Fic: "The R-Word" [Parts 1-2/5]
Feb. 28th, 2012 01:46 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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Title: The R-Word [Parts 1-2/5]
Characters/Pairing: Elizabeth POV. Elizabeth/Peter Burke. Diana Barrigan, Clinton Jones, Leonard Grant, Neal Caffrey, Mozzie.
Genre/Rating: Hurt/Comfort. Slightly A/U. Multiple ratings (see chapter summaries).
Word count: 10K+ (chopped into smaller parts).
Warnings: There’s a rape scene in the beginning of this fic, but it is not graphic/kinky/rated NC-17, and is only about a paragraph long. That said, this is potentially a very triggering story for anyone recovering from sexual assault, so please be careful. This fic also involves major emotional whump/eventual trouble in paradise for Peter and Elizabeth, so be wary if you are protective of them.
Spoilers/Timeframe: Checkmate up until Pulling Strings.
Summary:
Elizabeth Burke is raped by Grant, while in Keller’s captivity. A series of episode tags, missing and deleted scenes depict her struggle to come to terms with what has happened to her.
Chapter Summaries:
Part One [Rated R]: Elizabeth is left alone with and attacked by Leonard Grant. Diana helps her to cope with the immediate aftermath.
Part Two [Rated PG-13]: Peter returns home and learns of what has happened to his wife. He and Elizabeth attempt to comfort each other and figure out what will happen next.
Parts Three/Four/Five: Coming very soon.
Author’s Notes:
I am not usually one to write stories that involve rape, but I have written this fic for two reasons:
- Canon-wise, something has seemed slightly off about The Burkes and their marriage/behavior since Checkmate. In pondering what could have caused this weirdness (aside from the obvious), the above story basically fell out of my head and demanded to be written.
- I feel like there is a dearth of stories/fics out there that realistically explore the aftermath of rape, and the profound effect it has on a person’s life, relationships, and sense of self. I wanted to throw my hat in the ring, and give my interpretation.
That said, I am extremely conscious of the fact that this is a very sensitive subject for a lot of people, and afraid that I may have hurt or offended someone with my (subjective) depiction in this piece. I am more than happy to discuss any aspect of said depiction with anyone who feels that I have gotten it wrong, been disrespectful or implied something offensive, just PM me, etc.
I also realize that some people may be angry that I have done such a horrible thing to Elizabeth – I take no joy in doing so, but…I guess I was willing to do it, because I wanted to explore some more extreme/dark sides of her character? My ultimate aim in this fic is to show how strong and amazing Elizabeth and the other characters are, however – I certainly have no desire to degrade or humiliate them. This is something I am also more than happy to discuss with anyone who has an issue with it.
I hope that this fic is otherwise okay to read. :)