Chapter Twenty-Six: The Storm

Torn Away

"WHAT THE F**K IS GOING ON HERE?" Dom's voice rips through Han's sleep muddled brain, his eyes fly open at the sound of the pure rage in his voice. Katie stirs next to him. KATIE! Han stills as his surrounding s crash around him. Dom looming over him, Katie curled up under the blanket with him in nothing but his t shirt and boxer shorts. Katie opens her green eyes and her face freezes in Horror as she sees Dom standing above Han, She springs out of bed.

 

"Dom NO!" She screams but it was useless. Before Han can register what was happening Dom hauls him out of bed by his shirt and slams him against his bedroom wall, his head smashing painfully against. Blinding Pain explodes behind his eyes as Dom rears back his fist and punches him square in the nose, a loud Crunch echoing in the room as blood pours down his face.

 

"You Sick Son OF A B***h! SHES JUST A CHILD!" He Screams Punching him again, his left eye swelling shut as a result. Katie stands by the bed in frozen horror watching as her Father beat the s**t out of the man she loved. Dom takes his fist and punches Han Hard in the stomach, a gasp of pain and a trickle of blood escaping him. An Image of Han almost killing Cade makes her break out of her paralysis and she rushes over to Dom  pounding on his back trying to stop him.

 

"DOM STOP IT YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HIM!" She Shrieks. Just then Bryan tears into the room, access the situation and pushes Katie out of the way to Haul Dom off of Han, who just crumples to the ground in a bloody mess.

 

"Dom Get control of yourself!" Bryan yells struggling to keep the bigger man from tearing into Han again. Lisa comes into the room and helps Bryan calm him down. Katie doesn't wait, she runs over to Han and drops to her knees.

 

"Han? Han can you hear me, Here let me take a look." She says, fear creeping into her voice as she reaches out to him to take a look at his face. Han flinches at her touch and pushes her hand away.

 

"I'm fine, Katie I'm fine get away from me!" He hisses as she tries to touch him again. He looks at her with his one good eye, the pleading in it stopping her. He was silently pleading with her not to make this worse. She nods and just stands up, close in case he fell as he uses the wall to ease himself up, pain dominating everything.

 

"Katie Get away from that sicko right now!" Bryan says grabbing her arm and yanking  her away making her cry out. Han just watches as Bryan drags Katie out of the room, Melina's startled voice asking what was happening filters into the room from the hallway. He breaths in a hisses, grabbing his left side knowing full well he re broke one of his ribs, and by the amount of blood running down his face he knew his nose was broken as well. Lisa slips out of the room leaving just Han and Dom, the love intrest and the Father. Han wipes the blood off his face withthe back of his hand and tries to straighten up, his  broken rib protesting. Dom was staring out the door where Katie and the others had left, his hands balled into fists at his sides, that vein in his temple pulsing, a nerve in his jaw twitching, his body shaking with boiling rage.

 

"Dom Just listen to me." He says gently. At the sound of his Voice Dom Whips his head around, his eyes bugging out as the Rage Erupts. In two short strides he was in Han's face again, grabbing the front of his shirt and slamming him against the wall again, he flinches as the pain in his ribs scream at him.

 

" You sick Mother f****r! Shes sixteen! You're twenty-six! TEN YEARS OLDER THEN HER! What is the Matter with you!" He roars his eyes wild with that rage Han knew all to well. Dom slams him against the wall again and more pain explodes in his head, stars dancing in his vision.

 

"If you render me unconscious it's not going to solve anything." He says behind gritted teeth. Dom seems to realize he wasn't going to get answers if he kept beating him so he lets him go. It takes all the weakened strength he had left not to fall back on the floor, A cough bubbling out and he hunches over coughing, spitting out blood as he wipes his mouth. Finally when he had his breath back he straightens up the best he could he looks Dom in the eyes.

 

"I am aware of the Age difference Dom. I'm not a moron. Do you Honestly think I would Touch her that way?" He says his own anger rising. "She was having nightmares again, about Cade hurting her and then killing me because I was trying to stop him." He says spitting out more blood, "She was freaked out and couldn't sleep in her room," he Spies Melina quietly standing in the door frame and tries to keep the shock off his face with what she said next.

