P/N: Season 5 startles like in 3hrs. and 15mins. The countdown is on. Enjoy and review.
Chapter 18: The Forced Suggestion
"I'll not listen to reason. Reason is always what someone else has got to say." – Elizabeth C. Gaskell
that perhaps she just hadn't woken, and sat up quickly to make sure he was ok. He was awake and smiling at her.She woke the next morning almost surprised that she hadn't been woken by Vaughn, in the torrents of a nightmare. She worried for a second
"What's wrong Syd?" he asked when he saw concern written all over her face.
"Are you ok? Did you have a nightmare?" she asked almost wildly.
He smiled, "No, no nightmare, at least not since I had that really nice bath and everything. I woke up a little while ago, I was watching you sleep."
"So you're ok…" she said almost to reassure herself as she got up out of the bed.
"Yeah, I'm ok…are you? What's wrong?"
"I'm fine. I was just worried that I maybe slept through your nightmare and you had to go through it all alone."
"Well…I don't think anyone with in a block radius could sleep through me in a nightmare, but you know, it would be alright if you missed one Sydney. You shouldn't feel guilty or anything, despite what I might say at the time, ok?"
"I don't plan on going anywhere or missing one anyway, Vaughn."
"I'm just saying, I don't want you to feel responsible for me all the time. I know you'll have to go home and go to work eventually…I'm just enjoying you here every minute now…and I'm not saying that I wouldn't want you here all the time or that I don't need you, but I understand if you need to go somewhere or just get away from me for awhile…it can be pretty intense…so can I as you well know…"
She looked at him thoughtfully, "What would you do if I left?"
He looked at her for a few minutes, and she swore that he instantly looked about nine years old. It made her want to take care of him even more.
"Well…I don't know…I'd deal with it…"
"Like you dealt with the nurse who came in?"
He looked at her angrily, "Hey, now that's different. First of all, that was like day two, and besides that she pretty much assaulted me…all I was saying was that I'm an adult and I can take care of myself for awhile if you wanted to leave."
"Ok, ok…I don't want to leave though Vaughn…" she thought again for a moment, "Did Dr. Kerns tell you to say that?"
"No, why?"
"Well, he said something like that to me, that I could go home for awhile if I wanted…"
"You can if you want."
"What's with you? One minute you're clinging and won't let go, it's like death if I leave you, and now you're practically pushing me out the door."
He sighed resignedly, "Look, all I'm saying is that you don't have to stay here with me if you don't want to. I don't want to be some burden for you, so you feel like you're chained to this room with me. That's all…I don't want you to leave, I'm just saying that if you need to get away, you can."
Dr. Kerns picked that moment to enter the room, cutting short their argument. He seemed to sense the tension in the room, "Is everything alright?"
Vaughn looked at Sydney and she responded, "Everything's fine, we were just talking…what can we do for you Dr.?"
"I wanted to talk to Mr. Vaughn about something we discussed briefly yesterday."
Sydney was instantly protective of Vaughn and took a step closer to him. "What was that?" she asked.
"My colleague coming to talk with him," Dr. Kerns answered.
"What colleague?" asked Vaughn, confused.
Sydney decided to field that question before Dr. Kerns could answer, "He wants you to talk to his colleague about what happened to you…remember, I mentioned it to you yesterday…"
"You mean a shrink," Vaughn stated.
"My colleague is a psychologist, Mr. Vaughn, and a very good one at that."
"Your colleague is still a shrink, Dr. Kerns." Sydney stated.
"I don't need to talk to anyone, I've got Sydney…" Vaughn stated in reply.
"Look, Mr. Vaughn. I said this to Sydney yesterday, while I think that's it wonderful that she seems to be everything you need, I think you need to widen your support base. Sydney is wonderful, but she can't be there for everything...you eventually will need to open up to someone else."
Vaughn looked at Dr. Kerns seriously, "I'm not an idiot. I didn't get brain damaged when I was tortured, and I know that Sydney isn't going to be able to be there every minute. In fact, we were just talking about that. That said Dr., I'm not going to just spill my whole life's history to someone I don't know just because you think I need more support. Next thing I know, I'll be crying to your colleague because somehow this whole ordeal can be related to the death of the family dog when I was six."
"Mr. Vaughn, I assure you that my colleague is a professional."
"That's great for your colleague, I still don't want to talk to them."
"You know Mr. Vaughn, if I think it's in your best interest, and it's a health issue, I can force you to see him."
Sydney decided this should be her moment to jump in, "Dr. Kerns, I know you have Vaughn's best interest in mind here, but there's no need to use threats. If Vaughn doesn't want to talk to your friend than he doesn't have to."
"I'm recommending that he talk to Mr. Vaughn, and I don't need your approval Ms. Bristow or your consent Mr. Vaughn. He'll be paying you a visit shortly." With that, Dr. Kerns left the room.
Sydney turned to Vaughn who was looking at the door with apprehension. He looked like a little boy again and she sat down on the edge of the bed. He turned to look at her, and she could see the fear mounting in his eyes.
"Hey," she said softly, "you don't have to tell him anything…"
"I know…"
Sydney really didn't know what else to say, so she just picked up his hand and held it. Sydney didn't really know how much time they had spent like that, but suddenly the door opened and a short man with dark brown hair entered the room. She felt Vaughn's hand grip hers tighter and the rest of his body followed suit.
"Hello, I am Dr. Ramsay. Dr. Kerns asked me to come and talk with you." He moved over towards the bed and stuck out his hand. "I assume you must be Sydney, Dr. Kerns told me about you."
"I see…" she said as she shook his hand. Dr. Ramsay then turned to Vaughn and put his hand out again.
"You must be Mr. Vaughn then."
"There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the room…" Vaughn said and he did not shake the doctor's hand.
Dr. Ramsay moved his hand back down to his side. "Sydney, do you think you could give us a few moments alone?"
Sydney looked at Vaughn and he said, "Actually, I'd rather she stay."
Dr. Ramsay looked down at Vaughn, "I'm sorry, that's not possible in therapy. There is the doctor/patient privilege legality to worry about, you understand…"
"No, I don't," answered Vaughn shortly, "I'll waive it, I want her to stay."
Dr. Ramsay changed his tone, "Mr. Vaughn, I can have her escorted out, or she can leave on her own power, it's your decision."
Sydney looked down at Vaughn. She didn't care for the way this doctor was handling her former handler. He was being almost overly insensitive and she knew this wouldn't go well.
"Excuse me, can you give us a minute?" Sydney asked, but her tone suggested that there wasn't much asking involved.
Dr. Ramsay looked between the two for a moment and then said, "Of course."
After he left, Vaughn looked up at Sydney, "I don't want to talk to him at all, and I certainly don't want to talk to him with you not here."
"I know Vaughn, but we really don't have a choice in the matter. You're going to have to talk to him at least this once, until I can figure out something else. Maybe we can get you transferred to the Naval hospital, or get Dr. Barnett to come here. Until then, you're going to have to talk to him. I think it's better we use the 'own power' option over me being escorted out the room. Otherwise, they may not let me back in to see you. I'm sorry honey," she said as she touched his cheek, "We're kind of stuck here…I don't know what else to do…"
He looked at her, "Ok…"
"I'll be right outside, ok?"
"Yeah."
She kissed him and got up to leave. "It'll be ok Vaughn." She knew she didn't sound very reassuring.
He looked at her with dread in his eyes and said nothing as she walked out.
