A/N: A loooong chapter ahead. I seriously considered summarizing the events here in a few paragraphs instead of making it a whole chapter, but I thought a few of you would be disappointed if I did that. I hope it isn't too tedious!
Therapy
Harry woke feeling groggy. Memories of Quatre glowing and the warm feelings that had surrounded him drifted through his consciousness, and slowly he became aware the he was wrapped in Trowa and Quatre's arms. Harry smiled up at his two older brothers, soaking in the feeling of being loved.
"Good afternoon," Quatre greeted with a happy smile. "I bet you're hungry."
Trowa carded his fingers through Harry's hair before getting up. "I'll cook some omelets."
Harry got up to help him and smiled when he saw all his brothers sitting around his room. Just like Quatre had promised, they were all there. Heero was working on his laptop, Wufei was reading, and Duo was coloring a picture. He felt tears burn his eyes and hurriedly rubbed at them before they could fall.
Heart beating fast, happier than he could ever remember being, Harry ran out of the room and went to the kitchen. Trowa nodded at him, his long bangs falling in front of his face, but Harry could tell he was smiling. They cooked in silence, Harry leaning against his brother's side.
"This looks delicious, thank you," Quatre complimented when they served everyone in the sitting room.
"Very nutritious," Wufei approved.
"You could be a master cook one day, kiddo," Duo exclaimed, loud as ever.
Harry smiled nervously. Tentatively, anxious that he would be shoved away, he slowly crawled into his brother's lap. To his surprise, Duo didn't push him away. Instead, he pulled Harry into his lap and wrapped an arm around his chest to steady him. Harry's eyes went wide with amazement as he leaned against his brother's chest.
"Don't forget to eat, little bro," Duo scolded and pulled Harry's plate within reach.
Harry nodded and took his fork, saying shyly, "Thank you, brother Duo."
"No problem." Duo grinned down at him and placed a quick kiss on his scarred forehead. "I'm totally comfortable."
Conversation was light and comfortable as they finished eating. When Harry made to clean the table afterward, Duo stopped him. His brother stood, and carried him to the couch. Harry bit his lip from his place in Duo's lap as his other brothers came to stand and sit around them. Quatre took the place next to Duo on the couch, while Trowa sat across from them in the chair. Wufei and Heero remained standing, expressions blank.
"Harry, it's okay," Duo said, giving him a quick hug. "We just want to talk a little bit about yesterday."
Despite the soft words, terror instantly spiked through his system. Harry bit his lip so hard it began to bleed. They were going to take it back! They weren't going to love him anymore!
"Shhh," Quatre soothed and began to rub his back. His touch calmed Harry's panic a little. "We aren't angry and nothing has changed. We love you, Harry. Don't be afraid."
Duo tugged playfully at Harry's hair. "Course we do!" he said and turned him so they were facing each other. "I know what happened to Cathy wasn't your fault. You were scared and you don't know how to control your gift, but it was wrong to run away afterward. Next time something happens, we want you to come get us. We're here to help you. Do you understand?"
Harry winced. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"And it was wrong to be so rude to Wufei when he was teaching you," Heero added solemnly.
Tears spilled from his eyes. He'd been so bad. "I'm sorry." He turned to Wufei. "I'm sorry, brother Wufei."
"I already accepted your apology," his brother reassured. "But you still have to face the consequences."
Harry bowed his head in resignation. "Yes, sir."
"Harry," Heero called, getting his attention again. "Because you were rude to Wufei, we're taking away your crayons and you're to do extra homework next week. We'll return them on Friday."
Harry stared in shock. He loved to color and he hated to lose that, but at the same time he was amazed that he wasn't facing a beating.
"Because you ran away, you won't be allowed to go see the circus next week," Heero continued. "You'll have to wait until next time to see the shows."
Harry clung tighter to Duo, beginning to shake. "Yes, sir."
Duo grabbed his chin and made him look up. "We're not punishing you because we hate you. We don't want you to be sad or hurt, Harry. We love you and we want to teach you what's right and wrong. We want you to grow up to be the best man you can be."
Harry broke down into sobs and curled into Duo's embrace. Heero moved forward and settled a reassuring hand on his head, while Quatre rubbed his back gently. He could even feel the warm gaze of Trowa and Wufei, and he felt forgiven at last.
xXxXxXx
The week following this breakthrough, Harry was very clingy. He constantly sought physical contact from whoever was nearest. He ate in their laps at meal times, and he held their hands even when they were only walking between rooms in the pavilion. He still wanted to sleep alone, but other than that, Harry wanted to be in their company as much as possible. He even asked to call Wufei every night before bed while the teen was investigating on Earth.
None of them rejected the boy's overtures. Quatre, Trowa, and Duo made it clear how much they enjoyed 'cuddling' him, and more often than not Harry could be found in one of their arms. When asked, Duo had explained Harry was likely overcompensating for the long years when he'd been denied physical affection.
On Friday, Harry's crayons were returned and Quatre was able to track down a relative of the Spiritualist who had helped him with his empathy. Better yet, she was also professional psychiatrist. After all five of them held a video conference with the woman, they'd agreed she was acceptable to act as Harry's therapist and psychic tutor.
Everything was going well, maybe too well, because Monday saw the inexplicable return of a withdrawn Harry. The progress they'd made seemed to disappear overnight. Harry pulled away whenever they got too close and no longer spoke freely. He hadn't even wanted to go outside to practice gymnastics or feed the animals with Trowa, and he no longer asked Duo questions during his school lessons. That's not to say the boy was acting out; Harry obeyed instructions precisely. He just didn't engage.
