Octavian
Pain.
That was the only thought in Octavian's head as he swam back upwards through the waters of unconsciousness. He hurt, everywhere. He tried to open his eyes, and couldn't because the lashes were stuck together. Spitting on his hand, he tried to sit up and collapsed back onto the bed with a sharp exhalation of agony. He rubbed his hand over his eyelids, unsticking the lashes so he could look around the room blearily.
A nice, comfortable, respectable hotel room. Except for the sprays of blood across the walls where the whip had cut deep into his skin, breaking it open and making blood gush as he was cut to the bone. He resolutely closed off the memories and tried to get up again. He moaned in pain.
He was not walking today.
Probably not for a few days.
Octavian reached over to the phone slowly, weeping with agony and slowly dialled Bobby's number.
Bobby, please pick up before I faint again. Please be in your room, not with Hank in the medlabs. Please, God...
Bobby
Bobby was just about to go and meet Rebekah when the phone rang, causing him to pause at the door.
If it were the university people, he wasn't sure he'd want to hear if he failed...
But then again... if he'd gotten in...
That clinched it, and he picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
Octavian
"Thank God, Bobby..."
Octavian closed his eyes, fighting the nausea that was roiling through his stomach, breath sawing harshly through his throat. God, so much pain...
"I...need you to come and get me. I also think you better bring Dr McCoy, no mater how much I don't want him to know."
Bobby
"Course, where are ya?"
Bobby was already reaching for his wallet.
Octavian
Octavian told him the address slowly, breath hitching with pain.
"Please hurry, Bobby."
Bobby
Bobby hung up, and went skidding down to get Hank.
"Hank, Tav's in trouble..."
Octavian & Hank
Octavian let the phone fall from nerveless fingers and slipped thankfully into unconsciousness.
Hank looked up from the testing he was doing on some bacteria cultures.
"What sort of trouble, exactly?"
Bobby
"He's in a hotel room, and he's been with his father, I think."
Bobby's eyes were wild with worry, and he was shaking.
"He's gonna need you to help him. Come on."
Already, Bobby was out of the medlabs, heading for the garage.
Hank & Xavier
Hank grabbed his first aid kit and followed BObby quickly. He sent a thought at the professor.
Xavier winced for a moment at the sending, then sent back to Hank: "Be quick as you can, Hank. Make sure that if what you think is true...that Bobby doesn't do anything too foolish."
Bobby
Bobby's driving was... well, not dangerous, and not just reckless... somewhere in the middle. Enough to make Hank hold on.
He got out of the car and ran up into the hotel, jumping into the lift and holding the door open for Hank.
Hank
"What room number, Bobby?" Hank asked, glad for his image inducer as they got in the lift.
So many people around...hopefully, some of them would be gone by the time they got out.
Bobby
"245."
The lift stopped at their level and Bobby skittered out, narrowly missing the corner of the wall as he went past it.
Hank
Hank's nose twitched uneasily.
"Bobby, I smell blood from out here."
He hastened his steps, doctor instincts coming to the fore as he hurried to the room where the scent was coming from. 245. He knocked on the door, recieved no answer and opened it, breaking the knob with a twist of his paw.
He pushed it open slowly.
Blood. Painted across the walls in dripping arches. Cartorial blood, he noted cooly. Driven by a heart that was still beating. There was a bed in the middle of the room, sheets black not from paint, but again from blood. Phone dangling from a bedside table, bloody fingerprints smeared across it, limp hand redstreaked hanging from the edge of the bed. Sex and blood.
Breaking out of his shocked paralysis, Hank moved forward opening his medkit.
"Bobby, close the door, then go and get me a container of warm water. I need to wash Octavian before I can discerne the true extent of his injuries and decide treatment."
Bobby
Bobby closed the door, then went into the bathroom, grabbing the ice bucket and emptying it into the sink, then filled it up with warm water.
He came back out and handed it to Hank.
Hank & Octavian
"Thank you, Bobby."
