Someone was talking to me I opened my eyes to see my sister sitting next to me "Please tell me it was just a bad dream D.J god I love you so much" she looked at me with tears running down her face "Stephanie?!" she pulled me into a tight hug. "I love you too" I removed an arm taking the glass of water she was holding out I drank it slowly I was shaking badly "What happened to you?". Suddenly I started to hyperventalate looking around was I really in my room no how could I be my body was shaking hard "Please D.J don't let them take me back I don't want to go back no please D.J where am I this is just my imagination I can't be home no one wants me there I don't exist to them anymore I'll never get out of this basement".
D.J pulled me closer I wrapped myself around her crying hard "Shh Steph it's okay your home now back in my arms I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, I want you your my sister nothing could ever replace you we all missed you" her words eased me a bit. "I'll find something for you to change into.." I freaking out this isn't real if she let's go of me I'll never see her again I'll be back there this has to be a dream yet it feels so real "D.J don't go!" I almost yelled holding onto her for what seemed to be dear life no this was no dream she was real. The door opened I froze in horror flashing back to the basement doors opening I saw many different doors open all at once D.J snapped me back "Steph it's just Aunt Becky wer're not going to let anything bad happen to you your safe now"Becky had seemed upset with me the last time I had seen her what was she going to think of me now? how could anyone want me or care about me the past 4 years of my life I had been made to belive I was a worthless human barbie doll it was probably true too.
Footsteps hurried up the stairs I saw Becky standing in the doorway "Oh god' was all i heard she was running I heard her throw up "Sorry I should of warned you" D.J said I staried at the window for a moment wondering what it would be like to jump through it and out 3 stories. "When did... oh g.. What happened to her?" she came back to the room sitting on the other side of me I could tell she was trying to keep from breaking down why did they still care about me? I was broken and dirty. D.J told her what had just happened how had D.J carried me up the stairs I wasn't that lightweight maybe the bond between sisters was really unbreakable.
"Steph were you in a basement?" she whispered I was afraid to say anything the words stuttered out "Y-yes many basements Reno they'll find me please I don't want to go back!". Becky touched my shoulder I flinched protecting myself in the fetal position was Becky going to hit me? I flashed back unknowingly saying outloud "Please stop your hurting me please stop I have my period your getting blood everywhere get off me no please don't burn me again I'm sorry I'll be good". D.J pulled me on her lap hugging me even righter I was practically squeezing her ""Steph if you tell us how you got to Reno we can try to make sure whoever did this to you doesn't hurt you ever again" she said quietly. I told them about trying to run away to Vegas and making the mistake of getting into that van.
"A man was driving he told me to get in the back that he had a couch I could sleep on but there was no couch another man pulled me down taped my mouth shut and injected something into my arm it hurt. When I got up my head was spinning there was a 3rd man they took turns having sex and beating me I think it was a few days later they dragged me into a basement. I saw a sign that said Reno and casino lights they took money from people dressed me up like a sex doll and watched them have sex with me. My muffled screams seeped out of the duct tape I was in more pain than I had thought ever possible they were inside me knocking my body against the cement floor holding guns to my head and sharp object to me threating to kill me if I didn't be quiet.
They hardly ever gave me food and sold me off to many different men who tied me down to floors or beds beat me even worse and forced me to have sex with them many times a day some made me clean one man broke my rib. The last thing I remember before I escaped was being in a car there were 2 men I think one of them was named snake they were taking about getting rid of me permanitly. I saw a 20$ bill on the floor managed to pick it up and rolled myself out the back doors of the van after I got free of the ropes, I saw a bus that was leaving I ran up to it and got on I had no clue where it was going or what day it was until I saw the date on a newspaper someone was reading.
When it let me off I was confused scared every car I heard horrified me I thought they were going to find me, I saw a familar street sign and realized I was in san fransisco and decided to go home and visit commett for a minute thinking no one exept the dog would even remember I had ever existed but when I got here no one seemed to be home. I was weak and dizzy almost fell over accidentally hitting the doorbell when D.J answered the door I wasn't sure if she was happy to see me or even knew who I was I said "Donna Jo" trying to let her know it was me but I collapsed". My body was shaking with fear I was hysterical again resting my head against my sisters shoulder there I had told them the truth now they knew the horror of what had happened to me. They won't love me anymore after hearing that I know it no one will ever want me again I expected something awful to happen.
Becky moved her hand towards me I hid my face in D.J's shoulder "I got you Steph its alright just let it out we're here for you no matter what" D.J said I was suprized, Becky confused me she didn't hit me all she did was stroke my hair. "What happened to you is horrible sweetie I'm sorry if I had gone looking for you when you left my house none of this would have happened" I could hear the pain in Becky's voice. "Becky It's not your fault it's all my fault I don't deserve to live" the cold words uttered from my mouth I looked at both of them. "Sweetie no one has the right to hurt you like that you didn't deserve what happened to you your life is prescious don't let anyone tell you otherwise I love you, we all do" Her words echoed as she moved closer to me giving me a tight hug I'd had dreams about D.J and Becky but never would I have thought I'd be here right now with them my family. "We never forgot about you Steph your too important for that to ever happen" D.J said looking at me with tears running down her face I took my hand and wiped them away gently.
"I have to call the police so that they can close the missing persons file, find these phychopaths and send them to jail! the sooner they police are notified the better" Becky said upset "Should we call dad too Steph? he's going to want to see you". My head is spinng I can't stay here they may still want me but my dad wont I had to keep running "No no please you can't tell anyone I was here I can't face dad right now I have to go keep running far away they'll find me I know it". I just sat there holding onto D.J even tighter not able to get up. "I just got you back I can't handle loosing you again please Steph don't ever run away again Aunt Becky and I aren't going to let anyone hurt you again I promise you as long as I'm here your safe" D.J said would I ever be safe? "I'm so sorry D.J I never meant to hurt you or anyone". "Steph the people that hurt you are the ones that hurt us I'm not upset with you at all I love you too much to be". "I love too D.J your the best big sister ever".
