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Finally Found You (Breath x Alvis)

M

My last breath

Guest
Option 1
Name: Ashley Warren
Age: 27
Reason for visit: Possible broken rib, ( fell down stairs)
Insurance: Yes
Next of kin/emergency contact: Scott Warren (husband)

This is what Ashley put down on the registration papers, as she sat in the E.R waiting room. Her husband Scott looming over her shoulder, making sure she wrote down the 'correct' information. She didn't dare look at him, not in the mood he was in. She had a nice sized bruise covering her right cheek, with a small cut just under her eye. That wasn't the worst of it though, she was sure that when Scott had thrown her against the dining table she had broken a rib. The room was crowded, and everyone kept looking in their direction. They all knew why she was here, the evidence was clear even with out the angry looking Scott there. She stifled a cry as she stood from her chair, making her way towards the desk. Holding tight to her own ribs, she slid the white plastic clip board to the nurse.

The nurse took the clip board with out looking up, but when she saw 'Fell down stairs' she looked up. Her face softened when she took her Ashley's face, "do you need help," she asked, her eyes darting to the man coming up quickly behind her. She was offering Ashley the chance to tell the truth. Before she could say anything though, Scott came up behind her. Pushing her back towards the waiting area. Ashley gave the nurse a smile, hopefully convincing the woman she didn't need help.

The last thing she wanted to do was try sitting in that chair again. The pain it would cause was almost too much. Afraid to make her husband angry again, she gripped one of the arm rests. She whimpered as the sharp pain shot through her when she lowered herself into the chair.

She hadn't always been this way of course. When she was younger she was a strong willed person, didn't take crap from anybody. She had been one of those that didn't understand why the woman didn't just leave. Now she knew, it wasn't that easy. A lot of it was fear, fear that they would kill you before you stepped foot out the door. The other part was guilt, you were convinced that they would harm themselves if you left. There was also the empty promises, the promise that they would change. That they didn't mean to do it, they brake you down so much that you believe every word.

The nurse had pulled some strings, getting her into a room quickly. Ashley was set in a wheel chair so she would move her broken rib around too much. The nurse was trying to give her another chance at the truth. Scott was never more then a few feet away though, so the gesture was pointless. She wanted to lay back on the gurney, but the pain was too much. Instead she waited for the doctor, hunched over holding her ribs.
"Just make sure you stick to the story Ashley, as long as you don't change it they will believe you." She looked up at that man she was suppose to feel safe with. "I know Scott, I was carrying a basket of laundry down the stairs and lost my footing" There was no way they would believe any of that, but they couldn't do anything unless she admitted it.

This of course was her sixth ER visit in just as many months. Every other time, they were minor. A few stitches here and there. This last time however he had been extremely angry. One of his employees had showed up still drunk to the construction site. This is what had set the mood for the entire day. So when Scott came home, and saw the coffee cup on the table he lost it.
 
With a heavy sigh, Doctor Liam Caffal checked himself again. Hands steady, mind on task. That was all very good. He needed to remind himself to keep himself on track lately. But this was a fairly simple task it seemed. Potential broken rib. X-ray. Tape it up. Proscribe some pain meds. Move her on. Bring in the next one. It was almost an assembly line of medical work. It kept the hospital going, and it had been awhile since he'd done anything more serious than the day to day. He'd been a top rated surgeon for a long time, but that was behind him now. Now it was about making each day count. And that was precisely what he was doing now.

He entered the room, seeing the woman holding her side, and seeing how close the two were huddled. It meant that they were a close couple, or that they were wanting to keep the conversation out of the ears of others. Could be perfectly innocent. Or exactly the opposite. He gave himself a half shake. A doctor's job was to heal, not to judge.
"Hello Mrs... Warren. I'm Doctor Caffal, and I'll be looking after you today. According to the chart here you have a possible broken rib. I'd like to get an x-ray of that if possible." He said calmly, smiling at the two. Her husband stood, and looked Liam in the eye. The doctor didn't flinch. He was not a small man, the husband, and was clearly used to being able to at least get a person to react to that. Liam gave him nothing.
"Won't that cost extra?" Scott asked.
"You're insured, so no, it won't. If you'll come with me Ma'am?" He stepped out of the room, and watched as Scott looked at teh wheelchair, and begrudgingly gripped the handles, pushing her along. Liam did want to see about getting her on her own, talking to her without Scott looking over her shoulder. He led them towards the x-ray room that he'd had prepared for them.
 
