The monotony of getting herself from her car, through security and to the consultation room where her sessions with Oksana would continue to take place was oddly comforting to Eve. Her client remained unpredictable at this stage, but at least the lead up to their meeting was stable and repetitive.

Bill hadn't been there to meet her this time, not now she knew where she was going. Instead, the prison guards had simply eyed her ID badge and let her through the various buzzing security doors that barred her way. Eve reached the room and thanked the guard for letting her in before taking off her coat and hanging it over the back of her chosen chair. Today she had opted for a little black dress. Not a cocktail dress, of course, but something professional and yet more alluring than last week's cropped trousers. She was exploring an inkling she had got the week before. Eve put her glasses on but left her hair down. She eyed the plastic plant on the low table in front of her sceptically. It had gathered more dust since the previous week, she mused. It probably hadn't really, not a noticeable amount anyway, but still… it was tacky.

Eve was just in the middle of wondering whether she could replace the plant with a real one, whether if she watered it on her weekly visits it would survive, when the door buzzed and then opened.

Oksana Astankova entered. Gone was the timid shape of last week's initial iteration of Oksana. Now she carried herself to her full height, looked directly at Eve as she rounded her chair and sat down promptly with the ghost of a smirk that Eve wasn't sure she liked the look of.

Bill loitered in the doorway.

"Alright everybody?" He asked. "Dr Polastri, how are you?"

"Very well, thank-you Mr Pargrave." Eve replied with a small smile. Using each other's titles that way always made her feel as though they were merely playing at their jobs. It felt mildly ridiculous and she knew that Bill agreed.

"So glad to hear it, Dr." He replied smoothly with a warm humour-filled smile.

Eve laughed quietly.

"Right. No fighting." Bill said to the both of them, pointing a stern finger at each of them in turn.

"I'm sure we'll be fine." Eve replied knowingly, "Right, Astankova?" she asked pointedly.

"Oh, we are going to have a lovely time." Oksana replied, and it was hard to miss the undertone of a threat.

Bill raised his eyebrows at Eve and shrugged.

"See you in an hour." He said sympathetically. And with that he left the room.

Eve cleared her throat and pulled a hair tie from her wrist, gathered her hair up in her hands and tied it back out of her face. She knew Oksana was watching closely, she could feel those eyes on her.

Suddenly Eve was reminded of a nature documentary she had fallen asleep to once. She remembered the scurrying form of a field mouse, illuminated by a night vision camera as it was going about its business, completely unaware that it was being watched by the bottomless black eyes of a barn owl. If Eve had to be the field mouse, she would at least choose to be aware.

"Are we onto chapter two of your book of basic psychology?" Oksana asked sweetly when Eve was finished with her hair. "Are you going to ask if I was abused as a child?"

"Were you?" Eve asked, feigning disinterest, as she pulled her Dictaphone from her bag and switched it on before placing it between them on the table.

"No." said Oksana simply.

"Good for you." Eve replied, leaning back in her chair.

Oksana barked out a laugh, cupping a hand to her ribs as they shook.

"That's it? No follow up questions?" Oksana asked with an incredulous smile.

"Not currently. Why? Are you lying? Would you like me to push the matter until you break down and tell me the truth?" Eve suggested.

"No. That was the truth." Oksana shrugged. "But you can test me if you like? We have a whole hour."

"No thanks." Eve replied. "I believe you."

"You're very trusting." Oksana observed.

"Perhaps." Eve said, "Or perhaps I have other plans for the session and would rather not indulge your suggestion."

Oksana laughed again.

"You are funny." She pointed out. "What is your name?"

"Dr Polastri." Eve said blankly without pausing for a beat.

Oksana growled.

"Why won't you tell me?" she demanded.

"I work with convicted criminals. You, for example, are a convicted murderer. Do you think it would be wise for me to give out personal information to every convicted murderer I work with?" Eve asked lightly.

Oksana appeared to consider the question for a moment or two.

"No. Not every convicted murderer. Just me." she said at last.

This time Eve laughed. It was only a small chuckle, but she failed to keep it in.

"You're special are you?" Eve asked with a smile.

"I am." Oksana nodded confidently, "But also, I am not getting out of here. You are safe from me."

"And what makes you say that?" Eve queried with interest.

"That I'm not getting out of here?" Oksana checked.

"That you're not getting out of here, and that I am safe from you. You made two separate points, as if they are not connected. Why?" Said Eve.

