T/w: reference to sexual assault/abuse

She shut the door behind her and paced around her office in an attempt to calm down her breathing. She needed a moment to compose herself. What the hell was he doing back? How stupid had she been to think she'd ever be free of him. Ever be happy.

She heard the click of the door behind her and spun round, her hand flying to her mouth as she saw Mark standing there, his large frame blocking her exit.

"Hello Rita" he spoke quietly closing the door behind him. She froze as she heard the sound of the lock clicking into place. Mark's eyes bore into her.

"You think you can hide from me? What is it? You can't bear to look at me? At what you've turned me into?"

Rita's lip trembled as he closed the distance between them stopping as close to her as it was possible to without actually touching her. She'd backed as far as she could against the wall and knew he had it in his power to hold her there as long as he wanted. She saw his eyes travel from her face down her body and back up, a look of sheer disdain on his face.

"Still pretty hot looking aren't you? Fucking misleading packaging that's all I'll say. I know all about that don't I, Rita? I know you're cold, empty and heartless. God I pity the next man that falls for you." Rita's eyes flicked to the side as she thought of Iain, thought of whether anyone would come and look for her if she didn't reappear.

He clocked her reaction and pounced.

"Oh right! There's already an unlucky guy is there? Well, well done you!" He sneered "That black doctor who treated me before is it? No? Zoe told me he didn't work here anymore." Rita shuddered at the thought of Mark interacting with friends she'd made since she'd attempted to restart her life without him "He had enough as well did he? Overstretched yourself thinking you were worthy of a doctor?"

Mark was interrupted by the buzz of Rita's phone on her desk. The panic was clear in her eyes as he reached over to grab it without removing the threat or barrier that his body posed to her.

"Oh here we go... 'Iain' is it then?" He menaced having glanced down at the screen. Rita flinched.

"He's just a friend" she barely whispered. The thought of Iain getting involved in all of this made her feel physically sick.

"Arranging to meet you? Signing off with a kiss? Don't lie to me Rita. Ooh he thinks you need to talk though. That doesn't sound too great does it? Another one you've fucked up? Now…" He started to scroll down holding the phone so he could still see her reaction over the top of it "...let's see if Iain has been getting any shall we?"

Rita's vision started to blur as her eyes swam with tears but she saw Mark's eyes widen the further down he scrolled and read. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest terrified of what was coming next. She didn't have to wait long.

"You fucking cheap bitch" he spat, emphasising every word. "So that's how you manage to keep a man these days is it? Just put it all out there like some pathetic tart? Oh, he sounds like quite the gentleman I must say" he continued sarcastically.

Rita let out a choked sob. All that time she'd just felt happy to even have a healthy relationship with sex again and now it was being turned back on her as something sordid and disgusting. She should have known better than to think she deserved anything more.

"Meeting you outside... So what have we got? Another doctor? Some desperate old sod from the geriatric ward? Or have you had to settle for a lowly nurse this time?"

"Well whoever he is it's clear he's getting more off you than you ever gave your husband isn't he? Something about that's not quite right if you ask me. Your husband, Rita. And you wonder why I looked elsewhere! You made vows remember? Have, hold, love, cherish, honour and obey isn't it? By my reckoning I still have quite a bit of credit to cash in. So..." He took a step closer to her, his face just inches from hers. Rita recoiled at the foul stench of stale cigarettes and alcohol on his breath.

"Let's see if we get on any better now you actually know what your body is for, shall we?" Before Rita knew what was happening Mark's forearm was pressing against her chest and the force of his mouth and teeth against hers cut into her lip and caused her head to smack into the wall behind her. She let out a muffled shriek of pain and fear.

"Not really feeling that" Mark said sneeringly, moving his hand to cover her bruised lips, his elbow digging into the flesh under her collarbone. "And don't try anything silly Rita, you're not strong enough. How about we skip the foreplay, eh?" The blonde woman's eyes widened in terror but she let her body go slack and just willed this to be over. Her ears filled with the sound of ripping velcro as he tore open her navy tunic. Still with one arm pressed against her he used a finger from the other hand to trace along the top edge of her white vest, pausing to hook it into the fabric and pull it down enough to reveal the edge of her lace bra. A single tear escaped down her cheek as she sucked in her breath and told herself not to let him see her cry. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to block everything out. She felt his hand move away from her chest and for a split second thought it might be over. Suddenly she gasped in pain as she felt his fingernails dig into the flesh of her sides, his fingers clawing at the elastic waistband of her scrubs trousers and dragging them down over her hips. He paused again. This time stepping back and observing her carefully. The waistband was now resting on her thighs, her underwear clearly on view.

"Matching set? Much more presentable these days aren't you?" he scoffed. Rita hadn't even realised she was holding her breath waiting for his next move.

"Do you know what? I'm not even interested Rita. It wasn't good enough last time for this to be worth my while. Let's just say it's enough to know I could If I wanted to. Your problem is you're too fucking easy. Now if you don't mind there's somebody else I fancy having a little chat with.. I'm going to make sure you suffer like you've made me suffer so don't go thinking this is finished"

Rita stayed rooted to the spot while Mark turned and let himself out of the door, closing it swiftly behind him. As soon as he was gone she fumbled to pull her trousers back in place and sank to the floor shaking.

She had to get out of here. She had to get out of those clothes. She had to make sure Iain was ok. It didn't matter what he thought of her as a result of all this but he was a good man. Too good. What was she even thinking she deserved happiness with someone like him? She knew she would never forgive herself if he got hurt as well.

Zoe had already told her to take what was left of the shift off. What she didn't know was that her colleague had also rung Iain, given him the heads up on exactly who had turned up at the ED today and the probable state it had left Rita in.

Before she could do anything she crawled across the floor and heaved the contents of her stomach into her waste paper bin.