 

"It's true Dom, One night I came running in here waking up Han because her screaming woke me up and I couldn't wake her up, It was hella scary, He got her to calm down and she practically begged him to let her stay in here where she felt safe, You can't get mad at him for trying to help her feel safe, After everything that she's been through, a safe haven is the least to be mad about." She says striding into the room behind Dom. Dom swivels around to watch her stride up to Han who just gives her a grateful smile. "S**t Han you look like Hell, Here let me help you to the bed." She gasps at his appearance, Han lets her put her shoulder under his arm and lead him to the bed where he sank down onto the mattress. Dom gives a look to Melina who just scurries out of the room, Han looks at her retreating form with jealousy wishing he too could flee from Dom's wrath.

 

" I don't care if She threw a tantrum, it's out of line to let her sleep in bed with you!" Dom says, his voice quiet, which was worse then when he yelled. Han flinches and nods, The flinch making his ribs cry.

 

"I know it is, but Dom you have to stop treating her like she's that ten year old girl you rescued. She will be eighteen in a year, an adult. Hell I think she's been in adult since that day you rescued her." Han says to him looking him in the eyes.

 

"Don't you DARE tell me how to treat her! SHE'S MY DAUGHTER!" Dom Yells Taking a step toward Han. Han puts up his hands in a surrendering motion flinching again as the motion makes pain stab his side. Dom just stops, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes, trying to calm down.

 

"Dom I'm not trying to tell you how to treat her but She'snot a little girl anymore!" Dom opens his eyes and stares down at his friend like he didn't know who he was anymore.

 

"She's still young enough that you have no right to touch her!" he shoots back. That's it, Han thinks, He was sick of the way Dom was babying her. He stands up and limps over to Dom so they were face to face. Dom's face carefully concealing his emotions, but his eyes showed the raw rage that was curling just under the surface.

 

"Wake the F**k up Dom! SHE ALMOST EIGHTEEN! you can't control her forever! She's not a f*****g Baby! Why do you think she comes to me with her problems instead of you Huh? Because I don't treat her like a child I treat her like an adult who knows how to take care of herself!" He yells. Dom just stares at him, His hands balling so tightly into fists his nails pierced his palms.

 

"I trusted you Han. And you went and betrayed me." His voice so low, so deadly soundly Han momentarily pauses.

 

"Yes I know that I broke your trust Dom and for that I am sorry." He says lowering his eyes in defeat. Dom sees the regret of Han's Betrayal and his anger leeches out of him.

 

"If you EVER go near her again I will not hesitate to throw you out of this house do I make myself Clear?", Han nods. The pain in his side becomes so intense that his knees start to buckle under him and he slumps back onto the bed. A sliver of concern crosses Dom's face before smoothing out. " I'd say I'm sorry but you f*****g deserved it." He says and turns to leave, slamming the door behind him. Melina emerges from her room and slips into Han's.

 

"You look like s**t." She says sitting down next to him. He looks over at her and gives her a grimace, his breathing shallow as the pain lances through his side and up his back.

 

"Could you possibly bring me to the Hospital? I broke a rib." He gasps, "Or two." Melina jumps up and helps him off the bed, the two slowly make their way down the hall. The sounds of Katie Screaming at Someone Make Him Pause outside her door, wanting nothing more then to go to her and hold her, to tell her things will get better.  As if Scening his wants, Melina gently tugs him down the Hall.

 

"Don't Han, Its best if you just leave it be, Don't worry I'll be here for her." She whispers. Han looks at her and smiles, grateful Katie had such an amazing friend. They make their way down the stairs and Melina unlocks the back seat door of her Chrysler for him to lay down in. She speeds down the street as fast as possbile without getting in trouble to the nearest hospital, Han half conscious through  the pain in the back seat.

 

************************************

 

Katie watches from her window as Melina eases Han into her back seat, off to the hospital she assumed.