Oksana blew out a slow, noisy breath of air before answering Eve's question, as though her response may be too heavy for Eve to handle

"I am not getting out of here because nobody is going to recommend someone with psychopathic tendencies for parole." Oksana said simply.

Eve hummed and looked at Oksana for a moment. The younger woman had schooled her face into a hard expression, one belonging to someone who had accepted her fate. And yet, in the eyes that stared resolutely back at Eve, there was something else, something a little lighter, a hint of possibility maybe, not quite hope… But something that hadn't entirely given up yet. Something that threatened to pull Eve in.

Eve could tell Oksana that she wouldn't be the first person with psychopathic tendencies that Eve had recommended for parole. Or that she had yet to assess whether these psychopathic tendencies were even in existence. But for now, she would hold her cards to her chest.

Oksana was still watching her, still considering and anticipating Eve's reaction. Eve surmised that the small, resilient, part of the other woman might want Eve to contradict her.

"And why am I safe from you?" Eve asked, choosing not to divulge any of her reflections on Oksana's potential future at this stage.

She watched Oksana's eyes flit away momentarily in frustration. Yes, she had been waiting for contradiction.

"I would not kill you like I killed that bastard." Oksana said simply.

"Well, no." Eve agreed. "I don't have a penis, so you would struggle to cut it off."

And Oksana smiled gleefully and clapped her hands together, rocking back in her chair before clasping one hand to her side.

"Struggle to cut it off!" Oksana said loudly, "That is so funny." She hooted with laughter and shook her head.

It wasn't quite the reaction Eve had anticipated. She waited for Oksana to regain composure, which she did, rather suddenly.

"I meant that I didn't just kill him for fun. I am hardly some sort of serial killer, am I?" Oksana said with a stone cold expression that didn't look for a moment as if it had been split by a wide smile just seconds earlier.

"But good to know you don't have a penis." Oksana shrugged and nodded.

Eve filed that one away.

"What about what you did after you mutilated him? Was that for fun?" Eve asked daringly.

Oksana's face grew stormy.

"None of it was for fun." She growled.

"So you killed for a specific reason? It was a reactionary event?" Eve prompted.

Oksana sighed and leaned forward in her chair, resting her elbows on her knees and looked Eve dead in the eyes. If she had not made such strong eye contact with Eve then Eve would have missed the grimace of pain that flashed across Oksana's features.

"What is your name?" Oksana said lowly.

"Are you in pain?" Eve replied.

The tone of this question was unlike Eve's previous enquiries. There was immediate care and curiosity behind it. Apparently it mattered to this woman whether Oksana was hurting. Oksana's brows lifted slightly, her gaze became less menacing.

"No." Oksana said breezily.

"You grabbed your side earlier, and just now, when you leant forward it hurt, didn't it?" Eve replied quietly.

"No." Oksana repeated with a bit more force behind the word.

Eve kept her eyes on Oksana, kept her expression soft, trying to will Oksana to be honest with her for all the good it would do. Oksana diverted her attention and looked around the room instead, puffing out her cheeks and blowing a slow exhale. She glanced back at Eve and Eve narrowed her eyes at Oksana.

"Astankova, have you been injured?" Eve asked delicately.

"This is boring!" Oksana burst out angrily, crossing her arms across her chest petulantly. "What is the fucking point of all this? Hmm? We have these shit conversations for fucking months and then you say, 'Yep, she's a dangerous psychopath, lock her up for a load more years'?" she blazed.

Eve leant back in her chair and brought her hands together, interlocking her fingers.

"I think we should play a game." Eve decided.

Oksana scoffed.

"I am not a child. I don't want to play a fucking game with you." Oksana spat.

"Do you feel as though you're treated like a child? You said the same thing to Mr Pargrave last week." Eve pointed out.

"I am not a child." Oksana repeated resolutely.

"Unfortunately." Eve muttered.

"What?" Oksana barked.

"It's unfortunate you're not a child." Eve clarified. "If you were, then I wouldn't be the one working with you and we could both avoid the trauma of these appointments." She finished.

Oksana considered her for a moment and then smirked. Eve waited to see if she was going to respond, but she did not.

"And yet, here we are." Said Eve, "So, shall we play a game or do you want to sit in silence for the remainder of the session?"

"What is your stupid game?" Oksana asked with exaggerated insolence.

"I get to ask you three questions." Eve began, "You get to ask me three questions." She finished. "We can both pass on one question."

