A/N This chapter begins a subplot along with various hints towards the main plot. This chapter does have Erasa/Sahir in it, which wasn't my original plan but it worked for the sake of the plot. Sahir doesn't bother anyone and he deserves a spiritual, thrifting baddie like Erasa. Argue with yourself. Happy reading :)

One week passed, then another. University had been in session for three months, and the time was starting to show by its change of weather. The leaves began to change, and the temperature began to drop. The mornings were chilly, the afternoons cool, and the evenings would return to its chilly state. The turn of temperature not only signified time passing but also marked the ever-approaching midterm season.

Gohan opened his dorm door, stopping at the stifling heat pouring from it. He looked at the thermostat, finding it set to the highest setting. "What gives man? It's like an oven in here." Gohan asked as he adjusted the thermostat.

Sahir poked his head out from the pile of covers he was wrapped in. "Sorry, I can't stay warm. I've been freezing all day. I can't even focus on studying because it's too cold."

"Well, it's not cold enough to have the thermostat on the max setting. Besides, it's only autumn. What are you gonna do when winter comes?"

"Hibernate."

Gohan held back a laugh. "Didn't you pack warmer clothes? Or at least thermal underclothes?"

"Gohan, I grew up in a desert. What on earth am I going to do with thermal underclothes? I didn't even know something like that existed. None of my clothes are thick enough to withstand the cold, even my long sleeves are meant for sun protection." Sahir rolled over in his cocoon of covers, looking at the ceiling. "I'll be a block of ice before midterms even get here."

Gohan shook his head, taking off his backpack. "You're just being dramatic. There are plenty of clothing stores and thrift shops in town. You should stock up while you can."

"I'm not going back out in that blizzard just to shop. I'm still debating if eating is worth going back out there, and so far it's not."

Gohan shrugged as he sat at his desk to begin studying. "Suit yourself. I know Erasa loves going into town. You could've asked her to go with you for shopping advice."

Before Gohan could settle into studying, he heard a loud thud. He turned around, finding Sahir on the floor struggling to free himself from his swaddled state. "Are you okay?"

Sahir looked up at him. "I'm fine, the covers broke my fall. Just get me out."

Gohan began pulling at the covers, surprised at how tight they were tucked. "How did you even wrap them this tight?"

"No time for questions, just get me out!"

Erasa rubbed at her tired eyes. She didn't think she could write another word. Since she didn't have class today; it was no better time to begin her midterm paper, but she had been working on it all day without a break. She didn't even realize how late in the afternoon it was until she checked the time.

Erasa saved her progress before closing her laptop. All that work and not even halfway done. Writing a paper for midterms was absolutely dreadful. She would have rather taken tests instead. Besides, it didn't even feel like she learned enough material for a 10-page paper. How was she ever going to finish?

She shook her head. Thinking negatively would surely affect her work. All she needed was a break and time to reset. Maybe something to eat too. Erasa left her room and knocked on her roommate's suite. "Vi? Are you here?" She asked. When she got not no reply, she pushed the door open, finding Videl asleep. She wasn't one to nap during the day, so Erasa figured she needed the rest. She quietly closed her door, allowing her roommate to continue her slumber, and grabbed her things to head out.

Erasa made her way down the hall, stopping in front of Sharpner's dorm. She knocked, and a few moments later the door opened. Sharpner answered the door, laughing slightly when he saw it was his friend. "I see you've crawled out of your study hole."

Erasa rolled her eyes at the greeting. "And got nowhere, mind you. I thought some brain food would help me reset. Are you hungry?"

"Always, but I'm meeting up with Mai in a few minutes."

"Oh right, your 'girlfriend.'" Erasa spoke in a teasing voice.

Sharpner shook his head, smiling at her teasing. "She's not my girlfriend…buuut I wouldn't complain if she was." Ever since walking Mai home from the bonfire, they've spent more and more time together. Coffee shop dates, evening walks to the campus convenience store, and meeting up after classes. They were small things, but Sharpner enjoyed it. She didn't seem to mind his prattling either, as she seemed quite intent on what he had to say. Mai was quiet but cute. He hoped she liked him as much as he liked her.

"Well, Videl is asleep and if you're busy too, then I guess I'm flying solo," Erasa said with a shrug.

"Sorry E, we can catch up later for sure."

Erasa waved him off. "Don't be sorry, I'll be fine. Enjoy your time with Mai, I'll see you later." With a wave of goodbye, Erasa continued down the hallway. So much for resetting with friends today. Maybe she was just better off ordering something for pickup and crawling back into her 'study hole.'

