Disclaimer: Not saying it one more time, I absolutely refuse! Besides don't you think if I owned any of this I would have Abberline at my disposal to slam me against an alleyway wall anytime I wanted? Yep, so there you go.

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'Damnit all!' I thought. Where are the kitchens in this place? I asked myself as my search for some liquor proved to be fruitless. I don't drink but I thought just this once I could abandon my morals and have one beer or some wine. I was wondering if they had invented Cosmopolitans yet when I bumped into Godley.

"Oh thank yeh god!" He said grabbing my shoulders, "Someone found me!"

I couldn't help laughing.

"Got lost?" I asked smiling.

"Is it tha' obvious to ya?" He asked, somewhat embaressed.

"Yes, but then I know the tell tale signs of the condition."

"But this is your house!" He exclaimed in delighted surprise.

"It still doesn't change the fact that it is a bloody maze." I grumbled.

Godley shot me an uneasy glance, "Do ya talk like tha' all the time?'

I know, I know I was supposed to say 'I do not, just nerves, my good man,' but I forgot you can't be overly friendly in the early nineteenth century, (like I actually knew what century it was. All I knew was that I was stuck.)

"Well I talked like this all the time where I used to live......." I clamped my mouth shut as soon as I heard the words leave my mouth. How many ways can you be anymore stupid!?

"Haven't you lived here your entire life?" He asked

"Um.......ah.....yes.....but I was ah.....abroad for a while......" Oh god! How would I get out of this one?

"Oh yes, I remember now!" He said nodding his head. I couldn't see how he could remember when I couldn't but ok, "And you learned a quaint litt'l custom using a stick I believe, correct?" He asked as we began to walk together down the hall.

"Yes...." I mumbled, blushing, remembering my not too bright cover up over the mention of the limbo stick.

We finally maneuvered ourselves in the right direction to Abberlines rooms when we happened upon Ellie. I saw from the direction she had come from and frowned, "Ellie.....were you just taking with Abberline?"

She blushed and lowered her head. Oh my god, he had slammed her up against a wall too?! "Yes miss."

"My dear girl, what ever for?! Trying to see if he would attack you a second time?" I asked astonished.

She giggled, "Well miss, he asked me to come, so's he could apologize for that."

I can honestly tell you my mouth dropped wide open in shock and disbelief. Proud Mr. Abberline had apologized?!

"Ellie!" I gasped, "Did he really?!"

"Oh yes miss, in a most gentlemanly way he did too." She insisted.

Hey, who knew?! Maybe I would help his sorry ass after all!

"That's wonderful, Ellie!" I surged forward and gave her a quick hug. Pulling back, I saw she was rather startled.

"Miss?" She ventured timidly, "Are....are you quite all right?"

Damn the stupid social classes to hell and back!

"No! But that's what's so wonderful!" I laughed.

Godley was looking at me as if I had shot off my rocker and Ellie's expression was one not too far from that.

"Oh you two!" I sighed exasperated with their lack of happiness and plain happy go lucky ness. Just think, Abberline's not such a jerk after all! Start the band up, 'for he's a jolly good fellow......' "Pay no mind to me.....except for this one last thing." Now I sobered up even though I had still yet to find something of liquid matter to make me otherwise, "Ellie please inform Abberline his presence is requested in the study," I turned to Godley, "as will yours. Please show them the way and after that go get some sleep, my dear. You more than deserve it."

"Yes miss."

"What do you plan to do with Abberline?" Godley questioned.

I put on my best Godfather voice, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." I husked.

It's official. Everyone now thinks I should be in an isylum. God!

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Check: Next time remember to ask where the study is before sending everyone there so I know how to freaking find it.

They were already in the room by the time I found the room itself, after getting dressed in black again. I mean I couldn't very well have stayed in that damp robe unless Abberline wanted to slam me again (sorry that sounded so wrong) I knew I should have asked Ellie to show me the way too.

"Gentlemen." I said entering waving a hand to the many reading chairs in the library like room, "please.....take a seat."

They did so, as did I behind the waiting desk.

"Inspector......" I paused dramatically here because I felt the situation at hand called for it, "I have proposition for you."

"Not interested." He cut in.

Ok so apparently he's not a jerk that still thinks I'm rat guts. The perfect business relationship, I was pleased, besides I had an ace up my sleeves.

"I'm sorry to hear that Inspector. I would have thought you would be interested in being reunited with the lovely Mary Kelly, very interested in fact......."

"What?" He whispered.

I continued, heaving a sigh of mock disappointment, pretending not to hear his quiet outburst, "Oh well, I suppose it was a SILLY idea......"

"What did you say?" He whispered again, getting to his feet slowly as if they would for a second, not support him.

"What a pity....." I murmured shaking my head, sadly.

He was at the desk in a second, his hands resting heavily on the wood, as he leaned in peering at me, his eyes narrowed as this would make me talk.

"What.....what are you sayin'?" He asked again desperately.

"Oh, I was saying it's a great pity....."

"No." He snapped, "About your proposition?"

"What? The one you're not interested in?" I asked.

"Yes. What is it." He was starting to lose composure although he was trying hard to hide it.

"Why do you want to know? You're obviously not to keen on the idea......" I smirked.

