Welcome to chapter 6!
Apologies for the delay in upload, I've been busy and struggling to login to this account for some reason, but we are back!
Thank you so much to totalmillennial for the review, I really appreciate it.
Trigger warning: this chapter details what happened to Maya in more detail, so take whatever space you need with that (describes a sexual assault).
It is the last 'part' of this chapter, so if you would like to skip it just don't read the final section.
Enjoy!
19.
"Well Bishop I am happy with how your incision site is looking, no signs of infections, and the swelling is going down nicely," Bailey smiled, pulling the blanket back up over Maya's abdomen. In her other hand was the previous dressings, which she had replaced, they quickly were put in the bin.
"How long till I can leave?" Maya asked, tucking the blanket around herself more.
Carina started, "Bella you are still healing-"
"Carina is right," Bailey took over, knowing this was a sensitive topic, "You have had major surgery, and that is not without complications. Look I don't even want you standing yet, or using your core muscles. I am sorry but it won't be a short stay here."
Maya sighed, "I can't do anything," She quietly muttered.
"Ah, Maya Bishop, you don't get to be a firefighter, and Olympian, without having to rehab injuries. This is nothing different, you are rehabbing an injury, and for now, that includes no major physical movement!" Bailey firmly stated, not having the defeat in Bishop's tone. "I did lovely work on you, you don't get to go mess it up," She added with a smile.
Maya half smiled back, "When can I start PT then? I am going to go crazy not doing anything."
Bailey paused, "Well you've been cleared from neuro, so that's a start, maybe in a few days time?"
Carina nodded at Maya, trying to encourage her to see that was a good thing. A start.
There was a knock on the door, Jo entering. Carina stiffened, knowing what this would be about. Maya glanced between them, not seeming to realise the other aspect of working in reproductive healthcare.
Bailey quickly added a note to her tablet, "Better be going," She stated.
"Ah you can stay, if you like," Carina stopped her, sensing Maya's confusion she added, "You know, if you would like a short break?" She hoped Bailey would sense her unspoken words.
Looking between the couple and Jo she nodded, "Well sure, I can always use some time off my feet, I actually might update a chart while I'm here," Bailey sat down on a chair against the wall to Maya's right, turning on the tablet but not doing anything with it.
"Jo, what are you doing here?" Maya asked, they had met a few times at the hospital and at social dinners or parties, but weren't very close. She thought of their attempt at getting pregnant. About their future. Children. Would she take them fishing?
Jo pulled a chair up, sitting on the other side of Maya as Carina and Bailey, "Well I would like to do a quick examination, and make sure everything is healing." The words came out kindly and gently.
There was a pause as Maya processed, she slowly shook her head, feeling her breathing hitch slightly, "No, I am fine, I don't need, I," She began to blink back tears.
"Bella it is not your fault," Carina quietly affirmed to her wife.
Maya quickly pulled her hand away, separating herself, "You know? Why did you not say something? "Who told you?" She rambled out, pulled a loose hair from her face.
"Maya I-" Carina started.
"Maya I needed to perform an examination while you were in surgery, I needed consent from your family, from your wife. I believed I saw signs of sexual assault so performed a rape kit, which came back positive," Jo interrupted. She knew this was less than ideal circumstances, but also knew that Maya had the most support to get through this.
"So you did it while I was asleep, without consent?" Maya angrily snapped, not making eye contact.
"There is a time constraint on these things, so I had to act quickly. I am sorry, I know this is not what anyone wants," Jo explained, glancing at Bailey who nodded her support.
Carina reached back for her wife, holding her wrist, "Bambina you will get through this, I love you all the same."
Maya jerked her arm away, "Don't hold me down like that," The words were sharp, intended to cut and hurt.
"Maya c'mon, I am trying to support you, don't push me away," Carina said, trying to keep her tone calm, but not entirely being successful, she reached back for Maya.
"I said no," Maya shot back, trying to push Carina's hand away, snagging her IV line on the rail of her bed, pulling it out of her left arm. Carina stood and stepped back, fighting to not see the Maya from the previous time in hospital, who was so sick she couldn't see the support Carina was trying to give her.
