Eric's POV

We arrived into the private waiting room almost an hour ago. The nurse had us feel out some papers when we first got to the room. Now I'm holding Tami in my arms, her face is still buried in the crook of my neck. Her sobs have subsided and every few minutes or so I hear her whimper. I tighten my arms around her and hold her to my chest and she starts to cry again.

"Oh, baby," I whisper.

"What is taking them so long?"

"We have to be patient baby."

"I'm so tired of waiting! I need to know what has happened to out daughter Eric!" she yells and sits up looking at me. "How can you be so calm?"

I take her face between my hands and look into her eyes. Dark circles have formed under them from crying so much. I'm just as impatient and scared as she is but I know that I have to be strong for both her and Julie right now. A thousand scenarios have been playing in my head since we set foot in the emergency room. I can't get the graphic scene of my daughter laying on the hospital bed half clothed and covered in blood. I'm dying inside. I need to know what the fuck has happened to her.

"I need to be strong for my girls." I say brushing her tear stained face with the back of my knuckles and a small smile forms on her lips. "You're exhausted. Close your eyes baby and I'll wake you when they come give us some news."

"I can't. I can't get the images out of my head. There was so much blood. She looked dead Eric!"

"Shh… try for Julie. You don't want her to see you like this."

Tami's POV

He's right I don't want her to see me like this. I'm a mess but I can't help but to worry about my daughter. When I laid eyes on her in the emergency room it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest, like my whole world was crumbling down and I couldn't do a thing about it. I need to know what happened. I need to know that she's going to be okay. The thought brings tears pool in my eyes again. Oh no please I'm so tired of crying. Eric pulls me back to his chest and I lay my head on his shoulder. I don't see how he's keeping it together right now. I'm falling apart at the seams.

"What do you think happened to her?" I ask.

"I don't know. I'm trying not to think about it right now," he says rubbing my back.

My eyes lay heavy and they finally close making me drift into a light sleep.

It doesn't seem long before I wake. I look up at the clock and it's only be twenty minutes. Eric is on the phone with Mrs. Adams I think. I look at him and he frowns.

" Any news?" I whisper to him and he shakes his head. A few moments later he says his goodbyes and hangs up the phone.

"Who were you talking to?"

"I was checking on Gracie. Mrs. Adams says she's still sound asleep."

"Well I'm glad we know that one of our girls is tucked away safe and sound at home," I murmur.

"Hey," he says tipping my chin up to look at him, "She's going to be okay I promise."

"How can you say that Eric? It has been over an hour and we still know nothing —" a knock on the door interrupts me. I glance up nervously and Dr. Harmon walks into the room.

Eric's POV

The door opens and Dr. Harmon enters the room. He looks exhausted and full of worry. Tami stands up and I stand beside her, putting my arm around her waist.

"Mr. and Mrs. Taylor —"

"How is she," I interrupt.

" Your daughter is stable, but I'm afraid I have some bad news. You both may want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you."

What does that mean? Tami and I take a seat and Dr. Harmon sits across from us. I pull Tami's hand in mine running my thumb over her knuckles.

He looks at me and then Tami and sighs, "I'm afraid to inform you that your daughter has been raped."

Raped? No!

It's as if all the air has been sucked out of my body. Did I hear him correctly? Rape? My sweet innocent daughter has been raped. How did this happen? She was just going out to the movies with Lois. How could this have possibly happened to her? I look over to Tami and looks like she's about to throw up. Dr. Harmon grabs the trash bin by the door and hands it to me. I set it in front of Tami and she vomits into it. I rub her back till she finishes. Dr. Harmon hands her a box of tissues and she wipes her mouth.

"Like I said I am very sorry to inform you about this."

"Are you sure she's been ra—" I can't even finishes my sentence.

"Yes, Mr. Taylor there are signs of struggle and rape."

Tami grabs my hand and squeezes it. I look over to her, she looks like she's about to cry but she doesn't. We're both in shock. I can't believe what I am hearing right now. The doctor continues to speak but it's going in one ear and out the other. I need to see my daughter right now dammit! There's another knock at the door and we all look up. A woman opens the door and Dr. Harmon wave for her to come in.

"Come in Dr. Peterson," he says and she takes the seat next to him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Taylor I'm so sorry about your daughter," she says.

"Dr. Peterson will be taking over. I think it would be best for a female doctor to take care of your daughter due to the events she has gone through." he says and I nod.

"Julie has suffered severe internal injuries in her lower abdominal. She has also suffered major contusions to the head. If her brain starts to swell we'll have put her into an induced coma to monitor the swelling."

Tami finally speaks, "How do you know she's been raped doctor?"

Dr. Peterson speaks this time, " When Dr. Harmon and I were working on her we saw that she was not wearing any undergarments. I had to check and I saw the evidence I needed to confirm. I'm going to need to do a rape kit right away."

"Yes of course," Tami replies.

"I'm going to let Dr. Peterson inform you with the rest."

"Thank you, Dr. Harmon." I say.

Dr. Harmon nods, turns and leaves the room.

"Can we see her?" I ask Dr. Peterson.

"Yes, I will warn you she is a bit groggy from the medicine we had to give her. She's in room 258, I'll walk you there."

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