"Professor Keating" Bonnie said as she shut the door to the Keating household behind her, she'd already knocked two no three times already, no answer. She brushed her light brunette hair behind her left ear walking into the living room of the household. She wouldn't say it was usual for her to drop in on a Saturday morning to see her lecturer, she'd certainly dropped in a few times. She'd usually schedule before hand, attempt to pluck up the courage on a Friday after the lecture to ask if she could help and Professor Keating would always invite her round on the Saturday morning. Sam would usually provide some snacks, something light to keep them going while Professor Keating would help her study. It always struck her as odd that she would be invited around Saturday, after a busy week with designated student help times, her professor would chose a time to invite her round that she was supposed to be "Off". Today, though was an off chance, she wasn't ashamed to admit the afternoon before had gone badly. It had been an awful exam, from the minute she'd started a fog had surrounded her brain, she'd felt useless, less than useless in fact. She'd written words but from the first question she'd looked at her breathing had started to quicken, panic flooded her brain and everything in the local area became sharper as internally everything else became dull.
"Professor Keating" she repeated, silence. The living room was empty of both her professor and her therapist, while strange in itself for a Saturday, the living room was spotless. That was not to say the house was usually unclean, but it was very rare with both working full time jobs, constant clients coming to and from the house for both the Professor and Sam, not to mention a bunch of law students working from their living room who brought their own level of student mess to the equation. The only time she knew it to be this spotless was when Hannah, Sam's sister would visit. Desperate to prove something to her, the law students would be sent home early, clients wouldn't be scheduled for the day and Sam would often take the day off, to do everything possible to impress his sister.
A shiver tingled down the back of her spine and a chill went through her body, the smell of disinfectant stung her eyes. "I'm sorry for intruding, but I wanted some help", still silence, Bonnie paused were she stood waiting to hear an indication of where she was. Maybe they weren't in she thought. No wait, the door was open. They must be in, so someone must be. She tried again
"Professor Keating" she tried again, still no answer. "I can come back, if it's inconvenient, I know I wasn't invited today" she said raising her voice ever so slightly to extend the reach. She passed her way toward the kitchen, knocking again on the door. "Professor" she said as she stepped into the kitchen. The smell of disinfectant was present in there too, it reached to the base of her lungs with every breath she took. There was no sign of either occupant here either. She kept calling, returning to the base of the stairs.
"Professor Keating" she tried again hesitating her foot hovering above the first step. There was still no answer from her law professor. She was sure it was wrong, the moment she put her foot firmly on the first run of steps. Her mind was wiring, willing her to turn back with every step she took up the stairs.
"Professor Keating" she tried again, with no real expectation this time of an answer, Maybe they've just gone out and forgotten to lock the door. She thought. Or maybe she thought maybe she would find them otherwise engaged. The thought of walking in on her teacher and her therapist seeing them naked on their marital bed, if nothing else, this was all that was needed to make her seriously consider turning around right then, despite the level of help she desperately needed. She hesitated for a second before deciding the possibility of help outweighed the possible fear. She reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door to the jack and jill bathroom
"Professor Keating" she said again. She knocked on the door again, but this time instead of holding firm and shut the door started to slowly creek open with each knock. Her body went to turn, sure as the door was unlocked no-one could possibly be in there. A glint caught her eye. She wasn't sure what it was, a flicker, most likely the sun hitting the mirror even still, she pushed the door slightly further, only a few inches or so, if someone was in there she didn't want to invade their privacy.
Her heart jumped to her mouth and began to beat faster, she felt it pulsing through her ears. A hand was protruded on the floor, the palm facing up and stretched hand pointing the palm facing her, extending almost as if to try and grasp her hand, though firmly out of reach. She scrambled to the floor, toward the hand and grasped it thoroughly in hers.
"Professor Keating" 20 seconds prior her voice had been questioning, inquiring; now her voice was higher, frantic. Her left hand already clasped on her professors hand was making it's way towards her wrist. As she did her eyes scanned her professors figure up and down looking for a clear sign of injury. Her hand was clumsy against her professors, shifting slightly each time causing her to become more frantic. She couldn't find it, a pulse. Her hand continued to shift slightly her own thumping heart seemingly overruling every other thought, feeling and sound. Her eyes glanced towards her professors other hand, just as she felt in her left the familiar thumping, and momentary relief spread through her. A pill bottle lay next to her hand, she'd seen them before, the ones she'd been given after the accident to help with the pain.
Her mind cleared and her mind was suddenly wide awake. She grabbed the nearest phone and frantically hands shaking dialed 911 as she pulled her professor up to the toilet.
The next thing she knew, she was sticking her fingers down her professors throat begging her to stay awake, to stay with her. The rest of the night passed in a blur.
The next thing she knew it was morning and they never spoke of it again after that night, the next day it was like nothing ever happened.