Chapter seven

A week had passed since Kono had brought Adam home and he was improving each day except for his stamina. The lack of being able to move about to much meant Adam always felt tired and exhausted so he hadn't seen anyone other than Kono. Not that he really minded but she had still been acting strange and the nightmares continued. Kono had decided to go for a surf that morning and Adam took the opportunity to invite the guys over so he could talk to them.

The three men arrived at Adam's that morning each one nervous to see the man. They had all been hiding the details of what happened to Kono but it had been easier to hide it when they weren't around Adam. The men sat around the patio table enjoying the sunlight.

"How have you been?" Chin asked Adam as he drunk his coffee.

"Getting there…it's Kono I'm more concerned about" Adam said.

The men shared a knowing look which they tried to disguise. They hadn't expected Adam to bring Kono up so quickly but clearly Kono's behaviour was becoming a growing concern. Chin had tried to contact Kono on numerous occasions but she either ignored his calls or kept conversation short.

"What about her?" Danny asked.

He was still convinced that Kono was hiding more than she had told him. She had been so conflicted and distant and the look of concern gracing Adam's face enforced Danny's concerns more so. She had clearly been hurt, then she shared some detail with the team and even less with Adam.

"She just seems distant and hollow. She's a shell of who she used to be it's like my Kono's just not there anymore. She keeps having nightmares every night and she brushed them off but I know there bad. She wakes from them with blood curdling screams and she tried to keep herself awake all night in an attempt to avoid them. If I try and talk to her about them she changes the topic she won't even tell me what there about." Adam explained sadly.

The other men sat in silence their minds racing as they tried to determine whether to tell Adam what they knew. They each felt an obligation to Kono but from what Adam was saying she was really not dealing with the attempted rape well. It wasn't like it was an easy thing to forget but when she told them about it she appeared so calm and determined not to let it affect her.

"Do you know something?" Adam asked.

"Adam…" Chin begun wanting to protect his cousin.

"Yeah we do" Danny interrupted.

Steve huffed and stared at Danny as though he had ruined a surprise party or something.

"What you have to tell me!" Adam exclaimed as every emotion possible filled him.

"Carson did more to Kono than just beat her up" Danny began.

"What?" Adam stuttered as the worst possibility entered his mind.

"He attempted to rape her"

"Oh god" Adam chocked as he covered his mouth that though if his fiancée going through that. "Why…why didn't you tell me…why didn't she tell me?" Adam asked as anger seeped into his voice.

"She told us reluctantly and asked us to keep it from you because she didn't want you to worry she just wanted to focus on getting you better" Danny explained.

"That bastard tried to rape her and you thought it would be a good idea to go along with her plan to keep it from me!"

"Adam…she's stubborn and not the sort to let something like this get in her way" Chin said calmly trying to protect Kono.

"I get she's your cousin Chin but don't protect her now" Adam snapped.

"Mate I don't agree with her decision but she was dealing with a lot" Chin said.

"Chin she clearly didn't feel she could tell me but I'm her fiancée and that rubbish that she doesn't want to let something like this get in her way but it is she's having nightmares about it!" Adam yelled.

"Adam please" Chin tried as Steve just sat back not knowing what to say.

"I agree with Adam" Danny said from where he sat.

The others turned their heads to Danny in surprise.

"Look I know Kono said that Carson attempted to rape her but I don't believe her." Danny explained.

"What do you mean you don't think he tried?" Steve asked in confusion.

"You believe he did rape her and she lied to us don't you" Adam stated as he noticed Danny's sad eyes.

"Yes"

"What why would she lie about that what makes you even think that?" Chin exclaimed not wanting to believe that his baby cousin had actually been hurt.

"Chin she's been distant and tense. She flinches whenever someone touched her by surprise, she's having nightmare it just seems to me that more went on and I know Kono she wouldn't want to be seen as weak and admitting that someone got one over on her would humiliate her." Danny explained.

