The next morning Thomas woke up to an email from Jacobson. 

Dr. Black

Great work with Hostettler. All teams are reporting a significant change in her mood. Patient requested moving to two sessions a week if you can manage it.

Looking forward to seeing your treatment plan today. 

Best, 

Dr. Jacobson

Thomas's heart fluttered as he read the part about Patricia requesting more sessions with him. He drifted back to the tall woman smiling at him softly over her meal, and his chest felt hollow and full all at once, like there was a force pulling him to her. This detail was more exciting than the rare accolades from his boss. 

Therapists are not supposed to fall for their patients, even when they are incredibly tall, beautiful women. Thomas shook his head. His duty was to her mental health. He couldn't let any of his feelings get in the way of that.

At the noon meeting that day, the department heads presented their treatment plans. A surprising number of these were simply to monitor her condition. Nothing was wrong with her heart. Nothing was wrong with her bones. Nothing was wrong with her hormones or her brain. In fact, she was more than healthy by all accounts. Of course, this was no reason not to test.

And yet, people were frantic to do something about Patricia's predicament, due in no small part to the report from the research lab. There they had taken the known data about her growth and extrapolated it into two different models. 

One was if her growth remained consistent. Two inches a week, like Thomas’s dream earlier. A fifteen foot tall woman by next year. A completely unheard of size for a human being to be.

The other projection, and the one currently favored by the research team, predicted her growth relative to her size. The team showed a chart graphing her expansion, and showed that she was growing at a daily rate of 0.005% relative to her size extremely consistently. If this trend were to continue, she would reach ten feet tall in a little less than a hundred days, the height that the orthopedist and the cardiologist said could be theoretically supported by her strengthening heart and bones. Extrapolating from that, she would be in excess of thirty feet tall and growing about two inches every night by this time next year.

"...that can't be right, surely!" complained the cardiologist. "We're seriously talking about a fifteen foot tall human being?" Even in his incredulity, he was taking the low estimate. This was probably the first time any of them besides Thomas had envisioned a person of that size. 

Everything Thomas found erotic about it was a source of trepidation for them. A woman so large that even the tallest men were only up to her mid thigh. A person who could snatch you up and hold you like a baby. A person who ate a week's worth of groceries in a single meal. And again, that was the low estimate. None of them wanted to dream of a woman as tall as a two story building, and they certainly didn’t want to look at the later end of the graph that showed what her height would be in two years, nearly two hundred feet tall. A person who could fit this entire conference room in the palm of her hand, or her mouth… Thomas's insides squirmed a bit at the thought. 

"Unprecedented to be sure, but not impossible given the trends we're seeing. No one in the history of man has grown like this. It's as if someone hacked into reality and decided to scale up a person completely proportionally." The researcher added. "Her symptoms defy all physical and medical knowledge. If there is an upper limit on what size she could be, we have not yet seen what would serve as that limit."

The news made the room fall silent. Thomas was sure that everyone was picturing something similar to what he was: being at the feet of Patricia Hostettler, the size of a bug to her. The room was dead silent as they all took that image in. Dr. Jacobson finally broke the silence.

"Dr. Black." He said, stammering over his words slightly as he came to grips with the image. "Dr. Black has made a lot of progress with Ms. Hostettler's mood, as I'm sure you've all seen. Dr. Black?" He handed the floor to the young psychologist. He remained seated, lest he expose his erection to the entire meeting. The mood in the room was still tense, and he wasn't sure how what he was about to say would go over.

"Ms. Hostettler is suffering from lack of confidence and low self esteem due to her symptoms. It is vital for Ms. Hostettler's mental health to retain some sort of normalcy. Exercise and fresh air are going to be vital for her. In addition, I want to begin a series of confidence building exercises." As he said it, he could see the unease rising in the faces of his colleagues. 

"Confidence building exercises?" Challenged Dr. Vale, as though the problem with the suggestion was self-evident. Their minds still dwelt on the terrifying prospect of a fifteen foot tall woman. Now Dr. Black was here telling them that he wants that growing girl that was curled in a ball in an effort to wish herself smaller should be more confident, of all things? As an expert in human weakness, Dr. Black was prepared for this. 

