Danielle pressed the buzzer on the secure door. "It's Danielle," she said when Jack answered.
"Oh no!" Jack said in fake resignation. "So we have to let you back in?" They heard him laughing as the doors clicked open. Charlotte made to show him her ID as they entered, but he shook his head and smiled at her.
Dr Stark walked towards them. "Hi Danielle, Charlotte. Did you have a nice time?"
"Yes thanks," they both said together.
"Thanks Dr Stark," Danielle smiled at her doctor. "For letting me do that. I had a lot of fun. Bought myself a couple of bits in the shopping centre too."
"I'm glad," Dr Stark said. Danielle took a deep breath.
"Dr Stark, please can I ask you something?" She stepped towards her consultant and lowered her voice. They were nowhere near the cells, but she was taking no chances. "I was wondering if Charlotte is allowed to see my cell. See how you've modified it for me?"
Dr Stark considered briefly, then pulled out her radio. "Rick, Ryan, can you escort Mr. Chancer out in to the exercise yard for me please and confirm when he's there?"
"Copy that," came Rick's voice.
"You don't want much do you Danielle?" Jack joked as Joanne joined them.
"Hi Joanne," Charlotte said. Hearing her guard's name, Danielle smiled and reached forward. Joanne grasped her hand and squeezed it. "Charlotte just showed me the talking shuttles to get back to the ward."
"Ah yes," Joanne grinned. "They're great, but when you're trying to get in at 10PM or home at 7AM that touch screen is a pain to operate when tired!"
Jack nodded; Charlotte grinned. "I thought Danielle would like them as they talk."
"Good thinking," Dr Stark said to her.
Charlotte reached in to her bag and pulled out the boxes of chocolates. "Joanne, Dr Stark, I got you these."
"You shouldn't have…" Joanne said.
"Agreed," Dr Stark said. "Why?"
"Um, let's think." Charlotte put a mock hand to her head in thought. "Let's see. Uh, perhaps for you Joanne because you've helped Danielle and I out so much, and you Dr Stark because you gave me 2 and a half hours of your time last night. Please take them, don't stop me?"
Joanne sighed but did so. "Thank you Charlotte, you shouldn't have though you naughty girl. I'm on a diet!"
"I agree with Joanne, you shouldn't have," Dr Stark said, but also took hers. "Thank you very much. I'll enjoy them at home. But you really didn't need to. It was my pleasure."
Charlotte smiled at them. Then pulled out a box of sweets and gave them to Jack.
"Hey what have I done?" The guard asked. "Or do you just feel guilty because I'm standing here without any candy goodies?"
Charlotte grinned. "No, take them. Really."
Jack thanked her and told her she didn't need to, but did when she said quietly, "please?"
"He's out in the yard," Rick's voice came over Dr Stark's radio.
"Thank you Rick," Dr Stark said. Charlotte assumed Joanne would've heard it too, but was wearing her earpiece.
"Come on then," Dr Stark said. Joanne and Jack followed them in to the cell block and towards Danielle's. Michael looked up as the door opened.
"Hi Michael," Charlotte said, not sure why she'd felt so nervous near him that morning. "Danielle wants to show me the… modifications."
The killer stepped out and went to Jack's side. The guard smiled at him. Charlotte could see the respect between them, as Jack made no move to get chains. Nor did he take Michael's arm. The 2 men just stood together outside the cell.
"Oh yeah," Charlotte said. "I almost forgot. Michael?" She reached in to her bag and passed him the breakfast roll and brownie. "A little something from me."
The killer raised an eyebrow, but then Charlotte was sure she saw him smile and nod at her. "You're welcome," she said quietly. Joanne took the package from him and to the small kitchen nearby to warm it up for him. "Those brownies are gorgeous warm," Charlotte said to the killer. "Trust me, and those rolls are second to none!"
Charlotte stepped through the door and straight on to the foam. Her footsteps immediately became silent. Danielle followed her.
"Ready?" Dr Stark said and closed the door.
Charlotte looked at the open screen in the door, then watched as Danielle approached her bed. Charlotte saw a handset on the wall beside it. Danielle pressed a button and the screen slid up from floor to ceiling. Charlotte felt the compression on her ears instantly. "Wo." She said. "I see what you mean about a hearing test booth. This is weird."
Danielle grinned, walked forward and tweaked her friend's ears. Charlotte giggled. "Get off you sneaky thing! You used that foam to your advantage; I didn't hear you coming and I wasn't looking! Charlotte walked over to the handset and picked it up. The announcement chime sounded.
"Oh that's so cool!" Charlotte began to giggle. She put on the sing song voice of a supermarket PA announcer. "Could Danielle Hayward please see Dr Stark in her office?" Danielle opened the screen and they heard everyone laughing. Charlotte was sure she even saw Michael smiling. The smell of the breakfast roll and brownie also hit their nostrils.
