Hello! Sorry it took so long to update! I've been hit with a big dose of writers block and it took awhile to come back to this story. I'm running out of inspiration so I might actually end the story here. But, I did say might. So as always, Read&Review and let me know what you think. Send me some ideas for how you think it could go and maybe I can work off them and get my inspiration back. But anyway, Enjoy:)

I don't know why I'm so damn nervous today. Dr. Thredson hasn't shown any discomfort around me since that certain day in his office. In fact, our therapy sessions having been going smoothly. Instead of talking about the past, Dr. Thredson has been interested more in learning about me personally. I think I've told him more about my dreams and thoughts than I have Sister Mary Eunice, but today I've hardly seen him around. His usual daily routine would be to pop up in the common room for a small chat with me about my day before our therapy session and if he was in a really good mood, I would see him talking freely to the staff members that usually annoyed him. But he hasn't been in for our chat in the common room today and I also haven't seen him in the hallways that I usually run into him in, just swift glances of his dark figure as he turns a corner or disappears through a doorway. I wonder why? Maybe he's tired. Could he be tired of me, tired of hearing about my boring days and restless nights?

My Anxiety is starting to act up. I can feel it tightening my chest and my hands are slightly trembling. Deep breaths, Catherine, deep breaths.

Deep breaths just allow me to shout louder.

I need to vent.

Looking around the common room, I take in all the usual chaos. Sister Mary Eunice is by the record player talking with a lady named Amber, who killed her husband because of constant paranoia that he was cheating on her. How drastic. The Sister's eyes glance up and meet mine; I give her a look that she hopefully gets the meaning of and then I turn away. When I look up again, the Sister is almost half way across the room, coming my way. I loved when she would make time to talk to me; Sister Mary Eunice was one of my favorite human beings, and she knew it.

"Cat, how are you doing today?" Sister said sitting beside me on the sofa. She shifted so she was fully facing me. I froze but studied her thoroughly as usual, her blonde hair was smooth like always, but her smile was off. Sister Mary Eunice's smile was always shy, like a schoolgirl, but today it seemed almost sensual, like she knew something I didn't. Her eyes were also different, the Sisters eyes held all her emotion, but now they seemed empty and dark. Her whole demeanor had shifted into a cold and unusual being. I could almost feel the heat of the dark energy radiating from her body. I've seen glimpses of this being throughout the week, but I haven't been able to get close enough to Sister Mary lately to confirm it, and now I don't want to believe it. She was possessed, I know because I've seen it before. Two years ago to be exact, when they brought in a young girl named Chelsea who had killed her whole family in a fit of "rage." Truth was she was possessed. I snuck into Dr. Arden's secret room to watch him and Monsignor Howard perform the exorcism on her. Her demonic screams and bruised and bloody face with her pitch black eyes make appearances in my dreams sometimes. Poor girl never made it through, they never do.

I wanted to scream, maybe even throw a fit. It just wasn't fair. The only true innocence in this damned place is now gone forever, but taunts us all with the shell of the person we all truly adored. I know speaking out wouldn't help anyone, no one would believe me. I would just get thrown into the isolation room and Sister Mary Eunice would still have a demon inside of her. She is a lost cause, and I will mourn for her. I won't have a kind ear to talk to anymore. No one will brighten up my mood with a smile. Now I' m truly alone, and it's the worst pain I've felt in a long time.

"Are you going to check me out all day, or are we actually going to talk?" The Demon Sister sniped harshly at me. It knew that I knew the secret; great. It leaned towards me, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear with a sly smirk on its face. If I shrunk back from the touch, I couldn't help it. This thing wasn't Mary Eunice; it wasn't the kind and patient woman I wanted to talk to. No, I want this thing latching on to her soul sent back to hell.

I turned my body away and leaned back onto the sofa, crossing my arms over my chest almost childishly. Maybe if I ignored it, the thing would leave and go pretend it was Sister Mary Eunice somewhere else. I looked over the room again and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw Dr. Thredson sitting with one of the patients. Lana, her name is Lana. I studied them together, watched as their heads got close together to talk in low whispers, and watched as my Doctor put his hand comfortably on her shoulder. Wait, my Doctor? We shared one tender moment and a couple weekly therapy sessions and he's my Doctor. I can't afford to think this way. I need to find a way to get out of this place, not a reason to stay. But oh, what a reason to stay it would be. He was the kind man who listened to me babble about my nonsense every day. He was the handsome man who laughed at me softly when I would somehow always trip over the threshold walking into his office. I swear that threshold is cursed…

"So, have you figured out that Thredson is fucking the lesbian, yet?"

My head whipped to the side so fast it made a sick cracking noise. "Ouch, you okay there, whiplash?" that snarky bitch. I had forgotten fake Sister Mary Eunice was still sitting next to me. "He's not doing anything with her," I whispered, "They're just talking." It smirked and shrugged its shoulders. "He's helping her out, all right. The Doctor is helping her with her condition." The asshole demon stood up to leave but bent down to whisper in my ear, "and let me tell you, Cat, Thredson has private lessons with her every single night." With one last smirk, it turns on its heels and struts across the room.

