Rosa Andrews squirmed nervously in her patient restraints. The young woman’s form was held tightly in a rubber straight jacket, which itself was belted securely to the wheelchair that she sat in. Further belts held her legs to the contraption, as well as apart, ensuring she remained spread even while sitting. Her patient hood had been removed, which was a good deal of the reason for her current nerves. That she could see and look around the room was a change from her routine, one that she was nervous about because Doctor, that is, Mistress Samantha Kendricks wasn’t here with her.

Rosa bleated into her ball gag, and a soothing hand griped her shoulder for a moment.

“Calm down 1350. Dr Kendricks promised to swing by before we bring you in for your Patient Assessment Board.” The calm, reassuring voice of Nurse Callahan quieted some of Rosa’s nerves, but she still continued to squirm a little against her bonds. Behind her, Nurse Callahan gave a fond, exasperated sigh and began to gently massage Rosa’s shoulders and neck. She had to move around Rosa’s patient collar, a thick leather one, but she seemed well versed in the practice. Rosa let out a final whimper, and then felt herself beginning to relax into the nurse’s ministrations.

“There’s a good girl.” Callahan’s voice purred from behind her, “Nice and calm. You are really coming along well with your behaviour. So much better behaved than some of my other charges today. Well done, 1350.”

Rosa blushed a little, her head leaning to the side into one of Nurse Callahan’s arms, and she gave a little bleat of gratitude. She was always terribly nervous about how well she was doing here, about the possibility that Mercy Asylum might see fit to discharge her before her treatment could truly begin, and the little reassurances from the staff and from Doctor Kendricks always did temporary wonders for her self-confidence. But Rosa needed more. It was one of the things that Doctor, pardon, Mistress Samantha was treating her for by keeping her here. One of the many ailments that by a stroke of luck she had diagnosed in Rosa back when Rosa had come in to interview her for her journalism class.

Rosa felt herself suddenly misting up a little as she recalled just how lucky she was to have encountered Mistress Samantha. How wonderful it was for her health that the head of Patient Assessment at Mercy Asylum had personally taken charge of her treatment. She was ever so grateful, and Mistress Samantha was always more than kind enough in finding ways for her to express her gratitude to herself and other staff members.

Rosa was very fortunate indeed, by her own reckoning.

The door to her left suddenly opened, and Rosa’s head snapped around and she let out a heartfelt moan of welcome and relief as Doctor Kendricks swept into the room. She was in her medical uniform, which meant that Rosa was to refer to her by her public title. Mistress Samantha was something she was only to call her when they were alone or with other staff. Rosa half mumbled one of her mantras through her gag. It was a calming technique that Doctor Kendricks had been teaching her. By repeating the facts of her life: that she was a slave. That she needed to be collared. That she was being cured through bondage slavery to Doctor Kendricks. A great deal of other ones too, but it was important to reflect on facts. They helped build and sustain the new, better world that Doctor Kendricks was helping her build for herself. Rosa’s eyes fastened onto her saviour and she smiled happily around her gag. Doctor Kendricks was her protector. She would keep Rosa safe.

“Hello Patient 1350. Are you feeling well today?” Doctor Kendricks asked, crouching slightly to run one smooth wonderfully soft hand over Rosa’s brow and face, “Not too out of sorts by the change in schedule?”

Rosa flushed and mumbled into her gag, her eyes reflecting a portion of her previous concern to her doctor.

“I know,” Doctor Kendricks’ voice dripped understanding and empathy, “I know it’s a big change, and that’s tough for you. But today, finally, we are going to be doing your Assessment Board.” Her hand stroked over Rosa’s hair, “So I need you to be very brave for me today alright? Best behaviour so that we can get you integrated into an official treatment plan.”

Rosa nodded rapidly, “mmmhhmm! Fhaank ouo Ddofftoorr.”

“You’re very welcome 1350.” Doctor Kendricks gave her rubber covered shoulder a squeeze of support, and then she straightened, “Just remember all of our treatment sessions, sweetheart, and you’ll do fine. It won’t be very long, and we’ll have you back to your programming and treatment cycle before you know it.”

Rosa nodded again eagerly, the tension thrumming in her now. She knew what she had to do, she had to be the best possible applicant for her treatment program. Doctor Kendricks needed her to impress the Board so that she could keep treating Rosa. So that she could help Rosa. She just needed Rosa to behave, and to answer questions, and to convince the Board that she needed to stay. Rosa swallowed against the gag. It was a lot. But she had to do it.

Doctor Kendricks had been speaking with Nurse Callahan, “…erwork must be excellent. I’ve been told we’ve some sort of inspector coming by in the next few weeks, and the last thing I want is for a patient to be lost to us because the recordings and paperwork failed to communicate the gravity of their conditions.”

