There was something to be said about Tenboul's Psychological Institute for the Mentally Unstable.

Most knew the facility to be one of the best in the state, perhaps even in the country, its prestige known through magazines and news articles and television broadcasts. The doctors were very hands-on with their patients, the nurses were friendly and helpful, and there were quite a few success stories of complete habilitation for minor cases involving hysteria and small bouts of common mental illnesses. It was a clean, professional building with caring people opperating behind-the-scenes with the intent of helping others to the best of, and sometimes beyond, their ability.

So it was rather a rude awakening when one patient, Reyna Lacross, entered their doors several years back, quiet as a graveyard and still recovering from what looked like a head injury. The escorts that had brought her in looked rather spooked standing beside her, and when she was fully instated into the hospital's system, they were quick to depart without so much as an over-the-shoulder glance behind them.

The first few weeks proved to be very strenuous, as there seemed to be nothing wrong with the young woman. The first psychological test with their very own on-call psycologist was the only thing vouching for her stay, the doctor having written her off to be "very mentally unstable" with the possibility of harm against others. So the staff remained cautious of their curious patient, careful to give her the prescribed medications and keeping a watchful eye over her progress. Aside from snide comments and the occassional mutterings to herself, all seemed as normal as one could get with mental trauma.

Then there was the start of the Volunteer Program, and everything went to hell.

The program was approved as a means to bring in sane, able-minded people to interact with the patients in order to provide both stimulating conversation and positive energy. It had gone well for some of the other patients, but Reyna was proving to be quite difficult. She alone had gone through twelve volunteers, each never lasting more than two months. There had even been word of one woman having quit the first hour being in Reyna's presence. Reyna had adopted an almost permanent smirk the whole next week after that encounter.

For a whole year after the twelfth volunteer left, the staff kept Reyna off the program's list in fear that she would progress to more violent means in the coming future. She had already shown signs of hostility to the last few volunteers as well as some of the staff that cared for her. After the last psycological test, however, she was deemed ready to return to the program under more intense supervision.

Volunteer number thirteen was then assigned to Reyna, and all hoped that the number thirteen wasn't as unlucky as the superstitions made it out to be.

Christopher McGraw stood silently in the waiting room of the hospital. Out of habit he rubbed his chest, and then hooked his fingers in the dogtags hanging from his neck. With a disinterested look the man leaned back against the wall, waiting for one of the Doctors to come speak to him.

Wanted, one dumb mother f*cker to sit in waiting room for three hours during his last Fall Break so as to not be spoken to for a position to get a first-hand look at psychos. Thought the man, as he dug around the inner pockets in his overcoat.

He had been 'invited' here a week ago via referral from his Psychology professor, while McGraw would tell any of his friends he was here simply to 'look at psychos', he had - deep, deep down in that uncomfortable area of his brain that nearly two decades of drunken parenting had alienated him to - decided to volunteer out of some sense of morality. The patient he was volunteering to see was apparently something short of an evil mastermind, his teacher having explained that she had succesfully outwitted or simply scared over a dozen people out of her door before.

When his bandaged right hand finally closed around the phone he had been looking for was when a doctor entered the room. Similar to Chris' attire, the Doctor was wearing a longcoat, pants and a T-Shirt, but the color scheme was nearly the direct opposite of the man's, shades of blue and white contrasting against Chris' blue jeans, black T-Shirt, and jet black overcoat, zipped down the middle, save for a small 'V' split near his legs, to allow them to move freely. The overall look of his coat, zipped up as it was, gave them an 'anime robes' look, and though he caught a lot of flak for it, this coat was one of the things Chris was most proud of, and he loved the look.

"Mister... McGraw?" The doctor asked, pushing his glasses up the rim of his nose. The Doctor stood taller than Chris, with a bald head and deep brown eyes.

Conversely, the five foot six tall McGraw, with unkempt, shoulder-length, thick and wavy brown hair and dark blue eyes looked far less official, even less so with his overcoat.

"Yup." Said the man, his voice deep, but lightened so as to be friendlier.

"Doctor Marcus Halford." Said the doctor, "Scott already told you about the job, yes?"

"He gave me the sparknotes version... Unless my life's in danger I don't need any more details." Said the teen, hooking his hands behind his back, "I prefer to wing it, see." He said with a grin.

The doctor looked incredulous, but nodded and bade McGraw follow him. They walked and talked through the mental facility, the Doctor giving him some background to the facility and to Reyna Lacross, before finally making their way to the one-way window peering into the interview room they set up, within which, was the woman in question.

McGraw could have commented on anything he chose, but the one thing he mentioned specifically was, "wait... You put her in the cop-movie interrogation room?" He asked, "dude, I'm trying to make a first impression here..." He grinned despite himself and indicated his coat, "looking like I do what do you think's going to be the first thing running through her mind when she sees me?" He didn't allow the man to answer, he lowered his voice, "terrorist." He said, imitating 'her' voice and pointing at the doctor. "Seriously, this won't make a good first impression at all."

