Chapter 14 - The story

Zoey ran into the ER with tears in her eyes.

Jack was on the phone with Tom who had already managed to secure the security footage from the cameras outside of the office building and was now going through it.

"Tom, I'll call you back," Jack ended the conversation, seeing his sister.

"Oh my god, Jack..." Zoey ran to him. "What happened?"

"Two men attacked Julia in front of the office," Jack explained in a grave tone. Just the memory of what had happened made him weak in the knees.

"Attacked?"

He did not want to give Zoey the details; they would just shake her up more.

"Tom and I just drove out of the underground parking, so we stopped them..."

"How is she?" Zoey seemed not to notice that he avoided answering her previous question.

"Her arm is broken, she seems to have some broken ribs... They have ruled out internal bleeding..."

"Internal bleeding!?" Zoey cried out, drawing the attention of the entire ER staff.

"But they are suspecting a concussion," Jack continued, not bothered by the angry stares they were getting. "They are doing a CT scan right now to rule out more serious brain damage..."

"Is she in pain?" Zoey asked in a shaky voice.

"They gave her a mild sedative already and some pain killers..."

"I really hoped she was safe..." Zoey started crying. "I really hoped it's all in the past..."

Jack wrapped his arms around his sister, rocking her slowly.

"The two men knew her, Zoey... So she is not safe, sis." Jack whispered in a serious tone. "Why wasn't I told about this? I could have protected her. I have means to protect Julia..."

"I told you, Jack, that was not my story to tell..."

"Screw that, Zoey!" Jack pushed her back. "I don't care whose story that is and whose it's not. Bottom line here is that Julia got badly hurt, because no one wanted to speak up. Well, no more!" He pointed his finger at Zoey. "From now on she's getting a twenty four seven security that would be following her everywhere until this matter is resolved."

"She will not agree to that, Jack."

"I don't give a fuck! I will not let this happen again!"

He could see that Zoey wanted to object some more, but they were interrupted by a doctor walking their way.

"The CT scan showed no swelling to her brain, but she no doubt has a concussion" the doctor got straight to the point.

Jack could hear Zoey sucking in a breath.

"We will need to keep her for a couple of days to make sure that no swelling of the brain occurs..."

"And if it does?" Zoey asked, panic clearly audible in her voice.

"It's too early to talk of this right now, Miss," the doctor answered with a reassuring smile. "She will be monitored around the clock, she's already on IV..."

"Can we see her?" Zoey interrupted the doc.

"She's asleep now... but yes, you may. But please, she needs rest, which also means no stress, extensive talking... The nurse will show you to her room." The doctor was about to walk away, but he remembered something and turned back to the siblings. "Is there someone we should call? Family?"

"I am her emergency contact, doc. We will not be calling anyone else for now, unless Julia decides otherwise." Zoey said in a firm tone. Jack was guessing informing Julia's mom about the accident would be out of the question.

"Very well." The doctor nodded and walked away.

***

The light in the room was dimmed. She could hear some kind of beeping coming from somewhere in the room. She didn't know what was making that sound or where she was, for that matter.

Julia tried looking around, but any movement made her head burst, so she ended up only darting her eyes around the room. She noticed the door was open. A suited man was standing outside...

Is that a guard? Why would they be guarding me...? Where am I, why am I being guarded...?

The beeping became faster.

"Julia, calm down."

Whose voice is that? She thought, panicked, but did not find the courage to turn her head in the direction the voice came from. Could it be him? Could it be Nicholas?

The beeping was getting faster and faster. What is making that noise?

Julia felt she was starting to suffocate! Her vision became blurry.

"Nurse!" someone called.

A woman clad in blue ran into the room and touched her hand. She was saying something to Julia, but she couldn't make out the words. The woman had a syringe in her hand.

No, no! Get away from me, get... away...

And all was dark again.

***

Jack knew he had to go home and rest, but he couldn't force himself to leave Julia. Especially after that panic attack she'd had a few hours ago.

