Hey, so I just thought of this now – My Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and the plot. The show I do not own, otherwise I would still have it running in repeats. (I know, sore topic – just had to get it out there.)

I wanted to update after 5 reviews, but found the ideas too great and decided that I am fine with 3 (it's not even 24 hours yet). Thank you to Natalie Marie, rebekah5220, and Krissy for the encouraging reviews (more on that in a bit). If you do not wish to name your name, of call you something else just sign your review with that name, or do not sign it at all and I will not mention you.

You see, I wrote that first chapter under two hours last night and this morning when I woke up and thought about it, I realized that I could have done much better with it. Maybe it's because I usually spend a week or more on a chapter, or something like that but I did not feel that it was good at all. But those three reviewers thought that it was, and I greatly thank them for saying that. Because, I was going to go back and re-do the first chapter with some corrections, but now I will not do that and just work on the next chapter. This one promises to be much better (at least from my perspective) and maybe longer. I wanted to put more dialogue between Bradin and Ashley before, but thought I'd save that for a later chapter. Who knows – maybe that chapter will be this one.

Enjoy! (and Review!)

Chapter Two:

"So, how long do I have to stay in here?" Bradin Westerly asked his doctor, Doctor Andrews, the following morning.

"I'm gunna recommend a week or two. It will all depend on your day-to-day progress," Dr. Andrews said as he wrote something on Bradin's chart. The doctor was inside Bradin's joint room for his usual morning check-ups. "And I'm gunna have to also recommend you to a therapist."

Bradin put down his water and squinted at the doctor. "What for? I'm fine."

Dr. Andrews stared at Bradin for a moment. "You seem to forget, son, that you were admitted here for a drug overdose. We have to get to the source of this drug dependency, and that will require you to see a therapist."

Bradin sighed. "I don't have a drug dependency. One time and everyone thinks I do."

"Yes, but that 'one time' may and will lead to others, and we need to stop that before it starts again," the doctor closed his chart and put it back in place in front of Bradin's bed. Checking his watch, he said, "45 minutes until lunch, so I will leave you now and come back later." Before he left the room, he stopped and said, "Oh, I almost forgot. Miss Ashley Danes, your candy striper, came to me this morning requesting that she spend some extra time with you throughout your stay, so don't be alarmed if she comes in more than once a day to talk."

He smiled, and Bradin just nodded his head. "Why would she want to do that?" he thought, remembering how shitty he had acted to her the day before.

Within minutes, he heard a soft knock on his door and told the person to come in. Ashley's head appeared inside the room. Bradin could see she was holding two bags from Mona's Grill and had a bright smile spread across her face.

"Hey patient," she said, raising the bags. "Wanna go outside for lunch? You do not want to see what's on the menu today."

Bradin thought for a moment. "Sure," he said.

"Cool. Let's get you in one of those wheelchairs."

Outside, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and Bradin could smell the familiar scent of the ocean a few blocks away. The Playa Linda Hospital was across from the town park, so Ashley wheeled Bradin to one of the picnic tables. After she set up two plates of the take-out food, the two sat in silence for a few moments eating their hamburgers and fries.

"My aunt's boyfriend owns Mona's Grill," Bradin stated by ways of interrupting the quiet.

"Yeah?" Ashley said. "Is she Mona?"

"No. Her name's Ava." Ashley looked at him with a questioning face, and Bradin said, "It's a long story."

"You know, people always say something's a 'long story' when it really isn't and their just covering up something from their past," Ashley said. Bradin gave her a questioning look. "I'm a psychologist major."

"You're in college?"

"First year at Playa Linda State," Ashley said.

"Oh, I thought you were still in high school like me," Bradin said, feeling stupid of making an ass out of himself in front of a college girl.

"Nah, I'm still 18, but my parent's brought me into school earlier and my birthday's in the summer," she explained, eating a fry.

"I wonder if you would qualify," Bradin thought out loud.

"Pardon?"

"Oh, sorry. It's just that Dr. Andrews feels that I should see a psychologist after my 'incident'," he used air quotes. "That's a bunch of bullshit if you ask me."

