TRIGGER WARNING: Rape of a minor and gaslighting! Please please please skip this chapter if you need to. You're allowed. Quick summary so you don't miss anything, Alex has a flashback in which he gets gaslit. Then poor Ben deals with the fallout. That's it. For anyone suffering with mental health problems, please seek help.

The room was bare except for the chair Alex was tied to, one arm on either armrest and one leg tied to a leg on either side. He looked down to find he was completely naked.

"You'll be begging for it by the time I'm done," a deep male voice whispered in the shell of his ear. The warm, rancid breath sent shivers down his spine. "I've been given the pleasure of breaking you in for your master."

"Please don't" Alex begged. Cold laughter filled the room.

"Come on boy," the man crooned from behind him. "Don't you want a little pleasure with the pain?" Alex strained his head to see behind him but the man stayed out of his eyesight. "Now, now. No peeking." A blindfold was put over his eyes and he waited for what was to come next.

A feather light touch tickled down his bruised and battered arm and Alex whimpered in surprise. It was so different from the beating he had taken just before he had been brought to this room. As the hand moved to his chest, a wet mouth kissed his neck, licking and nipping gently. Alex tried to pull away but ropes and the man's strong hands held him firmly in place.

"What's wrong Alex? Don't you like this?" Alex shook his head quickly but even as he did he felt his body betray him. "Ah, you see? I'm not so bad." The ministrations continued, the man tracing every dip and curve and taut muscle but avoiding the obvious.

"Relax kiddo. The drugs should be kicking in any minute." As if on cue, Alex felt a head rush. It was like an ocean wave bowling him over. He felt drunk. It was slight at first. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of it. He attempted to pull his arms away from the persistent fingers that seemed to be everywhere, forgetting for a moment that he was restrained.

"Stop!" Alex commanded. It came out more mumbled than he had intended. He felt dizzy and disoriented. He could feel himself swaying. He felt like he was on the deck of a ship. The man worked his way lower. Light fingers trailed up the underside of his cock. Alex gasped in surprise.

"I don' wan' 't." He was slurring now.

"Hmm," the man hummed, working the tip. Alex leaned back into the vibrations from his chest without consciously deciding too. "Really now. Cuz your leaking would suggest otherwise." Alex shook his head stubbornly. He felt the man move in front of him, presumably for a better angle. The firm hand began to work him steadily. The friction was building. The effect from the drugs was building. And then the hand disappeared.

"Oh, but you don't want it. I forgot." Alex whined at the loss and the man chuckled, replacing his hand. He began again, slower this time.

"Here are the rules Alex. Are you listening?" When Alex didn't respond the hand stopped. Alex licked his lips.

"Yes," he replied breathily. The hand started again.

"You do what I ask, when I ask it. No questions, no hesitations. Understood?" Alex nodded and the hand paused.

"Yes!" Alex blurted, officially lost in drugs and bliss.

"Good. You don't do anything I don't explicitly tell you. You don't cum without permission, you don't piss without permission, you don't speak unless I ask you a direct question or you will be punished. Did you hear me?"

"Yes," Alex whined.

"This is where your training begins, Alex. If you do what I ask, you might even get rewarded. Now beg."

Alex sprinted to the bathroom and violently threw up until all that would come was bile. A sob escaped his lips and once that one had, another did. Then another. Until he was drowning as he lay on the cool bathroom tile.

"Alex? Are you alright?" The question was hesitant and still heavy with sleep. Alex froze, back toward the door. He did not want Ben to see him like this.

"I'm fine." The statement came out a whisper and significantly more watery than intended. Alex curled in on himself.

"You don't sound fine." The teen could hear the frown in the statement. "What's wrong?"

"Go away!" The blonde moaned. The nausea was back but he knew it was all in his head. Speaking of, his head was pounding.

"Are you sick?" Ben asked. Alex heard soft footsteps and felt a cool hand on his forehead. He jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" He demanded. His voice sounded harsh and desperate. "Please," he whined. He felt like he was cracking and he hugged himself tighter in an attempt to hold himself together.

"Alright," the older man agreed. It wasn't long before he heard Ben's retreating footsteps behind him and the soft click of the door closing. He stayed on the floor for a long time. When he finally did get up, he turned the shower to the hottest setting, carefully avoiding even glancing at the mirror, and got in.

Ben wasn't sure what exactly had woken him up but as much as he was tempted to roll over, he had the feeling there was something that needed his attention. He heard the toilet in the bathroom flush. It was just Alex, he told himself, settling back down. He was almost back asleep when he heard an odd keening sound. That wasn't right. Ben sat up, rubbing his face. The sound didn't stop. He padded quietly to the bathroom. The door was open when he got there. His charge was laying on the floor with his back to it.

