I'm back, and it feels great! Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! This chapter is long, and a lot of bases will be hit during this chapter, and I hope you enjoy! Oh, I forgot to clarify something that hasn't been brought up yet, but when I said that most of season two and three didn't exist, that also includes the death of Faux-Amanda and Declan Porter. With that said, there's a chance Jack and his family will appear.
Disclaimer: I do not own Revenge, nor do I profit from this story. This is merely a figment of my imagination! Also, all mistakes are mine and the few italics are Nolan's thoughts.
Third POV:
Arrayah was staring at the clock in the hospital room when a woman in her late forties came in. "Hey, sweetie. I'm Detective Natasha Green, but you can call me Nat. What would you like me to call you?"
"Arrayah." Arrayah whispers, wishing that it had been Nolan to walk through the door with his bright shirts and jokes.
"That's a pretty name." Natasha comments, trying to ease the young girl's nerves.
"Thank you. Are you finding my Uncle Nolan?" Arrayah asks, sounding like she was going to cry. She doesn't need to act for this, she is scared Daddy will come in and take her before Nolan can here.
"Nolan will be here soon. Before he shows up, I need you to answer some questions."
"Okay..."Arrayah sighs, rubbing the cheap hospital gown in between her fingers.
"Will you tell me what happened?"
"I really don't wanna, it's scary." Her grip tightens on the gown.
"We want to understand what happened so we know if we have a case."
Arrayah shifts her gaze to her bright pink cast on her left wrist, "I woke up when I heard Daddy's truck. When he comes home late, he will be nice and read to me or really mean and hit me. I had looked out my window and saw him with a woman, and I could hear her crying. I thought it might've been Mommy. He keeps us away and I thought she was crying because we haven't seen each other since July. He was taking her around to the back of the house, so I went to our back door and saw him put her near the door and walk away. I was really happy, thinking Daddy brought Mommy with us, so I went out. Daddy shot the woman in front of me. It was scary, and it wasn't my Mommy, and I had all her blood on me." Arrayah chokes up, thinking about that poor woman with the tears that couldn't run anymore, "I ran back through the house before he saw me and down the side-walk, then the beach. I kept running, even when I wanted to fall over. I hid out under someone's porch and I fell asleep. I woke up this morning all dizzy, and got out and that's when the man saw me." Arrayah allows herself to cry over having to remember her Daddy doing that.
"Why haven't you seen your Mommy in so long?" Natasha asks, handing Arrayah a tissue from the table.
"I don't know. We used to see each other a lot, and she used to be allowed in the house, but now she's not. Daddy keeps her locked in the basement." Arrayah wipes her eyes and her nose with the tissue.
"Were you at your house when he shot someone?" Natasha notes on her note pad
"No, we were at a different house."
"Do you know where it is?"
"It was a small, light blue house along the beach. It has a big tree in front of it." Arrayah recalls. She really liked the house; she was allowed to play outside more and played near the water.
"That's really good, Arrayah." Natasha reaches across and pats Arrayah's hands, "Would you mind if I sat in here with you until your Uncle Nolan shows up?"
"It's up to you." Arrayah says. Natasha takes a seat by her bed, and notices the television is off.
"Do you want to watch some cartoons?" Natasha asks, picking up the remote.
"No thank you, but you're allowed to watch something." Natasha turns the television on the Today Show for background noise.
"You're probably the sweetest child I have ever met." Detective Green says, trying to lighten up the mood of the colorful hospital room.
"Thank you, my Mommy wants me to be good. Maybe if I'm good enough, I will get to see her again." Arrayah explains like it was an everyday thing.
"We'll get your Mommy back, I personally promise." Natasha immediately regrets what she has said, but sometimes she just got so wrapped up with the kids that it was hard not to say things to try to bring a smile to their face.
"I hope so, I miss her a lot." Arrayah says, letting herself release more tears. She doesn't care if Aunt Martina comes in and calls her a no good baby for crying and yelling more mean things in her ear till they ring like the church bells she heard once. Natasha rubs her back, like Uncle Nolan, until she finally calms down.
"Do you know how you broke your wrist?" Natasha asks, handing her another tissue.
