Taken
Taken - Chapter 4
Author: Tay_21
Title: Taken
Fandom: Primeval
Pairings: Connor/Abby
Rating: PG-13 (for violence)
Genre: violence, hurt/comfort, angst, romance
Warnings: This chapter is rather violent and dark. Be warned.
Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so please leave lots of comments and any thoughts on the story. Thanks to Wilemina_29 for reviewing and taking out the Americanisms. IN this chapter: Connor's actions have consequences for both Abby and him.
Summary: Abby and Connor find themselves in a very dark situation with only the other to rely on, if they can learn to trust each other.
Part 4 - A Step Out of Line
Several days passed as Abby and Connor got used to their new life in captivity. Some of the black clad guards showed up about 7:30 every morning with breakfast for them. They ate quietly while the guards watched. After breakfast, they would leave with Connor, and Abby was left alone in the windowless room for the rest of the day.
Connor got her some books to read and even a Nintendo DS for her to play with, but she was still bored most of he time. She really wasn’t a video game person.
She began to look forward to Connor’s evening return. She tried to tell herself it was just because she wanted someone to talk to, but she wasn’t sure if she was being entirely honest with herself.
This had been their routine for about five days now. But then something changed.
The place was usually quiet, but today she heard shouting. It was all muffled, but she could clearly make out Connor’s voice rising to protest something; a slight panicked edge in it. She could hear commotion, but no real definition to give her a clue to what was going on. Next she heard a sound that made her blood run cold. There was a piercing thwack followed by a sharp cry.
And then it repeated over and over again. Thwack, cry; Thwack, cry; thwack, cry.
They were beating someone and she had a horrible feeling that it was Connor. She sank down on to the bed and rocked back and forth while she half tried to count the repetitions and half tried to shut the sound out.
She was able to count at least 15 of these repetitions, but there were probably more in all actuality. She wasn’t sure.
About a half an hour later the door burst open and some of the soldiers came dragging Connor through it and into the room. They had beaten him and her heart broke. He had blood all over him, and it dripped onto the floor in little red flashes.
He looked at her weakly and tried to smile, “Hey Abbs.” One of the escorts hit him hard across the mouth to silence him and more blood blossomed from the fresh gash. Connor merely grunted in response his head dropping down.
A man in a pin striped suit and clearly in charge strode through the door behind Connor and his escorts. He looked Abby up and down then turned and addressed Connor.
“Perhaps you do not realize the gravity of the situation, or the consequences for your little stunt today.”
Several more guards of the big and burly type came into the room. They grabbed Abby and zip tied her wrists in front of her. She winced and gasped as the plastic was pulled painfully tight around her wrists and dug into her flesh.
“NO!” Connor cried out, suddenly alarmed. “Leave her alone. She’s nothin’ to do with this. With what happened; what I did. Please.”
“Oh, it doesn’t work that way I’m afraid. You see that’s why she’s here. To help you see that stupid, careless actions on your part have consequences; consequences others have to pay.”
“No! Please, don’t. You’ve already got my attention. I get it. It won’t happen again. Please, don’t hurt her.”
“Connor, what’s going on?” Abby’s voice rang with terror and confusion.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. Canalla said to Connor, “We won’t use the same one we used on you. For now, we won’t leave any permanent damage.”
“Connor?!” Abby cried.
The soldiers spun her around and shoved her forward so that she lay across their small bed. They pinned her bound arms down so that she was face down with her arms stretched over her head. They pulled her shirt up revealing her nearly bare back, showing her white bra strap.
She could hear Connor screaming at them; begging them to let her go; not to do this. But it was all to no avail. She heard the slight whistle the leather strap made as it flew through the air and she squeezed her eyes shut as she realized what was about to happen. She felt the flash of white hot searing pain strike across her back and she cried out involuntarily.
The thwack of the leather strap echoed off the walls of the sparse room over and over again. The sound mingled with her screams, which were a mirror of Connor’s. She writhed, squirmed and bucked against the men holding her down. But they were much stronger than her. Some of them laughed as they watched the ordeal; their tone suggesting they were clearly enjoying themselves.
She tried to be still after the first few lashes. She didn't want to give them any more satisfaction in what they were doing. Still, with each lash, her body jerked as involuntary shudders ran through her. She couldn't manage to stifle her screams though, much as she tried.
