Stephanie sat curled up in the far corner of her room. She gave up on crying so long ago. Instead, she simply waited. She didn't quite know what she was waiting for, but she was waiting. The one thing she wasn't waiting for was the sound of the front door being pounded down.
"Police! Nobody move!" There were screams and the sounds of people running in every direction away from the cops, but Stephanie got to her feet shakily and walked to the door. She opened the door and saw a cop about to open the door.
"My name is Stephanie MacNemar, and I want to go home," she said softly. She'd always dreamed about saying those words, and she finally got to say them.

An hour later, Stephanie was washed up and sitting in some fresh sweats provided by the police office. In her hands was a cup of hot chocolate, but she wasn't really thirsty. Instead she stared deep into the swirling brown liquid in front of her. One particularly nice officer kept checking in on her, but she wasn't in a particularly social mood either. She wanted to go home, she didn't want to be here in a police station constantly being badgered by cops asking her where she'd been for the past how many years? Time had blurred together for Stephanie, she didn't even know how old she was anymore. That brought fresh new tears to her eyes. She had lost so much of her life that wouldn't be able to come back no matter what she did.

Raven awoke in the morning from yet another nightmare, his scream echoing through out the house. His parents had long ago stopped checking his room. They had gotten used to them. He rose from his bed and dressed, going through the mechanical motions that now encompassed his life. After pulling on a white shirt and blue jeans, he went into the bathroom. He stared into the mirror as he brushed his neck length black hair into a presentable appearance. His listless eyes stared back at him. The light in his eyes had died three years ago when stephanie had been kidnapped. The police had spent only a few months looking for her before they gave it up as a lost cause. Everyone he knew said she was dead. But he knew differently. He didn't know how but something in him said that she was still alive. Maybe he was just clinging to false hope, but he needed that hope. If he let go of that one last hope he'd never be able to keep moving through life.

"Raven! Hurry up and eat your breakfast! If you don't hurry you'll be late again!" his mom called from down the stairs.

Raven stalked down the stairs and into the kitchen. His mother had already laid out a plate of eggs and toast. He scarfed down the eggs with his usual dispassion and grabbed the toast on the way out the door. "I'm going!" he called. A police car screamed down the street as he walked to the bus stop. Tch! Lot of good they do. They may stop speeding drivers but when it really counts they're quick to throw in the towel. he though to himself. Raven had long since lost his faith in the police department. The school bus pulled to a stop in front of him and he boarded it; ready for another unimportant day to be over with.

Stephanie was starting to grow restless here. All she wanted to do was see her family, and Raven, and go home. That, sadly, didn't look like it was going to happen soon.
"Stephanie?" a gentle voice asked as someone put a hand on her back. She looked up to see her mother sitting next to her. She never thought that she'd see her mother again, but here she was.
"Oh Mommy," Stephanie moaned as she threw her arms around her mother and buried her face in her shoulder. She knew that she sounded like a small child, but she didn't care. Sobs wracked her entire body as she lost control of her emotions.

The remainder of the time in the police station passed in a blur to Stephanie. It was filled with tears as she was reunited with her family followed by flashing camera lights and reporters shouting all sorts of questions.
"Stephanie, where have you been?"
"Stephanie, who took you?"
"Stephanie, were you abused?" All the questions got to Stephanie as she moved closer to her mother's protective arms. She wanted to leave all this behind and go home to her room, see Raven and escape from this nightmare.

School went by in a mechanical haze. Raven counted the periods off in his head as he went through the day. Biology, Calculus, Algebra, History, Gym, Lunch, English, and Digital Electronics. Then the buses came and he went home thinking to do it all over again the next day. Nothing changing.

Raven walked into his house and kicked off his shoes. He didn't bother saying 'I'm home." Nobody was home to hear it. He dropped his bag in his room and went to his father's office. His father brought a lot of his work home with him. He had been the leading detective in Stephanie's case. A large oak wood desk engulfed the center of the office with a personal computer on it. Raven jumped into the chair and switched on the computer. He'd learned long ago to hack into his fathers case files on the departments database.

In the search box he typed in Stephanie Meyer's and scrolled down her case files. Raven's eyes lit up like a light bulb. There was a new update. He clicked into the database and scrolled through reading the data.

Name: Stephanie Meyer's
Age: Estimated 16

The subject was found today in a drug bust executed by Sheriff Harper and the fifth swat team. She seemed relatively unharmed but her emotional state was severely traumatized. Miss Meyer's was released 45 minutes ago to her parents after extensive questioning.

Raven shot up out of the chair and bolted for the door. Several things ran through his head at one time. But one repeated itself over and over again in his mind. Stephanie was home.

