The Study, Rawsone Residence, Denver, Colorado....
Unable to get the contents of the file on his desk out of his head, Hadrian Rawsone left his sleeping wife to continue his research as it were into the past of a very peculiar former patient. Julia's words seemed to spur his need to know more about this boy and what exactly caused him to be removed from the case. What he did recall of the fourteen year old, it wasn't anything on the boy's part that would have indicated anything amiss. After their initial meeting, it had taken a bit of time but Alexei began to trust him enough to actually sit in one of the chairs during his visits. He seemed to look forward to his arrival rather than dreading it and over the course of a few weeks he'd gotten the boy to actually hold a conversation. The others in the facility didn't seem to know how to do the same, even copying what they knew of his methods to reach the boy didn't work, but without fail Hadrian could get him to do almost anything.
With the file once more in his hands, Hadrian began to look it over while leaning back in the chair at his desk. He recalled much of what happened over the course of a few years and it didn't seem to be as dramatic a time period in his career as Julia made it out to have been. While there were certain factors that were left out during her description, he knew the reason for his almost obsessive mentality when it came to the abused boy. They had lost a child, potentially a son when she miscarried and he had little choice, but to go on as if everything was fine in the process.
He still had the girls to consider and Julia's own grief was palpable no matter what mood she had been in. Dwelling on the loss did little for him and working seemed to soothe it when it came to helping a child whom had been alone in the world find his way again. Alexei Bortnik, despite his youth and condition, was the reason Hadrian Rawsone even bothered to continue getting out of bed in the morning. The renewed sense of purpose was what the good doctor found himself obsessed with and helping that boy and any other lost souls like him was doing him a world of good at a time when he only ever felt the most volatile aspect of anger fill him and the desire to tear the world asunder along with it.
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The Recreational Room, Cedar Pine Mental Care Facility....
It was a clear day, a bit of a nip in the air and an eerie silence that filled the empty spaces that seemed to make themselves known where ever Hadrian elected to step. The heaviness of loss seemed to make it more and more difficult to put one foot in front of the other, but he knew Alexei was waiting beyond those door and within the confines of the cold and unwelcoming building.
Hadrian entered much as he usually did, but he found the heaviness that seemed to follow him lift the moment he saw Alexei hop from his seat and rush over toward him. He barely had time to react before the teen wrapped his arms around him and held him in the longest hug he'd ever received. It was strange being the one to receive comfort from a patient.
"Hi Doc." said Alexei with something of a small smile.
He seemed to be adjusting quite well and his upcoming transfer to an all boys home was getting closer by the day.
"How are you today, Lex?" asked Hadrian accompanying the boy back to their seats.
Alexei walked with his hand in Hadrian's and the same small smile filed across his pale face. He was showing a vast amount of improvement in a small amount of time and it was evident in his development no longer showing the body of a boy of seven when in actuality he was suppose to be fourteen.
Hadrian did his best to keep the sorrows from his personal life from interfering with his work with Alexei. He already had enough tragedy in his life and it was more important to give the boy a sense of hope than to confirm his worst fears about living life with anything that could potentially derail the attempts to get him to start living his own again.
Looking around the room, all Hadrian could feel was a sense of dread and uncomfort as he turned his attention back to the now smiling Alexei. He wondered if the boy ever got out much, saw the sun, even had an ice cream at any point in his life.
Alexei was well enough to describe the treatment he endured via his father whom had abandoned him and his grandparents whom wanted nothing to do with him, but were being paid to endure his company on their small budget until he came of age.
"Have you ever had ice cream before?" asked Hadrian thinking along the lines of what he'd never get to do with his own deceased child.
"No." replied Alexei seemingly interiged. "Dedushka...nagyapa....did not like me much and said ice cream was for good children and I was never going to get it because I was rossz gyerek."
Hadrian had known his fair share of languages and as a result knew all too well that "Bad Child" was all the boy must have heard growing up before the fire took the lives of his less than thrilled grandparents.
"You are not a bad child Alexei, you've had a life more difficult than most children and some of it could have been helped but in no way shape or form are you a bad child due to how you were born." Hadrian reassured the lad. "Your grandparents were stuck in their ways and it obviously cost them in the end...you have a real chance at a life and I suggest you take it...first order of business we are going to get you that ice cream."
Alexei's face lit up with delight upon hearing this. No one had ever spoken of him in such a positive manner before, let alone volunteered to get him ice cream.
Hadrian found that the dark cloud that seemed to follow him around so often had no effect on him whenever he'd been around Alexei and the boy's smile made him feel something aside from the grief he endured after the loss of his child. He found himself caught off guard when Alexei decided to express his gratitude by hugging him.
As much as the good Dr. wished to remain professional with the lad, it was a good deal difficult when the boy hardly had any affection and expressed even little himself. Not wishing to be the cause of the boy never adjusting at all, he allowed the hug and even returned it.
It wasn't much to the liking of the other staff members whom had given him concerned and dirty looks abound but it was good for Alexei whom had not stopped smiling. Seeing as he was the temporary legal guardian, Hadrian was allowed to take him out into the world from time to time and it had a significant effect on his improvement.
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The Study, Rawsone Residence, Denver, Colorado....
Dr. Hadrian Rawsone sat back in his office chair unsure whether he wished to continue his stroll down memory lane, but the compulsion to continue to research his past patient remained. He recalled all too well their trip to get ice cream was filled with many questions and wonder as Alexei seemed to be content living his life for the first time in years. Despite his age he seemed to have the energy of a seven year old as well as the curious nature of one.
Hadrian noted the early morning hour and called it a day, at least for the time being, before Julia awoke and came looking for him. The last thing he needed was for another argument to break out between them when everything seemed to be difficult for them as it was.
He left his office and slipped back into bed, rolling onto his side and staring at the wall as the first lights of dawn continued to make themselves known in the distance. Once more his mind traveled back to the boy Alexei Bortnik and the curious notion of what had become of him after he was removed from his case.