"I woke up and it was like this. The man gave me to the doctors, and they gave me a shot and I fell asleep."
"Do you remember hurting your wrist?" Natasha asks, attempting to change the subject
"No. Why do I have this?" Arrayah grabs the tube leading into her arm.
"That is an IV. When they put you to sleep, they found out that you haven't had enough to eat or drink. The other one is your medicine"
"But I'm not sick." Arrayah says simply, feeling perfectly fine, minus the slight ache in her chest.
"You may not feel sick, but your body is fighting on the inside."
"What's wrong with me? Is it like the flu?"
"It's something you don't need to worry about." Natasha waves off, even though she knows she girl will have a tough time fighting Bronchitis and Sepsis.
"Do you know how long it will be until Uncle Nolan is here?" Arrayah repeats, forgetting she had asked earlier.
"No, I'm sorry. He will be here soon though."
"Will I get to leave with him today?" Natasha sees her hope-filled eyes and feels awful about her answer, "Not today. You will have to stay here for a few nights."
Arrayah falls silent. Her wrist is beginning to hurt, and she's starting to feel cold, even with the blanket she's snuggled into, but she doesn't speak up. Natasha is going over the questions, seeing if anything else needs addressed. Natasha is about to speak up when a nurse comes in with a tray of syringes.
"Hello Arrayah, I'm Tammy and I will be your nurse. Are you feeling any pain?" The peppy nurse questions. Arrayah shakes her head, not wanting to be a bother.
"Are you sure? It's a little bit over time for a refill on your IVs." Tammy checks the tablet, and it confirms what she thought. Tammy swipes the thermometer across her forehead, and notices the fever returning. Tammy refills her IVs and leaves to finish her rounds. Natasha watches the little girl's eyes droop and listens to her breathing even out. She should've left right after the interview, but she didn't want to leave her left protection; she also needs to speak with Mr. Ross. Arrayah has witnessed a murder, and her father is out there, looking for her. She pulls out her phone, texts her boss, and then brings up her Nook app to read. It isn't long until the social worker, a woman in her late thirties with straight black hair, shows up. She introduces herself as Jeanne and apologizes for being late; saying one of her cases needed her. Natasha gives her the chair and Jeanne begins relooking the case and Arrayah's medical file.
"Have you learned anything from Aryah?" Jeanne questions, eyes not leaving the file, glancing over her medial chart.
"Ar-Ray- ah. " Natasha corrects, "She says she hasn't seen her mother since July. Her father shot someone in front of her. It seems like holding something back, though."
"Well, she has been through a lot, and what they're giving her, she's probably not fully there."
"She seemed very aware when I questioned her, but I swear she is holding something back."
"If I'm reading this right, then she has been physically abused for a long time. It could be a reflex from enduring that for who knows how long." Jeanne explains and they both fall in silence. They both perk up when they hear a voice asking for Arrayah. Natasha is the first to respond and checks to see who it is. She internally sighs when sees Nolan Ross, in a suit with a bright dress-shirt underneath his jacket. He has a bag with the hospital symbol on it in one hand and one hand on the counter top separating him and the desk clerk. The clerk nods her way toward the detective when he shows his identification.
"How's Arrayah?" Is his first question, rushing into the room, setting the bag down and eager to see his "God-Daughter". Natasha is right behind him to inform him of the situation.
"She's asleep." Natasha begins, but Nolan cuts her off, "What happened to her arm?" Nolan is seething, and if Aiden is responsible, Nolan will personally end him.
Wow, I sound like Emily.
"They had to re-break her wrist." Jeanne corrects, "It seems that she broke it within the past year, and it was never treated. She'll probably be in a cast for about four-to-eight weeks."
"Who are you?" Nolan asks, feeling his heart speed up in fear of their façade falling apart.
"I'm Jeanne Smith, Arrayah's social worker." She offers her hand out.
"Arrayah doesn't need a social worker, she has me." Nolan states and shakes it lightly.
"Protocol, Mr. Ross." Jeanne responds.
"Please, call me Nolan." He informs, "How long will she be in here?"
"Maybe next Wednesday, it just depends on how well she reacts to her antibiotics." Jeanne informs.
