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It had been a few months and things didnt seem to be getting better for Sky, in fact she thought that things were getting worse. Sitting in front of the window she leaned her head against the glass as she watched a squarril move about the base of a maple tree that was mear feet from the building. Sky closed her eyes hard trying to again rid herself of the images that played inside her head. A nursed called her name and she lowered her head, opened her eyes and tryied to spot any little critter outside. The nurse called again, adding that her mother was there for a visit. Reluctity she got up and went to her room where her mom was already sitting in a chair by her bed. Sky gave her little wave and sat in another chair near the window, this window however faced the street and she had nothing to look at. Her mom would give the usall update of what was going on at home. Sky closed her eyes to some horrific images she was seeing, a tear escaped the corner of her eye. Her mom stopped talking as she noticed Sky crying, she got up to comfort her daugther, but Sky jumped out of the way and held up her hand to stop her mom from moving closer.
Just then the nurse came in saying that their was some people that were going to help her. The nurse asked her mother to come with her and the two left her room. Sky laid down and began to cry softly into her pillow. She was sick of seeing the things she saw in her mind and felt totally helpless and didnt know how to stop the images from coming. She fell asleep.
A few hours later her mom with some people came into her room, she was still sleeping.
Naturally her mom went to wake up, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking and calling her name. Sky woke with a start and quickly moved away from her mom. Luckily this time her mom didnt touch any exposed skin. Sky saw the two others with her mom and just quickly looked out the window.
Her mother went on to explain what these two people were there for and where she was going, that day, now. Sky shook her head no and stomped out of the room finding her way to her favorite window to watch the wildlife. Her mother followed trying to explain better. "Don't you want what ever is bothering you to stop? These people want to help you, bring you to a place that can help you, dont you want that?"
Sky's head lowered and slowly tuned to her mom, she nodded her head and headed to her room to pack.
Before leaving with the two people from the Institute her mom said goodbye and went to enbrace Sky who took a step back and then carfully wrapped her arms around her mom and gave a thight, long hug.
She picked up her backpack and was escorted by a ward nurse, the two people from the Institute and her mom all walked to a waiting SUV. Sky waved to her mom as she got in the back seat with one of the people, the other person got into the driverseat and started the viechile and off the three went. Sky's eyes on her mom as she waved goodbye, tears started to fall from them.

Read more: only-super.proboards.com/conversation/113#ixzz5EWkoixJp

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

The latest patient assigned to Nate’s caseload was a youngster – apparently very troubled, from the referral information he had been handed this morning. Notes from her first hospital stay detailed the trauma of both her father’s death and her extreme resistance to touch, even from her own mother, that had formed the basis of her first move to Langley Porter. There must have been suspicions that her issues were at least partly based on the presence of metahuman abilities because she hadn’t been responding to treatment and Joyce Williams had been brought in and subsequently accepted her into the MNRU.

Nate was going to be the main doctor on her team from the psychiatric department, and as such was coming in as early as possible to help her settle in and get to know him as a friendly face. Or hopefully that’s how she would perceive him, anyway. Depending on how things went, he could even see if Claire would be interested in meeting the young woman – in a slightly more official capacity than when he’d just shown up on her doorstep with a recently unfrozen Russian with the fake name of Anna. She seemed to have benefitted from the encounter, at least.

Sky Retschler was in a private room on the psychiatric room. It was likely still bare, devoid of personality until the teenager saw fit to decorate it or family members brought in something to spruce the place up a little. The worst cases were when the room remained a blank canvas throughout the patient’s stay in the MNRU.

A nurse had just been in to bring Sky some food and make sure she was still in one piece. Nate passed her in the doorway, smiling broadly at her. She smiled a little hesitantly back at him, suggesting that perhaps Sky was not exactly happily settled in just yet. He shut the door behind him, then turned to greet his new patient.

“Hi Sky,” he began simply, the smile on his face widening with genuine excitement to meet a new patient. “My name’s Dr Havelock, it’s nice to meet you. How are you feeling?”

