damned_institute | Day 38: Doctor's Office 6 [Dr. Wilson] [Fourth Shift]

Naturally, any improvement in demeanor Mikami might have experienced while leaving lunch wasn't allowed to last. The moment a nurse stopped him from entering the Game Room with the rest of the patient population and began leading him instead to a hall he had seen on his map but never actually been to, his train of thought gained a whole new set of wheels.

He'd been chosen to talk to a "doctor" by himself. The fact that the hospital did that sort of thing wasn't really a surprise since he had already seen the appointments worked into the daily schedule, but as he was escorted along while the nurse babbled about how certain she was he and "Dr. Wilson" would get along, he regretted not looking into the matter more beforehand. In any case, he wasn't prepared to waltz in sporting an underestimating attitude like he had with his "visitor" two days previous. He wasn't even sure how much they knew him and his role as Kira's supporter, and he spent the time while walking mentally racing through every detail provided so far about his false life and the psychological issues that had supposedly landed him there.

Unfortunately the walk wasn't particularly far, and before he knew it they had arrived and he had been ushered in. "Takanaga Temote, Dr. Wilson," the nurse practically sang, then closed the door. Mikami remained glued to the spot as he regarded the man behind the desk, trying to avoid looking uneasy despite practically radiating stiffness.

From the minute that this new patient was led into his office, Wilson could tell that it was probably going to be a difficult session. He really hated when it felt like pulling teeth, but that happened more often than not here. He was fairly good at reading body language, he thought, and he could tell that this patient was resistant to this whole concept of therapy. Though with some of the strange things that patients had expected out of it before, he could understand to an extent.

Making sure he looked relaxed in a hope that it would cause Takanaga to loosen up a little, Wilson extended a hand out and made a sweeping motion with it to coax the patient forward. He pointed out the chair and the couch - they were both pretty comfy, after all.

"Please, go ahead and sit down. It's not going to shock you or anything." Hadn't Caleb thought shock therapy might be involved? These patients were all so mixed up - but they were here for a reason, obviously.

"Of course," Mikami said mildly, cooperating in walking to the chair and sitting down. However, he felt slightly insulted at being assured he wouldn't be "shocked." Ridiculous. That was always the act though- friendly, helpful, and casual during the day, and nothing short of a horror movie brought to life when night fell.

The type of lifestyle Mikami led and his own inherent mindset wouldn't have allowed him to do much of anything but show light disdain at the relaxed attitude, and he straightened his glasses and journal once settled. He was no amateur in what he did for a living, and he remained strictly formal, exhibiting whatever professionalism could be expected from someone wearing the equivalent of grey pajamas.

"No doubt you too will insist on calling me by something else," he continued, "but my name is Mikami Teru. Mikami is my family name." He couldn't actually remember hearing his false name in full before the nurse had announced it just then, and was surprised that they had seemed to keep it in Japanese order. In any case, he wondered if his real name showed up on his "paperwork" at all. Did they know about his work for Kira? He leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me, Dr. Wilson, what do you actually know about me?"

The strict behavior wasn't something that Wilson was used to, at least not here. The man come off as less of a mental patient and more of -- well, the file did say he had once been a lawyer, but apparently "Mikami" thought his life had taken a huge turn recently. Which must have been what got him landed in this place.

"A bit," he responded, flipping the file open as he leaned back in his seat. He wasn't being necessarily unprofessional, as far as he was concerned; just relaxed.

"Mikami Teru. A successful prosecutor, your life was apparently normal, if rigid, until a string of unexplainable murders started occurring around Japan. You became dedicated to the one responsible, and apparently cooperated with him eventually?" He glanced up to judge the man's reaction, not sure if he would be surprised to know how much information they had about his condition.

He hadn't even gotten into the whole thing about death gods and writing names down in a special book, but he figured they would go one step at a time.

What?

