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Word count: 1685

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Payton

I toss and turn, uncomfortable on my bed, letting the sheet slip and fall. I bring my hands to my face, yawning from feeling slightly tired and bunch my hands up into fists, slam them on the mattress and do the same with my feet. I feel done with this situation, I'm done.

I want out of it. I have no family, yeah I have a boyfriend now and money, but we're in a zombie apocalypse and I still feel anxious, depressed. I can't take this and sitting around stuck here because of Holly is infuriating.

I cross my arms and let out a huff. Then I hear the door to my room. I sit up quickly and turn my head. "Gabe?!" I call out, but it's not him. I let fall myself back onto the mattress, ignoring her cheery smile.

"How do you feel this morning, Payton?"

"Go away, Holly." I snap.

"I can see you're feeling frustrated."

"I feel tired, anxious and depressed too!" I yell at her. "Payton, you can't abuse me." She tells me, lowering her voice. She's right, but I don't care.

"Can I come sit?" She asks.

"Fine." I respond and she takes a seat at the bottom of my bed, gently touching the sock on my foot, tugging at it a little and gives me another smile, raising her eyebrows. I can't resist smiling, but quickly try to hide it.

"There is a smiley, Payton." Holly tells me. "Payton, I'm sorry about yesterday."

"You don't need to apologize, I get it." I tell her. "That's true, but it's slightly worse for you because you have a mental health condition and is treatable. Your prognosis can be good." She says, trying to guide me back over to a different headspace.

"Holly, where is Gabe? He was gone when I woke up this morning."

"Oh, his with... A public lawyer who will be representing him."

"Will he be back soon?"

"Uh, I imagine. Actually, Payton. While we're alone right now, I wanted to use this time for us to talk."

"I really don't want too."

"I understand that, Payton, but I'm your treating doctor."

"Fine, what do you want to talk about? Make it quick."

"Do you think you and Gabriel being together is really a good idea? What you want?"

"I gather you don't think so?"

"I'm not saying it can't work with work, but how quickly you and Gabriel have started this in an zombie apocalypse, gotten together who I may add is a celebrity, I won't say that I'm not concerned. It might be best for the moment that you and Gabriel both focus on yourselves and continue this on the outside at a later date.

We can arrange that on the outside later. The way this is going to go right now, Payton, when you both get transferred, you'll be thinking about each-other and won't focus on yourselves. I, my colleagues and my manager are concerned about the relationship, you and Gabriel have started. Not to mention, the personal stresses that are coming to topple right on both of you.

You inherited a fortune and Gabriel is homeless and penniless."

"I don't want to hear it, Holly. You're just trying to break us up."

"Payton, I promise you I'm not. It's more than that."

I feel tears start to run my face and wipe them away with my sleeve. "I'm sorry you're in pain." She tells me, offering me a handkerchief. I shake my head and sniffle.

"Are you hungry? I can get you some breakfast..."

"I'm not hungry."

"But not eating won't make you feel better. We get our energy to move forward just as much as we do from other sources."

I turn away from her and I feel her lay her hand on my arm, just sitting there watching me for a few seconds. "You take some time to think, okay? I'm just going to step out the room for a minute. I have a phone call to make and I'll bring some breakfastey, but easy for you to eat food back that won't go off right away."

"Fine, whatever." I tell her and she leaves, pulling a mobile out of the pocket of her oversized coat. Holly's right outside the door, her voice garbled. A moment later, she rushes back in. "Payton, Payton!"

"What?" I snap, looking over my shoulder.

"There's a bed."

"I'm sorry?" I ask confused.

"There is a bed." She repeats. "For Gabe? Well, that's great because I feel like a horribly selfish girlfriend having him sleep upright on a simple, stupid chair." I tell her.

"No, for you!"

"I have a bed, Holly-"

"No, you're not listening. An inpatient bed is available on a psychiatric unit that would meet your needs level and it's one I service. I can continue to treat you there so you can get better! I work on that unit."

"I'm not going, Holly..."

"Why not? You don't have the right to refuse."

"I want a lawyer."

"And you're entitled to legal representation, but ultimately, you need to be transferred in the mean time. Sitting around here in an over-crowded, under-staffed emergency department in the middle of an apocalypse won't do you any good, Payton."

