TW: mentions of rape and robbery

DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED TO CHARLOTTE KING?
4x7

When Athena received the call, it wasn't from the hospital staff—a nurse, a resident, nor the leading attending.. it was from Pete.

Athena and Amelia were entering the bar, joining up with the rest of the group, when she got the call.

She insisted Amelia entered without her and she'd be in in a minute or two. But she didn't enter.

Pete didn't hold back any details, telling her Charlotte most likely had a broken hand, wrist, and possibly her nose and eye socket. He told her she pleaded him not to call anybody but he had to try her and Cooper.

Unsurprisingly, Cooper didn't answer. And she could see why as she looked through the bar window.

She'd hurried to the hospital, although she wasn't far at all.

"Addison, what are you doing here?" Pete looked back as Athena wiped her teary eyes, trying to compose herself. "You're not on call."

Athena appeared beside Addison as Charlotte shook her head. Athena could tell what that meant—she called her. That broke her heart even more than it already was.

"I had a mom who thought that she was in labor. It was a false alarm," She lied. "and then.. I heard."

Pete noticed Athena as the police continued talking to the blonde patient. He nodded at the brunette, telling her to come sit beside her best friend.

Addison moved out of the way so her sister could be there for Charlotte.

"Shh," Athena tries to calm her down, afraid she was overworking herself. There was too much noise. She could tell. Between the police and Pete. "Can we not fight right now?"

Charlotte leans up and throws up onto her sheets, "I'm sorry," Charlottes voice breaks.

"Okay, everybody out. Move!" Addison ushered everybody out of the room, Charlotte leaned back onto the pillow.

"Stay," Charlotte grasped Athena's hand, not wanting her to leave her side.

"I'm not going anywhere," Athena promised.

Her heart was shattering to pieces.

Second by second.

"Ma'am—"

"You heard her," Pete said sternly, pushing everyone out of the room as well.

"I said out. Come on. Let's go. Out," Addison turns to talk to Pete. "You too Pete."

"I haven't finished yet."

Addison gives him a look that makes him understand everything, and backs up, Addison shutting the door as he walks away.

Charlotte presses her lips into a long, thin line, looking between the two sisters, "Life is a bitch, ain't it?"

Addison gave her a look that said 'I'm sorry,' but also 'Why was it you?' and walked forward, "Let's get you cleaned up."

🪷

As people come in a take photo's of her injuries, along with evidence, Addison and Athena stand off to the side, worrying with anxiety flooding through their bodies.

Pete informed them a little earlier Cooper still wasn't answering and sent Violet to find him.

"Underwear?" The nurse asked.

"What?" Charlotte parted her lips.

"I have a dress, a bra, two shoes. But there's no underwear," The woman points.

"Oh," Charlotte looks down. "I don't wear underwear. They just.. get in the way."

The sisters look at each other, "She doesn't," Addison spoke first. "I think it's gross."

"But to each his own, right?" Athena tilted her head.

"I guess."

The nurses grab everything and left the three doctors in the room.

Athena made her way back to the chair she'd been sitting in all night as Addison sends her a quick glance, sighing, "You'll need the H.I.V. cocktail, the morning-after pill, S.T.D. prophylaxis, an a pelvic."

Athena studies her best friends face, trying her best to keep everything inside her, praying Cooper was on his way with Amelia.

"Right?"

Charlotte inhales, looking at the Montgomery woman, "Right."

🪷

Charlotte shakes as Addison does her exam. She squeezes Athena's hand, and Athena does her best to calm her but it isn't enough.

Cooper still hadn't shown, and neither had Amelia or anyone else at the bar. So either they were on their way—which Athena hoped was the case—or Violet hadn't told them yet.

Addison reached up for Charlotte's opposite hand, which she gratefully took.

"I don't think I want you don't there one handed," She gave the redhead a small, sad smile.

Addison returned the small gesture, "I just need to examine you for any internal tears or injuries. And then I'll do a rape kit. I'll collect pubic hairs, pelvic washings, blood samples—"

"No rape kit," Charlotte sniffed.

"Charlotte—" Athena let her tears fall.

