Across Town….

What was going on? Why was Rachel acting it like this? In the pit of his stomach, he knew something was wrong. He could hear some slurred, murmured words, a smack of some kind and the jingle a bell that would jingle from a door when it opened or closed.

He was already taking the steps, two three at a time listening to the garbled voice, that belonged to Rachel.

“Hi, ah sir, Ms. Dawes is in really bad shape. She looks like she fell down or something. She wanted me to tell you she’s going home.” The boy sounded desperate. Dread filled him; she’s hurt what could have possibly happened he thought putting his keys into the ignition. He pulled out, making u-turn; he made a sharp screeching left in the direction of the Gothman’s Newsstand, and her dormitory.

“What direction did it look like she was going in?” He demanded, switching the wipers onto full capacity.

“Umm, she seemed to be continuing to go straight up the street sir.”

“Thank you.” He said, and clicked end on the phone.

 He stuffed the phone in his pocket. It didn’t take long getting to the neighborhood. He watched the sidewalk; he didn’t see anyone walking much less stumbling. Then he saw something dark in the middle of it, fear gripped him. Double-parking near by, he ran over to the dark shape, the closer he got to it, he saw her smudged face, kneeling down; he gently brushed wet strands out of her. A purplish bruise was forming on one cheek.

“Rachel, Rachel,” He yelled, his heart was racing. He watched her chest rise and fall, evenly, relief filled him.” Rachel answer me.” A small moan came from her. “Rachel, it’s going to be ok.” Without another thought he scooped her up and carried her to the car, he placed her carefully into the front seat. He saw that her purse was slung around her, if there were anything was still in there it would be a miracle. But he would deal with that later.

He gunned the engine and drove the short distance over to the dormitory. He parked in the lot, as he had done earlier in the morning. Had it been just the morning? It felt so far away. Her head lulled to her right side.

Opening the passengers’ side, he realized he didn’t have a key to get into her suite. I could bring her back to my place, maybe her keys are still in her purse. Leaning over, he over he and unzipped it. Surprise hit him that when he saw it still held what he guessed were her belongings he even spotted her cell phone. Maybe all of her stuff was still in there, then fingers felt keys, taking them out, in the dome light he determined that he saw one that must be the suite key. He stuffed the keys in his pocket, taking a deep breath, he put his arms under her and picked her up once again, he kicked the door shut behind him.

“Huh what is,” Her voice cracked, she cleared her voice. His eyes got moist with relief when he heard her voice, however gravely it was. “What’s going on?” Asked Rachel in a hoarse voice, it echoed since they were between the first and second landing. She struggled a bit, in his arms.

“Rachel, just hang on we’re almost at your suite.” He said huffing, trying to hold tightly onto her, climbing the steps.

“Alright.” Her voice trembled, a cough was close on it’s heals. “What are you doing here? You’re all wet.” Her voice was beginning to regain, it’s smooth resonance. He felt as her arms, came to hold onto him. They were silent as he made it up the second flight and down her corridor. He was relieved there was no one in the hall.

He stopped outside her door, “Rachel, I’m going to have to put you down. Do you think you will be able to stand?”

“I think so.” Bending at the knees, he eased her feet down on the floor. Her legs shook but he held her tightly around the waist, as he fished her keys out. Looking at them, again he found the one. He had determined was the one to her suite. Turning it in the door, it popped open. He was grateful for that. Opening the door enough to stick his head in he noticed it was empty, but the lights were on.

“Lean against the wall, I’m just going to look around in there.” He unhollstered his gun.

All she did was nod.

Holding the gun in front of him, he pushed open the door. In quick, silent strides he looked into all corners of the room, under the beds and closets. It was clear. He holstered his gun before going on to Rachel. Gordon, could his anxiousness finally started to ease in his body, though anger bubbling forth.

“It’s clear, no one’s in there.” He came over and put his arm around her waist. “Put your weight on me, we’re going to go over to the sofa.”

“Ok.”

They shuffled over to it. He placed her where he had been sitting earlier. She looked daze. He kneeled down in front of her, he examined the contours of her face. The bruise was getting darker, now that he could see her in the light her bottom lip looked swollen.

“Rachel, I know this is going to be hard.” He gently caressed her soiled her cold hands with his. “But can you tell me what happened?”

He continued to look at her. Her cheeks were scarlet most likely from slaps. Anger surged through him replacing the anxiousness in its wake.

“I, I was in a taxi,” She swallowed hard; tears blossomed in her eyes and feel down her cheeks.

Impulsively, he got up and hugged her. He could feel her hugging him back. “Oh Rachel, Oh Rachel.” He murmured into her still wet hair, on his lips he felt fine pieces of stone and dirt. He did not care; he placed soft kisses wherever he could. Sobs racked her body but it didn’t lessen the grip she had on him. She felt small and frail in his arms. He couldn’t hold them back any longer and a few of his own tears fell into her hair.

 “Maybe, we should get you cleaned up.” He said, after she seemed to calm down and her breathing was even. She nodded. He looked around the suite. He sat a small table in the kitchen nook chairs. I’ll have her sit there and we could clean her up, he determined. “I don’t think you should be in a shower right now. You may still be too shaky on your feet. Let’s first take off your coat.”

He saw her soiled hands tremble while attempting to undo the buttons with little success. He grabbed both of the, and turning them over, he saw tiny scraps, he gave each palm a soft kiss.

