Demi gently took Jemi's arm. She'd just returned from helping Bella close up in the bar, and Bella had recounted to her the events of the evening....the guy pulling a knife on Jemi, Mac showing up and Bomi leaving with him.
There was no one in the bar now, obviously, and the last person to leave had been that strange guy - whose name she still didn't know - that she had 'met' that evening round at Adam's house.

He was a tall strapping guy, she thought, feeling her legs trembling as she walked to the backroom where she'd left Jemi alone. She pushed the thought aside, and concentrated on helping Jemi to her feet. The younger girl had gone to sleep on the couch, her breathing steady, but as Demi started to move her, she stirred and awoke, murmuring, "Hrm? No....don't take me to where he is....please..."
Demi glanced at Jemi, shushing her, "Shhh....it's okay hun....come on..."
"No...Mommy.....pwease.....Bomi...." Jemi's next words almost caused Demi to fall over in shock.
"Mommy? Bomi? Since when did they exist in the same sentence?" she wondered, staring at Jemi in confusion. "Maybe the whole incident today shocked her....maybe..."

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Demi was left half wondering to herself, and half helping Jemi. Jemi was now half awake, and helping Demi to guide her up the stairs, although she stumbled sometimes. Keeping her grip firmly around Jemi's waist, Demi propelled her up the rest of the stairs, and into her room. There she laid her down, still fully clothed, on the bed, and pulled the duvet up over her.

"Sleep well hun," she whispered, kissing Jemi's forehead, and was halfway out of the room when she heard the utterance, "Goodnight, Aunty Demi..."

~*~

About five minutes later, as Demi was undressing for bed, there came a loud banging on the door. Jumping out of her skin with the fright of it, Demi hurriedly grabbed her dressing gown and yanked it on, tying it securely around her. Walking out onto the landing, she peered out over the banister at the door that was being beat on.
The other bedroom door down the hall opened, and her father walked out, muttering and making his way down the stairs. He didn't appear to have seen Demi standing there.

Demi watched, eyes wide, as her father yelled, "Alright alright! I'm-a coming!" and flung the door open. Demi blinked and rubbed her eyes as she continued to watch, unable to believe her eyes as Mike, the guy she had met earlier in the backroom, dragged in her sister Bomi, followed closely by....Demi blinked again.

"That strange guy from the bar again..." she thought. "What's he doing back here? We just closed up..."
But her thoughts changed from him to thoughts of her sister being alright, as she forgot what she looked like, and raced for the stairs, barrelling down them and grabbing her sister. "BOM! BOM! BOM ARE YOU OKAY!?" Her voice panicky, as she tried to look her sister in the eyes. "What happened?"
Bomi only shook her head mutely, biting her lip, and Demi's face dropped. Meaning either she had to wait till they were alone, or that Bomi wouldn't be telling her at all.

A strong pair of hands rested on her shoulders, a soft male voice crooning in her ear, "Sh, babe, it's okay..."
Demi turned on who she expected to see. "Oh shut up!" She yelled at him. "Why don't you get lost? Touching me up at every opportunity!" She glared, then turned back, looking apologetically to her sister and Mike holding her, and led them both through to the backroom area, where they could sit and rest.
Unbeknownst to her, behind her, her father sighed, shook his head, and started back up the stairs, wondering why on earth he had to have children, and why one of them couldnt have been a boy.
And all four of them forgot poor Tucker, scratching his head and standing in the hallway, wondering what he had done wrong. Before he sighed and started after the three entering the backroom area.

~*~

Bomi dropped weakly into the armchair in the corner of the room, Mike resting on the arm, one arm wrapped cosily around her shoulders. "Relax, Bom....it'll be just fine, you'll see." He looked up to see Tucker entering the room, and smiled across at Demi in the kitchen area for the second time that night, making strong caffiene drinks for all of them.
Bomi looked up at Tucker too, sending him a apologetic look that said "Sorry about earlier. I don't know what came over me so lets not talk about it, k?" which he caught and nodded to her, before sending her a wink. He flopped down on the couch, sprawling out and watching the cutie in the kitchen making the coffees. "Two sugars in mine, doll," he called, his normal self emerging.
Demi simply looked up and gave him a withering look before returning to what she was doing, murmuring, "Make yourself at home, won't you."
Tucker grinned. "Anytime sweetie. Anytime." With the result he sprawled a bit more.
Mike shook his head embarrassed. "Boy, am I ever glad you're Adam's brother and not mine." He looked pointedly at Tucker, who straightened up, still grinning inanely.
Demi turned slightly at the remark. "You're Adam's brother?" She gave a low whistle. "You're like chalk and cheese."
Tucker looked at Demi, "Heh, until you come to the bedroom department."
"Which I didn't." Demi returned smoothly.
"But you will do one day, right?" Tugger's voice had a hopeful ring to it.
"In your dreams."
"Too right in my dreams. Yummy." Tugger licked his lips.
Demi rolled her eyes and went back to making the drinks again, taking her time since by this point her hands were beginning to shake, and her legs felt like jelly beneath her. She then remembered exactly WHAT she was wearing. A tied dressing gown and pyjamas. She closed her eyes. "Why me, oh lord?" And finished up in the kitchen, taking four mugs of coffee to the table and seating area.

~*~

It was well past 2am before the guys left, and Demi was able to guide Bomi upstairs to bed. They said they'd be back the following day, and Demi had sighed and agreed. She really wasnt up to arguing about it.
She left Bomi in her room, who was all too hasty to push her out of the door, and returned to her own bedroom with a soft sigh. She hoped things would work out. There was no doubt in her mind who had probably 'attacked' poor Bomi.
Flopping on her bed, Demi continued to mull things over as she dropped off into a steady sleep.

~*~

Bomi, meanwhile, had grabbed her clothes and trailed along to the bathroom. There was a lock on that door, she knew, and it was somewhere she could be safe without anyone barging in. In the bathroom she locked the door and dumped her nightclothes on top of the washing basket, and then stripped off. catching a glimpse of herself in front of the full length mirror on the wall. She stopped and stared. Across her arms, long thick red finger marks. She traced them gently. She noticed a bruise on her shoulder blade, and another on each thigh. She winced.

"I must have been really out of it....I dont remember....anything..." she thought, dropping her arms to her sides. "But I think I know what happened...."

The full blunt reality snapped her out of her trance and she blinked at herself.
"Gods what have I let myself become?" She whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "What's he doing to me? Why can't I escape?"
She sobbed, sinking to the floor and hugging herself as her tears began to flow more rapidly.