FAITH POV (THREE YEARS EARLIER): Tim hasn't woke up yet. I can only stare at him, and pray he wakes up. I'm angry with him... Betty gave me a letter Tim wrote for me, which led to a series of other letters. An affair was among many other confessions. A fucking letter... That's how he was going to tell me?
My arm hurts like a bitch. If he does wake up, he owes me big time. I've now just been allowed to take the sling off. My upperarm is all black and blue. I have to keep the wound covered with gauze, but besides that, I'm supposed to live. They've released me from the hospital almost two days after I was put in. All my sympathy for Tim has vanished. He's not on my good list at the moment.
I feel played. A second affair? Of course, he couldn't just do another sorority girl in Dallas. He had to go and bang a national star. I feel sick. Why can't I ever be enough for anyone?
Kendricks took out Tim's tumor. He said that if he wakes up, he'll likely live like normal again. Of course, normal will be him in an apartment, while he see's girls on a court decided visitation schedule. I already have the papers.
"Hey Faith." Kendricks says as I walk into his office. I sit down and begin to break. "What's wrong?" He says coming around and grabbing my hand.
"He had an affair." I say. Kendricks is taken aback.
"What?"
"Tim had an affair. Or another affair, my bad." I say. I feel my distress overflow. Kendricks wraps his arms around me for a moment.
"Shit, Faith. I'm sorry." He says, wiping me tears.
"It's fine. God, I've been nothing but forgiving and loyal to him." I say. He nods.
"I know." He says. "You deserve better." Kendricks looks like he has a motive. I stand up, inches away from Kendricks. He places his hand along my jaw and moves in. He kisses me, quickly and passionately. My breath is taken away as he pulls away slowly. I've never felt like that before.
"Wow." I manage to say.
"I'm sorry..." He starts.
"Don't be." I say, moving in for another.
Betty has come to visit Tim today, so I sit in the room with her. Kendricks walks in, not expecting another person. He's holding two cups of coffee, presumabley, one for me. He jumps when he realizes Betty.
"Oh hey! I didn't know you were coming in today." He says, giving me a shocked look.
"I figured I'd stop by. How's he looking?" She asks. He sighs. He hasn't talked much about Tim's condition to me, but I mean, it'd be weird if he did, to be honest.
"To be blant with you Mrs McGraw, I'm not so sure that he's going to wake up. He's been through so much trauma as is. I don't think he can survive off of a ventilator." He says. I feel saddened by his words. But maybe this was supposed to happen. Maybe I'm supposed to just move on. I'm scared of being alone...
"Do you really think he's not going to wake up?" I ask John and I pull the covers over my bare skin. He turns towards me and shrugs.
"It's not looking in his favor right now." He says. I nod slowly and begin to think of the next steps.
"We should let him go." I say. He nods.
"According to his will, you have to wait at least a month after filing to let him go." He informs me. I turn and lay on my back.
"I just want this to be over already." I say. "I'm sick of waiting on him hand and foot."
"I know you are, baby." John says.
"Are you going to stay with me? Even after he's gone?" I ask John. I begin to feel a fear that he'll say no.
"I promise. I'll always be here for you." He says, brushing my cheek. I smile, and roll ontop of him, giving him a kiss.
"What's our future going to look like?" I ask. He traces the lines on my hand.
"We're going to live in a big house outside of town, enough room for the kids. I'll raise 'em like my own, and maybe we'll have a few more." He says. I smile and laugh as he goes in to kiss my neck.
"I love that idea." He pulls away so he can see my eyes.
"Really?" He asks. I nod. "I do too."
I march into John's office, practically screaming. He's taken by surprise as I push him and hit him. God, I hate him.
"You fucking liar!" I scream. Kendricks looks at me as I continue to punch him. "I hate you!"
"What the hell did I do?" He screams back. I can tell he's about to lose it with me.
