We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.|(open)

[alice]

A tired fingers brushed against her forehead, as the willowy form of a blonde female sat in the one of the 'open' counseling rooms of the hospital psych ward. It was labeled 'open', as everything done or anyone inside was visible from all four windowed walls. Glass with small crossed black protective wires embedded to keep the windows from shattering began from the four feet all walls up to the ceiling. A counseling area for those who were deemed possibly dangerous to the psychiatrist and other therapists on duty. It was also for legal reasons. Watched, they could not scream that they had been abused. Cameras didn't seem to work, 'open' rooms did.

It was eight o'clock, and Alice had just finished her long fourteen hour shift. Her patient had been escorted back to a his hospital bed, and the psychiatrist just needed a moment to breath. She leaned back, folding her long slender arms in front of her body. Sitting on the edge of the chair, Alice was leaning at an odd angle. She didn't care. She needed the silence.

A harsh knock on the glass window of the door behind her caused Alice to sit up and turn about. Richard grinned at her, pointig to his watch. It was time for her to go home. The nurse had become rather diligent to watch out for her care. Alice flashed him a slight smile and nodded her head. Standing up, she walked to the door and opened it, "I know. It's time to go home. I just needed the quiet for a moment before I left."

"Isn't it quiet in your loft?" he inquired, taking a quick glance at the woman's tired eyes. "Listen, why don't you let me take you out for dinner, then go home. That way you don't have to go home and work more in the kitchen."

Alice's tired smile pressed a little deeper into the small dimples at the corners of her mouth. Since she had come to work in Chicago, Richard had been very persistent in his attempts to get Alice to go out with him. Coworkers had believed that they would indeed make a gorgeous couple. But, Alice hadn't gotten up the nerve to explain to him that she really only dated women. Admitting to be a lesbian received almost the same reception when one told someone they were a lycan. Of course, being a lesbian seemed to excite more men then the thought of a woman who could throw a car at you, "Thank you, Richard. But, no. I really would like to just go home, have some soup, a shower, and sleep. I don't think I would be much for going out."

"Ah, come on, Alice. It will do you good. Or..." he lifted up a hand, as the tall male tried to keep up with her. His eyes never straying from the blonde who walked with purpose intent to her office. "..I can cook for you at my place. Or yours..."

She turned sharping into her office, and made her way around her desk. Pulling the bottom drawer out, Alice found her purse and slipped it over her shoulder. Then tossed a couple files and put them in her briefcase, "Richard, please. I really do just want to rest."

"Okay," Richard chuckled. His dark brown eyes following Alice as she swiveled her hips to not bump into the corner of her desk, and then walked out of her office. He stood there, trying not to look dejected. "You have my number, if you change your mind."

"Yes, I do. But, I won't," Alice replied, her back now to him as she made her way out of the psych ward and to the elevators. Pressing a button, she waited patiently for the elevator to reach her floor. Looking at her muted silver reflection in the doors, Alice knew that she had fallen back into the same routine her life had been before meeting Rio. She was becoming reclusive, living at her loft apartment downtown and then going right back to work again. Work was her life.

[Deleted]

Esme sat quiet riding down in the elevator. She barely noticed when it stopped at the different floors she'd get off when they were back to the lobby. She wasn't very happy today. She had locked her wheels so she wouldn't rock.


She had come here to see her specialist. He wasn't happy with something he had ordered more tests. She was going to have to be admitted again. Esme rubbed her face. She wasn't looking forward to this. She had to stop taking everything she was taking at home herbal wise. She was in for a week of hell pretty soon while her system went back to neutral.

She closed her eyes leaning her head back against the wall. as the doors opened again this time she could see the walls within the phsyc ward. She looked up at a woman who was just as lost in her own thoughts as she was. but she felt a hollowness from the woman.

Esme waited until the doors had closed completely before she smiled to the woman setting her own worries to the side and smiling as she greeted her. "Hello"

Esme was full of contrasts bright eye poping green and pink was her wheel chair. and teh same bright green for fingerless gloves. And then she wore sedate clothes. a peacoat in a nice navy blue with a white long sleaved fitted shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans with white sneakers that looked as though they did get used but not frequently. a Lime green video ipod was strapped to her left thigh a bag hung off the back of her wheel chair. And the head phones to her ipod were on a retractable spool that held them neatly clipped to the ipod.

