DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.
One or two hours later...
~ Red Fountain - Brandon's Room - 7:50 AM ~
Stella doozily played with the soft cotton fabric of Brandon's black shirt. He let her do whatever she wanted as long as she stopped crying. He clutched her close to him as he registered the last words she said to him before repeating them over and over again in his head.
"...I w-w-w-was r-r-raped..."
She had murmured it so softly and so brokenly that it drove him to the brink of insanity. Her beautiful voice, tainted by choked tears, sent his heart spiraling in torment. He shut his eyes in agony as his mind cruelly replayed the entire sequence again and again...
Her endless tears...
Her state of hysteria...
Her tattered and bloody clothes...
Her broken voice...
His dark brown eyes burned with fuelled anger as he formulated on what to do next. The bastard who dared to hurt the precious girl in his arms...
When I'm done with him...he'll regret he EVER crossed her path, Brandon growled as he tightened his grip on her protectively.
Her occasional nose snuffing made his body slowly calm down and relax. He can worry about murdering the unfortunate culprit later. Right now, she needed him more than anything. Right now, he needed to be strong for the both of them.
He let out a sad and small sigh which quickly got her attention. His heart melted when she looked up at him with big, scared eyes. He gently caressed her cheek before mustering all the love he had for her in his eyes. "Will you do me a favor?" he asked gently in a soft whisper.
Tears welled up in her eyes out of fright. Will...will he break up with her? "A-Are we b-b-breaking up?" she asked in a cracked whisper, unable to raise her voice any further. More than the actual rape, him leaving her is what's going to break her for good. The idea of him leaving her will be enough to shatter her soul.
His eyes widened at her absurd insecurity. He quickly shook his head. "NO," he replied firmly.
She let out a long exhale of relief. She seemed to have forgotten about his initial question and started to play with his clothes again.
He stopped her movements by placing a warm hand over hers. "Will you show me?" he asked.
She stiffened immediately and started to shake her head wildly. Tears erupted from her puffy red eyes. "N-No..." she whimpered in a broken whisper.
His eyes softened at the fresh mist in her eyes. "Please? Sunshine, you'll always be beautiful to me. I swear to you...I'll never ever hurt you," he breathed while tenderly kissing her cheek.
She sniffled as she drank in his words. She was scared. She's...she's so ugly. Her body was tainted. She was tainted with an impure and filthy touch. And...she didn't want him to see her like that. Her virginity was stolen from her in the worst way possible. She dreamed that someday...that someday Brandon will be the one to take it away from her. She wanted to save that for him. She wanted him to be her first time. She wanted him to make love to her one day.
But...
A tear leaked from her eyes as she remembered the painful shearing between her legs. She huddled her legs together in fear and started to shake.
"Shh, it's okay," he whispered. "I'm right here," he reassured her trembling body.
She started to cry once again. "P-Please d-don't l-l-leave me," she begged.
He patted her hair. "Stell...look at me," he commanded while gently pulling her off his body.
She rested back on the mattress. Her lips quivered. She never looked more vulnerable to him. It devastated him. What was even more heartbreaking was the fact that she could even think he'll ever leave her. How could he? "I'll never leave you, alright?" he said with confidence, grasping her chin firmly. He needed her to know that he meant business, meaning he wasn't kidding. "In fact, come here," he lifted her off the mattress. He stood up from the bed and made her do the same as well. She hugged him tightly, refusing to take another step without him right beside her. He wrapped an arm around her and walked over to his closet. He opened the doors almost angrily. Angry that he was forced to go to a length where he was forced to prove his love for her.
The first thing Stella saw in his closet was...a picture of her...large-sized.
But he seemed unfazed to her reaction as he started to scour for something else in the neatly-arranged racks. He pulled a small drawer out while she stood gaping at the picture in front of her. It was a candid shot of her laughing on one of their dates. She hadn't known that he had taken that picture. Brandon's eyes softened as he pulled out a small velvet box and closed the drawer.
He smiled lightly when he followed her line of sight. Her picture was always the first thing he saw every morning. His day refused to start without the brilliant image of her laughing her way through life. It killed him to know that she was no longer that girl. At least, at this moment, she was no longer that girl.
"...t-that's me..." she pointed sadly. She was no longer that girl.
"Here," he turned her towards him. "I was going to ask you this after we graduate in a few months on your birthday," he murmured.
She blinked as she took the box from him in confusion. Wiping her tears away, she sniffled. She opened the little box with shaking fingers. Her lips parted open when she saw an elegant diamond-cut platinum ring. She gasped and nearly dropped the box. Taking the ring out, her eyes welled in tears when she saw the carving inside of it.
I love you, Sunshine.
She looked up at him who was gazing at her with an intensity.
"I want you to be mine...as my wife," he confided. This was definitely not the most romantic time or place for a proposal, but right now, he needed to give her an assurance that he will always stick by her side. No matter what. No exceptions.
Her eyes widened as she registered his words in. W-wife?
She sniffled. He was going to ask her to marry her? She wished that she was crying out of happiness. But, at this moment, she was more broken than happy. A tear split from her eye. "...E-Even when I'm...r-rap-"
He put a finger to her lips, shushing her. "I always loved you for you and only you," he whispered. And that was all it took for her walls to come crashing down again. She buried her head into his chest while crying. "I'll never leave you, baby. So please...stop worrying about it," he reassured while wounding his arms tightly around her. It saddened him that she was forced to think he loved her for her body.
She sniffled and clutched the little box tightly. She wanted nothing more than this. She wanted nothing more than to be his wife.
"Stell," he addressed her. He turned her chin towards him. His heart broke at her clearly pained eyes. Oh, how he wished to wash the pain away.
He brushed some of her hair out of her eyes and placed her locks behind her ear. "...What were you doing in the forest in the first place?" he asked gently.
Her eyes widened. Her body started to shiver in his arms as she remembered. "...I..." she started to tear up again. A tear fell out of her eyes.
Brandon watched in confusion as her hand took out a little crumpled paper from her jeans. With shaking fingers, she handed the paper to him.
Raising an eyebrow, he took it from her before unfolding it.
Hey, princess!
Come out at 11. I have a surprise for you ;)
Love,
B.
Brandon's eyes widened. It was written in...his handwriting. The hell?! He looked at her in alarm. She trusted this pirated paper and blindly followed whatever's on here?! This?!
"...this was why you were outside at past midnight?" he asked calmly, and Stella knew right away that he was pissed. She knew him long enough to know that the calmer his voice appeared, the angrier he really is.
She shakily nodded, tearing up once again. He ignored her waterworks momentarily and turned to the paper with a clenched jaw. This was in his handwriting. So...whoever forged this...knows about me and her. So it wasn't a random attack...Brandon thought angrily. He turned to the sniffling blonde in his arms. He wiped her tears away but didn't say anything. She should've been a little more careful or at least tried to call him. But no. She didn't. She got a little too excited at meeting him in secret and got ready for a spontaneous midnight date.
Stella looked at the floor in shame. She wasn't that stupid. She could gauge his reaction, although he didn't outright say it out loud. He thought that this was her fault. Hers. Maybe it was. She sniffled as more tears pooled in her golden irises. Now that she thought about it, he never called her at night to come out. If she was out with him at that time, then he would always make sure that she was surrounded by the safety of the four walls of her bedroom before heading back to Red Fountain. She would wave to him from her window and he left only after seeing that. She wiped the tears by the back of the sleeve of her shirt but more came running past.
"It's not your fault," he said firmly, silencing her fears.
She turned to him again. Seeing her blame herself, he placed a gentle palm over her cheek. He leaned in and slightly brushed his lips against hers before enveloping them in a soft kiss. Stella let out a small gasp of surprise. Before she could contemplate about kissing him back, he pulled away. "It's not your fault," he gently repeated once again. "Understood?"