"Shut up!" Danielle said to Charlotte. "You're such a tinker! You were no better at school! Remember the time you put a spider under that girl's chair because she copied your homework?"
Everyone laughed again. "Oh really?" Joanne said, smirking at her. "So you're not innocent after all! Tell us. What happened?"
Charlotte was blushing bright red. "She screamed the place down. I got detention for a week. It was only a bloody spider! I caught it in one of the corridors!"
"To be fair," Danielle said. "She was… what was her name? Heather? A right bitch. She bullied younger kids and always tried to cheat on exams and homework. She needed to be brought down a peg or 2, that's true."
"So?" Jack asked. "Did she ever copy your homework again?"
Charlotte laughed, remembering the incident. "No, in fact I don't think she ever came near me again!" Once again everyone laughed. Michael of course didn't laugh aloud, but Charlotte was still sure there was a slight smile on his lips.
"You weren't little miss innocent," she poked Danielle to the shoulder. "You put a yucky banana in Heather's bag once! But you got away with it because you just said you thought it was your bag and didn't see that it wasn't!"
Everyone laughed again. Danielle smirked. Charlotte elbowed her. "You got away with bloody murder Miss Hayward! The fact you were blind, the teachers never dared challenge you! You so knew what you were doing! You used it to your advantage!"
"How could you?" Danielle said. "I'm hurt you'd even think I would do something as horrible as that!"
"I believe it," Joanne said. Now Danielle couldn't help but to laugh. "Thanks!"
Charlotte went in to the cell alone then and Dr Stark closed the door.
"What's she doing?" Danielle asked.
Joanne chuckled. "She's using the facilities."
"Ah," Danielle said. "Got you, enough said."
…
Derek Chancer stood in the exercise yard and couldn't help wondering why he'd suddenly been taken out here. Neither Rick nor Ryan had said why. Although neither hardly spoke to him. Chancer supposed he could understand why after he'd almost killed Rick and Ryan blamed himself for it. He didn't really care. They were just guards, not his friends. He didn't have to like them.
Jack had told him earlier that Mark Sarcozi was coming in to see him today. He'd phoned to confirm it yesterday. Derek was surprised. He couldn't help but wonder if it was to do with the iPod? Was he going to fix it for him or something? Judging by the fact Sarcozi had phoned today and the iPod had started acting up the night before, he couldn't think why else he'd be coming in. He wasn't here to see his old school friend; Derek knew that much. Sarcozi had made it perfectly clear their friendship was over when Derek had started killing bitches. No big deal, Derek didn't miss him. He was an idiot. True friends would stick with him regardless. Maybe he'd even kill him too one of these days.
It was cold. Derek hoped that whatever reason he was out here for, clearly the bitch was out of her cell or something, they'd hurry the fuck up. He'd seen Hayward and her friend, good looking bitch he noticed, the day before as Danielle was let out of the block. At the thought of the other girl, Derek felt himself harden. He'd fuck her without hesitation. He didn't find Danielle sexually attractive, but could still happily fuck then kill her. But her friend? Shit. He'd happily keep her on his operating table for a few days and fuck that piece of ass multiple times before she died. Which she would, Derek didn't let women go if they were beautiful, and he just kept them as sex toys for a while.
…
When Charlotte emerged from the cell, she smiled. "I like it," she said. "There's no way anyone will hear you in there. Unless the screen's open of course."
"Yep," Danielle agreed. "It's really well done isn't it?"
"Fort Knox of silence?" Charlotte quipped. Danielle grinned. "Perhaps."
"Dr Stark," Charlotte turned to the consultant. "I think I'll head back tomorrow; I have stuff I need to get done at home. But I was going to ask if tonight…"
"Say no more," Dr Stark interrupted. "Danielle, you can stay with Charlotte in her suite tonight if you want to and eat with her in the staff canteen."
"Seriously?" Danielle looked thrilled. "Wow, thanks Dr Stark!" Joanne and Jack smiled at her sincere delight.
"How do you do that?" Charlotte asked. "Can you read minds or something?"
Danielle nodded. "I asked her that ages ago as well. She said it was a "gift."
"You remember that?" Dr Stark sounded impressed. "Wow. That was months ago, Danielle."
"It's a gift," Danielle said and everyone laughed again.
"Come on then Dan," Charlotte said. "We'll go back to my suite now if you like. Just grab some stuff for the morning and we'll go."
Danielle looked like a child on Christmas day herself now as she entered the cell and did so. Charlotte saw the other 3 smiling at both of them. If her eyes weren't playing tricks, so was Michael.
"I love that woman," Charlotte said quietly to Michael, the consultant and guards. "She's like my sister. I love seeing her happy. It's so nice that such small things can do it, but also kind of sad because it shows she hasn't had much happiness recently. I intend to put that right."
