The pop of Murina's knuckles clicked in time with the wall clock, soon accompanied by the tapping of her heel against the examination table. The paper gown she was wrapped in crinkled as her legs swayed. Only a few hours had passed since she had fainted, right in front of Harris no less, and she was ready to get back to her usual routine of being entirely too busy. Passing out and being whisked to the emergency room was not a distraction she could afford right now.

The fainting spell had last only moments, Harris at her side to help break her fall as she crumpled to the ground like a rag doll. She was spared the additional embarrassment of remembering when she came to, Harris picking her up like an invalid and rushing her out the door. Luckily, the personnel in her office were gone for the evening. When her wits were about her once more, they were already on their way to a nearby hospital. Still reeling from the spell and the now familiar tightness in her chest and throat still persisting, there was little she could do to protest.

She was spared additional embarrassment again when they arrived, the worse of the experience having passed, leaving her with enough strength and cognition to fake being fine and feign resisting Harris's assistance again.

"I'm fine," Muri croaked in a voice she hoped sounded sincere, but sounded more like someone who had just run a marathon. Harris had let walk into the building under her own steam, but made her take a seat immediately once she passed through the automatic glass doors. Though she intended to fight him on it, wanting to sign herself in to retain what poise and dignity she had left, her tired body would not relent once seated. She pressed her palm to her head, rubbing at the ache and wanting to hide her disheveled appearance from the total strangers who didn't notice her anyway.

Once Harris had dealt with the necessaries, he sat next to her in relative silence, though she could not tell if it was out of courtesy or disappointment. Harris was famous for being equally vocal and frank as he was remaining silent to get a point across without saying a word. It's what made him such a compatible business associate for Muri, if not a frustrating one at times. As her symptoms became less overbearing, she finally marshaled her thoughts together.

"Thank you for...your concern," she started, sounding more like a formal press statement than earnest gratitude, "But I don't think I need to waste anyone's time here with this nonsense."

Predicting Muri would try excusing herself, his paw clamped down onto hers as she braced the armrest to hoist herself up, stopping her attempt immediately. Harris didn't bother acknowledging her further, and she did not argue. Waiting around for nothing was not Murina's strong suit. Though accustomed to constant schedule changes and unexpected delays, she was never at a standstill. Even a slow elevator ride was a chance to check messages or rifle through files before she was off to fulfill another of her obligations. She didn't have so much as a proposal to look over, all her business effects left back in the office. She didn't even have her phone, which caused Muri to bite her nails.

Though she hadn't been waiting long, the time spent without having something work related to look at made it feel like it took all night. She was about to attempt a second escape when a soft looking spaniel woman crooned her name out into the waiting area. When Muri stood, she almost expected Harris to stop her, or go with her to make sure she didn't sneak out the bathroom window. But he sat, stoic as always, fingers folded into each other on his lap. After a few vitals were taken she was once again left to wait in the sterile medical room that seemed ten degrees too cold to Muri.

When the doctor finally arrived, she had transitioned from popping her knuckles to picking at the paper tarp on the examination table. The amiable physician, a slight looking iguana with an easy smile, greeted Muri with a head bob.

"Good evening Miss Beaubonique, I'm Dr. Taylor," he soothed, making Muri sit a little straighter, trying to compose herself to look as healthy as possible. Perhaps upon seeing her, he too would think this was a waste of time and she could get out of here quicker. "What seems to be the problem? The information you gave the nurse said you fainted?"

Murina tried hard not to roll her eyes. "I... became light headed after I stood up too fast. That's all. And I hadn't had anything to eat in a while, and my colleague over reacted," Murina chuckled with a dismissive wave of her hand. The doctor nodded, looking over some papers and making some notes.

"Any other symptoms? Problems?"

Murina opened her mouth, hoping for a lie to fall out. "Not... nothing major... to speak of." The doctor looked up at her. "Anything you mention could be helpful, even the little things."

Murina shrugged, looking away to the various medical diagrams on the wall. "Well, I... was having trouble breathing. Just a little. A kind of... tightness in my throat." The doctor stared at her for a moment, before nodding and continued to write. "Have you had these symptoms before?"

The black rat paused for a moment, her thumb anxiously pressing into her palm. "O-once," she muttered, not feeling as confident about getting out of the doctor's office as fast as she hoped.

"Same symptoms?" the doctor continued to write. She nodded a little.

"And, uhm. A little bit of trouble seeing. When I was dizzy," she murmured, rubbing her forehead.

"And how are you feeling now?"

Murina sighed heavily, straightening back up to a more dignified position, adjusting her ugly patients smock like it was her fresh pressed vest. "I'm fine. Just a little tired and hungry."

The doctor nodded again, finally standing from his chair to approach Muri. Little more was said or asked as the iguana ran through a battery of fairly routine examinations. As with anything that wasn't related to work, it lasted longer than it seemed and longer than she cared for. Muri did not enjoy doctor visits in general since they always took up too much of her valuable time, asked too many personal questions and she always left feeling like the visit was pointless, confirmed as healthy as she was going out as she was going in. Despite her fast paced, high pressure lifestyle, Muri had always considered herself a remarkably healthy rat, which had always been confirmed by her few doctor visits. She took stress in stride, like a bullfighter gracefully avoiding catastrophe. She ate well and exercised daily. Her penchant for routine kept her sleeping schedule rather constant. Her immune system was impeccable as well, and her associates often joked that Murina Beaubonique was always "too busy to get sick."

