Ok, so once again, not how I envisioned it originally. I've snookered them with the size of the shower. :o But they'll work something out. :)
I think the real recovery for Sang will happen over weeks when she's back home. It is something that bothers me in the books and I'm waiting to see how C.l.Stone has her dealing with it. She has gone through so much, she's going to pop sooner or later, something has to give. She's not confronting any of it, just refusing to think about it, but it's not going away and is manifesting itself in her nightmares and her fear of the shower. At first I thought her nightmares were from past events that she's repressed, but now I think its PTSD. But I could be wrong. I'm dying to find out what Sang's past is really all about. Who her mother really was.... I read on one of the cheat books, she has 20 odd books planned and I was like :o, I'll be drawing my pensions by the time she gets it done. :)
North may be slightly ahead, but he was just it the right place at the right time. Silas is still stalking her. Not much mention of it yet, but there will be, I think. ;)
Hope you all are ok with this one too.
Part Fifty-Three
Sang's POV
I was at the back again. Kota was in front, with Mr Blackbourne behind him, then it was Dr Green, Silas, North, Luke, Nathan, Victor, Gabriel, then me. Me, bringing up the rear of something the Military would be proud off.
Gabriel kept checking back to make sure I was still with them. They had wanted to put me in the middle of the line but I had fallen back until I was at the end. I kept expecting Kota to break out into the Drill Instructors song for the other to chant it back at him.
This was not fun. I know that I wanted to be part of the Academy, part of their group and in order to that, I had to suck it up and get on with this. Prove to them that I could keep up, but I also wanted to have fun this week. I shifted my pack higher on my back and dared to look around me. So far, with the uphill slog at a rate that covered me in sweat after ten minutes, the only scenery I had taken any note of was the ground at my feet.
"Keep up!" Kota called back and I just resisted the urge to salute and I trudged onwards.
"Oy, Trouble, having fun?" Gabriel asked me, looking back at me as he walked.
He looked pretty happy, a grin tugging at his lips. His hair was tucked behind his ears and in his camouflage cargos and jacket, he looked like he worked for Uncle Sam. Even his pack was camouflage. I grinned back at him and he turned to face front again.
I was concentrating on the ground at my feet, careful to not trip over roots or plants as we once again ignored the paths and tracked through forest. I was slowing down, I knew I was, the gap between Gabriel and me was growing; I just couldn't pick up the pace anymore.
Because we weren't using the tracks which sidewinded uphill, we were going straight up at a sharper angle. The muscles in the backs of my calves were complaining. I stopped at a slightly flatter part and turned to look out over the lake. If it had been summer I don't think you'd even see the lake, but because most of the trees had lost their leaves you could see quite well. The lake sparkled below us and it looked fantastic. I took my phone from my pocket and took a few pictures. I slid my phone away and sighed heavily. Any second now and one of them would be back, telling me to keep up in case I got lost.
I turned and walked forward banging straight into Mr Blackbourne.
"Oh!" I nearly went over backwards, but he caught my upper arms and held me up. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
"No problem, Miss Sorenson. Would you like a break yet?"
I looked up ahead at where they had all stopped and were waiting for us. They were talking, Nathan and Gabriel were laughing at something, not a bead of sweat in sight, not a sign of heavy breathing. I looked back at Mr Blackbourne. He looked as if he'd stepped off the pages of a magazine. I sighed and shook my head. In truth I wanted to go back down, soak in a bath for an hour and then curl up with my kindle. Neither was possible and I looked away from him and back out over the lake.
"No, I was just looking at the view. It's beautiful here," I said truthfully.
"Yes, it is," he agreed. "If we go too fast, just say so."
"I can keep up," I said and even to my ears it was a little sharp.
"I know you can," he said and moved back towards the others.
"Half an hour more and we'll stop for a break," he told them.
Nathan came back down towards me grinning happily.
"Enjoying it, Peanut?" he asked and I sent him a quick grin and started to carry on. My pack, which I knew was smaller and lighter than theirs, was starting to feel like an elephant was on my back.
"We're almost at the top," Kota called out. "Might as well wait till we're there for a break."
