The car slowed as it reached them, headlights washing over the scene before the engine finally cut.
For a second, everything was quiet again.
Then the driver's door opened.
Julia stepped out, glancing between them—Ray half-conscious on the ground, Kate still wrapped around him.
"…Well," she said, taking in the situation, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "That escalated."
Kate didn't move right away.
Her arms were still around him.
"…He passed out again," she muttered, voice quieter now, like the energy had drained out of her.
Julia nodded once, stepping closer. "Yup," she said, looking down at Ray.
Ray shifted slightly, mumbling something under his breath, still not fully there.
Kate tightened her grip for a second before finally pulling back just enough to look at him.
"…We need to get him in the car," Julia added, already crouching slightly, practical as ever.
Kate hesitated—
then nodded.
"…Yeah."
"From what I've gathered, we somehow have thirty more minutes to the hospital… Hopefully this time without breaks," Julia said as she picked Ray up.
Kate moved in immediately to help, slipping under his other side without thinking.
Ray barely reacted, his head dropping slightly as they lifted him.
Julia adjusted her grip, steady as ever. "Careful," she added, already guiding them toward the car.
"Why the hell are we even going there? His balls are fine!" Kate snapped, adjusting her grip as they carried him.
Julia let out a short breath, shifting his weight without stopping. "They weren't fine an hour ago," she said calmly.
Kate hesitated for half a second, glancing down at him.
Julia kept moving. "And now he's drunk out of his mind. We're still going."
And as they opened the door and put him in the back seat, Ray slumped immediately, his head rolling slightly to the side.
Julia moved around to the driver's seat, opening the door and getting in, already reaching for the keys.
Kate went around the back and sat next to Ray, pulling the door shut behind her.
She glanced at him for a second, adjusting his position slightly so he wouldn't fall over again.
Up front, Julia started the engine, the familiar hum filling the car again.
"If he somehow gets out of this car again, I'm driving him over," Julia said as she pressed the pedal, the car lurching forward.
Kate let out a short breath, glancing down at Ray before leaning back slightly. "…Fair," she muttered, keeping a hand lightly on him anyway.
Ray didn't move, his breathing slow and steady as the car picked up speed.
I just told him about what happened to me… and I hugged him like a lunatic.
She stared at him, her expression tightening slightly.
What the fuck is wrong with me…
Her fingers fidgeted against the seat.
We've known each other for like three days.
She looked away.
"Don't think too much, huh?" Julia said, as if she knew exactly what was going through Kate's head.
Kate froze for a split second, then looked away toward the window, her fingers still fidgeting lightly.
"I've known him for a few days only…" Kate said, still looking away.
Julia glanced at her, a faint, amused look on her face. "And?" she said simply.
Kate's fingers tightened slightly against the seat.
"And… I just hugged him like a horny maniac," Kate muttered, her voice dropping at the end.
Julia raised an eyebrow slightly, the corner of her mouth twitching. "That's one way to put it," she said, glancing at her briefly.
Kate looked down, her fingers fidgeting again.
"And I also told him something I think I shouldn't have…" Kate added, quieter this time, her eyes still down.
Julia's expression shifted slightly, the amusement fading just a bit as she glanced at her. "…Yeah?" she said, not pushing, just leaving it there.
Kate's fingers stilled for a second.
"But it's fine, he was unconscious," Kate said, a little too quickly, like she was trying to close the topic.
Julia glanced at her, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "…If you say so," she replied, tone neutral but not fully convinced.
Kate looked away again, her fingers tightening faintly.
"I… I was raped."
The words came out quiet, almost like they slipped past her before she could stop them.
Julia's hands tightened on the wheel for a second.
The car stayed steady.
She didn't look back right away.
"…Okay," she said after a moment, her voice calm but different now.
Kate stared ahead, not moving.
Julia glanced at her through the mirror briefly—just enough.
"You don't have to pretend it's 'fine,'" she added, not pushing, just stating it.
Kate's fingers curled slightly against the seat.
But I don't remember any of it. It happened on my 18th birthday," Kate said, her voice quieter, like she wasn't even sure she wanted the words out.
Julia's grip on the wheel tightened slightly again, her jaw setting for a second before she exhaled slowly.
She didn't turn around.
"…That doesn't make it better," she said after a moment, calm but firm.
Kate stared ahead, not reacting.
The car kept moving.
"At least the fucker is eating worms so…" Kate muttered, her voice uneven, trying to sound casual.
Julia let out a slow breath through her nose, eyes still on the road. "…Yeah," she said quietly.
A brief pause.
"…Still shouldn't have happened to you," she added, softer this time.
Kate didn't answer.
Her fingers tightened slightly against the seat.
"I took one for the team. Now he won't hurt anyone else," Kate said, trying to make it sound like a joke.
Julia's jaw tightened slightly, her eyes staying on the road. "…Don't do that," she said, quiet but firm.
A brief pause.
"That's not how that works."
Kate didn't respond, her fingers curling slightly against the seat.
"I'm fine. Really, I had a therapist and I'm a lot better now. I just got a bit drunk and… he's so stupid."
