SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

Walls

LMOLM - Part 6

After learning everything that had happened to her, Lily became closed up. All the walls she usually built around herself and that, little by little, the team had managed to bring down, were reappearing. They were even blocking Spencer from entering, something that had never happened before.

"How's she?" Penelope asked, as the two of them sat by the waiting room for the second day in a role.

"Haven't seen her." He whispered.

"But when she first woke up... You saw her, didn't you?" Penelope inquired, her eyes covering in tears as she thought of how she hadn't seen her best friend for almost six days now. Spencer only nodded. "Then what happened? What happened to make her push you away?"

"When she woke up, she started to remember." He explained, trying not to cry as well, as Penelope had already given in and was sobbing against his body, trying to recompose herself. "The first thing she remembered was that he had threatened everyone she loved. She asked me if we were all okay, and I had to tell her about her dad. Then, as soon as she calmed down, Doctor Denver entered the room and started telling all that Howland had done to her and how she would need to stay in the Hospital for a few more days. She listened to everything, but she was numb. Even Doctor Denver asked whether she was alright. She said she was, and asked for some alone time, so we gave her. I stood by her door, but about an hour later, she decided to call the nurse and when she walked out, she told me Lily had asked me to go home. She had asked me to leave her alone."

"Why?" Penelope sniffed, as Spencer grabbed a hold of her hand.

"The psychiatrist from the hospital said she's suffering from a very severe case of PTSD."

"But she's dealing with it pushing us away?"

"You know how she is." Spencer said, a small smile tugging on his lips at the mere thought of her. "She hates sharing her problems. She hates showing weakness. So I guess now that she's the weaker she's ever been, she wants to be alone."

"But being alone is not the way." Penelope argued. "She's going to fall into depression."

"I know. But we can't just break into her room and force her to talk to us."

"What can we do, then?"

"We can wait. And we can hope that she realizes just how bad internalizing everything is so she can open up."

***

"Ms. Scottley?" A voice called, causing Lily to look up from her book toward the door. "May I come in?"

Upon recognizing Doctor Beatrice Matthews, she nodded, as she marked her book and placed it down on the bedside table. She waited for Dr. Matthews to sit down on the chair beside her and ask that same question she asked every time she saw Lily.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." She lied, her voice so raw and hoarse she almost flinched.

"And your voice?"

"I can talk now. So, I guess that's something."

"Doesn't hurt anymore?"

Lily shook her head. At least once she told the truth to her psychiatric. Dr. Matthews smiled and, though Lily could see it was genuine, it triggered something deep inside her and she instantly reached for the new scar in her neck, scratching it until she felt her skin sting.

"Dr. Reid and Ms. Garcia are out there." The doctor said, as she tried to pull Lily's attention back to her and away from her scar. "Would you like to talk to them?"