The doctor entered the room just as they finished talking, normally she would have straightened but her ribs hurt too much. She kept bent over holding her arm around her body, as if it would help, it didn't. As always Scott tried to intimidate the doctor, she could never understand why he did this. He had done this when they first met, but she never really thought about it much. He didn't use the tactic on her in the beginning. They were together a year and a half before he proposed. It was only a couple months after the wedding that he started on her. No it didn't start out violent right away either, mostly it was just verbal. This past year is when the violence started.

She hadn't really thought about needing an x-ray, but Scott asked the question she had been thinking. They had excellent insurance of course, but he also earned quite a bit of money. Even if there was out of pocket expenses, affording it wouldn't be a problem.

At first Ashley thought she might have to wheel herself out the door, as Scott didn't look as though he really felt the need to help her with the task. With expectant look from Dr. Caffel, he gripped the handles of the wheel chair. She thought she heard a bit of cussing under his breath but she mentally shook it off. They followed the doctor down a hallway towards x-ray, Ashley never saying a word. She was afraid she would say the wrong thing, and that would make Scott angry with her.

Once in the room, she waited to see of Scott would leave her alone with the doctor, or insist on staying.
 
Liam adjusted the room, getting it set up properly. He knew there was no way that she was going to be able to get herself on the table on her own, so he moved around to help her. He looked at her husband blankly.
"Well sir, I've got it from here. If you wouldn't mind waiting outside?" He suggested.
"And suppose I do?" Scott challenged.
"That's your call. I'll get you a disclaimer to sign, and we can get started. Scott faltered a moment.
"A...disclaimer?"
"Sir, this is a room devoted to getting an x-ray taken. There's a fair amount of radiation thrown around. I'll be standing overe there, behind the lead screen. The lady will have some lead lined clothing draped on her."
"And why can't I stand over there with you?"
"Because you are not a doctor. Or a nurse. Or affiliated with the hospital in any way sir. And also, there's only room for one person to stand there safely. So I'm sorry, but you can either sign the disclaimer, get a dose of radiation, or wait outside." Scott looked like he was going to argue farther, but finally gave his wife a telling glare, as though this was somehow her fault, and then left the room. Liam shut the door behind him,and locked it.

He smiled as he did so, and turned around, taking the few steps away from the door needed to make sure his voice didn't carry past it.
"Well, that's a lot better, wouldn't you say ma'am? Now, let's get you on the table, and I'll get you set up with a bit of lead." He said calmly, feeling a bit of a surge at the way he'd ushered her jerk of a husband out of the room. He came to the wheelchair, and engaged the locks, offering her his hands as a way to get herself moving. "How long have you two been together?" He asked her, looking to draw her out a bit.
 
Ashley shifted slightly as the doctor came around to help her on the table. Looking up at him when he stopped to talk with Scott. She stayed silent during the confrontation between her angry husband and the doctor he couldn't seem to intimidate. At one point she was sure Scott would start swinging on him. When he looked lie he would argue about staying more, he finally turned on her. Giving her that familiar glare just before he walked out. She actually flinched when he looked at her. When he finally left was when she realized she had been holding her breath. Her shoulders sagged a little, as she was no longer being watched for a mistake.

Shifting again when the doctor came back to her. Smiling as he asked the question, "aahh yeah, a lot better." Taking his hands for support, she winced a little as she stood. Placing a hand on the table she lowered herself on to it. "We..have been together four years," glancing at the tables surface she was dreading laying down on it. Afraid she wouldn't be able to get back off when she did. With as deep a breath as she could take, she laid down on the hard surface. This is when the questions would start, they always did. They always tried to get more information out of her.

