Two months had passed. The first few weeks were tough for Trish. She kept begging for drugs to take the pain away, then they turned into pleas to kill her.
Casey would sit with her those days, even when Trish would cuss and try to hurt her.
"Its normal for her to react this way. Its not really her", Melina had said.
"I know", Casey would reply.
Casey had gotten her ass kicked several times those first few weeks. After a month, it had gotten easier to counter their hits or holds. They had taught her how to free herself from bindings. Tape, rope, you name it.
Teaching both women how to take hits and keep going. Load their guns.
"You still have a long way to go, especially Trish", Nikki said.
Both women had nodded. The first two weeks they were not allowed to call home.
"It would distract you from your goals. Forget them, for now. Focus on you and your health and what you want to accomplish here.", Bayley had said.
They ate when they wanted, slept in when they wanted, and for the first time in a long time, they felt like they didn't have to look over their shoulders. Casey knew Finn would come, because they would receive the things they had asked for.
Brie spent those two months getting to know Finn.
After training, Melina let them know they could call home. Trish was hesitant and lifted the phone slowly.
"Hello", Karl had answered.
She swallowed and looked at Casey.
"You can do it", Casey whispered.
"Hi, Karl, its me", she said softly.
Karl sighed.
"Hey baby, its so good to hear your voice.", he replied, making Trish smile and tears well up in her eyes.
Casey smiled too at how happy her friend looked. Trish had thought Karl would be angry with her. Melina stopped beside her.
"She still has a long way to go. The fact that she couldn't bring herself to lift the phone or answer him when he picked up, shows it", she said.
Casey nodded.
"Now comes the hard part, for you too", Melina said.
"What do you mean?", she asked softly.
"Now we talk, about everything. You've both found your strength in training and learning to defend yourselves. Now you will find your voices, we have to make those just as strong", Melina replied.
Casey nodded. Melina left them. Casey grabbed the phone and called AJ.
"Case?", he asked.
"Yeah, its me.", she replied.
"Its so good to hear you. I miss you. How is everything?", he asked.
"Its good. Trish and I have learned a lot, especially about ourselves.", she said.
"That's good, I'm glad", he replied.
"How is everything at home?", she asked.
"Well, Kenny seems to think he runs Bullet Club now. Finds ways to undermine me and make demands.", AJ said.
"Its because he's dating Veronica, isn't it?", she asked, lowering her voice.
He sighed.
"I'm not going to say no. Several times Karl or Luke have had to remind him. If he keeps it up, I might be the one reminding him next", AJ said.
Casey knew what he meant by that. Being here, she understood why he had to do what he needed too.
"Its to keep control and balance. Anyone gets out of line, another will think he can too, and then another. Next thing we know, its chaos, people doing whatever the hell they want. A boss is always needed to keep order", Brie had said during training.
"Our dad sits each boss down, explains the rules, the can and can not's", Nikki continued.
"Bosses have a disagreement, they come to my dad to settle it. The less blood shed, the better. My dad controls the bosses, and the bosses control their men.", Brie added.
"Its why they have to run things by your dad first.", Casey had said.
The twins nodded.
"Like Brie said, the less blood the better. We don't need anyone low blowing others, like what happened with you two. Vince went under our father and let Ric take you. In return, his head had to roll. It did", Nikki replied.
Casey sighed.
"Do what you have to do, I understand", she replied.
"Case…", she cut him off.
"No, really. I get it now, I've learned a lot being here. They girls have answered so many of my questions about what you do.", she replied.
He nodded.
"Your grandma is doing great. Bakes her ass off now that she has a huge kitchen. I think I've gained a lot of weight, man her food is so good", he said.
Casey laughed softly.
"I can't wait to get home", she said softly.
"We are ready for you to come home too. Just don't feel like you need to rush. Take your time, my love. I hope that when you do, we can sit down and talk about those fears, I will listen and do whatever I need to make you feel safe", he replied.
"Thank you", she said.
After lunch, Casey sat down with Melina, one on one.
"So, what do you remember about that night?", Melina asked.
Casey told her about how she and the girls went out. Trish telling her she was ready to be a mom. Then getting hit and waking up in a dark cell. How sick she had gotten from whatever Ric and his men were giving to them to keep them quiet and knocked out.