"Alex? Are you alright?" He rubbed his eyes when the question came out more slurred than intended. Damn he wished he could go back to bed.

"I'm fine." The whispered statement trembled and now that Ben was looking, so was the kid. As he watched, the blonde curled tighter. Something was definitely wrong.

"You don't sound fine," Ben frowned. Or look it either. "What's wrong?" Even as he asked he knew the teen wasn't going to answer him.

"Go away!" That was a moan. Alex rarely moaned. Was he sick?

"Are you sick?" He knew the kid would deny it but he had to know. He padded over and gently laid the back of his hand across Alex's forehead. The reaction was immediate.

"Don't touch me!" Alex screeched, jerking away. Ben snatched his hand back in surprise. He had never heard that tone from Alex and it put him on edge. He almost reached out again, just to check that the sound really came out of the kid. "Please," the blonde begged, curling tighter if that was possible, and Ben hesitated.

"Alright," he sighed. He hesitated for a second longer before withdrawing completely, gently shutting the door behind him. He checked his watch. Just shy of 3am and yet he could tell he wasn't going to be getting any more sleep tonight. Ben walked to the kitchen and started water boiling for tea. He was going to need it. Right as the water started to boil he heard the shower turn on. Nothing left to do but wait.

He was three cups in before he heard barely audible footsteps down the hall. They paused right around the corner for long enough Ben almost thought he had missed their retreat. Finally, the teen shuffled in, head down, with still damp hair that made it look a shade darker than usual. The soldier wordlessly passed him his own cup as he sat at the table. Alex wouldn't meet his eyes as Ben studied him. Nothing left to do but wait.

The blonde peered into his cup for a long time without taking a sip. The older man could tell that he wasn't really seeing it. Suddenly, the teen was crying. It was subtle at first. Ben almost missed the silent tears falling into his tea. Not as subtle was when the kid crumpled in on himself as he buried his head in his arms on the table. Ben reached out but caught himself at the last moment. Alex hadn't wanted to be touched. At a loss for what to do, he held his silence, heart breaking at the barely audible whimpers and sobs. There was nothing he could do but wait.

"It's all my fault," Alex blubbered suddenly. Ben blinked.

"What?"

"It's my fault," the boy sobbed again. "I w-wanted it. I l-let it happen." The soldier blinked again, a foreboding feeling creeping upon him.

"Alex what happened? Do you wanna talk about it?" Ben asked gently, hardly daring to breathe. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. The teen shook his head violently.

"When he… he t-touched m-me. A-and I…" the blonde trailed off into more tears. Ben hardly noticed. He could feel all the color drain from his face. His mind shattered like glass and his vision turned red. The doctor had said there was evidence of sexual trauma but it hadn't hit home until now. He felt rage like lava churning in his stomach.

"Alex, you listen to me. That is not your fault. None of that is ever your fault. Those people were sick." He knew he was speaking too forcefully. He was going to scare the kid off.

"Are you mad?" Alex whimpered, staring up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Are you gonna get rid of me?" And just like that, all the rage flew out of him, leaving him feeling like a deflated balloon.

"Get rid… no Alex. Come here." Ben opened his arms invitingly and the blonde fell into them eagerly, clutching at the man as if his life depended on it and burying his face in Ben's shoulder. Ben wrapped his arms around the boy, running his fingers through the blonde hair soothingly.

"Please don't make me go back!" Alex sobbed.

"Shh," Ben soothed, squeezing him tighter. "I am not sending you anywhere Alex. I am not mad at you. It isn't your fault."

"W-what if he c-comes to get me?" Alex blubbered.

"Alex, he's dead. He was killed when we got you out," Ben should've expected that no one had told him. His heart broke more knowing this must've been the cause of anxiety for a while and it was completely unnecessary. "He's not coming for you. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

They sat like that for a long time, Alex clinging to Ben and the older man smoothing his hair soothingly, gently rocking back and forth. Ben felt Alex relax in increments until he was limp in his arms. Ben sighed as he gazed down at the puffy, tear-stained face. At least he finally looked peaceful now that he had fallen back asleep. The poor kid was wiped. He gingerly stood up, taking care not to jostle the blonde, and padded to Alex's bedroom. Ben might not be getting more sleep, but Alex needed it. He carefully tucked the boy under the covers, leaving the door cracked on his way out.

A/N: Wow. Ok. I surprised myself with how messed up of a chapter that was. At least Alex is talking? Please like and review. Sorry if I messed up anyone's mental health with that. If it helps, I messed up mine too.