Here's part 3, and now the end is drawing close. What will happen when Aelita goes to see Taliea? Read and find out

Release pt. 3

Taken from audio file #200124 at Bellereef Institute:
"Good morning Taleia, my name's Doctor Eliot. I'm the replacement for your previous psychiatrist."
"Oh, it's still a shock. I can't believe that Doc B would've... Oh, it's so horrible!"
"Yes, it's a shock to all of us. I hope Doctor Benedict's suicide hasn't traumatized you too badly."
"No, no I'm fine. Doc B did help me out so much. Best thing I could to for him is to keep up with my therapy, and not crack up again"
"That's the spirit. Now, for today, I... was..." grunt of pain
"Doc, are you alright?"
"Yes, it's just a headache"
"Sounds bad"
"It.. it rather does. Would you mind if we skipped the session today. I was hoping to get to know you better, but this headache..."
"No, it's fine. And don't worry Doc E. I've got a feeling we're gonna get along just fine"

Aelita stared out of the window of the bus, watching the dreary landscape flash by.
The grey sky overhead was sending a small shower of water down, giving everything a faded, washed out look.
"Hey" Jeremie said, squeezing her hand, "You Ok?"
Aelita turned to him, smiling nervously. "A little scared. What if she's still angry? or what if they've cured her? What do I do then?"
"That's why we're all coming with you, remember?" Jeremie smiled, pulling her against him. "You've got nothing to worry about with us around"
"Thanks Jeremie" Aelita said, closing her eyes and smiling with her head resting on his shoulder.
"Do you guys think this is such a good idea?" Odd asked, as he, Ulrich, Yumi and Elizabeth watched their two friends from a few rows ahead.
"I mean, I don't mind helping Aelita out, but after everything Taliea put us through..."
"I agree" Elizabeth said, "I don't think it's such a good idea to visit her. I say lock her away and throw away the key"
"Ssh! Keep your voice down" Yumi said, glancing in Aelita's direction.
"Remember, stay cool during this trip, ok? At least for Aelita's sake"
"We will, scouts honor" Odd said, saluting.
"Oh yeah?" Ulrich asked, arching an eyebrow, "Then why do you and Elizabeth have your fingers crossed behind your backs?"
Odd and Elisabeth grinned sheepishly. "Can't blame a guy for trying" Odd said

"Man, now that's just creepy!" Odd said, staring up at the building looming up ahead of them. With the gray sky behind it, and the dark spiked fence and wall, it looked like something used in a horror movie.
"So, when does the lightning flash?" Odd asked, causing Elizabeth to giggle, and the rest to moan.
Aelita pressed the buzzer at the gate, stated her business, and with a creak, the gate swung open. They walked down the drive lane towards the main building, taking in the green shrubbery and scenery along the way.
"This place almost looks more like a vacation hotel then a psychiatric institute" Ulrich said. "Yeah, I mean, just look at the flowers and shaped shrubbery" Yumi said, pointing at a bush cut into the shape of a bird.
"That's one of the reasons I picked this place" Aelita said as they reached the front door, "It seemed so.. peaceful"
"Good morning" The receptionist smiled from behind her desk, "Ms. Hopper, I presume?"
"Yes, that's me" Aelita said.
"Doctor Eliot's almost finished with a patient. He asked if you could wait here for a few minutes"
"That's fine" Aelita said. "Boy, for a madhouse, this place doesn't seem so mad" Odd said as they sat down in the foyer. "I heard that Bellereef has got the best rating for therapy throughout the country" Jeremie said.
"Well, the sooner we leave, the better" Elisabeth said, picking up a magazine.
"Excuse me, Ms. Hopper?"
"Yes?" Aelita said, looking up at a nurse next to them.
"Dr Eliot is available. Please come with me"
"Can my friends come as well?"
"You can have one person with you, but not all. Sorry, it's procedure to insure the patients don't get overexcited by new faces"
"That's ok. Jeremie?"
"Let's go. Behave yourself guys" Jeremie said, winking.
"We will!" Odd said, winking back as Jeremie and Aelita left.
The two left through a door, and the moment it swung close all four friends leaned in close. "Ok, so is everything ready for tonight's "Night"?" Odd asked.

