A/N: Yeah, it's quite late and I'm like this 0.0. But I'm going to keep writing. I started this fic cos the story kept going over and over in my head. But now I'm writing it down, the next bit keeps coming louder and louder, so I have to write that too.

Kara pulled off the hair net and the white coat and stepped out of the fish and chips shop. Her skin was flushed and weaty, her clothes smelt of fish, her hair was damp with chip fat and she needed a shower

She worked in a chippie called 'Cromer's Greatest'. Most shops that have ''s Greatest' in the title are generally considered stupid and tacky. But Cromer's was actually renowned for being the greatest chippie around. Natrually, the place was busy all day and Kara didn't even manage a five minute coffee break.

Cromer's was so good because they used fish fresh from the sea. The fish were cut and skinned in the shop and then rubbed in good sea salt before being battered and fried. Kara rarely worked in the kitchen. Her boss, Brian, always put her on the counter, saying she was the beauty that got the custmers in and the fish was the thing that kept them there. But occasionally, when it was quite early and there weren't so many customers, he's show her how to cut the skin from the bone and how to rub the salt into certain places to ensure the flavour stayed. He was like a father to her, or maybe a granddad.

Kara entered the caravan park and walked towards the customer services block. Her friend Pollie, sitting behind a desk holding a magazine, saw her and waved.

"Your hair's all greasy you know" She said.

"Don't... start. Work. Busy. Tired. Smell. Shower. Now"

Kara reached for one of the keys on the wall behind the desk but was stopped by Pollie

"Nuh uh. Not until I get my payment"

Kara sighed and brought a package out of her bag. The smell of chips, vinegar and fish filled the air.

"Hadock?" Asked Pollie, attempting to look unbothered by this new aroma, though her stomach was grumbling.

"Yep. And a medium portion of chips with vinegar, no salt. You always ask me this."

Pollie smiled and laughed before giving Kara a key.

"There you go. And I got your washing done too. Collect it when you're done."

"Will do. Thanks."

Kara went over to the door that corresponded with the number on her key and opened it. She stepped inside and threw off her greasy clothes. She turned a knob and stepped under the shower head. As usual, Pollie had set it to just the right temperature.

As Kara washed, she thought about Dr Lecter, as she did once in a while. She hadn't heard anything of him for quite a while.

She was so naïve about going to Florence, to Dr Lecter. She hadn't intended to see him at first, she was just going on a week visit to Florence. She went with this children's group. The kids were meant to pay £20 for it, but she was a 'special' case. Meaning her and her mum were on benefits and she couldn't afford it. But they paid for her to go and she was pretty exited. But on the second night, while she was out on the balcony of her dingy two start hotel room, she over heard a conversation a man was having on his mobile. He was speaking in Italian first, though his words had a definite slur to them. Then he started to talk in English.

"Ah, you speak English? My name is Pazzi. Rinaldo Pazzi. Yes, yes, it's him. Lecter. He's the new Currator for the Palazzo Capponi. I spotted him, I did." He was talking quite loudly. "Yeah, I'll investigate more. I'm there in a few days for his big event. Yeah, police busness. Drunk? You're calling me DRUNK? When I get to you I'll" The person on the other line had obviously hung up. Pazzi said what appeared to be some swear words in Italian and then walked off, falling noisily as he did so.

Kara felt strange. She had heard everything. She was now part of this web. But what could she do? A plan hatched in her head. It was a stupid plan really, but it was a plan none the less.

The next morning, she asked the tour guild (named Jean) if the group could visit the Capponi Library that day. Jean was surprised at this. Kara hadn't been enthusiastic about anything so far on the trip. She readily agreed and the group spent the morning there.

Kara found the place dull and boring, but she pretended to be interested. After all, she was the one whio asked if they could go there. She had really only wanted to go so she could figure out how to get there and so she could find out exactly when the 'big event' was happening. It turns out that the library was relatively near to her hotel. It was only blocked from the view of her balcony by a large bank building.

She pretended to read the books as she searched for something about the event. It was a bit hopeless though. Any leafet would be in Italian. She had almost given up when she noticed something tacked to the door of the entrance. On it was a message written in many different languages. Italian, Chinese, French, German… Kara scrolled down until she found it in English:

NOTICE:

The Palazzo Capponi will be closed early on Thursday the 12th due to a private function.

Please vacate the building by 5.00pm.

Dr Fell,

Curator

Kara checked the date, that was the night before she left Italy. She would be able to sneak out of the hotel and tell Dr Fell about that rogue copper.

For the next few days, she scowered her Italian phrase book to find out what to say. 'I'm looking for…' and 'Maybe some on' where very easy to find. They were in the list of phrases for The supermarket and the Library. Criminal and cannibal were harder. They weren't in the little dictionary at the back and Kara had to borrow Jean's Oxford Italian Dictionary.

When Thursday night came, she waited until around 8.30. Then she pocketed her room key and set off towards the Palazzo Capponi.

She came back at around 9.15. At first, what the doctor said hadn't really set in. But when it did Kara realised how stupid she'd been. She was now going to be killed by the most wanted man around just because she felt like playing hero. Great.

But when she got back, she had to push her worries to the back of her mind. She had more important stuff to worry about. Her mum had decided to push off, leaving a note to Kara that she met a new man who could show her the world.

Kara finished her shower and dried herself. She put on the dressing gown and her shoes, not wanting to wear her smelly old clothes.

She walked past Pollie, slinging the key onto the desk. Pollie, mouth stuffed with chips, shouted something like "Your washing!"

Kara doubled back and picked up the bag of clothes behind Pollie's desk.

"Heh, thanks again. Enjoy the chips"

Kara stepped outside into the dark caravan site. She made her way to her own dinky caravan and unlocked to door. She had lived in this van all her life. But it seemed a lot less like home now her mum wasn' there. She plopped the bag down and stumbled forward onto her bed.

She knew Lecter would come, but for now, she would carry on as normal.