The halls remained cold. This type of chill wasn't something you needed a jacket for, yet you got goosebumps on your skin. The closer one drew to the room with a black door and white boarder, the more you felt your stomach twist. An echo tumbled down the hall as black boots stepped across the ebony hardwoods. Behind them, the tail of a leather duster followed.

He somehow managed to grab the crystal doorknob fearlessly. Though he looked like the keeper of death, he didn't worry about it. Truthfully, he didn't worry about any of the building's inhabitants turning on him. They'd never dare to hurt him outside of a few bites and scratches.

Inside a monochrome room with boarded up windows, a disturbed figure was curled up in a rocking chair. The back of the white chair was half broken but it didn't phase her. She wore a long dress that managed to drape down to the floor despite the fact her legs were pulled up near her chest. The woman was so motionless, you might think she was a statue.

Nothing filled the silence of her room. Not even a clock ticking, considering how much she despised that noise. She, nor the man at her door, even flinched to hear a methodical tapping approaching. Micah leaned himself against the doorway. His pin straight black hair reached his hips and provided a veil over his pale face. Though, his voice couldn't bother to hide his contempt.

He spoke slowly, with a French accent rolling out over his dark lips, "We need to do something to help her... We can't leave her like this."

The warden seeped a sigh as he leaned onto the wall beside the doorway. He relaxed his shoulder against it, finally feeling relief for an arm that had to hold onto a cane the majority of the day. He observed his patient, seeing the same stationary behavior his coworker had.

"What exactly do you expect me to do?" He replied, "There's only one person who knows how to fix her, and I have no way of bringing him here. Even if I did," His eyes drawled over to her again, followed by a frustrated huff, "I don't know where he is."

"Mr. Knight?" A soft voice called from the end of the hall. The warden turned towards the young boy waiting in the light as he continued, "There's someone here to see you. He said it's about Marci."

His hand tightened around the top of his cane. He gave a look of concern to Micah as he responded, "Did he give a name?"

"Ryan," He answered, "He said his name was Ryan Sitkowski. He's waiting in your office, Sir."

"Thank you, Yuki." Jasper heaved a sigh, "I knew one of them would come eventually."

Micah grasped the handle of Marci's door, pulling it closed, "Let us hope this will end well for her."

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Ryan observed the room he'd been sat to wait in. It reminded him of some very old memories, from the days before it'd all fallen apart. Chris' old office, in their old home in Hell, looked just like this. Tight leather chairs sat in front of a dark oak desk. The walls had built in bookshelves that were cluttered with books, files, and random items.

He couldn't help but notice the file sitting on the desk at the moment. When he leaned forward, he saw Croc's name on the side. In his head, he debated opening it. It'd be a risk knowing someone could walk in at any moment. Plus, he had no idea if he was being watched as is. Just as he was about to dare to, he heard the door. Had his timing been a second off he would've screwed himself there.

"My apologies for the wait, Mr. Sitkowski." Jasper spoke as he unsteadily made his way to his desk, "I was caught up in conversation with one of my aids. I'm rather glad you're here, actually." He sat down at his desk and relaxed his cane against the side of it.

"You know who I am?" He asked.

He set his hands on the desk, leaning forward a bit. "I know who everyone is. The good and the bad. And, the in between, like you. As far as I'm concerned, you're a good thing for me. I was hoping that one of these days someone from your family would show up." 

"Well, to be honest with you, I wasn't really jumping at the chance to come to an asylum. I'd been considering coming here to help out Felix, to help him get his girl back, but then Croc got dragged here too. Everyone else's hands were tied. I had no other choice."

Jasper snickered under his breath, "I appreciate your honesty. I'm guessing you'd like to take Croc and Marci back to Svartalfheim?"

Ryan sighed out of relief, "Yes, please."

He'd feared what the warden might've been. Most are cruel sons of bitches. This one, as Emerson had told him, was being rather fair. Of course, nothing in life is easy. That especially goes for someone like Ryan. 

"I'm afraid that's not possible." He replied.

"Please," He began to beg, "You have no idea what our family has been through in the last few years. Or maybe you do. Either way, you've got to help me out here."

