Loss Of Innocence

"It's called a 'morning after' pill," Sarrine told her honestly. 
>"It's to stop the threat of an unwanted pregnancy. After what 
>happened to you there is that chance unless you're already taking 
>some kind of birth control."

Kattibrie shook her head, "No, I've never..."

Sarrine looked somewhat surprised at the confession. Her heart went 
out to the young queenrider. 'Rape is bad enough as it is, let alone 
when virginity is stolen in such manner,' Sarrine thought to herself 
with a scowl.

Kattibrie watched as the healer put the clothes in a bag.

"I don't want them back, burn them," Kattibrie said with quiet 
vehemence. She wanted no memory of the painful experience.

The healer helped Kattibrie get into position and proceeded to 
examine her. Tears streamed down the queenriders face as the healer 
worked on her. Sarrine tried to be as gentle as she could, not 
wanting to hurt the girl anymore than she'd already been hurt.

"I need to give you some stitches," Sarrine said after she was 
through with her examination. Damn the man who had hurt her in this 
way, the woman thought. And then for once in her life the healer was 
glad a man had died.  A man who would do this to a woman didn't 
deserve to go on living.

"Kay, where's Kay?" Kattibrie murmured tearfully, still lost in her
thoughts and not hearing the healer.

After examining the girl, Sarrine watched her while packing away her
supplies. "Poor dear," she thought. "To have gone through what she 
has, and then not know what happened to her friend.

Sarrine wanted to break the news to her about Kay, but didn't feel 
it was her place to do so. And besides she didn't feel the girl was 
ready to know. Not yet. Not until she had rested a bit and her body 
began to heal.

After the rape, her mind would take longer to heal.

Sarrine thought about how Kattibrie had barely been able to endure 
the medical examination she had just put her through, but somehow 
the girl had found the courage to do so. Right now she needed rest 
more than anything else. 

"Kitten," Sarrine said softly as she moved slowly towards the scared 
girl on the bed. "I'm going to help you into another room. One where 
there will be a bed where you can rest for awhile."

"I won't be able to rest..." the younger girl cried quietly. 

"Yes you will."

"Are you going to stay with me?" Kattibrie asked a note of panic in 
her voice at the thought of being left alone.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep if you'd like me too?"

"Please!!"

"Then that's what I'll do."

"You won't get... in any... trouble. Will you?"

"No Sweetie," Sarrine smiled kindly. "My shift doesn't start for a 
bit. I came in early to sneak a look at my new grandson."

Together they made their way into another room. This one semi-private, 
with a comfortable bed for the girl to see in. And sleep she did 
almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The combination of exhaustion and the sedative Sarrine had slipped 
her when she had given her the other "pill", worked quickly to help 
the girl relax enough to let her mind go. 

She stayed with her until she was sure her sleep was deep and she 
wouldn't wake anytime soon, then the healer left the room to head 
down the hall way to her office.

She caught Zanni just coming out of another room. 

"How is she?" the other healer asked.

"She's sleeping right now," Sarrine told her. "But I think it'll 
take a while for her to get over what happened. Then again... she 
may just fool us. I've a feeling about her."

"I sent Danielle home with that mate of her just a bit ago with 
directions that she's to be kept under his watchful green eyes for 
at least the next 24 hours."


"I'm sure Traplin won't find that much of a hardship," Sarrine 
grinned knowingly. She'd been asked at one point to go in and talk 
to the man about going on home and coming back in the morning to 
check on any changes in Danielle's recovery. She had laughed and 
told them at the time that she may be old... but her sense of 
survival was still intact. There was no way she was going to order 
the man to leave.

"No... I don't think he would," Zanni frowned then her lips curved 
up into a smile. "Well if I had a man that looked like Traplin... I 
don't think I'd mind having to be watched over ..."

Sarrine saw the woman wink, and then broke out into laughter. "I 
don't know a woman living here who would mind."

"Oh by the way," Zanni said. "Tera and your grandson are both awake 
and waiting for you. She was feeding him when I stopped by to check 
up on her. Ga'brin is asleep in the chair by the head of the bed."

"He's a beautiful baby isn't he?" the proud grandmother's face 
beamed with pleasure. 

"As if a grand baby of yours would ever come out ugly!"

"Well Since they are awake already," Sarrine smiled. "I think I'll 
go ahead and see them before I have to report for work."

Then she turned and wondered down the hall to take another look at 
her handsome grandson.

-------------------------------------

Morgie: You can keep her asleep for as long or short as you want to. Sarrine
thinks it's someone else's responsibility to tell you about 
Kay and what ever is happening to him... so ... someone else :) Tag.

Tera will likely be in the med center for another day... just to make 
sure Trebrin is all right, being born early.

****Submitted by: ********

Barbara (a.k.a.

Sarrine; Telnor Healer