Military Man Pt. 01a

"It's alright," Gavin told her holding her delicate hand in his large one. With his reassurance, Ava allowed the doctor to continue his examination without incident. He went through a series of questions, asking her name, what the day was, and other basic questions to check her memory. He had been clearly staggered when she told him her full name, but understanding seemed to cross his features shortly after. Her famous family name was all he needed to explain why she hadn't gone to a hospital.

By the end of the examination he was able to confirm her concussion, but luckily it was not as severe as it looked. She had been very lucky, according to Darren. He was able to clean the dried blood from the gash on the back of her head just under her hair and bandage her up. He directed her to get lots of rest and not to take on any strenuous activity both physically and mentally. He also prescribed her some painkillers and was very specific about the dosage telling her to never go over the dosage on the label. Before they took their leave, he had her schedule a follow up appointment with him so that he could be sure there were no further problems.

Darren started to ask for insurance information so they could determine her copay, but Gavin intervened handing Darren his black card. "Whatever it is, just charge it."

Ava waited until Darren left the room to speak. "You don't have to do that."

Gavin smiled a crooked smile at her and she noticed how perfect his teeth were. She found it surprising considering how marred the rest of him seemed. His smile was truly beautiful. "I know that, but you've been through enough tonight. I just want to make this easier for you."

For the first time in a long time, Ava cracked a grin of her own causing Gavin's to grow even more. He had never been attracted to white women, but this girl was just stunning. Now that he knew her full name he'd realized he had seen her many times before on television. She was one of those socialites you always saw in the limelight but never thought you would meet.

Ava looked directly into his eyes searching for some sign of dishonesty, but she couldn't find anything. When she looked in his eyes she could see the good in him, but she could see the bad lying just below the surface. He had the hardened features of a man that had been through the type of trauma you never truly recover from. She felt like she knew him, and he knew her. "Thank you."

He looked at her with a heavy heart, not wanting to bring up the events of the night. Not when she was finally beginning to feel comfortable around him. But he couldn't ignore the severity of what had happened, or the immediate action that was required next. "I hate to bring this up to you, but..." his throat suddenly became dry and he started feeling nervous. "It's custom to have a rape kit done with this sort of situation. It'd be a big help if you were trying to press charges—"

"I'm not pressing charges," Ava said hurriedly cutting him off before he got too deep into his thoughts.

"Ava," Gavin took both her hands in his bending down directly in front of her so that he could meet her eyes under those long lashes. "You can't let him get away with this."

"It won't make a difference. I just want this to go away." Ava pulled her hands from his grasp and wrapped them around herself.

He looked a little hurt, but he pressed on with the subject hoping to convince her. "This won't just go away, Ava. You'll be carrying what he did to you for the rest of your life. He needs to pay for it too."

"It won't work."

"It will if I testify. We can make this stick— send him to prison, if you're willing to—"

"I said I don't want to! Just drop it!" Ava shouted at him just wanting this horrible night to be over.

Gavin stood to his full height and took a step back. "Okay. I'm sorry."

Just then Darren cleared his throat from the doorway. "Here's your card back." Gavin took the card and placed it back in his wallet. Ava jumped down from the examination table and headed out the door without a word.

Gavin looked at Darren holding out a hand to him. "Thank you."

Darren brushed past him to the lights in the office by the door. "If you wouldn't mind, I have a bed and a wife I'd like to get back to."

Gavin found Ava down by his car waiting to get in. He unlocked the door and this time she got in all on her own. When he joined her, he wondered where he was supposed to take her now. Looking at her standoffish body language with her arms folded across her chest and her head down, Gavin wasn't entirely sure if he should even ask, but he didn't really have a choice. "Ava, I'll need you to tell me where to go from here." When she didn't respond, he fought his instinctive response to become frustrated, knowing she was probably having a much worse night than he was. "Okay, what if you just put your address in my phone?" He took out his iPhone 5 and handed it to her so she could type in her address. She took it from him quickly running her slender fingers over the touch screen to type in the address of a house she hadn't seen in the two years she had been living with Julian. Gavin took it back turning on the navigation.

With everything that had gone on tonight, he shouldn't have been shocked when they arrived at the huge mansion on the Upper Westside of the city. They pulled up to the giant black gate with a white brick guard tower in the center of it. The guard inside looked puzzled as Gavin rolled down his window. "Can I help you?" He asked perplexed as to who this man was or what he was doing at the Senator's estate.

"I'm actually here to drop someone off." Gavin motioned next to him and Ava leaned forward.

"Hey Gerald," she waved, her face completely blank of emotions while the guard's face was filled with alarm.

"Miss Ava! It's great to see you! Let me just open the gate." Gerald's innocent face flushed bright red as he punched in the gate code and announced her arrival to the house up top.

It took longer than logically necessary to drive up the winding road to the huge white and brown house at the top of the hill. Gavin tried to contain his astonishment at the pristine mansion that Ava had directed him to. The house sat up high with a dark wooden deck in leading to the front door. Gavin noticed the fully furnished porch complete with nice white couches and a two-person swing. The house was at least 3 stories high and a basement and attic attached to that.

"Wow." Gavin whispered as they pulled around the fountain in the front circle. Ava sighed as she spotted her parents and younger brother all standing on the front steps waiting to meet her.

"Ava! Ava!" Her mother shouted as she stepped out of the car. Gavin barely had time to open his door before the Senator's security was all over him.

"Ava, what's happened?" Her father asked not waiting for an answer as he noticed the bandages wrapped around her head and the bruises wrapping her wrists. He turned his attention from his injured daughter to the mysterious black man that had brought her home. "Who the hell are you and what have you done to my daughter? Where is Julian?"

"Daddy stop! He helped me." Ava called to her father pleading with her eyes for him to call off the guards.

The graying man was clearly taken back by her statement, but with a wave of his hand the guards backed away allowing the Senator to step forward. He extended a hand to the man, "Elias Declan."

Gavin took it thankful he didn't have to layout any of the guards. "I know who you are, sir. I'm Gavin Ryder."

"Sir. Military man?" Senator Declan asked recognizing the firm grip, upright posture, and steady eye contact of a fellow soldier.

"Yes sir. US Marines."

"Well then, why don't you two come inside so we can sort all of this out."

"Eli! Her head!" Ava's mother screamed frantically spinning her daughter to assess the damage.

"Everyone, please, inside."