Who do you run to?

Chapter 2

Spike could barely drive. His wrist was swelling up badly, and he could see a weird looking bump on the side of his wrist. He knew it was broken. He knew it with the certainty that He knew he could disable any bomb. He took a small breath to calm himself and find he could barely breathe. He would bet that he had some cracked, if not broken ribs. This was the first time he'd driven without his shoes on, he thought to himself absently.

He hadn't taken the time to try and put his shoes on when he left Cindy's house. He hadn't wanted to chance it that she would have stopped him. His phone rang a couple times, and both times it was Cindy, so he just let it ring, getting more irritated by the moment. When the phone was silent, He tried to focus on driving. He was getting dizzy. He knew it was the pain that was making him sick.

He pulled to a stop in front of Wordy's house and was relieved to see the lights were still on. It wasn't too late in the evening. He figured that Wordy was reading the girls a story before bedtime. Shelly was probably cleaning the kitchen up after having made dinner. His phone buzzed with several incoming texts. He didn't read them, prefering to wait until he was a little more clear headed.

He didn't want to admit to Wordy, or anyone else for that matter, that he was in an abusive relationship or that his abuser was awoman. He knew that Raphy would be pleased that he was going to leave Cindy. He slowly got out of his truck and shut the door, leaning weakly. He couldn't move anymore. He grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to Wordy, hoping that he would be near his phone.

"Wordy- Am outside your house. Can't walk. Backup plz!" He leaned against the truck heavier and groaned softly. He could feel the beginings of unconsciousness creeping over him. He was determined to stay awake. He heard a door slam against something and looked up wearily. He could hear Wordy tell Shelly to get a towel and started to slip down to the ground. He was vaguely aware of Wordy talking.

"Spike? Stay with me. Spike, Talk to me. We're almost to the door. Spike don't go out on me." He heard him swear and set him down on the porch floor. He heard him talking to Shelly and barely registered the words, Hospital, Greg and Ed. He didn't care. He was so tired of fighting. He felt Wordy approach and he shrank back, whimpering softly, putting his injured hand in front of him. Wordy squatted in front of him.

"Spike, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm going to pick you up and take you to the hospital. That's it. You need that wrist looked at. I'm not going to hurt you." Spike relented and bobbed his head in a nod. Wordy picked him up and started down the steps. When they got to Wordy's SUV, he put Spike in and buckled the seatbelt. He got in, started the SUV and pulled out of the drive. He flipped on his blue lights to get to the hospital faster and not get pulled over.

As he drove, he called Greg. When he picked up. Wordy simply said that he was taking Spike to the Hospital and to meet him there. After Greg agreed, he hung up and called Ed, telling him the same thing. When he was done, he dropped his phone in the center console and concentrated on driving. He looked over at Spike, and he seemed to be a little more alert. He reached over and squeezed Spike's hand and was rewarded with tears.

"Spike. Do you want to tell me what happened? I'm not going to push the issue with you, but I really do want to help."Spike shook his head. He didn't want to tell Wordy what happened. He didn't want to be laughed at. Just then his phone rang again. Wordy took it before he had a chance to reach for it. The display said Raphy on it. Wordy announced this and answered the phone, much to Spike irritation.

"Hey Raphael. This is Wordy. I'm a coworker of Spike's remember? I highjacked Spike's phone because I am driving him to the hospital because he's not looking well. Oh, you're on break? Well then, I guess we will see you shortly. Yeah, I'm about 5 minutes out. Yes I used the lights. No, I'm not speeding excessively. Ok, talk to you in a few." Wordy put Spike's phone down in the console as well and looked over.

"I didn't want to burden you or anyone else. I don't like people seeing me cry if I can help it. I only came to you because I trust you, that and I knew you would respect my not wanting to talk." Spike said looking at him and then out at the night. Wordy understood. It was the same way when Shelly would have nightmares and he would find her in the bathroom crying as quietly as possible.

When they got there, he pulled into the Emergency bay and ran in. A moment later, he came out with a couple of nurses and Raphy. They opened the door and Wordy helped Spike out gently into the wheelchair. He told him he would be in a moment and moved the SUV to a parking spot. On his way in, he ran into Greg and Ed. They talked for a moment before heading into the hospital to find out about Spike.

When they got there, the nurse had a clipboard with information on it for them to fill out. They filled it out as quickly as possible and gave it back to her. Then they sat down to wait. After a few minutes, Raphy came out to speak to them personally. They followed him to a private consult room and sat down. Wordy's first thought was that Spike was worse then he thought, that he hadn't done something.

