The Surmounting of Pain and Strife

Chapters One Through Three

WARNING: This story has Deanna working with victims of sexual abuse. If one is dealing with issues surrounding this issue, this story may or may not help you. It is in a therapy session and medical setting, for I am working with Deanna on duty with Bev. part of the time in this story. I am rating it "R" for it is not my intension to be graphic in this subject matter. Only you can be the judge of whether or not you are capable of reading a story with sexual abuse in a theraputic/medical/courtroom setting. Their psych. problems will get deep before it is over, but graphics of abuse are kept to the very minimum. It is mentioned, and/or hinted at, that the abuse happened, but no details are given. Symptoms and behaviours of mental illness are in this story, also.

That said, proceed at your own risk with reading this story if you have had any of the before mentioned problems or if you have experienced before mentioned problems.

Chapter One

Deanna was in her office with a patient who had been raped weeks before. She had insisted she was fine, but when she started suffering from the effects of hypervigilance and lack of nourishment, Beverly ordered her to therapy with Deanna and took the young lady off duty.

The young woman refused to talk the first several sessions, insisting she was fine, but Deanna sensed differently. She was patient with the woman and gave her time to decide when she was ready to talk.

Deanna had almost given up on waiting on the woman to talk in her own time, but today was a different session. The forty-five to fifty minute session was not filled with silence today.

Susan came in and sat down in her usual seat, facing the door.

"How are you, today?" Deanna asked.

"I'm fine." Susan said with the usual indignancy, then she sat there in silence, starring at the floor.

Deanna was getting very tired of weekly sessions with Susan sitting in silence. She decided it was time to nug Susan a little and try to get her to talk.

"You know, Susan." Deanna began gently.

"It was my fault!" Susan screamed and tears fell from her eyes like a dam had broke. A dam that had been held back against it's will for weeks.

"How so?" Deanna asked, feeling glad that this session appeared it was going to be different.

"It was my fault because I wore that dress to ten-forward and flirted with Officer McKinley." Susan sobbed.

"What dress was that?"

"It was an off the shoulder dress." Susan described it with sobs and a shakey voice. "Red. Went down to my knees."

"Sounds like a beautiful dress." Deanna told her with a smile.

"It got me into trouble." She cried. "If I hadn't woren it and invited him to my quarters it would not have happened."

Deanna moved over to her and put a hand on her back. Susan pulled away as soon as Deanna ran her hand in circles on her back.

Deanna would have sat down beside her, but Susan sat in the chair and not on the couch. So, Deanna sat at the end of the couch closest to Susan.

"You know, Susan, that is an excuse to blame the victim." Deanna affirmed. "You had no control over his actions. Only your own and you did nothing wrong."

Susan sat and cried as Deanna sat and waited for her to respond. She sensed there was more to this woman than just the immediate issue bothering her.

Deanna sympathized with the woman in front of her. Deanna remember the mind rape she went through a few years back. Though different in form, the effect on a person is the same. She was thankful she had Will to help her through her feelings, but she knew Will and trusted him.

He was patient with her. Gave her time and space. He waited for her to talk about what she went through and how she felt. He took nothing she said or did personally and with time she recovered from the incident, but this woman in front of her had gone through more than just the hands of an officer with his own issues.

The thin woman was not saying what it was just yet, but Deanna could sense it. The arrest of McKinley was not helpful to relieve the woman enough to sleep. While the depression was no surprise, the hypervigilance was.

Deanna fought for the man to placed in a Starfleet prison facility that included psychriatic help and not just imprisonment. She succeeded and the man was getting help for his problems, but this woman had been trying so hard to avoid help and to place the blame on herself.

However, today she was starting to open up to Deanna. "That's not what I was told." Susan said with a sniff and wiped the tears from her face. "I was told he did it because I was there and I was making him do it, but I didn't know what I did then."

Deanna was confused at first, but started to put some peices together. "I'm not sure I know what you are talking about." Deanna probed to see if Susan would confirm what she thought she meant.

"It's nothing." Susan shook her head.

"If it's nothing then why did you say it?" Deanna asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." Susan clammed up and the tears dried up as fast as they had started.

"Susan, if you leave your feelings pent up inside you and try to forget what happened to you, then they will resurface later." Deanna told her. "You'll always have memories of what happened, but if you don't deal with it then they will haunt you forever."

"You can't make it go away and you can't make it better!" Susan yelled at her.

