Recompense

***All sexually active characters depicted are of age, 18 years old ate least, and, some of what you read may cause distress. Always be safe and vigilant.***

At the Cummings' castle, with the wedding of Tiffany, 22, and Craig, 21, about to begin, the inner courtyard of the castle is filled with their family, and friends from through their years, all gathering to see them brought together in the bonds of matrimony. Craig stands waiting with the registrar, with Pleasant, 25, as his best man, awaiting the arrival of his bride-to-be.

Tiffany stands with her procession of bridesmaids, ready to walk down the aisle with George, 48, arm in arm. The bridesmaids begin to walk down the aisle: Frankie, 22, her maid of honour, leads the procession, followed by Gabby, 20, and Gloria, 38, then Lucy, 44, with Gracie, 56. Now, it is time for Tiffany to take her turn. George gives her a proud smile, telling Tiffany, "You got this, girl," and she giggles back at him, feeling elated and joyous as they proceed to march.

Craig stands waiting, facing the aisle, and his eyes are met by Tiffany's dress sparkling with such a shine that gleams so brightly with the sunlight, from many in-set diamonds in the bodice, and the white silk trails in waves down to the hem, which flows whimsically with each step she takes. Captivated, Craig is offered her hand by his father. George watches the couple take their positions next to each other as he takes his seat, with Craig and Tiffany gazing happily into each other's eyes.

The registrar announces, "We are gathered here to celebrate the love Tiffany and Craig have for each other, with us all witness to their vows and promises they are due to make. It will bring me great pleasure to marry these two, but, I am duty-bound to ask; if there are any who object to this union, please, speak now?"

One of the waitstaff standing in attendance at the perimeter of the courtyard walks towards the couple, pulling out a pistol tucked in the waistband of their trousers and concealed by their shirt, calling out, "I have something to say," holding up the gun to shocked gasps and scared whimpers as everyone notices.

Tiffany turns around, and her eyes widen with terror, backing up to Craig who cradles her belly in his arms, as she shakily asks, "Linford? What are you doing?"

The waitstaff confirms, "Yeah, slut. When I heard you were getting married, I just had to do something. I spent 2 years locked up in a prison cell in some shithole country, getting fucked every day by men who paid for me while I was in chains; not that I ever saw a penny from it. Some crazy bitch in black kidnapped me, saying it was because of what I did to you two. Could she be here? Fucked if I know, but I know I can make you pay for what happened to me."

Tiffany defiantly says, "Well, then, you got what you deserved. You have no idea how what you and your friends did to me affected me. You left me mentally broken and scarred. Hearing that you were rotting in a cell at least gives me some slight satisfaction."

Linford, 22, marches up to the bride, close enough to hold his gun to her head at arm's length, with rage tugging on his upper lips and cheeks, as he stares at her. Tiffany stares at the gun, going cross-eyed as she tries desperately to keep sight of it, and Linford warns her, "I thought about this for a long time, slut," looking behind Tiffany to add, "And you, bro," talking to Craig.

From behind Craig, Pleasant steps forward slowly, with her hands clearly visible to Linford, and she calmly says, "You don't need to do this. What happened to you was nothing to do with them. You were kidnapped and imprisoned? Well, you got out. You have your freedom. And, now, what? You are going to give up that freedom for an imagined vendetta? How did you escape?"

Linford focuses on Pleasant, now standing between him and Tiffany, and he explains, "I got chatting to one of my regulars who understood me a little, and he wanted to have me all to himself, saying he loved me. Take me away someplace to be his bitch. I played along with him until we got out of there and away from that place, and I bailed."

Pleasant enquires, "What brought you here?"

Linford answers, "I heard about the wedding in the news. I knew this was my chance to get payback for everything I was made to suffer. Do you know what it's like to be in chains like a slave, bro, fed on scraps of shit everyday and hot water that is probably the guards piss? It's degrading. It's humiliating. And, in a place where no-one speaks our language. After 2 years, I still don't have a fucking clue what they're talking about."

Taking advantage of Linford's upset, Pleasant places her palm over the top of the pistol, and presses it down, suggesting to Linford, "It's okay. You're not there anymore. You don't have to go back there." Linford closes his eyes, clearing his mind as he listens to Pleasant talking him down, lowering the gun. He feels her hand rub his forearm softly as she grips the gun firmly with the other, and she says, "You know deep down inside you don't have to be here."

