They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Sweat trickled down her face, as Eloise bolted upright with a scream, the images from her nightmare still fresh in her mind.

“Shh, baby, it’s ok! You’re ok, you’re safe.” Brian reassured her, bringing her into a hug. Slowly her breathing and her heart rate began to return to normal as Brian gently rubbed her back soothingly.

“He was after me again.” she said quietly into Brian’s chest.

“It was a nightmare baby, it wasn’t real I promise. He’s locked up and he’s not getting out.” Brian replied, his voice calm and reassuring.

“Do you want one of those pills the doctor gave you?” he asked and she silently nodded against his chest. Brian gently moved her so that she was laying on the bed and went to get the pills and some water to take them with.

Once she’d taken them she settled back down in Brian’s arms, taking a firm grasp of his hand, pulling it around her waist as he snuggled in behind her.

“I love you.” she whispered sleepily.

“I love you too baby.” He replied kissing her hair. “Sweet dreams.”

The bed was empty when Eloise woke the following morning, thankful that she immediately recognised the bed and the room as her own. She turned over and stretched, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She remembered that she still hadn’t had a bath or shower since being rescued and quickly pushed the sheets off her. She was quickly stood under a hot shower, relaxing as the water cascaded over her tired body, washing the remains of Steven’s touch off her body.

She finally shut off the water but froze when she heard the bathroom door open.

“Get Out!” she screamed at Brian as he walked in, quickly grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her wet body.

“Baby, it’s me…” he began.

“OUT” she yelled.

“Ok, I’m going.” He replied as he closed the door behind him.

Eloise took a deep intake of breath. What had just happened? Why had she yelled at Brian? She was safe with him. He would never hurt her.

“Bri?” she asked as she opened the bathroom door. She looked up to see him sat on the edge of the bed.

“Bri, I’m sorry I freaked. I know you’d never hurt me, I’m sorry.” She said crossing the room and sitting next to him.

“Did he…?” Brian began quietly, but the words got stuck in his throat, they were too painful to even think.

Eloise paused for a moment before answering. “Can you handle knowing what he did?” she asked, lifting her head to meet Brian’s gaze. He was still for a moment before he nodded.

“I know that I’m not going to like it but I think I need to know.” He replied. Again Eloise was silent for a long moment before she took a deep breath and began to explain.

“Once they had me in the back of the van, he drugged me, injected me with something to knock me out. When I woke up I was bound to a bed, duct tape over my mouth. Steven came in, gave me something to eat and then took me to give me shower. He joined me, touched me, and even compared me with Michelle.”

“Was she there?” Brian asked before she could continue. “Did you see her? Did she touch you?”

“Yes she was there, I saw her but she didn’t touch me. She was only there for the first morning. She said that she wouldn’t be around until the heat was of them. She was there long enough to pick out an outfit for me to wear.” Eloise continued.

“An outfit?” Brian asked with a look of confusion.

“For me to wear while he…” she paused as the image of the memory flashed through her mind. She felt Brian tense beside her.

“Do you want me to continue?” she asked quietly, reaching over to place her hand on his knee. He looked up at her, looking deep into her eyes and nodded, taking her hand in his.

“It became part of the routine. Breakfast, followed by a joint shower, then he’d pick out an outfit and then he’d r-rape me.” she said her voice wavering. “But do you know what the worse part was? It was feeling how my body reacted to him. How I moaned for him.” she stopped as she felt Brian’s hand twinge around hers.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I….”

“I know baby, it’s just hard hearing what he did to you.” Brian said turning again to face her.

“When did he hit you? Give you the bruises?” he asked raising his other hand to trace the one on her cheek.

“Two day’s ago, while he was…I was trying hard not to think about what he was doing, trying to stop my body reacting for him. I must have moaned out your name because the next thing I knew he was punching and hitting me. He made me promise not to use your name again while he was with me.” she concluded.

“Baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry.” He muttered, pulling her hand up to his mouth and kissing her knuckles.

“Bri, I’ve told you, you’ve got nothing to be sorry about, it’s not your fault.” Eloise pleaded with him.

“I promised you that they wouldn’t hurt you, I’ve let you down.” He continued, taking hold of her other hand.

“No, Bri, stop it, it’s not your fault, please!” she pleaded with tears running down her face.

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry, I just felt so useless. I couldn’t do anything.” He replied, pulling her into a secure embrace.

“All the guys are down stairs, they’ve all been worried, do you want to face them or shall I tell them to go?” he asked quietly.

“I’ll come down.” She replied in a whisper. Brian hesitantly pulled her out of their embrace and wiped the few remaining tears away from her face.

“I’ll let you get dressed.” He said quietly before placing a soft kiss against her lips.

Eloise silently watched Brian walk out of the room and remained sat on the bed for a long moment. She then got dressed and made her way down stairs. She paused in momentarily as she walked into the room, finding all conversation stopping and all eyes suddenly on her. It was Jimmy who broke the silence first, standing up from the sofa and crossing the room to embrace her.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, pulling her tighter.

“You will be in a minute, Jim, I can’t breath.” She gasped out. He released her immediately and began to apologise.

“Jim it’s ok, really, I’m fine.” She replied with a smile finding Brian’s hand which pulled her gently into his lap, his arms securing her into place.

“How are you bearing up Hun?” Leana asked.

“I’m ok. It’s going to take a while for me to get back to normal, but he didn’t break me badly enough that I couldn’t be fixed.” She replied her eyes glancing around the room.

“Um, where’s Val?” she asked with a look of confusion. Everyone’s eyes were suddenly diverted to the carpet.

“Matt? Where is she?” she asked. Matt lifted his head and slowly meet her gaze.

“She wasn’t sure if you would want her here.” He said his voice low. Eloise's eyebrows knotted together in confusion.

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I want her here?” she asked.

“El, she, well she doesn’t know how involved Michelle was in what happened, she’s worried that you wouldn’t be able to look at her. She isn’t sure if she can bring herself to look at you knowing what her sister has done to you.” he said as tears welled up in Eloise's eyes.

“She can’t look at me?” she mumbled as the tears began to fall. She felt Brian’s hand rub her back as his other arm tightened around her waist.

“She’s just scared of your reaction to her. She’s worried that you’ll look at her and see Michelle, be reminded of what she did.” Matt said with a sorrowful look in his hazel eyes.

Eloise was silent for a moment before standing up, pulling herself out of Brian’s grasp and crossing the room.

“Babe, are you ok?” Brian asked as she picked up his car keys from the small table in the corner of the room.

“Is she at home?” she asked turning to face Matt who nodded.

Without another word Eloise continued out of the front door as Brian called her name. Before he could make it to the front door, she was in the driver’s seat, throwing the BMW into reverse to back it out of the driveway.

She pulled up outside Val and Matt’s house and walked up to the front door, waiting impatiently once she’d rung the doorbell.

“Hey.” She greeted simply once Val had opened the door.

“Hey El, what are you doing here?” she asked her expression mimicking the sound of shock that came through her voice.

“I’ve come to see you; Matt told me why you wouldn’t come over.” She replied watching Val’s face as shame covered her features.

“El, I’m sorry, I just…”

“You’re being stupid. Yes you look like Michelle; you’re twins for fuck’s sake! But you don’t remind me of her in anyway. I can look at you, be around you and not be reminded of her or think you are her. You are nothing like your sister Val. Nothing. You have been one of my best friends for how many years now? Please don’t distance yourself from me because of what your sister did to me.” Eloise said, tears welling up in her eyes again.

“I’m sorry Eloise; I just thought it would be for the best.” She replied stepping forward to give her a hug.

“Don’t worry about it. Just come and hang out with us.” Eloise said with a warm smile.