Choosing My Life - Bear And Rachel

Hospital

I laid Rachel down in the hospital bed. She was shaking with fear at the noises and bustle around her. Jenny and Daisy were snapping commands.
"Mr Bear, what's happening?"
"Brian,"
"What?"
I took a breath.
"My name is Brian Corby, Bear is a nickname sort of. Something people call me." I explained. Her eyes searched my face.
"Oh, I thought it was a strange name."
She eventually replied. "But I can see why you have it. You're like a teddy bear, aren't you?"
I glanced down to the floor, chuckling. I wish that was the reason. Then I looked back at her.
"Yes, that's exactly it." I confirmed.
She sighed and smiled wearily. The loss of fear ramping up her fatigue again.
"Excuse me sir, I need to get to your wife" A nurse pushed passed me. "Ma'am I'm going to need you to undress so I can put in an IV. I have a gown here for you to put on. Would you like me to help you?"
Rachel's eyes sudden opened in fear.
"Undress?!"
"Shh, Sweet pea, it's OK. They just need to put some things on you to help make you healthy again. But they can't do it while you're fully dressed. I can leave if you want."
"NO! I mean please don't." Rachel panicked.
Daisy appeared by my side as she pulled the curtain across so it enclosed the bed.
"Don't you fucking dare leave, she needs you here." She muttered at me, then took a breath. "Just like Bear said. We need you to undress in order for us to assist you. This will involve putting a needle in your arm to help give you medication and fluids. We'll also need to stick some pads to you to help us see what your heart is doing."
This wasn't helping. Rachel looked more and more scared.
"Rachel, can you trust us please?" I asked. She started crying.
"I'm so scared, Bear."
"I know, sweet pea, I know. I'll leave you to get changed, and then cover up. No one will see anything you don't want them to see."
"No, stay, please stay." She begged me gripping my hand. I squeezed it back.
"Ok, I'm here, I'll stay."
"Can you undo the pins please?" She asked. I saw Daisy's eyebrow raise out of the corner of my eye. The other nurse ducked out.
"I'll get a tray." She said, dropping the gown on the table. Daisy reached for the pins and started sliding them out, one by one. The other nurse came back with a metal tray and Daisy dropped the pins in, then pulled more out.

I helped Rachel sit up so the nurses could pull her bodice away. There were multiple lined scars down her back, and a few on her chest. Her breasts were marked with yellow, faint bite marks in the middle of the stains. I could see every rib in her chest as I lay her back down.
"Bear," Daisy called my name several times before I looked at her. "Breathe, she's safe now. He's dead, and can't be any deader." I took a shuddering breath, which Rachel imitated. She was staring at my face, tears running out of the corner of her eyes, while I looked at her body.
"I'm hideous, aren't I?" She sobbed. I lifted my other hand and cradled her cheek.
"Oh no Sweet Pea, you're beautiful, amazing."
She shook her head.
"Pa said I was hideous, no other man would want me, so he was my only option to have babies with. He was right, wasn't he?"
I forced the words between my gritted teeth.
"He was so fucking wrong. You are amazing." I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her. I felt her sob against my lips and I opened my mouth to taste her. Fireworks burst inside me, and I couldn't stop. I slid my hand under her neck and tilted her head so I get get more.
"Easy tiger, she's injured. Or did you forget." Daisy's voice broke in. "Rachel, I need you to lift your bum so I can pull your dress down. Bear keep your eyes on hers." I lifted my face slightly, looking at her from an inch away. She looked stunned, and I probably wasn't much better. I felt them pull her down slightly, and only then realised that I was pressing myself against her chest.
"One day, Rachel Henderson, you will realise how beautiful and extraordinary you are. How precious you are. And no one will ever drag you into that hell again. You are worth more than anything. And I wish I could have killed the man who did this to you." I lent forward and pressed my lips to her head as gently as I could.
"Stand up Bear, I need to pull the top up."
I shifted, pulling away but still glaring into Rachel's eyes. My hand was firmly gripping hers.

"I thought you said no males allowed in here."
"Careful, we have an ex marine who has found out that his girlfriend was raped. Explain everything you're doing."
"Ma'am, how long ago were you raped?"
Rachel kept her eyes on me as she answered.
"My birthday," and then said a date that was a month and a half ago. I swallowed my rage.
My eyesight had reduced to tunnel vision due to the adrenaline, but I noticed her look down and tense.

"I'm going to need to put in the IV, love. It will pinch a little, but it needs to be done. Just look at your man for now."
"Look at me, Sweet pea." I whispered.
She looked back.
"You're OK, no one will ever hurt you again. I promise." I'll kill them
She nodded, then opened that sweet mouth.
"Thankyou." She mouthed back.