The SARC was in another part of the hospital and Lucy had been told to take Chloe round which she did. "Thanks Lucy" a woman said when they arrived. She'd taken Chloe round in a wheelchair since she was in such a closed off state. And looked unsteady on her feet. "Hi Chloe. My name is Jess, I'm a SOLO, a sexual offence liaison officer. I'm a police officer specially trained in supporting people and I'm here to help you. We're not going to make you do anything you don't want." Jess was tall and of average build with long chocolate brown waves tied up in a scrunchie. Not that Chloe noticed. "The first thing I need to ask you is if you feel like you can cope with forensic testing? It's the best way we can get evidence."

"Okay." Chloe answered emotionlessly.

"Okay. can you come into the medical room and our nurse Imogen can do the tests. Lucy's has to go back to the ED. I'll leave you too it" Jess said heading for the door.

"Wait Jess, can you stay in here please. While she does the tests." Chloe asked

"Of course if that will make you feel more comfortable." Jess replied.

"If you want me to stop at any time you just have to say and I will okay Chloe. If you want to know what I'm doing just ask. And we can make sure you get some painkillers and more comfortable clothes afterwards." Imogen the nurse said.

Chloe changed into the hospital gown and Imogen and Jess turned away to give her privacy. In any other situation Chloe would have laughed at the irony but she was in shock she could barely think at all.

When Imogen started taking swabs Chloe's breathing started to quicken. "Do you want me to stop?" Imogen asked.

"Chloe look at me." Jess said "it's okay, it's just the nurse. No ones trying to hurt you, you're safe now. Would you like Imogen to stop? She will if you want her to, you're safe."

Chloe shook her head "keep going."

"Okay. I'm sorry. I know it's hard I'm almost done." Imogen said.

"Just keep looking at me Chloe, you're safe now. It's just the nurse"

Ange was stood by the doors of resus looking at what was happening. All of a sudden she looked at Fletch "Where's Chloe?" Ange was worried she'd been so determined to save Evan she'd assumed her evidently traumatised daughter was around somewhere but she couldn't see her. She turned to a nurse. "Have you seen Chloe my daughter. Slim, slightly taller than me, bobbed blonde hair, Aberdeen accent wearing jeans..."

"Yes. Come with me a moment. We can talk." The nurse said.

"I don't want to talk I want to see my daughter!" Ange replied angrily.

"Hey Ange. It's alright." Fletch said placating his girlfriend.

"I can assure you Chloe's safe." The nurse said "Chloe alleged that she had been assaulted. I'm Lucy. I took her to the SARC."

"He raped her?" Ange asked. "No please no!" It all made sense. Why Chloe was acting so traumatised. Why her clothes were ripped. Why she'd done whatever it took to get Evan off her. "Miss Goddard I can assure you that Chloe is safe. She's with Jessica, a SOLO, that's a.."

"I know what a SOLO is." Ange interjected.

"Good," the nurse replied. "Then you'll know she's being well looked after. I can direct you to the SARC it's connected to the hospital it's.."

"I know where it is." Ange stopped the nurse. She did because she'd been there almost 30 years ago.

30 years previously

The landlady of the pub had found her. She went out back to the alleyway to access the bins when she came across the teenager lay in the alleyway trousers undone shivering in the dark November night. Shelly, the landlady, guessed what had happened. "You must be very cold. Come inside with me love." And led her into the back room of the pub. "What's your name?"

"Angel."

"What a lovely name. How did you come to be laying in the back alley. Did someone attack you?" Shelly asked and Ange nodded.

"Will you come with me in my car, I want to take you to the SARC, they can help you there" Ange had no idea what a SARC was but Shelly seemed so kind after the trauma she's just been through that if Shelly suggested going to the moon Ange would probably have agreed. Shelly wanted to get Ange into some warm dry clothes but knew that her clothes would be needed for evidence. She took Ange into the SARC, the receptionist asked Ange what had happened and Shelly replied "this young lady has been attacked." She then turned to Ange "I need to get back to the pub Angel. I'm sorry, they'll look after you here I promise. Look here's my number" she scribbled it down on a piece of paper. The number for the pub. Tell them you're Angel and you need to talk to Shelly. And you know where I'll be. I promise you're safe now. I'm so sorry that this happened to you." She had a gruff accent but had shown true kindness at the time Ange needed it. At that moment someone came over "Angel?" She asked and Ange nodded. "Would you like to come with me and we can talk? I'm Lorraine" They sat in a comfortable room. It was small but had a sofa, coffee table and arm chair. They did the rape kit examination in a medical room, then went back into the comfortable room and Ange told Lorraine everything that happened she cried "I'm sorry. I don't usually cry. I don't know why I'm acting like such a baby."

"Angel, you've been through a trauma, whatever you're feeling emotionally is completely valid, you're not acting like a baby at all. Many survivors of sexual assault react in all different ways."

