Hey everyone! Hope ya'll are having a good time this summer! Anyways, here is a new story, not sure if I want it a short story or a multi chapter…still debating on that one! But here ya go!

White walls.

Small window.

Twin size bed that isn't comfortable.

One small tv that flickers between channels.

One white desk with a stool for a chair.

One small room.

This has been home for Roman for the past two and half years. At 17, he was admitted by his parents as a last resort. After what he did, it was the final straw for them. They did everything they could to tame him, to shelter him, to control him. Nothing. Nothing worked. So they has him admitted into a psych ward of the hospital that was 12 hours from home. They wanted him as far away from them as they can without having to shell out a lot of money until he turns 21, which is in less than 6 months. He knew they didn't want him once he started fighting back. He knew they weren't the kind of people he wanted to be around anymore. And after the last altercation he had with them, he finally, finally snapped.

Now, it's been two years since he last spoke to anyone.

"Hey bud, it's time for breakfast," the auburn haired nurse said as he came in with a tray of food. "It's your favorite, bagel with blueberry cream cheese, a side of cocktail fruit with cherries, orange juice and a couple of slices of ham."

Roman looked at him, said nothing. Didn't even move from his bed, where he stayed most days. Roman never went outside during the day and almost never got out of his room to socialize with others. He was a loner. He never has anybody, and he never will. He stayed in his room except for the bathroom and shower time. He was one of three patients that ate in their rooms. Just much easier than having to punish them every time they fought him. Better than the Red Room.

The nurse looked at him, sighs before heading over to the bed and gently, but slowly pulls the covers off Roman, who was sitting up against the pillow, looking at him. "Hey, I know you can hear me, come on, please eat? You haven't been eating much the past few weeks. I would like if you ate most of what is on the tray, please?" he pleaded as Roman made no attempt to move at the moment.

"Okay, well, I'll be back in 30 minutes to retrieve the tray. What ever is left, I'll throw away, but I hope that its not." He smiles softly as Roman continued to look at him, but not looking at him. He sighs again and gets up, takes one more look at Roman before heading out the room and closing the door.

"Still nothing Dean?" Charlotte asked. Charlotte was the head nurse of the ward for the past five years. She always took an interest in Roman's case the moment he came in. He was a special case where she took top priority over others due to the severity of the case. She was the one the made sure that Roman had his own room with no roommates. She was also the one that assigned Dean, who was her assistant, to help with taking care of him. Especially after what Randy did. She always knew there was more to Roman's story than what was written on paper. She has been doing some private investigating of her own and was astonished by what she found. But she told no one expect Dean about her findings. And after pleading with the Board of Health and the Doctors, she was granted custody of Roman for the time being. She made sure his schedule was different from others so that he doesn't go off or somebody tries to instigate him.

Dean rubs his forehead and sighs. "No, nothing. He just sits in his bed and does nothing. I have even snuck in a couple of books for him to read and it never moved. He has it on the one channel that has cartoons but he doesn't watch it. And as for the food, he just won't eat. I'm worried about him. He seems to be getting worse and worse. Like he literally has given up on himself." He said with such sadness in his voice. He has really taken a liking to Roman despite of everything. After the stuff went down, it's no wonder he still hasn't tried to kill himself again.

Charlotte puts her hand on his shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. "I know, I have been trying to find a way to get him the help he needs, but to no avail. He won't talk to anybody, won't move, almost like a lost cause. But I won't give up on him. He needs someone who cares about him in his life."

"I agree," he said, "Maybe I can try to sneak in a journal of some sort? Maybe writing will start something in him?"

"Hmmm…maybe…." She replies hesitantly…"We could try that since we haven't yet."

"It's worth a shot, maybe this way, he can get his thoughts and frustrations out without having to leave the room to socialize. I could try and coax him into expressing himself somehow."

Charlotte ponders the thought, "How would you suggest that?"

Dean taps his lips for a moment, "Oh, maybe I can write a small entry to start him off? Like its okay to share something without being judged for it?"

Charlotte smiles, "Sounds like a good idea, let's see if that can happen.."

Dean smiles back as the both head off to the direction of the gift store to see if they can get a journal and a pen.

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30 minutes later, Dean returned to Roman's room with a journal and pen under his arm, and as promised, to pick up his tray, which surprisingly was almost empty. Deep down, it made his heart smile at the thought that Roman finally ate something. The only thing that was left was one slice of ham, but he wasn't complaining.

"It looks like you were hungry! This makes me happy that you finally ate something." He looks over at Roman, who is back under the cover staring at the TV. He sighs again, knowing that Roman tuned him out again. "Anyways, I also brought you a present."