He moved over to one of the chairs in the room and took a seat, his notes held loosely in his lap for the time being.

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The ride to the Insitute was uneventful. The kind lady sitting next to her in the car tryied talking to her but she just stared out the window, silent. It seemed like a long ride but really it was only about an hour. Sky was exhusted from the ride. She was shown a room by the two people who brought her to the place. One said "Someone will come see you soon". Sky just laid on the bed staring at the cieling wondering how this place was going to help her when the other two just shoved pills at her, pills that she never took because they made her feel numb and sleepy, well a zombie. She hoped this place wouldnt do that but then again she didnt put her hopes up.

The room was small and had one of those small bathrooms on the side, it was a slight off white, more from age then the paint color. This room didn't have a good view from its window that had safety bars on the outside. The bed had a stiff mattress and hospital like sheets and a thin light blue blanket. There was a chair and a desk near the door. In the corner was a very small nightstand with a small student like lamp on it along with a small alarmclock but no radio. Not that it matter, she didnt listen to the radio anyway. She had to much going on inside her on head to even consider listening to it. Lastly there was a closet with one of those built in dressers in it. That is where one of the two people that brought her to her room set inside it her backpack, that she could take care of later, if she wanted and or was up to doing. They had brought a simple lunch on a tray, they had a dome over the plate. It would remain untouched sitting on the desk.

Shortly, a man had entered her room said who he was and took a seat, she smiled kindly at him but didnt know how else to reply. Sky sat up in the bed, letting her legs dangle on the side, her hands at her side holding onto the side of the bed. She stared at the man for a little while before looking away down to the floor. He asked her questions and she just shrugged her shoulders.
How was this helping? She didnt know what was going on with her. In the last two places they labled her schizophrinea. She let out a slight sigh still looking at the floor.

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

She smiled. That was a good start. Whilst some may have been discouraged by Sky’s silence, you soon got used to patients like her when you worked on MNRU’s psych ward. For the most part, the patients there were all just terrified and waiting for reassurance and a way forward. He had experienced far worse than just ‘not-very-chatty’, even then. There was no outburst of aggression, no sign of overwhelming panic. Just a tired, defeated young woman who had probably had quite enough of being passed from ward to ward.

At her shrug, Nate nodded genially and leaned forward in his seat, attempting to catch her eye.

“If my presence is making you very upset or uncomfortable, shoot me a thumbs down. At any point, okay?”

If she didn’t want to talk right now, she didn’t have to, but it was key she had some feeling of control in this exchange. Nate wanted to build rapport first and foremost, not pry a case history forcefully from her with incessant questions. He’d never get any decent information from her by taking such an approach.

“I’m sure it’s been explained to you - the MNRU, why you’re here. We’re here to help.” He beamed reassuringly. “Specifically, we help people with suspected metahuman abilities like yourself to adjust to life with super powers. It’s not easy,” Nate added with a cheeky grin.

He observed Sky carefully for a second. She didn’t seem to entirely understand the point of her being here, and she certainly didn’t seem to feel too comfortable about it all. A nice, simple, direct question might boost her confidence. An easy yes or no.

“Do you have powers, Sky?”

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Sky was tired and really wasnt up for yet another 'doctor' poking and proding her more. Yet, this one seemed diffent, he was kind and didnt talk to much. His questions were simple and direct. There was an aire about him that he truly wanted to help her, but she wondered, how?

He told her this place she was in was for metahumans, something she had not heard of since her fathers death, it, the 'Event' may have caused his death. How could what she saw be a power? No, she couldn't be a meta, if she was could there be a cure to stop it. She didnt like seeing what she saw or expirianced.

He then asked if 'she' had a power? The question stun like someone poking a hot knife at her. ME? she thought, she shrugged her shoulders at his quesion, keeping her eyes on the floor. The question, that question . . . her eyes filled with tears, those tears ran down her face.