"I'm not leaving, Gabe."

"You don't have a choice, Payton." She tells me, being blunt.

"Then go get a sedative and your colleagues. It's the only way you're transferring me."

"By force? You're joking, right?"

"Nope."

"Payton, we'd rather you comply than us having to do this a way that's going to be upsetting for you and more paperwork for me. I have alot of paperwork on my desk already as it is."

I don't respond. "Okay, how about I proceed with getting you breakfast and you can let this sink in, in the mean-time?"

"Fine, whatever." I huff and she leaves me alone.

---

"Mmm, this breakfast is good. It tastes so good, I love it!" Gabe tells me, tucking into a bowl of pasta with eggs and vegetables. I have some fruit salad and we both have a cup of orange juice each.

"How did it go with your lawyer?"

"Uh, good. His going to help me."

"That's nice to hear..."

"Payton, you seem flat. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You sure? Don't feel ill or anything?"

"I'm fine. You? How do you feel?"

"Uh, I feel a bit better than I did yesterday."

"That's cool..."

"Payton, can you please talk to me?"

I sigh and meet his eyes. "Gabe."

"Anything."

"Holly came by..."

"Oh... What did she say?"

"She said... A bed has been found. For me."

"Oh, I see... How do you feel about it?"

I shrug.

"I'll miss you, you know, but it doesn't mean we can't catch up later."

"But I want to stay with you."

"I figured as much, I do too. But Payton, you need to go a mental health centre to be taken care of so your anxiety resolves it's self. My needs are different to yours. And, the emergency department here can't offer either of us what we need. It's only designed for short term crisis intervention."

"I know. So, is their anything else stopping you from wanting to leave?"

"What do you mean? Why would their be anything else-"

"Hey, guys!"

"Ah!" Gabe and I scream, turning to see Holly walk in. "You scared us!" Gabe tells her.

"Oh, did I? I'm sorry." She chuckles.

"It's no problem, Holly. What can we do for you?" He asks.

"Uh, well... I was coming by again."

"I've already told him myself." I snap.

"Has she?" She asks.

"You mean about a bed available for Payton?"

"Yes, I see she has told you. How do you feel about it? I'm here as support for both of you."

"I'm okay with it. She should get help, I'll see her on the outside." Gabe smiles. "Or we can call each-other while we're apart." He winks.

"I don't want to leave." I protest. "I told you already."

"Holly, why doesn't she want to leave?" Gabe asks.

"I'm not sure..." Holly trails off.

"Payton, listen to me." Gabe begs, moving his food aside to hold my hands. "We're both here for you and you can talk to us. Is their anything else that's preventing you from leaving in your mind? The thing you and I have can be easily resolved..."

"Well..." I say, biting my lip and they both listen intently, urging me to go on with hand gestures.

"I want to see Carl."

Holly looks shocked and so does Gabe. "Payton..." She whispers.

"You know his dead, right?" Gabe asks. I flinch slightly.

I nod, but feel myself to rock. "This is a bad idea. You're not well enough for this." Holly states.

"I'm not leaving till I see him." I tell her.

"Payton, he was infectious. We had to... end his life. Listen to me, you can't see him."

"Is he contagious upon death?"

"Well, no... Not now or anymore."

"Then let me see him!"

"Payton, your mental state is very vulnerable. I don't recommend it... Not after what happened."

"What happened?" I ask confused and Gabe looks scared. "Payton, there is a bed for you." Holly pushes. "I need to see Carl before I leave, please. His the only other person I care about.

Let me say goodbye to him and I'll come willingly." I beg her.

She sighs. "I'll speak to my supervisor. But Payton, if he refuses, you'll need to accept it. You're going to Psych regardless whether you get to say goodbye or not before. If I can't obtain permission or if I do, but my schedule doesn't allow me to be there with you, no fuss, okay?"

"Okay, deal." I tell her and we shake hands. She leaves the room to speak with her supervisor. "Wow..." Gabe says condescendingly, walking over to the window to look out of it. "Gabe." I call, but he ignores me so I let out a hiss of frustration, move my food aside and flop down onto the bed.