Rescue Me

Chapter Two.

In all his years as the Chief of Police he hadn't yet had to deal with a case of child abuse. It just didn't happen in Forks. Sure families had fights and screaming matches, what teenager didn't enjoy screaming at their parents? Even he and Bella fought occasionally and they were both as mild tempered as could be. But the thick folder in his hands couldn't be anything but a case of child abuse, after all Dr Cullen had only named a few examples of the boys past injuries. He'd read through the file while the boy's hand was treated, starting with the first entry when the boy was seven and living in Houston, Texas. A broken arm. Thirty minutes later and he felt sick to his stomach as he'd closed the thick file and followed Dr Cullen to the treatment room where the boy was being seen to.

"I'm Chief Swan," Charlie said softly to the boy who was doing a very good impression of a deer caught in the headlights. "I think we need to have a talk Jasper."

"What about?" the boy asked, trying to sound braver than he looked. He looked…vulnerable. His messy blond hair was sticking out every which way, flopping into his eyes so that he kept brushing it out of the way with his good hand. Charlie noticed a thick scar on the back of that unbroken hand. And his eyes, the blue orbs held so much pain and fear that Charlie didn't want to keep eye contact with him but at the same time they had him mesmerised so that he couldn't look away.

"Jasper, if someone at home is abusing you-"

"No one's abusing me," Jasper interrupted quickly, shaking his head from side to side, "I'm just clumsy, that's all."

"Jasper my daughter is clumsy, seriously clumsy and the worst thing she's ever done is fallen down some stairs and through a window. She broke her leg," Charlie said gently, "How many times do you think it says you've 'fallen down the stairs' in your file? How many times do you think it says you've broken your arm? Or your leg?" Charlie asked, his voice just as soft as he held the thick file up for the now trembling boy to see.

"I…" Jasper mumbled.

"You can talk to us Jasper. We just want to help you," Dr Cullen said in his kindest voice, his hand reaching out as if he wanted to touch Jaspers shoulder gently. The boy flinched away quickly and the doctor sighed sadly, his hand returning to his side, "But Jasper, we can't help you if you don't talk to us."

"I don't…I don't want or need your help," Jasper said quickly, his voice shaking, "Can I go home now?" Both Doctor and Policeman sighed sadly before nodding, they unfortunately couldn't force the boy to report this. They could however keep an eye on him and make it clear that their help was always there for him,

"Jasper, if you ever do need to talk…" Dr Cullen said quickly before the boy could leave, pulling one of his small business cards out of his white hospital coats pocket, "You can reach me on the top of these numbers at any time. The bottom is my number here at the hospital. We just want to help Jasper."

"Yeah, whatever," the boy muttered as he took the card.

And then he was gone.

~ * ~ * ~

He practically ran all the way home, desperately hoping is dad was too drunk to notice he was gone…or notice the cast. Jasper had already pulled his jackets sleeve down as far as it would go, hiding most of the bulky cast. But nothing could be done to hide the bit of the cast on his fingers; his old jacket wasn't long enough. Turning into his road he cursed his luck. The downstairs lights were on. When he'd left his dad had been getting drunker and drunker in his bedroom. Upstairs. If he was downstairs now that meant he knew that Jasper was gone.

"Crap," Jasper muttered, walking up the few steps to the front door. There was no point in sneaking in now. He turned the handle, not surprised it was unlocked and stepped into the brightly lit hall.

"Where the fuck have you been?" His dad was sat on the third step of the stairs, leaning against the banister. He had a beer in his hand and three empties at his feet told Jasper that he'd been waiting a while for Jasper to get home. He was dead.

"I…" Jasper mumbled, reaching up with both hands to push his hair back.

"What the fuck is that?" his dad demanded, pointing to the broken hand. Jasper winced and bit his lip, he'd forgotten. How could have forgotten?! "You little fucker!" His dad flew towards Jasper, his hand closing around Jasper's throat as he slammed his sons back against wall. Jasper cried out in pain. "You went to the hospital didn't you? Didn't you?!"

"I-I had too!" Jasper choked out, his good hand scratching at his dad's fingers as his breathing was restricted. "There were…nine breaks…"

"What did you tell them?!?"

"I-I told them…I'd had…an accident." He gasped loudly when hid dad released him suddenly, his own hand going to his throat to hold the bruising skin gently. "I told them I accidentally got my hand caught in the door."

"No one suspected?"

He wanted to scream 'yes' in his dads face, to laugh and tell him that someone cared about him and that he would be getting away…

"No," he mumbled instead, his voice as subdued as his spirits, "No one suspected." His dad nodded once and then stumbled away towards the kitchen, in need of another beer no doubt. That left Jasper alone to stumble up the stairs to bed.

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A/N There we go, another chapter. Thanks for the response to the first chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one.