Hank carefully lifted the sheets off Octavian, pausing to work the cloth free from sticking from the teen's body. He took a sponge from his kit and started to delicately clean Octavian's face.
One cheekbone, broken. Black eyes. Spilt lip. Bitemarks on shoulder and neck. Slash marks from...a whip? A cane? On chest. Strips layered carefully, showing a certain type of control.
He opened Octavian's mouth carefully.
Bitten his tongue through.
He dabbed at a wrist, before cleaning the sponge in water. The water went blood red.
"Bobby, more water please."
When he found out who had done this...He would persecute them to the full extent of the law.
He lifted Octavian's arm and gently probed it for breaks. Octavian woke up with a pained moan, eyelids fluttering slightly.
"Octavian, please lay still."
Bobby
Bobby took the bucket and went to empty it, rnsing it out, before filling it again, and coming back out to Hank.
"Here."
Octavian & Hank
Octavian wet his lips with a dry tongue, trying to control his pain as Hank carefully cleaned the blood off the front of his body.
"W-who...?"
"It is merely I, and Bobby," Hank said.
"Though I will be calling the police shortly, once I am assured you are not going to die from bloodloss."
Octavian's hand shot out and grabbed Hank by the wrist, hard.
"No police!"
"Octavian, you can not be serious. I would be remiss in my duty as a teacher and a doctor if I did not."
"I am deathly serious. No police."
Bobby
Bobby went into the bathroom and got more water, then grabbed a towel and created up some ice, wrapping it in the towel.
He came ack and placed the items next to Hank.
Octavian & Hank
"Bobby, tell him, no police. None, you hear me? I can't have it. I won't. No no no no," Octavian babbled, growing hysterical.
Hank shushed him.
"As you say, no police. Calm down, Octavian."
He turned the teen over carefully, Octavian crying out and wincing in agony. Whiplashes. His back was like a mess of raw meat. Hank could see bone.
"Oh my stars and garters," the startled exclaimation was jerked out of him.
Bobby
"It's ok, Tav..."
Bobby didn't want to touch him in fear of hurting him.
Hank & Octavian
Hank set his jaw and went to work, Octavaian shuddering and moaning with pain as he cleaned then bandaged the deep wounds. Octavian's fingers curled around the bedhead, knuckles white.
"Hurts...oh god, it hurts..."
"I am trying my utmost not to bring you more pain, Octavian, but we already know your reaction to painkillers, and I do require lucidity."
"Unfortunately, ahhhhh, I concur. Goddamn motherF*CK!"
Octavian's voice cracked on a scream. Hank paused for a moment as Octavian panted in pain. The teen jerked his head to indicate Hank should continue. Hank renewed his tending, washing his hands and the sponge again.
Bobby
Bobby jumped as his pants started vibrating, and pulled out his phone, then typed in a quick message to Rebekah, and went and got Hank more water.
Hank
Hank turned and took Bobby out of the room briefly, ducking into the bathroom. His brown eyes were worried as he looked at Bobby.
"Bobby, I need you to do something for me, for Octavian. He has been very brutally raped, and I fear his ah, anal passage has been torn. The tears will need to be treated with an antibiotic cream, but I can't do it."
He spread on bluefurred paw in illustration.
"My fingers have claws. I would make the injuries worse. I would get it to do it from himself, but he's not in any state to do it. You two...share a physical relationship, or I would not ask you to."
Bobby
"Uh, yeah, sure."
Bobby followed Hank back out into the room and took the cream, smearing it onto his fingers.
"Sorry man, I know I'm not a doctor..."
Octavian & Hank
Octavian sighed.
"I do not mind, Bobby. I just want to go home."
"We will go soon," Hank assured him.
Bobby
Slowly, and very gently, Bobby slid a finger into Octavian, smearing the cream along the sides and edges.
Octavian & Hank
Octavian went limp, sinking into the bed slightly. He hissed in a pained breath.
Hank polished his glasses with a corner of his coat.
