Battle Scars

Snake Skin

Sarah was annoyed.  She stood still in front of her supervisor as the Sergeant explained why she was being taken out of the Visitation's Officer position she had been enjoying the last several years.  The last month had been like a dream.  Everyone at the office had been shocked that she not only got married suddenly after such a harrowing attack, but that it was also to the new trainer in the department.  The women had given her sly looks as he had already been the topic of many conversations.  One had even told her, "Damn good thing you moved fast.  The vultures were already circling."  Kakashi had flourished under the new role and everyone that had come to know him liked him a lot.  He fit in like a fish in water and that had pleased Sarah to no end.  Only a few of the officers had made cracks about his name and how much he looked like the Anime character.  One of them had even teased her about marrying him just because he did look like the character.  Little did he know!

Yet the ideality was about to die... at least in the case of her job.  She felt anger brewing inside as she listened to her Sergeant.  "So basically, I'm being punished for doing a good job."

"Now Sarah," Sergeant Morris said in her soft voice.  "It's not a punishment.  We just don't trust anyone else to do it with the discretion you will."

Sarah groaned and covered her face.  "I'm just saying it now, I already hate this."

"I appreciate your candor but it is what it is.  You'll be training with Gonzalez this week before he retires and then you'll be doing the mail on your own."

Argument done.  It was an order without specifically stating it was an order.  Damn it.  Sarah gave a long sigh then stood.  "Okay."

"You can report today, I've already told Jameson to report to Visitation."

"Yes, Ma'am," she responded before leaving the office to meander over to the mailroom.

Later that night, Kakashi rubbed her shoulders as she ranted about the change.  He then leaned forward and kissed her neck.  "I'm sorry.  I know how much you enjoyed working in visitation.  Give it a chance... maybe you'll like it?"

Sarah shivered as he continued to kiss the curve of her neck.  "Hmm... for some reason when you say it... like that... it doesn't sound so bad."

Kakashi chuckled before lowering his voice, "I can think of something else that doesn't sound so bad."

A week later, she was walking down the hallway dragging her lumbering cart behind her.  Kakashi could kiss her neck all he wanted, she hated working the mail.  More specifically, she hated when she had to go down the male units.  Bunch of horny bastards.  She could have been an eighty year old grandma and they'd still have sexually harassed her.  She had gotten pretty good at her come backs but it still upset her every time she had to go down there and pass out the mail.  Not only that, her back was sore from all the heavy lifting and pulling she had to do.  It just wasn't a position she would ever like and she was indefinitely stuck doing it.

Sarah inwardly groaned as the chaos began the minute she came into sight.  The main instigator was a sick son of a bitch by the name of Richard James.  He was in for the murder and rape of an eighteen year old college student.  She shuddered inwardly every time she saw him.  Not only would he say some of the most vile things imaginable but the look he gave her was that of a snake that if able would lash out.  He would often grab himself when she was there and stroke himself through his sweatpants while saying nasty things.  She really pissed him off yesterday when she had finally had enough and hit below the belt, "What are you trying to repulse me further with your itty bitty thing?"  His face had gotten so red and he had jumped at the glass.

"If I ever get out, I'm going to kill you bitch," he had yelled.

She had smirked at him, "You're not getting out anytime soon so settle down James before you hurt yourself."

"You really shouldn't provoke him," Rodgers had told her when she turned the corner around the bubble where he had been standing, talking to the officer inside.  "That's one crazy son of a bitch.  I think he'd actually do it if he could get his hands on you."

It was the first thing he had said to her since the incident out at her car and she was surprised at the concern in his tone.  He had, thankfully, been keeping his distance after their verbal judo in the parking lot.  She gave him a nod, "You're probably right but I'm not going to allow him to scare me.  If I do, he wins."

Sarah got through passing out the mail in the first two units and cringed inwardly as she started towards the unit that Richard James was in.  She could see him already, glaring at her even as he stroked himself through his sweats.  God he was vile.  She was about to unlock the small port when she heard a sound that sent a cold chill down her spine.  She turned to look back at the bubble but did not see anyone inside; yet the door to the unit was buzzed open.

"Oh shit," she said and started backing up.

Where the fuck was the guard in the bubble?  She turned to run down the hallway and was horrified as the door at the end of the hallway was closed.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson, bitch!" Richard James yelled as he came out of the unit in hot pursuit.

She hit the door with her hands, seeing a couple of officers on the opposite side.  Their eyes were wide as they took the situation in.  Both men went fumbling for their keys.  She saw a flash of movement past them but didn't have time to process it as angry hands wrapped around her ponytail before slamming her face into the glass hard.  On her radio, she could hear one of the officers yelling over the radio "Sergeant Brown, Unit block C!"

Sarah barely registered the next slams of her head into the glass or the ripping of fabric.  Her head was swimming from the hits.  Just as abruptly, she felt herself released and heard the door finally getting opened from the other side. She collapsed on the ground, her vision swimming.  She was actually seeing double at that moment.

"Sarah... Sarah look at me," Kakashi was saying but she couldn't quite focus on him.  "Fuck... Hold on baby girl, you're safe now.  You're safe now."

Her head hurt so bad.  She reached up and was startled as she felt sticky blood coat her fingers.  Not even a moment later, the medics were there and looking her over.  She could hear Richard James yelling as he was dragged off in the restraining chair to the violent separation unit.  Her vision was finally more in focused and she could see Kakashi clearly now.  The look in his eyes was one of fury.  Lt. Perez was there at that point and was kneeling next to her, drawing her attention away from Kakashi.

"What happened?"

"I was passing out mail and when I got to his unit, I heard the door buzz open.  I looked into the bubble but no one was in there.  At least, I didn't see anyone.  I made a run for the exit but that door was closed."

"It was closed when you came on unit?"

"No, it started closing when I ran for it," she whispered.

His eyes narrowed before he looked at one of the officers, "Where the hell is Smith?  He's supposed to be in there.  I want to know what the fuck just happened and I want it now.  Get all the videos downloaded and on my desk immediately.  I also want statements from everyone involved!  No one goes home until I have them!"

The medics helped Sarah to her feet and carried her out of the unit and towards the front exit where the ambulance was waiting.  Kakashi hung back, knowing he couldn't go with her even though he wanted to.  He looked at the Lieutenant.

"How much trouble am I in for intervening?" he asked him softly.

"None but damn you move fast.  I'm surprised you just restrained the bastard instead of beating him to a pulp after what he did," Perez answered with narrowed eyes.  "Someone did this and I have my suspicions of who it was.  I hope to God I got the bastard on camera."

Kakashi stilled, "She has an enemy here?"

Perez's brows rose, "She didn't tell you about Rodgers?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes and shook his head negative.  "One of our officers had a real hard on for her but she wanted nothing to do with him.  He hounded her so much I even had to call him on the carpet for it.  He didn't take your arrival very well and even got a write up for inappropriate use of force with one of the inmates after he found out about your marriage." The Lt. recognized the look that crossed the other man's face, "Don't do anything now, Hatake.  I'm going to personally go through everything and get the bastard myself.  Take the rest of the day off and go be with your wife.  I'll get your statement later."