Merging together indeed, Dr. Barrow thought, seeing Jake as a place holder for Lazarus. Bad objects are common in psychology, and normally took the form of rivals, ex lovers, or former friends. Barrow thought about his own bad objects - his sire being a deeply bitter one - and considered how often they are defenses against internal suffering. It was easy to hate his sire. It was easy to hate Jimmy. Hating the part of himself that he saw within those people; now, that was hard. So Jake was a bad object. That could be worked on, but the picture felt incomplete. It wasn't as simple as what Lazarus had done. It never was, and people were often fully formed by the time they were twenty.
"So he rescued you, freed you, or am I mishearing?"
He nodded at the lines about Vincent. He seemed to value control. Vincent knowing contaminated something Ben valued, and as he'd pointed out it wasn't anonymity. He almost asked Ben if he found himself controlling, but decided against it as too confrontational this early in the treatment. He didn't fear Ben's thoughts. He was trying not to read his mind. However, he could see him almost squirming in the chair, and so the good doctor rose from his chair, never breaking eye contact and moving with a practiced step towards his desk. He opened a small drawer, finally dropping his gaze. He pulled out a small metronome and a pocket watch and walked back to his chair and sat.
"You seem to understand that things are neither good, or bad, by themselves, but rather the context in which they're used and with how much moderation. That's wisdom and I think it will help us as we work on your sexual issues."
The praise wasn't empty. It was a great truth of life most people ignored. Ben couldn't live this truth in his personal life yet, but he understood it about himself. That was useful. He held the watch up and dropped the chain, dangling it in front of the patient.
"I would like to hypnotize you," he said with a dry clinical tone. "I hope to probe your subconscious and perhaps visit some memories. By combining my second sight with my... what makes me a Malkavian, I can help us revisit the past."
He couldn't help but smile. No mortal doctor offered treatment like this.