Chapter 3 A/N: Well I got many great reviews from everyone. Thanks a bunch.
I wrote this a while ago and was going through my stories, and OH! There is
is. Haha. I also compiled a few chapters together. Lazy me
________________________________________________________________ Chapter 3 Sympathetic Ties
"C'mon Ritza! Open up!" I tried again, feeling quite unsuccessful with my fist hammering on the door. "It's me!" What the hell was going on? She had to be home, she never really went anywhere else. After all, she was off and it was getting late. I called her again my voice defeated; going to try the knob I slipped forward slightly as the door opened.
She stood in front of me; tear stains smeared down her pale cheeks, her eyes were filled with pain. Cruz stared at me simply, no words exchanged as she let the gun fall from her hand. It made a loud clatter as it collided with the wood floor. Then there was an eerie silence.
My throat felt like it had swelled up as we exchanged looks. I knew something had gone terribly wrong. Not knowing what to say, I didn't speak first.
"I was raped." She spoke after a minute her voice cracked. I was stunned frozen in place as I watched her rip her gaze away from me and purse her lips together to stop them from quivering.
She broke down within seconds and I was there to catch her when she fell.
I'm really not sure why he came and to tell you the truth, I don't care. What matters is he did, for some reason, maybe his conscience in the back of his head, go figure.
I couldn't seem to hold back the tears any longer. Sure, I had cried a bit, alone, never in someone else's presence though. This wasn't just someone though, it was him. All the tears that shed were those tears that had been waiting to fall for so long, those tears of pain, sorrow, and agony.
I had fallen, fallen harder and lower then I ever had in my life. This was one thing that had to happen, one thing that wasn't going to hold back no matter how hard I fought. It just doesn't work that way.
He practically carried me to the couch where I was soon to fall asleep, drowning in my tears. I could feel his arm around me, holding my broken body to his. His other arm ran around my back, his hand ran through my hair stroking it, ever so softly.
For once, in so long, I felt safe. He gave me such a sense of comfort and safety, I didn't want to bargain to loose. I was shocked he was even here, doing this for me, after all the pain I had put him through.
I rested my head on his chest as my crying calmed down and I could feel myself losing grip. I was drifting from reality slowly now, but there was no turning back. Maybe this rest wouldn't be like the last, for this one, I was safe.
Chapter 4
I don't know how she fell asleep in this awkward position. I guess she was pretty damn tired, that one was for sure. I didn't mind holding her in my arms though, it was different then we had always been. I had to admit, I was enjoying it.
Letting her sleep for a few minutes I gently picked her up and transported her to her bed. Laying her down, I sat beside her and rested my head back on to the head board. Watching her sleep beside me for a few minutes, I observed her stained cheeks and bruised arms. I shuddered in anger envisioning what that sick son of a bitch had done to her. It was quite obvious she was never going to be the same.
Resting my head back, I closed my eyes, opening them every few seconds really not wanting to fall asleep. I failed though and allowed myself to rest in her bed, somewhere I never wanted to be again.
It wasn't until I woke up a few hours later that the sun was spilled through her window. Shifting slightly, her head on my chest, she still appeared to be out. I was glad. Moving my arm to gaze at my watch I cursed in a hushed whisper, it was nearly noon.
Having no idea how I had slept the night away I grinded my teeth really not wanting to wake her up, though I knew I had to leave. Shift would be starting in 3 hours and I still had plenty of paper work to catch up on and talk to Rita.
Brushing the back of my hand along her cheek I moved a few loose strands of her hair away from her eyes. "Ritza?" I whispered. I could feel her move slightly before opening her eyes slowly. She jumped up slightly realizing she was lounged across my chest.
"Sorry." She muttered hastily before sitting up and running a hand through her hair. "What time is it?"
"A bit after noon." I told her before swinging my legs over the side of the bed and getting up.
"You know you didn't have to stay " She murmured her voice distant and faint. I watched her for a second as she stood up and tightened the robe around her, her arms wrapped around her chest.
"I wanted to." I replied sternly.
"You didn't have to." She repeated herself, her voice low.
"I know." I spoke after a moment. She was still utterly stubborn. No way in hell that was about to change. What a shame. "I really got to get going. I have to get ready for work in a few hours."
"Yeah, me too." Cruz responded, no emotion on her face what so ever.
"You're going in?" I asked immediately, "Don't you think you should take it easy?"
"No way in hell." She replied without hesitating. A slight smirk came to her lips, but the 'look' wasn't all there.
"You should but I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'll see you later?" I asked her as we headed into the living room. Grabbing my coat off the couch, I slipped it on and ran a hand through my hair.
