They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

At almost quarter to ten two removal guys pushed open the door to the flat that had been left ajar.

“Ms Benson? Sorry we’re late.” One of then called out stepping forward into the flat, looking around for Eloise. As he stepped further into the flat his eyes caught sight of a pair of feet behind one of the boxes.

“Oh my god!” he gasped as he caught sight of the rest of Eloise’s bloody body.

“Steve, call 911.” He yelled to the second delivery guy as he dropped to the floor to check for a pulse.

“Quickly, she’s still got a pulse and she’s breathing, just.”
She was taken to the hospital and her injuries were treated. Once out of theatre she was taken to intensive care. She was in a coma, attached to various machines and monitors.

“This is like the 20th time her cell has rung and it’s always the same number. Brian.” The nurse said to the ward sister as Eloise’s phone rang again.

“Pass it here.” The sister said and opened the cell phone.

“Hello. No this is Sister Jessica Freeman from Sacramento District Hospital.....sir calm down; Ms Benson is currently in intensive care. She is in a coma....Sir? Sir? He’s hung up.” She said and closed the phone and placed it back onto the desk with the rest of Eloise’s personal possessions.

*****

“I’m looking for Eloise Benson.” Brian said to the nurse at the reception desk of the intensive care unit of Sacramento hospital. Before the nurse could reply he was joined by Jimmy, Zack, Matt, Val, Gena and Leana.

“Um, I’m sorry sir, but we can only allow two visitors in at a time, can I ask what relationship you are to Ms Benson?”

“She’s my girlfriend, please, I’ve gotta see her!” he pleaded tears forming in eyes.

“Ok, follow me.” The nurse said kindly getting up and walking down the small corridor. Brian followed her along with everyone else. She led them past a row of doors and stopped outside one of the small rooms with a number 6 on the door.

“Ok, she’s in a pretty bad way.” the nurse began quietly.

“She’s in a coma so she’s going to be none responsive.”

“Please I just want to see her.” Brian pleaded again. The nurse nodded silently and quietly opened the door. She took one step in with Brian following her. The others hesitated outside the room.

Brian gasped as he took another step forward and caught a glimpse of Eloise’s face. Bruises covered every visible part of her body and tubes and wires seamed to come from everywhere, connecting her to the machines on either side of her; one was helping her breath while the other was beeping monotonously as it kept an eye on her vital statistics.
Tears began to fall down his face as he collapsed in the chair beside the bed and took hold of her hand.

“Oh baby girl, what did they do to you?” he whispered, tears falling freely down his face.

“No one knows why yet, but when police went to inform her parents it turned out that her mom, dad and brother are all in the ER getting treated” The nurse said as she checked through the monitors and the notes at the foot of her bed. She opened the door to leave to find the other’s still stood outside eager to get in a see their friend.

“Ok, listen. The doctor has finished his rounds for now so you won’t see him for a while. Her parent’s will be here soon so you’ve got until then with her.” she said holding the door open for them. They each walked into the room, the girls tightly gripping their boyfriend’s hand.
There was an audible gasp as they each saw the bruises that covered Eloise’s face and arms – the only visible parts of her body.

They gathered around her bed in shock as Brian remained in the chair next to her, gently grasping her hand in his, his lips resting softly against it, tears falling freely from his eyes. Silently Val broke away from Matt and she pulled the second chair from beside the wall so that it was as close to Brian as she could get it. She sat beside him and placed her arm around his shoulder, giving him a sideways hug.

“They got to her.” Brian whispered suddenly.

“What? Who?” Val replied softly.

“The Owen’s. They did this to her and they got the rest of the family as well.” He replied.

“How can you be sure Brian?” Val asked

“The nurse said that her mom, dad and brother we admitted to the ER, and who else would it be? Why else would she be attacked so violently in her own flat?” he stated not taking his eyes off Eloise’s face.

The other’s silently exchanged confused and worried looks before the stood uselessly around Eloise’s bed.

“I can’t do this anymore!” Jimmy yelled all of a sudden about ten minutes later, pulling away from Leana and running his hands through his hair as he walked over to the door.

“Jimmy wait-“ Leana called.

“Sorry babe but I just can’t stand here staring at one of my best friends in this condition.” He said and opened the door to leave. He was forced to stop abruptly as the ward sister was stood on the other side with three other people who he recognised as Eloise’s mom, dad and her younger brother.

“I’m sorry but you’re all going to have to leave now; Ms Benson’s immediate family are here.” The ward sister said as Jimmy took a few steps back into the room to let the four of them in. Her mom came in first on crutches with her left leg in plaster and several bruises over the visible parts of her body. She was followed by her son who had his right arm in a sling, stitches above his left eye, across the bridge of his nose as well as bruises. Behind them was her dad who again was covered in bruises, had a busted lip and had stitches running down his left cheek. As the three of them made their way over to the bed, everyone other than Brian slowly made their way out of the room.

