Disclaimer: I don't own anyone.
Rated: M
Warning(s): Slash, Threesome, Kidnapping, Threats, Self-Harm, etc.

In his debilitated state, it took him almost a half-hour to travel a half-mile downhill to the local Wal-Mart. It was a twenty-four hour store, so he didn't doubt that someone would be behind the customer service desk. Whether or not they would be hospitable to a man in his condition at three o' clock in the morning was a different story, however. But it was worth the risk. He needed some towels, antiseptic, pain medication, and hot water. And he needed to be away from that bloody sidewalk.

He went in through the 'out' automatic door, holding onto his cracked ribs as if they were his lifeline. It was amazing how the slightest bit of pressure applied there could make him scream out in agony, but it hurt that much worse if he took his arm away. He looked around, hoping to find someone within close proximity to help him. The occasional cashier rung up an early riser's groceries, but other than that, there wasn't a soul to be found. That would be just his luck.

Sucking in as deep a breath as he could muster, he started to move toward the customer service desk (conveniently located by the other entrance). His boots left bloody prints on the white tile, causing one of the early riser's to scream like a little girl. Roman paid them no mind. He didn't have any time to be considerate of them, after all. If he stopped, then he would be done, and he couldn't afford to take that sort of risk. Not with so much on the line.

Once he finally arrived at the customer service desk, he found himself face-to-face with a bottle blonde lazily popping bright yellow bubbles to pass the time. But when she saw him, however, she nearly had a conniption. For a second, she considered hitting the panic button under the counter. When she saw that he was unarmed, however, she climbed over the counter and helped him into the nearest seat. As soon as he stopped, he felt like he would upchuck again.

"What the hell happened to you, man?" She slurred. Maybe she was a little drunk, Roman couldn't really tell and, to be honest, he didn't really care. He just needed some supplies to tend to his wounds.

"I have… I have money. I need… I need medical supplies." Roman stuttered. With a shaky hand, he reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet. "Just t-take it. I don't.. I don't know how much it will cost."

"Okay. Okay." Her hands trembled as she opened the wallet and peered inside. "Tell me what you need, okay?"

"I need a towel, gauze, Tylenol, and access to hot water." Roman slurred. "I'm bloody and I just need to be able to clean myself off. Do you think that you can do that for me?"

She nodded. "Yeah, sure, whatever you want. There are showers around the back, employee only and what not. But I can have the maintenance men unlock it for you. You can wash up then."

"Okay." Roman leaned back, closing his eyes. "Thank you."

"Are you sure that you don't need anything else? A soda, maybe? Water?" She asked.

Roman swallowed hard, realizing how dry his throat was after throwing up for the second time that night. "Yeah, water would be nice." He eventually caved in, "Thank you."

She went around behind the desk and called the 'Home Furnishing' department, calling down a representative in order to have the towels delivered to Roman. Then, she called the maintenance men down so that the showers could be unlocked. Seconds later, a whole mess of towels were rushed down. Wetting the end of one of the towels, she handed it to the Samoan as they waited for the washroom to be unlocked. Roman wiped his face clean of the blood, realizing that he must've looked a mess.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to call an ambulance?" She asked. "You really look like shit, mister."

Roman laughed bitterly, but this degenerated into a cough that stained the white towel red. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Roman swallowed hard. "Is that water coming soon?"

The representative from the Home Furnishing department handed him a water bottle. "Sorry, that's why it took me so long. Billy took his break and couldn't answer the call."

Roman cracked the lid and started to drink, feeling the water dribble from the corner of his mouth and, tinged pink, drip from his chin. "Do you… Do you want to tell us what happened? We're here to listen, if you want?"

Roman swallowed hard, trying to ignore the throbbing pain at the base of his back. "Not really."

Never one to take no for an answer, the other woman continued to push. "Are you sure? I mean, we don't want to be pushy.. but we're worried about you." She finished lamely.

"Are those showers open yet?" Roman asked, blatantly ignoring her question. There were just some demons that he wasn't ready to face.

"Yeah, the showers are open." She answered nonchalantly. She shared a look with her friend, before they helped Roman to his feet, stuffing the items that he had requested into his arms. Roman didn't listen to a word that they said.

He stumbled into the shower, thankful for that fact that the showers were automatic. Without even bothering to take off his clothes, he fell to the floor and let the shower wash away all evidence of the brutal rape that he had endured. Reaching into the pill bottle, he took out two ovular Tylenols and downed them with ease. And then he let his head fall back against the marble tile, closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep.

But trying to sleep with the pain that his body was in was like trying to get blood from a stone.