"Gentlemen. Spike has given me the ok to discuss his results with you. His Left wrist is broken. It should not require surgery. It is in a cast, which he will have for about 6 weeks. His ribs are bruised, not broken. He stated that he put his hand up before he was kicked, so that softened the blow a little bit. We are going to keep him for a few hours for observation, but he should be able to go home after that." After a moment, he continued.

"He also said he wanted to see you guys so that he could explain, He's already told me a little bit, But he wanted to be the one to tell his team. He's in the emergency room, if you will follow me, I will take you to him right away." They got up as one and followed silently, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Each of them had harsh thoughts as well as not so harsh thoughts about the situation.

Wordy wanted to spill his suspicions about Spike's other "injuries" and at the same time, wanted to protect Spike. Greg wanted to know how he didn't know that Spike was in trouble, and how he could heal Spike's pain. Ed wanted to find the idiot responsible and throw them in jail. He also wanted to yell at Spike for not coming to him sooner. They walked quickly down the hall, they could hear Spike moaning about having to stay awhile.

"Hey Buddy. How are you feeling?" They took various seats around the cubicle as they studied Spike. He looked, well, like he'd been run over by a truck. His wrist was in a cast, His hand rested on his stomach, and they could tell that he was protecting his ribs by how he lay. He looked at them with such a look of sadness, that it actually took their breath away for a moment. He tried to sit up in the bed and was rewarded with a groan.

"Hey guys. Wordy. thank you for responding to my text. I'm sorry that you all have to see me like this. I wanted to apologize for being such an idiot the past three months." Ed cut him off. He was ok, and safe. That was all that really mattered to Ed. Spike took a sip of water and his hand shook, prompting Greg to hold the cup for him. Wordy texted Shelly to let her know that he'd be back soon. just not sure when.

"I need to explain what happened. After this, you may not want to be my friend again, I'll understand. I've been in," Words failed him as he gave in to the tears that had been threatening to overflow for some time now. He tried not to cry because of the strain on his ribs. He curled up as much as he could to lessen the pain until he spent himself crying. When he felt like he could breathe again, he continued.

"I've been in a, God this is hard to say, you know? Abusive relationship." There. He'd done it. Named Cindy for what she was. He knew that there was no turning back now. He refused to look at any of them, certain he would see digust or contempt on their faces. At the same time though, he decided that he didn't care. He startled when Ed put his hand under his chin and forced his head up to meet his eyes.

"Spike. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It takes a man to admit when something like this happens. We need you to make a formal statement, you know that right? We are going to need particulars. Details, do you understand?" Ed looked at Wordy and Greg. Wordy didn't look too surprised. Greg has his head down and Ed suspected that he was weeping quietly. He put his hand on Greg's shoulder.

Spike sighed as much as he could given the state of his ribs. He knew that he was going to have to tell the team everything that had happened over the past two and a half months. He was going to have to talk to Raphy and tell him to get his records. He was also going to have to get to his storage locker in his room at home to get his journals. He didn't want to tell them everything that happened.

Some of it was down right embarressing and painful to talk about. He didn't want to have to tell the guys about the hitting, punching, kicking that she did. He didn't want to have to tell them about the time about three days before he got the split lip where he'd gone over because she demanded that he come over and ended up in her bed with her raping him. He knew that if he said anything about the supposed rape that they would want to know why he didn't fight back.

"Spike? How are you feeling now?" Spike looked up into Raphy's eyes. He could tell that Spike was troubled and scared. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Spike. Spike has settled back against the pillows a little bit and looked tired. He was in pain, Raphy couldn't stand to see him in pain. He hoped that this time one of the guys would pick up on the fact that Spike was getting hurt alot.

"Raphy. Do you remember I gave you a bunch of folders with all kinds of papers in them when I came to visit last week? I asked you to hang onto them until I needed them. I need them. Can you get them for me please?" Spike desperately hoped that Raphy would pick up on what he was saying. He was trying hard not to implicate Raphy. Raphy nodded in understanding. They were locked in his office cabinet.

"I have them. They are in my office. I figured that they were something rather important so I kept them here instead of my home. I will get them for you straight away. Is there anything else that I can do for you Spike? I can get you some tylenol before I grab that stuff for you." He went to place his hand on Spike's shoulder and Spike flinched violently and in the same breath howled in pain.

After a few minutes the pain subsided, and Spike leaned back and relaxed a little bit. Everyone was looking at him in concern. When he settled the blanket around himself again, he looked right at Raphy and took a little deeper breath. Once he spoke, there would be no turning back from it. No taking it back and hoping that the team would forget. There could be all kinds of reprecussions, but he didn't care.

"Raphael. I need you to do a rape exam on me. Guys? Cindy raped me."