Stolen Innocence

by Beverly L Anderson

  He started violently when he heard the jerk door open and turned in surprise to see Artemis standing in the doorway. Kieran did not think he had ever seen Artemis look so worried and harried. His hair was sticking up at all angles, and his scrub top was on backwards.

  After quickly stepping into the room and shutting the door, Artemis rushed over to him. “Kie, oh my god, what... What...”

  Kieran watched as Artemis froze for a moment and stared at Varick before continuing towards him. His friend grabbed him in a tight hug around the shoulders, gently rubbing his back. When he felt the deep pressure, Kieran practically melted as he felt his body relax against Artemis. He was so glad there was someone here now who was intimately familiar with his needs. It felt infinitely good. He hummed in immense appreciation and patted Artemis on the back to indicate he was fine.

  “Kieran.” Seemingly reluctant to let go of to let go of Kieran, Artemis stepped back and stared at him for a good minute. Kieran was about to say something when he cupped his face in both hands, rubbing his thumbs along Kieran’s cheekbones.

  Smiling up at him, Kieran’s voice was a bit choked. “I am glad you are here,” he muttered. “I do not want Mary to come in.”

  Artemis frowned, narrowing his eyes at him. “Why not?”

  He nodded toward Devan who still sat beside Kieran on the bed. Artemis looked at Devan and Kieran thought it looked like he recognized the other man. “What... Loki?” he questioned. “Why... What’s...”

  Kieran turned to at Artemis, wondering why he called Devan by a different name. “Loki?” Kieran queried, glancing at Devan.

  Devan smirked. “It’s my scene name,” he answered him, shrugging. “What about you, Lolita?” Devan snickered with a half grin at Artemis. “Didn’t know you knew the doctor here.”

  Artemis frowned, peering at Varick for a second before returning his gaze to Devan. “Well, I’m usually not in a position to talk at the club,” he commented. Kieran just stared at him curiously. “I’ve known Kieran since we were kids.” He stared into Kieran’s eyes for a little while. “Look, I’ll explain it all later,” he mumbled quietly. “Just... What happened? I only got half the conversation when Leo called Mischka.”

  Varick had come over by then, and Kieran realized this must be a more complicated situation than he originally believed. Varick was connected to Mischka? Kieran didn’t know a whole lot about this person other than he was Artemis’s longtime boyfriend. It was a name Kieran had heard from childhood, and if he recalled correctly, he believed Mischka had also been raised with Artemis.

  As Kieran started to say something, the door opened. This time, it was Thomas and Mary. His hands shot out on either side of him, grabbing Devan’s hand with one and Artemis’s with the other. He bit down on the inside of his cheek and braced for what was coming. He knew this situation with the others in the room would be “unacceptable” to Thomas.

  Thomas paused inside the door before shutting quickly behind Mary and swept over toward the exam table where Kieran was clinging to Devan Artemis. He knew his mentor was going to tell him everything he had done wrong, and he was going to tell him everything that was not normal.

  “Kieran, we need to get these things settled,” Thomas exclaimed when he stopped in front of Kieran.

  Kieran refused to move and kept hold of both Artemis and Devan. Right now, they were his grounding. He watched as Mary looked at Artemis. “I have this, you can go back to work,” she snorted. “I can deal with him. He is none of your concern. All you have ever done is put ideas into his head to make him think he can do things he can’t.”

  Artemis didn’t speak for a moment. Kieran found himself staring in shock at Mary. The way she was speaking was different. Normally she attempted to put on a nice persona. Her tone was not the same as the one she usually used, and even as unobservant as Kieran tended to be, he could tell the difference.

  “Deal with him?” Artemis repeated in a dangerously calm voice. Kieran tightened his grip. Kieran recognized the deadly shade of calm which had taken over Artemis, and he knew better than to let go of his friend’s hand.

  Despite what Artemis believed, Kieran knew Artemis had always been wary of Mary, ever since they were children, and Kieran had introduced them. She would often glare at Artemis and refuse to play games with him unless Kieran insisted she do so. Kieran had never been sure if she was afraid Artemis would take him away from her, or if she just wanted to be alone with him. Both she and Artemis had followed him into medicine, but the difference between them was Mary tried to control what he did, and Artemis let him be himself. He had a feeling Mary’s true nature was about to become evident.