"What's the problem? If any other patient presented with these mental health symptoms you would all agree that confidence building was a necessity." He fired back, forcing the doubters to articulate their fear.

"If she is to grow to thirty feet tall…" the orthopedist gulped, and then fumbled with his words trying to make what he was trying to say based on something besides what it really was: ‘I’m scared of her’.

"We don't know how to keep her small." Dr. Black offered. "And you're terrified of her size and growth, so the next best thing than actually keeping her small is for her to remain meek, miserable, and mentally small. If this were any other patient that goal would be malpractice." He challenged. "I understand you're all scared of the power she'll have if these models are to be believed. Frankly, I would be more scared of what such a powerful person might do if she hates herself or loses touch due to her size." His conviction cowed the unease in the room. Most importantly, he had seemed to convince Jacobson. 

"That's right." the chief said. "We have a duty to treat Ms. Hostettler like any other patient. You all focus on halting her growth and we'll leave Dr. Black to keeping her mentally well.”

He hesitated before dismissing the meeting. “And… let’s sit on these projections for a little while. No need to alarm the patient or her family until we are more confident.” He added. He was avoiding the prospect that she really could be that big, Dr. Black observed. There was no push back from any of the other doctors, comfortable with putting it out of mind as they packed up their things.

Dr. Black’s next appointment with Patricia Hostettler was three days later. She had grown a little less than two inches in that period, putting her just shy of 7’6”, When he got to her room she was curled into her same tight ball. They had switched out her bed for the largest hospital bed they could find, but even shrinking herself as much as she could, Thomas could tell it would be too small for her soon. When she noticed Dr. Black enter she sat up slightly straighter, but only slightly.

"Good afternoon Ms. Hostettler" he said as he tossed a set of athletic clothes on her bedside table.

"What are those for?" She asked suspiciously.

"I thought it would be a good idea to take a walk outside, just around the campus as part of our session today." He said confidently. Her face flushed bright red and she tightened her grip around her knees. She slowly shook her head 'no.'

"It's ok, we will work up to it." He assured her. "How are you feeling today? I noticed that you seem a little looser than yesterday."

"I'm bigger again today." She said, dismayed.

"I didn't ask how big you were, I asked how you were feeling." Dr. Black corrected, taking a seat on a stool at the foot of her bed.

"Scared, I guess. Like a freak." She frowned.

"Mhm. What's happening to you is certainly scary." Dr. Black agreed. "Today we are going to do some confidence building exercises, and we're going to set a goal to get you out of that paper gown and into these clothes for a walk outside. How's that sound?"

She frowned deeper, unsure of how Dr. Black would be able to get her from where she was to there. She looked at him over her knees. He wasn't like the other doctors that were looking after her. They weren't trying to make her feel like a monster by any means, but that's the only way she could understand how scared and worried they were around her. She noticed that fear only got worse over the weekend. Dr. Black was the only person she had met in this place that seemed to be taking her growth in stride. He's your therapist, she reminded herself. He has to act that way to make you feel better. And yet, there was something about his warm smile and direct eye contact that suggested that he knew she would be ok that let her start to believe it as well.

"Ok." She shrugged, willing to be convinced. "What's a confidence building exercise?".

Dr. Black's smile widened. "Well, we just did one by setting a goal. We will go for a walk today and get some fresh air. Before that we will do some breathing exercises and power poses."

"Power poses?" She cocked an eyebrow up in disbelief.

"Yes, power poses. Did you ever hear about that study that showed if people force themselves to smile they are actually measurably happier? It's sort of the same thing. By sitting or standing as you would when you are confident you can develop actual confidence. Let's try." He said, oozing infectious confidence that banished her doubts.

"Ok, I guess."

"Great. Let's start off small. Close your eyes and sit cross legged on the bed. Roll your shoulders back, stretch your spine upwards, and tilt your chin up." He ordered her. It was honestly hard for her to start. She has been more or less in a ball shape in front of people since she grew taller than 7 feet. She only unfurled to her full length when she was being measured each morning. Even when she stood up to use the bathroom she hunched forward so she didn't have to realize how far she was from the ground. And Dr. Black watching her somehow made it easier and harder at the same time. She wanted to prove herself, but she didn’t want to fail him.