"No, I can't make the memories go away." Deanna affirmed. "But I can help you deal with them, so that when they do surface it won't affect you quite in the same way as it does now. It'll get better for you."

"No, you can't."

"Not if you don't try, I can't." Deanna agreed.

Susan stood up and looked down at where Deanna was sitting. "All I want to do is just forget any of it happened and I want you and Dr. Crusher to just leave me alone!"

Susan then ran out of Deanna's office twenty minutes early. Deanna sat back with a sigh of frustation, then said aloud, "Well, she's talking. It's a start."


Three hours later Deanna was in Beverly's office discussing their patient.

"I've read your notes on Susan." Beverly stated. "It doesn't sound like you're making any progress with her and from what I can see, she's not taking her medicine. If she continues to not eat or sleep, I'm going to have to treat her twenty-four, seven in sickbay."

"Well, there was a small break through today." Deanna informed. "Very small, but still a break through."

"May not be enough." Beverly informed her. "We have a twenty-four year old woman who's been through a tragic experience. I know, I treated her injuries."

"Well, I'm hoping next time she comes into my office, she will talk more than she did today."

"She actually said something to you, today?" Beverly asked.

Deanna nodded. "But she ran out shortly afterwards."

"Well, you're doing better than I am." Beverly stated. "She refuses to say a word to me."

"Beverly." Deanna began and Beverly focused her attention on her. "How can you be sure she's not taking her medicine?"

"Well for starters, if she were using the sleep inducer she would be sleeping." Beverly stated. "All she has to do is place it at the head of her bed. It's not like she has to ingest it."

Deanna nodded. "I see what you are saying."

"And if she were taking the nutritional supplements I recommended her, her pallor would look a little better, her skin would not be drying out and maybe she'd have an appetitite, but she's loosing more weight."

Deanna sat and thought for a moment. "Beverly, have you tried giving her the benefit of the doubt and tried something different?"

"I guess I could, but from my medical experience, she's not following doctor's orders."

Deanna sighed. "Well, if you end up insisting she stay in sickbay then I'll just have to come here to see her."

"I won't unless she's having more physical problems than what she is." Beverly said. "Maybe next time she sees you, you could encourage her to eat something."

"Beverly, I have a feeling we are dealing with more than meets the eye here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't think this is the first time Susan has been malested."

Beverly's eyes got wide. "Deanna, what are you saying? The woman is only..."

Deanna nodded her head. "I know, but I am sensing memories that are causing emotions from the past. This incident has stirred up some past memories also, from her childhood."

"I do hope you are wrong, Deanna or we are dealing with a lot of work ahead of us here." Beverly said. "This could compound things, for we would have to deal with that also in order to help her get better. That and she could be off duty longer than expected."

"Well, everything my professional experience, empathy and observation of her is telling me is she's been through this as a child, but by whom." Deanna shook her head. "She's a real puzzle."

"Yes, she is." Beverly agreed. "I just don't want our difficult patient in sickbay on a constant basis. See what you can do about getting her to eat something."

"I'll try." Deanna said with a sigh. Then she stood, "Well, Will is fixing us a lovely dinner tonight."

"He's cooking or replicating?"

"Cooking." Deanna said with a smile.

"Well, you've been on duty thirty minutes longer than you should be." Beverly said. "Go have dinner with Will. We'll deal with Susan tomorrow."

Deanna continued to smile. "OK, sounds very good to me."


A few minutes later, Deanna enter their quarters and smelled dinner. Will walked out from the other room, greeted her with a smile and gave her a big hug and kiss.

"So how was your day?" He asked, still holding her close.

"Exhausting."

"Patients that bad today?"

"Yes, but being in your arms makes my day seem so much better." She informed him with a smile.

"Hey, that's why I'm here." He said smiling at her and gave her another kiss.

When the kiss ended, Deanna said, "Don't you have dinner cooking?"

He released her. "Ah, yes. You're right." Then he runs back to attend to dinner.

Deanna sat on the couch and took her shoes off and tried to take her mind off her various patients of the day, especially one named Susan. She leaned back and closed her eyes until Will said dinner was ready.

Chapter Two

Deanna looked over her schedule for the day and sighed. She had a Bajoran with PTSD from the Cardassian occupation, but was still able to perform her duties as a Starfleet officer. A daughter of a Starfleet officer couple with Schizophrenia and an officer with Bi-Polar.

"Why do I always seem to get the most difficult cases." She thought to herself. "Well, Reginald is suppose to come in today. That should be entertaining."