  “Yes, now, the bunch of you need to leave, now, there’s a nice conference room down the hall you can wait for the authorities in. I’m sure all three of you will be carted off to jail, no doubt, for your involvement in the kidnapping and...everything.” Thomas crossed his arms and nodded decisively at Kieran.

  The angry expression beginning to brew on Thomas’s face was clear when no one moved to leave was impressive. Kieran glimpsed behind him to see Carmine had calmly remained in the chair where he had been waiting since morning. Varick had moved to lean against the window sill beside Carmine. Neither made any move toward the door. Devan had not moved an inch either and kept a tight hold on Kieran’s hand. The ridged stance Artemis had taken indicated he too had no intention of moving. Everything, Kieran thought. Thomas would not even acknowledge what had happened.

  “Now, Kieran, you know none of this would have happened if you hadn’t lost control of yourself. You put yourself in a dangerous situation, and all of this is a result of it. It is no wonder something like this happened! You know it isn’t safe for you to go running around to places like the garden area or the roof without accompaniment,” Thomas said solemnly, with Mary nodding in agreement beside him. Mary had the look of a mother scolding her child.

  “Yes, you very nearly got yourself killed, Kieran. That just won’t do, so from now on, you won’t go anywhere in the hospital without me,” Mary added, her gray eyes seeming to sparkle with the statement. “And Dr. McKellar agrees I should take over some of the decision making for you until you’ve recovered yourself from the terrible events of yesterday. We’ve decided your choices are not to be trusted right now.”

  Kieran felt something rise in his chest. He was not sure what it was, but it felt hot and painful. His hands began to tremble, and the two people holding to his hands continued to do so. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes and for a second, he found himself a five-year-old boy being sprayed in the face with vinegar water for refusing to speak the right words on command. A shiver ran through him because he had not thought of those days in a long time, but the tone Thomas was taking was exactly the same. The doubt began to build in the back of his mind. Was Thomas right? Had he done this to himself after all?

  “Now, with your disability, there really needs to be someone to make choices, it is clear you are unable to tell when you are in danger and when you are not. This whole situation could have been avoided if you had just listened to what I have been trying to tell you. This stimming of yours has led you to this. If you could just stop it, and stop having to do it, then you wouldn’t have needed to go out to the garden, and you wouldn’t have been so easily kidnapped by those men. You let all this happen to you, Kieran. You really have to be more careful because...”

  Thomas did not finish the sentence because Devan moved before even Kieran realized what was happening. He had not even let go of Kieran’s hand, using his left to hook a punch across Thomas’s jaw hard enough to knock him completely backward. Thomas landed hard on his rear, stunned more than anything. Devan let go of Kieran’s hand and stood over Thomas, shoving him back down with his foot as he tried to get back up. Everyone else was shocked into stillness as Devan dropped onto him, pinning the older doctor by straddling his chest and digging his knees into his shoulders. The position left no room for Thomas to move Devan from on top of him. Alm
ost immediately, Devan started landing punches across his face one after another, raging as he did it.

  “You son of a bitch, don’t you dare put the blame on him! You fucking bastard son of a fucking whore, I will fucking show you who’s at fault! You honorless cock-sucking goddamn piece of disgusting, filthy shit!” he screamed, punctuating each word with a punch down into Thomas’s face.

  Kieran’s hand was still held up where Devan had been holding it as he watched in amazement. No one defended him, not like that, no one except Artemis. To see Devan, a man he had literally known less than twelve hours, fly into a rage like this meant perhaps Thomas was wrong after all.

  All of sudden Varick was pulling him off Thomas. Devan was struggling against Varick as the larger man hefted him a good six inches up in the air and away from Thomas’s bloody face. He growled to be put down, but Varick held onto him, arms locked around his waist, holding him off the ground.

  “I’ll fucking beat your goddamned head in you honorless motherfucker!” he yelled at Thomas stumbled to his feet with Mary’s assistance. “You son of a...”

