Little Peach

Chapter Four: Saved

(Alexander) 

Alexander was in the passenger seat of Damien's car. Damien had been his friend and brother for years, so when Alexander called upon him for help as his brother and as a police officer, he was quick to oblige. With a brief description of Dahlia's situation and an address, they began hurtling down the highway. The two only lived about four hours apart, but Dahlia had never been able to leave or have someone visit, and Alexander had been busy with school. On the nights her parents were both off, they skyped, and they texted everyday. Originally it had been from school for Dahlia but her parents pulled her out, so Alexander bought her a phone. He couldn't bear the thought of not being able to talk to her every day. That's why they needed to get there faster 

(Dahlia)

It had been hours. Dahlia was laying in the middle of her living room floor. All of her clothes had been shredded, she had bruises and cuts and rug  burn all over her body, her mouth was covered in semen and blood, and there was a pain between her thighs she had never even been able to imagine. When the two men were done with her, they had given her a dirty sheet from her room, the lilac studded with blood kisses from her injuries. Her father had been delighted when he first stroked into her and felt her rip. His excitement about being her first..and second, and third...and then Mike being her third through a number Dahlia has lost count, had been sickly. They delighted in her tears and blood and how she cried for her mother and for help. She knew when Alexander's name passed her lips he had made a mistake. They demanded answers but when they realized she couldn't talk they just reassured her he wouldn't want her when they saw she was no longer pure. In the recess of her mind where she had hidden, she prayed that they weren't right, and she prayed and begged that Alexander would save her. 

Dahlia began to come to again, and cringed because she could hear the two men stirring in the next room. She tried to sit up but cried out, the throbbing between her legs igniting again. Deep laughs came from down the hallway, and creaks of the floorboards were heard. Her father had been waiting for her to stir before he came back for her. She dragged herself over to the table and used it to stand, taking hold of the lamp on the table, and without warning smashed it over her father's head when he came around the corner. He bellowed like an injured animal and swung wildly at her, Dahlia hit the ground hard and her father smirked down at her, but his face fell when he heard a car in the driveway. Only seconds later two men burst through the front door, it was Damien and Alexander. Damien swiftly aimed his pistol at the two men and got them against the wall, the town police had been dialed the moment the pulled into the driveway. 

All Dahlia could see was Alexander. 

She tightly wrapped herself in the sheet and curled up, not wanting him to see her how she had been left. A terror began creeping into her mind, what if he didn't want her because she wasn't pure, what if her father was right. Dahlia choked back a sob.

(Alexander)

The edges of Alexander's vision blurred, Dahlia was laying on the rug bloodied and crying, he felt himself tremble as he walked closer, kneeling beside her.

"Hey there Peach, you're going to be ok, it's me, it's your Alexander" he whispered softly, holding his arms open, waiting. Dahlia looked up at him, her eyes red with tears, the mess of her lip gloss and blood and what was left from her father and Mike dripped from her chin with tears. Alexander took a shuddering breath and took a bandanna from his pocket, wiping her face clean gently, before lifting her into his arms. She curled instinctively towards him, laying her head on his chest. Alexander released a breathe and held her close, all the while police flurried around them, a paramedic approached them.

"I need to examine her before I can let you take her" he said, all business. Alexander grimaced, and stood. When the paramedic tried to gently take Dahlia from his arms she cried out. Alexander sighed and rocked her gently

"I'll come with you to the ambulance, can you check her there?" he asked, the paramedic nodded and they walked out to the ambulance, where Dahlia's mother was covered with a sheet. Sobs wracked her chest and she began to panic. Alexander sat on the ground next to the ambulance and gently rubbed her back until she calmed down. 

(Dahlia)

The rest of the night went by in a flurry of activity and bandages. The two men would face no trial because they already had life sentences hanging over there heads, adding rape and murder to the list only killed any chance they had of parole.  Dahlia's mother would be given to her sisters for burial, and with the help from Damien, Dahlia could safely leave with Alexander. She had a few broken ribs and many minor injuries, but none of them was life threatening. Dahlia told Alexander where the few things she needed were, and then they left in Damien's car, a comfortable quiet over them. Damien assured them he could come get it after he brought  Alexander's things to the Seattle apartment for him. 

And then with a suddenness she couldn't explain, Dahlia was wrapped in a blanket wearing a pair of sweats and a flannel from Alexander, and they were driving to Seattle. The had seven hours of driving ahead of them, together. That seemed to be the only important part.