Crawling on my back (Vesper)

[Vesper Bae]

Vesper knew Ellen's father was important. He was a crucial link to every issue she likely had, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

On the contrary, it was a great potential revelation. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders. Tilting her head, she looked curious.

"You have a good relationship with your father, don't you?" Vesper asked, because she didn't know the answer. But the answer to that question carried a great sense of importance.

[Ellen Banks]

Most of the doctor’s questions, Ellen managed to managed to bat away with a rather with a rather passive expression, as if she was asking her about the weather, it was a defence mechanism, she had picked up and utilised to great effect in the past





….but bringing up her father, her face seemed to freeze in place for the moment.



“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

[Vesper Bae]

There went the pivotal shift that Vesper had honestly been waiting for. She knew it was a destined event; something would push too far and it would be enough to promote a shut down completely.

"It pertains to a great deal of things we talk about here." Vesper explained, still calm. Really, she got more out of today than she ever did. "He's like... The constant similarity amongst all the reasons you were sent here."

[Ellen Banks]

It was easy to see that, Ellen...well, she was just a little bit more tense then she was during these other sessions, beforehand she was hardly paying attention or even treating it seriously, this was….something she HAD to do, a two hour block per week dedicated to wasting her time, white noise she needed to block out.



Not anymore.



It was clear that Ellen’s demeanour had changed considerably since the question was posed to her….she seemed...nervous...fidgety, unable to look Vesper in the eye, clearly this isn’t a subject she was comfortable talking about….Even talking about his father invoked the feeling of his shadow looming over him.



And...she didn’t like it,



“No he’s not,” She said quickly rather defensively “I’m here because my Mother in law is making me...if you want to talk to my father, then by all means….actually...maybe you shouldn’t h-he wouldn’t like the questions...

[Vesper Bae]

This was a different reaction; the kind Vesper hadn't ever really seen in the girl who seemed to sharp against her. She felt her own eyebrows lower a touch with a type of concern. She wasn't one to really show it often for anyone, because it wasn't necessary for such a job. There was no eye contact now from the person who was always ready to fight.

Never one to invoke a sense of saviourism, Vesper tried to hone in on a type of logic instead. It didn't make sense to actively care when Ellen got uncomfortable. After all, she didn't care for these sessions at all. She openly believed the profession and the woman at the helm of it to be a nuisance and a waste of her time.

"What would be the harm in speaking to him?"

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen winched just a little bit, she had rather hoped her words would dispell any interest this doctor might have in this topic...she really couldn’t take the hint now could she?



But no she just had to keep digging and digging and digging some more, and Ellen felt everyone….



This was going to be a long session…



Ellen leaned forward her her voice a lot more softer then perhaps she would have liked “He’s not a man who suffers been questioned…..You don’t question him...ever….he hates that”



Unconsciously Ellen began nervously tapping her foot

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen winched just a little bit, she had rather hoped her words would dispell any interest this doctor might have in this topic...she really couldn’t take the hint now could she?

But no she just had to keep digging and digging and digging some more, and Ellen felt everyone….

This was going to be a long session…

Ellen leaned forward her her voice a lot more softer then perhaps she would have liked “He’s not a man who suffers been questioned…..You don’t question him...ever….he hates that”

Unconsciously Ellen began nervously tapping her foot

[Vesper Bae]

Uncomfortable seemed like an understatement for Ellen now. This wasn't just a sensitive topic; this was the hear5 of a number of severe issues. Why get close to anyone if the person who helped give her life was so unavailable?

Vesper still didn't write a thing. She didn't take a single note.

Then came the time to respond. She had taken enough moments to consider how she should, or could feel about it. It wasn't her place to feel anything. She did her best to remember that.

"Do you know this from a personal experience?" She asked then, "Or is this just an assumption of typical behaviour."

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen didn’t answer the question immediately, no answering the question was about the last thing she wanted to do, going against her defenses not to mention how she’s been conditioned since she was a child, no her first instict was to tell the woman to shut up and she didn’t want to talk about it or maybe run out the door….She didn’t have to answer this, she under no obligation whatsoever to do anything she didn’t want to and this woman couldn’t make her, and frankly this was low going down this route...trying to invoke an emotional response.



This was cheap and she knew it



,,,and still she remained.



Ellen didn’t say a word, but...at the question...her posture seemed to break… she slouched down in her chair and tucked her knees into her chest, hugging them gently like a small child would do/



Mask off

[Vesper Bae]

The reaction given was huge. It was the kind of breakthrough Vesper couldn't expect. She almost wasn't sure if it was believable, but surely this girl wouldn't play in such a way.

"Okay." She conceded finally. Her tone sounded final, but not in a negative way. It was her best efforts to be understanding in a moment where she usually would have pushed.

"Perhaps that's enough for today?" She asked, leaving it open to Ellen's ruling.

[Ellen Banks]

Of course if Vesper was so inclined to point out Ellen’s new sitting position to her, she would have instantly recoiled back to her harsh stance and simply insist on the fact that she did no such thing and tell Vesper that was a rather strange thing to bring up. Sh was the most mature person that Ellen knew. Hell even when she was nine she was the most mature person Ellen knew, she had never sat like that in her life and she didn’t intend on starting now.



Ellen stared at the ground with a blank expression on her face lost in her own thoughts, so when Vesper spoken she shook her head blinking rapidly as if she was snapped back into reality



“Fine. Yeah. Right.” Ellen said in her normal voice, her walls going all the way up again already getting to her feet still not looking Vesper in the eye “This has been time consuming enough” Ellen stiffly started already making strides to the door

[Vesper Bae]

Vesper knew there would only be a low chance that Ellen would want to continue speaking. It was a shot worth taking either way, because the worst case scenario would be that she left. Even then, the remnants of a breakthrough would still remain.

She only watched as Ellen got up. She didn't respond to the idea that they had wasted any time. "Goodbye then." She added lightly. Almost idly, like she wasn't surprised by the choice.

Vesper also thought to tell her that she'd see her next week, but surely that went without saying.