"Half an hour or the top, Kota, whichever comes first," Mr Blackbourne told him. I looked up and saw Dr Green looking at me, but his face was serious and his eyes had a distant look in them. He blinked and then he was grinning at me, his usual playful sparkle back in his eyes, I grinned back, but I wondered what he'd been thinking of.
I kept my head down, my hands behind me supporting my backpack and trudged onwards.
----ghghg----
I sank down onto the rocks. We had reached the top and the view was amazing. You could see all around the lake, the steep sides of the hills that were covered in forest. You could see the camp site laid out below and it looked tiny.
"Food!" Nathan cried in delight and he helped me slide my backpack off my shoulders. I felt almost weightless when it came off, as if I would float upwards now it wasn't dragging me down.
I was shaking slightly and very sweaty, but at least now they also were sweating and looked a bit out of breath. I let Nathan open my pack and then he was handing me a bottle of water and my foil wrapped sandwiches.
"Thank you," I told him and he slumped next to me and took off his own backpack. The others all grouped around on different rocks as they looked over the lake.
"We're hiring the boats tomorrow, but Tuesday we're going to explore the cave system on the other side," Mr Blackbourne told me. I liked the sound of that and told him so.
I finished my sandwich and lay back on the rock, the sun was warm on my face and I drifted.
----ghghgh----
Mr Blackbourne's POV
She was asleep and I wasn't surprised. I knew that she hadn't got that much sleep last night. For someone whose voice had broken, she sure could make a lot of noise. I closed my eyes at that thought. I had been awake, so had Sean, we had heard her go downstairs quietly and then the flush had gone, but she hadn't come back up. I had been about to go and make sure she was ok, when we heard another door open and North had told Silas he was going to the toilet. He wasn't quiet at all when he thumped down the stairs and then we heard the murmur of voices and it went quiet. I had been starting to drift when I had heard the most delicious sounds coming from her and it had made me groan. Sean had been worried that North was taking it too far and said I ought to check that they weren't having actual sex.
I had blanched at the thought and told him that as he was the Doctor, he was much more qualified for the job. He told me as head of the family it was my responsibility. In the end we had decided on Rock, Paper, Scissors and I was so glad he lost. He had crept out of the bedroom and come back again a few minutes later, red in the face and muttering about going blind. He had assured me that nothing more than hands were at work and had got back into bed and buried his head under the pillow. Sang's cries at that moment got louder and I dived under my own pillow. It muffled the sounds, but it didn't stop my brain from coming up with images of Sang on her back. But it wasn't North dragging those noises from her, it was me. It had taken me ages to get to sleep and I knew that they hadn't come back upstairs.
"Are you alright, Owen?" Sean stopped next me and I nodded; dragging myself from my thoughts.
"I'm surprised she made it up here," I told him.
"I spoke to North about keeping it down a bit next time. You could have fried an egg on his cheeks," he sniggered and then carried on talking. "He says they fell asleep on the sofa. He woke before she did and left her there while he got breakfast ready. He said that she has promised him that she will use the red button if she needs to and he believes her."
I sniffed and took a swig from my bottle of water. Time would tell if she meant it and I told him so. He shrugged and drew his knees up against his chest, his arms hugging them as he looked out over the view.
"We're taking the path back down," Kota came over and crouched in front of us. "It's quicker and they want to play a game of baseball when we get back."
"Ten minutes and we'll make a start," I said and he nodded and got up.
"That should please, Sang," Sean said with a chuckle.
"I don't think she's enjoying it as much as I hoped she would," I said and he snorted. "I think we damn well nearly killed her, Sean," I added.
"Then she should say," he said and I heard the irritation in his voice.
"I don't think she will," I told him gently. "She'll keep going until she drops, just to keep up with us. She still think she needs to be as strong as us, as fast as us."
"But we told her at that Adventure Park! We know she's a girl, we don't expect her to keep up!"
"It's not us she trying to prove it too," I said and shook my head at him and he slumped forwards, his chin resting on his knees.
"Sometimes I wish she'd been a boy, it would be a whole lot easier," he grumbled and I snorted, nudging against him with my shoulder.
"We'd all be gay if she was a boy," I told him and he grinned at me.