Private lessons… Looking up at the two again, I can't help the sting of jealousy that tightens my chest. They looked good together, that's for sure. Lana has the classic lovely looks of a thirty something year old woman. Her dark hair and curvy body was what most likely what filled Thredson's dreams at night. Compared to my scruffy twenty-four year old self, why wouldn't the doctor want her? Leaning my head back against the sofa, I close my eyes and pretend I'm somewhere else, but this time my mind can't conjure up a place to take me. It's just darkness, how ironic, and dull.

Maybe, I can pretend I'm dead. Will myself to stop breathing and let them take me away on a cold steel gurney. Then I would be out of here, I could be as free as I ever will be. I wonder if anyone would cry for me. Probably not, Sister Mary Eunice would still be possessed and Dr. Thredson would be too busy treating Lana. I would be alone. So damn alone.

Someone just sat beside me.

I keep my eyes closed and my head against the sofa; I couldn't care less as long as they don't try to talk to me… wait.

Cinnamon and smoke.

I tried to ignore him, I did, but his body heat was giving me the chills and I could feel the smooth material of his shirt rubbing against my bare arm. "Catherine, it's almost our session time. Let's walk to my office together"? I could feel his warm breath against my ear. I kept my eyes closed. I gasped when I felt his hand slide into mine, opening my eyes I watched as the Doctor stood and pulled me up off the sofa with him. The room was empty; all the patients had been escorted back to their rooms. Keeping my hand in his he led me out the common room doors and we walked in silence down the hallway. I wanted to take my hand away, but I didn't want to ruin this surreal moment. Dr. Oliver Thredson was holding my hand and I never wanted to let go.

"Dr. Thredson I was wondering..."

"Oliver, please call me Oliver from now on, Catherine." Doctor Thredson interrupted with a slight smile.

My stomach did a flip. "Oliver… I was wondering, is everything okay between us? I know our last session was a bit…overwhelming."

Oliver's walking pace started to get faster; forcing me to almost speed walk. I don't know if the doctor had even realized that we had just passed his office.

"Everything is perfectly fine, Catherine, in fact this will be our last session."

My heart turned cold. How could this be our last session? I was scheduled for at least another week… Maybe Dr. Thredson decided to hand me over to a new doctor. Maybe I'm crazier than I thought I was. Or could it be he wants to spend more time with Lana? Is she more important to him, does she demand more of his time.

"Catherine, whatever you are thinking, stop." Oliver says, stopping abruptly, I was so lost in thought I slammed right into his chest.

Taking my face into his hands he says, "I can't handle the pain in your eyes. Just know that you will be safe now. I will take care of you."

Wait, what? Pulling my face away from his hands, I realize we are at the front door entrance. Where's the guard? My heart is racing and Oliver has a huge slightly unnerving smile on his face.

"Catherine, I'm taking you away from here. "

I'm paralyzed. He takes my hand and pulls me out the front doors. I'm running on autopilot, I wanted out of this place more than anything and now it's happening. But, it's not on my terms. I hadn't planned for this.

The sun slightly burns my eyes and black dots are swirling in my vision. Oliver holds my body close to his as we hurry down the steps. My body feels heavy, I feel like I'm dreaming and if it wasn't for Oliver's tight grip on me, I would most likely fall straight down onto my knees. My vision clears up as he firmly pushes me into his vehicle. He slams the door shut and sprints to the driver's side. Deep breathes, Catherine, deep breathes." I put my burning face on the cool window, breathing puffs of air to fog up the glass till I get lightheaded.

Once he shuts his door, he turns on the car and we smoothly roll down the road leading back to the main highway, away from here. I don't turn back to look at Briarcliff, its better left as an old dream.

Oliver turns his head slightly to me, grasping my hand in his and says, "Briarcliff is no longer your home."

I ponder for a minute; feel the smooth road moving underneath us. My hand feels strange in his. "Where is my home, then?"

Oliver is quiet for a few minutes; I look out the window, its getting dark now, I long to see the moon, huge and glowing with its many craters.

"Catherine," Oliver's voice brings my attention back. He has that unnerving big smile on his face again, except his eyebrows are drawn in making him look… evil; I suddenly feel so cold. His eyes are black and wide, and his voice is deeper and raspy. I hadn't noticed how untidy his hair has gotten. Strands stood out at awkward angles, no longer was it slicked down. The dark shadows from outside were hitting his face in all the wrong ways. A big dose of fear shoots through my body. He looks like he is the escaped asylum inmate.

"Your home," he says turning the car into an almost hidden path leading through a forest, "Is with me."

Deep breaths, Catherine, deep breaths.