Part 5

The high security ward wasn't Crane's favorite place to be, but he was used to it. There was something about it that made him feel less powerful. He didn't feel like he was in control there. The patients ran the place, no matter how much the doctors pretended they didn't. Doctors weren't respected there; they were laughed at, mocked, insulted, and sometimes even attacked. Dr. Crane himself was no exception.

"Dr. Crane, I'm flattered that you would come all the way down here just to see me."

His name was Warren Callaghan. He was 23, admitted when he was 18, living proof that insane asylums didn't always help people get better. After his first year there though, he had stopped causing trouble. Of course, he was still a danger to himself. Crane didn't think there was a patient in the entire asylum who wanted to die more than Warren. His file showed more counts of attempted suicide than any other patient. The thing was, he didn't act nearly as crazy as the others. He was quite intelligent too, from what Crane could gather from brief and rare visits.

"You gave one my nurses quite a scare," Crane got right to point. He wasn't really up for small talk with a high security ward patient.

"We were just talking, Doctor." Warren grinned, "She was real upset."

"About what?" Crane asked. Warren let a long breath of air.

"I don't know if she'd want me discussing her personal problems with you, Dr. Crane."

"But she'd discuss them with you?" Crane inquired.

"Of course not. I just knew. But I bet she already told you that." Warren said.

"So you read people well. That's a very useful talent." Warren snorted.

"Yeah, too bad I'll never be able to do anything with it."

Crane wasn't going to argue with him; wasn't going to tell him that maybe when he got better he could go back to school and make something of himself. They both knew he wouldn't.

"You'll be seeing my new therapist today, Warren. Her name is Riley Gage," Crane paused, biting his lower lip. He had gone over his decision to allow Riley to see Warren countless times in his head, but it seemed much more unbelievable now that he was actually saying it, "Think of it as a little test."

"For me or for her?" Warren smirked.

Crane said nothing, just pushed back his chair and stood gracefully.

"Get him back in his room and strapped down. Don't forget the bit." Crane told the two guards who were observing from the door.

--

Crane had been leaning in the doorway of Riley's new office for a long moment before she noticed him. She had been hanging up a rather brightly colored painting on the otherwise bare walls. She wore a matching beige blouse and skirt, her hair loose and cascading down her back.

She was on her tippy toes straightening the picture, to the left, then a little bit to the right. She fell back on her heels, hands on her hips, studying the picture. Then she seemed to tense, and turned around.

"Really Jon, lurking in doorways..." She was smiling cheekily.

"I have a patient for you. In the high security ward."

"Ah, testing my skills, huh? Seeing how much I can deal with? Well sure Jon, I'm up for the challenge. You want to grab some lunch after?"

Crane faltered. Why was she always doing that? Managing to turn something so serious into something casual. This would be the third time they'd gone out in three days. Riley sensed his hesitation.

"Nothing fancy. Just food, I'm just hungry." She assured him.

"I can have something brought up for you." Crane offered, "I have work to do though. Perhaps another time-"

"Are you avoiding me because of last night?"

"I-"

"Jon, I don't want to have that conversation either, but it's inevitable, isn't it?" Riley asked anxiously. She looked stressed now, and ran a hand through her hair nervously.

"I'm not avoiding you." Crane said softly.

"Come over tonight then. I'll cook." It was more of a challenge than an invitation.

"Alright." Crane accepted. Riley seemed surprised for a second, and then smiled.

"Good. Now, where's this patient of mine?"

--

Crane remained in his office during Riley's session with Warren. He wasn't worried. He knew she could handle herself. The real point of having them meet wasn't to get information about Warren Callaghan. Crane was much more interested in hearing what Warren had to say about Riley. If he couldn't figure her out, then perhaps Warren could. However, the conversation he suspected they'd be having later that night was bound to clear up a few things; why she was here, what had happened to her, what had happened to them.

Her feelings though, that was something that Riley was not expressing to him, and probably wouldn't anytime soon. He could read her, somewhat, but she was definitely blocking him.

Still, he hoped she would open up to him a bit more tonight, and he would try and do his part too.

Crane was having an awful time trying to concentrate on his work, with the anticipation of meeting Riley for dinner, and the image of her smiling face firmly planted in his head.

Author's note on next chapter. Soon.