Leave No Trace

Chapter 19

Mira

It had been four hours, and Mira was sitting in a clean hospital room, next to Ally’s bed. Ally was asleep, under the influence of some pretty heavy pain medications.

Mira wasn’t quite sure she’d felt this happy in a long time. But she was also deeply saddened. If that was an emotion she was capable of feeling.

Danielson cleared his throat from the doorway. “How is she?”

“She got out of surgery ten minutes ago. They got both bullets out. Missed her lungs. Both of them. She’s so lucky… they did a lot to examine her. She has a lot wrong with her.”

“She’s lucky to be alive.” He murmured. “But from what I heard, that bastard will go to prison for life for what he did.”

“They did a lot on her when she arrived.” Mira said softly, glancing at her friend. Her friend with several stitched-up stab wounds and deep lacerations. Her friend who was examined for sexual assault.

“They examined her for sexual assault, from what I was told.” He said softly, not wanting to speak too loudly.

“I know. But Keith is dead, and Dean is in custody.” She said. “In the end, I don’t know whether to call this a victory or not.”

“Let’s call it a successful failure.” He said gently, walking over and kissing her forehead. “I have to get back to the scene of the crime. I’ll be back in the morning. I want to be happy, Mira. I want to say this was a success, but so many were lost tonight.”

“It’s morning now.” Mira tried to smile, but looking over at Ally, her Ally, she wasn’t too sure. “She’s alive, Mike. Ally is alive.”

“The press will be all over this story.” He said gently. “And we’ll hold a press conference later in the week. Ally is welcome to come, but she is in no way required to.”

“I’ll ask her when she wakes up. I don’t want anyone bombarding her with questions. If you’re going to get a statement from her, I suggest you do it once she’s recovered a bit.”

“Sure. Where’s her family?”

“As soon as she got out of surgery, I sent them away. I wanted to be here when she wakes up. I owe it to her.”

“I’m sure.” He said. “Stay strong, Mira. You can do this.”

She nodded, as he smiled down at the sleeping girl next to her. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. “Welcome home Ally.” He whispered, before walking out of the room.

Mira leaned back in her chair. She wanted to catch at least a few hours of sleep, before Ally woke up. So as she drifted off, she made sure that Ally was still asleep.

******

She was on the boat, before it was about to explode, and she had been the one to find Ally- wearing an old sweater over a dress that was skimpy and slashed open in the back, and she could only imagine the horrors her friend had gone through-

She jolted awake, glancing around the hospital room. Derrick was standing in the doorway, and she couldn’t help but tense at the sight of him.

“Hey Mira. I brought you a muffin.” He held it out as a peace offering.

“Thanks, Derrick.” She muttered. Her hand was asleep, as Ally peacefully slept on in the bed next to her. In the morning light, she looked even worse than the night before.

Her eyes blinked open. “Mira?” She asked sleepily. “My back hurts.”

Mira turned, hitting the button to give Ally more morphine. “Well yeah, you idiot.” She said, jokingly. “That’s what you get for getting shot.”

Ally smiled up at her. “So how bad?”

“The doctors said it missed all your vital organs. You’ll recover.” She said.

“Did they tell you who it was?” She said, her eyes filling with tears.

“I know who it was, Ally. I’ve been helping for this entire investigation.” She smiled as she said it. Derrick had left, but she’d barely noticed.

“You’ve been helping them find me?” Ally choked out.

“Of course I have. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because… it’s me, and you’re you.” She sobbed out at last, starting to cry.

Mira sat down beside her on the bed, wrapping her arm around Ally’s shoulder. “Don’t be silly, Ally. Of course I would help. You’re my best friend.”

“N-no I’m not.” She managed to stutter. “I’m just the side friend. R-reliable and faithful.”

“You’re my best friend and I would’ve gone to hell and back in order to bring you home.”

Ally only cried harder, finally wrapping Mira in a tight hug. “Mira, I love you and can’t thank you enough.”

“Love you too Ally.” She whispered in Ally’s ear, as her crying subsided.

Ally released her, and settled back into the pillow, as Dr. Beckett walked in.

“I’m so sorry, is this a bad time, Miss Perry?”

“No.” Ally said.

Mira looked at her. She immediately felt herself slide into the role of buffer between Ally and the world. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t know what my condition is. I want to know.” Ally sat up a little straighter.

“We were able to remove the two bullets from your back. Your wounds have been addressed, and they should heal, but you are on bed rest for now. We will let your back heal up. You have several stab wounds, not too deep, on your legs. A deep laceration on your hand that we managed to stitch up. You have a minor concussion, and your nose is fractured, hence the lovely apparatus on your face.”

Ally managed a smile at that, but it disappeared quickly. “Doctor, I’m certain there’s more.”

“Fractured ribs. Miscellaneous lacerations and bruises across your body.” She was silent for a minute. “Were you aware that you were sexually assaulted, Miss Perry?”

“My boyfriend Dean attacked me, after forcing me to dress in a skimpy black dress, and slashed it open. Then he forced me to…” she trailed off. “He raped me.” She said at last, looking down in shame.

Mira’s heart broke for her.  

But Ally turned and said. “Mi, we won.”

And hearing the nickname was like a reminder to Mira that everything would be okay in the end.

Because Ally was home.