Linford's eyes snap open and lock-on to Pleasant's eyes, staring point blank at each other as he recalls, "I recognise that voice. I know it's no mistake." Pleasant squeezes her grip of his forearm and gun tighter, as he realises, "You are the crazy bitch in black who kidnapped me. Your voice was in my head for two years. There is no mistake."

Pleasant tries to wrench Linford's gun from his hand, but he holds on tighter, trying to point it at her as she aims it away from her. The two struggle for control of the weapon, with Linford feeling more and more desperate as two years of fear grip him tightly, finally coming face-to-face with his tormentor.

Bang!...

A sound like thunder cracks around the courtyard, and Pleasant collapses onto her knees, still clutching the gun, and Linford's arm as he wrenches it free, pointing the pistol directly at her head. Linford's arm is wrenched down, and the gun taken from him in one fluid motion, as Luke Bailey detains him.

Everyone crowds around Pleasant to see if she is okay, and she is bleeding from the side of her belly. Frankie sits at her side, clutching her hand, and pressing her palm to her side, as Pleasant adamantly says, "I'm fine. He didn't even hit me."

Frankie tells her husband, "You're in shock. You did get shot."

Pleasant stubbornly shakes her head in disbelief, and Luke announces, "I called for back-up as soon as I spotted the gun, so an ambulance will be here in a moment."

Worriedly looking around the courtyard, Tiffany concernedly asks, "Where is Joy?"

Luke assures the mother, "She has been with Tina. She is safe. I got her to leave immediately when we saw the gun. Hopefully, Joy is none-the-wiser to what happened."

Relieved, Tiffany exclaims, "Oh, thank fuck. I was worried when I noticed I didn't hear her crying. It was so loud."

Frankie leans in closer to her husband, and quietly asks her, "Is it true? What he said?"

Pleasant whispers in her wife's ear, "I would do anything for you."

Frankie gulps, and whispers back, "I don't know you at all, do I?"

Pleasant keeps her voice low as she begs, "Please, Frankie, don't be so dramatic. I thought I was protecting you, helping you and those closest to you. I did it because I love you."

Frankie says to her husband, "I didn't ask for any of this."

Pleasant faintly laughs, and looks into her wife's eyes to whisper, "That's what, 'I would do anything for you,' means; that you never have to ask. I saw how he hurt everyone, including you, and, I wanted to stop it."

Frankie grips Pleasant's hands tighter, and tells her, "We will talk more about this later. For now, we need to get you all fixed up, and check the baby."

Pleasant nods in agreement with her wife, and she relaxes, embarrassed by the extreme measures she went to in order to show her love, and also frustrated that what she did failed to do what she intended. She glares at Linford, calling to taunt him, "You have been a very bad boy."

Linford attempts to break himself free from Luke's grip, incensed by the very phrase that haunted him the most during his incarceration, but, Luke wrenches Linford's arms tighter behind his back, causing immense tension in his arms, shoulders, and back, and he grimaces at Pleasant as he stops struggling.

Craig walks up to Linford, getting really close to stare him directly in the eyes, growling with anger as he tells him, "You are real piece of shit; a right fucking cunt for coming on my wedding day, and threatening my fiancee, and my best man, at gun point. Don't tell me, you are doing this because you still want me?"

Linford laughs mockingly, saying, "After being in prison for two years with an all-you-can-eat cock buffet, I couldn't give a fuck about you, bro. I'm just paying back what I suffered. And, that chick is your best man? She packing heat down there?"

Craig snarls, "She's more of a man than you'll ever be," punching him with a hook square across the jaw with as much weight as he could swing into it.

Linford's cheek feels hot like it is burning lava, making him suck air through his teeth, and he sorely asks, "You gonna arrest him too for assault, officer?"

Luke says into Linford's ear, "No, you deserved that. I think I should let him go off on you a lot more."

Linford bravely states, "How about I sue you for police brutality?"

Luke considers what would happen, supposing, "You could sue me with a lawyer who would be assigned to you, because I doubt you can afford one. It just so happens that we know a lawyer who would be perfect to represent you, and make sure you get exactly the compensation you deserve."

Linford remarks, "That sounds like you are trying to intimidate me, bro."

