My Silent Partner

Chapter Four: Find Out

Perry bit down the old fears as his door opened once again. He had actually opted for a little bit of light today, though it was already beginning to grate gently upon his sensitive eyes. He pulled his arm up and experimentally tried to move his fingers. They didn't quite flip the way he wanted, but he struggled to not think about it.

Thinking about it only meant he had something to deal with, and at this point, Perry didn't want to feel the hardness of pain anymore, didn't want to miss JD anymore, and he didn't want to think about any of it.

Which was why the currently numb look on his face made Dr. Taylor frown as she walked in.

"I hear you've finally decided to start talking again," Dr. Taylor mentioned as she sat down beside of Perry's bed. She balanced her clipboard over her knee. "Your friend's decided to stop all together."

"Not surprising," Perry mentioned. "With a girly voice like that, can you blame him?"

Dr. Taylor sat back at the casual insult. "So you don't think of him as your friend?"

"He's a resident," Perry replied easily. "Should I think of him as anything else?"

"You were held with him for a very long time. And you've both been through quite an emotionally battering experience," Dr. Taylor replied casually. "I would think that once you decided to talk, you'd have more to say then insults."

Perry shrugged. "Not the first time you've ever been wrong."

Dr. Taylor nodded, scratching something down into her notes. "You're certainly interesting, to say the least. Both of you have simply been rude once you decided to speak to me."

"Should I have been anything else? You're a crack-job psychologist that I remember raking over the coals because you wanted to coddle a transplant patient."

"Perhaps they needed coddling." Dr. Taylor looked up again, trying to keep her stance open and friendly. "Why the decision to speak, Dr. Cox?"

"Because I felt like it?"

"That's an easy answer," Dr. Taylor went on. "Would you have a reason why Dr. Dorian would suddenly clam up?"

"Not really. I'm not in the kid's head." Some part of Perry told him desperately to stop what he was doing, to tell Dr. Taylor why JD was so quiet now, why he had decided to speak. "I'd assume he's sick of talking to you."

"Why so hostile?"

"Because you're a moron."

Dr. Taylor made a "hmm" noise beneath her breath and through her nose. "So what happened while you were in the room with Thomas?"

"So you know his name and acknowledge him now, do you?"

"I've read his file, yes."

"He kidnapped Dr. Dorian and I. He held us in a bathroom for three weeks. He did all this to me, did all that to Dr. Dorian. Any questions?"

Dr. Taylor made a note of the rushed explanation and the slightly ill look behind Dr. Cox's easy face.

"Why do you think Thomas did that?"

"How the hell should I know? Do I look crazy?" And Perry shoved away the voice that laughed at himself maniacally, telling him how crazy he really was.

"You certainly seemed to have made a snappy come-back from two days ago."

Perry shrugged again and leaned back in the pillows. "I'm sick of the hospital, and I'm sick of you. What can I say; I had reasons. I can't be in here forever."

Dr. Taylor shrugged at that as she made another note. "Very snappy turnaround," she mentioned quietly, and turned her face back to Perry's. "You don't think it's a bit quick for you to be acting this way?"

"Different people recover at different speeds," Perry replied with a steely smile. "And unless you've got something more productive to do other then look at me like I'm some whack-job you're actually making worse, I'd suggest you waddle your over-the-hill fat ass out of my room."

Dr. Taylor shook off the harsh comment easily. "I'll see you tomorrow, Perry."

"Dr. Cox."

Dr. Taylor didn't respond as she walked out of the room, thinking slightly faster then her hand could write. This was only helping her theory in the long run, if Perry was so easily able to snap out of trauma victim so quickly. While it was entirely possible (and did cross her mind briefly) that he was simply shoving it all down, the other option (more likely in her head) was that he hadn't been much of a victim at all in the first place.

Dr. Dorian wasn't faring as well anymore, however. In the past two days, he hadn't spoken more then one word, and his brother was getting frustrated with both Dr. Dorian and Dr. Taylor.

