Pairing:  Jack and Irina

Spoilers:  May include references from S1 & S2 up until The Passage 2

Rating:  General

Summary:  A fic that was thought up due to Toaster X-6_494.  Just a short fic speculating what would actually happen if Dr. Barnett began having therapy sessions with Jack and Irina.

 

Analyze That

 

by Jannet

 

 

Irina had been cooped up in this plexi-glass dungeon for two months, eleven days, four hours, six minutes and five seconds.  Make that six seconds.  Outside her cool demeanor could fool anyone.  But sometimes she just wished that she could let her guard down.

 

Suddenly she heard the grinding and clanking of the steel gears, which raised the wall that kept her and the rest of the world from co-existing.  Irina hadn’t been expecting anyone.  She hoped it was Sydney because there was such promise of a real relationship between her and her daughter forming.  Instead Irina watched closely out of the corner of her eye, until the person belonging to the loud, firm click of hard heels came into view.  To the untrained eye, she would be seen as sitting in her room, eyes closed, meditating, but Irina could see everything.

 

The woman standing before her wore black thick heels and sheer black nylons.  Irina moved her gaze upwards, though her lids were still lowered; and to the woman standing before her, Irina’s eyes were closed.  But she could see her.

 

She was dressed in a cream colored silk blouse with a short black skirt, which came to her knee.  She had long blonde hair, and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses was perched on the bridge of her nose.  The woman was obviously CIA, or she wouldn’t have been allowed into the confined area, and she held a clipboard.  Psychologist.

 

Inside Irina chuckled to herself.  She couldn’t imagine what would possess Agent Kendall to send a psychologist to her.  He had to of known that she would speak to no one, except Sydney and Jack.  Though on the off chance, she might speak to Michael.

 

As she bemused the idea of being analyzed, the woman pulled off her glasses and cleared her throat.  “Excuse me,” she said softly, but firmly.  “Ms. Derevko?”

 

Irina opened her eyes and stared coldly at the Ph.D.  She remained silent.  Irina knew she’d find out more if she remained silent.  People tended to ramble in her midst. 

 

“Ms. Derevko,” she repeated.  “I’m Dr. Barnett.”

 

Irina opened her eyes and rose from her kneeling position; she turned her back on the doctor.  She sat down at the table the CIA had so graciously given her and picked up the one book they’d allowed her to have.  Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky.  It was one of her favorites.

 

Raskolnikov, the main character, was a sympathetic man.  He’d lived what she’d lived through, though some would say that her life was far better than his.  Irina had felt connected to Rasko as no other would.  She’d done the horrible atrocious act of murder; she’d felt the pangs of regret and guilt.  Irina knew exactly how Raskolnikov felt.  After her first victim, Irina threw up and felt nauseous for days.  She couldn’t keep the image of the man out of her mind.  He had been CIA and he’d been tracked down as a spy in Russia.  Irina was the first one to locate him and she had the honor of terminating him.

 

Mired in her own thoughts, Irina almost forgot that the dear doctor was standing there, observing her.  She pretended to ignore her and then on the off chance, Irina decided to see what the dear doctor was made of.  Irina slowly closed the hard cover novel and set it down on the table.  She approached the female doctor with a smirk on her face.

 

Irina gazed at the woman intensely, her eyes not leaving her for a second.  She could see that she was a confident woman.  It took a while before the tenseness and awkwardness of the doctor’s feelings emerged.  Irina would give her credit for that.

 

Dr. Barnett cleared her throat once more.  “I’m here because I wanted to inform you that I will be mediating a session between you and Agent Bristow,” she stated.  “I’ve been having sessions with Agent Bristow and I feel that closure is needed for him to move on.”

 

Irina continued to study the doctor.  So she wasn’t there to analyze her.  Irina couldn’t help but laugh internally at the thought.  Laura and Jack had never needed therapy as husband and wife, but now, here they were going to have a therapy session.  It made her shake her head.

 

“Why are you shaking your head?” Dr. Barnett asked curiously.

 

Irina regained composure and stared blankly at the blonde doctor.  She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes and then smiled.  “Why would Jack need therapy with a woman like you?”  The woman smiled, obviously pleased with herself, that she had managed to get the great Irina Derevko to speak.  It amused Irina.  “Don’t you think that I could have insights on Agent Bristow?” Dr. Barnett asked curiously.