Mikami's most obvious reaction to that was to simply raise his eyebrows, although he couldn't help from stiffening slightly, hardening the grip on the journal in his lap. He hadn't been sure just how this man would compare to the other staff he'd had contact with, but now it was clear that he was far more dangerous. That sort of information wasn't commonly known amongst the more "mundane" staff as far as he knew; the nurses had never let on before that they knew anything about his real life. It seemed obvious to Mikami that Dr. Wilson may have even had a hand himself in sending him the mother who should have been long dead and crafting the twisted story they had tried to press on him. As he had expected, they knew exactly how to hit him where he least expected it.

Simply by virtue of what he was, Mikami didn't like being expected to answer questions, but for the sake of the conversation and to further understand the situation, he did so.

"If by 'cooperated,' you mean putting the names and pictures of criminals online, then yes, I suppose that's right," he said quietly, and any possible humor was absent, shut down by the serious level of devotion he felt toward Kira, rather than any uncertainty. Using the internet to help bring criminals to justice was technically a secret, but it should have been obvious to pin him as one of those people for anyone who knew his line of work and feelings toward the subject. He'd been on the television before... his love for Kira was hardly kept under wraps.

However, he had also made it fairly obvious that he was working for Kira under his god's own personal orders. It was supposed to be obvious, for those who were tailing him. And so if Landel's people knew, it wasn't particularly surprising. However, if that was in his file, along with any connection between Yagami Light and Kira.... He eyed the papers for a moment before returning his gaze to the doctor who was still clearly gauging him for reaction. If there was anything certain, it was that Mikami wasn't going to forget what this guy looked like. Trying not to lose stride, he continued where his last sentence had left off.

"Surely you can recognize doing so is hardly in the wrong."

Apparently something he'd said had struck too hard, even if Wilson hadn't intended for that. The patients always seem surprised by how much the hospital had on record about their delusions, but Wilson didn't understand why. Someone had brought them here in the first place, after all - and whoever it was who admitted them, whether it be family member or friend, must have noticed some sign of their mental illness.

But these patients were delusional. What they were actually aware of before coming here could be very vague.

As Takanaga finished his comment, Wilson glanced over at him curiously. "I can't say either way, really." He knew for a fact that there had been no mass murderer in Japan recently, since that was the sort of thing that would certainly make national news. "Maybe you could explain the situation to me?" Then he might be able to give an opinion one way or the other, if that was what the patient was looking for.

Mikami leveled a cold look back at his doctor and folded his hands. He'd dealt with doctors before, although of course the one he saw regularly would certainly have been quickly replaced had he ever tried anything not strictly dealing with the physical aspects of Mikami's visits. Receiving a psychological analysis was the sort of thing that should have been reserved for the type of people Mikami hated. He didn't want "help" and saw explaining "the situation" pointless, considering Wilson would pretend not to believe any of it anyway.

"I don't think so." Blunt, and perhaps a little more stubborn than he would usually shown in a response, but Wilson's act seemed so blatant itself there wasn't much more to be done.

However, despite his resolve, Mikami was irritated at something he saw as a blatant mistake in what Wilson had said previously. He recognized where it likely came from, considering he was fairly certain that he was the first from his world who did not either believe the alternative view on Kira or was pretending to as cover. Still...

"Although if you're going to insist I'm delusional, I would appreciate it if you would fix your files so that they at least speak the truth," he practically announced, "Killing criminals, mysterious or not to the average man at first, is not murder. It's justice."

That was how it was going to be? Well, there wasn't much Wilson could do about it, since he wasn't the sort of person who bullied his patients into doing what he wanted. It was obvious Takanaga was going to be a difficult case, and that seemed even more cemented when he continued on to "correct" him.

Wilson had a hard time not staring the man down for a moment; instead, he looked away. He worked with emotionally distressed people all the time, but this sort of behavior wasn't something he was used to. For one thing, the man was so set in his belief that the murder (killing) of criminals was right. That made him come off as even more insane, in Wilson's opinion.