"You told me he was gone. You said he had no chance at waking up, none." I start. I scream so loudly it hurts. "Now, he's awake. Not very aware, but awake. The other doctors said that in about an hour, he'll be fully awake and aware." I say. Kendricks covers his mouth slowly and tries to think.
"Fuck..." He says, sitting down in his chair.
"You were just pulling it out of your ass, so I would actually fall for you." I say.
"Listen, Faith. I can fix this." He says.
"By doing what?" I scream. He shrugs.
"I can get rid of him." He says. A knot forms in my throat. He grabs my hand. "I can hire someone, or hell, I'll do it myself. I could go and do it right now. Call it an accident, or mistake in the chart." I feel sickened.
"Get away from me." I demand.
"Faith!" He warns as I go for the door. I leave. Tim needs me now.
THREE YEARS LATER:
I wander the hospital halls, trying to blow some steam. It makes me sick just seeing Tim and John standing near each other. If only Tim had known that only a few years ago, he was offering to kill him. He's my biggest mistake. I don't know what kind of desperate thoughts were going through my head, but they weren't wise.
I walk down what seems like a million halls, till someone stops me. He appears to be a doctor.
"Hi, ms." He says kindly. I shoot him a kind smile. He has once hand behind his back. Before I can speculate, he launches a needle into my shoulder. I blackout almost immediately.
I wake up in a room unfamilar to me. A small window illuminates the dark, grey room. The only furnature is a bed, and a table. I'm laid on the bed, which is burning my skin. The mattress seems to be worn, so the metal springs are poking through the fabric. A man is standing at the foot of the bed. I lift my head up to see his pants around his ankles. He's hurting me...
I begin to feel it as my senses return. I try to pull away, but he pulls me back with vigor. I begin to kick and scream, praying someone near will hear. He smacks me and gets on the phone, not taking a moment to stop what he's doing to me. I begin to cry as another man walks in the room. He lays a heavy bag on the table, and pops up a metal chair facing the bed.
"I need your help." The man with me says to the other. He nods. "Hold her down while I get this over with." He says, still doing it. I feel my insides burn. He's hurting me... Something isn't right in me. The other man does as he is told, and holds me down. I try to squirm away, but its of no use. His grip is strong and tight. I'm not going anywhere.
After an hour of horror, John walks in. He looks down at me and smile, making me feel cold.
"Hey darling. I see they are giving you quite the treat now aren't they?" He asks. Tears fill my eyes. Treat? They're doing this against my will... I don't want this.
"Help me..." I cry out. He laughs.
"I wouldn't mind getting some. I mean, you wouldn't mind, now would you, Faith?" He says. I begin to sob as I try to close my legs. One of the men holds them apart. He's much stronger than I am. John pulls down his pants and does his business. He finishes, and pats my cheek. "You've always been so good about this." He says. I feel ill. My pain level is through the roof. It hurts when ever they start.
"What should we do boss?" The not nearly as scary man says.
"Matt, I gotta go tell Tim to wait on her to come back. Can't have him looking around for you, now can we?" John says, smiling at me. I spit towards him. He widens his eyes. "Wow. Hey Jason, throw her around a bit for me." He says, pointing to the one who originally grabbed me. I feel fear as John leaves the room. Jason throws me to the ground, and begins to pound punches into my torso and head.
Another hour later, Tim comes in. He stands in the doorway for a moment, unnoticed. I thank god that he's managed to find me. I've gone numb. I can't feel anything... I guess that's a godsent giving our current situation. He suddenly throws Jason to the ground and beats him. Matt remains holding onto me, as I try to see if Tim's okay. It doesn't seem like Matt's going to jump into this. Tim turns, hands covered in blood, and now goes after Matt. He beats him, until Jason emerges behind Tim with a knife. Tim's eyes express horror, as he tries to think of a solution.
"Baby..." He says helplessly to me.
"I'll do anything. Just don't hurt him" I offer. The guys take up my offer, and Jason demands Matt take me to another room. I feel sick as I hear Tim scream down the hall. I can't lose him...