Chapter 21 Killian's Revenge

TW: Implied non-con

Tony's point of view

Since Pepper had stayed with me for two weeks during the summer, her godparents invited me to stay for the same amount of time over winter break while my parents were away for business reasons. Vince, Richie, Shane and I went bowling one afternoon while Linda was teaching Steph and Pepper to bake cookies…

One afternoon while Vince and Linda were on a double date with my parents, who had just returned from their business trip and Mr Jarvis had taken me Christmas shopping, something terrifying happened.

Pepper's point of view

I decided to go into the pool house and go for a swim in the indoor pool… that was my first mistake. I had just finished putting my hair under my swimming hat when a pair of arms grabbed me from behind and dragged me into the cupboard.

A seven-hour attack ensued. I was beaten and repeatedly violated and then thrown into the pool head first so that I struck my head on the side of the pool. My assailant was careful not to throw me under the water with the head injury that I now had. I climbed out of the pool before i passed out.

Tony's point of view

Something felt off when I went to meet Pepper for our date. Vince and Linda weren't back yet. I went to the front door, the housekeeper answered. Stephanie came down in her pyjamas.

"Where's Pepper?"
"I don't know… she went for a swim earlier and never came back. Shane and Richie are at Marissa Mazola's party."
"AND IT NEVER OCCURRED TO YOU TO CHECK ON HER?"

Mrs Zbornak, the housekeeper, helped Steph and I look for her… she was lying by the pool… blood pooled under her head.

"Don't just stand there like a bunch of idiotic sheep, help her!" I snapped.

"Get me a towel, some bandages, rubber gloves and a blanket… and then call an ambulance QUICKLY!"

"I'm going to call Mr and Mrs McMahon… and have them come home." said Mrs Zbornak

Pepper's point of view

I regained consciousness with someone sitting over me.

"Pepper… it's me… you're safe… don't try to move."
"He…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…he…" I stammered

"Hey… look at me… it's Tony… you're safe… I got you… do you remember who did this to you?"
"Killian"

"WHAT?"
"He was waiting for me when I came in to swim. He attacked me for 7 hours. I screamed and screamed but no one came…"

"Can you turn your head a little?"
"OK…OWW!"

Tony's point of view

Before Christmas Professor Dumbledore had been suspended from his headmaster's duties and Professor Riddle had taken over. He had made healing mandatory for all 5th-7th year students. We had just learned how to treat cuts and how to diagnose and treat mild concussion.

"The wound looks superficial however since you told me what Killian did to you and since head injuries are not something to mess around with, I'm going to insist that you go to the hospital"
"OK…"
"I'll come with you"

They treated her head trauma first and were about to discharge her when I said

"So did you do the internal exam?"
"What internal exam"
"My girlfriend was attacked and violated. I want her examined properly by a properly qualified professional" I snapped

"Sorry we don't do that here."

Pepper was discharged.

"Mrs Zbornak, I'd like to take Pepper back to Long Island with me"

"I shall call Mr Jarvis when we get back to the house"

"I'll call him now and ask him to meet us at the house"

"OK"

"I'm also going to call Stephanie and have her pack Pepper some clothes and things, she'll be staying with me until we go back to school. I don't think she will want to go back to the house"
"I don't Tony"

"OK"

When we got back to the McMahon house, Mr Jarvis was waiting and Steph had packed a suitcase for Pepper.

I helped her out of Mrs Zbornak's car into my father's.

When we got home, Mrs Jarvis made Pepper some hot chocolate.

"Can I take a bath?"
"Not yet… Mom call Dr Turner at once, we need to do a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam at once"

"She was?"
"Yes"

Dorothy's point of view

I was furious with Linda. Somehow she'd managed to talk Vince into not coming home after their god-daughter was attacked.

"Steph, will you be OK by yourself or do you want me to call your godfather?"
"Call my godfather, please. I haven't seen him for a while."

She noticed the envelope in my hand.