Luke tells Linford, "I am not your, 'bro,'" wrenching Linford's arms again to shoot excruciating pain through him, and Craig punches Linford again before walking away to calm himself down.

Tiffany squares up to Linford, with a scowl of pure scorn on her face, and she spits at him, "You insufferable cunt! You really hurt us before, you know? What you did to Craig was bad enough. He got through it, showing mercy to you by not reporting it, because you were friends once. You didn't know that, did you? Then you have me gangraped, and you left me for dead. I may as well have been for how I felt: depressed, worthless, like I deserve nothing, and could never love again. I got through it with the support of my family, and you come here, on my wedding day, and you threaten to end our lives," punching Linford full force, making his cheek pop open with a spurt of blood, spattering down to the floor following his arc as he is knocked off-balance.

Luke hoists Linford to stand upright again, with Linford welling up tears in his eyes, whimpering with a trembling lip. Tiffany taunts him, "Oh, you gonna cry?," and she bitterly boasts, "Did I hurt you? Feeling humiliated by being brought to tears by a girl?," scowling, "Save it! That was nothing compared to what I have been forced to suffer because of you, cunt!"

Tiffany knees Linford in the balls, and starts flailing more punches at him with full force, determined to beat him to within an inch of his life. Craig gingerly approaches his furious fiancee from behind, taking care not to get hit as Tiffany twists her hips into each punch, and he hugs her hips, dragging her back. She turns into her fiance, and hugs him back.

When the paramedics arrive to take Pleasant to the hospital, Frankie says, "I should go with her."

Domhnall, 65, adamantly tells Frankie, "Your friend looks like she really needs her maid of honour on her wedding day. I will go with Pleasant. I won't let anything happen to her."

Frankie says a heartfelt, "Thank you," as she watches her wife leave the courtyard with her father-in-law, knowing that Pleasant will be well looked after, putting her at ease.

With the assistance of the police officers that arrived with the paramedics, Luke hands over Linford to be taken to the police station to be processed, and he says to Tiffany, "Miss Bright, I am so sorry you had to go through this on your wedding day. How are you holding up?"

Tiffany calmly states, "I am relieved that you were here, Luke. I can see you genuinely care about us a great deal, and I am thankful for that," and she takes centre-stage to announce to everyone, "Thank you to everyone for coming today. I appreciate each and every person who has taken time out of their day to be here. You all mean something to me, no matter how small, like the stars in the night sky, you can all seem so distant at times, but, you each have your own worlds, and you can always be found.

"I stand before you today because I want to declare my love for Craig in front of you all, and, I don't need to get married to do that. All through my life, Craig has been there for me. We're as close as any two people can be. We have had highs and lows, good times and bad, and he never complains. He never leaves. He is never angry with me. He is patient, and understanding, and he gives me a reason to live, even when I want to decide not to anymore.

"We have a wonderful daughter," noticing Tina's timely return with her daughter held in her arms, drawing attention to them as she points out, "There she is, Joy, who has brought us closer than anything ever has. She truly has brought joy to both of us, and, I wouldn't have that without Craig. We are doing our best each day, despite all the hardship that comes our way, with Joy as a beacon to remind us that everything will be okay.

"I don't need to be married to show how I feel. I know how I feel, and Craig knows how I feel, and I know how he feels. What happened here today is a far greater affirmation of our love than any marriage vows, to stand in the face of danger, and defend each other, and, we don't have to do it alone. My name is Bright, but I am also Reid, and have been accepted as Cummings; a marriage couldn't possibly represent all of that. Instead, I will live each day knowing I am not doing this alone, with you all around to support me, and Craig at my side."

Craig takes Tiffany in his arms, hugging her tightly from behind, and Tina hands Joy to Tiffany to be cradled in her mother's arms, just as everyone in the courtyard applauds Tiffany's heartfelt speech. Craig whispers into Tiffany's ear, "I kept pushing for this wedding, thinking that it would be good to give you something to look forward to, that it would be a perfect moment to tell you how much I love you, but, I can do that any day, at any time, in any place."

Tiffany smiles warmly in Craig's embrace, and says in return, "I know. You mean well; you always do. We are like husband and wife anyway, just without it being official, and, we don't need it to be. I will always be with you, and Joy."