She had nowhere else to go, even if she pressed charges he would only be in jail for a couple days. When he came back he would be even angrier. She was stuck and she knew it. She didn't have anyone left to turn to, she no longer had the family she once had. Scott made sure of that with in months of being married. He moved them two states away, she wasn't allowed to talk with her own mother anymore. Ashley fought the tears that welled up in her eyes. Why did they have to press the matter?
 
Liam nodded as she spoke. It was a good way to talk to someone, bring them a little more attention, make things a bit more personal. Th last thing a person wanted when they spoke to a doctor was to feel like they were getting handled rather than helped. Liam had been on the other side of a moments like this, and he remembered how infuriated he would become.
"Four years, eh? That's quite a stretch of time. Forgive me if I'm overstepping my bounds, but is he always this angry at everyone?" Liam asked her, carefully settling the lead coverings on her, but keeping them far away from the wounded rib. He was going to have to give her something for that pretty soon. It was obviously paining her, and that was not something he intended to stand by and let happen. Pain like this was easy enough to fix. The other kind...that was harder.

He adjusted the machine, aiming it carefully at the wounded area. This was an easy enough procedure. But he'd be careful, make sure he got plenty of images to work with. Show her the images, take his time. be thorough. After all, she was insured, might as well make sure she got the best benefit from her policy. He kept himself near her right now, giving her the chance to talk to him.
 
She stared up at the white machinery above her head. "He... doesn't mean to," she finally turned to look at him. "He just had a bad day at work, it always puts him in a mood." Ashley hoped she wasn't giving to much information away. Really she could still claim the fall down the stairs. Just because he gets angry with strangers doesn't mean he would act like that towards her. That was what she planned to do, just keep insisting that she fell down the stairs with a basket of laundry.

She watched as he maneuvered the lead blanket then the machine. She appreciated how careful he was about everything he did. Her mind raced over what she would say to the many questions he would ask. Maybe if she just came right out and said what happened he would let it go. A minute ticked by before she finally said anything else. "I know what you are thinking," she turned her face away from him for a moment. "You... are wrong though," Ashley turned her attention back to Dr Caffal. Something told her he wasn't going to drop the conversation, it was in the way he looked at her. "I fell down the stairs carrying a basket of laundry," there she said it.
 
Lima frownded, adn stepped away from her, heading for the safe area.
"BAd day or not, the rest of the world certainly doesn't deserve his ire." Liam observed idly, no judgement in his voice. The lights dimmed, adn the x-ray unit snapped an image. And then another. Then two more. With a nod, he went back to her side, and slid the lead lined pads off of her. He sighed, and opted to simply go the honest route for thigns.

"Ma'am, I'll be frank. You did not fall down the stairs, adn any medial professional would be able to tell that just by looking at you. No pain in your legs, the bruising that would come from a fall just isn't there. And if it was the basket that broke your ribs, there'd be compounded fractures. Which there isn't. So I'll be blunt. If this is the story you want to stick to, then fine. A doctor's job is to heal, not to judge. I'm not going to try and force anything out of you." Liam explained in a clinical, matter of fact way, as though he was describing the weather. "Now. The rib is broken, so I'm going to have to secure it, and I'll be getting you something for the pain. It'll be easier if you stay where you are." He explained as he went to a cabinet. It held what he'd need to work on her ribs, and some painkillers.
 
She knew he was right, but really that was the only reason she had for why Scott did what he did. That was always the reason he gave her, so why not give it to someone else. She closed her eyes as the lights dimmed, then she heard the clicking noise as the machine took the pictures.

Opening her eyes when he came back to her side and removed the lead blankets. Ashley jumped a little when he started talking. Of course she would get the doctor not willing to just take what she said. Sucking in a breath she held it while he continued to talk. The tears she had fought earlier came back to battle her once again. When he walked away, Ashley brought her hand to her eyes. Her body shook once with a sob, then she groaned from the sharp pain it caused. "He... doesn't mean to, he just loses it sometimes." She refused to look at the doctor, as she spoke. "I should have been on time today, if I had just done what I am suppose to he wouldn't have gotten so angry." Turning her face finally to watch as he came back. Tears streaking down her face, "I just have to remember that's all."
 
