Terry O'Brian: *makes his way into Haven, he's still getting a feel for the place, he looks into the lounge to see if anyone is there*

Michelle Morgan: No one in the lounge, although she steps out of the hallway to the node room and the offices when the doors open. She looks a lot dressier then usual, women's suit, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Hell, the woman almost looks like a business executive, beyond the tyical free-spirited expression on her face as she smiles to Terry. "Hey, you. How are you?"

Terry O'Brian: "I'm good, mostly...been wanting to talk to you." *he's a bit nervous, that much is rather clear, and he's not even bothering trying to hide it*

Michelle Morgan: A bit of a concerned frown, and she nods. "All right. Where do you want to do it? We can use here, or the offices...whichever works."

Terry O'Brian: "Umm...the offices might be better." *nods*

Michelle Morgan: She nods, and nods her head back the way she came from, before heading down and into the office she uses. It's fairly sparsely decorated, with just a few personal effects. She takes a seat behind the desk before gesturing to the chair. "What's going on, Terry?"

Terry O'Brian: *he sits in the chair* "Well, I sorta need some advice..." *he bites his lower lip, seeming to have picked up the habit that so many of the other kids in the area have*

Michelle Morgan: "Of course." She nods. "Fire away, Terry. It's part of what I'm here for."

Terry O'Brian: *he inhales deeply, using the moment to organize his thoughts a bit* "Well, there's this friend of mine...a girl...and she's got me really confused..." *stops a moment and bites on his lower lip before continuing* "The thing is, until a couple of days ago, I'd been under the impression that she was gay...but, umm...then she seemed to start showing an interest in me..." *turns a bit red upon saying that, in fact* "I don't know what to do. Before I had been trying to figure out if I think of her as a friend or sorta like a sister...but then just out of nowhere..." *he trails off, looking to Michelle hopefully*

Michelle Morgan: She smiles a little, nodding to Terry, as she leans back. "Okay. So, the first question. Have you figured out yet how you feel about her? You said friend, sister, or maybe something else. Which would you say you're leaning more toward?"

Terry O'Brian: "Well...I'm not sure about that...I don't think sister..." *again his face flushes a bit* "But I'm not sure which way I'm leaning towards."

Michelle Morgan: "All right." She nods a little. "Well, we've eliminated one option." She watches him from her chair, her stance easy, almost a strange combination of a mother and a best friend in her expression. "What's important first, Terry, is that you have to understand how you feel before you can even consider what your relationship, romantic or otherwise, is towards her. If you don't know how you feel, then you won't know what you want, and everything will get muddled. Know what I mean?"

Terry O'Brian: *nods* "Yeah..." *he nods again after a moment of silence*

Michelle Morgan: "What's this girl's name?" Her voice is soft and calm, eyes on Terry, with a small smile on her face.

Terry O'Brian: *this question causes him to bite his lip, and he even turns to make sure the door is closed* "Elena..."

Michelle Morgan: "All right. So what I want you do to is close your eyes and picture Elena in your mind. Clear everything else out...brush all the clutter aside. Forget about everything...just let her in, for now."

Terry O'Brian: *he closes his eyes, and attempts to follow Michelle's instructions...it's not all that hard, either, he nods after a moment*

Michelle Morgan: All he hears now is her voice, calm and guiding without leading him in any certain direction. "Now. Let the background fill itself in. Let the location, the time of day, everything else just come, without trying to think of any particular place."

Terry O'Brian: *images of The Core come to mind...it's inside, so time of day isn't really too relevant...but it's the location he associates most with Elena...* "Ok."

Michelle Morgan: "Now. I want you to tell me what you are feeling, upon seeing this. What different emotions do you feel, when you focus on this image that's come to you?"

Terry O'Brian: "Umm...

