Soldier x Soldier - Rescued (Closed to cbelle02)

[AlwaysFaithful]

Sitting in the dirt that was the floor of her prison, Corporal Katherine Doyle sat in the corner, wrists cuffed above her head to the stone wall, there was no windows in her cell, but by the heat that filled the room, covering Kat in a layer of sweat, she knew it was day time. Pale grey eyes opened, looking at the cell she had memorized, she knew the exact count of the number of stones in every wall of this cell. Long ago the brunette had lost track of how long she'd been in this cell, and she'd stopped expecting rescue. The only thing she couldn't figure out was why she was alive. Her team was dead, that she had been told and based on the crash she believed it.

They'd been delivering supplies when their trucks had been attacked. The humvee in front of hers had exploded and flipped, then hers had been hit by what she assumed was a missile and had flipped as well. She'd passed out and woken up to members of the Taliban dragging her out of the humvee, shouting. She'd glimpsed the driver of her humvee, Josh, and he looked dead, and as she'd been the only one dragged out, she figured they others were dead from the crash or executed.

They'd moved around a lot in the beginning but as of the last however long they'd stated here. Some days, the good days, they never came in, on the bad days, they dragged her out of her cell to beat her, or rape her, or threaten her. She'd long ago given up on rescue and given half the chance she would seriously consider taking her own life, just to end all of this. Looking up at her hands, she saw the uneven fingers, from repeatedly have her fingers broken and healing incorrectly. Her skin was marred with scars from knives and burn scars from cigarettes.

Her mahogany hair had been chopped to just below her jaw line, after it had gotten too long for her captors liking. Though they still wanted some to grab her by. Sighing she looked down at her body, at one time her 5'6" frame had been an athletic 130 pounds, fit and toned from hours of working out. But now she looked gawky and malnourished, she'd be surprised if she was much more than 100 pounds. Her naturally copper skin, a legacy of native american heritage, was covered in a layer of dirt and scars. Closing her eyes she laid her head back against the stone wall, praying today would be a day they left her alone.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper Cross was surrounded by shouting and gun fire as his team raided the compound where they suspected the POW to be held. This was the last ditch effort to rescue the soldier and no holds were barred. Months of negotiations had led to nothing. They were holding her as collateral and nothing more. Her captors weren't interested in deals, or information, or anything other than keeping her hostage and doing who knows what horrible, disgusting things to her.

So a special forces unit had been trained and organized for the rescue, consisting of only the strongest, bravest, most skilled members. Harper was proud to be a part of it, ready to do anything it would take to bring one of their own home. Even if that meant laying down his own life.

Already, he'd watched one of his teammates take a fatal hit. In retaliation, he'd killed the motherfucker who'd been responsible. They'd managed to blow open the compound, storming in, searching building after building, busting open doors, artillery firing on any enemy they caught sight of. Harper was running on pure adrenaline.

After what seemed like too long, finding nothing, he saw what appeared to be an obscured door in the floor. He fired a shot at the chain, yanking it free and pulling the door open. It led down into a long hallway. At the end was another door. And a single armed Taliban member. With quick reflexes, he fired a few rounds before the other man was able to get a shot out, killing him easily.

He was able to kick open the door after that, but was unprepared for what he saw. Huddled in a corner was a frail looking girl. Their soldier. Pale, thin, bruised and scarred. But alive. And conscious. He approached her. "Corporal Katherine Doyle?" He said, even though he knew there was no question.

"I'm Sergeant Harper Cross of the United States Army Special Forces. We're going to take you home, Soldier." He said, his voice firm and calm but with an underlying sense of relief and accomplishment. He radio'd to the other team members that he'd found her before helping the woman to her feet. It was clear that she was too weak to walk very far, so he carefully lifted her.