Dr. Taylor frowned. Dr. Dorian had seemed to be improving for a while, until his brother showed up, that is.

Tapping a pencil against her chin, she lost herself in thought as she entered her office.

XXXXXXXXX

Dan struggled to push away his frustration as he prepared to enter JD's room in the morning. He took deep breaths as he stood there, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. This was just all too much. Christ, he had things to do with his life too; he couldn't spend the rest of his time in a room with a silent brother.

Christ, it just wasn't fair. Coxer was supposed to be the difficult one, not Johnny. Johnny was a sweet kid, smart kid…hadn't he told Coxer that just years before?

"Something the matter?"

Dan jumped, and found himself looking at Paige. "Just thinking."

Paige sighed, sensing the tension from Dan's body. She hadn't been doing so hot herself; Perry had seemed to snap out of it all too quickly. It was just enough to remind her of why they hadn't spoken for that long period of time.

Still, Paige drew her resolve in to try and help Dan. "Johnny being difficult?"

Dan shrugged. "At least your brother's talking."

Paige rolled her shoulders as she cocked a hand to her hip. "After giving Dr. Taylor a verbal beating, he turned on me and I left the room."

"That's one way to shut him up." Dan chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully, thinking about the psychologist. "I'm not sure I like that woman."

"Who, Dr. Taylor?" Paige raised her other hand when Dan nodded. "She's a psychologist; I'm sure she knows what she's doing." Still, the blonde woman frowned. "What does she ask Johnny about Perry?"

Dan eyed her for a long moment before he answered. "I don't think she knows that Coxer's just as much of a victim as Johnny is."

Paige snorted. "That's…somewhat misguided. She's still trying to help him, isn't she?"

"Why don't you ask Coxer about all of this?" Dan asked irritably. "He's talking."

"Because Perry doesn't talk about what happened or say much about his visits with the woman." Her glare changed almost imperceptibly, but it was enough to make Dan feel like he'd just ticked her off. "And I'm asking you because if she's a moron like Perry says, then don't you all think alike?"

Dan blew the insult off. "What makes you think I know anything more then you do?"

"Because you should be looking more into your brother's care. What if she's doing more harm then help?"

"She's got a medical degree," Dan remarked. "That counts for something, doesn't it?" Before Paige could reply, Dan had his hand on the door to get away from the uncomfortable notion. "I've got to go in and see Johnny. Later."

Paige closed her mouth irately and rubbed her temples with her hands as she walked to Perry's room.

"Hey, Johnny," Dan said amicably as he sat down beside of the quiet man in the bed. "Gonna talk today?"

JD sidled a look to him that was both wary and annoyed.

"Damn it, Johnny…this isn't funny anymore. Why won't you just talk to me or whoever?"

JD rolled his eyes at that, and turned on his unhurt side.

"Oh, real mature. And you say I'm the one with no drive." Still nothing. "You're driving me crazy here. I'm trying to help you; hell, I don't even want to be here and I'm still here! Damn it, you're killing me."

JD still said nothing, glaring at the shut blinds of the window. He had slipped his hands up his chest to cover his ears imperceptibly, dragging the hoodie over his eyes as he did so. Back to being dark, back to being safe, and Dan's words couldn't hurt him or remind him here.

Here, he could be safe in the darkness and sanctity of his own mind.

Dan stamped his foot petulantly, feeling all of three years old as he did so. His brother still didn't look at him, and Dan flopped back into the chair.

"Johnny…I don't know how much longer I can keep going around like this with you. This is a lot heavier then anything I've ever had to handle, and I can't be here for you if you keep acting like this."

Dr. Taylor watched quietly from outside the window, noting Dr. Dorian's withdrawal from his brother and the angry stance of the older sibling. She sighed uncomfortably, trying to ease an ache in her neck from poring over Thomas Alexander's file in comparison to the work-ups for both Dr. Cox and Dr. Dorian.

Dan growled finally, and snatched his jacket from the chair at JD's lack of response to the heartfelt-if a bit off base-confession.

