Chapter Four 'Rachel's Relapse'

Gar trotted into the center for this third day of charity work seeming oddly happy. He was actually thinking that he was getting a hang on all of the stuff. He'd even thought of ways to keep Rachel from verbally harassing him or throwing him out the nearest window.

"Sooo what am I doing today?" He asked keeping a cheery smile on his face and walking up to the front desk to Nurse Bee.

She turned to him not seeming nearly as cheerful as she was the day before. "Oh, hi Gar, you don't have to do much today, just visit. They've already all had their lunches, so you don't need to worry about that," She answered rubbing her temples with her thumb and index finger.

Gar looked at her confused. "Is…something wrong?" He asked tilting his head to the side.

"It's Rachel," Answered Nurse Bee. "I need you to go see her first. She had another relapse yesterday morning. She won't talk to anyone no matter what they do," She said sighing. "Maybe you can get something out of her?" She suggested.

Gar nodded taking everything she said in…and then it hit him. "Wait, what time did this happen?" He asked.

"Yesterday morning around ten I think," Said Nurse Bee. "She's in the medical wing right now; she's been there for a day now…we're not sure what to do."

Gar couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rachel was the one having a relapse yesterday…right after I…oh God, oh God…

"Gar?" Asked Nurse Bee putting a hand on his shoulder. "You okay? You kinda blanked out there for a minute."

"Fine," said Gar. "Just tell me which way the medical wing is."

Nurse Bee pointed to the left hallway. "All the way back."

Gar nodded and walked towards the hallway then making sure Nurse Bee was out of sight he quickly took off at warp speed to the very end of the hall and flinging open the double doors only to receive blank stares from the other nurses sanding by the counter in the med lab.

"Um…I'm looking for Rachel's room?" He asked nervously glancing around.

"I'll take him," Said the pink haired nurse that Gar had seen at the front desk with Nurse Bee the first day he had came. "Come on," She said walking by him and grabbing his arm, pulling him down the hallway. "I'm Jinx by the way, you're visiting Rachel?"

Gar nodded. "Is she okay?" He asked softly.

Jinx shrugged. "I don't know. No one does. She won't talk to anyone," She answered stopping at a door.

"Is…this her room?" Asked Gar.

Jinx nodded. "Good luck, and if she throws anything at you or anything goes wrong just press the red button beside the door mmkay?" She asked.

Gar nodded once again and watched Jinx walk away before taking a deep breath and slowly opening the door. "Uh, Rachel?" Gar asked popping his head inside. "How are you doing?" He asked stepping inside and looking around the room. He spotted a dark figure sitting on the bed, book in hand, not even seeming to notice anyone else in the room.

"Rachel?" He asked again looking around for a light to turn on.

"Go. Away," She said in her monotone voice.

Gar sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. Whatever constellation it is…I'm sorry."

Rachel let out a sarcastic laugh. "Do you even know what happened to me? Do you know why I'm here?" She asked.

"No, you still won't tell me and I'm not going bug you about it anymore," Said Gar smiling a bit even though he was sure she couldn't see it.

"Not that you idiot," Snapped Rachel. "Why I'm in here"

"Oh, no," Answered Gar. "Everyone else said they didn't know either, they said you wouldn't talk?"

"I didn't talk to them," Said Rachel flipping a page in her book.

Gar raised an eyebrow at her. "How are you reading in the dark?" He asked. "And why are you talking to me then?"

"Because, you're the one who made me relapse this time," She stated simply.

Gar's mouth dropped open. "Uh, what did I…err what did you-is there a light around here somewhere?" He asked quickly.

"I really don't want you to turn on the-."

Too late. Before Rachel could finish her sentence the light flickered on illuminating the whole room. Gar looked over towards the girl expecting to see her the way he always had, black hoodie and the shadow covering her face, but what he saw was someone totally different. Her black hoodie had been replaced with a hospital gown which obviously didn't have a hood to hide her face under. So the face he saw was a totally different one. Her face was very pale but she still was very pretty none the less Gar had to agree with that. Her hair matched the color of her eyes and rested just a few inches above her shoulders.

"Light," Rachel finished glaring at him.

Gar looked at her dumbfounded. "Whoa, Rachel you look…different," He said nervously.

She kept her glare focused on him.

"I-In a good way of course!" Gar added quickly.

"What do you want?" She asked. "If you want to know how you made me relapse just think of everything you said to me before you left yesterday…I'm sure even you're smart enough to comprehend that."

Gar opened his mouth and shut it. "I'm sorry I didn't think anything bad would happen…Rachel what-what did you do exactly?" He asked.

Rachel snapped her book shut and set it down beside her before looking him straight in the eye. "Do you really want to know that badly?" She asked.

