Her body went numb from fatigue and insomnia, and she barely got out of bed to get ready for another conversation with Sebastian. It was strange to her how it was the only job and distraction she had all week. She would usually work with a few more patients, but Dr. Wilson was willing to accept all of her patients in order to be one hundred percent focused on Sebastian's case. At least that's what he said.

She remembered their last conversation and felt her stomach tie in a knot. She couldn't understand why Wilson was so burdened by what she was going to say to Sebastian. She is no longer a little girl; she knows how to protect herself. She has learned to do that as a professional in the last few years. It is not something she should brag about or be proud of, but she realized very early on that life is very often not fair and that she should come to terms with it.

As she checked for the last time if she packed everything she need before leaving, she heard a soft knock on the door. It sounded like someone was hesitating. Scarlett wondered who could visit her so early, especially since she hadn't been close to almost anyone and hadn't had visitors for so long that she didn't even remember the last time someone was there. Of course, besides Detective Calligan from a few nights ago. On that thought, color rushed to her cheeks again.

She walked lightly to the door and opened it. Her face hardened and her eyes lit up. Her body stiffened so much that she felt as if she had fallen into living mud and it was slowly swallowing her into despair. It was the last person on this planet she wanted to see. Luke.

His eyes were red as if he hadn't slept for days, his body limp, and his face white as a rag. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. It was obvious that he was not happy to be in front of her – and as far as she was concerned, she was even less so. His light hair was ruffled by the wind, but he still looked somehow fresher than the last time she had seen him. When was that again? She tried to remember. He was as thin as a stalk, with a sick look and trembling hands. He came to ask her for money – damn money. Now, even though he was pale, he looked fresher, he was freshly shaved and his face didn't look so sick. She concluded that the reason for that color was that she came face to face with him. He also gained a few kilos, so his clothes didn't visibly hang on him and she could notice again how attractive he used to be.

His green eyes were identical to hers, but the former glow that adorned both of them disappeared long ago; it was buried with people they both loved. Bitterness and pain filled her eyes with tears, but she did not want to cry. She swallowed them leaving only her pride in front of her.

"Hello, sis," he finally said. His voice now sounded to her like the creak of chalk on a blackboard, even though it used to be the most beautiful song of a songbird.

"What are you doing here?" She asked impudently. He lowered his gaze, putting his hands in his pockets. "Did you come again to ask me for money?"

"Of course not, Scar," he sighed. "I'm done with that."

''Oh, really? Like the last thousand times? "

He sighed again as if there was a weight of an entire elephant over his chest. His eyes were watery. He licked his lips and brushed his lower lip with the tip of his tooth.

"Scar, don't say that."

"Don't call me that. You lost the right to do that when you ruined my life. "

"Scarlett, please," he followed. "I want to fix things."

"Wasn't I clear last time?" She paused and turned on her heels. He was a head taller than she was. She forgot how hard it was to look him in the eyes. "I don't want you to fix anything. I don't want to see you, understand? You ruined my life, Luke. You destroyed me. You ruined the only good thing I ever had in my life. I'm tired of drowning with you and getting you out of trouble with the promise that you'll get better. You've been lost for a long time, Luke. And I don't want to look for the real you anymore. "

"But I'm really better this time. I'm really trying, " he said defeated, almost crying. "I want my sister back, Scarlett."

"You haven't had a sister in a long time, Luke," she said painfully over her lips, letting a tear escape her eye and run down her ruddy cheek. "You lost her that damn day."

She turned on her heel leaving him to stand in painful silence alone in the hallway. She knew he was defeated watching her disappear around the corner, but what she didn't know was that he pulled a hand out of his pocket in which he gripped something that was currently the most important thing in his life. He held a green token that the warden gave him that day for three months of sobriety.

Anger left her body on the way to the Grand Veil Sanatorium and now she felt nothing but sadness and defeat. As much as she wanted to bury that pain in herself, whenever she saw him, he would start an avalanche of feelings in her again. Scarlett was still weak on him and that hurt her more than anything did. She stood for a few minutes in the parking lot in front of Grand Valley to regain her composure. She doesn't want to appear in front of Sebastian like this. She didn't want to reveal more to him than she knew about her now.

She entered the ominous building and stood by the front desk to check in. The uninterested redhead Marsha was working again, but this time she had a worried expression on her face and gave her a reproachful look.

"You can't visit him today," she told her. Scarlet arched her eyebrows, looking at her confused.

''Why? Is something wrong?''

"He is not in his cell at the moment. Mr. Carter was transferred to another ward for a while. "

''What happened?''

"I'm afraid I'm not in charge of giving you that information."

"I'm his psychiatrist, you have to tell me whatever happens," she angrily buried her fingers in the edge of the counter. "I want you to take me to him."

"Miss Young, I really can't. Visits to that department are prohibited. "

"I want to see the owner of this place," she said in a threatening tone.

"Mr. Maynard is busy."

