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Anya sniffled softly as she stared down at her sister, hurriedly wrapping long pieces of ripped t-shirt around her sister's bleeding abdomen. She shifted uncomfortably with the pain cramp against her lower half from the repeated sexual assaults, but tried to ignore the memories. AJ had already given her his baggy t-shirt and boxers as means of clothing, which she was extremely thankful for. But she continued to say nothing, knotting the long pieces of material around the blood t-shirt. The t-shirt Kevin had demanded initially had managed to control the bleeding somewhat, but now Anya was adding to the barrier. There was nothing she could possibly do without serious medical equipment, just doing her best to prevent Stephanie from bleeding out. Her sister needed a hospital, immediately.

"Is she going to be alright?" Brian finally broke the silence as they all watched Anya take care of her older sister. It seemed useless just to sit and watch, but there was nothing else they could do. None had the experience in medicine like she did.

"She needs a hospital," Anya whispered softly, allowing Stephanie's head to rest in her lap. Softly, she delicately brought her fingers through Stephanie's sweaty locks. She hummed a familiar tune that Stephanie always used to sing to her, ignoring the bloody bands of material. She saved the desire to sob over her sister's bloody body, deciding she'd just imagine that they were home. Safe.

"But what happens if we can't get out of here for a couple of--"

"She's going to live," Anya interupted stiffly, actually offering a hard glare oward Brian. "Don't say otherwise and don't even think it..."

"I'm sorry, it's just..."

"Look, we're all scared and under a lot of stress. We can't let it break us apart," Howie spoke up.

"She's my life," Anya murmured, running her fingers against her sister's face, willing her to wake up. Even if it was just for a moment. So Anya could show Stephanie that she was safe.

"And God won't take her away just yet. It's not her time."

Anya refused to meet any of the men's gazes. "I know."

"Isn't there a way to wake her up?" Kevin asked, biting the inside of his cheek as he held Stephanie's hand.

"I don't want to hurt her just to wake her up."

"Oh..."

"The more she stays still, the better."

"Why isn't she awake to begin with?" Nick questioned honestly.

"She probably fainted from shock..." Anya murmured.

"Is there anything else we can do for her?"

"I don't have any materials or equipment... she needs a hospital."

Kevin exhaled a shaky breath as he briefly brought Stephanie's limp hand to his lips. He had felt an instant attraction to Stephanie when she scolded AJ just hours before. Something about her had caught his eye. Not just her beauty, but the way she carried herself and how perfectly her hand fit into his. But,that seemed ridiculous now, considering how much pain Stephanie was suffering from. He just wanted to get her to the hospital, immediately, willing to buy her way out. "How long does she have?"

"As long as she wants to fight," Anya whispered.

"I'm not... going anywhere... just yet," a voice wheezed softly.

"Phi..." Anya whispered with relief, immediately bending down to layer her clammy forehead with kisses. "You're awake."

"I heard our song and I knew you were okay," Stephanie smiled softly, reaching up to run a hand through Anya's curls.

"I'm better than okay," Anya promised with an adorable sniffle.

"I tried... I tried to stop him, Anya--"

"You did," Anya interupted softly, denying that anything malicious had happened to her. She repressed the feelings, smiling at her older sister with a forced spark of confidence. "You did stop him."

"How did I? He was dragging you out of the room when he pulled the trigger."

"You did, Phi."

"I don't understand..." Stephanie trailed off. She tried to shift and cried out when pain flared through her weak body.

"Just rest," Anya pleaded, biting hard on her bottom lip.

"Oh God, it hurts," Stephanie whispered, closing her eyes for a moment to blink away the tears.

"I know, Phi--"

"The guys... are they alright? AJ was hit in the head," she interrupted, opening her eyes again.

"We're fine," Kevin answered quickly, pressing another gentle kiss to her hand. Leaning over her so she could see him, Kevin smiled handsomely. "We're just worried about you."

"I'll be doing cartwheels in no time," Stephanie smiled back, cupping his cheek.

"I have no doubts," Kevin chuckled with approval. "And I think after this I might just need a vacation... Here..."

"Really? You'd stay here for awhile?"

"A vacation with a beautiful girl seems perfect after all this," Kevin agreed. "If you want me to..."

"I want that... more than anything," Stephanie sniffled, the held back tears falling down her pale cheeks.

Kevin frowned with confusion, "What's wrong--"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong. You... you called me beautiful. You want to take your vacation here with me... you could have anyone you want--"

"And I want you."

"That's why I'm crying... Oh, Kevin..."

"Oh, Lord," Anya grimaced, shaking her head in disbelief. "Got a bullet lodged in her stomach and she's more concerned about a man--"

"A man who wants to be with me, Anya. Me," Stephanie looked up into her sister's blue-green eyes.

