Author's Note: So it's almost over, sorry for the wait, though this chapter might have been posted earlier had I not had to evacuate from my home in New Orleans. I'm headed back tomorrow but I don't know about the electricity or internet so who knows when the last chapter will be posted. Anyway thanks to everyone who has kept reading and love to all those who reviewed!!
Duncan walked out of the office and started Richie on the long road to recovery. The first thing Duncan had done after hanging up with Sean was to contact a doctor friend of his for recommendations on a psychologist.
He had been worried that Sean would insist on treating Richie himself, but fortunately, the other immortal had not thought that would be necessary. Duncan hadn't wanted to move the boy to France and Sean had said that Richie should be able to omit all immortal business without it interfering with the boy's treatment.
Duncan had gone ahead and made the boy an appointment. Then he only had to break it to the withdrawn teen.
Surprisingly that didn't turn out to be that difficult. Duncan sat on the couch next to Richie, trying not to react when the boy shrank away from him.
Sean had told Duncan to continue being physical with the boy despite Richie's reticence. The boy would take time to become comfortable again, time to re-learn how to trust.
The immortal told Richie that the boy had an appointment. Richie only nodded, worryingly acquiescent and if Duncan hadn't already seen how serious this situation was, that gesture would have told him. Richie knew that he needed help.
They spent the rest of the day like that: hanging out on the couch, watching tv…Richie actually smiled, talked, even laughed. The teen explained the shows to the two adults, kidded them about their lack of 'pop culture' knowledge. Duncan ordered pizza for dinner and Richie ate a little.
Duncan didn't chide the boy over his lack of appetite. It was a fine line that the immortal would struggle to walk in the coming weeks and months.
He tried to keep Richie on a schedule, work in the store, help out around the apartment, eat…while at the same time making it clear that the boy had the right to not be normal: to take a break, escape to his room for a minute, not eat, hell even scream and cry.
Those days were the worst, days when Richie would pick a fight over any little thing. It was difficult for Duncan, and Tessa to control their tempers even knowing the reason for the teen's uncharacteristic mood swings.
Sometimes in the middle of a screaming fit, Richie would just start crying. When that happened, the boy would turn away, try to hide. It broke Duncan's heart and he always rushed to hug Richie, the immortal's own anger and frustration forgotten.
But things did get better. After two months, Richie started sleeping in his bed again. He spent less time in his room. He talked more, worked more, ate more, became more like the Richie they had first known.
Except when it came to girls. Richie couldn't seem to get back into his flirtatious nature even after months. Every time a girl would look his way, Richie would back off and deflect the attention.
Duncan called Sean for advice. The Scotsman had been calling the other immortal frequency, keeping the psychologist updated on their situation. Now as always Sean told Duncan to be "patient".
Sean said, "Duncan, things will never be the same for him or for you. Richie will never even look at a bed the same way again, much less a woman."
The Highlander rebelled against the idea that the boy would not fully recover from this, but Sean persisted saying, "I didn't say Richie wouldn't recover, I said things wouldn't be the same."
Sean's final piece of advice was that Duncan should just ask the boy. So that's what Duncan did.
The immortal found the boy in his room, listening to music…or whatever passed for music these days to teenage boys. Duncan turned it off on his way over to the bed, Richie sitting up to make room for the older man.
He thought he'd get right to the point. "So that blonde in the store earlier, she seemed to really like you."
Richie just shrugged his shoulders in response, conspicuously not looking at Duncan.
"You didn't think she was cute? I thought she was a real looker."
"I guess so," Richie's voice was tellingly dispassionate.
"Rich…"
Bright blue eyes looked up at him for the first time since Duncan started talking. "I just…I don't want…the memories," the boy finished on a murmur.
"Well don't you think you ought to get to know her first?" Duncan's attempt at a joke fell rather flat. "We talked about how to stay present, focus on the now so the memories don't overwhelm you…"
Richie huffed. "I don't want to start something and freak out later. Then I'd have to explain it to her…"
"That's why? You're afraid to tell other people…?"
Duncan understood that Richie would be embarrassed, particularly with people's prejudices and misconceptions about a male's ability to be raped. But the boy's discomfited movements said that that wasn't the whole story though.
"It's just…" Duncan recognized the too-familiar choking noise of Richie trying to hold back tears. He moved, sliding on the bed closer to the boy and drawing Richie into his arms.
As usual, Richie was stiff at first, unused to comfort from his childhood and wary of physical affection since his ordeal. But as usual, Duncan held on tight, until the boy broke down, sobbing into his chest and clutching the front of his linen shirt.
Duncan comforted the boy as best he could; rubbing Richie's back and waiting for him to catch his breath to speak.
"What is it?" The immortal solicited softly.
"It's just…I have these dreams, they scare me. I dream about her, about hurting her like she hurt me. I'm afraid that I would hurt some girl…"
"Oh Rich…" Duncan hugged the teen a bit tighter, kissing the top of the reddish curls. "It's completely normal to be angry, but you would never, could never hurt someone like that. You are not like that."
At his words, the boy only cried harder.