Chapter 40

When Justin and Trace arrived at Kerrigan’s apartment not even five minutes later, they found that the front door was unlocked and open for anyone to walk in.

They headed towards the living room first, unsure of where Kerrigan would be.  They were not prepared for the scene in front of them.

The coffee table was smashed into several pieces.  The pictures that had been hung neatly on the walls earlier that day when they were there, were now either sideways, or laying in pieces on the floor.  Pictures and nick knacks were knocked over and busted.  The room looked like an all out war had taken place.

“KERRIGAN?” Justin called out, as he looked around the room behind furniture, before heading to the kitchen to look there.

“KERRIGAN?” he repeated when he heard nothing.

Trace was in the hallway when he heard whimpers.  “BACK HERE!” he called out to Justin and immediately headed for Kerrigan’s bedroom.

He rushed through the open door to find Kerrigan laying on the floor entangled in only a sheet  Her body badly beaten.  “Dear God.” he gasped, rushing to her side.  “Kerrigan, what happened?  Kerr….” Trace chocked back tears.  He’d never in all of his life seen anyone beaten as badly as she was.  At least not in person.  And for it to be someone that meant so much to him made it even worse.

Justin came barging through the bedroom door and came to an immediate halt when he saw Trace kneeled down next to Kerrigan.  He couldn’t even form any words.  All he could see was Kerrigan lying on the floor beaten to a bloody pulp.  He was consumed by fear and dread.

Rushing to Kerrigan’s other side, Justin kneeled down beside her, running his hand gently down the side of her face as he spoke to her.  “Kerrigan, what happened?”

She looked up and met Justin’s eyes, but was unable to fully speak.  The only thing she could utter was the name “Cody”.

Justin looked away from her as the anger built inside of him.  He couldn’t believe the guy had done this to her.  The bruises he had seen earlier were infuriating enough, but this was unimaginable.

Looking over her body Justin was quick to move the sheet to cover areas he was sure Kerrigan would not want exposed.  He then looked over to Trace.  “We need to get her to the hospital.  Call an ambulance.”

Trace nodded and got to his feet to make the call from his cell phone, while Justin attempted to get more information out of Kerrigan.  It was pretty evident that Cody had beaten the crap out of her, although Justin didn’t understand why.  But the thing that was really pulling on his mind and making him see red, was the fact that she was laying there in only a sheet.  He didn’t want to let his mind run away with him, but he could only imagine the worst.

“Kerrigan, sweetie I need you to stay with me here.” he told her, noticing that her eyes were starting to drift shut.  He didn’t want her to fall asleep because he wasn’t sure of the extent of her injuries.  “Look at me, Kerrigan.  Look into my eyes.”  he urged.

Kerrigan met Justin’s eyes and for the longest moment they just stared at each other.  Looking into one another’s souls.

Justin was so consumed with emotions he wasn’t sure what to do next.  Rage was building inside of him as he looked down at her, taking in the damage that Cody had inflicted.  He wanted to storm out of there and hunt Cody down like the beast he was and kill the bastard.  But he reminded himself that Kerrigan needed him right now.  She needed him more than she ever had before in her life.  He had never let her down before and he was not going to start now.

When tears started to once again roll down Kerrigan’s face, Justin was quick to brush them away.  “No sweetie, please don’t cry.  I know you’re upset but you’ll only make it worse.  Just try to stay calm.” he told her, turning to look at Trace.  “What the hell’s taking so long?”

Trace gave Justin a exasperated look.  “Can you believe the pricks put me on hold!  ON HOLD!” he said.

“They put you on hold?” Justin asked disbelievingly.  “911?”

Trace shook his head yes, vigorously and just then someone apparently came on the line because Trace immediately launched into a bitch session about them placing him on hold when he was calling in regarding an emergency.

Justin turned his attention back to Kerrigan when he felt her hand pulling on his lightly.  He looked down and once again met her eyes.  “They’re on their way.” he told her, trying to comfort her.

“Justin…” Kerrigan drew out hoarsely.

“Don’t try to talk, Kerr.  Just relax.  The ambulance will be here shortly.  Everything’s going to be ok.”  he said, trying to be reassuring.  Although it was clearly said more for himself than for her.

“Justin, please.” she said, pulling on his hand again to get his attention.

He was having a really hard time looking at her.  When he did he became so consumed by fear, guilt and rage that he could hardly contain himself.  He couldn’t stand seeing her that way, so he was trying to avoid looking at her if possible.  He knew it was the only way he would be able to make it through this without completely losing it.

“Kerrigan, please just don’t talk.  Just relax.” he directed again.

“Justin, he raped me.” she blubbered out amongst her tears.

At those words Trace froze in mid conversation with the 911 operator, staring down at his damaged friend.

While, Justin’s eyes immediately locked on Kerrigan’s again.  All he could see in her eyes were pain and fear.  She was lost in those emotions and he could tell.  At that moment Justin just wanted to pull Kerrigan within him to protect her.  To make everything go away.  “He…he ra…rapped you?” he stuttered out.

Kerrigan began to cry harder.  “I tried to make him stop.  I told him to stop.  I told him no, but I couldn’t fight him, Justin.  I was too weak.  I tried.  But I couldn’t stop him.” she said hysterically.

Justin felt like crying as he looked down at his fragile friend.  She had been completely shattered and he hadn’t been there to protect her.

Laying down on the floor next to her, Justin pulled her body against his, rapping his arms around her tightly.  “I’m sorry.” he whispered.  “God, I’m so sorry, Kerrigan.” he choked out as a tear slid down his cheek.

