He stood at the door of his cell, the call of the kill for once totally silent. For a second time he hadn't reacted, hadn't comforted her. Her scream had cut right through him, straight to his heart. That was certainly a first. Normally for him the scream and panic of a victim was euphoric, arousing even. Not this time.

This time it caused a jolt of something he could only recognise as pain. He didn't want to hear her scream, and certainly not because of him. Now, or ever.

She'd been taken fast back to her own cell and Loomis had sighed softly and walked away. He'd wanted to say something to his doctor. Hell he'd almost spoken for the first time in thirty-five years. "Stop!"

But of course he hadn't. All he knew was he needed Danielle with him. Wanted her. Loved her?

He had once heard Loomis say he radiated menace when he had the desire to kill, and the fact a blind person had even felt it, meant it must be true. The fact that he didn't want to hurt said blind person aside…

He knew what he had to do. He had to keep a sharp eye out for Danielle Hayward. If she got close enough to him, guards or no guards, he would make his move. This time she would be left in no doubt that she was and would forever be safe from his need to kill. Twice he'd failed to show her this, he wouldn't do so a third time.

"Well that went well didn't it?"

Samuel Loomis looked across the desk at Dr Martin and smiled tiredly. "Very. Shit. I'm getting too old for this."

"I wouldn't go that far. You just… Had the wrong feeling so to speak, and you had very good reasons for thinking the way you did." The aging doctor ran his hand across his forehead, removing his suit jacket and slinging it over the back of his chair. "I would've said the same."

This made Loomis look up at him in surprise. "Really?"

Martin smiled a little sadly. "Yes. Jesus Sam, we were all fooled by Michael Myers. Don't you remember when he was seven? He asked for a Halloween party?"

Loomis laughed grimly. "Oh yes. All too well."

"He even told you I'd have no objections didn't he." Martin said. It wasn't a question. "I don't know if that was because I was… Am afraid of him or if I genuinely believed he should be released and couldn't understand why he was here. I saw him too you know. A six year old boy attending court in a cute suit and tie…" He sighed. "No remorse, no right or wrong understanding, perfectly happy to admit he'd killed his sister… You were the one who had it right Sam. You called him a "homicidal Psychopath." That was a damn lot closer to the mark than we were. I and Nurse Kramer included."

Loomis sighed. "Except in this particular case I'm still not sure. I stand by what I said when I stated he radiates Menace when he needs a kill, is hearing the voices telling him to do so which is normally what happens in cases like his, but…" Loomis removed his glasses and slowly replaced them. "If even Danielle could feel it, that just confirms what I said all those years ago."

Martin removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as if he was suddenly overheating. Two years older than Loomis, yet his subordinate. He respected his boss and often went along with what he said with no argument. He couldn't stop himself thinking back to that Halloween party thirty-four years ago. What an absolute disaster it'd been.

"I knew you were going to try and trap Michael," he said quietly after a moment's pause. "Like, set something up or at least watch for it. You put us on "red alert" didn't you. You had yourself and two other staff members specifically watching Michael. Were you hoping he'd try and hurt someone so you had evidence for Judge Christopher? So he'd have to stay here?"

Loomis smiled a little sadly. The two doctors had talked about this before of course, but now it seemed particularly relevant.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "I believe so. It was Michael after all who asked for the damn party. "Can we have a Halloween party, Dr Loomis?" I couldn't believe my ears. I remember exactly what I said. "You of all people…" But he kept on about it for weeks. He clearly felt very strongly for the idea."

"Yeah, and said I wouldn't object," Martin said with a small smile. "Sure enough I hadn't. I didn't see the harm in it, but then I didn't see Michael Myers as a homicidal killer either."

"You're right," Loomis conceded. "I did have you all on "red alert." I was only half joking. Sophie beat him to the last chair in musical chairs, then…"

"I still find it strange the lights went out when they did," Martin said, finishing Loomis's sentence. "It wasn't windy that night at all was it? When they came back on, there was Sophie, drenched from the waist up and she'd stopped breathing. Yet…"

"Michael's hands were perfectly dry and he was standing at least ten steps away?" It was Loomis's turn to finish the sentence.

"Exactly," Martin said. "But you still believe that was Michael's doing all these years on?"

Loomis nodded without hesitation. "Yes."

Martin let out his breath in a long, low sigh. "Christ. Then we have a blind woman on our ward and… What? Michael just… Changes?"

"I wouldn't say just," Loomis said. "It took time. But yes, I would definitely agree something has happened between those two. Wouldn't you?"

"Well yes, based on what I've seen. Although I've never met Danielle Hayward. How could she change Michael Myers so completely? A man who ruthlessly and without mercy killed a group of teenagers in seventy-eight? Carried his sister's fucking grave stone and placed it on a bed above the head of one of his victims?" Martin shivered a little at that.

Loomis could only shrug. God knew he'd asked himself that very question often enough. He didn't mention to Martin what'd happened between him and Michael in the yard earlier that day.

"Perhaps it's her vulnerability," he said eventually. "Michael likes the hunt before the kill. Hunting Danielle would be too easy for him as she wouldn't see him. An easy kill if you will."

