Stevie grabbed her and walked to the bathroom, peeling her clothes off as soon as he stopped. "Shush, it's okay. I've got you, Rooney."
He threw her clothes on the floor and quickly stripped his off too before walking into the shower with her in his arms. Rooney trembled in his arms and he held her until she calmed. She wrapped her arms around him and let herself be protected by him, the warm water running over their bodies as she shut out the rest of the world.
"Thanks. I didn't mean to freak out." She lifted her head and gazed at him. His face was dark and a frown pinched the skin between his black eyebrows. White lines around his lips showed her just how much this was affecting him. After all, he’d been the one to shoot Stubbs in an attempt to save her. The poor guy was stressed enough over what happened without her breaking down too. She would have to try harder to be brave so he didn't worry unnecessarily over her.
"Anyone would after what you've been through. It's normal to feel this way. Russ warned you what might happen and I'm here to see you feel safe." He leaned down and the water trailed down his cheeks, dripping from the day’s growth of beard on his chin. "How about I wash that stuff out of your hair and dry you off before tucking you in?"
"Sounds like just what I need." She turned around and let the water run over her head and face.
Stevie reached for the shampoo and spent the next five minutes massaging the blood from her hair. Immediately after the shooting, Rooney had blocked out the blood spray covering her face and head. It was too much to take in at the time. The nurses had wiped her face but the mess in her hair was forgotten until now. Stevie pushed her under the spray to wash away the bubbles, smoothing her wet hair down her neck and between her shoulder blades in a wet blanket.
"That should be cleaner now." He reached for the shower gel and a cloth and with gentle hands, washed every inch of her body. By the time he turned off the shower and reached for a towel, Rooney was almost asleep on her feet. She let herself be pushed toward the bed, sleepily climbing under the blankets and closing her eyes. When the bed dipped she reached out, wrapping her arms around Stevie and fell into a deep sleep.
* * *
She woke to a terrified scream. Throwing off the blankets, she glanced around. Stevie was still asleep beside her, snoring softly, his arm thrown over the top of his head. She reached out to shake him, calling his name but he mumbled and rolled away from her.
The scream came again and she ran to the bedroom door, listening at the keyhole.
A manic laugh sounded followed by the gut searing scream of her daughter. Tam, no! Rooney opened the door, and ran down the carpeted hallway to her door. It was shut, and Rooney felt a moment of panic, knowing she hadn't done it. She gripped the handle and turned. No, it's locked.
"Tam, open the door." Her screams rang loud in her ears and she slammed her palm on the door screaming. "Open the door, someone please open the door."
"Mummy, help me." The voice coming from inside the bedroom was clearly terrified and it clenched at her heart.
She kicked and punched at the door, the tears streaming down her face. There was a metallic click and the handle turned. She stepped back. The door creaked and opened.
Rooney tried to enter the room but something blocked her way. She looked over at Tam on the bed, her hands tied to the bedposts and the blankets thrown on the floor. Her small body was pale in the moonlit room.
"No." A cold shiver ran down her spine.
A dark shadow of a man was standing over her, a knife with blood dripping from its point. Her daughter lay in a pool of blood.
"No, please no."
"Should have thought of that before you stuck your nose in my business. Now it's revenge time." He stroked the point of the knife down Tam's arm and smiled as the blood welled and dripped onto the bed, staining the white sheets. With a laugh, he stepped to the door waving the knife in Rooney's face. "She’s coming with me. I lose, you lose."
"No, please. I'll do anything, anything. Don't hurt her." She clawed at the invisible barrier keeping her out of the room.
Stubbs wiped his mouth with a dirty sleeve. He flipped the knife in his hands, as if pondering his next move. "Anything?"
"Yes."
Her body jolted and Rooney fell into the room. It was cold and the air smelled musty and hurt her lungs when she breathed.
"Drop your hands."
Rooney let her hands fall to her side, exposing her nakedness to him. He walked closer, the spittle running down his chin as he paced around behind, his gaze roaming over her. Swallowing the nausea threatening to choke her, she focused on her child. This is for Tam. I will do anything for Tam. Still the chill covered her skin with a sheen of icy goose bumps. She shuddered at the leery gleam in his eyes.
The first cut brought tears to her eyes and she gasped for breath, the cold sinking into her belly making her tremble. She glanced down and groaned, breathing through the pain. A line of blood ran from just above her left nipple to her right hip. She watched the red fluid seep from the wound, her heart pumping in her ears. The second cut opened the side of her arm and blood ran down her hand to drip onto the floor, the splashback