 

“He wouldn’t willingly allow himself to be analyzed, so I suppose his superiors ordered him to you,” Irina stated ironically.  “He wouldn’t see a two bit doctor who received her Ph.D. at…”  Irina paused for a moment and thought.  From her questions and her demeanor, Irina thought she seemed confident and decidedly insightful.  “Yale.”  Irina smiled as a twitch of surprise could be seen in her eyes.

 

Irina had observed that most Harvard doctorates were quite arrogant and superior, though Yale could be the same.  But Irina could sense a bit of an accent tracing back to New Haven.  “You’re as observant as Jack warned,” Barnett smiled.  “Do you think that your ability to tell me where I graduated from would hold some weight over this situation?”

 

The doctor shifted her weight from foot to foot.  Irina could feel her desire to gain some leverage over the situation.  Irina smiled.  She wouldn’t.

 

“Do you think you can analyze me doctor?  I’m not as easily read as you think,” Irina pointed out.

 

“Really?  Do you think you’re that mysterious Ms. Derevko?”

 

Irina turned her back on the blonde.  “Return to your lemonade stand office doctor.  I don’t have any intention of speaking with you again.”

 

“Well that’s fine,” Dr. Barnett drawled.  The woman paused a moment, tilting her head as if that would put a different light on the situation.  “I don’t think for the first several sessions we’ll be requiring any information from you,” Dr. Barnett informed.  “Agent Bristow will probably do most of the talking.”

 

Irina scoffed as she watched the blonde doctor place her glasses, which she’d been twirling nervously between her fingers, back onto the bridge of her nose.  There was no way Jack would open up in front of Irina.  Not even with the progress they had made during their mission.  Jack would sooner jump off a cliff than allow her to see or feel any emotion from him other than anger and distrust.  “Don’t trip on your way out doctor,” she said, her voice dripped with feign concern.

 

~~~

 

“Agent Bristow,” Dr. Barnett called down the hallway, as she caught a glimpse of the tall stocky brooding man.

 

Jack stopped and frowned as he thought he’d heard his name called.  He turned around and scanned the sea of faces, which were milling around in the base of operation.  “Yes?” he answered, still unsure of who was trying to catch him.

 

“Agent Bristow,” Dr. Barnett smiled, slightly huffing from sprinting down the hallway corridor.  “I’ve just been to see Ms. Derevko and arranged our first session with her.”

 

Jack clenched his teeth and shook his head.  “I thought we had discussed that I didn’t need her in the room for closure.  In fact, I’ve already had closure after 21 years,” he said calmly, his face stoic.

 

“I’m sure that’s what I heard you say, Agent Bristow,” Dr. Barnett smiled, nodding her head.  “But I think we both know that the revelation that you’re still married to a woman that lied to you, and then faked her own death might have some impact on you still.”

 

Jack hated this.  He hated that he had to deal with the doctor on such a regular basis.  A few weeks before, Jack was sure that they’d felt he was back on track and his feelings for Irina had been dealt with.  Then when it came into light that he’d planted a bomb and endangered agents’ lives in his attempt to rid himself of Irina, Devlin and the rest of the CIA top brass demanded he continue his treatment with Dr. Barnett.

 

“Fine,” he said stiffly.  “But I’m telling you right now that this will do nothing.  I am in complete control of my emotions and I have no feelings for this woman.”

 

Dr. Barnett looked at him sympathetically.  “I guess we’ll discuss this at our first session, which will be on Wednesday.”

 

Jack made no expression and turned around on his heel and left for SD-6. 

 

~~~

 

“Well, we’ve made a lot of progress,” Dr. Barnett exclaimed quietly as she sat in between the two spies.

 

It had been a rough couple of sessions in the beginning.  Irina made no comments as she had declared during her first meeting with Ms. Derevko.  Agent Bristow also was less than forthcoming than usual.  Still, Dr. Barnett pressed on.  She’d managed to pry some information about Agent Bristow’s actions during the mission to Kashmir, but nothing more.

 

Since their first session, Ms. Derevko had made some progress in vocalizing her thoughts, but all were directed to Agent Bristow.  Dr. Barnett’s questions and probes went unanswered.  “So Agent Bristow, will you tell Ms. Derevko how you feel about her now?” Dr. Barnett suggested.  She knew the stubborn agent wouldn’t, but it was worth a try.