If this thing she was expiriancing was a power, it was one that clearly she could not control or even understand. Her tears turned to a soft cry and she turned away from the doctor. "I don't know" she softly said. It would be the first time she has spoken to anyone in well over a half a year since her abilities surfaced.

After, those first soft words expressed she clearly was cring now, sobbing now into her pillow.
"I don't want to see these things any more." there was a marked silance other then her sobbing "Can you help me?" she again softly added keeping her face in her pillow still crying lightly.

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

Through her sudden tears, Sky finally spoke. Nate was torn between excitement that she was finally opening up and sorrowful empathy that she was so negatively affected by the question. She turned to sob into her pillow, which made Nate feel even worse. He stood up and moved closer - not close enough to invade her personal space, but enough to feel like he was being at least a little comforting with his presence.

“That’s what I’m here for. To help you.”

He sat gently on the end of the bed.

“You say you don’t know if you have powers or not. Can you tell me a little more about these things you see?”

His notes were abandoned on the chair, but he had a feeling that now wasn’t the time for note-taking. Sky obviously needed someone to talk to about this. Really talk, not be on the receiving end of an interrogation. He wondered who had tried to talk to her before they started her on courses of medication.

Nate watched her carefully, waiting for her response. It didn’t just come with her words - it was also in her actions and the way she expressed her emotions. Right now she was obviously distressed but willing, almost desperate, to talk. The tears said everything that she hadn’t already said herself.

It was sad, but Nate was also feeling quite encouraged. He smiled gently as she spoke.

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Finally, it felt like a huge weight was taken off her back. Sky did move away when he sat on the bed but it was only so she would avoid touching him. She looked at the tray of the untouched lunch tray, she lended over and took the napkin off of it so she could wipe her face of tears and blow her nose. She again looked at the tray and slowly lifted the dome from the main entree, salsbury steak with potate and corn. There was a glass with what looked like fruit punch in it, it was covered with a lid. Again leaning over she carefullly removed the lid from the glass and downed the entire contents in one breath. Carefully wiping her mouth she sat near the pillow staring at the doctor at the foot of the bed.

Sky shrugged her shoulders and began to open up to the man. she would convay to him that it had started shortly after her father's death. "It felt like dasa'vew(spelling?), I would start to see things in my head that were not there." she took a moment before continuing. "Once, I saw a friend get hurt, then it happened several days after I had seen it. Thats when I didnt share anything, I didnt want people thinking I was crazy, ha! but they still thought I was crazy and I stopped going places. Mom would ask but I never told her or anyone what was going on. Mom put me in the hospital, the doctors gave me pills that only made me numb and sleeply, a real zombie. I stopped taking the meds unknowing to them." She looked at him in the eyes "One time when mom hugged me, I could hear her thoughts!" there was clearly a look of fear at this point on Skys face. Through her fear she told him pointly "Please make these visions and stuff, stop it, please, I cant take it any more!" She locked her eyes with his, pleaingly. 

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

He noted the way Sky moved away slightly at his presence, wiping away her tears before distracting herself for a moment with the lunch she had obviously failed to gather any appetite for. Nate caught a brief glimpse of Salisbury steak and felt a little peckish himself. He pushed the distraction from his mind, focusing instead on his patient and the way she tipped back the glass (plastic, no doubt) of fruit juice and drank the whole thing in one. At this, she sat back and looked at him before shrugging once more and beginning to speak.

The second “déjà vu” left Sky’s mouth, Nate felt a little metaphorical lightbulb flash into place above his head. The glow grew brighter as Sky continued talking. The young woman clearly didn’t think she was mentally ill – or, at least, she didn’t think that was the root of her problems. What she was describing was unusual and not something Nate had personally witnessed, but in this new world of flight and lasers and super strength, the ability to see the future and read people’s minds was not out of the question in the slightest.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay – you’re in a safe place.”

They sat quietly for a moment, Nate waiting for her to calm a little before he continued. “You’ve been through a lot and it’s okay to be upset about that. Take a few deep breaths for me.”

Again, he waited for a moment.

