the doctor's office || event self-para
Summary: Rachel is called down for her first meeting with the Doctor. Event: #001 Shot Effect: Symptoms similar to Laryngitis. Rachel will lose her voice completely, within 24 hours.
Chewing nervously on her lower lip, Rachel slowly made her way down the halls and towards the room she'd been directed too. She glanced back over her shoulder, watching as the doors closed behind her. She knows that Seth would be angry with her. She was supposed to wait for him, he wanted to come with her. To make sure she was alright. But Rachel didn't want anything to happen to him, or get him in trouble. No. This was something she not only had to do by herself, but was required to.
Licking her lips once, shifting on her feet as an onslaught of terrified emotions overwhelmed, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was an actress, for god's sake. She should start acting like one. Steeling herself, she reached forward and knocked three times before pushing open the door.
"Hello Miss Berry"
Rachel's gaze flicked up from the ground to the doctor in front of her, offering a small, polite smile. Folding her arms over her chest, she stood awkwardly as she clenched her jaw, preparing herself for whatever the doctor may say. Instead, all she got was an inclination of her head. Glancing down, she noted the chair sitting opposite the doctor. No doubt, just for her.
Hesitantly, she sat herself down, perched on the edge of the chair. Knees together, palms deposited in her lap and back straight, she looked up at the doctor.
"Hello."
"I’m very certain you’ve had an amazing time in the one and only Great White Way, haven’t you? I have some questions that I’d love for you to answer, so let’s get to it"
Rachel nodded, twiddling her thumbs together as she waited. She was nervous. Very nervous, and normally, she wasn't. But since Reno's disappearance and since these meeting's began, with everyone having been for theirs, Rachel had become nervous.
"Your sister Imogen, what do you think about her? She is somewhat of a strange child, is she not? Have you two gotten along? Do you consider her your sister yet?"
Rachel frowned. She didn't realise she would be asked about Imogen. She should have, she really probably should have. But she didn't. She had been thinking about things seemingly much more important than her new 'sister'.
"I - Strange? I don't think she's - strange. She's simply - different, compared to myself. We - had a bit of a rough start but I think we're somewhat okay now. We spoke just the other night. But I - I wouldn't call her my sister just yet. I'm not -" Rachel paused, glancing upwards as she tried to think of a way to phrase what she wanted to say. "-I'm not even sure we could consider each other - friends, yet either."
Rachel nodded, sure that she had answered the first question satisfyingly. Or at least, hoped she had.
"You’re a dedicated actress are you not? You’ll do anything to get on stage, won’t you? Your fathers basically prepared you your whole life for Broadway. Compare this to your sister who was transferred from foster home to foster home. How does this make you feel being the more fortunate twin?"
Rachel smiled, nodding enthusiastically and speaking before the doctor had finished herself. "Oh, definitely. It's all I've ever wanted since I was a child. I -" Rachel paused, the doctor having continued and now, she was stuck. "I-I what? No - I -" Stuttering, Rachel inched a tiny bit closer and shook her head. "They - They enrolled me in classes and - and they took me to recitals but they never - they didn't prepare me. I did that of my own accord." Rachel slumped slightly and began to chew gently on the inside of her cheek. "I - I wouldn't say I'm the more - fortunate. I - yes. I had a nice home and - and parents but -" Rachel deflated, trailing off softly as she began to think.
Was she? Was that why Imogen hadn't liked her at first? She had thought about it as such, but perhaps having someone of authority suggesting the same thing had just that much more of an effect. Rachel sighed, looking up as she waited. She wasn't going to answer the rest. The doctor would have to be satisfied with what Rachel had given her.
"What is your biggest fear in life? Isn’t it a bit scary to go to New York City, the city of your dreams by yourself? Why is it that you went alone?"
Rachel stared, moving her hands from her lap and wrapping them around her stomach. "I - no. I've always wanted to come to New York. It's - It's been my dream since I was three. I always knew I'd be coming on my own." Rachel quietly waited, wondering if she would have to complete her answer only for the doctor to look at her expectingly. "I would rather not say my fears, thank you. It's - personal." Again, she hoped the doctor would move on, but to no avail. Simply the raising of an eyebrow, and Rachel sighed. "My biggest fear would have to be - not being good enough, I suppose. I know I'm an amazing singer, I know I'm talented and I know I can make it but - not would be just - I don't think I'd survive."
Biting her lip in thought, she shook her head and glanced up at the doctor, an unsettling nausea building up inside her chest. She didn't like this. In fact, she rather hated it. She hoped it would be over soon, so that she could go back upstairs.
"You seem quite upset that we took your dog. Does he mean a lot to you? When did you get him? Why?"
Rachel straightened her back, her nervous gaze steeling in to upset as she glanced around the room, as if looking for Reno himself. "Where is he? Is he okay? When can I have him back? Please, he's only a puppy. He'll get scared without me. Yes. Yes he does mean a lot to me. He's my - He's my best and was my only friend." Rachel's upset softened as she realised that no, she most likely would not be getting Reno back at this very moment. "I - Two years ago, when he was b-born. I - needed a friend and my neighbour - she gave me Reno."
Tears slowly built up, and Rachel gently wiped them away. She wouldn't cry. Not here. Not now. "Is that all?"
"Now, just stay still while I give you your medication for the week and then you’ll feel free to go back to your normal day."
Rachel nodded, eyeing the needle warily and screwing her eyes shut tightly as it pricked her skin. She didn't know what this was. She didn't like it. Maybe she should have thought harder about coming here. Pulling away, she nodded at the doctor and stood, glancing down at her arm.
"I'll just - goodbye doctor." She mumbled, all but running towards the door and making her way back up to her apartment. She was supposed to call Emily, so tell her about what happened. She should find Seth, to apologize for not taking him. But she couldn't. One, she didn't get Reno back. And two -
Now she just felt horrible.
Pushing open her door, she pulled Emily's phone out of her pocket and placed it on the table in the hall way, turning around to push the door closed.
Rubbing at her arm, she trudged forward, kicking one of Reno's toys across the floor before collapsing on to her bed and curling up in to a ball.
