Problem Solvers

mea culpa

Therapy was something Vanya looked forward to. It was no longer frustrating or confusing. Now it was a place where Vanya and her therapist worked together to... well, to deal with her family.

"I love Allison," Vanya said. "I really do. But I also hate her? Like, a lot."

The therapist, Mrs. Duchemin, nodded sympathetically.

Nuff said, Klaus would have quipped.

But Duchemin did not share the sentiment; "You have opposing conflict resolution methods."

"Yes," Vanya said. "I know Allison means well, but she's so manipulative! That's not healthy, right?"

"It's not healthy," Duchemin agreed.

"I mean, Amber Alert? Really?" Vanya said. "I can't believe she told them Five had been kidnapped."

"They seem to have a lot in common."

"Who?"

"Allison and Five." Duchemin raised her eyebrows. "Don't you think?"

"What? No."

Duchemin tilted her head and said nothing, so Vanya thought about it.

"I mean," Vanya said. "they're both really stubborn. They both have a sort of 'the end justifies the means' mentality, is that what you mean?"

"Yes," Duchemin said. "And they're both avoidant."

"Allison's not avoidant."

"She's not?"

"She can be very in touch with her emotions," Vanya said. "You know she's been to counseling too? Though for her it was court ordered."

"Because of the custody battle?'

"Yeah," Vanya said. "She's not going anymore, but I think the whole experience taught her what communication is supposed to look like."

"What is communication supposed to look like?"

"You know, being honest and direct," Vanya said. "And she's been trying! Things were actually going really well between us before Five left."

"Speaking of Five," Duchemin said. "How is he?"

Vanya sighed. "He's Five. He won't listen to me."

"I see," Duchemin said. "And how is Dolores?"

Vanya frowned. "Uh, I don't know?"

"He doesn't talk about her anymore?"

"No," Vanya said. "Do you think that's a good thing?"

"She's a benign personality," Duchemin said. "An angel on his shoulder, a voice for his conscience. If she were truly gone do you think he would absorb her opinions, or lose them?"

Vanya squirmed in her seat. "I would prefer it if he kept them."

"Why is that?"

"Because she's the part of him that knows he's messed up," Vanya said. "Like, she knows he's hurting himself and she tries to stop him. But maybe it's useless? He just ignores her anyway."

"I don't think he ignores her," Duchemin said. "He wouldn't share her thoughts with you if he did."

"He usually does, then." Vanya fiddled with the zipper on her jacket. "If he, what did you say? Absorbs her?"

Duchemin nodded.

"If he did that would he be better off? Would he take care of himself?"

"I don't know," Duchemin said. "But at this point he's spent so many years disassociated it's unlikely their personalities would be able to merge."