Ian looked tenderly at his girlfriend, Amy of 4 years. She looked back just as passionately. They wished this moment would never end, but then Ian's phone rang. He put it on silence. But then his beeper went off. He sighed impatiently and looked at the number. His look of annoyance suddenly gave way, into concern. That was the number of Natalie's doctor. Amy looked up and seeing the look on Ian's face, she knew something was wrong with Natalie. Only Natalie and Amy could put such expression into the face of the normally staid Ian Kabra. Amy wordlessly sat up, put on her seatbelt, and turned the key in the ignition, while Ian dialed the doctor.
"What's wrong with Natalie?" Ian demanded.
"Your sister's fine, but she had another episode at the mall this afternoon and she was brought in by the police. We had to adjust her meds, but otherwise, she should be fine in the next couple of weeks. She needs you to get her at the Attleboro General."
"I'll be there," Ian backed away from the movie theater and stepped on the gas. "I'm sorry-"
"Don't be." Amy said. "Movie's play every day. Natalie is what's important."
"That's one of the reasons I was first attracted to you. Whenever I saw you and Dan together, I could tell you loved him, and that you would do anything to keep him safe. I envied that quality. But after Natalie was shot in the foot…"
"You realized you had it all along. When I used to see you with Natalie, I used to wonder how it was possible for you to move in such sync with Natalie, while Dan and I were like polar opposites."
"Believe me, we were, are and always will…" Ian stopped midsentence. He doesn't know how long always will be. Ever since she was rescued from the Vespers, Natalie suffered from Acute Bipolar Disorder. When she first got home, she began to have episodes that had her crawling the walls and screaming. Ian, Dan, and Amy, mistook it for nightmares, or " day-mares" but when they became more frequent and extreme, occurring every 3 weeks, Amy suggested they bring her to a specialist in Attleboro. Dr. David Knowles, an Ekat/Madrigal, diagnosed her a year ago. Since then, Ian and Natalie have been staying at Grace's restored Mansion, but Natalie has been just getting worse. Ian knew it wouldn't be long until Natalie became like this full time. This was the third episode Natalie suffered from in the last 7 days. Ian and Amy both knew they had to do something soon.
Amy was worried. She had seen what had happened to the rest of the hostages after they escaped. Jonah reported that Phoenix often shivered, out of nowhere and always, wore a winter jacket. And according to Hamilton, if you thought Reagan was obsessed with fitness before, you'd think she was psychotic now. In fact, at nights she was heard counting her chin-ups "One stop the Vespers, Two save the other hostages, three get my freedom…" Alistair apparently couldn't handle the bodily distress, because he died of malnourishment two days after being recued. Fiske reverted into his reclusive behavior, now even worse than before. No one knows where he is, and the only way we know he's not dead is from a short, annual letter. Nellie, the luckiest of them all never ate out again and always double-checked to see if the doors were locked at night. No one knows what happened to Ted, after his sister was killed, he and Ned ran away, the shame of having a Vesper sister over whelming. Amy knew the odds of Natalie being okay were slim.
When they arrived at the hospital, Dr. Knowles met them at the door. "Mr. Kabra, before you go get your sister, would you please follow me into my office? Ms. Cahill may come too, if you wish."
Ian nodded sullenly. Holding Amy's hand, they silently went into his office. The doctor led them to a couch in front of a TV. "This is the security tape of Natalie at the mall this afternoon."
In the video, Natalie was holding an agora sweater, admiring it. Suddenly, her eyes flashed, and instead of admiring, her eyes showed fear. She tore up the sweater and flung it all over the store. She screamed, and began to cry. When the sales person came to subdue her, she scratched her face, drawing blood. Soon the police came and tried to calm her. She continued to fight, and the police gave her tranquilizers- "What!" Ian yelled, "That reacts badly with the medicine, and can give her-"
"A stroke," the doctor says shutting off the television. "From here, they brought her to the station, where they ID-ed her and realized she had a mental illness. Then they brought her to me. The tranquilizers did not cause a stroke, thank god, but she will probably be moving slower for the next week. After she recovers…" Knowles locks the door, "I'd like to recommend alternate treatment. Some Ekat friends of mine have been working, and they think they might be able to come up with a medicine that can help Natalie's situation, along with the other hostages. She'd need constant attention, and seclusion from familiar faces. Treatment can last a year, but I really think it could help Natalie."
"What will happen if we don't want to undergo this treatment?"
"Natalie will proceed to get worse and eventually forget even having episodes. She may even hurt herself during one."
"Ok, can we talk to Natalie about it?"
"You may. She's in room 909."
Ian and Amy took the elevator to the 9th floor. Amy spoke first. "I think we should do it."
"Me too, but I'd hate to make her feel as if her brother couldn't help her. I was always there for her, and now I won't." Ian blinked back a tear. Amy, seeing this, hugged Ian, and he cried into her shoulder quietly.
When they arrived at Natalie's room, she was chatting it up with the nurse. When she noticed Amy and Ian, she said. "Hello, brother and his poorly dressed girlfriend," same as ever. "Amy, you must go to Nordstrom's with me some day soon. I saw the most perfect angora sweater. It matches your eyes precisely. I was going to buy it, but I remembered I had a doctors appointment." Amy and Ian were shocked. This was just as the doctor described. Natalie forgot about her entire episode.
"Actually-" Amy began, but Ian interrupted.
"Natalie, there is a new program for the toughest Cahill's, and we think you should participate…" Ian gave Amy a knowing look, and they decided that Natalie would have no choice in the matter. She's going to that program, to get well. Amy left to inform the doctor, while Ian further explained the program.