The rest was all a blur as he brought her out under the protection of the other members of his unit and finally to the helicopter that would lift them away and eventually back to safety.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

She faintly heard the gunshots and they didn't surprise her, gunshots could be heard often. But when a shot sounded right outside her door, she cowered back. Body trembling as the door opened, the light blinded her, making her flinch and turn her head into the stone. She shook like a leaf as she heard the footsteps approaching. She blinked when she heard "Corporal Katherine Doyle?. Looking up at the man, she nodded hesitantly, no one here ever called her by her rank. Home. It was something she'd stopped thinking about. He cut her free from the wall and even knowing he was a friend, she still cowered when he reached to lift her. Her body shook as he carried her out of her own personal hell. Her body was going into shock, she simply laid her head on his chest and shivered, not even considering that she was entirely naked, she no longer thought of such things. Her eyes focused on her hands, her mangled fingers. She'd had her fingers broken so many times as torture that they'd healed incorrectly and now were crooked and clearly looked strange. She pressed her face into his chest, after so long in a dark, room with no stimulation, the sudden light, sound and movement was too much for her brain to process, so she simply chose not to look. She heard the heliocopter and her body shook hard as she felt herself being lifted onto the chopper. Her body was in shock as she shook, now gripping fistfuls of the man's gear, anchoring herself to him, she had no intention of letting go, not yet.

Sure somewhere in her mind she understood everyone here was a friend, but right now, in survival mode, only the man who had carried her out of her hell was someone she could trust and she had no intention of being separated from him.

 

[cbelle02]

The woman was so thin and fragile, she couldn't weigh even 100 pounds. He held her close to him, shielding her nude body as best he could. As soon as he got her into the helicopter, someone was waiting to wrap her in a blanket. She held tightly to him, as if she were afraid if she let go she'd be taken back.

"It's ok...it's ok..." He whispered, taking the blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders, tucking it in as best he could. "We just want to keep you warm. No one's going to hurt you anymore." He promised, but he allowed her to cling to him as long as she wanted. God, he could only imagine what torment she must have gone through to be reduced to her current state.

"We're gonna get you home and you'll be safe." He said, smoothing a strand of dirty hair from her face. He held her tightly as her small body trembled against his larger one. "Once we're back to base, we'll let the medical team examine you and get you feeling a little better.." He said. "Don't worry, I won't leave you alone." He reassured her when his words were met with anxious whimpers.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Katherine focused solely on the sound of the man's voice, finding it very soothing. Eventually during the flight back she got th3 courage to pull her face from his chest, looking up at him. Her eyes were pale grey almost colorless, they naturally were, but unnaturally they were full of fear not too different from a feral animal, full of fear and distrust of people. Upon arrival of he doctor assigned to her, a female, luckily, demanded x rays, blood work, ultrasounds on her organs and depending on the outcome of those tests, possibly surgery. They pried her off of Sergeant Cross, but allowed her hand to keep gripping him, giving her the anchor she wants. The brunette didn't flinch when they poked her with needles, that didn't rank on her pain scale anymore. She stayed hyper aware of the doctor and nurse who were touching her, though she never protested any actions. They examined her hands and decided given the complexity of hand surgery her level of usage wouldn't be much better than they were now, so the surgery would be cosmetic only, they opted to leave her hands until she was in a position to make a decision. After many tests they deemed surgery of any kind unnecessary and got Kat situated in a room in the quietest wing.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper watched as the medical team subjected Katherine to various exams and procedures. She seemed to endure it all easily enough. He knew she'd been through much worse tortures. She held tightly to his hand the entire time. Her pale bruised and battered body was covered in a thin hospital gown now as she was wheeled to a room. She spoke very little the entire time, only when spoken to, her voice weak and trembling.

Once she was in a room, a couple of nurses joined them to help bathe her. They tried to get Harper to let them bathe her alone, but it was clear neither he nor Katherine would allow that. He helped her into the bathroom and out of the hospital gown. She sat on a seat in the shower and gripped his hand tightly. The fact that she was nude was never an issue. His only concern was her well-being.