She nodded dumbly.
"Who gave this to you?" he asked calmly.
"It...i-it was o-on m-m-my b-bed by the time I came back from d-dinner," she said in a small voice, stuttering with fear.
Realization dawned on his widened eyes. He instantly felt guilty for being angry at her earlier. Of course, she would assume that it would be him. But it also scared him. It scared him a lot. Someone just ventured through her bedroom without her knowledge (or permission) and manipulated her to go out into the danger. The mere thought of that sent his pulse racing. He clenched his fists tightly. Closing his eyes, he tried his best to suppress the rage inside of him.
He pulled her just slightly away. "Let me see where you got hurt," he pleaded. He didn't have a psychotic or sadistic pleasure to see her naked at times like these. He just wanted to...make her feel loved again. He wanted to kiss her pain and scars away. He wanted, no, needed her to know that he'll never stop loving her, however she might appear. Hell, he loved her even when she got turned into a monster by a dark spell. How could she think that he wouldn't love her now? Especially now?
She put the little velvet box back in the drawer. Sniffling, she held the hem of her shirt. She dropped her hold as her mind went frenzy with an unbeatable fear. He immediately darted over and closed all windows and doors before making sure that they were all locked and secured. He walked over to her again before silently holding her.
"...Can I?" he asked while placing a tender palm over her waist. She looked at him, afraid. Regardless of her answer, he slowly lifted her shirt up to see the damage. She whimpered in his arms while he looked at her bleeding and tattered skin.
He instantly pushed her shirt down with a sigh and looked back up at her again. "Come here," he spoke while taking her hand and ushering her to the bathroom. She refused to be out of his arms while he searched the cabinets for first-aid. She attached herself to him tightly while he took out a white box with a red plus in the middle. He opened it and turned to her again.
"You need to take this off," he said in a soft, loving voice. Her body stiffened instantly and she vigorously shook her head no.
"Stel? Look at me," he commanded gently. And she obeyed with compliance. "Do you trust me?" he asked. Slowly, she nodded her head wordlessly. "Then just trust that I want to help, not harm. I want you to heal, okay?" the brunette reassured her shuddering frame.
"Okay," she sniffled.
He smiled at her answer and hugged her close to him. "Just trust me, okay?" he asked while running a free hand through her hair. She nodded while relaxing against him again. He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. He wiped away the stray tears with his thumbs. "Go and take a shower first. You'll feel better."
She looked at the shower tub and back up at him again. "Will you stay here?"
He nodded. "I'll be right outside the room, okay?"
"Outside?" she frantically looked around and shuffled closer to him.
He turned her to face him again. "There are no windows here and there's only one door here."
She sighed out of relief and nodded.
He leaned in and softly kissed her, but only for a brief moment. He didn't want to scare her anymore than she already is. He shut his eyes and relished her presence. She is and will be the only woman who'll ever make him feel this way. Stella always had that effect on him. Even when she's in this state. He pulled back after a few moments and gently ran a thumb over her soft lips. "I'll be the only one to ever kiss you again," he whispered as his last words before he turned around and stepped out the door to give her some privacy. Stella, however, missed the glowing red that flashed in his eyes just before he turned.
Brandon gently closed the door behind him. Immediately, in the blink of an eye, his eyes turned feral as his body shifted into that of a ferocious beast. His gaze narrowed into thin and angry slits as he stood outside the bathroom door. He stormed over to his bed and scanned the paper resting innocently on it. He clutched it tightly in his fist.
He silently crept towards the room's door and quietly opened it with zero noise. He closed it gently behind him and knocked on the door opposite him. The door immediately opened to reveal a very worried Helia.
Brandon pushed past him and stormed inside as Helia closed the door behind him. The four specialists were sitting there in front of him, much to his leisure.
"Timmy!" the brunette growled in anger. "I need surveillance footage of every inch of Alfea and Red Fountain since the last 24 hours. All of it," his voice boomed. The orange-haired specialist nodded and obeyed with compliance. The brunette raked an angry hand through his hand.
"I'm gonna kill him," he muttered angrily as he banged his fist against the wall.
"What happened?" Nabu asked. Honestly, he or anyone else, for that matter, has never seen Brandon Shields so lividly angry. The brunette resembled a dangerously predatorius and hungry lion, looking for its next unlucky prey. He's usually one of the most emotionally collected ones in the group of specialists. His sarcasm and witty humor made him a great company to hang around with.
But right now, the five friends pitied the unfortunate soul who dared to cross paths with the brown-haired specialist.
Brandon's eyes incredibly softened at Nabu's question. What happened? The anger dissipated temporarily from his body resembling an evaporating steam. He stood there like a statue before slumping down into a chair.
He put his head into his hands. "...I'm sorry, Timmy," he apologized for blowing up at him like that a few minutes ago.
"You can make it up by telling us what is wrong with Stella," Timmy crossed his arms pointedly.
Sky placed a hand on Brandon's shoulder. The brunette lifted his head with glistening invisible tears in his eyes. The specialists huddled together in concern because it was obvious that something was really off. "You can tell us, man," Sky said comfortingly. Helia crossed his arms as he patiently waited.
Obviously, something went severely wrong. It wasn't normal for the blonde fairy to be upset, let alone, cry her soul out like that.
Riven also looked visibly upset. He liked to assume a tough facade, but he wasn't a monster. He won't be remembered as a cold, heartless 'friend' in times like these. He will always be a trusted friend in need first. "Brandon, what happened to Stella?" the magenta-haired specialist asked in a deeply calm and comforting tone. The brunette looked upset and ready to cry. Every other specialist in the room could see that and it made it all the more reason for them to be concerned.
The brunette averted his eyes away as layers of hurt pooled in his own brooding brown eyes. "...just..." he started in a hoarse whisper as shock registered into all of their faces at the tears in Brandon's eyes. He buried his head into hands and shut his eyes as he tried not to shake from anger once again. Sighing, he took the paper out and handed it over to Timmy. "Find him."
The mere thought of any man other than him touching Stella like that sent him over the edge. He stood up sharply as he tried his best to suppress his anger.
His eyes softened for a few moments before he spoke up to address the guys again. "...Deal with the girls, please," he asked before sighing. "Stella won't return till tonight," he said softly. The five nodded wordlessly.
His angry facade instantly returned. Standing up, he moved to storm out the door but stopped just at the edge of the door.
"Find that bastard, Timmy. NOW," he growled as he ordered before clenching his teeth tightly. He balled his hands into fists tightly before leaving, slamming the door shut on his way out.
After Brandon left, the group huddled around the paper that rested innocently in Timmy's hands.
They all stared cluelessly at the words. It looked awfully like Brandon's handwriting. The five looked at each other and it didn't take long for them to realize that someone had forged their friend's handwriting to lure Stella into the forest at nearly midnight.
Nabu and Helia looked at each other as realization dawned into their brains. It didn't take long for the rest to follow the same train of thought.
Stella's disheveled state...
Tangled hair...
Bloody jeans...
Frightened state of mind...
...
Oh dear God...please, no, they all thought in the same line of manner and prayed that it wasn't the case. They hoped against hope and prayed that what they thought wasn't true. But sadly, that wasn't the case. Life wasn't fair.
Everything was fine and dandy until someone messes with them. What if that someone goes too far? They couldn't even imagine how Brandon must be feeling. Or most important, how frightened Stella must be right now.
What if it had happened to the women they loved and treasured? Bloom, Tecna, Flora, Musa, or Layla? What will they do?
The specialists stared the paper in shock once again. It eventually wore off and anger seeped into each one of them at dangerous levels.
"Get to work, guys," Sky ordered authoritatively and no one had any problem to comply.
Brandon tried his best to suppress the anger he felt within him. When it comes to rage, it's not something you should hold back. Because the longer you suppress it...
