Wesley's question left Avery silent for a moment.

"Have you ever loved somebody, Wesley?" Avery asked quietly. "If you have, then you probably won't have such a tough time understanding how I'm feeling."

Wesley shook his head.

"You become possessive when you love someone. I want everything he owns, and I want to be the only one he sees. Most importantly, I want the relationship to have no reservations," Avery said. Then she smiled and continued, "You've seen it yourself. He has Shea, and he's willing to sell himself out for her treatment."

"Before I knew about Shea's mental disability, I saw her as a thorn in my side. After I discovered she wasn't normal, the hostility I felt against her slowly began to fade away. Of course, I can carry out Shea's second surgery, but I won't do that."

Wesley stared blankly at Avery.

"How do you think Elliot would react if he found out I could treat Shea?" Avery asked. She poured herself a glass of wine and continued, "How has he been treating Zoe