**Author's notes, before starting:**

I don't own Herbert West, Dan Cain, Meg Halsey, Miskatonic University, etc, so on and so forth. I do, however, own rights to this story's new character, Imogen Phillips, named for my favourite singer (Imogen Heap) and one of my favourite writers (HP Lovecraft, of course!).

Also, if there are some story inconsistencies, such as incidents involving Rufus the cat, please forgive me. I am doing my best to keep things a by-the-book as possible. Alot of the time, though, I'm just rollin' with it, man. :P

For anyone interested, I am currently in the process of writing out a full-length follow-up story to this, and having this remain a stand-alone as a sort of prologue. At the moment I write this (late night, 25 Aug 2011) I am approximately twenty-five pages in and it's coming along somewhat smoothly. Outside of the four pages you are about to read, Herbert West is an exceptionally complex character to write, moreso than you'd imagine. :)

That being said, here we go.

"Uncharted Territory"
by BlueMilagro

"Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you, you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

"Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
to watch shepherd meet shepherd
But you, you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

"Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

"I don't think you unworthy
but I need a moment to deliberate..."

~~ "Uninvited" by Alanis Morrissette

Chapter One: Breakfast of Champions

Sometimes you're sure you have yourself figured out, and that's when, without fail, something or someone comes along to challenge it.

I sat on the edge of the class and watched him leave. Oh, was Dr. Hill furious with him. But the strange young man with the intense dark eyes sparked some sort of curiosity in me that I had more and more trouble ignoring as time wore on. I knew that his side of the argument our class had witnessed between him and Dr. Hill had resonated with me to some degree, but I wasn't sure if it was also the glance he'd given me before he finally stalked out of the lab that gave me chills, as well.

I'd been a student at Miskatonic for nearly two years when he showed up. In from Switzerland or Austria or someplace around there. For the longest time I prided myself on being the level-headed and sane one of my friends, my family, et cetra, and now, the more I thought on what the newcomer had said, the more I felt I needed to know. Was it truly possible that the brain could live on ten minutes after the death of the rest of the body? But my friend Megan said I should keep a wary eye on that one; apparently he started rooming with her boyfriend, and he gave her the creeps. Kept to himself, mostly, down in the lab he'd set up for himself in the basement of the house. Some nights, he wouldn't even come up at all.

I sat at the cafeteria one morning, alone, picking at my meager breakfast whilst completely lost in thought. So much to do this week: double-time in lab, dissections of the heart, liver and lungs, and two essays to complete before the end of the month. Mind you, there were only ten days left in said month. I was trying to decide which was more important- hygiene or sleep- when a voice caught me off guard, causing me to jump slightly.

"Mm, yes, it really isn't much, is it?"

"I- I'm sorry?" I looked up to find none other than our mysterious, dark-eyed stranger. He pushed his glasses back up his nose, sitting across from me and motioning to my picked-at tray of "food" as he placed his own in front of him.

"The food. Nothing to write home about, I'd say."

I recovered from the shock in a fair enough amount of time and nodded, allowing for a chuckle. "Aah- yes, it's- oh, dear," I laughed fully. "It is quite disgusting, now, isn't it?"

The young man had been with us for a long time- months, even; we had lab together six days a week for two hours at a time, as well as a two and a half hour lecture session afterwards. We even sat together as partners. Yet, for the first time in all of this, I saw him smile in amusement. It was a small smile, but it was there, nonetheless.

"Yes, I hear they feed what we don't eat to the cephalopods at Arkham Zoo."

"And do they eat it?"

"Mmm," he shook his head, his eyes narrowing. I was surprised to see that the smile hadn't left yet. "Even they know better."

I laughed again, and we were quiet as I continued picking at what, incidentally, was supposed to be strips of bacon. I could see them now, the little cephalopods, being dropped unwanted bits of unidentifiable meat into their tanks as they swam off, disgusted, as quickly as their little tentacles would allow. Aaw. I giggled.

"West, right?"

"Yes. Herbert West."

"Right. I… I hear you spent time in Switzerland."

"Austria, actually, yes..."

"What brought you here?"

And he didn't say anything at first. A chill went up my spine. "Dr. Gruber... taught me everything I needed to know." It was when he made eye contact with me again that I really gave a shiver, hoping he hadn't noticed. He held my gaze for a few moments before I averted my eyes to fidget with the ring around my middle finger. I broke out into a cold sweat. Maybe Megan was right, maybe he was not one to be messed with. But then why in the hell did I find him so intriguing? It was as if I was stuck in the middle of a black hole: I was desperately clawing my way out when really, it was in vain. I was being sucked in. I knew he was watching me, and it felt like I was on the other end of the microscope; I wanted so badly to slip out from under his scrutinizing gaze, yet there was some small part of me that didn't care. That secretly reveled in it.

There was some small, utterly terrifying thrill in the idea that I had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.