"The first all gay group in the Academy," he chuckled. "That would turn a few heads."
I heard a strangled shriek and Sang was shooting up off the rock batting at her front.
"Get it off me!" she croaked and bounced on the spot, hitting at her jacket.
"What is it?" Nathan was on her, holding her upper arms, but she was undoing the zip and ripped the jacket off.
"Is it on me still?" she asked fearfully.
We had both jumped to our feet as she shrieked and I stepped into her line of vision.
"Is what on you, Miss Sorenson?" I demanded and she stilled looking at me.
"Spider, a huge spider!" she said and looked down as Nathan picked up her coat and gave it a shake. A large brown spider dropped to the floor and scurried off at top speed. She shivered and went into Silas for a hug. He was trying not to laugh as he hugged her tightly.
"You're afraid of spiders?" Victor asked in surprise, his lips curling upwards in a grin.
"Well, that was a big mother fucker," Gabriel said, as he followed its progress over the rocks and into a crevice, making sure to keep his distance. "Trouble, it probably thought you smelt good."
"Smelt good?" she piped up. "They eat flies, do I smell like a fly?" she pulled away from Silas and sniffed at herself. "Actually I do smell like a fly, urgh!"
"Nothing a shower won't sort out, Miss Sorenson," I called out and saw Sean look at me quickly, but I kept my eyes on her. She shivered again and looked at where Nathan held her jacket out.
"Can you just check, make sure there's no more please," she asked him and he laughed.
"What? You think it had back up?" He opened her jacket and gave it a good hard shake but nothing else dropped out.
"You were asleep," Sean spoke up. "How did you know it was on you?"
"I felt it run across my neck," she said, her eyes still on her jacket and Nathan went over it with his hands before holding it open for her to slip into. She patted Silas chest and thanked him.
"When I opened my eyes and sat up, it was sitting on my stomach, just staring at me, its fangs were glistening."
I snorted with laughter even as the others laughed. She slid into the jacket and thanked Nathan.
"I hardly think they were glistening," Luke said. "Although you can't blame it for wanting a nibble on you. We all want a nibble on you." He sucked in his bottom lip and made a clicking noise as he advanced on her, hands clawed.
She let out another croaky shriek and dashed away from him, which, of course, just made him chase her even more.
"Careful!" North boomed when Luke caught her and bent her backwards over his arm and sank his mouth onto her neck. He made slurping noises as she cried out, laughing and twisting, trying to get away from him.
I looked over at Sean who was watching with a wide grin. I wished we could just stay like this, happy and carefree. With nothing really bothering us, except for spiders. If wishes were fishes....
---ghghg--
Sang's POV
Going down was so much easier, especially when Kota had told me we were taking the path. We were still single file and I think that was ingrained in them. But at least it would be quicker than trying to fight our way through jungle like forests.
North was in front of me now and I couldn't help but watch him. He was drop dead gorgeous anyway, but in camouflage with his hair slicked back with sweat, it just made my insides clench. I remembered last night and felt my face flush. I had touched him, he had touched me and my whole world had imploded around me. I know Dr Green had told me what happens when a man comes, but he hadn't told me how it would feel knowing that I had got him to that point. How it had felt when it had splashed over my hand, the noise he had made, the way his body had tensed and then shook as if he was holding against some great weight. I wiggled slightly as I remembered him sliding one finger into me and it had felt like I had attained heaven. I hadn't realised he was going to do that, had I known, I would have tensed, but he just slid in and I had lost control over my own body.
It hadn't hurt, but I knew now from personal experience that his finger was a lot smaller than other parts that were supposed to go in there. I winced as I jumped over an exposed tree root. In fact, thinking about it now, without the haze of passion, I was fairly sure there was no way he was getting inside me. He was too big, my fingers had barely fitted around him... and if he was big, was the hell was Silas like?
I blanched and slowed my pace. Dr Green was right, I wasn't ready. I wasn't sure I'd ever be ready. But Dr Green said that it wouldn't hurt if things were done right first. I was beginning to think that Dr Green may be wrong on that. I mean, let's face it, he might be a doctor, but he was not a girl, he had no experience, he was only reciting what he had either been told, or he'd learnt in his books.