"You know what? I will find him on my own," she marched from the counter and headed for the stairs she believed led to the offices. She heard the redhead calling to her from the counter, but she didn't want to turn around. She wanted to know what happened to Sebastian.

Scarlett moved through an empty and gloomy hallway painted white like the rest of the building. There were doors along the entire corridor, but one door at the head of the corridor stood out. It was written Maynard on them. Bingo, she thought. Otherwise, she would knock and introduce herself politely, but given the circumstances that followed her all morning; she had no desire to do so.

She burst into the office as if it were a raid and saw a middle-aged man on the phone. He was bald and thin, with brown eyes. If the sanatorium was taken over in the late eighties, shouldn't he be older?

"Harold Maynard?" She said demonstratively, and he raised his eyebrows, watching her curiously.

''Paul Maynard. Harold Maynard is my father,'' he corrected her, in a hoarse voice. ''And you are pretty impatient, Scarlett Young. I was informed from the reception that you have some questions for me. "

Damn Marsha.

"Settle down, Miss Young," he pointed to a chair in front of her. Reluctantly, she settled into a chair and stared at him.

"Where's Sebastian Carter, Mr. Maynard?"

"He was moved to a special department. You will be able to see him in a few days. "

"I understood that from what your receptionist told me. I'm specifically interested in what happened to him. "

"You are very interested in his case."

"Of course, Dr. Wilson entrusted me with the case and I am very committed to it. That's why I demand certain answers. "

"He's fine. No need to worry, Scarlett,'' he said uniformly.

"I'm losing patience, Paul," she hissed, clenching her jaw. "Will you tell me what happened or do you want me to call the police and tell them you are disrupting the investigation? I have Detective Calligan on speed dial. "

He laughed. "You're very combative, I have to admit."

"Well, what's your decision? Answers or hanging out with Detective Calligan?"

"Mr. Carter was a little naughty the night before, Miss Young," he finally began to loosen his arrogant tongue. "We realized he didn't take his therapy regularly."

"How did you get that? Did he have an attack?"

"Oh, quite the opposite," he said as if talking about an object, not a patient. "He overdosed. He tried to commit suicide. "

Scarlett felt as if someone had poured a tank of ice water over her. Her stomach tightened in a knot a second time this morning. She was breathing shallowly.

''What did you say?''

"Your patient obviously has suicidal tendencies, Scarlett."

"I want to see him."

"Unfortunately, I am afraid that is impossible at this moment. He is currently under strong sedatives and is unconscious. When he recovers and is returned to his cell, you can see him."

Scarlett fell silent and pursed her lips. She wondered what the best solution was in this sudden situation. Why would he try to kill himself? Psychopaths are not suicidal. Suddenly something came to her that was probably a bad idea, but the only one that seemed right to her at that moment.

"I will agree to play by your rules, but on one condition."

Curiosity played on Paul's face. She realized how much he was not interested in the well-being of the patients and that they were just an ordinary piece of meat for him. All this was just a game for him.

"Say it, darling. I'm dying to hear your suggestion. "

"When you bring him back, I want to talk to him," she said. "In his cell."

"Just a moment," he raised his index finger in the air as if he wanted to think about what she said. "If I understood you correctly, you want to enter his cell?"

"Yes, that's right."

He burst out laughing, slapping his fist on his knee. "Well, you're out of your mind. Do you understand what you are saying?" He said intermittently, struggling for breath. ''It is not allowed. He is a serial killer with few diagnoses. What do you think is the reason for being in a cell with glass instead of bars? He must not be in direct contact with another being. He is dangerous. "

"He won't hurt me."

"How are you so sure of that?"

He was right, she wasn't sure. She gambled with her own life and her career. He didn't seem dangerous in the conversations so far, but they were divided by glass. She would be inches from him now. They would breathe the same air. She would feel the warmth of his body. She would look at him.

"Because I'm the only one he trusts," she said with a dose of false certainty, trying to, besides Paul, convince herself too of what she was saying.

Scarlett sank into her comfortable armchair, covered with a blanket and with a glass of white wine in her hands. She thought about how terrible her day had been today. She thought of Luke, then of Sebastian. The only good thing that happened to her was that she managed to convince Paul to let her be in Sebastian's cell. It seemed like a very bad idea to her now because she was not sure how he would behave around another human being - but she was willing to take risks.

Just as she was about to drink the rest of the wine from her glass, she heard the doorbell ring. It was late and she was not expecting guests. God, I hope it's not Luke again. Though she thought so, she quickly dismissed it. He couldn't get out of Devine Mercy when he wanted to, but only when he was allowed to go out. If he went out on his own, he would not be allowed to return. Although, on the other hand, there was no guarantee that he would really play by the rules and be obedient.

She walked slowly towards the door, already tired of everything that had happened to her today. She opened the door wrapped in a gray silk robe and saw him. He stood with his hand resting on the edge of the wall, and his other hand on his left side. He shot a look.

"Are you out of your damn mind?!" he angrily asked something that she did to herself a couple of times today and, bypassing her, he flew inside.

"Well, good evening to you too," she said, closing the door behind her.