Alice and Percy sat in silence in her car as she drove down the road, Percy sat gazing out of his passenger side window watching the scenery go by, praying to God he could just go home.
"Where are we going?" Percy mumbled, not taking his eyes off the window.
"You'll see" Alice said smiling, Percy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't ready yet to go outside, he felt too ashamed to go out in public and look people in the eye. Alice put a comforting hand on his thigh causing him to jump at the touch; he turned round to look at her.
"It'll be ok Percy" She soothed, trying to put him at ease. Percy gave a small smile in return, appreciating the attempt she was making.

Percy's eyes went wide with anxiety as Alice pulled into a car park at the Louisiana Boardwalk. The place swarmed with people, the noise was deafening from kids laughing and screaming and all the rides and amusements and the smell of cotton candy were thick in the air.
"Alice….I…" Percy stuttered, how could he tell her he felt too uncomfortable to do this, after the cocky and arrogant façade he had kept up all these years?
"It's alright Percy, no one knows and no one's judging you, we're just here to have fun" She said comfortingly. He nodded understandingly, but this wasn't fun…this was a nightmare. To have fun was easier said than done, maybe it was just in his mind but every person he gained eye contact with seemed to be judging him and looking at him with pity.
"Please…for me?" Alice begged, she just wanted to get Percy out into the world and have some fun and take his mind of everything, she knew it would do him no good being cooped up in the house dwelling on what happened. Percy sighed and nodded, how could he say no when Alice begged him with such hope in her eyes?

Alice's heart wanted to break as they walked though the crowds of the Boardwalk, Percy always walked less confidently when he wasn't in his uniform but now as they walked, he walked like he was trying to make himself dissolve and disappear from the world, almost cowering. Like the entire world knew what had happened to him. Slowly and carefully she took his hand into hers and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Hay how about we go on the Ferris wheel?" Alice squealed excitedly, Percy gave her a dubious look. "Please Percy I…I just want to try and make you happy" She said her voice breaking; Percy controlled his urge to yell at her but nodded in agreement. Couldn't she understand that what would make him happy was for him to be at home away from all these people?

They climbed onto the Ferris wheel and sat down, Alice grinned excitedly at him and he gave a small smile back, hesitantly he slowly moved his arm around her and she snuggled into his side and sighed happily. She just desperately wished she could heal all of his wounds. On the Ferris wheel she could have sworn she saw a look of enjoyment on his face, but was that because of the fun of the ride or because she was in his arms?

Alice ran off the Ferris wheel and straight to one of the stalls, she stared at one of the teddy bear prizes in awe, she instantly fell in love with it.
"Awwww Percy look at himmmm" She cooed, her eyes filled with hope.
"I….I could win him for you" Percy stuttered, causing a huge smile to spread across her face. He hoped that his attempt at shooting the target would work out better than when they wanted him to shoot Wild Bill on the mile.

Percy took the gun and lined the sights up with the target, his hands shook violently they had been shaking constantly since the assault. He turned towards Alice and saw the sympathy in her eyes, he turned his head away in shame as he knew Alice must have noticed him shaking; he fired the gun and missed. He gave a sigh of frustration and raised the gun again. 'Come on Percy, you can do this don't disappoint her now' He thought to himself. Percy exhaled slowly and squeezed the trigger, Alice squealed as she saw the bullet pierce the bull's-eye, he picked the teddy out for her and handed it to her. A huge grin covered her face and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. Percy blushed and gave a big shy smile, Alice's heart burst she had actually made him give a genuine smile.

Alice clutched her teddy bear happily as they walked round the rest of the boardwalk, the more they spent outside the more comfortable Percy came and the more he smiled. Soon he stopped feeling so unconfident, Alice had kissed him and he had made her so happy winning her the teddy and that outweighed all of the bad thoughts.

The sun was setting as they pulled up outside Percy's house, Percy looked at her longingly. He didn't want her to go and leave him again.
"Are you going to be ok by yourself?" Alice asked concerned.
"I'll be fine" He lied.
"I want to be here for you Percy, if you want me to stay I can, I wouldn't want to be alone after being…." She stopped, seeing his face flinch waiting for the dreaded word; Percy turned his head away and avoided her gaze he hated Alice thinking he was fragile and broken.
"Do you want me to stay?" She asked, Percy turned and looked her in the eyes and nodded, he knew he couldn't cope with another night on his own.

Del gave an evil laugh as he stared down at the sobbing, naked Percy being viciously raped by Wharton. Percy screamed and screamed for help until his throat was hoarse but no one could hear him. Del grinned down at him as Percy whimpered and begged Wild Bill to stop, he was enjoying the show.
"Don't tear him too much Bill, me wanna go after" Del said in his broken English. Percy's eyes went wide in fear and he sobbed as he realised he would go through the whole ordeal again with Del.

Percy woke from his nightmare with a scream and sat bolt upright in bed, he was breathing heavily and a light sweat covered his face and soaked through his white vest. He was being punished, he knew he was being punished for what he did to Del, Del was haunting his dreams, maybe even from beyond the grave and the whole agonising ordeal and mental suffering from Wild Bill was punishment too for what he had done to Del.
"Percy are you ok?" Alice said softly putting a hand on his shoulder; he jumped so much from her touch she could have sworn his skin touched the ceiling. He turned to her panting, his eyes as big as saucers from fear.
"Did you have a nightmare?" She asked, Percy's cheeks went red with embarrassment. "Shhh it's alright it was just a dream, just a dream" She soothed guiding him to lie back down. He laid his head on her chest and she wiped his damp fringe out of his eyes.
"It's alright Percy, its ok, I'm here" She said, comfortingly stroking his hair.
"What are we?" Percy whispered, trying to calm his pounding heart.
"I don't know Percy…I just don't know" Alice sighed, kissing his forehead comfortingly.

Percy's question had made her think. What Percy had done was horrific and cruel, but she wasn't convinced that Percy had been fully aware of the consequences of his actions. He had just wanted to teach Dell a lesson but she didn't think he knew the full extent of what would happen; it had just been an immature mistake, he had acted in revenge for denting his pride before using his common sense and thinking. But before and after the incident Alice had been shown a different side to Percy, she knew he regretted what he had done but could she forgive him and take him back? After all hadn't what had happened with Bill been punishment enough? Alice knew she'd have to think long and hard before she made her decision.