As Aelita and Jeremie walked down the corridor with Dr Eliot, Aelita found herself going over the talk they just had.
"Welcome, Ms. Hopper, and how can I be of service?"
"Well doctor, I'm just visiting to see how me sister Taliea's doing"
"Ah" Dr Eliot said, his falling.
"Well, you see, a few things have happened to her recently, some rather shocking episodes regarding her previous doctor, Mr Bennett, committing suicide, and then the intern she thought of as friend died as well, in a tragic car accident"
"But don't worry" Dr Eliot smiled, "She's alright, no traumatic scarring.
In fact, in honor of Dr Bennett, she's actually working twice as hard at sessions.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few weeks she could leave, totally cured"
"Really?" Aelita asked, surprised. She glanced at Jeremie who looked just as surprised as her. "So then, would it be ok if I talked to her?"
"Of course! In fact, it might help her get better sooner"
Dr Eliot stood up, opened up a file holder on his desk, took out some keys, opened the door and led them back out to the corridor.
"Here we go, Room 306" Dr Eliot said.
"Before we do anything further, I need to make sure you still want to do this?"
Aelita glanced at the door, her heart fluttering wildly.
"Ms. Hopper?"
She glanced at Jeremie, who smiled, nodded, and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm ready" she said.
With a click of the key, and a squeal of hinges, the door swung open, and Aelita found herself staring into the face of her twin, her sister and her heart reached a new tempo.
"Aelita, is that you?" Taliea gasped, staring at her other self.
Slowly she got up from her bed and moved towards the door, her eyes never leaving her sisters. She stopped, inches from Aelita, took a deep breath, lunged forward...
and hugged her, her body wrecking with sobs as she cried.
"I never thought I'd see you again!" she cried, tears falling down her face.
Pulling back from her stunned sibling she looked Aelita in the eye and said in hushed tones:
"Can you forgive me?"
"I, uh, I-" Aelita stuttered, still in shock.
"Please?" Taliea asked, taking Aelita's hands in hers.
Aelita looked at her sister's large wet eyes, and saw the longing, the need, for love, for forgiveness, and she felt a bit of sadness.
"Of course" she said, crying herself.

"I still can't believe it" Jeremie said as they walked back towards the waiting room.
Aelita didn't answer, still filled with wonder at the change in her sister.
"You don't think she was making it up, do you?" Jeremie asked.
"No, she wasn't. She genuinely was sorry for everything" Aelita said.
"Although I didn't want to I used my powers to read her thoughts, and none of the things she said was a lie"
"Then she's really almost cured. Aelita, do you realise what this means?"
"Yes" Aelita said, smiling, "I'm going to get my sister back"

"Well done Taliea" Dr Eliot said, standing in her room.
"I must say, I'm impressed. I think you might have made some real progress today"
"Thanks Dr Eliot. You don't know how much that means to me" Taliea smiled.
The moment he left, Taliea stood up from her bed and turned to the corner of the room. "Great job" the wall said, blurring before revealing Taliea leaning against it.
"Thank you! I was really glad to see my sister" The other Taliea smiled.
"Yeah, me too. Thankfully my clone creations have improved, otherwise I'd have been in big trouble, since I wouldn't have been able to put on such a performance like you.
God, it was so sickening!" Taliea said, making choking noises.
"I don't quite foll-" with a whoosh the other Taliea turned into black smoke that funneled up and into the real Taliea's forehead.
"Time to get ready, cause tonight the party begins" she grinned.

Back on the bus, the rest of the gang couldn't believe what they heard.
All throughout the trip they talked and discussed Taliea's change and what might happen if she was allowed to leave.
Everyone was happy for Aelita, except for Odd and Elisabeth, who still had their doubts.
"Come on, whose to say she's not pulling a fast one?" Odd asked.
"I agree. She might be faking it just to get free" Elisabeth agreed.
"I'm telling you, she wasn't lying. I would've known. And before you ask" she said as the two of them opened their mouths, "No, she wouldn't have been able to block me, or create false thoughts because she doesn't have any powers, remember?"
"Yeah, well, I still don't like it" Odd grumbled.
When they arrived home, the gang asked Aelita to close her eyes.
"Hey, what are you up to?" she asked as she felt someone blindfold her.
"Don't worry, you'll see" Odd said.
"Just hang on and follow me Aelita" Jeremie said, taking hold of her hand and leading her down the street.
After what seemed like a few minutes she felt them stop and lift her up.
"Almost there" Jeremie said, as they put her down.
She heard a door open, was lead forward and stopped.
"Are we there yet guys?"
Silence.
"Guys?" she asked again, reaching up and taking off the blindfold.
She gasped, eyes going wide.
They were inside the Hermitage, except now it was repaired, clean, freshly painted and restored, looking like it's original self. The gang had come back the night before the accident and trip to finish up the job for "The Night".
But that wasn't why she had gasped.
The reason was standing behind a large table in the living room, that was covered with plates, food, balloons and a large cake with candles on it.
"Happy Birthday, Sis" Taliea grinned at them.