This poll goes out to all of you who are reading this. I have the therapy experiences of three team members written down. Should I stop here or do all six? Anyway, here's Kristen's go at it.

Second Chances

Chapter Thirty-six: Underneath this Smile

Kristen groaned as she sat down on the big couch in Sigfreid's office. This day was already not going well and she hated to ruin it for the others with her bad mood.

"Ah, Vampira, correct?" He asked.

"Whatever makes you happy." She replied with a smile. "I'm only here 'cause I have to be."

"You were the one that Atlantis confided in about her drug problems, right?" he asked.

"She didn't 'confide' persay." Kristen looked at the ceiling. "I badgered it out of her. Only way to get her to tell me a damn thing about her life, but hey, we all got our problems."

"How do you feel about her attempted suicide?" He asked.

"Angry." Kristen said. "She never even considered us when she did this! I know she's been through a lot, but gah, she hasn't got a clue!"

"You aren't the least bit sad by all this?" He asked.

"I am incapeable of that emotion." She said. "I can get angry, or happy. Maybe even depressed. Just not sad."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Mental block. The nerve in charge of that emotion simply doesn't work."

"If you could, would you be upset?"

"Hell yes! I want to be like everyone else, but it never works. I had to force myself to cry once… it didn't really work that well."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since I was little."

"Is there any sort of family history for this sort of mental blockage."

"Almost all women in my family have it. That's why my father left before I was born. Then she remarried, and when that guy left he took me and my sister with him."

"Do you know anything about your father?"

"Not much." She said. "I've seen pictures and stuff, but never met the guy. From what I heard, though, he was obsessed with his work."

"Do you have any resentment towards your father?" He asked.

"No." She said. "He was the smart one."

"Do you like your stepfather?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said. "He's a great guy, but he and his wife wouldn't understand the whole vampire thing, so I just left."

"Did you ever tell them?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head. "I joined the circus with the others and never looked back. Well, after Andi and the guys straightened me out."

"What was wrong?"

"Sort of like what Andi's problem is." She said. "I have an alter-ego that likes to kill people."

"Well, child I would love to continue our discussion, but our session is up." Sigfreid said. "You can go now."

"Okay." She perked up and bounced off.

"This is going to be a long week." The Pyschiatrist sighed as he made some marks on his notepad.