On the other hand, wouldn't some completely sane people agree with what Takanaga was saying? Wilson had to admit to that, even if he was opposed himself.

"Justice," he echoed. "Why do you think that? Because they got their chance to do the right thing and didn't take it, so they deserve to die?" That sort of logic (if it could be called that) was cold, and as someone who had to face death as a part of his job, Wilson couldn't believe that judgment should be passed so simply.

The attitude characterized by Wilson's careful indifference had long since failed to surprise Mikami, although certainly it was frustrating to come up against. He was perfectly aware that many people did not share his views, but still, even a "popular" opinion held didn't make a value right. One of his favorite men in history had stood up to one of the most evil organizations in the world, and there had been many people then who thought they were doing the right thing even as millions of others had died by their hands.

"People who hurt others must be punished," he said, subtly straightening in his chair as he did so. "Time and again it has been proven to me that as people age, the harder it is for them to change their ways." Suddenly he paused as if he'd said too much. He glanced away briefly, and perhaps for a split second he might have believed so too. But in the next moment, he realized the opening might allow for the doctor to make revelations of his own. What did they know about his past, about the instances that had proven his place of favor in the eyes of his god?

"So why do you think I believe that?" he asked, a mild frown beginning to form as he once again leaned back.

Everything that Takanaga said made perfect sense, so it was the extreme he was taking his ideals to that changed him from having a strong opinion to being mentally ill. Or that was what Wilson could gather, just from what he was hearing here.

When the question was turned back on him, though, the doctor had to pause for a moment. He didn't mind being on the defensive, but he did want to give an accurate answer. He skimmed the file for a moment before looking back to the patient.

"It's all black and white, right? But as far as I can tell, there are always going to be exceptions, or times when the choice isn't that simple." Trying to rope in his life in such a way might make it easier for Takanaga, but it wasn't going to help in the long run.

"Anyway, I agree that people who are harmful need to be punished, but why by death?" he asked.

Once again Mikami found himself staring back at the doctor with a look icy enough to sink the Titanic. The answer to Wilson's question was obvious enough to him, at least, and unlike most of the other "patients," Wilson likely didn't even have the luxury of never having heard the name before. Even his "mother" had mentioned it, and Mello had mentioned that Kira was the link that tied he and the others from his world together. Although Mikami didn't trust the young man, in this situation there was probably little reason for him to have lied.

"They must die because that is what Kira's actions decree," he said simply, and thought of his mother's death alongside the others who had been unrighteous, even before Kira had begun to make himself so publicly known.

Takanaga's ideas were disturbingly simple. It was the sort of thing a sane person couldn't subscribe to, even if it might have been a load off not having to question yourself all the time.

But why all of this devotion to Kira? The man's file was littered with the name. "And why do you idolize Kira so much? What drew you to him in the first place?" It wasn't like he had all of the details down on paper, after all, and if he kept working at it maybe he could start to get an idea of how this man's mind really worked, and why it worked that way.

Valyn's slightly eager calm began to break when his nurse gathered him after lunch for his therapy. Not because of the therapy itself, but because of the warning he was given on the way. He had a new doctor starting today, some name he wasn't familiar with.

That caused him to pause and internally lock up. Unlike most people here, Valyn had actually benefited from his sessions with his doctor. It was undeniable that he had a plethora of issues, after all.

As he was pushed gently through the door, Valyn turned to inspect the man he'd been turned over to. Nothing special stood out about him, and Valyn hesitated in the doorway, his expression unreadable. He'd come so far with his previous doctor, how was he supposed to continue this when he didn't trust this man? Ancestors above and demons below, even when this place pretended to help people, it was all just a facade!

Just like Takanaga, this new patient - Aubrey Hill - was acting more like a spooked animal. Wilson wasn't too fazed by it, since he had gotten even the most dubious patients to open up after some work. On the other hand, there were those who would never let their guard down, no matter what happened.