"Oh god…she won't get undressed in front of me and she wears longer clothing…do you think she's hiding marks?" Adam asked.

"When I found her she was covered in bruising and cuts that suggested rape" Danny said.

"Why haven't you said something sooner?" Steve asked Danny.

"Because I didn't want to accuse her of lying about something like this if I didn't know for sure. We were all conflicted about what to say you can't deny that Steven" Danny argued.

As Danny and Steve argued the boys didn't notice Kono hovering in the doorway to the patio appearing nervous and on edge. When Adam finally noticed her he stood and looked her in the eyes.

"Were you raped?"

I'll have you…I'm going to hurt you…mark your body…make you used so no one will want you…touch your body…you won't be in control…you can't escape this.

The tears were falling down Kono's cheeks and the way her body convulsed as she shook with fear her legs crossing as though to protect or hide herself…it all gave her away before she even spoke.

"Yes" She whispered hoarsely.

Adam walked past Kono in silence ignoring as she fell to the ground and sobbed instead heading to the bathroom where he too broke down in tears.

That evening Adam lay in the bath trying to comprehend what he now knew. The scents from the bubble bath filling the air and creating a zen atmosphere. He hadn't spoken to Kono since she admitted she was raped. It wasn't that he didn't want to or that he didn't want to hold her and reassure her but he just didn't know what to do. He didn't want to touch her and scare her now knowing how it might affect her. He couldn't accept that anyone had touched her like that…hurt her and used her. It made him feel sick knowing what she went through and hid from him. He was meant to protect her and some part of him blamed himself and another part of him was beyond angry that she lied to him. His beautiful stunning courageous fiancée had been hurt in the worst way possible and he realised he had left her. It was then he looked up to see said fiancée standing timidly in the doorway to the main bathroom her eyes bloodshot and her face pale.

"The guys left" You mumbled almost inaudibly before a silence settled over the two of them. "Can I come in?" She asked softly her voice teary and emotional.

"Of course" Adam replied.

Kono walked shyly over to the side of the bath and sat down with her legs pulled into her. She rested her arms on the side of the bath her hands shaking slightly form nerves very unlike her. Adam reached out and took her hand in his kissing the top of his softly.

"I'm sorry I left you…I erm…"

"I'm sorry I lied to you" Kono sobbed as she hiccupped desperate to try and stop herself from crying.

Adam didn't know how to react. He couldn't bear to see her cry and wanted to hold her shaking form as close to him as possible but he didn't know how she would react. He felt the tears prick his own eyes as he held her hand stroking the top of it.

"Baby…" He trailed off as he rose from the bath stepping out carefully his body still sore and achy before grabbing his towel and quickly wrapping it around his waist being careful not to let Kono see too much.

Adam sat next to Kono on the tiled floor leaning against the bath. He looked into her brown orbs seeing fear in her usually strong eyes. He keep the distance any longer and scooped Kono into his wet embrace holding her impossible close and massaging her neck. She tensed and fidgeted sobbing hysterically before relaxing into Adam's arms.

"It's me baby it's Adam…no one else sweetheart your safe…I'm not going to hurt you, no one's going to hurt you I promise darling your safe. Everything will be okay babe I love you I promise you I love you" Adam said repeating words of comfort and reassurance.

Kono cried desperately her arms wrapped around Adam's neck as she sobbed and stuttered into his neck.

"I'm sorry…I trie..d to f..ffight I ..couldnt.. A..adam he…wa..s to s.. . I'm …*hiccup* ..iend…u…sed…I'm " Kono stuttered her words as Adam strained to understand what she was saying.

"Baby ssshhh calm down darling I've got you" Adam whispered.

He lifted her in his arms noticing how she still tensed before relaxing again. Adam carried Kono to their bedroom and lay her down letting her crawl into a ball as she cried herself to sleep with Adam stroking her hair softly all night.