54

                                    

                                          
As promised, both boys put the event behind them, and hung out during the remaining hours as they normally would.
                          
Once Tyler fell asleep, Josh went to give Patrick a report on everything Tyler told him earlier that day.
                          
Josh stayed late that night finishing paperwork, so he decided to just spend the night on his office couch.
                          
Despite laying on his couch for hours, Josh wasn’t able to fall asleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about Tyler, and what they would do tomorrow.
                          
Josh stayed up all night brainstorming for the continuation of Tyler’s exposure plan, and general reinforcers to ensure that the night’s previous event wouldn’t repeat itself.
                          
Josh finishes countless pages of paperwork and online reports by the time the sun rises.
                          
With three empty cups of coffee on his desk, Josh decides to go outside for a bit to stay awake.
                          
The air was chill, but nice; it was refreshing. Imagina was surrounded by trees, which made it not only nice aesthetic wise, but also calm.
                          
Josh knew the trails instinctively. He used to walk here everyday when he was an impatient himself. It was, and still is, his favorite place to just relax, and not worry about anything.
                          
He’d have to take Tyler here one day when he gets hospital leave; Josh knew that Tyler would love it.
                          
After an hour of walking through the park, Josh began walking back to Imagina.
                          
The entrance had its signature morning bustle. Workers checking in, and patients flowing through the halls.
                          
Josh eventually gets into the adolescent psychiatric hallway, and knocks on Tyler’s door.
                          
Assuming that Tyler was still asleep, Josh walked in when there was no response.
                          
Tyler was sound asleep on his bed; he looked so peaceful.
                          
This made Josh smile. He knew that he should wake Tyler up, but he couldn’t bring himself to disturb Tyler’s sleep.
                          
Josh waits 20 minutes before finally giving in, and waking Tyler up.
                          
“Hmph?” Tyler says, eyes still closed.
                          
“Morning Ty.”
                          
“Mmm morning Josh.”
                          
Routinely, Josh hands Tyler his meds, and Tyler takes them along with eating his breakfast.
                          
“I was thinking about continuing your exposure plan today?”
                          
“How? Andy isn’t here anymore.”
                          
“That’s what I mean by continuation…”
                          
“Someone new?”
                          
“Mhm.”
                          
“N-no. Josh I can’t.” Tyler stumbles out, visibly panicking.
                          
“Ty, Ty. Don’t work yourself up before anything even happens.”
                          
“Jo-sh, I can’t meet someone new.”
                          
“First of all, yes you can. Second of all, this person is technically not new.”
                          
“What do you mean?”
                          
“Do you remember a guy named Dan?”
                          
“N-no?” Tyler responds, upset by his lack of memory.
                          
“Don’t worry about remembering him, bud. He’s the head doctor of the adult psych ward, and he made sure that you were okay that night before you first spoke to me.”
                          
Both boys smile at the memory, and at the visible progress made.
                          
“The night when I just threw stuff at anyone who got close?”
                          
“Yup.” Josh says with a slight smile, and Tyler laughs. “I want to work you up to talking to adults. Dan has a spare hour to hang out here, and we’ll see after that.”
                          
“Fine, if I have to.” Tyler groans.
                          
“That’s the spirit! Dan will get here around noon, so we can just chill until then.”
                          
“Modern Family?”
                          
“You know it.”