...the bigger the explosion.
~ 8:30 AM ~
Brandon opened his door and closed it behind him. He shut his eyes, trying to control himself. The second he knows the name of that f**king bastard...
He's gonna have a gruesome death coming to him, Brandon growled to himself.
"Brandon...? Is that you?" a soft voice called out and his concentration broke off.
"It's me," he called out as reassurance and he went inside. He momentarily stopped at his doorway when he saw Stella stepping out of the bathroom with his clothes on that she conveniently took from his wardrobe. Her hair was damp and thick that hung loosely past her waist. He smiled at her state. She looked a little better and appeared a little calmer than before.
"Hey," he greeted as he instantly rushed over and took her in his arms.
"Do you have to go?" she asked crestfallen.
He actually had a four-hour sword training session in an hour. But to hell with that. This was more important than some physical training he's been practicing and mastering for years. "No," he said with a light smile, which widened automatically when her light brown eyes literally lit up.
"You used my shampoo," he smirked, trying to get her to loosen up. He needed her to somehow forget about that horrific experience.
"...I'll give you mine, if you want..." she blushed lightly.
"And have me smelling like vanilla ice-cream? No thanks," he chuckled.
"I think you'll look cute," she smiled.
He shook his head with a small smile playing on his lips. "Are you hungry?"
A silent pause ensured. Stella looked at her hands. "No," she murmured. Her mind kept replaying the whole scene over and over again. She shut her eyes, trying to block the images.
For the first time in his life, he was stumped. He was stumped on how to comfort his own girlfriend. She was more than just a girlfriend. She's the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.
He clasped her hands in his. "Who was it?" he asked with an edge while looking ahead. Her body went rigid in his hold as fast as lightning. He turned her face towards him and kissed her temple. "Tell me who did this to you."
Stella's hazel brown eyes welled up. She started to shake and cry in his arms. It broke his heart to see her like this. His nerves numbed in agony to ask her this question, but he just needed to know.
Her rapist practically lured her into a dangerous and isolated environment and destroyed her. Brandon shut his eyes, trying his best not to picture the gory scene in front of his eyes.
She was left alone in the dark and cold rain in a state of despair and frightening loneliness. He can't even imagine her state of mind when she raced over here to him. She must've been so, so scared on her way to him. If only he had known...he would've been by her side in less than a heartbeat.
But he...he didn't have any idea of what she had been through for hours.
His concentrated trance snapped when he heard her softly cry in his arms. All over again. Yeah, because she hasn't cried enough already, right?
"Stell? Please don't cry," he pleaded her gently and kissed her tears away, not caring about how salty they tasted against his lips. "Are you still hurting?" he asked referring to her bruises, pulling her to the bathroom once again. She shakily nodded. He locked the door behind them and took out the first aid box out of the wooden cabinets.
"Just trust me, okay?" he assured her gently. The look of bewilderment on her face was really hard to forget. It was a mixture of confusion and rattled emotions. He took her in his arms again.
"Or would you rather visit a doctor?" he asked.
Her eyes immediately widened to the size of saucers and she shook her head immediately.
"Then trust me," he whispered as he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. His hand slowly made his way to the shirt she's wearing and gently unbuttoned it one by one.
"I love you, sunshine," he whispered lovingly in her ear and made sure that she heard it.
She looked at him with scared, baby brown eyes. "I love you too," she whispered.
"Then trust me, okay?" he repeated. After a moment of pause, she nodded. He smiled lightly before unbuttoning the shirt she's wearing. He held her shivering form against him tightly with one arm while the other removed the shirt. He removed the baggy shirt off of her while she clutched herself self-consciously.
She wore a sports bra underneath that accentuated her toned yet soft figure. Brandon's eyes softened immensely when he saw the ugly purple and black bruises forming all around her exposed skin. The cuts she had looked a nasty red. He can only imagine the pain she must be going through. He gently placed a palm over her soft waist. She shivered violently at the contact and buried her face into his chest.
He ran his fingers on her skin, feeling every inch of the torn fissures on her scarred body. He calmly massaged the area with light pressure and to his relief, she started to calm down and relax in his arms, not feeling so conscious of herself anymore.
He kissed her temple softly before moving to grab the first-aid kid. He opened a small bottle and took a small cotton swab, dabbing the liquid onto the white. "This is gonna sting a little," he warned before swiping away the dried blood. Even though it was hours ago, every time Stella moved around, a small amount of blood oozed out of the injuries. She winced and jerked a little in pain as he dabbed the cotton over her skin.
He took multiple cotton swabs and cleaned her waist free of blood. He took the bandages out before starting to wound them around her. He tried his best not to quiver with burning anger as he looked at each of her wounds. He never pictured that he'd see her in this state.
Brandon never pictured that another man would lay his filthy hands on Stella. The worst thing is...the brunette didn't know about the brutal attack until hours later. He hated himself. She was lost and cold for god-knows-how-long while he was busy sleeping his ass off.
If only I had known, he sadly sighed.
A few minutes later, Brandon gently pulled the shirt down. "Do you hurt anywhere else?" he asked her, lifting her chin up to look her in the eye.
She shamefully looked away and shook her head before he turned her towards him again. "Hey...it's just me, Stell. Okay? There's no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed," he said gently.
"...my legs," she whispered as a lone tear slipped past her eye. She huddled her legs together in fear of opening them ever again. His jaw instantly clenched as his hands tightened into fists. His eyes darkened instantly.
Whoever did this to her...never thought that she'd have a man behind her who won't hesitate to kill.
"Are you still bleeding?" he asked softly, casting his anger out the window. He can wait. He'll wait for a few more hours before unleashing his fury on the poor and unfortunate soul.
She shook her head, much to his relief.
"If you need the first-aid, then I'll step out, okay?" he assured her, in case she was thinking that he might ask her to show him that area.
She shook her head again. "No...I'm not," she murmured in pain. Her throat started to choke on itself as she tried to swallow the pain.
Sighing, he opened his arms and engulfed her in his embrace. "Shh, it's okay. Please don't cry, baby," he whispered softly into her hair. This was it. He has had it. He fell in love with a woman who's livelier and effervescent. Someone who is childishly naive and innocent. A crazy fairy who never ceased to make him laugh. And whoever took that away from him...will severely pay for such a costly sin. No mercy, he growled.
...
A few hours later...
~ 1:30 PM ~
"Alfea can learn a thing or two from your school," Stella said with a grimace.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" Brandon smiled at her while playing with her bouncy blonde curls. They were laying on Brandon's bed. He propped his head on his elbow and faced her who laid next to him.
After crying for a long time, she fell asleep earlier in his arms. He, meanwhile, took a good look at her injuries and memorized each of them carefully. After she woke up, he forced her to eat. After a while, to his relief, she loosened up and obeyed his orders.
"Food," she said with a cute smile. His chest rumbled with laughter as he held her close.
"I'm serious," she complained as she watched him chuckle. He bent and kissed her forehead for a long lingering moment while she continued to blab about random topics. He let her do whatever she wanted to do as long as she didn't cry anymore. He heard enough of her sobs to last an infinite lifetimes.
His phone suddenly rang. His eyes narrowed questioningly as he pulled it out from his pocket. He watched the smile on Stella's face instantly fade away. "I'm not leaving you," he said softly while kissing her chastely.
He laid on the bed on his back before answering the phone.
"Hello?"
"Brandon!? Where are you?! You haven't showed up to train the juniors!" a voice yelled through that made Stella flinch. She frowned and scooted over to Brandon. She laid her head on his chest and silently begged him not to leave her. He silently placed an arm around her.
"I can't make it today. I'll see you later," he said before abruptly cutting the call.
Stella frowned. "Do you..." she trailed off when Brandon gestured for her to keep silent. He dialed another number before placing it on his ear.