They tried to talk to him, but the boy wouldn't open up. He'd duck behind Sage and hide his face whenever they asked what was wrong. Quatre was beyond worried. He couldn't sleep and only picked at his meals now. Quatre insisted the boy wasn't especially terrified; he just felt far away, which distressed the blond terribly. Unfortunately being an empath didn't give Quatre clues as to why people felt what they did; he was not telepathic, after all. So they were no closer to discovering what was wrong.
After three days of this, Heero had reached the end of his patience. Their appointment with the doctor was scheduled for tomorrow. Harry had to be ready to meet her, which he wouldn't be if he continued the way he was. With this in mind, Heero asked the others to give him a couple hours. Trying to talk to him as a group hadn't worked. Heero was hoping a one-on-one confrontation would produce better results. The others agreed, Quatre and Duo taking off for the city while Trowa visited with Cathy.
Taking a deep breath, Heero walked silently toward Harry's room. He found the boy trying to read a book with simple words and big pictures that Duo had assigned as homework. Harry had his head bowed over the pages, the tip of a little pink tongue just visible at the corner of his mouth.
Heero took advantage of the boy's distraction and ran a critical eye over his small form. It would take years to correct the severe malnutrition, but at least he was no longer skeletal. He merely looked very thin instead of on the verge of death, and his hair was no longer dull and limp. It had thickened with the improvement to the boy's diet.
Green eyes shifted and caught sight of him. Heero held the boy's empty gaze for a moment. It was as if there were an invisible wall between them, which didn't make sense.
"We need to talk, Harry. The others went into the city, so we can use the sitting room if you'd like."
Heero very carefully kept any frustration he felt from his voice, but Harry's hand still snuck out and grabbed hold of Sage. The boy dragged the stuffed animal into his lap, but he didn't shield his face with it. His other hand came up to twist the long ears.
"Sorry," he whispered.
"You're not in trouble," Heero assured him. "I want to talk about how you're feeling and explain what's going to happen tomorrow." Being blunt seemed the best approach, considering being careful of Harry's feelings and attempting to subtly uncover the source of Harry's distress hadn't worked. He was going to do this his way.
Harry tensed at this, his back perfectly straight. He didn't speak.
"Is it all right for me to come in?" Heero asked once more.
Harry nodded, but when Heero crossed the invisible barrier, he turned his body sideways and looked away. Heero sighed. Such body language warned him this wouldn't be an easy conversation. Frustration welled up again, but he shoved it back. He just didn't understand why Harry was acting this way.
Keeping his expression carefully neutral, Heero settled crossed-legged in front of the boy. He waited patiently, observing the child. Very quickly Harry began to fidget, uncomfortable with the attention. Heero still didn't say anything. Green eyes flashed in his direction before darting away again. Poor Sage's ears were being wound and tugged mercilessly by the little fingers of his owner.
"Harry. Talk to me."
Harry shook his head sharply, frowning so intensely that his forehead wrinkled. "I don't… I…"
Heero forced himself to relax and take deep breaths. "Copy me."
Slowly they calmed as the breathing exercises began to work.
"Good," he praised, voice deep and even. "That's better." Heero caught Harry's eyes and held them. "I want to tell you about when I was young. I was raised by a man who thought emotions were never meant to be displayed or spoken about. The man was an assassin, someone who kills other people. When you live such a life, feelings can get in the way of a mission or leave you vulnerable to enemies. So he trained me to hide my feelings so deep that now it is difficult to open that place to others."
Harry watched him through his bangs, clearly absorbing every word.
Heero held that wary gaze and tried to impart how serious he was. "In the end, that man taught me an even more important lesson. He taught me that the only way to live is by listening to those hidden feelings. If you don't, you'll only live in regret." Taking a chance, he reached forward and ran two fingertips down Harry's cheek, hoping to reconnect with the child.
Harry tensed, but then he closed his eyes with a tight sigh and leaned into the caress. He trembled under Heero's touch, close to breaking. Heero wanted to back off, to give him space to compose himself, but he feared that would only let Harry close off to him again. Duo had said many times that they would have to push Harry in order to help him. This was one of those times.
"I know how hard it is to talk about what you feel," Heero whispered. "It's difficult, but it must be done. Listen to your feelings, Harry. Don't get so tangled up inside that you can no longer move forward. Don't live in regret. You have the chance to be free if you take it."
"Can't!" the child cried out, eyes wide and his breathing coming faster. "I can't… I don't…" The small head shook violently back and forth while the little hands balled into fists.
"Can't what? Let me help you." Heero monitored Harry's distress with concerned eyes. "Talk to me!"
"I… I'm a FREAK!" the child screamed in agony. It was a sound that pierced Heero to the core. "I… I don't want to… to study how to use it! I, I don't want to be a freak! But… But…" Harry stared blindly, his attention directed inward where Heero couldn't follow him. "I don't want… to make you mad… I… but I… I don't want to be a freak. I want to be a good boy! I want… I want to be a good! But I, I… I'm so scared! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!"
Heero caught him as Harry collapsed. He held him close, softly instructing him to take deep breaths, to close his eyes and relax.
Slowly, Harry's panting deepened into something resembling normal. He was shaking in Heero's arms, but at least he wasn't pulling away from the contact. Instead, the boy clutched at Heero's shirt with both fists and pressed his face against Heero's shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise on a normal person. Heero held him gently against his chest, rocking slightly.
"It's confusing," Heero voiced sympathetically. "We're turning your whole world upside down. It's not fair, all that we expect from you."
"No, I…"
"Hush," Heero cut him off firmly. "We don't really understand what it's like. For that, I'm sorry. But, Harry, we only ask these things of you because we want to see you safe and happy."
Harry began to cry. He unclenched his hands just long enough to reach up and lock his arms around Heero's neck.
Heero rubbed his back, scowling fiercely at the wall. He hated Dursley with all his heart. The world was so alien and terrifying for Harry that he had to shut down in order to deal with it all.