Connor watched in horror as each strike left a livid bright red welt across her back. Something inside him broke at the sight of it. He fought and strained against the soldiers that held him back, but he knew it was useless. He knew it was all his fault. All he could do was stare on in horror.
He wasn’t even aware that he was screaming along with her, the pain in his own body forgotten for the moment. His screams eventually subsided into gut wrenching sobs that shook his whole body.
When they finished, 15 stripes later, and let Abby go, they let Connor go at the same time. Before she could slump to the floor, he had her gently cradled in his arms.
“You bastard,” was all he could say. He had his arms wrapped around her protectively, trying to soothe her. Fresh tears threatened to overflow. He knew he didn’t have the strength to stop them from snatching her right out of his grasp if they so chose. That scared him more than anything.
“Perhaps you’ll think twice next time you get such a bright idea.” Mr. Canalla responded coolly.
“It wasn’t necessary. You already had my cooperation. Why?” Connor glared at him angrily. Tears still wet on his cheeks.
Mr. Canalla knelt down in front of him. He reached up to brush Abby’s hair off the side of her face. She flinched away turning her face further into Connor’s chest, her grip on his bloody shirt tightening. Connor pulled her closer to him defensively. He could feel her shaking convulsively. Still sobbing, but almost silently.
Mr. Canalla took something out of his pocket, a fingernail clipper. He reached up and clipped the zip tie that bound Abby’s wrists. She didn’t react at all.
“I need you to understand how serious I am. I also need you to be aware that Miss Maitland’s fate rests with you, Mr. Temple. You are responsible for this. Keep that in mind, because next time the consequences will be much stiffer and more permanent. Do you understand me?” His voice and gaze were ice cold. He stared straight into Connor’s eyes.
Connor nodded silently. Most of his anger replaced by terror at what he saw in the cruel man’s stare. . He started to shake involuntarily and Mr. Canalla smiled at the reaction.
“Now, I think we understand each other. Take the rest of the day off, Mr. Temple.” He stood up and exited the room, the rest of the soldiers departing with him.
The door snapped shut and they heard the click of the lock engaging. A visceral sob broke passed Abby’s lips while Connor released the breath he had not realized he had been holding. When he went to breathe back in, he found he was sobbing again, right along with Abby. They stayed that way for a while too shocked and in too much pain to do anything else.
Connor got control of himself first, which was a bit unusual, but so was their situation.
“Abby. Abby, sweetheart, open your eyes.” He said gently. “Abby please look at me.” She hadn’t opened her eyes since they’d started striking her. He shook her gently.
“Abby, They’re gone. Ok. Alright?” She opened her eyes slowly, just a small flutter at first, but then they were open completely and she stared back at him. Her eyes were pink and flushed, but he could tell she was calming down too.
It did little to reassure him. After all, this was his fault, just like Mr. Canalla had said. A few new tears leaked down his face. “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed anew. “It was such a stupid idea… I… I didn’t think… not this… I’m so so sorry.”
“What happened?” She asked quietly. Connor took a deep, shuddering breath to reacquire control of his emotions.
“I tried to send a message. It was such a stupid idea. I had been working on how to do it since before they brought you here. I thought I had covered my tracks well enough. I didn’t count on them playing back through the camera footage and looking at the screen shots. I should have. How could I have been so dumb? I’m so sorry Abby, if I had known…”
They both had fresh tears now and Connor resumed rocking her gently.
Abby reached up and touched his cheek. Her thumb wiping away the latest tear. “You couldn’t have known. No one could have. No one would think that they would do this. I mean, no normal person would respond to what you did like this. It’s not your fault Conn. THEY did this, not you.”
Connor heard her words, but he didn’t believe them.
“Let’s get off the floor. I need to have a look at your injuries, see if there is anything we can do about them.” His tone was even, too even. It scared Abby a little. There was something even more broken about Connor than usual.
They stood up from the floor, Connor making hissing noises through his teeth the whole while.
He turned Abby around and gently pulled up the back of her shirt. Red-purple bruises and welts were already forming in horrible crisscross patterns all over her back. But, true to Mr. Canalla’s word, there were no breaks in the skin. There would be no permanent damage. This time.