"That is not a game!" Oksana laughed, "That is a conversation."

"They are yes or no questions." Eve added, ignoring Oksana's words. "So?"

"Fine." Oksana huffed. "But I am going first."

"OK." Eve agreed. "Hit me."

"Give me a minute." Oksana requested.

Eve nodded and busied herself flicking through her notebook, mentally thinking through the rest of her day. She really needed to try harder to be home on time this evening. Tensions between herself and Niko had been high since their stand off a week ago. No more had been said about it, but Eve knew all too well that it was often what went unsaid that had the most importance. Perhaps they could do something nice as a family this weekend, maybe that would mend the wound a little bit. But where could they go? What would Leo enjoy? The zoo? He loved seeing the animals, especially the lions. But Eve couldn't bear seeing those powerful creatures pacing uselessly in their cages. Maybe not the zoo…

"I am ready."

Oksana's decisive voice cut through Eve's meandering thoughts.

"Go ahead," Eve prompted, raising a hand. She really hoped she wasn't about to regret this game. It was a dangerous suggestion, of course it was. God knows what sort of questions Eve was about to face, and with only one pass. But Oksana seemed surprisingly interested in Eve as a person, and she clearly wasn't going to open up until they were on more even ground, that much was clear. So…

"Do you run?" Oksana asked.

Oh. That had been far from what Eve was expecting. Truth be told, she didn't know what to expect, the whole game had been a bit of a gamble, but she would have been less startled by a more personal question.

The surprise clearly registered on Eve's face, and Oksana looked at her imploringly.

"Well? Do you?" she asked again.

"Yes." Eve said.

"Mmmhmm." Oksana nodded and then added hastily, "That was not my second question, by the way, that 'Do you?' That was because you didn't answer."

"I got it, don't worry. You still have two." Eve reassured her. "Why did you ask that?" Eve asked curiously.

"That is not a yes or no question." Oksana said haughtily.

Eve laughed.

"Fair enough." She said, "OK, my turn."

Oksana sat back in her chair, once again wincing slightly, and Eve's eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you regret your crime?" Eve asked. She already knew the answer. Well, not in so many words, but she had strong suspicions. Still, the way Oksana answered might prove enlightening. It wasn't just a person's choice of words that opened up a window to their thoughts.

"No." Oksana replied immediately, barely letting Eve finish her question, but inadvertently proving the point Eve had been making to herself.

"Do you think I'm a psychopath?" Oksana fired her second question at Eve before Eve had time to register the speed of Oksana's answer.

"Pass." Said Eve quickly. Now that question, she had expected. She couldn't answer it though. She genuinely didn't know.

"Do you think you're a psychopath?" Eve shot back at her.

"Pass." Spat Oksana.

She was being petty. Refusing to answer the question just because Eve had refused to answer it. The answer was no, and Oksana could have just said it. But if Eve was going to be withholding, then so would she. It was silly and rash though. Now she had used up her only pass.

"Do you masturbate?" Oksana asked with a smug grin. After all, Eve had used up her only pass as well. Oksana had considered asking this question first, but had held it back, deciding to start gently instead.

Eve opened her mouth and then closed it again. Yeah, this game had come back to bite her in the ass.

"Most people do." Eve said at last. It was thinly veiled diplomacy. It was cheating. And Oksana knew it.

"A-ah!" Oksana cut in, shaking her finger at Eve. "Yes or no?"

"Yes." Eve sighed. "Do you?"

"Is that your final question?" Oksana asked.

It would be a waste of a question. Eve knew that. But Oksana had put her in a vulnerable position and she didn't like it. Still… Perhaps there were better ways to repay that little favour.

"No." Eve let out.

Oksana smiled.

"And what is your final question?" Oksana prompted.

What had pushed Oksana in the last hour? Eve wondered. What had made her loose her focus on messing with Eve? She had become angry at one point, and what had caused it?

"Are you in pain?" Eve asked at last.

Oksana glared at her. She had no passes left. She didn't want to look weak in front of this woman but now she was cornered.

"Yes." Oksana hissed.

Eve hummed.

"You really should get it seen to." Eve said gently

"You're a doctor!" Oksana exploded, "You want to look at it? It's just below my tits. You could get a nice eyeful while you're there." She sneered.

"I'm not a medical doctor." Eve said tightly.

"Bet you want to see my tits though." Oksana smirked.

"Not particularly." Eve replied.