"Mmhmm." She responded lightly her eyes not making contact with mine.
"Alright " I nodded slipping my hands into my pockets as she opened the door and waited. "Bye then."
When she didn't respond I walked out. The door shut behind me and I headed towards my car. Things were really going to get interesting.
Chapter 5
Things had changed, and as much as I wanted to believe he cared about me, the more and more I was digging my own fairy-tale grave. Sure, maybe he did care, but he cared for no valuable reason.
I was raped.
Boo-hoo, let's all feel sorry for Cruz; poor fucking her.
I really didn't want to be treated differently for what happened.
If it was just another day, nothing would have changed between the two of us. But now that he found out, it did. And I hate it.
"Did you hear?" Monroe's voice flooded into the locker room. I heard the door slam shut and her foot steps on the floor. I altered my attention from the locker in front of me to my co-worker who held an unpleasant face, a file in hand.
"Heard what?" I muttered grabbing my jacket and slipping it on over my tee- shirt, hiding the darkened struggle bruises that scarred my arms. My expression remained solemn, by the look on Sasha's face, I knew the news wasn't going to be good or at least something I didn't want to hear.
"54th busted the clinic." Her voice was irritated but she stood with caution as she watched me.
"Wha- When?" I hesitated, my head spinning. This was great, just so friggen great. "This morning during the 2nd shift, Lieutenant Riley busted it, said he had an operation for a few months now." She exclaimed.
"Shit." I cursed before slamming my locker shut. "He still here?"
Monroe shook her head, "Left about two hours ago. I did a double shift, thought you were going to show up "
"Uhh sorry, I slept late." I covered up quickly before checking my gun as we headed out the door.
"I thought you couldn't sleep " She tested me, an eyebrow rose slightly.
I continued walking up the steps towards the ACU office. "Yeah well sleeping pills do wonders." I replied. "Can you get this guys number for me? I need to talk to him." I asked quickly heading into the office. Monroe grabbed my arm and spun me around. "What?!" "Cruz," She paused, "Three girls came forward and proclaimed they were raped."
I stared at her blankly. "It's our guy?" I choked out.
"Yup." She nodded.
Still something was wrong. It couldn't be this easy. "He's going down?"
"Not quite."
I continued to stare at her waiting for her to explain.
"None ever got tested and refuse to testify unless their charges are dropped." Monroe responded.
"So? We drop them." I bit my lower lip tensely.
"The ADA won't allow that. They have too many things against them including insurance fraud, soliciting acts, and there a whole lot more where that came from." Monroe told me before handing me the folder.
Opening it up, my eyes skimmed through the files. "I'll talk to her."
"Cruz, you're going to have to do something " Her voice said hesitantly. I knew what she was hinting to.
"I said I'll talk to her," I muttered playing stupid before starting down the hall, Monroe at my foot steps. Seeing Bosco several feet away at the desk, he blocked my destination. Swallowing hard I slowly approached him and leaned on the desk beside him. He apparently was working beat and hovering over filing a report. "I heard what happened." I scowled towards Swersky direction. Bosco glanced up to me.
"Good afternoon to you too, I thought you were coming in 2nd?" Swersky replied giving me a hard glare.
"Yeah well, I slept late." I lied, again. I saw Bosco fidget slightly, shifting weight to his opposite leg. Shut up. "Why the hell wouldn't you call me?"
"I was lucky you stayed home after the trial. You had been in for about 2 days without going home; I wasn't going to miss the chance of not seeing you around here causing chaos." Swersky smiled jokingly.
"I don't care." I let out a sigh, "Me and Monroe are going to need the name of the ADA that's handling this and a list of the Johns names who got busted."
"I was told strictly to keep you away from this, Maritza." Swersky informed her, his voice a bit on the edge of hesitation.
"This is my detail." I replied.
"Was."
I ran a hand through my hair seeing clearly that I was being defeated.
Swersky looked up to be from the computer, "Oh still here Sex-Crimes is downstairs, I suppose you heard about the rapes too?"
I gulped and Bosco coughed. I tore my attention to him giving him a slightly puzzled look.
"Sorry, sore-throat." Bosco responded cracking his voice. Stupid.
Swersky stared.
"Yeah I did. I just need a list and the DA's number. That's all I'm asking." I replied to Swersky.
"Will you get off my back?" He said after a moment of thinking about it.
"You bet." Cruz replied leaning over on the desk watching as Swersky jotted down the number on a piece of scrap paper.
"I'll send the list to your database in a bit." Lieu. told me with a nod. "Thanks." I said picking up the paper and starting away with Monroe at my heels. I could feel Bosco staring as I started behind the doors. I had a lot to do, and the time was limited. It was going to be one hell of a day.