"Tomorrow when you meet Dr. Bohren, we'll be with you. We'll never leave you alone when you need us. And if you don't want to practice your special abilities, then you don't have to. Maybe one day you'll feel more comfortable with it and be able to practice with Quatre and the doctor, but not until you're ready."
"But… But I heard… on the phone… brother Quatre said… I need to use my…" the boy's voice dipped and wavered pathetically as his lower lip trembled.
"We were discussing possibilities." Heero pulled back far enough so he could look in the child's eyes. "We can change the plan if you don't like it. Your brothers and I are very intelligent. We can think of different strategies when one is unsuccessful."
Harry gave a tearful sigh, his eyes falling to half-mast. "I miss brother Wufei… He… He sings to me… When I… When I have bad dreams."
Heero stared in shock. Sings?
"Will… Will you sing to me? I… I'm afraid of bad dreams."
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Did you sleep last night?"
Harry ducked, hiding his face against Heero's neck. The older teen distinctly felt the boy shake his head in a negative.
Heero's scowl deepened. "Tell us when you need something. We'll never get mad at you for that, Harry. That's our job, and we need you to help us do that job. If you don't, then we will fail. You don't want us to fail, do you?"
Again Harry shook his head in a negative.
Heero sighed and stood fluidly, the child still in his arms. He moved over to the pile of pillows and laid the boy down. Harry clung, forcing Heero to lay with him, half off the bedding. "I don't know many songs," he warned.
Harry lay half sprawled across Heero's chest. Wet green eyes stared up at him trustingly.
Heero closed his eyes, trying to remember one. He thought he could remember a tune Duo once sang while working on his Gundam, and he hummed tentatively. He cracked an eye open to see Harry smiling softly, his own eyes closed. Heero relaxed and began to sing, raising his hand to bury his fingers in the thick messy hair.
Harry gave a long sigh. He drifted off to sleep before the song was halfway done.
xXxXxXx
The next morning Quatre was still quiet. He was not happy that Harry's distress was due to something the boy had overheard him say. Harry was so fragile. They had to be so careful, and it felt like he'd failed. First by making the mistake and again because he hadn't understood what was wrong. Of course Harry wouldn't want to harness his gift. He'd been brutalized because of it.
"It's not your fault," Trowa murmured as he came up from behind and wrapped his arms around him.
They were standing outside the pavilion, Quatre with a mug of coffee in hand.
Quatre stepped away, feeling raw and seriously unbalanced. "Don't."
Trowa came around to face him, a frown marring his otherwise perfect features. "Quatre. You did not intend to scare Harry. He will have to practice his gift at some point or he'll lose control again. You were only trying to help him."
"He's only eight years old," Quatre snapped, looking away. "He shouldn't have to worry about such things."
He felt callused fingers trail down his cheek to hook under his jaw. His chin lifted under the gentle pressure and his wet eyes met Trowa's. The steady strength of his lover poured into him. Quatre could feel the unconditional acceptance and affection within Trowa's heart, and words just tumbled free.
"I'm an empath. I should be able to prevent these kinds of misunderstandings. What good is my gift otherwise?" he asked near desperately.
Trowa cupped his face as he stepped close, their mouths almost touching. "Your gift broke through to that little boy and significantly weakened his belief that he is somehow subhuman and deserving only of punishments. That is what your gift accomplished."
Tears spilled down Quatre's cheeks as he let Trowa kiss him. "I love you," he whispered against Trowa's mouth. I don't deserve you, he added silently, letting the words remain unspoken.
A shy smile softened Trowa's features. Their lips gently met for a second time when the sound of approaching footsteps made them turn. Quatre smiled as he saw it was Wufei coming up the path, the Chinese teen giving them a single wave. There were dark shadows under his eyes and the travel pack he carried pulled down one of his shoulders, altering his normally smooth stride.
Quatre quickly brushed away his tears, hiding the movement behind Trowa's back before he stepped into Wufei's line of sight once more. His empathy revealed deep frustration coming off the petite teen in waves. He forced a smile. "The others are cooking breakfast with Harry. It should be ready soon."
Wufei nodded. "That would be appreciated. I'm going to get cleaned up," he explained before slipping into the pavilion without another word.
Quatre caught Trowa's questioning look and shrugged. "He's frustrated. I suspect he didn't find the answers we need."
"You can debrief him while I exercise with Harry," Trowa offered.
"I'll fill you in," Quatre promised.
Trowa nodded and captured Quatre's hand before he could go back inside. "You've been using your empathy a lot. Please be careful."
Quatre brushed his lips along the bottom of Trowa's jaw in a quick kiss. "I'll be fine," he promised and ducked inside for breakfast.
He smiled as he felt the exuberant happiness coming from the little boy when Wufei came out to join them. Harry flung his arms around Wufei's waist and refused to let go. He ended up in Wufei's lap during the meal, much to Wufei's chagrin.
"You cannot sit here during every meal," Wufei warned the boy as he pulled both their plates within reach.
Quatre winked at Harry, smiling because they both noticed that despite Wufei's words, he hadn't made any move to push Harry away.
"The animals miss you," Trowa remarked once the dishes had been done.
Harry immediately hung his head with shame. "I'm sorry, brother Trowa."
"Come on. We can make up the lost time."
Harry's head shot up, his smile returning. "Okay."
Trowa took Harry's hand and led him outside, giving a subtle nod to Wufei.
"What did you find?" Quatre asked immediately once Harry was gone.
They were in the sitting room, surrounding their returned comrade. Wufei was sitting tiredly on the couch. Duo and Heero stood in front of him, anxious for his report, while Quatre sat on the couch arm, arms crossed. Wufei untied his hair, the silky black strands falling to his shoulders. He rubbed at his forehead, clearly exhausted.
