Spencer sat up, wrapping his arms around himself, having woken from the usual nightmare. In times like these, it was difficult to leave the dream behind and return to reality.

It was just a dream. You're awake now, he told himself. But his heart still pounded in his chest. He took several long, slow breaths trying to calm himself.

After awhile, he got out of the bed and turned the lights back on. His shirt had stuck to his skin, from a thin sheen of sweat. He pulled it gently away.

He went outside the room. He would hear about this in the morning but he would worry about that then.

"Can't sleep," someone asked. Bree Keller, a sixteen year-old, also having a delusional disorder.

"I keep having nightmares," he admitted. "What time is it?"

"I think, like two in the morning."

He nodded and turned away.

"Wait," she said.

He glanced back. "What is it?"

"I was at the machine and it gave me two of them by mistake," she said, proffering a candy bar.

"Thanks," he said, accepting. He thought briefly of Georgia and that she would disapprove being overtly obsessed with his health. He almost laughed, it didn't matter. Of all the things that he had done lately and he was worried about her reaction to chocalate. Besides, he'd probably seen the last of her.

"Wandering," she asked.

"A little. My life's been a whirlwind lately. I'm still not sure how I got here."

"I know the feeling. Oh...yeah...I broke into Tony Vincent's loft and waited there...naked for him," she said, with a short laugh. "I'm pretty sure that's what did it."

How do I respond to that? She laughed, maybe I should. But that might insult her. If I don't respond, it may insult her anyway. She was watching him closely. Like him, she probably longed for the reassurance that she was sane, hoping that whatever was misfiring in her brain would resolve itself and she could go back to a semi-normal existance.

"I used to watch him perform and I just loved him. You know, he was just so wonderful and perfect. I started to think that he was doing it just for me. That he wanted me the way I wanted him. And," she laughed again, "when he found me in his place and called the police I thought that he was just playing hard to get or that he was afraid that I was a minor. I mean, it was so real. He had to be in love with me, didn't he?" She looked up at him. "Doesn't that sound crazy?"

He held up his hands. "I'm in here too."

"Yeah, but you didn't do anything nuts like that." She shook her head. "The whole thing with him, it just felt so real."

"I'm not sure I'm the right person for you to be talking to. Some of the staff-"

"Am I bothering you," she interrupted.

"What? No. I just...I'm in here too. My life's a mess too. There are others here that are in a better position to give you advice."

"I'm not looking for advice. And the staff just doesn't understand what this is like. They can say they do but they don't really get it."

"It wasn't the same for me, though. My insanity took a different form."

"I know. But still..." She spread her arms. "You get what this is like. This place. Being here."

"Yeah I know what thats like."

"Thats why I wanted to talk to you. And not only that. Even some of the other patients, they look at me like I'm completly nuts, when they find out what I did. But you don't."

"My mother had...issues. I look at what she went through, what I went through and know its not for me to judge."

"So I'm guessing she did some pretty crazy stuff."

"Sometimes. And I know how easy it is to let your imagination get the best of you. I thought my coworkers were trying to ruin my career."

She frowned. "And they put you here for that? It was only after I...did something even more..." She broke off, looking nervous now.

"It's a little more complicated than that. But you've probably already guessed."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh! Like that lady in 316 that poisoned her husband and his girlfriend? Did you hurt somebody?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I did." Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable.

"Oh,um...we've been out too long already. They'll probably be on top of us in a minute."

He nodded again. "Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't already."

She went around the corner. After watching her go, he waited there for just a minute before going back in his room.