Chapter 14
It was seven thirty in the morning, and Jenny and Sarah were both walking in silence down a hospital corridor, their shoes squeaking loudly on the pristine white floor. Jenny was fidgeting uncomfortably as they went; the top she had borrowed off Sarah was far too tight and it stretched tight over her chest, making her feel a tad self conscious. It didn't help that her heart was pumping erratically as though it was trying to fit a life time of beats in to those few minutes - she wouldn't admit it, but she was terrified about what she was about to do. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sarah shoot her a concerned look, so apparently, the worry must have shown on her face.
"Are you okay?" Sarah asked quietly, as they turned yet another corner in the white labyrinth of corridors.
Jenny hesitated before answering, unable to summon up a truthful response.
"We don't have to do this you know," Sarah continued, after Jenny had failed to reply.
"It was your idea!" Jenny pointed out in disbelief.
"I know," Sarah conceded. "But I'm just saying, if you don't think you can - "
"I can," Jenny insisted. "I have to . . . for closure."
"By the way - how did you get us permission to be in here?" Sarah said curiously. "You just said your name to the receptionist and she let you through."
"I just . . . made a few phone calls," Jenny answered cryptically.
"The power you have over people is astounding."
"Never underestimate the value of a few well chosen words whispered in the right peoples ears," Jenny smirked at her as they climbed another flight of stairs.
They turned another corner and approached the room they had been searching for, slowing as they reached it. Jenny took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and made to open the door, but Sarah stopped her with her hand on her arm.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked again.
Jenny looked back at the door that she knew he was behind . . . the image of his face was emblazoned in her mind, so much so that she could hardly shut her eyes without seeing him. If this was the only way to get him out, then she was going to do it.
"Absolutely," she stated to Sarah, before she pushed the door open.
The room was very large, and had several beds in it, although none of the others were occupied. It was very dimly lit with a long ceiling light that flickered slightly; the blinds were firmly shut, blocking out any natural light from entering through the window. With a jolt, Jenny's gaze fell on the bed in the far corner.
Brookes.
Whether he was asleep or unconscious, it was impossible to tell. A machine next to him beeped softly and rhythmically in the background, monitoring his heart rate and blood pressure, Jenny supposed. He had a drip on the other side of his bed with a wire coming out of it that was attached to his hand, which lay on top of the bedcover. His other hand, Jenny noticed with a rush of relief, was handcuffed to the side of the bed. However, just looking at him made her feel as though she was paralysed with fright. As she stared down at him, she felt Sarah move from beside her to the foot of the bed, picking up a file and skimming through it.
"What's wrong with him?" Jenny asked numbly.
"Severe concussion . . ." Sarah began to read quietly. "Three broken ribs which pierced his lung, causing it to collapse . . . he's had surgery to drain excess fluid from the pleural space to allow the lung to re-expand . . . he also had swelling on his brain, but they've relieved the pressure by inserting holes in the skull and extracting the cerebrospinal fluid . . ." she looked up from the file at Jenny, and it was obvious that she had felt the same pang of guilt that Jenny had herself.
Of course, they were completely justified in their actions, and they did what they had to do to survive; but seeing him like that, and hearing all the surgery that had been necessary to fix their mess . . . they wouldn't have been human if they didn't feel something, even if it was just shock at the damaged they had managed to cause on a man, and a soldier to boot.
Jenny moved over to stand by Sarah, glancing over her shoulder at the file, when a croaky, quiet voice spoke.
"I knew you'd come."
Brookes had woken up; he looked like he was tired, and in a lot of pain, but his eyes gleamed with delight as he stared at Jenny. After the initial shock of him speaking had subsided, Jenny approached him cautiously and took a seat next to his bed, ignoring Sarah's hand that had closed around her arm to stop her. She was in very close proximity to him which made her pulse quicken, but she had reasoned with herself that the only way to get him out of her head was to prove that she wasn't scared of him anymore.
"I would ask you how you got in, but I know you can get any man to do whatever you want - " he continued in the same dry voice, laced with amusement.
"I came to ask you something," Jenny interrupted in a cold, clear voice.
"It's okay . . . I forgive you," he sighed, wincing as he did so. "I know you only hurt me because you were scared."
"I'm not here to apologize," she said, looking at him in disgust. "You nearly killed me. And Sarah."
"Well if you would have just listened to me like I asked, no one would have gotten hurt - " he said.
"Why me?" Jenny cut him off.
"Excuse me?"
"Why me?" she repeated more firmly. "Why did you choose me to do this to?"
"I didn't choose you . . . you chose me," he replied. "The way you walk around wearing those short skirts and low-cut tops," his eyes lingered at the neckline of her top, and instinctively, Jenny pulled her coat tighter around herself to cover up. "The way you'd tease me - "
"Don't you put this on me!" Jenny hissed at him, feeling self conscious at his insinuation. "What happened was because of something you did, not me!"
"Tease," he repeated, a smile creeping across his lips.
Jenny felt as though she'd been slapped in the face. None-the-less, she swallowed his taunts and acted like she hadn't heard them.
"I'll ask you again," she said in a forced-calm voice. "Why me?"
"You know . . ." he began wistfully. "My lawyer says I've got a good chance of getting off with this. I mean, when the jury hears about my impressive background as a soldier, fighting for my country, why would they convict me? Especially considering how you dress - "
"Stop - "
"I'll be seen as the poor traumatized soldier, who fell under some whore's spell, only to be dumped ever so cruelly. I had been led on . . . I was upset . . . what's a man to do hmm?"
Jenny stared back at him in horror, not believing what she was hearing. Then again, that's basically what the CID officer had told her.
"The most I'll get is a couple of years in a mental institution," he continued. "I'll be out in a year with good behavior. Then I'll be free to pay you a visit. See how your life's getting along - "
"Come on," Sarah's interjected, her hands on Jenny's shoulders. "This was a bad idea. Let's go."
Jenny allowed Sarah to guide her towards the door, feeling numb with shock.
"Why did you come?" Brookes asked loudly.
Jenny froze and turned to look at him again. He was smiling at them in a leering fashion, clearly loving seeing her so broken.
"Have I been in your head, Jenny?" he smirked.
"Come on," Sarah repeated firmly, pulling Jenny through the door.
Okay, I know I keep saying that this is the last chapter, but I think I need one more to bring the story full circle. It will end at some point I promise! As always, let me know your thoughts, good or bad x