"Bobby, make sure you reach as deeply as you can."
Bobby
Bobby nodded and slid his finger a little deeper, accidently nudging Octavian's prostate.
"Oops, sorry."
Octavian
Octavian smiled faintly to himself.
"It's alright, Bobby."
He started to recite Latin verb declinsions to himself to take his mind off what was happening.
"...agnitio, agnosco, agnosco..." he mumbled quietly.
"Qualiscumque, qualiter, quicquid, quilibet, quisquis, quomodo..."
Bobby
Bobby finished what he was doing and stepped back, going into the bathroom to wash his hand.
Hank & Octavian
Hank put his hand on Bobby's shoulder briefly.
"Thank you, BObby."
He went and finished bandaging Octavian's wounds. Three broken jibs, broken ankle, dislocated knee...
"Octavian I'm going to have to put your knee back in."
Octavian nodded, whitefaced.
"Do it."
Hank put his hands on Octavian's leg, and put the knee back in. The Brit screamed, then fainted again. Hank blessed Whoever for small mercies.
"Bobby, help me see if he has any clothes, or if there's something we can appropriate."
Bobby
Bobby looked around.
"There's just some pants on the back of the bathroom door."
Bobby helped Hank get Octavian into them, then took his jacket off and they got him into that too.
Hank
Hank picked up Octavian's limp body easily.
"Bobby, get my bag please. And let us leave this...place."
He walked out the door, careful not to jar the unconscious teen in his arms.
Bobby
Bobby grabbed Hank's bag and followed after them, flipping the car keys out of his pocket as they got into the lift.
Hank
"Bobby, were you aware of this state of affairs between Octavian and his father?" Hank said in a very quiet voice.
All the instincts that had led him into a career in medicine were screaming at him now.
Bobby
"I didn't know that things had gotten this bad," Bobby said honestly.
"I know I should've told someone, but he was very adament that I couldn't. I honestly didn't know that it was this bad."
Hank
"It is hard to know when to break a person's trust," Hank said.
His voice was exceedingly calm and slightly disappointed.
"He should have known we would have protected him..."
Bobby
Bobby bowed his head, looking at his feet.
"Sorry, Hank."
Hank
"I understand your reasons, Bobby. I'm more disappointed in
myself, that I did not see it. That we teachers have failed so very
greatly in our duty of care towards Octavian," Hank said in an old
sounding voice.
Bobby
Bobby unlocked the car, and helped Hank get Octavian settled
inside it, then went round to the driver's seat, and started the
long drive back to the mansion.
Hank
Hank checked Octavian's pulse.
"On the whole, Bobby...I think you have behaved in an honourable
fashion in a difficult situation."
Bobby
Bobby smiled faintly.
He flipped his cd on softly, and moments later, Chard Kroeger's
voice was wafting out of the speakers.
"Everytime I try and talk to you, I get tongue tied..."
Octavian & Hank
Octavian awoke and murmured something. Hank opened his bag and
got out a syringe of sedative.
"Just sleep now, Octavian."
The teen nodded fuzzily and sighed as the sedative sent him back
into dreamless, painless sleep.
"How long have you known?" Hank asked.
Bobby
"Too long."
Bobby sighed.
"Few months, but it's definitely gotten worse since I first found
out..."
He looked at Hank.
"Hank... I'm not supposed to tell anyone, not even Jono knows,
but..."
Hank
"This will not become common knowledge," Hank promised.
"I will have to tell professor Xavier, however."
Bobby
Bobby nodded and kept his eyes on the road, unable and unwilling
to look at Hank for fear of crying.
"Remember when a bunch of us went to the snow? Well, Octavian's
father was there, and he not only took Tav, but... Bek too. Jono
doesn't know, we covered it up to protect Tav..."
Hank
Hank's fists clenched into angry fists before he got himself
under control and relaxed them. The look of anger on his face got
deeper.
"I see."
The fur along his neck was standing on end in a furious ruff,
like a cat when it gets all puffed up.
