Author's note: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews so far! I'm really sorry this hasn't been updated in a while, but here's a chapter to keep you going and then there should be much more pretty soon - or that's the plan anyway! *G* Meanwhile, if you want you could always read my other story, "Forever", LOL! Sorry, had to get that shameless plug in there somewhere! 0;-) Angel x

Ch. 24.

Eventually Shannon's tears slowed and stopped and she sat back, a little embarrassed by her outburst of emotion.

"God, I'm sorry, Chris - going to pieces on you like that." she apologised, wiping at her eyes with her hand, her shoulders still hitching with the occasional sob.

"Don't be silly, you don't have to apologise for anything." he assured her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I ....."

He was about to say something more, but they were interrupted at that point by the doctor.

"Mr. Benoit?" he said, with a quick smile for Shannon. "Good to see you're awake, Shannon, someone will be with you in just a second. No immediate problems I trust?"

"Bit sore and kinda dizzy." she told him, "I think I'll live."

"Glad to hear it. We'll get you some pain medication and keep you in under observation - it sounds like a case of concussion ....."

"I have to stay here?"

"I'm afraid so." insisted the doctor, "Now, I'll speak to you shortly, but I'm just going to borrow your friend for a moment. Mr. Benoit, if I could speak to you outside?"

Chris nodded and, assuring Shannon he would be as quick as he could, he followed the doctor out of the room.

"How does she seem to you?" asked the doctor.

"It's hit her hard." said Chris with a frown, "She's terrified - of him and of what he might have done to her."

"So it was the boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Chris nodded, clenching his fists involuntarily.

The doctor shook his head and sighed, "Well, at least I can give some good news - we are only dealing with a case of attempted rape. Of course that's bad enough, but maybe she'll draw a little comfort from that." He saw the relieved look cross the other man's face and smiled, "She may be shaken but, with her friends around her, she will recover. So, I'll just go have a word and then you can go back in, okay?"

*****

About five minutes later, Chris was back by Shannon's side and worrying about her sudden withdrawal, which was strange in light of the news the doctor had given her. Other than a quick, nervous glance in his direction when he had opened the door, she had not acknowledged Chris's return to the room and he was trying to figure out what she was thinking about.

"You must think I'm really stupid." she sighed, suddenly breaking the silence and making him frown.

"Of course not." he said firmly, "Why would I? This isn't your fault, if that's what you're thinking."

"I should have seen this coming." she said grimly, "I knew things weren't going too well and I still let it get to this. I WAS stupid - and what makes it worse is I had no good reason to - it wasn't as if we'd been together for a long time and I felt I had to make it work. I just ..... I dunno ..... drifted along, I guess. Look what that got me."

"Shannon, it doesn't matter. Nothing gives him, gives ANYONE, the right to do this - not to you or to anyone else. You're NOT stupid." said Chris forcefully.

"I can't help it - I FEEL stupid." she argued heatedly, "Stupid, and scared, and vulnerable, and I HATE feeling like this. I hate HIM for making me feel like this and I hate myself for letting him. I remember seeing women on the news who had been abused by their husbands or boyfriends or whoever and thinking how terrible it was - but at the same time, I couldn't help wondering how they could put up with so much, how they could let things get so bad. I always told myself I would NEVER let that happen to me - I just wouldn't take that kind of shit. I know he didn't ..... you know - but he could have and I'm still in a hospital bed; so ..... see how well that worked?"

"No one plans for these things to happen, you have to stop thinking this is your fault." insisted Chris, "You are by no means the one in the wrong here. Your so-called boyfriend is the one who should, and will, pay. You said yourself he's jealous and paranoid - how is it your fault if he overreacts about something insignificant? What could possible justify this?"

"Kissing." said Shannon unexpectedly, but in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Excuse me?"

"Us kissing - that's what he was overreacting about." explained Shannon.

Taken aback, Chris merely looked at her for a moment in silence, before something occured to him.

"How did he know?" he asked.

Shannon explained about the tape recorder quickly to an incredulous Chris. "He heard everything I said about him and then it wasn't too hard to figure out what was going on." she finished.

Chris tilted his head back and groaned, "Christ, Shan; in that case, if you're looking for someone to lay the blame on, it should be ME. If it hadn't been for me, this might not have happened."

"You know what? I think it would have. Maybe not now, but eventually - he'd have found something to make him snap." said Shannon.

"All the same, I'm starting to wish I'd never come back."

"Don't say that, Chris, I'm glad you're here." she said quietly.

He looked at her sharply, but decided she was simply referring to having someone to trust and looked down at his feet. "That bastard should be locked up." he said, wanting to change the subject. "And hopefully, he will be. You can still press charges for assault."

"NO!" she said in alarm, panic lighting her eyes.

"What? Shannon, you can't be serious! You can't even think about letting him get away with this ....." he exclaimed incredulously.

"I'm thinking it'd be a good way to stay out of hospital." she said wryly, "Chris, I just want to forget the whole thing - it's over and if I never see him again, it'll be too soon."

Chris just looked at her in disbelief. "The Shannon I knew wouldn't have stopped until he got what he deserved."

"Yeah? Well, the Shannon you knew came to earth with a bump! She found out the hard way that you don't always get what you want and that happy endings rarely happen."

"I know you're scared, Shan, but I ....."

"But what? But you won't let him hurt me again?" she guessed shrewdly, "I know you mean well, Chris, but what happens when you leave again? He'd take it all out on me and then I'd end up in a worse state than I'm in now."

"He could be behind bars by then." he tried lamely, knowing that by the time the case came to court, he would be long gone. "I don't want to go when you're like this ....." he finished apologetically.

"Don't worry, Chris." she said immediately, feeling guilty for making him feel bad, "I don't expect you to forget about your job - I didn't mean you shouldn't go, I'm not your responsibility - I got myself into this mess, I can get myself out."

"Shan, I feel responsible for getting you into this and I ....." he paused to choose his words carefully, "I care about you - I don't like seeing you like this and I don't want that piece of shit to think he can get away with it. Listen, you've been through a lot and you're bound to be tired - why don't you get some rest and have a think about it?"

"I'm not going to change my mind." she said determinedly, knowing what he was trying to do.

"Please, at least think about it ..... for me?" he pleaded, until she finally gave in.

"Fine, I'll THINK about it." she sighed reluctantly, "It's not like I'm doing anything else."

"Thank you." he smiled as she closed her eyes.

*****