Hello everyone, thank you as always for all the lovely reviews. Hugs, cookies and Murdock for everyone!

Believe It or Not

Chapter Four

Murdock wasn't a nervous person by any means but for some reason his knees were shaking and his heart was racing. He was hopelessly addicted to the way Sylvia's eye lit up when he spoke to her. The only light that was ever even vaguely present in those sad hazel eyes of hers. It made him want to start singing Grease songs which in turn made him want to vomit. He wasn't apposed to singing Grease songs but when they were the result of a girl that changed the entire situation altogether. He'd never had much luck with girls. The only girl he went steady with for a while was in high school and undying teenage love barely counted as anything. After that he stuck to flings, never allowing himself to get too attached to anyone because they somehow always managed to crush him. Still she fascinated him in the way she pretended to be stronger than she clearly was. How at any given moment should could be as high on life as a kite and the next so low she was practically digging her own grave. He liked her teddy bear slippers and striped shirts and he especially liked her messy red hair.

Then he noticed her mouth moving as she set her soggy peanut butter and jelly sandwich down and turned toward him.

"Murdock?" He finally heard as noise began to register in his brain again. She was giving him an odd look as if something had just grown off his face.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" He asked as his hands beginning to shake as well. He had been wordlessly staring at her for the last few minutes.

Her face fell into a look of concern. "Are you alright?"

He laughed half heatedly. "Fine, just forgot where I was for a moment."

She smiled and his stomach turned. "Disappointing isn't it when you remember your here."

His lunch with her wasn't going as well as he'd hoped and so he only nodded. He had hoped to charm her into oblivion, to sweep her off her feet or to at least reel her in a bit but all he seemed to have done was let her drift further away.

Then she glanced at him and spoke. "I think the thing I miss the most, while I'm stuck in this hell hole is being able to jump on a plane and just fly away," Sylvia finished her statement with a sip of her milk.

"I could fly you away," he replied causing her to laugh. He wanted to slap himself for once again saying some cheesy pick up line that sounded like if fell out of Face's mouth.

Suddenly she leaned in close and asked, "But how?"

He thought about it for several moments before shrugging. "Don't know but one day I will, I promise."

She sat back again with that sad look on her face. "If you say so."

Then shouting erupted from the kitchen and several orderlies came running in their direction.

"Ooops," Murdock said jumping to his feet. "I think that's my cue."

She looked up at him with a bright smile. "What did you do?"

"Added a little bit bang to the menu," he quickly replied before giving her a wink and dashing out the cafeteria door.

Sylvia was too distracted trying to catch a glimpse of the battle in the hallway that she didn't notice Jacob plop down beside her.

"I think he likes you."

Sylvia jumped in surprise at Jacob's voice and turned sharply to glare at him.

"Oh, do you?" she questioned.

He leaned over and whispered, "And I think you like him too."

She shook her head. "Jacob, that's ridiculous. I've known him, what? Two days!"

"Only takes a moment," he shot back wiggling his eyebrows.

She placed a hand to his forehead and pushed him out of her face.

Murdock was sent to isolation the rest of the night and the next day was visitation day. Sylvia spent the day finding bad words in crossword puzzles and scribbling in self-help books. She didn't have anyone to visit her and the only person who even would was on the other side of the ocean.

"I overheard Wheeler talking shock therapy," Lyle told her on a smoke break.

Sylvia watched the smoke she blew out her nose disperse into the open air. "Shocking, Wheeler recommending shocks."

Lyle nodded. "Murdock seems like the kind of guy that could take it though."

Sylvia looked at him. "Your more talkative than usual."

He shrugged and asked, "Does it bug you?"

She shook her head, "Not at all."

He smiled. "I guess I'm just in a good mood."

"Girl or guy?" she asked taking another deep drag.

Lyle blushed a deep crimson so she dropped the subject. "Think I could go for a walk later?"

"Talk to Wilson," he recovered fairly quick but still shuffled around a bit. Lyle wasn't an ugly guy he just reminded her of teddy bear and it wasn't is big brown eyes. He was built a little thicker but he wasn't fat. He was the kind of guy who should have been a linebacker but never tried out for the football team. It was probably a good thing too. It left him a kind soul instead of a rough tough defensive machine.

An hour later Sylvia sat upside down in her chair across from Doctor Wilson.

"You see, Doc," she had been rambling on for the last hour about nothing in particular. She just needed a good vent and well even though she never confessed the important things she knew it's what therapists were there for. Whether they enjoyed it or not was none of her concern. "I just don't understand why you everyone feels we should be locked in a room like prisoners and shocked until we lose brain cells when sunshine is a natural and scientifically proven upper. Really Doc, who needs isolation, shocks and pills."

Sylvia happened to be one of the lucky ones. Doctor Wilson kept her off of medication because he believed medication only suppressed the insanity, it didn't fix it. He believed the only way to truly cure insanity was to teach the patient to control it themselves. That wasn't including the fact Wilson had a tendency to see improvements in her more frequently when she didn't take any medication. Yet, Sylvia was good at treading. As much as she had improved in the time he'd been helping she seemed to have leveled off at this particular stage in her recovery and he was growing tired.

"Are you saying you'd like to go outside?" He asked with a sharp click of his tongue. Then to his surprise she sat up properly and gave him a seriously look.

"They aren't really giving Murdock shock therapy are they?"

He gave her a stern look, "Sylvia I can't discuss other patients with you." She opened her mouth to protest only he continued. "But seeing as Mr. Murdock is new here things can be easily rearranged."

She nodded before giving him a halfhearted smile. "So can I go for a walk?"

"Only if we can discuss your sleep patterns," he reasoned. "I'm considering putting you on something to help you rest better but I'm afraid you won't cooperate."

She rubbed her eyes knowing well of the dark bags under them. "I'm okay."

Lyle took her for a walk later. They walked in silence for most of it so Sylvia could enjoy the warm sun and fresh air. She then ate dinner alone and after returned to her spot in the rec room.