She made her way through the lobby, wondering what she could pick up. Erasa pushed the door open, and the cold breeze greeted her. She shivered slightly as she pulled her denim jacket closed. On a chilly day like this, a cup of soup sounded perfect. She hummed at the thought of the soup warming her body as she pressed on toward the student center.

"Heading out?"

Erasa looked ahead of her, smiling slightly at the familiar voice. "Yeah. I've been working on my midterm paper for so long I forgot to eat."

"It's a good thing I bought two cups of soup then," Sahir said, offering her a cup.

"How'd you know I wanted soup?" She asked, taking the cup before thinking for a moment. Sahir didn't even live on this side of campus. Was he coming to visit her? "Was this soup meant to be a bribe for something?"

"Nothing gets past you Miss Erasa."

Erasa smirked. "Of course not, so spill it. What do you want?" She spoke as she continued to walk.

Sahir followed after her. "Well, I was hoping you could help me look for warmer clothes. Gohan suggested you'd be the best person to ask."

Erasa took a sip of her soup. "Like, go shopping with you?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

Erasa thought for a minute. She didn't see a negative. She'd get to go into town and shop for herself while she was there too. Besides, after lamenting over not having her friends to hang out with, Sahir seemed to come at a perfect time. "Alright, I'll be your fashion consultant for today." She spoke, grabbing his free hand with hers. "But don't think this is your chance to ask me out."

Sahir couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Deal."

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Gohan was right, Erasa was easily the best when it came to finding deals and other fashion finds. Once they were in town, surrounded by little shops and boutiques, Erasa led him further into town to the thrift stores and dress-for-less shops. She went to work, finding him flannels, crewnecks, pullovers, and cargo pants. She eagerly watched him try on the clothes, complimenting him every time he came out of the dressing room with something different. She seemed to be enjoying herself. Sahir was just happy that he could make her smile just by trying on clothes.

After stopping at three different stores, their journey was coming to an end at their last discount store. It was small and empty, the only other person being the elderly cashier. Out of all the places they shopped today, this was one of Erasa's favorites. She rarely saw other patrons here when she came, and was glad the store was empty today. The pair chatted quietly with one another as they shopped. Like the previous stores, Sahir would try on the clothes Erasa picked out, and Erasa would excitedly compliment him. The elderly cashier watched them, which Erasa couldn't help but notice. Perhaps the woman was watching for any suspicious activities, but the look on her face suggested otherwise.

Once they were ready for checkout, they moved to the counter. They pleasantly greeted the elderly cashier woman. Sahir placed the clothing items on the counter while Erasa checked out the items in the queue line.

"It's the stuff they put waiting in the line that always gets me. Like, I don't need any of this stuff, but I definitely want it." She spoke observing the accessories and small goods in the line. The hair clips were super cute, the sunglasses were stylish, and she could always use more lipgloss. Suddenly, she gasped when she laid eyes on the exact thing she was looking for. "Oh my Gosh, I have to get these." She said reaching for the item.

Sahir looked over at her, watching her admire a pair of electric green socks. She seemed mesmerized by the fluffy material they were made out of. "Is that all you want? Socks?"

"I've been meaning to replace the pair I already have. Socks with this kind of material wear out after a while, but they're super warm and comfortable." They were also the only pair they had in her favorite color.

"I'll get them for you. Put them on the counter."

Erasa looked back at him. "No it's fine, you don't have to." She'd come back another time if they were still here.

"I know, I want to." After spending the last couple of hours shopping for him, she didn't even find anything for herself. If a pair of socks could make her this excited; then obviously she wanted them, and he was more than happy to get them.

"No really, it's—"

"You should listen to your boyfriend, dear. I can't tell you how many disappointed girls and clueless boys I see every day. The girls love the items in the line, but the boys are either rushing to leave or not paying attention at all. I'd say you've got a good one on your hands." The elderly woman spoke gingerly as she continued scanning items.

It made sense now. She wasn't suspicious of them, she was observing them. It was almost embarrassing to think that their interactions together made them look like a couple, but deep down maybe that was what she wanted. In a way, she felt defeated. Defeated by an observation she was purposely trying to avoid. But at the same time, she felt relieved. Relieved that someone saw her veiled emotions for the village boy. This had to be what the Magic 8-Ball predicted, she'd be a fool to deny it. Erasa put the socks on the counter. "You're right, I do have a good one on my hands."

