Incurable

Forty One

During the Red Group meeting, after Jen had gone completely around the circle doing her usual checks, she grinned. "Well, that about does it for the boring stuff. So! Anyone have any gossip?"

Mitch gasped loudly. "Yes! I heard that one of the kids in the Greys got released! Which is like, a miracle."

She nodded at him, returning his smile. "Yes, I heard that too. I think they're just moving him to another facility."

"Why?"

"He needs fulltime care. Which is more than this hospital provides."

"Oh, I get it! Well, that's good. I hope he gets better."

Kirstie spoke up too. "At visitation today, my dad told me that he got a promotion at his job."

Jen grinned at her too. "That's wonderful news!"

Mitch interrupted their conversation, when he remembered what he was supposed to tell Jen. He hadn't meant to be rude, he just didn't want to forget before his turn to speak. "Someone told me I was hot and lonely!"

Jen turned to him quickly, not sure how to react. "What happened?"

Avi did his best to save Mitch from explaining. "Someone at lunch started hitting on him, because he was sitting alone for a few minutes."

"Oh dear. How'd that work out?"

"Well... He was doing fine until we got back to help him, I just.. I'm worried that guy will try something again."

"It's very kind of you to be concerned for him." She looked at Mitch then. "How do you feel about this situation, Mitch?"

Mitch shrugged, pulling one leg onto the chair to hug it against his chest. "I don't know. I thought he was just being silly."

Avi shook his head once and looked back to Jen. "See? That's the problem. I'm worried something will happen because Mitch won't know what's happening."

Scott's eyes widened at the thought of all the possibilities, and he suddenly stood from his seat, before turning to walk away.

Jen frowned at him. "Scott, where are you going?"

Scott turned slowly, pointing a finger at Mitch, and then using the same finger to run down his face from the corner of his eye, down his cheek.

Mitch stood up too, looking at Scott. "Don't cry. Why are you crying?"

Scott shook his head, looking to the ground.

Mitch walked a little closer to him. "I don't get it, Scott. You have to be more helpful than that."

Scott looked up. He stuttered out a few syllables, but shook his head and looked down, deeming himself unable to do it.

Jen tried to help him, from where she was still sitting with the others. "Mitch, I'm sure he just doesn't want you to get hurt."

Scott nodded slowly, his eyes on his feet.

Mitch walked completely over to Scott, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me. You don't need other people to speak for you."

Jen stood from her seat slowly. "Mitch, maybe you shouldn't... Why don't you two come back over here?"

Mitch completely ignored her. "Come on, Scott. I want to hear it."

Scott looked up hesitantly, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. He didn't want Mitch to be disappointed in him. But more than that, he didn't want his voice to fail him in front of Mitch.

Scott could practically feel the others' eyes on him, so he glanced behind himself at the open door, and then took a step closer to it, before running completely out of the room.

Kirstie jumped out of her seat to chase him, knowing Mitch wouldn't be able to catch him.

Scott hadn't gone far, because he figured they wouldn't come after him, but when he saw Kirstie, his eyes widened and he backed up a few steps.

Kirstie held up her hands in surrender, slowly walking toward him. "Scott, don't run away from me. I'm not here to judge you or anything."

Scott stopped moving, but still watched her carefully.

"What happened back there? You know Mitch wasn't trying to scare you. Why'd you run?"

Scott repeated the action of dragging his index finger along his face, from his eye to his cheek.

Kirstie took another small step forward, now almost a foot away. "Why are you crying, Scottie? What's wrong? How about if.. I try to guess?"

Scott shrugged, looking back down to his feet.

"I know you're upset that someone was mean to Mitch today. Is that why you want to cry?"

Scott shook his head once.

"Is it... Because of whatever the guy said to him?"

Scott shrugged this time.

"Okay, so I'm close. Is it... Because you feel guilty about it? You wish you could've been there sooner to help him?"

Scott shrugged again.

Kirstie took a few more steps forward. "Maybe because you're scared it's gonna happen again?"

Another shrug.

Kirstie frowned a little. She wished he could just tell her what was wrong. But she tried to be patient, because she didn't want him to be upset anymore. "Can you give me a hint?"

Scott looked up at her, tears already in his eyes. "H-Hurt."

"You're hurt? Or he is?"

Scott nodded after she said the last one.

"He's hurt. Okay... Well. He didn't look hurt to me. It seems like he didn't really understand the situation."

Scott just blinked at her. She was wrong, but he didn't know how to say it.

"Or... Do you mean you think he'll get hurt in the future?"

Scott nodded quickly, glad she'd figured it out.

Kirstie grinned, proud of herself, and then spoke again. "Scottie, you know he won't get hurt with you around. He's never alone, it just happened this one time."

Scott sniffled a little, and reached forward to grab both of Kirstie's hands. "Feel... Powerless."

"Why would you think that? You helped him this time, there's no reason for you not to help him again."

Scott shook his head, eyes still on the ground.

Mitch finally walked up to them, standing beside Kirstie. "Scott, what are you doing? Everyone's worried about you."

Scott merely glanced up at him, and then squeezed Kirstie's hands a little tighter.

Kirstie gave him a small smile. "I think... After Group, you and Mitchie need to talk a few things through. But until then, we should go back."

Scott nodded, and allowed Kirstie to hold one of his hands as they walked back toward the Group building, Mitch grabbing his other hand a few seconds later.

Scott gave him a small smile. "I love you."

Mitch grinned widely at him. "Aw, I love you too!"

****