Fiona awakes as the sun tips over the landscape with the sky stretching with orange and yellow. It has been too long to see the sunrise as she gathers her glasses to enjoy this moment. That is when she notices she is not alone in the room.
Fiona became a little brutish as she told Alaya to leave her alone, only that is not Alaya. "Who are you? Alaya! Alaya! Anyone!" Fiona uses all her fortitude to pick herself up and tries to leave.
Fiona can hear running footsteps up the stairs and towards her room.
"Good to see you awake Fiona," smiles the unfamiliar woman, "and full of fight."
There is a tap on the door. Alaya's asks without opening the door, "Is everything alright?"
The strange woman responds, "Yes, thank you for check my dear Alaya. You may retire to your bedroom."
Fiona damns Alaya behind the door and this strange woman occupying space, "No. I want to leave or be left alone."
The strange woman holds up a finger for Fiona to wait as they both listen as Alaya moves downstairs.
Fiona asks with as much fervor and does her best to be taller in her small body, "What do you want? Who are you?"
"To talk. You don't know me. I am Dr. Louisa Garrett Anderson. I am a physician to the Flint family."
"Talk about what? Will you take me home?"
Louisa administers with soft words, "Fiona, I want to talk about nothing and anything. As far as your wish to go home, may I suggest you put that thought out of your mind, temporarily."
Fiona attempts to grab the full glass of water from the side table, but her hands shake in protest.
Louisa comes over to help, at once Fiona looks to her and stubbornly says, "I need to do this myself."
Louisa holds her movement, "Sometimes the right tool will allow you to do it for yourself" and fiddles a straw with her fingers.
Fiona meekly responds, "Yes, that would be helpful."
Louisa goes over and places the straw in the glass. Look into Fiona's bloodshot eyes, "I am a tool to help you here," as she light pokes the stubbly hair on Fiona's head.
Fiona glances up, "I feel like my brain is in a million bits."
"I can help you repair yourself."
"Truly, I want to be alone."
Louisa gently coaches Fiona back to the bed, "You are here because you are important to the women of this house. They surely care."
Fiona whispers as Louisa sits her in a chair, "They should stop caring."
"Would you like ice cream?" Louisa grabs from the table a large bowl of ice cream, drags a chair facing to Fiona and sit. "I find Silurians keep too warm of a home during the winter. Want to join me?"
Fiona looks down and shakes her head no.
"Come now, I can't eat this all by myself. You loathe ice cream? Your mother said it was your weakness, particularly when you are stressed. She describes this your 'comfort food'"
Fiona could not combat a smile.
Louisa takes a spoonful of ice cream and feeds it to Fiona. Fiona loves the sweet taste and the coolness. It feels nice.
"Let's get on with the bad news. You will miss your final pre-clinical term. Your mother has already contacted Kings College administration. They require you to meet specific goals to keep up your status." Louisa nods over to the desk area, "Those are your books and required readings. You have till the fall when an exam will be given. If you fail, you will have to redo the previous term. If you pass, you will return to your education where you left off with new classmates. Either way once you finish your pre-clinical at Kings College your medical training will commence at London Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine for Women."
Fiona adjusts her glasses and evaluates a stack of books. "That is plenty to keep my mind busy ... really? London Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine for Women? " Fiona is now distracted with the plethora of books.
"Your admissions are conditional that you finished Kings College with high marks. Additionally as your physician ..." Louisa point to herself with a spoon of ice cream, "and your mother we advise that you remain here at 13 Paternoster Row, for a while."
Fiona begins to complain, but Louisa shovels ice-cold ice cream into Fiona's mouth, "Understand this my dear, everyone has fought to recover you from that horrible place."
Fiona swallows the ice cream and opens her mouth to propose alternatives, but Louisa launches in another help of ice cream.
"You have three options. First, stay up here and hide to starve to death. Secondly, honor those who have opened their homes to you and remain until a more suitable time. Thirdly," Fiona goes to take a sip of water but Louisa grabs back the straw, "Three, leave here alone without the proper tools and support."
"No other options?"
"No. Yet, the decision is yours."
"But do they understand I am ... " as she looks to the other side of the room, "broken?"
Louisa places the straw back in the glass, fills up with more water. "Fiona, there is not one person in your life ... not your mother, Alaya's mothers, Alaya nor myself. Nobody is unbroken." Louisa tilts up Fiona's head and looks into the tearful eyes, "Everyone you love and care about is as you say, broken. Do you want them to keep you at a distance? Do you want your mother to restrain her love towards you?"
Fiona takes in this information and responds, "Yes, my mother ... you are right."
"Of course I am right."
Fiona smirks and rolls her eyes.
"So now. Let's have it out. All of it. Are you ready? I have a stack of handkerchiefs. I want to hear it all. Start by tell me how did you end up as a patient Bethlem hospital."
Fiona takes a deep breath and proceeds to explain John, the police, the hospital therapy and her hypothesis.
Louisa and Fiona continue to discuss the matter little over an hour. Louisa kindly adjusts Fiona's view, inform her of truths. Louisa offers handkerchief after handkerchief and soon no tears fall.
The large ice cream bowl is now empty.
"Fiona, you did very well. I will be back in a few days for another visit. We will meet daily for therapy. Remember I am the proper tool for this," as she taps Fiona's head, "I wish it was easy as a straw in a glass, but it is not."
Fiona nods and offers a smile. Fiona slowly gets up out of bed and moves towards the desk. Fiona wants to tackle the stack of books that taunt her intellect. Louisa goes to the side table and fills up her drink glass, straw included and put it on the desk for Fiona to see.
"Please, will you do me a favor?"
"Depends on the request."
"Two particular women own this home. They have given birth to their only child one floor down. They should not have to hide in their own home. The mother and daughter keep their veils on for you. Fix that?"
Fiona nods.
"Remember, I will see you in two days and Happy Christmas."
Louisa leaves the room and makes her way to the first-floor drawing-room where the Flint family awaits. She wonders if she will need three bowls of ice cream.
"She will heal. Although, it will take time. She has chosen to stay." Louisa looks to Alaya, "You may go and retrieve her for meals and social time. Don't stare or try to get close. She feels you in the room, in this home - physical contact no matter how simple will draw her to tears."
Louisa turns to Vastra and Jenny, "She will grapple with eating. Her hand tremors will take time to pass. In the meantime, make sure that a fork is all she needs. Pre-cut her food into bite size pieces. It will be a demanding task, but it should aid her transition. Also, make sure she has a straw for drinking. Tea cups are not an option,"
Jenny smirks, "Our tea cups were not ever safe around Fiona."
"Vastra, it might be a good idea to start Fiona on studying how to defend herself. Present Alaya a curriculum to follow and you supervise. She has to learn to stand up again." Vastra nods.
"I must instruct her?"
"Yes, Alaya. You are the conduit that will spark her back in control. Do not go light on her. Look to your Mothers for any advice."
"I will return in two days. It will be daily therapy for a bit. I thank you for coming to me for advice."Alaya, "How can I ever repay you? "
"There is my fee. Have a Happy Christmas."
Alaya escort Louisa to the door and gives Louisa a hug. "Thank you. I must ask. Please be honest ... have I lost her?"
"No, dear. If you have lost her, she will not be so determined to leave this house. She does not want anything to happen to you or your family." Louisa cups this face she knows so well, "Begin writing to her again." Louisa kisses Alaya's cool forehead and leaves 13 Paternoster Row.
Alaya closes the doors and immediately runs to her room to write a letter.