Silence is a source of Great Strength (Sean)

[Keaton Derrickson]

In his two years at Hammel, Keaton Derrickson had seen the inside of Dr. Neville's office several times. In fact, the boy was a frequent visitor. This was explained to him almost the same day he arrived. Because of his past, and his condition, Key was to have regular visits with the good Doctor. At first he was a little afraid. He'd never been to a psychiatrist before, let alone a meta one. To add to that, his "Parents" had always told him that men of science were not to be trusted. It was funny what little lessons seemed to stick in his head from back then.

His new mother and father told him otherwise, and even explained what a nice man Sean was. This did ease the boys mind a good bit. Truth was, he was still nervous on that first visit, that was until he actually met Dr. Neville. Key felt instantly comfortable around him, which was strange. It took most older men a while to get the boy to warm up to them, let alone "talk". From the moment he was with Sean, Key started writing on his board and telling him all sorts of things. Which he found out, he didn't really need to. 

In time, he grew to love his sessions. Which was why he was happily waiting outside of Dr. Neville's office, tapping his feet on the floor beneath him and doodling a little on his board. He had already written a very cheerful greeting for Sean, "Good Day Dr. Neville!", on his board - and was now filling the edges with little stars and clouds. 

[Dr. Sean Neville]

One of the benefits of his position, and the respect and independence that Sean had earned, was his ability to review student files soon upon their arrival at Hammel, sometimes prior to their official arrival, depending on how quickly they acquired the paperwork. Keaton had come to his attention immediately; it was impossible for him not to have, considering the level of trauma the poor boy had experienced in his young life.

From that point forward, Keaton had become one of his regulars. It had taken time and effort, investing plenty of patience in establishing a relationship, helping to get the boy out of his shell. Working to help the boy to overcome his communication barriers. However, bit by bit, Keaton had made great strides, and Sean looked forward to their meetings inasmuch as he looked forward to any of his sessions with the students.

When Keaton arrived, he offered the boy a smile, one that widened when he saw that he had already written his greeting – complete with doodles – in advance of their session. “Hello, Keaton. How are you feeling today?”

He didn’t tell the boy to make himself comfortable, since he was long-familiar with the routine. Instead, they could dive right in to conversation.