There is a whole lot of character establishment going on here. The case is taken from real life and hopefully won't offend anyone

2.

The Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center was a large intimidating building. It's residency program was outstanding. She had chosen the University, far away from home and just naturally moved on to the program there. She was a top student. Tennessee was beautiful, year round. There was snow, but not an unbearable amount, the summers were hot and steamy, just the way she liked them. There was no ocean but it didn't matter, it was also far away from her past life. The dancer, the diva, she left it all behind. Now she would help the helpless. Those whose little minds warped by chemical imbalances or abusive parents. She found that she could relate to these little ones. They were like her in many ways. They didn't fit with the rest of the world. Straight into residency in the Psychiatric Department, Amber Dupree would cure the world.

She had left Baltimore not knowing what she would do, except leave. She wanted out. When she came to the University of Tennessee, she found the men charming and the women demure. It was truly refreshing. She studied and was asked to many a party. No one knew her past. She discovered that she could be what she wanted to be here. People did not expect nor demand anything from her, just the pleasure of her company. She became an excellent student and a popular girl, not because of her mother, but rather because of herself.

She met Robert Dupree in her sophomore year. He oozed with charm. Dark hair, blue eyes he fawned over her, depositing roses at her dorm room and writing undying love songs that she would sing back to him. He called her his angel. He asked her to marry him during their second year of internship. After meeting his parents at Christmastime, the plans were set. They would be married in the fall.

Her mother traveled to her and planned every moment of the big event. It really wasn't what she had wanted, but it was beautiful just the same. She was greatly relieved when not a single person from Baltimore was invited. She danced and had the best time of her life. At this moment, she didn't mind being back in the spotlight. She was the bride afterall. She made her way to the back, with a few too many drinks and a need to find the bathroom. As she turned the corner, she was past shocked. There she found her new husband kissing his "cousin". That girl she didn't want as a bridesmaid but everyone insisted. The drink in her hand became a projectile and she walked out. It was the first of many times Robert Dupree found new angels. After a year, they were divorced.

Now she threw herself into her work. Children came into the hospital broken and she listened to the Child Psychologists attempting to repair them to the best of their abilities. Some were easy, a simple test and the right medication, they would go home to loving parents and a new life. Some were more difficult. They took tons of treatment, experimenting with meds and different therapies. Most of them turned out okay if not right. They would continue to see professionals every six months until adulthood, most likely moving on to adult psychiatric care. Some were moved to group homes and some to institutions. It was all for the best.

She didn't want to personally care about these children. She had to remain distant. She couldn't care too much. One darling little girl had come in, abused by her birth mother. The child hid all that she had gone through. Blonde, blue eyes and bright she danced and sang around the room, showing off her latest moves. She was so much Amber at that age. Yet, there was something about this child. A puzzle that needed to be solved. Her foster parents had come from California to have her treated. The Center here in Tennessee was known across the country. Amber had a reputation herself. She was known to help with the tough cases and work wonders. Katherine's parent's prayed that they could be helped.

The child was known to have fits of rage and fall to being hysteric at times. No one could get any information on what had happened to her. They suspected sexual abuse, but physically there was no sign. She was on 24 hour watch and each of the residents took a shift. Amber had the morning shift, when Katherine seemed to be her brightest. She showed Amber her dolls and the pictures she drew. Amber watched her every move. What was locked inside this child? What was the key?

One night they were looking through her pictures. Amber came to a drawing of a dancer with yellow hair and a yellow dress. She was in a ballet arabesque, with stick legs protruding from the full half circle dress.

"Who is that?" Amber asked.

"That's you." Katherine replied.

"Me? Thank you, Sweetie. That's so nice of you." She gave her a little hug.

The child beamed at her. "When you danced with me, I made it."

They had watched American Bandstand together. Sometimes music just got to Amber. Her old life creeped in. Amber couldn't help but take her hand and join her as Katherine bounced out of bed when The Osmonds began "One Bad Apple." Being seven, she had hooked onto Donny Osmond and his pictures scattered the room. Amber brought her the latest Tiger Beat magazine, with Donny on the cover, just last week. She remembered those huge crushes on teen stars and in some ways wished for those days again. They were simple and filled with dreams that were sure to come true. As one grew older, things got more complicated. It was never that simple again.

They danced through the whole show. People came in and watched. As songs ended, there was applause. Amber stepped back and let Katherine take her bows. She beamed. The nurses had informed Amber that all Katherine spoke about was Miss Amber and waiting for Saturday to come again. And Amber had to admit that it was great to dance again. Secretly she couldn't wait for Saturday herself.

Amber looked at the picture. "Do you dance like this at home?"

"Yes! I dance all the time, but no one will dance with me." She replied.

"Did your Mommy dance with you when you lived with her?" Amber probed.

"No." Her face fell, "When the men were there, she would dance with them, but never me."

"What men Katherine?" Amber felt this might be a piece of her puzzle.

"The men in black. In the chains, she would dance with them."

"Black? Who were they?"

Katherine looked at her, "Those ones that hurt mommy. When mom would tell me to go to my special place."

Amber stood but continued to speak as Katherine drew her next picture. She made her way to the tape recorder and quietly pressed the buttons. This may be a breakthrough or it may be nothing. Either way, Amber needed it on tape.

"Did you know the men?"

"No." Katherine searched her crayon box. She found the black and began to draw.

"Where was your 'special place', Honey?"

"It was in Mommy's closet. I couldn't sleep in our bed when they were there." She continued to draw and Amber saw a picture begin to form. A hooded figure immerged.

"But I could see." Katherine stated. "Through the slats, I could see them." She looked up and there were tears in her eyes. "They hurt her, Miss Amber. They hurt her bad and she would scream. In the end, after the whippings, they would push her down and…..I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh Honey, you don't have to!" Amber put an arm around her as she spied the picture the child drew. A hooded figure held a whip high above his head. When her mother was arrested for prostitution, they had found the supplies for her time as a masochist. No one suspected that Katherine had been subjected to the rituals. No wonder she withdrew.

"Did you see that Donny is going to be on Merv Griffin next week?" Amber asked, trying to take her painful thoughts away.

"Really?" Katherine asked joyously, "What day?"

The child's hands crumpled the picture and tossed it in the trash. Amber mentally noted a need to retrieve it. With the picture and the recording, the doctors would have a pathway to Katherine's pain. She would go home, with problems for sure and much therapy to overcome what she had been through, but she might just make it through. Amber hoped it would be so.