"Why's that?"

Bradin looked at her. "Does it look like I need some stranger telling me why I felt what I felt when I took the drugs? It was a stupid thing, I admit it. But it's not like I'm gunna do it again."

"And, how do you know that? Relapse happens a lot when the patient does not get the sufficient treatment the first time. I think the doctor is just looking out for you. It is a touchy subject, after all, and I think he believes that if you get the help you won't wind up doing it again."

"Excuse me, but I don't remember asking your advice on the matter. That whole psychologist-talk is really annoying on a girl like you," he said with a bit of attitude.

"What type of girl am I?" Ashley asked after a moment, trying to stay as calm as possible.

Bradin could see that he had struck a nerve without even meaning to. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't like it when people tell me what to do or think when they don't even know me."

"I can see that," Ashley said. She could feel the awkwardness of the situation radiate off Bradin, so she said, "Look, we didn't really get off on the right foot. Let me throw this away, and how 'bout we sit down by the pond over there and start over?"

Bradin smiled. "I would like that."

While Ashley threw their garbage away, Bradin thought about the situation before him. His head still hurt from the fall, and he had not seen his family on good terms since the accident. Callie was away at her aunt's house back home in Nebraska and while he had told her about what happened through texting earlier that day, he had not heard back from her. And now this beautiful college girl was his personal candy striper for the next week or so and he could not speak to her without sounding like a jerk. He had made sexual remarks the day before and today he was criticizing her for her actual good advice. He was afraid of opening up to her and getting close to her because when Callie got back from her trip they were still boyfriend-girlfriend and he would have to forget all about Ashley. "But maybe opening up to her just to get some more of her good advice would do be good," he thought as he smiled at her when she returned. Ashley took him over to the small pond a few feet away and sat down next to him on a park bench.

Ashley turned to him. "Hi, I'm Ashley Danes. I'll be your candy striper for the next week. And I hope you'll turn to me when you need help or advice." She reached out to shake his hand.

Bradin laughed, accepted her hand, and said, "I'm Bradin Westerly. And I hope to not be that much of a bother to you for the next week."

"You won't be a bother. I'm happy to help. So, where are you from, Mr. Westerly?"

"How'd you know I'm not from here?" he asked.

"It's written on your chart."

"Are you allowed to read those things?"

"Technically … no. But, it's not really a big deal. I like to know some things about the people I'm helping," Ashley explained.

"And what does my chart tell you?" Bradin asked.

"Your chart said that you were not born in California, that this was your first time in the hospital and first time taking drugs, and all that mundane stuff line height, weight, eye color, hair color, etc. Mostly though, I like to find out things about my patients from them."

"Yeah, I wasn't born in California. I'm from Kansas. Hogarth County, to be exact. I moved here about a year ago." Bradin could tell that she was about to ask why, so he said, "There was an accident in our town during a flood and my parents died. So my brother, sister, and I were put under control of my aunt Ava."

"Wow, that sucks," Ashley said. Bradin chuckled, and Ashley asked, "What?"

"Sorry, it's just that usually after I tell someone that they launch into the 'I'm so sorry!' fest. I never get a 'that's sucks'. It was just funny to hear that."

"Well, candy stripers are not allowed to use the word's 'I'm sorry' in front of a patient. But I do know what you mean, though."

"How so?"

"It's a long story," Ashley said, staring out at the pond.

"Didn't you say that if a person says those words that-"

"I know," Ashley looked at him, "But it really is a long story."

"I've got time," Bradin said, partially because he was curious, and he knew that it was tragic and wanted to let her know that he could be there for her like she was for him.

"Well, I don't. It's almost visiting time and I know for a fact that those are your visitors over there," she pointed behind her. Bradin looked and saw his aunt, Susannah, and Jay coming up the park entrance smiling at him. "I'm gunna let you go now. But I'll come back before dinner."

Bradin wanted to stop her, but knew that she had to go see her other patients. "See ya later," he said.