"Would it help if I turned my back to you?" He asked, as if he had read her thoughts. She decided that the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him by chickening out.

"No." She said, trying to sound confident but not really managing it. She slowly folded her long legs under herself, tucking her feet. She rolled her shoulders back and straightened her spine, pushing her chest out. Next task was to elevate her chin, but by now her self consciousness was getting to her. Having lived as a nearly 6 foot tall woman, she was always a little self conscious of her height. She had been accustomed to slouching, especially around men. However unpleasantly tall she felt then, it all seemed so small now that she was 7’6”.

"It's ok." Dr. Black reassured. He extended his hand forward and made a beckoning motion up. "Take a deep breath and let the air filling your lungs tilt your chin up." He instructed, taking a deep breath himself and poking his chin forward to demonstrate. She tried, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. She felt her chin rise almost involuntarily. She held that breath for a long time before exhaling, enjoying the feeling of her muscles stretching after being curled in for weeks. It felt very, very good. 

"Good." Dr. Black agreed. "Very good." Ms. Hostettler's posture had opened and lengthened, and now Thomas was fighting the urge to gaze down at her torso pushing against the thin fabric of her medical gown. Her eyes were closed, so she wouldn't catch him if he just took a peak… 

He glanced down, noticing the swell of her breast and the point of her nipples poking into the fabric, tear drop shaped, fat, and perky on her slim frame. His eyes continued searching her downward, but the boxy gown prevented him from beholding her true shape. What he did notice was that despite her new upright posture, she had her long arms folded against her stomach. She was still on guard. 

"This is going to sound silly, but now I want you to take your arms and flex them up like a bodybuilder." He said. She flinched at the mere thought of it. To do so would leave her monstrous body too exposed. She felt her face grow hot with embarrassment, and then opened her eyes to see Dr. Black with the same convinced and steely expression on his face. She closed her eyes again, face still flushed, and snapped her arms up into a herculean pose. 

"Breathe deep…" the doctor ordered, and she did. Filling her lungs and puffing out her chest.

"...and hold." He instructed. She kept her eyes closed, clenched against the rising heat of humiliation in her face. 

"That's good. Try to hold that for as long as you feel comfortable." He encouraged her. "I would like it if you could hold that for thirty seconds." He added, but it was more of an order than a suggestion.

Just getting to this point was a struggle for her, and now she had to hold it. She cracked her eyes open into a squint at the doctor, trying to regain some control of the situation. And yet, she was only met with the affirmative expression of the doctor. She closed her eyes, affirming to hold the pose. 

"Good job." He praised. "Twenty five. Breathe deep, and exhale." She obeyed, tilting her chin up further. "Twenty. Pay attention to your spine. It's a strong column that roots you to the ground." She straightened, sitting even taller than before. "Fifteen, in and out" Dr. Black instructed, guiding her through this experience with her body. 

"Ten, in and out. You're doing great. Keep your back straight. Good. Five, in and out. Hold that pose. And zero, in and out. Now you are governed by your will alone. Hold the pose as long as you like." She furrowed her brow, trying to stave off her self consciousness as long as she could. It was a strange tension for her between wanting to meet Dr. Black's expectations for the exercise and to not keep him waiting. She decided that she could do ten more seconds, during which her face burned red. Finally, she opened her eyes to Dr. Black smiling warmly at her. 

"How did that feel?" He asked.

"Stupid." she answered matter-of-factly, but punctuated her answer with a smile to show she was in on the joke. She let her arms fall down to her lap.

"I didn't ask you to do it to make fun of you." He said. "Freeze your body. Don't move an inch. I want to point out how loose you are compared to how you were when I came here today." As soon as he said it, she felt herself wanting to curl up again. The only thing stopping her was his order to freeze. The two maintained eye contact for a long time as he let the fact of it sink in with her. Eventually, Patricia signaled that she had learned her lesson by giving him a faint smile.