That didn’t stop more tears rushing back into Connor’s eyes and slipping silently down his cheeks. His fingerless gloved hands curled into fists.
He released them after a moment and ran one cool finger delicately along one red stripe. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
Abby shivered. But, surprisingly, a good shiver. What was wrong with her? She was never emotional or over sensitive. She needed to take charge. She turned towards Connor. “Turn around, let me see.”
So she had picked up on his hisses of pain. He had been trying to keep that quiet. “No. Honestly, I’ll be fine.”
“Connor. Turn. Around.” He lowered his head and obeyed. She gingerly pulled up the back of his shirt, which was already stiff with dried blood, and immediately sucked in a quick breath. Now she understood where all the blood had come from.
Where she only had bruises and welts, Connor had swollen, bloody, purpling stripes crisscrossing his back. How had he kept to only hissing in pain? He must be in agony.
“Oh God, Connor. We have to get this cleaned up. You could get an infection.” She dropped his shirt and turned for the door.
“Abby, what’re ya doin’? Connor asked, his voice raising an octave.
Abby ignored him and banged on the door to get the attention of the guard standing outside. The door opened to reveal a surly looking man glowering threateningly down at Abby.
Abby angrily stared back, “He needs medical attention. A first aid kit at least.”
“No, no medical.” He made to close the door. Abby pushed back in order to keep it open while she stated her case.
“Look, if you want him to do what ever it is you brought him here for, then I’m guessing you don’t want him to get sick because those cuts got infected.” The guard made no indication that he was changing his mind, but he stopped pushing at the door.
Abby plunged ahead, “I’m not asking for pain relievers. You’re all too monstrous for that. I just need antiseptic or something to sterilize it, and bandages, maybe a needle and thread for the worst of it, or at least butterfly bandages. Please.” She added the last part begrudgingly. He nodded and closed the door. Her fierceness had convinced him.
She turned back to Connor. We need to get that shirt off before it sticks completely to your back. Come in the bathroom.
She led him into the bathroom and had him kneel down and lean over the edge of the tub into the shower. She checked the water temperature before turning on the showerhead.
She gently guided the water over the back of his shirt. He winced and small gasps of pain escaped him as she worked to loosen the shirt from the portions that had already hardened to his back. She slowly worked from the bottom up until she could pull his shirt over his head.
It was slow and painful work for both of them.
Connor didn’t say much. He reddened a little when he finally stood up in front of her dripping wet and shirtless. It had been a while since he’d run around in his boxers in front of her. At what point had he become so modest around her?
She felt her heart break a little more as she looked at the fresh bruises that covered his chest and abdomen. The earlier bruises were almost gone, so these new ones stood out fresh and livid.
She handed him a towel as the guard returned to the door.
He provided her with a well-stocked first aid kit, no needle and thread, but lots of butterfly bandages, and a blue container of Mineral Ice. She looked up at him and he looked away sheepishly.
“For the bruises,” was all he said.
“Thank you,” Abby replied, genuinely grateful.
“Don’t tell anyone, OK?”
“OK.”
The door closed and locked and Abby went back to Connor, who was lying facedown on the bed, and dropped the kit on the bed next to him. She went back to the sink in their little bathroom and filled one cup with clean water and another one with warm soapy water.
She grabbed a washcloth and as gently as possible she washed each of the gashes that now striped his back, wincing with every quiet gasp or low moan that left him. “Sorry,” she repeated over and over.
“It’s Ok,” or “It’s fine,” his only response.
She noticed each time he discreetly moved the back of his hand across his face to wipe the tears away. She guessed he was trying to hide it from her, so she said nothing. It was all she could do to keep her own tears at bay. She tried to ignore the way his breathing hitched at random intervals if she accidentally applied too much pressure.
She could count twenty separate lashes across his back. Once she had them washed and the antiseptic ointment applied to each of them, she worked on butterfly bandaging each of them and then arranging a gauze dressing over the whole area.
This took about an hour, and Connor remained quiet under her steady, gentle touch. Too lost in his own sorrow and thoughts to talk. He just seemed numb. Not physically, he could feel everything very clearly on a physical level. But, emotionally, he was in extreme shock.
