The courtyard was in the center of the building. It was rather large with a few trees, flowers, and a pathway that wrapped around the area, but nothing too crazy. Currently, the girls, along with Alice, are looking for her rabbit hole. But so far, there was none to be seen.
"We're never going to find Mr rabbit." Alice pouted as she leaned against one of the walls.
"Don't give up just yet, Alice, we still have more of the courtyard to check," Leah said, placing a comforting hand on Alice's shoulder.
"Leah, I've searched this courtyard a hundred times, he's not here. If anything he is beyond these four fricken walls!" She kicked a pebble with her shoe, it skipped across the grass and onto the walkway. She sighed and sat with her head buried in her knees. "I'm never gonna see my wonderland again."
"Now what's gotten into her." A young boy's voice. The girls, except Alice, looked up to see a young boy in a green shirt and green pants.
"Peter!" Wendy and Jane shouted and hugged him.
'So this must be their brother.' Leah thought.
"What did they do this time?" Wendy asked as they let go.
"Eh, just a day of solitary confinement, but hey it's good to feel the sun's glorious rays once again." He then let out a loud crowing noise and the girls covered their ears. It sounded awful.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Leah asked.
"Neverland." The boy responded, crossing his arms. "Names Peter, Peter Pan, ruler of Neverland. And who might you be?" He took a step closer and looked her over.
"Leah." She said sheepishly.
"Well Leah," he smiled "what brings you to our little neck of the woods?"
Leah felt for the back of her neck, unsure what to say. "I used to live in a world in the stars, one where there are flying spaceships, and magic welders with a power known as the force, even far-off planets to explore."
Pete's eyes lit up "Neverland doesn't happen to be one of those planets, does it?"
Leah tilted her head and thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Not that I can recall, sorry."
Peter snapped his fingers in frustration. "Dang habit, I don't suppose you have any of those ship things?"
Leah shook her head once again.
"Darn, well that's alright." He stuck out his hand at Leah "Welcome to the institute."
Leah smiled and returned the shake "Thanks."
Peter then let go and looked at the other girls. "Now has anyone seen Ariel, I need to talk to her."
Leah gave a confused look. Whail Wendy took Peter's hand "I'll help you look, Jane," she turned back to her sister "Why don't you and Leah stay here and help Alice."
"On it," Jane said as Peter and Wendy took off. She then sat down next to Alice and Leah took a spot on the other side. She then looked over at Jane "Who's Ariel?" Leah asked.
"A girl who believes she's a mermaid, claims she's from a kingdom called Atlantica. She, her father, and six sisters live by the beach. She tried to swim to the bottoms of the ocean a few times, though I think you can guess how that went." Jane explained.
She blinked a few times before responding "I see."
They each then place a comforting hand on Alice. The poor girl didn't know what to do with herself. "Maybe it's time to forget about Wonderland." She sniffed.
"Don't say things like that Alice, you can't let this place overpower you," Leah said.
Alice looked up at Leah "Leah, you've been here for less than a day. I've been here for over a year, I miss my home, my family." She sighed looking back at the ground "It's time I accept that wonderland is a thing of the past." With that said she stood and began to walk off.
Jane and Leah exchanged a look of concern. "I've never seen her like this, she's usually so cheery, and now.." Jane stopped, noticing something in the tall oak tree in the center of the courtyard. "Oh for Zuzses sake!" She jumped to her feet and dashed over the tree. Leah followed, unsure of what was happening. All she noticed was a small group forming at the base of the tree. She came to a stop when she crashed into Jane. Her gaze followed up the tree, climbing it was Peter.
"I'll prove it, I'll prove it to you all that I can fly!" He said reaching another branch.
"Peter, I don't think ye be making the best choice." Called a Scottish redhead with curly hair. But he didn't listen, he just continued to climb.
"Is he going to jump?" Leah asked in Jane's ear.
"Let's say, I wouldn't be surprised if he does." She muttered back. They watched as he climbed high and higher, more and more children gathered around as well as a few adults, each trying to get the boy to climb down. He eventually stood on an outstretched branch near the top of the tree.
"Peter, this isn't a good idea. Remember what happened last time?" Called a male with a black bun.
"I don't care, if I believe I can fly, I will!" He bent his knees ready to jump.
"Peter, I suggest you climb down before you hurt yourself again!" Everyone quickly became quiet at the voice. Peter turned his head so he was looking down at the man. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement if you make your way down the tree." The man finally came into Leah's view. He was tall with a tan sweater and black pants.
Peter gritted his teeth "You've all kept me here too long, I want to go back to the place where I belong!" He shouted back.
The Man looked up at him with a calm expression and calm tone. "I understand that Peter but we can't let you go till you're better."
"Then I'll fly away from this place!" He bent his knees.
"Prepare to catch him, he's gonna jump!" The man said. All the teens backed up as the adults huddled around the tree, ready to catch Peter.
"Neverland, here I come!" And with that, Peter let out a long and loud crow before jumping from the branch. Except he didn't fly, he fell like every time before. Just before he hit the ground, a man in the red shirt caught him. He sat Peter on his feet to which he responded in frustration "That should have worked, I should have flown!" He then proceeded to leap for the tree "I'll just have to try again!" But he only made it two steps before he was grabbed from behind. "Hay let me go!" Peter yelled trying to pull away.
"Gaston, take the boy upstairs. I think he could use some time to himself." The man in the sweater suggested.
