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Not a doctor.

Chapter 14

They walked into the reception area as Diane opened the door. "Good timing." She said smiling. "We just wrapped up."

"How was he today?" Elizabeth looked over at Cameron who was coloring.

"Talkative." Diane smiled and then laughed softly at the look on Jason's face. "The ring and watch made quite the impression." Cameron was displaying signs of hero worship and it was wonderful to see.

Jason looked over at his son. The little boy hadn't looked up at all since they came in the room. If he moved closer that would probably change.

"Good." Elizabeth also smiled. Cameron usually talked with Diane. After a bad week he usually didn't. There had been a lot of change this week and Elizabeth had been worried that Cameron was unsettled. "We'll get him and go."

"You don't want to stay and talk?" Diane had expected this. That Elizabeth would want to make a hasty exit. The doctor was hoping to stop her.

"I thought the session was only thirty minutes." Jason said looking from one woman to the other.

"It is." Elizabeth confirmed.

"Normally Elizabeth uses the other thirty minutes to chat. I book my patients in hour long appointments." Diane was watching the couple.

"We don't have to stay, I'm sure Jason has things to do." Elizabeth replied fidgeting some.

"Actually I'd like to stay." Jason told his wife. "I have some questions."

"You do?" Elizabeth hadn't known that.

"Yes, I'm guessing we should sit by your desk?" Cameron was in the sitting area at the coffee table.

"That would be fine." Diane walked across the room while the couple followed her. "Coffee?"

"I'm good." Elizabeth wondered what Jason wanted to know. She could give him any information he needed.

"Me too." Jason answered.

"What can I answer for you?" Diane had high hopes for this chat.

"What exactly is wrong with Cameron?" Jason needed to start there.

"He is suffering from Androphobia." Diane began explaining.

"Fear of men." Jason said frowning.

"Very good." Diane was impressed.

"How did you know that?" Elizabeth was also impressed.

"Science channel. Last Halloween they ran a series of shows on phobia. I have a photographic memory because of the accident." He liked to joke that it was his superpower. "He associates men with pain and fear?" The mob boss asked.

"Yes." Diane was amazed at how fast he was making the connections.

"I thought you were going to say PTSD." Jason told the doctor.

"That is a bit of a sticky wicket." Diane said frowning. "I believe Cameron is suffering from PTSD, but many of my colleagues don't believe that a child as young as your son can suffer from the illness."

"Why not?" That didn't make sense to Jason. "He has feelings."

"Exactly. What he doesn't have is the vocabulary to express them. Because small children don't manifest the symptoms like adults do a lot of psychologist and psychiatrist don't believe they can get PTSD. I believe they can." Diane was glad Jason was understanding the issue so completely.

"Is he medicated?" Jason hadn't seen Elizabeth give him any, but she could do it in the morning.

"No." Diane said shaking her head. "He's too young for the normal medications. They would adversely affect his developing body."

"Can you recommend some books for me to read." It would be the fastest way for Jason to learn about the condition in children.

"I can, but I have to tell you my instincts lead me to believe you won't need them. In terms of Cameron's healing, he couldn't have better parents. Both of you have been hurt and needed to recover so you know what's involved. You Jason." Diane said looking at the mob boss. "When you woke up from your coma were emotionally a child. You moved past that stage quickly, but for a while you were in the same place as Cameron. Hurt, scared, angry, and without the means to express yourself so that others understood what you were dealing with. That experience will be a tremendous help to Cameron. Your patience will also be a tremendous help. For him and Elizabeth." Diane finished.

That was the opening Jason was waiting for. "How can I help Elizabeth?" He asked covering his wife's hand.

"You are already helping Jason." Elizabeth spoke up. "You are keeping us safe. Cameron is already feeling that."

"He is." Diane agreed.

"I'm not talking about helping you with Cameron, I'm talking about helping you heal." Jason clarified.

"I'm fine." Elizabeth immediately countered.

"No, you're not." Jason wouldn't fight with her. It would scare Cameron, but he wanted her to see what he saw.

"Jason." Elizabeth tried.

"No, Elizabeth." He said before she could get going. "I read the files. You gave me permission to do so. The beating you took the first time was bad enough. You ended up in the hospital for three days. Add Portland on top of it and I know you have things you need to deal with. We haven't even factored in the running to keep the two of you safe and the fear of being caught again. You need care too." He wasn't going to back down.