At the hospital, Pleasant is checked over on a bed in a private room, and is left to be alone by the doctors and nurses to be able to rest. Soon after, another nurse enters the room, closing the door, and approaching the bed. Pleasant doesn't notice the nurse at first, but then she feels the nurse's fingers stab into her wound, making her gasp and tense, shooting a look at the nurse to see a familiar face as she calls out, "Bonnie!?"

Bonnie, 24, thrusts her fingers as deep into the wound as they will go, and swirls them around, really digging everywhere she can reach, making Pleasant wince and grimace in agony as she writhes around. Bonnie tells her, "When I heard you were here, I couldn't resist. You aren't that bitch, Tiffany, but, you are close to her, so I don't mind. We were close once, if you remember?"

Pleasant desperately tries to breathe, attempting to speak, but she can't form her words as the pain grips her greatly, so Bonnie continues the conversation, "I understand you are pregnant? I admit, that came as a complete shock. I don't ever remember you having an interest in men, or, does that wife of yours come with interchangeable parts like some freaky doll?"

Bonnie laughs manically, and Pleasant tries to feel her belly, feeling distressed, and Bonnie tells her, "Oh, don't you worry, the baby is fine. Her levels are stable... For now... Oh, wouldn't it be fun to take it away from you. I wouldn't be too concerned. I'm good at what I do, so, you wouldn't feel a thing."

Pleasant tries to sit herself up, attempting to pull away from Bonnie, but she constantly moves with her, stroking her hair with her latex gloves as she continues to plunge her fingers deep inside Pleasant's wound. Bonnie pulls her fingers to the surface of the wound, then thrusts back in, and back to the surface, and stabbing back in again, finger-fucking the wound to make Pleasant roll around in agony, doubling over, and laying stiff and tense, and curling up, and struggling to catch her breath as her eyes stream.

Bonnie gloats, "What's wrong, sis? I thought you liked to play rough," laughing manically at Pleasant's pain.

Domhnall enters the room, and sees what is happening, shouting, "Bonnie!" He then calls urgently down the corridor, "Nurse! Security! Get in here!"

Nurses flood in to the room, and pull Bonnie away from Pleasant, kicking and screaming as she is reluctant to leave, but is dragged out of the room screaming, "Get off me, you bitch! I will take everything from you, sis!"

The nurses tend to Pleasant, settling her down, and checking her stats, and the status of her baby, with one of the nurses remarking, "Everything is looking good. You are a strong woman, with a strong child coming." Pleasant nods appreciatively, breathing around her pain as best as she can as the nurses leave.

Her father sits with her, and he assures her, "I'm going to be right here. You get some rest."

Pleasant looks up at her father, and says, "Don't get any ideas while I'm asleep."

Domhnall laughs briefly, and smiles on his daughter as he tells her, "Don't you worry. My love for you is too pure."

Pleasant smiles, comforted and contented, and she drifts into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, at the castle, the courtyard has been cleared to allow everyone to gather around, drink, and dance to pop music that the hired DJ has put on to lighten the mood following the earlier drama.

Tiffany tires of being the centre of attention, and grabs Frankie's wrist, saying to her, "Let us find a quiet spot to talk." Leading her friend down the hallways, they find a spot where they can be alone, near a window overlooking the countryside, and Tiffany asks her, "I was thinking about what Linford said about Pleasant, and how you spoke with her afterwards. What is going on?"

Frankie stares off into the distance as she thinks, "I, uh, don't really... um, know. It's like... sometimes Pleasant seems like she has this whole other life I just don't know about. I don't know if she is purposely keeping something from me, or, she is ashamed of her past, whatever it may be, or, I don't know... I need to talk with her about everything. If she loves me as she says, she will tell me, right? I wish she would just be honest and open. I thought she was, but, when I was on my honeymoon, when she was with Rajesh, they had private conversations they didn't let me in on. Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, but, something is happening, and, I want to know."

Tiffany supportively says, "I'm sure that she has the best of intentions. Whatever it is, she must have her reasons for keeping it from you."

Frankie echoes her husband's sentiment, "'I would do anything for you.' That is what she has said to me for over 3 years. She put herself in the way of a gun. She didn't flinch, or hesitate, and she didn't back down. Linford scared me, as he did all of us, but, Pleasant scared me more when she did that. Who is she?"

Tiffany supposes, "I have a dark side to me. Maybe, she does too?"