Author's Notes: I have had this chapter planned for literally months, and I still feel like I left stuff out. LOL! I felt inspired to write in this fic again after waiting far too long to get back into it. For whatever reason when I get inspired for PPG fics it hits me hard. LOL! Hopefully I can keep writing more fanfic chapters, though I won't promise anything. Life has a tendency to have other plans. Anyway, thank you for reading, and please review :)

Chapter 6

Therapy

Bubbles sat in the waiting room of Dr. Needo's office. It was Wednesday, which was the day every week she went to see the titular psychologist for her scheduled 1:00 PM appointment. She used to go at 4:00 PM when she was a teenager, but she was no longer in school so she could now go earlier. Just as well. Bubbles was having more trouble occupying her troubled mind of late.

The professor was staying at a hotel until they caught Mr. Big, so Bubbles had the house to herself. She was aware trying to sleep that night was going to be difficult, knowing she was all alone, so she really hoped Dr. Needo had some good advice for her. She sighed, already feeling depressed before even seeing the doctor.

One thing that ran through Bubbles' tormented thoughts was her sister Buttercup. She and Buttercup were so close, and Buttercup was so understanding of her current condition. The situation with Mr. Big however was making Bubbles realize that she and her sister had lost something of the old bond they had once shared.

Buttercup used to be meaner, and Bubbles always hated that when they were little. What Bubbles realized now however was that as kids they were opposing rivals, but also equals. Buttercup would make fun of Bubbles, and Bubbles would do or say something to show up her tomboy sister. Now however, Buttercup treated Bubbles like a glass vase; as something fragile that needed protection. She loved Buttercup for that, but she also realized that she didn't like being that delicate fragile thing.

Bubbles was determined she wasn't going to bring up Buttercup at this week's appointment however. She had spent all of last week's appointment talking about her sisters. This time she needed to talk about something more pressing and immediate.

The nice lady at the receptionist desk called for Bubbles Utonium, and the blonde Powerpuff Girl floated into the room, deciding she didn't feel like walking today. When she entered the office she was comforted by the sight of the little old man with his clipboard and the motivational posters he kept around the room. The wide-eyed kitten poster that said 'Nobody's Purrfect" was her favorite.

"Ah, Bubbles. Come in and have a seat," Dr. Needo greeted her warmly, "So, how have we been feeling this week?"

"Pretty bad, actually," Bubbles replied glumly, "I'm glad our session is today. A lot has happened in the past few days."

"Oh? Do you want to talk about it?" Dr. Needo asked.

"Yeah," Bubbles nodded as she settled into the padded chair, "A mob boss has been threatening my family. Some meanie named Mr. Big. We think he has a grudge against the Powerpuff Girls, but we don't know why. We don't even know who he is! The Professor is safe in an undisclosed location, but that still leaves me and my sisters to try to solve the crime before things can go back to...normal."

"I sense hesitation," Dr. Needo observed, "Perhaps we should discuss the word 'normal'. What do you believe normal to be?"

"I guess...not dangerous?" Bubbles feebly suggested, "I don't know! I'm not sure I've ever felt normal, so I don't even know if I'm using the word correctly, you know what I mean?"

Dr. Needo just nodded and wrote in his clipboard, allowing Bubbles to express herself uninterrupted.

"Something that's really been bothering me the past few days, and it's a weird thing to even care about..." Bubbles hesitated, but then chose to speak, "...I know so many really bad things have been happening lately, but one thing that I can't get out of my head is something an old acquaintance said to me. Her name is Princess. I've told you about her before, right?"

"Yes, the one that was cruel to you in elementary and middle school," Dr. Needo affirmed.

"Yeah, well, she called our house wanting to report a villain that has been released from prison," Bubbles recalled, "I think Princess just wanted attention. What really bugged me though was how she kept saying she wanted to talk to a 'real' Powerpuff Girl. I don't even know why that bothers me so much. I haven't fought crime in years, and I haven't wanted to."

"Well, when was this memory strongest for you?" Dr. Needo asked, "When do you recall these words making you the most angry after the moment had passed?"

"I guess when Mr. Big threw a brick in our window," Bubbles replied, "It was weird. I was being threatened by an unseen enemy, my beloved Octi was torn to pieces in my hand, and I was worried for the professor's safety. Why, when all of this was happening, did I think about Princess saying I wasn't a 'real' Powerpuff Girl?"

"Sometimes when life overwhelms us it can be the little things that become our breaking point," Dr. Needo replied sympathetically.

"Little things is right!" Bubbles agreed, "Octi is just a stuffed toy, a lifeless doll from when I was a kid. Yet when I saw that piece of cloth and bit of stuffing I felt like I had lost a family member or a pet. I'm 20 years old. This stuff shouldn't matter to me. Plush toys? Bullies? That's kid stuff. I have bigger things to worry about. My family is in danger, and I can't do anything to stop it. Why can't we find Mr. Big!? We've battled Him for goodness sake! How could some random guy be more of a threat to my family than an interdimensional personification of evil?"

