Author's Note: Despite the unorthadox setting for treatment, this is fairly medically accurate. Reviews are appreciated.

Part 3

Samantha stared at herself in the mirror. Her body was a map of finger shaped bruises, that were varying shades of purple that would likely deepen to black by morning. There was dried blood around her mouth from when she'd bitten her tongue during the attack. One eye was blackened and the skin on her cheek beneath had split open from the impact of the blow. Between her legs, her sex was a raw angry shade of red from the abuse she'd suffered and bloodstains marred her inner thighs, a couple blood trails dried in rust paths reaching her knees.

Confronted with the view of her bloodied and injured body, the full impact of the night hit Samantha. Throughout the attack and even up until this moment, she'd tried to distance herself from it. She'd been upset and had cried, but seeing her reflection brought the trauma crashing down on her. Small shivers coursed her body and changed into violent tremors as she paled under her bruises. Samantha was going into shock, Jack realized and he grabbed her away from the mirror. Tossing towels on the floor, he gently pushed her down and pulled her feet onto the edge of the tub. She stared at him in confusion as he arranged her feet over her head.

Jack ran from the bathroom to kitchenette and poured some of the contents of the coffee pot into an oversized mug. Racing back to Samantha's side, he sat beside her and cradled her head in his lap. Thrusting a finger into the coffee to check the temperature first, he began to pour the warm liquid into her mouth. Disoriented and confused, she struggled slightly and coffee ran out of her mouth. Patiently Jack continued to urge coffee into her mouth, even as much of it spilled all over both of them. As the mug was emptied, he kicked his shoes off and moved to pull off his socks.

Carefully laying Samanatha's head back on the towels he turned on water, adjusted the temperature and turned on the shower. Jack picked her up and carefully maneuvered them both into the tub and held Samantha under the warm water. Standing fully dressed except for his bare feet he held her naked form under the water. Gently he rubbed her fingers and hands as he held her to help her circulation. Her trembling body was icy cold in his arms, Jack held her close, he didn't dare turn the water temperature higher for fear of burning her.

"It's going to be all right sweetheart. You'll be fine my Samantha," Jack murmured soothingly, as much for his benefit as hers. Slowly she began to warm under the water and Jack's careful ministrations. As she stabilized, Jack squeezed soft rose scented bath gel onto a pouf and gently washed Samantha. The less blood tinged water she saw go down the drain, so much the better.

Awareness returning to her, she blinked at him and said, "You have your clothes on."

"You were going into shock, I needed to get you warm as quickly as possible and this was the best way."

"Oh."

"I've got you mostly cleaned up, but I thought you might like to-" he halted uncertain how to put it. Gesturing downwards, he muttered, "You might prefer to wash your-"

"Yeah," she replied, taking the sponge from him and turning away from him. Briefly she wondered why he stayed in the shower then answered her own question. With the first pass of the soapy pouf between her legs, the pain was excruciating. The raw abraded flesh stung horribly from the soap and against her will a cry of pain erupted from her lips. Samantha would have fallen as she jerked from the pain had Jack not gently wrapped his arms around her to steady her. Gritting her teeth, she continued to wash away the traces of her attackers. She turned around to hand the pouf back and was surprised to see Jack biting his lower lip and his eyes shining with unshed tears.

Jack turned the water off, swallowed reflexively as he reigned his emotions in tightly, and suggested, "You might want to soak in the tub for a bit. The warm water would be good for your bruises."

Jack stepped out of the tub and pulled the lever to keep the water in the tub, then started running a bath for Samantha. Once the tub was filled he helped her down into the water and left her saying the door would be open and to call if she needed anything. Clothing dripping wet, Jack grabbed a cigarette and walked out onto the balcony. His hands shook as he struggled to light a cigarette and he stared up at the sky. Tears ran unchecked down his face as he exhaled smoke into the night. How could God let this happen to his Samantha? It was his fault, he hadn't been watching her as carefully as he should have. If he had returned just one day earlier, Jack thought bitterly.

Flinging his cigarette over the balcony, he wiped his eyes and walked back inside. After peeking in on Samantha, he quickly changed into dry clothes, and changed the stained sheets on the bed. Jack walked into the closet and sorted through clothing. Over the years he'd purchased several wardrobes worth for his Samantha, he wanted to find something warm and comforting for her. At last he settled on a long ivory nightgown from France that was modest and old fashioned with long billowy sleeves. When he bought it he'd envisioned her wearing it and pretending she was his virgin bride in another era, but tonight the fantasy was far from his mind as he carried the gown into the bathroom.

"Are you ready to get out?"

She nodded and started to rise painfully from the water. Jack held a large bathsheet up and enveloped her in it. Bending to release the water from the tub he looked up at his battered angel. Jack stood up and picked her up from the tub and set her on her feet. Wordlessly, he took another towel and gently began to towel her wet hair. When she made no move to dry off, he took the bathsheet he'd wrapped around her and patted her dry. He held the nightgown up for her, she looked at him dully and raised her arms, allowing him to pull it over her head. Jack walked out of the bathroom, relieved when she followed him out.

Although he hated subjecting her to further examination, Jack stood at the end of the bed and suggested gently, "Why don't we get this part over so we can make you comfortable?"

She sighed and agreed walking over to the bed as Jack gathered pillows. Raising her nightgown to her waist she lay back on the mound of pillows, staring up at the mirror again. Jack grabbed the box of medical gloves from the stool and reached in for a pair, only to have his hand hit bare cardboard. He cursed softly.

"What is it?" Sam asked struggling to pull her head up.

"I'm out of gloves. I'll have to go down the street to the all night pharmacy and buy more."

"Can't you do this without the gloves?"