"They're sending a few detectives over to take our statements, Can you handle telling them what happened Steph? you need tell them everything you can remember" Becky said I nodded but I wasn't sure I could handle telling them it all. Compaired to all that had happened to me I had told the PG-13 version in reality it was probably worse than rated R they'd want me to give complete descriptions of all the men I could remember their were so many it would take hours. Becky said she'd have to call my dad eventually "But he probably hates me now how could he ever love me after what happened?" I cry "Hey nothing could make any of us stop loving you including dad" "I'm afraid what if he tries to hurt me!". "I'll be right by your side Steph no ones going to abuse you anymore" "Thank you D.J for being here you too Becky I was so afraid of being alone and abused the rest of my life" they hugged me trying to ease my pain but it was never going to go away!.
A few officers showed up A woman questioned me recording and taking notes on everything I said D.J stayed with me through the whole thing she didn't let go of me. I had to explain everything after the day I ran away up until now in a through detail as I could it took me over an hour but I managed to do it even the descriptions of the men that raped me. I had write a short written statement that everything I said was the truth and I had been kidnapped while attempting to run away from home I signed it and listened to them question D.J. She had a hard time talking without getting hysterical I had gone completely hysterical I want to be there for her but my emotions are too deep right now. When they are done with all the questions the police drop me and D.J in the er my dad and Becky is already there he won't even look at me.
D.J helped me into the hospital gown and held my hand through all of the blood they took and exams/ Rape kits by the time they were done they had to get me another bag of fluids and some mediciation. The nurse said I had 4 s.t.d's but they were easily cureable the fact that I had any made me feel even more descusting. They gave me a pb&j sandwitch I ate it fast I hadn't had any food in weeks! Becky came in the room and asked me how I was holding up" I feel a bit better now I'm not in so much pain and that horrid clothing is off my body finally"I told. Aunt Becky sat down next to us "I'm glad you feel better, your dads going to come in soon sweetie he knows you've been through a lot hes not angry with you" she took my hand and D.J's giving it a loving squeeze.
When he walks in the room I see a fuming manic look on his face as if hes about to beat me until I'm bleeding all over the place unconsious I had seen that look on many of those men too many times. "Daddy" I held out my arm hoping he wouldn't be upset with me but he started yelling "How could you do this to us?!" I can't stop shaking curled up in a ball crying into the pillow. My fear was coming true my own father didn't want me anymore "What is wrong with you dad?" D.J says in a freaked out tone "Stay out of this!" He booms at her I want to scream at him to stop. "I'm sorry dad I didn't mean for any of this to happen I should never of run away I love you" I say trying to reach the good in my father. He moves towards her "Your not as sorry as your going to be Stephanie Tanner! you had us worried sick I thought you were dead by the time I'm done with you.." "I aready wish I was dead" I stuttered coldly. Immediatly D.J got up sitting on the bed wrapping me in a protective hug I was sure now she really did want me and that nothing could break us apart
He inched towards me I was horrified shaking uncontrolably hugging D.J back as tight as I could letting her know I was there for her too. "Don't you dare hurt Stephanie! yes she shouldnt of run away but what ended up happening to her isn't her fault no one deserves to go through what she did.. She ran away in the first place because she thought you wouldn't love her anymore after crashing the car can't you see what you've done to your own daughter shes frightened of you! I can't belive you just screamed all those horrible things to her who are you? the father I know would of never even thought of hurting anyone let alone his daughter" tears ran down her face. He raised his hand I thought for sure he was going tear me away from her and beat the life out of me.
Becky stood up walking over to him raising her finger at him "Get the HELL out this room Danny! and don't come back until your ready to apoligize" I had never heard Becky so upset before. She sat at the edge of the bed rubbing my back "Hes gone its okay sweetie I'm sorry I had no clue he was going to go off on you" I finally looked up trying to control my breathing. "It's all my fault I should of never come home everyones life would have been better if I had died" at that moment I believed my words. "Steph look at me dad had no right to go off on you like that I don't want to loose you ever again I'm so happy your back and so is aunt Becky you've made our lives a thousand times better by coming back I was lost without my little sister" D.J's words had struck something inside of me this is what it meant to care about someone.
I let out my inner thoughts " I was frightened just as lost as you were D.J, people were abusing me yelling raping beating and drugging me I kept waking up screaming for you and Becky I thought I'd never see ether of you again or anybody else in my family". "We're here now Steph your not alone anymore your dad will come aroud soon you've got 2 sisters an aunt uncle and Joey we all love you.. Oh my little neices" Becky said hugging both of us. Aunt? had her and Jesse gotten married while I was gone I guess she really was family now "I love you all too I'm not going to leave again I promise" I said, I meant it even if no one else gave a damn what happened to me my aunt and sister did I wasn't alone anymore. "We don't want to feel that scared and horrible again ether" D.J says rocking me gently back and forth I stopped crying.
This is what it feels like to be loved, to have someone to hug when your upset knowing that they'll always be there for you to have a family that wants you. It was the first time since my mom died that I had felt this close to anyone I didn't want to let go of ether of them I was back were I belonged. I'm grateful to be back here with them I didn't think I would ever see them again but here I was 4 years later holding on to them not thinking about dying. They were all I needed right now nothing was going to make me put them through that again if I could help it I loved them too much.