“Oh, Connor,” Abby sighed at last, her voice full of emotion, as she finished with the bandages. There was nothing else for her to say at the moment. She gently reached up and brushed his hair out of his face. She could tell he had been crying though his face was currently dry.
“Come on, sit up, I need to check the rest of you out.” She blushed all of a sudden as she realized what she had said. “I mean, well, you know what I mean. Just sit up OK.”
Connor laughed in spite of himself, gave her a little smile and then sat up to accommodate her. He winced as the movement pulled at the bandages.
She cleaned the blood off his face where they had hit him, and then gently kissed his split lip. Connor shut his eyes and shuddered; wincing again as the movement sent fresh waves of pain across his back.
“Sorry,” Abby said sheepishly. He smiled back.
She picked up the jar of mineral ice and began to apply it to each bruise he’d received. These ranged from his ribs, across his chest and up onto his face. She felt gingerly along his ribs for anything that might be a fracture. She didn’t think that she felt any this time around.
His flesh tingled under her touch and small pleasant tremors went through him as her hands traced across his rib cage and chest.
She looked up at him noticing the goose bumps that appeared when she touched him. His eyes were closed and despite everything he looked peaceful.
“Feel better?” she asked. He nodded and opened his eyes. “You should go to sleep,” she said, “you need to rest.”
“Not yet. We haven’t really assessed your injuries.”
“Connor, I’m fine, especially when compared to you. I’m just going to be a bit sore for a few days. You’re going to carry those scars with you for the rest your…”
“Shhh.” He put one finger to her lips. “Abby. Sit. Still.” He used the same tone she used earlier when she told him to turn around. He took the jar from her hands and with out saying anything else, he leaned in and kissed her gently at first and then more passionately; all the desperation of their situation pouring into that kiss.
And then he was gone; pulling away from her. Abby, who had not even realized that she had closed her eyes opened them suddenly. Connor looked so sad.
“This is my fault Abbs. And don’t say it isn’t. It is. I don’t want to talk about it now though, OK. We can deal with it later. I want to say something else.” He took a long pause and a deep shuttering breath. “I love you Abby, I always have.” That was all he said.
He got up and walked around the bed until he was behind her. He sat down slowly, trying not to jar his own wounds.
He carefully pulled up the back of Abby’s shirt; his breath catching as he took in the sight of her mottled back once again. His hands were shaking as he reached out and undid the clasp of her bra strap. She glanced back at him and he looked at her apologetically.
She nodded her approval so he continued, pushing the material out of the way. She slipped the straps off her shoulder, keeping herself covered expertly and took her bra completely off.
His hands continued to shake as he unscrewed the cap to the mineral ice. He shook even more as he began to apply it to the bruises on her back. This was not what he wanted for her. He wanted so desperately to be near her, but not like this. Not with so much danger involved, so much pain. If he had only cooperated in the first place…
But he couldn’t have known they would go to such lengths, could he? He knew they were bad, he warned Abby about that on her first day here, but he had underestimated them.
His fingers continued to gently rub the analgesic into each bruise across her back. She seemed to visibly relax in front of him, and she sighed contentedly. How long had he desired to touch her, to caress her smooth skin just as he was doing now? But everything was so messed up; everything had gone so wrong. At least she would not have any permanent scars to deal with. He dropped that train of thought; he couldn’t deal with that yet.
Connor continued to think to himself. He would have to keep his wits about him if he was going to figure out a way to get Abby and himself out of here safely. Or at least get Abby out safely. He was really rather shocked that they had caught him. He was even more shocked at how they had responded.
He refocused his attention on Abby’s bruised back. Yes, he would definitely need to watch himself. He couldn’t risk them hurting her again. As he finished he screwed the lid back on; his hands steady now. He pulled her shirt back down.
“Feel better?” He asked imitating her tone from before and smiling weakly at her.
They were suddenly both incredibly fatigued. They lay down next to each other, Connor on his stomach and Abby on her side so she could snuggle next to him.
Neither of them slept well that night, despite their exhaustion. Abby’s back hurt, as did Connor’s, but Connor lay awake for a long time feeling guilty for what had happened and trying to figure out a way to succeed at his task without them knowing he had succeeded. He wasn’t sure how to do that yet, and if they were going to get out of this alive, he needed his plan to work.