He didn't like the way the nurses were bathing her. They were being to rough, too clinical. Treating her like just another job instead of a person. She'd had enough of that. Finally, he ordered them to leave. They'd refused at first but eventually left the two of them alone.

"Hey...how about a warm bath?" He asked softly. "That'll be much better, right?" He said, reaching up to draw the water. After a few minutes, she was soaking in warm water up to her neck. "How does that feel?"

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Katherine sat in the bathroom and the moment the nurses asked the man to leave she shook her head, "No." She gripped his hand tightly. She didn't want him to leave. The nurses relented and set about cleaning her, causing KAt to wince a bit but otherwise remain motionless. It didn't even register that she was naked in front of him, why would it? She'd spent the better part of two years naked in front of men, it simply didn't occur to her anymore that it should be something that bothered her.

silently Kat was relieved when he sent the nurses away and started tending to her himself. Even though her skin rippled or trembled each time he touched her, mentally she was still okay, she wanted him over anyone else. Once he mentioned a warm bath she nodded, it sounded heavenly. Once she was in the water Kat nodded "Feels good." She whispered, her voice soft, hoarsely, but within that were accents, she had a hint of a western usa drawl and just a whisper of Irish, making a unique but very pleasant sound. "Thank you." she murmurs, looking up at him, pale eyes still spooked but the heat of the water was calming her, and she had yet to release her grip on his hand, too afraid that he might disappear.

 

[cbelle02]

Katherine seemed to relax at least a bit once she was submerged in the water. He smiled when she finally found her voice to express her gratitude. Harper just nodded but said nothing. He allowed her to just enjoy the warmth of the bath for a while. The nurses had washed all but her hair, so he gently helped her wet it before massaging some shampoo into her scalp with his free hand. Then he took the detachable shower head and carefully rinsed her hair free of all the suds.

"You about ready to get out?" He asked. When she was ready, he helped her to her feet, and gently dried her off. Now that her body was clean, he could get an even better view of her bruises, cuts, and scars. He winced as he gingerly patted her down with the towel. "You are one strong woman." He said quietly. "I know a lot of men that would have never lasted out there. I'm glad you're home."

After she was dressed in a fresh gown, he led her back into her room and settled her down on the bed. "Are you hungry at all? Can I get you anything? Or call for something?"

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

She sat softly, simply watching the warm water, barely flinching when he wetted her hair, applying soap, it did some good on her filthy hair, but not 100%. She wanted to remain in the water until it cooled down too much to be pleasant. Taking his help she stood, her legs shook with the effort in getting out and standing. The brunette simply shook her head when he said she was strong. "And here I am getting bathed like a child." She muttered. Of course she knew she was strong, but sometimes she hated her strength, she'd wished she'd given up her battle for life when she'd been given the chance. When her body had been battling a massive infection, she shouldn't have survived, but the Taliban members hadn't wanted her to die, they'd nursed her just enough to survive, but she remembered one night, when she'd known she could die, but it hadn't been long enough into her captivity, she still believed rescue might come, so she'd fought. Many times in the months that followed, she'd wished she'd given up.

She settled into bed, finding it hard to get comfortable on the soft mattress. "I'd eat anything." She said softly, with a faint smile. She needed to gain thirty pounds at least to look healthy, and after a diet of stale, moldy bread, meat past it's expiration, she literally would eat anything. She couldn't seem to sit still, this was all too much for her, she couldn't figure out where to settle her eyes, she ended up looking at a long scabbed wound on her leg, found herself picking at it with her crooked fingers, just to give her something to focus on.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper smiled at her admission that she'd eat anything. He was tempted to offer her something outrageous as a tease but decided to hold back. Instead he just nodded. "Alright then, I'll call down to get you some food." He proceeded to do so, ordering a juicy steak with a baked potato and a milkshake for dessert to be delivered promptly.

