London Institute For The Mentally Ill (An Infernal Devices Fanfic)

II

Tessa would rather join Magnus Bane in his therapy session than be alone with her co-nurse Bridget in the nurse's station.

Bridget seems fine for the most part - she even is talented in songwriting, as she admired - but the thing is she insists on singing her most tragic songs over and over. It doesn't help that the floor is awfully quiet (maybe because a ruckus isn't happening...yet).

She's better off standing in the far corner of the session room watching the group sharing progress, being alert and attentive should anything ugly happen.

Magnus Bane sits at the center of the small circle of patients. For a therapist, he sure dresses in loud motif. Today, it's a purple hawaiian shirt with leaves in shades of orange and yellow, paired with khakis and a dark brown pair of boat shoes. His doctor's coat seemed out of place in his get up.

Currently, he's been consoling a woman who seems to be in her late 50s. She's been wailing ever since the therapy started. She never did stopped, which is why Magnus and everybody else has their attention on her, which only made it worse apparently.

"Her head!" She wailed. "My sister's head! It was rolling, and rolling, and -"

"Have you had a nightmare about your sister again, *Mrs. Dark?" Magnus inquired for the hundreth time. Tessa can see what he is doing. He insists on probing for something in Mrs. Dark, -perhaps to aid her in her therapy? - yet she isn't being cooperative.

"Her head!" She moaned, which made him sigh and make notes on his pad. When he noticed that Mrs Dark is trembling, he got up and massaged her temples, which seemed to calm her down a bit.

Everyone looks at her now, bored, she can tell from their facial expressions. Tessa caught a glimpse of patient 43, who sat beside Mrs. Dark, pouting and playing with her blonde hair.

"Now, we can all emphatize but we can't assume to know how you feel." Magnus said to Mrs. Dark. "However, whatever you feel is what made you brought here. So I would suggest discussing it in private on my office later, okay?" Mrs. Dark nodded earnestly at him. Her sobs started to mute. Magnus stopped massaging her when she stopped trembling.

Magnus returned back to his seat and shifted his attention to patient 43. "Jessamine," he addressed, "how are you doing lately?"

"It's Jessie." She nasally said. Magnus nodded to himself thoughtfully. "Hello, Jessie."

"Hello, Mr. Bane!" She bubbly greeted, followed by a fit of giggles.

Magnus smiled a little. Tessa can't help but think she's adorable. "What made you come out today, Jessie?"

"Beats me." She shrugged.

"Is Jessamine fine?"

Baby Jessie pouted, docile eyes gleaming. "I think."

Magnus looked like he wanted her to further elaborate  but decided to revert the topic to something else. "It's been a long time since you last fronted." Magnus inquired. "Any ideas why?"

Baby Jessie looked like she's about to cry. "Jessamine won't let me out!" She whined. The lady looked around wildly, and when she met Tessa's curious gaze, she felt the need to grin and stare back. "Hi!" Baby Jessie waved her hand at her. Tessa smiled curtly and waved back. "Who are you?"

"I'm your new nurse here." Tessa replied.

Baby Jessie ooh-ed like the child she is. "Mr. Bane, may i talk to her? Please?" She lengthened her please in a rather nasal tone as if she is begging for candy or doll or anything a 9 year old girl likes.

"Very well." Magnus went on and and nodded at her. "Miss Gray, escort Jessie to her room later after you assist Mrs. Dark on her way to my office." He instructed.