Julia glanced at her in the mirror for a second, then back at the road. "…Yeah," she muttered, a faint breath of something almost like a smile there.
Kate looked down at Ray, her expression softening just a little.
"No one's gonna force you to be sexually active with anyone. If anyone tries… I'm gonna dig a few holes in the woods."
Julia said it casually, eyes still on the road.
Kate blinked, caught off guard for a second—
then a small, surprised breath escaped her. "…Jesus," she muttered, but there was something softer in it.
Julia shrugged slightly. "Just saying."
Kate looked down at Ray again, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm.
"I might take out Ray, just in case."
Julia said it dryly, like she was considering it.
Kate's head snapped toward her immediately. "Don't you dare," she said, a little too fast, her hand instinctively resting on Ray.
Julia glanced at her in the mirror, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "…Relax," she muttered.
"That boy got you good, huh?" Julia said, glancing at her through the mirror.
Kate froze for a split second, then looked away quickly. "…Shut up," she muttered, her fingers tightening slightly on Ray's arm.
Another twenty minutes passed in silence, the road stretching ahead as the city lights slowly came into view.
The car hummed steadily this time.
Ray didn't move.
Kate stayed quiet beside him, her hand still resting lightly against his arm without thinking.
Up front, Julia kept her eyes on the road, the hospital getting closer with every passing minute.
As if Ray smelled the morphine getting close by—
he jolted awake, aggressive and sudden.
"Ladies and gentlemen, WHERE THE FUCK AM I?!" he shouted, shooting upright.
Kate flinched hard, instinctively grabbing his arm. "Jesus—sit down!" she snapped, half-startled, half-annoyed.
Julia didn't even jump, just exhaled through her nose, eyes still on the road. "…Right on time," she muttered.
"I'm a Scottish citizen and a man of enormous culture. Where are you taking me, you fucking mongrels!" he shouted, puffing his chest up like that meant something.
Kate stared at him for a second, then pushed him back down into the seat. "Sit. Down," she said, trying not to laugh.
Julia kept driving, one hand on the wheel, completely unfazed. "…Hospital," she said flatly.
"And why would we go there, beautiful lady?" he asked, suddenly calmer, leaning forward slightly like he was being charming.
Kate blinked at him, then let out a short breath, shaking her head. "…You're unbelievable," she muttered, pushing him back again.
Julia didn't even react this time, just kept her eyes on the road. "…You're not dying tonight," she said dryly.
"ONLY ONES TO DIE WILL BE—"
"Hoorah, Hoorah, we are the Billy Boys,
Hoorah, Hoorah, we are the Billy Boys,
Up tae yer knees in Finian blood - surrender or ye'll die.
We are the Brigtoon Billie Boys."
He went all in again, loud and committed.
Kate stared at him for a second—
then let out a short, disbelieving laugh, covering her face briefly. "…You're back on this?" she muttered, shaking her head.
Julia's grip on the wheel tightened just slightly, but she didn't look back. "…Keep it down," she said, calm but firm.
"Don't tell me what to do, women!" he shot back, leaning forward like he was making a point.
Kate stared at him, then shoved him back into the seat again. "Then stop acting like an idiot," she snapped, though a breath of a laugh slipped through.
Julia didn't even react this time, just adjusted the wheel slightly. "…Sit down," she said, same calm tone.
"I'm sooo fuckin drunk," he slurred, letting his head fall back against the seat.
Kate let out a short breath, shaking her head as she kept a hand on him. "…No shit," she muttered, a faint smile slipping through.
Julia glanced at him briefly in the mirror, then back to the road. "…You think?" she said dryly.
"Despacito…" he started out of nowhere, voice dragging.
"Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito—
Deja que te diga cosas al oído—"
completely off-key, but fully committed.
Kate froze for half a second—
then broke, laughter spilling out as she leaned back, covering her face. "Oh my God—NO—" she said between breaths.
Julia let out a sharp breath that turned into an actual laugh, shaking her head as she kept driving. "…I can't with him," she muttered, barely holding it together.
And as he looked at Kate straight in the eyes—
"Hola chica, 20 euro suck dick?"
Kate froze.
For exactly one second—
then completely lost it, doubling over as laughter broke out of her. "OH MY GOD—NO—" she managed between breaths, pushing at his shoulder.
Julia choked on a laugh up front, gripping the wheel tighter. "…Alright, that one was insane," she said, shaking her head, trying to stay on the road.
"Please chica, me make love!" he added, leaning toward her with a completely serious expression.
Kate stared at him—
then completely broke again, laughing harder, pushing him back with both hands. "GET AWAY FROM ME—" she said between breaths, barely able to speak.
Up front, Julia was fully laughing now, shaking her head as she tried to keep the car straight. "…I'm never letting him live this down," she managed.
And finally—
what saved them from Spanish Ray—
was the hospital.
Julia pulled into the parking lot, the car slowing before coming to a stop.
Kate was still laughing, barely catching her breath as she leaned back in her seat.
Ray sat there, still completely gone.
Julia turned off the engine, exhaling as the car fell quiet again.
"…We're here," she said simply.
Kate let out one last breath of laughter, wiping at her eyes.