A/N:  Hello everyone. It's Katherine here.  I wanted to give you a heads up that the rest of Robert and Georgie's visit to the health clinic is in this chapter. I did a lot of research about what would happen during a visit to a G.U.M. Clinic, as they're called in the U.K., and everything I wrote is as accurate as I could make it.

Just to warn you what's coming, I have written questions by the nurse that are clinical (not graphic) descriptions of sex acts. Georgie's answers are referring to nonconsensual sex and may be difficult to read. You can skip the flashback entirely if you wish.

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Robert was standing on the pavement next to a park, feeling sick. He looked over and saw a bench close by. He staggered to it, almost falling on it when he sat down and slumped over, putting his head in his hands.

The words he'd shouted at her, 'You stabbed me in the back,' ran through his mind over and over again. Where the hell did that come from? Was that the source of the anger and bitterness that had been eating away at him? When she'd left him, he'd almost completely shut down, never really examining his feelings about what happened but it seemed obvious to him now, he did feel betrayed.

But what made him feel sick was the certain knowledge that he had no right to lash out at her the way he had. Not after what he'd done to her.

---Then---

While the nurse looked at her expectantly, Georgie was squeezing Robert's hand so tight it was painful. How could he have been so stupid? He'd thought they'd just request everything and get the tests. It never occurred to him they would ask questions. Georgie was in no way prepared for something like this, he thought desperately.

"Well, let's say over the last six months, how many sexual partners have you had other than Robert," the nurse asked, maybe thinking she would help by narrowing the window down from a year.

"One," Georgie said faintly.

Robert looked at her sharply, but she was looking straight ahead at the nurse and he couldn't see her expression. He wondered if she was going to cut off circulation to his fingers, she was squeezing them so tight.

"Was your other partner a male or female?" the nurse said gently.

"Male," she said almost in a whisper.

"Can you tell me what kinds of sex you had with him?" That's when Georgie turned in her chair to look at Robert.

What he saw horrified him. Georgie's eyes were wide with fear. She was looking at him like she couldn't believe he'd done this to her, that he'd betrayed her. She was silently begging him to do something, to save her from this. Before he could react, the nurse spoke again, drawing Georgie's attention back to her.

"I know this is a difficult question to answer, Georgie. But it's important information I need to know. Did you have vaginal sex with your other partner?" she asked gently.

Georgie hung her head, looking down at her hand that was squeezing his then slowly nodded. Robert couldn't believe this was happening. He had to figure out a way to stop this, to get them the hell out of there.

"Did he use condoms when you had sex?" the nurse continued.

Georgie shook her head.

That broke through Robert's racing thoughts, completely shocking him. How could she say that? She'd fucking told him the bastard was using them. He immediately thought back to the night when they'd had the conversation about them. As he remembered what she'd said, he realized she'd only said she knew what condoms were. He'd assumed it was because the bastard was using them – and then his stomach dropped. That was before he knew about the other men.

The nurse carried on as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. "Did you have anal sex with him?"

Georgie slowly nodded, and Robert felt like he was living through a nightmare, one he desperately wished he could wake up from. He tried not to show that he suddenly felt like throwing up.

"Did he use condom at any time when he did?"

Georgie shook her head. Of course he didn't, the dirty fucking bastard, Robert thought as a murderous rage boiled through him for what he'd done to her, for how terribly he'd hurt her and made her suffer.

"Did you have oral sex with him?"

Georgie nodded. Robert wasn't surprised, but when the nurse questioned her further he was horrified to find out the sick bastard had made her put her mouth on every part of him.

Then the nurse asked her a series of other questions while she sat with her head still hanging. "Do you know if your other partner has ever been tested for STI's or if he's been diagnosed? Did he have any tattoos or piercings? Did he use drugs? Snorting anything or using needles?" The answer to all those questions was Georgie shaking her head 'No'.

"You're doing very well, Georgie. Now I want to ask about any sexual partners you've had prior to six months ago. Can you tell me how many you had?"

"Um," Georgie said faintly. This couldn't continue. Robert moved forward in his seat, putting his arm around her.