Author: Tay_21
Title: Taken
Fandom: Primeval
Pairings: Connor/Abby
Rating: PG-13 (for violence)
Genre: violence, hurt/comfort, angst, romance
Warnings: This chapter is rather violent and dark. Be warned.
Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so please leave lots of comments and any thoughts on the story. Thanks to Wilemina_29 for reviewing and taking out the Americanisms. IN this chapter: Connor's actions have consequences for both Abby and him.
Summary: Abby and Connor find themselves in a very dark situation with only the other to rely on, if they can learn to trust each other.
Part 4 - A Step Out of Line
Several days passed as Abby and Connor got used to their new life in captivity. Some of the black clad guards showed up about 7:30 every morning with breakfast for them. They ate quietly while the guards watched. After breakfast, they would leave with Connor, and Abby was left alone in the windowless room for the rest of the day.
Connor got her some books to read and even a Nintendo DS for her to play with, but she was still bored most of he time. She really wasn’t a video game person.
She began to look forward to Connor’s evening return. She tried to tell herself it was just because she wanted someone to talk to, but she wasn’t sure if she was being entirely honest with herself.
This had been their routine for about five days now. But then something changed.
The place was usually quiet, but today she heard shouting. It was all muffled, but she could clearly make out Connor’s voice rising to protest something; a slight panicked edge in it. She could hear commotion, but no real definition to give her a clue to what was going on. Next she heard a sound that made her blood run cold. There was a piercing thwack followed by a sharp cry.
And then it repeated over and over again. Thwack, cry; Thwack, cry; thwack, cry.
They were beating someone and she had a horrible feeling that it was Connor. She sank down on to the bed and rocked back and forth while she half tried to count the repetitions and half tried to shut the sound out.
She was able to count at least 15 of these repetitions, but there were probably more in all actuality. She wasn’t sure.
About a half an hour later the door burst open and some of the soldiers came dragging Connor through it and into the room. They had beaten him and her heart broke. He had blood all over him, and it dripped onto the floor in little red flashes.
He looked at her weakly and tried to smile, “Hey Abbs.” One of the escorts hit him hard across the mouth to silence him and more blood blossomed from the fresh gash. Connor merely grunted in response his head dropping down.
A man in a pin striped suit and clearly in charge strode through the door behind Connor and his escorts. He looked Abby up and down then turned and addressed Connor.
“Perhaps you do not realize the gravity of the situation, or the consequences for your little stunt today.”
Several more guards of the big and burly type came into the room. They grabbed Abby and zip tied her wrists in front of her. She winced and gasped as the plastic was pulled painfully tight around her wrists and dug into her flesh.
“NO!” Connor cried out, suddenly alarmed. “Leave her alone. She’s nothin’ to do with this. With what happened; what I did. Please.”
“Oh, it doesn’t work that way I’m afraid. You see that’s why she’s here. To help you see that stupid, careless actions on your part have consequences; consequences others have to pay.”
“No! Please, don’t. You’ve already got my attention. I get it. It won’t happen again. Please, don’t hurt her.”
“Connor, what’s going on?” Abby’s voice rang with terror and confusion.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. Canalla said to Connor, “We won’t use the same one we used on you. For now, we won’t leave any permanent damage.”
“Connor?!” Abby cried.
The soldiers spun her around and shoved her forward so that she lay across their small bed. They pinned her bound arms down so that she was face down with her arms stretched over her head. They pulled her shirt up revealing her nearly bare back, showing her white bra strap.
She could hear Connor screaming at them; begging them to let her go; not to do this. But it was all to no avail. She heard the slight whistle the leather strap made as it flew through the air and she squeezed her eyes shut as she realized what was about to happen. She felt the flash of white hot searing pain strike across her back and she cried out involuntarily.
The thwack of the leather strap echoed off the walls of the sparse room over and over again. The sound mingled with her screams, which were a mirror of Connor’s. She writhed, squirmed and bucked against the men holding her down. But they were much stronger than her. Some of them laughed as they watched the ordeal; their tone suggesting they were clearly enjoying themselves.
She tried to be still after the first few lashes. She didn't want to give them any more satisfaction in what they were doing. Still, with each lash, her body jerked as involuntary shudders ran through her. She couldn't manage to stifle her screams though, much as she tried.