He wasn't sure what sort Aubrey would be, but Wilson was going to give his best effort either way. "Go ahead and come in," he said, figuring it was pretty obvious that there was nothing threatening about him. He was probably one of the most inoffensive doctors around here, which only made Wilson cringe when he thought about how House dealt with these patients.

"You can take the couch, if that's more comfortable," he said. It was a little further from the desk, which might make the man feel better about stepping further into the room - he could still keep his distance.

Valyn nodded and sank down to the couch, holding himself stiffly. He folded his hands on his knees, his body angled forward as though he were ready to leap up at a moment's notice.

This was, to say the least, a setback. It had taken a great deal of effort for him to come to trust - at least in some ways - his previous doctor. Now he needed to start all over again, and now was not a good time to be dealing with that.

"I was making progress with my other doctor," Valyn said, not knowing what else to say. Did this man even know what had been discussed, what he was dealing with? Would he allow Valyn at least the pretense of not being mad?

Or would he just insist that Valyn was a danger to himself and deluded?

Wilson watched as the young man settled onto the couch, noticing how tense he seemed and realizing that he would have to tread carefully with this one. He had been preparing to say something, but Aubrey beat him to it.

"Right, you were transferred from Dr. Huang," he said, glancing down at the man's file as he held back a sigh. It was always hard to pick up where someone else had left off, especially if the patient had liked their previous doctor.

"Would you mind getting me up to date on what you two discussed, then?" He knew that it might be hard to summarize something like that, but at least this would give him an idea of how committed or reluctant the patient was.

Wilson personally didn't know what had happened to Dr. Huang, and he hadn't been given any details about it. That seemed to be in bad taste, but he hoped there was no foul play going on.

"We focused on my family," Valyn said, his expression unreadable. "My father, primarily, and my...sister." He didn't know if this new doctor had all those little notes Dr. Huang had taken, so Valyn sighed a bit and continued in more detail. Perhaps this new man could help as well, and he'd already said all these things to Dr. Huang anyway. And by the ancestors, he was going to get whatever he could out of these sessions!

"My father was abusive, both mentally and physically. It started when I was very young and continued until I ran away from home. He was a pervert who delighted in displaying his abhorrent nature at every chance he was offered. I have a physical and romantic attraction to my half sister, which she returns. I've thus far avoided pursuing the relationship, but there have been times where it was...difficult." Not that it mattered now, he supposed, but it was something he'd discussed some with Huang.

"And I am, as Dr. Huang phrased it, 'severely emotionally stunted'."

Family did tend to be the root of most patients' problems, in one way or another, so Wilson wasn't surprised to hear that. The way the recap was rattled off was shocking, though - mainly because Aubrey held hardly any expression as he explained things that should have been shameful, embarrassing, and humiliating.

On the other hand, it was possible he did feel those things, but just didn't express them. Dr. Huang's "diagnosis" seemed right as far as Wilson could tell. Now, whether these things that Aubrey had explained were real or not, that was a question. On the other hand, for the moment they were real for him, which meant that they needed to be dealt with before any more progress could be made. Chances were that these issues, even if fabricated, had some basis in Aubrey's real life, so...

"I'd say so," he responded after a moment. "Stunted, but not without emotion, it sounds like." Even if feeling something for his half-sister would be considered wrong in most - if not all - societies, at least he was able to feel. Sociopaths weren't easily cured, as far as Wilson could tell.

"So, would you like to continue discussing your father and your sister, and who would you want to start with? Or are the two problems connected?"

"No, not without emotion. I feel things - quite acutely, I assure you - I simply can't express them. Dr. Huang and I didn't come to any resolutions regarding my family, so I suppose that may as well be where we pick up." At least this new doctor hadn't made any mention of the scarring welt across his throat, or the fact that he was supposed to be suffering from madness.