"There are more important things to be worrying about, Stephanie--"

"Anya, please... I don't want to think about that right now."

Anya looked as if she might fight against her sister's wishes. The defiance emblazoned in her shattered blue-green eyes was a dark tide of brewing emotions. Yet, the thickening waves simply crashed within side her heart as she stiffened her posture in defiance. "Fine."

"Anya, don't be like that--"

"I'm not being like anything, I'm respecting your wishes."

"Anya--"

"Kevin can take care of you now, just don't move the bandage. I want to try to sleep or something," Anya blatantly lied as Kevin cradled Stephanie protectively within his arms. Hurt that she wasn't needed, Anya stood to brush off AJ's boxers, awkwardly walking away from the situation because of her own personal trauma.

"Damnit... I hurt her feelings..." Stephanie whispered, cursing her stupidity as she watched her little sister curl into a ball on the floor.

"She's just stressed, we all are," Kevin soothed.

"I always end up hurting her when I'm supposed to be protecting her."

~*~*~*~*~

"Kev, what are we going to do? Anya won't say much to anyone, Stephanie's getting paler by the minute and we haven't heard anything from the three Stooges for hours..." Brian asked softly as both the women were in restless slumbers.

"I..." Kevin exhaled a long, painful breath as he slightly adjusted himself along with Stephanie. She twitched within the shuffle, but Kevin gently carressed her shoulder to calm her back into some kind of uncomfortable silence. For the first time in years, Kevin was lost. He wasn't sure what they should do. He had heard sirens over the past few hours, though now he was starting to believe it was merely his imagination.
Dark Angel Sing: Howie decided to speak for Kevin, and the best was the truth. "There's not much we can do. The window is borded up, the door is locked and they smashed all our cell phones--"

"And we had a bet going that these celebrities were dumb assholes, Ernie," Ben interupted as the door was thrown open and dozens of cans came flying out of no where. They slammed heavily onto the tiled floor along with other food supplies, jarring Anya from her light slumber. Immediately, she yelped in fear at the sudden appearence of the three rapists, pinning herself tightly against the wall and closing her eyes.

"Don't worry, Baby. We're still tired from the workout you gave us earlier," Jimmy quipped as he tossed in some towels, water and personal products along with a first-aid kit.

"You realize you're a gigantic asshole, right?" AJ snarled with defensive contempt, moving in front of Anya to shield her away from the men. It disgusted him the way they immediately leered at her upon entering, sick smiles plastered on their faces. Even Ernie was wearing Anya's tattered bra as if it were some medal of honor

"Oh and you're a complete saint. Fucking drug addict, alcoholic and probably sex addict to boot," Jimmy continued.

"At least I didn't have to force the women into having sex with me--"

"Do you want another crack in that skull of yours? Because I can do it with no problem--"

"AJ, sit down," Kevin quickly ordered, fearing the implications as Jimmy raised the butt of his gun.

"Smart man. At least he knows when to stop," Ben made Jimmy lower his arm.

"Thank you," Kevin murmured.

"Holy... Ern, you didn't manage to kill the bitch afterall. She's still alive!" Jimmy exclaimed as he watched Stephanie peek her eyes open and gasp.

"She's got more lives than a fucking pussy," Ernie snorted, bending down to meet eye level with Stephanie.

"Kevin," she whimpered.

"Ernie, stop torturing her," Ben groaned.

"She deserves it--"

"Ernie, stop it."

"Well, let me give her a gift then," Ernie sighed with annoyance, reaching into his back pocket to produce Anya's torn underwear. He grinned sadistically as he dropped them into the older sister's lap. "I love the smell of her, Sweetheart."

"You... you... Oh God..." Stephanie stammered as she looked down at the underwear. It was the duckie print she had bought Anya for Christmas. "You're sick--"

"I'm keeping the bra for personal reasons," Ernie quipped, standing up with his missions successfully accomplished.

"Did it make you feel like a man, knowing that you raped an innocent young woman? She was a virgin for God sakes! Waiting for her fucking wedding night!"

Ernie seemed to become charged with Stephanie's disgust, smiling wider as he glanced between his two friends and then to the pretty little girl pressed tightly against the far wall. "She was pretty damn tight, huh, boys?"

"Tightest I ever had--"

"Jimmy, just shut up. Ernie, the bitch isn't going to live anyway, just stop the bullshit," Ben interrupted. All that ever happened when Ernie challenged the protective sister was screaming that made his ears ring painfully.

"I just want her to know how thankful I am for her recommending such a sweet piece of ass. Little Anya was the best I ever had and I'm always going to remember her, just like she's always going to remember us. And, it's not like you didn't get your rocks off with the girl anyway, Ben. So admit it."

"Ernie--"

"Why don't you three stop bickering like children and tell us what you're planning to do," Kevin snapped as Stephanie began to quiver in his arms from the news she just received.