The ride home had to be one of the most uncomfortable experiences in Stephanie's life. She curled up in the back seat and gazed out the window. Everything looked exactly the same, it was as if she had never left in the first place. A silent tear rolled down her cheek at the lost memories she had learned to push out of her mind to prevent herself from getting overly upset during her captivity.

As Stephanie's father pulled into the driveway, her mother said, "We didn't touch anything in your room, except for what the police took to try and find you. Everything is exactly the same as the day you disappeared."
"Thank you," Stephanie commented as she climbed out of the backseat of the car. She followed her parents inside the house. Everything looked exactly how she had remembered it, as if it had been preserved in a time capsule waiting for her return. "I think I'm going to go take a bath." Without another word, she disappeared upstairs.

Upstairs, Stephanie ran a hot bath. She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to bathe properly. She filled the tub with scalding hot water, took off her clothes and slid into the water. She took a washcloth and scrubbed every surface of her body with all her might. No matter how hard she tried, however, she felt incredibly dirty. To her, she saw her flesh covered with a thick layer of dirt and grime that wouldn't go away no matter how hard she scrubbed. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she scrubbed herself raw. It was then that Stephanie noticed just how skinny she was as well. Sure she had been on the small side before everything, but now she was just a downright twig. Everything was different now, and she didn't know if she could go back to before.

Raven sprinted out of his house like a bat out of hell and shot down the street. He took the corner at main street at a run. He traversed the distance between his and Stephanie's families house within seconds as if her house lay in his front lawn. He ran up to the door of her house and banged on the door.

Raven heard a rustling inside and heard Ms. Meyer yell from inside, "Go away! We aren't doing anymore interviews!" he continued banging on the door unable to muster words in his excitement. He heard the chain slide back on the door and she opened the door shouting, "I thought I told you...oh Raven!" Raven swallowed a lump in his throat and said, "Where is she? I have to see her." "She's in the tube right now. Your welcome to wait in the living room." he nodded and entered the house. It was as he remembered it the last time he had come by. That was almost 2 years ago. He walked over and sat on the couch, but was unable to sit still. So he got up and paced around the room.

After an hour, Stephanie finally drained the tub. She didn't even begin to start feeling clean, but she appeared to be clean, which was the important part. She drained the tub, stood up and grabbed the thick, soft towel off the rack to dry herself off. There were so many luxuries here, something she definitely wasn't used to. After drying herself off, she grabbed her bathrobe. It only came down to her knees now while the sleeves made it halfway between her elbows and wrists; she had grown.

Stephanie didn't even waste time going to her room to try on her clothes, this bathrobe had been absolutely huge on her when she had...left, there was no way any of her other clothes would fit properly now. Instead of going to her room, she began to head downstairs, where she ran into her mother.
"Nothing's going to fit," she explained meekly.
"You can borrow some of my clothes, and I'll take you shopping as soon as I can, alright?" her mother replied sweetly as she steered her back upstairs and to her room.

The clothes hung off of Stephanie like a tent, but it beat wearing a bathrobe. This would be perfectly fine for now.
"There's someone downstairs for you," her mother explained as they went downstairs. Stephanie's heart stopped at the thought of doing an interview. "Don't worry, it's not a reporter," she assured, sensing her daughter's apprehensions. Relieved, Stephanie rounded the corner to see a man pacing back and forth across the family room floor. He was taller and had filled out, but there was absolutely no denying the fact that it was Raven.
"Oh Raven!" she exclaimed as she rushed forward and threw her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest and clung to him for dear life.

Raven's eyes widened as stephanie approached and then grew close; eyes watering as she threw her arms around him. "S-Steph?" he asked as if he didn't believe it. The he closed his arms around her in a deep embrace as if he'd never let go. "I missed you so much Steph. I knew you were still with us."

He released his grip and grabbed her hand, leading her over to the couch. Raven's eyes looked up and down over her clothes hanging loosely on her figure and chuckled. "It suits you," he said attempting a jest. "I know you've missed a lot these past years, but I'm going to try my best to make up for it." he promised with a smile.

Stephanie melted into Raven's strong arms and buried her face in his chest. She didn't want to let go. If she did, she might wake up and find that she was still being held captive and that this hadn't been anything more than a cruel dream brought on by her homesick mind. When Raven let go, however, she was still in her living room, and he was still standing in front of her.

Stephanie followed Raven to the couch. His small joke on her part made her smile ever so slightly, but she had forgotten how to smile long ago. His words stung, it was as if he blamed himself for this terrible, terrible nightmare. She slid onto his vacant lap and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Please don't let me," she whispered. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but Stephanie didn't know if they were tears of joy or of sadness. The day had been an emotional roller coaster, leaving her head spinning.