A line of blood fell from Maya's inside forearm, she gasped slightly, Jo quickly pulled a dressing from the shelving behind her and pressed it against the wound.
Bailey stood and moved beside Carina, standing slightly between the two, "Maya this is incredibly hard, this is incredibly unfair, but this happened. The people in your life, Carina, the station, they are all in your corner, trying to help. It's time to let them," Maya looked up at her, frustration giving way to emotion as the tears started to fall. "We don't go pulling IV's, no ma'am." It was the tough love that only Bailey could dish out.
Jo applied a dressing to the IV site, and it was reinserted slightly higher up. The lights were dimmed slightly as Jo then, with Maya's consent, performed a quick check-up. She said there was some expected bruising and small abrasions, but nothing of concern. She added they were all there for them before excusing herself, Bailey following shortly afterwards.
The whole time Carina sat next to Maya, not touching her, but staying as close as she could, trying to meet her wife on her terms. When they were alone she dimmed the lights even more, trying to encourage Maya to take a nap. The suggestion had initially been resisted, but Carina put on some quiet music, and reminded Maya she wasn't going anywhere.
Maya was almost asleep when she mumbled, "Don't hold my wrists."
Carina, who by now was leaning back, doing some charting on her own tablet, didn't hear her the first time, "Hmm, what was that bella?"
"Next time, don't hold my wrists." Maya half opened her eyes.
Carina nodded slowly, intentionally showing she had heard her, "Why is that?"
"I don't like it," Maya didn't elaborate, but Carina got the message. She watched those blue eyes flutter closed, and thought to herself that progress had been made. Maya was starting to process what she needed.
19.
Theo and Travis followed broken branches and pressed underbrush for nearly 100 metres before both stopping. They glanced in various directions, each way looking plausible.
"Yeah we could be following deer tracks by now," Travis sighed, hands on hips.
Theo nodded, agreeing, "Yeah but I feel like we were onto something, you know?"
"Maybe we just give this info to PD, for all we know they've already looked here?" Travis said, looking at his watch when he noticed the sun starting to dip behind the steep ridge line to their left. "It's getting late anyway, we should probably head back."
"Yeeeaah," Ruiz slowly said, still looking around, trying to find something that seemed worth noting. He shook his head and they both made their way back up to the trail.
They quickly jogged the final miles to the car park, and drove without much conversation home. They found Vic on the couch, reading a book, the house smelt warm and flavourful, the crockpot was turned on, with a small amount of steam pushing through the gap in the lid.
Turning when she heard the door, Vic closed her book, "Anything?"
Theo shrugged, "Thought we found a path, but I'm not sure."
Travis lifted the lid of the crockpot, "Goulash?" He asked, using the wooden spoon sitting on the rest to stir the thick stew.
"Please, it's bigos, I ain't Hungarian," Vic remarked with a smile, "Needed some comfort food."
The boys nodded, Theo claiming first dibs on the shower and quickly headed down the hallway.
Travis sat down opposite Vic on the couch, hand on her ankle, "Did you go visit Bishop?"
Shaking her head she replied, "No, Carina said they did a check up and it was kinda rough, I didn't ask questions."
Travis leant back into the couch, "This is all so messed up."
"Mhm. Good run?" She was still a little hurt at being left out, but figured it was for a good reason.
"I mean Theo is a bit faster than me," Travis attempted a joke, noting it didn't really land he added, "I think we found where that log Andy talked about was used to trip her up, and maybe a path off into the bush, but now I'm not sure. Maybe we were wanting there to be something?"
"Trust your gut. Theo was right about the arson in his old neighbourhood, are you gonna talk to PD?"
"Yeah I noted on my phone where everything was, so I'll send that through once I've showered."
They both nodded, and sat in silence for a few moments. Thoughts only interrupted by the rice cooker clicking off. Theo arrived also, hair still a little damp, wearing casual clothes. The evening was starting to feel cool. A sign of changing seasons. Travis got up and also showered, soon they were eating their bowls of stew and rice in relative quiet.
19.
Her shoulders were aching, sore from being fixed above her head for too long. A sling had been wrapped around a tree roughly thigh thickness, and hooked onto the cable ties around her wrists. First came their fingers, sharp like IV lines, dragging their way down her skin. They caught on her clothing, pulling them away from her body. A defensive kick was traded for being winded. Laughter. So much laughter. Their breath smelt like booze.
