Chapter Fourteen
He sits in one of the two chairs that are in the room, watching her intently as she mumbles in her sleep. He sits up when he sees a tear fall. Ever so gently, he wipes it away and she never moves. He caresses her cheek, "Don't shut me out for too long, ok." He stands and brushes his lips to hers. "How many times have you said that to me," half expecting her to open her eyes and say something, he sighs. "I love you." He resumes his seat, should I tell her that I know what happened? He rubs his tired, red eyes. I don't know. He sits up in the chair when he hears a sound from her, "Alex?" He says excitedly, no response, his jubilation is short lived; maybe I'm wrong, I could be wrong....but I doubt it.
She is awake but keeps her eyes closed; you won't love me anymore, not after what I did.
He stretches out his long legs, laying his head back, he too closes his eyes. Sleep comes soon after.
He is awakened, by a hand on his shoulder, "Mr. Goren," the voice is soft and low. He stirs then bolts up in the chair.
"What happened?" He looks to the form on the bed; Alex is awake and staring once again at the ceiling.
"Nothing Sir, everything is fine, would you like something to eat?"
"Eat?" he questions the word as if it is foreign to him, shaking his head, "Ah no, I'm not hungry."
"They will be coming in a few minutes to take you for the CAT scan Mrs. Goren."
Alex nods her head as she whispers, "Ok."
"Ok," he repeats the word, "That's all you have to say."
Keeping her eyes focused on the ceiling she answers, "What more do you want me to say," she says barely above a whisper.
He leans his body down and angles his head toward the ceiling, "I'm not up there Alex, I'm here, I've been here all night. Could you please look at me, talk to me." She can hear the exasperation in his voice. She remains silent. The vision of Charlie satisfying himself runs through her mind repeatedly, she tries to shake it loose but she is unable. He takes a hold of her hand, his touch was always so gentle but now it hurts, she pulls her hand away.
Bobby stands erect and can only shake his head, he blurts it out, "I know what he did to you, you have nothing to feel guilty about." His heart begins to race. He tries to keep his anger in check, exactly who he is angry with he's not sure, her, Charlie, himself, "Alex, look at me!" he exclaims and it echoes throughout the room.
"I'm a cop and I put my guard down. He took us down like a pro," she states flatly.
He frowns, that's not it, that's not all of it. "A sane mind can never comprehend the acts of a psychotic one."
"I never saw him, I never heard him."
Moments later the door opens and it startles her, which causes her mind to focus on the present, for that she is grateful. An orderly arrives to take her for her test.
Bobby takes her hand after she is placed in the chair, kissing it gently. She wants to hug him, with the thought that if she does all that had happened will become a forgotten memory. "I'll see you later," he says. She only nods her head, he closes his eyes holding back the anger he fills brewing once again. His first thought is to walk with her down the hall, however he remains behind, he knows the reason for her actions and decides to let her be. The door closes, "Damn it's cold in here," he whispers. He sits on the bed for a moment, rubbing his hand on the warm spot where her body lay. "Give her time; you have to give her time."
He returns to pediatrics and Rachel is sitting up in her bed, "I hope you just woke up," he rubs his eyes. "I did."
She smiles, "Yes I did," she waves for him to come closer, "It is hard to sleep; there are a lot of noises in here."
He crosses his arms, "Like what."
"Crying, people talking, and every hour or so someone comes in the room to check on me."
"They just want to make sure that you are alright." He approaches the bed and she sits up, "They will be coming soon to take you for your test," he checks his watch, "Alex is in there now."
"Is it scary?"
"Personally," he places his hand to his chest, "I've never had one," which most people find hard to believe. "But Robby did a couple of years ago."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he brushes a flock of hair out of her eyes. "He fell out of his high chair and...." The memory of his little boy lying still in a hospital bed with a bandage around his head enters his mind, seems like a lifetime ago. "Well, he's fine and they just want to make sure that you are too."
They turn to the sound of the door opening, "It's time for your test, young lady." The dark skinned man says sweetly.
Bobby stands arms length from her as the orderly helps her into the wheelchair. He follows them out of the room and down the hall. "I'll be right here when you get out." He calls to her.
She responds, "I know you will."
Later That Day
The CAT scan pictures of their brain show no abnormalities and the doctor has given them clearance for their release the next morning. It has been three days since their abduction, however in their mind it seems like a lifetime.
Bobby knocks on the motel room door next to his, after a nap and a shower at the motel that Ross had arranged. Ross has since left the area and returned home; John and Sara Eames have taken his place.