________________________________________________________________ Chapter 3 Sympathetic Ties
"C'mon Ritza! Open up!" I tried again, feeling quite unsuccessful with my fist hammering on the door. "It's me!" What the hell was going on? She had to be home, she never really went anywhere else. After all, she was off and it was getting late. I called her again my voice defeated; going to try the knob I slipped forward slightly as the door opened.
She stood in front of me; tear stains smeared down her pale cheeks, her eyes were filled with pain. Cruz stared at me simply, no words exchanged as she let the gun fall from her hand. It made a loud clatter as it collided with the wood floor. Then there was an eerie silence.
My throat felt like it had swelled up as we exchanged looks. I knew something had gone terribly wrong. Not knowing what to say, I didn't speak first.
"I was raped." She spoke after a minute her voice cracked. I was stunned frozen in place as I watched her rip her gaze away from me and purse her lips together to stop them from quivering.
She broke down within seconds and I was there to catch her when she fell.
I'm really not sure why he came and to tell you the truth, I don't care. What matters is he did, for some reason, maybe his conscience in the back of his head, go figure.
I couldn't seem to hold back the tears any longer. Sure, I had cried a bit, alone, never in someone else's presence though. This wasn't just someone though, it was him. All the tears that shed were those tears that had been waiting to fall for so long, those tears of pain, sorrow, and agony.
I had fallen, fallen harder and lower then I ever had in my life. This was one thing that had to happen, one thing that wasn't going to hold back no matter how hard I fought. It just doesn't work that way.
He practically carried me to the couch where I was soon to fall asleep, drowning in my tears. I could feel his arm around me, holding my broken body to his. His other arm ran around my back, his hand ran through my hair stroking it, ever so softly.
For once, in so long, I felt safe. He gave me such a sense of comfort and safety, I didn't want to bargain to loose. I was shocked he was even here, doing this for me, after all the pain I had put him through.
I rested my head on his chest as my crying calmed down and I could feel myself losing grip. I was drifting from reality slowly now, but there was no turning back. Maybe this rest wouldn't be like the last, for this one, I was safe.
Chapter 4
I don't know how she fell asleep in this awkward position. I guess she was pretty damn tired, that one was for sure. I didn't mind holding her in my arms though, it was different then we had always been. I had to admit, I was enjoying it.
Letting her sleep for a few minutes I gently picked her up and transported her to her bed. Laying her down, I sat beside her and rested my head back on to the head board. Watching her sleep beside me for a few minutes, I observed her stained cheeks and bruised arms. I shuddered in anger envisioning what that sick son of a bitch had done to her. It was quite obvious she was never going to be the same.
Resting my head back, I closed my eyes, opening them every few seconds really not wanting to fall asleep. I failed though and allowed myself to rest in her bed, somewhere I never wanted to be again.
It wasn't until I woke up a few hours later that the sun was spilled through her window. Shifting slightly, her head on my chest, she still appeared to be out. I was glad. Moving my arm to gaze at my watch I cursed in a hushed whisper, it was nearly noon.
Having no idea how I had slept the night away I grinded my teeth really not wanting to wake her up, though I knew I had to leave. Shift would be starting in 3 hours and I still had plenty of paper work to catch up on and talk to Rita.
Brushing the back of my hand along her cheek I moved a few loose strands of her hair away from her eyes. "Ritza?" I whispered. I could feel her move slightly before opening her eyes slowly. She jumped up slightly realizing she was lounged across my chest.
"Sorry." She muttered hastily before sitting up and running a hand through her hair. "What time is it?"
"A bit after noon." I told her before swinging my legs over the side of the bed and getting up.
"You know you didn't have to stay " She murmured her voice distant and faint. I watched her for a second as she stood up and tightened the robe around her, her arms wrapped around her chest.
"I wanted to." I replied sternly.
"You didn't have to." She repeated herself, her voice low.
"I know." I spoke after a moment. She was still utterly stubborn. No way in hell that was about to change. What a shame. "I really got to get going. I have to get ready for work in a few hours."
"Yeah, me too." Cruz responded, no emotion on her face what so ever.
"You're going in?" I asked immediately, "Don't you think you should take it easy?"
"No way in hell." She replied without hesitating. A slight smirk came to her lips, but the 'look' wasn't all there.
"You should but I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'll see you later?" I asked her as we headed into the living room. Grabbing my coat off the couch, I slipped it on and ran a hand through my hair.
"Mmhmm." She responded lightly her eyes not making contact with mine.