"There was one day, I couldn't stop vomiting. I felt weak and, I was so thirsty. I seriously thought I was going to die from dehydration, it was so bad", Casey said.
"Was Trish with you?", Melina asked.
"Honestly, I don't know. Like I said, I was dehydrated", she replied.
"So you might have hallucinated her, would you say?", Melina asked.
"Maybe, yeah", Casey replied.
Melina nodded.
"I remember hearing women scream for help, Trish scream for me to help her. She was being dragged out, but I couldn't move or even reach for her", she continued.
"Don't hold anything back, even if you think it was a dream or hallucination. The more I know, the better I can help you", Melina said.
Casey nodded.
"The part about Trish screaming for me to help, it's a reoccurring dream I have", Casey let her know.
Melina nodded.
"Do you remember if any of those men did anything to you? Remember any faces I should know about?", Melina asked.
"Not that I can remember, like I said, I felt more like I was continuously knocked out and tired than anything else", Casey replied.
Melina tapped her pen on her desk and had this look like she had realized something. It's the same look AJ would get.
"What?", Casey asked.
"If he never touched you, I think I might know why", Melina said.
Casey caught on.
"He found out who I belonged too", Casey said.
Melina nodded.
"No offense to your friend, but her husband's position with my dad means nothing. The wife of a boss who works for the King, that means a lot.", Melina said.
"He knew AJ would raise hell if he touched me", Casey said.
Melina nodded. Casey sat up more and leaned forward.
"Do you have any idea how my husband found me and Trish at that warehouse?", Casey asked.
"No, but I can find out, or we can invite him down and you can ask", Melina said.
Casey nodded.
"Please", she said.
Melina nodded. Casey was going to stand, but she stopped her.
"We aren't done", Melina said.
Casey sat back down.
"Why did you leave your husband?", Melina asked.
Casey sat back.
"I felt trapped, even though I knew I wasn't. AJ would let me go wherever I wanted. It felt like I was losing my mind. Trish's face haunted me. I needed to just run and stop, to think.", Casey said.
She sighed and brushed her hair back.
"I know its confusing, but its just how I felt", she continued.
"So many emotions, your mind and body didn't know how to process them at once. Also guilt. You felt like you left your friend there to die, when it couldn't be further from the truth", Melina said.
Casey nodded. Relieved someone finally understood her need to just leave without telling anyone.
"Everywhere I went in town, reminded me of Trish", she said softly.
"You went home", Melina said.
Casey nodded.
"I say it was for my grandma, and it is partly, but it was also for AJ. I found myself missing him and needing him. The first few years I convinced myself that it was better without him, but it wasn't.", Casey replied.
"Kids?", Melina asked.
Casey smirked.
"Did Ronnie tell you?", she asked.
Melina giggled softly.
"She did. She just doesn't want you to regret it later. You wanted kids at some point ", Melina replied.
"I did, then when I realized AJ's job, all these negative things popped into my head. Things that could happen to me, to our kids. Then next thing I know, something does happen to me and I couldn't do anything to help myself", Casey said.
"But now you can, help yourself that is", Melina added.
Casey nodded.
"Yeah, I guess I can", she replied.
Melina smiled.
"I'm not telling you this to force you to do something you don't want. I just want you to know, you aren't that person you use to be. You are stronger now, you can defend yourself, and you have a voice, use it.", Melina said.
Casey nodded.
"Do you have any questions for me?", Melina asked.
"Not at the moment", Casey replied.
"Well, if you ever do, come find me", Melina said.
Casey nodded. She thought the Garcia girls were going to be a lot like Veronica, but they were all completely different. Even if Brie and Nikki were twins, they were different from each other as well.
She realized Veronica locking her feelings away came from not having her mom. Bayley seemed the same way, except as she got to know Bayley, the young woman let her guard down.
Ronnie never did, it slipped a few times, but when she realized it, she slammed it back down.
"Oh and Casey", Melina stopped her.
"Yeah?", she said.
"You don't belong to him, or anyone else. You share a life with him, that is all.", Melina said.
Casey nodded.