when I try to still my hands from shaking. Green hands engulf mine, pressing my palms to an equally green chest. I stare intently at the contrasting colors, grounding myself in the one color that was fully absent in all my attackers.

I want to get out of this med bay. Its too blank and impersonal, reminding me of all the messes I'm getting into.

J'onn picks me up into his arms. "I'm taking her to my room. She needs a different environment"

Is he reading my mind? I watch various uniforms part, allowing us to make a way to what is J'onn's room. It is a beautiful room, quiet and calming, soft teal blue shades adorning the bed spread. Soft lights above us illuminating the room. He sits us down in the middle of the bed, draping a comforter around me and pulling me into his chest to lay down.

'You are safe. I will not allow harm to befall you.'

His voice echoing in my head after so long makes me break down. Muffled sobs pressed into my fists. Its weary, crying so much for so long. J'onn guides me to sit up, a glass of water pressed to my lips.

'Drink.' I hardly need the encouragement after being parched for so long. His hands move mine through all the motions, keeping me steady as I gulp down mouthfuls of refreshing water. Once I'm done, he pulls me against his side, fingers combing back my short hair.

"You do not have to feel ashamed." The baritone voice whispers into the air between us. "I see you no different now than I did before." His hand cups jaw, tilting my face up with the barest of pressure. "My heart is still yours. Please, look at me little one."

Pain filled red eyes lock onto mine, relief flooding through them when I don't look away.

"J'onn.."