A Thousand Skies [ Mike x OC ]

For some, the truth is an unsettling idea to digest. Positive reinforcement cannot undo the damage he has already inflicted upon his physical and mental states. The days seem to grow shorter, and the nights longer, as if the internal demons arise to drag him back down into the depths of Hell itself. At his lowest point, his happiness can only be attained by a thin, white line and a short, but addictive rush.

In the rehabilitation wing of St. Valentino's Hospital, those struggling with narcotic dependency are normally admitted to a three-month long program consisting of assessment, detoxification, and ways to prevent further substance abuse. Although recovery length differs between person to person, the well-trained staff of therapists and practitioners at St. Valentino's Hospital are committed to assisting those who are in need of mental and emotional support.

However, when Mike Zacharius arrives with a hindering cocaine addiction, short temper, and severe depression, a majority of the staff are uncomfortable accepting him as a personal patient. Thirty-two and struggling to stabilize himself, the medical staff are far from helping in regards to Mike's conflicting issues and situations. Attempts at forming healthy relationships with the male end in failure, and soon, medical staff are exasperated in finding a solution to Mike's behavior.

Running out of options, the doctors sign him up for a bi-weekly group session with their youngest therapist on-site, Caitlyn Avery, in hopes that her sympathetic nature could quell the tension between Mike's attitude and a possible relapse. Willing to accept Mike into her small group despite the accounted number already, Caitlyn is in for more than she bargained for when she's pitted against Mike's suicidal intentions, abrasiveness towards the other patients, and inability to cooperate.

The road to recovery would be arduous for both parties, even if the benevolence of one outweighed the discord of the other.