I missed my footing and with a shriek was I was pitching face first into the back of North. I took him by surprise, my knee connecting with the back of his knee as I went down. He dropped downwards, crashing into Gabriel who was in front of him. I watched in horror as the whole thing had a domino effect until Luke grabbed at Silas to stop his fall. Silas braced himself and the domino effect stopped. Gabriel, North and I were all on our knees and mine were stinging like there was no tomorrow.
"What happened?" Kota demanded.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault!" I said. "I missed my step and crashed into North, who crashed into Gabriel and so on."
"We're all too close together," he said as he helped me to my feet with North holding my hand.
"Are you ok?" he demanded and I looked down at my cargo's, the knees were roughed up but intact and I nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine, are you ok?"
North nodded and I looked at Gabriel but he was rubbing off the dirt and looked fine.
"Ok, spread out a little," Kota said. "Sang, walk in front of North, then if you go again, he can catch you."
"Sorry," I said feeling as if I'd interrupted the march. Kota sighed and stepped forward towards me and wrapped his hand around my neck.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt," he whispered and his nose rubbed against mine. I lifted my hand and gripped his waist and I closed the distance and kissed his lips. He grinned against my lips and then he kissed me gently before stepping back.
"Do I get a kiss?" Gabriel inquired. "I worry about you as well."
"If you insist," Kota dead panned and swooped in and kissed Gabriel on the mouth quickly and then moved off. Gabriel was stunned into silence and then he was rounding on Kota.
"Urgh!! Not from you!" he shouted in disgust, ignoring where we had all started to laugh.
I stepped forwards and kissed him quickly and then carried on.
"Yeah, now that's what I'm talking about," he said happily and we carried on down hill.
We finally arrived back at the lodge mid afternoon and I had never been so glad to take a pair of boots off as I was now. I sank into the sofa and looked over at where Silas crossed to the corner and picked up his baseball glove, bat and ball.
"You playing?" he asked and I shook my head. There was no way I was getting up again any time soon.
He smirked at me and bending over he planted a kiss on my lips and then he was out of the door. I heard them all move away from the lodge towards the open area, I could hear them shouting and laughing.
I closed my eyes and slid my feet onto the coffee table. I would need to have a wash. I didn't look forward to trying that again, it had been painful yesterday. I would sit for a few minutes and then go and try.
----fgfgfg----
Victor's POV
Without Sang we were uneven and I didn't fancy playing anyway. I told them I would keep Sang company and there were a few raised eyebrows and dirty remarks from them, but I just ignored them and went inside.
She was sitting on the sofa, her feet on the coffee table and her eyes closed.
I moved forwards quietly and then bending over I slid my lips over hers. Her eyes flew open and she smiled up at him.
"Hey, Princess," I said and her smiled widened. I slid my fingers over her chin.
"Everyone is outside," I told her. "Let's try the shower, Sang, you need one."
"I do smell then?" she asked with a teasing tone, but I saw the hint of fear in her eyes.
"We all do," I laughed and sank down beside her. "I will be with you the whole time, I promise. We'll take it slow, ok?"
She nodded hesitantly but it was all I needed. I got up and caught her hand. I pulled her to her feet.
"I put our swimsuits in the cabinet in there. Go and get into yours and I'll grab a change of clothes. ok?"
She nodded and I saw that she really, really, didn't want to do this. I didn't know if this would work, but if it didn't, then I was going to have to tell Mr B whether she liked it or not. I felt torn, watching her go down into the bathroom. I raced upstairs and grabbed us both a change of clothes, I knew if I took too long she'd back off. She had asked me to keep this quiet from the others and it had bothered me, but at the same time, I would do practically anything she asked of me. I had made it clear though that I would not lie for her. I couldn't lie to them, especially not Mr Blackbourne. They were my brothers.
I made my way back to the bathroom half expecting it to be empty, but there she was, stood in her plaid swimsuit looking terrified.
I set the clothes on the cabinet and taking my swim shorts I ducked back into the hallway and got into them. I didn't want to make her any more nervous by stripping in front of her.
