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A loud bang lures Karen from her slumber, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps that aren’t attempting to be subtle. A reverberant shatter is quickly heard from somewhere around the kitchen.
Karen assumed that it’s probably just Warren and Graham coming back from a heavy night of booze and god knows what, so she opens her eyes slightly glancing begrudgingly at her bedside table, the dim clock reads 02:38am, ‘ugh fuck sake’ she mutters, letting out a groan as she sinks her head further into the pillow in an unsuccessful attempt to drown out the absolute Carry on outside her room.
But before sleep can consume her, she hears a terrified shrill come from her friend, what follows she can only describe as stumbling, shoving and nothing good, she rolls from her bed, quickly scrambling to find something decent to wear so she isn’t bare, she pulls the jeans to her hips not bothering to button them up, not in a situation where her friend could be in danger, she then slides on a plain t-shirt that was crumpled near her door.
Karen bursts out of her room adrenaline possessing her body out of some primal instinct, she enters the hall and the noises only get worse, A rough slam shudders the wall on the other side of the small house, the choked pleads for mercy can be heard falling from Camila’s mouth.
With that Karen bolts down the hall, her jeans slipping down slightly at the vigorous movements causing the bottom of her jeans to slip just in front of her feet and cause her to slide, her knees hit the floor briefly before she’s back to moving as if she had never fallen,
“Camila!” Karen shouts desperately, praying she gets acknowledgement from her.
The sight she stumbles into is something she never wants to witness again, just as she turns the corner and as if it was in slow motion she watches as Billy removes his hand from Camila’s neck turning them both away from the wall, before Balling his fist tightly and harshly striking her temple, she lets out a whimper as she drops to the solid spread of the floor.
“Hey what the hell do you think you're doing!” Karen exclaims aggressively.
Without thinking, not that she ever would when it comes to Camila, she crashes into the room, moving in front of her friend in a protective manner.
“Is this them! this who you've been hooking up with when you think I’m not looking! You’re a fucking slut!” Billy shouts, unable to recognise Karen, the drugs and alcohol clearly corrupting him, making him believe Camila has been cheating on him with this ‘person’ when it just so happened to be the other way round, the irony of it.
“Don’t you dare speak to her like that!”
Karen spits out like venom, god she’s always hated him, the way he treats Camila, it makes her feel physically ill, she deserves anything and everything better than this wanker.
“Oh yea! What’ you gonna do? Huh!? Fuck her some more? Give all the filthy attention that fucking whore craves so much?!” He exclaims smirking devilishly, his wide pupils staying somewhat on the blonde's, before they drift to Camila, his smirk widening, stance becoming wider as he tries to intimidate Karen.
“Get the fuck out.” Karen shakes her head, her demand slipping through clenched teeth. When it comes to this man she struggles to keep composure. She speaks as evenly as possible in a feeble attempt to de-escalate the situation rather than further escalate it.
“Why should I, the slut will just dig her way into your pants!” He shouts distastefully, a rough grin kissing his mouth.
Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Karen’s fist beat him to it, landing a sharp blow that sent him stumbling back slightly while his hand scrambles to find purchase on the beige wall, the other holding his jaw.
“You piece of fucking shit I told you not to talk to her like that!” Karen yells, rage coiling deep in her muscles. The adrenaline masking the pain she should be feeling in her knuckles. She doesn’t have the energy to maintain restraint when it comes to Camila. Especially not right now.
A red rage blinds Karen from her senses and without acting quick enough his rough fist makes contact to her nose a lot sharper than it had Camila’s face, knocking the keyboardist straight to the floor beside his wife who is profusely pleading with him.
“Billy don't!” Camila wails desperately in a rigid attempt to do anything that will bring him out of this delirious state..
Billy moves his way towards Karen’s tensed body, completely out of control. The blonde is just barely on her hands and knees, a gush of blood streams from her nose, he violently sends his foot swinging into her mid section, forcing an echoing yelp from her lips.