"Thanks for leaving Robby home, too much to explain." He enters their room, "I'll call him later, Jesus I feel like I've been here a week."
"You look a much better," John states flatly.
"Are you ready to go?" Bobby asks.
"Yes, yes Sara says excitedly."
"Sara," Bobby takes a gentle hold of her elbow, "She is unresponsive to me, she may be the same with you."
"I understand, being abducted and held against her will."
He nods, "Yeah," is his only response.
Under normal circumstances John would most likely have caught on to his son-in-laws response but his mind can only think about his daughters' situation now.
Alex's demeanor toward her parents is as Bobby had predicted. She only nods and replies with yes's and no's to their questions.
Bobby takes a hold of his wife's hand, "You and Rachel have been cleared to go home tomorrow." Not even the thought of going home makes her smile.
Sara steps up to the bed, "Alex," she says her daughters name sternly. "Your father and I have been here for over an hour and not once have you inquired about your son."
Bobby moves away from the bed, nodding his head, Good Sara.
Alex turns her head to face her mother, "How is Robby?" she asks coldly. As if air has been let out of a balloon John, Sara and Bobby exhale. She turns her head once again to gaze at the ceiling, "I need some sleep."
Bobby steps forward, "No you don't, you need to get up and out of that bed!" he exclaims.
His emotional outburst does nothing to deter her from her task of closing her eyes to sleep, "I'm tired, can't you understand that," she responds sternly.
He only shakes his head in disgust, brushes past his in-laws, and leaves the room. He can hear her say as the door closes, "You two should follow him out of here, I really need my rest."
Bobby leans up against the wall as he removes his cell phone, two rings and a female voice answers the phone, "Hello."
"Hi Laurie, its Bobby," He starts to walk down the hall toward pediatrics. "Can you put Robby on the phone, please?"
"Of course," he hears a muffled voice in the distance, "Robby, Daddy's on the phone."
"Daddy." The excitement in his voice can be heard very clearly, he can picture his son, jumping up and down, he smiles. "Daddy."
"Hey little guy are you having fun with Aunt Laurie?"
"Yes, where's Mommy?"
He stops walking, turning his head to where he came from, his first thought, hand her the phone. He takes two steps toward her room, then stops. It might backfire, "Mommy's asleep but she wanted me to tell you that she misses you and she loves you very, very much." He pauses as the toddler speaks incoherently, "Robby, Robby slow down." The toddler continues to babble. "Robby I can't understand you." He says sternly but sweetly.
The two and a half year old stops, then takes a much-exaggerated breath, Bobby chuckles softly, "Can I come?"
"No Honey, Mommy and I will be home tomorrow."
"Kay, bye Daddy," He hears a bang on the phone; Robby has dropped it onto the table.
"How is she?" The concerned voice is Laurie's.
He closes his eyes debating how much to relay to her on the phone, "Physically she's fine, but right now she is closing up, she doesn't want to talk to me or your parents." He pauses waiting for her to speak, needless to say she is speechless, "Time, it is going to take time and we have to be patient with her."
"I, I know, how is Rachel?"
"She seems to be adjusting very well, she is one brave little girl."
"Give Alex my love and..." A crash is heard in the background Laurie lowers the phone, "Don't touch it." She resumes her thought, "Tell her, whatever she needs I'll be there....for you too. Don't be shy in asking Bobby."
"Thanks Laurie, see you tomorrow." He closes the phone as he has reached his destination, Pediatrics. "Hey kiddo," he says as he steps into the room.
"Hi Bobby," she lowers the volume on the TV.
"Good news," he walks further into the room, "You and Alex can go home tomorrow."
"Good, I'm getting bored in here." He smiles, "Would it be alright if I called my Mom when I got home?"
Shaking his head, with a bit of disbelief at the question, "Of course, you don't need to ask me that."
"I won't tell her what happened, not yet." She says bravely. "Not until she's stronger."
Alex's Room
She fakes sleep and her task is accomplished, Bobby has left the room and she waits patiently for her parents to do the same, after over an hour of her unresponsive behavior and silence they leave the room. Her mind once again recalls the events of that day. She remembers him inside of her, but she cannot recall any pain. She frowns as she rubs her forehead hoping to loosen up her memory, she begins to cry. She holds her face in her hands, "Oh my God, no!" She exclaims, no one hears her, she is thankful for that.
A/N: It's getting to the end...Are you still interested? Still liking it?