"So wait, let me get this straight," Mitchell said, making the map with his finger, "You'd just finished your shift at the BRI and you came down here on the way to the train station?"

"Yes." She muttered.

"But you don't even need to cross the river. You just go straight down Victoria Street." He replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I know, but it felt like...it felt like someone was following me. So I crossed over by Bristol General Hospital and then was going to come back up Bath Road." She told him.

"Turns out you were right." He muttered, picking up his mug and taking a sip.

"So I uh...shall I get a taxi, or..." she trailed off, looking around in search of a phone.

"You can't leave at this time of night when that psychos on the loose, don't be crazy. You can stay here." Mitchell told her, his words sounding final.

"Are you sure that's okay? I mean, I can get a..." she stopped, cut off by Mitchell.

"It's fine. You can take my bed and I'll go on the sofa." He said, gesturing to the lumpy sofa she was sat on.

"No, that's not fair. If I'm staying I'll take the couch. I'm not kicking you out of your bed." She said, biting her fingernail.

"I don't sleep much anyway," he told her with a smile, "Do you want a shower or anything?"

"I'm fine." She smiled back, suddenly feeling the strange urge to give him a hug, "Thank you so much...for everything. You didn't need to let me in back then, but you did. Thanks."

"It's fine." He shrugged, raking a hand through his hair.

At that moment two figures came through the door, each carrying two Tesco carrier bags loaded with shopping.

"No, because with the two for three pound offer it would be stupid to just get one bag!" the male said loudly.

"But you don't eat them anyway!" the female replied.

"I know, but..." he stopped midway through his sentence, spotting the girl sat opposite Mitchell, "Um, hi."

"Oh, Lex, these are my flatmates, George and Annie." He said, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Uh, hi..." George said, immediately flustered.

"Hi! I'm Annie!" she said, dropping her bags and rushing over to Lex, grinning.

"Uh..." Mitchell shot Lex a 'sorry they're crazy' look before getting up and going to help George with the rest of the bags.

"Mitchell, can I talk to you in the kitchen?" George said through his teeth.

"Sure thing mate." He replied calmly, grabbing Annie's bags and taking them through to the kitchen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Who is she? What the hell, Mitchell?" George hissed.

"Jesus, calm down George! She was almost killed by a bloody vampire! What am I going to do, leave her on the street?" Mitchell replied, putting the bags down on the worktop.

"Who was it?" George asked.

"I don't know, George. I can't keep control anymore. Ever since Herrick..." he stopped himself, "It's fine George. But she's staying here tonight; it's not safe out there."

"But is it safe in here?" George whispered quietly.

"Of course it is; what are you trying to say?" Mitchell flashed him an accusing look.

"Nothing, I just...nothing," George sighed, giving up with unpacking the shopping and putting the kettle on, "Want a cup of tea?"

"So, Lex isn't it?" Annie smiled at her, sitting down in her chair and crossing her legs, "Where did you meet Mitchell then, pub?"

"I uh...got chased by some nutter down the road and he saved me." Lex muttered, looking down at her lap.

"Oh..." Annie was put out of a second, before the smile returned, "But you're okay now, Mitchell saved the day, eh?" she let out a laugh, "So what do you do then?"

"Oh, I'm a surgeon down at the BRI. What about you?" Lex smiled back.

"Did Mitchell tell you that he and George work in the hospital? Bristol General, but all the same. And I'm in and out of jobs at the moment, know the feeling?" Annie laughed again, a high, awkward sound that hung in the air.

"All right, ladies?" Mitchell asked as he returned from the kitchen with a fresh cup of tea for Lex and himself, George behind him with his own.

"Yeah," Lex smiled at him, "Annie was just telling me you work at the hospital? Are you a doctor?"

Mitchell shot a look at Annie, "Well, not so much of a doctor as a..."

"Porter." George muttered.

"Thanks mate, really." Mitchell said, glaring at George.

"I'm sure that's an...interesting line of work?" Lex said, suppressing a grin.

"Oh, don't worry, you can laugh, I know it's a shit job. So what do you do?" he replied, plonking himself down in his chair.

"I'm a surgeon." She mumbled, embarrassed.

Mitchell looked impressed, "Wow, you must be pretty brainy then."

"I've always wanted to be a surgeon." George said, leaning against the wall.

Mitchell snorted, "You? A surgeon?"

"What's so funny about that?" George sounded indignant.

"Nothing, nothing..." Mitchell replied sarcastically.

"Don't you two start all that." Annie warned them, bustling around picking up empty mugs.

"I'm off to bed, I'm shattered." George said, placing his mug down on the table and nodding at Lex before heading towards the stairs.

"Night George." Mitchell said.

"Night Mitchell," he replied, "Night Annie!" he shouted.

"Well if George is off so am I, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Annie smiled, following George up the stairs.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Mitchell asked Lex.

"I...is it okay if we just chat for a bit? I can't face sleep yet." She mumbled.

"That's fine." Mitchell grinned at her.