"I found nothing in the house. I even went through evidence storage. They had a tattered baby blanket with Harry's initials. The lab techs have found copious amounts of blood residue on it, but not a single stain. They have no idea how the Dursleys managed to get it so visibly clean without damaging the evidence."
Quatre shared a puzzled look with the others. Wufei gave a shrug of his own before continuing.
"Marge Dursley does indeed have custody of Dursley's son, Dudley. She had heard no stories of Lily being kidnapped as a child. In fact, she said Petunia never spoke of her sister. Marge only knew what her brother had told her. According to Dursley, Lily and James Potter were drunken criminals who should have been imprisoned long before their eventual death in a car accident. She was told the boy just showed up one night in a basket on Dursley's doorstep with a letter informing them of the Potters' deaths. I couldn't find any such letter among Dursley's things."
"It was definitely not official," Quatre stated the obvious with a deep frown of disapproval. It may be common in fairy tales, but it was highly careless to leave such a young child, one who mostly likely could walk, unattended on a doorstep at night.
Wufei nodded. "She spoke with genuine disgust for the boy. She seemed to think her brother was well within his rights to discipline the child. It is her opinion that the poor blood of the child's parents would somehow come out if a stern hand wasn't used with him. When I asked if she'd known about the sexual abuse, she seemed shocked. She accused me of lying until I showed her copies of the DVDs. She didn't have much to say after that."
"Can she be charged with anything?" Duo demanded, finally breaking his unaccustomed silence. His arms were more wrapped around his torso than crossed. Anger wreathed his head and shoulders like a cowl to Quatre's sight. "Anything at all?"
"Unfortunately not," Wufei sighed, shaking his head. "She thought her brother was strict, but not abusive. She was aware the child never went to school, but she'd been told they were homeschooling him since he was so difficult and unruly. She had no idea the boy had never received medical care or that he was starved."
"Too fucking bad!" Duo snarled, eyes glittering with murderous intent. "She just didn't want to see it. She was so desperate for her brother not be a villain that she blinded herself with endless justifications! She knew! Deep inside she knew, and she did nothing!"
With sudden insight, Quatre realized that Duo wasn't just speaking out against Marge but against all those like her. How many people in Duo's childhood had turned a blind eye to the starving, dirty orphans of L2? How many people had beaten them for stealing the food they needed to survive, justifying their cruelty by saying the children had broken the law?
"She'll pay, Duo," Quatre vowed, near breathless with shared rage. "The law can't touch her, but that doesn't mean we can't find another way."
Duo stared at him, a slow vicious smile spreading across his features. "Deal."
Wufei cleared his throat. "Usually I'd disapprove of such actions, but in this case I do believe it is justified. Before I made her aware of just how severe the abuse was, she admitted that she encouraged her brother's actions. I asked how many times she visited Dursley. She visited at least every other month. She told me Harry acted as a type of servant, cooking and serving the meals, without being allowed to partake in the food with the family. She'd assumed the boy ate elsewhere. He was also in charge of keeping the house clean. He changed her sheets and made her bed every morning. Marge called this good discipline."
"I'm going to enjoy this," Duo whispered, rubbing his hands together with unholy glee.
"I asked whether Dudley was also disciplined. Marge claimed a boy of such good breeding needed less encouragement to be well behaved. In addition, she claimed Harry should work off the debt he owed her brother for taking him in. He should be grateful for not being tossed in the street, I believe her words were." Wufei's glare nearly matched Duo's at this point.
Quatre bit the inside of his cheek as drums pounded in his temples and behind his eyes, almost drowning out the rest of the conversation.
"Did you find out anything pertinent from the child?" Heero cut in.
Wufei lost his glare. He turned a frown to the stoic teen. "Yes and no. Dudley is only ten months older than Harry and not very intelligent. However, he seemed fully aware his cousin's 'freakish' nature. He said that sometimes strange things would happen. Stuff that had fallen would float back to their place before breaking, and food would fly from the table at mealtime toward the boy when he'd been denied food for a of couple days. The worst instance that Dudley could recall happened just before they moved to the London townhouse. Apparently, Harry had frequent nightmares. Dursley would use a golf club to bang on the cupboard door when he woke them at night. In this instance, the golf club melted in Dursley's hand. Dudley didn't know how his father punished the 'freak', but Harry's muffled screams lasted for hours. To his recollection, Harry never woke them from his nightmares again after that and hardly spoke at all during the day."
"Oh Allah." Quatre covered his mouth, certain he was going to be sick.
Duo wasn't much better off. He gave a choked cry of rage before spinning around and running from the pavilion. Quatre got shakily to his feet, but Heero pressed him gently back onto the couch.
"He needs to work it off. Let him go."
Quatre nodded reluctantly, Duo's pain slowly releasing him as the distance between them grew.
"I asked the boy how he explained such weird happenings," Wufei cut in, drawing their attention once more. "Dudley said his parents had told him Harry was not human. They said Harry was evil, and they had to make sure Harry never thought to use his evil on innocent people."
"Not the most logical way to go about it," Heero bit out, jaw white with tension. "Such treatment would force Harry to turn on them for revenge or self-perseveration."
Wufei shrugged helplessly. "Dudley had no idea there was ever a letter delivered with Harry. He didn't know where his parents might have kept it, if they did. He knew nothing about Harry's mother."
"So we have nothing to go on," Quatre voiced weakly. His head spun with everything Wufei had discovered, but in the end it wouldn't help them keep the boy safe. It answered none of their questions.
"I did learn one interesting thing," Wufei contradicted. "The boy arrived with the scar on his forehead. Apparently, it is the only scar that ever permanently stayed on his skin. The others eventually faded over time no matter how bad the injury."
