Lucy Collins was no stranger to panic attacks.

Panic attacks were just one of the many things on the laundry list of issues she had acquired over the years. Dr. Wong had been the one to teach her the difference between them and anxiety attacks; those made her feel like she was an energizer bunny gone haywire.

Panic attacks were more like being a fish out of water. She could feel herself gulping at the air, but her lungs never seemed to stay full. Her mind barraged her with too many harsh thoughts at once to hear what they were all saying, but somehow she still felt the sting from all of them.

This was one of the reasons she had Bruce. Her golden retriever was a certified service dog who could help calm her down in the event of a panic attack, and seek out further human help if it was needed. But Bruce wasn't here now. No one was here. Not even Dennis and Patrica. They had gone off to prepare for this Beast that was going to eat three of her art students, one of which she was rather attached to. That's not to say that Claire and Marcia deserved the fate that awaited them, because no one did. It didn't matter if they were 'impure', they could hardly be blamed for the cushy lifestyle they'd been born into, could they?

Okay, think. Think think think THINK!

SVU had never dealt with a case like this. Or if they had, they certainly hadn't told Lucy about it, and rightfully so she wouldn't have wanted to know.

Lucy wasn't really quite sure how long it had been, but waking up on the floor of the room some time later told her that she'd passed out due to her attack. Not exactly feeling 100% just yet, she pulled herself up by the bed frame and went through her physical check list.

After confirming that falling hadn't caused any major injuries and her breathing was at least keeping her conscious, she tried to force herself to think rationally. Swallowing down her disgust at what the Beast had...planned, for the girls down the hall, she focused on the surrounding situations.

She was definitely underground somewhere. Definitely not a residential area as this basement was far too big to be someone's house. The door was locked, but Finn had taught her how to pick locks a few years back, so that was easily rectified. The real trick was the girls. She couldn't quite remember how many doors down she was from where they were being kept, and she hadn't gotten to walk around enough to know where an exit was. Should she try sneaking out and getting help? No, that would take far too long and she didn't know how much time until...Not to mention finding her gone would set Patrica, Dennis and Hedwig off. She didn't want the girls to get hurt because of her.

There was part of her, the part that was either hopelessly optimistic or just a little in love with her old friends, that wanted to appeal to them to stop this madness altogether. There was a bigger part of her that was a lot more realistic however.

But maybe...she felt sick and traitorous just thinking it, but maybe she could use that closeness to her advantage. They were clearly just as attached to her as they had been when they were children, maybe she could get them to let their guard down. One of them at least. If she got just one to put more faith in her than in this Beast she could free the girls and they could all get out of here alive.

She immediately ruled out Hedwig. He would be the easiest to manipulate, but there was no way she could stomach taking advantage to that sweet little boy.

Patrica was out too. The woman was clearly the firmest believer in this plan and she wouldn't be abandoning it anytime soon.

That left Dennis. The protector. Her protector. Her man of steel with the heart of a teddy bear. It was clear that he was unsure of this whole thing already, and he'd always been the more dependent of the alters as Lucy was the only one who'd ever managed to get behind that hard exterior.

God, what was she thinking?! Using Dennis' feelings for her against him? Proving to him that he was right to be so mistrusting of the world?

But she had to get out of here. She had to get those girls out of here.

"I'm so sorry Dennis..." she whispered to herself. She didn't have any other choice. They hadn't left her with one. "I'm so sorry..."