It was so cold that night cold and damp. She knew she shouldn't have been out that late, in that part of town, but she had to be there. She had to go to the place where she first realized that she was in love with him. A sudden storm had swept through town, turning the sky from blue, to gray, to a greenish-black, and finally pitch black. The clouds played a cruel game of hide and go seek with the moon, letting it peak through, then quickly obscuring it again. There was something about the silence, the calm, a paradox to what she was feeling inside.

It was so sudden. The urge to go back to the docks. The urge to relive the very instant when she realized she was in love with him. The urge to be close to him emotionally, if not physically. So, there she was, alone, standing in the darkness. She thought of him often, but never admitted it to anyone. She loved him still, and would always love him. It had been so difficult for her, the months following his departure, but somehow she survived. As she stood there, sliding her hand back and forth across the railing, she thought of him. She wondered where he was, if he had found someone new, if he still loved her. She twisted her mother's necklace around her fingers, remembering that his fingers once touched the same spots.

She was lost. Lost in spirit, lost in her body, lost in her own thoughts. She was being watched. Her instincts that were once so sharp were failing her. She didn't sense his presence. She didn't here the quiet step, step, steps he took to get closer to her. She didn't feel his alcohol breath on the back of her neck. Her body was still on the docks, but her mind was far, far away. She didn't see his shadow consume her own.

He saw his vulnerable prey, time and time again, and he had always wanted her. There were times when he wanted to pounce, but he knew he had to be patient. She was smart, and a fighter, he had to wait until she was weak. Then, he struck. Without warning, he covered her mouth with his hand, and dragged her petite body into a nearby alley. The heals of her shoes scraped helplessly against the wood. Her screams were muffled; her attempt to fight was futile. He pushed her against the cold, wet ground, his hand still covering her mouth, his other hand tugging at her blouse.

"Listen, b*tch, I'm going to take my hand away from your mouth, and you are not going to scream. You got that?"

She nods her head, and when he removes his hand, she screams. He shuts her up with a punch to the side of her face.

"You don't follow directions, huh b#tch? I will, without hesitation, kill you. I am in control, and you damn well better remember that. I want something from you, and I'm going to take. We can do this the hard way, or the easy way, I don't care. Now, let's try this again, I'm going to take my hand away from your mouth, and you are not going to scream. Got it?"

She nods her head again, having every intention of doing as she was told. He drew his hand away from her mouth, smiling at her obedience. "See, this doesn't have to be hard."

He rips her blouse open, buttons fly in every direction. Her bra fastened in the front, but he ripped it roughly from her body. The plastic fastener left a scratch across her chest. In spite of herself, the tears started to fall as she felt his hand around her throat and his mouth on her breasts.

Oh, god please. Oh god, please. Make him stop.

"Please don't do this. I beg you, please." He looks at her, giving her a sadistic smile, and reaching under he skirt.

"Damn," he mutter to himself, feeling the nylon barrier between his hand and what he wanted. He flips her over, her face smacking against the concrete. She feels her blood mix with the water. He unbuttons her skirt, and snatches it off of her limp body. She tries to kick him, but he is too powerful. She tries to punch him, but his reaction time is too fast. He laughs at her. She feels him sliding her stockings off of her body. She hears the rip of her silk panties, and feels his rough fingers as he forces them, two at a time, inside of her. In and out, the constant pain of his fingernails scratching her on the inside. He fumbles with his belt buckle, anxious to claim her. He pulls down his pants, and exposes his erect penis. He starts to stick it in her, but decides to do something else instead. He looks at her pleading brown eyes, and sticks his tongue in her mouth. She tries to bite down, but he already knew what she was planning, and quickly removed it.

"You were going to bite me huh? Well f#ck you!" His anger rises, and he begins punch her again and again. In the face, the stomach, anywhere there was flesh. He scratched her, and bit her, and humiliated her in every way possible.

But she was no longer able to feel that, or anything else. She had retreated somewhere deep into her head, and then, there was darkness. Several hours had passed, and she lay cold, alone, frightened in the alley. Her voice had betrayed her; all that was left were her sobs. Her uncontrollable sobs. She tried to walk, but it was so painful. Her clothes, what was left of them, were scattered about. She hunted for something to cover her battered body, finally locating her skirt and blouse. She stood, gingerly, hunched over, and began the long walk to safety.

