The door flew open, crashing into the wall behind it.

A scream split through the air, followed by running and thumping as Hayley tripped her way up the stairs. Unknowingly she left Alex, slow and pained, alone and to the mercy of her now ex-boyfriend. She only realized it when the sound of her cries and his yelling roared through the air. Oh no… she thought, but what am I supposed to do? Let him get me? ...yes….

Her thoughts were interrupted by a car door and more yelling, "NO! ALEX! HAYLEY! NO! MY BABIES! GET THE HELL OUT OF HOUSE YOU BASTARD!" Claire yelled. Horror settled into his features, and he got up and ran, crashing into walls as pulled his pants up. Claire crashed through the front door, running straight to Alex, clothes ripped and bloody, curled in the fetal position on the floor in the living room.

"Alex? Oh my god! My baby! NO! Oh honey, come here, oh my god… oh my god… oh my god…" she repeated. She pulled Alex towards her, yanking her own jacket off and placing it over her daughter's tiny body. This is what he'd done to her… he made her this way… broken, frail, fragile… afraid. Hayley thumped loudly and quickly down the stairs, and into the arms of her awaiting mother.

"Alex, Honey? Go get dressed, we're going to the police!" she explained hurriedly, cupping her daughter's face in her hands. Her eyes pleaded with the young girl, wanting her to listen, but somewhere, deep down, she knew her daughter didn't want this, she knew her baby was going to put up a fight about this. She also knew she didn't want to give in, but maybe at some point, she might have to. She couldn't lose her daughter's trust. Not now; not ever.

"NO! PLEASE! NO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! NO!" she broke; Claire Dunphy looked her broken daughter in the face and told her very strictly,

"We. Are going. Now. Get dressed." The girl didn't fight, but she didn't move. Instead, her sobs got harder, her body shook more violently, and her thoughts got cloudier. Her make-up began to run, exposing more bruises of the violent, persistent attacks. All her mother could do was stare at what was left of her brilliant little girl. She prayed in her heart that Luke and Phil didn't return home a day early from their fishing trip early.

She finally got up, slow and steady. She went upstairs, grabbed a jacket and returned. Claire turned to Hayley, held out her hand for Hayley to take it and did the same for Alex. She locked the door and called Gloria.

"Gloria? Yeah, can you do me a favor?... yeah, can you meet us at the hospital? …you can? …yeah…thanks so much…see you there…bye." She opened the back door for Alex and the passenger for Hayley. She got into the driver seat and started the car. It stirred to life and Claire backed slowly down the driveway and drove to the hospital.

The car ride felt long. It was silent, you know, other than the sound of sniffling and crying. The radio played soft music because no one bothered to change the channel or turn it off. Hayley clamped her hand around her mother's, and Alex stared longingly out of the window on the door. Self-consciously, Claire locked the doors and activated the child safety on them. There was nothing she could risk now.

She pulled into a parking space and stopped. Putting the car n park and turning it off, she held the keys and both her hands in her lap and they all sat there for a moment. Finally, she spoke.

"Come on girls. We're going in now" she got out of the car. Hayley followed, but it was like Alex never heard her, she just continued to stare. She was only broken from her trance when Claire went around and opened the door. Claire reached over and undid the seatbelt; she pulled Alex from the car and tucked the girl under her arm. She placed under the other arm and the walked towards the entrance.

Claire walked right up to the desk, leaving Hayley clinging to her little sister.

"My daughter has repeatedly been raped, she needs a kit as soon as you can get a nurse, or doctor for her please." The nurse stared, wide-eyed and horrified and moved quickly. Picking up the phone, she muttered a few words and that was when Gloria came bursting through the front door. She looked around and spotted the two girls.

"Alex, Hayley, Mijas" she said softly and scurried towards them. Alex had no hesitation wrapping both arms securely around the Colombian's waist, and the woman didn't wait to curl herself into a hug over the girl. Hayley stared longingly at the embrace and when Gloria noticed the looked on her face, she stuck an arm out and waved it hastily towards herself. Hayley ran into her, tucking her arms to her chest in breathed in the scent of the older woman's perfume. Claire turned to take a seat and noticed the sight. Gloria pulled back and looked Hayley in the eye, cupping her chin before placing a kiss on the top of her head. She did the same to Alex before looking Claire in the eye.

Claire took slow, solemn steps towards her and embraced her. Gloria raked her nails down her step-daughter's back and asked her a question that would make anyone but Claire Dunphy break in such a situation,

"Are you okay?" she asked, rolling her Rs. Claire smiled into her neck at the familiarity of the woman and pulled out. She gave Gloria a look in the eye that said 'no' but nodded her head for the sake of the girls. They both turned to the two teenagers, plastered together in fright and walked towards them. Claire wrapped herself around Alex; Gloria did the same to Hayley and they led the two girls to the waiting room. This would not be fun.

A few minutes later, a woman with chocolate skin walked through the doors, she took a look at the chart in her hands and let out a big sigh, "Alex Dunphy?" she said sorrowfully. Alex didn't move; Claire didn't register at first, "Alex? Alex Dunphy?" Claire looked up this time, meeting eyes with the woman, who began to make her way towards them. Alex was slouched into Claire, both arms wrapped securely around her waist. Claire looked down at her and whispered that they had to go.

"Alex? That's you right?" The woman knelt in front of Alex, who acknowledged her by moving her eyes to look at her, "I'm Christina Hawthorne, I know that this is incredibly scary, but I know you're brave. I promise you we'll be very careful. We'll take really, really good care of you." A tear slipped from her eye and down her bruised cheek. Christina stood and held out a hand, Alex stared at it for a moment before reaching for it and pulling herself up.

"Do you want to bring mom with you?" Alex stared between the two women, but didn't know if she wanted to pick her mom. She knew her mom would want to come with her, to be her hero, but she didn't know if mom could handle it, or if she wanted her to see her like she would if she went with them. Regretfully she shook her head. "Why don't you go wait with my friend Bobby over there alright? She's actually also going in with us, because the state says I can't do this procedure on my own. Let me talk to mom for a minute." Alex nodded and walked over to Bobby, who placed an arm around her shoulder.

"Hi mom" Christina said

"It's Claire, call me Claire" She told her

"Well Claire, I know it hurts. Her saying she didn't want you back there. But I want you to know that it's to be expected. It isn't that she doesn't want you back there, she does, emotionally. But in her line of thought, girls are very conscious about their bodies, I know I didn't want my mother seeing any part of me after I was maybe twelve. And in her state, that's multiplied by about twenty. She also probably doesn't want to see you break. She needs you to stay strong, in her mind, letting you see what you would back there, hearing what you would; she doesn't want to alter that image. Mom is the strong one, always will be. I need you not to take it personally." Claire nodded and the nurse looked to Gloria, "If she says yes, would you be okay to go back with her. I just want someone she trusts." Gloria looked shocked. Then, she looked at Claire for permission; she nodded encouragingly. "Alright then."

She got up and walked back over to Alex and the other woman, "What about, is that your aunt? Can she come? I just want you to have someone…" She nodded hesitantly. Christina looked to Gloria and gave a definitive nod of the head. Gloria kissed Hayley's head and got up, squeezing Claire's hand and walking over to Alex. Claire watched them disappear.

The only thing Alex could think about was the nightmare that would start over as soon as she set foot in that room.

All I can say is that I'm sorry. I'm going to try and do better with updating, but school is eating me alive and life isn't very nice right now, it's hell-ish. Read, review, pm, favorite, all that stuff. Love you guys for being so patient and supportive. Hope you enjoyed…