The university halls hadn't changed one bit since Hope had left five months ago. At this present moment it was bustling with students, trying to commute from one class to another, the noise echoing throughout the halls making there seem ten times more people than there really was. Along the brick walls hung pictures of past professors or executives that had some ties of the university, all done in tasteful black and white numbers, each with insincere smiles plastered on their faces, eyes staring down into the camera. All that was needed was 'arrogant prick' to be written on their foreheads and it would have fitted perfectly.

Hope sighed and awkwardly dodged the students that kept coming her way. Hadn't they thought of unity? Walking in the one direction must be an unknown devise in university. Just keep to the left, or the right in America. Either way just keeping to one side would have helped the situation a lot more. But who said life was meant to be easy?

Once she got to the anthropology department her heart sped up. If he was there, then what would she say? Ask about the weather? Seen anything mysterious lately? Maybe she could ask about the curriculum next year… as she was thinking of coming back? Yes. That was good. Hope wiped her palms on the bottom of her silk green dress and stopped when she came to his office. Straightening her glasses and pushing her black hair from her face she made her way to the door and looked in.

Empty. Hope let out a small sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to be making excuses. Walking into the office, she realised that it to hadn't changed since she had last been in here: when she was informing the professor that she could no longer take his class because of 'personal reasons'. He had seemed concerned, and wanted to help her, but he didn't know what with, and she wouldn't tell him. She handed him back the textbooks and thanked him before leaving, quietly wishing that maybe there was another way around it.

It was messy, papers covered his desk, books piled high on the floor and a large couch sat at the end of the office, covered with some matted old rug. The sun shone brightly through the top window that sat directly above his chair. It was disorganised, but welcoming.

"Bingo." She whispered when she spotted the box that contained the key hidden under a stack of papers. The box was dusty and old, with beautifully carved designs of geometric shapes and curves. She ran her fingers over the wood, the smell of it drifting up into her nostrils before she opened it and uncovered a small, gold key. It looked like just any other door key. But apparently, this key captured the hope of all mankind.

Looking around the office one more time, she closed the case and headed towards the door, smiling at the ease of her mission. She exited quickly and started down the hall, the number of students disintegrating as they filed into their classes. Her heart started to slow again as she realised she had got away with it, she had committed a crime. A necessary crime, but a crime all the same, and had got away with it. Now she understood the thrill the criminals got. A small smile spread across her face and her walked slowed as she made her way down the hall.

"Hey!" and tight grip on her arm pulled her from her thoughts and spun her around. Her heart sped once more as she looked up into the face of her handsome anthropology professor, dark eyes looking down at her through thin framed glasses. "What were you doing?"

Hope blinked, unable to think of all the excuses she had before. "…Sorry?"

"Yeah. In my office."

Hope tried to smile innocently but failed. He gripped her arm tightly as she tried to speak, but her words turned into a jumble of ums and ahhs before he noticed what she possessed in her hand.

He snatched the box from her grip, before looking down at the girl in disbelief. "Stealing is a crime you know?"

Hope stood still in front of him, blinking a couple of times before trying to speak. "I wouldn't call it stealing."

"Really? Well, what would you call it?"

Hope shrugged. "I could go cliché and say borrowing, but who wants to be so totally obvious?" Her accented voice charmed him slightly before he again frowned.

"Borrowing? For what? To open your front door?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

He shook his head. "It's not what I have to believe. It's what the police believe." He informed, tugging her tightly and pulling her back into his office.

"Police?"

Declan pushed her down in the stiff wooden chair before seating himself at his desk opposite her. "That's right." He picked up the phone and started dialling but it was swiftly snatched from his grasp.

"You can't call the police. I can't go to gaol. Look at me. I'm in no position to go to gaol."

"I doubt you'd go to gaol."

Hope pushed up her glasses. "Well, I can't get charged. They'll kick me out of the country. However much I want to go home, I can't afford to be deported."

"Well, do you want to tell me why you stole my box?"

Hope lowered her eyes. "No."

"No?" Declan raised his eyebrows, taking in the young girl across from him. He recognised her from class, and it was now obvious why she had dropped out. Her belly expanded out in front of her as she sat in the chair across from him, hazel eyes looking distressed behind a thin pair of glasses.

"That's right. No."

"Was it just for fun? Do you normally steal from people?"

"I don't steal. And I'm telling you, you wouldn't believe me if I told you why."

"I happen to have a very open mind, and a lot of free time." He lent back in his chair and placed his feet on his desk, crossing them at the ankles. No sympathy apparent. "Please, explain away."

"Professor Dunn. I can't. Ok."

"Well then…" He lent forward and snatched the phone from her. "I guess I better just…"

"So. Here we all are."

Hope and Declan looked towards where the deep voice sounded in his doorway. The light from the corridor was blocked by three large men filling the doorframe, dressed in black armour, large helmets shielding their faces from view, large spiked clubs occupied their grasp.

Hope turned back to Declan. "Friends of yours?"

"I never thought I'd see the day." The leader commented in a deep, husky voice. "The slayer, defenceless. All knocked up. Though it makes this job a whole lot easier.

"Slayer?" Declan asked, looking between the men to Hope. "What are they talking about?"

Hope waved him away. "Don't worry."

"Who are you? What are you doing?" Declan asked the men, moving around to the front of his desk next to Hope.

"Our job." He replied, moving inside the doorframe, armour clicking as he pulled Hope from her chair and throwing her backwards into a pile of books before she tumbled to the floor with a large thump. A small objection was all Declan could offer as the other two pounced on him. His strength was minimal compared to theirs as a large, metal spiked fist planted itself on his jaw and he tumbled backwards over his desk landing with a groan onto the wooden floor. The ringleader came towards Hope once again as she tried to rise from the floor.

The leader looked down at Hope who tried in vain to rise from the floor and fight off her attacker. He chuckled at her clumsiness as he lent down and picked her up, throwing her towards the winded professor, who lay, shell shocked behind his desk. She landed on top of him with considerable force as the other two men trashed Declans office, searching desperately for that little engraved box. Upon finding it, the leader laughed and pushed the large oak slab on top of the two innocents lying on the ground before retreating. Only a small groan made by Declan cut the silence that had descended upon the office, as life kept on as the after effects of the attack were felt by the two occupants trapped under a large wooden desk.