Terry O'Brian: ((ack, ignore that, real post coming))

Michelle Morgan: ((NP. *G*))

Terry O'Brian: "Umm...kinda happy...and well...confused..." *bites his lip, and blushes a bit* "Err...a bit excited...my heart's beating faster..." *he stops talking, continuing to bite his lip and to blush*

Michelle Morgan: "So there's Joy, and Desire." She continues on, in that calm, even voice. "Why is there confusion? What is it in regards to?"

Terry O'Brian: "Like...I don't know which way I should be feeling about her...like...I'm not sure if some of the things that I might be feeling are what I should be feeling..." *he's getting repetitive and he's rambling a bit...biting his lip a bit harder, but not yet hard enough to draw blood*

Michelle Morgan: "You're getting into logic, Terry. Push those thoughts out of your head. Don't question your feelings right now. Just feel them. And calm yourself. Relax your body. Tension only brings negativity into a situation like this."

Terry O'Brian: "Ok...I'll try..." *breathes in deeply, trying to calm himself down...he certainly is biting his lip less hard, but he hasn't quite stopped.*

Michelle Morgan: "That's all I ask. Remember...don't judge your emotions. You can't help how you feel. The only thing you can help is how you act in regard to those feelings. Emotions in and of themselves are never a bad thing. Even Hatred, Fear, and Grief have their uses, and are Sacred. Emotions are things to be cherished, held close to you, and felt completely through. Now, feel your emotions fully. And then describe them to me."

Terry O'Brian: *stays quiet a bit more, breathing deeply trying to calm himself down before focusing on his emotions...already got the Joy and Desire...what were the Passions...Michelle told him that one time...he remembers them mostly...* "Umm...there's like, err...the one where you feel like you're a lot like someone else...and there something else...I don't really know what it is..." *and he bites his lip a bit harder, he's trying to identify the other emotion*

Michelle Morgan: "Empathy. All right. Lets run through the list, then. We have Joy, Desire, and Empathy. Is there Grief? Fear? Jealousy?"

Terry O'Brian: *he's thinking about that one...rather hard...sweat beads on his brow and everything! Of course, there's the lip biting too...after a few moments of silence* "No Grief or Fear..." *stops a moment* "Maybe some Jealousy..."

Michelle Morgan: "Directed where? Toward Elena, or somewhere else?"

Terry O'Brian: "Not towards her...and umm...at someone else..." *he blushes a bit, yet again*

Michelle Morgan: "Who? Someone she's interested, or maybe who's interested in her?"

Terry O'Brian: "Ummm...the first...and...I'd rather not name anyone..." *all his signs of nervousness increase as the question is asked and as he gives his answer*

Michelle Morgan: "That's okay, Terry, you don't have to. I'm not judging you here, and I'm not judging anyone else, either. Relax again. Clear your mind...focus on Elena. So we have Joy, Desire, Empathy, and Jealousy. Any Hatred or Rage involved?"

Terry O'Brian: *he shakes his head, this one he seems to at least think that he knows* "No."

Michelle Morgan: "Okay, then. You have Joy, Desire, Empathy, and some Jealousy. What do those feelings mean to you?"

Terry O'Brian: "I'm not really sure...I'm not even sure what you mean..."

Michelle Morgan: "Oh. I'm sorry...I missed one." Was it an accident? Hard to tell. "There's one other Passion. Do you feel Love?"

Terry O'Brian: *he's silent for a bit, breathing heavily to try to focus...he cups his hands over his nose and mouth, leaning against them, then suddenly shakes his head...more as though to clear it than to answer in the negative, though. He lets out a bit of a sigh, he's trying desperately to find the answer to this one...a minute passes, then a second...it's gotta be a good five minutes before he says anything* "I...I think so...at least, a little..." *he lowers his hands...if he were biting his lip any harder at that moment, he would be bleeding...but he does let up a bit, keeping his eyes closed...desperately trying to force himself to relax*

Michelle Morgan: "All right. Then, you know your emotions surrounding Elena. You have Joy, Desire, Empathy, Love, and Jealousy. Very good. Now, what does all of this mean to you?"

