Chapter Text
He supposed he could have picked a better time to run away..then again, when was a good time to run away; not in the middle of winter it seemed. The coat he was was wearing had long since soaked through and he had no money to buy food or drink, let alone a new coat. He was cold and hungry, so when the man stopped his car and offered him a lift, his trouble radar wasn’t switched on.
“You need a lift kid?”
He knew he shouldn’t, but the rain wasn’t stopping and it was getting dark, and the heat from the car felt so inviting.
“So, going anywhere particular?” the man asked.
He shook his head.
“Well, I’m heading for Manchester.”
They drove in silence for a while, then the man said.
“You’re a runaway, aren’t you?”
He didn’t like the way the man said it, even more so when the man pulled into a lay-by.
“So, no-one knows where you are?”
Twenty minutes later he was sitting on the grass besides the lay-by, trying to wrap his torn coat around himself. At least the rain would wash away the blood and it would hide his tears.
**********************************
Morgan watched Matthew as he watched the recording of their last session. A lot had been revealed under hypnosis; much of which Morgan wasn’t shocked by. What could be more shocking than the revelation about physical torture and rape at the hands of a group of unknown paedophiles. The harder task and it still was, was getting Matthew to accept that it wasn’t his fault.
He heard Matthew’s breath hitch when his own image described how the ‘good Samaritan’ had raped him. A sleeve was wiped across eyes and a shuddering breath was taken.
“Matthew, you shouldn’t hold back the tears, or your emotions. It must have been traumatic, the rape, and then to be dumped like a piece of rubbish.”
Matthew reached for the remote and switched the recording off; he’d given Matthew that choice and power.
“I wasn’t thinking, I knew the rules about strangers.”
“Matthew, you were cold, wet and in emotional conflict, how could you think clearly. You were vulnerable and he took advantage of that.”
Matthew looked at him, there were definitely tears in his eyes now.
“Thing is, I was thinking of turning back, y’know. N-not going h-home, but to D-Dominic’s.”
“Then he stopped and you didn’t come home, why?”
Matthew looked down and fiddled with the hem of his jumper.
“How could I?”
“Did you feel ashamed?” Matthew nodded, without raising his head.
“There was no need to feel ashamed, what happened wasn’t your fault.”
Matthew did look up then and Morgan saw a flash of something in his eyes. “Wasn’t it....wasn’t walking along a busy road in the near dark asking to be knocked over by a passing lorry? I wish I had been hit be a lorry and left to die on the side of the road. I’d rather that than the shit I did go through.”
“You would rather die,that’s understandable. Victims of rape do feel like death would be better, but in the end they realise it isn’t.”
That earned him a derisory snort.
“ Right...did these victims go through what I went through afterwards? No, I bet they had a nice police officer to hold their hand and tell them that everything would be all right. I bet they had someone who would love them and chase the nightmares away. Did they have to steal to eat or go down on some bloke who didn’t give a fuck if you were choking on his scummy dick!?”
Matthew was standing by now, and Morgan could see that he was getting riled up.
“Sit down, Matthew.”
“Like fuck I will.”
Matthew headed for the door.
“Matthew, this session isn’t finished, sit down.”
“Yes it fucking is,” Matthew replied and Morgan winced as the door was slammed.
He turned the video camera off and wrote something in his notes....Matthew had finally shown some emotion, even if it had been anger; it was something and after three months of this he would take it as progress.
************************
Dominic thought he would make use of the membership of the sports club that Chris had arranged for him It was a top flight club, where Chris and his rugby team mates did their training. It had a indoor running track and he felt the need to burn of some frustration.
He recognised Chris’ Mustang; at least he would have someone to buddy up with if he needed it. He walked onto the track, expecting to see Chris and some of his friends, having not seen them in the gym, but he was nowhere to be seen, so what was his car doing here?
There was a few people using the track. But it was one person in particular that held his attention...Matthew and he was running hard. He stopped and watched him running. Matthew wasn’t built for sprinting, but his lithe frame was perfect for long-distance, and he looked good.
He shook himself....what are you doing? He was pretty certain that he wasn’t supposed to be driving Chris’ car. He looked at his watch, surely he should be deep in a session with Morgan, it was Tuesday.
Matthew had been released from the Institute a couple of months ago, since he’d been taken his medication regularly, and he sessions with Morgan were a work in progress, and he was no longer deemed a danger to himself. But he was still surprised to see him here, since he was still painfully wary of strangers.
Matthew must have spotted him as he started to slow down, and eventually stopped short of where he was standing and began warming down.....fine, then he would go to him. He strolled over and reached him just as he was starting some stretches.
