In Room 212:

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty lays curled up in bed. His bloodshot eyes are wide open.

Grocer's song is still running through his mind.

He hasn't slept since detention.

Comments

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty flinches just a bit at her touch, like he was surprised it was real.

He gently touches her cheek.

"You... You got hurt. I couldn't stop it. I'm sorry."

[chasingangela]

Angela reaches up to take his hand.

"I'm here. I'm fine. It was just a bad dream."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty holds on to Angela's hand tightly.

"I'm so sorry. I should have told you."

Marty rubs his eyes with his free hand.

"I should have answered your question about the other night."

[chasingangela]

It takes a second for Angela to process what he's saying through her worry.

"Which question? It can't be important right now." She's looking for the school phone directory. "I should, I should call Dream, even if you don't need the Clinic."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty gives her a serious look that somehow cuts through his delirium.

"It is important. It's why I-"

Marty blinks hard.

"It's about you."

Marty holds onto Angela's arm.

"River got in my head and saw what brought me here. I did a crappy thing to someone I cared about. Since then I've done crappier things. Much crappier. River told me about *her* and I couldn't take it."

Marty giggles.

"I went nuts."

[chasingangela]

Angela's heart is thudding through her chest, but she's trying hard to stay calm, to smile even.

"You know -- I talked to River, Saturday. She told me some of what happened, and some of what she ... saw." And it was really scary, she thinks but does not say. "Couldn't you, I don't know, make it right? Call Debbie and let her know where you are? I've hurt people I loved, too, and it was always better when we talked about it."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Noooo," moaned Marty. He tries to shake his head but it just rolls around like a bobble head doll.

"Listen.... Then there was a tree."

Marty gives Angela a look of bewilderment.

"Who gets attacked by a tree? Then there was a croquet mallet... and River in my head again and I just had to get out... so I went to find you. At the record store."

Marty looks at the hand that is grabbing Angela's arm and realizes he's holding it too tightly. He loosens his grip and gently holds her arm.

"I went looking for you. Do you understand? Not Debbie. I don't know why I couldn't tell you that Saturday."

[chasingangela]

His hand burnsher , and Angela pulls her arm away, trying to make sense of this. "A tree? Marty, I -- you can't get attacked by a tree."

And teachers don't have squid monsters as pets, she thinks.

"Why were you looking for me? When you saw me you ran away. You can't - we can't - I can't-" Angela's voice breaks off, and she sees how terribly confused Marty is.

Start at the beginning, she thinks, and her voice softens. "What did you do to her? Debbie."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty blinks a couple of times and hangs his head.

"I left her. On prom night, I left town and never went back. I ran away."