*Three Days Later*

"Before you go in there, there's a few things you should know."

Stella looked at the doctor, "Yeah? Like what?"

"Has Agent Booth informed you of how serious her injuries really are?" She asked, watching as the Greek woman continued to try to peek around her, and get inside the young woman's room.

"No, he just said they found her and she was alive." Stella went to go around her again, but once again her path was blocked. "Excuse me!"

"No, there are some things you need to hear. We would've told her sister, but it seems she's still underage." The doctor turned Marcy's chart over in her hands. "Regardless of how adamant she is about her maturity."

"Okay," Stella nodded, hazel eyes still darting from the doctor to the closed door behind her.

"I won't go into detail about it, but-you should be aware of how damaged she is."

Stella winced at the word damaged, but the woman paid her no mind as she went on, "She tends to shy away from contact, so I would avoid that if possible. Loud noises too, and try not to mention…what happened."

"What did happen?"

The doctor smiled weakly at her, "you know I can't tell you that, detective."

"Hmm."

Stella opened the door, poking her head in the first thing she saw was Ella, fast asleep on the hospital bed, right next to his sister.

"Marcy." Sitting crossed legged on the starchy white sheets, Marcy was staring at the television. The woman's head jerked toward her, flinching, before realizing who it was. "Oh, hey Stella." She whispered.

Stella felt tears pang her eyes as she took in her friend's appearance. Marcy had always been pale, but now…she was down right pallor. The blue hospital gown draped over her, drowning her now sickly thin figure.

But her face…"What'd he do to you, Marcy?" She asked.

Dark blue eyes flickered around the room, as she tucked her knees up to her chin. Rubbing her face against the rough material she shook her head, wincing as the deep, harsh gashes stung on her pale skin.

Her face was littered with them.

-

"Ella, its Blair-where the fuck are you, love? Ma's freaking out, call me back."

Vanessa turned to her boyfriend as she undid her jacket, "still no answer?" She dropped her chocolate brown eyes to the floor, "it's not like her to ignore your calls, I mean, you're not Nikki."

Blair tugged at his shaggy brown hair, "I should call him, maybe he's got some idea where she went."

"Good idea, I'm gonna check in with Jay and Carson. She still stays over there sometimes right?" Van picked up the cordless phone as Blair dialed Nikki's number.

"Yeah, ta help out with the boys-Nik! Oh, thank-where are you?"

She watched as the man's face shifted from relieved to puzzled.

"On a plane to where, Nikki?"

-

"So," Stella had finally stopped her staring, about three minutes later, much to Marcy's relief. "Where are you staying?"

"Kira's place." Marcy said, her voice almost completely void of emotion as Ella stirred next to her.

"Oh, I didn't know you two got along."

Marcy continued to look in her direction, but was never quite able to meet her gaze, "we don't."

"Oh." Stella said, awkwardly, she watched as the young woman's gaze travelled back to the television. "You-you could always stay with me. Or Adam, you know he'd be more than happy to-"

"No." Marcy's voice was strained, the amount of talking tiring her, "but thanks."

"Why not, Marce?" Stella stepped closer to the bed, but stopped when the anthropologist flinched. "I mean, better with someone you get along with than some one who…"

Her voice trailed as Ella tossed, moving closer to her sister. Stella couldn't help but feel a little rejected as Marcy reached out and brushed back a bit of the girl's shoulder length brown hair. Ella's brow crinkled as a bit of the bandage from the woman's wrist caressed her forehead. Her blue eyes fluttered open, and the tiny woman, if you could call a seventeen year old a woman, sat up. She took one look at her sister, smiling softly before noticing the new addition to the room.

"Hey, Stella."

The woman nodded to her, "Hello, Ella."

"So…" Ella rubbed the back of her neck as Marcy glanced between the two women. "What're we talking about?"

"Marcy tells me she'll be staying with Kira."

The woman shook her head, "I said at, not with."

"Oh, does that really matter?" Stella asked, chuckling.

"Kira's gonna be moving around a lot for some new fashion line," Ella explained, leaning back against the pillows as Marcy rubbed her face, "we're gonna be staying at her place for a while."

"No." Marcy shook her head, the dark circles under her eyes seeming more apparent by the second, "you've got school."

"I can take some time off, Marce."

She shook her head again, rougher this time, "I said no."

"It's me or Nikki." Ella snapped, Stella's presence momentarily forgotten as her expression softened. "Since you won't come home."

Marcy blinked, no longer paying attention, simply staring half heartedly at the door as she tightened her grip around her legs.

"Adam will take her."

Ella turned to Stella, "you think?"

She nodded, never taking her eyes from the trembling woman, "I know he will."

-

"Well, sure she can, but shouldn't she be going back to New Zealand?"

Stella shook her head, "Ella said something about her mom having this chronic fear of rape. Marcy doesn't want to upset her."

"Okay, of course." Adam nodded, "Where is she?"

"She and Ella are staying at her sister's for a couple days." She said. Looking around the room she opened her mouth, only to close it a moment later. It was hard to talk about Marcy, after seeing her…the way she was. "She's really different, Adam."

He blinked at her, "what kinda different?"

"It's hard to explain. The doctor warned me about touching her, and she's so…quiet." Stella looked up at him, brushing some hair behind her ears. "She wouldn't let the male doctors near her."

Adam stared at her, not quite knowing how to take that. "Well, she's been through a lot, I mean, I wouldn't exactly wanna be prodded by some strange man either."

"Danny, too, Adam."

"Wh-what'd you mean Danny too?"

-

Danny grinned at her, quickly making his way over to Marcy, "Jesus, is it ever good ta-"

"Don't."

He stared at her as she turned away from him, scoffing slightly. "Come on, Marce-"

He went to take her hand and she jerked away from him.

"I fucking said don't!" She shrieked. Her hands up went to her face again as she roughly pressed her wrists against her bandaged cheeks.

"Marcy, I just wanted-"

Marcy's eyes darted around the waiting room as she started to hyperventilate, backing away from him.

"Marcy?"

She stared at the wall behind him as she slid her scrawny body down the wall.

Danny crouched down next to her, reaching out he dropped his hand as she snapped her head away from him. He cleared his throat. She paid him no mind, simply tucked her legs back up and closing her eyes.

"Marce? I'm gonna stay right here 'til your ready, okay?"

She nodded, but kept her eyes close. He sat next to her and sighed.

-

"Where is she?" Adam asked, a glare gracing his usually passive, upbeat features.

The woman said, "At Kira's, Ella took her home after she found out a about the...incident."

He licked his lips, shaking his head, "how's Danny?"

"Hurt." Stella sighed, "I'm not sure if it's over how she reacted or how she looks or-"

"How's she look?"

She sighed, and shook her head, "not-not good Adam."

"Can, uh, can you take me to see her? After my shift, I mean, not like now cause I'm at like," He inhaled, "cause-"

"Yeah, I will," Stella put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Just call Ella so she can give her some warning."