A/N: *suddenly blasted off feet by all the feedback* O_O *hits the far wall with a dull THUD* …x_x

Good God, I didn't realize you all have been waiting as anxiously as you have…I cry your pardon, sais…Seriously, I'm stunned at the amount of response I've gotten with just the prologue. My ego's gone up a few notches. I'm glad to see that you're all still with me, and ready to get this show out of the ditch and back on the road. Look out pedestrians, here we come.

Bat Thingy: Oh, I'm hurt. Here, in my heart. Not usually my most vulnerable spot. Indeed, I am shocked at the little faith you have in me. You see, I am the ALL POWERFUL AUTHOR!!! And I can use the mighty power of LOOPHOLES! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! *power trips and falls flat on her face* …Seriously, you don't think I'm unprepared, do you? Trust me…there is a method to my madness…

gyperfan: Well, that was hardly necessary. I believe it is the author's job to answer questions and justify accusations, and when necessary, provide reassurance. You keep to your affairs, sai, and leave mine to me.

Betty Boop: Muahaha…I've turned another to the Dark Side…yep, Edward's great. Asher and Jason are worth mentioning, too. Good stuff, that…

Myhrr: It's official. Good ideas are contagious. Sure, post your story. But if it seems TOO much like mine…prepare to hear about it. And I am very verbal. ^_^

Emerald Embers: …now THAT'S what I call true enthusiasm.

Raven: I see you've identified my trump card. My method of cheating, I suppose. Not to worry, I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve this time around.

Karolin: O_o…erm…Oh, look at the time!!! Time for me to go write the story! *dashes off at a much faster rate than normal*

Right then, here we go...Sorry for the short chapter, but bear with me…School is taking its toll, and I figured I'd give you at little more at least for all your support. Sue me for thinking of my fans. ^_^; Well, kids, buckle your seat belts and hang on to your hats, because the ride's about to start. …Again. To-…*rolls eyes, waves a hand and walks off*

Cheers,

~Rumer ("I'm away laughing on a fast camel.")

Relapse: Chapter One

If you'd have told me at 7 AM today that I'd be out on the street wearing a pressed suit and smelling like a free woman by dinnertime, I'd have laughed in your face and called you and imbecile. Well, here I was, sitting in a pine-scented interior of a Mitsubishi Eclipse, wearing clothes fit for a queen (well, a lawyer, maybe; close enough), with high heels no less and marveling at my previous attitude. Well, just call ME a liar. Part of me wanted to know why they wanted me back. Part of me didn't care. I was glad to be out of that den of mental anguish. There is one thing I will say about my stint in a mental institution: I'm leaving it off my vacation itinerary next year.

The man who had come to fetch me from the Tomb had slid into the driver's seat and didn't say another word. So much for small talk. I always liked the strong, silent type. Once you get them talking, you'd be surprised at the stories they tell. But this one in particular didn't seem much for small talk. I shrugged it off and concentrated on the man seated in front of me in the passenger seat, and the man sitting beside me. The former was Dr. Elwood Lecter, my former superior and near confidant. Good guy, maybe a little addled at times, but a good guy nonetheless. The latter was a man named Dr. Jay Haley, supervising doctor of the institution. Both of them had given their all to help me when I needed them, especially in my last little misadventure. And in spite of what the media said about my apparent lack of emotion, I couldn't help but grin when I saw the pair. Take THAT, CNN. However, they didn't seem incredibly enthused about seeing me again. Come on, you're meeting an old friend who just happens to be a convicted murderer! What's not to be excited about?

"So," Elwood said flatly. The tone didn't suit his nature. "I guess you've been told why you've been released."

"Actually, Elwood," I said sweetly, "I figured it out for myself. Our driver isn't much for details, so it seems." The driver cocked his head slightly, almost resonant of a dog listening to a high-pitched sound. It fit.

"That's Dr. Lecter to you, Dr. Devereaux. At least for now. Formality would do you some good in this situation." His voice had become bladelike: sharp, cold, and something you wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of. I've had my share of those tones in my life, one of them belonging to the judge who sentenced me. I knew better than to argue when people used THAT voice.

"As you like, Dr. Lecter." Elwood turned his face fully around, and this time, there was a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips.