“I’ll see to it,” Nurse Callahan reassured her, “1350 shouldn’t be a problem. I’m confident in the girl’s abilities.” She gave Rosa another reassuring squeeze, and Rosa fairly beamed at the words, and at Doctor Kendricks’ smile of agreement. With a nod to them both, Doctor Kendricks swept back out the door she had entered from. Nurse Callahan waited there for nearly a minute before a brief buzzing sound came from the room, and she pushed Rosa’s bound form through the door on her wheelchair.

The room on the other side was simple enough. A large table was arrayed directly to the front from the door, with three chairs behind it, and perhaps a dozen in front where observers could sit as they pleased. No one was here though, thankfully. Rosa wasn’t certain she could bear the thought of strangers seeing her like this, so vulnerable and untreated. But the staff were alright. The staff cared for her, and wanted to help her.

Behind the table were the three physicians who were going to assess her, and Rosa’s heart rose as she saw that Doctor Kendricks was seated in the middle. She was part of her Board! Rosa felt a great thrill of hope. Surely Doctor Kendricks wouldn’t let anything go too badly wrong!

To Doctor Kendricks right was a woman of Italian descent, her Mediterranean complexion maing her appearance seem sultry and seductive. Her name was displayed on a placard in front of her, Doctor Irma Reina. She watched Rosa being wheeled in with a sympathetic smile. The other member of the board was a striking brunette, all sharp angles that spoke of cold aristocratic beauty. Yet this was tempered by the warm welcome that she seemed to radiate off of her. Her placard read: Doctor Erin Johnson. All three women presently only had one hand in view, the other disappearing under the table. Rosa could see the barest hints of rubber clad forms beneath the table cloth, and could faintly hear muffled moans and squeaking. She took a shaky breath through her gag. They would understand. They had to understand that she belonged here.

“Ahem.” Doctor Kendricks’ voice snapped Rosa’s attention back to her, and her protector smiled for a moment before continuing, “Doctor Kendricks here once more to continue now that preliminary discussions have been had. Patient 1350, formerly Ms Rosa Andrews, is now present in the room. Also present is Nurse Callahan. If my colleagues concur I would like to begin official proceedings by placing on the record Patient 1350’s history with this institution to date.”

“Concur.” Both women spoke at the same time, slightly out of breath.

“Splendid.” Doctor Kendricks’ other hand reappeared, and she leafed through the file in front of her, “Patient 1350 originally came to this institution to have a private discussion with me several weeks ago. During this discussion it became apparent that Patient 1350 was suffering from extreme anxiety. I performed an initial analysis, during which I made Recording A1, which you have all reviewed. Recording A1 illustrates that Patient 1350 was immediately reassured at the prospect of remaining for treatment at this institution, rather than departing that evening.”

Doctor Kendricks paused for a moment, and Rosa could recall that evening. Recall her initial disbelief in hypnosis, her sudden peacefulness when Doctor Kendricks had put her under, and her sudden desperate ache to remain at Mercy Asylum. How Doctor Kendricks had been so kind, so helpful, in volunteering her time to oversee Rosa’s treatment. Her trip down memory lane was cut short as Doctor Kendricks cleared her throat to continue.

“Patient 1350 was assigned her number at that point on a temporary basis, before I began her initial treatment schedule. 1350 was provided with meditative programming to help clear away distractions and negative thoughts, as well as provided with stimulating activities in a positive, safe environment.”

Rosa couldn’t wait to get back to her sybian. Her VR programming. Her dildo sucking. Those were the things that calmed her. That she was steadily improving at, with Doctor Kendricks’ helpful guidance. She had to stay. Had to stay!

“Patient 1350 has now been under treatment here at Mercy Asylum for…three weeks and two days. A PAB was unfortunately not able to meet right away due to a heavy patient load, so this has been the first opportunity we have had to properly assess her need to remain at this facility. Nurse Callahan, if you please, remove the patient’s gag.”

Rosa took a deep trembling breath as her ballgag was smoothly unbuckled and drawn away from her. Her eyes remained fixed on Doctor Kendricks, drawing strength from her presence. She would protect Rosa. She always would. Rosa didn’t need to be afraid so long as Doctor Kendricks was in charge of her.

“Hello 1350.”

“Hello Doctor,” Rosa’s voice trembled only a little.

“For the record, would you please communicate to the Board how you have found your initial round of treatment?”

“Oh yes Doctor, absolutely!” Rosa’s eyes flicked out to the other two, both of whom were leaning forward with eager, welcoming smiles. Their hands were both below the desk. The squeaking and muffled noises were noticeably louder. “Everything has been wonderful! I am grateful for being admitted to Mercy Asylum. The treatment has given me peace and safety.”