He still hadn't left her side since the moment he'd picked her up in that bunker. "If you want, I can stay here with you tonight. I will have to go back to my duties tomorrow, but I promise to check on you and make damn sure they're taking excellent care of you." He told her while they waited for her food. "I'm sure you'll also probably want to contact your family soon. I know they'll be elated to know you're alright. And we don't want them to hear it on the news first. But we'll go at your pace. Until you're ready, no one has to know anything. As far as the rest of the country knows, you're still down there. When you're ready, we'll let them know." He squeezed her hand and for the first time, started to gently release it.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

She looked up hesitantly when he offered to stay. "Please," She whispered, she wanted him to stay, and the thought of him leaving tomorrow wasn't a pleasant one. But in reality, it was probably good to give her a bit of time alone, to avoid developing an unnatural attachment to this man. But she wasn't thinking about that, she was only thinking about the fact that he rescued her from her own personal hell. His was the first face she'd seen, the first touch she'd felt, that didn't end in pain. So yes, she may be developing an unnatural attachment, but that would be a problem to fix later.

She shook her head when he mentioned family. "I don't have any, blood family. My parents left me at a fire station when I was six. I bounced foster homes until I was eighteen. I've only got a man I consider to be my brother. We met in a group home, and enlisted together, different branches. I don't know if he's even alive." She murmured, wondering if maybe he wasn't, he should've been on this rescue team, he should've been the one that carried her out. "Could you find out for me tomorrow?" She asked softly. "Chief Petty Officer Hunter O'Malley. He's a SEAL based in Little Creek, Virginia. Or at least he was." She paused. "If he's....deceased, I'd like to know where his wife is, her name is Abigail O'Malley." They were the only family she had, they would be the only ones who cared that she was alive.

 

[cbelle02]

"Hunter O'Malley. Little Creek. I will definitely see what I can find for you tomorrow." He promised, squeezing her hand. The name didn't ring a bell but he hoped he would be able to give her some good news, to give both of them some good news. There was a tap at the door and Harper called for the visitor to enter. He smelled the food before he saw it. Grinning, he helped Katherine sit up a bit more as the food was placed on a tray in front of her.

He didn't say much as she ate, just watched her eat in silence. It was the first real food she'd had in who knew how long. It first real nourishment that her frail body had been desperately needing. He let her enjoy it for as long as she needed.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Kat nodded, "Thanks," she jerked at the sound of the knock, cringing away a bit she moved closer to Harper as he helped her sit up. She eyed the male nurse with suspicion when he approached, setting the tray in front of her. She kept her eyes on him until he left the room. Then she simply stared at the food for several minutes before beginning to eat. She ate like a starving wolf, as fast as she possibly could, as if expecting someone to try and take it from her. Sure the food she'd been fed the last two years hadn't been good, it has barely been enough to keep her alive, but it has kept her alive and they had often taken away food from her. So Kat learned to eat as fast as possible no matter if she choked a bit or even breathed between bites.

Eating such rich food so fast was liable to make her sick and yet within a few minutes the food was gone, the two bottles of water that came with it were empty. She already felt the stomach cramps, her stomach had shrunk a bit in her time in captivity, it literally caused her stomach to stretch from eating so much so fast. But she didn't mind, it was a joy just to eat real food.

 

[cbelle02]

He vaguely worried about the speed at which Katherine was consuming her food. He knew that putting that much food into a stomach that wasn't used to it could have uncomfortable effects, but he wasn't about to stop her. She hadn't had real food in so long, or any real joy for that matter, there was no way he'd take that away from her. So he just watched her eat. Any discomfort she felt was probably negligible compared to what she'd been through.

Harper didn't have to stay here. He knew he could and would probably be expected to leave and go back to his duties. He would have to tomorrow anyway. He'd completed the mission, and there was nothing keeping him here. Except for the fact that he felt compelled to stay, to help her, to make sure she would continue to be alright. The team, and especially him, would be getting some big recognition ceremony soon, but he didn't really care anything about it. Making sure Katherine was safe was all that mattered now.