Terry O'Brian: *this time, when he shakes his head, it's an indication of confusion* "I'm not sure...I guess it means she's at least a friend...but I'm still not sure..."

Michelle Morgan: "Then let's get to the root of each emotion. Start with Joy. What about Elena inspires Joy or Wonder in you? Where does that Passion come from, in terms of Elena?"

Terry O'Brian: *shrugs* "I just enjoy being around her. She's fun."

Michelle Morgan: "All right. So her presence, and the things you guys can do together, inspires Joy. Common interests. The enjoyable times you have together." A brief pause, and then she moves on. "What about Desire? What inspires Desire within you about her? Remember, I'm not judging you here, and there is no wrong answer. So don't be nervous."

Terry O'Brian: *don't be nervous...right...whenever anyone says that, people get nervous...and he does so...* "Umm...well.." *he not only gets nervous, but blushes quite a bright shade of red as he steels himself to actually say something* "Well...I enjoyed kissing her...and...ummm..." *sort of trails off...his eyes are still closed, but he "looks" down a bit*

Michelle Morgan: "All right. So what you're saying there is a definite physical attraction to her, then."

Terry O'Brian: *he nods*

Michelle Morgan: "All right, then. Let's move on to Empathy. Where does your Empathy or Sympathy for Elena come from?"

Terry O'Brian: "Well...we've both lost our families...err..." *he hesitates a moment* "There's something else...but I shouldn't talk about it..."

Michelle Morgan: "That's all right. What's important, Terry, is...do you understand where it's coming from? All I'm trying to get you to do is know where your feelings come from. The more we understand, the easier we can understand the situation."

Terry O'Brian: *nods* "Yeah...I know."

Michelle Morgan: "Sounds good. Next up...Jealousy. You say this is in regard to someone who is interested in her, right?"

Terry O'Brian: *shakes his head* "No...someone she has said she's interested in."

Michelle Morgan: "Ah, okay. Why does this make you jealous?"

Terry O'Brian: "Well...umm..." *he pauses for a moment* "Well, it's sort of...well..." *he lowers his head a bit* "I guess it's me being selfish...I mean...I want her to be interested in me...and if she's interested in someone else, I'm not getting what I want...someone else is...so I'm Jealous..."

Michelle Morgan: "That makes sense. Remember, Terry, Jealousy is not a bad thing in and of itself. It drives us to excel, in order to match our rivals, and keep that which we desire. It's only when it goes too far, like any Passion, that it becomes dark."

Terry O'Brian: *he nods at that, quietly*

Michelle Morgan: "All right. So we've covered where your Joy, Desire, Empathy, and Jealousy come from. Now, what about your Love? What about Elena inspires Love in you?"

Terry O'Brian: *alright...this is the hard one...he bites his lip once more while he's thinking* "Well...part of it is that we're friends...but...well...there's more than that...but I'm not sure of the actual cause..." *Frowns...definitely not happy that he's having trouble identifying the cause*

Michelle Morgan: "Use your other emotions, and where they come from, to help you identify the cause, Terry. Passions are often sympathetic...they work hand-in-hand with each other. So look at where your Joey, Desire, Empathy, and Jealousy come from, and see if they lead you to the answer."

Terry O'Brian: *he nods...and thinks for a bit...another one of those long pauses...and then another nod* "Ok...I think I get it now..." *he opens his eyes, and sits straight up in the chair now*

Michelle Morgan: She remains sitting there, watching him, with that small, calm smile on her face. "So what do you think?"

Terry O'Brian: "I think that I want to be more than just friends with her..." *and now that he's vocalized it, and he hears it, he even nods a bit*

Michelle Morgan: She smiles, nodding approvingly. "Congratulations, Terry. You've just taken a huge step in understanding yourself, by sorting out your emotions. Passions are a difficult thing for a lot of people to get a grasp on. You did an incredible job."

Terry O'Brian: *and he blushes a bit at the praise* "Ummm...thanks."