“Is it okay if I write some of this down? It might help us to put our heads together and figure it out,” he said with a smile, moving to pluck his notes from the chair before returning to the end of the bed. He folded them into his lap for now, awaiting her permission.

“The visions – what do they feel like? Are they like daydreams, just in your mind, or do you feel like you’re there in the moment?” He didn’t want to touch on her father’s death for now. Her previous doctors had focused on that a lot anyway, she was probably sick of delving into that trauma for the time being. “Can you control them?”

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He had told her she was safe. Sky tryied to calm down taking the deep breaths as he instructed her to do. As she was still doing the deep breaths to calm herself he had asked if he could jot some notes. There was a bit of fear of what he would down, would he make fun of her seceretly? no, doctors cant do that?! She just gave a slight shrug of her thin shoulders and fell silent again.

He asked her about the visions and what they felt like, fear grew again inside of Sky and it showed clearly in her face and her gestures.

Nervously she moved her foot as she stared at the now empty glass of what was juice. The visions still plagued her like reels from a movie or a dream yet, there she was awake and nothing she could do could stop the images. Sky picked up the glass and made a dash for the bathroom. She didn't really 'have to go' but she made use of the seperation. She also did try to go but she really didnt have much inside of her, as she didnt really eat anything other then that one glass of juice. Before returning, she washed up an cleaned the glass, filling carefully to almost all the way fillled. Unlocking the door she returned and carefully placed the now full glass of water on the tray. Sky hopped back on her bed and faced the kind doctor.

She told him "Its like sitting in a room filled with TVs, each on a diffent channel, you get glympes of each one as you look around, only thing is you cant shut them off. Some images are horric and there is no closing your eyes because its inside your head." she fell silent once more and stared at the glass of water.

Finding the right words to express herself was hard, how do you explain what you cant clearly show someone who isnt expirianing it themself? Something deep inside Sky made her to try, try hard to explain what was plaguing her so painfully.

Before going into the bathroom he had asked her if she could control what she was seeing. CONTROL?! HA! If she could control whatever was happening, maybe she wouldn't be here.
However, it wasn't control she wanted, it was a cure to stop whatever was happening to her is what she desired. "No, there is no control what so ever, I don't even know where or how to even begin to control whatever is happening to me." Her tone was flat, matter of fact feeling of what Sky felt, lost.

Taking that glass into her hands she sipped it slowly till half of the contents were gone before replacing it on its tray, the food under the dome would remain untouched this time around.
Looking back at the doctor still perched at the end of the bed with his notebook, Sky asked him "Do you think, you can make whatever is happening to me stop? Cure me of this thing? or am I doomed to being crazy?" That last part was a half joke, though she already felt crazy, the voices, the visions, hearing others when they touch her. oh no she didnt telling him about that. Should she? Maybe. Right now as long as she didnt touch anyone she could 'control' that however the visions and voices going on inside her head were already to much for her. One problem at a time, the head stuff first, see if the nice doc could cure her of that. Her eyes searched his for answers, pleadingly.

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

She merely shrugged when Nate asked if he could write things down. He raised an eyebrow gently – almost playfully – and insisted, “Is it okay? It helps me to get my thoughts on paper.” He waited patiently for a response beyond a simple, non-committal shrug before moving on.

Sky looked panicked as he asked her what the visions felt like. Nate watched as she got to her feet and took her empty glass to the bathroom, presumably taking the time to compose herself. So far she seemed to be reacting fairly as expected – maybe even better – which was reassuring. It seemed that most of her symptoms stemmed from the effects of her powers, rather than a large overruling psychiatric issue. He absolutely wasn’t going to diminish the role of her father’s death, of course, but at least she seemed relatively in control even if it didn’t feel like it to her.

If Sky had given him permission to write, Nate would jot down a few notes as she spoke of the visions. Picturing it in his mind’s eye felt chaotic. He listened with a sympathetic smile, doing his best to encourage her to keep speaking.

“You’re doing great,” he reassured her. “That gives me a great idea of what it’s like for you. It must be exhausting.”