Dr. Taylor caught him on the way out, speaking quietly with the angry man. The conversation seemed to escalate, drawing the attention of other nurses and doctors.

Carla peered from around the corner with a frown as Dan threw his hands up in the air, flipped the woman off, and trudged to the elevator angrily.

Dan didn't return that afternoon, or at all.

XXXXXXXX

Turk rubbed his lower back, groaning as he leaned against the couch in his apartment. Carla was still at work, which meant "Turk-time". Guilt immediately dragged against his heart, remembering vaguely that if JD weren't in the hospital, they could've possibly gone out for drinks.

Carla had mentioned something about Dan shirking his brotherly duties, and that Turk ought to poke his head in to see his friend more often.

Turk frowned, feeling the guilt again. He didn't want to see JD like this, not this broken shell that used to be his friend. Something about JD had irrevocably changed, would always be different. He wasn't the man he was before.

With another sigh, Turk stood again and winced as another ache drifted down his lower back. His last surgery had involved much kneeling over, and it was killing what was left of his back.

Turk groaned; he shouldn't feel this old. A bath would probably help matters though, and he wondered idly if JD had left any of those bath salts that he was so fond of using. No matter how girly they smelled, they worked wonders on sore muscles.

Whistling after he'd turned up the least girlish one he could find (sea breeze…?), Turk entered the bathroom and promptly screeched like a girl.

"Hey, Chris," Dan slurred from the tub.

Turk stared at him incredulously. "Oh, hell no, man. We are so not doing this all over again! Get your ass out of the tub!"

Dan only pushed around in the water for another beer. "Hey Chris…grab me a six-pack, would you? My wallet's in my jacket."

Turk still stared. "Man, didn't you hear me? You're not doing this crap here again. Get out of the tub!"

Dan still didn't seem to be paying any attention as he looked for the rubber duckie. "Did First Mate Quackhead finally drink himself to Davy Jones's Locker? Poor little duckie…bet he didn't talk all the way down." Dan chuckled to himself in both a delirious and drunken manner.

Turk sighed and sat down on the toilet. "Come on, Dan…JD needs you right now."

Dan glared at him and snorted. "Johnny doesn't need me. He won't even talk to me."

Turk felt the empathy rise immediately; JD hadn't spoken to him either. "Man, I can't help you with this right now either; come on, get out of the tub."

Dan didn't listen, and began searching for a non-bathwater, non-backwash beer.

XXXXXXXXX

Jordan reluctantly allowed Elliot to help her from the car, cheeks still burning.

"Come on, there's no need to be embarrassed," Elliot said quietly and cautiously. "I do this at work all the time."

"I only asked you because Danni couldn't make it and Paige was busy with Perry. I didn't trust anyone else," Jordan snapped at her. "I can make it from here; thanks." She wobbled her chair sloppily to the backseat and grabbed her duffel bag from the back to throw it hard onto her legs.

She had periodically been treating them as roughly as possible, as if the more she abused them, the faster the feeling would come back. It had resulted in ugly, large bruises that now ran over her thighs, knees, and shins.

There was a particularly beautiful one in the shades of green, brown, and purple over her left hip.

Jordan suddenly sensed that Elliot was still behind her. She sighed and whirled the chair around as best as she could, nearly tipping it over in the process.

"Leave me alone, precious. I can make it up to my apartment by myself."

"Are you sure you're even ready to go back in there though?"

Jordan snorted at her, even though the very idea of going back into that building had been repugnant from the beginning.

"There is a wheelchair ramp, stick," Jordan retorted, and began wheeling herself up said-ramp.

Even though she knew Elliot was still behind her, Jordan didn't care to pay attention this time around. Ignoring usually pissed people off, didn't it?

On top of that, however, Jordan was eyeing the hallway surreptitiously, and busied herself at the mailbox in the foyer to keep her eyes from drifting down the hallway. She wondered if they'd ever removed the bloodstains from the carpet. Her mother had mentioned them with distaste when she had gone to visit Paige (who, in her mother's opinion, was very…"similar" to Perry).

