Authors Note: Yay more Wheeler! :D enjoy and please review responses!


Chapter 8: Transfer Order

"Then I blacked out." Alex finished telling his story as Wheeler and Elle sat in a private conference room together.

"Shit Alex, it seems trouble just follows you everywhere." Wheeler said to him shaking his head.

Alex looked at Elle who appeared to be deep in thought. "What would you suggest I do, Wheeler?" Alex asked.

"Well, I can get you out of this mess, but it would require you to spend one night at the mental hospital." Wheeler explained.

"What for?" Elle asked confused.

"Evaluation. If he acts normal he'll be released. With my recommendation it'll definitely help you out." Wheeler explained.

Alex sighed, "It's worth a shot."

"What if they don't let him go?" Elle asked Wheeler.

Alex looked from Elle to Wheeler, "Yeah, what then?" He asked.

Wheeler shook his head, "Then I won't let you stay in there. I'll do something to get you out. Legal or not so legal."

Elle seemed satisfied by this answer. "I'm going to go and get the paperwork sorted out with the Sheriff. You two sit tight." Wheeler held out a hand before heading out.

Alex felt Elle's hand grip his. "If he can't get you out, I promise I will." She whispered to him.

Alex smiled up at Elle's sorrow filled expression, "You're acting as if you'd miss me."

Alex noticed her lower lip quiver before she could cover it. "Alex… I can't lose you again and you know that." She whimpered as tears began to spill from her eyes like rain off the side of his roof in Shepherds Glen.

Alex turned and put his arms around her waist and pulled her down onto him quickly. He held her quietly as she dispensed all her anguish from her fragile mind. Elle's arms made their way around his neck warmly. Alex ran a hand up her back slowly; he couldn't stand the sight of her tears, especially when they were over him. He began to wonder how often she cried the first time he left Shepherds Glen, and even more he wondered how much she would have cried if he hadn't made it out of the Church the day they left.

Elle pulled back slowly to look at his eyes with her tear stained face. "Alex, what am I going to do until you get back? I'm so scared to be alone. For all I know this could take weeks." Elle said to him as quietly as possible.

Alex closed his eyes taking in her embrace before pulling her back slowly, "Elle, you and Wheeler should stick together until I can get back. I know it seems like a lot to ask, but please stay strong for me." He told her confidently.

Elle scoffed, "How do I stay strong when I've never been very strong to begin with?" She asked him sadly.

Alex cupped her face in one hand, "Elle, what I saw back there in Silent Hill was anything but weak. You were amazing and you need to understand that no matter what, that strength is in you." Alex shook his head with a smile, "It's not going anywhere. Just like me."

Elle searched his face for any signs of mistruth, but she found nothing but the truth in his eyes. "You really mean that?" She asked him as one final tear trickled down her cheek.

Alex looked over her face; he looked over every single detail from her cerulean eyes to her pouting lips before he nodded, "Every word."

Elle sighed with relief as her body began to relax itself in his arms. Their minds became aware of their current position. Elle was sitting on his thighs, and he was cupping her face; it was the closest they had ever been to each other. "Elle…" Alex felt his breath catch in his throat.

Elle seemed hypnotic as she began to lean towards him, "Yes…?" She asked him.

Alex felt his eyelids become heavy as he began extending his neck, "What are we…?" Alex cut himself off as her face was almost touching his.

The key being placed in the door with a rattle caused Elle to jump off Alex quickly. She scurried over to the corner and faced the wall, hoping to hide her very noticeable blush. Alex looked up at Wheeler bewildered, "Alright Alex, we can get you transferred before six o'clock tonight." He placed a file folder down on the table oblivious to the sexual attention hanging in the air.

Wheeler looked from Alex to Elle, "Would you both relax?" He shouted at them sternly.

"What?" Alex asked confused slightly.

"You two both look like you're going to a funeral. I'm ninety nine percent sure everything will work out." Wheeler scolded them.

Alex put a forced smile on his face, "I knew I could count on you Wheeler." Alex said convincingly.

"Now, is there anything you two want to talk about before Alex is transferred?" Wheeler asked as he began signing the paperwork on the table.

"No. I'd better go and see my aunt before we leave." Elle sped out of the room quickly without looking at either of them.

Wheeler looked up at her as she whizzed past. He shook his head, "Women, I'll never get how their minds work. One minute they're content with nearly everything you do and the next they're storming away from you angry as Hell. It makes no sense at all." Wheeler shook his head as he carried on filling out the paper work before him on the silver desk.

Alex looked up at the door and swallowed, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

***

The car ride up to St. Paul's Mental Hospital was more than a little awkward. Elle sat beside him in the backseat; her eyes never left the back of Wheelers seat. Alex stared ahead and tried to maintain conversation with Wheeler to keep the air light. "What did you end up telling the Sheriff in Brahms?" Alex asked leaning forward slightly so Elle was out of his vision entirely.

Wheeler glanced back, "I told them everything about how Silent Hill and Shepherds Glen aren't safe. I told them about the Order, and I even suggested we either warn people or put up a roadblock." Wheeler seemed fairly proud of himself.

Alex nodded, "A road block might be smarter than telling people."

"Why's that?" Wheeler asked skeptically.

"Well, anyone who is interested in the order might end up down there. That, or Silent Hill will have far more tourists than any previous years." Wheeler considered what Alex stated.

"You know, for a crazy person you sure do have some good common sense in you're head." Wheeler chuckled loudly.

Alex couldn't help but smile slightly at the irony of the situation. He had to be one of the sanest crazy people out there.