"Why is she on antibiotics?" Nolan worries his sleeve to release the anxiety.
"They believe she has Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, also known as Sepsis. They are treating her as a precaution since her tests won't be in until tonight." Jeanne reads off the chart she received, "She also has Chronic Bronchitis and a mild concussion."
"Anything else I should know about Arrayah?"
"She is mildly malnourished, dehydrated, and obviously a broken wrist."
"Was she, you know…" Nolan trails off, not wanting to finish his question.
"Tests point to no, but it does look like she was physically mistreated, and possibly emotionally. It's recommended she see a psychologist, due to the trauma of her case."
Nolan sighs, "How long has she been asleep?" He moves closer and takes Arrayah's smaller hand in his.
"About an hour, I don't know how long she will be asleep." Natasha says, walking toward the door, "Nolan may I speak with you outside?" Nolan follows the detective. He observes the whimsical hospital hallway, and notes that it isn't very busy, but a few parents walking to their children's rooms.
"Nolan, I'm just going to cut to the chase, Arrayah seems to have gone through a lot for her age. She has witnessed some gruesome things, and hasn't seen her mother since the summer. She's going to need a lot of care and attention. Are you sure you're up to it?" Natasha questions, even though she knows the social worker will give him the same run down.
"I'm positive."
"She isn't something you feed a few times a day and leave her to entertain herself. She will need to be your sole focus. She'll need someone who she can depend on."
"Which I'm prepared to do so, I plan on making Arrayah the sole purpose of my life."
Natasha studies him, "Good, I have some forms for you to sign, and her social worker probably has some for you too."
Nolan walks in and signs all the forms for Arrayah's temporary custody transferences. Natasha leaves and it is just him and her social worker. He is answering some emails when he notices Arrayah stirring.
"Hey sleepy head." He greets, pushing some hair out of her face.
"Nolan?" She asks, the drugs slowly wearing off, "You came?"
"Of course kiddo, I wouldn't throw you to the wolves." He continues the motion, hoping that she would feel safer with him.
Arrayah feels another set of eyes on her and turns to looks over toward Jeanne, "Who're you?"
"I'm Jeanne, your social worker." Jeanne gently informs.
"I'm going into foster care?" Arrayah looks over to Nolan, panic evident in every feature in her face.
"No, I'm here to make sure Nolan is able to take care of you." Jeanne says a smile spread across her face.
"Why wouldn't he be?" Arrayah asks, genuinely confused, Nolan has always been nice, why couldn't he take care of her.
"It's the law sweetie. I have to make sure he's a good guy and to make sure he will take good care of you."
Arrayah nods, "Nolan, will I be going home tonight?"
"Sorry, Ray, not tonight. The doctors need to make sure your wrist is going to be fine. On the bright side, I brought crayons and a coloring book to keep you occupied." He gets the bag he sat down earlier and brings it over to her.
"Thanks, can't you make sure I'm fine?" Arrayah asks, trying to pull the itchy tube out of her nose. Nolan pulls her hand away with a laugh, "Don't pull on that Ray that makes sure you get enough oxygen."
"You still didn't answer my question." Arrayah yawns, and then lets out a body shaking cough.
"No, I don't have a medical degree." Nolan informs her after she finishes coughing.
"Can you buy one, and then we go home?" Arrayah inquires, very serious about the question.
"Doesn't work like that Ray," Nolan laughs gently, figuring the medications they were pumping into her were making her chatty, " I'd have to go to college for a long time, and by the time I got it, you'd be well into high school."
"But you're smart, you'd get it quickly." She argues, yawning and her eyes drooping again.
"It still wouldn't be quick enough." Nolan whispers, watching her fall back asleep, "You'll only be in the hospital for a few days, Ray." He notices Arrayah dozing off and Nolan allows her to sleep.
"Would you happen to know how long she will be in here, again?" Nolan asks when he is sure Arrayah is deep asleep.
"Possibly next Wednesday." Jeanne chuckles and hands him a stack of custody papers and release forms, "If you would sign these, then I will be out of your hair." Nolan reads over the papers and signs on the dotted lines. He hands the stack back to Jeanne. She stands up, shakes his and shakes his hand, "Expect a home visit right after she gets out, Nolan."
