Allie
~~~
"Do you think Tony would mind if we left and he met us back at the apartment? I just want to make one stop before dinner," Steve poses and I shrug.
"I can text him with kissy face emojis if you want," I offer.
"That would work, please do doll."
"Alright, but we owe him a nice dessert," I agree and pull out my phone, typing an eloquent message out with heart emojis, heart eye emojis, and a kissy face emoji.
"Take as long as you want with your Aunt Peggy, Steve and I have an errand to run real quick before dinner so we'll meet you at the apartment. Sorry for abandoning you but don't worry you will be compensated."
"Let's go," I say and take his hand. We start walking out together when a question comes to mind. "Wait where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"Oh it's like that? Fine, keep your secrets then," I grumble with a smirk. Steve chuckles and kisses my hair.
"Don't worry, I think you'll like it."
~~~
We end up at a Veteran's Affairs Center much to my surprise.
"What are we doing at a VA?" I ask, following Steve's strides into the building.
As I keep up my hurried steps a flash of memory goes through my mind.
Going to work at the VA Hospital with my mom over the summer of my sophomore year.
But also attending the sexual assault survivors support group at the library in my home town.
~~~
I always knew support groups met in the conference room in the library basement; I just never imagined I would be going to one.
The door to the room doesn't have a sign on it advertising the purpose of the meeting, it's private and anonymous.
Inhaling sharply I pause and, feeling vulnerable, I pull my hoodie up and shrink into it, before opening the door and stepping in.
It's all too cliche. A circle of chairs sit in the center of the room and on a table to the side there is coffee and donut holes.
The attendees consist of mostly women of varying ages and a two younger men. As I enter I receive a few passing looks but no staring or whispers, these are fellow survivors.
Bunching my hands into fists I exhale and shuffle towards a chair, sitting down and crossing my legs. My hair is hidden under the hood along with half my face and my eyes are concealed by sunglasses stolen from Tony.
One by one the people milling around come to sit in chairs and the apparent group leader speaks up.
"Thank you everyone for coming. For those returning I'm so glad you've decided to continue the healing process with us and for those joining us for the first time welcome. My name is Sharon and as usual if anyone wants to volunteer to speak first they can go right ahead. Please remember you do not have to share anything you don't want to and that this is a safe space," the friendly woman explains and hesitantly a younger man leans forward and begins talking.
A fog is over my mind and I being blinking as as I disconnect from the situation. I can't hear their stories, I can't process this.
I've known talking with others who've experienced something similar to you and listening to their stories can be a major milestone in recovery but now that I'm here I just can't.
YOU ARE READING
Target Acquired (3) (Siren and Quiver Series)
Fanfiction"The Siren is dead, the villain Killian murdered her in cold blood," she taunts and I flinch. "The people call you Phoenix now." "Siren isn't dead, I'm not dead," I growl and clench my hands. I'm furious, I hate that I was renamed, hate that Siren...
