DetectiveRed

As always thanks to Trismegistus Shandy, they are such an amazing editor and their work is amazing. I would not be where I am now, if not for their help. Check out their work on TGstorytime here and Big Closet here.

I'm sorry, this chapter had to be split in half to get it out on time. Hopefully, this means I'll have time to properly update the actual appointment part of the chapter since I want that to have more impact when it comes out.

Katie woke up first. She was wondering if, in the last two years since she had last been there, his habit of waking up late had changed. She was surprised to find him asleep on the couch next to her. She was not surprised to find James happily wrapped up in a blanket; she wanted to let him sleep a little longer. He was probably going to need his energy for today. He needed to be prepared for whatever happened when they got to the doctor's office. 

She hadn't taken too long to look at him this morning. The living room was dark when she woke up; only small slivers of light had come through the curtains and she had quickly moved down the hall to the kitchen. She hoped he'd be back to normal. Whatever had happened to him was unbelievable. None of the weird things she had encountered had prepared her for this. The weirdest things that usually happened were muesli bars appearing and chairs moving.

Her stomach growled. James had eaten his pizza and then eaten what remained of hers as well; his hunger had seemed to have no bounds yesterday and he'd probably want something to eat when he woke up as well. James always used to wake up when he smelled something cooking; it was hard to wake him any other way. She put on some toast and started mixing up some eggs for an omelette.

The opening of doors and the slow footsteps on the ground told her she would soon find out if he was back to normal. The smell of the eggs she was cooking must have woken him. He looked healthier than he did yesterday; his eyes were less sunken than they had been, and his face, in general, seemed less gaunt. She didn’t initially process the fact that he had walked out of the hallway topless. His body had become more than just the skin and bones she saw yesterday; she hoped that meant his body would be fine. 

"Good morning, are you feeling any better?" she asked. She wondered how long it would take him to notice.

James looked like a rabbit in headlights. "Um, yeah, sorry I'll be back."

His top on this time, James and Katie both sat down for breakfast. 

“I must have taken it off after I had a nightmare, I guess,” he tried to explain. Apparently, they were intense enough for him to wake up in a cold sweat, which would have been why he took his top off.  She didn’t really care that much about his justification. 

“Okay, but more importantly, breakfast is ready. I made omelettes.” 

James seemed to shrug off her dismissal of his earlier toplessness. It was funny watching James try to eat. His hair kept coming untucked from behind his ears and ending up in his food. She almost felt bad, but watching her former tormentor choke on his hair while he tried to eat felt like comeuppance. She savoured the moment. Later she was taking him to get it chopped off. 

Organising a lift to the doctor's office with Katie's mum was surprisingly easy. They organised times and Katie asked her mum to bring her HRT and some clothes. James watched silently while she organised everything. He seemed to get more stressed by the minute, like it was dawning on him that someone else was going to see his new body. This doctor’s appointment was going to confirm what had happened to his body. It made sense, he was anxious.

She figured she should try to keep him calm. If this was anything like her examinations for hormones treatments, he was going to need a lot of support.

"So how are you feeling right now?" she asked after she got off the phone.

There was a moment of silence, James looked down at his body again.

"I'm scared, dude. What am I meant to do about this?"

His voice sounded so hopeless. It made her want to hold him as tight as she could, even if he was a prick. She didn’t expect honesty; she thought he would still try and put on a brave face. All she wanted to do was assure him that it would be alright and that he would get his body back, but giving him false hope seemed like the wrong thing to do.

"I know this is weird, but can I hug you?" she asked. It was all she could think of. It was how Adam comforted her after homeroom; maybe it would help here as well. 

James opened his arms up and she wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could.

"It's going to be okay," she said. 

Yesterday had been mostly catching up after James’ initial shock had worn off. His vulnerability had disappeared behind his snark and humour, but now it was back. What had happened in his nightmares to make him so receptive?

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this, K.” His voice was shaky, yet she could tell he was trying to keep the bravado he had yesterday. It was an admirable attempt, but he more closely resembled the nervous wreck from when she had arrived.

"I'm sorry, James. Do you want someone to be there, like in the hall or the room with you at the doctor’s?" She only realised how weird that sounded after it came out of her mouth. Her mum friend instinct overran any qualms she might have about being by his side.

"If it's not too much to ask?” He looked so weak. She wanted to cheer him up. 

“I’ll help talk if you need as well, okay? It’s gonna be okay,” she said as calmly as she could.

They watched cartoons until Katie’s mum arrived.

She tied up his hair and he put his hoodie on. Her mom shouldn't know what James looked like now; hopefully, that was enough to get by without too much suspicion. They got in the back of the car; she didn't want to be too far from him.

"Katie, are you okay? Has he said anything?" Her mum was always an incredibly protective person. She was only ever reeled in by Katie’s other mother. "James, she has chosen to trust you again. If you hurt her, I am not giving you another chance. I will go to the school about your behaviour. Is that understood?"

James looked like he wanted to speak, but he stopped before he was able to form the words he wanted to say. He nodded, then looked away. Probably for the best, Katie thought.

"He hasn’t said anything wrong since yesterday," she lied. “He just needs help is all.”

“Okay, just make sure you don’t let him take advantage of your forgiveness.”

“I won’t, Mum,” she replied. She looked at James, who was staring at his lap guiltily. Maybe that guilt meant one day he’d actually apologise, but she wouldn’t hold her breath.

"Good girl." 

The waiting room was empty, just as Katie hoped. She knew the fear of looking out of place or being recognised. It would be less unnerving for James if he didn't have to worry about that.

"I can't go in there," he said quietly.

She wasn't sure she heard him right.

"You have to; it's the only way we might find out what happened."

"Dude, please, I can't do this, what if they--"

Katie grabbed him by the hand and began dragging him through the door and to the reception desk.

"It's gonna be scary, I know, but I'll be there with you. It's all we can do," she said.

James looked shocked, but she wasn’t going to let him back out; he had to do this. Whether he wanted to or not. Together they approached the receptionist's desk. She could tell he was freaking out.

"Hi, how can I help you?" 

"I have James Wright here to see Doctor Finnegan,"

"Date of birth?" the receptionist asked.

"17th of January 2004," he said quietly. She wasn't sure if the receptionist had heard it.

"You two sit down over there and she'll be with you shortly."

It was hard for Katie to believe the guy in front of her was the same one that had been laughing at her a week ago. It was hard to believe that he was the guy she was watching cartoons with yesterday. James looked broken, his only movement being the bouncing of his legs as if he was preparing to run. Comforting him out here with words wasn't an option, but she had to do something. She tried to think of what she would want in this situation. She remembered the way her mums would hold her when she felt she would never be okay. 

Awkwardly she tried putting her arms around him, locking him in a hug so he couldn't run away and reminding him that he wasn't alone. She just hoped he wouldn't make her regret it. She felt his legs slow their bouncing. James let her hold him for a minute. They sat there quietly until he finally opened his mouth.

"Thanks."

Katie smiled. The doctor entered the waiting room and called out for her next patient.

"James."

He hesitantly got up. Katie followed.

"Do you still want me to come in with you?"

James only nodded.

DetectiveRed

I'm really glad people have been commenting on my stuff. It makes me want to keep on writing.