Martin shivered again. "Ok, but that doesn't mean he'd change the way he has towards her, does it? I haven't seen them interact, but you've told me enough Sam! Shit. He lets her touch his God damn ears! What the hell?"

Loomis smiled a little. "Perhaps I thought that if he saw Danielle on Halloween, it might calm his need to kill down seeing as she's changing him."

Martin chuckled. "That worked didn't it? That cold, icy stare of his. Jesus. No wonder so many people were afraid of him, even as a seven year old boy! Now he's an adult it's even worse. I mean come on! A blind person could detect it. That has to be why she screamed. Right?"

"That I can't disagree with," Loomis nodded. "But I can't help wondering if we took Danielle back to him right now would the same thing happen twice?"

"You're not going too," Martin looked horrified. "Are you?"

"Not tonight, no. I've called nurse Hathaway to talk to her and she's just arrived. Danielle has had a huge shock. I'm not completely ruthless."

Martin smiled at his boss. "No offence intended."

"None taken. I can see why you asked that. But no is the answer. But I may go back and see Michael myself in a few moments."

Martin nodded. "Just be careful."

Loomis met his colleague's eye and returned the nod. "I will. No worries there."

"Danielle, hi. I'm nurse Rachael Hathaway. Dr Loomis has asked me to check on you after what just happened. Are you ok?"

The two women were sitting in Danielle's cell, window closed so they couldn't be heard. Danielle had only met this nurse once in passing. The nurses only entered this ward if requested by one of the doctors or guards. If extra help was needed or a patient needed one for whatever reason.

Danielle gave Hathaway a faint smile. "Yeah," her voice shook a little despite her best efforts to stop it doing so. "Just…" She let out a long breath. "Fuck! I've heard my sighted friends describing being under a freezing, intense, cold stare but of course I never understood what they meant. Until now. Jesus! Michael was feeling the need to kill, I know that and I couldn't even see his face! He just seemed to… God this will sound crazy but I have to be honest. He seemed to radiate threat, menace . I just wanted to get the hell out of there as fast as I could! I thought I was going to faint! I didn't even realise I'd screamed until afterwards."

The hatch opened a little and one of the guards passed Danielle a cup of tea.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. Who is it?"

"It's William, Danielle. Dr Loomis says drink that."

"You haven't drugged it have you?" Danielle finally managed a small grin. "Calming drug or something?"

She heard William chuckle as he walked away, but he didn't answer her question all be it asked in gest.

"Dr Loomis probably has asked for a calming drug to be put in it," Hathaway said. "But it'll help. Trust me. Drink it, Danielle. Come on."

Danielle smiled at her but made no argument, taking a sip of the hot sweet tea. After a few sips, she started to feel calmer and strongly suspected her suspicions had been correct.

"That's my girl," Hathaway squeezed her arm. "Drink it all up now."

Danielle took a few sips before she spoke again. "Have Dr Loomis or Dr Stark told you what's happened lately regarding Michael and I?"

"They've certainly hinted that you appear to be changing him. I think that's why Dr Loomis did what he did tonight."

Danielle smiled grimly. "Yeah. He wanted to see if Michael would kill me of all people."

"So do you think he would have if given the chance? Really?"

"Uh, yes!" Danielle wondered if Hathaway had grown an extra head. "Duh! That stare… If I'd been close enough, I wouldn't be talking to you now nurse Hathaway! I'd be in a damn body bag!"

"I'll ask you again," Hathaway's voice was very gentle, soft. "Do you really, really think he would have?"

Something in her tone made Danielle do what Hathaway was clearly asking her to do and considered the question carefully. She thought of all the times Michael had let her touch his ears, held her at night, even the one time he'd touched her cheek. How he'd carried her that day long ago when Jefferson had tripped her up. How he'd been nothing but gentle towards her, caring for her. It was Halloween tonight after all. Danielle checked the time on her phone. It was nine in the evening on the thirty-first of October. Of course Michael would feel like this tonight. After a moment, Hathaway quietly spoke.

"See? You don't think he would have really, do you? It's Halloween, that's all. But even given that, I don't think he would've attacked you, even if the guards had walked away and left you by his door. Do you? Seriously, Danielle?"

"I don't know," Danielle said truthfully. "But I would like to think not, nurse Hathaway."

"Please, call me Rachel."

"Thanks, Rachael." That made Danielle feel a little more at ease. All be it a tiny thing. Danielle contemplated whether to tell this kind stranger about her growing feelings for Michael. How she strongly believed more so every day, that she was falling in love with a ruthless cereal killer. A man who made Adam look like a real gentleman. She'd rather face Adam angry any day than Michael Myers just once. Yet, she loved him. This was getting harder and harder to deny as the days went on.

Something of her thoughts must've shown on her face because Hathaway said, "do you want to talk about it, Danielle?"