After she'd finished eating, he took her tray and sat it aside. "You might have a little bit of a belly ache but a few meals like that and you'll be feeling tons better soon!" He said with a smile. "You're body's gonna be working to digest all that so if you are sleepy, feel free to go to sleep. I'll be right here."

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Katherine shifted, trying to get comfortable in the bed and nodded. Despite everything, she was feeling tired. She curled up under the blanket and tried to fall asleep. The pain meds aided her in her quest to sleep, making it fairly easy to drift off. But the moment she was asleep she was back in that cell, being beaten, tortured for no other reason than she was an American soldier. Sure they held her for ransom but she knew they were just as happy torturing her to death even if they didn't get anything from her. They had given up questioning her, though she has no special training to withstand torture and not give up information, she hadn't told them anything, hadn't said a word aside from the screams of pain.

It was nearing 1am when her body jerked and shuddered, she moved restlessly in her sleep, trying to wake from the terrors. She shivered, making soft whimpers as her mind tried to wake up but couldn't. Her legs started thrashing, kicking at her invisible attacker, her eyes even opened but by the blank fear in them it was clear she was still asleep. "No. No. No. No." She kept whimpering it over and over again, head shaking back and forth. Hands gripped the blanket as if it might protect her from her memories.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper watched Katherine sleep restlessly, tossing, turning, whimpering and moaning. He could only imagine what horrors her dreams were riddled with. But soon, exhaustion took him too and he drifted off in the chair next to her bed, his hand still holding onto hers. He slept lightly though, on guard, so when she started crying out, thrashing and kicking, he was instantly awake.

She looked horrified, caught in a dream she couldn't wake up from. "Hey...Hey hey... you're ok." He said softly, touching her shoulder to fully wake her, leaning back slightly in case she fought him. "It's alright, Katherine. You're safe. It's not real. Not anymore." He whispered reassuringly as she started to come back to the present. He squeezed her hand, sitting on the edge of her bed carefully, brushing some hair away from her forehead. "I'm right here."

He hesitated briefly before his next move, but instinct and desire to protect drove him forward. Slowly, he lay down beside her. There wasn't much room in the narrow hospital bed, but he shifted them until he made it work, moving one strong arm around her slim waist. "I've got you and I promise no one will hurt you."

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Her body jerked, hearing his voice, feeling his touch. Slowly her eyes became aware, she was breathing raggedly, as she realized that it was all a dream, for the first time, she woke from the nightmare and realized that it was no longer her life. Kat didn't struggle when he shifted her and laid down beside her. She managed to control her breathing as she snuggled against him, laying her head on his chest. "Thank you," She whispered. Her hand gripped his shirt as she relaxed a bit further.

She had a deep distrust and fear of men, but Harper didn't count, sure she knew he was a man and that she should fear him, because men were no longer trustworthy, in her mind. But he'd been the one to save her, to take care of her, he was the only person on this earth right now that she trusted. Closing her eyes she tried to go back to sleep. It took a little while before she finally managed it. She remained restless, shifting and twitching, but she never had another nightmare like the last one. She slept mostly peacefully throughout the night.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper held her close, her head against his chest as his own rested on the edge of the bed above her. Her body was thin, frail, but nonetheless warm against his own. He could feel her heartbeat slow from pounding to a calm thump as she relaxed. Soon, he felt her breathing even out as she slipped off to sleep again. Even in his own sleep, every time she moaned or jerked, his arms moved tighter around her.

Eventually, the morning rays filtered in through the blinds and Harper awoke. The two of them were in the same position they'd fallen asleep in. Katherine was still soundly asleep and he didn't want to wake her. He had duties to get to, but they could wait. The sun lit her face aglow and he noticed just how beautiful she was, and for once she looked almost peaceful.