I went back in and closed the door behind me. It clicked closed and the tension in the room rose. I looked at her, but her eyes were on my chest and damn, if I didn't start to get hard. But this was for her, I was doing this for her, I had to get myself under control. I looked at her, arms crossed over her chest and her legs slightly crossed and I groaned. Aloud. Damn.
Her eyes flicked up to mine and I expected to see surprise and fear. But it was not fear in her eyes and, oh god, she was walking towards me.
"Are you ok?" she was saying and I caught a hint of worry in her eyes as well the awareness I had seen before.
"I'm...I'm fine," I told her and stepped around her. "It takes three minutes for this to heat up." I said and switched it on.
"We don't have to do this, Victor, wouldn't you rather be playing baseball?" she asked me and I smirked as I shut the shower door behind me and turned back to her. Nice try, princess, but no.
"It would be an uneven team if I played and I'm not a huge fan of it anyway," I told her and stepped towards her. I think she must have thought I was going to pick her up and throw her into the shower, because she took a step back, her eyes flickering from the shower to me and back again. I took another step towards her and she backed up. Right into the door.
"How... I mean... How.." She licked her lips and all the blood in my head rushed south and stayed there.
I lifted my hands and placed them on the door either side of her head and leant in slightly, careful not to touch her.
"I'm going to go in first," I told her, keeping eye contact with her. "I'm going to take the shower head down and aim it away from you and then you're going to get in." My voice was huskier than normal.
"I don't think I can do it, Victor, I really don't."
Her huge green eyes started to fill with tears and I would be helpless against them. So I stopped them the only way I could think of. I leant in and kissed her, my tongue ran along the seam of her lips. She gasped and her mouth opened and then she was kissing me back, her tongue swirling with mine. I felt her hands go onto my shoulders and I jerked at the feel of her fingers on my bare skin.
She had touched my back when we had been at that Adventure Park and it had starred in many of my dreams about her. Wondering how it would feel for those fingertips to wander across my back and down over my... holy hell!
She was grazing her fingertips across my nipples and I was helpless to stop my hips from bucking into her. I cringed, waiting for her to push me off scared, but she didn't. She pushed her hips forward to meet mine and I almost passed out.
"Princess."
I moved my hands from the door and down over her side and onto her hip. I had re-lived those minutes in the locker room over and over and I wanted to recreate it now. I slid my hand down to her knee and drew her leg up. But there was a difference between now and then that I hadn't taken into account. I was fully dressed last time, this time I only had swim shorts on, and she was pressed right against me. It felt like nothing I had ever experienced before.
My mouth was hot on hers, her hands were stroking over my chest, tugging and rolling at my nipples and I had a fleeting moment where I wondered which of my brothers had shown her to touch them. I didn't really care, they were inspired whoever it was.
I was rocking into her and the friction was incredible. I wanted to make her feel incredible too. I slid my other hand from the door and I smoothed it under her butt and lifted her slightly until, if there were no barriers, I could push into her. She cried out in my ear and I very nearly lost it then and there. But I wanted to see her fall apart first. I moved my hand up the inside of her leg and onto her swim suit. She cried out again and my movements became jerky, I was so damn close. But I didn't want to do this here. I wanted to make it perfect for her.
"Sang, Princess, we have to stop, I want this to be perfect for you, not against a door..." I said and I was nearly crying. My body was telling me to shut up and finish what I had started, but my heart? My heart wanted it to be special for her.
"Please, Victor, don't stop now, I want..." Her fingers slid from my chest and down into my shorts and I'm pretty sure I howled. My fingers slid inside the edge of her swimsuit and found her hot and so wet I had to bury my head into her neck and squeeze my eyes shut to stop me from erupting all over her hand. She was just holding me at the moment, but her breathy little pants in my ear and her hips moving in a circular motion had me bucking into her hand. I slid my fingers over her gently, I wasn't so far gone that I would hurt her. I would never hurt her, she was my princess, my world.
She felt amazing. I wanted to go to my knees and watch as I touched her. I wanted to see her come apart under my fingers, I wanted to taste her....
