Authors Note: WOW, another quick AND long chapter! You lucky ducks you! (: Actually this chapter was going to be longer but it was going on 3000 words and so I decided to split it in half. We'll continue with the hospital scene in the next chapter and deal with Frost and Korsac being nosy and making sure the good doc is alright. Anyway, please enjoy! Let me know what you think if you feel up to it. Your reviews have really spurred my writing on, I reply to most of you. Usually when the review is long or you're asking a question. c: So Anyway, I'll stop blabbering so you can read!
Disclaimer: I'm gonna ask Santa to give them to me for Christmas. :D xD
Chapter Three
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Maura all but screamed, her chest heaving as she attempted to sink further into the hospital bed. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide with fear. Her hands gripped the sheets so hard that her knuckles were turning white. She was now dressed in a hospital gown that Jane had helped her get on. That whole 5 minutes for Jane felt like 5 hours. As hard as she tried, she couldn't avoid the rest of the bruises on Maura's frail looking body. She wanted to cry, scream and throw shit around the room but she held her composure and stared at the floor.
Now, she was standing in a hospital room, eyes wide as she tried to calm Maura down. She had been fine until a doctor came in and suggested that they get her x-rayed first before perhaps doing a rape-kit. The word 'rape' had set Maura off and when the doctor took one step toward her, panic set in and suddenly she wasn't there anymore. "P-Please, d..don't. I-I j...just want to g-go home!" Maura sobbed, her breathing erratic.
"Ms. Isles, please calm down...I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to check your injuries." The doctor tried. Jane rolled her eyes, this guy was an idiot. You don't approach a rape victim like what they just went through was so casual. He had his hands up as if in surrender as he slowly tried to move toward the bed. "Ms. Isles I don't want to have to sedate you." He said, brows raised.
Maura shook her head furiously. "D-Don't touch me! I-I can't b...b-breathe. P-Please w-where is Jane, I...I w-want J...Jane!" Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to catch her breath. There were images flashing in her mind and she couldn't seem to get a grip on what was reality.
Jane was pissed now and she couldn't hold it in much longer. "It's Dr. Isles and don't you fucking touch her. I don't know where the hell you got your fucking bedside manner but you need to work on it! Get the fuck out and get me a doctor who isn't an incompetent asshole!" She wasn't sure when but at some point in her rant, she had moved across the room to stand in his personal space. He stared at her with wide eyes and then shook his head as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. When he just stood there, Jane's jaw clenched and unclenched. "I MEAN IT, GO!" She yelled, sending him off.
The sobs behind her, seemed to beat down all the anger that erupted only moments ago. "J-Jane, p-please..." Maura begged, though Jane wasn't sure what she wanted. She clamped her eyes shut and willed all of the rage that had seeped out, back down and then put on a sympathetic face as she turned to look at Maura.
"Hey, I'm right here, Maur. Shhh." Jane said almost hoarsely as she moved to the right side of the bed and gently took Maura's hand.
Maura gripped Jane's hand as if Jane would float away if she let go. "D...Don't l-let t-them h-hurt me anymore. I-just...I-I just w-want to g-go home...A-And s-shower...G-get them off. P...Please Jane." She cried, curling up in the bed. Jane's heart felt as though someone was squeezing it as she listened to Maura.
"Maura, you're not there anymore, you're in a hospital, and I'm right here. I wont let anyone hurt you. I promise. Please, the sooner you let the doctors look at your injuries and...w-we," She paused to take a deep breath. "You n-need to get a...a rape-kit, I know you don't want to...But I also know that if you don't, you're going to be angry with yourself later for destroying evidence...S-So we can catch these bastards." Though she was crying, the last part was spoke with conviction.
Maura's body had stiffened and she pulled Jane's hand closer, effectively pulling Jane closer. Before Maura could look at the detective, she quickly swiped her free hand over her cheeks to rid the tears that she had escaped. Maura's frightened eyes met Jane's and she swallowed thickly. "O-okay...But, you c-can't leave me." She said in a whisper. Jane nodded and gently squeezed Maura's hand.
"Of course, Maur. I'll be here the whole time." Jane said softly, giving Maura a sympathetic smile.
By that time, there was a gentle knock on the door before a young woman in pink scrubs entered. She had kind gray-blue eyes and blonde hair pulled back in a messy pony tail. She smiled warmly. "Hi there, I'm Dr. Abigail Reese." She said softly as she stood at the door. Her eyes drifted to Maura and she smiled reassuringly. "I'm just going to have a look at your chart, okay?" Dr. Reese waited for Maura to give her assent, knowing that having some form of control was essential for Maura right now.
Maura looked up at Jane before looking back at the petit Doctor and nodding hesitantly. Dr. Reese smiled and moved slowly toward the foot of the bed where Maura's chart lay. She moved her hand slowly to grab the chart, knowing Maura was watching her every move before looking it over. Jane watched the doctor and inwardly smiled, glad that they now had someone who was much more understanding than the jackass from before.
Dr. Reese sighed softly and Jane could see the sadness in her eyes, but the Doctor schooled her features before looking up at Jane and Maura. "Well, Dr. Isles. I apologize for Dr. Sanders. He's not very considerate." She shook her head softly. "I'd really like to get some x-rays done to check your ribs. I don't think anything is broken, but I want to be sure. Would it be okay if we got that done before anything? If you'd rather wait, I understand it's just...I'm sure you'd rather be home than here." The young doctor slowly set the chart back down and folded her hands, letting them rest in front of her.
