Sugar And Spice // Ratched

Guidance or Self-Gain?

The next day, Amora almost didn't show up to work. She had never felt like not wanting to go to work before, but she almost didn't pull herself out of bed that morning.

Nonetheless, it would only draw more suspicion to what she's been doing, and who would she be if she didn't put the well-being of her patients before herself? Although, she didn't know who she was at all as of late.

She made it to work on time, and entered the building with dread. No one was staring at her accusatorially, no one was giving her grim looks of disgust, no one was even batting an eyelash in her direction. This relieved her in some way as she prepared herself in the locker room as she did every morning.

Eleanor was making small talk with another nurse as Amora finished prepping herself for work. She clocked in at Nurse's Station One, settling in as Eleanor accompanied her there.

"So, it feels like we haven't seen each other in weeks." Eleanor commented with obvious hints of boredom laced in her words. "What's been going on with you lately?" she wondered, slouching in the seat behind the front desk of their station.

Amora only huffed out a quick breath of air as the humor settled in. "We work together once a week," she rolled her eyes. "and somehow, too much." she sighed, leaning back on the desk as she faced her friend.

"Well you aren't one to gossip, but do you wanna talk about it?" Eleanor wondered politely, her adoring gaze making Amora feel terrible about not telling her what's been bothering her since besides Huck, Eleanor was her best friend.

"I love you, El, but I've gotta keep this one to myself for now." she admitted drowsily.

"You just seem really distant, and sad sometimes, concerned a lot too." Eleanor advised. "I'm just a little worried about you is all." those big brown eyes were so caring and adorable, Amora couldn't not share the same adoration.

It unnerved her how observant Eleanor was, because she wasn't too good at reading people, and she often got hurt when someone wasn't there to tell her what people really mean when they say things. People are manipulative, and Eleanor was too trusting for the cruel world of Lucia.

"I'll be alright." she tried to brighten the mood and distract herself from the inevitable scolding Dr. Hanover was bound to give her. She was shocked he hadn't been anywhere in sight after the guard told him what he saw Amora doing with Edmund, and she was just dwelling on the mess she was unravelling.

"How about you? Any new patients you've been assigned?" she tried to move the conversation from her own problems to Eleanors.

She smiled sweetly before wrapping a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Only another one on one, which doesn't make much sense because I don't really see the guard but if the patient fought enough to need constant surveillance, I don't know why they would be so invisible." she explained.

"Self-endangerment or unwilling participation?" she asked in response.

"Both." either of the nurse's giggled. "He's young though. I think he'll come around eventually." she stated confidently.

"Have you seen that young boy with the dark hair? He can't be any older than a pre-teen." Amora was reminded of the young boy she met the day Lily Cartwright was brought in with that other woman, an older man, and that boy.

Eleanor looked at her sympathetically. "Yes, poor kid, he has schizophrenia and Dr. Hanover is trying to find new ways to cure him."

"Schizophrenia?" Amora shot back incredulously. "I've never met a kid with schizophrenia, it's almost always overlooked or misdiagnosed when they're so young. And he's sure it's schizophrenia?"