"Helia, can you handle Codatorta for me?" he asked.
Stella's eyes glistened when she saw him cancelling his routine plans...just for her. Her heart swelled with happiness and joy as she continued gazing at him. She knew then that she'd eventually forget about this nightmare. She'll eventually get over it because he won't let her go through it alone. He won't leave her. She bit her lip as she sniffled, remembering his proposal this morning.
"I want you to be mine...as my wife."
And she wanted that too. She wanted that more than anything.
"Stell?"
She blinked rapidly and jerked a little when she heard her name. She turned to him and looked curiously.
"Talk to me, please," he asked earnestly. "Don't be quiet."
She bit her lip. "...I was just wondering...if I hadn't shown up here, would you have been happier?" she sniffled.
His eyes widened. "Excuse me?" he asked in a shocked whisper. Did she really think that he'd want to be anywhere else but here?!
"You're cancelling-"
He placed a firm finger on her lips. "Stella, we're not having this conversation," he hissed as his anger bubbled to a new level. "How can you possibly think that I'd rather be happy than be here with you?!" he suddenly yelled. She flinched as she stared at him with wide eyes.
Seeing that he just scared the bejeezus out of her, he shut his eyes and calmly counted from one to ten. He opened his eyes only to see that she's crying. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me," she hiccuped. He sighed at her earnest voice.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Stell. I'm not mad at you, sunshine," he whispered lovingly and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "I'm mad at the one who did this to you," he growled furiously as his eyes instantly darkened with madness.
"Who did this to you?" he asked while clasping her cheek.
Her eyes widened. "W-What?"
"Who. Did. This. To. You!" he asked again and one would be an arrant fool to not notice the fury in his deep voice.
She blinked back more tears. "I...c-can't..."
"What?" he asked in shock. "You don't know or you won't tell?!"
She bit her lip. "I can't tell you. You'll..."
"You're damn right I'll send him straight to hell," he snapped. "Stella, if you think that I'm letting this go, then you've never been so wrong."
"...B-Brandon...please-" she started trying to get him to drop the subject.
He faced her sharply. "Shut up. JUST SHUT UP. You expect me to forget about this?! Stella, either you tell me or believe me, I WILL FIND OUT," he threatened viciously.
"...N-No, p-p-please-" she started to cry.
"How can you?! Aren't you ashamed of letting him go!? What if the same thing happens to another girl like you?!"
She let out a small choked sob out. "...I d-don't want t-this to c-c-come out in the open. I don't want anyone to know! So, please," she cried. "Please," she pleaded while burying her face into his shirt. Her body trembled violently. His dark brown eyes softed deeply.
Fine then. I'll find out on my own, he glared at nothing in particular. "Sunshine? Look at me. I'll never let this come out, okay? I swear to you, I'll keep you safe." She tearfully nodded as he hugged her.
He lifted her blouse for the umpteeth time again and winced at the bleeding cuts near her midriff. The bandages covered the injuries, but he could still remember the way he saw them earlier. There were ugly purplish and black bruises forming. Tears swirled in his own eyes as he thought about the terror she must've went through. He placed a palm on top of the wounds. She shivered violently at his touch.
He looked at her who looked just about scared out of her wits. He caressed her bandaged waist gently while letting his lips rest on her pale cheek. Just as he was about to pull back, his eyes narrowed at a hand imprint at the base of her neck. It was slowly bruising there as well.
He pulled her hair out of the way and his eyes widened when he indeed saw a dark purple bruise forming at the nape of her neck. What he found odd was that...her neck seemed to be...glowing? Puzzled, he leaned in and took a closer look at it. His skin paled as he recognized a little black chip that was somehow attached into her body.
"Stella..." he turned to her. His voice turned deathly calm and Stella's eyes widened because that was a sign of his change of mood. The calmer he is, the angrier and wrathful his temper became.
"Can you use your powers?" he asked. He wondered why he didn't ask that before. She's an Enchantix fairy. Surely, she can attack her attacker with a powerful spell and still have plenty of time to run away. But he had been too busy telling her it would be okay and that he loved her.
She shook her head in confusion. "I tried to use them, but I...can't," her voice fell into a hoarse whisper. "I...tried my best to push him away," she pleaded him to believe her. His features softened. "I know you did, Sunshine. I didn't mean that," he stroked her cheek.
She suddenly let out a small gasp when his fingers ripped the chip from her skin. She instinctively touched her neck and looked at him in bewilderment. To answer her question, he showed her the all too familiar device in his hand.
Stella looked at the tiny black square thing in his hand, wondering what the heck it is. He took a deep breath. "It's the latest technology being developed by Red Fountain after Valtor's attacks. It's confidential right now but no one except some of the senior students and teachers should know about it. Anyways...if this is implanted into you, then you won't be able to use your powers for a few hours. It's similar to removing your spells with another spell, but this one lasts much longer."
Stella's eyes widened as she digested the new information. She looked at her hands. She focused on her magic.
Another sob escaped her throat as her hands started to glow a bright yellow. "Brandon..." she yearned as she brokenly looked at him.
Negation spells won't work on her that easily since she's an Enchantix fairy. They would wear off quickly within minutes. She let out a little sob as she reminisced the terror. Her rapist clearly and thoughtfully closed all doors for her and cruelly left her in a state of hysteria.
His eyes swelled at her state. He wasn't even able to guess how she must be feeling right now. "I'm sorry, Stell. I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you," he hugged her. A tear slid down his eyes while she wasn't watching.
She cried against his shoulder. "It's not your fault," she sobbed.
He looked at her for a long moment before bending to her level and softly kissing her. It was slow and gentle. His tears mixed with hers as he, too, felt the agony she's been enduring till now.
Many hours later...
~ 8:30 PM ~
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he whispered while clutching her close to him. Stella nodded and refused to let go of his embrace.
"Girls?" Brandon looked up and silently told them to take her away. The girls clearly knew what happened. Flora and Bloom looked ready to cry but Tecna, Musa, and Layla glowered with anger and itched for some payback. It's fine if an enemy messes with the whole group. But they sure as hell wasn't going to tolerate a singular and pinpointed attack.
"Stella, let's go," Bloom placed an arm on Stella's shoulders. Flora hovered beside the blonde and slowly took her hand in hers.
The blonde slowly separated from himself with tearful eyes. Seeing that, Brandon leaned in and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead. "Love you," he whispered so that only she could hear. "Tomorrow, I promise," he assured.
Stella nodded before letting him go.
She turned around to the girls who were all in their Enchantix. She took a deep breath. "Fairy dust!" she cried out while summoning her strength to heal her wounds at least a little bit. Crystal, sparkling dust swirled from her fingertips and engulfed her body. It gave her a minimum relief, but her body still hurt.
Stella refused to transform. Her Enchantix suddenly felt too revealing. With tears in her once lively eyes, Stella walked over to the girls who silently hugged her while whispering words of comfort in her ears. "It's okay," they said while sharing her pain.
"Morphix board!" Layla blasted her hands forward to create a suspending board for Stella to use. Clearly, the blonde wasn't going to transform. Stella stepped on it gratefully and turned around to face Brandon one more time. There was a smile on his face as he leaned against the doorway of his balcony with crossed arms.
Layla used her powers to make the board move. Musa sat with the blonde while the rest of the girls started to fly in their tranformed Enchantix.
He watched Stella until she slowly disappeared from his line of sight. When she was gone in a matter of moments, he calmly stepped back and closed the doors to the balcony.
His eyes instantly turned a bright red and his hands shook in awaitance to unleash his pent-up fury. He stormed out of his room and barged into the room where the five specialists waited for him.
"Who is it?" Brandon asked with a clenched jaw while curving his hands into his shaking fists. Timmy revolved in his chair and typed something into his computer. The specialists huddled together as a camera footage started to play with Brandon in the middle.