She had a bit of relaxation from her previous day's stressing patients, thanks to Will. He always had a way of taking her mind off of her daily routines as a psychologist. His mind was a comfort to her and he had a way of making her smile and forget her day.

First up was the Bajoran, who had made small steps in improvement. She still had flash backs from the occupation, but the flashbacks had become less frequent.

The chime to her office door rang. She knew it was Sora coming for her appointment.

"Come in."

"Hi." She smiled.

"Hello, Sora." Deanna greeted as she gestured for her to take a seat and Sora did so. "From your smile it seems you are having a good morning."

"I am." She smiled as Deanna took a seat. "I had a date last night and it was a lot of fun."

Deanna smiled back at her. "That's good. It's been a long time since you went out and enjoyed yourself."

"Yes, it has." Sora agreed. "He took me to Ten-Forward and we had dinner and danced. I also slept very well last night."

"No bad dreams?"

"No." Sora smiled. "I had very good dreams and there was not a Gul in any of them to terrorize anyone in my dreams."

"That's really good." Deanna complimented. "I am very happy of the improvements you've made lately, but I am a little concerned how the recent events in the Dominion war will affect you if the Enterprise has to be involved in a battle with them and their associates. Their associates being the Cardassians."

Deanna could see the cold chill run up Sora's spine and her face took on the face of a terrorfied little girl. Deanna made note of it in case the need arised to tell Captain Picard that she may not be a canidate for an away mission concerning the Cardassians.

"I.. I.. Don't." Sora stammered. "Do you know what those people are capable of!"

"I understand your fears of the Cardassians."

"No you don't!" She said loudly. "They did experiments on my people, tortured my people, enslaved them and took Bajoran women as concubines."

"I've read the history and reports on the occupation." Deanna informed. "I must say it sent chills up my spine. Not having experienced it personally, I don't understand all the feelings you went through, but the intrepidation of facing what they could do to Betazoids as they occupy my planet is very frightening to me."

"Glad you can admit that." Sora said sarcastically. "But you haven't experienced it."

"No, I haven't." Deanna admitted and silently said to herself, "And I hope I never do."

"The Guls would beat people and rape the women and some girls." Sora said.

Deanna thought of Susan. The woman may have suffered worse if she were Bajoran and lived on Bajor during the occupation.

"Sometimes, people died from what they did." Sora began to cry. "I saw my mother die."

"Can you tell me what happen?"

Sora shook her head no. "They were brutal to her. She refused the Gul." Sora's sentences were short and abrupt. "They hurt her. She died."

"How?"

Sora cried and could not get any words out. "I" She began tearfully. "I can't."

"It's ok." Deanna said in a soothing tone. "We have a few minutes left. We can work on this some more next time maybe. Why don't you tell me about this young gentleman you went out with last night?"

Sora wiped the tears from her face and sniffed. Deanna handed her a tissue and Sora wiped away the remains of the onslought of tears as she gathered her thoughts.

"I like you." She said trying to smile, as she sniffed and cleared away the trauma.

"Why is that?" Deanna asked.

"You don't let me leave here feeling bad." Sora said. "You always try to end the session on good thoughts."

"Well." Deanna began with a smile. "What kind of counselor would I be if I let you leave her to go back to duty in a bucket of tears?"

Sora laughed. "Probably not a good one."

Deanna laughed with her. "So are you going to tell me anymore of your date?"

"Well, Vince seems like a great guy." She began.

The remaining minutes flew by and Sora left as she came. She had a smile on her face again.

Deanna was happy with the improvements Sora was making, although small. It was progress.

She sighed about her next appointment as she took notes during the few minutes she had before Lisa came. As she took notes, Beverly called her on the com.

"Crusher to Troi."

She hit her combadge. "Troi here."

"Deanna, Susan missed her appointment with me." Beverly informed. "I thought I should let you know."

"What time was it suppose to be?"

"It was suppose to be at 0830 hours, but she never showed." Beverly told Deanna.

"It's 1000 hours now." Deanna said off handedly. "I'll check on her when I can, but I have another appointment in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Deanna." Beverly said. "I've tried to contact her, but I get no response from her. I see no medical reason to barge into her quarters, because the ship's sensors say she's fine."

"I understand." Deanna said. "Maybe she will be willing to talk to me, later. Keep montoring her though."

"Oh, I will." Beverly informed firmly. "Crusher out."

