The devil within

Picking up the pieces

A week had passed and what a week it was. The days just dragged, it felt like weeks had gone by. Sadly it was only one.

Daisy still went to work everyday but she avoided Lee like the plague. Only entering his office if he wasn't around. Honestly lee didn't know what to do. Did she need space or did he need to sort out his mess.

When he entered the office he was confused to start with. A young woman stood with her back to him, at first he didn't realise who it was. Daisy always wore a dress, till today that was. The skin tight black Capri pants, hugging her hips. A mustard sweater covering her arms.

Lee thought it was strange she was so covered up, but after everything that happened she must of felt violated. If only that was the truth.

As he walked closer to her he noticed it. Her pants not quite long enough to cover the dark purple bruise on her leg. Okay, she could of gotten that anywhere. I mean she's always walking into a draw she leaves open at work. She could of easily walked into something.

But lee was letting his mind run away. He was going to kill that bastard who ever laid a finger on her. " you look lovely today Daisy" he commented keeping his distance, pretending to read the front page of the paper in his hand. Daisy jumped at his voice, gripping on to the cabinet draw she had open.

Of course lee noticed this unusual behaviour. Okay she was still alittle jumpy around men but not him. She felt safe around him, well she did until, he lost his cool. "Why thank ya sheriff" she replied as a squeak, slightly looking over her shoulder. Her hair covered her face like she was hiding something.

The other deputy and officers were out on patrol, leaving only the two of them at the station. "Sugar look at me" lee softly commanded, "I gotta lotta work to do" she answered quickly flicking files to look busy.

Lee sighed, gently placing a hand on her shoulder to make her face him. He thought she was just afraid to look him in the eye after she saw the other side of him. But when she turned his worse fears came to life.

A dark purple bruise sat on her right cheek, her eye slightly swollen. She had tried to cover it with make up but to no avail.  Lee gently swiped his thumb over the bruise, she hissed at the slightest contact. The bruise was fresh, he hardly saw her yesterday so he couldn't he be sure when it happened.

Then again babe didn't care when it happened, more like who had done it. They had just dug themselves a shallow grave. "Who did this?" Lee asked trying his hardest to stay calm."I...I walked in to a open cupboard at home" she stuttered slightly, her eyes not meeting his.

She tried to move away from him, but a hand on her waist stopped her. "Don't lie to me Daisy" he almost begged, this was the side of lee she had fallen for. The soft, kind and caring Lee. "It's nothing Lee" she muttered placing a reasuring hand on his should.

She tried to force a genuine looking smile but it didn't work. "I was in ma little world cooking when pa came home with company, made me jump and smacked my head" she explained. Lee pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his chest.

She slipped her arms around his waist, she couldn't reach all the way around him. But she didn't care, as long as she could pull his body close to hers. Feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath.

"I'll take ya home sugar, you deserve a break after everything" lee smiled down at her, running a hand over bar back to comfort her. "But I have so much to do!" She gasped breaking out of his grip. Lee placed his hands on his hips, chuckling as she quickly got back to work. "I'm sure the filing will survive a day"

She knew he was right, she needed a break. It's not like her job was hard, she had just been through the wringer. "Fine let me finish this pile" she compromised with him, "and only this pile, meet you out front in twenty"

True to her word twenty minutes later, Daisy appeared on the porch of the station, lee already waiting for her. Surprisingly this trip wasn't as awkward as they thought it would be. The conversation flowed and Daisy once again felt relaxed.

That was until Lee pulled up in front of her home.

As she left the car lee noticed a red spot on her back, it wasn't there before but he didn't want to say anything. He was afraid of the answer.

"You need anything, you call me sugar. And I mean it anything" he spoke softly, taking her dainty hand in his. She smiled "I will, I promise" she replied, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. It became a kind of ritual every time he dropped her home. Her was of saying thank you.

Lee was worried about her, there was something she wasn't telling him. Maybe she had her reasons but how can he protect her if she's keeping secrets from him?

Once Daisy was in the safety of her room, she pulled off her jumper. Throwing it straight into the bin, blood was never going to come out of it. The black vest she wore under followed suit in to the bin.

She took a deep breath before turning her head to look at her back in the mirror. Squeezing her eyes shut, a single tear fell. It looked like she had been attacked by a pack of wolves. Some cuts deeper than others, some trickling blood. Some ruby red marks still stinging.

No matter how much pain she was in physically or mentally she always wore a sweet smile.