Her body crashes, sliding over the floor, crumpling into Camila’s lap who quickly places her arms around her wheezing friend. Billy saunters closer. smugly as he does, happy at what he thinks is ‘revenge’.
“Billy, it’s Karen! Snap out of it!” Camila begs, hoping that maybe he would recognise the name and re-think his next actions. Camila’s body is shaking with a concoction of fear and adrenaline, scared for herself but more so her friend. In no way could she fight Billy off the same way Karen had, at least not for long.
The scariest part is; she doesn’t know how far he’s willing to take this.
Karen is trembling in Camila’s arms, clutching at her stomach and Camila as blood stains the birch floor panels below. But her comfort in the brunette's arms doesn’t last long.
She feels Billy’s hand being clasped around her neck, then comes the pressure as he hoists her up by it, hastily slamming her into the wall while she scrambles for air, clawing into his arm, as her nose coats his hand in blood, he squeezes at her neck and she begins to struggle rapidly, until she doesn’t, her movements slowly becoming more sloppy as she begins to run clean of oxygen.
“No, Billy Stop! You're going to kill her!” Camila screams, hurries from the floor as she does she almost loses her balance but quickly re-gains it. Her hands shove and claw at Billy but he doesn’t budge, all she can do is watch life slowly leave Karen’s eyes.
In that moment she hears a rush of footsteps coming their way, Warren emerges from around the corner, immediately taking in everything.
Karen pinned against the wall, becoming increasingly clumsier in her feeble attempt to escape his vice grip.
Billy’s hand and body holding her in place, unbudging.
Camila screaming at billy while trying to pry
Him off of Karen.
“Hey! Let her go!” Warren shouts authoritatively, quickly jabbing the guitarist in the side his grip on Karen faltering, then gripping his arms around Billy in a tight manner constraining him from lashing out further, Warren being more muscular then Billy helped them tremendously in this situation.
“You'll be alone forever! You hear me bitch?!” Billy spits out before being dragged out the room.
Camila looks at Karen just in time to catch her as she plummets to the floor, the photographer's gentle hands catch her friends' near lifeless body. Karen falls at such an angle in which she sprawls across Camila’s lap facing the brunette.
“Karen!” Camila’s voice wobbles as she tries to rouse her friend from her unconscious state, tears drench paths down the brunette's face. Rolling softly down Karen’s neck as Camila shakes the blonde's body.
“Karen come on! please wake up!” Camila screams, her shoulders shaking with sobs, fearing the worst might have happened to her keyboardist, until she feels a small shift from the women below her.
Small heartbreaking noises fall from the blondes lips, she looks around her eyes squint, her vision hazy but an ounce of fear evident in them. Her body tenses up, preparing for what she knows is inevitable.
She rolls onto her front, whimpers falling helplessly from her lips as her bruised abdomen meets the ground, The muscles in her arms and legs coil tight, willing to use all of her Might to get up and avoid using her core.
she flinches as she feels a delicate hand brush her back. She internally panics, her mind caught between fight of flight, her body straining, bracing for whatever he’s going to do with her next. Well, that is until she hears a sweet velvety voice graze her ears.
“Hey, shh easy, you’re gonna be ok he’s gone, it’s just me.” The confirmation very nearly causes her to sob out of relief.
Karen turns slowly, beginning to shimmy closer to Camila. Discontent noises jumping from her tongue until her upper body is flush with her friends stomach, she wraps her arms around the brunette, splaying her left hand over Camila’s back, but letting out a yelp as she tries to do the same with the other.
“Karen, hey what’s wrong sweetie!?” Worry pinches between Camila’s brows, scared she may have hurt the blonde in some way, even though she hadn’t moved.
“I..I think my hand is broken.” Karen speaks through clenched teeth, pain ripping up her right arm, burning from her knuckles upwards.
“Can I see it, please?” Camila asks softly, Karen moves her arm to the front of Camila’s body, allowing the brunette to take it gently into her hands.