Bobby
"I was too late with both of them," Bobby said, blinking back his
tears.
"That's why Bek gets weird about like older men she doesn't know
as well. That, and from what I've heard and seen, her father treats
her in almost the same way."
Hank
"Now that the staff know there is a problem..." Hank said.
"We can take steps. Does Demetria know? I hope she does not, for
I would not like to think she would let this go on without doing
anything."
Bobby
Bobby thought for a moment.
"I think... I think he told her when we got taken by... by the
King. But I don't think she remembers much from that time."
Hank
"She probably thinks it was something that Rex made up," Hank
said thoughtfully.
"Do you know how long...?"
Bobby
"Octavian said since he was a kid. I know that it was never this
bad. And that he does it to stop him from getting to Dem."
Bobby pulled up to the mansion gates.
Hank
"Often, abuse progresses over time," Hank said.
He got out and lifted Octavian carefully.
"Are you coming down to the medlabs?"
Bobby
"I need to ask the Professor something first, then I'll be down."
Bobby locked the car and headed to Xavier's office.
Hank & Xavier
Hank nodded and took Octavian to the medlabs to take care of him
in reach of proper medical equipment.
"Come in, BObby," Xavier said.
Bobby
"Can I ask a question, Professor?" Bobby asked as he stepped into
the office.
He sat down.
"Is there anyway that Hank could get another doctor in the labs?
Because he does have a lot to do..."
Xavier
Xavier steepled his fingers thoughtfully.
"I think that if Hank was agreeable, we could work something out."
Bobby
"I'll get him to come and talk to you about it."
Bobby got up.
"Thanks Professor. Oh, and were there any calls for me, like from
NYU?"
He looked hopeful.
Xavier
Xavier smiled.
"Indeed. A favourable one."
Bobby
Bobby's eyes widened.
"I got in?!"
Xavier
Xavier nodded and smiled.
"You did. Congratulations, Bobby. When Octavian wakes up...can
you tell him that he recieved a letter from Harvard?"
He inclined his head slightly.
"Did he tell you he was applying for a commerce law degree?"
Bobby
"Thank you."
Bobby shook his head.
"Oh? No, didn't know that. Anyway, I should go see how he's
doing. Thanks Professor."
He left the room, grinning from ear to ear.
NYU here he came.
"Hank, Hank, guess what!"
Hank
"What, Bobby?" Hank sounded amused.
He turned from Octavian's bed slowly.
Bobby
"I got into NYU!"
Bobby grinned again and chuckled.
"NYU! Thanks for your help, Hank!"
Hank
"Fantastic, Bobby. Should we celebrate?" Hank asked.
"You don't have to thank me."
Bobby and Rebekah
"Yes I do, you pushed me into doing something so I could get in,
and you helped me study and you're such a champ."
Bobby nodded.
"Yes, let's celebrate."
"Who's celebrating? Dr McCoy, could I just get a quick check up
of my hands?" Rebekah asked.
Hank
"Bobby was accepted into NYU," Hank said.
He came over to look her hands over and nodded.
"They're healing nicely."
He noticed her glance towards Octavian, and her doubletake.
"He was in a car accident, but he should be better soon."
Bobby and Rebekah
"Well done," Rebekah said to Bobby.
"Thanks. So I will be matriculating with the class of 2005."
Rebekah laughed.
"Well, I'm touring as soon as my hands heal and I can hold a
microphone."
Hank
"Which should be a week or so," Hank said.
"Barring accidents."
Rebekah
"Merci."
Rebekah smiled at Hank.
"I should go, but give Tav my regards, oui?"
Hank
"He needed to sleep, being in quite a lot of pain," Hank said.
"The sedatives I gave him will probably wear off tomorrow
morning."
Rebekah and Bobby
Rebekah nodded and left.
Bobby settled himself down on a bed.
"Celebratory twinkies?"
Hank
Hank did his best to take his friend's mind off what had happened
to his other friend.