Jordan smirked inside as she spent her sweet time going through the mail, ignoring Elliot's concerned face. She imagined her mother's remark of Paige and Perry's similar attitude hadn't been a compliment.

"I didn't know you were that slow of a reader," Elliot commented as she leaned against the mail slots.

Jordan turned her face up to her and glared. "I'm not allowed to look through my mail for a minute? Didn't I tell you to buzz off?"

"Where did it happen?" Elliot asked quietly, looking down the quite hallway.

Jordan didn't respond right away, watching it play out with ghostly figures in the foyer. She remembered stepping off the elevator, head pounding and mouth dry from dehydration.

And suddenly, desperately, she needed to talk.

"I was coming out of the elevator to pick up mail," Jordan finally said, voice tight and shrill. "Coming out of it, I ran into some guy, yelled at him, and then saw what he was doing."

Elliot nodded silently, but didn't offer any physical comfort.

"And you know, I didn't think it was them at first. They'd been missing for three weeks; how the hell was I supposed to know? Blindfolded, gagged, and their hands tied behind their back. You ever know that there's something wrong with someone just by the way they're sitting?"

Elliot shrugged, but still gave a quiet nod. "Like they're just trying to stop from screaming?"

Jordan shuddered in the wheelchair, hands gripping the wheels tightly. "Yeah, I guess so. JD shoves Perry to the side; they must've both been so weak. I just…I just stood there. I couldn’t move."

"You couldn't have made the risk," Elliot said quietly.

"What if I had?" Jordan pointed out, chest aching as she wheeled herself closer to the spot. She peered carefully at the floor, watching as Perry hit the ground first. JD had let out a muffled cry against the gag, but two shots later, and he was lying down too.

Blood had been spilling everywhere as the tall, skinny man had turned back to her.

Jordan looked at the spot she had been standing, could remember as the little piece of metal tore through her neck as she twisted. In hindsight, if she hadn't twisted at all, she might have died.

It surprised her how much she wished she hadn't turned at the last minute.

"He shot them both, and then shot my neck." Jordan stared at the ground, and realized that they hadn't quite managed to get all of the blood from the carpeting. It would have to be replaced. "And then I watched him walk out, like nothing had happened. Like he was headed for the store."

Elliot jammed the elevator button sharply. "He didn't have to shoot you."

Jordan laughed bitterly as the elevator opened and she wheeled herself in. "He was crazy. Before he shot the boys, he'd said the world didn't end with a bang, but a whimper. Before he shot me, he said that maybe that was wrong."

Elliot shuddered at Jordan's numb tone. "I'm staying tonight."

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "I didn't ask, and my apartment's not an open invitation."

"I'm tired of you telling me what to do with this. You need someone right now that cares about you and not what kind of person you're going to be in a wheelchair."

Jordan only turned away, mostly because Elliot had hit the nail on the head. As the elevator doors closed, she swore she caught the skinny man's face turning a calm smile of white teeth back to her.

XXXXXXXXX

Paige frowned when Dan didn't show up in the morning, as was his routine. He usually arrived shortly after she did, they went through a morning routine of comparing their siblings, and agreeing to meet for lunch.

But Dan never showed.

Paige walked over to the nurse's station in thought and flagged down Laverne. "Hey, have you seen Carla?"

Laverne raised an eyebrow. "She got transferred to pediatrics over a week ago, sweetie."

"What for?"

"She didn't listen to one of the doctor's orders," Laverne replied. "This is old gossip, honey."

Paige chewed on a thumbnail, and threw her hand down irritably. She hadn't done that since she'd moved out of their parents' house. As she entered Perry's room again, she looked at the hospital bed with a sigh.

The memory was still sharp, seeing his young, bruised face in the bed with a broken arm, courtesy of a baseball bat.

Perry noted her staring, and didn't say anything about it as he sat up.