Timmy pointed to the screen. "The chip was taken out of the senior weaponry inventory yesterday early morning. And only Saladin and the teachers can access the footage. But four specialists went inside of the room at that time."
Brandon narrowed his eyes. "Who?"
"I was one of them," Helia told him. "And Riven was another."
Brandon nodded, ruling them out. So there were two remaining seniors and one of them was Stella's rapist.
Brandon shut his eyes, trying not to remember her hurt and injured body. "Who're the others?"
"Spencer and..." Timmy trailed off for a moment. "Jason."
"Why did you hesitate, Timmy?!" Brandon growled.
"Spencer's a junior, so there's no way he could've known about the black chip," Timmy said, confirming that Jason is the only remaining one on the list. Only a few selective seniors had access to information about the latest technology. And it was a crime to reveal anything confidential to the others.
"...Jason?!" Brandon's eyes widened in shock. He knew about Jason very well. In fact, the two can barely stand each other. Stella mentioned that they were together before she came to Alfea, but that was years ago. But then again, things were never friendly between Brandon and Jason. Their encounters usually resulted in cold shoulders and fake professional courtesy.
"That bastard," Brandon whispered under his breath before sharply turning around.
"Brandon, wait!" Sky shouted as he followed after his fuming friend.
"I don't want to hurt you, Sky, so stay the hell out of my way," Brandon growled as he packed a punch and tried to push past the blonde specialist. The rest of the specialists followed and formed a wall between the door and the brown-haired specialist.
"Buddy, we don't want to hurt you either," Riven growled in response as he formed a fist with his left and punched his right hand.
Helia stepped forward. "Brandon, not now. The whole school is still awake and I don't think you want everyone to know about Stella right now," he calmly explained, being the pacifist he is.
Nabu nodded. "Now's really not the best time," he tried to reason as well. "We'll all deal with him tomorrow early morning."
Brandon's glowering eyes dimmed a little as he pondered over the specialists' words. "FINE. Now get out of my way," he snapped as he pushed past them quite rudely before turning the knob. The five specialists kept an eye on him until he disappeared into the other room.
A few hours later...
~ 12:45 AM ~
Brandon lay back on his bed, feeling completely miserable. At least his friends were sensible enough to leave him alone for this night. He was just grateful that they all decided to leave him be for tonight and room together in another room.
He picked up his phone and dialled Stella's number. Seems like she couldn't sleep either because she picked up in one ring. He smiled softly at her hologram on his phone. "Hey, beautiful," he whispered.
His eyes temporarily subsided the rage and allowed him to see with his vision clouded with affection. She waved to him lightly. "You haven't slept," she said softly. Stella looked at the girls who were sleeping in her room. Musa and Layla slept on either sides of her while Bloom, Flora, and Tecna scattered around the room.
The blonde slowly shifted and tiptoed out of the room as to not wake them up. She closed the doors gently behind her and went to the common living space. She sat in one of the comfortable green cushion chairs before paying attention to his phone once again.
"It's late and you're still awake," Stella repeated as she unblinkingly gazed at his troubled handsome face.
"I couldn't fall asleep," he shrugged. "I was thinking...that's all."
"About what?" she asked.
He smiled at her innocent question. What or who else did he have to think about? "You," he answered firmly.
Stella blinked and looked at him in question. "What about me?" she asked nervously.
Brandon chuckled. "I was thinking...after we graduate, should we move in together on Eraklyon or Solaria?"
Stella blushed at the cheeky wink he gave her. "Who said I was moving in with you?" she asked playfully.
He rolled his eyes. "Aren't you?" he asked with a playful arrogance.
"You need permission from my parents first," she retorted, making him chuckle. She smiled knowing that her parents already approved of their relationship long ago. She made it crystal clear to them that she'll never marry anyone other than Brandon and it didn't take much convincing considering they saw him in action plenty of times before.
He breathed steadily, happy that she wasn't that torn up anymore. "Why aren't you sleeping, princess? The faster you head to sleep, the faster I can get you," he coaxed. "Does Ms. Faragonda know, by the way?"
Stella looked away. "Faragonda and Griselda both. They told me to take some time off from school but I don't want this to affect my life," she said sadly. "I want to study and I want to graduate with my class. I don't want this rule my life, you know?"
He looked at her in awe of her strength. "It won't, Stell. Just head to sleep and forget this nightmare. I'll take you out tomorrow for breakfast. Okay?"
Stella nodded with a happy smile. "Yeah...before I go, just one more thing," she said with tears clouding her eyes. Stella cut the phone.
"ENCHANTIX!"
In a split second, her pajamas and messy braid disappeared and in their place, she stood in the majestic and royal look of her Enchantix. Her hair grew longer and thicker. A golden yellow aura surrounded her as she stood brilliantly in the darkness of the living room. "Transportus," she whispered under her breath and within a second, she vanished.
Brandon looked at the phone in confusion. He wondered what she meant when the room suddenly started to sparkle. He sat up with a jolt when he saw Stella slowly appear in front of him in her Enchantix, illuminating the entire room in a candlelight glow with her mere presence.
"Stella!" he said while jumping out of bed and rushing towards her.
Stella tearfully smiled out of happiness when he immediately took her in his arms. "You look beautiful," he told her with a handsome smile as he stroked her reddening cheek affectionately. He had seen her in her Enchantix plenty of times and each time, he always felt like he was looking at her for the first time.
He touched her waist and was surprised to see a skin-colored fabric. This was never there before. Seeing him glance at her questioningly, Stella looked surprised as she touched herself as well. Her stomach was actually bare before but now, her Enchantix covered her wounds beautifully and didn't expose her body to the world. A small smile bloomed on her lips at the new discovery.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Not that I mind, of course."
"Oh. I wanted to give you this," she said.
"What are you-"
He didn't have time to speak when she suddenly grabbed his collar and kissed him passionately. Her arms slowly snaked around his neck as he, too, got ahold of his shock and kissed her back just as firmly and even more feverishly. His arm tightly wounded around her while one snaked into her hair as they both kissed each other like their lives depended on it. Stella let out a surprised sound when he pulled her so tightly to him that even air refused to leak through between them. She melted further in his arms as they slowly separated due to the inevitable lack of air. Their foreheads clamped together as they both breathed unevenly with closed eyes.
"I..." Stella panted but was silenced briefly by his lips once more.
"Don't," he shushed her to stay quiet and just live in the moment.
After a few moments of catching their breaths, they opened their eyes. "Tomorrow," he whispered heatedly against her lips as his eyes darkened by many hues. Stella bit her lip, hoping that he'll tell her to stay but he did nothing of the sort. If someone finds that she slept the night at Red Fountain, then trouble will ensue. At least...that's what he told her. Truth is, no one's really gonna find out. But Brandon needed tonight. He needed this night for himself more than anything.
"Won't you still tell me who did this to you?" he asked her softly. Finding out on his own was one thing but he knew he wanted her to tell him the culprit's name.
Stella looked away. "What will you do with him?" she sniffled.
"If I promise not to kill him, will you tell me?" he asked while enclosing her in his embrace.
"I'm scared. I couldn't believe that he would do this to me," she sniffled while he caught her tears.
"Shhh. Jason won't hurt you anymore," he growled angrily.
Stella's eyes widened. "H-How'd you...?!"
He cast her a glare. "Did you really think that I wouldn't find out? That bastard."
At the mention of his name, Stella started to cry once more. "Don't," she sobbed heartbrokenly. "Please. I'm not worth you getting in trouble for me."
He smiled softly before gently kissing her forehead. "You're worth everything to me, Stel. I'll do anything for you," he told her lovingly while clutching her close.