"I don't think you're in a position to be making demands, old man," Ben growled.

"Then why did you come in here?"

"To be kind and actually give you ungrateful assholes some food--"

"Kind... kind is far from this after shooting someone, raping someone, and possibly fracturing someone's skull."

"You--"

"The police said if they're harmed, we're fucked, Ben," Jimmy hissed in shock, reaching to grasp the leader.

"So that's why I heard sirens... you called them. What was the deal?" Kevin continued.

"None of your damn business--"

"It concerns all of us, the Hell it isn't our business."

"If you manage to keep your mouth shut and that whore quiet, I might actually let you walk out of these doors without a scratch on you, hero," Ben snarled, walking out of the room without another word spoken.

"I'll see you later, Angel. I've got this to keep me company," Ernie cooed, holding out Anya bra once again with a sickening smile before following Ben.

"Look, we're getting a shitload of money if you Backstreet Fags stay alive. So keep your mouths shut!" Jimmy quickly replied before locking the door behind him.

~*~*~*~*~

Everything had slowed into a dark silence as the minutes dragged on and the light of the sun moved into the soft glow of moonlight. Police sirens could be heard as lights flashed around the dim room, but no one said a word. The three gunman were in the process of deliberating with the police and no one wanted trouble. Especially Kevin. He just wanted Stephanie and AJ to get to a hospital and to finally forget the fiasco. Then he would worry about justice.

His thoughts were interrupted by a shiver and intense coughing fit from the injured woman in his warm embrace. The fight between the two sisters still seemed to be brewing because Anya refused to do anything; she merely told Kevin what to do, claiming that he was the one taking care of Stephanie now.

"You awake again?" Kevin murmured within the darkness, brushing his hand lightly over her sweaty locks. Every minute that seemed to pass only placed Stephanie at a further disadvantage, making him uneasy. He was willing to do nearly anything so she could be taken to the hospital.

"I keep getting this chills and it hurts my stomach which makes me cough," Stephanie whispered, wiping her mouth on the collar of her white t-shirt.

"There's not much I can do about it except keep holding you till we get you to a doctor," Kevin explained with a sad smile, though Stephanie probably couldn't see it.

"I know... are you cold?"

"No... Why?"

"Something just doesn't feel right. Besides the fact that I have a hole in my stomach--"

"What am I supposed to do?" Kevin interupted gently, baffled by her declaration. Though, Anya seemed to be listening, wincing slightly within the darkness at her older sister's admittance to a lone symptom.

"Kevin, I don't know. I'm just telling you because you're the only one who is listening," Stephanie snapped, grimacing as a new pain ripped through her.

"I'm sorry--"

"It's not your fault. I... I..."

"You?"

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't gotten shot, I could have thought of some way to get us all out of here."

"I doubt that."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything happens for a reason. Like, what would have happened to you two women if us guys hadn't been here? It could have been a thousand times worse... And, you can't turn back time... Can't wallow in guilt, not when we have to get out of here safe and sound."

"I just want us all to get out of here alive," Stephanie sighed but regretted it as she fell into another coughing fit, shivering hard.

"You've got to calm down," Kevin sighed, pulling her closer to his thick chest for support. He wanted her to calm down.

"It hurts," she whimpered, burying her face in his t-shirt.

"I know it does... And I'm so sorry..."

"When Anya is awake... can you tell her what I said about being cold and the coughing getting worse?" Stephanie whispered, her breathing became slightly even again. "She's not talking to me."

"I'll make sure to tell her," Kevin promised, though he knew that Anya was already listening, though she feigned a look of slumber. The young girl may have denied the trauma that had happened to her just hours before, but she was already shutting down because of it. Condemning herself into a silent hell.

"I love her so much. Could you tell her I'm sorry, too?" her eyes began to droop again. She was only staying awake for short periods of time now, the blood loss making her weak.

"I'm sure she knows."

"I wish... she would talk... to me again... I..." she didn't finish her sentence as she fell asleep.

Anya shifted uncomfortablely within her corner, trying to forget her sister's delicate words. It was obvious that Stephanie was at the beginning of starting an infection since fluids from her intenstinal tract were mixing with the other tissues of her body. They were meant to be contained within vital organs, but since some had been damaged... A good dose of antibiotics could help Stephanie, but, again, Anya needed a hospital first. Exhaling softly, she tugged hard on AJ's shirt so it covered her completely. She felt like a sticky mess as pieces of Ben, Ernie, and Jimmy continued to coat her. She had done her best to forget, but everytime she closed her eyes, images surfaced just as quickly. Her entire body ached from the assault as she pressed her hands tightly against her temples to alleviate the thoughts. But they persisted. And it caused a swift bubble of nauseousness to bubble against her throat, making her gag sharply.