He would never forgive himself for allowing this to happen to her.  Granted he had not been the one to do the damage himself, but Justin felt as though he might as well have.  He’d know there was something off about Cody.  He’d had all of those gut feelings.  And yet he just stood by and allowed this to happen.  He should have put a stop to it in the beginning.  He should have gotten rid of Cody when he had the chance.  And because he hadn’t, now Kerrigan was scarred for life.

Trace clicked off his phone and starred at his two friends on the floor.  Justin was clearly crying, Trace could tell by the way his body was shaking as he clutched Kerrigan to him.  Trace felt like crying himself.  He couldn’t believe what had happened.  It was like some crazy scene out of a movie.  It didn’t seem real to him.  But as he stood there and watched his two friends cry together he knew it was real.  A little too real for his liking.

Easing over to sit on the floor next to them, Trace reached out a hand and rubbed Kerrigan’s bare back.  It was his form of comforting her.  He didn’t know what else to do.  He wasn’t about to lay down on the floor with her and hug on to her in the shape she was in.

Typically Trace knew Justin wouldn’t have done that either, but he was overcome with emotions and Trace already knew Justin felt partially, if not totally to blame for the situation.  He knew that Justin would blame himself for this because he hadn’t done anything to prevent it.

“The police and paramedics are on their way.” Trace said softly.  He needed to say something.

“Police?” Kerrigan choked out.

“Yeah, they have to come and investigate because it’s Domestic Violence.” Trace said, still rubbing her back.

Kerrigan pulled away from Justin’s embrace.  “I need clothes.” she mumbled.

“Kerrigan, you’re not in any shape to be getting yourself dressed right now.  Just lay here and relax until the paramedics get here.” Trace told her.

“No.  I want my clothes.  I don’t want them to see me like this.” she cried.

Justin looked over at Trace and the two just sat staring at each other for a moment unsure of what to do.  They knew there was no way she’d be able to dress herself in her condition.  And neither of them were prepared to dress her.

“Kerr, I think you should wait like Trace said.” Justin stated.

“No.  You guys please.  Please I don’t want anyone else to see me like this.” she pleaded with them.

“But Kerrigan, you can’t dress yourself right now.” Justin argued, attempting to talk her out of it.

Kerrigan looked up to Justin with her swollen, tear filled eyes.  “Then help me.”

“Kerr…..” Justin shook his head.

“Please.” she begged, tears streaming down her face.

Justin looked up to Trace, who held his hands up in the air and shook his head.  Justin gave him a dirty look.  “If I gotta do this, you’re gonna help me!” he told him and Trace frowned.

Justin looked back down at Kerrigan.  “Where are you sweats?”

“In the dresser.” she answered, laying her head back down on the floor.  She was so exhausted.

Justin looked back up at Trace and nodded.  “Get her some pants and a t-shirt.”

“But Justin…” Trace attempted to argue.

“Just do it, Trace.  She doesn’t want anyone to see her like this, it’s the least we can do.  Now hurry up so we can do this before they get here.”

Sighing to himself, Trace quickly got up and rushed to the other side of the room, rummaging through Kerrigan’s drawers in search of some sweats and a t-shirt.  When he found what he was looking for he took the clothes back over to Justin and tossed them down on the floor.  “How are we gonna do this?” he asked.

“Well, we could pull the clothes on under the sheet.” Justin suggested, looking down at Kerrigan and studying the situation.  He wanted to preserve any modesty she may have left after what had happened to her that evening.

Kerrigan sighed, knowing that Justin and Trace were only delaying the inevitable.  “Just do it.  I don’t care.  I’m in so much pain right now I don’t care.  Just do it.  Please hurry.” she said, hearing the sirens off in the distance.

Justin took a deep breath as he sat up completely.  Grabbing the sweats that Trace had thrown down in front of him, he moved to Kerrigan’s legs and began to slip each pant leg up over her lower legs.  Once he had both legs in the pants he proceeded to pull them up her thighs and then up over hips.  He’d left the sheet in tact, covering her lower region as he did so.

Justin then moved to her upper body, looking over at Trace and giving him a dirty look as he just sat there.  “Are you gonna help me?” he grumbled.

“You seem to have everything under control.” Trace replied.

“You’re gonna have to sit her up so I can get the shirt over her head, Trace.  Now come on.”

Trace grumbled something under his breath and pulled Kerrigan to a sitting position.  He slowed the motion when she winced in pain.  “I’m sorry.” he said, looping his arms around her stomach to sit her up.

Justin quickly pulled the sheet that had fallen from her chest in Trace’s haste, back up.  “Hold that there.” he instructed Trace.

Trace did as he was told as Justin quickly swooped the shirt down over Kerrigan’s head and then snaked her arms through the sleeves, pulling the shirt down over chest.  Once he had it in place, Justin pulled the sheet away from her and tossed it across the room.

“There that wasn’t so bad.” Justin said, trying to be positive about the whole thing.

Trace merely gave Justin a dirty look, then focused his attention back on Kerrigan.  “Do you wanna lay back down?” he asked.

“No.  It doesn’t hurt as bad sitting up like this.  Just don’t let me go, ok?” Kerrigan said through her tears.  She’d been unable to stop crying through the whole thing.  She felt safe now that the guys were there with her, but that didn’t take away from any of the other events that had happened that evening.  And it didn’t subdue the pain that was coursing through her body.

Trace settled himself behind Kerrigan, hugging her back to his chest.  “I’m not going anywhere, Kerr.  Me and Justin are right here and we’re not going anywhere.”