The cashier smiled warmly at Erasa when she agreed. "My observation was my confirmation. Young love is such a sight for sore eyes, especially eyes as old as mine. I loved watching you two interact in the store today. You're attentive to his needs, and he's attentive to your wants. There's no doubt about it. I'm glad you don't have to look any further for love."

The woman's words were so angelic and pure that they made the couple look away with identical blushes on their faces. Did they look like that much of a couple? Was the love between them so genuine that even a stranger could see it? What were they running from? What was she running from?

The elder woman noticed the blushes as she bagged their items. "Oh Goodness, has my rambling made you all embarrassed? Forgive me. I'm just an old fool who is a fool for love." She spoke as she totaled their items.

Sahir and Erasa both rushed to speak at the same time, only to stop when they noticed. Sahir allowed Erasa to speak first as he pulled out his wallet to pay for the items. "You have nothing to apologize for, ma'am. We're just very flattered by your words and observations."

"Oh good. Well, I doubled your student discount as a way to make up for the embarrassment."

Sahir smiled at the gesture. "Thank you, you're very kind ma'am." He spoke as he gave her the money.

The cashier finished their transaction, taking the money and giving him his change and receipt. "Speak nothing of it, I was happy to do it. I hope you both have a wonderful rest of your day."

With a wave of goodbye, Sahir grabbed the bags and led Erasa to the door, opening it for her before following behind her.

They walked down the street, unsure of how to break the silence between them. Erasa didn't want it to be more awkward than it already was, so she broke the silence with a small laugh. "I have to shop with you more. I didn't even know that store had student discounts."

Sahir laughed as well. "Pretending to be a couple has its benefits."

"I guess so." She spoke as they continued to walk. The silence was broken, now she just had to state her true concerns. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

Erasa stopped walking to gather her thoughts for a moment. "Don't think I'm weird, but I asked for signs about dating you."

"Tarot reading?"

"Magic 8-Ball."

Sahir stifled a laugh.

"Don't laugh!" Erasa whined before continuing with a sigh. "It was meant to be lighthearted. I thought the answers were vague at the time, but I think they were what I was looking for. The ball said that I would be happy dating you, but more would be revealed over time to make my decision." Erasa looked up at him. "There's no bigger sign than a Cherub confirming it for you…I can't keep ignoring my feelings for you, Sahir. I'm sorry I even did it in the first place."

Sahir pushed up his glasses and leaned down to her. "I could forgive you if you said 'yes' to dating me."

Erasa leaned into him. "Deal." She whispered and pressed her lips against his.

Their kiss was short but sweet. Sahir pulled away from her first. "So the compliments you gave me when I tried on my clothes were genuine?"

Erasa giggled as she took his hand. "Of course they were genuine. You thought I was faking it?" She asked as they continued their walk.

He shrugged. "I thought you were just being nice."

"As if. I take my designs very seriously. I consider colors, patterns, and trends. You'll be the cutest boy on campus this fall thanks to me."

"Well thank you for the makeover transformation. You should have gotten before and after photos."

Erasa tapped her head in annoyance. "Ugh, you're right! Why didn't I think of that? I could have been building a style portfolio off of you."

Sahir smirked. "It's okay, I'll just tell people my girlfriend styled me."

"Tell them exclusively too. I don't wanna style anyone else but you." Erasa said, squeezing his hand gently. As much as she avoided this situation, she couldn't deny the feeling of newfound love. She could look beyond the cliché feeling if it meant sharing her intimate, vulnerable moments with someone. To be cared for by another is a feeling like no other.

"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go before we head back to campus?"

Erasa looked over at him. "Well I usually stop for flowers when I'm in town, but I liked the flowers you got me from the greenhouse. They were super fresh, and lasted longer than the ones I get from shops." Not to mention were even more beautiful wilted and pressed in her journal.

Sahir nodded in understanding. "I'll get you more soon."

Erasa nodded in thanks as she looked ahead at the upcoming newspaper stall. "I know we shopped a lot and you've got more than enough bags to tote back, but I just want to stop at the newsstand to grab a magazine. It's the last thing, I promise."

"It's no rush. Time with you is never time wasted." He stopped in front of the newsstand with her so she could get what she wanted. "Are you working on a project for a class?" He asked.

Erasa looked at the usual magazine subscriptions they had on the racks. "No, I usually just read my monthly horoscope, but they're not bad to have around in case I need them for a project." She plucked a copy of It-Girl from the rack and gave it to the newsie to bag. While waiting to pay, Erasa glanced up at the tabloids hanging overhead; wondering what poor soul made it on the cover this week.

