Don't own AHS.

A/N: Hi, everyone! Super sorry for the long absence. I have no abandoned this fic but I will admit that I did forget to work on it. I'm the worst, I know. Anyway, I'm pretty excited for what's to come in this story. I have almost all of it planned out. Happy reading!

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SEVEN

Closer

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The weeks passed and Lana's mental breakdowns subsided if only a little. Oliver called it luck mixed with progress, although he knew Lana wouldn't be cured so easily. He was just pleased that she had managed to keep herself out of solitary.

With the end of November, they were well on their way towards Christmas. It was just but two weeks away and Oliver was running out of time. Sister Jude had only given him until Christmas Eve to see some progress in Lana. Oliver knew she was doing better but he also knew it wouldn't be enough for the God-fearing woman.

Sister Jude had made no effort to decorate the place for the upcoming holiday and Oliver had remembered Sister Mary Eunice commenting that she had taken the holiday away from the patients because they could not contain themselves.

Jude was always punishing the patients for one thing or another and barely allowed them anything. Just the week before, she had allowed a movie night and only because there had been a storm that would cause chaos throughout Briarcliff. Lana hadn't joined the rest for the movie night and with the other patients and spent the night in her room crying. Oliver had stayed with her that entire night, easing her tears. He didn't know why she cried and she didn't say but Oliver knew that somewhere in her mind she was remembering.

In those weeks since her last manic episode, Oliver had been doing some sleuth work and had managed to track down the woman who had signed over Lana to Briarcliff.

Wendy Peyser was a fourth grade teacher at Samuel Adams Elementary School. She had been teaching a little over six years and lived alone in the Boston suburbs. Oliver still didn't know what her connections to Lana were but so far he had a hunch. He wanted to ask Lana about the woman but he chose not to bring her up until he tracked her down. He really wanted to meet her in hopes that he could talk some sense into her and help him sign Lana out of Briarcliff for good.

He had her address. He was just waiting for the right moment.

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Lana was pleased to see him like always. She almost had a childish giddiness to her but Oliver guessed it was because he was the only person who treated her like a human being. Nonetheless, Lana was doing very good and progress was through the roof.

She had started to eat better and showed interest in activities. She responded to him when he spoke to her and had even started to stand on her own. She was regaining her strength and Oliver was very pleased.

He enjoyed her company immensely even though she chose not to speak very much. She did repeat words now and then but full sentences were far from her reach. He knew she could, she just chose not to and the fact alone confused Oliver. He had asked her multiple times but she always ignored it and pointed to another activity instead. She was like a child and Oliver was her protector.

On that day she seemed to be in a very good mood. Oliver had been trying some new therapies with her and was possibly ready to report to Sister Jude.

"Lana." He said, placing his cards on the coffee table in the rec room. He had been trying to get her to play goldfish to get her thought process flowing. "You know that I know why you're here."

Lana kept her eyes steady on her cards.

Oliver continued, "You know that I believe that homosexuality is not a sickness."

Lana's eyes flashed at him but she remained silent.

"I don't believe you were sick when you arrived here but I do believe that the time you spent here hurt you greatly. Not only emotional and physically but mentally. And I know you're very capable of regaining your old self and I am extremely positive that I can help you leave this place."

Lana's pupils seemed to dilate when he mentioned leaving Briarcliff. She became alert and she seemed to hold her breath.

"I need to show Sister Jude proof that you're ready to leave this place for good and join society. But I can't do it alone. You need to help me too."

"O—out ?" Lana stammered.

He smiled, "Yes, Lana. Out. I can get you out."

"W—w—when?" She asked.

Oliver looked around to make sure no one was listening. He then leaned in closer to her, reached out to grab her hand and gave it a soft, reassuring squeeze. "Very soon."

Tears had begun to form in her eyes and slowly, a smile followed. A smile that left Oliver without words.

