Oblivion

33| Wrecked II

Trigger warning: aftermath of SA

THIRD PERSON

When the storm inside her had passed and there were no more tears left to cry, she leaned weakly against Domenico, who tightened his grip to support her. "The camera. He always filmed with it when he—" she paused. "When he did these things. They were only for him, he said. At least as long as I didn't tell anyone about it and didn't cause any problems. That I would regret it if I did, that no one would believe me anyway, and the whole world would see how—" she took a breath. "—how us—how I—"

"You don't have to say it." Vito's voice sounded gentle, in contrast to what he was feeling.

"He hated it when I cried. Because I should have been grateful that they took care of me and took me in. Because he only did what he did out of love." Josephine looked from Domenico's chest into his face while she wiped away the last traces of tears. Nothing in his face suggested what he was thinking. "But—but it wasn't love! It wasn't, was it? It hurt so much; it couldn't have been love!"

Both brothers were silent. There was nothing they could have said that would undo it or take away her pain. No matter how much power and influence they had, it was meaningless. It wouldn't prevent what had already happened.

"And I know it wasn't my fault because I was a child, but there's this voice inside me that keeps telling me it over and over and over again. That I should have fought back more; that I should have protested more about all those dresses he forced me to wear; that maybe I provoked him with all that; that maybe I looked at him wrong. And no matter what I do, this voice just won't go away!" Josephine struggled with whether she should really say more, but it was as if she couldn't stop speaking. As if all these words wanted to come out for fear of never being said otherwise. "Sometimes, in the darkest moments, the voice asks if I'm sure you won't do the same, and I'm so, so sorry; I don't want to think that. I really don't!"

She had pressed her head back into Domenico's chest and couldn't see the stunned looks on their faces. She couldn't see Vito's face harden with deep rage he'd never felt before. She didn't see Domenico clenching his jaw so he wouldn't run off and smash everything in his path until he had that fucker in his hands.

'Someone has to say something!' Vito looked at his brother intently, but Domenico didn't react to his look. He was too focused on calming his breathing and his posture so that the girl in his arms wouldn't get scared. Vito ran his hands over his face, then grabbed Josephine by the shoulder and turned her toward him. When Domenico saw what he was doing, he let go of her and took a step back. "Josephine, look at me." He gently cupped her face with his hands. "There is nothing you should be sorry for. I can't even begin to imagine the terror you faced, but I can tell you that it will not change anything between us. This will be your safe place, and we will be your home as long as you want to call us that. Do you understand me?" She nodded and sheepishly wiped the snot from her face with her sleeve. "Please say it."

"I will be safe here," she murmured quietly. "And I—"

A knock interrupted her sentence, and all three looked at the door. Dr. Bradford came in and looked at the destruction in her room with a neutral expression on his face. He took a long step over the broken pot before picking up the first aid kit that had been carelessly dropped on the floor. Mr. Marini had explained on the phone that she "had gone a bit crazy," but the extent of it still surprised him. What surprised him less, however, was the fact that it had happened. "May I have a word with Josephine?"

The brothers left, albeit reluctantly, after they were sure she no longer needed them. On the way out, Domenico took the camera with him unnoticed by her. Dr. Bradford nodded seriously at them, and as they went through the door, they heard him suggest taking care of her wounds. Then the door closed.