Her mouth fell open in horror when she saw who it was.

Without warning, Erasa snatched a copy of the tabloid and ran off back towards campus.

"Hey, you gotta pay for that!" The newsie screamed after her.

Sahir quickly put the last of his Zeni on the stall, muttering an apology before grabbing the magazine Erasa originally wanted and running after her. "Erasa! Wait up!"

Erasa pushed the door open to her dorm, still trying to catch her breath. She heard her roommate talking inside her room. With a quick knock, she came into the room, finding Videl pacing back and forth while on the phone.

"Daddy I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen anything. I haven't done anything!" Videl yelled before pausing to listen. "No! I'm not prostituting, and I'm not on drugs! Stop accusing me of stupid rumors! Yes, you are—!"

"Videl."

Videl spun around at the sound of her roommate's voice. Her concerned look was enough to confirm her suspicions. "Daddy I'll have to call you back." Another pause. "I know! I said I'll call you back!" She screamed before flipping her cell phone closed and slamming it on her desk, leaving the device smashed.

Erasa winced. "So much for calling your dad back."

Videl shook her head as she sat down on her bed. "I wasn't feeling good when I came back from class, so I took a nap. Then I wake up to a call from my dad, screaming about what I've been doing in school. He threatened to withdraw me, make me homeschool, accused me of doing drugs…Whose tabloid am I on?"

Erasa handed her the stolen tabloid. "I found this at the newsstand in town. I know there aren't magazines on campus, so I wasn't sure if you saw it or not."

Videl grabbed the tabloid with shaky hands. She observed the photos of her on the front cover. One taken on her way back to her dorm after leaving Gohan's room with her tangled hair and smeared makeup, and the other was taken before her talk with Dende, in her disheveled appearance. "College Life Too Hot To Handle For Miss Satan? We Wonder Who (Or What) She's Doing To Get By" Videl read aloud. Of course, the photos out of context made her look like a sex worker and a drug abuser. With a headline this misleading, she could see why her father would be so upset. She was furious herself.

The fury went down to the pit of her stomach, and she gagged. "I'm gonna be sick." She spoke running past Erasa to go to the toilet. Erasa ran after her roommate, rubbing her back as she purged in the toilet.

After the flush, Videl slid down the wall, wiping her mouth. She didn't even know where to start. The photos, the headline, her rights to privacy being violated. It made her feel disgusting, and paranoid. She couldn't stand to be in her own skin right now. Tears started to cloud her eyes. She was working on being a better person. Her relationship with Gohan was getting better, and she was starting to pray more. How could she face a trial so early on her renewed journey?

Erasa sat next to her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm really sorry you had to find out this way Videl. I just wanted to help and make sure you knew what was going on. I didn't think your dad would blindside you like that."

"It's not his fault. He has a reason to be upset. This headline is more degrading than anything else I've seen about myself in tabloids. I've been accused of false facades, but never of prostitution and drug abuse." She shook her head. "I have to find out who did this. I don't know what else they know, and I don't want my relationship with Gohan to get out."

"Well, I'd think your relationship with Gohan would be more of a milder headline."

"I'm not too sure with a headline like this. Gohan told me his family is really conservative. It's why they live in Mount Paozu now. It's quiet, peaceful, and remote. If there's a picture of us together, people will start tracking him down to find out who he is. I wouldn't forgive myself if I jeopardized Gohan's family privacy because of my publicity."

Erasa nodded in understanding. "It's nice that you're considering Gohan in all of this too. I know you want to find out who did this, but where are you going to start? Question everyone on campus? Anyone could have done this."

"That may be true, but at the very least, I don't think it's a student. Why go to a tabloid when you can start a rumor here on campus? Why send pictures to a tabloid when you can send them to a phone or email?" She shook her head. "These pictures couldn't pay someone's way through college either, so I don't think it's about money for tuition."

"Why not just blackmail you with the photos? Going to a tabloid is pretty low."

"They're not scandalous enough on their own to wage blackmail. Girls do the walk of shame around campus all the time, everyone dresses like crap at least one day of the week, but no one bats an eye. These are normal University student photos, but they're dangerous in the hands of a tabloid. They're unflattering just enough to sell to for a decent payout, and for them to spin the story however they want. This is the work of a paparazzi mole."

