CHAPTER 6
A/N: Thank you all for the tremendous support. I really do appreciate it. I'm glad to hear that I don't have to produce a perfect chapter. :D I'm trying my best, but I haven't quite found the groove yet.
I struggled a little bit with this chapter. I think it is because it has our first real introduction to Bo and I wanted it to be a good one. I hope it turned out okay. Please let me know what you think. Any theories on where things are headed?
A little earlier...
Bo knew that someone had entered the main room in the lab. She felt it, but she had to focus. She was on a mission to sweet talk a file out of this guy and she needed to concentrate. At first, it was a little difficult to tell if her flirting was working because he seemed more interested in staring at the girls than in listening to what she had to say.
Eventually, Mike gave her the subtle clues she needed to relax a little. She had him firmly wrapped around her little finger. Unfortunately for Bo, she picked a talker. She had to hear about his overbearing, controlling boss and how he was the best employee in the lab, but no one appreciated him. He went on and on about his many assets, each of which was highlight with stories casting himself as the hero. She tried to cut him off more than once, but there seemed to be no stopping him. It was during his third or forth story when her mind and her eyes began to wander.
Bo doesn't really have a type. Blonde or brunette, male or female, blue eyes or brown, she doesn't care. A person just needs to speak to her and the woman she spotted at a nearby table did just that and more. Bo's heart began to pound in her chest and the nerves that she had extinguished earlier returned in full force. The blonde seemed to be writing something important down on a clipboard, giving Bo the freedom to ogle her in between customary glances back to her conversational partner.
Wearing grey, pinstriped dress pants, a navy button down dress shirt and a standard issue white lab coat, the long, lean woman with wavy blonde hair was Bo's textbook definition of delicious. As she was unabashedly checking her out, the alluring blonde glanced up from her documents for a few seconds, revealing more of herself to Bo. While the moment was short-lived, Bo saw enough to take her breath away. Sure, she had a beautiful face with glowing skin and pink, kissable lips, but what really spoke to her were her honey-brown eyes that seemed to sparkle like stars.
Bo could tell by the blush on her face and a nearly imperceptible nod of the head that the blonde was flustered about being caught looking at her, which caused Bo to smile wider. "Busted," she thought to herself. Bo couldn't help finding the woman's embarrassment to be completely adorable.
Even though Mike was still talking a mile a minute, Bo didn't want to miss another shy glance in her direction so she spent less time looking at him and more time smiling in the direction of the majestic stranger. Mike didn't provide any signs that he minded. He continued recounting his gallant tales with great enthusiasm so Bo wasn't worried about jeopardizing her con.
"Don't be shy. You know you want another peek." Bo says to herself and as if on cue, the blonde glances up again. To Bo's pleasant surprise, the mystery woman didn't turn away quickly like she did the first time. Instead, she flashed a sultry smile, which got Bo's adrenaline pumping. Unable to back away from a good flirt, Bo not only returned the smile, she upped the ante a little by throwing in a quick wink. It was obvious that the wink had the desired effect as the blonde's smile broadened before she returned her eyes to her work. Bo now had two missions, getting a file from Mike and a number from her blonde goddess.
While Bo might not have been exactly listening to Mike, she was able to sense he was running out of steam. It wouldn't be too much longer before he would be fetching the information she needed and Bo would be able to work on getting the digits she wanted. "I wonder if she is a doctor...She looks like it...Hmmm...I am feeling a little warm. I wonder if she would be willing to give me a thorough exam." Bo smiles even more with this thought.
That's when something unexpected happened. She locked eyes with the woman she had been admiring and she was able to see beyond the superficial beauty to what was underneath. As a police officer and a detective, she had stared into the eyes of many greedy, angry, dishonest, despicable people, searching for clues on how to get to the truth. It was rare for her to gaze upon someone and see the kindness that pointed toward a compassionate soul. She found it mesmerizing. If Mike had not indicated that he was going to run and get her file, she could have stared into those eyes all day long.
As it was, Mike walked away, drawing the other woman's attention toward him. She watched the two of them talking and it was clear that they were not the best of friends. Even if she had not spent years on the street or time on the police force, Bo could tell their discussion was going to end badly.
