"Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw!"

Veronica bolted up, almost falling off the couch. She didn't even remember falling asleep and had almost thought that her encounter with JD last night (or this morning) had been a dream.

Heather Chandler was glaring at her, arms crossed and tapping her foot. It was then Veronica noticed everyone else was also in the room, staring at her in shock or amusement (expect Martha who didn't get it and Heather who had covered her face with her hands).

"Thanks for christening the couch, it's not like we were going to use it anymore anyway."

Veronica opened her mouth to retort when she looked down at JD who looked back up at her with an eyebrow cocked in question. Horror filled her stomach and her face and chest went deep red. When she'd sat up she'd ended up straddling his waist.

Of course both of them still had their clothes on, so Heather was just goading her, but still, their predicament didn't leave Veronica in the best place to argue back.

Logically what must have happened is she'd merely fallen asleep on top of JD whenever that had happened and when she'd sat up so suddenly that this had been a natural position. That didn't make it any less mortifying.

"Well if you're going to do anything get off him," Heather called from behind her, Veronica could envision Heather's hands on her skinny waist and an obnoxious smirk on her face.

"Yeah," Kurt chimed in. "And here I thought we'd get some porn on Cinemax."

Veronica blamed being woken up so suddenly on the fact that she hadn't thought to get off JD as soon as she realized what was going on. She scrambled off of him, nearly falling off the couch again and tripped over the coffee table. She decided she really couldn't be more embarrassed than she already had been and brushed herself off, not caring about the looks she was receiving anymore.

"We drew straws, Veronica, you get first with the hippie this morning."

"You drew straws, Heather got first with Dr. Fleming and you're making me go first anyway." Veronica wasn't certain that's what had actually happened, but it was a very Heather thing to do and the lack of response proved Veronica right.

"But I'll go because I'm a nice person." Mainly she'd have some time not being antagonized by Heather or anyone else and she could tune Dr. Fleming out and begin to think about what JD has said last night.

Dear Diary,

Veronica rubbed her temples as Dr. Fleming started with her usual questions. She answered the doctor with the same answers she always gave, she had better things to think about than Dr. Fleming's prodding.

I ran into JD last night and we ended up talking about some stuff that… I'm still not sure I understand. He said his mom committed suicide and- and he saw it. And he changes schools all the time. That he talks the way he does because he can't not do it.

Veronica opened her eyes. "Dr. Fleming does anyone ever talk in their sessions? I mean besides Heather Chandler; she's playing you by the way."

The doctor gapes at her like a fish. "N-no the rest of you have been rather insistent on keeping quiet. Why do you ask?"

"I talked to Jason Dean last night and… I just wondered what he might say to you if he actually spoke."

The gaping turns into grinning and Veronica instantly regrets speaking anything at all. "Oh! So you've been talking to Jason Dean? What has that been like? What have you two talked about?"

"Well, stupid trivial stuff mostly. He wants access to slushies – preferably from Seven-Eleven – told me about his "self-prescribed" coping mechanism." Dr. Fleming nodded along rather dumbly, keeping her smile. Veronica squinted her eyes when there was no reaction to JD "Slurpee medicine".

I wonder, how much does Dr. Fleming actually know about us? I guess she has access to our medical history and whatever our parents wrote down for the reason they put us here, but if we don't talk.

JD said brain freeze was an alternative he came up with a therapist and it can't have been with Dr. Fleming. For one thing he was already doing it when he came here. I suppose that means she wouldn't know, it's not like any doctor would actually write a prescription for such a thing.

"And we- well he told me about his mother."

I don't know why I said that, I've already said more than enough to get her off my back.

"He did?" satisfaction turned to shock, did Dr. Fleming not know about JD's mother either?

"About what happened to her. What she did. How it affected him."

"And what did you think? How did that make you feel?"

Here we go with the 'talking and feeling' nonsense she's always rambling on about.

Veronica shrugged. "I don't know, it was insightful, I guess. We were both so tired by that point we might as well have been high." She didn't want to tell Dr. Fleming what she actually thought.