  Kieran’s attention snapped to the door as it opened and the FBI agent was just in time to see the aftermath of the scene. As soon as she came in, Mary was crying and telling her to arrest Devan. Devan was finally set back on his own feet but he was glaring at Thomas, eyes focused only on him. Varick was standing to the side, gripping Devan’s upper left arm beside him. Kieran was clutching Devan’s right arm with both hands. Kieran realized Devan must have a temper like Artemis. He figured as long as he held onto Devan, he would remain right where he was. He did not even think about how he was instinctively using the same method on Devan he used on Artemis when his closest friend became enraged. Kieran was still astounded by such a violent reaction from a person who seemed to be calm and rather laid back.

  “Get that fucking bastard out of here!” Devan snapped at the agent, pointing to Thomas. “He fucking dares to tell Cutie here he’s at fault for some idiots kidnapping him when it was this sorry sack of shit’s fault they found him! You and your stupid book you were so proud of! I bet you made a lot off that deal, asshole! And then, you dare tell him it is his fault the perverted son of a bitch Callaghan got hold of him and raped him!” Devan was nearly out of breath by this time, eyes blazing and Kieran caught the look when Artemis turned toward him. Please, do not pity me, he thought when Artemis locked eyes with him.

  “I belung here, ya dun’t!” Thomas barked in a muffled tone against his hand as he held it over his bleeding lip. He seemed to easily ignore everything Devan just said. Devan had left him with some impressive bruises; his left eye was turning black, and his nose was askew. Thomas’s lip had split open, and he had some bruising already showing on his jaw.

  Kieran felt the tears already running down his cheeks as the FBI agent locked eyes with him. He remembered his father said Lauren Richmond was her name. She was wearing a tan pantsuit today with a white blouse under it. Kieran focused on the blouse, the slight ruffle at the collar drawing his attention. He had to focus on something because the noise was too much stimulation around him.

  “Dr. McKellar, you need to go,” Lauren declared, turning toward him, clicking the heels of her shoes and remaining completely, utterly calm. “And I believe last night Dr. Sung expressed a desire for you not to be in here with him. Quite clearly, as I remember.”

  “What?” Thomas gasped. “Kieran needs me here! I’m the only one who understands what he’s got going on. That... That... And he attacked me! Do something!” He was almost shrieking in anger and pointing emphatically at Devan. Devan glared at him, cracking his knuckles, blood still wet on them.

  Kieran watched as the blonde’s face softened as he sat down beside him on the bed. He reached out and put an arm around Kieran’s shoulders to tuck him close. He turned his face into Devan’s chest in an attempt to ignore what was transpiring. The tears would not stop, but he felt Artemis put a hand on his back as Devan embraced him. He felt one of Devan’s hands move up on the back of his head. Devan made shushing noises and whispered quiet things Kieran did not understand because it was mumbled soothing and nothing specific. It felt warm, but it did not mute the conversation taking place as though he were not even in the room.

  “You’re upsetting Dr. Sung. Leave.” Lauren’s quiet voice.

  “What?” Thomas still had the slightly hysterical tone to his voice and the sound was grating. “You can’t tell me to leave, I’m the one that owns...deals with him!”

  “Owns him?”

  “That... That’s not what I mean. I deal with his medical and his financial matters, and...”

  Kieran knew this tone. It was Thomas being caught. He had not heard it often, but he had heard it when he called him on a change Thomas made on a patient’s chart Kieran himself had not authorized. That had been the only time Thomas tried to directly interfere in Kieran’s orders on patients. He may have let Thomas do a lot of things, like speak for him to patients, and tell him what he should be doing, but he did not allow a developmental psychiatrist to interfere in orders for a neurosurgery patient.

  “No, I think you meant exactly what you said, Dr. McKellar.” Lauren’s voice paused, and Kieran almost wanted to look, but he thought it would be too much information for him to process. “I’ve looked into a few things, and I don’t think Dr. Sung even knows how much money you’ve made off his life story and public appearances lately. From what I understand, he’s become visibly upset about being forced to make public appearances and do things he prefers not to do. The nurses around here like him a lot, you know. You however, they don’t much care for the way you treat Dr. Sung. I believe one said it was a shame you treated him like a five-year-old.” Lauren stopped for a second. “I understand he is your ‘success story’ for your treatment methods, Dr. McKellar, but have you cared to notice he is not a child in need of your treatment any longer?”