Quatre's eyes snapped toward Heero. Heero also didn't retain scars for long. All five of them had been injured during the war, Heero worse than all of them, and he was the only one with no scars. It looked like this was more evidence to support Heero's theory that the boy had been experimented on. Concerned by the empty look in Heero's eyes, Quatre lowered his shields further. A nearly metallic protectiveness, stronger than he'd ever sensed before, pierced through Quatre's chest like a steel sword. It stole his breath, and he quickly raised his mental shields once more.
Wufei ran a hand through his hair. His expression was the picture of defeat. "I fear if we want answers, we'll have to look to Harry to provide them."
Quatre rubbed at his eyes with one hand, glad for the distraction. "I don't think he'll know more than Dudley. Anything his family told him will have been a lie. However, when we have the more intensive tests run, we might be able to figure out what was done to him. Depending on what we find, we might even be able to narrow down possible culprits. There are only so many with the ability to alter genetic construction."
"Will we take him to Une and her doctors?" Wufei asked.
Quatre shook his head in tandem with Heero and said, "We want the testing to be unofficial, nothing recorded. The only doctor I'd trust is Sally Po. She'll have to catch a shuttle here, and I'll need to find a fully stocked clinic she can use. That will give us at least a week to prepare Harry."
Heero inclined his head. "Take Trowa with you while you get things ready and update him on Wufei's findings. I'll tutor Harry this afternoon."
Wufei lifted an eyebrow at that, since tutoring was usually his or Duo's job.
"You should sleep," Heero stated, eyeing the exhausted teen critically. "We'll wake you for dinner."
Quatre nodded and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. He wasn't looking forward to being the bearer of bad news.
xXxXxXx
Heero observed the scene before him with his arms crossed and a slight frown on his face. Harry stood in front of a kneeling Quatre, his hair damp from a shower and curling against his forehead and neck. He fidgeted with the bottom hem of his shirt as he looked down at the third outfit Quatre had helped him don this morning.
"I… I don't think… it looks good with these pants…" the boy said timidly.
Quatre sighed but began to look for a fourth shirt.
At first, Heero had thought the boy was honestly anxious to look good for his first meeting with the therapist. Now he suspected Harry was making use of a delaying tactic in hopes of not having to go at all. He strode into the room, arms uncrossing as he moved forward.
Harry looked up at him with big fearful eyes, a gasp falling from his lips. Heero ignored it as he gently pulled the rejected shirt over the boy's head and grabbed a plain black one. Harry was pliable in his hands. His head popped out of the head hole, his expression no longer fearful. Instead he looked terribly resigned to some imagined doom.
"There. Your clothes are acceptable. Let's go."
Quatre straightened the shirt with competent tugs, ignoring Heero for the moment. "You look lovely, Harry. Don't worry. Dr. Bohren will be pleased, and we'll be there the whole time. I promise."
In answer, Harry held out his arms in a silent request to be held.
Quatre scooped the boy up with a big smile as he led the way out of the room.
The others were waiting, and Heero noted they had, like Harry, put some thought into their attire. Wufei wore white silk pants with a matching thigh-length Chinese shirt that had thick black embroidery around his cuffs and neck line. Three dragon-shaped buttons fell at an angle across his shoulder. The loose shirt easily hid the daggers Heero knew he had strapped to the small of his back, and on his feet were black slippers that allowed him to walk in absolute silence.
Trowa wore dark blue jeans, heavy boots, a tight black shirt, and a bulky leather jacket. The jacket alone could – and did – hide a number of weapons. Duo wore a similarly stocked jacket over a black button-up shirt with a priest collar. His boots were equally heavy, though they were made from thinner leather, allowing his steps to be near silent. Quatre wore a professional black suit, sans the jacket. His starched shirt was tucked into his slacks, creating a small baggy area that hid his favorite gun at the small of his back. His shoes shone with fresh polish and his dark blue tie held a pure gold clip, holding it in place. He looked like money, and money could be as much of a weapon as guns and knives.
Heero was the most casually dressed of all of them in jeans and a loose t-shirt, but even he wore a light jacket to hide his shoulder holster and the weapon he was legally required to carry at all times as a Preventer agent. He sighed. It was no wonder Harry was less than enthusiastic if he was picking up on their defensiveness.
It wasn't so much the doctor that had them on high alert. They'd questioned her thoroughly and all five of them had felt comfortable with her. It was the travelling that had them on edge. The terrorist group was still at large, as well as the faceless entity who'd experimented on Harry and his mother. There were a lot of unknown variables in the equation that none of them were comfortable with.
Just outside the park, a small limo was waiting to pick them up. Harry had his face pressed into Quatre's neck, but at the blond's nudge, he lifted his head and gave a little gasp of surprise.
"Wow!" the little boy whispered. "It's pretty!"
Duo laughed as he stepped in front of the group. He swung open the back door and bowed low, sweeping his arm out in a graceful arch. "After you, little prince."
Harry giggled and wiggled free of Quatre. The little boy ran up to the car and looked inside. He made a sound of awe. "It's so big!"
Quatre laughed and gently pushed him forward. "In you go. You're holding up the line."
Harry instantly disappeared into the vehicle, Quatre following immediately after. Heero stood guard as the rest entered, eyes sliding smoothly around the area, searching for signs of trouble. So far they were clean. Satisfied, he slipped into the car. Harry was sitting on his knees in between Quatre and Duo. Trowa and Wufei were across from them, and Heero slid into the last remaining seat, which was across from the braided teen.
"What do those do?" Harry asked curiously, though he didn't reach out a hand toward the buttons he was looking at.
They had learned that the boy never touched anything unless given permission to do so.
Quatre gave him a gentle smile. "Well, these three control the lights. Brightness, colors, and speed if you want them to twinkle. And these two buttons control temperature. Hotter and colder. Would you like to adjust the lights for us?"