“Thank you, alright tell me if this hurts.” Camila places her thumb on top of Karen’s loosely closed hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, which causes Karen to wail out.
“Shh I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I think you might be right, it’s possibly fractured.” Camila confirms warily.
“Cam.” The keyboardist mutters weakly.
“Yea?” Camila replies, her eyes searching the blonde’s soft face, taking note that her nose is still oozing and the blood is covering a worrying amount of her once plain shirt.
“I f-feel tired, and reallyyyy dizzy.” Karen drags the ‘y’ out drastically, sounding almost drunk as she does, her eyes becoming heavier, slowly drifting from the consciousness.
“I'm so sorry babe but you can’t sleep, I’m going to need to check you over, you could have a serious head injury…which wouldn’t be great.” Camila informs solemnly, adding a small laugh at her last comment, before she gently nudges the woman in her lap, looking over Karen’s face and body for any other injuries.
“But…you’re not a medical.” Karen mutters in a sleepy tone, not even aware of what’s coming out of her mouth, all she knows is that they might be words.
‘Medical’ Camila chuckles under her breath.
“No unfortunately I’m not a ‘medical’”
she teases before continuing,
“but I do happen to have first aid experience from a mandatory course I did in college."
The blonde slouches further into the brunette's arms letting out a little groan as she shifts her abdomen.
“Is she okay?” Warren shouts down the hall, his footsteps gaining volume.
“I don’t know yet, I need your help to lift her onto my bed,” Camila replies, her voice reverberating off the walls.
“I would lift her myself but she's on top of me and I don’t want to risk hurting her further.” she muses, looking towards the wall where Billy had them both pinned, just minutes apart. She blinks the thought away when the drummer reappears.
“Oo, she looks like shit.” Warren deadpans upon observation, not a single filter in sight.
“Seriously. Did you have to say that right now?” Camila scoffs at Warren 's comment rolling her eyes before looking down at her lap. During her short conversation…well scolding, Karen has successfully fallen asleep in Camila's lap.
Warren moves over to them both steadily, he crouches down, placing his arms under the backs of Karen's knees as well as under her arms. But before he can lift he feels an arm pat his shoulder lightly.
“Be gentle, Billy kicked her in her stomach so I imagine that's not her favourite place to move right now,” Camila huffs out a small laugh “it’s probably going to hurt her either way and there isn't much we can do about that, but i’d rather we tried to keep her as comfy as we can.” Karen informs. Her eyes search Warren's face for any indicator that he is going to do as she’s asked. He nods.
His arms strain but only slightly, the keyboardist barely weighed anything in his arms, whether it was because of his biceps or her incredibly lean body, was up to opinion.
Karen’s eyes snap open at the agonising throbbing in her mid section, she lets out a low whimper as the movement continues, she pushes her left hand into his chest in a weak attempt to remove herself from his arms.
The drummer lets out a huff of air at Karen's persistence before gently resting her onto Camila’s bed, Warren lays her on her back, but she shifts with a whimper, rolling over so she's facing the other side of the mattress. The brunette slowly slips into the bed with the blonde, resting her back to the headboard.
‘Thank you.’ She mouths to Warren as he moves to exit the room and give them some space.
“Ok, so I know you’re ‘reallyyyy’ tired, but you can’t sleep until I know you don’t have anything more serious than a concussion. So instead of giving you a full blown check over, I’m just Going to ask you some questions okay?”
“Mkay.” Karen mumbles.
“Alright, earlier you said that you felt quite dizzy and tired? Are you still feeling that way?”
“Mm Yea.” Camila snickers under her breath, the one word replies an answer in itself.
“Are the lights feeling unnecessarily bright for you love?”
Another nod.
“Headache?” The photographer tilts her head to the right looking over the girls features.
“Mhm.”
“Alright can I see your eyes please, just look at me.” Karen compiles reluctantly. Camila proceeds, looking at both of Karen's eyes, double checking both of her pupils are equal sizes.
“Is your vision blurry at all?” The brunette queries.