"But a little bit?" Oksana suggested, holding up her fingers close together and squinting at Eve through the gap in them.

Eve sighed.

"Why did you ask if I run?" Eve asked, steering the conversation away from Oksana's chest, though she didn't expect Oksana would answer her question. That would be too easy, too simple.

"You have nice legs." Oksana shrugged. "They're lean and muscular. Good shape."

"Oh." Eve let out, Oksana had side-stepped her expectations again. "Um. Thank-you."

"You're welcome." Oksana said with a smile. "Does your husband like it when you masturbate for him?" she asked openly.

Eve choked a little on nothing and Oksana's grin grew even wider.

"The game is over now." Eve said flatly.

"I am asking just for me. It will give me something to think about." Oksana explained.

"I don't think that's appropriate." Eve said firmly.

"OK." Oksana replied airily. "I don't really masturbate, you know?" she added, "You said most people do. But I don't. I have a lot of sex though." She fixed Eve with wide eyes, nodding slowly. "Loads of it." She finished.

Eve hummed, trying to look as disinterested as possible.

"Does that surprise you?" Oksana asked.

"Not really." Eve replied. "I have worked in prisons for a while. I know what goes on."

"Well, now I have given you something to think about too, hmm?" Oksana said with a slow smile.

"Great." Eve replied sarcastically.

"For when you are bored of your husband's dick." Oksana added.

"I got it, thanks." Eve said stonily.

"You know, for next week, I have a better game we can play." Oksana said, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs.

"Why am I not surprised?" Eve mumbled to herself, glancing at the wall behind Oksana's head and checking the clock. Bill would be back any minute. This session had slipped out of Eve's grasp a little bit. She was off her game and she had let Oksana have the upper hand.

"What was that?" Oksana asked loudly. It seemed she didn't appreciate it when Eve didn't address her directly.

"What is your game?" Eve asked, dreading the answer.

"Next week, we get to guess three things about each other, and then for each one we get right we can earn an extra guess." Oksana explained with an undisguised hint of excitement in her voice.

Eve thought about that. It was a good game.

"It's a good game, yes?" Oksana added, "Better than your shitty game."

Eve gave a tight-lipped smile. Oksana was right and they both knew it. Eve had dropped the ball today.

"Don't have children, Dr Polastri," Oksana laughed, holding her side, "You are bad at games. Really bad."

Eve felt her breath catch, and she cleared her throat. It seemed that Oksana may not be as good at guessing games as she thought she was. She had gone ahead and assumed that Eve had no children and Eve decided not to examine why that might be.

"OK." Eve agreed. "Next week, we will give your game a try."

"I shall spend my week thinking of you." Oksana said sweetly if ominously, "and come up with lots of good guesses." She clarified.

"You do that." Eve nodded, sliding her glasses off her nose and placing them on the table. "But you'll only get three." Eve warned.

Oksana smiled widely at that. It seemed she enjoyed a challenge as much as Eve.

Eve held their eye contact and reached up to untie her hair. The smile had slipped from her face but Oksana's eyes were focused on Eve as the door buzzed and Bill entered the room. Eve left her hair as it was and watched Oksana from the corner of her eye as she slumped somewhat in her chair. One hand went to her side once more and the other to her mouth where she bit at the skin next to her thumb.

"Any scratches or bites that need seeing to?" Bill asked as he entered the room.

"Not this week." Eve replied.

"Great." Bill said, giving them both a rather dorky double thumbs up.

Oksana scoffed and looked away, catching Eve's eye just as Eve shook her head in embarrassment for Bill. Oksana smiled knowingly at her. Progress.

"Alright, let's go." Bill said, holding an arm out to guide Oksana out of the door.

"Ah Bill!" Eve let out, stopping him just before he turned to follow Oksana from the room. Eve realised a second too late that she had used his first name.

Eve shot him an apologetic look but he shrugged it off, clearly not worried about the loss of formalities. Eve got up and crossed the room to him, leaning in close.

"She needs to see a doctor." Eve said lowly next to Bill's ear. Her eyes meeting Oksana's frowning face as she tried to figure out what Eve was saying.

Bill looked at her in confusion and Eve pointed to her own side and widened her eyes.

"Ah." Bill let out, "We're just on our way there now." He said calmly, patting a hand on Eve's shoulder.

Over Bill's shoulder Eve saw Oksana's look of confusion morph into a furious glare as the door closed between them. Eve sighed. She probably could have ended that session on a better note