Oh damn! I shuddered and my hips began an erratic movement as she slid her fingers over the top of me. I was so close, so close, but I wanted her to get there first. I fought to remember what Silas and North had told us about where to touch a girl to make her loose it. I slid my finger upwards and found it, her clitoris. I circled it with my fingertip, wondering what she would do if I used my tongue there. She was clutching at my back with her other hand and then I moved my hand so that I could gently thrust my finger into her. I brought my thumb back to her and rotated the pad of my thumb on her gently and then she was coming, I knew she was, I could feel her muscles clenching and relaxing on my finger, and it was enough to make my balls draw up as I came, spilling all over her hand in hot bursts of white fire.
I was shaking so hard, my head on her shoulder as she still clung to me, her fingers milking me of every drop until it became too much to bare. I slid my fingers from her and and lowered her back down. My heart wanted to explode I loved her so much. I moved my head until I could find her mouth with mine. She kissed me back and I was so scared that she would push me away.
"Victor, I love you," she whispered, and I didn't care that her hand, that she had given me so much pleasure with, was now in my hair. It would wash out, it would all wash off. I just wanted to hear her tell me she loved me again.
"Princess, Sang, I love you," I murmured and hugged her close, I could feel her own rapid heartbeat as it mirrored my own. "Princess, tell me I haven't screwed up here. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand."
"Victor, you didn't screw up. I wanted you to do that, I wanted to touch you. I love you so much, Victor."
There it was again, those three words that made my entire world rock. She loved me. And she didn't care that I had just got her to orgasm against a door, or that I had shot my load all over her hand. I kissed her again and again, I never wanted to move, I wanted to stay here with her forever.
"Do we have to try the shower?" she whispered in my ear and it crashed into me what I was supposed to be doing in here.
"Yeah, we do, especially now," I told her and wondered what her reaction would be when I stood back from her and she could see the mess my shorts were in.
"Let me wash off first, Princess, ok?" I asked her and she nodded and moved to sit on the lid of the toilet. I stepped into the warm water and let it run over my head and hair. I saw her glance down at my shorts but she didn't run screaming from the room, so I took that as a good sign. I washed quickly, aware of her watching as I rinsed off the front of my shorts and my body beneath them.
"Victor," she called my name and I looked over at her. She was nervous I could see that.
"I really don't think I can!"
"We'll just try," I reassured her and lifted the shower head down and turned it to the corner. "Come on, Princess, just your hands first. We have to wash your hands. Ok?"
She got up and came towards me tentatively. I slid the door open and held my hand out for hers. She reached forward with her hands but made no move to get into the shower. I moved the shower, but I didn't let it touch her, instead I cupped my hand into the water and then ran it over her hands.
"Ok?" I kept looking between her hands and her face. It was white and pinched and her lip was firmly between her teeth. I remembered finding her in my bathroom, passed out kneeling on my floor. I watched her carefully, I wasn't so sure this was going to work. If she got any paler she'd be dead.
"Princess? Just try and step inside, I won't let it touch you," I told her quietly and I was elated when she stepped inside the cubicle, it was a tight fit. It was tight before, now it was ridiculous. She was pressed into the corner, her head facing away from the spray, her eyes tightly shut, her hands up as if it ward it off.
"No, no, no," she moaned it over and over and then she seemed to suddenly jerk and she was sliding down the corner and I realised she'd passed out again.
"Oh fuck!" I fumbled with the shower control and switched it off just letting the head drop. I went to my knees and tried to pick her up, but she was a dead weight, it was an awkward corner and my hands were slippery from the soap still.
I jumped out of the shower and grabbed the towel I had there. I reached in and pulled her forwards. My feet slipped on the floor and I almost dropped her. I needed help. I made a grab for my phone and red lined the Doc, praying that he had it on him.
I managed to get the towel around her and up into my arms when I heard Dr Green shouting my name.
"In here!" I shouted and turned as he opened the door.
"What happened?" he barked even as he reached forward and took her from me. "Did she hit her head?"
"No, she just passed out," I said and followed him into the living room, not caring that I was dripping water everywhere.
"Why the hell are you dressed like tha.....Sang!" North came rushing in, but the Doc ignored him as he laid Sang out on the sofa and patted her face gently.