"So you feel helpless?" Dr. Needo inquired.

"No! Yes! I don't know! It isn't fair!" Bubbles shouted indecisively, "My whole life I've been so powerful. For years I have been aware that even one little misstep could accidentally hurt or even kill somebody. I always have to be careful. It feels like when I want to destroy something I can, but when I want to help I just...mess everything up. The professor is my dad. My sisters are part of my soul. All we have is each other and if I can't protect them or help them then...what good am I? I never chose to be a Powerpuff Girl, but I did choose to walk away. If I go back to being a Powerpuff then I'm saying destiny was right and I shouldn't get to choose who I want to be, but if I stay locked away in my house for fear of another panic attack, then I'm still not living. I don't know what to do. Even when Mr. Big goes away, I'm still here. How do I figure out what I'm supposed to do?"

"You know I can't give you that answer," Dr. Needo replied gently, "Only you can decide how to move forward. Not your friends, not your family, and most certainly not your enemies. Only you."

"Thanks, Doctor," Bubbles replied gratefully, "Can I tell you about how awful Buttercup's new boyfriend is?"

Dr. Needo chuckled at the blunt change in subject. Bubbles laughed too, and was glad to be able to. She spent the rest of her session going on about her family, the Mr. Big case, and a few random dreams she had. When her session was over she felt like she had gotten a weight off her shoulders, and this made her feel ready to take on those that would dare to harm Townsville or her family.

When Bubbles exited the room she saw that a very large man with a bushy red beard was already sitting in the waiting area, adjusting his fedora and flipping through a coloring book. He was most likely Dr. Needo's next patient.

"Have you been to Dr. Needo before?" Bubbles asked, always friendly and ready to strike up a conversation.

The man put down the coloring book and looked at Bubbles, but she couldn't see anything of his face due to his hat obscuring her view.

"I've been here before, but it's been a long time," The man told her, his speech halting and somewhat familiar, "You seen him long?"

"Uh huh," Bubbles nodded happily, "I've been visiting Dr. Needo for ten years. He's really helped me work through my anxiety. I'm sure he can help you too. Don't give up, Mister"

"Thank you," The man replied with a slight smile, "I won't."

Bubbles then flew to the elevator and on her merry way, and the smile on the large man's face turned into a malevolent smirk. He was on the right trail.

"Mr. Biggs?" The receptionist called out, "The doctor will see you now."

Mr. Big then stood up from the bench he had been sitting on, and lumbered over to the door. His gold rings glistened against his black gloves as he turned the knob, and when he opened the door Dr. Needo smiled as if everything were right with the world.

"Ah, Mr. Big. It's been a long time since you've made an appointment," Dr. Needo greeted him genially, "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I am," Mr. Big replied as he took a seat on the same padded chair Bubbles had been sitting in, " Mr. Big brought you some sodas."

"Oh, well thank you very much," Dr. Needo replied cheerfully, "Don't mind if I do."

Dr. Needo started drinking a soda, and Mr. Big smiled wide as he watched him drink.

"Mr. Big decided to take your advice."

"Um, what advice is that? It has been a few years since you came in here," Dr. Needo reminded him.

"When we last talked Mr. Big was feeling down," Mr. Big recalled, "You said that Mr. Big needed to take control of the things that made me feel sad and angry. That my temper was bad, and Mr. Big needed to take control. Well, that's exactly what's been happening."

"That's wonderful!" Dr. Needo exclaimed, "So, what have you been doing to control your environment?"

"Mr. Big started doing all the things on the list," Mr. Big replied as he handed a crumbled and yellowed piece of paper to the therapist, "My brothers and me made that list a long time ago, and Mr. Big has done almost everything on it."

Dr. Needo unfurled the list, but he already knew what it was. It was a bucket list from when Mr. Big and his brothers were kids. Most of the things on the list were selfish and stupid, as most bucket lists tend to be when one is young. He knew that Mr. Big was at least 30 years old however, so he hoped that not everything was checked off the list.

Much to Dr. Needo's surprise, most of the list did in fact have red check marks. The items included were: Learn calligraphy, run a super successful drug empire, get a pet snake, have a Lamborghini, get filthy stinking rich, move into a mansion, own a fancy hat, visit Las Vegas, and eat 50 hamburgers for dinner. The only two things that seemed to not be checked off the list were: Get with an older woman, and kill the Powerpuff Girls. The last one seemed to be a late addition, written in gold marker whereas the other items were written in black pen.

"Hm, it seems to me not all of your aggressive tendencies have been curtailed," Dr. Needo commented on the final item on the list, "Tell me why you want to kill the Powerpuff Girls."

"Because I can't sleep," Mr. Big replied solemnly, "Every time I see one of them fly in the air, or every time they're on the news, Mr. Big's Pete's Tea makes the bad thoughts come back."

