He carried her to his private lab. It was a small and messy room, but he found that his sofa was empty, and he placed her there gently, covering her up to her neck in his robe. He saw that she had a weak heartbeat, and was breathing shallowly. He closed the door and began making a cup of tea at his workstation.

He carried the teacup over to her, and knelt down beside her, pressing it to her parched lips, and letting some trickle into her mouth. She awoke with a gasp, her eyelids flickering open to reveal beautiful, if somewhat familiar, warm brown eyes. She stared at Carl, and he quickly moved the cup away.

"Is that too hot?" he asked, as she reached up to touch her lips.

She shook her head. "It's delicious. It's like... Heaven."

He frowned slightly. "It's only tea."

"I've never tasted tea," she said, her voice tinged with sadness, a sadness which touched Carl's heart.

He tipped the teacup to her mouth again, smiling as she swallowed and sighed in pleasure. Then he stood up and placed the teacup on his cluttered desk, busying himself with a half-finished garlic dispenser. The woman leaned back against the arm of the sofa, her face showing her tiredness.

"Sleep now," said Carl, carrying his invention over to a chair to work on it so that he could watch her. "You're ill."

"So are you," she replied quietly.

He smiled at her. "Cold. Those blasted sniffles."

A small smile played about her lips. "My knight in shining armour. Though you are not the one I seek. What do I call you?"

"Carl. Friar Carl."

She made an amused sound. "A man of God?"

"Surely you didn't expect me to be much else in this place?" he asked seriously. "Yes, I am a man of God, though I am also a man of science."

"God and science- the biggest contradictions in the world."

Carl was surprised that she knew this. "Well, yes, but that is only one side of the coin."

She smiled. "I've never met a man like you before, Carl. The way you speak, it's different."

"And who are you, Miss?"

She was leaning back sleepily, her eyes closed, and she answered as she drifted off to sleep. "Alexandria... Alexandria Van Helsing..."

Carl's jaw dropped as she fell asleep. She couldn't possibly be a Van Helsing, could she? He chewed his lip thoughtfully, trying to decide what to do. He knew he should probably go to Jinette, but he wasn't sure how the Cardinal would react to news that a woman claiming to be related to Gabriel was inside the building.

He sighed, then rose and crossed to the door, exiting and locking it behind him. He ran all the way to Jinette's private study, knocking on the door impatiently.

"Come!" came the voice from inside.

Carl opened the door and looked in to find Jinette sitting, stooped over his desk, writing with a great passion. He glanced up.

"Ah, it's you, Carl. What is it? I thought you were sick."

He took in Carl's wide, bright eyes, his skin positively glowing with excitement, and he leaned back in his chair, his expression serious.

"Carl?" he asked. "Talk."

"I found a woman on the stairs outside, Sir. She was unconscious, ill, starving, dressed in rags-"

"Well, take her to the sick wing then, I have no time to be dealing with petty homeless people," Jinette said with a wave of his hand, getting back on with his work.

"No, Sir!" Carl snapped, his voice trembling.

Jinette glared at him, lips pursed, eyes dark. "Explain yourself, Friar Carl!"

"She claims to be a Van Helsing!" Carl said in a quiet, shaking voice.

Jinette's jaw dropped. He seemed speechless.

Carl continued. "Sir, where did Van Helsing get his name from?"

"It was an understanding, we all just knew that his name was Gabriel Van Helsing."

"So she could be telling the truth."

"Carl, I think we, or rather you, should look after her until Van Helsing returns. Find out what you can from her."

Carl nodded. "Thank you."

With that, he left, returning to his lab.