They turned onto a long dirt road that led to the mental hospital. Alex could vaguely remember being driven to this place years ago. He leaned back as the secluded hospital came into view. Elle looked up at the place sadly. "So this is where you spent so much time away from Shepherds Glen?" Wheeler asked him.

Alex nodded, "Yeah and I doubt I would have gotten out if it hadn't been for the dreams. I'd probably still be in room 206 convinced I was in the military for so many years." Alex noted shaking his head at the idea of being called 'soldier' for the rest of his life.

"What dreams?" Wheeler asked looking back.

Alex drew in a deep breath. "The dreams calling me back home to fight." Alex lowered his eyes thinking about how Josh would run from him in his dreams no matter how disturbing the setting seemed to be.

"That's terrible." Wheeler sounded genuinely sorry for him.

They pulled up to the Hospital doors. Several familiar staff members surrounded the car while Wheeler got out explaining the situation to them. Alex turned to Elle before removing his dog tags. "Elle." He said to her softly.

Elle looked over at him questioningly, "I want you to hold onto these for me. I'll want them back when I get out of here." Alex handed her the dog tags listening to the tiny jingle they made as they touched each other.

Elle took them in her hands carefully and looked them over. She looked into his eyes, "About earlier…" She closed her eyes.

"It's alright, Elle. You don't have to explain anything to me." He assured her.

Elle nodded feeling comfortable with that option. "I'll be back before you even know it." Alex gave her a smile.

Elle smiled back and placed her hand in his. "See you tomorrow." She said in a hopeful tone.

Alex nodded just as Wheeler opened his door up. "Come on, Alex." Wheeler said to him.

Elle got out at the same time. She stood on her side of the vehicle and braced herself against the roof of the police cruiser. Her heart beat quickly as she painfully watched her best friend place his arms behind him to be cuffed. Elle wasn't sure if it was the truth that hurt or the idea she would have to make it without him should he never be able to return to her.

Alex looked back at her with an encouraging face. He shrugged with a small smile; they always used to joke about Alex going to jail for his risky behaviour, she assumed this was the closest thing to that joke. She swallowed back a sob and smiled back at him.

Elle walked around the vehicle and stood beside Wheeler when the staff took Alex inside the building carefully, "Will he really be alright in there?" She looked down at the dog tags wrapped around her fingers sadly.

Wheeler looked back at her, "I don't see the danger. The staff agreed that tomorrow when I stop by we'd just be able to walk in, and if he hasn't lashed out we could get him back home." Wheeler assured her.

Elle nodded, "I hope he keeps up his best behaviour."

Wheeler looked at her, "You really are worried about him."

"He's been my best friend for years. I don't want to imagine life without him ever again." Elle looked up at Wheeler.

Wheeler placed his hand on her back as he opened the passenger's door, "Come on, we'll go and get some Chinese." He suggested as she slowly sat down inside the cruiser.

***

Alex followed the Dr, Blaine down the hallway; she was a very tall woman with a definite Italian look to her, "So, Alex." The older woman held up a clip board, "The first thing we're going to have you do is some simple tests." The doctor opened up her office and allowed the guards to help him inside.

Sitting down across from her desk, Alex remained as calm as possible. "What is your name?" She asked him.

"Alex Shepherd." He replied knowing the questions would start off easy and then gradually become harder.

"Who am I?" She asked him.

"Dr. Blaine." He replied calmly.

"Good. What is your occupation?" She asked him.

"I currently don't have one. I used to do volunteer work for back home, I worked at the boat launch and then I worked at the video store in town." Alex thought back.

She looked up at him slightly shocked that he didn't mention the army in any of his answers, "Correct."

Alex watched her write something down on the papers she had in front of her. "Do you know why you were brought here last time?" She asked him.

Alex nodded, "I was suffering from post dramatic stress disorder."

Dr. Blaine seemed pleased by his answer, "Do you feel you require any more time at this hospital? Perhaps you might feel you need some medication?" The doctor asked him.

"That's not really up to me. I feel ready to move forward with life, but if my evaluation states I need medication then I suppose I do." Alex shrugged figuring it was the truth and the best answer he could give her.

"Alright, well today we'll determine that. It appears your condition has gotten better at a fairly rapid rate. I just have a few more tests for you after this." Dr. Blaine determined.

Alex nodded before she spoke again, "Could we talk about your escape the last time you were here?" Dr. Blaine asked him before crossing her very long legs soundlessly.

"Sure." He replied knowing he had to be very careful with his answers here.

Dr. Blaine linked her fingers and held them to her chin, "Where did you end up going?" She asked him.

"I went back home to Shepherds Glen." Alex answered calmly.

Dr. Blaine placed her hand under her chin as she listened to him, "Why?" She asked him genuinely curious about his trip back home.

"I had thought I was in the military so I left just in case I was sent back over to fight again." Alex scratched his cheek.

"What did you do once you got back home? Did you see anyone you knew? Did anything seem to feel familiar?" She asked him softly.

I fought monsters, I killed my mother, watched my father die and discovered I killed my brother, and just to top it all off I fought members of the order; a psychotic religious cult that worships a corrupt God. Alex knew he couldn't say that to her or he'd spend the rest of his life eating jell-o and reheated macaroni. The cafeteria food alone was enough to scare him. He decided to tone it down a bit.

"I ended up at my house, and I found my mom. She and I had a brief conversation about what went on in my absence. Then I talked to some friends wondering what had gone on while I was away, and then finally I talked to my dad who told me the truth about where I had been and why." Alex explained.

The doctor smiled and nodded, "I think that will be all for now. Would you like something to eat?" She asked him.

As much as it sickened him Alex was definitely hungry from hours of not eating a single thing. Alex nodded, "Yeah, I could go for some food."


Did anyone else notice Alex was bowl-legged? Review!