Jack hesitated, uncertain how to respond. "Only if you're all right with the idea. I really don't mind going out, it would only take five minutes. Why don't I just-"

Samantha interrupted, "Jack it's okay, just let's get this over with."

"Be right back," he answered and went into the bathroom.

She could hear him scrubbing his hands. The logical part of her mind said he was doing it for her health. But in the back of her mind, Sam thought she was now damaged goods even to her stalker. When Jack came back into the room, she felt slightly dejected at the idea she was repugnant to him. Jack studied her expression quizzically for a moment before sitting on the stool to conclude her exam.

"Samantha, you know I'm a smoker, right?" Jack inquired as he sat.

"Yes." What the hell was he talking about that for? Samantha wondered.

"Because I smoke, pretty much non-stop, there's nicotine buildup on my fingers. If I hadn't washed my hands, it would feel like I was rubbing salt onto your skin."

Hearing that she felt slightly better and appreciated his thinking of that.

"How do you feel?" Jack gently probed her wounded flesh and laid his other hand on her abdomen, feeling for internal damage.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically.

"Are lies really necessary between us, Samantha?"

Irritated, she retorted, "Fine! You want to know how I fucking feel? I feel like someone used sandpaper on my pussy and ass! Childbirth is suddenly a pleasant memory in comparison. I'm hurting in places I never even knew I had! Truthful enough for you Mr. Jack of all Fucking Trades?!?"

Given her state of mind, he wouldn't tell her, but Jack actually felt encouraged by her display of anger. Earlier when she'd gone into shock he'd feared she might be too damaged to recover emotionally from her ordeal. Her verbal tirade was a good sign that with enough time and care, Samantha would one day recover. That day was regrettably far away, but Jack would cling to any hope for his Samantha he found. He answered, "Yes, thank you Samantha. I appreciate your candor."

"Do I need stitches?" she inquired fearfully. The last thing she wanted was more pain, but she felt like she'd been ripped in two.

He considered her torn and inflamed tissue for several moments before replying, "I don't think so. You're going to be hurting for a few days, but I have something that will help with that."

Relieved not be getting stitches, she watched as he rummaged through a dresser near the bed. When he walked towards her with a glass jar filled with pale green cream inside it, she demanded, "What is that?"

"A little something Dr. Trades keeps on hand."

She eyed him and the jar suspiciously as he sat back down on the stool As he opened the jar, she wasn't sure she liked the idea of him putting it on her. Jack poured some of the lotion out into his hand and put the jar aside. Samantha tensed slightly when he dipped his right hand fingers into the palm of his left. Gently Jack skimmed his fingers over her raw flesh and she sighed as the lotion cooled her skin and took the edge off the pain. Finally she began to relax as his touch spread welcome relief.

"Better?"

"Much," she confirmed.

"Samantha?"

"What?"

"I don't want to touch you in anyway that would make you uncomfortable. But you have a couple nasty scrapes just over your clit. If you prefer not to have me apply any more or wish to do so yourself-"

"Just do it Jack. It still hurts but that's making it a little better."

"Okay," he agreed and complied with her command. "I just didn't want you to think I was trying to- "

"I know Jack. Even you're not that sick."

His task finished, Jack stood up looking slightly hurt and wordlessly sat the jar of cream on the nightstand. Then he went into the kitchenette and washed his hands and began to busy himself. Sam lifted herself off the pillows and laid back down on the bed. Slightly more comfortable, she looked at her surroundings and took in the site of Jack's lair. Everywhere she looked she saw her image smiling at her and dozens of roses in various stages of dryness.

Jack walked to the bed with a glass of red liquid in his hand and a black leather bag. Handing her the glass, he told her, "Here."

"What is is?" she demanded suspiciously and sniffed it.

"Cranberry juice."

Sam made a face, "Just for your little file on my likes and dislikes, I hate this stuff."

"I'm aware of that. However you will drink it because right now you're very susceptible to a bladder infection and I don't think you want to add to your discomfort."

Still scowling, she took a sip and watched as he opened the bag and pulled out a syringe. "What's that for?"

Jack pulled a small file from the bag and drew out a shot. As he held it up to the light and flicked out the airbubbles he answered, "Penicillin. You need a shot of it as a preventative against syphilis. Where do you want it?"

Sitting the juice down on the nightstand, she pushed the sleeve of the nightgown up and allowed him to trace a swab of alcohol over her skin and to inject her. She hadn't even thought about disease or pregnancy, but now those thoughts loomed eerily over her. "Jack, not that you probably aren't already aware, but I'm not on the pill."

Jack capped the syringe and pulled a pill bottle out of the bag. After opening it he shook out a white pill and placed it in her hand. "Plan B pill, levonorgesterel."

"Not that I don't appreciate, but why do you have these laying around?" Sam asked as she swallowed the pill and rinsed it down with a sip of the cranberry juice.

"Sharon seemed to think I would forget all about you if she got in the family way. Seemed to think if she applied the condom and broke the tip with her nail I wouldn't notice. Thank God I did and after she pulled it a second time, I got a prescription so I wouldn't have to run all over Atlanta trying to find the damn things if she tried it again."

"What's that?" Sam saw Jack was fumbling with another bottle and shook out a pink and red capsule.

"Amoxicillan, you'll have to take it three times a day for the next ten days as prevention against Chlamydia and Gonorreaha." After she swallowed the pills he told her, "I'm going to make you some tea and toast, you won't feel well taking those things on an empty stomach. Try and finish your juice for me in the meantime. After you eat, I can give you something for the pain, but I don't want you to fall asleep beforehand."

"Jack," she called out as he walked away.

"Yes Samantha?"

As he approached the bed, she laid her hand on his arm and looked up at him and spoke softly, "Thank you."