When she stirred finally, he pulled back slightly. "Morning sunshine." He whispered with a smile.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Kat heard the warm voice Morning Sunshine. Her body tensed on instinct but she relaxed as she tilted her head up to look t Harper. "Morning." She murmured, honestly a bit embarrassed by the situation. Kat didn't use to be the type that needed or wanted comfort or coddling. If she had nightmares she dealt with them herself, she didn't want to be held and snuggled and told it would be alright. And yet, that is exactly what she'd enjoyed last night, exactly what she'd needed. She stretched her aching body slowly, finding herself reluctant to get up at first. But then she got up slowly, needing to use the restroom. Her body trembled and her legs shook, but they held. "I'll be right back." She murmured, taking the IV pole that was attached to her arm with her, she went into the bathroom.

Once finished she took the time to look at herself in the mirror, appalled by what she saw, dirt, scars, open wounds, her face was a bit hollow, from starvation, her once long, beautiful mahogany hair was course, dry and jaggedly cut to about the length of her jaw. Frowning she looked away and left the bathroom, returning to the bed, a bit hesitant as she sat down beside Harper, inching back onto the bed.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper sat up as she started to stand, ready to put an arm out if she needed it. But she stood on her own, though shaky at first. She didn't ask for his help but he watched her carefully, knowing it was important that she do things on her own. It was a good sign too that she let go of his hand and walked into the bathroom alone.

He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched, yawning while he waited. Finally she returned, slowing moving back into bed. "I'll make sure you get some breakfast before I go." He promised and just as he finished there was a knock at the door. He sighed and moved from her bed into the chair next to it. A nurse entered, carrying a tray of food. She looked surprised to see Harper still there.

"Good morning!" She said with a too chipper grin. "Just gonna check your vitals and redress your bandages then I'll leave you to eat." Harper stayed out of the way as the nurse did her job, but kept a close watch on Katherine's reactions. Finally, she left the tray in front of her and left the room.

"So, I have some work to get to, and I want to find out some info on your friend, but I'll be back soon to check on you. Anything you need before I go?" He asked, sitting next to her again.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Kat frowned not happy that he was leaving, but she didnt verbally protest. Eyes fixated on the nurse and Kat nodded, she sat patiently, flinching occasionally in pain but not trying to stop the nurse. When she left, Kat decended on the food, once again eating as fast as she possibly could. She finished all the food despite not being that hungry, still in the frame of mind of not knowing when her next meal would be. When Harper spoke of leaving and what he'd do, she bit her lip and shook her head, "No, I don't need anything." Her voice was still soft, just loud enough to hear.

She wondered what she'd do all alone. She didn't particularly enjoy the idea of being alone but knew it was necessary, he couldn't baby sit her, he was a soldier with a job to do. Though he said he'd be back, she didn't really believe that. Her trust was broken and she figured that he was just humoring her. He was a special forces soldier he had more important things to do, she figured he'd get another mission and she'd get sent back to the states, they'd likely never see each other again. Shaking herself from those depressing thoughts she drank her water, pale Eyes watching Harper softly.

 

[cbelle02]

Harper knew Katherine wasn't ready for him to go but he had no choice. He promised again that he'd return and then squeezed her hand gently. It was with a great deal of reluctance that he finally left the room. Throughout the rest of the day, Katherine never left his mind. He worried about how she would take being alone and hoped the nurses and staff were treating her well.

He wanted to get back and join her for lunch but his duties didn't allow much time for it. He was able to do a little research though and found that Hunter O'Malley was still alive, though permanently injured. Harper's team wasn't the first to attempt rescue of Katherine. Months earlier, Hunter had been part of a faction that was sent to recover her, but failed. They were called back, but not before Hunter suffered a blast that crushed his leg and damaged his spinal cord. He was alive and at home with his wife, but paralyzed from the waist down. Word of Katherine's rescue had not gotten out to the public yet, but Harper felt it his duty to make the call to the O'Malley's. They, of course, were ecstatic and wanted to see Katherine as soon as she was ready and allowed to have visitors. He promised to let them know.