Harry had stars in his eyes. "Can I really?"
"Of course." Quatre lifted the boy into his lap so he could easily reach the controls.
The twenty minute drive was spent with the lights changing colors, twinkling, and running through the whole range of dark to bright. Duo enthusiastically encouraged the child while those on Heero's side of the car remained silent.
Heero remembered a time when they'd ridden in such a car and Duo had been as excited about playing with the buttons as Harry was now. Wufei had berated him if Duo's hand had so much as twitched in the direction of the buttons, causing the energetic pilot to pout the entire trip. It seemed Duo was getting his revenge now, knowing none of them would speak out against Harry's innocent play.
"We're here," Quatre informed them as the car came to a stop.
Harry's smile instantly fell.
Heero climbed out of the limo first and did a quick scan of their surroundings.
They were parked in front of a two story metal building. Tinted glass windows covered nearly every inch of the front. Across the street were other businesses and restaurants. People were present, but none seemed focused on them. Duo exited next and did a visual sweep of his own before deliberately relaxing his posture and strolling carelessly toward the front door, chatting happily. Heero approved. Had they all acted like soldiers on guard, they would have drawn more attention to themselves.
Wufei followed after Duo, eyes darting here and there, but he kept his head facing forward. Trowa was next. He took up a guard position across from Heero. Quatre came last, Harry in his arms. The little boy had his face buried against Quatre's neck once more. They entered the building quickly.
Heero registered a luxurious lobby with leather couches, mahogany coffee tables covered in magazines, and a rounded desk with a computer and smiling receptionist. Duo was chatting her up, flirting obnoxiously while Wufei glared daggers into his skull.
"The doctor will be with you in a moment," the pretty girl assured them. "If you would have a seat…"
Heero lingered in a position where he could watch the entrance, the receptionist, and the doors that led further into the building. Trowa mirrored him on the other side, covering the elevator that Heero couldn't quite see from his position. Duo stayed near the girl. He was no longer flirting but carrying a casual conversation that had the girl smiling and answering back cheerfully. Quatre took a seat, Harry in his lap. Wufei sat next to him.
Duo came sauntering over after a few minutes. In a low voice that Harry wouldn't be able to overhear, he said, "The doc wants to see us alone before she meets our rabbit. Becky's going to take them back, but we should stay."
Heero nodded, eyes instantly fastening on the girl as she stood from her chair and smiled at them.
"I'll take you to the room now."
Quatre noticed Heero and Duo were not following, but he knew better than to point it out. He followed Trowa through the heavy wooden door to the left, Wufei covering their rear. Heero and Duo were alone now, but not for long. The second door opened and a woman in her sixties stepped out. They recognized her instantly from the interview.
Dr. Bohren wore a brown suit skirt that fell to her knees. Her cream blouse had mother of pearl buttons, and a thin golden chain hung around her neck. Simple gold hoops hung in her ears, visible due to her white hair being pulled up into a thick bun. She wore brown-rimmed oval glasses around her equally brown eyes. Her skin, a dark caramel, was smooth and nearly unwrinkled despite her age. There was a competent air about her that Heero liked.
"Mr. Yuy, Mr. Maxwell," she greeted them with an extended hand. Heero and Duo both shook it. "Come with me, please. I'd like a word before we begin." Her voice was low for a woman, her cadence of speech slow and relaxing.
Heero gave a brief nod, while Duo said, "Of course. After you."
She led them down a short carpeted hall with a few elegant paintings hanging on the walls. An open door to the right revealed an office bracketed on both sides with bookshelves that were filled with books of all sizes and colors. A desk faced the door, and the two floor-to-ceiling windows that were behind it allowed daylight to fill the room.
Dr. Bohren walked to the front of the desk and lifted a thick file. "I'd like to begin by thanking you for your detailed observations. This information will be crucial to the formation of an effective therapy regimen."
The folder likely held the twenty five pages of their observations. They'd also sent her all the evidence they'd gathered revolving around Harry's situation, including the DVDs.
Duo took a small step forward. "Do you approve of our actions so far?"
She nodded briskly and set the heavy file to the side. "I do. You've done an incredible job in the four months he's been in your care. I'm very optimistic about Harry's recovery with such a knowledgeable and sincere support group as a resource."
Duo smiled. "We'll do our best."
Dr. Bohren returned the smile and laced her fingers casually together. "I'm would like to take this opportunity to explain a few things before I begin with Harry. First, I will be his therapist. I will facilitate healing of his psyche and monitor his mental health. Later I might take on the additional task of guiding him with his psychic gifts. I am not available for relationships that are not appropriately professional."
At Duo's frown of confusion, she clarified.
"I will not be his friend. However, when working with children, it is easy to step out of bounds. I ask that you let me know if you feel I am crossing this line. I will lose my effectiveness if I debark from professionalism. I also request that you refrain from asking me to cross this line. Do not invite me to dinners or outings with the family. Do not encourage Harry to see me as anything more than a trusted doctor and mentor."
They both nodded, Duo saying, "We understand and approve."
"Second, I ask that you remain open to having individual sessions with me separate from Harry should I feel it would benefit the family unit."
Duo flashed an empty smile, promising nothing. "We'll keep it in mind."
Despite getting professional help for Harry, none of them would avail themselves of the same. They were all intensely private, though Heero and Trowa might be even more so than the others, and wouldn't feel comfortable speaking with a stranger, which Dr. Bohren still most definitely was.
The doctor inclined her head in acceptance of Duo's noncommittal answer. "Then shall we begin?" She gave them a warm smile and gestured toward the door.
She led them back through the reception room and through the door Quatre and the others had entered earlier. They went down another hallway, this one wider with windows set across from four office doors. Dr. Bohren led them to the one farthest down the hall. Heero approved. It gave them a better chance to hear someone approach.
