'That door at the end,' Hanna pointed out. The stairs was filled with members of the Joost Klein team while Teun was doing the rounds at bidding everyone goodbye. Aggu accompanied him with a beer in hand and a drunken grin on his face.

Hanna found everyone where she and Fenne had left them; only this time, most of them were drunk. She tried to be subtle in the way she told Apson that Fenne wanted to leave, but Joost's keen hearing piqued from beside him.

'Where is she?' he had asked while standing from the armchair.

'Upstairs. I left her in one of the bedrooms.'

Bounding through the halls and taking two steps at a time, Joost was at the forefront of the group. He had drank a substantial amount but not enough for his mind to be unclear. Hanna's brief explanation of Fenne's sudden illness kicked his actions into motion. He didn't question anything, only told everyone that they were leaving.

Joost turned the doorknob and sighed in irritation.

'Why did you lock it from the inside?' he threw over his shoulder harshly.

'I didn't?'

Looking behind him, Joost looked to Hanna, who stood beside Apson. He checked for any sign of joke on her face and found nothing. He blinked, flicking his gaze up to Apson, then to Stuntje and to Daan.

'Then Fenne must have locked it?' Daan suggested, the air thick.

Joost turned back to the door and knocked.

'Fenne? Open the door.'

There was nothing, so he pounded against it louder.

'Fenne!'

He jiggled the doorknob like it was toying with him. Joost felt a fire burn in his stomach and a shake start in his hands. It was like he needed a cigarette after a day of stress, only if he had one, the symptoms would rage on. His panic turned to anger and at one point, energy rushed to his foot to kick it against the door's wood.

'Can you get Aggu or something?' Joost snarled to his friends who stood idle. 'There has to be a key for this.'

Stuntje took upon himself to lean over the banister of the stairs. He spotted the blonde on the bottom floor with Teun by his side. They were amid of group who dapped them up, trying to convince them to stay longer.

'Yo, Aggu! Can you find who owns this fucking place and get a key for this door?!'

—-

The fear of having no control or clarity was something Fenne had never experienced.

It was dark and quiet despite the noise downstairs. Fenne couldn't remember how she had gotten into the room. She remembered Hanna, but she couldn't hear or see her. All Fenne knew was that she was lying down and it was hard to stay awake.

She groaned, gaining control of her left leg. The tingles came first before she was able to arch her knee off the mattress. It was slow and heavy, like there were weights tied to her ankle.

By the second, tingles buzzed at her limbs and Fenne was beginning to feel again. She felt her skirt against her thighs and the hand that was under it. She felt the weight on the mattress next to her.

'Joost?' Fenne's voice was barely a whisper and shuffles sounded in the dark. Everything was spinning and her sleep was trying to sink in again. But in a desperate attempt to regain control, Fenne focused on what minimal sounds she could hear.

The weight next to her shifted and through her haze, she sensed the presence directly above her.

'H-hey... who are...' her voice wouldn't listen to her and what did make it out, was slurred and mumbled.

The tingles cleared and Fenne became aware of the bareness under her skirt. In a single moment of clarity, the horror sunk in.

'Fenne? Open the door.'

A hand clamped over her mouth as she went to speak. It was unlikely anything was going to vocalise in her throat. She hoped a scream would make its way out, but all Fenne could feel was the palm sealing her lips.

'Fenne! Can you get Aggu or something? There has to be a key for this.'

Tears slid into her hair and she tried to power strength to her arms. A desperation came over her and a hoarse scream sounded from behind the palm. It was too quiet to make it through the door, which sealed away the outside commotion.

'Fucking hell,' she heard a German curse but the hand never left her mouth. More shuffles sounded and the weight on the mattress lifted.

'Here. This one should work,' another German voice sounded through the door.

After a click, the door flew open and light streamed into the room. The hand ripped itself from Fenne's face and she was finally able to let out a whimper.

In the doorway, Aggu was stood with a key in hand and Joost at his shoulder. Behind them, was everyone Fenne knew crowded in the hallway. There were no rushes to greet her, as the sight of a man stood by the bed drew most of their attention.

Hanna cupped her mouth at the sight of Fenne's skirt hiked up to the tops of her thighs. A sickening feeling settled into her stomach and she shoved past a rigid Joost. Apson let her go with a similar solid stance and watched as Hanna grabbed her friend in an embrace.

The energy that Fenne regained was used to sit up and bury her face in Hanna's shoulder. Tears stained her cheeks, her hands latched onto Hanna's dress, and silent whimpers sounded through the room.

'Who the fuck are you?'

The man backed away from the bed while trembling under Joost's murderous stare. He hadn't anticipated a crowd to gather outside, much less six tall men. He had barely the time to do up his pants before the door flew open and interrupted his premeditated crime.

'I-I...' he let out, eyes wide and full of fear.

Joost only needed to look back at where Fenne quivered in Hanna's arms to act. A fury spread to every limb as he strode across the room and grabbed the man's shirt in his fist.

'Joost, wait-'

Aggu's call was ignored and Joost punched the man in the jaw. The blonde made sure he couldn't stumble backwards by gripping his collar. This let him land another punch, snapping the man's face to the side.

Joost let him crumble to the floor. Before he was able to bend down and continue his aggression, Stuntje grabbed Joost's shoulders and heaved him back. He barely looked at his friend as he stomped his foot into the man's stomach. It made the man jolt forward with a wail and flinched when Joost's shoe went to land another blow.

'I'll fucking kill you! You piece of shit!' Joost screamed, fighting against Stuntje's grip. He was smaller than his friend, but the fury that overcame him was enough to almost slip out of Stuntje's hold.