He didn't get to visit her again until later that evening. He was eager to see how she was doing and to deliver the news. He knocked softly on her door before opening it and walking in.

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Katherine frowned, watching Harper leave. Sighing she sat, fidgeting on the bed, alone now, it felt suffocating. A nurse came in, tending to her, and it became too much for Kat, being alone with a person she didn't trust. The moment she was alone, Kat ripped off IV and all monitors. She retreated into the bathroom, locking the door, keeping the light off. She tucked herself into the hard bathtub. It was oddly soothing, the hard porcelain, the overwhelming darkness, the sense of smallness in the room. Though she hated her time in captivity it was what she was use to, and it gave her a small measure of comfort, being in the familiarity. She sat in the tub, knees to her chest, arms around her legs, head resting on her knees.

Finally the tears came. The emotions that had been blocked by the shock finally came pouring out. She sobbed for nearly twenty minutes. Crying for all the pain she'd endured in the last two years. She had rarely cried during her captivity, hadn't wanted to feel those emotions, to let her captors see evidence of her tears, to win in even that small way. Now it all came rushing out. She ignored the nurses who tried to coax her out. She didn't want to come out, she didn't want to be surrounded by the nurses and doctors, who while they meant well, it was too much for her. And she knew today she was scheduled for more x-rays and tests, blood work, and see an OBGYN. There were many things that were important that weren't gotten to last night. But the idea of sitting through all those tests, allowing all those people to touch her, look at her.

After a while she reached up, during the shower on, letting the hot water pour over her, letting it run cold and long after before finally turning it off. Sighing she couldn't seem to get the energy to get up, perfectly comfortable in the hard tub, despite being soaked now. She had no idea how much time had pasted only that someone had arrived with lunch and dinner though she didn't come out for either. Faintly she heard a knock on her door but didn't call out. She remained. A nurse saw Harper enter Kat's room and she went over. "We were hoping you'd return today. Corporal Doyle has locked herself in the bathroom a couple hours after you left, just before her first appointment. Has refused to come out ever since, missed every single appointment and hasn't eaten anything since breakfast." She sighed, sympathetic to the woman but worried for her health. "We hoped you might coax her out. She needs fluids as she took out her IVs. She showered an hour ago, is probably still wet or sitting in wet clothes." She said softly, looking up at Harper.

 

[cbelle02]

As he opened the door, Harper became aware of someone approaching him. He frowned as the nurse described Katherine's condition and what had happened. He felt guilty for leaving her, though he knew it couldn't be avoided. He thanked the nurse and hurriedly entered the room. The bed was before him, empty, sheets disheveled and littered with IV cords. He didn't hear a sound behind the bathroom door.

He tried the handle though he knew it would be locked. "Corp-" He started and then decided to address her by her name instead. "Katherine, it's Sergeant Cross. You wanna come out now?" He said softly with a gentle knock on the door. "Or at least let me in?"

 

[AlwaysFaithful]

Katherine heard the voice of the man whom was the only person she trusted. Sighing softly she stood, her body sore from lack of movement, but she was use to that. She made her way to the door, unlocked it then returned to her place in the tub, not paying attention to the puddles of wetness she left on the floor. She waited for him to enter the bathroom. It gave her a sense of peace, knowing he was back, but still the emotions that were finally flooding her body, it was a lot to take in. It felt easier to deal with inside the dark bathroom. She shifted finally registering the fact that she was getting chilled so she just grabbed a towel off the rack to wrap around herself.

It surprised her just how much better she felt to have Harper back near her, even know she trusted him, it baffled her just how much she wished for him to be near her, how much she relied on him for safety. And she didn't like that. She use to never rely on anyone for anything, and now it seemed she wasn't okay if he wasn't there. But that was a problem for a later date, if she could be even mildly okay in his presence then that is where she'd be, until he didn't want her there anymore.