Dr. Bohren opened the door and entered with Heero and Duo following at her heels. Quatre was sitting in the center chair with Harry still on his lap. Trowa and Wufei sat at either side. There were two more chairs behind these. Harry's green eyes followed them anxiously as Heero and Duo sat down.
Duo flashed a grin and a quick thumbs-up.
The doctor took the chair facing the group. A table sat between her and them. On it were several items. There was drawing paper, colored pencils, crayons, and markers. There were a couple twelve-inch dolls of both genders. Center most was a paper with ruler-type markings drawn on it. Above the number 1, a big yellow sad face was drawn. At the other end of the scale, above the number 5, was a yellow happy face.
"Hello, Harry. My name is Dr. Bohren," she said, introducing herself with the same professional voice that she'd used with Heero and Duo. "Your brothers brought you today because they want to continue to grow happy and healthy together with you as a family."
Harry was curled into Quatre's chest, but he peeked out at the unfamiliar woman, clearly listening.
"They have never built a family before and want to make sure it is done right." She smiled at him. "It is my job as a special kind of doctor to help teach families like yours how to grow in a good way, but I'm going to need your help. Your brothers have already agreed to do their best. Do you think you can help me, too?"
Harry chewed on his lip. His fingers twisted Quatre's dark blue tie nervously. After a moment of thought, he gave a nod.
"Good," she praised and turned her attention to the others, expression serene. "Mr. Winner, can you tell me three things you like about your new family? Things that make you happy?"
Quatre gave his businessmen smile. "Of course, Dr. Bohren. I like how much we laugh, I like living all together, and I like taking care of all my brothers."
"Very good." She turned to Trowa. "Mr. Barton? How about you?"
Trowa stared at the doctor thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "I enjoy cooking meals together, and I like to teach Harry acrobatics. I'm happy visiting the circus again."
"I enjoy teaching and sharing my love of learning," Wufei listed. "I also find living together with my brothers enjoyable."
"I feel like I have a home, not just a place to stay when I'm not at work," Heero answered, his unusually expressive answer contrasting with the monotone delivery. "I'm happier now."
Duo grinned, winking at the wide-eyed boy listening to every word. "I like having someone to play with, and I love living with the others and doing things together, like going to the circus. It's not so lonely."
"And you, Harry?" The doctor turned her attention to the boy sitting in Quatre's lap. He was no longer cowering against the blond's chest. He was sitting straight and looking around him in surprise.
"I… I like… I like having brothers. They… take care of me. I, I like eating all the time… I like learning with brother Wufei and brother Trowa. I like cooking and helping. I like not being afraid all the time."
"Very good answer, Harry," she gave him a kind smile. "It's very different from where you were, yes?"
Harry's expression darkened and he leaned back, retreating.
She nodded as if that were an answer. "Everyone has painful things in the past. I went to school for a long time to become a doctor so that I could help people heal the past. Healing the past lets us have happy lives in the present. If you don't heal the past, then it can return in your dreams or even when you're awake. I think you've had this happen before. It feels like you go back to the past, like it's happening again?"
Harry nodded tearfully, whispering, "… yes."
"It's okay, Harry. That's perfectly normal. Many other people have this happen, too. It's called flashbacks. I will help you learn how to lessen them and how to recover from them better. Would you like that?"
The boy retreated further, his thick hair blocking his eyes from view entirely. However, she was still graced with another whispered, "… yes."
"First thing we're going to do is make a list. As we continue, we'll look at the list and check to see how much you've healed the past. How does that sound?"
Harry nodded slowly, clearly unsure if he liked the idea or not.
She began to list things, asking him to say a number between 1 and 5, using the scale Heero had noticed with the faces. She explained to him that 5 meant perfectly happy and 1 meant very scared or unhappy. Her questions varied between how safe Harry felt in the bathroom, to how he felt about telling his family when he was upset, to how he felt about trying new things. There were thirty questions in total.
When they finished, she went through the list again and put a green sticker next to the ones that had improved since Harry had begun living with his new family. A black sticker indicated there hadn't been any improvement yet while a golden star was placed next to the ones that Harry had answered with a five. Green stickers clearly predominated the chart.
There were only three golden stars. The first marked how happy Harry was with the amount of food he ate daily. The second sat next to how much he felt a part of the family. The last gold sticker went next to the question about how he felt showing his happiness. Harry now felt completely safe showing his positive emotions, though he still didn't feel perfectly safe disagreeing or arguing with his brothers.
"Very, very good," she praised. She stood up to hang the poster on the wall. "Every session we'll check the list and see if it's time to change the sticker. Look at all that green! You should be very proud, Harry. I can see that your brothers are. You're making great progress healing the past, and that's my judgment as a doctor!"
Harry smiled back, eyes wide with delighted surprise as he saw physical proof that he was doing good.
Dr. Bohren returned to her seat across from the group of boys. "Harry, I'd like you to close your eyes. I want you to think of the chart we just made, and I want you to envision what your life will be like when each item has a gold star. Take your time. Just imagine a perfect life of happiness with your brothers. When you feel comfortable, I want you to tell me about it. Any details you can no matter how small."
Harry sat in Quatre's lap, his head tilted back on his shoulder. His eyes were closed as instructed. At first, his brow was creased in concentration. He clearly struggled with the assignment. Heero feared Harry's life was already better than he could have ever imagined it. But then Harry's soft voice filled the silence.