“Mmmm a little.” The blonde replies, using her index and thumb to visually emphasise her point…well sort of at least, it would make sense if her fingers weren't touching.
Not that Camila would ever admit it but she finds the boisterous girl incredibly adorable in this circumstance, although she shouldn’t, it’s extremely hard when the blonde is so ‘out of it’ it’s incredibly amusing in a way.
“I’m no professional, but as far as I’ve gathered you have quite the abundance of symptoms you would get if you were concussed. Therefore I reckon you are concussed.” Camila concludes, tracing her chocolate eyes over Karen’s contorted face.
“Yayyy.” Karen drags the word out sarcastically in a monotone pitch.
Camila shimmies closer to Karen, placing herself just so her lap is near the blonde's head in case the drowsy girl needs her.
Karen murmurs so faintly that Camilla can’t make out what she's saying.
“Hm?” The brunette responds.
“Can-i…” ‘Can I’ is quickly merged into one word when The keyboardist mumbles. Her face is one with the mattress, her words are fortunately eligible this time, however she has nodded off before she could finish her sentence.
Karen re-awakens, blinking rapidly as she strains to keep her eyes open. “s-sor-“
Her eye lids become heavy again before she shakes her head slightly to waken herself up.
“Shh Karen, just rest. The concussion will be making you feel a little drowsy because of the impact your head took as well as the multitude of other symptoms you’re probably experiencing. Please rest for me, love. I’ll be right here.”
“Mh hm.” A soft noise of agreement is heard before the blonde wraps her arms around Camila’s lap, nuzzling her head into the outside of the woman's thigh, the brunette places her hand on the blonde's back, rubbing soothingly over the stretch of the blonde's shoulder blades.
Before Camila can resist the idea, she begins to hum a slower, more refined version of the band's song ‘the river’ hoping to lull Karen into a sense of security at something familiar to her, alongside Camila of course.
——————
Karen wakes after an unsatisfying nap, the hours having consisted of tossing, sweating, prodding and everything else; The aching pain proving to be enough to rouse her from rest, a light groan of discomfort spilling from her lips as she feels a pounding in her face, she shifts slightly but instantly regrets it, as an
Excruciating pain blooms over her front, making her falter a breath and return to her previous position.
The keyboardist looks downwards, taking in the bandage that’s sitting under her nose. Dried blood coats her face and neck, making her feel uncomfortable as it sinks deep into all the cracks and crevices of her skin. Her eyes slip further down to the t-shirt, her brows quickly furrow together. It’s bloodless, not white, and most certainly not hers.
Karen’s memory proves to be slightly tampered then how she left it as she slowly begins to regain bits and pieces of the fight earlier. Billy hitting Camila, she remembers shouting at him for speaking to Camila so vulgarly. She remembers trying to resolve the situation. She remembers hitting him and then him hitting her, but it becomes hazy beyond that.
She looks over towards Camila who is facing the opposite direction, Karen assumes that the brunette hadn't done this intentionally so she gently reaches out, but hesitates as she sees her friends shoulders shake, Karen blinks a couple of times convinced she's mistaken, until she witnesses it again. After quickly deciding her eyes aren't deceiving her she speaks.
“Camila?”
The brunette startles at Karen’s voice, abruptly sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she brings one hand up to her face and sniffles quietly.
“Hey what's wrong–”
“It’s Nothing, I'm fine.” Camila stammers, her hoarse voice coats the room in what she’d thought would sound lively.
had something happened when she was passed out? Had Billy come back and terrorised her some more?
“how you feeling–” Camila stands, pacing the length of the room in an attempt to hide the tears shining in her eyes, or rather to end the conversation before it begins.
“No cam, Please don't deflect. Talk to me, what's wrong?” Karen urges, patting the spot next to her on her side of the bed.
Camila halts near the door, she turns to face Karen. The keyboardist takes in the brunette's appearance. Bloodshot eyes, tear drenched cheeks, ruby nose, tense shoulders.