After the blonde doctor rounded the table and Mike turned to face her, Bo contemplated interrupting the two of them so she could send Mike on his way. Bo was impetuous by nature, making it very difficult for her to let things play out when she knew danger was looming. She balled up her hands into fists as Mike became more aggressive in his body language. "Focus on the mission, Dennis." Bo reminded herself. Given her lack of knowledge about this facility and the dubious nature of her visit, she had to resist the urge to intervene or else, she could ruin everything.
For whatever reason, Bo was finding it difficult to comply with what her mind was telling her. She had this intense compulsion to run to this stranger's side and protect her from harm. "I'm sure she can take care of herself." Bo reasoned. "I'm not some damn knight in shining armor." All of Bo's reasoning went out the door when Mike inched closer to the doctor with a look that could kill. "I'll find another way to get the info," she decided. She took a couple of significant steps towards the pair when Mike suddenly stomped away, causing Bo to stop dead in her tracks. "Close call." she thought.
Bo watched the blonde straighten her clothes, grab her clipboard and amble over to where she was standing. "Showtime." Bo grinned as the blonde came near.
Once they were face-to-face, the blonde says "Hello, my name is Dr. Lauren Lewis." and extends her hand in greeting. Bo eyes slowly scan the lovely woman before her, starting with her feet and stopping when they lock on those twinkling brown eyes that radiate warmth.
Her eyes went on this same journey a couple of times while Dr. Lewis was across the room, but she had this need to take advantage of their close proximity, which offered her whole a new perspective on the woman's beauty. Plus, Bo wanted to observe her reaction to being openly appreciated.
The doctor did not disappoint. Lauren's breath hitched as she watched the brunette examine her body with such a burning intensity. The blush on her cheeks intensified and her head dipped a little as if she wanted to look away, but couldn't. Instead, she just continued gazing into Bo's face through her eyelashes. Her modest reaction to such blazon scrutiny made the doctor all the more endearing in Bo's mind.
Bo confidently reaches out to shake the woman's hand and says "My name is Detective Isabeau Dennis, but everyone calls me Bo."
Feeling the warmth of Bo's hand against her own and the soft fingers on her skin caused Lauren to temporarily lose some of her cognitive function. An electrical impulse felt like it traveled from her hand, up her arm and throughout the rest of her body. Spontaneous combustion seemed like a real possibility given that she was already hyper due to her nervousness and on fire from her apparent arousal. "If she can do this to me with just a handshake..." Lauren thought. "Ugh. Don't go there. You are a medical professional at work for goodness sake."
Bo was not fairing much better. The sensation of flesh meeting flesh had her stomach fluttering and every cell in her body seemed to be tingling. Goosebumps appeared on her arms. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath in hopes of settling herself. Seeing this woman across the room was one thing, but touching her, even in such an innocent way, was a little overwhelming. Bo was somewhat baffled by her reaction. She's been far more intimate with people and felt much less. Bo clears her throat to break the self imposed trance and internally admonishes herself "Get a grip. You've got this."
The handshake lasted longer than what was typical, but neither participant noticed or cared. Eventually, Bo found the willpower to give Lauren's hand a slight squeeze before letting it go. Both women instantly missed the connection as soon as it was severed. For Lauren, though, it did help her to escape her catatonic state and find her voice again.
"Um...Hello, Bo. It is very nice to meet you. You may call me Lauren."
"The feeling is mutual, Lauren." Bo lowered the tone and volume of her voice "I must confess. I was hoping you might rescue me from Mike...He's kind of a tool."
Lauren laughs a little and flips her hair back off her face. "Yes, well, I hear he grows on you after a while...That's what people tell me anyway."
"Hmmm...I'm not so sure about that. How long have you known him?"
"About ten years now."
"Has he grown on you?"
"In a sense." Lauren cocks her head to the side a bit, giving some more thought to her question. "A little like a flesh eating disease."
Bo puts her hand up to her mouth as a way of hiding her amusement. "I see." Bo laughs heartily.
Lauren smiles brightly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be that way. I'm sure his mother loves him dearly."
"So, he has an attitude that only a mother could love?" The two laugh a little more.
"Let me guess. He's not making a copy of the file that I need. Is he?"
"No. No, he's not, but that is my fault. I told him that I would give you what you need...I mean...I would handle you. Hmmm...This isn't coming out exactly right. Sometimes, my words and my thoughts don't..."
"That's okay. I know what you mean." Bo lays a hand on Lauren's forearm, which prompts the blonde to take a deep breath and smile.
"Please come with me to my office and let's see what I can do to assist."
"That would be great. Thank you."