Michelle Morgan: "Your welcome." She smiles, and pulls a cigarette, lighting up. She looks over at him. "All right, so now you understand how you feel. How does that effect your situation with Elena?"

Terry O'Brian: *he inhales deeply, still trying to calm himself down after the rather intense experience of figuring out his own emotions* "Well, I think I'm going to have to try to figure out what the best way to talk to her about it is. I mean...just blurting something out usually doesn't go all that well."

Michelle Morgan: She chuckles a little. "Not usually, no. Sometimes, but it's not that often."

Terry O'Brian: *and a big exhalation* "But that's something I'm just going to have to think about myself."

Michelle Morgan: "Probably, yeah." She nods, exhaling a drag of smoke away from him. "Can I offer you a piece of advice, from someone who's been on both sides of the conversation?"

Terry O'Brian: "Yes, please." *he nods*

Michelle Morgan: She smiles a little. "However you do it, Terry...be honest with her, and direct. Don't try and hint around the issue, or make her guess at it. When you're dealing with emotions of the heart, you have to be honest at the same time you're being sensitive to the other person's feelings."

Terry O'Brian: *he listens, and then nods* "That makes sense...thanks."

Michelle Morgan: She nods. "Any time, Terry. Like I said, that's part of what I'm here for." A pause, as she smiles to him. "Feel better?"

Terry O'Brian: *nods* "Yeah, you helped a lot. Umm...can this conversation sorta remain just between the two of us?"

Michelle Morgan: "Well, I suppose I can record all the secret tapes of it..." She chuckles. "Of course. Anything discussed with me stays with me, Terry."

Terry O'Brian: *nods* "Just wanted to make sure."

Michelle Morgan: She nods. "So, beyond that, how are you doing, Terry? Anything new going on? How are you liking Haven so far?"

Terry O'Brian: "Well, that's been mostly what's occupied me for the last couple of days...but yeah, I like this place. Wish there were more people, but you said that there will be." *shrugs* "And I've been practicing."

Michelle Morgan: "Good to hear. Working on shielding your mind, I assume? Anything else that you've been practicing on?"

Terry O'Brian: "Yeah." *nods* "And a bit of...well...singing. I mean, it's what you were doing, and it seemed to work, so I've been doing that while practicing."

Michelle Morgan: She nods in response. "Music is a great way to work with minds. It's very evocative of moods, and lets people transcend themselves. A good song can take you to places you didn't expect to be. It's just one of the tools we use to work our magic."

Terry O'Brian: *nods* "So I've been practicing that too."

Michelle Morgan: "Perfect." She smiles to him. "If you'd like, some time later, I can go over some of the other kamamarga...the Paths of Ecstacy. The tools we use."

Terry O'Brian: "Umm...yeah, I've been wondering...I mean, I know I've affected things in ways that I didn't realize at the time were magic...but they seem like they probably were now...and things that weren't just minds...at some point I'd like to figure out what I had been doing, and see if maybe I can figure out new things to do with them, like I have with minds." *nods* "But yeah...now probably isn't the best time...I think I should probably get some sleep." *and he really does look tired...who can blame him after all that*

Michelle Morgan: She smiles and nods. "Do you want me to take you home? Or are you okay to rest here?"

Terry O'Brian: "I'll sleep here...I'm not sure I could make it up to the surface." *smirks a bit*

Michelle Morgan: She chuckles. "Not a problem. I'll be around...I need to talk to Sebastian about some things, contact one of the other Chantries. If you need anything, come find me. And if I'm not here, just give me a call...my cell will be on me."

Terry O'Brian: "Ok." *nods, and stands up, opening the door to the office* "'night."

Michelle Morgan: "Good night, Terry." She watches him walk off, then sighs, stubbing her cigarette out and getting back to work.

Terry O'Brian: *heads to the empty dorm where he took his nap yesterday, and just collapses on the bed, asleep almost instantly* ((Thanks for the RP!))

Michelle Morgan: ((You bet!))