"She has a history, Christopher." Said the Doctor, "we had to take precautions."

"Make her feel like a caged animal is precautionary?" The man blinked, chuckling. "Can't wait to see how this plays out." He looked into the room, "So I can go in whenever?"

The room they had left Reyna in was different than the usual rooms they had placed her in from the past, though the setup was quite similar. Nothing on the walls, two chairs with a table to separate them...ah, the arm restraints were new, but not incredibly profound. There were two cameras in the upper corrners, as well, and her two caretakers -more like escorts, if you asked her- were just outside the room on either side of the door, ready for any incidents that could possibly occur during her meeting.

Amateurs.

At least Mrs. Baines, her daytime nurse and the one staff member she had yet to scare off to another shift, had taken the time to know how she worked, how the first day was just civilized conversation. Well, nothing was ever civilized to the ever-watchful eyes of the doctors in the facility. If one so much as glance at a pencil the wrong way, quarantine was almost guaranteed. And, yeah, maybe making threatening advances toward the staff wasn't the greatest idea either, but it was damn fun watching them squirm, at least until they broke out the tranquilizers, the needles....

Reyna gave a roll of her shoulders to hide the fleeting unease of her thoughts, long blonde hair kept back in a low tie brushing the skin of her neck. It was hard not to distinguish her as anything but a patient, what with her long pants and white cotton tee to match as all who entered and enrolled into the facility were forced to wear. The bracelet on her left hand depicting her name and patient I.D. helped with that, too, as did her reputation.

They believed her to be absolutely insane; in quite a few cases, their worries were warranted. Her mind was sharp, however, and as much as they attempted to dumb things down in her presence as a means to reach out to her, she was well aware of the goings-on around her. Honestly, her head injury had only made her more aware, not less.

Reyna smiled suddenly at the sight of Doctor Halford, the smile almost crooked looking and raised up slightly higher on one side. It was an almost crazed look with the addition of her suddenly excited blue-hazel eyes locking on to the shorter man standing beside the doctor.

"Well, well, Marcus! You brought me a friend! It's been so long since I've had a friend. Don't keep me waiting, friend! Come, now, come!"

Dr. Halford looked to her with a displeased, almost hesitant sort of expression, one she knew all too well. He was displeased with her taking such quick interest in the volunteer with such little interaction. Could he blame her? Over a year gone by, and no one new to play with. It had been such a bore, absolutely disdainful to be locked up with other crazies and no decent mental stimulation other than scaring off the staff. It was high time she had a better source of mental stimulation, much like a few of the other volunteers before had provided.

"Don't keep me waiting," she repeated, though her smile had dropped and her eyes had narrowed, head tilting ever so slightly to the side as her gaze remained on the new volunteer.

"I think she likes me." Grinned McGraw, entering the room behind Halford, his coat taking behind him. Though he wouldn't admit it, somewhere in the back of his mind he was wondering if a joke was being played upon him, because the look in Reyna's eyes spoke of intelligence and a sharp wit, not insanity and a need for an 'I love me' jacket.

Regardless, the man smiled as Halford introduced him.

"Reyna, this is Christopher McGraw, he was sent here specially recommended by a friend of mine." He said, indicating the only male with hair in the room, as he spoke.

Way to make Mr sound like a super shrink. Thought McGraw, with a barely suppressed grin.

"He's going to be your friend, for now." The doctor said, nearly saying 'From now on.'... "Is there anything you need to know before I leave you two?"

McGraw answered in his own snarky tone, "yes. Where is the nearest soda machine, can you get me one of those sodas, and what its the answer to life, the universe, and everything?"

Halford stared at McGraw blankly, before leaving without a word.

McGraw laughed, looking at the blonde, "I think I just scared away a psychologist." He said, indicating the now shut door a he sat down.

Reyna watched the interaction between the doctor and the volunteer closely as they entered the room. Not even five minutes had gone by, and she could already tell this one was different from the others. The professional, somewhat hesitant air of past volunteers did not enter the room with him. He was actually joking around and laughing, much to the doctor's obvious dismay. This both intrigued and angered Reyna, though intruige won out for the time being.

She smiled after the doctor as he left, following his retreat until the door was firmly shut behind him. Her attention was immediately back on Christopher.

For a long moment, all she did was stare, taking in his appearance, the way he held himself, anything about him her eyes could take in.

"Hello," she finally greeted, her strange, lopsided grin back in place. "I'd shake your hand, but it seems I'm a bit tied up at the moment."

She cackled at her own joke, her restraints straining ever so slightly as she pulled up on them. Her laughter then died almost abruptly, an inquisitive look crossing her features.

"It's been a long time since they've allowed me new playmates, Christopher McGraw. To what do I owe the pleasure of a new friend? Certainly not my good behavior."