She was the least threatening anyone could be with her bright blue eyes.

[alice]

The metal doors opened, parting the muted steel vision of herself. It broke her thoughts in pieces, and forced Alice to 'awaken' from her daydreaming. She had begun to do that again. Dreaming of Rio, restless sleep. Even if the vampire's arms were cold, Alice felt even colder in her own bed alone. Even miles away, Alice couldn't separated her heart from clinging to the memory of Rio. But, she had to do this. Alice told herself over and over, she had to forget the vampire who had stolen her heart. If she didn't, becoming a nun and forcing those memories away was about her only bet.

Stepping through the parted doors, Alice saw a woman sitting in a wheel chair and waiting for the tall blonde to get inside. It had probably been a long day for her, too. It was indeed, awful late for an appointment. Maybe she had been here to see a friend, visiting hours were over soon.

A quick flash of a warm, and yet shy, smile blossomed like a quick flutter of fireworks over Alice's lips. A dance of small dimples at the corners of her mouth were merely a hint of their full extent, before they disappeared just as quickly.

"Hi," Alice spoke a soft quick greeting, still sounding a little distant in her speech. After all, she was no longer in the comfortable confines of work that somehow found a strong Alice within them. She moved to the side of the lift car, one hand still holding to her briefcase, the other to the strap of her purse. The doors closed, and that uneasy silence between elevator riders began.

[Deleted]

Esme simply smiled. “I am guessing you work here?”

Yay, she gets the captain obvious award this evening. She hated when her appointments ended up taking almost 3 hours and that was just for the check ups. This was going to be hell when she was supposed to be a resident next week.

She still smiled silence was never strained for her. She pulled out on of her many coupon cards for a free tea and a soup and sandwich. She held it out to her for the Into the Bean Coffee house. “Here you look like you could use a good meal no mess no fuss. Maybe even a up of wellness tea.”

Yup Esme always tried to find a way to draw people out even if they were shy it was her nature. She wondered if she’d be able to talk the woman into coming up and talking to her on occasion when she was saddled with a bed here again.

[alice]

The silence was broken. And that hint of a smile flickered on her lips yet again. Alice turned her chin, and looked down towards the woman next to her. A friendly smile greeted her. Someone who didn't care for the silence, and seemed interested in meeting another person. The ice was broken, however Alice still wasn't the confident woman behind the glass of the psych ward. Even if a badge still hung from her clothing, it wasn't a magical token that gave her confidence.

"Yeah," came the soft reply. Alice watched, as the other woman moved for something and soon proceeded to offer her coupon cards. She set her briefcase down, and took the coupons. Her blue orbs glanced over them, and the smile broadened. She chuckled, for it was coffee. Something she grew up on and loved to an extreme. Although, she had slowed down the intake. Insomnia fed on caffeine. Wellness tea on the other hand, yes, she could probably use lately, "Thank you. This is very nice of you."

Alice tucked the coupons into her purse, then was about to offer her hand in greeting when the elevator doors opened. They had made it to the lobby floor. Her smile winced and Alice motioned for the other woman to exit the elevator before her. Picking up her briefcase, Alice followed her out into the lobby.

"I'm...Dr. Carroll. Or Alice, if you like," she said, catching up to the other woman. She was shy, but Alice was hardly one to be rude. Besides, the blonde could really use a friendly face in this new large city. Maybe, at least for a moment, she would stop thinking about Rio. Maybe, and then maybe not.

[Deleted]

Esme laughed cheerfully and smiled up to Alice. “I am Alexius Gillette Friends Call me Esme.”

She wasn’t going to make the other woman set her things down again just to shake hands. But Esme did roll to a stop out of the flow of traffic. “Its no problem on the coups. I have a stack I carry with me every time I come here. Usually manage to hand out a little over half of it when I wait for my appointments and tests. The nurses love them I leave a stack for them as well.”

Esme smiled again. “You work in the ward, not much of a fun place at times. I am sure you could use a quiet place to get out to on occasion.”