He'd realized too late that her reaction had been caused by the sight of one of Tom's men. In a black suit, six feet tall, consisting of mostly muscles the guy not only looked intimidating, but he made Jack think of some kind of mafia bodyguard. That, most probably, had made Julia think of Seattle and in turn had skyrocketed her pulse.

Way to go, Deschanel!

So now, Tom's man was still standing by the door, just out of Julia's sight.

Zoey was in and out of Julia's room; talking to doctors or on the phone with Jess.

"I need to bring some of Julia's clothes," she informed Jack, walking back into the room for the tenth time.

"Zoey, she's in a hospital, she does not need her clothes." Jack tried keeping his cool, but his sister's frantic behaviour was putting his patience to the test.

"She will need it soon enough."

"Fine!" Jacked sighed, defeated. "I will ask Tom to send one of his men to her apartment...."

"Thank you, Jack." Zoey walked over to her brother and sat down next to him on the couch in the corner of the room that he'd been occupying for the last hours.

"...but I'll do it under one condition." Jack turned to Zoey. "You will go home and have some rest."

"But..."

"No buts, sis. You look like hell and besides, you are losing it." Jack sent her one of his charming smiles to make sure that she was not offended by his words. "I'll call you the moment Julia wakes up."

"Fine," Zoey gave in. "I'll be back in a couple of hours with Jess. She's ending her shift soon." Before leaving she walked over to Julia and gave her a light kiss on the forehead.

When Zoey finally left, Jack went back to his laptop that Tom had brought him in the meantime. It was still too early to call Agnes, so he sent her an email asking her to reschedule all his meetings for the day and to let her know that he will not come to the office.

That's a first.

He wondered for a moment whether to inform Agnes about Julia's situation, but decided against it. Zoey would for sure take care of that.

"Aren't you tired already from saving me all the time?" A weak voice came from Julia's bed.

Jack looked up. Julia was watching him with something resembling a smile, but he knew it was just a pretense; the fear in her eyes was undeniable.

"I'm actually thinking I'll start charging you for my services, Stiles," he answered with a smirk and walked over to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Probably as bad as I look." She glimpsed down at the cast covering her left hand and arm.

"You had your better days, I must admit." Stop joking about the situation, Deschanel! What are you? A teenager?

Julia instantly lifted her right hand to touch her face.

"Don't." Jack stopped her. Her face was swollen and covered in bruises and abrasions. She didn't need to realize that just yet. "You need time to heal, Stiles."

He realized that the doctor should probably check up on Julia, now that she was awake.

"I'll be right back," he said and started walking to the door.

"Where are you going?!" Julia immediately asked, worry clear in her voice.

God, she must be terrified of the thought of being left alone...

"I will just step outside for a moment to let the nurses know that you are awake. They will call for your doctor."

She nodded in response, but Jack could see the answer did not put her at ease.

When he returned to the room thirty seconds later, Julia was staring at the door, her right hand clenching the shits so hard it made her knuckles turn white.

"What is it, Julia?" Jack asked, seeing that she kept watching the door.

"Earlier... was there a man there? I'd swear I saw a man in a suit..."

Jack sighed.

"Yes," he said, which earned him a scared look from Julia. "But he's one of ours, Julia. He's Tom's guy..."

"Tom's guy?"

"Tom, besides being my driver and bodyguard, also runs a security agency. That's one of his bodyguards. Well, actually that's your bodyguard outside that door." Jack watched Julia in anticipation, expecting her to object or worse, get mad at him. Instead she just nodded and seemed a bit calmer.

"Good morning, Miss Stiles," the doctor walked into the room followed by a nurse. "How are you feeling?"

"Everything hurts... even when I breathe," Julia answered slightly intimidated. Jack took that as a sign to leave the room and let the doc examine her without witnesses.

"I will wait outside," he said.

"No!" Julia exclaimed with panic lacing her voice.

The doctor and the nurse looked at her surprised.

"Jack, stay," she added a bit calmer, but it still sounded like she was almost begging him.

"Miss Stiles, I want to examine you, are you sure..."

"Yes." Julia just said.

"That's ok, doc. I will sit here in the corner and check my emails." Jack said, sitting down on the sofa.