Carina was finishing up her last chart, the joy of taking time off seeing patients meant there was now some time to catch up on these things. She placed the tablet down and got a drink of water from the sink on the other side of the room. A small whimper came from the bed behind her and she spun around. Maya's face was twitching, and her breathing was unsteady, catching in her throat. The heart rate monitor was increasing.
"Bambina, c'mon," Carina gently said, flicking the curtain behind Maya open, letting in more light as she quickly reached for her wife.
Maya didn't wake, but recoiled at the touch.
Carina placed a hand on her shoulder, and the other on her opposite elbow, careful of the IV port, "Bella, it's time to wake up, you're safe." She gave a light shake.
That seemed to break the spell as Maya jerked awake, pushing past Carina to sit more upright, gasping for air. Unable to find any she reached for her throat, willing it to open. The heart rate monitor screen started to beep, indicating distress. Carina quickly reached up and muted it, not needing the additional stress. Maya started to try to get up, eyes not focused, clearly not aware of her surroundings. Carina was suddenly very aware of her incision site and both internal and external stitches.
"Maya, Maya no, you need to stay in bed," She cupped her wife's cheeks in her hands, willing her to make eye contact, Maya's eyes darted around the room before settling on Carina's. "Good bella, breath," Carina took an exaggerated inhale, something for Maya to follow. The deep breathing came after a few attempts, as the room came back into focus for Maya. A nurse arrived at the door, having seen the alarm come through at their desk, a sharp head shake from Carina sent them away, 'another perk' she mused to herself.
Carina turned and reached back for her glass of water, handing it to Maya, who took it with shaky hands. Tears had filled her eyes and she was blinking them away furiously.
"It's ok bella, you're allowed to have bad dreams," Carina said gently, reaching to tuck a piece of hair behind Maya's ear, pretending not to notice the slight flinch from her as she did so.
"I'm sorry," Maya quietly replied, not having a drink, just watching the water tremble.
"No, nothing to be sorry for," Carina asserted, sitting on the edge of the bed, facing Maya. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Maya shook her head weakly, "Not really, I'm seeing Diane tomorrow right?"
"Si, in the afternoon."
She shrugged, "Plenty of talking to be had then I guess."
Carina was torn if she should check Maya's incision, to make sure nothing externally had been pulled and was bleeding, but also could tell Maya didn't want to be touched too much right now. She decided she could do that soon, once things had calmed down more. There was also something she felt more strongly about bringing up with her wife.
"Maya," She began slowly, "I think you need to update your statement to the police."
"Really? You're bringing this up now?" Maya retorted defensively.
"Mayaaa," Carina elongated the final syllable of her name, "They need to know, they need all the information from you, it helps affirm what the doctors and team would have said."
Maya paused, processing, "What do you mean? Who else has been interviewed?"
Carina pushed her hair back, trying to not be frustrated, "Police have taken statements from all the doctors, and from Andy and Ben."
Maya shifted uncomfortably, looking at her hands, "I didn't realise," She muttered.
"Mmm that's ok, but now that you do know, you need to do something about that si?" Carina could feel the tension lessening, being replaced by a different, more sombre emotion. Maya nodded, still not looking at Carina. Deciding not to push it, Carina added, "We can deal for it tomorrow, it is nearly dinner time, let's get ready for that."
"Deal with it," Maya mumbled, with a half smile.
Carina rolled her eyes comically back, savouring whatever happiness she could get.
19.
Seeing Diane arrive bought a wave of anxiety Maya wasn't expecting. Memories of how alone and scared she felt when they first started working together last year sprang up as she walked through the door.
"I want Carina to stay," Maya firmly stated, feeling embarrassed at the attachment. 'Monogamy is for the weak' flitted around her head.
Diane placed her bag down and put her hands on the railing at the end of the bed, "Normally I would prefer working 1-on-1 with someone," She then reached down to her bag and grabbed some wireless headphones. "But these are noise cancelling, so shall we compromise?"
