The Library

He headed into the library, looking around and feeling horribly out of place. And he knew that Vanessa probably wouldn't come within 10 feet of him but he had to try to talk to her.

She sat at the circulation desk checking in books mindlessly. Vanessa looked up and saw Nate walking in. Suddenly, Dean's idea of skipping school seemed like a good idea.

He stood a few steps back from the desk, hands in his pockets. "I need to talk to you if you have the time."

Vanessa stood up and gathered some books in her hands. "I don't." She walked back to the stacks and began putting the books away.

"Fine," he said, spine straightening. "But I'll be back, day after day, until you do." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. He paused for a moment, frowning at the floor as he tried to figure out where they'd come from, before shoving his hands into his pockets and heading for the door.

Vanessa sighed. "What do you need?" She wasn't sure why she was helping him. Vanessa convinced herself that she was mad but he had a way of making her forget about her anger with him.

"Say.... Say I did want to give any stock into what you were talking about before," he said, not turning around and keeping his voice low, "What... I mean, how would I..." He felt like an idiot but things were just getting too out of hand for him to ignore anymore. "How would I get help?"

Vanessa looked up at him as she slowly put a book away. "That would depend on what you want help with."

"I want it to stop."

Vanessa laughed, "It doesn't 'stop.' It's naive to even think that. I'll see you around Nate." She turned down another row of shelves and continued putting her books away.

"Then what," he said, following after her. "If it can't stop, then what? I can't keep..." He clenched his jaw for a moment to collect himself. "Fine. You know what? Fine. You try to convince me of one thing and when I finally start to believe you," something in his temple throbbed painfully, "you tell me that I'm naive when I ask for you to help me deal with it the only way I know how." He sighed. "This was pointless. Sorry for wasting your time."

She turned around. "Nate, I'm glad that you believe me. And if you want my help, fine. But I can't make it go away. Power isn't something that you can turn on and off. You have to learn how to control it."

"How?"

"Training." Vanessa said simply. "It takes practice, but it is doable."

He hesitated. "I guess asking if you'll help me is a step too far but do you..." This part killed him to say; he didn't want more people to know about his... issue than was absolutely necessary. "Do you know someone who can help me?"

"I can help you." Vanessa said as she put her last book away. "But you have to listen to me and do what I say."

"Fine," he sighed. "I am at your command." For some reason, he sketched half of a bow and tried to give her a smile.

She laughed and shook her head. "You've much to learn ma cherie."

"So I'm coming to realize." He shook his head and tried to remember if he had any more tylenol in his locker. "Where do we begin?"

"Probably teaching you how to control that pain in your head." Vanessa said as she walked back to the front desk and handed him 2 Tylenol. "But that will have to wait for another day. Just take this and you should be good in an hour."