I don't know how I even thought of this, but I like it.

I own nothing. Talk about a mental disorder. Please review?

"Detective Mitchell," Nurse Katy smiled tiredly, "How are you today?"

"Tired," I nodded back, "How are you? How's Eli?"

"Right now he's fine or he was the last time I checked. And I'm fine too. Heading out for the day. I'll see you tomorrow."

Walking into the hospital I nodded my head to the head nurse as she packed her bags to leave. Katy had been working her since I brought my brother and she and I got along pretty well.

Her Mother had been here for a few years before her death so she knew everything for the most part. Truthfully she was the person that understand what I was going through the most so I liked to keep her close.

Still having someone was only so helpful. I never had someone who understood before. And she knew that I just wanted to get out sometimes. To forget this nightmare. She never judged me for that.

She was always there for me to talk to even if I had to talk at random times at night. She just offered to make me some coffee after inviting me to her place. Very motherly person. It was probably why Eli got along with her when he was lucid.

Which seemed to be the case today. There wasn't actually that many days where my brother wasn't lucid. It was the days that he wasn't thought that were bad. He wasn't always violent, he usually just talked to himself, but when he was I couldn't' handle him alone. As much as I had tried I couldn't take care of my little brother. Not anymore. I wasn't strong enough.

I walked the familiar halls to my brothers room periodically nodding my head at people I had come to know. Was it sad that I knew not only every doctor and nurse on this floor, but also the patients and their families? Sort of a friendship based off our similar situations. Not that any of us really talked to each other. We simply understood what the other person was going through.

Then I came to the open door of my little brothers room and let out the breath I was holding. If the door had been closed then Eli had started to get worse. I had already seen my brother restrained to his bed. A few times I had helped tie him down. It really wasn't something I wanted to do again.

This didn't mean much though. It was possible that he had no idea who I was or even where he was. All the door being opened meant was he hadn't been violent today. I always liked knowing that. Eli wasn't a violent person in any way. He hated violence of any sort. At least when he knew what was going on he wasn't violent. Though now I knew he had a mean right hook.

Looking into the room I saw my brother standing by his window. If I hadn't grown up with the man I would have thought was a statue. It always was a little odd to see him like this, but at the same time it was welcoming. This was Eli. This was my little brother. I couldn't explain how happy I was knowing that.

Eli's hair had grown a few inches longer than he normally liked it, but the last few days had been up in the air. It also was darker than it had been when we were younger while his skin was paler. He hadn't been outside in awhile. At least not for very long. I tried to go for a walk when I visited, but that didn't always happen and when it did it usually wasn't for very long.

He was also growing skinnier every day. Though I knew that some of that was because he hadn't been well lately. I also knew that he was simply refusing to eat. As much as I hated it there had been a time when Eli refused to eat anything unless I looked over it. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner I would visit him and look over the food. He trusted me with this. Which made it hurt so much more when he didn't recognize me.

"Hey Eli," I greeted while knocking on his door.

"Wesley," Eli turned to me a grin on his lips, "I haven't seen you in days. How have you been?"

I didn't bother telling Eli I had been sitting by his head for the past few days even though he had been put under the whole time. I could never walk away from my little brother. Him not remembering that I had been there didn't matter. The point was that I was there for him. Usually I spent an hour or two with the man, but on days where he was in a drug induced sleep I found it so hard to leave his side.

When we were kids it was my self-appointed job to take care of Eli. Ever since I first felt him kicking in my Mother's stomach I knew he was mine to protect. And I did. Family, friends, school. I kept him safe from everything At least I had kept him safe until this whole thing started. I couldn't keep him safe and that broke my heart.

Turning back to my brother I saw him staring at me. My stomach dropped as I saw the confusion in his eyes. No, he had been good when I came here. It had been days since I had seen recognition in his eyes. I missed that look so much. Why did he have to have a few bad days in a row?

A sigh fell from my lips as I started to move to get a nurse. I didn't get very far before Eli's fist was connecting with my face. He kept asking who I was, what I had done with his brother. Three nurses came in and attempted to calm him down until one injected him As he was placed in his head I took his hand in mine and sat next to him for the night.