Description:

Based on the 1931 film version. Muriel's thoughts when Jekyll visits her one last time.

A/N

Although this Fic is primarily based on the 1931 movie, there are references from other Jekyll & Hyde works as well.

I was so confused. Why? Why is Henry just leaving me this way? What did he mean when he said 'I'm in hell.'? There was so much I did not know about him, so much left unheard, so much unsaid.

I leaned forward and rested my arms on the grand piano in the spacious parlour, letting tears run freely down my cheeks.

It hadn't always been like this. There was a time when all seemed so blissful, so perfect. Everything seemed to change upon father and I's return from Bath. That was when Henry started acting rather strange. I always knew there was something different about Henry that separated him from anyone else. He was so ambitious and much more interesting than anyone in my social class.

And oh how I loved him, and up until now, I was convinced that he loved me too. But someone who loves you wouldn't leave you like this. Would they?

I was taken from my thoughts as I felt a pair of warm lips press to my bared back and hands rest on my shoulders. I smiled, Oh Henry… I knew he wouldn't leave me!

I lifted my head from the piano keys and placed my hand over his, but something was odd about his skin. His hand did not feel like a normal one. It was larger, hairier, rather like a bear's… Quizzically, I turned to face him.

The cry that left my lips was not one of happiness as I so hoped, it was horror. The man, if one could even call it a man, was hideous.

He was tall, taller than anyone I had met before. His vast expanse of facial hair and his distorted features made him look like a large ape. His sharp teeth added to the look, making him look like a predator stalking his prey.

I screamed, tried to shrink away into the piano stool, but my arms were seized roughly by this monster.

He hoisted me expertly from my seat, and forced me to face him. I struggled, trying to break free of his iron-like grip. He was laughing at my efforts, his distorted features twisting with hisses and cackles.

"Calm down my love there is no need to fear me." He said, his voice low and laced with humour. I squirmed, and fell back into the large armchair father had just been using. Before I could try to escape, he fixed his large arms around both sides of the chair, trapping me.

I never stopped screaming as he shoved his face fully into my view, his face just inches from mine, his breath hot on my skin.

He leaned forward, a hungry gaze lingering in his dark eyes, but then he was flung away from me and onto the floor.

It was father, his old eyes flashing wearily at the man and at me. The man got up from the floor like a spring and lunged at father. I screamed, watching fearfully as father was trying to hold off this monster of a man. But then our butler, Peeves, raced around the corner, a worried expression on his tired face.

They reached for the man, but he flung himself through the window, shards of glass flying everywhere. I shrunk back into my seat as one piece of glass just missed hitting my cheek. The men followed him into the garden, through the shattered frame of the window, careful to not get cut by the jagged glass.

Breathing hard, I shrunk into the chair, a hand at my chest in an attempt to calm my breathing. There was something disturbingly familiar about the man, I felt as though I had encountered him before. But it as seemed so impossible…

A yell broke my train of thought, I raced out of the chair, following them in pursuit of the man. When I got out there, the man was gone, and Peeves was leaning over father, looking over him on the grassed ground.

With a cry, I ran to them, almost tripping over my skirts as I raced down the garden steps to meet them.

"Are you alright Papa?" I asked worriedly, leaning down to examine him. He had his eyes closed, and his chest was heaving fast.

"He's been hit on the head M'lady. It is probably a concussion." Peeves answered, turning to face her. "I shall have to go and a doctor."

I smiled sadly, stroking father's cheek, then my eye caught something long and rod-like lying next to him. Frowning, I picked it up.

It was cane, I realised, examining the carved wood. It had bite marks on the end of it, I felt the small dents reminiscently with my fingers.

Bite Marks? Why would a cane have bite marks all over it? But then it dawned to me. Henry had said that he used his cane in an experiment involving Guinea Pigs once.

My eyes widened, my hands clutching tightly around the stick.

"What is the matter, M'lady?" Asked Peeves, who was looking at me in concern. I turned to him, fresh tears glistening in my eyes.

"I know who was here."