A/N thank you for all the reviews, comments, follows and favourites so far! Enjoy and please read and review! Xx
"Zoe? Zoe, where are you going?" Connie asked as she noticed the consultant reaching for her crutches.
Zoe ignored her as she stood up, making sure that she had gotten her balance properly before starting to exit the room "Zoe!" Connie called after her, standing up as well.
"Leave it, Connie!" she snapped, not even bothering to turn around to face her colleague. The only thing on her mind was getting out of the department, that was the only thing that she could focus on.
She decided to use the quieter exit out of the department, to avoid the stares and questions that she really couldn't be doing with at that moment in time. She needed time and space away from other people that she knew.
…
Zoe sat on a bench around the corner from the ED, still in the hospital grounds but away from prying eyes. Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to her, a man was watching her, the same man that she had seen earlier and she had been so keen to get away from.
She only became aware of his presence as she heard footsteps coming towards her and she looked up, only to find herself looking at the person that she least wanted to see.
"What do you want?" she spat, recognising him instantly now that they were face to face.
"I-I wanted to apologise" the man stuttered slightly, but covered it quickly "I won't insult your intelligence by asking why you walked away from me earlier"
Zoe laughed, though the edge to it was filled by sarcasm and bitterness rather than humour "Walked? You call that walking? Without these crutches, I can't walk; the muscle and ligament damage was too severe. They don't know how long it will take to heal completely, or even if it ever will!"
The man looked down to the gravel that had been placed over the muddy area to make it more stable, people's footprints imprinted into it, guilt shadowing his strong features "I-I'm sorry. I know that it isn't enough, how could it be?"
"Too right it isn't enough! You, you stood there and watched them attack me, rape me! You just stood there and didn't do anything apart from shine your bloody torch into the alleyway so they could see better! You're as bad as they are!" with that, Zoe grabbed her crutches and went to stand up, swaying slightly as she tried to keep her balance.
The man grabbed her arm in an attempt to steady her but she shook him off harshly, only succeeding in worsening her balance "Let go of me! Don't you dare touch me!" she screamed, quickly gaining the attention of Connie who had rushed outside on hearing the commotion.
Connie approached them quickly, helping her colleague to regain her balance and placing her hand on her shoulder "Right, I don't know who you are and I have a strong suspicion that I want to know in case I do something that I regret. What I do suggest, however, is that you remove yourself from this hospital and its premises before I call the police" she spoke calmly, yet there was an underlying tone of venom in her voice.