Even with these few scary episodes under her belt, she had little reason to believe this wasn't going to be the case this time. When all was said and done, the doctor would tell her to take it easy and get some sleep.

"Miss Beaubonique," Dr. Taylor finally said as he finished with his examination, "Your symptoms and vital signs are consistent with episodic panic attacks."

Muri remained silent, but stared unblinking at the doctor, almost unsure as to what he had just said due to how nonchalant he seemed to announce it. "Um... excuse me?"

"Panic attacks. It's when your body and mind go through the various physiological changes associated with fear or panic in an uncontrollable manner. Think of it as your fight or flight response on over drive."

"Excuse me," Muri spoke a little louder, feeling a little insulted by the mere mention of the word 'panic'. "I don't panic, OK? I don't get panic attacks." The iguana put up a scaly hand.

"People who have panic attacks are often doing nothing out of the ordinary during the onset of a panic attack. That's why it's an attack. The reason for the onset could be obvious or imperceptible." He returned to the pad on his counter, scribbling some things as he spoke.

"How am I having panic attacks? I feel fine, nothing about my life has changed," Murina dropped off of the table, hoisting the poorly fitting gown up onto her shoulders. The doctor put up his hand again, hoping to calm her down.

"People can develop panic attacks and anxiety disorders at any time, for a variety of re-"

"Disorders??" Murina raised her voice, making the doctor strain to keep from raising his own.

"Look, I'm going to prescribe you a small amount of a benzodiazepine. You take them only as needed, when you feel like you're having a p..." The doctor noticed Muri's unrelenting glare at the mention of that word. "When you are experiencing those symptoms again. I want to see you again in a month to see how you are doing. If these... occurrences continue or increase, we'll need to talk more about perhaps taking medication regularly instead of as needed."

The parting words of the doctor were more familiar and Murina pretty much tuned him out. He ripped the small slip from his pad and handed it to Muri, giving a courteous small and parting words as he took his leave. Muri's face remained stern throughout.

Back in her smart black suit, looking considerable more put together than she had earlier, she paid her bill and strode out into the waiting room where Harris had been expecting her. He stood as she approached but did not bother to ask how it went. Muri answered before he had a chance.

"I told you this was a waste of time." Muri balled up a small scrap of paper she had been carrying and shoved it into the garbage can on their way out.

---

Murina had asked to be returned to the office, if only to just get her things. It took a lot of negotiating to convince him to not take her home right away, both their professional skills pitted against each other. Harris settled with the promise she would be in and out for her necessary effects, leaving the office work in the office for once, and head home immediately. He knew if he did not force her to follow up on her agreement, she would be right back in that chair and back to work.

The drive was short one, but Harris attempted small talk once the matter was settled. "You looked like that phone call was the straw that broke your back, Muri. Don't tell me it was more bad news for your Liverpool client." Harris wanted to probe the nature of the phone call that caused all this trouble, but did not want to directly ask about it. Mentioning Alfie usually got her to talk (or rather, defend her actions.)

"No, it's... it wasn't work." She rested her forehead in her palm as she looked out the passenger side window. The ocelot gave a small nod and a simple "I see" and left it at that. The silence lingered before Muri spoke up again.

"It was my brother. He's been trying to get ahold of me." Harris gave her the quickest of glances at her confession.

"I didn't know you had a brother." Though it was an honest response, he didn't sound surprised. Despite having known Murina Beaubonique for a long time, working with her from the earliest stages of her professional career, he knew very little about her personal life or her history. It was just the kind of person she was, preferring to focus on her job than her personal life. "You seemed really surprised to get a call from him."

Muri shook her head as they pulled into the building's parking lot. "Not really. I had been expecting it, but not looking forward to it." Muri did not mention the fact that it was an automation on the other end of the phone, or where the call had come from. "We don't talk much now days."

Harris nodded softly, careful to let her continue of her own accord. Muri opening up was as rare to see as a blue moon, and as easy to extinguish as a flam on damp kindling. You could never force her to, but every now and then she would. The both lingered in the car even after Harris turned the engine off, waiting to see what each other would do. Harris dared not ask about the matter further and instead waited to see where Muri wanted to take the conversation.

"Well, I better get my phone."

Harris followed Muri into the empty office, her work still strewn on the desk as she left it. He could tell it bothered her, but reminded her to keep her word with the sound of the clearing of his throat. "Getting late, Muri."

Muri shot him a look, part daggers and part appreciation, feeling too exhausted to fight nor work nor help herself home. She scooped her necessary belongings into her hands, keeping her eyes away from the documents stacked in piles, thinking that avoiding looking at them would keep them out of her mind longer. She couldn't, however, ignore the blinking light on her desk phone indicating a missed message.

Harrison and Murina synchronized glances, wordlessly arguing over the blinking, persistent light. Harris's whiskers twitched with irritation, warning her to not touch that phone, save it for tomorrow. She called his bluff, pressing the speaker phone to let the message play for him to hear. Harris rolled his eyes, seemingly haven given up and headed out the door. Muri had no intention on staying, but could not leave the office until she listened to it. Her whiskers perked up a bit.

"Hello, Murina Beaubonique. Sorry to call your office so late. I wanted to talk to you about your client, Alphones Norwich IV..."