Forever Mine

There was no reply so she turned back to the tray and proceeded to cut him a large slice. Taking the plate, she walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. She broke a piece of cake off and smiled at him gently.

"It's delicious! See the hearts on it?" she said, a faint blush infusing her cheeks with a pink glow. Still he did not respond, so with a sigh, Mary pushed some of the cake into his mouth, pressing with her fingers when it threatened to crumble down his chin and onto the bedspread.

"Now isn't that just the nicest cake you have ever eaten?" she chortled happily.

John could not have replied even if he he'd wanted to. Half his head was missing and where the back of his skull should have been there was a congealed bloody mess of bone fragments and brain tissue. His eyes stared glassily into the darkness of the bedroom and his flesh was cold and tinged blue-grey.

Mary did not care that he was silent. He had thought she was a special woman and now he was going to stay with her forever. He was her hero and she knew that he loved her in a special way.

* * *

Mary had followed John after the rape. In her tortured mind it was her father. She had dealt with her father once before and he had gone away. Now it seemed father had returned. So she did what she had done the first time. She picked up the fireside poker and when she reached the man who had hurt her, she swung it down hard on his head.

Her father had been unconscious when it happened. John was not quite so lucky. He turned just as the heavy iron poker descended on its deadly downward arc. The first blow sent him reeling to the floor, thick black blood pouring from the indentation in his fractured skull.

Mary hit him again, ignoring the unspoken plea for mercy in his eyes. He did not deserve any mercy. In her confused state her father was an animal and he only deserved to die.

When she was sure her attacker was dead, she went and cleaned herself up. She was covered in blood and mess and she felt dirty. The sane part of her mind realised that something terrible had occurred, but mostly she blocked out the disturbing images.

For ages she stood under the hot shower, washing away the blood and all the traces of what HE had done to her. When the hot water ran out, she dried herself and went back to bed. Sleep came immediately. She had no need to be scared anymore -- he was vanquished. She felt certain he would not be back to haunt her now. She dreamt of her dream garden with its fountain and flowers. She was at peace again.

* * *

Mary finished her own portion of cake and went to fetch the book she had been reading to John. They were currently on chapter ten and the heroine had arrived at the home of Count Von Trapp, the handsome hero. Mary settled down comfortably in the chair next to the bed and opened the paperback novel. She knew how much John enjoyed these stories; he had listened quietly to each and every chapter so far. She removed the bookmark and began to read...

Virginia stepped hesitantly from the carriage, her dark hair struggling to escape the tight chignon. She saw Count Von Trapp striding towards her manfully and her heart fluttered within her breast. How handsome he was!

"Virginia, my love!" he said softly. "Finally you have arrived..."

How perfect this was, thought Mary dreamily. Spending the day with the man she loved, reading her stories. Her life was complete.

* * *

Big thanks go to Rogue for her editing work last year.