A/N: Okay, since Wrangler keeps leaving notes that I must must must update, I'm doing it. As I said in the last chapter, this chapter will take place completely in the past. This will be the last chapter I write for this until after July, since I will be on my laptop and I won't have all the info. Anyways, here's the story...

Chapter 4: New Year's Eve and No Party Favors?

JPIA, December 31st/January 1st

It was New Year's Eve and the doctrs and nurses were still at the insane asylum. They all looked rather tired, but they still acted cheerful. Nurse Vindetta was handing out medication, while Nurse Callan handed out party hats. Marty quickly put on his hat with a grin, "Nurse Vindetta, is this all we get for New Year's Eve? Where's the games, the champagne, the party favors..."

Nurse Vindetta frowned slightly as she gave him his medication, "How many times have I told you, Marty...patients here aren't allowed to have alcohol, even on New Year's Eve. It just doesn't mix with the medication."

Marty nodded solemnly as he took the medicine, "I know, but it doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

The nurse didn't answer, but looked around the room instead. She was checking to see where all the patients were. Obviously, Marty was right next to her. In the corner sat little Mary Porter, oblivious to the fact that it was New Year's Eve. She had gotten rapidly worse since her dad left her there six months before. Sitting at a table a couple of feet away from Mary was a group of four. Jessa, Saralynn, Jack, and Logan sat at the table. Jessa had a pack of cards out and was shuffling them, while the others chatted. They all appeared to be acting normal, getting ready to play a game of go fish.

Maxwell sat in another corner, reading. As he read, his mouth would form the words. The last patient in the ward was Danielle. She was sitting at a table alone, putting together a puzzle. She was whispering under her breath to someone that none of the others could see.

Jessa finally dealt out seven cards each to the other three and herself. She picked up her cards last and frowned, "Okay, who goes first?"

Jack nodded, "I go first...Stress, you got any threes?"

The girl nodded as well, taking two threes out and giving them to Jack. Jack smiled and looked to Logan, "You got any kings?"

Logan shook his head, "Go fish."

Jack grabbed a card and shook his head. Saralynn smiled as she looked to Jack, "Hey Jack, you got any kings?"

Jack grumbled as he handed over his two kings to Saralynn. Saralynn took out her own two kings and put them with the kings he gave her in front of her. Their game went on like this for a while.

Meanwhile, Marty got up and grabbed his crutch, making his way over to Maxwell. He sat down next to Maxwell, "Heya Max, whatcha reading?"

Maxwell stopped halfway through a sentence and looked up at Marty. He smiled as he put his bookmark in and closed his book, "Oh, you know, the usual...whatever I can get my hands on. You read anything good lately?"

Marty smiled brightly, "Yeah, I read this really good book just the other day. It was called Dracula by Bram Stoker. There's even a part in it about a nuthouse like this one. Say, what if vampires were real?"

Max laughed and shook his head, "Vampires, real? Then we'd be in for a lot of trouble. It was written a couple of years ago."

A/N: Sorry, this was so short, but I just wanted to show a regular day on the ward. Plus, I have to leave in a day or two and I wanted to get something out. The third reason was that I wanted to write a one-shot story before I leave as well. That story came from a song. I don't know why, but Dracula is my favorite book. I've read it about as many times as I've read the Harry Potter books. I promise, when I get back from California, I'll have a huge chapter out.