"Part of being the shrink is to make sure we're both talking the same language. To me, letting her do things for herself might be fixing her. To you, it obviously isn't," he points out gently. "So what are you afraid of happening to her, Mr. Wake?"
Bit of an odd way to phrase it, but Alan tries to pay that no mind. It's just shrink talk or something, surely.
"She's in more of a vulnerable position than she thinks she is. She's got trust issues, and I don't blame her--but she wants to change. And if someone fucks her over enough, even if it's not intentional," he looks pointedly at Sheehan, "that might be enough to have her rethink that."
Alan's jaw works in the same way it does when he tries to puzzle anything else out or consider something with serious thought: he grinds his teeth, trying to sincerely reach some sort of conclusion, but when he can't it folds back onto Sheehan easily.
"Don't treat her as crazy, I guess? Shouldn't you know what to do given your profession?"
"Yeah." Alan's agreeing automatically, vaguely surprised about everything. He'd expected...
He's not entirely sure what he expected. Friction. Tension. Alan had been fully ready to both start and finish a fight, and now there's a strange, hollow disappointment his expectations weren't fully met.
Ultimately, though, he supposes it's a good thing. He's stoic as ever, but his shoulders lower somewhat.
Sheehan watches him silently for a long moment, watching him relax, retreat, take his guard down slightly. The small hints that Sheehan was waiting for.
"Yes, she does," he says softly. "Because if she's here, then she has a second chance at life. And Nana deserves that."
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He leans forward, hands on his knees.
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"I suggest you take the time to know her, judgement free." It seems like a simple ask, sure, but Alan's automatically wary.
"And don't try to fix her."
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"She's not going to do anything if you just tell her to do something. You're going to have to let her do it herself."
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"She's in more of a vulnerable position than she thinks she is. She's got trust issues, and I don't blame her--but she wants to change. And if someone fucks her over enough, even if it's not intentional," he looks pointedly at Sheehan, "that might be enough to have her rethink that."
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"Don't treat her as crazy, I guess? Shouldn't you know what to do given your profession?"
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"But she's not - crazy. Not in the way that would make it impossible for her to reach whatever parameters the Admiral has set for her."
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"And encourage her creativity. She's got a great foundation."
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He's not entirely sure what he expected. Friction. Tension. Alan had been fully ready to both start and finish a fight, and now there's a strange, hollow disappointment his expectations weren't fully met.
Ultimately, though, he supposes it's a good thing. He's stoic as ever, but his shoulders lower somewhat.
"She doesn't deserve to be here."
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"Yes, she does," he says softly. "Because if she's here, then she has a second chance at life. And Nana deserves that."
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"It's not like she's in the same league as the murderers here."
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