Liam shook his head. Four years. Four Gods Damned years. The effects of the abuse had likely become pretty deep seated. And that meant it was going to be hard to do anything about really. And really, the more he thought about it, was really his place to do anything about it? He looked back over at her as he held the things he needed to patch her up. She'd lost the fight witht he tears. And that settled things in his mind. Yes. Yes it was his place. It was going to be a long, constant fight to try to do this, but really, what choice did he have for this? She needed help. She needed someone, a good man, to be something like a hero to her. Unfortunately, she was going to have to settle for him, unless he was incredibly lucky and a person that fit his criteria showed up to take over from him. But he certainly wasn't going to hold his breath.

"Here's anotrher thing to remember. It is neither a right nor a privilege to be allowed to hurt someone who isn't in a position to retaliate." He hesitated over his next words. They were true, but they didn't exactly instill a sense of peace. But honesty. That was to be the order of the march today. "This is a bad break. Loose bone. I can set it, get it in good position. But if he hadn't stopped when he did...if he'd jarred the break even a little hard? He could have ripped your lung open. This goes beyond losing his temper. He could have killed you today ma'am." He stepped to her.

"I'm going to give you something before I start to work on you. Please hold still." He swabbed her arm, and slid a needle in, giving her a low dose of morphine to steal the edge off the pain. A previously roaring pain would be rediced to a dull ache, but he hadn't given her enough to rob her mind of it's faculties. Her brain might feel a bit fuzzy, but she'd be able to still talk. "If you could slide your shirt up some, I'll get your ribs taken care of."
 
Ashley didn't bother stopping the tears now, he had already seen them. She was lost, a part of her knowing she had to leave, but another part terrified to do so. What would he do if she tried? When would she ever have the opportunity? Taking a moment to recover, she took as deep a breath as she could with out hurting herself. Sure Dr. Caffal was probably judging her right now, just as the nurse had been, and the people in the waiting room. Scott was a dangerous man when crossed, and she had learned that she wasn't immune to his rage. Leaving Scott could prove fatal she knew that for certain.

Turning her face to look at him, she listened. Nodding her head, a good part of her knew this made since. There was still that voice that kept saying Scott will change, he said he would, he promised he would. Ashley's eyes got wider for a moment, as he explain the injury to her. He had to be wrong, Scott would never hurt her that much. He was probably just trying to scare her. "H-he would never go that far." She wasn't sure the doctor had heard her, her voice just above a whisper as she spoke. She squeezed her eyes shut just as he started back towards her. The memory of Scott throwing her against the kitchen table still very fresh in her mind. She tried to block out the vision of the smile she swear she saw as he slapped her hard the first time.

She jumped only a little as she felt the prick from the needle. Morphine being a fast drug, already started to ease the pain. Moments passed and she was feeling only slightly fuzzy. "Scott, he promised this would be the last time." Nodding her head as Liam asked her to slide her shirt up a bit. The exposed skin, showed the dark purple bruises, as well as many in varying shades indicating when they were caused. Refusing to look at the doctor now, now that he knew just how many times Scott had done this.
 
Liam set his jaw at her words. The last time. Liam knew full well that he could make for dfamned sure that it was the last time, but he restrained that urge. That part of his life was long behind him. No need to bring it up now. It's existance had likely led to his other problem, but now he had to deal with what was in front of him. As she moved her short, he saw the many layers upon layers of bruising. SOme of them stopped being skin damage, and were deep tissue bruising. Gods, this was monstrous. If it got any worse, it was likely that she'd start needed physical therapy to get back to her full strength again. Which wasn't covered under her insurance, adn thusly he doubted her husband would spring for it.

"I hate asking obvious questions." Liam started, beginnign to tape up her ribs. "But exactly how many 'last times' have there been? I'm guessing this isn't the first one." He said dryly. Judging her wasn't on his mind. He was judging someone else by a fairly large margin, and not liking what he found. He looked at teh x-rays again, adn then went to a rack that held others. He selected a few, and switch them for the ones on the wall. He left the room to speak to her husband.

