Her Russian

Chapter 40-Starting Over

(continuation of Chapter 39-Ilia's POV)

Ilia woke to Galina crying and whimpering in her sleep.  Rolling her onto her back, her face was scrunched up like she was in pain and tears were just seeping from her closed lids.

He also noticed that the IV bag was almost empty.  Dr. Markov had been staying at the house since the night before so he could keep watch over her health.  He'd come in about thirty minutes earlier and hooked up a new bag.

"Galina, baby.  You need to wake up, little kot.  You're safe, you're home" Ilia coaxed her gently but she was still so weak she couldn't wake up.

"No!" she cried softly.  "Please don't touch me!  Only Ilia can touch me!" she whimpered.  His heart was breaking from the inside out and he so much wanted to make it all go away but he knew it was going to take time.

Sighing, he got up from bed, grabbed his phone and walked into the bathroom.  "Dr. Markov?  Yeah, she's having another nightmare plus her IV is almost empty" Ilia listened to the man for a moment.

"Okay that's what I did.  I guess I'll just keep doing that then.  I will see you in ten."  Ilia hung up and went back and sat down on the bed, stroking Galina's hand, trying to calm and reassure her.

A soft knock at the door, drug him from the unpleasant thoughts he was having.  It was the doctor but before he came in, Ilia asked him to stay in the hall.  Closing the door behind him, he walked a bit with him.

"When you did your cursory exam, did you see any signs of sexual abuse?" Ilia couldn't believe he was asking this but he had to know.

Looking down at the floor a moment, Dr. Markov explained to Ilia what he'd found.  "There was no indication of penal penetration but there is some vaginal bruising and I would say that it was from someone's digits."

You could tell that Markov had not wanted to be the bearer of that news, but he would never lie to his boss.  Ilia's face was racked with pain.  "I guess that would explain why her panties were torn and around her ankles."  The thought of someone touching her like that made him see red.

After taking out the IV, the doctor said that they could wait a bit and see how the antibiotics would do and go from there.

He also told Ilia that her body was physically weak from not enough nutrition and they would have to slowly work up to a full meal.

Markov gave one last piece of advice and that was talk to her, touch her gently, kiss her forehead and accompany her for showers and baths.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ilia walked back into the bedroom and out onto the balcony for a smoke and drink, all the while he's watching her.

She moved around a lot, which was unusual for her and she was moaning, so stubbing out his smoke, he removed his pants and got back in bed with her.

Her moaning stopped immediately as he pulled her closer, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, baby.  So much" he told her sleeping figure.  "I'm here for you and we will work on this and fix it together."

Stroking her lightly with his fingertips, she snuggled deeper into him and sighed, like she normally would.

Feeling exhausted still, Ilia closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off, his thoughts only of her.

Jerking himself awake, he sat up quickly because Galina was gone.  Furiously looking around, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her sitting in the chair in the corner.

He approached her slowly, her eyes watching him closely, getting down on his knees, facing her, he put his hands on her knees.

She stiffened at the contact, then said "Did you give me drugs so I would think you were Ilia?"  Her voice was so soft.

"God no honey.  It's me, Ilia" he so wanted her to know him.  She shook her head.  "It's not possible.  Tell me, if you are him, what you call me?"

Smiling, Ilia laid his hand on hers and answered "You have always been and will always be my little kot."

The look that came over her face said it all.  "Ilia?" she whispered.  He nodded and then the unexpected happened.

Galina threw herself into his arms and cried.  "I thought I was dreaming" she sobbed.  "I remembered talking to you, your bringing me hope and then nothing.  It's all blank after that" she sniffed as he held her.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" he asked.  Shyly she nodded, so Ilia picked her up and sat her down on the bed so he could grab some shorts for her.

"Ready?" he asked holding out his hand.  Gratefully accepting it, Galina squeezed it almost checking to see if he was real.

"Baby I'm as real as it gets.  You are home now and I'm never letting you out of my sight, ever."  Ilia knew he would have to work hard at making her feel at home in her own body.

Holding out his hand, Galina accepted it with a tiny smile and Ilia accepted it inside his grateful heart.

As they made their way down the stairs, Galina paused and looked at Ilia.  "I-Is that Tori's voice I hear?" she asked, confusion all over her face.  Ilia smiled and nodded.

"She was instrumental in helping us find you.  She's been here every step of the way.  And then there's this..." he said pointing to Tori and Maxim, looking at each other and smiling like lovers.

Galina looked at Ilia and said "Well, when did that happen?"  Ilia explained that when Maxim had gone to Zoom to let Tori know what had happened to her, they got close and she insisted on helping.  One thing led to another, and they started seeing each other.

Once their presence had been made known in the kitchen, Tori let out a squeal and came out Galina, engulfing her in a gentle, yet firm hug.

Galina could hear her friend sniffing, so she patted her back and whispered several thank you's.  Finally the two friends pulled apart and looked at each other, squeezed the other's hand and then she stepped back to allow Maxim to come forward.

Galina could tell by the look on her friend's face that this entire ordeal had been hard on everyone.  Not just her and not just Ilia, but the entire family unit.

She received well-wishes from Roman, Erik and Yuri as well as other men in Ilia's organization.  It felt really, really good to be home but how long would it take her to get over this uncomfortable feeling her own body surrounded her in?