The next statement was less positive – Sky seemed to think she had absolutely no control over that aspect of her powers.

“That’s okay, no one’s expecting you to have all the answers at this stage. Getting to grips with your power is tough.” Or so it seemed, based on his observations at the MNRU. In the wider population, sure, plenty of people woke up seemingly masters of their new skills, but here it was a much longer journey. For some, a lifelong one.

Her last questions were even less positive. She seemed devastated by the idea that her powers were a part of her now – seeing them as an illness to cure. He needed to approach this gently.

“Metahuman research is a very young field,” he began. “We’re finding out new approaches all the time, making new discoveries every day. Or, that’s how it feels.” He gave her a cheeky grin to soften the mood slightly. “Right now, the best thing for us to do is work together to help you adjust to your powers. Maybe control them, maybe just understand them a little more, maybe just learn to live as normal a life as you can with them. We’ll help you get there,” he promised.

“As for a cure… Don’t lose hope, but we don’t have that magic wand just yet. Maybe in time! Who knows?” Nate gave her a serious look. “And don’t let anyone call you crazy, okay?”

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When the doctor told her there was no cure and that she would have to adjust and learn to control her power, tears streamed down her face, she droppedd her head. She felt defeated. How do you endure all the visions like she has? Skys thought to escape for the first time since being in the hospitalized but where would she go? There was a loud exhusting sigh from her.
Another thought was being drugged again, at least it dulled it and made her so sleepy and numb. There was another thought of her childhood, one that was happy and gleeful. That was with her twin sister and her mom and dad as they were at the beach one summer. The water was warm and lapping at shore of pure white, soft sand with some shells that washed up that she and her twin would collect. What she wouldnt give to go back and live a 'normal' life. However, this is what her life has subcome to, being cursed with an ablity that she could not do anthing about.

"you dont understand whats its like, whats happening to me I cant excape this! I cant close my eyes and wish it away, trust me I have tried!" Sky said loudly adding "This isnt 'power' this is a curse! I ju . . s . . . t" Sky was caught off guard to a horric vision of dozens of people dying when an apartment building expoded, the body parts scattered along with the bulding and a babies behead head......... She grabbed her head and screamed at the top of her lungs "NO! NO!" she fell off the bed onto her knees bawling out load now. That vision was the wosrt she had ever seen, the clearest to, she could hear and feel the blast like she was there herself.

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

At that point, Sky became overwhelmed. Nate wasn’t too surprised – it was rare that somebody entered the MNRU to calmly accept that their treatment would focus on compensatory strategies rather than work as some kind of magical ‘undo’ to return them back to their pre-Event selves. He probably would have been more alarmed if Sky hadn’t displayed such a reaction. It was definitely understandable.

Then, as she was shouting, just as Nate was about to offer more calming words, she suddenly dropped to her knees and screamed. This was a little more concerning.

Nate moved round to face her – keeping his distance. The notes on Sky had been pretty clear that she did not like to be touched, and the last thing Nate wanted to do was escalate the situation. What he did want to do, however, was try to meet her gaze and anchor her back in the room. The source of the distress wasn’t immediately apparent but, from the way she grabbed her head, Nate assumed it was internal. Maybe difficulty coming to grips with the permanence of her metahuman status, or maybe something upsetting on one of those mental television screens she’d been describing.

“Sky…” he said softly, his voice barely audible above her sobs. “I’d like you to take a deep breath for me. When you’re ready. Okay?”

He waited until she’d calmed herself slightly.

“I can come back another time if you need,” he assured her, “Just say the word and I’ll be out. How are you feeling? Did you… see something?”

Nothing too prying, but enough that she could open up about what had caused the outburst if she wanted to. He stayed where he was at a safe distance in front of her, eyes fixed on her as the bawling slowly subsided.

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Using her shirt she wiped her face and followed the doctors order to take a deep breath. She tryied. She looked at him with true fear in her eyes. He had asked her if she wanted him to leave. If that was asked earlier, maybe. Right now so was so scared she didn't want him to leave.
He asked if she saw something and she nodded. She asked to use his notebook.