Gar bit his lower lip not quite sure if he wanted to know but before he could stop himself he nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"I don't want your pity," Rachel added.

"Then I won't give you any," Said Gar folding his arms across his chest.

"Good," Said Rachel in her normal monotone before holding out her arms to him that displayed several cuts. They ranged from short to long, some were merely scrapes and some were much deeper.

Gar looked at her not sure what to say, he took a step forward. "R-Rachel I didn't-I didn't know. If I would have known I wouldn't have-."

"You said you weren't going to pity me," Rachel stated putting her arms back down to her side. "So don't bother apologizing. No one else has."

"No one else knows from what I've heard," Said Gar slowing inching forward trying to get closer to the chair next to her bed.

Rachel shrugged. "That might be true, but like I said I don't want their pity," She said.

"Did you ever think that maybe if you told someone about it they'd help you get better?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Said Rachel rolling her eyes.

Gar gaped at her. "Are you insane?" He asked flinging his arms up into the air. "You could have died if you cut yourself deep enough!"

"But I didn't," Stated Rachel. "Like I've told you before, I'm not trying to kill myself. It's not as if I don't know how deep I'm cutting, I do. And I never let it go deep enough to actually cut a vein."

Gar rolled his eyes at her. "Okay, and what happens if you accidentally do someday, then what?" He asked.

"Then I'll have a problem won't I?" Asked Rachel picking up her book again.

Gar looked at her still in complete awe. "I don't believe this!" He yelled. "You almost die when having a relapse and you still are convinced you don't have a problem?"

"Who said I almost died?" Asked Rachel. "I passed out from blood loss, I didn't almost die."

"And that makes it okay?" Asked Gar laughing at the irony of all this.

Rachel sent him a death glare. "You really have no idea how my mind works so don't laugh Garfield," She snapped turning her back to him.

Gar sighed. "Look Rae you're right. I don't know how your mind works but I'm willing to help you get better if you let me," He offered giving her small smile.

"Don't call me Rae," She mumbled.

"Then don't call me Garfield," Said Gar smiling.

She sighed and looked at him from over her shoulder. "Why do you want to help me?" She asked her voice lowering to a softer tone.

Gar took a seat in the chair next to her bed. "Everyone else I've visited here I've become really good friends with…why can't I be your friend too?" He asked.

Rachel let out another one of her sarcastic laughs. "No one wants to be my friend Garfie-Gar, what makes you so different?" She asked.

"What can I say, I'm a nice guy," Said Gar shrugging and letting out a small laugh. "Sides Kori tried to be your friend."

"Kori wouldn't understand what I've gone through," Said Rachel. "She was a spoiled little rich girl from what I can make out of her old life. Not like you could understand either," She said turning to face him.

"Well, why not let me try to understand," Suggested Gar. "And if I still can't after two weeks you've got nothing to lose and I won't be here to bug you about it anymore," He said putting his hands behind his head.

Rachel rolled her eyes and began to turn away from him again pausing briefly and biting her lower lip thinking over her options. "You…you really want to help me?" She asked softly turning back to him trying to read his expression to tell if he was being serious or not.

Gar gave her a smile. "Yes, but you're actually gonna have to let me get to know you in order for me to help you…you do know that right?" He asked.

Rachel sighed and kept her focus on the book in her lap. "Yes, but I need you to promise me one thing," She answered sighing. "Don't turn out like the others."

"The others?" Asked Gar curiously. "What'd the others do? Better yet who are they?"

Rachel picked up her book from off her lap and set it down beside her, pulling her legs that were tucked under the covers of the bed to her chest. "When I was five my mother left, which left me alone with my abusive father. The one person that seemed to actually understand me was a liar and a backstabber named Malchior. He told me he was going to help me get away from my father. He told me he'd save me from my father and myself…and look where that got me," Said Rachel gesturing to the room. "I don't want you to promise me something you're not going to be able to go through with."

Gar shook his head and cautiously reached out putting his hand overtop of her hand causing her to gasp and look up at him quite startled. "Rachel…you need to give me more credit. You don't know me and I don't know you…yet. But I promise I'm not going to give up on you," He said.

Rachel quickly jerked her hand away from him. "You're stubborn," She stated a small ghost small playing across her face. "And I have no idea why I'm agreeing to this but you've got two weeks Garfield Logan."

Gar smiled. "See I knew you wanted to get better," He said.

"There's nothing wr-."

"Yeah, yeah I know," Said Gar waving his hand back and forth, obviously he didn't believe her. "So, what do you say we get to know each other before we go straight to the other stuff?" He asked.

"Get to know each other?" Asked Rachel. "What is this group therapy?" She asked sarcastically.

"Just humor me," Said Gar sighing.

"Well, what do you know about me already?" She asked.

Gar tapped his chin thinking things over. "Hmm, you like tea, and reading. You don't trust people…but I've realized that they have an effect on your emotions."