 

"Katie are you listening to us?" Bryan's voice says from behind her, But she ignores him, instead watching as Melina's car races down the street.

 

"KATHRINE THERESA HENDRICKS YOU WILL LOOK AT ME THIS MINUTE!" Dom says using her full name. She rolls her eyes but slowly turns from the window to look at him, her arms crossing her chest as she glares at him.

 

"What? Going to yell at me some more about inappropriate mannerisms or are you going to apologize for over reacting and beating the s**t out of Han?" She snaps giving him her worst attitude. The nerves in his Jaw twitch as he clenches it in anger. Bryan Snorts in disgust.

 

"The b*****d deserved it after hurting you. I'm surprised he's still allowed to live at all much less in the house still." He says sitting down in Katie's computer chair. She glares at him before turning her back on him, staring up at Dom, the Man who for the past six almost seven years she considered her father, The man who along with Bryan rescued her from a hellish existence where all she knew was Pain and suffering.

 

"Han didn't hurt me, He didn't touch me unless I said it was OK." She says, a sick joy spreading through her when she notices Bryan wince with pure discomfort.

 

"Katie you are sixteen any form of touching is considered hurting and

inappropriate."  Dom says talking to her like she was a child who couldn't possibly understand. He crosses his arms and looks at her like he was daring her to disagree. She raises her chin and gives him a defiant look.

 

" I will Be seventeen within a month, a year later eighteen. After that you can't do jack S**t about who I decide to be with." She says matter of factly. Dom's face reddens at her words.

 

"If you think We will let you two be together then you are proving our point of the fact that you are just a child." Bryan says, Dom just nods in agreement. Katie Wipes around to face him and strides up to him, making him shoot out of his chair to stand face to face with her. She looks up at him, the guy she had always considered like a big brother. "You are sixteen Katie, you can't be trusted with these kinds of decisions." He says talking down to her. Rage swells in her chest and before she knows it her hand is connecting hard with the soft flesh of his cheek, the skin blooming a bright red from her slap.

 

"I am NOT A Child Bryan, wake up, Both of you!  Wake The F**K Up and when I am eighteen you cant stop me from being with him. I LOVE HIM!" She says finally saying the words that she had been holding inside her for so long. Bryan's face remains the same, like he was talking to a stubborn naive child.

 

"you're sixteen what do you know of love?" He says waving off the notion and getting up, "I'm done with this conversation, you deal with her Dom." He says and storms out of the room. Katie can hear him talking to Mia and is grateful she doesn't come into the room, Lisa however enters the room and stands next to her boyfriend, a frown on her lips as she puts her hands on her hips.

 

"Want to tell me what the hell is going on Katie." She says, her slight accent more prominent with her anger. Katie just mimics her stance and looks at the women she has always considered like a mother.

 

"Even if I do will It matter? you guys have made up your mind, Got it No Han, don't go near him don't talk to him. just ignore him. Whatever wont matter in a year anyway." She says getting sick and tired of this conversation.

 

"And what makes you think He will be Waiting for you in a year?" Dom's quiet voice startles her. She looks at him to see his brown eyes staring at her, a look of fatherly concern written on his face. Katie just gives him a cruel smile, an image of him beating up Han entering her mind, her voice like steel.

 

"Because He loves me too. Simple as that." She says. Dom just shakes his head and scrubs his hands over his bald head before looking at Lisa for advise. Lisa looks at him then back at Katie.

 

"You're grounded, no leaving this house without someone accompanying you, and Dom as much as you don't want to do it He has Got to go, He can't stay here anymore." She says looking at her boyfriend. Despair enters Katie, all blood draining from her face as she realizes what that meant. Han was getting kicked out, he wouldn't be here anymore, They would monitor her like a hawk and she wouldn't be able to see him for a whole year! maybe longer depending.

 

"WHAT NO YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" She screams the sight of Lisa making her suddenly hate the women. Dom whips his head Toward Katie, His eyes wild with Rage.

 

" I can do WHATEVER I want. This is MY house, and you will listen to me whether you like it or not. I AM YOUR FATHER!" He shouts. and in that moment Katie distances herself from the man she had thought of as her savior for all these years. She Marches up to him and looks him square in the face, unafraid of him.

