"Here's the last one." Sid handed the last folder to a very tired Dr. Paris.
"I never thought I'd see the bottom of that pile." She smiled and ran her fingers through her hair, slowly flipping the folder open.
"Well, there was a lot of patients permanently kept at East Hospital... it's not a surprise that it took this long to get them all situated."
"It's better for them here, considering we have a better psychiatric facility." There really wasn't a reply from Sid, who was slowly leaning his head against the wall. "Sid, you can go home now. I'll get her together. I'll get orderlies if she's a problem."
"Thanks, Doc." The young man smiled and nodded politely, picking up his coat and pushing open the door marked stairwell.
"Okay, let's see..." She glanced through the folder, flipping different sheets of paper up and down. "Erato, Suu. She has quite a strange name." Dr. Paris laughed gently as she walked down the hallway. "Transported to room 201." She looked up, seeing the plate directly in front of her. She glanced in through the window, seeing the woman in a fetal position on the floor.
She unlocked the door quickly and opened it up. "Suu?"
Suu's eyes shot open suddenly, but she didn't move another muscle. Dr. Paris shut the door behind her, glancing at the woman before looking back at the folder. "Extremely disturbed, hasn't spoken a real sentence in 5 years, no family, state patient. Well, it looks as if you at least know your name. Suu, can you sit up for me?"
Suu pushed herself up with her left arm alone, steadying herself by leaning back on the wall.
"Very good, thank you." Dr. Paris leaned down, pulling out a tiny pen flashlight. "Just going to look at your eyes, Suu. Just hold still, won't take more than a moment." She did exactly what she described, Suu remaining completely still. "Again, thank you. You're very well behaved. I'm surprised you weren't able to leave the last place."
Suu's eyes darted, following the doctor's hand move to her pocket, putting away the flashlight. "Butterfly," she said loudly, moving her eyes to look up to the ceiling.
"Do you see one, Suu?"
"Butterfly! BUT ER FL EYE!"
"Now, Suu, please calm yourself." Dr. Paris put her hand on Suu, shoulder, trying to get her to concentrate on her instead of the "butterfly" that was flying around the room.
Dr. Paris didn't see Suu's quick movement. Suu's head snapped back to Dr. Paris' arm, taking hold of it by the wrist with her mouth. She bit down hard on the exposed skin. A little bit of blood ran down Suu's chin, slipping from the cuts she was making with her teeth. At that point, Dr. Paris had already started to scream, getting an orderly's attention immediately.
Suu released, giving a wide smile to the doctor before slipping herself underneath her cot.
--
"What are we doing with this one today?"
"Transporting her to the spaceport. She's to be sent to one of the new facilities at the colonies."
"Wonder what she did to get there."
"Bit the doctor pretty bad. They said she's untreatable. Going to sent her to greener pastures."
--
"Trowa, could you come here please?"
"Yes, ma'am?" Trowa walked over to the woman, locking eyes with her.
"They'll be bringing by another patient in a few moments, out front, do you have to time to bring her in?" The doctor held out a chart to him.
"I was about to go on my break, but I can spend a little getting her settled first."
She handed him the folder and grinned. "Oh, thank you, Trowa. Just make sure to look over her chart first. She may surprise you."
"I'm not one for surprises." Trowa gave her a slight smile as she walked off to probably check on another patient. He glanced through the chart, studying the girl's history. He put it down and walked out of the doors of the hospital, taking a seat on the steps. It was warm for his white pants and starched white shirt, but he didn't really mind it. He didn't sit too long before the transfer bus came into view, making him stand up at alert immediately.
"Here she is."
"Hopefully not damaged on the way." Trowa narrowed his eyes a little as they yanked her out of the vehicle, making her hit her head on the door. They pretty much threw her at Trowa, him holding tightly onto the new girl. She was shivering out of fear. "Nice to meet you, Suu."
She looked up at him, her mouth gaped a little. "Button."
He blinked for a moment, confused, but then he smiled, laughing gently. "I'll let you call me button if you'd like."
"Button!" She smiled and put her head against his shoulder as he led her into the hospital slowly. He led her slowly down the hallway, making sure that she wasn't making any quick motions to get away. He finally stopped, catching her as she tried to keep walking.
"Suu, this is your room." Trowa unlocked the door and took a hold of her straightjacket, pulling her in slowly. "No numbers, and you get a bed and a desk. If you're good, we might even give you a name plate for the door. Understood?"
"Button..." She moved away from him for a moment and looked around the room.
"Since you're new, the orderlies will get you for dinner. That door is to get to the bathroom," he pointed to the door opposite of the door to the room. "You're free to use it since there's no suicide warning on your chart." He walked to the door, unlocking it and opening it, displaying it for her.
She walked over to him, pulling on the sleeve of his shirt. "Button."
"What, Suu?" He took his other hand and grabbed her, unraveling her fingers from his shirt.
"Butterfly!"