As the two walked single file toward Lauren's office, the blonde starts to give herself a pep talk. "Okay, Lauren, you can do this. You are a succubus. You of all people should be able to talk with a gorgeous woman. Whatever you do, just do not picture her naked."
Lauren turned around in front of her desk, when they reached her office, and said to herself "Shit. What did I just tell you. Do NOT picture her naked." It was too late. Images of a naked Bo started dancing seductively through her head. Lauren's blushing reached a whole new level.
Bo, on the other hand, was not suffering from the same struggles. "I bet she looks amazing under those clothes." She closes her eyes for a few seconds as an image comes to mind. "Definitely... amazing." She opens her eyes again and smiles impishly.
Lauren finds a way to focus her wandering mind by concentrating on the task at hand. "Okay." She claps her hands together. "First, I'm going to need to see your badge." When Bo doesn't reach for it right away, Lauren adds a "Please".
"Oh...Yea...Sure." She reaches in her jacket and pulls out a badge. Bo hands it over to Lauren, making sure to lightly touch the doctor's hand as she does. Lauren, for the most part, was able to mask any impact the touch had on her. Her "shields" as Kenzi often likes to call them were raised. Lauren, herself, prefers to think of it as entering her doctor mode. Either way, the lack of a physical response put Bo on edge. "Not good. Not good. Not good." ran through Bo's mind repeatedly.
Lauren examines the badge closely looking for any signs of forgery and ensuring it resembles the one that she has seen Hale wave about on many occasions. Finding nothing wrong, she hands the badge back to the detective with a smile. "Very good. Now...May I take a look at the request form?"
"Request form?" Bo asks the doctor while thinking, "Fuck."
"Yes, it's standard protocol for the lead detective to fill out a form when a duplicate file is requested."
"I'm sorry. I'm new to this precinct. I'm still trying to get up to speed on all the rules or else I would have noticed. It probably just slipped Hale's mind."
"Hmmm...Misplacing the file and forgetting the form...It is very uncharacteristic of Hale to do these sorts of things."
"I don't know him that well, but I think he is just stressed out about some high profile cases on his desk." Bo's voice gets a little husky as she leans in a little closer to Lauren. "Is there some way we can just get around this little bureaucratic mess? I can always bring you a completed form later."
Things were starting to unravel for Bo, yet she wasn't going to give up easily. "I probably should have put a little more thinking into this plan" Bo internally scolded herself. Despite years of training, Bo still has a tendency to jump into action, head first, without much forethought. It has bitten her on the ass on many occasions and even got her shot, yet it still tends to be her natural instinct.
"I think we can come up with something." Lauren smiles to Bo, which temporarily relieves her anxiety. "Dodged a bullet." Bo thought.
Her relief is short-lived because just then, Lauren pulls out her cell phone. "I'll just give Hale a quick phone call and once I get his verbal approval, the autopsy report is all yours."
"SHIT" Bo's mind begins to panic. She steps dangerously close to the doctor, places a hand on the one holding the cell phone and whispers, "Hale is probably in the middle of some interviews right now. I would hate to disturb him."
Lauren's shields start to weaken as her body goes into sensory overload. The warm breath on her face, the smell of her perfume and the feel of a gentle hand on hers, were enough to cause her synapses to fire all at once. She found herself trembling involuntarily at the sensation.
Bo couldn't help but be pleased with the apparent impact she was having on the blonde. It wasn't enough, though, to distract Lauren from her duty. "I don't have a choice. Confidentiality in these cases is paramount. Hale will just have to be mad at me." Lauren looks down at her phone and starts to raise it to her face, when Bo pushes it back down again."
"Please. Please don't." Bo pleads with the doctor.
Lauren leans forward even closer. This time, it is Bo who is finding it difficult to control her inner reactions to the woman so near that her lips were just an inch or two away from hers. If not for her intense fear that she was about to be outed, she might have closed the gap. Instead, she watches as Lauren reaches out to close the door to her office and return to her original position.
"Hale didn't send you, did he?" Lauren asks as she looks intently in Bo's eyes, willing her to tell the truth. In the meantime, Bo's mind is racing trying to figure out a way of this situation. The doctor can see the fear and panic in Bo's face. With her best soothing voice possible, Lauren encourages Bo to be honest "Please. You can tell me the truth."
Bo looks deeply into Lauren's eyes as if she were trying to see into her very soul. Once she had the answer she was seeking, she closed her eyes tightly, dipped her head in defeat and shook her head no.