"Cameron needs to come first." Elizabeth stated.

"When it was just the two of you, yes he did. But I'm here now." Jason paused to put his words together. "We both know why we got married. If this ends, I'm hoping we will still be friends. As your friend I want you healthy. As Cameron's father I want to know that his mother is okay. When it was just the two of you, the last person who got what they needed was you. Now you can lean on me. You can let me stand between the two of you and everyone else. Take this time that we are together to get stronger again." He squeezed her hand gently. It almost felt like an intervention. "I'm worried that one day you are just going to crack."

Elizabeth saw the merit of his words. She had nightmares and woke up in a cold sweat. The pressure of running from a madman had worn her down. Over the last year she got sick a lot from the stress. At one point her weight was too low. She was a mess and Jason was right. "I don't know if I can." She admitted. "I'm afraid that if I admit I'm not okay, I will crack."

"Wouldn't you rather crack now while you have support?" Jason asked.

"Cameron doesn't fully trust you yet." Elizabeth didn't say that to be mean, it was just the truth.

"I understand what you mean." Jason saw the potential pitfall. "I didn't say you needed to commit yourself to Shadybrook. I asked you to stop hiding and start getting care. You can see Diane too." He looked back at the doctor. "We can all see her if that is what is needed."

Diane was liking what she was seeing. Elizabeth hadn't been denying her issues, she just felt there was no space for her to heal. Cameron needed her total focus. "I can work around your schedule." The therapist offered.

Elizabeth looked over at Cameron who was watching them. She owed it to him to be healthy. Based on the pre-nup they would be here until he was eighteen. With a family to support her it really was the best time for them both to get the help they needed.

"Don't make the appointment today." Jason suggested. "I don't want you to feel pressured. I'm asking you to think about it." He didn't want her to be cornered into seeing Diane.

"I don't need to think about it. You're right." Elizabeth blinked back tears. "I may need that shoulder to cry on again." It would get rough at points.

"Then you come find me." Jason would give her whatever she needed. "I'd like to get Cameron a pet."

Elizabeth looked surprised at that. "You do?"

"I know someone with PTSD. He has a dog, he says it helps. Unconditional love and an ear to bend when he feels no one else will understand." Jason was talking about Cody, but he wasn't going to tell them that. The former soldier's struggle was not something to be gossiped about. What Cody had shared would remain private. "Do you have any allergies or objections?"

"No, on both counts." Elizabeth smiled at Jason. "I don't like snakes."

"Me either." He said grinning. "I will pick it out, if you don't mind."

"I don't." She was curious as to what he would get.

"I think a pet is a wonderful idea." Diane knew that animals could often offer healing in a way another person could not. "I think that would benefit him tremendously. I see Cameron again next week." She told Jason not sure if he knew the schedule. His appointment time was fixed and the hospital was kind enough to accommodate it.

"I come home later on Fridays, because I start later." Elizabeth told Jason.

"That's fine. Friday's can be take out night. I can't guarantee I'll be home in time to cook." Jason was flexible. "You can order in or call something in for me to pick up." He looked back at Diane. "I'm also hoping to have work done on the penthouse. To expand it some. How would that work with Cameron?"

Diane knew that the work would be done quickly and during whatever hours Jason wanted it done. Even overnight. "I would suggest having the crew come in when Cameron isn't home. Also any meeting should be held outside the house. Cameron needs the penthouse to be a safe zone. Will the renovations directly affect his living space?"

"It will." He answered Diane before turning to Elizabeth. "I want to have a room designed for him." Jason said looking at Elizabeth and smiling. "I'd like both your input."

"He'd like that. Emily already ordered furniture." She reminded him.

"We can use that to set the theme of the room." Jason told her. "Trains. Chuggin Charlie and some others that are age appropriate."

"I would suggest you involve Cameron in the process. Let him pick things where possible. Maybe the color of the walls or his blanket." Diane told the parents.

"That would give him a sense of ownership and some control." Elizabeth explained. "Cameron likes to make decisions whenever possible. Like his clothes, he likes to pick them and dress himself. Except his shoes he can't tie them."

"Velcro." Jason said when she stopped.

"What?" Diane asked, he had lost her.

"We can get Cameron Velcro shoes and sneakers until he learns to tie his shoes." Jason knew they often cost more than laced shoes. That was probably why Elizabeth hadn't bought any.