Paige jumped when he moved, the small boy in the bed replaced by the man that he had become.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

Perry snorted. "Like I want to get out of here and get back to work."

"You know it's too soon for that. What'd Dr. Yancey have to say about what kind of function your hand would have?"

Perry didn't reply to that, staring at what was proving to be a useless hand. He hadn't been able to feel much in his fingertips, and the fingers wouldn't maneuver the way he wanted them to.

"So when am I getting out of here?" Perry asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I would imagine whenever Dr. Taylor thinks you're ready," Paige answered, thoughts turning in her head. His attitude was all too familiar, and it concerned her. "Perry, you haven't really talked to anyone. You need to."

Perry snorted. "I'll deal with it just fine on my own. There's nothing more to deal with. Where's Jack?"

"Jack's at pre-school; you know that. Perry, you need to talk with the psychologist more."

"She's an idiot."

"Then we'll get a different one, and-"

"Oh, hell no," Perry cut her off. "You've done your sisterly duty by staying here with me for the past couple of weeks, but the minute my foot hits the pavement outside, I'll see you home."

Paige glared at him. "You can't possibly sit there and tell me that you're okay."

Perry stared at her, different thoughts flitting over his face that he knew she wouldn't catch. But it still made him feel better as he tapped his fingers over the sheet.

Unfortunately, Paige gripped his hand. "You're still doing that. And that kid's not even in here."

"Leave JD out of this."

"He's a part of it; he's not talking at all anymore."

"Not my problem," Perry replied simply, and felt his stomach want to cave in at that. The guilty shame was almost immediate, and coupled with a horrible concern, it made him want to puke. "The kid's strong; he'll get over it."

Paige sighed and flopped in the chair. "You can't just ignore this until it eats away at you like you ignored our father."

"Hey, I don't bitch at you about your methodology of dealing with him. I'd ask you to return the favor."

"Like hell you never bitch at me about religion."

Perry raised an eyebrow. "Generally, I just ignore the whole God thing. I was talking about your republican status."

Paige rolled her eyes right back at him. "If you're so fine then, what's under your bandages? Why won't you let me see?" She felt guilty satisfaction drift through her as the color drained from Perry's face.

"Because it's nothing but a bunch of lacerations; that's why."

"Oh, am I too innocent and naïve to see something that terrible? Are you just trying to protect me now like you always did?"

"Drop it, Paige."

Paige glared hard at him, fist clutched tightly around her purse strap. "I honestly don't know which one of you two is crazier; you or Johnny."

"Who the hell is Johnny?"

"That kid down the hallway that you still ask for in your sleep."

Perry felt his cheeks flash hot as he glared at her. "If all you're going to do is stand there and yell, you can just leave."

Paige stood firmly. "I'm not running off just because you've ordered me to. You're just shoving everything away now by arguing with me."

Perry rolled his eyes at her. "Suit yourself," he finally muttered tightly, and leaned his head back on the pillow. He shut his eyes and hoped that sleep would take him.

But in the three days since JD had last made it to his room, Perry hadn't slept much. When he did doze, he had nightmares that were so realistic that he often woke up with a scream caught in his throat and pain racking his chest until his stomach rolled over.

Very much like his body was reacting now as he struggled to ignore Paige's yelling. He finally whipped around to glare at her again.

"Paige, why don't you take that bible and shove it where even the Son of God doesn't shine?" He flipped back over and ignored her incensed reply.

Paige clenched her fists hard, resisting the urge to screech. She slammed the door behind her as she walked out, and kicked at the wall with a frustrated grunt. She had thought it had been difficult the first time she'd had to visit Perry in a hospital.

Then again, the last time that had happened, she had been twelve and he'd been nearly seventeen and ready to take off on his own.

Paige walked into the ladies' restroom and locked herself in a stall. She folded her hands together tightly, forcing her mouth against her knuckles to keep herself from venting out loud shots of frustration and memory. Her teeth scraped lightly on the skin, bringing her slowly back to an even temper.