"Great. Tell me Ms. Hostettler, when is the last time you've stood up straight in front of anyone?"  

"I haven't." She said, shaking her head and dreading what he would have her do next. "And if you're going to make me stand I don't think I can stand you looking at me." Dr. Black held up his hands disarmingly and smiled. "That's fine." He said, standing up and turning to face the other side of the room.

“I do want you to stand though. Get out of bed and stand behind me.”

She slowly turned and placed her feet on the cold hospital floor. She kept one eye nervously on the doctor, planning to dive back in bed just in case he would turn to look at her. She stood up slowly into her crouched stance, then turned her eyes to the ceiling. She reached her arms up to block her head from bumping on it. The room had nine foot high ceilings, and at her height there was no such danger. She watched it as she stood. and decided that if she were ever taller than the ceiling that she might just die. She was not that tall yet, thankfully.

She brought her long arms back down and folded them tightly around her stomach. She was terrified at how large she had become. Everything in the room looked miniature to her, not the least of which was the handsome psychologist. She took a trepidatious step forward, unduly worried that her big body might destroy the very ground she walked on. She was almost surprised to see how short he was. The way he talked so confidently made him see him a lot taller. Seeing him so short compared to her was disappointing for her for some reason.

"Ok." She said, standing behind him. "But still don't turn around."

"You have my word. Now plant your feet shoulder width apart, and clench your hands into fists. Take them and place your knuckles against your hips like you're Wonder Woman." The woman gripped her elbows tighter.

"This is supposed to help me be more confident?" She asked incredulously. The hair on the back of Thomas's neck stood up as he registered the voice coming from over his head.

"It's ok, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You're in control here. Take the stance and hold it until you're ready for me to turn to look at you."

"And what if I never want you to look at me?" She asked. 

"Well, then we can't go on our walk." He said. "Because then there's going to be a lot of people looking at you."

She looked back over at the pile of clothes and thought about how nice it would be to get out of this hospital that had been her whole world for the last three weeks. She took a deep breath and planted her feet, then clenched her fists and put them on her hips.

"How's that feel?" Dr. Black asked. 

"Stupid again." She said, and almost couldn't stop herself from laughing at what must have been a ridiculous sight. The doctor with his hands folded behind his back patiently as a giant woman in a paper gown stood menacingly behind him. 

"Take a deep breath. You are in control. You are confident. Repeat that to yourself and continue to breathe deeply."

She did as ordered, taking many slow, deep breaths as she repeated the mantra.

"I am in control. I am confident." She whispered, afraid to be heard.

"Great. Louder."

"I am in control. I am confident." She said slightly louder.

"Louder!" He cried.

"I am in control!" She said in a raised voice. "I am confident!"

"I am in control! I am confident!" She bellowed unprompted and as loud as she dared, and now she couldn't help herself from laughing because, damn it, it was working. It was like Dr. Black was reigniting an inner fire that had been put out after she grew taller than her dad. I am Patricia Hostettler, and I'm in control.

"Ok, you can turn around." She said after she was done laughing. Thomas wasn't sure if he could handle it. He had been unable to get the image of her standing behind him out of his head. He dreaded the idea of turning around and seeing her posing like that and not being able to pass off his attraction. She noticed him clenching his hand around his wrist as he turned around to look up at her face. 

Her chin was tilted up confidently, but her face was red and she was chewing on her lips. As his eyes met hers she forced herself to stand up straighter.

"Wow." He said. "You're tall."

"Hey watch it, I'm still getting used to it." The two stood there looking at each other for some time. Her eyes scanned his face for the traces of fear the other doctors displayed when around her now that she had revealed her true monstrous size to him. But there was no fear, just his confident, warm smile. Her face grew a hotter red. 

"You're doing well." He reassured, then turned his back to her and walked to the door. "I'm going to go use the bathroom. Why don't you get changed and I'll meet you here in five minutes". He said, but didn't wait for an answer before whisking out the door.