"I think you've already started," Dr Stark said. "You're there for her, that's more important than anything else."
"Well said," Joanne and Jack said together. Charlotte was sure Michael nodded.
"Come on then you," Charlotte took Danielle's arm when she came out of the cell again, holding a small bag which her friend promptly took. "Dr Stark and I walked to my suite last night, but shall we go in the talking shuttles again?"
Danielle beamed. Charlotte hugged her. She was certain she saw a tear in Joanne's eye. "Cool, yes!" Danielle turned towards where Michael was standing. "See you tomorrow Michael, take care?"
The killer took a step forward so he was in front of Danielle, and lent down so she touched his ears. Charlotte grinned. "Nice one Michael," she said. Danielle hesitated for just a second, then hugged him. Now charlotte was sure Joanne was blinking back tears and even Dr Stark looked touched, as did Jack. After a short pause, the killer put his arms around Danielle and hugged her back. Charlotte could tell her friend really wanted to kiss the killer, but didn't dare. Hopefully that would change soon.
Michael released Danielle and before she could stop herself, Charlotte stepped towards him and held out her hand. There were 2 guards with them but that wasn't why she was relaxed in doing it, but because she was sure Michael wouldn't hurt her. Sure enough, the killer took her hand and shook it firmly. Charlotte looked in to his cold black eyes as he did so and was sure some form of understanding past between them. As if to confirm this, Myers nodded to her very slightly. She smiled back.
A few minutes later, she and Danielle were once more on a shuttle, heading for the accommodation block. As the vehicle gave a soft jolt then pulled away on its 4 minute journey according to the voice, both women were silent, lost in their own thoughts.
For her part, Danielle knew something had happened between Charlotte and Michael just then, but didn't know what. She though was thinking of his gentle hug. God she wanted him to know and Charlotte was right, he deserved to know. Tomorrow she decided, she would tell Dr Stark she wanted to tell Michael and what she'd said to Dr Loomis while Dr Stark was on leave, even though Dr Loomis had probably told her himself. After that hug, she knew this was it. She couldn't procrastinate any longer, it was time for her to say 4 words, 3 of which when she'd first entered Smith's Grove, and she thought she'd never say again in her life. "I love you, Michael."
…
The Shape once again stood at the door of his cell; his steady, unflinching gaze focused up the corridor. He was once more back in his own cell which was the one right next door to Derek Chancer's. He had a feeling the woman killer also knew this too. Because he wasn't approaching his door and keeping close to his bed. He stood there, breathing calmly and wanting nothing. Except to kill the man next to him.
He strongly suspected it was the woman killer who had been listening to, watching and reporting on Danielle for months. But he hadn't been able to prove it. He looked up towards Danielle's modified and now empty cell and that was when his feelings changed. Instead of feeling nothing, he felt a tug at his heart. He thought of that hug he'd given her, in public no less for the very first time, before she'd left with Charlotte. That was not usually him at all. He still didn't fully understand what she'd done to him or why, but neither could he dispute it. Danielle Hayward had gotten in to his heart in a way even he didn't completely understand. He needed to be close to her, protect her. He just didn't know why. The simple fact right now was, he missed her.
That was when the woman killer appeared at his door, as one of the guards approached his cell. For a brief second, their eyes met. In that brief contact, he saw it. Chancer was afraid of him. This was only confirmed when the woman killer looked away and let the guard outside his door shackle him. When they were gone, he once again found his gaze fixed towards Danielle's cell. He couldn't see it from where he was, but he knew its location of course.
He knew he'd have to do something to show Danielle how he felt for her, even though he didn't entirely know himself. All he knew for certain was, he cared about her. He hadn't meant to whisper to her beside the waterfall, but it'd just felt… Well, right. Was it her vulnerability which had got to him? Or the Psychological damage she'd suffered? Or maybe even the fact she trusted and respected him? She knew he was a killer, but had still trusted him. He could've killed her a long time ago and yet, he hadn't. Instead, he'd let her touch his damn ears, held her beside the waterfall, protected her, been angry and, an even more foreign feeling to him, hurt when he'd briefly wondered if she'd said all those things to Charlotte in that letter. Whether Charlotte had written it didn't bother him anywhere near as much as the possibility Danielle had said all that about him, while acting totally different in his presence. But deep down he was certain thinking back he'd always believed it'd been Dawson. Something about the letter just didn't sit right with him. Dr Loomis had told him the police had found no evidence to support Dawson's writing it, but he knew. He hoped he'd made that clear to Danielle the night before.
One thing was clear to him now, as he stood beside his door. He had to somehow let Danielle know how much she meant to him. He didn't know how yet, but he'd do something. The biggest thing he would do if he ever got the chance, was kill Adam Dawson. No questions asked.