Erasa's eyes widened. She couldn't imagine how fast the gears in Videl's head must be spinning to deduce something so quickly. No wonder she was studying criminal justice. "So someone's pretending to be a student on campus?" She shuddered at the thought. "Spooky business."

"Very spooky. It's dangerous and a glaring safety issue. What if the guy's a perv? What if he's building a list of people to target for a hate crime? What if he's planning to shoot–?"

"Okay Videl, I get it. Let's not speak too much into existence, okay?"

Videl sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just saying, who knows what this guy does when he's not scoring photos of me for tabloids? If he's still on campus when he's not 'working,' anyone could be in danger."

The next day, Friday, Dende entered the greenhouse in the early morning. Today will be a short day for him. He only had one class for the day, and it would take place after watering the plants. He sat his messenger bag aside on an empty workbench. "Good morning Angela." Dende greeted, observing the work she was doing with the rose bed. "Working on the roses?"

Angela paused her work to look back at him, pruning scissors in hand. "Good morning Dende, I didn't hear you come in. I'm just pruning. The roses were looking a bit overgrown." She said and went back to clipping extra foliage from the flowers.

"Are they de-thorned?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, they are."

Dende released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He wasn't sure why he was so concerned about the roses. Perhaps his dream was still in his subconscious. Thinking about it made him anxious, despite asking for guidance and protection. Throughout the week he attempted to distract himself with studying and spending time with Chiaotzu, but it still sat in the back of his mind.

"You okay? Looks like you've got something on your mind."

Angela's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "I'm fine. I was just concerned about the roses. I didn't want you to hurt yourself on the thorns."

Angela smiled as she continued pruning. "You're sweet. I appreciate your concern. I'm almost done. Once I'm finished I'll help you with—" She gasped as she felt the pruning blade slide against her finger. She dropped the scissors and held her injured hand.

Dende's eyes widened, mortified to be a witness to such a horrible injury. "Angela I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have distracted you." He said, reaching for her hand. "May I?"

Angela offered her injured hand to him. "Please don't blame yourself. I'm just a klutz, it was bound to happen. I should have been more careful."

Dende examined her hand. Already it was covered in her own blood, and still trembling from shock. A clean, deep cut ran down the side of her middle finger. She'd need stitches, or at least a gauze to stop the bleeding. "There's a lot of blood, it's hard to see the damage. Let's clean your hand off and I'll be able to see better." He said, helping her up with his free hand.

Dende walked her to the sink in the back of the greenhouse, still holding her hand. "You might have to go to the Student Health Center. I don't think a bandaid will suffice."

Angela nodded in understanding as they continued to walk. "I didn't want to spend my morning in the Health Center, but thank you for the support. Your hand is helping, it's warm." She noted.

Dende nodded himself and stopped in front of the sink. He turned on the cold water, and placed Angela's hand under the faucet. He was gentle as he washed the blood away. Soon her hand was clean, and healed.

Angela pulled her hand away from him, examining her finger for herself. "It's gone." She said wiping at her previously injured finger. "My cut is gone."

"I suppose the pressure helped with—"

"No, I mean it's completely gone, like it wasn't there. It's like…you healed me." She said looking up at him.

Dende shook his head at the accusation. "No, I just applied pressure to your wound. You should still go to the Health Center for further assessment."

"Dende, you don't have to pretend. You don't have to hide from me. I know you healed me. You're an Angel. An Angel on Earth." She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

He was almost too surprised to hug her back. She thought he was an Angel? He never thought of himself that way, but he didn't know how to correct her. Besides, he couldn't explain his plight even if he tried. He barely understood it himself. Her conclusion was better than any explanation he could give. "Angela, you can't tell anyone about this. Please, can you keep it a secret?"

Angela pulled away from the hug to answer. "Of course. I would never reveal an Angel's secret. You have my word."

Dende nodded. "Thank you for understanding."

"I'm still going to take your advice, and go to the Health Center. It's better to be safe than sorry."

"Good. Don't worry about watering today, I can handle it on my own."

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.

After watering the plants and attending his only class, Dende returned to the dorms. He pushed the door open, and greeted his bedridden roommate. "Are you feeling any better?"

Chiaotzu sat up slightly, soiled tissues falling off the bed. His face was flushed from sickness, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and thin, clear mucus drizzled out of his nose. "No."

Dende shuffled through Chiaotzu's things. He grabbed a new box of facial tissue, plucking a piece from the box and offering it to him. "Your nose is running."