Daan appeared in front just as Joost spat at the groaning scum. Phlegm landed on the man's face and Daan pushed Joost back, helping Stuntje drag him away.

'Someone call the police!' Stuntje yelled and the mumbles of Teun with his phone to his ear became noticeable.

Everything happened quickly. Aggu bent down to pull the man up by his collar and throw him against the wall. He slumped with a bloodied nose and a hanging head and Aggu made sure to stand guard with his arms crossed.

Joost continued to fight, throwing his legs and twisting in Stuntje's hold. His calls to release him were ignored and people in the hallway were beginning to peer in at the commotion.

'Joost! Hey, think about what you're doing!' Apson tried, knowing that it was futile. 'The police are coming! Let them handle it!'

Everyone understood Joost's anger, but unlike him, they had clarity. Joost's career was just taking off. An assault, heaven forbid a murder charge, was not what he needed. No matter how furious they were, seeing Fenne curl into Hanna's chest with her skirt yet to be fixed, they had to stop him.

Apson was going to wait for Joost to tire, but one glance from his girlfriend, who was on the brink of tears herself, made him try something different.

Grabbing the back of Joost's neck, Apson leaned low and said, hushed,

'Think about who Fenne needs most, right now. You can't be there if you're in a cell for the night.'

Joost's thrashing stopped and his fiery gaze whipped to the bed. The sight of Fenne's trembling limbs and sobbing shoulders made his muscles relax. The fury in his stomach was overshadowed by the urge to hold her in his arms. His jaw unclenched and his eyes softened, making Daan nod subtly at Stuntje to let go.

'I want to go home,' Fenne whispered into Hanna's ear. 'I want to leave. I want to go-'

'Fenne.'

Peeling her wet face from Hanna's shoulder, Fenne dragged her eyes with great effort. At the sight of Joost's face, which fell at the red blotches and the mascara clumps in her eyelashes, her fingers unclenched from Hanna's dress.

'Oh, liefje...' Joost's voice cracked and put a hand on her side. Like a sloth to a tree, Fenne stood up and latched onto his front.

Joost didn't want to scare her but he couldn't help the tightness at which his arms squeezed around her. There was no warmth in the embrace. There was no comfort or bliss from the way Fenne hid her face in his shirt. He despised the way she shook against him, his hand stroking the back of her head in an attempt to make her stop.

'I-I want to go home. I want to leave-'

'We're leaving, liefje. We'll go now-'

'No, I want to go home.'

Joost tried to pull away and look down, but there was no way of meeting Fenne's eye. He swallowed, knowing they couldn't leave Germany tonight; not in the state she was in.

—-

'We'll need a statement from Miss Meer. Is she able to come to the station in the morning?'

'We're going back to The Netherlands tomorrow.'

'Are you able to delay your departure?'

Outside the front of their hotel, the group stood together. The police car sat on the curb with one officer standing by its bonnet. The officer with a notebook in hand waited for an answer, flicking his gaze between the blonde and the German who helped with translations.

'I guess, but...' Joost looked behind him to Apson and Teun, who held grave looks. 'Isn't it a bit soon? She's just... been assaulted. Does she have to go tomorrow?'

'We can only hold him in custody without a statement for six hours. He'll go free if she doesn't come tomorrow,' the officer said and pressed his lips together in a wince. 'I'm sorry, but that's all we can do.'

A moment passed and Hanna, who was to Joost's left, sighed.

'She'll come tomorrow, then...' Hanna said quietly.

'Alright. Thank you for your time.'

The officer closed his notepad and nodded to the group in gratitude. He turned to join his coworker and they got back in their car, leaving the group to turn to each other.

'I can't believe this,' Hanna lowered her face into her palms. 'Poor Fenne.'

'Let's go to bed. We'll deal with it all in the morning.'

At Teun's suggestion, the group turned to head back into the hotel. Aggu bid his farewell, having sobered up since leaving the house party. Giving a one-arm hug to each person, he got to Joost, who he dapped up and embraced while saying,

'I'm so sorry, dude. I'll pay for a lawyer.'

Joost's eyebrows creased.

'No way. You don't need to do that.'

'I do. It wouldn't have happened if I didn't suggest we go. Tell her I'm sorry, okay?'

Joost said nothing as Aggu turned away to head down the street. He watched him go with his hands in his hoodie pocket and a tight jaw.

There was no way that it was Aggu's fault. It wasn't anyone's fault besides the man who was in police custody. But it was obvious that everyone was going to fall into a state of guilt, despite no one being responsible for what happened to their friend.

The walk back to their rooms was silent. Joost put his earphones in, leaving the wire hanging out his jacket and trailing into his pocket. It did nothing to soothe his raging thoughts but the feeling was enough to keep him from fidgeting. Any alcohol he had consumed had worn off, leaving him an anxious, tired and a sickly mess.

Stepping out of the lift, the group said their goodnights quietly. Daan, Stuntje and Teun went in their shared rooms, while Apson and Hanna headed towards their own. Before Joost could step in front of his, Hanna stopped him. Apson waited at the end of the hall and Joost turned to the woman who stood in one of Apson's jumpers and the dress she had worn to the party.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left her. I... I'm the worst friend in the world,' she put her palm to her forehead with watery eyes.

'No, you're not. No one here is reponsible for this,' Joost said and sighed. 'Can we agree that we're not going to make this about us? The last thing Fenne needs is a blaming game.'

'You're right. I just... god, I hope he rots for this.'

Hanna was taken in by Apson as she got to their room. Joost replicated the grimace on Apson's face, who peered over the top of his girlfriend for a lasting goodbye.

Once Joost was alone in the hall, he hesitated before scanning his keycard and opening the door.