"I suppose my father's a much larger influence in my life than my sister," he said, settling back some and adopting a more relaxed manner. Still, he held himself as though they were chatting about the weather. "My sister and I didn't grow up together - she was the product of an affair of my father's. Though I suppose I can't call it an 'affair', he had divorced my mother years before." But that was what this place referred to it as, at least as far as he could tell from his visit with his father.

"I saw him, over the weekend. My father, I mean. He came to visit me. Apparently he's very upset with me that I'm in need of your institute's services. I think he takes it personally - if there's something wrong with me, it will reflect poorly on him. That's my father for you, though. He only sees things as how they relate to himself. I may be emotionally stunted, or however you'd like to describe my particular affliction, but my father is without empathy or morality. I don't know if any of this is in your notes, so please stop me if I'm simply rehashing things you're already aware of."

At least he seemed easy enough to talk to. And he knew others would consider him crazy, but it helped to talk to some stranger like this.

If there was one thing that Wilson was good at, it was listening to someone speak and remaining completely calm and attentive, no matter how long they went on for. But this was something that happened to be interesting, especially since he was starting to see some similarities between Aubrey's father and House's. Although House's father wasn't quite this bad, the man had still done quite a number on his friend.

"It isn't in my notes," he clarified, though he wished it was. Aubrey couldn't be enjoying going through all of this again, but hopefully they could rehash it quickly and then move on to something new. He imagined the visit wasn't something he got to discuss with Dr. Huang, and so he focused on that.

"So, if your father is disappointed that you ended up here, then why did he bother to visit you? Was it just to lecture you?" That seemed like a lot of effort to go to for a son that he was scorning, but parents could function in strange ways sometimes. Wilson could only be glad that his own parents had done well by him, even though some of his siblings hadn't turned out as well.

"And to ensure I'm progressing in my treatment," Valyn explained, remembering his father's reasoning for being there. "He wanted to make sure I wasn't getting up to trouble. And to berate me over the stress I'm causing him simply for being in need of psychiatric treatment." If there was one good thing his father's visit had done, it was to allow him to pick up on the proper terms and manner of speaking for this strange world. He'd given up trying to convince anyone on the staff that he wasn't crazy, and being able to use proper terms for things went a long way in making him at least sound perfectly sane.

Or at the very least not delusional. He hoped.

"I know my father well enough to know why my problems upset him. First, as I mentioned, it's an embarrassment that reflects poorly on him. It's most likely in my file there somewhere, but he's a politician of some note. It's a rather cutthroat society, and having an insane son is nothing he wants to be common knowledge. Apparently everyone back home is under the impression I'm studying abroad for a graduate degree." Whatever that meant.

"Secondly, my father abhors any sign of weakness. It's why he was very adamant I not show any emotion - it's a weakness, you see. He couldn't abide my mother because she was 'weak'. She was mentally ill as well, though not the sort that can be treated. It's why he divorced her a few days after my brother and I were born. I've never even met her, to be perfectly honest with you." And he didn't think he wanted to. If his grandfather was a kind man, the entire ordeal had been wiped from her mind.

"But besides all of that...my brother is more interested in drinking and gambling and chasing women than anything else. Father has been grooming me since I was very young to follow in his footsteps. I'm...an investment. He likes to keep a close eye on his investments. And according to him, he's paying a great deal of money for my stay here, and wants to be sure he's getting his money's worth."

Wilson could certainly understand if a parent was stressed by their child being ill (he was faced with worried patients often enough, even as an oncologist). However, Aubrey's father didn't seem to be stressed for the right reasons at all. It was all about status, about his name, and the fact that a mentally ill son would make him look bad. Wilson had come across that sort of thing too, of course.

The fact that his father was a politician made it that much worse. He imagined the man was paying all sorts of money to keep this under wraps, and apparently he even had a cover story ready.