Deanna leaned back in her chair and tried to clear her mind. Once she did, she went back to writing her notes until the chime rang. Lisa was a few minutes late, but Deanna dedided to let it go when she sensed Lisa's mental state.

"Come in." Deanna said as she rose from her desk.

Lisa entered and looked around the office cautiously.

"Hello, Lisa." Deanna said as she observed her behaviour. "Your mother not joining us today?"

"No." She said softly. "She had to." Lisa's mind seemed to drift a little and she tugged at her hair a bit as she tilted it sideways.

Lisa had a wonderful opportunity at the academy, but with less than a year at there she started having some problems. She started hearing voices and acting bizarre at times. So, when they found out what was wrong, Lisa came back home to her parents.

The team on Earth, who was working with her, got her stable enough to come home to her family. She and Beverly were given the job of keeping her stable.

"Voices again?" Deanna asked.

"Yes."

"Have you talked with Dr. Crusher?"

"Not yet." Lisa said trying to shake the voices from her head. "Bugs in the walls."

"What?" Deanna asked, not sure what Lisa was talking about. "Lisa."

Lisa looked directly at Deanna. "I want you to focus on my voice. Can you do that?"

Lisa shook her head yes. "Bugs in the walls."

"No, Lisa. It's ok." Deanna told her. "Just listen to me."

"OK."

"Why don't we go for a walk and see Dr. Crusher." Deanna suggested. "I think we need to check the levels of your medication and see if it's working appropriately."

Lisa nodded and went willing with Deanna to Sickbay.


It was 1200 hours now, and Deanna joined Will for lunch in Ten-Forward. She plopped down in a chair with a big sigh.

"That bad, huh?" Will asked.

"Very stressful morning." Deanna affirmed. "Ah, Will. Why did I ever go into this vocation?"

"Because you wanted to help people?" He said with a smile.

Deanna smiled back. "You know, Will, I don't think I could continue with this job if it weren't for your refreshing presence."

Then Deanna leaned over and kissed him.


Meanwhile, Beverly was having lunch with Jean-Luc in his Ready Room.

"Jean-Luc, I don't see how she does it!" Beverly exclaimed. "She works with these people day in and day out and she manages to keep it together herself. I know I couldn't."

"Well, Beverly." Jean-Luc began. "She does have a good support system. She has you for starters and then there's Will."

"Yes, I see your point." Beverly said. "But just today, I had to send her down to have an unscheduled appointment with one of our patients, who by the way may be off duty longer than I had wished."

"Not doing well, huh?"

"No, she's not." Beverly informed. "Then she sends me one of her patients for a med adjustment. Jean-Luc, I'm not a psychologist, but I think Deanna needs a break."

"I'm sure if she feels the need for shore leave or time off, she'll inform me." Jean-Luc told her. "Besides, Beverly, your training and hers are in two different fields of medicine. Deanna is trained to deal with mentally ill patients. You are trained to deal with physically ill patients. There's a difference."

Beverly sighed. "I guess you're right."

"So, do I need to know more about this officer who may not be returning to duty anytime soon?" Jean-Luc took on his captain stance now.

Beverly shook her head. "I don't know yet. I have to talk to Deanna more about her. For now, just be aware she may not be back to duty soon."

"OK." Jean-Luc said, not knowing exactly who the officer was that Beverly was talking about, but only had an idea. "I'll keep it mind that I am going to be short an officer for awhile."


After lunch, Deanna felt refreshed and she had an hour before Reginald came for his appointment. So, she decided to pay a visit to her most difficult patient at the moment.

Deanna rang the chime to Susan's quarters. No response, so Deanna rang it again.

There was a brief pause when the doors to Susan's quarters finally opened.

"What?" Susan growled out. "Oh, it's you. I might have known. Well, come in, but don't make yourself at home."

Deanna steps into Susan's quarters. "Susan, why are we so hostile today?"

"Me? Hostile?"

"Yes, and I haven't done a thing to you that I know of." Deanna said.

"Well, I figure Beverly sent you. She thinks I'm crazy as a loon."

"No she doesn't." Deanna stated.

"Yes, she does."

"How do you know this?"

There was a pause as Susan tried to think of an answer, but she gave no response.

"Well, it would seem to me, that Dr. Crusher just wants to help you." Deanna said. "Speaking of which, you missed your appointment with her today."

Susan rolled her eyes. "Is there anything you two don't tell each other?"

