Jack awoke on the office floor, muscles aching. He picked himself up off the ground and cracked his neck and back, stretching, getting out all the cricks. As he was stretching, he took a look at the clock. Jacks eyes practically bugged out of his head when he realized it was 3:45. That gave him much less than an hour to get her before he had to meet Signe at the pub.

He scrambled all around the house, pulling on pants while brushing his teeth and tying his shoes while running out the door. He quickly grabbed a light jacket as he slammed the door shut. He ran to the bus stop on the corner and saw a bus just about to leave. He sprinted to it and made it on just before the driver closed the doors.

He found the nearest seat and slumped into it. He gasped for air, peering at his watch again. Three fifty nine. Jack furrowed his brow and let his watch hand fall back into his lap. He was going to be very late."In a wee bit of a rush?" The driver called back to him. He pulled out of the bus stop and headed towards the next one.

"I guess you could say that." Jack breathed heavily. The driver looked happy at Jack's reply. "And uh, I tink I saw ya on da web de oder day." His accent was thick but it was nothing Jack wasn't used to. "Oh really?" Jack said. "Yea, I saw ya yelling at de camera. Top o da morning to ya ladies!"

Jack laughed. "Yeah, not many people know me around here. I don't mind." The old man turned the corner, heading towards the Athlone Home for the... Different. "Ya so humble. Good quality with a popular man like you."

"Oh, I wouldn't say I was popular." Jack blushed. "Precisely what I'm sayin lad." He chuckled as he stopped at a red light. He turned around in his chair to face Jack. His expression was soft and loving. He had on a child's smile. "Could I boder ya for a signature? It's for me little grandchildren."

Jack smiled back. "No problem." He signed a small slip of paper and signed it Annie and John. The light turned green and the old man turned into the home. They both thanked each other for a wonderful time. And with that, Jack sprinted off the bus and to the entrance of the home.

He stepped inside and the smell of clean hung in the air. Jack almost gagged at the smell. Instead he bit the inside of his check and walked up to the counter. No one was there so he rang the bell on the desk. It's sound echoed through the empty halls, only to bounce back to him. He heard a shuffle in the room behind the counter.

"Oh!" A plump nurse walked out holding a clipboard. Her right arm was in a cast. "Did you leave something here?" She must have known he was a patient here. Actually, that was the lady he broke the arm of. Jack gulped at the memory.

"Uh..I uh... sorry about the arm." Jack mumbled as he kicked a dust bunny on the floor. "Oh, don't worry. I've had worse." She said cheerfully. Jack doubted she'd had worse. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I wanna visit someone." Jack said, tapping his fingers on the counter anxiously. He was finally going to meet her.

"Ah! I'd be glad to help. Who are you looking for?" She said, looking down at her clipboard. "I actually don't know her name. But she was in the room next to me and I've always wanted to meet her."

"My heart!" The nurse exclaimed. "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard!" Jack blushed and looked at the floor. The nurse put her hand to her heart, smiling sweetly. Then her face turned serious as she peeked cautiously down the corridors. She leaned an and whispered in Jacks ear.

"I'm not supposed let you go if you already don't know the clients name. But I won't tell if you won't." She leaned back and smiled. "What room would she have been in?"

Jack smiled back sweetly. "149." He waited for the nurse to show him to the room, but she just stood silently behind the desk. She gulped and bit her lip. Jack was getting nervous. "Is something wrong?" He asked, trying to see what had happened.

"I'm afraid you've barely missed her." She said, her eyes starting to well with unnecessary tears.

"Don't cry..." Jack said. She had seemed so happy to reunite them, but now she was just sad. She sniffled and wiped a small tear from her cheek.

"She ran away yesterday. Just after you left. We haven't been able to find her and we're afraid she's tryna commit suicide. And even if that wasn't the reason, she could hardly handle the outside world alone!" She covered her head in her hands, shaking. "She was the sweetest patient I've ever had."

Jack stared at his hands. They were turning black. The walls were being stained red and the nurse was being pulled up off the floor by a noose. This can't be happening.

"Jack? Are you ok?" The nurse said softly, staring at him from her spot hung above the floor.

"I have to go." Jack whispered, pulling out a small slip of paper from his jacket. He started at the blur of numbers and words.  But those didn't even matter. He knew where he had to go.

I love all of you wonderful people, and thanks for staying and reading! See ya in the next one.