“Eric?”
The group split up and started combing every inch of the hospital for Eric. Nate searched outside, and found his brother sitting under a tree, looking quite put out.
“Dude, don’t run off like that. You gave Mom a heart attack.” Nate said, breathing a sigh of relief. He quickly texted the others that he found Eric in one piece. Though he certainly wasn’t alright. Eric had the same hopeless look on his face as the one he had at his father’s funeral.
“What’s wrong?” Nate asked, sitting beside Eric.
“What do you think is wrong? Julie’s gone nuts, and I’m to blame.”
“For the hundredth time, no you’re not. She’s… just a bit loopy right now. I’m sure Francis can put her head back on right.” Nate said.
“Doubt it. She’s a good therapist, but what Julie needs is a lobotomy. I don’t think Francis is qualified to perform one of those.” Eric said.
“Ugh, Eric don’t worry so much. Julie will be fine.”
“You didn’t see the way she looked at me in there! Like I was one of those aliens from ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers”!”
“You mean the movie where they put people in pods?”
“Really, that’s what you got from that sentence? Nate, I’m a complete stranger to my own girlfriend! And it’s just me she doesn’t recognize! Julie didn’t go bananas when Francis or her parents went in!” Eric was close to having some sort of breakdown himself.
Nate put an arm around his brother, as Eric put his head between his legs and groaned. This was NOT how he envisioned his Saturday morning.
Samantha, Ben and Martha emerged from the hospital, and Martha ran up to her sons. After giving each a quick hug, she scolded Eric for running off.
“Sorry.” he muttered. He hung his head in shame, and Martha backed off. She decided he’d been through enough for one day. For a lifetime.
"How you holding up?" Ben asked.
"How do you think I'm doing?" Eric retorted, in no mood for small talk.
“Eric!” Martha said, surprised at his rudeness.
“Sorry.” Eric said again, not really meaning it this time. He was frustrated, confused, and most of all hurt.
He felt so guilty over what happened to Julie, even if everyone kept telling him it wasn't his fault. He couldn't help but feel responsible. And then there were the new feelings he'd developed towards Cassie. Which made him feel like some kind of scumbag since he also cared about Julie.
If he could have, Eric would have started banging his head against something. Nate watched his brother beating himself up, and wished he could say something to ease his mind.
“Why don’t we go home and get some breakfast. We can talk more there.” Martha suggested, also noticing Eric’s increasingly dark expression.
He nodded absently and got into his mom’s car. If he’d been in his new were form, his tail would most certainly be hanging between his legs, and his ears flat against his head.
-----------------------------------------------------
Inside the hospital, Francis and Dr. Tachibana went to check on their patient again. Just as a precaution, they’d restrained Julie’s arms and legs so she wouldn’t hurt herself trying to get up. She was staring at the ceiling, more confused than Eric. Or whoever that was (in her mind).
Her parents were sitting beside her bed, unsure how to address her. Julie recognized them just fine, but every time they tried to ask her if she remembered anything about last night, she just stared at them like they too were aliens.
“Julie, how are you feeling?” Dr. Tachibana asked. He check Julie’s vitals, while Francis took a position at the foot of Julie’s bed so she could watch the mentally disturbed girl in full.
“Okay. A little tired I guess.” Julie admitted.
“But otherwise, nothing out of the ordinary?”
Dr. Tachibana wanted to make sure Julie’s problem wasn’t related to anything physical. He still wasn’t sure what made her flatline for those brief five minutes or so. Yes the strain and shock of Eric’s decision would have had an effect on her. But was it enough to kill her?
“No. Why? Why am I even in the hospital? And what’s with these things?” Julie asked, tugging against the restraints.
“You don’t remember what happened then?” Francis asked.
“No.” Julie said flatly, tired of her own parents asking her that question.
“What’s the last thing you DO remember?” Francis said, making several mental notes about Julie’s reactions. She knew if she took notes in front of Julie, the girl would get more agitated and confused.
“Um…” Julie had to think about that for a moment. Her memories were a little muddled, and she had trouble sorting out what happened when.
“Take your time Julie, there’s no rush.” Francis assured.
“It was Friday afternoon, I just came home from school and… uh… I don’t know.” Julie suddenly realized she COULDN”T remember anything further than that. Other than waking up in the hospital with that Eric imposter staring at her, her memory was blank.
“It’s alright Julie.” Francis said, though she did exchange a quick look with Dr. Tachibana. Martin and Melissa shared their own concerned look while Julie continued to wrack her brain trying to remember anything from the past six hours.
“Julie, I’m willing to remove those restraints, but you have to promise you’ll stay PUT.” Dr. Tachibana said.
“Where would I go?” Julie asked, now confused for another reason.
“No where.” Martin said, putting a firm hand on Julie’s. She looked at her father, who looked more stressed than he’d been in a long time. Even more stressed than when Yvette was still running around town.
Dr. Tachibana released Julie from the bed, and let her sit up. Francis asked Julie if she could remember anything from the previous day, or further back in the week.
“Of course. I was going to school. Like I always do.” Julie said.
“Anything from Monday?” Francis pressed, knowing that was the day Eric told Julie he was planning on becoming a werewolf.
“Uh, well ya. Nothing out of the ordinary.” Julie shrugged.
And that REALLY worried Francis. Julie was obviously repressing events related to Eric’s choice. On top of that, she had conjured up some “ideal” version of Eric for herself. One where he’d become Julie’s weremerman, and even proposed. Both of which were pretty drastic hallucinations. Then again, neither Francis or Dr. Tachibana understood the full weight of the “love at first sight” factor in weremer.
Martin stared at his daughter, knowing her mind must be acting of its own accord. Protecting Julie from further pain. But if Julie really did love Eric the same way he loved Melissa, she shouldn’t have to.
“I would have been a little sad if Melissa chose to become a different kind of were, but that wouldn’t change how I felt about her. I’d have married her if she decided to stay human. Granted we wouldn’t have had Julie then, but still…” Martin thought.
Julie watched the adults around her curiously, still confused as to why they were looking at her like she’d suddenly grown a second head.