Jane smiled at the doctor thankful that she was giving Maura some of her control back. She gave Maura a reassuring squeeze of her hand and looked back down at her friend. Maura swallowed and nodded slowly. "O-Okay, b-but I...I don't want to be a-away from Jane." She said weakly.
Dr. Reese nodded softly and smiled. "Of course, Dr. Isles. But, Jane will have to wait inside the room with me while you get your x-rays done, but you can see her through the glass and after it's done you wont have to separate from her." She said, her eyes meeting Jane's for a brief moment before she looked back down at Maura who nodded reluctantly.
After the x-ray which went relatively smoother than Jane thought it would, Maura was back in her hospital bed with Jane in a chair beside her, holding her hand as they waited for the doctor to come back and tell them the results of the x-ray. Maura sat quietly, lost in her thoughts. Logically, she knew that no one here was going to hurt her, especially not with Jane there, but she still felt terrified. She couldn't get a handle on her fear, she just wanted to go back to feeling like herself. She wanted to have control again where she felt like she was spiraling. She had been really thankful for the new Doctor who seemed all to aware that Maura wanted that and she made a conscious effort to give it to her.
There was a very soft knock on the door and then Dr. Reese entered, closing the door behind her. "Well, Dr. Isles, your ribs are badly bruised and it'll hurt to breathe for a couple of days but nothing is broken. I'm going to suggest some Ibuprofen for pain, and a lot of bed rest." She said softly. "Now, that gash on your head needs stitches. I'd really like to stitch that up if it's alright with you, and then we can discuss looking over your...other injuries if that's okay with you." Her voice was soothing and calm as she spoke.
Maura simply nodded mutely, wanting to get it all over with so that she could shower and sleep. Jane smiled softly at the doctor before she looked down at Maura. "You're almost done, Maur and then I'll take you home to Bass. I've got Jo Friday there keeping him company." Jane said, trying to get her friend's mind on something light.
Dr. Reese moved slowly about the room, feeling Maura's eyes on her every move. Finally, she gently rolled a cart next to Maura's bed side, listening to Jane talk about what Dr. Reese assumed were pets. Maura looked over at Jane and nodded softly. "I-Is Bass okay? D-Did you feed him?" She asked in concern.
Jane smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I fed him Maur. He misses you though, I think." She said nervously.
"Jane, Bass probably doesn't even notice I've been gone. Although he does have a routine." Maura said, sounding more like herself for the first time. It caused Jane's heart to race and she smiled, happy to know that her Maura was still in there somewhere.
Dr. Reese smiled as she prepared the anesthesia. "Dr. Isles, if you'll just look this way so I can stitch you up?" She posed it as a question and waited for some sort of reaction. Maura took a shaky breath and turned her head so that the doctor could numb the area on her forehead and begin to stitch her up.
"He's noticed you're missing, Maur and not just cause he has a routine." Jane smiled, squeezing her hand gently.
Maura attempted a small smile as she thought of her pet tortoise. "So, is Bass a dog, or...?" Dr. Reese tried to keep up the distraction as she noticed the small smile on her patients face.
Jane smiled, knowing the perfect way to get under Maura's skin. "Bass is a turtle." She answered before her friend.
Maura huffed in irritation. "Jane, how many times do I have to tell you? Bass is a Tortoise." This caused Jane to grin widely, tears welling up in her eyes. It was so wonderful to hear the old Maura.
Swallowing her tears, Jane continued. "Whatever, like there's a difference." Her voice cracked slightly and she cursed under her breath, hoping Maura didn't catch it. Dr. Reese smirked at the back and fourth, though knowing Jane was just trying to distract her friend.
Maura who had momentarily forgotten all that had happened, huffed again. "There most certainly is a difference, Jane. Turtles and Tortoises are two completely different species. A Turtle spends most of it's time in the water and therefore has webbed feet, while a Tortoise is a land-dwelling creature. It can in fact drown if submerged in water." She stated factually.
Dr. Reese took this moment to state that she was finished. "Alright, Dr. Isles. I'm done with your stitches. Those should be able to come out in about two to three weeks. I don't think the scar will be too big." She said offering a smile as she removed her gloves and threw them into the hazard bin.
Maura nodded softly, now remembering why she was here. Jane, noticing the sudden silence, squeezed Maura's hand, reminding her that Jane was still here. Dr. Reese sighed softly. Here comes the hardest part. "I understand that, you were requesting a rape-kit. Are you still wanting that?" She asked softly.
Both woman winced at the word 'rape', though Jane's was less noticeable. Jane looked down at Maura who was trying hard not to cry. "J-Jane has to...has to st-ay here, w-with me." Maura stammer in a low voice, eyes staring down blankly at her lap.
"Of course, Dr. Isles. We'll take things slow and if you get uncomfortable and want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me to." Dr Reese said gently. Jane was thankful that this doctor was so kind and understanding, and that she took Maura's feelings into consideration. "I'm going to go get the supplies needed and give you a moment. I'll be back." With that, the doctor left, leaving Jane and Maura alone again.