As she worked her way through the crowd of people, she could hear the familiar voice of Oz. Rachel knew his voice now. She was focusing on the crowd now, not what Oz was saying, or rather thinking. She continued to push her way through the grouping of unfamiliar faces. Their voices were overwhelming to her. She knew she had to find Toby.
Hope was brought to her with the disappearance of each person. If felt as though she had been trudging through hundreds of people for hours, even if she knew logically it really hadn't been that long. The crowd began to dissipate. She saw Oz amongst the people standing by a building on her right. Curiously, she walked near him to see what he was saying.
It was difficult for her to understand what he was saying as his voice was muffled. She could make out only a few words; "brain damage", "tests" and "lunch." Ok Oz, I'm trying, give me more time. She thought to herself.
The air felt heavy and stale. Something was happening to what she thought of as the City of Voices. She knew she had to find Toby to let him know she'd solved his dilemma.
Walking away from the building she continued her search for Toby once again. The time dragged on for her. Continuing to push people out of Toby's head, she searched. She had given up on calling out his name some time ago. How could he hear me over everyone else anyway? She thought to herself.
The streets reminded her of the zombie movies she'd watched in the past. People were walking around without a destination. Blank stares on their faces. She half expected someone turn around to chase her. It was beginning to feel like a dream.
There was no way for her to know how long she had been searching for Toby. She knew the direction he was headed in when she was surrounded by the crowd a few hours ago, was she still headed in that direction? She could no longer tell. Feeling confused and exhausted she sat on the curb of a street.
"I just don't get it," she said to herself. "I know I was headed in the right direction. Where'd he go?" She didn't care that she was talking to herself. She knew this was the only conversation she would have until she found him. "Ok, we were in the crowd and he was headed that way," pointing to her left. "I went the right way. Maybe he took a different street when he reached that crossroad a while back."
Rubbing her forehead with her hands, she knew she couldn't give up. She had to continue to find him. She was just so tired and not feeling right. She needed to either find Toby or get out somehow. Where was Oz again? How could she tell him that she needed to get out?
"No! I can't give in. I know this isn't real. I have to find him!" Rachel stood up determined to continue searching for Toby. He was here somewhere, she'd found him once before, she could find him again.
With a renewed energy, she began to yell for Toby once again. She worked her way through more people, watching them disappear into a soft cloud of nothing. She was making progress. She could find him, she had to find him. There was no way out until Toby came out or Oz lifted her hand off Toby's.
Familiar voices surrounded her once again. She could hear Oz along with a few other voices that she didn't recognize. Knowing the inevitable was going to happen, she stopped her search. Rachel looked to find Oz in the crowd. He was nowhere to be seen, but his voice was getting louder and the other voices quieter.
"Rachel," Oz said, gently picking her hand up off Toby's.
Drawing in a deep breath, Rachel opened her eyes to see Michelle staring at her from the opposite side of Toby's bed. Her arms folded looking sternly at Rachel. Automatically, Rachel wondered if Oz had told her.
Dr. Fawcett walked into the room, followed by two orderlies and Dev. Rachel felt all eyes were on her, instead of Toby.
"Dr. Nessler requested more tests. The orderlies will be taking him now," Dr. Fawcett announced.
The room fell silent as the orderlies unhooked the sensors from their monitors and pushed Toby's bed out the door.
"So?" Oz blurted out at Rachel.
Unsure of how to answer him, Rachel looked at him with a confused look. She wasn't going to offer any information with everyone staring at her. She began to feel very self-conscious.
"It's ok," he reassured her, "they know what you were trying to do."
"Same as before," she quietly mumbled. "I'm not sure what to tell you." Glancing at the clock on the wall she realized why she felt light headed, it was well into the early afternoon now. "I didn't realize it was this late."
"You can tell us what's wrong with him." Michelle said abruptly. "And how do you know Toby anyway?"
Rachel had already explained this to Toby and knew that she would be questioned by his friends eventually. She had hoped it would be later, or even after he was better, but it was happening now. Stretching as she stood from the chair, she walked back to the window.
Rachel paused before responding to the question. Arms folded across her body she faced Olivia. She didn't have to read her mind to know what she was thinking.
"Well, no matter what answer I give you, you still won't trust me." Standing, she walked toward the window; "I get it, you are all very protective of Toby. Just know that I'm not here to make things worse." Drawing her glance from one person to another, she did her best not to listen to their thoughts.
"Then why are you here?" Michelle asked slowly moving toward her.
Feeling as though she was going to be interrogated by the IIB agent, Rachel took a small step back, bumping into the windowsill slightly. She knew it would be easy to know exactly what Michelle was wanting if she just listened to her thoughts, but she chose against it. Sometimes knowing what other people were thinking made things only worse.
"I just wanted to help," she said drawing in a deep yawn. She hadn't been with Toby for very long but it felt like it should have been the end of the day.
Raising his hand to her shoulder, Oz noticed how she had become defensive suddenly. "You ok?"
Nodding as she moved toward the door. "I'll come back later."
As Toby's friends watched her exit the room they turned their glance toward Oz.
"Come on, Oz, how does she know Toby?" Michelle asked him.
"I don't know," he responded. "I know she can hear him though. Something has to work."