Carina ended up nestled in the corner, turning the seats to face each other, sitting on one, her feet up on the other, tablet on her lap, facing away from the pair. Headphones in she pretended to work, feeling guilty for taking time off of her patients, but mostly just watched videos. Diane pulled a chair up to the other side of Maya's bed, so she in turn wasn't facing her wife. Not quite with their backs to each other, but not in each other's line of vision.
"Well you're not catching a break," She smiled, sensing Maya's discomfort.
Maya nodded, twiddling one of the many cords running from her body to a device behind her. She couldn't quite name her feeling, but it sat in the overall realm of awkward.
Diane watched her for a moment, toying with sitting in the silence, or coaxing her out of it, "Do you know why I'm here?"
Maya shrugged, "Carina thinks it's a good idea, but I," She paused, "I don't know."
Diane leant back, reaching down into her bag, "Well I bought this with me," She held up a plastic board that looked like a children's toy. It had a scale from 0 to 10, with a slider that would move along the numbers. The 0 was a dark red, which faded into a green at 10. "I am going to ask you some yes or no questions, and you can move the slider to show your answer. Do you understand?" She knew that people who had been through similar events often struggled with verbal processing to start with, and hoped it would help bring some of those thoughts and feelings into a more physical answer.
Maya rubbed her eyebrow and nodded, musing that her first proper session with Diane included colouring in pencils and paper, now a children's toy. The plastic board was placed on her lap, she moved the slider left and right slightly, feeling the action out.
"Right, let's start easy, are you Maya Bishop?" Diane sat upright, more as a show of interest than good posture.
Maya smirked and slid the scale to the green 10.
Diane nodded, "And is that your wife Carina De Luca?" She pointed, watching Maya glance over to the corner, her facial features softening. Carina didn't see the interaction.
A green 10.
"Do you love her?"
A green 10. Eyes blinking quickly and an exhale of emotion.
Diane smiled, "Do you feel she loves you back?"
Maya paused, a slightly paler 9.
"Do you remember how you ended up in this hospital bed?" It was a sudden change of topic, but still easing into the conversation Diane wanted to have.
Dropping eye contact Maya slid the scale to an 8.
"Do you feel safe here?"
A 7.
"Do you feel safe with the idea of going outside?"
6.
"Are you doing everything you can to feel safe again?"
Maya's fingers floated above the board in hesitancy, "Define safe," She quietly asked.
Diane leant forward, hands pressed together, "Not feeling worried or threatened. Feeling like you can be you and that is ok."
"I don't know how to answer," Maya responded, any confidence she had was gone. "That has not really been a common feeling in my life." She didn't elaborate, aware Diane already had a working knowledge of her upbringing.
Diane reached forward and took the plastic board, putting it down the end of the bed, out of the way. Maya had opened the door on dialogue, and she was determined to enter that space. "When did you last feel safe?"
There was a pause, "Our wedding night, before I was fired. When I had won."
"What do you mean 'won'?" Diane rested an elbow on the arm of the chair.
Maya shrugged, feeling like she had said the wrong word, always feeling like everything was measured carefully when talking to Dr Lewis. "I had Carina, I had captain. I had won."
Diane continued, "Why did you not feel safe before then?"
Maya glanced over at Carina, who appeared to be watching a travel vlog of Italy, something she did to calm down sometimes, "Marriage means that person chooses you forever. I guess I always had a little bit of doubt Carina would choose me," She picked at a scab on her arm slightly, "Captain meant I was enough."
"And why do you not feel safe now?" Diane knew a lot about Maya's feeling of needing to be the best, and her doubts around Carina's commitment to her, her focus was more on drawing out the more recent trauma.
Maya's head flicked on a slight angle, her jaw pushing to her right side, a movement Diane recognised as her feeling uncomfortable.
"Ah, because what happened could happen again, because I won't be cleared for work for months, because the team will get annoyed they've got a sub for months, because the department doesn't like me, because Carina will have to go back to work," Once the words started they began to fall out, mixed with the odd tear.
Diane interrupted, "The department has to do its job, they can't fire you because you're rehabbing an injury. Your team's only concern right now is that you get better because they care about you, not because they don't want a sub. In all the things you listed, what can you do to try reduce these things?"