Hearing that Aubrey's lack of expressing emotion was something that had been bred in him by his father was taking it to a whole new extreme, though. Wilson could never fail to be shocked by how much some parents screwed up their kids, and House would probably call him naive for that. But even though he'd heard story after story, the blow never really softened.

"I... see," he responded once Aubrey had finished, eyebrows furrowed as he thought it through. "So why were you the one he chose as his... investment? Are you the older one?" That seemed archaic, and it also didn't seem fair, but maybe the man had figured he could only focus on one child, and so he let the other one run wild. "And what do you think: has your treatment progressed at all since you've been here?" It was something to consider, especially if Aubrey's father was so dead-set on his recovery. Though that might just make the patient less motivated to get better, if only to spite his father.

"I don't know," Valyn admitted. "Pure chance, most likely. My brother and I are twins; I guess I was just lucky." His father had chosen him, and his brother was carted off to their mother's people. He doubted anything had gone into his father's selection. If there even had been one, and nothing more than 'take one, I'll keep the other'. But he certainly couldn't get into that.

"And really, my brother is...well, I suppose a lost cause. We aren't terribly close, but it's been some time since I saw him sober." Grandfather let him run rampant. Valyn didn't understand it at all, but he supposed it was none of his business.

"As for my treatment...well, you're the doctor. I do believe I've made progress, but I'm something of a biased opinion. I know who I am. I'm Aubrey Hill. I understand the difference between what's real and what my mind tries to tell me is real. I can't claim I remember everything that happened before I came here, but believe I remember enough." From everything he'd seen of how their supposed 'real lives' went, he imagined it was something along the lines of attacking his father or some such.

"Honestly, I'm more interested at this point in undoing the damage my father has done. I...am not happy with myself. I am frustrated and I am angry at my inability to express myself the way I'd prefer." And it was rather impressive that he'd managed to admit even that. But Dr. Huang had been very agreeable on focusing on that particular problem, rather than his supposed delusions.

"And of course my other...familial problems, so to speak."

A lost cause. That was something Wilson had heard before, even said before. He didn't think back on his brother often, and it certainly wasn't something he was going to mention now, but he couldn't help but notice the similarities. Over ten years, now. There was a good chance he would never see the man again.

Pushing his own thoughts to the side, the doctor continued to listen. It did sound like Aubrey was making a lot of progress when it came to his rehabilitation, though Wilson did have to admit that he was wondering if it was just lip service. A lot of patients took that route, though it was difficult to tell when they were being serious or not.

"Undoing that damage is a great starting point," Wilson agreed. Even if Aubrey did feel sane, there was obviously a lot of abuse that he needed to work through before he would feel comfortable returning to society and dealing with his father.

But it seemed like Aubrey wanted to talk about his sister now, and so Wilson turned to that. "Right, you mentioned that you were separated and didn't know each other, so when did you and your sister first meet?"

"Half a year ago, or so, when I ran away," Valyn said, knowing from his talks with Huang that that rang true in 'both' his lives. "We ran into one another. I remembered my father's mistress, from when I was younger. And I remembered that when she became pregnant...well, my father wasn't happy, we'll leave it at that." How Serina Daeth had managed to escape, Valyn still didn't know.

"I could see the family resemblance, and the age and location and other small facts were too accurate to be coincidence. She had no idea, and...I didn't tell her. She began pursuing me. I would gladly give in to her attention, were she not my sister. And even that argument sometimes seems to wear thin. There was one night when we were simply on my bed together, talking, and she turned to me..." he trailed off, looking away, years of cultural stigma and shame creeping up on him. Even in a 'safe' environment he found it difficult to admit.

"I was very tempted," he finally finished with.

Despite the touchy subject (most people couldn't get past the idea of incest, regardless of the circumstances), Wilson was careful to keep his expression plain as he listened to what Aubrey had to say. So his sister hadn't known, but he had... And she had developed feelings for him. That was definitely a tricky situation, especially since Aubrey felt the urge to return those feelings.