"What?! No! Please, don't put me back in there!" Peter shouted in protest as the man in red, who Leah guessed was named Gaston, pulled him away. Leah tilted her head at Peter's response. What was so bad about the upstairs? They all watched as he was escorted out of the courtyard.
"Now the rest of you." The man in the sweater spoke, gathering all the resident's attention "Don't take Peter's example too seriously. We humans can't actually fly as you have learned in the classroom, as well as right here, right now." the residents nodded to which the man smiled. "Good, I'm glad you all understand that. Now which one of you is Miss Leah?"
Leah watched as all faces landed on her. She looked at Alice who gave her an encouraging smile before she stepped forward.
"Miss Leah?" The man asked to which Leah nodded in response. "Good. If you don't mind following me to my office, we can talk privately there." He then turned and began heading back inside the building.
Leah hesitated for a moment, but not wanting to end up like Peter, she followed him. She followed him down the hall that held all of the staff offices. Eventually coming across a door with the name "Dr Callaghan" on it. The man opened the door and gestured for Leah to come in. She obeyed and slowly entered the room. It was cozy with a small desk in front of a large window that looked out onto a meadow. A red velvet lounge sofa with a red velvet armchair with a small wooden table next to it. The walls were covered head to toe in bookshelves or drawers that were wood. It was definitely more inviting than Mistress Mal's office.
"If you wouldn't mind having a seat" he gestured to the sofa before shutting the door. "We can get started."
Leah walked over to the sofa and sat down, it was fuzzy under her bare hands. She rubbed it back and forth, watching as the material rose and fell. It created a darker color when she rose, and a lighter color when it fell.
"I do believe introductions are in order." The man said as he took a seat in the chair and then grabbed the clipboard that was sitting on the table. "My name is Robert Callaghan, but you will address me as Dr Callaghan or sir." Leah nodded her head, showing she understood. "Now you're probably wondering why you're here, I'm the lead psychologist here at the institute. Meaning I contact all the evaluations so I understand what direction to take your treatment in and who to pair you with." Again Leah nodded. "Before we begin, is there anything you would like to ask me?" Leah shook her head.
"Very well" he grabbed the clipboard off of the small table next to him. "Can you tell me your full name and date of birth?" Leah tipped her head to the floor. She wasn't in the mood to talk to some strange dude she just met. In fact, she never did well around others, specifically adults, and especially doctors. As if reading her mind, Callaghan spoke up "Miss Leah, I understand that this is all new to you. But I assure you that this is a safe place. Nothing that we say in the room will be shared unless necessary." He said, trying to reassure her.
Leah was silent for a moment as she fiddled with her fingers. She eventually mustered up the courage to speak and made sure it was the information they wanted, not what she wished to give. "Leah Mary Sarlington. July 16th." Dr Callaghan scribbled on the clipboard "Good, now do you know why you're here at the institute Miss Leah?" Leah nodded. When she didn't answer, he questioned her again "And why might that be?"
"My world in the stars." She picked at her shorts as he asked her to elaborate. "Well, it's a world where I went on crazy adventures. A world where there were more planets to explore. A world where spaceships of all make and models would fly around in space." She sighed as her body leaned back into the sofa "What I wouldn't do to go back there."
"It says in your notes that you did try doing something to go back." He eyed the clipboard as he read off her charges. "Tried breaking into NASA, made modifications to your parent's cars, tried engineering a signal to space in your school engineering program."
Leah raised a brow, unsure how to respond. All this was true, she did try to break into Nasa, crate a signal to space, and even try turning her mother's care into a spacecraft several times. But she thought that one of these ways would get her back to the world she thought she belonged in.
Callaghan looked back up at her "What is it that makes you want to go back to the world so much that you would do all this?" He asked pen in hand. "Because I'm a hero there, a Jedi who wants, no needs to stop the empire."
"And how did you wind up there?" he questioned, referring to her dream world.
Leah shrugged "My parents say I fell into a coma for over a year after the accident. But I don't believe it. I swear that world is real, and I'll do whatever it takes to get back there." She crossed her arms and looked away from him.
"Even jump from a tree?" Callaghan questioned, only his eyes left the clipboard as he continued taking notes. Leah rolled her eyes "Well not like that, but I believe there's a way. If I just make the right adjustments to the car or figure out a way to modify a plane then I can go back."
"I see." He scribbled down a few more notes before placing the clipboard back on the table.
"Do you like to draw Miss Leah?" He asked, getting up and crossing over to his desk at the other end of the room. Leah nodded "A bit, why?" He picked up a small stack of papers and a box of crayons. "I want you to come back tomorrow after group therapy to discuss your treatment plan, as well as meet your doctor. In the meantime, I would like you to draw what you see this space world as. That way we can understand what you are seeing." He came back and handed her the materials. Leah gave him an uncertain look before grabbing them from his hands. He then walked over to the door and unlocked it. "You are excused Miss Leah, I'll see you back here tomorrow." Leah nodded as she stood. "Yes, Dr Callaghan." She's crossed the room and out the door of his office. From there she headed straight back to her room so she could work on the drawings.
Upstairs she got herself comfortable in bed. She dumped the crayons out on the blanket and grabbed one of the pieces of paper. Placing it on her lap, she began to draw when the bedroom door flew open and revealed a crying Alice. She stormed in mad and upset as she flopped onto her bed, letting the tears flow onto her pillow.
"Alice, what happened?" Leah asked as she looked over. Alice lifted her head just slightly and cried "They're keeping me here for another month."