He practically ran around the corner and placed his back to the wall. He pinched his nose and closed his eyes, trying to get the image out of his head. His mind danced with images of Patricia Hostettler assuming the power pose as a hundred foot tall goddess, her embarrassed red face replaced with a confident and superior looking smirk as she looked over the tiny hospital. “I am in control” She bellowed as she stared down at him between the swell of her breast and the peaks of her nipples. “She’s a scared young woman who needs help.” He repeated, banishing the vision.

He could feel her footsteps through the floor as she approached, hesitated, and cracked open the door. Her large body filled the entire opening, and she peered down at him through the top crack of it, a nervous but determined look on her face. The door frames were seven feet tall which put them level with her eye line. She wrapped her fingers around it as she exited, ducking her head and looking in all directions nervously. At the frame so as not to bump her head on it, down at Dr. Black so she didn't accidentally bump into him, and down either end of the hallway to see other people before they saw her. 

Dr. Black couldn't help but scan her body as she navigated it through the gap. The athletic clothes the hospital provided were large, essentially larger men’s work out clothes which did not fit well on her body. For one, the circumference of her hips and butt was much wider than a male of the same size, and her waist was much smaller. And so, while she filled out much of the seat of the pants, the waist band's draw strings had to be tightened over the top of her hips.

Her shirt had the same problem. Extra baggy on her thin frame, and not cut to fit a woman’s bust line. She had taken the extra fabric at the front of the shirt and tucked it into her makeshift high waisted shorts. Her breasts, on the large side even in relation to her frame, were bound tight to her chest with an unseen sports bra. The collar of the shirt was tight against her neck, and showed signs of being slightly stretched as she pulled her head through. 

Her feet were about a foot long and were clad in the largest men's sandals available, which were still too small. When she got bigger, she would have to do these walks barefoot, Thomas noticed. He had to fight back against dreaming of those feet stomping through the hospital yard, leaving footprint craters longer than he was tall. 

Patricia Hostettler finally fully emerged from her room. Her posture was back to being slightly hunched as she nervously scanned the hallway. The doctors and nurses there were giving her the same scared looks from earlier.

"Ready?" asked Dr. Black, drawing her focus back down at his calm expression, and spreading his calm to her. She smiled, nodded, and the two made their way to the elevator. The tiny space made her feel very claustrophobic. She shrunk into the opposite corner of Dr. Black, who stood up straight, facing the door. The elevator stopped at a few floors, but when the staff saw her inside they decided to wait for the next one.

“Why do they look at me like that?” She blurted, shrinking in on herself more.

Dr. Black hesitated, remembering Dr. Jacobson’s orders not to tell her about her projected growth to thirty feet tall by this time next year. They were understandably scared of her.

“They are worried about you.” He said, not quite a lie. “And guilty about the prospect of failing you.”

The two didn't exchange any other words as they rode to the first floor. When the door opened to the lobby it was the same story as the other floors, with the doctors there shooting her worried looks. When she saw this she tried to shrink back in and hide herself, but Dr. Black had already stepped out of the door and held his hand back to her as if to help her out.

"They're staring at me.” She complained

"It's ok. Let them look. You can't hide from them forever." He said, and stuck his hand out further. She grabbed it, her hand completely enveloping his as she ducked under the door. 

"Hold your head high." Instructed the doctor, and she did. She tilted her chin forward and lengthened her back, standing up straight and tall as her long legs carried her to the exterior doors and the fresh air outside.

The first thing she did was stretch her arms high above her head and take a deep breath of air. She stood for a minute with her eyes closed and face pointed to the sky, enjoying the feeling of warm sun on her skin. 

"I'm glad you made me do this." She said, looking down at Dr. Black, who was pointedly looking at anything but her. 

"I didn't make you do anything." The doctor waved it off as he started walking along the sidewalk to the grassy fields surrounding the hospital. She folded her arms in front of her again and stepped to catch up with him. 

"Still, I couldn't have done it without you. So, thank you." 

"Yes you could have." Dr. Black scoffed.

"Just take the compliment dude." She laughed. If she were with her boyfriend, she would have given him a playful shove at this time. She raised her hands up to do so, but stopped when she remembered how big she was compared to this man. She lowered her hands and walked in silence. 