"I… I'm not a burden. I can cook by myself and feed the animals and pet Simba because my brothers know I'm strong and helpful. I can go outside and go to the circus without being afraid… And I'm so good I can do a show in the circus with Brother Trowa. We look so beautiful like the other people in the circus, and all my brothers are so proud. They want to see every show… I'm super smart, too. I can read any book, and brother Wufei talks to me about them. Other people don't even know what we're saying because we're so smart, but I understand and maybe brother Heero can, too… I have long hair like brother Duo. Everyone can tell we're brothers just by looking. We always make other people laugh together. And… And…" Harry swallowed hard, reluctance audible in his tone, visible in his expression. "And I do special things like brother Quatre, and I'm not scared, and I'm not a freak." He opened his eyes, tears spilling over his cheeks. "That's what I see, Dr. Bohren."
"That was perfect, Harry," she told him gently. "That is a beautiful future. I promise that if we work hard together, one day you will have something like that."
Harry shook his head in a negative, but he clearly wanted to believe it. He turned his back on the doctor and buried his face against Quatre's shoulder. The blond wrapped his arms around the small body and murmured softly in his ear.
Heero glanced at Duo, smiling at the shocked expression on the braided pilot's face. Heero reached over and touched the long braid with gentle fingers and Duo looked over at him with wide eyes. Heero had known as soon as he heard Harry say that he wanted long hair that Duo would be deeply affected. They all knew that his long hair and braid meant something significant to Duo, and Harry wanting to have long hair for equally significant - if different - reasons, would mean a lot to him.
Dr. Bohren waited patiently until Harry felt comfortable turning to face her again. "Our time is up, Harry. You did very good today. I'm very proud. For homework, I want you and your brothers to find an object that you can all agree on. It will represent the feeling of safety in your home. If any of you feel that you aren't safe for whatever reason, I want you to move the item when no one else is around. That way we can talk about why it could have been moved. We'll never say who actually moved it because that isn't what's important. What's important is that someone felt the home wasn't perfectly safe. Every time we come in and talk about it, we will be able to make improvements. Eventually, I hope that the object will never be moved."
"We will. Thank you," Quatre told her politely, arms still securely around Harry.
"Also, I want you to record your bad dreams and flashbacks. The only way to stop them from coming back is by talking about them. You see, the mind is divided into two parts, loud and quiet. The loud part is the part that you think with every day. The quiet mind sits deep inside. It's the part that holds secrets and remembers things. Nightmares and flashbacks happen when your quiet mind tries to talk to your loud mind. It is telling you that it's upset about something, and it needs to be reassured that everything is okay. We talk about the dreams to understand what is bothering the quiet mind so that we can reassure it better."
Harry didn't look to happy with this assignment, but he nodded.
Dr. Bohren stood, smile still in place. "I'm very happy to have met you and your brothers, Harry. I look forward to seeing you next time."
"Thank you for your time," Quatre returned as he got to his feet.
"Thank you," Harry echoed quietly.
"Mr. Yuy, Mr. Maxwell, will you stay behind a moment so we can schedule our next appointment?"
Heero and Duo shared a look and obediently waited while Quatre carried Harry out. Trowa and Wufei shot the doctor curious looks, but they didn't linger. The door shut behind them, giving the three privacy.
Dr. Bohren clasped her hands together. "I think today went really well. Harry is cooperative enough that I believe therapy will be very effective. I commend you for bringing him to a professional. The earlier he receives help with his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the easier it will be for him to recover. I suspect he will also have a few undiscovered phobias to work through. Medication might be beneficial in the future, but as of yet I feel he is doing fine without chemical assistance."
"We'd prefer not using drugs," Duo stated clearly. They all felt strongly on this issue.
She came around the desk and leaned back against it. "I understand you are tutoring him and he enjoys to color. I recommend that you display his completed assignments and any pictures he gifts you with where it can be seen by everyone. It also serves to remind him of his accomplishment every time he sees it. Also, if he sees you admiring the works repetitively, he will come to understand that such progress is a continuous accomplishment and he doesn't have to keep doing things to earn have your approval."
"We will do so," Heero agreed, dismayed. When Harry had first come to them, Quatre had hung up his very first picture. Why hadn't they continued that tradition? It was an oversight they'd correct immediately.
"We could sew them on the tent," Duo suggested with a sly grin tilted Heero's way.
"As long as they are displayed," Dr. Bohren answered with an amused smile. "Also, I wanted to inform you that emotionally and socially Harry has regressed to a much younger age, that of a four or five-year-old child. This is beneficial because it will allow him to develop stronger trust bonds with you. It will also make him more receptive to positive changes in his environment. However, be careful not to let this affect how you treat him. Harry is not five. His intelligence is that of a jaded eight-year-old. He understands more than he lets on."
"Oh, we know that," Duo assured her, tossing his long braid back over his shoulder. "Kids are far from dumb."
She stared at him thoughtfully. "Yes. I expect you would understand that."
Heero narrowed his eyes warningly, protective of his friend. Duo had been incredible with Harry, and he wouldn't allow anyone to doubt that. "We are fully functional and don't need you to dissect us. Harry is your patient."
"Remember your promise," Dr. Bohren countered calmly. "If I feel you could benefit from your own therapy session, then I ask you consider it seriously, for Harry's sake. You may have overcome your pasts, but they can affect your interactions with Harry more than you might be aware."
"We'll consider it," Duo said again, arms-crossed and frowning. "Is that all?"
She nodded. "I feel twice a week with Harry will be adequate. How are Mondays and Thursdays?"
"Acceptable," Heero answered and turned slightly to the door, indicating his readiness to end the conversation.
Dr. Bohren's warm smile returned as she gestured they could go. "I'll e-mail you information about PTSD and a list of high-risk concerns for survivors of sexual abuse."
Duo tossed a wave over his shoulder as Heero followed him out. "We'll be here next Monday. See you, doc."
Chapter end. Please review!
A/N: I just want to warn/reassure you that I will not be detailing every single therapy session. I only did this one in such detail so that you have a feel for what Dr. Bohren and therapy is like.