 

“I don’t feel,” Jack began, “the need to express what emotions I do have for Ms. Derevko to her.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because Ms. Derevko already knows how I feel about her and what she’s done.  In fact,” he paused, “I’m sure Ms. Derevko could tell you exactly what I do and don’t feel about her and also about this situation.”

 

“Jack you don’t need to continue these sessions if you don’t want to,” Irina offered, smiling politely at Dr. Barnett.  Dr. Barnett knew all the while though, that she seethed underneath.

 

In Dr. Barnett’s opinion, after reviewing Irina’s behavior since the sessions started, she thought there might be a hint of jealousy from the former spy in regard to her presence among the spies.  “Well, actually he does,” Dr. Barnett corrected.  “I feel that progress is being made.”

 

Finally the dark haired Russian turned to face Dr. Barnett.  It was a break through in her opinion.  “Just because the thin piece of paper on your wall says that you are an expert on the human psyche, doesn’t mean that you are,” Irina said pointedly.  “I think your desire to watch Agent Bristow and I, and how we react to each other, claiming closure, is revealing in itself.

 

Dr. Barnett watched as the Russian spy adjusted her body, until she faced Agent Bristow again.  She nodded, acknowledging that she had heard Irina.  “Well that maybe, Ms. Derevko, but I still see the need for this and it will continue until I see no more use for it.”

 

Suddenly a beeper went off and Dr. Barnett watched as Agent Bristow pushed his suit jacket aside and glanced quickly at the small electronic box.  “It’s Sloane,” Agent Bristow announced.  “I’m needed at SD-6.”

 

Dr. Barnett nodded.  “All right Agent Bristow,” she smiled.  “I’ll see you at the same time and the same place.”

 

The older agent seemed to grimace and nodded in response.  He quickly rose and exited the room.  Dr. Barnett watched Irina out of the corner of her eye and noticed her watching intently as her ‘husband’ exited the containment area.

 

“I will see you again,” Dr. Barnett announced, as she packed up her things, and motioned for the guard to take away the excess chairs.

 

Suddenly she remembered to give the prisoner something that had been handed to her before the start of her session.  Dr. Barnett pulled out a wooden chessboard.  “I asked Kendall if it would be all right to give you this.  I thought you might get a little bored cooped up in here.  I thought that maybe it would occupy your time.”

 

“Now why would he allow you to do that?” Irina asked suspiciously.  Dr. Barnett watched Irina take the chess board with interest.

 

“I guess I’m persuasive?” Dr. Barnett shrugged.

 

“Maybe you’d like to play sometime,” Irina suggested, a smile crept up the corners of her lips.

 

“I’m not much of a chess player,” Dr. Barnett admitted.

 

“I’m starting to see that,” Irina smiled.

 

Dr. Barnett exited the cell drained from the amount of energy it took to be in a room with that woman.  She sighed and prayed the rest of her day would be better.