"But goddamn…it's good to see you, Kira." I smiled back.

"Likewise."

Jay cleared his throat. I turned to look at him, and Elwood's gaze drifted back to the road.

"I figure you're in need of some answers, Dr. Devereaux."

I snickered. "Answers are what got me into your humble abode, Dr. Haley. Though I guess coming from you, they're safe enough. I'm all ears."

Jay rolled his eyes and turned his attention to a small manila folder resting on his lap. He opened it and ruffled through the pages until he found the one he wanted. "It basically says that you've been summoned to an appeal tomorrow at 8:00 AM sharp." He closed the folder and handed it to me. I took it.

"But why?" I asked, leafing through the folder's contents. Forms, forms, forms, blah. Lots of legal junk. Me no speak-o Lawyer-ese. "I mean, I won't have been released just because people are getting antsy about the past, right?"

"Kira, since you've been gone, there's been hardly anything happening," Elwood said over his shoulder. "A couple natural death cases, but nothing other than that. In two years, there have been a total of four needed autopsies. Four. While you were working, we had nearly triple that amount for a single year."

"Won't that mean I'm a jinx or something?" I arched an eyebrow. "More people to dissect while I'm there. Great. But the fact is, the people I dissected it needed it. I wouldn't call that a great thing. And you know that I'm not in anything for the money. Maybe you guys are, but that's you. Point being, why care about someone you condemned just because you've been having a drought of corpses?"

"Let me finish," Elwood said patiently. "In the past two weeks, we've had more corpses than those two years combined. And not just humans, mind you…" he leaned backwards slightly, "…but animal corpses as well."

"I'm not a veterinarian, Elwood. I'm waiting for the real reason."

Elwood turned back around, clearly at a loss for words. It irked me. He could spout off all this other bullshit, but he couldn't give me a real answer. What a guy. Jay cleared his throat. Yea, Jay! Give me some REAL information!

"…Frankly, Kira, you're out because someone ASKED for you to be out. Appealed directly. Went through a whole lot of trouble for you, Kira."

Well, that was interesting. It must have showed. "Who asked for me? Unless I was voted 'Scapegoat of the Month' in Time Magazine and the press want pictures, I don't know of anyone who'd even consider my release."

"It just so happens that one of the corpses had a daughter. The corpse was tied to you somehow. The girl was looking through her dad's old stuff and she found your name. So you could say she's curious, and I can't blame her for being so. Can you?"

Not really. I shook my head. "So, does my savior have a name?"

Jay gestured to the folder. "Her name should be on the first paper in there." I looked, and sure enough, there it was, in big bold letters:

HEATHER MASON

Well, shit. I was going to meet the daughter of someone who apparently didn't exist, and who just happened to be the one who saved me from my previous situation. I didn't know whether to be grateful or scared out of my wits. Hooray for multitasking.

Before I got the chance to retrieve my jaw from the floor, the car rolled to a stop. Elwood and Jay got out, and I followed suit. I found myself looking at the tall, white pillars of the courthouse. God, it had been a while since I'd seen those columns. I stared at the ivory whiteness of the structure, wondering to myself if it had been so beautiful and yet so condemning the last time I'd seen it. I decided that they'd renovated in my absence.

Elwood came around the side, took my arm at the elbow, and led me up the marble steps. I took a deep breath, trying to ease the butterflies spasming in my stomach. One thing I'd learned in all my years was to not let the butterflies loose in your stomach. Make them fly in formation. But as I crossed the threshold, I had a sinking feeling that one or all of them were going to go kamikaze on me. I hate that feeling. But it's better than sheer horror, or even worse, the feeling of being absolutely alone. I'd felt that for too long. So, all things considered, I straightened up and kept walking down the tiled halls. The worst they could do was send me back to that hellhole. Nothing to worry about, I'd been there, done that. I'd be perfectly cool, calm, and collected. No sweat.

"We're here," Elwood whispered. He reached for the brass door handle, and I looked up at the name on the door. JUDGE EDWARD BOWEN was etched into the fine mahogany. I felt myself began to shake. My reserve went out the window, and I nearly collapsed from nervousness.

Cool and collected, huh?

Easier said than done.