Turning tables

Young people fall in love with the wrong people sometimes...

Jo was face to face with the man that beat her so badly he nearly killed her. The man she slept in bed with every night for years. The only man that terrified her.
He had her pushed against the wall in the room she was renting when nobody was home. She was crying, she could feel him forcefully pulling at her T-shirt. After what felt like hours, she finally got away. The first place, the only place she could think of was Alex. She drove to his house and locked her car walking up the steps slowly in agony. She knocked on the door and he opened it to his girlfriend sobbing and in agony on his doorstep "Alex" she cried he held her carefully and shut the door locking it behind him "what happened?!" He asked sitting her down "Paul..." she cried "what did he do to you" he said pushing her hair away from the blood on her face "he raped me" she cried hysterically Alex wanted to kill him but he just held her he wanted her to feel safe. "I'm so sorry" she cried "you've got nothing to be sorry for" he said rubbing her back kissing her head "I feel dirty... I feel dirty Alex" she cried "let's throw these clothes, get you in the shower, I've got some of your stuff here" he said holding her hands she nodded physically shaking "come on lovely" he said helping her up. It felt like every joint in her body had seized up. "Are you okay? Physically are you okay?" He asked "I hurt... every part of me hurts" she cried "we will get these off and then we can see the damage" he smiled sympathetically "I can ring the police for you" he said she shook her head "I can't go through that again. Court trials and hearings" she just shook her head "alright, alright let's sort you out" he said he shut the bathroom door and turned on the shower. "Can you lift your arms up for me?" He asked she nodded and he pulled off her top and her trousers down "come on" he said holding her hand "I want these off too" she cried pulling her bra strap down "I don't care that you're here, you've seen it before" she cried he undid her bra and she kicked her pants off "alright" he said helping her into the shower. Her stomach was bruised and she had a nasty cut on her head and another on her hip. Her lip was split and her eyebrow had a cut through it, her nose had been bleeding but had stopped now and she had bruises from where she'd been grabbed and pulled about. "Oh Jo" he said as she sat down in the shower and cried. He stripped down and climbed in next to her holding her on the floor "come on, wash your hair, let's get you all clean" he said she nodded and he massaged some shampoo into her hair.
After getting her all clean Alex got out and tied a towel around his waist and held a towel out for Jo as she got out. He wrapped her up and held her close kissing her cheek "I love you" he said she relaxed a bit but she was still shaking.
"What do you want to do? I can get you some comfy clothes and we can get into bed and watch some tv?" He asked she nodded tears in her eyes "I need to go to the shop" she said "why?" He asked "I'm on my period, I need some..." she cried "I'll go, I'll go, have you got some underwear here?" He asked she nodded "I think so, I'll check the drawers" she said he nodded "will you be alright here if I go and get some pads?" He asked she nodded she looked unsure "can I come with you?" She asked "you can't go out like that Jo" he said she nodded sitting on the bed slowly. Alex text Meredith and then sat down next to Jo cuddling her "let me get changed and then I'll sort you out" he said grabbing some jogging bottoms.
They both got dressed and Alex lied down with Jo holding her "will you let me sort out all of your cuts and bruises?" He asked she nodded "I need you to go to the shop for me" she said quietly "Meredith is on her way" he said "she's been to the shop and she's going to drop off some things for you" he said "you told her?" She asked he stroked her hair "I told her that you weren't well and she doesn't have to come in if you don't want her to" he said Jo just closed her eyes "let me sort out these cuts and then you can go to sleep" he said she nodded sitting up slowly holding her side "he won't find me here will he?" She asked he shook his head "no, no he won't. You're safe here" he said she nodded as she started cleaning her cuts and bandaging them up.
"Merediths here" said Alex as there was a knock "you can let her in" Jo said quietly.
He opened the door and Meredith smiled "you can come in" he said "she said you can come in" he repeated Meredith walked in slowly and looked at Jo "go and sort her out some more trousers" she said quietly he nodded and she sat down on the bed with Jo "oh sweetheart" she said holding her hand Jo took a deep breath and held her side "are you alright?" She asked Jo nodded "I think I've got a few broken ribs" she said "I've got some pads and tampons in that bag, let's get you sorted and get you into bed" she said Jo nodded and Meredith helped her to stand "did Paul do this to you?" Meredith asked she nodded slowly "Mer... I need to um... I need to tell you something, he... he raped me Meredith" she cried "it's alright, we will get you sorted" she said holding her hands Jo just nodded wiping her tears away "I'll be okay, I've been okay every other time it's happened" she said "he's raped you more than once?" Meredith asked "consent never really happened in our marriage" she said quietly walking into the bathroom.
She walked out again and Meredith put her arm around her and walked her over to the bed "I can go, I can let you and Alex have some time together, I'd like you to get checked out tomorrow" she said Jo shook her head "I don't really want to be seen, I'd rather just stay here until the bruises disappear" she said Meredith pulled the duvet over her and Jo smiled "thank you, for bringing things over for me" she said "anytime" she smiled stroking her hair "Alex is waiting, I can go, he will look after you" she said Jo nodded "thank you, again" she said Meredith smiled and walked over to Alex "I'm going to go, look after her won't you?" She asked he nodded "what do I do Mer? She's so broken" he said "she will fix, just make her feel safe because she doesn't right now" she said he nodded and locked the door behind Mer. He walked over to the bed and smiled at Jo "do you want to watch some Tv?" He asked she nodded and smiled cuddling down on his chest "is your wrist alright?" He asked looking at her black and blue hand "I think it's just a sprain, it's a bit sore" she said looking at it. Alex grabbed a pillow and put it out so her hand could rest on it. "A comedy?" He asked she nodded and they lied down watching friends. After 20 minutes Jo had fallen asleep. Alex turned off the tv and the light and held her close "I love you Jo, I will never let him hurt you again, not ever" he said quietly kissing her head.