 

~~~

 

Irina thought she might look forward to their sessions, if the doctor wasn’t around.  Jack always made her heart beat faster and her insides melt.  Of course she never told her superiors that.  It wouldn’t befit a KGB agent.  But all the same, Irina missed her conversations with her ‘husband’.

 

As she meditated on these thoughts, Irina once again heard the churning of the grinds and waited calmly for the two companions to arrive.  It was probably the only conversation she had when there wasn’t a mission occurring and the CIA needed intelligence.  She rose from her bed, placing her novel down and watched for the doctor and Jack. 

 

It was always the same.  Dr. Barnett would arrive first, and then Jack would slowly lag behind, as if dreading the hour of therapy.  Irina couldn’t blame him.  The psychiatrist wouldn’t know how to analyze a parakeet.

 

Unexpectedly though, Jack arrived first.  Irina frowned slightly at the change in schedule.  It seemed unusual.  But Irina quickly hid her surprise when Jack entered the dull grey room.

 

“Irina,” Jack said acknowledging her presence.

 

Irina peered around the corner, expecting the blonde psychiatrist to pop around the corner.  “Jack,” she said slowly.  “Where is Ms. Barnett?”  She refused to call the woman a doctor.

 

“Dr. Barnett is here,” he said vaguely.  “You just can’t see her.”

 

Irina frowned.  “What do you mean?”

 

Suddenly a woman’s voice sounded over a speaker on the other side of the glass.  “Agent Bristow means that I am observing from another room.”

 

Irina swallowed.  This was an unexpected move on the part of the naïve doctor.  Irina was somewhat impressed, but kept her face expressionless.

 

“She felt that if she wasn’t in the room we would feel,” Jack sighed, “more prone to talk about our feelings.  Or I would talk about my feelings.”

 

Irina laughed.  “Do you really need to see this woman Jack?” she asked sympathetically.  “You could find a better analyst in the yellow pages.”

 

She heard a slight muffle over the speakers.  Irina smiled.  As much as it was true, Irina loved knowing that she was ruffling the doctor’s feathers.

 

“So why don’t we begin?” Dr. Barnett suggested over the speaker.  “Jack, why don’t we start with you?”

 

“Jack,” Irina repeated slowly, a smile coming across her face.  “She’s finally realized that to connect with her patient, she should call him by his first name I see?” 

 

It surprised her how in a week the doctor had changed her tune in regards to Jack.  She’d broken down the wall of professionalism down slightly, enough to refer to Agent Bristow as Jack.  Irina didn’t know what to make of it.  She was sure it was just a tactic, whether to break down Jack’s walls or hers, Irina wasn’t quite sure.

 

“I think we’ve crossed that bridge as doctor and patient,” Jack said dryly.

 

Irina shrugged her shoulders.  “Well Jack, if the doctor wants a show, why not give her a show?” she replied in turn.  Irina turned and faced the hidden camera in her room, which the agents obviously thought they were clever enough to hide and smiled knowingly.  “Don’t you think this is a tad bit juvenile even for you Dr. Barnett?”

 

“Do you?” Dr. Barnett asked.  “Maybe you should try to forget that I’m here?”

 

Irina watched Jack as he sat down tiredly on the nearest chair.  “Could we get on with this?” Jack asked.  “It’s bad enough that I have to even endure these sessions, now I have play games?”

 

“Okay,” the doctor’s voice chimed over the speaker.  “Why don’t we start with why you haven’t annulled your marriage with ‘Laura’ yet?”

 

Irina felt a lump develop in her throat.  Jack seemed wary and caught off guard.  “What do you mean?” he asked.

 

“Why haven’t you begun the process of an annulment?”

 

Irina frowned.  She thought that it was taking an extremely long time for those papers to get filed, but Irina never imagined that he hadn’t even begun to file for an annulment.  Irina sat down in the chair next to Jack.  “Yes,” she whispered with keen interest.  “Why?”

 

Jack sat stoically in his chair.  No one would suspect his uneasiness at the question, except in a weak moment; his eyes darted around the room, as he seemed to come up with an explanation.  Finally he stood up and leaned against the far wall in the dreary room.  “It’s nothing,” he replied calmly.  Suddenly Irina’s eyes locked with Jack’s for just a second and he paused a moment before continuing on in his explanation.  “I just haven’t had the time.”

 

Irina lowered her eyes and tried to hide the smile of relief she felt.  She’d seen it in his eyes.  He didn’t want to annul their marriage.  She didn’t blame him.  It was as if they would be declaring all the memories and joy that they’d shared was nothing.  It would be saying it never actually happened.  Though Irina had shattered the façade of Laura Bristow for Jack, there was still something about their relationship, their marriage that still held on, if only by a thread.

 

“Are you sure it was for that reason only?” Dr. Barnett asked.

 

“Obviously you don’t know how hectic being a spy is,” Irina chided, as she slowly gazed up at Jack.  When her eyes met his, he quickly averted them, staring blankly out the glass window.

 

