Raymond snuck into Charmaine's room.  Standing in the shadows of the room he watched her sleep.  Even in the darkness, he could still see the bruises that marred her face.  Tormented by the sight, he abruptly looked away.  He needed a few minutes to control his emotions before he could look at her again.  If she had stayed with him none of this would have happened.  He would never have given her any reason to take her own life.  Raymond knew without a doubt that Ben pushed her too far and this was her way out.  If only…  He shook away the thought.  No matter how many 'if onlys' there were it won't undo what had been done.  The only thing he could do now is find out what exactly happened and help her overcome it.

Raymond returned his gaze on her.  Slowly, he walked towards the bed and stopped at her side.  Lifting her hand in his, he bent and whispered, "Charmaine, its me, Raymond."

Charmaine was floating down a black tunnel.  Her feet glided effortlessly for there was no solid ground beneath her.  Something at the end of the tunnel was commanding her attention.  Like a curious bird, she flew towards it.  As she drew deeper and deeper into the black tunnel, she could make out a small circle of light at the end.  The closer she got, the bigger the circle became.  "Charmaine."  Her name was a whisper in the darkness.  She looked behind her at the other end of the tunnel and it was pitched black.  She didn’t want to go back there.  It made her cold and scared.  She wanted to go to the light where she knew it would safe and warm.  "Charmaine," the voice whispered her name again.  This time the voice sounded familiar and her heart knew who it was.  She pushed herself forward, trying to get closer to the light.  The circle was now over three feet wide and she could almost make out Raymond's form against the light.  "Raymond," she called out desperately to him as she forced herself to go faster.  Towards Raymond.  Suddenly the circle began to close.  "No!" she screamed and then she heard another voice.  The new voice said her name as well, but the voice was hard and sinister, sending chills down her spine.  "Charmaine," it said again and then came the crackling.  The circle has now closed and Charmaine was in total blackness.  But she wasn't alone.  She felt an odd prickling at her neck and she turned.  At that moment Ben reached for her.

Raymond could see her fidgeting in her sleep as her breathing became erratic.  Her head was rolling back and forth on the pillow and was moving as if speaking.  "Charmaine?" he touched her face gently and she shuddered.

"No," Charmaine whimpered in her sleep.  "No!  Stop!"

Raymond gently shook her, "Charmaine, wake up.  It's a dream.  Wake up."  He watched her face distort as her nightmare embellished her.  She was now turning her head vehemently from side to side and pulling against her restraints.  Her legs were kicking out as if she was trying to fight off something.  "No!  Please stop," she cried in a low strangled voice.

The terror on her face tormented Raymond and wanting so badly to save her from her nightmare, he shook her with more force.  "Charmaine, wake up," he ordered.

Charmaine stopped thrashing.  She went still and then her eyes fluttered open.  She stared at Raymond, seeing him but not really seeing him.  "Raymond?" she whispered faintly.

"Yes, its me," Raymond touched her face gently and Charmaine winced from his touch.  "I'm sorry," he immediately apologized.

Tears spilled from her eyes as Charmaine took in the sight before her.  Raymond was here.  He wasn't looking at her with hate.  He was looking at her in a tender way that she missed seeing.

Raymond brought a finger to gently wipe at her tears.  "Tell me what happened.  What did Ben Wong do to you?"

The memory of her returned with vengeance as images of the vile things that Ben did to her flashed endlessly in her head.  "Raymond, I…" she whimpered then broke off crying.

Raymond held her as close as the restraints could allow.  Smoothing her hair, he held her against his chest.  He knew she was terrified.  But he needed her to tell him of what so that he could help her.  "Tell me," he urged gently.  "Let me help you."

"What's going on here?" a nurse came into the room, saw Raymond and asked icily, "What are you doing in here?  Visiting hours were over a long time ago."

Raymond stepped back from Charmaine and took out his badge, "I'm Lam Sir from the Kowloon station.  I wanted to question her on her injuries."

Ben came into the room and saw Raymond.  "What are you doing in here?" he shouted and turned to the nurse with agitation.  "This is a private room and isn't it your duty to make sure no one but the patient's family can come in here?" he snapped.

The nurse bobbed her head.  "Y-Yes, Mr. Wong."  She looked over at Raymond, "You have to leave this room immediately."

Raymond looked over at Charmaine.  She was lying on her side, her face averted.  He could see her body tremble with her soft crying.  "Charmaine…"

"Is MY wife," Ben snapped.  He gave the nurse a hard glare and the nurse quickly and efficiently dragged Raymond out the door.

When Raymond and the nurse were gone, Ben went to Charmaine's side and gently touched her shoulder.  "Charmaine?"

Charmaine flinched at his touch.  "Go away," she wept, "I don't want to see you ever again."

"I'm so sorry Charmaine.  I shouldn't have…"  Ben couldn't bring himself to repeat what he did.  "I'm really sorry.  Please forgive me."

"Please go away," Charmaine cried.  She slowly lifted her gaze to him and said firmly, "I want a divorce."

Divorce!  Ben would never agree to that.  Looking imploringly at her, he continued to plead, "No!  You can't leave me!  I promise this will never happen again.  I was drunk.  I didn't know what I was doing."

Charmaine shook her head, "Please leave!"  She then shut her eyes and turned away from him.

"Charmaine," Ben begged, "Give me another chance."  When she remained unmoving, Ben's face hardened.  He roughly turned her onto her back until she was staring up at him with shock.  Holding her in place with his hands, he snarled, "You are not leaving me!  Understand.  If you do, I will hunt you down and I will keep you locked up in the house.  I will do it and nobody would ever know!"

Frightened by the dark rage in Ben, Charmaine sobbed, "You're crazy!"

Ben cradled her face and he could see the revulsion and fear on it.  He didn't care.  All he cared was having her by his side.  Smoothing a thumb over her bottom lip, he said softly, "I AM crazy.  Crazy in love with you and I will never let you go.  Never."  He then bent and kissed her, ignoring her cries.

------------------------------

Raymond returned home and found Gigi in the living room.  "Waiting up for me?"

Gigi switched the television off and glared at him.  "Where were you?  Have you forgotten that Mandy was coming over for dinner?"

Mandy!  Dammit, he did forget.  Looking contritely at his mom, he said, "I got tied up at the station."

"Really?  That's odd.  We called the station and Nancy told us you left right after work.  Where did you go?"

Raymond closed his eyes briefly as thoughts of Charmaine took over.  "I don't want to get into this now," he said unsteadily and then walked towards his room.

Gigi however wasn't easily dismissed.  "Raymond, what is going on with you?  You said you wanted a second chance with Mandy and you don't even come home for dinner after you invited her over.  Is that what you call making an effort?"

Raymond reached his room door.  "I'm tired and there's a lot on my mind.  Can you give me some space?"

Gigi suddenly saw the tension and fatigue on Raymond's face and it gave rise to worry.  She hasn't seen him looking like this since Charmaine's departure.  With panic, she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"No, it isn't," Raymond responded right away.  The vision of Charmaine strapped to a hospital bed with bruises all over face continues to haunt him.  Closing his door, he muttered, "I will never be alright."