Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this fic.
Author's note: I actually didn't come up with this in the wee hours of the morning, but have actually been mulling it over for close to a year. Please review. This fic is based off a book called Mac and I definitely recommend it, but it is a spoiler for the fic.
"If Someone Hurts You"
It was just another ordinary day, right? I mean, I went to school, went on patrol, everything the same. So why don't I feel that way? I've felt kinda funny for most of the school year now. I don't sleep well. It was just supposed to be a doctor's appointment! Everyone says I'm different. Mr. Wayne talks to me like he's walking on eggshells. Like I'll break if he says something wrong. He keeps saying I'm getting too angry. Well, no slag, Sherlock. He also stopped me one day before patrol to tell me to quit ditching classes. When I got mad, he looked at me and said he'd fire me if I didn't go to school. I just can't handle it anymore.
So today I come in, and Mr. Wayne drags me up to the living room. Commissioner Gordon, my mom, and this young woman I've never seen before are sitting there.
"Terry, this is Dr. Creed. She wants to talk with you about some things." He says to me, real gently, like I'm a little kid.
"There's nothing wrong." I say.
"Well, Terry, I would think you would be happy. You have family and friends who are worried about you enough to get you some help." Dr. Creed says. "I know some kids who have been sent to me on court order."
"I said, there's nothing wrong." Dr. Creed ain't buying it.
"Terry, people who love you are worried." Commissioner Gordon tells me, but I'm not really listening. She goes on about how I don't have to go through this problem I'm having alone, but she doesn't understand. I look over at Dr. Creed. She's looking at me with this weird air of fascination. Like I'm some lab rat. She catches my gaze, and it's almost like she's reading my mind. That's when I notice that no one is talking.
"Terry, would you mind taking off your coat." Dr. Creed says like she knows what's under there. I don't want to. This is my secret. Why does everyone have to get involved? I take it off anyway. Everyone gasps.
See, I've been cutting myself since it happened. It's the only way I can remind myself that I'm alive. So I've got these long scratches on my arms and legs, and everyone's staring at me. I sit down, and bury my face in my hands, and run my fingers through my hair.
"Terry, what have you been doing?" Mom asks. I look at her. I don't want her to know. I don't want anyone to know. This is my problem, and I just want to deal with it on my own. I can do it. I know I can. I keep telling myself this, when I start to hear Mr. Wayne talking with Dr. Creed.
"So what do you think, Winter?"
"I'm thinking this goes a lot deeper than stress." She says. "Terry may be depressed, or hurting in ways that only he knows. I definitely think he needs therapy. I hope not long term, but that might be the only option." She's talking about sending me to a mental institution!
"No way. Not an option." I jump up, and run out the front door. No one will stop me.
I run out the front door, down the road, and then out the gate. I need to get out of there. Too much pressure. All I do is run for a while, when my phone chirps. I answer it.
"Hello?"
"McGinnis, where are you?" It's Mr. Wayne.
"Um, running. Why?"
"I want to know where. I'm coming to pick you up."
"About halfway to the city."
"Don't go anywhere." He hangs up. So I sit by the side of the road, and wait.
As he said, he came to pick me up. I got in, and he was silent. Like I disappointed him, or something. Well get used to it, because I'm just one big disappointment. I can't handle the silence much longer. He pulls off to the side of the road, and looks at me.
"What's going on, McGinnis?"
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" He gives me the look. That I- don't-like-your-attitude look that he gives sometimes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, but thank you. Dr. Creed has come all the way here from Colorado to help you, simply because I asked her to. She's a good friend of mine, and she wants to help you."
"Yeah, well, I don't need help."
"Terry, don't give me that crap." I think that's some of the strongest language I've ever heard him use. Then he softens a bit. "You don't have to do things alone, you know." He reaches over and hugs me, and I realize I've been crying.
Author's note: I actually didn't come up with this in the wee hours of the morning, but have actually been mulling it over for close to a year. Please review. This fic is based off a book called Mac and I definitely recommend it, but it is a spoiler for the fic.
"If Someone Hurts You"
It was just another ordinary day, right? I mean, I went to school, went on patrol, everything the same. So why don't I feel that way? I've felt kinda funny for most of the school year now. I don't sleep well. It was just supposed to be a doctor's appointment! Everyone says I'm different. Mr. Wayne talks to me like he's walking on eggshells. Like I'll break if he says something wrong. He keeps saying I'm getting too angry. Well, no slag, Sherlock. He also stopped me one day before patrol to tell me to quit ditching classes. When I got mad, he looked at me and said he'd fire me if I didn't go to school. I just can't handle it anymore.
So today I come in, and Mr. Wayne drags me up to the living room. Commissioner Gordon, my mom, and this young woman I've never seen before are sitting there.
"Terry, this is Dr. Creed. She wants to talk with you about some things." He says to me, real gently, like I'm a little kid.
"There's nothing wrong." I say.
"Well, Terry, I would think you would be happy. You have family and friends who are worried about you enough to get you some help." Dr. Creed says. "I know some kids who have been sent to me on court order."
"I said, there's nothing wrong." Dr. Creed ain't buying it.
"Terry, people who love you are worried." Commissioner Gordon tells me, but I'm not really listening. She goes on about how I don't have to go through this problem I'm having alone, but she doesn't understand. I look over at Dr. Creed. She's looking at me with this weird air of fascination. Like I'm some lab rat. She catches my gaze, and it's almost like she's reading my mind. That's when I notice that no one is talking.
"Terry, would you mind taking off your coat." Dr. Creed says like she knows what's under there. I don't want to. This is my secret. Why does everyone have to get involved? I take it off anyway. Everyone gasps.
See, I've been cutting myself since it happened. It's the only way I can remind myself that I'm alive. So I've got these long scratches on my arms and legs, and everyone's staring at me. I sit down, and bury my face in my hands, and run my fingers through my hair.
"Terry, what have you been doing?" Mom asks. I look at her. I don't want her to know. I don't want anyone to know. This is my problem, and I just want to deal with it on my own. I can do it. I know I can. I keep telling myself this, when I start to hear Mr. Wayne talking with Dr. Creed.
"So what do you think, Winter?"
"I'm thinking this goes a lot deeper than stress." She says. "Terry may be depressed, or hurting in ways that only he knows. I definitely think he needs therapy. I hope not long term, but that might be the only option." She's talking about sending me to a mental institution!
"No way. Not an option." I jump up, and run out the front door. No one will stop me.
I run out the front door, down the road, and then out the gate. I need to get out of there. Too much pressure. All I do is run for a while, when my phone chirps. I answer it.
"Hello?"
"McGinnis, where are you?" It's Mr. Wayne.
"Um, running. Why?"
"I want to know where. I'm coming to pick you up."
"About halfway to the city."
"Don't go anywhere." He hangs up. So I sit by the side of the road, and wait.
As he said, he came to pick me up. I got in, and he was silent. Like I disappointed him, or something. Well get used to it, because I'm just one big disappointment. I can't handle the silence much longer. He pulls off to the side of the road, and looks at me.
"What's going on, McGinnis?"
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" He gives me the look. That I- don't-like-your-attitude look that he gives sometimes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, but thank you. Dr. Creed has come all the way here from Colorado to help you, simply because I asked her to. She's a good friend of mine, and she wants to help you."
"Yeah, well, I don't need help."
"Terry, don't give me that crap." I think that's some of the strongest language I've ever heard him use. Then he softens a bit. "You don't have to do things alone, you know." He reaches over and hugs me, and I realize I've been crying.