It's settled. She’s going to murder that pathetic excuse of a man.
The blonde’s face contorts with concern. She briskly sits up, shifting around so her legs hang off the edge of the bed, before planting them firmly on the cold floor panels. She bites her lip to stop from yelping at the almost unbearable sensation in her mid section. She opens her arms as an invitation for the photographer, A sob falls from the brunette's lips. One that reeks of suppression.
In a matter of seconds Camila is on her
Knees, her fingers desperately clutching to the back of Karen's shirt, straining it as her head nestles into the keyboardists lap. Chocked sobs muffle into the blue jeans.
This isn't something that's just happened, this has been building up for god knows how long.
“I'm exhausted! I'm done being called a slut and a bitch! He's the one that's cheating! He has No fucking right to call me a whore!” Camila sobs desperately into her friend's lap, her breath ragged as all that she has repressed streams out.
“Shhh shh I know, I'm so sorry Camila.” Karen places one hand on Camila's back, slowly rubbing small circles in a soothing manner, while the other gently cups her head, feeding her fingers through the brunette's hair slowly.
Karen wishes she could peel every ounce of suffering that man ever inflicted on the brunette, wishes she could erase every vulgar word that ever grazed her ears. Wishes she had noticed what was happening sooner.
But she is no god, she cannot alter what has happened. But she can be there for the Camila now. that's what matters.
“He’s right though! I'm going to be alone–”
“Hey no, listen to me. Absolutely Nothing that cunt said was true. Camila, you are the most caring and compassionate person I know. Anyone, and I mean anyone, would be lucky to have you in their life.” Karen's cheeks blush a light shade of ruby at her realisation of her true feelings.
The brunette goes still before moving so she’s sitting on her legs. She searches the blonde's face for any sign that she's just telling her what she wants to hear. Almonds meet brown, passing a glance between one another in an almost sacred and untouchable way, like nobody could decode it or understand it even if they strained to try.
They sit like this for a minute or two, before Camila breaks the contact. An evident blush creeping along her cheeks, they sit in a bubble of comfort, neither one of them wanting to break the silence, that is until Camila decides she must.
“When you stood up for me, when you fought Billy it was almost like you had cleared this fog, like everything you said in my defence and every hit you took for me, just evaporated everything that's ever blocked my feelings. It allowed me to see perfectly. I don't understand how I didn't realise, but I'm glad I understand it now. I don't think I've ever truly loved him…It's always been you, Karen.”
A faint shimmers appears in Camila's eyes, as though the confession or rather realisation had given her some sort of release, like it had soothed whatever her mind had been suppressing in its haze.
“Camila, I've always loved you, from the moment I heard you say my name in that devil kissed tone through the staticky piece of crap telephone, I knew that you were gonna break my heart.”
A smile brushes the blondes lips, both their eyes shimmer in the lamps glow, tears wait bated on their eye lids neither willing to look away from the other, let alone blink them away.
Camila moves in, slowly watching the blonde's reaction, scared she may be rushing in too fast or reading the room wrong, but after observing the stunned look on the blonde's face doesn't help camila confirm nor deny if she wants this. That is until Karen smirks, looking down to the brunette’s lips before cupping her face in her soft hand.
Camila sits up so she's on both her knees in front of her friend, She leans into the blonde's soft hand, as she places her own on Karen's hips.
After a couple of hesitant minutes the brunette captures the blonde in a kiss, all the unspoken words they had wished to share slip between their lips instead, the kiss is gentle at first but gradually becomes more passionate, Camila stands, nudging her mouth hungrily waiting for Karen's lips to invite her tongue in, and they do.
Karen's hands find purchase at the brunette’s waist, Camila moves to straddle Karen, settling nicely in her lap, they deepen the kiss further, Camila distributes her weight onto Karen, attempting to pin the blonde below her, until she hears Karen yelp out.
“Shit! Karen, What's wrong!? ” Camila recoils off of Karen's body, concerned contorting her features. They had both just gotten so lost in one another.
