C.C. McKenna

Blood on the Field

Chapter Thirty

Daryl knocked twice, very softly, on Lexie's hospital room; he didn't wait for an answer, slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The room was very dim lighted and the annoying beeping sound of the machine monitoring Lexie's heart was the first thing he became aware of. "How is she?" He whispered turning his gaze towards the bed; where Prue was quietly standing beside her sister, holding her hand.

Prue turned to Lexie and softly stroke her thumb on the back of her hand, confirming that she was still sleeping. "She is stable, aaa-lthough, she's been sedated most of the time" She looked at Daryl and barely smiled. "Thanks for coming"

"Hey... I love her too, you know" He returned the smile. "But, sedated...why? What for?" Daryl walked to the bed and handed a cup of hot coffee to Prue. "Is she in any pain?" He placed the remaining two cups of coffee on the side table.

"Thanks Daryl, Ohhh, I needed this" She sighed and hastily tasted the black steaming coffee. "Well, she has a lot of bruises, evidently she was badly hurt" Prue's eyes suddenly turned misty and swallowed hard; but the reason the Doctors want to keep her sedated is uhm...because she gets a little violent... she's... she's uh... addicted to cocaine Daryl" Prue lowered her head and gently squeezed Lexie's hand. "They are afraid she might hurt herself...or us"

"Oh man...I'm sorry Prue, I'm really sorry she had to go through all that" Daryl wrapped his arm around her shoulders and remained quiet for a little while. "Uhm, I have some news, and I know they are going to make you feel a little better..." He broke the silence.

"What?" Prue raised her head and slowly wiped the silent tears from her eyes.

"The warden and all the rest of the guards are already in custody; and judge McGowan has denied bail" Daryl smiled. "The D.A. is now going to wait until Lexie is ready to testify against them"

"Oh" Prue softly nodded. "Actually, I don't...well...Ok, let me put it this way, I am really happy that bitch is in jail now, thanks Daryl.... but won't it be dangerous for Lexie?" She softly pulled back her hair to clear her face.

"No Prue, I promise nothing will happen to Lexie" Daryl softly squeezed her shoulder. "I would never allow it, you know that"

"All right then, I'll trust you" Prue turned to her baby sister again and gently stroke her cheek. "But that will have to wait until she's completely healed and disintoxicated"

"Yeah, sure, no problem... she can take all the time she needs" Daryl smiled weakly and slowly looked around. "Where are Phoebe and Piper?" He noticed their absence for the first time.

"They went home to take a shower" Prue sighed and rubbed the back of her neck; suddenly turning her attention towards Lexie; who in spite of being under a very heavy sedation, was very agitated.

"Mom?... mommy?" Lexie stirred restlessly; Prue could tell she was still asleep, but obviously having a nightmare.

"Prue squeezed her sister's hand and lovingly stroke her forehead. "She's been like this since last night... she's not getting the rest she needs"

"NOOO!" Lexie screamed and pushed away Prue's hand. In her nightmare, she was being violently held against her will by the warden's strong arms. "Let me go.... I don't want it!, please, I dd-on't want it... please, Sophie!...Sophie!... leave her alone... mom!! Phoebe!!

Phoebe... help, please..." Lexie was heavily sweating and violently throwing punches in the air; her respiration was heavy and out of control.

"It's ok Lexie, I'm right here....sshhh, everything is ok now... open your eyes sweetie, please, open your eyes for me, Lex...honey, you're safe"

Prue leaned over Lexie and strongly clinched her frail body; desperately trying to bring her sister's strong kicks and punches to an end.

"Please, I've got to have some...I need it...I'll do anything...please"

"Lex, baby, wake up please!" Prue insisted.

"Damn you...I'm awake, I'm awake...please!" Lexie screamed in obvious pain as her body tensed up in Prue's arms.

"Let me help you" Daryl quickly got closer and grabbed Lexie's shoulders, but she screamed even louder and fiercely kicked Prue's stomach.

Daryl quickly backed away. "I'm sorry," He whispered with embarrassment.

"It's ok, Daryl, I've got her" Prue bit her lower lip and tightened her arms around her sister's body. Lexie somehow managed to get one hand free and backhanded her sister with rage. Prue closed her eyes and silently winced in pain. "Lexie... it's me sweetie...your sister, come on, open your eyes" Prue took a deep breath, completely ignoring the thin trickle of blood that slowly appeared on the corner of her mouth, and kissed her sister's forehead.

"Want some help?" Daryl asked from a close by distance.

"No, no, I've got her...stay back"

"Please Prue...I need it...damn you...damn you...damn you!! Lexie closed her eyes and started crying instead of screaming as her body movements became stronger, even more violent than before.

"Prue?" Daryl insisted.

"I said I've got her, Daryl" Prue leaned over and pressed her body against Lexie's, getting a loud scream from the latter in return.

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"I'm telling you Piper, that bitch deserves a worse punishment than just a few years in jail" Phoebe sighed and stood outside Lexie's hospital room.

"What the hell?!" Phoebe heard the scream and quickly turned round, quickly opening the door.

"Prue! What's going on?!" Piper shouted and hastily ran to her sister's side; she quickly lunged herself on top of Lexie's body to help her sister immobilize Lexie as well.

"What took you so long?!" Prue released some air. "You should have been here ages ago"

Lexie kept bouncing on bed, randomly throwing punches away, and screaming her lungs out.

"Yeah, glad to see you too Prue!" Piper rolled her eyes. "How long has she been like this?"

"Well I don't know.... but it seems like ages to me" Prue muttered and slowly released the air she was holding.

After a while, Prue and Piper felt Lexie's struggle suddenly becoming weaker. "I guess she's finally giving in" Piper slowly turned her gaze to the eldest, "Prue, You're hurt" She reached out and gently wiped the blood away from her sister's face.

"It's nothing" Prue smiled weakly, "I'm...I'm f-fine"

"Get off me!... get the hell away from me!" Lexie started shouting again and violently shoved her sisters away. Her body desperately resenting the lack of drugs.

"Whoa" Piper and Prue quickly tightened their arms around her sister's body; Phoebe jumped in to the rescue.

"Shall I call the doctor" Daryl asked while watching the odd scene for quite a while now.

"No!" Prue and Piper quickly replied at the same time. "The doctor might want to strap her" Prue tightened her teeth. "And we cer-tainly don't approve of t-that treatment" She took a deep breath. "We'll handle her."

"O-K" Daryl looked at them, slightly shaking his head. "I'm sure you know what's best for her; and I hope you know what you're doing" He walked to the door and whispered a soft good night. He told the girls that he needed to go back to the station to talk to the D.A. about Lexie.

The girls spent all night at the hospital. Nurses and doctors kept checking on Lexie every five minutes, and unfortunately, all of them agreed that it was best for Lexie and for her sisters if she was admitted in the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Ca.

At first, Prue was a little reluctant to the idea, she didn't want to send her little sister away from them, not again, she wanted her near, she was afraid of letting go; but Phoebe convinced her that it was the best thing to do since the Ford Center was the best on the field, and Lexie needed all the professional help she could get.

The End

of this first part........ Watch out for the next part of the series:

"Inexperienced Love"

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