Current day

Ange walked into the SARC. The reception still had those lilac walls. White plastic chairs. It took Ange back to that night and she couldn't cope. She felt bile rise in her throat. She couldn't do this. She ran out of the centre into the cold evening air and vomited in the outside dustbin. "Ange? What's going on?" Fletch was concerned about his partner. Usually she could completely bury her own feelings when her daughter was involved. When he looked at her tears were streaming down her face. He sat her down on a bench. "Oh Ange. I know this is awful. It's horrible to think what Chloe's just been through. I can't imagine how I'd feel if it was Evie or Ella. All we can do is support her. We can't know what Chloe's been through" Fletch soothed

"I know" Ange sobbed. "I...I was raped."

"Oh Ange..." Fletch looked at his partner then something clicked in his head "Dominic?"

Ange shook her head "Chloe." She started sobbing again. "I thought it didn't matter. That I was enough for her. Now it's happened to her. This is all my fault. It's who she is.. rape." Ange sobbed. Fletch didn't know what to say. He'd never seen Ange like this before. "Angel?" A strong Glaswegian voice asked. "Angel it's me it's Lorraine."

"Lorraine?" Ange asked sobbing

"Yes. Do you remember me? Can I sit down here next to you?"

Ange nodded.

"The rules still apply. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to, but correct me if I'm wrong. I think you want to be in there supporting Chloe but being in the centre reminded you of your trauma?" Lorraine asked. She had got it in one.

"You remember me?" Ange asked.

"Of course I do Angel, so I know that you would do anything for your beautiful wee girl. Although she was what, 3 months old last time I saw her? You moved away didn't you?" Lorraine asked and Ange nodded. "And I also know that you are so strong, far stronger than you think you are. That you can cope with so much more than you realise. I also know that you know that the SARC is a place of safety. Why don't we go inside. See if we can see Chloe. If she's being examined or giving a statement we can wait. We can get coffee.

I know you didn't want your mum, but when we told her she helped didn't she. I think Chloe will want her mum won't she?" Lorraine asked.

Ange was still in tears "she can't cope. She's not like me. She struggles."

"Ok."Lorraine said "let's go inside. You can splash some cold water on your face then you can be there for Chloe. And i can support you. Okay?"

Ange nodded. As Ange went to the bathroom Fletch looked at Lorraine "I'm Adrian, call me Fletch, I'm Ange's boyfriend."

"Hi Fletch, we need to be here for Angel and Chloe right now. Angel is able to see Chloe. She's been examined but she's not given a statement yet. You might need to give a statement too. I'm not sure. But it might be better if you wait out here. Some survivors of sexual assault find it difficult if there is a man in the room." Lorraine smiled at him. "We have a kettle. Sara on reception can make you a tea or coffee."

Lorraine knocked on the door of the comfortable room. The same one she'd spoken to Ange in, the first time she'd met her all those years ago.

Jess stood at the door

"This is Chloe's mother, Angel. I know her." Lorraine said. "How's she doing?" Ange asked panicked. "She coped really well with the rape kit examinations. She got panicky at one point but she's calmed down. But she'd pretty closed off now. We would like to take a statement as soon as possible. And I think it would help her to take a shower and wash some of the mud and blood out of her hair, she's had some painkillers so she shouldn't be in too much physical pain."

Chloe was sat on the sofa her knees cuddled into her chest. Paler than Ange has ever seen her, other than the scratches and bruises peppering her face. Staring straight forward.

"Chloe" Jess said "your mums here." Chloe didn't react. Continued staring forward. Ange went over to her and gently touched her arm which caused Chloe to flinch. "It's okay. It's just mum. Sorry darling. I didn't mean to scare you." Ange soothed

"Mum?" Chloe looked at her.

"Yes darling, it's just mum."

"Can you hold me?" Chloe said in a tiny voice.

"Of course" she sat on the sofa and enveloped her daughter into her arms. Chloe winced. "Sorry, are you in pain. If you need more painkillers..."

"Its not too bad." Chloe whispered. She wasn't crying. Ange had expected Chloe to be an emotional wreck. She was being so strong. Ange assumed that Chloe was holding in all her emotion. Bottling it up, Ange knew her daughter. Knew that at some point all her emotions would blow like a bottle of pop. She needed to get Chloe to give a statement as soon as possible. Before she exploded.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. "I know you don't want to hear this right now my darling. But you're going to need to give a statement to Jess. I know you don't want to talk about it but you just need to be brave one more time."

Chloe was still pretty closed off while she gave the statement to Jess. Ange wasn't allowed to be there but was pacing up and down, up and down the reception. "Come and sit down Ange, I've got you a coffee." Fletch said. "Come on Angel, if there's a problem Jess will call you. She said that" Lorraine smiled. Ange sat next to Fletch on the hard, uncomfortable, white, plastic chairs. But she was jumpy. Fidgeting. Waiting for Chloe. Jess popped her head into the waiting room and Ange jumped up. "She's fine don't worry. You can go in and see her though. You can take her home soon. We just are sorting a prescription for codeine and the morning after pill, if Chloe wants to take it. We have some witch hazel too. Some people think that helps with vaginal discomfort. You can sit with her, or we have showers just through there. We have shower gel and shampoo and all that stuff in there. Towels too."

Ange went into the room and pulled her daughter into her arms. "I'm so proud of you darling. You're so brave" Ange whispered. Chloe shook her head vigorously. "No Chloe you've been incredible. Do you want to have a shower. Wash some of that mud out of your hair, I can help you?" Ange asked and Chloe nodded.