She leaned her forehead against the cool metal of the stall with a heavy sigh, linked hands drifting between her knees. At twelve, she hadn't been able to help him much more then offer up her own childish innocence that everything would be okay.

Paige knew better now, and lifted her gaze back to the ceiling. Hardening her resolve, she got back to her shaky feet, reminding herself that the childish innocence still worked; it only had to come from different people this time around.

Pushing open the door, Paige took a deep breath and entered Perry's room again. He didn't look at her, and she approached the bed slowly.

Paige had his name on her lips with the question about his current state, but that was when she noticed his shoulders were shaking. He was curled slightly on the white sheets, one hand grasping at his shoulder as if to still the trembling that ran through him.

It was the wet, choking cough that came next that made Paige back up again. Difficult didn't begin to describe the hard ache that ran through her chest to see her older, stronger brother suddenly become the weak one in need of help.

Paige told herself she left the room again because he needed a moment to collect himself. She knew what a lie it was though, felt the guilt and anger run through her like a raw stream of hurt, and didn't look back as she rested against the wall outside of his room again.

Fear was there too, and she steadfastly pushed it back down as she left him alone.

XXXXXXXX

JD frowned when Dan didn't come back to the hospital, but figured his brother had finally opted for the bathtub route again. Most of him wasn't surprised, but there was a small part of him that felt disappointed and more alone then ever.

Perry had broken the silence first; JD shook his head in the darkness at that. It wasn't fair. They were going to be fine as long as they didn't talk to anyone else.

And now Dr. Taylor probably thought even worse of the older man then she had previously. JD rolled over to his back.

Dr. Taylor had said as much in the room that afternoon. She hadn't asked about Dan again, or even about Thomas. She had asked mostly about Perry, trying to note different changes in JD's face and body as the questions went unanswered.

JD stared up, not able to see the ceiling for the thick black material that lay over his eyes. He didn't have the strength to fight against everyone anymore. He didn't want to deal with Dan's inability to really sit down and help for more then a few days without running away like a scared little boy.

JD snorted at his thought. Dan was supposed to be the older brother, the protector. Fat lot of good that had ever done him.

Carla had left too, and JD winced underneath the hoodie on his face. That had been his fault.

That didn't excuse Perry, however. Perry was supposed to be helping him too, supposed to look at him in the silent darkness and understand what was happening to him. Perry had always understood.

And now Perry had snapped back from it all too quickly, trying to pull away from everything that happened like it was all a bad dream in the first place.

JD turned again uncomfortably. He wondered how well that was working for the man. Even so, JD knew he wasn't thinking much about it either. He couldn't, not without Perry there.

In the darkness of the room, hard sorrow punched his gut and made his heart skip a beat. Breathing became difficult, and JD wondered idly if he could make himself die if he willed it. JD dug his fingers into his palm to try and alleviate the utter loneliness streaming through him, feeling physical pain yell at him through his palms as his nails dug hard into the skin. He lifted a hand up, pushing the hoodie from his eyes.

Dimly, he could make out little half-moon bloodstains in his hand. He pushed at it with a finger, dazedly fascinated with it for a moment.

He realized a moment later that he'd forgotten about everything else during that brief moment of flashing pain.

JD shook his head sharply; that wasn't the way he was supposed to heal. Still, it had felt good, and he didn't have to think when he was concentrating on how much a physical wound hurt.

Perry had left him alone. That was why he did it. It was Perry's fault somehow; it had to be. Perry couldn't deal, and so his solution was to leave JD alone?

JD bit his lip hard, rewarded when a sharp pain brought him away again and his mouth filled with metallic liquid. Maybe he didn't hate the mental patients so much anymore.

And maybe, if he played his cards right with Dr. Taylor, he'd get out of here soon. Dr. Taylor was a simpleton by most standards, and JD knew how to play psychologists, didn't he? Hadn't he seen a million mental patients do the exact same thing? He knew the hospital policies; he could elect to discharge himself, whether treatment was done or not.