"No, not in here. Maybe outside, when they let you outside."
"Butterfly..." she growled. Suddenly she pulled her hand back, taking his with it. She bit down hard, squeezing his fingers.
Trowa didn't seem to react to the pain. Instead, he slowly reached out his free hand and put pressure on both sides of her mouth near her back teeth, releasing her jaw. "That's not the way you act. Don't ever do that again. Not to me, not to anyone." Trowa wiped his hand on his pants, watching as she just stood dazed. "Do you hear me?"
"Button..." She looked away quickly, concentrating on the floor.
"That's better. I'm off my shift now, Suu. I'll see you later tonight. Behave."
--
"Hey there."
"Hi." Trowa slipped into the chair at the table, hearing it groan a little as he sat.
"It's not like you to be late." Heero took another sip of his drink, sitting back in his chair.
"I showed in a new patient." He signaled for the waitress, who brought him over a cup of coffee. This place knew the two of them too well since they'd decided to come meet each other each day.
"Nice of you. So, how's Maria?" Heero had an odd smirk on his face.
Trowa laughed aloud. "Maria."
"I must have missed the joke."
"Hm, so did I. No more of her, I suppose. We completely broke it off."
"Thank goodness." Heero huffed, completely putting down his cup.
"Hey!" Trowa grinned. "She wasn't that awful."
"Sure she wasn't. Oh, Trowa, that Heero is no good! " Heero mimicked the girl's voice, "You shouldn't be hanging around with such a dirt-bag like him." Heero rolled his eyes.
"Well, you were rather sharp with her."
"I don't like women, that's all. I guess Relena's scarred me for life."
"You don't envision yourself settling down, having kids?"
"For one, I'm a twenty-year-old bachelor, why should I think about kids? Or about a wife for that matter? Second, I envision myself as a cranky old man with a cane, waving his free hand at the young'ens that are running around me in circles."
Trowa's face remained blank for a moment before he completely broke into laughter. Heero, who was in mid-drink of his tea, let a smile rise over the edges of his cup at Trowa's laughter. "It's good to hear you laughing again."
"Mm... this switch in jobs is really helping."
"I still don't see how you can work in that nuthouse all the time. I would think it'd actually drive you insane instead."
"Nope," Trowa eased back in his chair, taking in a deep breath of air. "The staff is wonderful there, and though the patients aren't normally very lively, they're all so interesting, like that girl that just came in today. Suu Erato, is her name, she's beautiful, really, except she's completely out of it. She named me button."
"Button?" Heero paused for a moment, staring off. "Sounds like she should be the one you're dating." He grinned.
"I wouldn't dare." He laughed to himself and suddenly came forward, putting his elbows on the table, propping up his head. "She's got his wild look in her eye, like she knows what's going on, but she's waiting for a good time to actually come out of her shell. She reminded me of you."
Heero put down his cup, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow. "How so?"
"That completely impulsive feel to both of you. How I never know what to expect when I walk into a room were you are. Plus, you both have those deep blue pools for eyes."
"I wouldn't understand." Heero sighed. "So why is this job so much better than the office work you were doing before?"
"Unlike you, Heero, I enjoy actually interaction with other human beings." He smirked at Heero's appalled look.
"Not true, I'm interacting with you, aren't I?"
"I'm your best friend, stupid. Tell me one other person you actually interact with."
Heero grimaced and huffed, giving Trowa a death glare.
"Exactly. I knew I was right."
"What's so great about those vegetables you work with anyway?"
"Want to know the truth?"
"No, Trowa, I enjoy it when you completely lie to me."
Trowa laughed lightly before leaning further forward, looking directly into Heero's eyes. "Because I actually feel as if I'm okay while caring for them. I can differentiate myself from them since... well, for once, I've found people who have less of a grip on this world than I do."
--
Heero sat on the rooftop, unsure of exactly how he should be feeling.
After those 16 years under his protection, you would think that Dr. J would hold more in his heart that he was feeling. Then again, who was he to feel anything anyway?
It was early morning and Heero had already gotten the call hours ago from the hospital. Dr. J had finally passed away, after years of living past his prime. Heero had been completely sure about what he had to do, and where he had to go. He called Trowa just before he left, leaving him a message that they desperately needed to talk.
--
"Morning, Trowa."
"Good morning, April." Trowa finished buttoning his top button and walked down the hallway, briefly glancing into each room as he went past.
"Trowa!" A smaller girl peaked out of one of the room, waving at him.
"Hi, Anne, no breakfast today?"
"Becca's not hungry." She held up the tiny doll with care, as if it were a real child.
"Well, Anne, why don't you go yourself anyway, okay? I'll see you there." He smiled as she nodded happily and frolicked down the hallway in another direction.
"Button?"
Trowa turned to one side sharply, his eyes falling upon Suu. "Yes, I'm right here."
"Button!" She seemed fairly happy to see him, trying to smile. Instead it seemed as if she were baring her teeth for him, threatening to bite him again.