Connor watched in horror as each strike left a livid bright red welt across her back. Something inside him broke at the sight of it. He fought and strained against the soldiers that held him back, but he knew it was useless. He knew it was all his fault. All he could do was stare on in horror.
He wasn’t even aware that he was screaming along with her, the pain in his own body forgotten for the moment. His screams eventually subsided into gut wrenching sobs that shook his whole body.
When they finished, 15 stripes later, and let Abby go, they let Connor go at the same time. Before she could slump to the floor, he had her gently cradled in his arms.
“You bastard,” was all he could say. He had his arms wrapped around her protectively, trying to soothe her. Fresh tears threatened to overflow. He knew he didn’t have the strength to stop them from snatching her right out of his grasp if they so chose. That scared him more than anything.
“Perhaps you’ll think twice next time you get such a bright idea.” Mr. Canalla responded coolly.
“It wasn’t necessary. You already had my cooperation. Why?” Connor glared at him angrily. Tears still wet on his cheeks.
Mr. Canalla knelt down in front of him. He reached up to brush Abby’s hair off the side of her face. She flinched away turning her face further into Connor’s chest, her grip on his bloody shirt tightening. Connor pulled her closer to him defensively. He could feel her shaking convulsively. Still sobbing, but almost silently.
Mr. Canalla took something out of his pocket, a fingernail clipper. He reached up and clipped the zip tie that bound Abby’s wrists. She didn’t react at all.
“I need you to understand how serious I am. I also need you to be aware that Miss Maitland’s fate rests with you, Mr. Temple. You are responsible for this. Keep that in mind, because next time the consequences will be much stiffer and more permanent. Do you understand me?” His voice and gaze were ice cold. He stared straight into Connor’s eyes.
Connor nodded silently. Most of his anger replaced by terror at what he saw in the cruel man’s stare. . He started to shake involuntarily and Mr. Canalla smiled at the reaction.
“Now, I think we understand each other. Take the rest of the day off, Mr. Temple.” He stood up and exited the room, the rest of the soldiers departing with him.
The door snapped shut and they heard the click of the lock engaging. A visceral sob broke passed Abby’s lips while Connor released the breath he had not realized he had been holding. When he went to breathe back in, he found he was sobbing again, right along with Abby. They stayed that way for a while too shocked and in too much pain to do anything else.
Connor got control of himself first, which was a bit unusual, but so was their situation.
“Abby. Abby, sweetheart, open your eyes.” He said gently. “Abby please look at me.” She hadn’t opened her eyes since they’d started striking her. He shook her gently.
“Abby, They’re gone. Ok. Alright?” She opened her eyes slowly, just a small flutter at first, but then they were open completely and she stared back at him. Her eyes were pink and flushed, but he could tell she was calming down too.
It did little to reassure him. After all, this was his fault, just like Mr. Canalla had said. A few new tears leaked down his face. “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed anew. “It was such a stupid idea… I… I didn’t think… not this… I’m so so sorry.”
“What happened?” She asked quietly. Connor took a deep, shuddering breath to reacquire control of his emotions.
“I tried to send a message. It was such a stupid idea. I had been working on how to do it since before they brought you here. I thought I had covered my tracks well enough. I didn’t count on them playing back through the camera footage and looking at the screen shots. I should have. How could I have been so dumb? I’m so sorry Abby, if I had known…”
They both had fresh tears now and Connor resumed rocking her gently.
Abby reached up and touched his cheek. Her thumb wiping away the latest tear. “You couldn’t have known. No one could have. No one would think that they would do this. I mean, no normal person would respond to what you did like this. It’s not your fault Conn. THEY did this, not you.”
Connor heard her words, but he didn’t believe them.
“Let’s get off the floor. I need to have a look at your injuries, see if there is anything we can do about them.” His tone was even, too even. It scared Abby a little. There was something even more broken about Connor than usual.
They stood up from the floor, Connor making hissing noises through his teeth the whole while.
He turned Abby around and gently pulled up the back of her shirt. Red-purple bruises and welts were already forming in horrible crisscross patterns all over her back. But, true to Mr. Canalla’s word, there were no breaks in the skin. There would be no permanent damage. This time.
