For better or worse I awoke with this scenario...based on the infamous blooper. (The blooper tape is one of daughter's stims...to 'stim' means to do something over and over...like watch a video...the predictability is soothing to those with sensory processing problems)

"Julia Nips It in the Bud"                           *rated pg, for language* by Kimberly

".....I cannot trust Doctor Hoffman...I cannot take a chance...I will do away with her...tonight!"

"Barnabas..." Willie began to protest, but heard Julia's steps return.

"The room is quite satisfactory" she said professionally, already anticipating all of the progress she would be making towards Barnabas recovery.

"Fine!" Barnabas replied with a sinister knowing smile. 

"I've prepared a list.." she paused, as Barnabas gave a dramatic swipe at a fly that was plaguing him.  Julia continued on, finishing her sentence, a bit distracted,

"...of things that I'll need.  There's a chemical supply house in Bangor, they'll have all these things.  Willie will have to go..."

He swiped again, in a circular, graceful motion.

Julia halted.

"What...the hell.. was that?" she slowly asked.

"To what do you refer, Doctor?" he asked.

"This...for lack of a better description...motion you keep making?"

"I wasn't aware of a motion." he frowned, turning away.

Willie, hesitantly, spoke up,

"I think he was swattin' a fly, doc."

"I thought so too, Willie, but I don't recall ever seeing it done in quite that manner."

"Maybe they didn't have them rubber fly swats in the 1700's."  Willie responded, causing Barnabas to rage.

"Leave!  Get out of here Willie or I shall kill you!"

Willie bolted up the stairs to escape the wrath of his enraged master.

Barnabas turned his seething eyes to Julia.

"There was no fly, no motion.  You are mistaken, Doctor Hoffman."

"Oh, but there was....and this merits examination, and discussion."  Julia's voice was enthusiastic.  She withdrew a small notebook from her pocket, and pencil.

"Sit, please, Mr. Collins."  She donned a pair of reading glasses.

Barnabas sat, unconvinced, but had to admit he was stunned by this woman's curious insistence that there was more to this that he was aware.

Julia leaned in;

"Tell me more...."

~Cut to commercial... we are subjected to three minutes of the usual tripe.~ 

Scene re-opens:

"So your mother drank, and your father never loved you..."

"Yesss..." Barnabas replies, as shell-shocked as we are that Julia has gotten this far in three minutes.

"Splendid.  We are making progress.  Now, what do you say to a late supper and dancing?"

Barnabas is dazed, barely having heard the question posed, he responds,

"I...suppose.  Julia...."  he gazed into her sparkling eyes.

"Thank you."

The scene ends with a close shot of Julia's smiling face, one brow arched, the picture of self contentment and triumph. 

Being the omniscient viewer we hear her thoughts.

"Putty in the palm of my hand."

The end!