"Alright " I nodded slipping my hands into my pockets as she opened the door and waited. "Bye then."
When she didn't respond I walked out. The door shut behind me and I headed towards my car. Things were really going to get interesting.
Chapter 5
Things had changed, and as much as I wanted to believe he cared about me, the more and more I was digging my own fairy-tale grave. Sure, maybe he did care, but he cared for no valuable reason.
I was raped.
Boo-hoo, let's all feel sorry for Cruz; poor fucking her.
I really didn't want to be treated differently for what happened.
If it was just another day, nothing would have changed between the two of us. But now that he found out, it did. And I hate it.
"Did you hear?" Monroe's voice flooded into the locker room. I heard the door slam shut and her foot steps on the floor. I altered my attention from the locker in front of me to my co-worker who held an unpleasant face, a file in hand.
"Heard what?" I muttered grabbing my jacket and slipping it on over my tee- shirt, hiding the darkened struggle bruises that scarred my arms. My expression remained solemn, by the look on Sasha's face, I knew the news wasn't going to be good or at least something I didn't want to hear.
"54th busted the clinic." Her voice was irritated but she stood with caution as she watched me.
"Wha- When?" I hesitated, my head spinning. This was great, just so friggen great. "This morning during the 2nd shift, Lieutenant Riley busted it, said he had an operation for a few months now." She exclaimed.
"Shit." I cursed before slamming my locker shut. "He still here?"
Monroe shook her head, "Left about two hours ago. I did a double shift, thought you were going to show up "
"Uhh sorry, I slept late." I covered up quickly before checking my gun as we headed out the door.
"I thought you couldn't sleep " She tested me, an eyebrow rose slightly.
I continued walking up the steps towards the ACU office. "Yeah well sleeping pills do wonders." I replied. "Can you get this guys number for me? I need to talk to him." I asked quickly heading into the office. Monroe grabbed my arm and spun me around. "What?!" "Cruz," She paused, "Three girls came forward and proclaimed they were raped."
I stared at her blankly. "It's our guy?" I choked out.
"Yup." She nodded.
Still something was wrong. It couldn't be this easy. "He's going down?"
"Not quite."
I continued to stare at her waiting for her to explain.
"None ever got tested and refuse to testify unless their charges are dropped." Monroe responded.
"So? We drop them." I bit my lower lip tensely.
"The ADA won't allow that. They have too many things against them including insurance fraud, soliciting acts, and there a whole lot more where that came from." Monroe told me before handing me the folder.
Opening it up, my eyes skimmed through the files. "I'll talk to her."
"Cruz, you're going to have to do something " Her voice said hesitantly. I knew what she was hinting to.
"I said I'll talk to her," I muttered playing stupid before starting down the hall, Monroe at my foot steps. Seeing Bosco several feet away at the desk, he blocked my destination. Swallowing hard I slowly approached him and leaned on the desk beside him. He apparently was working beat and hovering over filing a report. "I heard what happened." I scowled towards Swersky direction. Bosco glanced up to me.
"Good afternoon to you too, I thought you were coming in 2nd?" Swersky replied giving me a hard glare.
"Yeah well, I slept late." I lied, again. I saw Bosco fidget slightly, shifting weight to his opposite leg. Shut up. "Why the hell wouldn't you call me?"
"I was lucky you stayed home after the trial. You had been in for about 2 days without going home; I wasn't going to miss the chance of not seeing you around here causing chaos." Swersky smiled jokingly.
"I don't care." I let out a sigh, "Me and Monroe are going to need the name of the ADA that's handling this and a list of the Johns names who got busted."
"I was told strictly to keep you away from this, Maritza." Swersky informed her, his voice a bit on the edge of hesitation.
"This is my detail." I replied.
"Was."
I ran a hand through my hair seeing clearly that I was being defeated.
Swersky looked up to be from the computer, "Oh still here Sex-Crimes is downstairs, I suppose you heard about the rapes too?"
I gulped and Bosco coughed. I tore my attention to him giving him a slightly puzzled look.
"Sorry, sore-throat." Bosco responded cracking his voice. Stupid.
Swersky stared.
"Yeah I did. I just need a list and the DA's number. That's all I'm asking." I replied to Swersky.
"Will you get off my back?" He said after a moment of thinking about it.
"You bet." Cruz replied leaning over on the desk watching as Swersky jotted down the number on a piece of scrap paper.
"I'll send the list to your database in a bit." Lieu. told me with a nod. "Thanks." I said picking up the paper and starting away with Monroe at my heels. I could feel Bosco staring as I started behind the doors. I had a lot to do, and the time was limited. It was going to be one hell of a day.