"That will work. They even have Chuggin Charlie sneakers." She said laughing. "They light up." Cameron would love them. "We should go." Elizabeth looked over at the clock, their hour was almost up.

"Next week." Diane said rising. This had gone better than she expected.

"Next week." Jason promised. He would do his best not to miss a session. After Cameron would most likely go to daycare so Jason could go to work.

"Cameron, it's time to go." Elizabeth said walking over to look at the picture. It was a butterfly done with bright colors. On weeks Cameron was feeling not so good, the colors were darker. "Do you want to keep the picture?" He didn't always.

"Cameron?" Jason was standing behind Elizabeth. When the little boy looked over he smiled. "Can I have that for my office?" Johnny had a lot of pictures in his space, Jason wanted some too.

Cameron's eyes got wide and a small smile came to his lips. Jason wanted his picture. Daddy's hung pictures in their office. Maybe Jason was going to be his new daddy and mommy's new husband. With trembling fingers he slowly held the picture out. He had stayed in the lines like a big boy.

"Thanks buddy." Jason looked at the yellows and reds. "It's really nice. I'm going to let mommy hold it so I don't have to fold it up." He knew just where to put it. "Ready to go?"

Cameron nodded. He wanted to hold Jason's hand, but he was still a little afraid. Maybe he would try tomorrow.

"We need to go to the grocery store, if you want to go home that's okay." She couldn't really see Jason pushing a shopping cart.

"I'll tag along." Jason hadn't been in a supermarket since he woke up from his coma. When he lived at Jakes, he could get anything he needed from the bar's kitchen. Now the guards shopped for him. "What are we getting?"

"Dinner." Elizabeth normally shopped once a week and she would get back to that habit as soon as possible.

"It's Friday." He reminded her smiling. "Take out. How does pizza for dinner sound." He asked his son.

Cameron nodded quickly this time. Pizza was his favorite and this would be twice in one week. They never had pizza twice in a week.

"Okay then." Elizabeth picked up Cameron and put him on her hip. "We can go to the store tomorrow. I guess now we will go home."

"I need to meet with the contractor, would you like to come?" They were at the elevator. Milo was with them and Kyle would meet them at the cars.

"We can try." Elizabeth looked at Cameron. "If he doesn't like it we'll have to leave."

"Okay." Jason found himself getting nervous. He didn't want Cameron upset. He knew it was important the little boy did more than just go from home to the hospital. But the protective part of him didn't want his son to encounter anything scary. "Let's try and see what happens."

What happened was that Cameron didn't want to get out of the car. No matter what approach she took the little boy didn't want to go into the strange building. There were times when she had to force him. Like when they stayed at a new hotel or her first day at the hospital. Those occasions let her no choice. Now after having such a good morning she didn't want to rock the boat.

"Roll down the window." Jason requested. When she did he bent down so that Cameron could see him. "Hey." He smiled. "I have to go to a meeting, so you can go home with mommy. When I'm done I'll come back home. Okay?"

Cameron nodded before looking down as his mommy got out of the car.

Jason stood back up. "It's okay. I'll get the plans and bring them to the penthouse. If you like what I have in mind I'll call back and tell my guy to plan for Monday." He could see she was upset. "Too much new recently I'm guessing."

"Yeah." Elizabeth said exhaling slowly. "Are you bringing the p-e-t today?"

"No. I'll wait until the work is done. Less chance of anyone getting hurt." Plus he needed to do some research to figure out what he wanted. "Ben might be at the penthouse. Johnny took the day off to spend with him." Originally the plan had been for the little boy to go to daycare. "Maybe they will want to go to the park."

"We'll see." Elizabeth wasn't sure Cameron would want to hang around Johnny without Jason present. "I'll make lunch. Grilled cheese and soup?" She'd also make a grocery list.

"I don't like soup." Jason said grinning.

"Just grilled cheese for you then. Call when you are leaving so I'll know when to start. In the meantime we can unpack." She would start getting them settled.

"Cameron may be changing rooms." Jason warned her.

"As long as he is staying in the penthouse that should be fine." Elizabeth said patting Jason's arm.

"Good. I'll see you when I get home." Without even thinking about he leaned forward and kissed her gently. "The guys will be right behind you."

"Okay." She said looking up at him with wide eyes. The kiss had been very wonderful.

He waited until they pulled off before heading inside.

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