While she had a sneaking suspicion that Bo was not what she seemed, Lauren couldn't hide her disappointment. She didn't want to be right. Lauren had this deep down need to believe in her.
"Why are you here?" Lauren gently lifts the brunette's head with her index finger.
"I...um" Bo begins, finding it difficult to select her words. "Kyle was my best friend. He was there for me, during some of my darkest days. In fact.." Bo pauses as her emotions start getting the better of her. She thought that she had it all under control. She had planned on handling this investigation like any other, logical and clear minded. As she stands before the doctor, she finds her walls crumbling. Her eyes begin to well up with tears and she furrows her brow in an attempt to keep them at bay. She clears a throat a little in the hope that she can continue, "He has been the only real constant in my life.." Squinting her eyes a little to look at the doctor again and causing some tears to stream down her cheeks, Bo sets her jaw before saying, "I need to find the person who murdered him."
Seeing the pain and desperation in Bo's eyes made Lauren drop her shields. She puts her cell phone away and reaches out to grab the detective's hand to give it a slight pulse, in the hopes of easing her pain in some way. With a soft tone, she says, "Hale and Dyson are exceptional detectives. You should leave it in their hands. If anyone can find his killer, they can."
Bo shook her head no and closed her eyes for a minute. "I'm sure they are good at what they do, but I have seen too many of these cases go unsolved. I can't let that happen here." Resuming her eye contact with Lauren, Bo's voice cracked a little as she continued, "I wasn't always a great friend to Kyle. I was wrapped up in my own pain a lot of the time. I was so self-absorbed. He deserved much better." Bo took a deep breath before finishing, "The least I can do is get him the justice he deserves, no matter what the cost."
Still holding Bo's hand, Lauren notices the pain in Bo's face gradually be replaced with steely determination. "You aren't going to let them do their jobs, are you?" Lauren smiles a little.
"Of course, I will. They are just going to have a little help along the way...whether they want it or not." Bo grins, which serves as a stark contrast to the tears still falling down her face.
She doesn't know this woman at all and yet, Lauren felt this incredible desire to hug all her pain away. It was all she could do to hold herself back. With her free hand, she turned toward her desk and grabbed a tissue, offering it then to Bo who accepted it gratefully. Bo wiped the tears off her face as Lauren watched and waited. When it looked like Bo had recovered, Lauren said "I can't give you the file."
Bo nodded her head slowly yes. "I know. I get it."
"I'm very sorry that your friend was stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife by an ambidextrious assailant as he was bound and gagged with duct tape to a dining room chair." Lauren knew that Bo wasn't going to give up on the case. If Lauren gave her a little information, then maybe, Bo would allow her to help. If Bo allows her to help, then Lauren can watch over her and protect her from whatever killed her friend. "I know it is of little consolation, but your friend did put up a fight."
Bo could have kissed the blonde right then and there. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She finally felt some level of hope. Bo would have to brainstorm a little about what Lauren shared. It might not lead to any answers. That didn't matter as much at this point. She just appreciated that Lauren gave her some sort of direction. Now, it was time to ask the big question. "So, does this mean you aren't going to turn me in for what I did?" Bo's eyes went back to pleading.
"For what? A simple misunderstanding? I don't think that is necessary." Lauren gave Bo's hand a squeeze and smiled reassuringly.
Bo let out some air that she had been holding. "Thanks again," she says with a big smile.
The two stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds until Lauren broke the silence. "I was just wondering...This lab is only used in special cases and is not well publicized. How did you know Kyle would be here?"
"Hmm...At the risk of sounding cocky, I am quite good at what I do." Bo responds.
"Ah, I see." Heat rises in Lauren's cheeks. A thousand inappropriate comments pop into her head all at once, but she chooses to ignore them. Instead, she smirks at Bo and changes the subject. "I hate to say this, but it might be best if you are not seen here for a while. There are a lot of noisy people who roam these halls and they tend to ask a lot questions."
A flash of disappointment appears on Bo's face. "I understand."
Lauren lets go of Bo's hand, turns toward her desk, and grabs some paper along with a pen. She starts writing something on the paper. "If you need any help or just want to talk, please let me know." She finishes writing and hands the slip of paper to Bo who looks down at it to see Lauren's cell phone number.