"I wasn't raped," Charlotte looks down at Addison. "I was robbed."

"Charlotte—"

"No rape kit," Charlotte pleaded.

"Charlotte—"

"You know and I know, and Athena knows, those cops out there, they don't know. They know I was robbed. Now you can't tell anyone. No rape kit," Her lower lip quivered.

"I'm sorry Charlotte. But I have legal obligation.."

Charlotte sniffles and sits up, "I called you. I called you."

"Charlotte, lay back down. Please," Athena begged.

"Okay. It's okay," Addison soothed.

"No rape kit," A tear streamed down her face. "He took my wallet. He didn't take anything else."

"No rape kit," Addison agreed.

"No rape kit," Charlotte whispered, laying back down.

Athena wipes her tears with one hand, never letting go of Charlotte's shaking one. She didn't agree with her choice, but it wasn't up to her. It was up to the patient and the doctor.

"Hey! How is she?" The three heard from down the hall, snapping Athena out of her glance.

It was Cooper.

"She's with Addison and Athena. She's okay considering—"

"What the— what the hell happened?" Cooper slurred. "What happened?"

"I'll be back, okay?" Athena whispered more to Charlotte than Addison.

After seeing Charlotte nod, she leaves the room, not letting anyone get a glance inside the room.

"The guy beat her up and stole her wallet," Pete tried to calm him as Athena walked up to the two.

"Where are the cops?"

"The cops are on it," Athena promised, helping Pete contain Cooper.

"Okay, wh— what the hell happened, guys?" Cooper closed his eyes. "I mean— I mean, where is she? I mean, where is she?"

"Cooper—" Athena flares her nostrils.

"I need to— I need to know— she's— hey."

"Woah. Hold on. Hold on. Easy. Easy," Sam reaches his arm out to grab Coopers arm. "Come over here, buddy."

"They were in a bar," Violet walked towards Pete and Athena.

Athena runs a hand threw her slightly messed up hair, not holding back the tears anymore.

Amelia walks up to Athena, going straight for a hug because that's what she needed. That's what the girl she liked absolutely needed right now.

Athena leans into the Shepherd girls embrace, "I'm sorry for leaving you there I had to see how bad it was."

"It's fine," Amelia cupped Athena's cheeks wiping her tears away.

Pete gives his wife a kiss, looking towards Amelia.

"Alright. Are you sober?" Pete asked, the couple splitting from their embrace.

"Below the legal limit," Amelia surveyed his face, grabbing Athena's pinky to keep her calm—it was only slightly working.

"Charlotte took a blow to her eye socket and vomited. It could be a concussion. It could be.." Pete trails off.

"I'll get a C.T. of her head and facial bones and do a neuro exam," Amelia pats his shoulder, pulling Athena along.

🪷

"It's important that you don't move while the C.T.
is—"

"I know how a C.T. works," Charlotte breathes deeply.

"Sorry. Of course you do," Amelia pressed her lips together.

Amelia walks to the side to grab some sheets and blankets, and sits them at the end of the bed.

"You know, you're gonna need stitches," Athena told her, Charlotte knowing what she was getting at. It would be painful with no meds.

"Yay for me," Charlotte stared at the ceiling as Amelia covered her with the sheets and blankets.

"I could page somebody in plastics," Amelia offered.

"I don't want to involve plastics," Charlotte glanced at the raven haired surgeon.

"Less people that know your business, the better. I get it," She agreed, pressing on the control panel.

"I could do 'em," Amelia offered, Athena sadly smiling at the offer. "I've, uh, got a gift with sutures. Never leave a scar. It's freakish how good I am."

"Thank you," She looks away from Amelia.

"I'll be with you the entire time. I'm not going anywhere, remember?" Athena tilted her head down.

"Plus, you get the good drugs that go along with stitches," Amelia smirked slightly.

"No drugs for me," Charlotte said stiffly.

There was one main thing Charlotte and Athena had in common. They couldn't be put on drugs for anything. It would be too risky. They'd go back down the dark hole the two knew all too well.

this episode is the hardest
episode i'll ever have to
write. it is literally painful.