"Goddamnit, woman!" He responded slamming his clenched fist down on the desk, "Don't toy with me!"

I knew I was being a total bitch but that didn't mean I was going to let him get away with raising his voice against me. And I'd deal with that 'woman' comment later.

"Very well, Inspector." I stated coolly, "It would serve you well to keep that temper of yours in check under my roof. I have been more than fair in these regards having been twice this night slammed against a wall with your threats at my ear. But I'm afraid I must draw the line at you harming a defenceless desk under your hard hand."

"Why not draw it at you?" He sneered.

"I, unlike the desk, am not defenceless, which you will very soon see if you do not get out of my face. Now sit down and let me talk." I commanded coolly, pointing my finger back to his chair. His lip curled in distaste but he complied.

"Here," I said interlacing my fingers on the desk and leaning forward, "is what I propose. I know what must be done."

"How can you know?" Abberline mocked, interjecting.

"Because I am excessively smart, now please let me continue. Now, they are watching Abberline very closely....."

"How does she know this?" Abberline whispered to Godley.

"Well yeh see it all goes somefin like this...."

I shot both of them an impatient glance.

Godley coughed, "I'll explain later." He whispered back.

I cleared my throat, "As I was saying......We know they're watching your every move, and they will continue to unless they have cause to think you have forgotten your rage against them and forgotten about her......." I looked pointedly at him.

He looked almost thoughtful, as if he were considering it, a finger on his bottom lip, "Go on." He murmured.

Here came the part I was embaressed to speak. I looked down at my clasped hands, "To do this you must act the part. Here is what we do......" I took a calming breath, "Abberline wills stay here under the idea that I am helping him to recover from Opium and Absinthe overdose. Durring this time," I coughed and said very fast under my breath, "Abberlinemustpretendtofallinlovewithme."

"Wait, what did you say?" He asked, raising his hand from his lip.

'Just say it!' "You must pretend to fall in love with me."

His eyes widened in disbelief.

"In a year," I continued, "if not less (for the both of our sakes) we will stage a wedding. They will be convinced that you no longer remember anything of Mary Kelly and will cease to suspect you of doing them harm. With them out of the way, it will be all too easy to have our Honeymoon consist of a trip to Ireland."

Abberline was silent. I felt my heart grow wings and flutter uneasily in my chest.

"And all I have to do in exchange for your help is pretend to love you?" He asked turning in his seat and narrowing his eyes to slits.

Did I stutter, dumbass? I thought nervously but I nodded my head, "Enough to convince everyone."

"Never."

Damn! I was burned! Do I smell smoke? Cause that insult could have been in that You Got Served movie! I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. A strange sensation filled my nose. Like that feeling when ocean water stings both nose and eyes. It wasn't a very pleasant sensation. I blinked once.....twice.

"And why not?" I had no emotion in my words or face.

"Because hate I you."

I gulped but my throat was dry as sandpaper.

"You don't even know me." I said.

"I know you. You and your aristocratic upbringing. You don't care for anyone but yourself and only then when it's of greatest profit to you. What are you being given to act as if you care?"

My temper began to seep through, "Just because a person is wealthy," I said rising, "does not make them unkind. It's about time you realized, Abberline, the whole world is not out to get you. In fact there are some people in it, who would gladly try to help you. Now, I will ask again."

"Don't bother. You have my answer and it is no."

Godley looked frantically between the two of us.

"Very well then." With rapid, jerky movements I made to leave. Abberline continued to sit, unmoving, his eyes following me to the door.

Throwing it open I turned back to them, "Good night gentlemen, leave when you feel ready. I really don't care at this point. Maybe by then I'll be gone as well."

I stormed out, slamming the door behind me. I was almost at the front door, cane in hand, when Godley thundered down the hall to me.

"Miss Harlington!" He called. I turned rather coldly to stare at him. I was never cold to Godley but right now I just wanted to be left alone. "Where are yeh goin'?!"

"Somewhere. Anywhere. As long as it's far away from here!" I pulled on my cloak savagely, "God what I wouldn't give for a Starbucks right about now!"

"A......a what?" Godley asked trying to deter me.

"Tell me, where would you go to get a good drink?" I asked him frankly.

"What Miss?!" He asked astounded.

"A drink. A stiff one." He was still staring, mouth gaping in a goldfish like way, eyes huge, "Hard liquor?!" I asked him.

"I....I......I...that would ah.....be ah....the Ten Bells." He stuttered.

"Ten Bells, it is then." I said nodding and throwing open the door, stepping out into the night, calling for the carriage. Godley hurried down the steps after me.

"Yeh don't actually mean yer goin' to the Ten Bells, are yeh?!" He exclaimed.

"That I am indeed, Sergent."

"In god's name why?! Yeh won't last the night there!" He looked really worried.

"That's why I'm going there. That and the fact that I'm going to get totally buggered on my way to Hell when I don't last the night, that is if I can wangle it."

The coach driver opened the door helping me in. I slammed it shut as Godley came up to the window.

"Tell the High and Mighty Abberline I'll see him there." I told him.

"What? At the Ten Bells?"

"No," I replied, "in Hell." I rapped my cane sharply on the wall. "Drive on."

I left Godley wringing his hands on the sidewalk.