"That black chip...he stole it yesterday morning. He didn't get permission from any of the headmasters. That automatically brands him as a criminal who deserves to get punished," he told her. "Trust me. I'll never let this come out, okay?" he reassured her. If she doesn't want anyone to know, then that's what he'll do. He'll protect her heart at any cost.
"Thank you," she whispered with teary eyes. He nodded and kissed her gently once more, not in the least bit rushing it. They both removed themselves from each other unwillingly.
He pulled her back to him once more before embracing her tightly to him. He cupped her face with his hands and let their foreheads touch. "I love you," he whispered while looking at her dead in the eye. A few tears escaped Stella's amber eyes as her heart swelled with happiness at his revelation. Those words never did get old. "I love you too," she whispered as she hugged him tightly.
They both didn't know for how long they remained like that. "Be safe okay? And don't come out till I come and get you in the morning," he whispered against her lips. Stella nodded as she rested against his chest. She didn't need to told twice.
They separated once again and this time, Brandon ushered for her to leave. Stella muttered a spell under her breath before starting to fade away right before him. He watched her as she disappeared right before his eyes in seconds.
Brandon gazed fondly at the spot where they just had their moment. Moments like those were worth laying his life for. Moments like those...were worth fighting and...even killing for. Brandon's eyes instantly darkened.
"...deal with him tomorrow early morning..."
His friends' words replayed in his mind but there was no way he can wait that long. Jason.
He changed into a different set of clothes. Dressed in head-to-toe black leather in a matter of moments, he smirked lightly with confidence. He took a black cap as well before placing it on his head firmly.
It didn't take him even a split second to silently creep out of his room. He didn't bother with the cameras nor did he care. He could care less about getting caught. Right now, he had better things to do than worry about such miniscule things.
His eyes flashed red as he crept along the silent hallways. As a trained specialist, he knew he shouldn't give way to emotions. But this was not just any ordinary emotion. The rage he felt within him right now...
Even the rational part of him called out for justice. He stopped for just a second and listened quietly. Everyone was sleeping. Good, he smirked. This would make his job all the more easier. He crept around the many wings before finally halting before the room of his intended target.
His eyes darkened into a jet black as an inaudible growl escaped his lips. Taking out his trusty lockpick, he silently inserted it into the lock. The door opened and revealed a narrow opening. Brandon clenched his jaw before prying the door fully open. He closed it behind him, but not fully. Tiptoeing around the room, he saw four seniors sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of the stranger. Brandon saw that the balcony door was open enough to let the fresh air in.
With great care and nonexistent footsteps, he checked each man's face before making his way over to Jason's bed. Brandon clenched his hands into shaking fists as he glared hatefully at the sleeping Jason.
Brandon smirked slightly because he knew he would get revenge for what had happened. He would make sure of it. The agonizing torture Stella went through...Jason would pay for it thousand times worse. Brandon felt the growing urge to take out his dagger and stab Jason senseless.
Every single drop of tears that Stella shed will not be left unavenged. Every drop of blood that Stella cast away will be given an answer to. And most importantly, every ounce of fear that Stella endured will be justified through vengeance.
He took out his knife and was about to scarface the guy but stopped immediately mid-air. No...a painless death is such a small price to pay. Brandon's eyes glowed madly with rage and fury as Jason lay underneath him, completely at his mercy and wrath. No mercy, Brandon growled while he clenched his jaw.
With a silent hand, he took a tranq-dart and quietly lodged the needle into his neck, all the while feeling the overwhelming need to kill him with the needle itself. But no...he'll have to wait. The best part is gonna come soon, he smiled with a killer's glint in his eyes.
Jason's eyes slowly fluttered open as the drug slowly wore off. His eyes squinted and blinked rapidly in confusion at why he's up right now. His body still felt strained and tired from the massive workouts and training sessions today.
He grunted slowly as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. His breath caught in his throat while his sleepy stimulus started to wake when he saw sky-high trees densely cluttered around him. With a startled gasp, he tried to move but to his horror, he found himself tied firmly to the trunk of a tree.
"What the-?!" Jason tried wildly to free himself. "Who are you?!" he shouted into the darkness. "Show yourself now!" he demanded angrily while looking around him furiously.
"Well, well, well, look who's up," a calm voice spoke up from behind Jason. Brandon smirked slowly as he traveled around the tree to face Jason, not even bothering to hide his face. What's the point? The bastard's going to die anyway. He might as well know what he's dying for.
Jason's eyes widened and paled instantly when he saw familiar, glowering, dark brown eyes. How could he be here...?! his thoughts flaired wildly. Does he know?! How could he?! He made sure to leave no tracks! He made sure of that! There wasn't a single proof! And the obnoxious princess was missing. She was dead! He made sure of that! He made sure that she in no position to tell anyone what had happened!
Brandon smirked at the flashes of fear and surprise blinking through Jason's face. The latter seemed baffled and taken by surprise.
But the smirk on Brandon's face soon shifted into a baneful and sadistic glare as images of Stella crying flashed through his mind. He didn't care what injuries were inflicted upon him. But if it came down to even a paper cut on the woman he loved, he'll not back down to wreak his wrath on the little weasel.
"Let me go, Shields!" Jason yelled angrily after swallowing his surprise.
Brandon smirked before slipping his hands near the back of his belt. He slipped a hand underneath his leather jacket before taking out a double-edged dagger. "Do you know why daggers are better than swords sometimes...?" the brunette lazily drawled before letting his finger travel through the edges. He pulled his finger off the blade and flicked off a drop of blood before addressing Jason once more.
His smirk hardened slowly before it turned absolutely ferocious. "It's because they're much better for torture!" he yelled before lodging the dagger deep into his mid-thigh, eliciting an anguished and tortured howl from his target. Jason screamed until his throat went raw when Brandon twisted the blade.
Brandon sadistically drank in the fear, pain, and torture displayed clearly in Jason's eyes. More, he mentally hissed before pulling out the blade slowly, all the while twisting and turning it. Jason continued to clamor for mercy as he screamed at the excruciating agony. He breath shook when the blade finally left his body. With shuddering eyes, he eyed his knee which grew warm with blood. The hot, red liquid, although appeared black in the dark, reflected the night light.
He turned to Brandon with both fear and anger. "You fucking bastard!" he cried out. He struggled to stand with his deeply injured knee. He tried to stand on one foot, but that would require bending his knee a little and that feat was nearly impossible. He struggled to break free of the multiple metal chains that hugged him tightly against the tree.
"You're a coward!" Jason screeched madly like a banshee.
"So I get you know why you're here," Brandon calmly said while eyeing the blade which was soaked with blood. "Yeah I get that you want to die badly and rest assure...you will," he glared before continuing. "But I need to settle a few scores with you first."
Holding the dagger firmly in his hands, Brandon clenched his jaw before moving it towards Jason's throat. "I'll fucking enjoy this," he seethed in pure rage. A loud hiss erupted out of Jason's throat when Brandon sliced a long gash in one of his arms.
Jason glared hatefully at the brunette in front of him. "Fight me like a man, if you dare!" he yelled maddeningly.
"No," Brandon denied calmly. "I'll fight you the same way you fought her," he whispered before lodging the knife deeply into his shoulder.
"God!" Jason screamed with clenched teeth before throwing his head back against the trunk of the tree. His resolve to not show fear is breaking as he suddenly found the desperate need to stay alive somehow. To survive.
Jason felt a deep shudder leave his throat at the way Brandon ignored his moans of pain. Brandon's face was no longer impassive. His lips were set in a straight line but fury burned in his unforgiving gaze.
Jason's eyes widened when Brandon raised the knife once more and he was sure that he'll die now. "No! Don't! I-I-I'm s-s-sorry!"
"I'm sorry too," Brandon smirked mockingly. Jason screamed like the wimp he is as his throat went dry, expecting a painful blow any second.
