"Miss Morrigan?  Rory?  Rory, please...."  I've never been able to sit by and watch a woman cry.  I got up and moved around my desk.  The embarrassing protuberance of earlier was no longer a hindrance.  Standing next to this beautiful, crying woman, I reached to hug her...

            "HOLD IT!" Lil' **** screamed.  "What is wrong with you?  She's a succubus, sure as you're standing there about to....TOUCH HER!"

            I jerked my hands back and sucked in a deep breath, realizing that Lil' **** was right.  Still, I had to do something to comfort her.  I took a half step back, pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and extended it forward just as she removed her hands from her face and began to sit back in her chair.  She noticed the hanky at the same time I saw a dark greenish yellow spot on the cloth.  As she reached for it, simultaneously looking up at me with thankful relief; I yanked the handkerchief back. Yuck!  I can't give her that!
           Quickly, I stuffed the hanky back into my pocket and turned towards my desk, grabbing a handful of paper Kleenex from a box inside the top left drawer.  She took them gratefully and I gave a big sigh of relief.

            "Thank you," she whispered.  She blotted her eyes and then folded the Kleenex over her nose and took a deep breath.  I can't stand to watch someone blow their nose; it's simply something I can't tolerate so, I averted my eyes.  I was unable, however, to avoid the loud rushing sound as hundreds, perhaps thousands of mushy boogers erupted from her nostrils into the paper. 

            "I think I'm gonna puke," wailed Lil' ****.  I've always found it interesting when he and I shared the same aversions, phobias and even likes.  Still, I wished he had kept his mouth shut.  Immediately following his comment, I heard the "honk" that often accompanies the forced emptying of nasal passages and it was all I could do to keep from realizing Lil' ****'s comment.

            Gasping a little, straining to keep from regurgitating breakfast, I fought to regain self control until I was, once again, safely ensconced behind my desk.  I looked up to see Rory smiling at me in the same way she had when first entering my office.  I managed to return the smile and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

            She nodded and replied, "Yes.  Much better.  Thank you."

            "Do you feel up to continuing now or shall we schedule a later appointment?"

            "Hell, no!  We need to get her the hell out of here before she turns on her siren...we..."

            I closed my eyes and vigorously shook my head side to side several times.  I was not going to let Lil' **** dictate how I handled my patients.  Never had.  Never would.

            Rory eyes narrowed a bit.  "You did it again, doctor."

            "I'm sorry, what was that?"

            "You shook your head, again...that epileptic thing you did earlier."  She had leaned forward as she spoke and my eyes, like the negative to her positive, were drawn to her unconfined breasts.  This time, however, I got a solid glimpse of what must have been inch long nipples.  Her eyes followed the track of mine and she pushed her hand against her blouse, sealing the magnificent view. 

            "Rory, these men....and, women (?), what became of them?  I mean, well....."

            "I put them in boxes."  Her eyes widened.  Surprise?  Innocence?

            "Talk about skeletons in a closet!  Jesus fuc....."

            "Shut up!"  I hissed and instantly realized that I had spoken aloud.      

            Rory's eyes narrowed, boring into me, "What did you say?"

            Grimacing at the faux pas, I shook my head.  "I'm sorry.  I wasn't talking to you...I was...never mind.  Please, let's continue.  You put them in boxes and then, what?  Where are the boxes?"

            "In my closet, of course.  I don't have a basement.  No one has basements these days, do they?"

            "Told ya so," whispered Lil' ****.  I ignored him.

            "And you've told no one but me about this?  Any of this?"

            She leaned forward.  Before my eyes could drift, she caught them in her gaze.  Those beautiful green emeralds bored into my brain.  She whispered.  It was a sultry whisper, "Only you, doctor.  Only you."

            How long we locked stares, I can't say.  I heard Lil' ****'s moan, but couldn't discern its meaning.  Finally, thank god, she blinked and released me.  I struggled to regain control.

            "Okay.  Okay.  So, do you have any idea, any idea at all...uh...why this happened?"

            Her smile seemed to turn less appealing; it seemed evil, in fact, as her eyes turned from innocent surprise to wanton lust. 

            "OH, ****!  Oh, holy ****...here it comes.  Dammit, we have to...."

            Lil' ****'s yammering became an irritant, a fly buzzing in the background.  My entire consciousness was centered on Rory...her eyes....her brilliant, perfect teeth.  I must have lost a period of time because I suddenly became aware, kneeling before her wide spread legs.

            "WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!"  Lil' ****'s screaming was accompanied by a thundering drum pounding inside my head.  "LET ME OUT!  LET ME THE **** OUT OF HERE!"

            I sucked in a deep breath as awareness flooded my being.  Lil' **** was hammering against the inside of my ear drum.  I jumped back and away from Rory, my **** slammed against the edge of desk.  That will leave bruises, I thought; at the same time I was relieved to have temporarily broken whatever spell had befallen me.

            As my vision cleared, I saw that Rory was sitting as she previously was.  Her legs once again crossed, her expression now one of concern.

            "Doctor Gavin?  Are you okay?"  She appeared concerned; gone was the evil grin, the lustful, come to me eyes.

            I slid sideways along the desk and then backwards along the edge until I was safely behind the desk, once again.  "I don't..."  I couldn't finish.  I held my hand, palm out, begging for a moment.

            "Get her out of here, fool.  She almost had you!  If it hadn't been for me, you....."

            I closed my eyes and shook my head vigorously left and right.  Lil' **** had surely saved me, but I couldn't think clearly with his incessant voice trying to tell me what to do.

            The next thing I knew, Rory was beside me.  How did she do that?  I pushed away.  The wheels of my chair gliding effortlessly across the hard plastic molding over the carpet sent me speeding into the side wall.  I threw my arms up in an attempt to keep her at bay.  "Stay back...stay away from me...you...."

            Rory stood stock still.  Her facial expression registered horrified dismay; not the predatory grimace I might have expected.  "What is wrong with you!  Why are you so terrified?  Of me?  Are you afraid of me?"

            I couldn't speak.  Rory backed away, shaking her head.  She didn't understand my reactions.  I've worked with patients...strange patients for years; I knew an act when I saw it and Rory was truly mystified by my actions.  She had no idea of what she was.

            Her speech was more to herself than to me as she slowly backed towards the door.  "First that epileptic thing you do.  Then, you kneel before me.  Next thing I know you jump up like a terrified rabbit and scoot around the desk.  What is wrong with you?"

            "Let her go...let her go..." No, I couldn't do that.  I ignored Lil' **** and pulled myself together.  Rory was almost to the door.

            "Please.  Rory, please.  I'll explain.  Please come and sit back down and I will tell you everything."