Schanke hated nights like this. A harsh wind blew through the alleyway its coldness biting at him even through his coat. It had stopped raining but there was more yet to come as dark clouds continued to loom over the city ready to drop the remainder of their bounty. On nights like this he wanted to be sat at home in his favourite chair with his slippers on and a newspaper in his hands or laying in bed with a steaming cup of cocoa by his side and his favourite show 'I dream of Jeannie' on the television, not standing in a freezing cold alleyway next to a body of a woman that had not only been murdered but brutalised.

"Ok, so what have we got, Nat?" Schanke asked Natalie Lambert who was the resident coroner on the scene.

"It's a nasty one. I'd say she was stabbed at least fifty times with each stab wound in rapid succession to the other. Whoever did it certainly knew what they were doing and enjoyed doing it. As to age I'd put her at early to mid twenties." Natalie explained after she finished her preliminary examination of the body.

"Thanks, Nat." Schanke said with a nod before turning around and catching sight of his partner, "Nick! Get away from that dumpster! We've got invisible witnesses to question!"

Nick didn't answer.

All of Nick's attention was focussed on something he had spotted underneath the dumpster, it was something that he'd never seen underneath a dumpster before and was almost afraid to believe what his eyes were telling him. Kneeling down on the wet ground he slowly reached out a hand and gingerly brushed it across what his eyes were telling him he saw. He pulled his hand back suddenly when he felt that the object was warm to his touch.

Instinct kicked in as Nick stood up and turning to face his partner shouted, "We have something here!"

Wasting no time at all Schanke ran over to where Nick was standing and helped him push the dumpster out of the way with the assistance of a couple of uniforms that had heard the shout too. After several pushes the dumpster moved awkwardly as the men pushed it over to the other side of the alleyway. Each man turned around with bated breath to see what Nick had uncovered, when their eyes fell on the limp form of a woman that had been badly beaten their breath was released in gasps and exclamations.

Taking control of the situation Natalie swung into action. Kneeling down beside the woman she felt for life signs and after finding a pulse, albeit a weak one ordered one of the uniforms to radio for an ambulance. With quick eyes and wits she scoured the body, it didn't take her long to notice that one of the woman's cheeks had been badly slashed and one of her wrists cut. Knowing that time was short she applied pressure to the woman's wrist and hoped that they had found her in time to replace the blood that she had lost, blood that had blended in with that of the body lying ignored at the mouth of the alleyway and the rain that had washed down in between the whitewashed walls of buildings unused to seeing such violent acts in their territory.

In silence known only to those grieving for a lost one he sat, a photograph resting in his hands that he had never treasured so much until now. Bitter tears lent a shine to his eyes that uncovered his inner emotions to the outside world as he looked at the photo and the smile on her face, a smile that he would never see directed at him again. The times they had shared stung him as they drifted into his mind in the forms of memories he had always wanted to keep but because of his own selfish folly he was now condemned to relive those memories whenever he heard her name or saw something that belonged to her and could never shake them off. Time had become unimportant to him as he had sat there staring at a picture of what he had had and what he had so easily thrown away.

It was in this state of sanctimonious melancholy that he had rested for hours that had slipped into days and days that were wearing on towards being weeks. Sleep had become a stranger to him as languor had become his bedfellow pushing out his need to move. Blisters had broken out on his hands under the continuous pressure of their desperate grasp upon that last image, that last smile that he would ever see. As immovable as a rock he stayed in this state of almost death like stillness as the world slipped by him without the slightest hindrance to his mourning.

Lost in realms of unconscious sleep she lay in the hospital bed. Awareness brushed her with its gentle hand lending her the ability to hear all that was around her but kept her from opening her eyes. Voices filled her ears but she couldn't respond to them, there were no words that came to her mouth nor did she have the strength to say any. In this state she rested some time before awareness lent her a second touch with its hand which allowed her to awaken, albeit, slowly. As her eyes began to flutter and her lids lifted the timbre of the voices increased. Out of the chaos that seemed to erupt as consciousness became once again instilled in her body she heard one voice, that one voice brushed against her ears like a delicate whisper and its song was beautiful.

"Schanke, find a doctor and get him to tell us whether she can talk to us yet." Nick requested looking at his partner.

Schanke exhaled in frustration before replying, "Why do I always have to do the errands?"

"Because I ask you first."

"Ok, ok. I'll do it then I'm going for a cigarette, you can question her."

"Fair deal I suppose Schanke," Nick sighed.

"Good, see you later." Schanke smiled before leaving the room.

Shaking his head Nick waited patiently for a doctor to give him the go ahead to question the woman lying in the bed in front of him. It was a strong possibility that she was an eye witness to the murder which made her paramount to the investigation. A chance still rested that she was also a suspect but from what he had seen that night it was highly unlikely. Doctors had found slight paralysis in the left side of the girl's body but until they knew who she was they were unable to tell whether it was a recent development or something that she had had for some time. Only time and more tests would tell.

Nick's thoughts were disturbed by a barely audible sigh which he knew to have come from his long dormant charge. Looking over at her he noticed her beginning to stir from the sleep that had kept her shrouded from the outside world. Slowly he walked over to her, his footsteps as quiet as the sigh that had escaped from her unspoilt lips. Standing beside her he let his eyes wander over her as they studied her features. As he looked at her his sharp eyes caught a similarity to a woman that he had known a long time ago and had sworn to protect from all evils, his sister.

Many years had passed by since she had passed away and he knew that this woman could not be her but the resemblance was uncanny. Spurred on by a sensation of loneliness for his fallen sister he took one of the woman's hands in his and clasped it gently. Closing his eyes he revelled in the warmth and softness of the untarnished flesh that covered her palm and fingers.

Forming an image of his sister in his mind he whispered, "Fleur. Ma soeur. Ma coeur. Je t'aime et je suis désolé."

"Elle pardonner toi." Came a completely unexpected reply to Nick's words causing him to look down at the woman in surprise, "Je m'appelle Robyn. Enchanté heureux de vois connaître."

"Pleased to meet you too," Nick replied no less surprised then before.