"Pete's tea?" Dr. Needo couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah, you said that's what it's called when bad memories interfere with what you're doing," Mr. Big reminded him.

"Pete's tea?" Dr. Needo repeated, but then with realization he exclaimed, "Oh! You mean PTSD! Those are initials. They stand for post-traumatic stress disorder. Yes, you were diagnosed with that following the deaths of your family. I don't understand what that has to do with the Powerpuff Girls, however."

"Everything," Mr. Big replied seriously, but then perked up and asked, "Would you like another soda, Doctor?"

"Well...I suppose one more couldn't hurt," Dr. Needo replied agreeably, "Normally I wouldn't take food or drink from a client, just so you know. Soda is okay though since the can is factory sealed."

"If Mr. Big had known that I would've brought beer. Hahaha!" Mr. Big joked, and Dr. Needo laughed along.

"In all seriousness though, Mr. Big, I feel that we need to discuss your unresolved anger toward the Powerpuff Girls," Dr. Needo said, "Do you know when it started?"

"Uh, obviously!" Mr. Big shouted crossly, "When they killed my family! Those Powerpuffs think they can beat up whoever they want, and do whatever they want with no one telling them they can't! How many criminals have died after getting beat up by those little brats? Just because my family was crooks don't mean their lives didn't matter! Mr. Big finally has the means to kill off those Powerpuff Girls, and no one can stop me!"

With that Mr. Big suddenly stood up and rammed his ham fist into the chair's arm; breaking it into pieces. Dr. Needo was very nervous, but did his best not to show it to his patient, and Mr. Big looked down at the piece of furniture he had just ruined.

"Sorry, Doctor," Mr. Big apologized sheepishly, "Mr. Big got carried away. Just add the chair to Mr. Big's bill."

"Um, o-of course," Dr. Needo stammered, "Listen, between the two cans of soda and, well, this, I really need to use the bathroom. I'll just be a moment."

With that Dr. Needo dashed out of the room to find the nearest toilet. Mr. Big smiled with satisfaction, as the plan was working perfectly.

Moose had been the one to suggest this plan to Mr. Big, and Mr. Big was surprised it was actually working. Now he was alone in the office of Dr. Needo, a psychiatrist that worked with Bubbles, a Powerpuff Girl. There was only one thing to do now.

Mr. Big walked over to the file cabinet and opened the section for the B-D patients. He flipped through a few of the names until he found Bubbles. Pay dirt. Mr. Big took years' worth of papers out of Bubbles' file and shoved them into his suit jacket. He then closed the cabinet and sat back down in the broken chair; the picture of innocence.

When Dr. Needo got back Mr. Big was still sitting there as if nothing had happened.

"Well, Mr. Big, it appears we only have a few minutes left of your time," Dr. Needo pointed out, "Is there anything else you want to update me on or shall we call it a day?"

"Mr. Big feels better now, Doctor. Thank you," Mr. Big replied politely, "Mr. Big should see you more often. It's always a rewarding experience."

Mr. Big then shook Dr. Needo's hand and left without a fuss. Dr. Needo called for someone to remove the broken chair and took down a few more notes about Mr. Big while he had a few minutes. He just hoped his next patient wasn't quite so...intense.

"Patient displays bouts of uncontrolled anger," Dr. Needo spoke aloud as he wrote, "No signs of improvement since last visit. Appears to live vicariously through the dreams and life goals of his deceased brothers. Patient is friendly and giving, though appears to believe all relationships are transactional. Perhaps a symptom of the crime family lifestyle? Suffers delusions of grandeur and a hatred of the Powerpuff Girls. Use extreme caution when bringing up the subject, as the patient should be considered unstable and dangerous. Bill patient for the chair."

Dr. Needo finished his notes and then opened his file cabinet to place them inside. When he opened the drawer however he noticed one of the files was lifted up higher than the others and papers were strewn everywhere. The file was for his last patient: Bubbles Utonium.

"Oh no!" Dr. Needo gasped, "I've been robbed! I need to call the police!"

Meanwhile, in the back seat of a stretch limo, Mr. Big was looking through the stolen files as he was being driven home. A lot of what he grabbed wasn't useful, so he merely skimmed it. He was looking for today's visit, for he knew that it would be the key to figuring out his next move.

Finally, he found the sought after file, and the contents were everything he hoped for. Apparently Bubbles was distressed because of what his cartel was doing to her and her family. The Octi being ripped apart had the exact reaction he wanted from her. She was sad, angry, and questioning everything in her life. Mr. Big wanted to frame this piece of paper and hang it on his wall.

The biggest revelation however was that Professor Utonium had been moved from the home. It didn't say where he was, but Mr. Big had connections all over the state. He would have his men check every hotel, every apartment building, and every college dorm until he found the professor. Once he had the professor in his clutches, he would have the means to make the Powerpuff Girls come to him and beg for mercy.