It was the rote response. Something that Rosa had had trained into her along with her other programming sessions. She had been so scared she wouldn’t get it right, but Doctor Kendricks’ satisfied smile told her she was doing well.

“The staff are wonderful.” Rosa continued, “I’m very grateful to have been taken on for treatment.” Her voice began to shake as she came to the final part, and she felt her eyes beginning to mist again, “P-please d-don’t ssssend mee-e away…” She began squirming against her restriants, “I-I need t-to stay. P-please. I can’t…can’t face the…the outside. N-not yet.” Her eyes were locked onto Doctor Kendricks as she begged, fear coursing through her and adding its desperate weight to her pleas, “Please Doctor, don’t send me away!”

Doctor Kendricks was nodding sympathetically, and Rosa couldn’t help but let out a single sob before the Doctor softly interjected, “Thank you for your response 1350. Would you feel more comfortable with your gag back in?”

Rosa nodded thankfully, her bound form shaking a little with nerves and another few ragged sobs before Nurse Callahan smoothly reinserted her ballgag and began soothingly massaging her shoulders again. Rosa let out a whimper of thanks and slumped back into the chair. The brief period had exhausted her from the fear, the sheer terror of possibly being released prematurely from the Asylum.

“The poor girl’s mind has become a prison for her,” Doctor Johnson mused from the other side of Doctor Kendricks, “She appears genuinely on the verge of a fresh breakdown at the thought of leaving. Moreover, 1350 has serious need for the crutches that we’ve provided her. Restraint and control appear to be able to curb some of her anxieties as purely temporary measures…”

“Indeed,” Doctor Kendricks smoothly took up the conversation, “Patient 1350 has demonstrated some initial progress mostly when we have applied certain levels of restraint. She requires rather firm control, and as illustrated in Recording A1 has attached herself to me as a sort of protector figure. While Patient 1350 has been nothing but obedient and helpful to all staff involved in her treatment, she appears most open to me as a result of her affliction.”

There was a few moments pause as the three doctors conferred at the table. Rosa was grateful for the silence, though the suspense of what their decision was going to be was eating at her. She had performed well enough hadn’t she? There hadn’t been any dissenting evidence to the contrary that pointed to her being well enough for release. Surely, she would win through. She so desperately wanted to be back in her treatment room, safe from the world.

“Ahem,” Doctor Kendricks’ voice cut through her mental babbling once more, “Due to the rather severe nature of Patient 1350’s condition, it is the judgement of this Board that you will be kept at Mercy Asylum for a period of six years under the close personal supervision of Doctor Samantha Kendricks.”

Rosa’s heart leapt and she let out a relieved moan into her gag. She had done it!

“…annual assessments as to your reintegration potential. Your continued good conduct and acceptance of our programming here will be our main determiners of yours progress. If sufficient progress is judged to have been made we can begin looking into accommodations and post-commitment life.” Doctor Kendricks’ voice softened and she leaned forward partly across the table, “I will take this moment to assure you, 1350, that you are in very safe hands.”

Rosa smiled at her through her gag, a pair of happy tears running down her cheeks.

"We have not failed a single one of our patients. We will not fail you.” Doctor Kendricks’ firm reassurance sent warm shivers coursing through Rosa, “You will be improved. You will be cured."

“Pardon, Doctor,” Doctor Reina’s sultry voice sounded, “I believe on the topic of post-commitment life a note should be made in her file. Since she has imprinted so strongly on you, we must give due consideration to you being her host if and when she is fit for release from this institute.”

“A valid point.” Doctor Johnson breathily agreed.

“It does bear thinking on Doctors, thank you.” Doctor Kendricks scooted herself a bit farther forward in her seat, “Nurse Callahan, as 1350 has been with us for some time I think we shall dispense with the normal introduction and facility tour. Please convey her back to her quarters and have her set up for her meditative programming. I shall be along shortly to administer her activities for the afternoon.”

Rosa moaned happily as Nurse Callahan took hold of her wheelchair and began guiding her out of the room. She had done it. She had convinced them. She was going to get to stay at Mercy Asylum, as long as it took. No one would be able to separate her from Doctor Kendricks. Rosa was going to be safe. Secure. Protected. Owned.

"You see, 1350? Just as I told you," Nurse Callahan said reassuringly, "You did so well, and I just know that Doctor Kendricks thinks so too. Once I've got you set up, I think you've earned yourself an orgasm or two for your behaviour. Very well done 1350, very well done."

Rosa amiably burbled away into her gag, drawing soft chuckles from Nurse Callahan, as she was wheeled back into the depths of the Asylum. Just one more patient being cured of their deep, enduring anxieties by the caring staff of Mercy Asylum.