“Let me do it.” He said looking her in the eye, and mustered the most reassuring smile he could.

He undid each button, and then carefully they eased her arms out of the coat. Wincing, they managed to get her arms out of her sleeves, but he could not determine yet what may be the cause, though he was able to rule out broken bones. He got up and hung her coat up on the hook he had seen it on; he placed his own over it.

“I don’t think I could stand in the shower right now, even if I wanted to.” She said finally. She sounded almost like her normal self. “I just don’t understand why this happened.” She continued.

“Let’s not think about that just now,” As much as the cop side of him wanted to hear about it and start tracking down the scumbags that did this to her, he wanted to, he had to make sure she was alright. “We have to make sure you are not badly hurt.” He was grateful that he had renewed his first aid and trauma training early, instead of waiting for next year to do it. He placed his suit jacket over his coat, he pulled off his gun holster, he placed that on a small table near her desk, then yanking he undid the knot in his tie.

“I’m just so glad,” She fell silent; he could hear a sniffle coming from her. He tossed his tie on her desk before rushing back to her side. She looked at him with those breathtaking warm brown pools that were her eyes. He sat gently down beside her. “I got a hold of you.”

“I promise you, Rachel, no matter I promise to always keep you safe.” This time, ignoring any pain she could be, she hugged him. He held her tightly; he rested his cheek against her hair. 

He felt her pull back gently she looked up at him, seriousness darkened her eyes. “James for the first time living in Gotham, I feel safe. Because of you.” She then leaned in and gave him a soft tender kiss.

He couldn’t stop himself from He felt her pull back gently she looked up at him, seriousness darkened her eyes. “James for the first time living in Gotham, I feel safe. Because of you.” She then leaned in and gave him a soft tender kiss.

, since the guilt in him raged because of what just happened to her. “But Rachel, I wasn’t able to protect you from what just happened.”

“Yes, but you are here now. You’ve saved me now.” She said firmly. “I know you will never let anything else ever happen to me.” She kissed him with such urgency that anything he could have said to reply vanished, she had kissed them away. Very gently, he kissed her back.

She was the one to break off the kiss. He could have stay like that longer. “I think, we better get me cleaned up.” She made a disgruntled sigh, “I really smell.” She giggled then. It warmed his heart to hear that sound come from her.

“That would be a good idea.” Not letting her have a chance to react, he picked her up, she easily wrapped her arms around his throat.

“You know, I may get used to you carrying me around.” She grimaced at him, before sneaking in a kiss on his throat. “I think I like it too much.”

Her kiss on his throat shook him to his core again, and couldn’t help but groan softly. “I think I may be beginning to like that too much.” He gave her finally smile with all of him behind.

“What this?” She asked coyly, her breath lightly caressing him before he felt her warm lips, press against his throat again.

“Yes, that.” He said hoarsely, it pleased him that she was able to bounce back so fast, he mused before he felt her plant another kiss on his throat.

Making the short strides to the kitchen nook, he determined it would probably be best for her to sit against the wall for support. “Now, no distractions.” He felt her kiss him again, followed closely by a tiny giggle. “I’m being serious.”
               “Anything you say, Sergeant Gordon.” She said, her voice artificially deep and playful.

He could only shake his head. “I’m going keep on holding onto you while I position a chair so you can sit down with the minimal fuss.”

“Ok.” She replied simply.

            “Alright,” he said shortly after he placed her in the chair. “You’re going to have to tell me where you keep a bowl, some wash clothes, and your first aid kit.” He told her.

She told him, while he was letting the hot water heat up, he went got the wash clothes, he grabbed a fresh bar of soap that was on the counter as well. On the way to them, he grabbed the first aid kit. Putting it down, he unbuttoned his shirt, and put it over the chair that was beside her desk, before grabbing some wash clothes from her towel drawers. He went back to the nook with the stuff in hand.

When he came turned the tiny turn that brought him into the area fully, he felt the wind go out of him completely, when he took in fully what he was seeing. While he had been getting the washcloths and first aid kit, Rachel had managed to strip out of her sweater, slacks, socks, and shoes. They were in a dark wet heap in front of her. She was clad on in a purple and black lacey bra and panties to match. He had thought she was going to be incredibly beautiful under her clothes but nothing prepared for just how much. He let his eyes travel over her curves, noticed bruises on her upper arms, and her knees looked red but otherwise her body remained flawless.   

“I figured it would be easier to clean up with those, off of me.” She pointed to her discarded clothes, with her mouth twisted in disgust; he looked back up at her face and swallowed.

“Yes, I would have to agree with you.” He said carefully placing the stuff near her on the table.

Going over to the sink, he filled the huge bowl with the hot water. “James, you look very nice in a white T-shirt.” She commented from behind him, looking over his shoulder at her he was surprised again at how beautiful she looked. “Why thank you, and you look quite beautiful yourself.” He winked at her and swallowed hard once again.

His head was swimming. He was only a man, not that man that Metropolis claimed to have. Turning off the water, he placed the bowl beside the other stuff. Grabbing the soap, one of the wash clothes he immersed them in the hot water, which felt cool compared to how much hotter he felt looking at her. He felt her hand on his, he looked down at it and then at her.

“James, come over here.” She said softly.

He went over and kneeled beside her. “Yes, Rachel.” Was all he could say looking at her.

“Hug me.” She told him.