"Sang, come on, Sang, wake up. You're ok."
"Report, Mr Morgan!" M B was coming in and he looked furious when I looked over at him. I could see the worried faces of all the others. A towel was draped over my shoulders and I looked to see Silas. I thanked him.
"I was trying to help her, but it was too much and she just slid down passed out," I said my eyes back on where the Doc was still trying to wake her up. Terror slid through me. "She didn't bang her head, I don't think she did. She was in the corner and she just started moaning and then she jerked and slid down."
"Why the fuck were you in the shower with your swimming costumes on?" North roared and I shook my head at him.
"Be quiet, Mr Taylor. Mr Morgan, how long have you known?"
I looked at him and the fury was still evident. He knew. He already knew. I ran a hand through my wet hair.
"Since she stayed with me, before we found out about Muriel. I found her on the floor on the shower passed out, kneeling."
"And you didn't think to tell us?" he roared. He was furious and he had every right to be. I should not have listened to her, I should have gone straight to him.
"It's not his fault," a thin reedy voice spoke up and relief surged through me as I whipped round to see Sang sitting up, supported by the Doc still. She was still very white and I could see she was shaking still. I wanted to touch her, to make sure she was alright, but I was frozen to the spot.
"I made him promise not to tell anyone. This was my last chance," she whispered. "He said he'd try and help me but if it didn't work, he was going to tell you. Don't be mad at him, be mad at me."
"Oh, don't worry, Miss Sorenson, I am mad at you. But we'll get to you in a minute."
"Owen!" Dr Green shouted at him and I saw Sang shrink in on herself.
Mr B pinched the bridge of his nose and then he turned his back.
"Get dressed, Mr Morgan," he said, his voice cold and controlled and I realised the enormity of my mistake.
I felt Kota put his hand on my back and he urged me towards the stairs. I thrust a hand into my hair and tugged.
"Sang, Princess, I am so sorry," I said and went up the steps, Kota and Gabriel coming up behind me. I had seriously screwed up.
----ghghgh----
Dr Green's POV
I was going to get to home base, which was North's jacket. I heard Gabriel and Luke shouting at me to run faster. I hit the jacket just as North caught the ball Kota had thrown him.
"OUT!" he shouted.
"In, he was fucking in!" Gabriel shouted and I stood up yelling that Gabriel was right.
"You need your eyes tested, North!" I shouted at him and moved forwards to take the ball when a sharp shock on my hip made me twist and grab for my phone. I turned and raced towards the lodge, it could only be Victor or Sang as they were the only ones inside. I heard the others calling out to me.
"Redlined!" I shouted as I turned the corner and I heard them start to chase after me. I was in the lodge but it was quiet and I couldn't hear anything.
"VICTOR!" I shouted as I went in.
"In here!" I heard him call from the bathroom and I rushed forwards. I opened the door to see him stood holding Sang wrapped in a towel, he was soaking wet and my heart flipped.
I reached and took her.
"What happened? Did she hit her head?"
"No, she just passed out," he was saying and he looked terrified. I saw he was wearing swim shorts and it sank in that he knew about Sang.
I couldn't think on that yet, I had to get Sang awake.
I laid her out on the sofa, aware of the others coming in. They all started towards us but I held up a hand to keep them back from her.
I patted her cheek gently, she was as white as a sheet.
"Sang, come on, Sang, wake up. You're safe." Her eyelids fluttered and then opened and I stroked her cheek gently. I could hear Victor explaining how he knew and so could she. Her eyes became wary and she looked up at me as she struggled to sit up. I pulled her up and sat in behind her, keeping her wrapped in close to me. I could feel her shaking and it wasn't just from the cold.
"And you didn't think to tell us?" Owen roared at Victor and she jumped slightly.
"It's not his fault," she spoke up and her voice was close to a whisper, but everyone focused on her, including Owen.
"I made him promise not to tell anyone. This was my last chance. He said he'd try and help but if it didn't work, he was going to tell you. Don't be mad at him, be mad at me."
"Oh, don't worry, Miss Sorenson, I am mad at you. But we'll get to you in a minute.
"Owen!" I roared his name, furious that he had said that, no matter how angry or frustrated his was. He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away.