“Yes, well, I’ve been busy with Emily’s disappearance that it hasn’t been on the top of my priority list,” Jack explained, hesitantly.

 

“I see,” Dr. Barnett replied.

 

All of the sudden Irina noticed a muffle of voices over the speaker and then Dr. Barnett’s voice boomed over the speaker.  “I’m sorry about that.  If you don’t mind, I’ll be back in a few minutes.  I’ve got an emergency at the moment.”

 

Both Irina and Jack heard the click of the microphone and the din of silence.  “I’m surprised she felt she could leave us alone in here unsupervised,” Irina commented, lowering her eyes and resting her index finger on her lips.

 

“Don’t be coy,” Jack replied dryly.  “It doesn’t suit you.”

 

Irina cracked a smile.  “I seem to remember your liking that part of my personality.  You said it added ‘charm’.”

 

“Well I said a lot of things when you were Laura didn’t I?”

 

Irina bit back the sting of his words.  “I’m sorry about that,” she whispered, quietly so that the cameras and microphones couldn’t pick it up.

 

Jack seemed shaken by the apology.  “Well sorry isn’t good enough,” Jack retorted.

 

Irina began to feel restless.  She stood up and began to pace around the room.  “I do wonder why you’ve failed to process the annulment papers.  I’m sure the CIA would have no problem pushing that through for you,” she suggested.

 

Jack folded his arms across his chest and pursed his lips.  “It’s not because of what you’re thinking,” he smirked.

 

It was the first time he’d even remotely showed anything less than nothing, for her since their train ride through Kashmir.  “I never said anything,” she replied innocently.

 

Just as Jack was about to say something, a click over the speaker hushed their conversation.  “I’m sorry about that,” Dr. Barnett apologized.

 

Irina frowned.  There was something in her voice that made Irina wonder if they had been tricked.  She chided herself for not even thinking about it.  Being cooped up in this grey dungeon had made her instincts a little rusty.  Dr. Barnett could have been watching and listening to their conversation the entire time the microphone had been turned off.

 

Irina knew that they’d revealed nothing important, but she knew that if it was so, the doctor was probably feeling very pleased with herself.  She shook her head slightly.  As Irina looked up at Jack, he seemed to realize the same thing.  They understood that they most likely been had by the psychiatrist.

 

Irina turned away and sat down on her cot.  Jack on the other hand remained standing and turned to look out the plexi-glass window.  “I’ll be right down,” Dr. Barnett said through the static that had just come over the microphone.

 

As they waited, Irina slid her back against the wall and crossed her legs, Indian style.  Jack cleared his throat in the awkward silence that filled the room while the doctor arrived.  Irina closed her eyes and tried to meditate, clearing her mind of the haze that emotions had conjured within her.

 

The loud clicks of Dr. Barnett’s heels resounded in the hall beyond the plexi-glass.  “I think we’ve made a lot of progress today, don’t you?” she asked happily.  “I’ve observed you talking while I was on the phone and it seems that you’ve been able to communicate while I was gone.”

 

Irina remained silent.  She was aware of all things around her, but she’d freed herself from emotion, floating in almost a transient state.  It was a hard thing, but necessary.  Irina didn’t want to be vulnerable in this place.  She’d been weak before, allowing herself to feel something for her make-believe family and it nearly got her killed.  And in the enemy camp, it would be worse.  They had the two people in the world that could make her weak, make her feel something.

 

“Well, if this session is over,” Irina heard Jack say, “then I have to be getting back.”

 

The door to the ‘dungeon’ opened and she heard Jack quietly exit her cage.  She heard the doctor whisper something to Jack and listened to the soft soles of his shoes fade away behind the clank of the gate.  Irina waited to hear the hard heels to follow suit, but Dr. Barnett seemed to linger.

 

“Irina,” she said calmly.  “May I call you that?”

 

Irina opened her eyes and looked at the doctor indifferently.  It was interesting to watch her.  She was calm, collected.  The woman seemed intent on building some sort of relationship out of these sessions the doctor had with her.  Why, Irina hadn’t quite figured out yet.

 

“Well, I thought we had made some progress in at least talking to each other,” Dr. Barnett commented.

 

Silence.

 

“I was just telling Jack that I don’t think we’ll be needing regular sessions with you anymore.”

 

Irina looked at her curiously.  Now why would she all of the sudden decide to pull out of these sessions she was pushing for? Irina wondered.  She swallowed, her eyes flitting irritably.  “I’m sure Jack is pleased with that,” she said calculatedly.

 

Irina wouldn’t allow Dr. Barnett the pleasure of knowing what a nice change of pace these sessions had been from the boredom of her cell.  She sat in the dimly lit room 24/7 and wasn’t allowed more than a book and the somewhat infrequent conversations with her daughter.

 

“Is Jack being pleased something you want?”

 

