Demi

Jessica was doing better, she had finally stopped shaking when I told her what happened to Stevens, and managed to drink about half an ensure bottle at each meal. Mia was my last patient of the night, and it was a relief when she knocked on the door.

"Come on in, Mia. How was your day?"

Her brow furrowed a bit. "Good... Jess has been acting weird lately and shutting me out, so I was a little lonely, but I'm fine."

I swallowed hard. "Did Jess tell you anything?"

She shook her head. "Did something happen?"

I sighed. "I'm not allowed to disclose that because of confidentiality reasons, but I can assure you that Jessica will be okay. Let's talk about you though, how are you adjusting? How are you feeling here?"

Mia took a deep breath. "I guess I'm doing fine. Everyone here is super nice, which kind of pisses me off, but it's whatever."

I smiled, raising an eyebrow. "It pisses you off that people are nice to you?"

She shrugged. "It just seems fake, you know? Like they're all just waiting for me to break down."

I shook my head. "The staff is required to be nice, the patients do it because they know what it feels like to be new, and young, and struggling. They pity you, because they'd never wish what's happening to them on anyone, but here you are."

Mia stiffened. "I don't want anyone's pity. I don't want people to feel sorry for me."

I shrugged. "It's just the way things are."

She looked down and away from me. "Did my mom really come to this place?"

I froze in my seat. "How did you know that?"

She sighed, a guilty expression crossing her face. "I heard you and my dad talking about it on my first day here."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. "Yes, Mia. Your mom did come here. We were roommates."

Mia nodded. "What was she like? I mean, the memories of her fade after awhile. I can remember her laugh, and this weird things about pickles, but I was six. I never really knew her."

I bit my lip and shrugged. "She was an amazing woman, and was one of the major reasons I made it through recovery. She taught me how to sing, and play guitar. She was kind of my mentor, she was always so strong and held together."

Mia's teeth clenched together. "Then why did she do it?"

I swallowed and looked down. "Sometimes... a person can only talk so much when they're fighting the demons in their head. A lot of times, when I talk to girls with continuous suicide attempts, they tell me the same thing; that they were trying to kill the demons inside their head." I sighed, then smiled softly. "You look like her, a lot. There's this look you have sometimes, when you're being stubborn, it's a mirror image."

Mia gave me a small smile in return. "Really?"

"Really." We were both quiet for a few moments before I cleared my throat. "So have you given any thought to our last session?"

Mia kinked an eyebrow. "You mean you dating my dad?"

I closed my eyes. "That wasn't exactly the conversation. I meant about your feelings of your dad moving on."

She twisted her fingers in her lap. "Yeah, I have. I don't know it's just confusing. I mean, he's a very picky person. He used to tell me that my mom was one of a kind."

I smiled. "She was certainly unique. She always had a smartass comeback."

Mia nodded. "I just... I don't want him to go for the first girl he meets just because it's convenient, you know?"

I blinked. "You think your father would do that?"

She sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. I know that he's sad, and maybe a little desperate."

I nodded, biting my lip. "Would you be mad if you got home from treatment and he was in a relationship?"

Her lower lip jutted out in thought. "I guess not, as long as she made him happy... Just not some bleached-"

"Blonde bimbo." I finished for her, then smiled. "Got it."

~*~

I was getting ready to leave work when all of a sudden there was a knock on my door. It was the man who had fired Dr. Connors.

"Hello, Dr. Lovato. May I come in?"

I nodded, smoothing out my shirt. "Of course, though I'm sorry I don't know your name."

He smiled back. "My name is Neil Walker. I am the commissioner of this facility."

I swallowed. "It's an honor sir."

"Actually the honor is mine. You've grown yourself into quite a legend."

I shrugged. "I just do my job."

Neil nodded, walking around the perimeter of my office. "And you do it well. Are you married?"

I shook my head. "No."

He nodded again, deep in thought. "Dr. Lovato, as you may know, the job of chief psychiatrist has opened up. I'd like to extend the role of temporary chief to you."

I blinked a few times. "Me? But there are other doctors who have been here much longer."

He smiled. "We already spoke to the staff, and every single person nominated you."

Neil Walker reached out to shake my hand. "It's not about longevity, it's about fighting for you patients; defending them. Not just writing prescriptions. So, do we have an agreement? The salary and details can be worked out in your contract."

I shook his extended hand. "We have a deal."

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-Rachel