Still nothing. But Dean kept on.

"I brought you a journal and a pen, well a special pen that won't hurt anybody."

Roman didn't move.

"I figured that maybe, just maybe you would want to write down your thoughts. Could be anything you know. Like you dreams, your fantasies, what you would like to accomplish, you know, things like that."

Nothing. Like Dean wasn't there. Like nothing was there.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair until lunch time. We are having ham and cheese sandwich with chips, small salad, three slices of oranges and milk. Hope that sounds okay." He said as he takes one more look sat the man in front of him before smiling sadly and then left the room to Roman's world.

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Unbeknowest to Dean or even Charlotte, Roman had been listening to them. He just shuts them out because he feels they are just like the others. Like they want his trust so that they can turn around and completely destroy him, once and for all. But deep down, he knows he can trust them, but he just doesn't want to let them know right now. He didn't asked to be here. He didn't asked to be alive and be saved. All he wanted was to suffer alone, like he was told over and over that he would.

But the nurse, Dean, seems to be trying to give him a reason to want to live. But he is so afraid of the hurt of his heart. It's been damaged enough that he isn't sure there is anything left of it. All he wants to do now is just die. All he wants to do is just die. He knows no one will miss him. He knows that he is a burden that they will gladly get rid of.

But Dean….Something about Dean. He never seems to push Roman into anything he didn't want to do. He always is polite and concern enough to ask, but he never pushed him. He really seems to really care about Roman, as well as Charlotte. But Dean, it's like he an angel that is waiting for his wings. But he is so scared, so afraid of opening that door again. He did once, and it damn near killed him. So he shut down, shut down so much that he tuned everyone and everything out. Just how he taught himself. As long as they can't hurt me, I can stay numb to their actions.

He looks over at the journal that Dean brought him. He stares at it. He knows that it is something he can do, but he doesn't want to at the moment. It was nice of Dean to do this, especially since no one has ever gotten him anything for him. It's a foreign feeling to have. But he pushes it out of his mind, he thinks it just another game of 'Get Roman'.

But the journal taunts him. Taunts him bad enough that he finally does move a bit. He reaches over from his small bed and takes the journal, leaving the pen. He gently rubs it, like feeling something new for the first time in a long time in his hands. He closes his eyes as he holds it to his chest like a fragile piece of treasure he found.

He opens his eyes again and looks down. With shaky hands, he slowly opens it up. And there, on the first page, something that is already written…..by Dean….

Hi Roman,

I hope you find this journal to your liking. I wasn't sure of the color, but thought that black and blue would work, bring a little color to that dreary room.

Anyways, I had an idea that I think would help you, but only if you want to. I thought that by getting this for you, you can at least write down your thoughts, your feelings, your hurt, anything that comes to your mind. As long as I have been taking care of you, you have never spoken a word. You must have some much in that head of yours that needs to come out. And I thought that maybe keeping a diary of some sort will help you with that. No one has to know you have this. There is a hidden spot in your room under your bed. It's a slit that you can put this in and no one can find it. It's the third brick line from your bed post.

I also wanted to let you know that I am here for whatever you need. I want to help you Roman, I want to see you smile, to see life in your brown eyes, I want to help you live life again. Please, if nothing else, at least think about it. I have no hidden agendas. I have taken a liking to you in a way that never has happened before. I will even let you in on a little secret…

I have had a huge crush on you when I took over for Randy. I saw what and how he treated you that I wanted to show you that I wasn't like him. I want to let you know that I know that Me and Charlotte only want to see you come alive again. I wanted to show you that not all of us are bad or evil. I can't tell you how sorry I am that he damn near destroyed you in the Red Room. Never again Roman, never again will you be there. I will, along with Charlotte, make sure that you are taken care of like you should be. Please, if anything, let me help you. All you have to do is write in this book, your own personal friend, this book I call the Roman Empire.

Please, just let this book bear the pain and suffering you have gone through. Let this be your guide to helping you. Even if you never talk to me, just know, I will always, always be here for you.

Sincerely,

Dean

Roman, who now has tears coming out of his eyes, closes the book and holds it for dear life. He slides down under the covers and lets the tears keep falling. The tears he had been holding onto since he got there. He thinks of how Dean, the man who basically risked his job to bring him this, is trying to literally help him live again. Problem is, he just doesn't know how to live. But he wants to, for the first time in his life, do what Dean wants him to do. He wants to unleash this anger, this hurt, this frustrations out of him. He doesn't want to be weighed down again. He just wants to be free.

After a while, he falls into a deep and fitful nap. He knows that the journal and possibly Dean, will be his saving grace.

If only he allows his heart to do so.

Okay, new one up! Let me know what you think!