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Oliver knew Lana was making progress but he wanted to make sure he had a back up plan to get her out. If Sister Jude deemed her progress a waste of time, Oliver needed Wendy Peyser to step forward and get her out despite this "lack of progress" because once Sister Jude took Lana out of his case; there was nothing Oliver could do to help her. Nothing ethical at least.

Still, Oliver held faith and he wanted to hold faith until the very last moment.

On his day off, Oliver putted around the house with no real purpose. Lana had remained on his mind the entire morning and well into the afternoon. He couldn't get that smile of hers out of his mind and he found that he would rather spend his day off at Briarcliff by her side, than at home.

Oliver made himself a drink and shook the thought away. You're a professional, he thought to himself, she's your patient. He knew he couldn't pick favorites amongst his patients and that they all needed a fair chance. However, he couldn't compare Lana to Spivey. Spivey had a real sickness. Lana was merely a victim of cruel abuse, done wrong by society. She didn't pose harm to anyone unlike Spivey who wasn't allowed near any school property. Still, Oliver tried not to judge his patients.

He just knew that if he let a sane woman rot in a place like Briarcliff, he would never be able to live with himself. And yes, he was very fond of her but he had no bad intentions like Sister Jude often assumed. Oliver Thredson was an ethical man with pride in his work; he would never allow himself to cross the line.

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When Oliver saw Lana the following morning, she greeted him with a wide grin that left him unarmed just like the last one. Carl had wheeled her in to his office for their therapy session. Oliver gave him a brief greet and gestured to where he could stop the chair. Lana seemed almost giddy to see him and Oliver was glad. Not because it was he who had caused such a reaction but because Lana was becoming more than just an empty shell.

"Be back in an hour, Doc." Carl said and Oliver thanked him. Once he was gone and the door closed behind him, Oliver turned his attention to Lana once more.

"My, someone's in a good mood." He greeted her.

"Happy." She muttered in a soft, breakable voice.

She had the prettiest voice.

Oliver patted her hand, returning the smile. "I'm glad."

Lana let go of his hand and he reached for the wooden chair and dragged it closer to sit across from her. They had the majority of their sessions in his office since the rec room distracted her too much. Between Martha's banging and Pepper's rowdiness, Lana could barely concentrate. Not to mention Dominique made Oliver dizzy. He had the song stuck in his head for weeks.

"Now, can you tell me the reason for your happiness? Did something good happen this morning?" Oliver coaxed more out of her.

Lana's smile softened and her eyes fell upon her lap. They moved slightly and Oliver could tell she was thinking. She bit her bottom lip; something Oliver was starting to note as a frequent habit of hers.

"Home." She almost whispered the word.

Her answer left a knot in Oliver's throat. He had never seen such hope in any of his patients before. He reached over and gave her hand a soft squeeze. "Yes. You'll be home soon."

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Before Oliver went home that evening, he stopped by Sister Jude's office. Frank had informed him that she was to have a word with him and so Oliver went, like a school boy to the head master's office.

Jude wasn't in a terribly bad mood like she often was towards the end of the day. She put in a lot of work at Briarcliff and Oliver could see she was exhausted. It truly was hard for a strong willed woman in their time. She was damned to remain in the shadow of a man. Oliver couldn't admit that he knew what that was like but he was sure Lana could.

"So, Doctor, how is our patient doin'?"

"Very well." Oliver answered, "She's shown much progress in the past week alone. I believe time out of solitary and other cruel punishments had done her well."

Jude raised a brow at him, "Punishments?"

"Let's not hide the truth, Sister."

"Careful." Jude pointed a finger at him, "You're on borrowed time, Doctor, do not forget."

"Christmas Eve." He confirmed, "I have not."

"I expect no less than a woman ready to join society once more."

Oliver grew nervous at this. "Ms. Winters is trying her best."

"Her best better me enough."

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Oliver took Sister's Jude's words as a threat. He knew she was expecting him to fail but her expectations for Lana were impossible in the short time he had been given. Lana needed to recuperate but in a place outside of the institution. She needed to be home.

She needed Wendy Peyser.