"Observant aren't you?" Asked Rachel.

Gar nodded. "Your tern now!" He exclaimed happily. "What do you know about me?"

"I don't know anything about you," Stated Rachel placing her elbows on her knees and then placing her head in her hands.

"Come on…you're observant too. What'd you notice about me?" He asked.

Rachel groaned. "Fine, I've noticed you're one of the most stubborn guys I've ever met. You're also probably one of those video game obsessed nerds, I'm willing to bet a good amount of money that the only books you enjoy reading are comic books and you probably have a 2.6 grade point average."

Gar stared at her open mouthed. "Question…can you read minds?" Asked Gar.

Rachel shook her head. "No, you're just easy to figure out."

"Oh am I? Alright miss smarty pants what's my favorite color?"He asked.

"Green, what's mine?" Asked Rachel allowing a small smile to play across her lips.

"Uh, black," Answered Gar not quite sure.

"Wrong," Said Rachel beginning to enjoy herself. "It's blue."

Gar looked at her questionably. "Blue? Then why do you wear so much black all the time?"

Rachel sighed. "I've always worn dark colors to hide the cuts easier; I never wanted anyone to figure it out. I felt like if they did they'd pity me and only be my friend because I was…I don't know kind of threatening them," She answered. "Anyway, forget about that and ask me another question about yourself."

"Okay…um what's my favorite food?" Asked Gar.

Rachel sent him a questioning look trying to figure out the answer to his question. "You're a vegetarian…but I don't know your favorite food," She said.

Gar blinked at her confused. "How did you do that? Are you sure you can't read minds? You're not psychic or an emp-empet-."

"Empath?" Asked Rachel raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah that!" Exclaimed Gar happily.

"No, I'm not an empath…you're just considerably skinny compared to most boys," Rachel stated. "I figured it was because you didn't eat meat."

"Oh," Said Gar. "That makes sense…and let me guess your favorite food isn't a food it's tea?" He asked.

"You're getting smarter," Rachel noted.

"Correct," Said Gar smiling at her. He couldn't believe it, he was actually having a decent conversation with Rachel and he wasn't being tempted to scream at her and she wasn't being tempted to throw him out the nearest window…at least he didn't think she was.

"I do have a favor to ask you," Said Rachel sighing and glancing towards the small rectangular table that was sitting directly next to the bed. "When you leave today…could you not mention to anyone I talked to you about…anything? I don't want them getting anything out of you or asking me about it. They know I won't talk but they can always harass you about it."

Gar rolled his eyes. "Like anyone would be able to make me talk," He said smirking. Rachel sent him one of her famous glares and he let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, okay I won't say anything."

"Thank you," Said Rachel sending him a small smile. "So, why'd you sign up to help here for community service anyway? I'm sure there are a million other places you could go that would be less difficult to help at."

"Actually, I kinda like it here," Answered Gar. "I mean I didn't think I would but it's not as hard as it seems to help the people here. I bring you food, I give you company, I do what they tell me, and bribe Kori to get better and it all works out!"

Rachel seemed amused by his theory. "You bribe Kori to get better? How sweet of you."

"Vic taught me, we use Dick Grayson…it works," Said Gar laughing.

"You bribe the girl to eat by using a boy, how original," Said Rachel rolling her eyes. "I can't believe she would fall for something-."

"Oh?" Asked Gar cutting her off. "So you're saying I can't bribe you to get better with anything?"

"No," Answered Rachel in her deadpan monotone.

"Not even a lifetime supply of tea…or books?" Bribed Gar wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Very tempting…but no," Said Rachel. "If you want me to get 'better' you're actually going to have to find some other way to help then bribery," She answered in a slightly playful tone. This being Rachel it wasn't very different then her normal voice just a bit higher.

"Alright, alright, well can I at least try to bribe you with some tea or something because I want to go get something to drink…do you mind if I go to the kitchen and get something? I promise I'll bring you back some tea," Gar said smirking at her and beginning to stand up from his seat.

Rachel looked at him slightly confused. "Are you sure? You don't have to bring me anything if you don't want to."

"No trouble at all Rae, I'll be back soon okay?" He asked not even bothering to wait for an answer before running out of the room.

Rachel stared at the door confused before taking in his last sentence fully. "It's Rachel you moron," She whispered but she didn't seem to mind that much, because for the first time in her sixteen years Rachel couldn't remember being happier then she was now.

End Chapter Four...

Alright...soo whatcha think of it. Lemmie know by reviewing kay? I added some BBRae fluff in there for you...well as much fluff as there can be for right now. Soo i hope you all appreciate that.
hehe annd thank you all of you lovely reviewers that have left me all the reviews.

Xoxo-Gothicgoddess14