~Rescue Me~
~Chapter 2~
* * *
JR looked at his watch for what seemed like the thousandth time. He had brought Caroline to the hospital over an hour ago, and Jake Martin had immediately whisked her away to an open exam room. He hadn't seen either of them since, and he wondered if she was awake yet. On the way to the hospital, she hadn't stirred, hadn't moved.
Even though he didn't know her, he'd stayed, and hoped that she would be okay. Something about her intrigued him. Maybe it was all the emotion he'd seen in her one open eye. Maybe it was because she was a damsel in distress. Or hell, maybe it was because she was pretty underneath all those marks of hate. Something was drawing him to her.
The doors to the emergency room entrance opened with a little bang against the walls, and Chief of Police Anna Devane entered, dressed in her usual all-business, no nonsense black attire. She walked over to JR, and he jumped up to stand with her.
"Jake must have called you, did he tell you anything?" JR asked.
"He told me that she is still unconscious. I'm here to talk to you, JR." Anna responded.
"Me? What have I done?" JR asked hesitantly.
"Nothing, nothing. I just need to know what you know about that girl."
JR raked a hand through his hair and sat back down. "Practically nothing. Her name is Caroline. I have no idea what her last name is. Her mother is the one who beat her up, and not for the first time. She ran away from a town or so over."
Anna made written notes of the information that JR provided her with. "Well, it's a start. We'll know more when she wakes up."
Jake popped his head out of the exam room. "Aha, you're here already." He opened the door all the way and stepped out, then closed it softly behind him. Anna and JR quickly joined him.
"She's stable, but still unconscious. I expect a full recovery, she should be fine soon." Jake said with a little smile.
"That's good to hear." JR said, breathing a sigh of relief. He again wondered why he was so relieved about the condition of someone he didn't know. "Did you find anything that would be useful?" Anna asked.
"Yes." Jake reached into his lab coat and produced a small card, "That's her driver's license. Caroline McLaughlin, 18 years old. Her address is on there and everything."
"What kind of injuries has she sustained?" Anna inquired.
"Several contusions and lacerations on her face, a blow to the head. One of her wrists was broken, the other cut." Jake paused. "She had some scars on her legs and arms. I almost wonder if she is a cutter, but given her history of being beaten by her mother, I can't determine that."
"Thank you, Dr. Martin." Anna said, "I should get back to the station and get this investigation started. Call me when she wakes up."
"Can I see her?" JR asked.
"I don't know if that's a good-" Jake began.
"She must feel like she doesn't have a friend in the world. I know that feeling. Please." JR implored.
Jake sighed. "Well, I don't see a big problem with it. Just don't stay long."
* * *
JR seated himself beside Caroline's bed and just looked at her. Her wounds had been covered with bandages, her mouth and nose covered by an oxygen mask. JR reach out and instinctively brushed a stray strand of red hair from her face.
"Come on Caroline, wake up. I want to know you."
~Chapter 2~
* * *
JR looked at his watch for what seemed like the thousandth time. He had brought Caroline to the hospital over an hour ago, and Jake Martin had immediately whisked her away to an open exam room. He hadn't seen either of them since, and he wondered if she was awake yet. On the way to the hospital, she hadn't stirred, hadn't moved.
Even though he didn't know her, he'd stayed, and hoped that she would be okay. Something about her intrigued him. Maybe it was all the emotion he'd seen in her one open eye. Maybe it was because she was a damsel in distress. Or hell, maybe it was because she was pretty underneath all those marks of hate. Something was drawing him to her.
The doors to the emergency room entrance opened with a little bang against the walls, and Chief of Police Anna Devane entered, dressed in her usual all-business, no nonsense black attire. She walked over to JR, and he jumped up to stand with her.
"Jake must have called you, did he tell you anything?" JR asked.
"He told me that she is still unconscious. I'm here to talk to you, JR." Anna responded.
"Me? What have I done?" JR asked hesitantly.
"Nothing, nothing. I just need to know what you know about that girl."
JR raked a hand through his hair and sat back down. "Practically nothing. Her name is Caroline. I have no idea what her last name is. Her mother is the one who beat her up, and not for the first time. She ran away from a town or so over."
Anna made written notes of the information that JR provided her with. "Well, it's a start. We'll know more when she wakes up."
Jake popped his head out of the exam room. "Aha, you're here already." He opened the door all the way and stepped out, then closed it softly behind him. Anna and JR quickly joined him.
"She's stable, but still unconscious. I expect a full recovery, she should be fine soon." Jake said with a little smile.
"That's good to hear." JR said, breathing a sigh of relief. He again wondered why he was so relieved about the condition of someone he didn't know. "Did you find anything that would be useful?" Anna asked.
"Yes." Jake reached into his lab coat and produced a small card, "That's her driver's license. Caroline McLaughlin, 18 years old. Her address is on there and everything."
"What kind of injuries has she sustained?" Anna inquired.
"Several contusions and lacerations on her face, a blow to the head. One of her wrists was broken, the other cut." Jake paused. "She had some scars on her legs and arms. I almost wonder if she is a cutter, but given her history of being beaten by her mother, I can't determine that."
"Thank you, Dr. Martin." Anna said, "I should get back to the station and get this investigation started. Call me when she wakes up."
"Can I see her?" JR asked.
"I don't know if that's a good-" Jake began.
"She must feel like she doesn't have a friend in the world. I know that feeling. Please." JR implored.
Jake sighed. "Well, I don't see a big problem with it. Just don't stay long."
* * *
JR seated himself beside Caroline's bed and just looked at her. Her wounds had been covered with bandages, her mouth and nose covered by an oxygen mask. JR reach out and instinctively brushed a stray strand of red hair from her face.
"Come on Caroline, wake up. I want to know you."