***

When Julia woke up again, Zoey was sitting by her bed. She did not remember falling asleep. The doctor had examined her and given her some pain killers. Maybe that made her so sleepy.

"How are you feeling, Jules?" Zoey whispered, grabbing her hand.

"My head really hurts, Zoey... and... I feel I'm gonna be sick..." Julia brought her hand to her mouth feeling what was coming.

Zoey, as if expecting that to happen, put a paper beg to Julia's mouth.

When Julia was done, Zoey cleaned her face with a wipe.

"Thank you..." Julia whispered.

"You have a concussion, love. That's why the nausea..." Zoey explained, handing her a glass of water.

Julia just nodded, holding back tears. She knew if she'd said something right now, she wouldn't be able to stop them from falling. Zoey seemed to have noticed that.

"Oh, darling..." she gave Julia a gentle hug. "I'm so sorry. I really thought your past was... well, in the past."

Julia nodded again.

"Jules, it's ok to cry, love. You have all the right to do so."

"I'm..." Julia whispered. "I'm so scared, Zoey. I... I..." she couldn't hold the tears any longer. She didn't have the strength anymore to pretend she was strong. "I want this all to go away... I'm terrified of the thought of... being...." she stuttered through her tears. "...of being left alone. I feel... like they might come back, you know, and just enter the room any moment."

"We are here, Julia, and we won't leave you alone," Zoey squeezed her hand again. "There is also quite a handsome mountain of muscles outside this door." Zoey pointed to the hospital hallway. "And he's not going to let any strangers inside this room." Zoey sent her friend a comforting smile and handed her a tissue. "Now, clean up, girl. You have snot all over you."

Julia giggled softly through her tears.

"What would I do without you, Zoey?"

"Without me? I did nothing. I'd say my brother is the hero of the day..." Zoey raised her brow waiting for Julia's reaction.

"I don't want to think about what would have happened..."

"Then don't!"

"Oh god..." Julia remembered something.

"What is it?"

"When I woke up and the doctor came to examine me, I practically forced Jack to stay in the room. I didn't want to be left alone with strangers. I..."

"Jules, take it easy." Zoey sent her a mysterious smile. "I doubt he minded that..."

Julia again only nodded and put her head back on the pillow. She was feeling dizzy. It seemed to her as if she got immensely tired from just the talking alone.

"Jules, are you ok?" She heard Zoey's concerned voice. "Let me call the doc..."

"I'm so tired..."

She went out of the office building. It was already getting dark. Julia felt like she'd been in this situation before.

The square in front of the building was deserted. A cold wind blew her hair in front of her face. A chill ran down Julia's spine. She knew she shouldn't stay there; she had to move, get away, but she couldn't. Somehow she was glued in place.

Suddenly she heard footsteps and then that voice...

"Julia, Julia, Julia... I've been looking all over for you."

"Nicholas...?" Her voice broke. "What are you..."

"Enough of that running, Julia." He sent her a smile that did not reach his eyes. "You are coming with me." He reached out, wrapping his fingers around her elbow.

"No!" Julia tried taking a step back, but she couldn't. She was still glued to the ground.

"We'll be so good together..." he wrapped his arm around her now.

"No! Don't touch me!"

"Julia," she heard someone whisper. "Wake up."

"Come with me, Julia." Nicholas started pulling her in the direction of a black SUV.

"No, no. I'm not going anywhere with you. Help! Help!!!"

"Jules!" Zoey shook her gently.

Julia opened her eyes, feeling like there was no air in the room.

"Breath, Julia." Jess was standing at the other side of the bed. "Breath."

"He... was... he... wanted..."

"Julia, that was just a bad dream." Zoey started talking to her like to a child. "You are in the hospital and you are safe, remember?"

Julia continued taking deep breaths and focused on Zoey's calm expression. She nodded, suddenly feeling stupid.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"No need to apologize..."

Julia realized that the light in the room was dim. It was evening already. She'd slept through the whole day. She looked around and besides Zoey and Jess, noticed that Jack was again in the room. Sitting on the couch in the corner, he was watching her with an unreadable expression. Still, his presence made her feel safe. But why is he here?

