I should have known. Relax. Just go with it. Don't give it away.

"You're in my chair."

"Yes. I am."

"Get out of it."

"Why? I think I like it."

"Well if you want to sit in it then you can play doctor and do my paperwork for me."

I dropped the newest stack in the empty space on the desk. Making sure to hold it high enough where it would make a sound when I dropped it.

"Getting up."

"That's what I thought."

I took my place in said chair as he walked around and sat himself back in the only other chair in the room. So he was going to babysit me. That's how this was going to work, huh? Well this was just one little setback. One so easily taken care of. I just had to take the time to think of a way around it. I was the genius of Gothic literature from what that boy Henry said once and I couldn't agree more. I'd show him what the obsessive college genius was capable of. Actually no. He'd never know and I'd have a fun little secret to share with me and me alone.

I stretched my arms above my head before I started leafing through the papers. After all it would look suspicious if I didn't do any paperwork now. So now I had to do it. Page by page it seemed to be more and more evident that I needed one of my sessions. That nagging desire for that excited obsessive emotion that I hadn't felt since my experiments with the dead was growing more and more frequent. But how could something that gave me my will to live back be so bad?

"Not going to eat anything?"

I looked up so see the Hatter studying me.

"I actually have a chance to put a dent in this paperwork. I'm not going to waste it."

He said nothing though his eyes told that he was disapproving. I went back to work without a second thought on the matter. I survived off only the occasional meal back then when I had my obsession with raising the dead and I could do it now. An hour or so later and I was back to running. I Really needed one of my sessions. If only I could find the time. If only I could find a place that I could do it safely. Come on. Use that brain that you're so proud of. THINK. It's the only thing you're good at so do it.

Several halls, many annoying patients, and a multitude of insults that were spoke under breath later and I got my idea while I was with a patient.

"Well, Mrs. Sanders, it seems to be a minor fracture. You'll just have to wear a sling for a few weeks. You should be fine as long as you don't try and use your left arm."

I headed out the door again. Home. I nearly stopped. My home wasn't too far from here. So maybe if I just slipped out I could make a trip there and back. However if I vanished now it would be too risky. As it was nearing the end of the day that wouldn't give me much time. However if I could slip away during the day, just for a little while… Yes. Perfect. Tomorrow. I'd leave tomorrow. I grinned. I just had to figure out the best time to slip out. I could make it.

"Doctor Wale!" One of the nurses called.

Certainly I could figure out my plan tonight. Now I had to fix someones elses problem. Funny how I, Victor, used to like helping these desperate people, how things change.

I lay back in the bed in my loaned room. The morning hours were always chaotix, but nights were worse. Especially fridays and saturdays. Yet noon was impossible. What with how Jefferson had told me he'd be bringing me lunch from now on when we were halfway to his house. Good news is malnutrition would no longer be a factor of any dizziness or nausea. However when exactly would be the best time for me to leave? Morning yet before noon seemed to be my best bet. I guess I'd just have to experiment with times to find out what factors would be a problem and what worked. Either that or I could just leave in the middle of the night and walk back to the hospital saying I wanted to get more work done. Na. I was Frankenstein and I didn't make stupid moves. That could go one of two ways. One he would start guarding the door by sleeping on the couch or he could start locking me in. Both of those would provide a problem if the need did arise where I needed to get away from here. The morning hours it was even with all of the unknown factors.

I continued to glance at the clocks as I passed them. 6:45. Too early. 7:36. Too busy. 8:24. Still busy, but less than before. If I left now that would give me a little less that four hours to myself. Four hours to get there and get back. Everyone could make due without me for a while. No major disasters seemed to be taking place after all. So shedding my doctors coat I exited through one of the side doors just in case. Then continued toward my home at a swift pace. People watched me go by with the fearful and disgusted looks that I was used to by now. I mentally rejoiced when my home came into view. Pulling the key from my pocket I entered.

I breathed in and instantly felt lighter. Safer. I could breathe again. I headed into the kitchen and opened the silverware drawer. I froze. Every knife and sharp items were missing.

"No."

When did he- I started searching the kitchen for anything I could use. Then the house. Tearing through drawers and the backs of cupboards and closets with increasing urgency.

"No. No! No no no! No!"

My desperate search slowed and I found myself back in the kitchen where I collapsed into a chair in defeat. That was when I noticed the dull blue sticky note by the flower vase with the now wilting flowers. I picked it up. Written in black ink and neat cursive read:

'Nice try'

I slammed it on the counter. "Dammit!"

I could practically hear the cocky note in his voice. That smirk that shouted arrogance. That devious bastard.