Raven ran his hands through Stephanie's hair, petting her head trying to console her. She had been through so much. They sat there for a half hour not caring to move or about the world around them. In that moment they had each other and to Raven that's all that mattered. He looked down at her after a time and said, "You must be tired. You should try to get some rest. I'll be here if you need me." Raven smiled down at her reassuringly.

Stephanie looked up at Raven with sad eyes She felt like a small child, but the thought of being apart from him terrified her to no end.
"I want to stay right here," she admitted meekly, resting her head on his shoulder. Just being with him made all the terrifying nightmares that gripped her wash away. Stephanie slid an arm around Raven's neck and played with the hair on the back of his neck as she allowed her eyes to slip closed.

Raven smiled down at Stephanie and acquiesced with a slight shrug. If she wanted to stay with him while she slept he wouldn't hesitate to give her that much. In truth he didn't want to part from her either. So he just sat there as she fell asleep in his lap and the sun faded behind the horizon; illuminating the room in a warm orange glow.

After a time Raven felt his eyes begin to droop. His head sagged and he fell into a peaceful slumber, with her in his arms. For the first time in years nightmares did not plague his dreams. He did not toss and turn. Raven slept peacefully through the night with thoughts of Stephanie flowing through his mind.

At first, Stephanie slept peacefully...until images of her captures gripped her. She started to moan an tremble, trying to escape.
"No, no, please!" she cried. Tears began to stream down her hollow cheeks as she shook her head back and forth forcefully. Even when she woke up, Stephanie was too terrified to stop screaming. "He's coming to get me!" she sobbed. "He's coming to get me!"

Raven was awakened by Stephanie's frantic shouts. "He's coming to get me!" she cried over and over again as if she were pleading to him. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Steph, look at me! Honey, look at me!" he called to her. "Its ok. You just had a bad dream. No one is coming to get you. I'm right here. Don't worry I'm right here." Then he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

It was Raven's voice that finally broke Stephanie out of her terrifying spell. She continued to grip him as if her life depended on it though. She buried her face in his shoulder and continued to sob. It had all seemed to be so real, she actually thought that she was back there and that that monster had his filthy hands all over her. She could still feel his hands all over her. Shaken up, Stephanie pushed Raven away and scrambled to her feet. She wrapped her arms around herself and did her very best to compose herself.

Raven watched Stephanie as she tried to calm herself. He couldn't imagine what kind of nightmares or experiences could trigger such a reaction. He swore then and there if he ever got his hands on the bastards they'd pay. Fortunately for them they were in jail where he couldn't reach them.

Raven looked up at Stephanie as she slowly released herself and regained a bit of composure. "Are you alright Steph?" he asked. Stupid question he told himself. Of course she's not alright. She may never be alright again thanks to them, but I'm not going to stop trying to make it alright for her. That's all I can do.

It took several minutes, but Stephanie finally managed to calm down enough to think straight. Raven was right, she was perfectly safe. Now she felt like a fool for getting so upset in the first place.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, completely ignoring Raven's question. "I, I shouldn't have gotten so upset."

Stephanie instantly fell back into her old routine, the routine she had in captivity where every little thing was her fault and the only way to prevent beatings and constant rapes was to grovel and take all the blame even if it wasn't her fault. These things would be so hard for her to break.

He looked up at Stephanie and shook his head. "It's fine, really." he told her. "I can understand that you'd still be shaken up." Raven stood and moved in front of her. He reached out a hand patted her head; ruffling her hair a bit. "Steph, he started. Don't ever start thinking that what happened was your fault. It wasn't and it never will be."

He looked down and into her eyes. "I know its going to take some time for you to adjust. You can take things slowly. There's no need to rush," he said in a calming voice. "I know you've been through a lot, but I'm going to be here for you now. You don't need to be afraid around me."

Stephanie couldn't help but cringe away from Raven's touch despite the fact that she knew he only meant well. She didn't deserve him. Any other boyfriend would've moved on ages ago, not waited around for the impossible to occur. She rushed forward into his arms and buried her face in his chest.
"I felt their hands all over me, touching me, pulling me back towards them," she mumbled into his chest. Her tears stained the front of Raven's shirt as she clung to him for dear life. "Don't let me go back," she pleaded repeatedly.

((Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Got a bit of writers block. I'm wondering when the other person is going to join us. Maybe we should try messaging him.))

Raven wrapped his arms around Stephanie tightly. He was about on the verge of tears himself. He hated seeing her so hurt, so he just held her in his arms trying to sooth her and giving her promises that she'd never have to leave again. It was the only thing he could think to do. He felt helpless, unable to imagine what she'd gone through, but also unable to erase it. After a while passed he caught a glimpse of the clock and sighed. "I think its time I get going. If I don't my parent will start to worry. I'll be right down the street if you need anything. Don't hesitate to ask okay?" he said gently.