"It's just been us two, right Georgie? Right?" he said loudly, getting her to look up at him. She looked numb, like she'd been hit with something heavy, her eyes not really seeing him.

"It was just me and the other one," he said firmly to the nurse who didn't bother hiding how she felt about his sudden intrusion. She was openly glaring at him.

Then Robert was questioned while Georgie sat with her head hanging. The nurse was professional but she wasn't kind and gentle with him, still angry he'd effectively stopped Georgie from answering any more questions. He didn't fucking care.

There were pointed questions about him always using condoms with Bridget, the only other girl he'd had sex with in the last twelve months. The implication that he didn't care about Georgie by protecting her in the same way hung in the air, making him feel like shit even though he hadn't had any other choice.

When they were finished, she suggested they have every test they offered just like he'd wanted in the first place, making him furious for what Georgie had just been put through unnecessarily. Thank God, the tests were straightforward, urine, blood, and a vaginal swab Georgie could do herself. The blood was drawn by the nurse and then they were given cups, and Georgie a packet with the swab.

When they were directed to separate toilets, Georgie gripped his hand tight and wouldn't let go. He insisted they go in the same one together and after he closed the door, he looked at her. She was staring straight ahead, still looking like something heavy had hit her. He hugged her but her arms hung at her sides.

"I'm so sorry about this, Georgie. I didn't know they were going to ask all those questions," he said quietly.

"I want to go home," she begged plaintively in a small voice, breaking his heart.

"We'll go home soon. Let's just finish the tests, alright?" he said gently. After what he'd just learned, he didn't think they had any other choice.

She pulled away from him, avoiding his eyes and said in a flat voice, "What do I have to do." He knew she was angry with him, he didn't blame her. He was angry with himself for not finding out what was going to happen before they came.

He helped her figure out how to do the vaginal swab. It was like a tampon she had to leave in for a few minutes. While she was waiting, she sat on the toilet staring straight ahead, her mouth set in a grim line, making him feel even worse. Before they left the room, he tried to give her another hug but she stepped away from him, avoiding his eyes. He sighed knowing he was going to catch hell for this when they left. He deserved it.

They turned in their samples and went back to the consultation room to wait for the quick test results alone. Georgie stared straight ahead and Robert took her hand. She didn't resist, making him feel a bit hopeful, but he didn't attempt to talk to her.

When the nurse returned, she informed them that neither he nor Georgie had gonorrhea or HIV, and he felt a tremendous wave of relief wash through him. The rest of the results were going to be texted to them in a few weeks. Then she told them they should come back in three months and repeat the tests to be sure they were healthy. She looked pointedly at Robert when she said they should continue to use condoms until then.

When they got up to leave, Robert tried to hold Georgie's hand but she jerked it away from him. As soon as they were outside the building, she started walking quickly, not caring if he was with her or not. He followed a half step behind her, feeling terrible.

Before he realized what has happening, Georgie had darted through an opening in the busy street they were walking alongside and into a large park where she began running as fast as she could. He tried to go after her but the traffic was too thick and it took him a few moments before he was able to get across.

By time he made it to the other side of the street, she was far ahead of him. He ran as fast as he could, able to keep her in sight and gain on her, but he couldn't make up the distance fast enough to catch up to her until she'd stopped running.

When he reached her, they were deep in the park, far from the road. She'd just thrown up behind some shrubs and staggered away, spitting and then wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She made her way over to large tree and bent over, gasping for air, with her hand on the trunk to support herself.

He went up to her, breathing heavily and put his hand on her shoulder, saying gently, "Georgie, I –."

She straightened up suddenly, her arm flying out, knocking his hand away, screaming, "Don't you touch me! Don't you touch me! Don't you ever touch me again!" horrifying him.

She staggered away sobbing and gasping for air, trying to get away from him but only made it as far as the next tree where she leaned on it with one arm, bent over again.

"Georgie, I'm so sorry!" he pleaded desperately. "I was so stupid. I should have found out if they were going to ask those questions before we went! Please forgive me!"

