The Shrink Program

Part Two

"Wake up Maddison. We're almost there."

I groaned, stretching out tiredly in my bed.... or at least what was supposed to be my bed.

When my reaching hands came across something that was distinctively not bed shaped, my eyes flew open with surprise.

Only to find Vain's giant form towering above me, looking down at me patiently.

I sat up with a jerk, realising the soft surface that I had been sleeping on was, in fact, his hand.... and that the two of us were currently riding the bus.

"What the hell?" I muttered, running a hand through my tangled curls.

They were damp, and as I looked down at the clean-ish uniform, I was wearing the events of this morning began to come back to me.

"Uh, Vain? That horrible nightmare I had about you dragging me out of bed at six in the morning... That wasn't really a dream, was it?" I asked, feeling slightly horrified.

Vain raised an eyebrow at me. "Afraid not."

"Damn," I muttered.

So much for the safety of one's own bed. Even hiding under the covers could protect me from the ruthless will of a morning person.

Vain sighed, resting his chin on his hand, his elbow propped up on the window sill.

The position made him look younger somehow. More causal then he would normally let me see him.

"The next time you decide to fall asleep on my shoulder, please try to tell me first," Vain said dryly without looking at me. Keeping his lazy gaze focused out the bus window. "Otherwise you'll end up falling off."

I did that...?

"It's not my fault." I hissed, crossing my arms in embarrassment. "You know my body doesn't function properly until after ten AM."

Vain didn't bother to argue, just stared out the window calmly. Irritated, I stood up, balancing unevenly on his hand beneath me.

"Where are we going anyway?" I demanded as I managed to get a foothold.

"The hospital."

I stared at him, slowly putting the pieces together.

"No. No. No. And No!"

"He wanted to see you."

"I am not getting up at six in the morning to go see Nigel." I practically screamed, turning some heads in the seats around us.

That's right Vain, I'm putting my foot down!

"We're already here." Vain murmured at the bus pulled to a stop.

"I hate you," I said, collapsing into a little ball of sadness.

Why can't I ever win?

Vain sighed at the dramatics, carefully getting to his feet and making his way off the bus.

"I don't exactly want to be here either Maddison, but Nigel wouldn't let go of me yesterday until I promised to bring you to see him." He explained, and I paled.

When Nigel refused to let go of something, it was impossible to make him do so without heavy machinery.

"But..!" I began to protest, but Vain shook his head.

"It seemed urgent Maddison. He apparently needs to talk to you before school started today. Since I had to take you to go see your supervisor, the next hospital visiting time was early this morning."

I bit my lip, desperately searching my head for something to get me out of this. It didn't take long since I don't exactly have a lot of material to go through.... but I still came up with zip.

"Damn it." I hissed, giving up.

As much as Nigel both annoyed and terrified me on any scale... The older boy was technically my... Um, I'm actually not quite sure how to describe our relationship.

Some sort of cross between friend and pet maybe?

As we stepped off the bus, the drop caused me to jostle a bit in Vain's hand.

Which brought my attention to the fact that Vain was still... Well, holding me.

So far, the time I had spent in Vain's actual hand had been restricted mostly to transport.

I don't know if this is because he had noticed my reaction, or simply felt the same but... Being in someone's hand felt more... Intimate.

Which meant he must still be wary of me falling asleep again, otherwise he would have put me back on his shoulder by now...

Instead of cupping me in the warmth of Vain hands as he began his brisk walk towards the hospital.

Completely oblivious to how self-conscious he was made me feel.

I did my best to ignore it... But by the time we entered the hospital, my cheeks were rosy from more than just the fresh morning air.