 

"No you're not."

 

 ************************************

 

 Find a new place to live. You are no longer welcome here.

 

Han stares at the text in disbelief. Melina was outside getting the car ready to bring him home but apparently he had no home to go back to, He couldn't Believe Dom was kicking him out of the house, But he understood. He looks up at the artificial lighting of the hospital and exhales a shaky breath, wincing at the dull pain in his side. Two x-rays, one Neurological exam, and a prescription for strong hydro's later Han was dignosed with a slight concussion and two broken ribs. The sound of a car horn makes him look back at the entrance to See Melina waiting in the car, he gets out of the required wheelchair and ducks outside, curses slightly when he realizes it was pouring out. He jumps into the car and is grateful Melina had thought to blast the heaters as he puts his hand over the vents, letting the heat scald his hands.

 

 "where to now? Dom's or....' Melina lets her sentience trail off as she looks at Han's drawn dejected face, Nodding with a face of determination she puts the car in gear and heads out of the hospital parking lot. "First we are going to fill out that prescription then find you the best Holiday inn there is." She states. Han just shrugs as despair falls heavily onto his shoulders. "Han stop with the sulking you're too old for that." She snaps. Han just looks over at her and raises an eyebrow. She flicks her gaze at him and then back at the road. "Let this all blow over and settle down, You'll be able to go back home... and just don't go near her for the rest of the year, It will suck like hell but if you love her you can do it." She says switching lanes to take the exit that headed to the holiday inn that was about 6 miles away from the Terry/ freeman household. Thankfully about a minute away there was a Wallgreens that Han quickly ran into and waited ten minutes while his prescriptions was being filled. As he waited he quickly gathered some necessities, a toothbrush, toothpaste,  a few cans of soup from the food isle a few bottles of soda, paying for it at the pharmacy when the medication was in. Once back in the car Melina was thankfully quiet as she drove him to the Motel. She went in with him, letting him lean on her as he went to check in , the front desk personnel taking pity on him and gave him a second story room so he wouldn't have to stand in the elevator for a length of time. He thanks the girl and takes the room key, heading toward his room.

 

"I hate to ask but tomorrow can you drive my car to the Inn? I'll bring you back home afterwards." He says once he was sitting on the queen sized bed, his shopping bag sitting limply beside him. Melina nods and sits down next to him.

 

"Yeah of course, anything you need I'm here to help." She says with such force. Han just looks at her in surprise.

 

"Why are you helping me?" He asks truly curious. She gives him a small smile

 

"because that girl is crazy in love with you and I haven't seen her this happy since the day I first met her. I know you are good for her, screw the age difference, if you two can make it work then that just goes to show you love is stronger then anything else in this screwed up world." She says, wisdom making her seem older then her eighteen  years of life. Han smiles and turns to give her a hug.

 

"Thank you for helping, thank you for being there for her, take care of her OK? I wont be able to anymore, at least for the time being." He whispers into her hair. She lets go of him and smiles , patting his head teasingly.

 

"There there Of course I'll take care of her, But we both know that Katie Hendricks is the Last person who needs taking care off." She says getting off the bed to head back to Katie's

 

"Ain't that the truth, That girl is the strongest girl I have ever met." Han says as he walks Melina the two steps to the room door. He waits in the open door until Melina was safely shut inside the Elevator before he closes the door. Sitting on the bed looking at his small bag of necessities the full impact of what happened hits him, harder then any punch Dom could throw at him. Snatching up the bottle of pain meds he twists open the top and shakes one out. holding it between his thumb and pointer finger he stares at the little white pill. With his free hand he grabs one of the bottle of soda's and with minimal difficulty he opens it and in one fluid motion he throws the pill into his mouth and washes it down with the Mountain dew. For the first and last time in his life he welcomed the loopy numbness the medicine gave him and he crawled under the stiff cold blankets of the bed, noting how empty it felt without Katie next to him.