"Hey... are you alright?" AJ spoke softly, placing a hand on Anay's shoulder. He had been dozing off and on as it grew dark, but he heard a noise from Anya and awoke.

"Fine," she mumbled swiftly against her hand, trying not to gag again as she attempted to pull away from AJ's warm hand. She hadn't realized he was so close to her.

"So I just imagined you gagging?" AJ raised an eyebrow, sitting up on the cooling floor to take a better look at her.

"A dream--"

"Wouldn't 'nightmare' describe it better?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, cupping both hands against her mouth as she hacked significantly against the sharp heaves of her stomach.

"You're in denial--"

"What the Hell would you know about anything?"

"Because I tried to deny that I was depressed, only that denial led into drugs and alcohol and meaningless sex and... I think you get the point..."

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied, finally getting her stomach under control.

"I always said that, too."

"You're not like me, okay?"

"How would you know?" AJ questioned honestly, gingerly reaching out to tenderly rub her back. He didn't know what possessed him to push Anya so hard, but he was honestly worried. He hated to see a woman in that much pain.

"You may have had problems in the past, but you have the perfect life now. Millions of girls who love and scream for you. Four brothers. A mother who would do anything for you. What have I had?"

"An amazing sister who got shot for you. Five guys who will protect you when she's not able. A guy who right now is trying to comfort you but you won't let him."

"An amazing sister who is finally falling in love for all the wrong reasons. Five guys who live thousands of miles away. And a guy who will be high tailing it thousands of miles away as soon as those front doors open and police start swarming for a rescue."

"Oh... so because we're famous, that means we will never have meaningful relationships? Brian's married and has a little boy at home. He and his wife make it work because they love each other. If Kevin and Stephanie really love each other, they'll make it work, too. And as for me... I am not hightailing it out of here because I want to be with you."

"You--"

"Just met you today. Who cares? Brian met Leighanne at a music video and they fell in love right then."

"Right..."

"Don't you believe in love?"

"It's not that--"

"Or is it really because I'm not just AJ McLean, but that I'm AJ McLean... the Backstreet Boy?"

Anya scoffed. "Get off your high horse before you break your neck, how 'bout it?"

"You don't know what it's like. Every single girl I've ever dated only dated me because I was a Backstreet Boy. I thought you were different."

"I don't care who you are."

"Then why don't you believe me when I say that I have feelings for you? Or that I want to help you with what you're going through?"

"Because I'd rather get out of this when emotions aren't so damn high and razor edged. All the adrenaline is surfacing within our systems, like a temporary high. You may see me as like the last girl on Earth for you kind of deal... And I don't want to invest in some fantasy..."

"You don't know how I see you because you never asked me."

"Because there's no reason to--"

"When I saw you dancing, I thought I was looking at an angel. You are so damn beautiful. You have a great sense of humor and you're protective of the people you care about. I felt, feel, saw and see all this before and during this Hell we're going through."

Anya softened for a moment, turning away from the wall she was staring at. And, for the first time since she had been returned to the group, she met gazes with another person. Her blue-green eyes were watery with unshed tears as she studied him, trying desperately to find some flaw in his raspy words. But, true to his style, AJ was flawless. "...Thank you..."

"You're welcome. Anya... I know you don't want to believe those things happened to you out there, but--"

"AJ, please. I can't. Not right now."

"Anya--"

"Nothing happened."

"But you were ra--"

"No!"

"Anya! It happened!"

"Shut up!"

"You can't deny it happened!"

"No! It didn't!"

"Anya, they--"

"Stop it! Just shut up!" Anya hissed with a frightened demand, clamping her hands against his mouth. Her blue-green eyes widened in terror as the moonlight cast against them, reflecting the pain. "You don't know!"

"You can't pretend it didn't happen," AJ muffled against her hand, finally pulling it away and bringing her into his arms.

"Don't--"

"If you don't want to talk about it, fine. Just let me hold you. I haven't seen you sleep once and you need it."

Anya sniffled hard as she attempted to wiggle away from him, honestly ashamed that her body was reacting in delight to his touch. She cringed at the thought of lust, shaking her head furiously. "Please--"

"No. I'm not letting you go. Just calm down, Anya. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't want held--"

"Yes you do."

"AJ--"

"Anya."

She looked as if she were ready to strike him as means of defense. But, after a long stance of hard glares, Anya seemed to soften first. AJ had been the first man in her life that was actually stern with her, not allowing her over zealous nature to overpower him. So, she slowly relinquished the idea, simply burying her somewhat wet face into the crook of his bare neck while she trembled violently.

"Shh... it's okay. It's going to be okay," AJ whispered, gently rubbing her back as they rocked silently on the floor.

"I just want to go home," she murmured softly against his skin.

"I know. We all want to get out of here and we will. I promise."