“Ah fuck.” Karen grunts, clutching her stomach as she curls into herself.
“I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about your stomach, I wasn't thinking I'm sor–”
“Hey It's fine, I'm fine, calm down. The pain was just very sudden, but I'm alright, and in all fairness I got lost in the moment and forgot about it too, so it's not your fault,” Karen says, tensing her jaw at the gnawing pain spreading over her middle.
“Maybe we should wait to enjoy our…activities until I'm not crippled.” Karen chuckles lightly wincing as she does.
Camila giggles along with Karen, both their ribs tightening as laughter fills the air. It feels almost refreshing, like they have been given a small reprieve, after this chaotic early morning.
Their laughter dies down after a minute or two, both panting with smiles warming their faces as the hour turns blue outside.
“Everything else aside, how are you feeling?” Camila questions, gesturing towards Karen’s stomach.
“Well, As of right now I'm wishing I never had a stomach or just a torso in general, and to top that off it feels like someone dropped a brick on my face, but other than that…” Karen huffs.
“Wait here, I’ll go get you something cold for your stomach.” Camila laughs lightly before gestures towards the door, she tenderly places her lips to the blonde’s before disappearing into the hall.
Karen brings her fingers up to her face, gently brushing them over her lips, savouring the sweet kiss, butterflies swarming her stomach.
Camila re-appears after a moment, an ice bag in her grasp, and in the other she's holding a white bandage.
“So I just grabbed everything useful I could find…which isn't much,” Camila chuckles, glancing down at the items in her hand before moving over to where Karen is sitting, she gently drops to her knees in front of the blonde.
Karen looks over the brunette’s frame taking all of her in, a vibrant blush warming her cheeks at the sight before her. All her past fantasies reveal themselves unhelpfully.
“Easy there tiger, I thought you said, “no ‘activities’ until I'm not crippled.” Camila gestures with finger quotations.
“What? I didn't do anything?”
“No, but your face did.”
Karen remains puzzled.
“Babe, you're the colour of a phone box, and you're looking at me like I'm dessert.” Camila teases, her hands splayed over Karen's knees, giving them a small pat before continuing to create a makeshift ice bandage for her.
“Alright, alright I get it thank you.” Karen coughs, crimson brushing over her cheeks and nose, her head dropping to hide it.
“May I?” Camila gestures towards Karen's mid section.
“Yea, go ahead.” Karen sits up straighter, her face tensing at the ache.
Camila moves forward, gently placing the ice bag on Karen's abdomen who hastily recoils at the sharp chill. She wraps the bandage around the blonde, crossing the ends around the back before bringing them to the front again to tie them off.
The bitter coldness causes Karen to involuntarily groan as her core tenses up, air hissing through her teeth at the cold shock.
“I'm sorry it's cold love, but it will help take some of the pain, just bear with it for now,” Camila assures, looking over Karen's spent body, her heart practically sobbing at the damage the blonde endured at her expense.
“You need to rest, how are you feeling?” Camila asks.
“I'll be fine, us brits you see, tough as nails.” Karen chuckles before wincing at the sudden twinge in her stomach.
“Never mind, forget what I said.”
Karen slowly swivels her legs around, her eyes pinching shut as she aggravates her stomach more. She lays back, steadily sinking into the pillows, her features stiff but slowly easing off as she relaxes into the welcoming mattress.
Camila sinks into the bed beside the keyboardist, opening her arms as an invitation for the blonde, who shuffles to accept the offer.
“I’m sorry Karen, you shouldn't have had to fight–”
“Cam, please don't ever apologise to me about this again,” Karen laughs lightly, no real bite in her demand.
“Me getting hurt means that you didn't have to, and I'd far rather that, then him lay a single finger on you, I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to.” Karen admits full heartedly.
Camila pulls Karen closer, the girls falling into a comfortable silence before drifting off in each other's arms.
Both Feeling the truest kind of love that can be felt, a soothing trust that the other will always keep them safe and comforted no matter what.