Disclaimer: I own nothing
"They raped me."
Three words. Just three words and Doug had been told everything. He had had the feeling that that was what had happened; the feeling and dread of those thoughts and ideas had been growing in his stomach for awhile now, and it had all just been brought to a truth filled conclusion. But he hadn't expected Tom to just up and say it; to just suddenly, out of the blue, confide in Doug what the soldiers had done to him. There had been no feeling in his voice; just a flat tone as he spilled it out so suddenly and discreetly. And that scared Doug.
It scared him to know that Tom could seem so distant at the spoken truth of his abuse; it scared Doug that Tom didn't even seem to care as he spoke those three words. Just three words and Doug was afraid for his friend's life. What if Tom began to feel guilty, or scared, or dirty, or anything, and tried to harm himself? Doug could see it in his eyes; a distant, faded gaze had attached itself in those brown orbs and Doug knew what it meant; he had seen it in too many of the kids he had busted before. It meant that the owner of the gaze had drifted from life; it meant they had nearly detached themselves from their body, as they allowed all of their emotions to be washed away.
Doug had seen it in his own eyes.
Now he saw it in Tom's. And he was scared for the other man's life.
But Doug was determined; he wasn't going to let the soldiers harm Tom, and he definitely wasn't going to let the younger harm himself either. Tom was his responsibility after all, and that meant it was his job to protect him from harm; be it self-inflicted or not. Doug would protect him no matter what; he would get Tom out of here alive and make sure he stayed that way for a long time after.
"I'm not going to kill myself."
There he goes again.
"I know..." Although Doug wasn't entirely certain he believed Tom's words. Maybe before, but not now; not after what Tom had told him.
Still in that flat-toned voice, Tom continued, "They dragged me into a room. I thought they were going to kill me." A weak laugh escaped Tom's no-emotions facade, but it just as quickly vanished as it had come. Then there was that emotionless voice again, "They just picked me up and then my head was underwater; it stated to hurt, 'cause I couldn't breathe, but when I did - When I tried to breathe, I mean, I swallowed a lot of water. Then they pulled me out. I was coughing so bad and this one guy starts shouting some Spanish at me. I didn't understand, I just shook my head no." Tom focused his gaze on Doug, and laughed. This time it was as distant and emotionless as his voice, and it chilled Doug to the core. It sounded so eerie hearing that sound escaping his friend's lips. It wasn't Tom. At least not the Tommy Hanson that Doug knew. Then the younger man continued, "It was kinda funny, at first. Then he started screaming 'rebelde'. Then; then I understood. But I never said anything, just shook my head and said no. So they put me back under. They kept doin' that a few more times, but I never told." This time when Tom looked at Doug, there was fear once again shining in his eyes. "I swear I didn't. I never told them anything." His voice wasn't distant anymore; this time it was laced with fear and cracked with almost every word..
"I know that, Tommy. I believe you," Doug replied, worried about his friend. He knew Tom wouldn't betray the rebels. It wasn't in his nature; Tom would never betray anybody.
Then the fear was gone; his eyes were once again faded and distant, his voice as cold as before, "Yeah." There was that laugh again. "Then the guy who was screaming threw me on the ground. I was coughing and I couldn't breathe, but he kicked me. He just kept kickin' me. It hurt so much, and I think I lost consciousness for a minute. But then. Then I felt them... They were -" Tom's voice cracked this time, and tears fell down his face. "I tried to tell them no, to stop. But they wouldn't. I swear I didn't want them too, Doug. I told them no. I-I told them – but they wouldn't, they wouldn't stop."
Tom's head fell and he pulled his knees even closer to him, wrapping his arms around the bent limbs. Doug heard the sobs and quickly hurried over. He wrapped both his arms around his friend, not caring about how awkward it seemed or felt; Tom needed this more than either of them could ever know, and Doug wasn't going to let go.
Not yet.
Doug held the younger man tightly as the sobs continued, relaxing when he felt his friend's body weaken in his grip. Tom had succumbed to the embrace, and Doug was glad. Now all he had to do was get Tom out of here; maybe even get to kill a few of those bastards along the way.