Chiaotzu grabbed the tissue and wiped his nose. "I can't tell, both of my nostrils are plugged." He hated being ill. It was always easy for him to contract a cold, and they were hard to recover from. He especially hated it when Tien knew about it. He always blamed him for not wearing his hat, which was an absurd reason in Chiaotzu's opinion. "Can you turn the heat on? I'm freezing."

"You're sweating. You have a fever, Chiaotzu, I'm not turning on the heat. I can give you some cold medicine and make some tea to help." Dende said as he collected his used tissues to throw away.

Chiaotzu whined in protest. "This isn't fair. Why do I have to be sick? Emperors shouldn't be able to get sick, it's unprofessional. Can't you fix this like you did my hand?"

"It doesn't work like that."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

Chiaotzu rolled his eyes. "So you can heal a blistering hand, but you can't heal the common cold? I'm not buying it."

Dende turned on his electric kettle. "Believe what you want, I'm tired of convincing people otherwise."

Chiaotzu leaned over the edge of his bed. "What do you mean you're tired of convincing people? Did something happen?"

With a sigh, Dende sat down at his roommate's desk. "I healed Angela this morning. She sliced her finger open on a pair of pruning scissors."

The Emperor groaned. "Dende—"

"She was losing a lot of blood, and the cut was deep. I just wanted to help…She called me an Angel when I healed her. She seemed convinced I was."

"You can't just heal everyone you see hurt. Sometimes you just have to let people bleed."

"But—"

"I know it's not your style. I know you can't help it when you touch people, but you have to be smarter about it."

Dende gripped his altar robe in anger. "So, what? You want me to keep my hands to myself? You want me to stop touching people?"

"Stop acting dense, you know what I mean. Not everyone appreciates that kind of sentiment. If you end up healing the wrong person, it could get you killed. End of story."

Angela sat in the patient room quietly, waiting to be seen by the doctor. She glanced down at her hand, flexing her fingers and curling them slightly. She knew her prayers would be answered one day, and finally, the day had come. She was healed. Healed by an Angel.

A quick knock came from the door, and it pushed open. The doctor came in with his clipboard, and white lab coat. "Good morning Angela, I wasn't expecting to see you until after midterms." He sat in the corner, on a stool next to a computer. He flipped through the papers on his clipboard.

"Good morning Dr. Lasswell. I know the visit is sudden, but I experienced a breakthrough today."

Dr. Lasswell nodded in understanding as he continued reading her charts. "I see you're here today to talk about your prescriptions?"

Angela nodded. "Yes, I wanted to discontinue my prescriptions."

Dr. Lasswell looked up at her. "Discontinue them? But you've made great progress on them. I know your first week of school was hard getting you switched over, but the combination you're on now has done wonders. You're regaining focus, your mood is stabilized, and you're going to need that for your upcoming midterms."

She shook her head. "I don't need them anymore. I've been healed. An Angel healed me this morning, I am fixed. My body is healed."

"Have you been missing your doses?"

"No!" She suddenly yelled before stopping to collect herself. "No, I haven't been missing my doses. I'm telling the truth. I have been healed, I no longer need medications to help me. I am asking you to discontinue them."

Dr. Lasswell sighed as he placed his clipboard aside. "Angela, your case is very treatment-resistant, and your mood swings can be chaotic. In order for you to continue your productivity in school, you have to keep taking your medication combo. As a medical professional, I cannot condone you discontinuing your medication."

Angela slid off of the examination table. "But you cannot refuse my request. Please discontinue my medications. I'm done asking."

Before she could leave, the doctor asked, "Will you at least continue your therapy sessions with Dr. Runswick?"

Angela's hand hovered over the door handle as she thought about her answer. "Yes. I will continue them with her."

"Thank you. Please follow up with her as soon as you can. I'm recommending you increase your visits to three times a week. If there's any change with your discontinuation, she will be the first to catch it." He said, turning to the computer to update her charts.

Angela nodded. "Okay. Thank you for your help doctor." With that, she left the patient room, leaving the doctor alone.

Dr. Lasswell sighed as he went through her charts to recommend her increased visits with the University's psychiatrist, and discontinue her prescriptions of Clozapine and Priadel.

A/N If you want to search the medications, be my guest, but if you do you're gonna ruin the surpriseeee ;) I'm sure many can infer what will happen in the oncoming chapters, (I've sprinkled enough foreshadowing for anyone to guess tbh) but rest assured, I have a few tricks up my sleeve left. I'm showing my hand, but not my Ace. Hope you stick around for the house of cards, you don't wanna miss it fall. Until next chapter!