[alice]

"Oh, well. That is an incredible name," Alice brushed her teeth against her bottom lip. It was beautiful, a name she had never heard before Then she had never heard a name like Rionach before. Esme, Alexius. For a moment, she wondered if just any old human would have a name like that. But, the other woman wasn't pale, and it was surely too early for vampires to be out. A quick glance towards the front windows of the hospital, and Alice realized that it was indeed dark already. Winter, daylight savings time and all. Her shoulders fell. But, then Alice told herself. Surely, there were no vampires about Chicago, or large predator cat lycans.

"Esme, it is very beautiful, not simple like ..Alice," her laugh was giggled brightly, pulling a bit of the shy shell away from the psychiatrist. "Well, I do appreciate the coupons. I just recently moved here, and...still need to get to know a bit more of my surroundings. Good resteraunts, and...stores." Not that you go out much, Alice, she thought to herself.

"Actually, it can be fun. I do meet some wonderful people," she paused, as they came nearer to the front doors. Alice glanced to the handicap door, "Really, it can be quiet...sometimes. And then, if there is a full moon, then things end up like Mardi Gras meets Friday the 13th." She chuckled, a little unsure if Esme would get her joke. "I am often called down to the ER, too. For...possible psych cases."

[Deleted]

Esme smiled up at Alice “Honestly I go by Esme because it means Dear one. And I can’t stand being called Alexius. Besides I like Alice more. Your name is famous. Mine looks like an exotic vampire name or something. Wouldn’t be surprised if one somewhere had it either.”

She spun her wheels. “Your welcome for the coupons. Come by the shop anytime. However next week I wont be working. I get to come for my annual stay here. With Doctor Schumnez. Apparently some of my tests didn’t look right so he’s calling for a stay verses a day time over haul.”

“So I guess you’ll be seeing me wandering around here.” Esme was still a smiling cheerful person she did get the joke. But then Esme saw more monsters then Alice likely would ever run across.

[alice]

Her hands rested on the straps of her purse and briefcase. She liked hearing the meaning of Esme's name. It was a new one for her, and it sounded so very sweet. An endearment given to someone that another dearly loved. When she said she liked the name Alice for being famous, Alice bobbed her head in a slight nod. It was popular, true. And she sometimes wondered if her parents had enjoyed their little joike. She didn't truly mind it. Alice often felt like she had stepped into another world.

Vampire? When Esme mentioned the world, Alice's muscles tightened. Her shoulders clenched, as her hands gripped the straps of her purse and briefcase a little harder. Blue eyes flickered towards the door. As if, there...might be the one vampire that seemed to always dance in her thoughts. Alice had not been able to get Rio out of her head, since the first day they had met. And even though they were miles away from each other, Alice still felt as if Rio was near. She was always there, a thought in her head, an ache in her heart, a 'vision' in the dark.

She shook her head and looked back at Esme. Surely, the other woman in the wheelchair wasn't a vampire, nor knew any. Or, she wouldn't have made the comment about not wanting to use her more exotic name. Alice sighed quietly, and let a smile slip over her lips as Esme told her she was welcome to the coupons.

"Oh, here, well, then if our going to be at the hospital, and you would like someone to talk to. Just ask for me. I don't just see patients in the psych ward. I'm kind of the go to counselor for those who don't feel very religious," she laughed softly. No, the religious counselors were nice to her, but Alice did get the feeling they were not impressed by someone in the psych ward stepping in and not 'saving lives'.

[Deleted]

Esme smiled and laughed softly. She looked out the doors and saw the van of her driver. She seemed to brighten like it was a special treat. "Well my driver has arrived it was lovely to meet you. And don't be she come by the shop. You can be the new tester for some of my teas if you like. I try to go with ones that arent so much a stimulant that they keep you wired but are a nice tranquility. "

Esme turned towards the handicap doors and elbowed the button for them. "And I'll be sure to Call down to teh ward and invite you up for my tea. I'll be fun. "

And just as quick as that Esme was through the doors bright and cheerful. almost to much so for being in a wheel chair. Her driver helped her into the van ramp and all and Esme and the van disappeared down the road.