The Dawsons

Chapter 3

With the whole squad heading towards Mercy Hospital Nick jumped out of the car almost falling out as he ran inside to be greeted with a doctor "Detective Amaro this way" The doctor said leading Nick down the hallway and into Valentina's room when the mother of the little girl stopped him, she took his arm as he turned around looking at her with still red eyes from earlier when he witnessed his girlfriend being shot and collapse into him front of his eyes "I'm so sorry about what my husband did to the other detective, but please save my daughter she deserves a better life than this. I'm really sorry detective" The mother said as Nick stayed silent and took his arm back walking into his girlfriend closing the door to her room.

"The surgery went well, they were able to trace the bullet and get it out. She's going to make a full recovery. Is there any family of hers we need to call?" The doctor asked looking at Nick as he scratched the back of his head because to be fair she had never talked about her family to any of them and now thinking about it all they know of her background is that she graduated from the police academy in Chicago and then was transferred to the Special Victims Units. Silence hit the room as the doctor brought Nick back to reality.

"Detective?" She asked again as Nick turned his head towards the doctor.

"No, sorry there isn't. I'm all she has" Nick said sitting next to Valentina as he took her hand. Short time after Carisi and Amanda came in when she started fluttering her eyes open.

"Nick? Donde estoy? Que paso?" Valentina asked as she started panicking. If there was something she hated more than anything else it was being admitted to the hospital. She didn't mind being there when they were talking to victims, but when she suddenly became a victim it scared the living hell out of her and it all leads back to her childhood which she so dearly tries to avoid on a daily basis.

"Val, mi amor. Tómalo con calma, está bien que estés a salvo. Usted está en el hospital. ¿Recuerdas lo que pasó?" Nick asked speaking spanish to her as he has learned by now that whenever she's either scared, nervous or really angry she speaks in spanish. Carisi and Amanda just looked concerned at both of them as both Nick and Valentina were tearing up and neither of them understand what they're saying which is probably for the best. They know Nick is going to explain it all for them later.

"You were shot Val, but they managed to get the bullet out. They say you're gonna have a full recovery" Amanda said trying to calm her down but when she put her hand on her shoulder she flinched. Still holding on to Nick tight he could feel her tense up and become cold like she went into shock mode. She looked him deep in the eyes with tears of fear running down her cheeks.

"No, Nick you have to help me. I can't go back to them, I don't want to" Valentina said shaking in fear her whole body trembling as the machines around them started beeping. Nick started to panic as Valentina kept her eyes locked on Nick when he felt her forehead. Soon after a doctor came running in.

"You have to get out of here so we can save her" The doctor said as Amanda and Carisis went out but Nick refused to leave her side.

"Sir you need to leave so we can have space to save her" The doctor said again as Nick still didn't respond to them like he had gone into shock mode himself when Amanda came over and took him out to see Olivia and Fin waiting. Nick still didn't quite registre what just happened in there they got him some water as he slowly came back to his senses.

"Do you know what she meant by that?" Carisis asked Nick with a concerned look.

"No I don't. The conversation I had with her in spanish was she asked where she was and what happened and I explained to her that she was in the hospital, that she was safe and if she remembered what happened and then Amanda explained to her that she had been shot but that everything was alright and she would make a full recovery and then she started panicking like it triggered something inside of her" Nick said rubbing his hands across his face when the doctor walked out of her room.

"Detective Amaro?" The doctor asked as Nick stood up and walked over to her. They saw him talk with her as he thanked her and walked back to the others again.

"She's okay for now, they said she had a traumatic flashback followed by a severe panic attack. They want her to rest for a bit now and then do a few tests on her" Nick said as his eyes filled with tears again as his mind became blurry.

A few hours later....

Valentina was still in the hospital and they were still doing a lot of tests to find out why she reacted that way earlier when they spotted some of her old bruises and scars. 

"Valentina, can you tell me where these bruises are from?" The nurse asked as Valentina looked away. The whole reason for her moving to New York was so that she could put everything behind her and start on a fresh. 

"They're old from when I lived in Chicago" She said nothing wanting to talk about it. 

"Okay, but I can see that some of them are pretty new. Is anyone hurting you? Maybe your boyfriend?" The nurse asked when anger filled her. How could she accuse Nick of hurting her? didn't she see the new she was clinging onto him a few hours ago plus he's sweetest and most gentle and caring man she has ever been with before. 

"How dare you accuse him of doing something like that? Nick would never do something like that ask everyone in the squad. I want to be discharged I feel fine and I'm done talking" Valentina said turning her back to the nurse as she stood up and later came back in with a form. 

"Your vitals are good and your wound is looking good as well just remember to change the bandage every second day" The nurse said handing Valentina the form as she signed it and got dressed taking her badge and left without hesitation. 

Walking out she noticed that Luna's room was empty "Where is the girl me and my partner brought in yesterday?" Valentina asked looking concerned at the nurse. 

"Her parents left after your partner had a word with the husband and then someone from DCFS came to pick up the girl. She's in foster care now" The nurse said as Valentina nodded her head. She continued to walk back to the office.