Chapter 9

Authoress' notes:
I have never been to a psychiatrist or a psychologist, so I don't know how exactly is a session, but I have I notion. I hope my notion is not completely out of reality of how is session with a psychologist.
Thank you very much for all the reviews, they've made me very happy! And for those who read and did not manifest their opinions, thanks for reading!

Answering hypherlutz21's last review: Well, the door was locked and the tv was loud enough to muffle any sound and they were too involved to even think about that ;p

There is no cure or completely successful treatment for psychopathy, Hannah found out on her first session with a psychologist, after she and Sid were caught.
Their mother arrived early from work and they were tangled in each other, making out very enthusiastically on the couch. They didn't even hear their mother walking in. There was a lot of screaming, tears and Sid was extremely cynical saying she had seduced him, calling her a liar when she said the opposite.
Obviously, their parents believed her, but she refused to tell them anything that happened between her and Sid.

Now, here she was sitting in her psychologist's office. It was going to be very difficult to talk to someone about all that happened, but she would try.
Since it was her first session, Dr. Amber Carter, first explained everything about psychopathy. Hannah was shocked to find that psychopaths don't really care about other people, and they experience a very narrow range of emotions, they barely feel anything other than desire, satisfaction or gratification for their acts. Dr. Carter explained that Sid was classified as a Secondary Distempered Psychopath.

"The main characteristics of these patients are bad temper, antisocial behavior, anxiety crisis and problems controlling rage. They also have a really strong sexual desire and impulse, being unable to resist temptations. Even the slightest."

"That describes him exactly." The teenager lowered her eyes, mentally connecting each symptom with something Sid had done to her.

"Were you a temptation, Hannah?" Amber asked, analyzing her young patient's reaction to her question.

"Can he love?" She ignored the question and asked another instead of answering; her green eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

The psychologist knew very well that meant the answer to her question was yes and that her other patient hadn't controlled himself. She sighed.

"Not exactly. They can become obsessed, they can lust after a person... even create a dominance bond. It's almost like falling in love, but they don't really care about the other person... It's all about the adrenaline, the chase and having the person."

Hannah closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks. She thought he at least felt affection towards her. But it was not even that.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" The doctress said softly. "Or you don't feel ready yet?"

The brunette broke into sobs and didn't even try to say anything else.

"It's okay, you can tell me when you're ready... you can tell me or ask me anything." The older woman sat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you need to take any medication, you'll have to see a psychiatrist, too. But it doesn't have to be same doctor who is treating your brother." Amber added.

After a few minutes, she managed to recompose herself and inhaled deeply wiping away the remaining tears. "I want to ask you something."

"Go on."

"Why do you think I... let it all happen? Why did I keep going back to him? I mean, he's my brother... Do I have any kind of disorder as well?"

"It was probably because of a hormone called Oxytocin. When women have sex this hormone is released, inducing attachment. Even in abusive relationships."

"How do you know we...?" Hannah asked with wide eyes.

"It's not really difficult to figure it out, given the circumstances..."

Hannah froze as the thought occurred to her. "Will you tell my mother?"

"I have to, but this can wait. And technically you haven't told me yet; I can't tell her something I have deduced..." The psychologist reassured her and Hannah forced a smile.

When she got home, her parents weren't there, neither was Sid, but there was a note on the hall table. Typical, since her parents weren't fond of texting.

Your father and I are helping your brother to move out. We'll be back for dinner.

Mom

Her heart came up to her throat and she ran upstairs, bursting into his room and finding it empty.

"I can't believe it... They are kicking him out!" She said to herself. Hannah was furious, she might have been Sid's victim, but she wanted to help him, he had a disorder. He needed help. Turning around she ran to her room and locked herself in there, ignoring her parents when they arrived and tried to get her to open the door.
When they finally gave up, she had an idea. Reaching inside her jacket's pocket she took her cell phone and called Sid. Her heart hammered her chest violently and she stood motionless waiting. Pick up, pick up, please...

"Hannah! You are not allowed to talk to your brother." Her father's voice answered. "Come downstairs, we need to talk."

She hung up and let herself fall on her bed, frustrated. Hannah still couldn't believe her parents had kicked him out. He was already 18, but it wasn't fair. Psychopathy was a disease. Hannah didn't leave her room the whole evening, she was too indignant with her parents' decision.

When she was sure they were asleep, she made her way downstairs and took the car keys, as silently as she could, she got out of the house and got into the car. She turned the GPS on and searched for the last route, hoping it was the right place. It was very late, and the streets were basically empty. That was good because she had just gotten her license and was nervous enough with the whole sneak-out thing.

Arriving to the place the GPS indicated, she sighed deeply as she saw the destination: it was a small residential building.

"Great! How will I find out which apartment he is in?" She said to herself, bringing her hands to her temples.

"Maybe there is a name directory!" She exclaimed as it occurred to her and hurried to get out of the car, shutting the door and running to the building.

There were no names on the intercom, only a little sign that informed it was broken and there was a doorstop keeping the door half-open. She turned to leave, feeling stupid and dumb when she heard a familiar melody. It was from one of Sid's videogames. An intense wave of anxiety and happiness took over her and she followed the sound to find where it was coming from.

"Please don't be someone else with a horrible taste for games..." She stood in front of the door and hesitated for a moment before knocking.

She knocked. Nothing.

Obviously, he wouldn't hear, since the sound was that loud; so she tried to turn the doorknob and it wasn't locked. Hannah opened the door slowly to find the pale teenager sitting on the floor, concentrated on his game.

"Sid!" She cried out, running to where he sat. She fell to her knees beside him and wrapped her arms around her brother.

"Hannah?"

"Hey, it's me!" The pale girl with dark hair and green eyes opened the door of the apartment and walked in carrying a takeout box. "How was work?"

One year later Hannah still visited Sid without their parents consent or knowledge. Their relationship wasn't abusive or incestuous anymore. It was better than it had ever been, since Sid had been under constant treatment and therapy and his temper was much more controlled.
"Boring as usual... Is that food? 'Cause I'm starving!" He said from the couch where he was tangled in a blanket, watching a horror movie.

He wasn't cured, because there is no cure for a psychopath and sometimes he would still snap and act like in the old days or would try to kiss her forcibly. But thanks to the new treatment with amphetamines that was very rare; she just had to make sure he was taking them. The problem wasn't solved, couldn't be, but it was under control. All was well and that was all that mattered to her now.

Hannah kicked out her shoes and jumped to the couch, snuggling under the blanket with her brother and handing him the junk-food she had brought.
The nightmare was over. She wasn't a broken doll anymore, although she would always have the scars, and they ran deeper than it seemed.

So, this was the final chapter of the story. It's not exactly a 'happy ending', because I don't think it fits the story, but it's also not a sad or tragic one. I hope all the info I got with my extensive research about psychopathy made this story at least a little coherent and I apologize for any mistakes, mainly grammar or spelling (or any other related to the idiom, since I'm not a native speaker).

Thanks for all the reviews and the favs, and even the alerts, because they've made me very very happy! Thank you so much!

I hope you guys have enjoyed reading 'Broken Doll' as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Natsu