Unless Dr. Taylor found him mentally unfit to make the decision.

JD frowned, plan going awry. She most certainly would. He sighed and struggled to recall the feelings and sounds of Perry's heartbeat against his face again. It wasn't as clear anymore, and the need to see the man was as hard as his need to breathe.

Oxygen wasn't coming easily to him now as it was. The thought again entered his mind to simply stop breathing. Medically, it was impossible.

JD tapped his fingers against the sheets in silence, staring up again as he felt something unnamable slipping away from him with each beat of the heart.

XXXXXXXXX

Perry struggled to stop the trembling of his body when he'd heard Paige leave the second time. He was weak, to let it out like this. There were easier ways; there had to be. Worst of all came the darkness of the room but no human contact in the bed with him.

He hadn't realized how hard it would be to not see the kid anymore until JD was no longer there.

Now, his skin tingled and his system felt like it was full of raw, angry nerves that turned over in howling protest every time something touched him that wasn't JD's hand.

Perry bit down hard on his knuckle, tasting blood and sweat as saliva dripped over the fingers. This was harder then he'd thought it would be.

But hadn't he dug his own grave now? He'd shoved everyone away that he could; JD, Paige, that stupid psychologist…

Perry sighed and wrapped his other arm around his chest. It wasn't the same, he found, and he tried tapping his slightly-numb fingertips against his own arm. It still brought no relief, and he buried his face into the pillow to get away from what little light there was in the room.

It only made it more difficult to breathe, and as Perry shoved breath after breath from his mouth, JD's absence became more and more known. The kid would have come in by now if he were coming at all.

Perry shook his head against the pillow, swearing at the wet fabric that rubbed hard against his face. His teeth felt dry now; he hadn't realized he'd taken any of the pillow casing in.

Something in his chest was screaming at him in a horrible, achy voice that threatened to snap his spirit in two if he didn't see the kid for himself to know he was okay.

Maneuvering on the bed slightly, Perry scraped at his face again to rub the moisture from it. Maybe it was time he tried to sneak out of his room tonight instead of the other way around.

Perry leaned back on the pillow, watching as his eyes slid closed and took him back to safer memories of darkness and JD.

Yes. He would sneak out tonight.

XXXXXXXXXX

Paige looked at the apartment door hesitantly, and then raised a hand to knock on it lightly.

The door opened, revealing an irate Carla. "Paige? What are you doing here?"

"I figured Dan would be staying with you. Is he here?"

Carla snorted and opened the door to allow her passage. "You could say that."

Paige raised an eyebrow as Carla pointed to the bathroom. "I'll wait for him to come out."

Carla snorted again. "Fat chance; he's been in there for three days."

"Is that normal?"

Turk shrugged from the couch. "Given the circumstances, sure." He looked over, eyes running over the familiar face and similar eyes. "Paige?"

Paige nodded irritably. "Astute, Buddha."

"Gandhi." Turk could've kicked himself.

"Mohammed then?" Paige didn't wait for a reply before she poked her head into the bathroom.

Dan was, in fact, sitting in the bathtub, beer in one hand and rubber duckie in the other. He looked up at her with a drunken grin as she entered.

"That's…that's…so…sad," she muttered and crossed her arms.

"Uh-oh, First Mate Quackhead, she's crossed her arms! Shiver me timbers and wash the poop deck!" Dan seemed to laugh at himself. "Poop deck…"

Paige rolled her eyes and exited the bathroom hopelessly. "That's…weird."

Turk shrugged as he sipped from a beer of his own. "That's normal for Dan. I'm surprised he's lasted this long."

"Carla," Paige finally asked after rolling her eyes to Turk, "Drinks?"

Carla shrugged. "Sure…I guess. What's wrong?"

Paige pulled her out the door as Carla snagged her jacket. "Perry doesn't get to have all the fun, does he?"

Carla felt nervous as she shook her head no. "I don't guess so."

"Where's the nearest bar?"

Continues with Chapter 5