Danielle smiled at her. "I think you can work it out, can't you Rachael? I'm here because I tried to kill myself after my ex drove me to it with relentless abuse, rape, assault, controlling behaviour, you name it. Then I meet probably the most dangerous man in the country if not the world and…" She ran her hands through her hair. "Fuck! I don't even know what the and is! Something happened between us. He's cared for, been kind to, looked out for me and I don't know why! Even today the doctor's asked Michael to be with me while someone's cell was searched. They clearly trust him to protect me. They must do. Now this? Shit. Have I just undone everything between us/?"

"Is that really what you think?"

"I don't know!" Danielle lightly struck the soft wall with a loud bang which echoed slightly around even the sound proofed cell. "What am I supposed to think?"

"So if Dr Loomis took you back to Michael's cell right now, are you saying you'd refuse to go out of fear for your safety? Do you truthfully think that Michael would hurt you? I don't, Danielle. I think it much more likely he'd comfort you this time and would somehow all be it in silence, apologise for his actions. Don't you? If you're honest with yourself?"

"Perhaps," Danielle conceded the point. Even now she couldn't bring herself to say an outright yes, even if she was certain in her heart of hearts that Hathaway was right.

"I thought so," Hathaway said, her tone jokingly triumphant. Danielle couldn't argue with her, just lightly slapped her to the arm. Hathaway laughed.

"But if he did," Danielle said, more to herself than Hathaway. "I'd go. I'd be there right now if I could. I can't deny how I'm almost certain I feel about him now Rachael. Killer or not. He's been kinder to me in a few months than my ex was in six. Oh yes, he started off kind at first, of course he did. Get the fish in the net and all that. But then…"

"He made you happy once though, yes?"

"I thought so," Danielle said. "I must have done, considering I damn well moved in with him. Stupid stuff really. He'd do things I liked, make me feel cared about. Guide me to lectures, look out for me at night, make sure I got back to my dorm safe after parties…" She found herself blinking back tears. "Oh yes, did everything he had to to make me believe he was Mr. Nice Guy. Then… The truth came out. But not until I'd moved in with him. You know some of my friends didn't like him. They even warned me to be careful, that something wasn't right about him. God I wish I'd listened!"

Hathaway took her hand now. "Love can make us all deaf," she said softly. "Love is blind, too."

Danielle laughed quietly. "Yeah, it sure was for me. I couldn't see any of the signs my friends warned me about."

"Are you still in touch with any of them now?"

"A couple by text from in here yes and phone call. One has completely turned her back on me, said I warned you and you should've listened, so you deserve what you got."

Hathaway squeezed her hand tightly. "Then she's no friend of yours, Danielle."

"Yeah I know," Danielle sighed. "But my best friend Charlotte was convinced Adam was the Mr. Nice Guy he claimed to be. She was desperate to be with him and it was clear she wanted nothing more than for us to break up. It ruined our friendship for a while. Ha," she laughed sadly. "She soon found out the truth alright."

"How do you mean?"

When I was locked in here, Charlotte went in for the kill. Although not the way she intended," she smiled grimly at Hathaway. "She started dating Adam and of course he was as kind to her as he'd been to me at first. Then she moved in with him and boom! All hell broke loose. But at least she came to her senses. She was in court with me to see him sent down. Well, that was the plan." Danielle clenched her fists. "Fucking one juror refused to find him guilty. Said her son had been through similar and he was innocent, so she wasn't going to make the same mistake herself."

"I'm so sorry, Danielle. So what happened?"

"Oh he got released of course. Given every order under the son not to contact us, but he's not keeping it. He's messaging me under different ID's so the cops can't prove it's him, but I'm keeping all of it as evidence. I've got a DV worker from here."

"Good," Hathaway said. "That's a good first step towards recovery. Your second might be a man named Michael Myers."

Danielle only realised she was blushing when Hathaway chuckled. "Maybe," she said quietly. "But tonight…" She shivered again. "I don't think I'll ever get that out of my mind. Seriously. Something about his manner tonight said I'm a threat, don't come near me. I wish I could explain it better."

"You don't have to," Hathaway said. "I understand. Believe me."

Danielle did believe her.

An hour later, Dr Samuel Loomis approached Michael's cell. The killer was standing exactly where he'd left him, at his door but was now facing the bars. Loomis spoke quietly. "Michael?"

The killer didn't so much as move, but did make eye contact with his doctor. Loomis could hardly believe the feeling which hit him when their eyes met.

Sympathy. There was something in Michael's gaze he'd never seen before. Intense, full of an emotion it was clear Michael didn't understand. But Samuel Loomis did. It was regret. Michael regretted not having comforted Danielle, being unable to control the call of the kill and letting Danielle detect it. It was, no pun intended, killing him.

Loomis couldn't stop himself when he touched the killer's arm very lightly. "Michael," he said very quietly. "It's ok, this is normal, you know. What you are experiencing is something any man would. This is a good thing, believe me. Danielle is talking to one of our nurses at this moment, but you will be with her again very soon. I promise you this."

The killer just looked at him. Loomis felt his sympathy intensify. Michael didn't have a clue what was going on in his own heart. He slipped away and returned a few minutes later, handing Michael a black coffee. But not through the hatch, he handed it straight to him, ignoring the incredulous looks from the guards. This was between him and Michael and most of them would never even come close to understanding what had just happened this Halloween night.