I followed Anne's sisters into her room and was shocked at what I saw. I knew Dr. Nicklin had warned me about it not looking pretty but it was worse than when I had seen her in the ambulance. Both her eyes were black and blue and all swollen. Her nose was stuffed with guaze and taped up, her jaw wired in the most awkward position, the right side of her face all cut up and bruised. She looked like a fucking train wreck...ya know the kind you just can't look away from no matter how hard you try. Her eyes were closed when we came in...at least I think they were. Her sisters started crying again seeing her laying there looking like that. The only solace I found was that that creep had not had the chance to rape her thank God. At hearing movement she looked over in our direction and it was obvious that she was conscious. She called out to her sisters, "Susan? Cathy? What are you doing here? How did you find out?" It was kind of hard to understand her. Then she saw me and said, "Blue eyes? You're here? Why?" She sounded puzzled and relieved at the same time. I gotta admit hearing her acknowledge me, calling me blue eyes was the sweetest sound I'd heard in about six and a half hours.

Susan said, "Cause we can't get him to leave that's why he's still here! There's seven other guys covered in tattoos out in the waiting room all anxious to know how you are! Who are these guys Anne?"

"Wait, she said to me, so everyone is out there? Matt, Zacky, Johnny and even pretty boy? Plus your three bodyguards? What happened to me? I feel like I was hit by a train."

"Don't you remember anything?" I asked

"I remember telling you I was taking my break and going out back. I called my Mom to check on the kids and then...oh yeah. That creep and his friends came up and cornered me. I remember him saying something about teasing him and how I was going to pay for it and then he punched me in the nose, my eye and again across my jaw. I felt my jaw explode and my head snap back and hit the wall. The next thing I remember was falling and then waking up here. What happened in between?" she asked.

I had to really concentrate on what she was saying. It was hard to hear her she was speaking so low and difficult to understand what she was saying but she was speaking slowly enough for me to put it together. My heart ached for her.

"He hit you multiple times breaking your nose and your jaw in two places. They had to wire it shut for fuck's sake. He also bruised several of your ribs. The doctors say that you were lucky none of your ribs were broken. He tried to rape you Anne." I said.

Upon hearing this for the first time her sisters asked how I came upon this situation. I explained how we saw the creep and his friends hurrying out of the bar and they looked up to no good. After he had grabbed Anne's ass we decided to take no chances and followed them. By the time we got there you were already on the ground with blood gushing out of your head and nose and the creep was on top of you and had your clothes cut open. I pulled him off of you and had Johnny go for help while Zacky dialed 911 and checked on you. I beat the shit out of the creep but now seeing you like this I wish I would've beat him to death.

"Oh my God did he rape me?" she asked terrified.

"No I was able to pull him off before he had the chance to do anything else to you." I assured her.

"Well where is your shirt blue eyes?" she asked me. God I was really starting to love hearing her call me blue eyes all the time.

"I took it off to cover you up. Matt and Brian did the same and Zacky's is covered in blood. The hospital gave us these to put on." I said showing her the scrub shirt I was wearing.

"So in other words you saved me blue eyes. You saved me from being raped by that monster! I don't know how to thank you!?" she said in between sobs.

"You don't need to thank me at all. Any decent human being would've done the same. Please don't cry." I said to her.

Her sisters came over to me and gave me a hug. "Thank you for being there to save our sister." they said "We really appreciate you going above and beyond for her after just meeting her tonight. When we think about what a much more traumatic experience this could've been for her...there are no words."

"Please anyone would've done the same in my position. But if it makes you feel better you're welcome." I said.

Anne was in tears. I went to her side to comfort her. I would've done anything to make the bad memories go away. I wanted to stop her tears so I bent in low on her left side where she wasn't covered in cuts and bruises and whispered that everything was going to be okay. I knew they were just words but I said them anyway hoping she'd believe me. I took her hand and as I was leaning in I kissed her forehead...the only place that wasn't bruised or bandaged up. She looked up at me with her swollen eyes that were filled with gratitude and so much warmth. She whispered, "Thank you so much blue eyes. I owe you my life." It made my heart melt.

Notes

I know it's a short chapter and a little redundant...sorry. Anne can talk although it's a little hard to understand what she's saying. As always...comments and critiques are welcome.