Zoey handed her a glass of water which Julia accepted gratefully. Taking a sip she noticed her friend and Jess exchanged looks.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Jules... you can say no..." Zoey started carefully. She was clearly hesitating about something.

"What is it, Zoey?"

"There is a police officer waiting outside. She wants to talk to you about what happened."

"Oh... right..."

"I can tell her to come back in a few days..." Zoey was turning to the door.

"No!" Julia stopped her. "It's fine, Zoey, let's get it over with."

"Are you sure?"

Julia nodded, taking another long sip of water.

A middle aged woman entered the room. In jeans, leather jacket and a ponytail she looked like she'd come here on a bike, rather than in a police car.

"Mister Deschanel," she nodded at Jack. Clearly they'd met before.

Jack responded with a nod, but did not say anything.

"Ladies," she smiled at Zoey and Jess. "Miss Stiles, I'm detective Rivera. I hope you could tell me what happened last night?" She pulled out a notebook from the back pocket of her jeans.

Julia nodded, but kept quiet; unsure of how to start. What happened last night? Isn't it obvious?

"What time did you leave the office?" the detective asked, seeing Julia's confusion.

"I think it was after seven..."

"Do you always leave that late?"

"Yes, I usually do..." Julia sighed and glanced at Zoey. Her friend was shaking her head in disbelief.

"So you left the building and what happened next?"

"I was waiting for a taxi when the two men approached me..." Julia trailed off. In her mind she was back on that damn square. "Julia, Julia, Julia...You are a lady difficult to find..."

"Excuse me?" the detective asked, surprised.

I must have said it out loud... Julia thought embarrassed and looked at the faces of the people around her. Yep, I said it out loud.

"Is this what they said to you, Miss Stiles?" the detective asked.

Julia nodded.

"So I guess we can confidently assume that the encounter was not about a robbery...?" The police officer made a note in her notebook and added, "Mister Deschanel's statement confirms that too."

Julia shot Jack a surprised look.

"I already talked to the police last night, Julia," Jack explained.

"Did you know these men, Miss Stiles?" the detective continued.

Julia took a deep breath. She knew very well where this all was going.

"Yes." She had a tiny hope that maybe that answer would be enough for detective Rivera, but when the cop raised her brow in anticipation, Julia knew there was no getting away from the Seattle story. "I knew one of them; Banks. He was the right hand of Nicholas Starr, the guns dealer..."

"I understand that you helped the DEA and FBI in the arrest of Nicholas Starr last year in Seattle?" Rivera asked.

"How did you know that?" Julia was shocked how quickly her past was coming back into the spotlight. You were so naïve, Stiles... she thought bitter.

"The DEA somehow got to know about yesterday's attack and they contacted us..."

Somehow got to know? Yeah, right. Julia remembered Tom mentioning he had a friend with the DEA.

It got really quiet in the room; only the beeping of Julia's heart monitor was audible.

"Yes," Julia admitted with a sigh of defeat, "I helped in the arrest of Nicholas Starr, or rather I gave the DEA enough time to search one of his warehouses. He was always one step ahead of them, you know, he would always get a call from his men whenever the DEA or FBI tried searching his warehouse or the office of one of his shell companies, and would always arrive on time with lawyers and what not. So... I made him unavailable for a longer period of time..."

"Unavailable?" the detective inquired.

"I'm sorry, but how is this relevant to yesterday's attack?" Zoey interrupted. "Shouldn't we focus..."

"That's ok, Zoey," Julia said, her voice slightly breaking. "I want to tell her that. I want to tell all of you that." She glanced at Jack; he was sitting in the shadow, but she could see he was tense.

"Jules... you don't have to," Zoey almost pleaded.

The beeping of the monitor became faster, so without giving it a second thought Julia ripped off all the wires from her chest. She didn't want everyone to hear how nervous she was going to get by telling the story.