"Your situation is unique, though," he pointed out. "You two only met when you'd already grown older. I think a lot of the stigma of it has to do with the fact that a person would want to... be with this person that they grew up with," he explained. "And there are all other sorts of biological and cultural reasons too, of course.

"But I think that the question of whether consensual adult incest is right or wrong is something that people have struggled with for a while," he pointed out. "Though I'm not sure if your sister is officially an adult..." In which case that brought up a whole other slew of problems.

"Yes, she's an adult!" Valyn said, looking more affronted by the suggestion that she wasn't than anything else so far. "She's only a few years younger than I am." What kind of man did this doctor take him for? Shana was what, seventeen? She had been an adult by Elven standards for some time.

"I'm well aware it's wrong to be attracted to a sibling," he went on to point out. "Regardless of whether or not you grew up as siblings. The genetic issues alone are enough to make it...skin crawlingly off limits." He knew all of this. He struggled with all of this nearly every day. Though he didn't understand what the doctor was going on about at first. What did it matter if you slept with someone you grew up with? But the genetic and legal aspects...well, Valyn was well familiar with them.

"You must trust me, Doctor, these are things I spend a great deal of time thinking about. Nearly ever since I met her."

Wilson certainly hadn't meant to offend Aubrey, but it was a valid question, and he was just relieved to hear that his sister was old enough to be making such an important decision. Even at adult age, though, this obviously wasn't something that it was easy to figure out, especially if a person's emotions were fighting against what logic told them.

"I'm sure," he agreed sincerely, not wanting to make light of this in the slightest. "But it's sounding like you still haven't sorted it out. What does she think about it? And what do you think?" He might as well get the whole story before he started commenting on it either way.

The genetic issues were certainly a problem, though some people argued that it wasn't as pertinent now that there were so many forms of birth control. But even with that, it still wasn't something people could swallow.

"She doesn't care," Valyn admitted, honestly. "She says we weren't raised as siblings, we don't see one another as siblings..." He shrugged. Shana couldn't seem to grasp why he had such reservations. And she pushed him.

Honestly, he supposed all he really wanted was someone saying 'it's alright'.

"She has a far more lax view of the situation when I do. I'm sure you can see the difficulties there."

"So she can't understand why you have so many reservations about it," Wilson responded, letting out a small sigh. The whole situation was problematic by nature, but Aubrey didn't seem to have any luck at all when it came to his so-called love life.

"So what is it you're looking for?" he asked, realizing that he needed to pin the patient down now that they had gone through most of the explanations. "Do you want to come to a point where you look at it the way she does, or do you want to try and smother those feelings?"

Either way, it was going to be hard, but Wilson was guessing that it was the former. If Aubrey's sister really cared about him enough to not let incest stop her, then he couldn't imagine it would be easy for the young man to flat-out tell her that he didn't feel the same anymore (and to actually believe it when he said it).

"I don't know." Valyn shrugged. "I'd be lying if I claimed I wasn't attracted to her. But how can a man reconcile feelings of desire for a sibling when society tells us it's one of the greatest taboos? I know the most healthy course would be to try and eradicate the feelings altogether. But I can't honestly say that's what I want."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"In the interest of full disclosure, I suppose I should mention I'm involved with my cousin, as well."

It was more or less what Wilson had guessed at, though he didn't think he could give Aubrey the go-ahead on something like this. In the end, the patient was going to come to his own decision, since people followed their feelings no matter what other people told them, if those feelings were strong enough.

But maybe they weren't, and maybe they would fade after the guilt ate ate him for long enough. All Wilson knew was that he was glad that he wasn't in the man's shoes. He'd slept with one of his patients once, but he liked to think that was above incest...

The mention of a cousin really got him raising his eyebrows, though. "Involved with...?"

Day 38: Doctor's Office 6 [Dr. Wilson] [Fourth Shift]

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