"What's that?"
"My resignation. I'm not sticking around, not after this. Your parents were told, by me that your cousin was brutally assaulted… and violated, and they still chose to stay with their friends."
"Dad said his friend is going through some stuff right now"
"Since when is that more important than your cousin? I cannot and will not stay and work for a family of ill repute. I'm catholic, it's immoral and I'll burn."
"Mrs Zbornak wait. I'll call dad's friend and tell him what happened. I'm sure he'll send mom and dad home immediately. We're catholic too."
"It's too late"

"No it's not, just let me… talk to him OK?"
"Fine"

Stephanie's point of view

I spoke to dad's friend, he and mom and dad came back immediately. He used his pull with the authorities to have a forensic team examine the pool house closely he contacted Mr Stark and asked for an update on Ginny. My godfather arrived.

"I'm gonna take Steph to Boca for a few days"
"OK, good idea"

Shane came staggering through the door twenty minutes, supported by Richie. This was after I went upstairs to start packing for my trip with my godfather. Shane was inebriated and as high as a kite. He got screamed at by dad and his friend and then, Mom grounded Shane. She had never done that before.

Dr Turner's point of view

Shelagh and I had just sat down to watch television when an urgent call came in.

"Bring her to Nonatus house. We can treat her discretely there"

"What's wrong Patrick?"
"Virginia Potts has been attacked… in the same way Mrs Stark was many years ago."

Shelagh paled.
"She's going to need moral support"
"Tony is coming with her and so are his parents"

Tony's point of view

Pepper was petrified out of her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks, she was trembling and every time I tried to pull her into my arms she flinched.

"Pep… you're OK. Mrs Jarvis and Mom and I are going to take you to Nonatus House. Dad is going to drive. Please… let me hold you?"
"I'm dirty… I'm used… you don't want…"
"Honey I do… look at me"
"Everything is ruined"
"No it's not… mom walked through something similar, 2 years before I was born." mom gave me a horrified look "Uncle Obie told me when I visited him during the summer, but he didn't tell me the details. After what happened with Abigale, I asked for his advice… I've told Bruce to get Jay, Clint, Pietro, and Joey together… I called Vince and Linda to ask if Richie and Shane could help me. Shane is grounded because he got drunk, and stoned at Marissa's party and got a long lecture from Vince and his friend. Richie is allowed to help. Mr Jarvis is going to take them to see the Killians tomorrow and they're going to rough that boy up a bit — nothing serious, just a wedgie and some bruises — I made them promise they wouldn't seriously harm him. No one hurts my soulmate and gets away with it. I know two wrongs don't make a right but I have to do something."

"Dr Turner is going to have that boy put into an institution"

"Good… but I promised Bruce and the others they could sort him out first."
"OK"

We went to Nonatus House, Mrs Turner made Pepper a cup of hot strong tea with a half teaspoon of sugar and then she, Mrs Jarvis, mom and Pepper went into the exam room while Dad and I stayed in the corridor with Dr Turner.

"You did very well healing the head wound"
"It was superficial. Can you check for signs of concussion please?"
"Of course."

Bruce's point of view

Jay, Clint, Joey, Richie, Shane and I (I managed to persuade Mr and Mrs McMahon to let Shane join us since they wouldn't let Stephanie do it.) went with Mr Jarvis and Mr McMahon's friend (who was there to keep a very close eye on Shane) we cornered Aldrich in the garden and after roughing him up a bit, we hung him by his underwear from a tree for his parents to find, with a note from Tony telling his parents precisely what he had done to Pepper. When Aldrich's parents returned home, we were waiting. We told the parents everything and Aldrich Killian was disowned. Dr Turner had him institutionalised on grounds of physical enfeeblement which meant that it was difficult to get a trial but Vince and Linda decided to sue him on Pepper's behalf, and they put the money into her college fund.

Pepper's point of view

Mrs Stark insisted on telling Professor McGonagall about what happened to me.

"She needs to know so that she can help you"

Reluctantly,I agreed.

Professor McGonagall called Tony and I to her office on the first day back.

"If you need to talk or if you don't feel right, come and see me immediately, OK?"
"Yes ma'am, we will"

Somehow the papers got wind of the story, and it was all over the Daily Prophet before any one of us could blink.