"I want to, trust me. I'd give anything to reunite Felix and Marci. The issue is in the legal dealings. You see, Marci's condition is rather severe and she cannot leave this place, but Felix can't come back. I'd tried once to appeal the court's decision but they'd denied me. As for Croc, he was brought here under a criminal admission. Meaning he has to go through a six week long therapy course at the minimum and every staff member has to sign off on his release. 

So, the good news is Croc won't be stuck here forever. However, we do still have quite a problem where Marci is concerned. I do believe I have a solution, if you're willing to cooperate."

"I'm listening..."

"We are very short staffed here. Currently we have fifteen long term patients and several that come and go, with only two aids to treat them all. If you volunteer here for the six weeks we're keeping Croc, you will have the ability to witness what has come of Marci without Felix. You can appeal his banishment, and they will listen to you. I know you're not the big fancy important socialite you used to be, but those people still respect you in a way they don't respect me."

"What's to stop me from appealing it now, if that's the case?" He asked.

"You need a reason. I need an extra set of hands. So, do we have a deal?" Jasper extended his hand across the table.

Ryan did hesitate for a minute. In his mind, he ran over any other possibilities. The warden was a highly intelligent man, though. He was right. This was the best course of action. It's not like he could make Croc's sentence go any faster anyways. 

"Deal." He replied, shaking the creature's hand.

He smirked like a snake, "You won't regret it. Felix actually enjoyed his job here, quite a lot. I believe you will too. We have three wards here. The main wander, we call Wanderlust. It's named after an old friend, but anyways, that is where the majority of the patients are. Those are the ones that, for the most part, can be trusted with other patients and don't need much extra help aside from the normal. 

Then, there are two smaller wards. The Play Pin, as I like to call it, is where we have the patients who deal with a lot of social problems and need a little extra tender loving care. The third ward is called Rest Point, which is where we hold the patients that are to be kept away from others and held in isolation."

"Dare I ask, where are Marci and Croc?" Ryan replied.

"Croc was brought here on a criminal charge, so I must keep him in Rest Point. Aside from that, if we were to get out of hand, I'm not sure our aids could detain him very easily. They are both very strong gentlemen, but nothing like Croc. Marci is in Wanderlust, but she tends to keep to herself. The poor girl barely talks these days."

"Can I see her?" He asked. 

"Eventually. We do have three doctors staffed here but they are only here for limited amounts of time and on certain days. Hers will be visiting her right about now. Whenever they're done, I'll have Micah introduce you two. Micah is one of our aids. He handles the calmer, shier patients, whereas Shae is responsible for the more... restless ones. We also have a chef and maid staffed here, whom I'm sure you'll run into at some point."

"So, what do you want me to do here, then? Be one of your aids?"

"Yes. Over the next week or so, I'll have you shadow Micah and Shae. Once they are confident in your abilities, I'll assign you to some of their patients." Jasper grasped his cane again and forced himself to stand, "Come, I'll have Micah show you around and introduce you to some of the patients. While you two do that, I'll write up a contract. Do you have anymore questions?"

"Just one." Ryan responded as he followed him towards the door, "Do you have a way I can contact my family? Like a spellcast or something along those lines?"

"I do have a spellcast in here. You may use it whenever you'd like." He said. Jasper continued to lead him down a few halls until he found his employee in the supply room, "Micah, I'd like you to meet the newest recruit. His name is Ryan. I'd like you to show him around some, introduce him to everyone on your rotation."

"Hm, it's been awhile since we've had someone new." He grinned, "You're in luck. I was just about to do afternoon meds."

"Why do I feel like I'm not that lucky?" He pondered.

Micah laughed, "You could be with Shae. My patients might get fussy and fight me sometimes, but his... Well, I shouldn't tell you that. I might scare you off."

"No, no, let me find out on my own." Ryan replied sarcastically, "It'll be a fun surprise."

Surprisingly he was managing to be in good spirits despite having just accepted a job as a mental hospital. Perhaps a change in scenery for awhile is just what he needs. 

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All of these profiles and more are already on my Twitter, but if you don't follow me there, I'll put them in the story as characters are introduced. Some OCs are new, whereas others are recycled. In this instance, Jasper is new and Micah is from Silence Remains.