"They gave me a device and told me to put it in Nicholas' pocket... It was blocking the phone signal. So it looked like his phone was fully operational, while it was not - not sending nor receiving any signal. I invited him for dinner to my place and then I..." she pushed her hair behind her ear. Her hands were shaking annoyingly. "I made him stay with me for almost the whole night." Julia couldn't look anyone in the eyes. That memory of feeling dirty, of being disgusted with herself returned strong like never before.

"Jeez, Jules, did he...?"

"You're asking if he raped me, Zoey?" Julia asked angrily, but she wasn't angry at Zoey, she was angry at herself. "Well, I did invite him to my bedroom, I did propose to him we do it and I did pretend I liked it. So you tell me."

Zoey swallowed hard but did not say anything. When they'd met in New York last year Julia had told Zoey a lot, but she never went into details of that night with Nicholas.

"Anyway, the plan worked," she again looked at the detective. "While he was busy fucking me, the DEA searched the warehouse and found evidence that was enough to put Nicholas away for many years."

"Why did you do it, Julia?" Jess finally spoke, but it was clear she was asking what each of the people in the room wanted to know.

Julia chuckled bitterly.

"They knew of my feminist opinions, they knew how to play me..." she shook her head. It was still difficult to accept how naïve she had been. "They told me Nicholas was also suspected of human trafficking; of kidnapping women and turning them into prostitutes to be more exact. You know I'm a sucker for things like that..."

"Nicholas Starr was never charged with human trafficking..." detective Rivera said, checking her notes.

"No, he wasn't," Julia confirmed quietly, "that accusation was fake. They made it up to convince me to help them."

"Then... Why is Starr after you?" Zoey asked, confused.

Julia wanted him to leave so badly. Instead she was laying on the bed with a lazy smile, pretending all was perfect. The truth was she was sore... and felt so dirty.

Nicholas had turned out to be a tenacious lover. Once he'd gotten Julia into bed he hadn't let her out of it for many hours.

He was getting dressed right now, but was still eyeing her hungrily. She could see he wanted to do it with her one more time. She shivered with disgust which he got the wrong way. He unbuttoned his shirt again and laid next to her. Looking her in the eyes, he started moving his hand up her thigh... Julia closed her eyes.

Suddenly a knock or rather banging came on the door. She had to compose her expression not to show Nicholas how relieved she felt with the distraction.

"Boss, are you there?!" an angry voice was heard from outside the door.

Hearing it Nicholas immediately jumped off the bed and ran to the door.

"What's the meaning of this?!" he asked, annoyed.

"Boss, we've been calling you for hours!" Julia recognized Nicholas' right hand man, Banks, walking into the room. He'd been always giving her the creeps. Now was no different; he was eying her suspiciously. She covered herself with the sheets as much as she could. "The DEA has just finished searching the warehouse, boss. We are screwed."

Nicholas did not say a word, but Julia could see from his expression he was furious. He slowly walked over to the chair where his jacket was hanging and took out his phone from one of the pockets.

"Are you sure, morons, you've been calling the right number?!" he finally yelled. "My phone is perfectly fine!"

"Boss, we gotta go..." Banks said, totally ignoring Nicholas' outburst. He knew it was too late for that anyway.

Nicholas put his shirt back on and then his jacket. He was deep in thought, but as he was putting his phone back into the pocket, he froze for a moment.

Julia stopped breathing.

Nicholas pulled out the device she'd put in his pocket at the beginning of the evening. He was looking at it confused for a moment, but then she could see the realization downing on him.

"Boss, come on!" His men were already outside, waiting impatiently.

Nicholas slowly looked up; his eyes meeting Julia's in a silent understanding.

"I will see you soon, sweet Julia," he said.

Julia knew that was a threat, not a promise.

The hospital room was quiet. Detective Rivera stopped taking her notes long ago, Zoey and Jess were looking at Julia completely shocked, or rather terrified. She glanced at Jack, but his face was still in the shadow. What she could clearly see though were the white knuckles of his left hand; he was squeezing the sofa armrest so hard, it looked like it would snap any moment.

"Somebody please say something," Julia pleaded, not able to bear the silence any longer.

Jack stood up from his seat and, not looking at anyone, left the room; lips in thin line, hands in tight fists.