Searching For Sanctuary

9. Touches

Doc was rushing about his office, trying to figure out what to take and what to leave. Bringing Aisling back to the institute would be quite the task, and he wasn't sure if it was something that he would be able to handle on his own. He was muttering under his breath, growling as he bumped into the corner of his desk, grazing his side against the wood.

There was a knock on the door that startled him, causing him to bump his side against the wood again. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm the nerves that were building up inside of him. When he opened his eyes, Sister Elizabeth stood in the threshold of his office, leaning against the frame of the door with a tilt to her head that said "You're losing you mind, Doc".

Doc sighed heavily, turning his back to the woman in the doorway. He shuffled some papers into a pile on his desk, sweeping them up. He dropped them into a manila envelope and sealed the end. Just as he was about to place the envelope in his bag, Sister Elizabeth's voice froze him.

"You can't take those with you, Doc. You know that."

Doc threw the envelop back on the desk, watching as it slid across the wood until it knocked into a stack of books. He took his glasses off and rubbed his bloodshot eyes, hoping to wipe away the pure exhaustion. He fell back into his chair, not bothering to do so gracefully.

"Sister, it would just make things so much easier." Doc sighed.

Sister Elizabeth hummed in agreement as she settled her body into the chair in front of Doc's desk, opposing him. She folded her hands in her lap neatly, watching Doc's body sag in his chair. His posture was defeated and his office matched. Papers, books, and pens were strewn across the room, covering the linoleum floor and black, leather couch against the side wall.

"The papers have to stay here, Doc. All you have to do is bring her back to sign them. As long as she is in your care out there, she'll be fine. She needs to get out of here. I'm sick of her, the patients are, and the attendants all think it would be best for her to leave. I've tried my tactics to make her better and so have you, none of them worked. There's only one thing that has and can continue to change that girl.

"Harry."

Aisling's POV

"Aisling, it's time to go. Come on!" Harry called from the other side of my door, rasping against the wood.

I was scrambling in the room, digging through my bag for something else to wear. There was no way in hell I was going to wear this monstrosity. There was another sharp knock on the door that froze my actions, arm still inside my bag. Slowly turning and looking up, I saw Harry standing in the doorway with a smirk gracing his lips.

"I've got a key for every room. After the many times that I've been locked out by a certain SOMEONE, I figured I would get a key for every room in my flat to save me from having to go through it all again."

My eyes drifted from his smile to the silver key that was pinched between his fingers, glinting in the light, mocking me. I grimaced and looked back up at Harry whose smile seemed to have grown. Trying to look discrete, I moved my hand around in my bag, fingers running over different things in search of spare clothing that would save me from the embarrassment that was currently adorning my body.

"Aisling," He started, gaze now firmly locked on my bag. "Give it to me."

I staggered to my feet, clutching the bag to my chest. I took a few steps back to put some distance between us, but he stepped forward. My eyes were warning him, sending him a message to back off. He stepped forward as I stepped back. I was holding the bag tighter, tempted to shove it behind my back so it was out of his reach.