She rolled her eyes.  Someday the psychiatrist would learn that always asking probing questions wasn’t always the best strategy to getting what she wanted out of a person.  Jack knew that.

 

“Why should I?” Irina asked curiously.  “Is that something you think I want?”

 

Dr. Barnett smiled and moved closer to the plexi-glass wall.  “I think you’re very much like Jack in the way you handle yourself around me.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well doctor, I think your time is up,” Irina smiled politely, tapping her bare wrist.

 

Dr. Barnett frowned and then hesitantly looked at her watch.  The hour was up.  Irina knew it.  She had been keeping track of time.  Without any timepieces in this sterile whole of a cell, Irina kept track of time internally.

 

“Well I guess my time is up,” the doctor smiled.

 

Irina tilted her head and looked pityingly at the woman.  “Your strategy to weasel your way into my psyche will fail.  Tell Kendall that the façade of wanting closure for Jack is quite misleading, but I’m not stupid,” she smiled knowingly.  Somehow, somewhere, it finally clicked.  Irina knew exactly what the point of these sessions was.  Amidst the sudden arrival of this pathetic bumbling psychiatrist and Jack’s hesitant desire for these sessions, Irina realized that it had been all a smoke screen.

 

Dr. Barnett’s eyes widened, in feigned confusion.  “What do you mean?”

 

“Just tell Kendall and all of the CIA directors that I’m not a guinea pig and I will not be run through a maze.”  Irina ran her hand through her long straggly brown hair.  “Your attempt to use Jack as an excuse to analyze me and get close to me doctor is as transparent as light is to day.”

 

The CIA agent’s face paled and her expression blank as Irina exposed their plan.  Dr. Barnett shifted her weight from the balls of her feet to her heels.  She seemed to waver before protesting the accusation.  “Do you think that Agent Bristow and I are trying to manipulate you in some sort of way?” she countered, feigning dismay.

 

Irina just smiled and let out a throaty chuckle.  She rested her left elbow on her right arm, while her left hand stroked the length of her neck gently.  Irina had the upper hand once more.  It amused her to see the CIA agent’s mind churning, trying to fumble her way out of the obvious ruse.  Irina turned her back on Agent Barnett and stared at the wall opposite to the plexi-glass window.

 

“Jack isn’t involved,” Irina finally said.  “You know that I know him too well to be able to fake his disconcertion at being here, so you lied to him and used his unstable emotions as an excuse to analyze me.”

 

Irina turned quickly on her heel and walked straight up to the doctor, as close as the window would allow.  “It’s a pity really,” Irina smirked; her index finger gently traced the outline of Dr. Barnett’s face against the plexi-glass.  “It would almost have been a brilliant strategic move, if you hadn’t been so eager to talk to me.”  Dr. Barnett’s lips opened as if to say something, but nothing came out.  “You spoke to me almost as much as you did your patient, and lost your focus,” Irina chided.

 

The speechless psychiatrist cleared her throat and pushed her wire-rim glasses up onto the bridge of her nose.  Finally after a few minutes, the woman smiled uneasily.  “You really have quite the imagination.  I am Agent Bristow’s psychiatrist and am trying to help him,” she protested.

 

Irina tucked her hair behind her ears as she studied the doctor under fierce scrutiny.  She nodded her head unconcerned.  “I’m sure you are and do,” Irina smiled.  “But you did have a larger purpose than that.  It’s pointless to deny it.”

 

Suddenly over the speakers in the corridor, a man’s voice boomed.  “Dr. Barnett, you have an emergency phone call.”

 

Irina stifled her exuberance in victory.  She had won.  Even now, Irina reveled in seeing through people’s facades and understanding their motives.  Everyone had a motive, everyone.

 

“Excuse me,” Dr. Barnett stuttered.  It was the first sign of nerves she’d seen in the doctor.  “I’m needed elsewhere.”

 

Irina watched as the psychiatrist quickly strode towards the gate that was already raised.  She knocked lightly on the glass, grabbing the doctor’s attention one last time.  “Will you tell Kendall something for me?” Irina smiled eyes lowered.

 

Dr. Barnett calmly nodded, tucking a few strands of her long blonde hair behind her ear.  “What is it?”

 

“Could you tell him,” she paused a moment, lifting her eyes to meet Dr. Barnett’s uncertain gaze. “Could you tell him check mate?”

 

Dr. Barnett looked flustered and cleared her throat.  “Is that all you have to say?” she asked.

 

Irina smiled.  “I think he’ll get the picture.”  As Dr. Barnett slipped out of the corridor into the real world, Irina turned around and lowered herself to the floor.  Kneeling, she placed the palms of her hands on her thighs and closed her eyes.  

 

Meditation was always so calming, Irina thought.  She exhaled slowly and allowed the tension from her body to fall away.  The corners of her lips curled up slightly as she focused on emptying her mind of all the events of the day.

 

Maybe Dr. Barnett would like to take the activity up? Irina smiled to herself.

 

 

 

The End.