Deirdre suddenly jolted into consciousness, reaching instinctively for the dagger she kept under her pillow. What had woken her up? Keeping a tight hold on the dagger, she padded into the living room. Catching sight of the crumpled pile of sheets on the sofa, she remembered with distaste the kid that her boyfriend had insisted she bring home. He was evidently gone. Damn. What was she going to tell Giles? With a sigh, she turned to pick up the phone and then leapt backwards with a shriek. Forcing herself to calm down, she peered at her favourite bear. Oh god, it was a heart. A real heart. And it was beating. She fetched a plastic bag and, shuddering with revulsion, prodded the bear until it fell into the bag. She opened the door, ready to dispose of the entire revolting mess, then realised that it was rather more than just a sick joke. Giles would want to see it. Worse, he would be interested. She had hoped that he would question the kid, find out that he was nothing more than a rambling junkie with a smattering of Latin and that would be the end of it. Sighing again she put the bag in the sink, which could at least be scrubbed, and picked up the phone.
"Yeah?" came a sleepy voice from the other end of the phone. Deirdre took a deep breath.
"Ummm, hi Giles, it's me"
"Deirdre?" Rupert was instantly alert. "Are you okay? What's happened?"
"No, nothing like that." She hastened to reassure him. He worried more than anyone she'd ever known. But then, she thought wryly, he, at least, had good reason. "It's that jun…" remembering his reaction to her insults the night before, she quickly corrected herself, "the boy we rescued. He's, ummm, he's gone." She paused, debating whether or not to tell him about the 'surprise' the boy had left her. Maybe if he just thought he was another addict…but no. He had to know. "That's not all. He left a thank you gift."
"Oh yeah?" She could practically hear him grinning into the phone. "What was it?"
"A heart." She answered simply. "And it's beating"