Her breathing was becoming more erratic as she sobbed, and she sank to her knees. As he came closer to her, she dropped her hands to the ground as her breathing become shallow and ragged. All of a sudden she was wheezing and choking on her sobs, like she wasn't getting enough air into her lungs and Robert realized with horror, she was having a panic attack.

He knelt beside her and pulled her into his arms, suddenly feeling terrified, saying desperately, "Breathe, Georgie! Breathe!"

Her breathing wasn't getting any better, if anything, she seemed to be deteriorating. She clawed at his jacket as her body trembled and he could tell she was panicking because she wasn't able to get enough oxygen.

"Breathe with me, Georgie! Breathe with me!" he shouted. "In –," he said, and took a big breath in. "Out –," he said, and he let out the air. He slowly breathed in and out, holding her against his chest so she could feel it moving while saying loudly, "Breathe with me!" between each breath. After a minute, she tried to match her shallow ragged breaths with his long ones.

"You're going to be alright! Just keep breathing with me!" he said loudly, wanting to reassure himself as much as her.

As she slowly got her breathing under control, he rocked her a little and rubbed her back trying to soothe her. He continued taking measured breaths for her to follow, but it was a long while before her body was finally still in his arms and her breathing returned to normal. When Robert felt she was ready, he helped her up and they slowly made their way back to the car, both of them shaken and drained by what they'd just been through.

On the way home, Robert felt intense shame and guilt burn through him, hardly believing how badly he'd fucked up and hurt her. She was sitting nearly completely turned away from him facing the car door, her forehead resting against the window.

They were almost home when she asked without turning around, "Did you use a condom every time you had sex with all the other girls?" Robert didn't want to say it, but she deserved to know the truth.

"Yes," he said quietly.

"I knew it," she muttered, with a bitter edge to her voice, making him feel even more ashamed.

When they arrived home, as soon as he put the car in park, Georgie undid her seatbelt and jumped out, slamming the car door hard and running into the house. He sighed deeply and turned off the car. When he walked inside, his mum was sitting on the couch with her knitting, the cat curled up next to her.

"Did something happen?" she asked, looking worried.

"Did Georgie go upstairs?" he asked grimly.

"Yes." She was about to say something else but then they both heard Georgie's muffled crying.

He went upstairs without saying anything and was dismayed to see their bedroom door open. Georgie had gone in Mary and Betsy's room. He knocked on the door.

"Georgie, can I please come in? I want to talk to you." There was no response, only the sound of her crying. It was horrible to hear, a high pitched wailing that was filled with pain. He put his hand on the knob and turned it, but it only confirmed what he already knew, the door was locked.

"Georgie, can I please talk to you!" he said louder, hoping maybe the first time she didn't respond because she couldn't hear him, but she continued to cry.

He leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, holding his knees and burying his head in his arms, listening to the pain in Georgie's cries and despising himself. After a while, it was quiet but it was a long time before she opened the door.

When he stood up to face her, the look in her eyes scorched him. She looked at him like she didn't know him anymore, like she couldn't believe he would betray her like that. He knew for as long as he lived, he would never forget that look in her eyes, and intense guilt and shame burned through him again.

"Georgie, can I please talk to you?" he begged quietly.

Her shoulders hunched with defeat and she turned away from him, going back into the girls' room. He followed and closed the door behind him as she sat on Mary's bed. He sat next to her and they both slumped, looking at their hands in their laps.

"I lied to you," Robert said simply, and then the tears came as the enormity of what he'd done to her overwhelmed him. He willed them to stop and quickly wiped his eyes. She deserved to hear the truth from him without him gaining any fucking sympathy with his tears.

"I lied to you when I told you it was possible I might have a disease and – I lied to you when I said I didn't think you had one," he said quietly. "I thought it was possible you might have one, and if you did, you might have given it to me." She looked at him with horror, and he felt even worse.

"That's why I didn't tell you! I knew if you did have a disease, it was because of what he did to you, not because of anything you'd done wrong! I knew how much it would hurt you if you thought you might've given one to me! That's why I lied to you! I didn't want to hurt you! I was trying to protect you!" And then the irony of what he'd just said settled over him like a heavy blanket. She looked down at her hands again.