Still on the floor she drew what she had seen. The building was tall with a unique top.
She drew people and the outside of the building, remembering the blast made her cry again, she drew everything, even the babies beheaded head. after it was done she slid it back to the doctor.

She felt sick, her whole body felt like it had been hit by lighting. She started to explain in detail everything she saw. When she was done, she was so exhusted. Still sitting on the floor, she looked at the doctor and just plea'ed with him to help her. She didn't want to see anymore dead people anymore.

There was an unusall silence for a while, Sky sat with her head between her knees, she was still crying, that new wierd feeling lingered. The images would replay in her head, each time she would sob.

"Why? Why me?" she asked.

There was that plea'ing look again on Skys now red, face, her eyes irritated by so much crying and wiping them.

"What does it all mean? Why do I have to expireance this? I don't like seeing things like this, this time I felt like I was there standing among the building as it blew up and all the horrific aftermath. Why me?" Sky asked with sad, plea'ing, seaching eyes.

[Nathan Havelock]

Let the Healing Begin

Nate grabbed his notes from the bed, flipping through to find a sheet of paper that Sky could use. He handed her the clipboard and pen and waited to see what would become of the blank page before her. It took a while – she was drawing quite a lot of detail – but he stayed quiet until she indicated that it was finished. It reminded him of the work Claire did as a Hero for the MNRU. It was a reminder that concerned him a little. Presumably, once Joyce Williams found out about the exact nature of Sky’s powers, she would try to make use of them.

Sky explained everything she had drawn and then broke down into sobs once more.

Why me?

Now that was a question Nate had heard over and over and over again, and he still wasn’t quite sure what the correct answer was supposed to be. He didn’t personally believe in things like destiny, fate or some Greater Plan, so he didn’t like to go down that route, but sometimes people found it on their own and found comfort in it. Others became more distressed by that conclusion.

“Of course you don’t like seeing things like this.” Nate pulled the drawing towards him so that Sky no longer had to look at it. “But you’re a strong young woman, Sky, and you can endure it. Do these visions always come true, or have you managed to stop them?”

If there was about to be some horrific accident and Nate had known about it all along, he’d never quite forgive himself for it. It sucked, but he was probably going to have to alert the higher-ups to Sky’s vision and maybe even involve the Hero program. “Maybe this could be your chance to take control with your power. What do you think? The building’s very distinct, we could probably go check it out no problem.”

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"Of course you don't like seeing things like this." He said to her, his calming, matter of fact tone of voice. The comment was an understatement. He told her that she was strong, 'how?' was she strong? She was like jelly on the floor crying her eyes out. How do you 'endure' this without becoming affected by it? Then the next statement he told asked made her stop crying at least for a bit and she looked up from the floor to him, looking him in the eye. Her face redden and her eyes still clearly showed the fear and the pleading despite the swollen redness around them.

"Do these visions always come true." He asked her.

She never even thought they could come true, there were a few times but nothing that would have made her ever think that she could see something in the future. There was a new fear that slipped into her thoughts, if things that she was seeing were coming true, then people were really dying, and she was the cause because she didn't do anything about it. Suddenly she felt like a deer caught in headlights, there was silence.

The kind doctor had continued to talk and he had told her, that maybe she could change things and they could check things out. Sky didn't want anymore people dying because of her. She deeply regretted not doing anything about her visions in the past that she could have changed.

"You think what I am seeing will come true? Please, please! save those people then! Please don't let people die because of me!" while she had said that she started to shake like a leaf almost looking like she was cold but she wasn't, it was just a fear reaction she had no control over.

Getting up, she slowly walked to the bathroom again and with the door open she rinised her mouth out and cleaned up her face a bit before returning to the room and sitting back on the bed. "If these visions come true, how do we go about controlling them? I can't live like this, knowing that what I can see now may kill others later." She was calmer but clearly scared of the thought of being able to see things that come true.