Tw- mentions of suicide, car crashes, fire, Death  Patton's just REALLY sad (patton also makes me question existence- ;-;) (remember Patton is an emergency responder so stuff like this will be featured often)- (if you need me to post a summary for any of this let me know or comment here,)

Patton sat on an armchair comfortably tense about the reason for being in the chair, just like every other week, Ozzy was sleeping on his lap as he pets them with a squeaky pur.

Emile cleared his throat coming back with two cups of tea giving one to Patton and the meerkat companion sitting in another chair next to Emile, Patton took a nervous sip,

"Hello Patton, do you how do?" Emile asked and Patton sighed, "not good, how about you Emile?" Emile frowned slightly," I'm doing alright but now may I ask why you're not doing as alright?" Patton put the mug on one of the two tables,

"Just the usual, work, the silence, sleeping" Emile leans back, "what may I ask about work this week?" Patton sighed, "Emile I'm an emergency responder, have been for a while, when is work not bad?" He questions, "I'm always on a call, seeing horror to just plain sadness every time I go to one. I know the job I have isn't a pleasant one but... it makes you wonder how people do all the things I've witnessed." Patton said curiosity laced his voice, also coated heavily with sadness,

Emile nodded softly, continuing to nudge Patton along, "I've seen crashes to fires to suicides and overdoses, I don't know about you but once you see so much death it starts making a lot of life more meaningless, I can walk to the store to buy milk and still get hit by a car, I can stay at home and fall over and break my neck, death's inevitable, and it's difficult to break a mentality like that."

Emile nodded softly and invested in listening to Patton.

"So when I see that stuff I thought I'd be desensitized to it by now but.. every death every time I've gone to a gory crash cus someone thinks a seatbelt doesn't work it's almost as bad the first time I ever got sent out" Patton explained his voice shaking as tears threatened to fall.

"Every person I can't save adds weight to my chest that I just can't remove because it's meant to be my job to get them to a place where they can live, the main part of my job is to save lives... But I feel like it's getting harder and harder to keep doing this without fearing one day I might be called and the person I need to get to that hospital is my soulmate" He said not seeming to be ashamed of the tears now flowing, "and if I can get them to help in time or not, their life is in my hands and what if I choke up, what if I break Emile?"

His voice cracked at the emotion and desperation heavy in his voice, Ozzy was bunting him with soft desperate squeaks giving his human companion some love, Patton hugged Ozzy close trying to get his bearings again, Emile had to take a deep breath, Patton was one of those people who had every right to be sad much like everyone else, looking at the guys past it would be surprising if he wasn't going through some things aside from work. Especially since he was left on his own before he even started college which in the end he couldn't go through with.

Patton remained silent, petting his companion, "Have you considered taking any leave from your duties as an emergency responder?"

Patton looked up at Emile already shaking their head, "no I would never, I can't leave this job, Emile, you know that it's my life" he says "I didn't even go through college and get my degree to remember? I wouldn't be able to do anything else" Patton explained

Emile considered why he wouldn't want to leave the duties behind and it lined up with his parents,

"Patton, I never asked you why you chose to pursue the career you have so vigorously, may I ask why?"

Ozzy noticed Patton's instant discomfort, "my parents... they were in a crash one night after going on a date when I was young. My Gram Gram said I was 6 at the time it happened" Patton whispered "the ambulance managed to get them to the hospital but the doctors and nurses said there was nothing they could do... so they made it so they passed away with no pain next to each other inches away from holding the other's hands"

Tears fell from Ozzy's little eyes as they hugged Patton who cried into the little otter. Emile felt teary-eyed after the story too.

"My gramps and Gram Gram raised me without hesitation, until my gramps died when I was 14 and Gram Gram followed not long after when I was going to college, over the time there my mental health went downhill badly and decided college wasn't the place for me, and it's been Ozzy and me ever since." Patton surmised once he could calm down.

Emile nodded a look of sadness in his eyes, "this is why you want to find your soulmates? so it's no longer just you and Ozzy?" Emile asked softly, Patton hesitated but slowly nodded with a small sniff reaching over and grabbing a tissue.

Emile cleared his throat, "well maybe you could get some time off to explore the small town you haven't experienced in a positive light, all you see are the total numbers of people you haven't been able to save or help but from what I've been told by your higher-ups you're a hard worker and have had more people survive thanks to you than any other operator. But they want you to take a break."

He moved to his computer which had the screen turned off during most sessions, he pulled up an email with Patton's higher up voicing concern for Patton's health both mentally and physically, it took Emile a second to process what was being said before his worry spiked

"Patton, what do they mean by physically?" Patton's eyes bugged out in shock, "I-I guess they could be meaning my arm.. but it's fine! Really! It is. I promise" Ozzy stopped cuddling his human companion, looking at Emile shaking his head urgently, to the point of running down and squeaking what Patton seemed to detect was the opposite of his own claims.

He moved quickly, reaching and picking up the Ozzy, silencing him with a final shocking squeak and Patton took a sharp inhale before unconsciously rubbing his shoulder.

Emile exchanged a look with Timone that said many words with nothing but a stare, 

"Patton we're writing a form for a month at the least of leave"

He reacted instantly letting go of Ozzy who seemed pleased with the idea. "What why? I'm fine to work, a shoulder like this is fine to work with, it's not even swelling anymore-"

Emile cut him off "Patton your mental health and your physical health is taking a toll with your job, taking time off may be what you need to get back into the swing of your prefered job, or you could spend some time looking for a less strenuous career, but we will need the doctor to see if you need to see a physician."

Patton groaned, "I don't need to go to the doctors o-or a physician, I'm fine Emile I am I just pulled a muscle is all," he said.

All three looked at him unconvinced making him cower, "please stop looking at me like that," he whispered snapping both Ozzy and Timone out of the exchange,

"Patton, I apologise but I need to do this, you are my patient and you are in very dangerous territory, you have no time for yourself and Ozzy and when you do, you don't do much except stay in the house, which I would be fine with- but you haven't interacted with anyone outside of your work."

Patton looked at his hands wringing them together nervously, "but Em, if I'm alone then it's quiet... I can't have that much time off, what would I do! I can't just go looking around in search of something! And is it really necessary for me to go to the doctors? I don't think I need to"

Emile leaned back in his office chair with a raised eyebrow, glancing at both Patton then Ozzy who had both tired looks in their eyes, "yeah Patton I'm sorry to say this but your leave, if confirmed by your work which I feel like would process the request faster than a lioness after its prey." He said softly,

Patton rubbed his hands over his face with a sigh, "Alright whatever, I guess that's all for our session today Emile?" He inquires and Emile nods,

"Indeed it is Patton, I'm sorry for ending it on such an odd note, same time next week?" Emile offers and Patton shrugs it off, "yeah whatever."

"I'll call your GP and get an appointment organised soon for that shoulder of yours, and send that request for time off, you and Ozzy should go out and have some fun? I've heard theres this nice cafe near a flower shop, it's pretty popular and has some really nice food, I recommend"

Patton nods "ok, thanks Emile" Emile smiles seeing him out into the waiting room talking to the receptionist,

"Heya Patt, how was your session?" he shrugged, "about as well as I'm surprised it would be Cassidy."

(AN - can we give it up for Kitkat4406 for putting up with my lazy procrastinating self? also they have written a new book! so read it! it's good! Also I apologise for this taking so long, I actually rewrote the entire chapter- so.. that was fun- )