"I didn't think they would ask any questions if I asked for us to be tested for everything. I should've looked into it further. I should've found a way to tell you the truth without hurting you, and –." He could feel the tears coming again as fresh guilt and shame burned through him. He tried to make them stop but it was too difficult now and he wiped them away as quickly as they came.

"I – I should've taken you home – straight away," he said, his voice breaking. "Even – when you begged me to – I didn't do it."

He turned his face away from her and struggled to stop the tears, remembering the haunted look in her wide eyes in the consultation room and her plaintive plea for him to save her in the toilet. How could he have done this to her? How could he have hurt her so terribly?

It suddenly occurred to him that this was exactly what the bastard had tried to force him to do in that room – to utterly betray her, violate her and hurt her – all in an attempt to destroy their future. And in the end, he'd ended up doing it anyway, all on his own. If their future was destroyed because of it, it was entirely his fault.

"I tried so hard not to let you get hurt by what he did to you, but I fucked up and ended up hurting you myself," he said quietly, wiping his face. "I'll never forgive myself for that, Georgie. Never." She didn't respond and in the silence he relived the terrible moments in the clinic over and over, despising himself more as he remembered each moment he failed to protect her and hurt her.

After a while, he felt Georgie's soft hand on his and looked up. She was crying as well, her eyes full of pain, and it absolutely killed him. They moved towards each other at the same time and hugged tightly. Robert closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck, breathing deeply, smelling her special smell. He rocked her and rubbed her back, wanting desperately to make it up to her, knowing he could never take back what he'd done.

"I'm so sorry, Georgie. I'm so sorry," he murmured into her hair.

"I know," she choked out, and hugged him back tighter.

He could feel the tension in her body leaving as he soothed her and after several minutes, she relaxed against him. When she reached up and began running her fingers through the hair on the back of his head, he clutched her tighter as fresh tears came, feeling tremendously relieved that at least she didn't hate him. If he lived to be a hundred, he'd never do enough to deserve for her to be so kind to him.

When they finally let go, she looked at him, her eyes full of sadness. "I understand why you did it, Robert. I know you didn't mean to hurt me," she said quietly.

"It's true, but what I did to you, I –." She put her fingers on his lips to stop him.

"Will you just promise me something?" she asked.

"Anything, Georgie," he said fervently.

"Will you promise me you'll be honest with me from now on? Please promise me you'll always tell me the truth?"

"I swear it, Georgie. I'll never lie to you again," he said, and hugged her tight, feeling incredibly grateful and relieved.

---Now---

He'd lied to her, utterly betrayed her, and yet she'd forgiven him. Not just then, but the entire time she'd been with him. Every time he'd treated her horribly, she'd forgiven him. He felt profound shame and guilt wash through him as he remembered again how he'd shouted at her that morning, the incredibly cruel things he'd said to her over the phone, remembering the pain in her voice as he hurt her repeatedly.

He'd made a terrible mistake. He had to apologize to her. He stood up and reached into his pocket for his mobile but it was gone. Then he remembered he'd thrown it into his closet after he hung up on her. He began jogging home.

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This was a wrenching chapter for more than one reason.  You already had an idea that Georgie had a pretty horrible life with the bastard, but this confirms just how bad it was for her.  One of my biggest fears as I wrote these last two chapters was that all you would hate Robert, maybe even think he didn't deserve to be with Georgie anymore. I wrote and rewrote the flashback part, trying to reach the right balance where Robert makes some pretty bad decisions but doesn't come off as an insensitive douche. I knew when he apologizes to Georgie for what went down at the clinic, he was apologizing to all of you as well, and I hope I got it right. As I've said before, no one in this story is perfect and both Robert and Georgie have made some major mistakes in this relationship.

Do you think Robert needs to apologize to Georgie for what he said to her during the call? What do you think her reaction will be? Read on to find out!

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think, ask questions and vote if you enjoyed this chapter!