That didn’t stop more tears rushing back into Connor’s eyes and slipping silently down his cheeks. His fingerless gloved hands curled into fists.
He released them after a moment and ran one cool finger delicately along one red stripe. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
Abby shivered. But, surprisingly, a good shiver. What was wrong with her? She was never emotional or over sensitive. She needed to take charge. She turned towards Connor. “Turn around, let me see.”
So she had picked up on his hisses of pain. He had been trying to keep that quiet. “No. Honestly, I’ll be fine.”
“Connor. Turn. Around.” He lowered his head and obeyed. She gingerly pulled up the back of his shirt, which was already stiff with dried blood, and immediately sucked in a quick breath. Now she understood where all the blood had come from.
Where she only had bruises and welts, Connor had swollen, bloody, purpling stripes crisscrossing his back. How had he kept to only hissing in pain? He must be in agony.
“Oh God, Connor. We have to get this cleaned up. You could get an infection.” She dropped his shirt and turned for the door.
“Abby, what’re ya doin’? Connor asked, his voice raising an octave.
Abby ignored him and banged on the door to get the attention of the guard standing outside. The door opened to reveal a surly looking man glowering threateningly down at Abby.
Abby angrily stared back, “He needs medical attention. A first aid kit at least.”
“No, no medical.” He made to close the door. Abby pushed back in order to keep it open while she stated her case.
“Look, if you want him to do what ever it is you brought him here for, then I’m guessing you don’t want him to get sick because those cuts got infected.” The guard made no indication that he was changing his mind, but he stopped pushing at the door.
Abby plunged ahead, “I’m not asking for pain relievers. You’re all too monstrous for that. I just need antiseptic or something to sterilize it, and bandages, maybe a needle and thread for the worst of it, or at least butterfly bandages. Please.” She added the last part begrudgingly. He nodded and closed the door. Her fierceness had convinced him.
She turned back to Connor. We need to get that shirt off before it sticks completely to your back. Come in the bathroom.
She led him into the bathroom and had him kneel down and lean over the edge of the tub into the shower. She checked the water temperature before turning on the showerhead.
She gently guided the water over the back of his shirt. He winced and small gasps of pain escaped him as she worked to loosen the shirt from the portions that had already hardened to his back. She slowly worked from the bottom up until she could pull his shirt over his head.
It was slow and painful work for both of them.
Connor didn’t say much. He reddened a little when he finally stood up in front of her dripping wet and shirtless. It had been a while since he’d run around in his boxers in front of her. At what point had he become so modest around her?
She felt her heart break a little more as she looked at the fresh bruises that covered his chest and abdomen. The earlier bruises were almost gone, so these new ones stood out fresh and livid.
She handed him a towel as the guard returned to the door.
He provided her with a well-stocked first aid kit, no needle and thread, but lots of butterfly bandages, and a blue container of Mineral Ice. She looked up at him and he looked away sheepishly.
“For the bruises,” was all he said.
“Thank you,” Abby replied, genuinely grateful.
“Don’t tell anyone, OK?”
“OK.”
The door closed and locked and Abby went back to Connor, who was lying facedown on the bed, and dropped the kit on the bed next to him. She went back to the sink in their little bathroom and filled one cup with clean water and another one with warm soapy water.
She grabbed a washcloth and as gently as possible she washed each of the gashes that now striped his back, wincing with every quiet gasp or low moan that left him. “Sorry,” she repeated over and over.
“It’s Ok,” or “It’s fine,” his only response.
She noticed each time he discreetly moved the back of his hand across his face to wipe the tears away. She guessed he was trying to hide it from her, so she said nothing. It was all she could do to keep her own tears at bay. She tried to ignore the way his breathing hitched at random intervals if she accidentally applied too much pressure.
She could count twenty separate lashes across his back. Once she had them washed and the antiseptic ointment applied to each of them, she worked on butterfly bandaging each of them and then arranging a gauze dressing over the whole area.
This took about an hour, and Connor remained quiet under her steady, gentle touch. Too lost in his own sorrow and thoughts to talk. He just seemed numb. Not physically, he could feel everything very clearly on a physical level. But, emotionally, he was in extreme shock.
