Damaged Goods

Chapter 28

Lyla woke up in a panic, she didn't recognize her surroundings, and all she could remember was fear. She tried to sit up, but immediately winced in pain. It was then she realized she was in the hospital, and saw that TJ was sitting right next to her, holding her hand, asleep with his head resting on her bed railing. She took a deep breath and a small sigh of relief, realizing that she was still alive, even if in significant pain, and she was safe. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

"How is she?" Travis asked, having just come through the doorway, waking TJ up with his question.

"Oh, uh hey, Travis" TJ spluttered, trying to regain his bearings as he a sat up straight, stretching his cramped back. "Thanks for coming. She has several broken ribs, and her wrist is sprained, but other than that nothing else is broken. Lots of cuts, scrapes and bruises though." TJ said, looking down at Lyla, tears starting to spring to his eyes, as he couldn't hold back the emotion he felt at seeing her looks so hurt and helpless.

"I went by your place and grabbed you some clothes" Travis said, handing TJ a bag. "The police had the place boarded up, but not exactly secure, so hopefully nobody breaks in before you get a new door."

"Thanks" TJ said, taking the bag of clothes from Travis.

"Did they catch the guy?" Asked Travis

"Yeah, thank God" TJ responded. "Looked like they had quite a brawl, and they were both unconscious when the cops arrived. Lyla had pinned him down with the bookshelf."

"She's tough, man, I'll give her that" Travis said.

Lyla began to stir, trying hard to open her eyes.

"I'll go get you some coffee" Travis said to TJ, figuring they needed some time without him there, now that Lyla was waking up.

"Hey Beautiful" TJ said, still holding Lyla's hand, and looking into her eyes.

Lyla winced as she tried to sit up. "Hey" she said "it was James, did they find him?" she struggled to say.

"Yeah" TJ nodded to her, "you got him. You had him pinned down with the bookshelf when the cops showed up. You were both unconscious."

A few tears rolled down Lyla's cheeks, she was glad that they had gotten there in time, that this nightmare might finally be coming to an end, and she might be able to move forward with her life. TJ cupped the side of Lyla's face, and gently brushed away some of the tears with his thumb. His heart ached to see Lyla hurting like this.

"How long do I have to stay here?" she asked.

"Well, you've got some broken ribs and a sprained wrist, along with about a million cuts and bruises, but the no internal damage or anything, so hopefully not too long. Do you want me to find a doctor you can talk to?" TJ responded.

"Yeah," she nodded "I don't want to have to stay any longer than I have to."

"Ok," TJ said, "the police will probably be by soon too, they want to get your statement."

"Ok" she said, taking a deep breath. She wasn't looking forward to giving her statement to the police, and she really didn't want TJ to have to hear her give it, but at the same time, she didn't want him to leave her side. The safest she had felt in years, was when TJ was with her.

"Thank you" she said, looking up at him through her tear-filled eyes. She had been so alone for so long, and had expected, and even tried, to keep it that way, but now looking at TJ, she never wanted him to leave and she didn't want to feel alone anymore.

"For what?" he asked.

"For everything" she said, "just everything" she repeated, not really knowing how to put into words how she was beginning to feel toward him. She just wanted him to hold her, and tell her everything was going to be alright.

Travis came back into the room with coffee for TJ and a doctor.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor asked Lyla.

"I'm ok," she started "definitely have a headache, and I can feel my ribs when I breathe" she said. "But all things considered, I feel alright."

The doctor reviewed her injuries with her, and reiterated that she needed a lot of rest and not to push herself over the next couple of weeks, but was optimistic that she wouldn't have to stay in the hospital long.

"I'd like to keep you here one more night for observation" he said to her, "to make sure there isn't a concussion and to see that your pain is manageable. Then if everything looks alright in the morning, I would feel comfortable releasing you then."

"Thank you, Doctor" Lyla said. She hadn't wanted to stay another night, but she had had enough hospital visits in the past to know that it was actually harder and more paperwork to leave early, without the appropriate discharge, than it was worth, especially since it was just one more night.

It wasn't much later that the police arrived to take her statement regarding what had happened. TJ had already provided them with Officer McMatthews' contact information, so that they had access to all of the background information regarding Lyla's situation with James. He left the room so that she could speak freely in front of the officers regarding her attack. He knew she would be uncomfortable trying to relive the attack, and provide the necessary information, if he stayed with her. And after the officers had left, TJ returned and brought Lyla dinner.

"Oh my goodness" she moaned "I was starving! I can't even remember the last time I ate." She said as she bit into her pizza, eating half a slice in one bite.

"Well, eat up quick. I'm pretty sure this counts as contraband, and if the doctor see you with it, he might take it away" TJ replied, with a wink.

"So" TJ began, somewhat hesitantly, not quite sure how to broach what he wanted to say. "There are guys fixing the condo now, repairing the door and people there cleaning everything up. But I understand if you don't want to go back there." The condo was his home, and even he wasn't sure he wanted to go back there right away, knowing Lyla had been hurt and realistically almost killed there. Even once it was cleaned up, he'd still know she had been in a fight for her life there. So he definitely considered that she might now want to return there any time soon.

"It's ok" she said. "It won't bother me."

"Are you sure?" TJ persisted. "We could get a couple hotel rooms somewhere, even get out of town if you wanted to."

"No," she responded determined. "That's where I won, that's where I beat him" she continued, something close to a smile showing on her lips. "I want to go back. It's where I stood my ground."

TJ looked at her with admiration. She was such an amazing woman, who had been through so much, and here she was ready to return to the scene of the crime, not as a victim, but as the victor. He took her and brought her fingers to his lips, giving them a gentle kiss.

"You amaze me" he said quietly, getting lost in her eyes.

"Well" she chuckled, thing it was a pretty silly assessment "I'm full of surprises" was all she could think of to say, as TJ stared at her. She began to blush, feeling awkward with him staring at her, with that glint in his eye, as if he were trying to speak to her soul, with his gaze.