What would I say anyway? I barely even know what I actually think.

I have to wonder, what is JD's life like? What has it been like without his mother? How has he survived constantly changing schools?

And what would I say about… about what he confirmed? He confirmed that didn't he? I mean, I had a hunch from the way he acted, specifically around Heather. I guess I never really thought about what it meant. For us it sucks to be treated like little kids, not to have knives or scissors or even a microwave for a little while. But JD might actually need those precautions. God what would it be like to look at things like that?

"Well any talking is better than nothing!" The doctor's voice was shrill with excitement.

Veronica was about to roll her eyes and leave when an idea hit her, Dr. Fleming was in a good mood that probably wouldn't keep. "Dr. Fleming we're rather bored without much activities to keep us busy. It's not even been a week and we're already stir-crazy. Is there anything you could do about that?"

Veronica went to go find JD after she was free, notebook secured in hand. She wanted to continue their conversation from last night. There were still things Veronica needed to process and JD seemed to be able to read her better than she could read herself half the time.

It took a while to find him because he was the one place, she never thought he would be. He was in his room laying on his bed asleep.

"What are you doing here?" Veronica almost dropper her notebook. Apparently not asleep.

"I thought you were sleeping."

"Why aren't you sleeping? We've maybe had five hours of sleep the whole week?"

"Do you mind if I come in?"

"These rooms aren't really ours; we all know that." He sat up to look at her properly, Veronica found herself shifting to attempt to appear casual.

"They're the best we've got. And we all still deserve the little privacy we're allowed. Do you mind if I come in?"

"There's no door."

"Even more of a reason to ask." Like she never thought she'd see JD in his room, Veronica never thought she'd see him confused. JD who was always so sure of everything he did, who always had everyone figured out before they said a word, was looking at her with his head cocked like he was staring at an enigma or the greatest mysteries of the world.

Without saying a word, he readjusted himself so there was room on the bed for her to sit. A silent 'yes' that struck Veronica almost as bewildered as JD looked. Again, she had forgotten the way he talked even though it was one of his defining characteristics.

"What's with you talking so ambiguously lately?" she asked blatantly, taking a seat next to him and opening her notebook. "I totally forgot about your… thing."

"It's like you're attempting to sound normal."

"Oh…" A blue ink spot was forming from where she was holding her pen down on the page without writing.

"That's surprising that you want to try. That you're still trying."

"No, I think it's nice. Maybe this time it won't be spit back in your face." Veronica felt awkward for not knowing how to respond. She looked up to see JD looking at her peculiarly again. "What?"

"You're confusing, you've never been confusing before."

"No, you've always been confusing. But I've just brushed it off as your… quirks. But you being confused by me? That's confusing in a new way. Why am I confusing you? You always seem to… know me better than myself."

The same uncertain face remained on JD's face and Veronica could practically hear his voice though he never uttered a word. 'I'm confused at you being confused by me being confused.'

"I guess we sometimes give each other more credit for knowing what's going on than they deserve." Veronica mused under her breath before turning back to her notebook.

Dear Diary,

I found JD in his room. Who would have thought? That's not all that's new. Apparently, I confuse him as well. All I did was ask if I could come into his room. Even if he doesn't have a door it's a common courtesy thing. Is he used to having his privacy invaded? Does he not even expect his privacy to be respected? … That has to be it, doesn't it? Why else would he be so confused by – well – manners.

God I really do wonder what his life used to be.

Hi I'm back! Is it any sooner than the last update? I don't know, I lost track of time.
Someone said my JD reminded them of Dan Domenech which yes, I can totally see that.
Anyway, there wasn't a lot on comments this time around so I'm going to answer questions that I didn't answer last time.
I'm not sure what sure the year this takes place in. 1989 with accidental modern slips? I mean, I have checked to make sure references (which were ultimately cut) fit within the time frame.
I don't know what other characters I'll be adding for world building. I'm mainly following the musical so there may or may not be a Betty Finn. I will say I plan on the story proceeding after they get out so there might be more people added there.
I hope you guys like and don't forget to comment!
Love y'all!