Maya let out a shaky breath, "Hmm," A small smile of embarrassment danced across her face, "I can rehab?"
Diane nodded, thinking of her own injury, "And what about the first thing you listed?"
Maya's head ducked, "It happening again?"
Another nod.
"Be smarter? It was stupid I didn't see it coming," She fished for the right answer, feeling on the spot.
"I mean, I'm sure you will never run a trail the same way again, but even so you took all the reasonable precautions right? What was in your running bag?"
"Ah, a rain jacket, a first aid kit, a locator beacon, some food, my water bladder," She mumbled.
"What extra gear would've prevented this?"
Maya shrugged, "Maybe some pepper spray?"
Diane shook her head, "Maya this could've happened if you were loaded with defensive gear, sure pepper spray could've helped. But what can you do to reduce it from happening again in the future? Where are the people who did this?" It was a firm tone, but not a dramatic one.
Bishop realised the point Diane was trying to make and her face tightened, "I don't know, I don't want, I, ah," She took a sharp inhale, suddenly feeling hot and sticky.
"Maya I can't confirm that these people will be caught, but I can confirm that you being able to say that you did everything you could to get them caught, that will help you feel safer," She thought about her own trauma. The way her world would close in around her when she walked into her parent's bar after her own attack. "They could be planning to do it to someone else. Someone who isn't as strong a runner." She hadn't disclosed it to Bishop yet, but Carina had given her some of the details of what had happened, which made this discussion a lot easier. Maya nodded slightly, not making eye contact. "If you like, I can record you talking and give that to PD, as an official statement? I am authorised to do that as part of my licensing."
Maya sighed, pulling her blanket down further off herself, to just below her hips. "Do you want to do that now?"
"The sooner the better."
19.
Maya sat upright in her bed, with Carina perched next to her, hand lightly floating up and down her forearm. It looked like a gentle reassurance, but it was also a technique they used when the other was feeling anxious. A physical timer to try breath along with.
A hand floated up. Maya inhaled with it. The hand floated down. Exhale.
"My name is Maya Bishop, it is the 26th of September 2023, and this is my official statement of the events that happened on the 22nd of September 2023."
She glanced at Diane who nodded, confirming she had said the correct information.
"On Friday the 22nd I went for a run up to the reservoir on Spruce Trail, when I met a tall, thin man. Maybe late 40's. We talked for a few minutes, before I left. He seemed a bit weird, but I didn't think anything else of it. Part way down the trail I tripped over a log that I didn't see on the way up and another hunter, this one shorter and bigger, he was there to help me. I, I banged my knee pretty good."
Maya reached down instinctively and touched the area, feeling a bandage that was covering an itchy scab.
"He then radioed someone and said he had, um, that he had sorted tonight's entertainment, then hit me unconscious with the butt of his rifle."
Her breathing hitched and Carina's hand pressed more firmly on her forearm. Up. Inhale. Down. Exhale.
"I woke up, I don't know how much later and was tied up at some makeshift camp. They were eating and heard me wake up. I was cable tied to a tree in a dried ditch. I was facing west, as the sun was almost in my eyes."
Feeling confident that would be helpful information Maya half smiled, before resuming her serious expression.
"I, ah, they untied me from the tree and dragged me closer to their camp. I kicked one and they kicked me back. It winded me, I, ah, I didn't kick them again."
Carina, who was sitting taller than Maya, blinked away tears, biting her lip. She knew she needed to hold it together for Maya in this moment. It was not her turn to break. Diane glanced up and saw that and lifted her chin, nodding at Carina to stay strong.
"They then tied me to a different tree, and put one of those plastic-bottomed camping blankets beneath me. Then they, ah, they, umm,"
Maya could feel her discomfort growing, and reached forward, taking the cup of water Diane had given her. Taking a slow drink. It felt like it did nothing. Her mouth still felt dry.
"They both took a turn assaulting me. First the shorter guy, but the other guy watched. I think he was more in charge. He smoked three cigarettes while it happened. Then he sent the shorter person to go get firewood. He had an eagle tattoo. He, he, ah, it hurt a lot."