Bo smiles brightly at Lauren and slips the paper into her jacket pocket. "I will. I promise." She lightly touches Lauren's forearm. "Besides, I feel like I owe you a drink for being so kind to me."
"You don't owe me anything." Lauren looks down a little as she says this, not one to accept appreciation easily.
Bo bends down a little to catch Lauren's eyes. "Yes, I do." She lets her hand slip off the doctor's forearm and makes her way to the office door. Before Bo exits, Lauren interrupts her. "Bo". Bo turns to the blonde and Lauren continues "Please be careful and do call me if you need anything." Bo flashes her dimple, making Lauren a little weak in the knees. "I will and don't worry, we will talk again soon." With that, she was gone.
Lauren stands in her office, rooted to one spot, for what seemed like hours as she processed what just happened. No one has ever impacted her like this detective. Eventually, Lauren regained her senses and walked around her desk to sit in her chair. She retrieves her cell phone and dials up Hale.
On the third ring, Hale answers. "Hey, Doc. What's shakin'?"
Lauren rolls her eyes at Hale's hello. "Only the samples in my centrifuge." Her response caused Hale to laugh a little. "I was wondering if you know a Detective Bo Dennis."
"Um, Yea. She has been a colossal pain in my ass lately. Why do you ask?"
"I bumped into her today and I was wondering what you knew about her."
"She transferred recently from another county and she has been pulling out all the stops trying to get her hands on the Williams case. Please tell me she did not try to pump you for information." Lauren had to smile. Before Kenzi entered her life, that comment would not have caused any dirty responses to enter her mind like it does now. She decided against indulging in such adolescent behavior and chose, instead, to divert the conversation before Hale got upset.
"I've got to run, Hale. Do you think you will be at the Dal later tonight?"
"You know...I was just thinking I could go for a nice cold beer. How do you read my mind like that, Doc?"
"I guess we have spent too much time together over the years."
"Apparently so...Hey, Doc, while you're at it, why don't you bringing lil' mama along with you." Lauren couldn't help laughing. Kenzi and Hale were always flirting with each other, but neither one of them would make a move. What made the situation all the more comical was the fact that Kenzi was always pushing her to date and take a chance on romantic relationships, yet she was unable to do that herself, even when the perfect guy was always buying her shots at the Dal.
"I'll give her a call and see if she feels like going out tonight."
Hale laughed heartily. "Come on, Doc. This is Kenzi we are talking about. She is always in the mood for drinks."
"I don't know, Hale. She has been busy lately with something or someone lately. She may not be available."
There was silence on the other end for a small amount of time. "Really? What? Who?" Hale probably recognized that his tone was less than carefree because he quickly added. "I just don't want our girl to get hurt."
"Sure, that's it." Lauren thought. "I know, Hale. I don't either, but Kenzi is a smart girl. She can take care of herself."
"I know she is, Doc. It's just...trouble seems to find her a LOT."
Lauren is not one to interfere in the personal lives of others. Yet, Lauren really wants to break her own personal rule and help her two friends find happiness with each other. She decides that now is not the time. "You are right about that. Perhaps, I can coax her to the bar with promises of free drinks from a certain wolf-man."
"Ha...That is a given, Doc. Does lil' mama ever pay for drinks when I am around?" Hale asks.
Lauren laughs a little. " You are right. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Alright, Doc. Usual time?"
"Yes, I'll be there, with a possible friend in tow."
"Sounds like a plan...Later."
"See you soon."
After hanging up with Hale, Lauren's next call was to her best friend who picked up rather quickly.
"Hola, Chica." Kenzi replied with enthusiasm. "How is my favorite Doccubus doing? Did the boss rip her a new one for calling in late?"
"Still with the Doccubus thing?"
"Hellz yea. I don't see the novelty wearing off any time soon with that one, Doc. It is pretty killer. I may even start a website or somethin'."
Lauren palms her head. "Great." she says with little enthusiasm "Going back to your question, No, I haven't seen the Ash so nothing has come of it."
"See...I told you so...You worried your big brain over nothing. It's all good."
"Or she has been away on business for all we know."
"You are such a worry wart. You will be fine."
"I hope you are right. I'm actually calling to see if you would like to the Dal tonight for some drinks?"
"You are kidding me, right? How long have we known each other? Asking me if I want go to the Dal is like asking asking me if I want to go to a shoe sale for designer kicks or if I want to drive an insanely expensive sports car or if I want to have sex with some amazingly hot, incredibly famous actor or if I want to..."