“This is your fault Haner.” Her mom hissed as soon as the door closed. For the first time since entering the room Brian’s gaze turned sharply away from Eloise to stare in shock at her mother.

“She was happy until you came back into her life. Now look at her.” she snapped tears falling down her bruised face.

“You can’t blame me.” He whispered as she glared at him.

“Yes I can, do you think it’s a coincidence that you come back into her life and a month later she’s in a coma?”

“Answer this though” Brian began.

“Why did they turn up at your house first? If they followed me, or I led them to her in any way they wouldn’t have had to come to your house to find out where she was would they?”

Eloise’s mom was taken aback. Brian was right. Her expression changed and seeing that she knew that he was right he returned his gaze at the still girl led in front of him.

*****

For two days straight Brian only left Eloise’s bed to use the bathroom and to keep his nicotine intake going. He blatantly refused to leave despite pleas from doctors, nurses, friends and Eloise’s family. After the third day however, Gena took it upon herself not to take no as an answer and get him home to shower, shave and have a proper rest. She promised that Zack would stay with Eloise while they were gone and would call them if there were any developments. Unknown to anyone else, she also planned to mix in a sleeping tablet into his drink or food to make sure he got some sleep. She knew that Brian would find it hard to sleep naturally as he would be too worried about Eloise and getting back to the hospital to be with her.

Despite loving Eloise like a sister and wanting her wake up, Zack couldn’t help feeling bored sat in the small room with her. Gena and Brian had been gone two hours and he’d already read three of the magazine’s that had been left in the room by various people over the past three days. Ethan, Eloise’s brother, had been sat quietly with them for the past half an hour. He had just been staring at her quietly, biting his finger nails. Then suddenly he got up again, wiping the tears from his eyes, and left the room.

Zack shrugged his shoulders and continued reading the TV guide in the magazine he’d been reading. With a shortage of fresh reading material Zack stood up from the chair and began to wander around the room. He made his way to the window but soon moved away as the view was of the building opposite. He aimlessly walked around the bed to the other side and sat down in the chair. He solemnly watched Eloise as the machine helped her breathe and the monitor at the side of her beeped repetitively. Slowly his eyes began to float around the room, trying to find something to take his interest. It was then he noticed a card on the floor. He slowly bent down to pick it up and realised that it was a driving licence.

He was shocked though when he took a closer look at the photo and even more shocked when he saw the name. It was Ethan’s photo but the name was one Zack knew better – Steven Mitchell – his old name. He studied the card. The date of birth was familiar. He thought for a moment. It wasn’t Ethan’s birthday. It was Eloise’s. That’s if she had the same date of birth as Katie. This wasn’t just a driving licence. This was a fake ID. Zack felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at the name. Was this the reason the Owen family had found them?

Zack began to think about what he should do about the fake id. He sat up in the chair twiddling he card around his fingers, deep in thought. He was interrupted by the door opening and Eloise’s mom hobbling through.

“Hey Zack, where’s Brian?” she asked as she sat down opposite him.

“Gena made him go home and have a shower and rest for a bit.” He replied, still twiddling the card around in his fingers.

“How did she manage that? Thought he was glued to the seat?” she said breaking a small smile which Zack returned. He looked down at the card and thought for a second. With a deep sigh he looked up at Mrs Benson.

“Mrs Mit- Benson? I found this on the floor.” He said passing the fake ID over to her.

“And I got to thinking that it may be how the Owen’s found out where you were?”

She didn’t say anything, just stared at the card, tears welling up in her eyes.

“He still isn’t answering his cell phone.” Mr Benson said walking into the room. “Oh hey Zack, have you seen Ethan?”

“Um, he left about ten minutes ago.” Zack replied glancing between Eloise’s parents.

“And he left this.” Mrs Benson said holding up the fake ID. Her husband took the driving licence off her puzzled. Confusion quickly turned to anger as he realised the likelihood of what had happened.

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” he yelled throwing the ID at the wall.

“Darren calm down please!” Mrs Benson pleaded.

“No Lisa, if this is how those thugs tracked down our daughter and did this to her, I’m going to fucking kill him.” he yelled as the door opened again and Gena and Brian walked in.

“What’s going on?” Brian asked walking over to the chair where Zack had been sat and taking a hold of Eloise’s hand. He gently lifted her hand up to his lips and gently kissed the palm.

“Zack found this.” Darren said picking up the driving licence off the floor and passing it to Brian.

“Ethan’s fake ID so what?” he asked glancing at it shrugging his shoulders.

“Look at the name he’s used.” Zack whispered.

“The stupid motherfucker!” he yelled looking up at the others.

“I can’t believe this!” he continued as the door opened again and a sheepish looking Ethan walked in.

“You stupid little fucker!” Darren yelled grabbing hold of his son’s collar.

“Darren, stop please!” Lisa pleaded standing up, tears dripping down her face.

“Dad, please I’m sorry!” Ethan cried flinching.

“It’s not me you need to say sorry to – it’s your sister, she’s the one fighting for her life because of you.” Darren said breaking down into tears.