But it never came. Instead, the loud cracking sound of chain reverberated through the air. Jason's eyes blinked with shock vibrating through his nerves. The clasps around his wrist sprung loose and fell onto the forest floor with a soft thud. Jason fell to the floor in agony at his bleeding knee. The blood didn't stop and still disgustingly oozed out between the torn fabric of his sweatpants. Jason clutched his bleeding arm with his other one while letting the injured arm to nurture the knee.
Brandon took no mercy at the wounds. His hand knotted into a tight fist before swinging it across Jason's perfectly sculptured jaw. The latter grunted in pain and fell to the ground before spitting blood out on the grass.
"GET UP!" Brandon roared angrily. What Stella endured was far, far worse. This low-life beneath the mercy of his feet had sustained only physical injuries thus far. And that's what he'll continue to receive. He'll fall due with his injuries and severe loss of blood. But...she had fallen with trauma and fear. Those factors weigh with far greater intensity than a few knife slashes.
Jason spit out another half ounce of blood before holding his arms forward to plead him to stop. This vast forest drowned his screams and was miles away from the nearest school. He continued to retreat backwards while coughing some more blood out. But Brandon paid no heed and continued to advance.
"GET UP!" Brandon ululated, his caterwall booming off the trees. Jason grunted and clutched his jaw in pain when Brandon's foot shot upwards and kicked him high in the face. Jason fell on his back.
Tossing him an icy glare, Brandon took a step forwards before slamming his foot right on Jason's injured knee, leaving the latter to release a barbaric yell of agony.
"You wanted a fight, you got one. GET UP!" Brandon yelled. With an impatient growl, he pulled Jason to his feet, almost tearing his collar. The sound of a shirt tearing encouraged the brunette further. He pushed the green-eyed male against the tree. "FIGHT!" Brandon yelled while aiming a fist straight into his face.
Jason squinted out of blood loss before cocking his head a little sideways, causing Brandon's fist to collide against the hard bark. The brunette instantly pulled back with a smirk, ignoring his bruising hand. He paid no heed to the probably sprained hand. In fact, it only aroused him further to take revenge. He'll never forgive the scoundrel who took away his girl's virtue in the worst way possible.
"FIGHT!" Brandon's voice bellowed while aiming another punch.
Jason let out a frustrated yell before aiming a quick punch at the raging brunette. Brandon used his free fist to block the attack before twisting his arm outwards, earning another howl from Jason. Twisting it as tightly as he could, Brandon pounded his fist in Jason's face repeatedly.
Jason slowly lost his senses and felt numb as he struggled to stand. He bled profusely from his nose and mouth. He fell on his back. Without even giving him the time to cough or even breath, Brandon bent and inhumanely continued to punch him left and right.
Seeing him disgustingly bloody and almost unconscious, tears finally pricked his eyes as Brandon struggled not to cry at what his beautiful girl had to endure at this man's hands. Why did he do this for?! All for a night's pleasure?! For one hour of pleasure, Jason chose to tauntingly rip away Stella's confidence, heart, and trust in the most brutal way possible. Tears spilled down Brandon's cheeks because he honestly had no idea what he was doing now.
With an exhausted sigh, he let out a exhale mixed with sniffles.
Brandon took a good look at him and saw that if he continued his punching streak, Jason will die. The brunette stepped away from him and sat against the tree while throwing his head back and closing his eyes. Tears slipped anyway from the thin crack between his closed eyelids. His body shook with sobs.
He'll never forget the way she cried so helplessly in his arms. This bastard made her think that she won't be loved anymore. Stella went so far to the brink of insanity that she thought Brandon won't love her anymore. She lost her bubbly nature, her confidence, her ability to trust others, and her most of all...her heart.
"Sunshine..." Brandon whispered brokenly. He had kept this unbroken stream locked inside of him while she was there with him. But he died every time she shed a drop of her tears. With anger coursing through him again, Brandon picked up his current of weapon and stood up.
He aimed the dagger one final time and breathed fierily.
Jason looked up, being barely able to keep his eyes open.
Thinking the brunette was going to continue his seemingly never-ending torture, Jason begged.
"Kill me. Please," he whispered in a raspy voice.
Brandon sniffled and swallowed his cries while letting his tears glow in his eyes. He yelled once before raising his hands up and moving to lodge the knife in the center of his heart. He heard a whoosh of air as he moved the dagger.
But...
He stopped at the last second as his face contorted to one of twisted pain. The blade's tip just hovered a breath away from Jason's heart, itching to go inside. Despite wanting to so badly, the rational part of Brandon ordered him to stay put. Don't, his subconscious comfortingly whispered to him.
The brunette stepped back before wiping away the tears. The dagger he held fell limply to his side as he blankly stared dead ahead with bloodshot eyes.
"No. I won't," he said. "You'll live. But you'll never touch another girl again as long as you're alive."
With that, Brandon took a hard and long look at Jason's disbelieving eyes. The brunette burned the face of Stella's rapist into his mind forever before turning around and leaving him lying in a sticky pool of his own blood.
Brandon quietly walked through the hallway of his room. His head was flung down as his eyes blankly stared at the floor. A few moments later, he stopped just at his door before slowly opening it with neutral emotions.
He entered the room and closed it behind him quietly. Turning the lights on, his eyes widened lightly to see four specialists and one wizard staring at him. But he paid no attention as tears sprung to his eyes.
"We had a feeling you wouldn't be in your room tonight," Helia quietly said while the rest nodded in agreement.
"And coincidentally...neither is Jason," Nabu pointed with crossed arms.
Brandon threw a small glare at each of them. "If you're here to lecture, you can show yourself out. It was my girlfriend who was attacked, not yours," he defended fiercely, not at all feeling guilty for what he did.
"We know," Sky stood up before coming to him, finally speaking up. He placed a comforting hand on Brandon's shoulder. "We know," Sky repeated. "That's why we all let you go. Timmy replaced all of the security footage already. We let you go because we would've done the same thing."
Brandon breathed in gratitude before Sky broke his arms out in a hug. "...Thanks, man," Brandon whispered before hugging his best friend. The brunette shut his eyes as a few tears leaked down his face. The other specialists soon joined in as they hugged their sorrowful friend.
This incident not only affected the Stella but also the people surrounding her. What happened to the blonde was unforgivable and no girl deserves to go through that.
"By the way..." Riven smirked. "Is he still alive? I think my fists need a workout," he smiled while punching his left hand with his right. Brandon cracked a small smile at his friend.
Yeah, things will be okay. They'll be better eventually. He found the best family he could ever ask for in Red Fountain and he found the love of his life in Alfea. Things will be better. All he needed was...a little faith and a little time.
Six months later...
Brandon smiled as he entered his home and closed the door behind him.
"Brandon, is that you?!" the familiar voice of his favorite blonde called out a little nervously.
"It's me!" he shouted back in reassurance before locking the door shut firmly. He dropped his suitcase and removed his jacket before going straight for the bedroom. His smile widened when he saw Stella reading a book in the center of the bed.
"Hey, beautiful," he grinned while rushing over to her instantly.
Stella hummed in bliss as he hugged her firmly to his chest and kissed her on the cheek.
"How was your day?" he asked with a smile as he pulled back.
"Horrible," she pouted. "You were supposed to be home hours ago," she whined as she tugged at his collar. "You know...even us fashion designers get a day off every once in a while, so why the hell not police officers?!" Stella fumed childishly.
He chuckled lightly before sitting next to her and taking her in his arms. "Well, we'll take a break when the criminals do," he whispered while kissing her forehead softly. "I was busy...attending a criminal," Brandon frowned.
"Everything okay?" she asked in concern. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked worriedly while looking over his body.