"No, we work together to help people." Deanna told her. "I can't help you by myself, especially since your emotional state affects your physical health and your physical health affects your emotional state. So, Dr. Crusher and I need to work together to help you."

Susan sighed. "Well, you can see that I am fine. Now, will you please leave me alone?"

"Are you?" Deanna asked.

"I'm not crazy!"

"No one said you were." Deanna said firmly, but calmly.

"All I want to do is go back to duty, so I can take my mind off of things."

"Well, Dr. Crusher won't allow you to go back to duty unless you keep your appointments and she sees how you are doing." Deanna informed. "And I won't agree to it either, unless we see some improvements in your condition."

"Condition? What condition? I'm fine." Susan said angrily.

"OK. So, not sleeping and not eating is fine?" Deanna threw out the question in hopes Susan would think about it.

There was no answer. Susan walked over to a chair and sat down with an exhausted sigh.

Deanna walked over to where Susan was sitting and noticed Susan's guarded look at her. Deanna stopped and studied Susan for a moment.

"You know, Susan, I was wondering."

"What else is new." Susan said sarcastically. "You study people and all you do is wonder about them."

Deanna refused to acknowledge Susan statement. "Have you gotten out of your quarters lately? I mean since the incident?"

Susan stood and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Deanna asked with confusion.

"Oh, I don't know." Susan said anger and sarcasm. "Ten-Forward, the Arbouridem, or maybe the holodeck. Yes, the holodeck sounds like fun, since I'm not allowed within ten feet of Engineering."

"Susan, we need to talk."

"No, you need to talk. I'm going to the Holodeck." Susan said addemently. "I'm sure you can show yourself out."

Deanna stood facing the doors of Susan's quarters as she watched the thin wisp of a person walk out of the doors. She had no idea what to do with this patient. Deanna had a feeling that this patient was one she was going to see end up being in Beverly's constant care. Where Deanna would not be the director of Susan's treatment, but rather Beverly. Deanna hated when the tables turned with her patients. When their physical problems become more of a threat than their emotional state of being. It meant to Deanna that she had failed the patient some how, but what could she do to prevent this patient from ending up in Sick Bay.

Deanna walked out of Susan's quarters and headed for her office. She had thirty minutes before Reginald's appointment. She was so glad she had him on her agenda today. He made a lot of improvements while seeing her and he was one of her less difficult patients.

She sat down at her desk and started taking notes on Susan. Documentation was a big part of her job. Every contact had to be documented. Away of having checks and balances in her field in case anyone with authority had any questions.

"Susan missed her appointment with Dr. Beverly Crusher today, so I checked on her. Her affect was angry and guarded. She was hostile and avoiding. Susan refused to discuss the missed appointment preferring to avoid talking about it. Patient is addiment that she is fine and denies any problems. Will try different approaches in treatment."

Deanna set back in her chair and sighed again for the umpthteenth time that day. Deanna went back to thoughts of lunch with Will. She enjoyed the time she spent with Will and thoughts of him help get her through her day. He was her emotional strength. Her piller of emotional well being. She enjoyed feeding off his emotions. A nice refreshing change from the people she dealt with throughout the day.

She looked at the chronometer. "Almost 1400 hours and three hours, no I have to brief Beverly about Susan, before I will be finished for the day. Damn!"

"Well, Reg will be here in a few minutes." Deanna said to herself with a smile. "He'll be a refreshing change. My unique patient, who brings me fresh and interesting new problems, everytime I turn around."

She walked over to the replicator and got herself a cup of hot cocoa, then went back to her desk and tried to relax the remaining few minutes she had before she had to go back to work.

Chapter Three

Lieutenent Barcley noticed a program running about the beach. He was fascinated about the thought of being at the beach. There was no privacy sign on, so the temptation to enter was great, even though he knew he was scheduled to be some where else.

He entered and heard the sounds of the water rolling up to the sandy beach. "Beautiful!" He said with a smile as he clapped his hands and quickly went up to his toes then back to his flat feet.

The girl who was lying on the sand, down the ways, heard him and screamed. "Ah!" Susan said as she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself as though she had been naked, even though she had a swim suit on. "This is a pravate program!"

As she ran up to Reg he started stuttering. "I... I.. I.. ah.. ah.. well... I.. ah.. ah..."

"Oh, stop it." Susan said sternly.

"There, there, there was no, no, no, ah, privacy sign, ah, on."

"There wasn't?"

