It was a dark wintry night, and the sound of high heels clicked down the pavement. Connie pulled her coat around her more tightly, cursing slightly. She should have accepted that lift from Rita. Damn her stupid pride!

She'd already broken her number one rule and gone to the bar with Rita after work. It had been a wonderful evening admittedly, but she panicked when the blonde had offered her a lift home.

It was too cold and too dark to be working home, and the Jimmy Choos she was wearing certainly weren't helping. The brunette felt uneasy. For the last four streets, she could feel a pair of eyes burning into the back of her neck. Connie increased her pace, panic beginning to rise in her chest. In her haste, she took one wrong turn, and then another. Soon, she find herself in a dark alleyway, completely lost. She pulled her bag further up her shoulder, breath coming in small gasps.

She turned round as loud footsteps sounded behind her.

"Hey there gorgeous! Whats a pretty young thing like you doing in a place like this?" A tall hooded figure stood in front of the ED consultant, a can of beer gripped in one hand. He leered towards. She flinched, scared senseless and trying not to show it.

"How about me go back to my pad princess?"

"N-no. Im just passing through. I'll just be on my way."

"What? Not even a kiss?"

Connie made to move past her, but he blocked her path.

"Come on sweet cheeks! It'll be a laugh!"

"Please let me past." she hated the way her voice shook.

"Not a chance." He moved towards, aiming to plant a kiss on her lips. However, as he reached her lips he gave out a short cry and crumpled to the ground. Connie stood bewildered, staring at the still body on the dirty ally floor.

"Hey are you okay?" a gruff voice asked.

"Y-yeah. Thank you." Connie breathed out heavily.

"What're you doing back here at this time of night anyway?"

"I took a wrong turning, hed been following me for a while."

"Oh, how about I walk you back to somewhere with street lamps?"

"Okay, that'd be lovely."

"So, what are you doing out at this time of night?"

"Believe it or not, I was on a date."

"Oh really? Was he cute?"

"She, and yes, very cute."

The figure next to her seemed to stiffen slightly. Connie looked harder at the man. There was something off about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He seemed almost... familiar.

"Have we met?" She asked frowning a little.

"Well you work in the ED don't you? You've probably seen me in there. I'm a bit of a clutz."

"How did you know that?"

"You told me."

"No I didn't. Where are we going?" She asked panic rising in her chest again. They seemed to be going further into the maze of alleys. It was at this point she realised something was very wrong. But it was too late.

"I was so hoping not to have to do this." he muttered, grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back.

Connie opened her mouth to scream out but the man clamped a cloth over her mouth and nose. A sickly sweet smell filled her nose. She felt consciousness slipping away. As she slipped into the darkness the man whispered into her ear.

"We have met. My name is Mark. Mark Ritche. And Rita's mine.

Back at Rita's place, the blonde had pulled on her stripy onesie. She'd not been able to stop smiling since her drink with Connie. She felt like she was finally getting her life back together. For the first time since Mark had been sent down, she felt free.

She picked up her phone and checked it for the thirteenth time that evening. Connie had promised to text her when she got in. It,d been a good two hours since they'd said goodbye outside the Hope and Anchor. Rita was beginning to worry. What if something had happened?

Her phone bleeped twice. Rita leapt on it. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Connie. She quickly opened the text and read it. Her breath caught in her throat, and she hastily read it again. She covered her mouth with her hand, a tear slipping down her cheek.

'Hello Rita remember me? Your husband? I thought not. I saw you with that brunette bitch tonight. Dont worry, she's safe. For now.

Dont go to the police. Not unless you want her to wind up dead. I'll be watching.

Mark.'