He threw his frown out the window before plastering a smile at her concern. "No, baby, no. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Ohh..." Stella blushed. "I was waiting for you to come home," she beamed while looking up at him with big, brown eyes. He simply smiled at her while clutching her endearingly close.
"Everything okay?" he asked her while stroking her golden blonde hair tenderly.
"No...I..." Stella trailed off with a hitched breath, causing him to pull back in concern. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately, his calm and collected senses overridden by concern and overprotectiveness. He held her face in his palm and gently ushered for her to speak. She can tell him anything and he'll always be by her side no matter what.
"I...I w-want to tell," she whispered so softly that he didn't understand it at first. He gazed into her eyes and finally unravelled what she was talking about.
That night.
"What?" he asked in disbelief.
"I want to share my story," she softly said while hugging him close to her. "I don't want this to happen to any other girl and...I want to...I want to help others who went through this." His lips parted open slightly in surprise as he processed her words. She looked at him hesitantly because she wanted his full support on this one. She was able to somehow push that night back far away only because of him. She knew that she'll never forget it till the day she died. It was something she'll carry to her grave. But...he still somehow made all those scars and memories vanish. He never let her out of his sight and made sure that he was always near her. He had no idea how grateful she really was to him or how much she loved him with all of her heart. So that's why his decision was important to her.
Brandon eyed the girl in his arms with admiration, respect, and pride. How could she be so strong? he slowly smiled down at her. "No matter what decision you take, I'll always be with you, Sunshine," he said truthfully while leaning in to kiss her softly and gently. Stella tearfully smiled against his lips. When they broke apart, she launched herself in his arms and moved closer to him as humanely as she possibly could. "Thank you," she whispered into his shirt. He smiled and reciprocated the action immediately and let her rest there for a few minutes. Rubbing her back up and down, he held her close to him, wondering what he did to deserve this girl.
"I'm gonna go take a shower, okay?" he asked a few minutes later. Stella bobbed her head up and down. He gave her a lingering peck on the cheek before hoisting himself up and moving towards the bathroom.
He turned the handle on the door but stopped to turn around once. Time stood still when Stella happily smiled at him. Just like she once used to. His eyes clouded with affection and he smiled back at her before turning around.
Brandon adjusted his night shirt and stretched lightly before hastily opening the door to the door. After a long day of work, all he wanted to do was be with his fiancee. Yes, fiancee. He went inside the room before quietly closing the door behind him shut before stopping in his tracks.
A small, calming smile stretched onto his lips when he saw the blonde sleeping acrossing the bed. He slowly walked over to her while his heart rocked itself to peace and tranquilness. How could she be so gorgeous? So beautiful...? he marvelled at her beauty while stopped at the edge of the bed.
He gently looped his arms underneath her body before picking her up and adjusting her properly. He tucked her in slowly and pulled the covers till her chin before slipping in beside her. He pulled her close to him and kept his eyes fixated on her face, oblivious to her, of course. His breath lightly fanned over her face as he moved his lips to kiss her forehead.
No amount of words could ever satiate the undying love his heart burned for her. He sighed softly as he continued to gaze at her while peripherally thinking about the day's events.
Brandon climbed up the stairs neutrally, all the while trying not to let his facial muscles twitch to that of tension. He stopped for just a second to eye the name of the hospital before continuing onwards.
He asked the receptionist for a specific room number. The receptionist gave the directions with a small smile. He thanked her and followed her directions. Somehow, as the distance between him and the room lessened, the anxiety in his heart grew. He didn't particularly like it, but hey, who said life is always the way we want it to be?
He stopped when he suddenly saw the room number come into view. His pace dulled visibly, but he didn't stop. He made his way to the particular room before halting at just the doorstep. His breaths grew a little tense as he opened the door just a little.
His eyes watched on when he saw a particular green-eyed male walking around numbly with an oxygen tank next to him. Jason wore the usual and dull green hospital scrubs, common for every patient in here. His eyes were dull and devoid of color as he was relentlessly pursued by two, very stubborn policemen.
"Do you remember anything? How did you get here?" one of them drilled, desperate to get answers.
Brandon watched unblinkingly as Jason slowly turned around with emotionless eyes. And suddenly, his green eyes locked with the dark brown eyes. Jason's lips parted open slightly when he saw none other than the reason he was in this hospital. The two men held each other's gazes for a long before Jason opened his lips.
Keeping his eyes fixated on Brandon, he spoke softly, "...I don't remember..."
The answer shocked Brandon because Jason can compromise the former's situation anytime he wanted to.
Brandon blinked when he looked deep into Jason's eyes. And that's when he saw the invisible tears and a flash of series of emotions.
Remorse.
Guilt.
Compunction.
And most of all...an apology.
Brandon breathed a little disbelievingly when he saw the subtle sadness visible on Jason's face. The policemen left in disappointment, claiming they'll be back again. But the two men didn't move. Jason didn't approach Brandon and vice versa. Instead, their staring consisted of silent conversations.
Jason silently asked with non-vocal gestures. "How is she?" he looked away ashamed, unable to say the blonde's name. He didn't deserve it. He wasn't worthy of her name.
Brandon felt the anger, bitterness, and anguish fade lightly as he gave Jason a small nod. "She's fine now."
Relief showered on Jason's face as he silently held back invisible tears. He blinked a few times before walking away, bearing his head down in shame and trying to find a way for penance and redemption.
Brandon closed the door and stood in the hallway for a long while. Swallowing, he turned around before walking away.
He went outside the hospital in a matter of minutes before going to the bus stop for realm transfers. The bus arrived a few minutes later before the driver asked him the destination.
"Eraklyon," he replied dully before getting in.
The bus moved but Brandon glanced back. He kept his eyes on the hospital until it melted away into the burning horizon.
Brandon frowned slightly as he remembered the events in the hospital. After bludgeoning Jason that night...it was the brunette himself who anonymously called for medical dispatch. Killing him that night was what he initially wanted to do. But...a killer is not what Stella deserved. She didn't. The blonde fell in love with a loving and caring man. Becoming a cold-blooded murderer would violate her trust in him.
Death is an easy solution but living with the pain and guilt is far worse. And that's what happened today in front of his eyes.
With secretive enquiries, he found out that Jason had slipped into a coma and had just waken up yesterday.
Brandon sighed softly before holding the blonde's body closer to him. He stroked her cheek before his hand traveled south and grasped her hand. He pushed the covers down her body before placing a gentle kiss on her hand. He smiled at the ring that rested perfectly on her finger.
You're mine, he whispered to himself before tucking her back in. He made a silent vow to never let her get hurt again. She shifted in his arms slightly before making herself comfortable. He stroked her hair before calmly closing his eyes and clutching her close. He whispered a promise of loving her forever before sleep engulfed him into darkness. He'll always be here. Because...she made his life matter. She made him happy. And most of all...
She was his home.
As he was hers.
...
Okayyy!
That took MONTHS to whip up. It's embarrassing. Haha.
So...I'm actually interested in the opinions about this fic. Did you guys like the ending? No? Oh well, it's not gonna change :P
Rape is a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE thing to go through. I DO NOT condone it or any sexual harassment (no matter how small) in ANY WAY. I'm NOT exactly advertising the methods Brandon used in this fic either. I'm not against them either, I'll be honest here. I wanted to show how much rape changes a girl's life for the worse. It may take her YEARS or maybe NEVER to overcome the trauma. In my opinion, a rapist needs to be publicly executed. I mean, it's definitely not going to happen in real life. They all get away while it's the girl who is slut-shamed and blamed for the incident. If a shoot-at-sight won't happen, at least rapists SHOULD repent for the rest of their lives.
This fiction is dedicated to all of those beautiful girls and I hope they can find some strength in this. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. You're never alone. You'll always have people like me who wish you well and pray for your speedy recovery.
Love,
SeaEmerald