“Oh, Connor,” Abby sighed at last, her voice full of emotion, as she finished with the bandages. There was nothing else for her to say at the moment. She gently reached up and brushed his hair out of his face. She could tell he had been crying though his face was currently dry.
“Come on, sit up, I need to check the rest of you out.” She blushed all of a sudden as she realized what she had said. “I mean, well, you know what I mean. Just sit up OK.”
Connor laughed in spite of himself, gave her a little smile and then sat up to accommodate her. He winced as the movement pulled at the bandages.
She cleaned the blood off his face where they had hit him, and then gently kissed his split lip. Connor shut his eyes and shuddered; wincing again as the movement sent fresh waves of pain across his back.
“Sorry,” Abby said sheepishly. He smiled back.
She picked up the jar of mineral ice and began to apply it to each bruise he’d received. These ranged from his ribs, across his chest and up onto his face. She felt gingerly along his ribs for anything that might be a fracture. She didn’t think that she felt any this time around.
His flesh tingled under her touch and small pleasant tremors went through him as her hands traced across his rib cage and chest.
She looked up at him noticing the goose bumps that appeared when she touched him. His eyes were closed and despite everything he looked peaceful.
“Feel better?” she asked. He nodded and opened his eyes. “You should go to sleep,” she said, “you need to rest.”
“Not yet. We haven’t really assessed your injuries.”
“Connor, I’m fine, especially when compared to you. I’m just going to be a bit sore for a few days. You’re going to carry those scars with you for the rest your…”
“Shhh.” He put one finger to her lips. “Abby. Sit. Still.” He used the same tone she used earlier when she told him to turn around. He took the jar from her hands and with out saying anything else, he leaned in and kissed her gently at first and then more passionately; all the desperation of their situation pouring into that kiss.
And then he was gone; pulling away from her. Abby, who had not even realized that she had closed her eyes opened them suddenly. Connor looked so sad.
“This is my fault Abbs. And don’t say it isn’t. It is. I don’t want to talk about it now though, OK. We can deal with it later. I want to say something else.” He took a long pause and a deep shuttering breath. “I love you Abby, I always have.” That was all he said.
He got up and walked around the bed until he was behind her. He sat down slowly, trying not to jar his own wounds.
He carefully pulled up the back of Abby’s shirt; his breath catching as he took in the sight of her mottled back once again. His hands were shaking as he reached out and undid the clasp of her bra strap. She glanced back at him and he looked at her apologetically.
She nodded her approval so he continued, pushing the material out of the way. She slipped the straps off her shoulder, keeping herself covered expertly and took her bra completely off.
His hands continued to shake as he unscrewed the cap to the mineral ice. He shook even more as he began to apply it to the bruises on her back. This was not what he wanted for her. He wanted so desperately to be near her, but not like this. Not with so much danger involved, so much pain. If he had only cooperated in the first place…
But he couldn’t have known they would go to such lengths, could he? He knew they were bad, he warned Abby about that on her first day here, but he had underestimated them.
His fingers continued to gently rub the analgesic into each bruise across her back. She seemed to visibly relax in front of him, and she sighed contentedly. How long had he desired to touch her, to caress her smooth skin just as he was doing now? But everything was so messed up; everything had gone so wrong. At least she would not have any permanent scars to deal with. He dropped that train of thought; he couldn’t deal with that yet.
Connor continued to think to himself. He would have to keep his wits about him if he was going to figure out a way to get Abby and himself out of here safely. Or at least get Abby out safely. He was really rather shocked that they had caught him. He was even more shocked at how they had responded.
He refocused his attention on Abby’s bruised back. Yes, he would definitely need to watch himself. He couldn’t risk them hurting her again. As he finished he screwed the lid back on; his hands steady now. He pulled her shirt back down.
“Feel better?” He asked imitating her tone from before and smiling weakly at her.
They were suddenly both incredibly fatigued. They lay down next to each other, Connor on his stomach and Abby on her side so she could snuggle next to him.
Neither of them slept well that night, despite their exhaustion. Abby’s back hurt, as did Connor’s, but Connor lay awake for a long time feeling guilty for what had happened and trying to figure out a way to succeed at his task without them knowing he had succeeded. He wasn’t sure how to do that yet, and if they were going to get out of this alive, he needed his plan to work.