"Breakfast sound good to you, Suu?"
Her face contorted slightly, looking as if she were dreading the very thought of breakfast.
"Apparently not, but you have to eat something. Let's go."
"Ja ne."
Trowa blinked. "You know Japanese?"
She smiled again this time, but instead of the baring of teeth, it was a beautiful, full smile.
--
"What happened, Heero?" Trowa slipped into the usual seat, but looked worried rather than his normal happy-to-see-Heero expression.
"Dr. J is dead."
"Finally," Trowa commented before switching into his comforting mode. "Are you okay?"
"Guess so."
"Didn't seem like it on the phone."
"That was just as I found out. I wasn't sure how to feel then."
"What did you do all day?"
"Called in sick to work... then went out to the lab where I grew up. I didn't think the other scientists would have cleaned it out yet, let only know about it. It seemed like I was the only one to come in there in a couple months."
"Why'd you go back to the lab?"
"When he was alive, Dr. J wouldn't allow me into my files. Thought I'd finally have the chance to weed through them." Heero gave a long sigh, putting his head on the table, his face staring into the green paint that was covering the walls.
Trowa reached out and ran his fingers through Heero's hair a little. He sighed as well. "Did you find them at all, Heero?"
"Mm." He didn't lift his head but moved his hand to the side of his seat, rustling through a bag. Finally, he produced a small pile of folders, all labeled with the name Heero Yuy.
"Did you read them?"
"Actually, I was hoping you'd do that for me."
--
"It's okay to leave, Trowa."
"I know." Trowa sighed and sat back in his chair.
"I'll tell the nurse you're staying in late, then."
"Thanks." Trowa glanced down at the files in his hand. "I'm afraid after reading these, this place will make me go insane."
"Button." Trowa's head jerked to the direction on the whisper. There she was, her head peeking out of her door.
"Come here, Suu."
She looked up and down the hallway, finally gathering up the courage to walk over to Trowa and sit down in front of him. "Button..." she smiled contently at him.
"Couldn't sleep, hm? Guess you're just about as bothered as I am." He sighed again.
"Button?" She tilted her head, a worried look coming across her face. Those eyes... they reminded him so much of Heero's.
"Heero asked me to look at these. I... don't know what it'll be about." He looked at the now blank expression on her face and laughed to himself. "Of course you have no idea at all what I'm talking about and your probably just being nice enough to listen to me whine about this."
"Mm..." She smiled and opened her mouth to speak again, but stopped.
"Trowa?"
Trowa looked down the hallway, ignoring the fact that Suu might want to continue speaking.
"They said you were still down here." Heero stood in the end of the hallway, hands dug deep into the pockets of his jeans.
"Just wanted to stay a while and..." He stopped, having glanced back in the direction where Suu had been sitting. Instead, she was now hiding around the side of his chair, clutching to the arm.
"And what?"
"I'm not sure." Trowa laughed to himself gently. "Why don't you come here into the lounge?"
"Sure." Heero walked down slowly, finally hunkering himself down into one of the chairs. He glanced at the side of Trowa's chair, seeing something hiding there. "Have you... read them yet?"
"No." Trowa sighed again, moving the files around in his lap slightly. He glanced down to the side, trying to smile gently. "Suu, it's alright. He's a friend."
Heero smiled. "Let's see this girl."
Suu peeked her head over the chair slowly, finally bringing herself to stand next to Trowa. Her mouth twisted, her eyes opening wide, and a squeak escaped from her throat.
"Suu, what's wrong?"
"Bu-" She looked at Trowa and her teeth and jaw clenched together tightly. "No!" She pointed at him and shook her hand violently. "No, no, no!"
"Whoa, Suu, what's wrong?"
She stopped, staying completely still except for the slight quivering of her mouth, seeming as if she were holding back tears. "Button," she whispered to Trowa and pointed at Heero. "Button!"
"Apparently you make a better button than I do," Trowa laughed gently as Heero simply looked completely bewildered at the girl.
"Len..." Heero hardly moved his lips but the word came clearly from his mouth.
"What?"
"Button!" Suu smiled and grabbed hold of his arm, grasping her fingers around it tightly.
"I'm not who you think I am." He pulled her grip on his arm away. "I have to go anyway."
--
"I thought I'd find you here." Trowa sat down in the booth, flopping the files in front of Heero. "I've read every last note, message, and caption."
"Never mind. I don't want to know."
"Heero, you called her Len."
"I didn't mean anything by it..."
Trowa sighed and opened the file, pushing it towards him, his finger pointing to one of the lines. "One sibling, older, Lenore Lowe."
"Len isn't Lenore."
"It sounds like a nickname for it to me though."
"It's just a coincidence."
"You're impossible." Trowa retracted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Lenore, whomever she may be, is probably dead by now anyway."
"Do you remember her?"
"Of course not."
"She's your sister, Heero."
"I don't have a sister."