It was the following Thursday when Arrayah was released. It was confirmed she had Sepsis and they wanted to monitor her antibiotic intake and to try to treat most of her bronchitis. Nolan had brought Arrayah some warm clothes to change into when she is discharged, and he had never seen her so relieved in the week he had known her.
"Nolan, did I do good?" She asks after they got stuck in the traffic.
"You did great kid. I am proud of you, but you do understand that lying is not nice to do all the time?" he asks.
"When's it okay to lie?" She question, swinging her legs gently against the seat.
Nolan thinks, he doesn't want to make lying sound like it's permitted every time something happens, but it would be hypocritical of him to say it's wrong and it's not allowed all the time, "That's a difficult thing to say; it would depend on what happened. Like if you broke something, it would be wrong to say you didn't do it. Other times, it's okay to only tell little fiblits."
"Okay, I think I understand."
"Alright, looks like traffic is moving along, what do you say to some lunch?"
"It's up to you." Arrayah says, a little cough escapes her mouth.
Nolan laughs, "Arrayah, I'm gonna need you to start telling me what you want; I'll never be mad at what you say."
"But I don't know what I want to eat."
"The Nolpad is back there under my jacket. There is an orange app with a plate looking picture on it that pinpoints restaurants where I'm close to. Scroll through them and pick a restaurant, but I advise somewhere indoors." Nolan says over his shoulder. Arrayah does as she's told and picks a sandwich shop a few blocks away. After they order, Nolan picks a booth farthest from the door, but he still could watch who came in.
"Nolan, have they called you yet?" Arrayah asks after chewing her first bite.
"Not yet, Ray, but they should call soon." Nolan says. He takes Arrayah home and the social worker shows up shortly. The social worker visit goes off without a hitch, and Nolan is officially granted temporary custody over Arrayah .The rest of the evening is filled with Arrayah mostly sleeping from her medicine, then Nolan calming her from her nightmares, and making sure she did not end up injuring her wrist further. With Nolan's frequent trips to his bedroom to console Arrayah, he eventually moves his work in there. In between waiting on the next nightmare and soothing her, he makes an appointment with a child psychologist within the next few days.
The call comes two days later, requesting Nolan to bring Arrayah in for a line-up.
"Arrayah, when you go in, there will be eight men. I want you to get a good look at them to see if they're the men that hurt you. Then you will need to do the same process with a group of women." Detective Green explains. Arrayah nods and looks into the glass. She feels her stomach tighten and the pang of fear hits her when she sees them.
"They're in there!" She cries, clenching her abdomen and leaning over.
"Which ones?" Detective Green asks.
"Numbers one, fi-five and seven." She chokes between sobs. These men terrify her and she never wants to see them again; they made her Mommy cry and hit both of them.
"Okay, you did good, sweetie. Would you like to take a break?"
"Please!" Arrayah says, barely making into the trashcan that was placed by the door.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Detective Green asks.
"No, I really just want this to be over!" Arrayah says, wiping her eyes.
"Okay, you're going have to tell me who those men are, but you can tell me after we go through the women."
"Can Uncle Nolan be here?" Arrayah looks up and it takes all Natasha has to not cave into the big blue eyes.
"No, I'm sorry, but as soon as you identify these people, you will be free to leave."
"Okay." Arrayah says, walking back to the window with shaky legs. The women saunter in and she quickly identifies Martina, even without the red hair.
"Now, before you tell me who they are, are these men and this woman are the ones you have lived with?" Detective Green asks, showing the mug shots.
"Yes. Those are Alex, Sander, Uncle Willis, and Aunt Martina." Arrayah names off, just glancing at the mug shots, "Where's my Mommy and Daddy, they weren't in there."
Natasha sighs, hating to be the one to break the news, "Arrayah, your mom and dad weren't there when they went into the beach house and they are currently going through your house."
So, please don't kill me over that, but there is a reason behind this. Also, I'm not a medical student, but I did do some research on the disease I listed. I also have little knowledge of police work. If I got anything wrong, I apologize, but this is fiction, so anything could happen ;). I hope to see you all on Monday! :)