  “He’s disabled! He has to be told what to do!” Now Mary’s voice. Kieran could tell she was further away, possibly by the door. “He can’t make choices on his own.”

  “Really? So, he’s a successful neurosurgeon in his twenties and he can’t make his own choices.”

  “Of course not! He’s autistic. He has deficits in certain areas and he doesn’t understand...” Thomas started. Thomas’s voice was further away, so perhaps he had taken the hint and moved.

  That was it, Kieran decided. He had heard enough. He pulled his head up, seeing Thomas and Mary were indeed by the door.

  “Get out, just get out!” Kieran’s voice cracked in the middle but he continued. “Stop, just stop it! I am not a child! I am not what you keep saying, I know what is happening around me and I do not need you to tell me what I should think about things! No more!”

  “Kieran,” Thomas uttered, holding a paper towel to his nose, not daring to move closer because of Devan. “You know you don’t understand these complicated social issues, you know that, I have to-”

  Lauren shook her head. “No, you only have to do one thing, and that’s leave.”

  Thomas frowned. “This is still my hospital. And I want that man arrested for assaulting me!”

  Devan snarled from where he continued clutching Kieran. He noted his voice was steady even with the raging anger Devan had just expressed moments before. “Keep it up and they’ll be charging me with more than assault, you pretentious bastard.”

  Artemis had not moved from Kieran’s side but he shook his head at them. “Feck this. Enough’s enough,” he said quietly. Kieran’s breath caught because Artemis’s tone had gone deadly quiet, and his accent had started to slip.

  “I’ve watched you tear him down every chance ye’ve gotten. I’ve watched every time he starts to get confident, yeh sabotage him.” Kieran heard his accent deepening as he continued onward. He hadn’t heard Artemis speak with such a thick one in quite some time; not since he went off on the boys in park and Kieran had to pull him off them. “I dinnae say anything because Kieran loved yeh like fa
mily. You use his position here as a threat anytime you don’t like what he wants to do. You tell him if he does anyt’ing that doesn’t go along with yer idea of what ‘normal’ should be, yeh’ll take teh one t’ing he loves away from ‘im. And Kieran listens ta yeh because he trusts yeh. How can you stand there and tell him it is his fault he was abducted and raped?” As he finished speaking he stood and took a step toward Thomas. Kieran knew a storm was brewing and reached one hand out and grabbed Artemis by the wrist.

  Thomas sighed with exasperation at the smaller nurse. “It is the truth! He has to understand that it is his own choices which led to what happened here yesterday. He very nearly died, and it would have been a tragedy. Can you imagine if we were to lose such a bright mind in his field? If he had just listened to what I’ve-”

  Lauren stopped him. “No, that’s enough, all right, Dr. McKellar. And for your information, every one of these people in this room have full amnesty, so no, you won’t get to press charges against Mr. Sullivan. He’s in FBI protective custody, as are Mr. Jaeger and Mr. Deangelo. Dr. Sung is also in protective custody. And you know what, what happens to any of them, from here on out, is none of your concern, Dr. McKellar,” she declared. She glanced at Mary. “And none of yours either, my girl.”

  “You can’t-” Thomas started as she ushered them toward the door.

  “I can, and I just did. They’ll be moved to a safe house by tonight’s end, so you won’t have to worry one bit about the situation. He’ll be well cared for, don’t worry. I have a feeling I know a nurse who might just be willing to look after him,” she commented. Kieran glanced at Artemis and grabbed his hand, interlocking his fingers with him.

  As Lauren shoved them out of the room, Kieran felt the adrenaline rush bleeding off and he sagged his head against Devan again. Devan put his hand on the back of Kieran’s head again and began threading fingers through his hair. It felt nice, so very nice. He saw Lauren come over to the bed. The tears had started again when he looked up at her.