Emotion began leaving Maya's voice. Carina had tears running down her face, which she let fall, not able to move otherwise. Diane nodded, encouraging Maya to get it out, but not wanting to talk. To break whatever spell had come over Maya. Diane knew the name of the spell. Emotional shutdown. Disassociation from the present.
"When he finished and the other one was back they lit a fire and cooked some food. I had a sleeping bag thrown over me so I couldn't see them, but I could see my running vest. They were talking. They said they'd each have a couple of rounds before turning in. Then tidy up in the morning. I think they meant me. I felt a sharp thing poking out of the tree. I think it was a rusted metal lid, maybe an old trail marker. I began rubbing it on the cable tie on my wrist. It didn't take as long as I thought. I figured I'd make a run once they had gone to bed. I could hear thunder in the distance."
Carina thought of the rain that fell that night. How she had heard the thunder arriving also. A wave of guilt washed over her.
"The taller one came over to do it again. I tried to fight him off with my legs, but my shoelaces were tied together and he was stronger. I didn't want them to know I had broken the cable ties either, so kind of just took it. At one point the shorter one began loading his rifle. I think they were going to shoot me when he was done. I knew I had to run. When the boss got up and turned around I quickly took off my shoes and ran. I grabbed my vest and ran up-hill. They didn't notice immediately but there was shouting as they chased me."
Maya ducked her head and pressed herself into Carina, her hands fiddled with the empty plastic cup. She watched the remaining droplets skirt around the bottom.
"It started to rain and they were hunters. I think they followed me for a while. Tracked me. I don't know. But I stood up at one point and heard a loud bang. It knocked me over. They shot me. I don't even know where they were shooting from so I ran again. I was running across a creek now and there was another bang and I heard the bullet shoot past me. Then again and I was knocked down. I crawled into some thick, prickly plants and hid. I could hear them searching but with the rain I don't think they could find my tracks. I waited till it was dark then began climbing uphill. I don't know what happened next, I was cold. Very cold."
The spell broke and Maya looked sideways at Diane, unsure of what to say next.
"Is there anything else you can think of Maya? Anything that would help identify them?"
Maya paused, "I think their trucks were parked at the trail head, there was a ute there that looked like a hunter's one."
"What did the truck look like?"
Maya shrugged, "Ah it was dark red, maroon? It was a flat deck and maybe some roof racks?"
Diane nodded, reaching forward and turning off the recording device. "Maya I want to say you are a very, very strong person. You did what you had to do to stay safe, and you got yourself out of there. You are a fighter."
Maya nodded tiredly, leaning her head into Carina.
"I will be in touch tomorrow with next steps ok?" She stood and grabbed her bag, smiling compassionately to them both as she left.
There was a silent pause. The room inhaled. Exhaled.
"Bambina I-" Carina began, her voice uncertain and shaky with emotion.
"I don't want to talk anymore," Maya stated, half rolling onto her right side, her shoulder blocking Carina's view of her face.
Carina, now with her arms free, wiped and rubbed her eyes, "Maya what do you-"
"I'm tired Carina," Maya firmly said, closing the door on any further conversation.
Carina sighed, looking at the time. 1248. She wasn't hungry but knew that Amelia would soon start pestering her about leaving for her daily 'break'. Knowing she wouldn't get much out of Maya at the moment she rubbed the back of her hand on her wife's upper arm, "Bella I am going to go toilet and do some charting, I'll stay in the room though, si?"
Maya just nodded, eyes closed. Carina got up and pulled the curtains partially closed, dimming the lights also so it would be more inviting for sleep if Maya could settle enough. Once seated across the room from Maya she watched the heart rate monitor display.
54. 54. 56. 53. 54. 55. 56.
Knowing that Maya's resting heart rate normally sat at around 48-50 beats per minute she knew her wife wasn't sleeping.
19.
So there's chapter 6! Probably one of the darker ones thus far, I wasn't sure how to write the actual details of what happened to Maya, and wasn't sure if I was going to reveal it slowly through flashbacks/dreams, or one longer scene.
Overall though I'm happy with how this has come out, and I still intend on bringing extra details to light further along the story.
Either way, let me know how you found it, please leave a review if you have the time, I really appreciate any thoughts!