"N,n,n,n,n. No." Barcley continued to stuttered.

"Men!" Susan said with distain.

"Wh, wh, wh, what's that suppose to mean?"

"You always go gaga over women, especially at a beach." Susan replied.

"Gaga?" He put one arm acrossed himself, while he brace his other arm on it and placed his chin on his hand.

"Yes." Susan said. "Obviously you are, with the stuttering and all."

"Excuse me, but have we met?"

"No, and I don't want to." Susan said indignantly.

"Then how do you know I'm going gaga over you?" Barcley asked.

"Well, you, you, you."

"Now your stuttering."

"No, I'm not!" She snapped at him again.

He tilted and cocked his head slightly, then turned it back. "Did it ever occur to you, that you startled me, just as much as you were startled?"

"No and what are you doing with your hand?"

He stopped plexing briefly. "Oh, you mean this?"

She nodded.

"It's something Counselor Troi taught me to do when I feel stressed." He replied, then made a face as if he had been caught. "Like now."

"Stressed?"

"Yes." Barcley said. "See you put your finger tips towards the back and to the side of your neck and.."

"I see what you are doing." She said with irritation in her voice.

"Ah. Yes. I guess you do." Suddenly he stopped plexing.

"So, you see Counselor Troi?" She asked.

"Well, a.. yes." He said a little embarrassed.

"Don't be embarrassed, we all have our problems." Then she turned back to the beach. "You seem safe enough. I guess you can join me if you like." Then she suddenly turns back as she felt him getting close to her and continues, pointing her finger in his face, "But no funny business!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" She said.

"Trust me. I'm not inclined to funny business unless it's a holodeck program that's funny." He told her.

She brought her finger down out of his face, frowned and said, "Um hum."

"I'm sorry I interrupted you privacy." He said.

"Don't be." She said. "If I forgot to put the privacy thingy on, then it's my fault, not yours."

They sat down in the sand and Barcley continues, "See the thing is, I. Ah. I have an addiction to holodeck programs."

Her eyes got wide. "I never knew that was possible."

"It is."

"Well, I have a problem with men." She said firmly. "Especially when one sneaks up on me."

"I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to." He was being sincere about his apology. He did not mean to scare her.

"Don't be. My fault." She said. "Name's Susan."

"Susan? Just Susan."

"Yes, Susan is fine." She said. "I'll let you know, when I feel like it, what my last name is, but for now, it's just Susan."

"Mine's Reginald Barcley." He said. "But all my friends call me Reg."

"OK, Reginald."

"Ah, Reg is fine."

"I haven't decided if I'm your friend yet."

Reg really felt this girl was getting on his nerves. Very few people got on his nerves, but this woman was.

"So did you come here to get some sun?" Reg asked her.

"Something like that." She said. "Actually, to be honest. I came here to get away from two annoying people."

"May I ask who?"

"Well, I guess. Since you told me your secret." Susan said. "Dr. Crusher and a very annoying Counselor Troi."

"She can be sometimes, but I've actually found her quite helpful." Reg informed her.

"Well, I haven't found her anything but annoying." Susan told him.

Reg did not want to say anything, but he wondered if her thinness was why Dr. Crusher was on her case and if her attitude toward men was what Counselor Troi was working on with her.

However, he soon forgot his questions and they were talking and enjoying themselves on the holodeck beach.


It was 1430 hours and Lieutenent Reginald Barcley had not shown up for his appointment. It had been a long time since he had been late for an appointment or even missed one, for that matter.

However, with all that had been happening, she was not too surprised. It seemed that when one patient was having problems, they all were. When one was doing fine, they all were.

"Computer, location of Lieutenent Barcley."

"Lieutenent Barcley is in holodeck three."

Deanna put the paper work she was working on aside and headed out the door to holodeck three.


Before long, Susan and Reg were splashing in the water and really enjoying themselves. Susan could not believe how strange and different he was, but she decided to enjoy the company for a change. Even if he was different.

Suddenly, Susan was feeling little dizzy and she lost her balance. Reg tried to catch her to keep her from falling, but was too late. She had fallen to the ground. Just as he was helping her up, Counselor Troi arrived.

She did not know who to address first, but sensing Susan may be more of a concern than Reg, she asked, "Susan, are you OK?"

Both Reg and Susan turned to face Deanna. They were both surprised she was there. "Ah, yes, Counselor." Susan responded. "Why do you ask?"

"It's not every day, someone has to help someone up off the ground."