Scott was glaring at the door, adn shifted as Liam emerged.
"How is she?" He demanded.
"Not good. There's floating bone fragments that need to settle. She's going to need a few days in here at least." Liam informed him.
"What? Bullshit. I want to see the x-rays."
"Right this way."

Scott swept intot eh room, all storm and anger, glaring around the room as though everything around him was to blame. his glare lingered on Ashley, taking in the fact her shirt was partly raised somehow made Scott more angry. He looked at the wall, and frowned, not treally knowing what he was looking for. Liam helped him.
"See here, there's were the ribs are supposed to sit, but there's multiple bone fragments that are loose inside of her. I've secured some of the bigger ones, but the smaller ones need a chance to settle. It's all covered in your insurance, but it's going to take time." Scott glared at the man as he spoke, looking like he wanted to swing at him. And what bothered him most was that Liam looked for all teh world like he wanted Scott to try it. He glared over at Ashley.
"Call you in the morning." He grunted, and left the room.

"Well, that was fun." Liam said dryly, switching the x-rays back out. "And that should buy you a few days of relative peace."
 
Ashley closed her eyes against the calming feeling of the morphine. The receded pain allowing her to actually breath normally, at least in her own mind anyway. She shifted slightly as he started taping up her ribs. Morphine had the strange effect of a sort of truth serum, it made a person not think about the words they said. "The last year it has gotten worse then before," her eyes fluttered open to look at him. "He says it every time," she said before looking away again.

Turning her attention back to the doctor she watched him walk out into the hall. Closing the door, she wondered what he was saying to Scott. For a few seconds she had started to drift to sleep with the silence that was filling the room. Her eyes snapped back open just as the door did. Instinctively she jumped when her husbands attention lingered on her on, even with the morphine her body tensed. She tried to listen to what was being said, but she couldn't hear everything with them facing away from her. She flinched again as he suddenly turned towards her and spoke. She knew full well when she got home she wouldn't be there for long.

The thought brought the tears back to her eyes, medication making it impossible to even stop them. She knew the doctor was only trying to help, but he didn't realize just how much trouble he had gotten her in. If he thought the broken rib was bad, he would be surprised in a few days what Scott would do to her now. "Th-thank you," the words came out a little choppy between the sobs she was holding back with everything she had. Rolling to her side, Ashley braced herself with her hands and started to push herself to a sitting position.
 
Liam nodded, and stepped over to gently offer to help her back into the chair.
"Easy there. You're in good hands now." He said faintly, making sure she didn't jar herself getting into the wheelchair. WHile the break wasn't as bad as it had looked with the switched x-rays, she still wasn't in good shape. And he didn't want her to actualy hurt herself now that the morphine was in her system. Two days of observation. That was about as long as he could push it before someone higher up the chain than him caught wind and started looking too close. That gave him a few days to try and convince her to try and give a statement against her abusive asshole of a husband.

He wheeled her down the hall, deliberately avoiding the room she'd been in before, wanting a different locale, and somewhere that her husband couldn't actually find her easily. There were a few little tricks he could use, the easiest of them was buying lunch for hte receptionist, the next was to 'make a mistake' on her name logging her in, so that the name didn't line up to the one that Scott would use to look for her. It was all a good plan in theory. He pushed her into a room that he knew had been vacated earlier. He wheeled her close to a bed, and locked the wheelchair in place before coming around to the front.
"Did you need a hand getting ontot he bed?" He asked her.
 
Ashley's face pinched a little as she pushed herself completely up. Smiling as Liam came to help her to the chair. While the morphine had taken the majority of the pain away, she still had control of her motor functions. A little dizzy when moving but nothing too bad. "Thank you," she said as she lowered herself into the wheel chair. Using her arms she pushed herself back into a more comfortable position, her face pinching a little again at the movement.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as they went in a different direction then the room she was in before. She figured that maybe they had already gotten her a more permanent room then the one in the ER. Leaning back a little more in the wheel chair, she closed her eyes against the morphine. When the wheel chair stopped is when she opened her eyes. Looking up at the doctor as he came to stand in front of her. "Umm, yeah I think I do," she replied to his question. Bracing herself on the arms of the chair, she started pushing herself up with his help.
 