“Hey, do you want me to spot you?” he said.
Matthew looked up, he looked unhappy, but at what he wasn’t sure .
“If you like.”
So he knelt down and placed his hands on Matthew’s ankles.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in a therapy session.?”
Matthew stopped his sit up, “Obviously I’m not.”
Yep, he was definitely unhappy with something.
“I take it things didn’t go well?”
Matthew pulled his ankles out of his grip.
“Enough with the questions!” he snapped.
Dominic held up his hands, and changed the subject. “You do know that Chris is going to hand you your arse for taking his car.”
“I left him a note,” Matthew said, shrugging his shoulders.
Dominic shook his head, he wasn't sure he liked the Matthew that had emerged in the last three months. This Matthew seemed hardened, any soft edges had gone.
“I’m calling Chris and saving your arse...Chris, yeah, he and the car are at the sports club. Okay, I’ll leave the keys at reception and drive him home.” He put his phone away and returned his attention to Matthew; who looked dis-interested.
“You’re not insured to drive that car.”
Another shrug of shoulders.
“Give me the keys, Chris is coming to pick the car up.”
That earned him a ‘don’t think so’ look.
“Matthew, the keys.”
He sighed when there was no answer, and he hated to do it, but he had to get the keys.
“Matthew, you know the rules.”
Blue eyes were narrowed and Dominic knew that the mind behind them was deciding whether he would carry out the threat.
Matthew let an audible sigh, “Fine,” he said and reached inside his running vest, and took the keys from round his neck and threw them at him. “
Thank you, I’ll drive you home.”
“No thanks, I’ll walk.”
“Matthew, it’s ten miles and it’s bloody cold out.”
“Whatever,” Matthew said and stood, and started walking towards the locker room.
Dominic wasn’t having that attitude, nor did he want him out of his sight. He could never shake the fear that something or someone from Matthew’s past would reach out a ghostly hand and snatch him away.
“Don’t think so,” he said and followed.
**********************
Matthew was ignoring him, until he was walking towards the showers. He turned and glared at him.
“You going to follow me into the showers. For fuck’s sake, I’ll let you drive me home.”
Dominic saw fire in Matthew’s eyes, it was the same fire he’d seen in Berlin. But it was only fleeting, as moments later those blue eyes once again became icicles.
“Going to take a shower now,” Matthew said, and those were the last words spoken, and on the drive back, the car felt colder inside than it did outside.
He didn’t stay, not wanting to be in the middle of what was going to be an argument between Matthew and Chris.
He was just settling down in bed, when there was a loud banging...what the, who the hell was banging on the door at this time of night?
He cautiously went downstairs, he could clearly see a shadow lit up by the security light. He moved closer and said in what he hoped was fear free voice.
“Bugger off or I’ll call the police.”
The reply he got made him blink; it was a giggle, a very familiar giggle. He quickly opened the door.
“Matthew...what....”
“Dommy!” Matthew interrupted, his voice slurred, and he had to use the wall for support.
He must be under the influence of something, but what he didn’t know. He grabbed hold of him and pulled him inside and tried to steady his head and look into his eyes. He could smell alcohol, but Matthew’s pupils were blown; he was drunk and high...fuck, he knew better than that, what with taking prescription meds.
“Matthew?”
Matthew looked at him with unfocused eyes.
“Matthew...what did you take?”
Matthew grinned then frowned, obviously trying to think.
“Jus’ some tweak, wanna feel good.”
Tweak...tweak? Bloody hell, he’d taken Meth.
“Dommy, don’t feel so good...gonna puke.”
Dominic went into automatic and dragged Matthew to the downstairs bathroom, just in time as he brought up whatever booze was left in his stomach. He grabbed a towel, wet it and wiped away the sweat and vomit, by which time Matthew had passed out. He quickly stripped him of his clothes, which were covered in god knows what. He let out a gasp when he saw what looked like a love bite on one shoulder and hand shaped bruises on slim hips. He couldn’t think about that now, so he found an old tee and some boxers and managed to get him into his bed.
He’d just pulled the covers over when his phone rang; it was Chris.
“He’s here, what happened?”
“We had a huge fight over the car. He stormed out, that was hours ago. Is he okay?”
"He’s drunk and as high as fuck on Meth.” He didn’t mentioned that he might have had sex with someone.
Chris swore, “I’ll come and fetch him.”
“No, leave it till the morning, he’s out of it.”
“All right, but I’ll let mum and dad know. Dom?”
“This isn’t good, is it?”
“No, it isn’t.”
He rang off and finally got redressed and settled on the free side of his bed.
He ran a hand through Matthew’s hair.
“What did you do?” he said.