Eventually Dr. Black spoke up. "So part of my work with you is going to be trying to find ways to help you be happy and feel normal. That’s why we’re going for a walk now. What are some other things you used to do before getting to the hospital that you haven't done because of your condition?"

Her mind immediately wandered to her boyfriend, Jake. She hadn't seen Jake or any of her friends since this started. She had been texting them, but she was afraid to call them or meet them face to face. She thought of her and Jake's last night together before she flew home, how she giggled as he tossed her around in bed, of his big hands completely closing around her tiny waist, the feeling of him pushing her into the bed and taking her from behind… her face was getting red again. 

She looked down at Dr. Black. He was much shorter than Jake, who stood at 6 foot 4. Using Dr. Black as a measuring stick, she surmised that her boyfriend would only be chin height to her now, and getting shorter every day.

"Um, well…" she started uncomfortably, wringing her hands in front of her. "I think maybe a visit from my boyfriend…" she said. 

Thomas's heart involuntarily sank as the word 'boyfriend' was uttered. A quick rush of jealousy that he had to fight against. 

"Your boyfriend, does he know about your condition?" He asked, trying to affect the warm mentorly tone he had been using with Ms. Hostettler but not managing to quite get there. She was too distracted to notice his sudden lack of composure. 

"All he knows is that I'm sick." She said. "I'm worried about what he'll think about me being like this." She said, throwing her hands up and letting them fall back down to her hips. 

"How long have you been together?" He asked, still trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice. 

"Just about a year. We're really good together. I love him, but…"

"But what?"

"I dunno, it's stupid, but like, things just work better when the guy is bigger. I’m more than a foot taller than him now." She said, putting her hand to her neck to indicate how tall he would be to her. "Would he like that?" She asked. 

I would die for that, Thomas thought. "Is your relationship mostly physical?" 

She blushed at the question. It immediately called back to mind him throwing her around in bed, no easy feat for a man to do to a woman who was 5’11”. "Can we change the subject?" 

"Sure. However, you should decide when and how to tell him. Would it be better if he came here and learned about it from you in person, or do you think a phone call would be better?"

"I want him to visit, but I don’t want him to see me like this." She said. Dr. Black laughed.

“Well, you can’t have it both ways.” He stopped, prompting her to stop as well. “Listen, we might find a way to stop your growth tomorrow, but you’re never going to be your old height again. If your relationship is going to work he’s going to need to know the truth and react to it accordingly.” He said, a little too harshly. Maybe it was the jealousy talking. She frowned at the words, but knew implicitly that he was right. Jake loved her for who she was, right?. She was confident that he would be able to adapt. She scrunched her eyebrows and tightened her grip on her arms.

“Right.” She said, nodding determinedly. “I’m going to invite him to visit.” She decided. Dr. Black gave an approving nod in return. Her confidence had clearly returned quickly to her. She liked a challenge after all.

“So call the boyfriend and invite him here. What else?” He asked.

"Uh…" she looked down at her ill fitting sports attire. "I think some properly sized clothes would be nice. I can maybe see if my dad can order some custom ones…"

The two continued their discussion as they walked around the hospital twice. They came up with a long list of adjustments to make her happy, and it ended with her hesitating at the entrance to the lobby. 

"There's one more thing Dr. Black" She said, savoring the open sky above her before consigning herself back inside the tiny hospital where she had to duck under doors. "I hate waking up taller each morning, and you're the only person in this place that doesn't seem to have a problem with that, including me."

She folded her arms over her stomach, and twisted her foot back and forth on the ground as she tried to think of the right words.

"I'd like it if we could walk like this every day." She said. "and just talk about things."

Thomas's face curled into a smile at her shy show of appreciation.  "Sure. I'd like that, Ms. Hostettler."

"Oh, you can just call me Trish." she said, returning the smile.

"In that case, you can call me Thomas." He replied, opening the door and stepping into the lobby, holding it open for her to duck under.

"Are you on a first name basis with a lot of your patients?" 

"Only the true nutcases." He joked. Trish laughed.