"I get it Kenzi." Lauren interrupts knowing that Kenzi could continue on that rant all day long.
"Listen, Doc. You never have to ask me if I want to go to a bar. The answer will always be yes."
"My mistake."
"Big one, Doc...While we are at it, why don't we see if anyone else is interested in joining us for some adult beverages?"
Lauren smirks a little at the suggestion. "Anybody in particular?"
"Come on, Doc. Don't play stupid. It's not like we have a vast number of choices. I'm talking about the usual suspects."
Lauren laughs. "I've already talked to Hale and he has promised to buy you a drink."
"A drink?...Una Bebida? Napitok?"
"He was not specific on the number of drinks."
"That sounds better. I thought I had him trained better than that."
"I met a beautiful woman today." Lauren blurted out. Lauren shook her head after saying it. "Why did I just tell her that?" Lauren internally scolded herself.
"Oh, you did, did you? Dets. I need some dets. Share with your little sis."
"It's not a big deal. I bumped into a detective that works in Hale's precinct. That's all." Lauren desperately tried to play down the encounter. She really didn't want to get into it on the phone at work. Why Lauren felt the need to tell her about it at all escaped her completely."
"You wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't a big deal. Now, give it up, girl."
"We can talk about it more tonight."
"Oh, no...You can't bail on me like this. A friendship like this one comes with certain rules."
"I've got to get back to work, Kenz. We can talk tonight."
"Really? You are going to drop a bomb on me and run?"
"I'll make it up to you."
"You already owe me a crap load."
"No, I don't."
"You want me to list everything I have done for you or that you have done to me?"
"Goodbye, Kenzi."
"I'm soooo not liking you right now." Kenzi groans in frustration. "Bye."
For the next couple of hours, Lauren tried to get some work done. Despite her best efforts, she found it very difficult to maintain her focus. She would be peering through a microscope or preparing her slides and suddenly, her mind would start fantasizing about the sexy detective. It was incredibly frustrating. She had too much to do to waste any time on daydreaming. Lauren, for the life of her, could not figure out why she was so fixated on a complete stranger. It was irrational.
Lauren glanced up at the clock in the lab and noticed that there was only a half an hour left before she had to pick up Kenzi. Where had the time gone? She looked down at the laptop sitting near her microscope and groaned. She hadn't accomplished anything of importance since her meeting with Bo.
Since she didn't think it would be possible to regain her concentration any time soon, Lauren decided to pack up her stuff and make her way over to the psych ward to see one of her favorite patients. Every week, Lauren does her best to spend a little time with him because he doesn't get very many visitors. Sometimes, his daughter would make an appearance or Dyson would spend a little time with him, but for the most part, he was all alone. She suspects it is just too painful for those who care to see him in such a state of mania. Lauren empathized with him greatly. She never knew him when he was sane, but she heard a lot of stories that humanized him in her mind. It was tragic for someone who had experienced so much sorrow in his life, largely due to his own mistakes, to spend the rest of his days engulfed in insanity.
When Lauren made it to his ward, she saw the head nurse at the main station, typing away on a keyboard. Lauren got along with Stella, generally speaking, but she found her to be a little cold and rude at times. The one thing that bonded them together was the man in the padded room just down the hall.
"Good evening, Stella. How is our patient doing today?" Lauren noticed that Stella was even gloomier than normal and probably a little tired as well.
"Hello, Dr. Lewis. It has been a rough day for him. He became a little violent and we had to restrain and sedate him."
"Oh, no. I wonder what triggered it."
"I don't know. It has been a while since he has gotten physical with anyone. I guess he was just overdue."
"I should come back again some other time."
"You can go in an see him for a minute or two. Maybe, it would be good for him to have a friend right now."
Lauren nodded and gave her a sad smile. "Thank you."
Stella led Lauren to his room and unlocked the door. Lauren stepped into the white, padded room and Stella locked the door behind her. The doctor took a long look at the man who was strapped down to a hospital bed, mumbling in his sleep. She walked up to his bed and placed her hand on one of his arms.
As is the case most of the time, Lauren couldn't decipher everything that he was saying. Every so often, she would hear something like "They all need to die." or "I should kill them all." Otherwise, it was nothing, but a bunch of gibberish. Lauren gave him a soft smile before saying "Hello, Mr. McCorrigan. It's Dr. Lewis again. I hear you are having a difficult day."