Liam nodded, and came around, gently taking her arms in his hands, adn guiding her gently into a sitting position, and then giving her a boost up onto the bed, careful not to jar her ribs. Morphine or not, that wasn't going to be a comfortable thing. He nodded to her, and moved around to get a few things set up. He brought over an IV, and looked to her.
"I'm not going to force this. If you want, I can set you up on a morphine drip to help keep the pain off, but if you'd rather not, I'm fine with that too." He said calmly.

Scott was fuming. Fucking doctor. Who the fuck did he think he was, telling him what to do with his wife? SHe was his, and no one elses. Well, he'd sort this all out, see about tranferring their insurance to a different hospital, get some distance from the uppity fucker. He punched the doorframe as he walked through it, a few splinters of wood flying from the hit. Gods he was pissed! Something to hit would be great right now. But Ashley had to be in the hospital. He stormed through the place, grumbling as he did.
 
Ash actually manage to not complain much as Liam helped her on the bed. Even helping her get her feet onto it, she kept from complain. The morphine helped a lot with this of course. Breathing softly she watched him move around the room, setting up an IV tree, and numerous other things. The question about the drip was a little surprising, normally they didn't give you a choice in the matter. If she could get away with not having the IV she would opt for that instead of the alternative. "I think I will be ok, if it gets bad I will let you know."

Being away from Scott, even if it was for a short time felt nice. She was able to relax without his eye constantly watching her for a screw up. Waiting for her to do something 'wrong', something that he would feel the need to punish her for. Their insurance would only allow for a three days stay, but it would be three days she would cherish for sure. It would also give her three days to figure out how to be better for Scott, so he wouldn't have to punish her. She knew she could do better, but couldn't understand why she didn't.
 
Liam nodded, and pushed the IV back out of the way.
"All right then." He smiled at her. Then paused, and nodded. "Tell you what, I'm going to get you something to eat. You've been here long enough that you could probably use it." He pat her shoulder, and walked across the room, finding the remote for the TV, and setting it on the bed. "So you don't get bored while I'm gone." He took his leave then, heading down the hall.

He stopped at reception, filing some paperwork. The woman behind the counter, Phyllis, looked up at him.
"You're admitting someone?" She asked.
"Stand in awe. I'm doing work." Liam said dryly.
"Looks good on you."
"Thanks." Phyllis looked at some of the work.
"This the abuse victim? She willing to report?"
"Of course not. He's got his hooks in her. Bad."
"And you're admitting her because...?"
"It's the right thing to do." Phyllis sighed.
"Might be the exact wrong thing to do if she doesn't report him." Liam sighed.
"Can only do what I think is right Llis."
"I know Liam. Good luck." He nodded to her, and went down the hall to make good on his promise.

Maybe twelve minutes after he'd left, Liam came back in with a small cart. He had a pair of plates on it, both of them had what looked like roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn on it. He smiled and put one on a table that swung over to her on the bed.
"I hope you don't mind. I've been on the go for awhile, and thought I could use somehting too. And I also hate easting alone." He said apologetically, sitting near her bed, adn putting the other tray on a side table.
 
Ash smiled as he pushed the IV tree back out of the way. Happy that he didn't try to push the subject. "Oh that would be great thanks," she replied as he offered to get her something to eat. She and Scott never had the chance to even sit down at the dinner she had made, before everything happened. Most of it was now on the hardwood floors back home. Picking the offered remote up from the bed, she smiled again. "Thank you... for everything," she added. Turning her attention to the windows looking outside.

Ashley had switched the TV on though she wasn't really watching what was on. She was mainly using it as background noise. Hospitals always made her feel uneasy, though that was the case for most people. Instead she continued to look out the dark windows, at the cars that would rive by below. Turning her attention to Liam as he reentered the room, holding not one but two trays. "Oh no please stay," she shifted in the bed a little, wincing only slightly. "I don't like eating alone either," taking the cover off the plate. It look and smelled great, she turned the volume on the TV down.
 
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