"Get dressed, Mr Morgan," he said quietly and I saw Kota and Gabriel take Victor towards the steps.
"Sang, Princess, I am so sorry," he said and he looked totally devastated and I felt sorry for him.
Silas stepped towards us but I needed to clear the room and quickly.
"Silas, everyone, get out for a bit," I said and he looked at North who was frowning so hard his eyebrows met in the middle. He was staring at Sang, and I had no idea what he was thinking. Damn, this had gone wrong so fast.
Sang slid from my hold and stood up on shaky legs.
"Not you, Pookie," I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere, but she wouldn't look at me.
"I'm going to get dressed," she said and her voice cracked.
"No, not yet, Miss Sorenson," Owen spoke up but she just walked around the sofa and went up the stairs, totally ignoring him.
"Fuck... did she just..." Luke stared at Owen, but North gripped his arm and dragged him out the door. Nathan was the last one out and he looked at me, his face a mask of worry. I shook my head, telling him it was going to be alright. He looked doubtful and went out shutting the door behind me.
"Owen..." I stood up, he was just standing there, staring at the stairs and I couldn't read his face at all. He suddenly moved forward and went to the stairs.
"Owen, I think we need to...."
"Stay here!" he barked at me and taking the stairs two at a time he went up them.
I stared after him. I knew he wouldn't physically hurt her, or even verbally, but he was pissed off at the moment and so was she judging by it. I briefly wondered if she was a thrower. I would soon find out. I know he had told me to stay here but I needed to check on Victor. I knew Kota and Gabe had him, but he was completely shattered and I wanted to see him.
I crossed to the stairs and went up them quietly.
I looked down at where I had assumed Sang had gone, but the door was shut and it was quiet. I opened the door that lead to Victor's room. He was sat on the single bed, Kota one side and Gabriel the other side. He had dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater.
"Doc," Kota looked up at him. "What's going on?"
"Owen is talking to her," I told them, no point in telling them she'd walked out on him. The others would no doubt fill them in on that one later.
"Is she alright?" Victor asked and I crossed and lent against the window sill so I could see them all.
"She will be. She's not physically hurt, Vic."
"You knew?" he asked and I heard a hint of recrimination. He thought we had known and chosen to ignore it.
"We suspected," I said. "We didn't know for definite because she chose to hide it from us, even to the point of lying about it. We were waiting her out, hoping that this week would push her to let us know."
"Why?" Gabriel asked. "Why didn't she want us to know?"
"Because she already thinks we have enough to deal with without adding any more. When I found out, it was just before Muriel went funny on us. We had the bomb threats, the photo's. Volto was all over us and then you got stabbed," Victor said speaking to Gabriel and then he looked back at me. "She made me promise not to tell you and I wasn't going to. I had hoped that it would pass. She told me that she hadn't tried to shower again since then. I said I'd try and help her, and if that didn't work, then we'd get you and Mr B involved. I told her that he could fix it, but I think she was embarrassed by it."
"Victor, she put you in an impossible position," I told him and folded my arms. "She actively hid it from all of us. You didn't do any wrong and when Owen calms down and stops panicking he'll see that too. He's going to chew you out about keeping secrets, but that will be all."
"She really can't shower?" Gabriel asked and I shook my head.
"It would seem not," I told him.
"So that time she slipped, she didn't slip, she....?" he frowned, trying to understand.
"We think that it causes a flashback to being tied up in the shower by her mother." I saw Victor nod.
"Shit," Gabriel said, staring at his hands. "That's just fucked up. She always has baths," he said as it sank in. "She never showers, not even if I tell her too. And I never even questioned it. She's been hurting all this time and she never said a fucking thing. I'm fucking angry with her!"
"Gabriel, this is nothing to do with you, or Victor, or Owen, or any of us. This is in her head, she's battling herself. She didn't want to face it, so she buried it. She's not dealt with anything that has happened to her, not really. She just pushes it to one side and gets on with it. Something had to give."
"What is Mr B going to do?" Victor asked and I unfolded my arms and put my hands into my pockets.
"Fix it," I said and hoped to god he could.
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