"I'm fine, Counselor." She lied. "I just lost my balance and Reg was just helping me up. That's all."

"OK. Maybe I'll ask again some other time." Troi said. "Reg?"

"Um, yes." He squeeked as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Isn't there something you should be doing other than playing in the holodeck?"

"Yes." He said, holding up a finger. "I'll be right there."

"Don't bother." She said in frustration. "Time's up. Just be on time next time."

"Yes, ma'am." He said as though he had been scolded by his mother.

Then Troi walked out of the holodeck. "So, much for confidentiality." She said to herself as she leaned against the wall outside the holodeck, but she had a feeling her two patients had been talking anyway and already knew.

She pulled herself off the wall and went back to her office. She looked at her schedule briefly and was thankful she was scheduled to be on the bridge the next day.

The chime rang to her office. "At least two of my patients have been on time today." She said to herself. Then she said aloud, "Come in."

Carlos Senchez had been on ups and downs for the last few years. He came to see Deanna a year ago after being repromanded and removed from duty for behaviour unbecoming of an officer. No charges were brought against him for his outragous hijinx, but he had still been repromanded. It was then Deanna had discovered he had Bi-polar disorder.

"How are you today, Carlos?"

"I've been better, but I'm not in trouble at least."

Deanna sensed he had a touch of depression. "Well, have a seat and you can talk about it."

To Deanna's surprise, Carlos had been her easiest patient of the day. Even with his slight depression, his emotions did not flood her like the other patients' did the rest of the day. He was willing to talk and his emotions were not as strong as her other patients. Therefore, she was able to rid herself of the rest of the day.

By the time she met with Beverly in her office, she was more relaxed. "Hi, Beverly."

"Oh, Deanna." Beverly said. "I wasn't aware of the time."

"It's alright." Deanna said.

"I'll be with you in a minute." Beverly said. "Just let me finish getting this test started and I'll be right with you."

"That's fine take your time."

Beverly finished and washed her hands. "Did you get a chance to speak with Susan?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Deanna informed her. "Twice, as a matter of fact."

"Twice?" Beverly asked. "What happened?"

"Seems Susan had gone to the holodeck and our favourite person, Reg, found her program interesting and missed his appointment with me."

"No?" Beverly said. "They're not?"

"No, nothing like that." Deanna assured. "From what I sensed, it was Reg's typical holodeck passion and not Susan."

"I see." Beverly said. "So, what about Susan."

"It appears the holodeck may have been a little too much activity for her."

Beverly was a bit confused. "What do you mean?"

"Reg was helping her up when I got there and I sensed she was not feeling well at the time." Deanna informed her. "I think her lack of appetite and sleep are catching up with her. She lied to me and said she was fine."

"She didn't?" Beverly asked with shock. "Well, did you manage to talk her into re-scheduling with me?"

"No." Deanna shook her head. "Carlos is doing fairly well. Slight depression, but otherwise, no extremes like usual."

"That's good, but what are we going to do about Susan?"

Beverly just had to bring the subject back to Susan. "Beverly." Deanna paused. "I'm not sure. I plan on trying a different tactic with her when she comes in for her appointment in the next few days."

"Good luck." Beverly said. "She won't even talk to me. She is avoiding me like the plague."

"As I said, Beverly." Deanna began. "I don't think were just dealing with this one insident with her."

"I'm begining to think you're right." Beverly agreed. "She seems to have experience in avoiding doctors. Oh, that reminds me. I've change Lisa's medicine."

"And?"

"She's still in Sick Bay, but appears to be doing alright." Beverly informed her. "I'm going to keep her here for a few days for obsevation, to make sure the medication is effective. I want to make sure the chemistry is stable and as close to normal as we can get it, before I release her."

"You know." Deanna said looking out of Beverly's office window in Lisa's direction. "I'm glad the field of Psychiatry has advanced in the last 300 years." Then she shook her head. "But still it's not enough."

"No, but it is a lot better than what it was." Beverly tried to reassure. "Deanna, you look exhausted. Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"I am and I'd love to."

"Then go!" Beverly said encouragingly. "I'll cover you for the next thirty minutes. I don't want you in my Sick Bay due to exhaustion."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"OK." Deanna rose and left Beverly's office.

Beverly watched Deanna as she left and thought, "Jean-Luc is right. She does have a good support system. Then again, her best friend is a doctor and knows when she needs to be dismissed from duty."

Go To Chapters Four Through Six

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