Chapter 3
Comfort
A shrill scream rang out in the quiet night of San Francisco at Inspector Boxer's house. Cindy sat up in a cold sweat from her nightmare. Lindsay came running into the room naturally with her gun. "What happened?" she asked Cindy and then she noticed the tears running steadily down her cheeks and her body was shaking from sobs. Lindsay hesitated a second, she wasn't good at comforting people. She wasn't even good at receiving comfort. She stepped up to comfort Jill a few times and vice versa but they had known each other a long time.
"Just a nightmare," Cindy answered wiping her tears away and desperately trying to stop them from falling and stop her body from shaking. Lindsay crawled on the pull out bed and wrapped her arms around Cindy's waist from behind. Cindy immediately tensed at the gentle touch.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," said Lindsay soothingly keeping a tight but gentle grip around her. Cindy slightly relaxed back against Lindsay soaking up the feeling of being held by the inspector. They sat in silence while Cindy slowly started to calm down and relax further into Lindsay's arms until Lindsay noticed the scratches on Cindy's arms where her pj sleeves had ridden up her arms. "What happened to your arms?" she asked.
"I uh…," Cindy stuttered quickly covering her arms with her pj sleeves. She looks down avoiding Lindsay's piercing gaze.
"Cindy tell me," Lindsay voiced sternly.
"I cut myself," Cindy whispered almost so quietly that the inspector couldn't hear her.
Lindsay's eyes widened in shock, "You cut yourself?" she asked to make sure she heard her.
"Yes," mumbled Cindy still not meeting the eyes of the inspector and now suddenly squirming in her arms.
"Cindy you should know that is never the answer for anything," Lindsay said soothingly stroking Cindy's hair softly.
"It helps me forget release all emotional pain and transfer it into something I can actually feel," Cindy said. She didn't need a therapist to tell her this. She took enough psychology classes in college to know that much.
"Yes I get that but you still should have come to Jill, Claire, or I, that is what friends are for," Lindsay said still keeping a pretty tight hold around Cindy.
"Yes Lindsay I know that now. I just sometimes wonder if you guys really like me or you just put up with me because I annoyed you guys so much," Cindy said wiggling a little nervously. Lindsay didn't know what to say. It was true that at first she was hesitant towards the red head but that was her way of making sure that Cindy would stick around and not just leave.
"You were…are very persistent which is not necessarily a bad quality. I just wasn't use to someone being more stubborn and hard-headed then I was," explained Lindsay. "And now if there is any doubt in your mind then you better shake it right now because now I can't imagine our group without you," she told Cindy being surprisingly honest to quell her doubts.
"Oh," said Cindy surprised at Lindsay's honesty.
"What was your nightmare about?" asked Lindsay tightening her arms around Cindy slightly. Cindy sighed and looked up into Lindsay's concerned dark brown eyes.
"It wasn't a normal a nightmare more like a memory," Cindy whispered not wanting to lie to Lindsay after her bout of honesty towards her.
"And the memory was about?" asked Lindsay.
"Travis raped me," whispered Cindy almost so low Lindsay almost didn't hear it.
"He WHAT!?" exclaimed Lindsay loudly. Cindy immediately tensed up started to pull away.
"He was drunk one night and he decided he wanted me. I told him no but when he wants something there isn't a lot that I can do to stop him," explained Cindy pulling out of Lindsay's arms and moving away from her. Lindsay just sat there in shock trying to figure out how she could have missed this. "It's not your fault, I went out of my way to hide it from all of you guys," Cindy said as if reading Lindsay's mind.
"Come here," Lindsay said holding out her arms. Cindy hesitated and Lindsay saw this and pulled Cindy into her arms. She tensed at the sudden touch. Lindsay just waited it out by holding Cindy close and rubbing her back. When Cindy eyes started to droop she whispered, "Come on hun my bed is bigger," into Cindy's ear. Cindy just nodded her head knowing arguing would do no good with the stubborn inspector. When they got into bed Cindy stayed close to the far side not wanting to crowd Lindsay but she had other ideas and pulled Cindy close to her. Cindy sighed in contentment and let herself relax into the strong and warm body. A few minutes later Lindsay heard the steady breathing of the girl in her arms signaling she was sleeping and soon Lindsay followed her.
To Be Continued?
A/N: Sorry for the delay it's been a busy couple of weeks. Hopefully I will get the next chapter up sooner than this one. I again apologize. Have a good weekend everyone!!