Vicki, after meeting an informant, was on her way home. She saw the young woman staggering toward the road, in complete shock. Like a deer in headlights, the woman covered her face, then fell to the ground.

"Oh dear god," Vicki says, slamming on the brakes. She didn't recognize the woman at first; her face was covered with blood. She embraces the woman, turning her face toward her. "Tea. Oh, god, Tea. Can you hear me?" There is no answer.

She lifts Tea, with strength she never knew she had, and lays her in the back seat. "You're going to be alright sweetheart." She finds her cell phone, and calls Larry Wolek at Llanview Hospital. After several rings, someone answers. "Hi, this is Victoria Carpenter. I'm trying to reach Dr. Wolek."

"Oh, Mrs. Carpenter, please hold while I have him paged."

"Yes, thank you." Several moments pass before Larry finally answers.

"Vicki, hi."

"Hi Larry. I'm on my way to the hospital. I just found Tea and she's been beaten up and I think raped."

"Oh, God."

"She's not in good shape Larry. Is there any way that we could keep this quiet, I don't want the media to get wind of this."

"I'll do my best. How far are you from the hospital."

"About five minutes."

"Pull up to the emergency entrance, and I'll have a gurney waiting for her."

"Thank you Larry," she says as her voice cracks with emotion.

Llanview Hospital

Larry was true to his word, and met Tea and Vicki outside of the hospital with a gurney. Tea is motionless when Vicki opens the back door.

"How long has she been like this," says Larry, taking a pulse reading.

"I don't know. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes."

He, along with hospital personnel, lifts her from the car and strap her to the gurney. He tries to hide his concern, but the wrinkles in his forehead betray him.

Vicki paces in the waiting room, saying silent prayers for Tea. Oh please, let her be okay. Hasn't she been through enough? She doesn't deserve this. Just let her be all right.

The medical personnel work quickly to assess her physical damage. They take her temperature, blood pressure, feel for any broken bones. All the while, she is unconscious. They take x-rays, and a rape kit. The comb her pubic area in search for hair from the perpetrator. They dig under her fingernails, scraping for some of his skin.

After the examination, Larry finds Vicki to let her know what is going on. He finds her in the chapel, on her knees, praying. He doesn't want to interrupt her, so he stays back until she is finished.

"How is she?" Vicki asks as she approaches Larry.

"Not good. She has several broken ribs, several contusions. She's been beat up pretty badly. This bastard really did a number on her. He was angry."

"How can you tell?"

"The condition of her body. Whoever it was, they entered her with such force-"

"Oh, Larry," she covers her mouth and lets the tears overtake her.

"The police are waiting to talk to you."

"Just, just give me a couple of minutes," she wipes her eyes and tries to regain her composure.

Bo waits for Vicki outside of Tea's room. He hears the click, click, click of her shoes in rapid succession. He doesn't turn toward her, though he knows she is there. He watches Tea through the window, her face the vision of peace. "She looks so sweet and innocent. Like an angel," he comments.

"That poor girl."

"Yeah. I tell you what Vicki; we're going to get that s.o.b. Let's sit over here," indicating the waiting area.

"You wanna tell me what happened?"

"I was on my way home when I saw her in the middle of the street. I didn't know it was her at first. I put her in the car and brought her directly here."

"Did she say anything?"

"Not a word."

"I've sent some officers out to the docks and hopefully we can find the crime scene. We got a call awhile ago, from someone claiming to see a naked woman coming from an alley. I'm thinking that it was Tea. I put an officer on her door, but there's really not much we can do until we hear from her."

"I know."

"Have you called Carlotta?"

"Bo, to tell you the truth, I haven't even thought about it. I think I'll just wait until the morning. There's no use in us both being here, helpless."

"Why don't you go home and get some sleep?"

"I want to be here in case she wakes up. I don't want her to be alone. I just can't believe this."

"Vicki, she's a survivor. She's going to be fine. I've already told Larry, but if she happens to wake up, call me right away. We need to try to get a sketch of this guy," he says as he rises and hugs Vicki.

To be continued...