 

 ************************************

 

Katie stared at her ceiling, watching the glowing plastic stars slowly lose their glow without the charge from the light. Her depression crashing into her as the memories of the rest of the day blurred together, useless talks with Dom and the others, Melina coming in to hold her as she cried with her lose of Han, Melina telling her where he was and that if she EVER needed to talk to him she had his number programed into her phone, Dom bursting in telling Melina that she was not allowed in the house until further notice. All these images flashed behind her eyes like a horror film. Katie was isolated from the two most important people in her life, Her strength seeps out of her as she fights back the tears that seemed endless. How many tears had she cried today, how many more could she possible have left? Unable to stay in her room, no her prison cell any longer she throws off her blankets and jumps out of bed. tiptoeing to her door she opens it inch by inch trying to prevent it from squeaking. When she is certain the coast was clear she slips out of her room and hurries across the hall to Han's thankful his door didn't squeak when she opened it. Han's bed was still unmade the sheets strewn about the mattress, His bedside lamp on his side was laying on the floor, the lampshade crumpled, lightbulb smashed. Squatting down she picks up a large shard of glass, shocked that no one had ven notice the lamp had fallen, a broken soldier in Dom's wrath zone. A sob Crawls its way out of her throat and she stuffs her fist in her mouth to keep herself quiet, Her tear once again flowing down her face as she chokes back the emotions threatening to drown her. She sits on the bed and lays down in the fetal position on his side, the smell of his shampoo surrounding her as she balls his pillow in her hands crushing it to her face. She sobs her despair into the pillow until it was soaked. Once her tears had dried, if only for the moment she puts the pillow back down and just curls up on her side, looking about the darkened room, the moon her only source of light. Something on Han's dresser catches in the light and peaks her intrest. She lifts herself off the bed and with sluggish movements she makes her way over. The object that caught her attention was an old prescription bottle with a date from earlier this month. She remembers when Han had been injured at work earlier this month and had gone to the ER to be treated. Curiosity has her opening the bottle and tipping it the little white pills fall into her hand, by the looks of it he hadn't taken a single one, suffering in silence rather then easing the Pain. A noise in the hall way has her freezing to the spot, her hand crushing the pills into her palm, her breath frozen in her lungs as she waited to get caught. But the person merely shuffles from their room to the bathroom. As soon as she hears the bathroom door close she stuffs the pills back into their bottle and darts to her room, sliding under her blankets as she tries to calm her breathing. Closing her eyes she concentrates on calming herself, knowing full well the person would check on her once they were done. Sure enough ten minutes later the squeak of her door opening and light from the hall way spilling over her face indicates the person was checking up on her.

 

"Katie are you in here?" Mia's soft voice calls to her. Katie just keeps her eyes close and focuses on her breathing, trying to make it slow and deep as if sleeping. She hears her door squeak  as Mia opens it wider to cross the room to her bed. Trying not to twitch she feels Mia's warm hand sweep away hair from her face. "Oh Katie what have you gotten yourself into?" She whispers, concern for her niece evident in her voice. Katie keeps her mouth shut when all she wanted to do was scream at her and everyone else that she didn't get herself into anything other then Loving someone who truly loved her back for who she was. After awhile the bed lightens as Mia gets up and quickly and quietly leaves the room. As soon as her door shut tears spring up behind her closed eyes. DAMN IT! How could she possibly have anymore tears to cry? rolling over onto her stomach to bury her face into her pillow she hears something fall softly on the ground, peaking over the edge of the bed she sees that it was Han's pill bottle, forgetting she had taken it with her to her room. A smile spreads across her face as she realizes that maybe she could sleep tonight after all. Snaking her hand out from under the blanket she snatches up the bottle as she sits up, without hesitation she rips off the cap and shakes two pills into the palm of her hand. If one pill could numb pain and make you drowsy Two pills she knew would let her sink into the numbed oblivion of sleep. throwing her head back she pops the pills into her mouth and feels them slide down her throat as she takes a sip of water from her glass on her beside table, washing out the medicinal aftertaste the pills left. Sinking back down she smiles and soon is passed out into a dreamless numbed sleep.