Chapter Five

Cloud of Guilt

-oOo-

With a groan, Chloe opened her eyes to the harsh sunlight penetrating through the curtains.

Her head was thumping, her mouth was dry and she felt empty with sickness. Cursing her stupidity for drinking an entire bottle of wine, she stumbled to the bathroom in a vain attempt to wash away her fatigue and nervousness at what Fache wanted to talk to her about that morning.

The shower, however, did little to make her feel refreshed, so she downed two aspirin and quickly put a bit of extra make up around her eyes to make them look less droopy. It was then she noticed the red bruising around her neck where the monk had grabbed her. Gently she ran her fingertips over the wounds and her anger at the monk rose, but it reminded Chloe to check her other wounds. She took the gauze off of her wrist and squinted as the material peeled away from the cuts, reopening them.

"Merde" she hissed and went to find more gauze. Normally Chloe would let the cuts air out, but she was now even more protective of her wounds after seeing Silas torture himself the night before. She couldn't help but compare the two of them and their self-inflicted wounds; it angered her to think she could have anything in common with that murderer, especially after the attack.

Once satisfied with the new bandage, Chloe pulled her white sleeve over the gauze and ran about her apartment to gather her things. She checked the time and thought it would be quicker to walk to work rather then wait for a taxi, so hurriedly, Chloe hauled her jacket over her shoulders and rushed out of the building.

As she walked to work in the brisk cold of the October month, Chloe's stomach churned with both the lack of food, the wine and the nervousness of facing up to what happened that night. She still didn't want to work on the case, she had meant that. But she knew Fache wasn't going to let her off that easy, if anything he was going to shout, rant and rave until he finally got his way. That was the kind of man Fache was. Chloe couldn't go to Jerome, he was under the Capitaine and he too thought it would be best for Chloe to handle the case, but for all together different reasons to the Capitaine. But completely the opposite had happened, the case hadn't kept her mind off the last six months, if anything it heightened her fear and depression. She should have put her foot down in the first place; this case was going to make her insane.

Chloe hurried up the steps to the DCPJ and jammed herself into the lift with several other people. While she stood there in the uncomfortable silence, she thought if Fache had told her godfather about the attack, but she knew if he had, Jerome would have been round to her place straight away to make sure she was okay. So that meant Jerome wouldn't be in Fache's office this morning, waiting to scold her on her behaviour. She was completely on her own.

Finally the lift stopped on the fourth floor and Chloe exited with three other people. With a deep breath, Chloe pulled back her shoulders and tried to paint a mask over her face to hide the obvious fear, fatigue and pain she always felt.

For a second or two she paused as she stood in front of the Capitaine's office. Her hand slowly raised to knock on the door and after mental berating herself for being a coward, she rapped her knuckles three times on the wood and entered when the Capitaines commanding voice instructed her to do so.

Chloe kept her back to the door as she closed it behind her and eyed the Capitaine at the desk. He was sitting over his desk, his left hand cradling his head as he starred down at some paperwork in front of him. The curtains were drawn and a small desk lamp shed the only light in the room.

"Sit" Fache ordered. Feeling very much like a pedigree dog, Chloe obeyed and dropped her bag by her feet, but left her jacket on to imply she wasn't staying long.

They sat in silence for some time. Chloe figured this was to make her as compliant and nervous as possible, she had to admit it was working, but her resolve not to continue the case remained as strong as ever.

Finally the Capitaine looked up front his paper work and Chloe could see the familiar red and fatigued eyes she saw herself every time she looked in the mirror. She suddenly felt very guilty, but she had no idea why.

"Miss Blanc. I hope you had a good rest after last nights events?" he asked politely.

Chloe nodded, surprised by his tone. There was no anger, just civility, "I got enough" she replied.

Fache nodded, "I understand last night brought back quite a few unpleasant memories, but I hope this will not deter you from your goal" he said.

Chloe was shocked, "Capitaine. What I said last night still stands. I will not continue the case" she said with an edge to her voice.

Fache frowned, "You do realise that you have gotten more out of that monk in just two days then I have in seven"

Chloe was momentarily taken back by what could be seen as a compliment, but she held her ground. "I'm sorry Capitaine, but I've lost my control over the situation. The monk will no longer see me as an authority figure, he won't even see me as an equal!"

Fache nodded, "I disagree, Miss Blanc. But you must at least try to talk to him once more to make sure your theory is correct"

Chloe shook her head. To think of sitting in the same room as the man who tried to strangle her gave her the chills. "I refuse to do it Capitaine. And in this case, you have no authority to make me" he said, fixing him with an icy glare, hoping she looked stronger then she felt.

She was risking a lot by trying to put the Capitaine in his place. But she was right, he had no authority to make her take part in a case that in the eyes of his superiors and to others in this building, did not exist. She was still amazed at how he was keeping the monk here without any objection or without being caught, but she didn't want to care.

"You're right of course, Miss Blanc. I cannot make you take the case. But I want you to know how much danger you're putting others in by refusing to cooperate" the Capitaine said, picking up a biro and dropping it in a pen pot on his desk. He was consciously avoiding Chloe's gaze.

She could almost have laughed out loud. So here was the guilt trip! He was going to make her feel guilty if anyone died as a result of the Council of Shadows.

"Capitaine" she said through gritted teeth, "I refused to believe it would be my responsibility if anyone else became the victim of that sick Council"

Fache leant forward on his desk, "By refusing to assist, that is essentially what you are doing! If you rebuff this case, many more will die. You are the only one I can trust with this case. My superiors have no interest in going against Opus Dei, if they knew what was going on under their noses there would be a crisis"

Chloe could almost see what was happening. He was going to blackmail her now. He had enough evidence to take her down with him if this got out. She could feel the rage boiling in the pit of her stomach.

"If you think blackmailing me-" she started, but Fache laughed.

"Blackmail? You think I would sink that low? Jerome is a very close friend. I would never blackmail his own family. But I am imploring you for your help. Althoughwise I will have no choice but to continue the case myself, and the risk at being discovered with inevitable heighten" he explained.

Chloe looked down at her lap. Her mind was torn in two.

"Now I have another lead. Sir Leigh Teabing is currently being held in the Bastille. It's taken a while to find out where he is being held and I've finally found the opportunity to go and speak with him. He will be able to offer us valuable information on the members of the Council he bribed to help him find this Grail. Now I would like you to go yourself, but if you refuse to assist me, I will have no choice but to go myself"

He fixed Chloe with a piercing stare, but she continued to look at her lap. She knew just how valuable this new lead was. It seemed that Silas knew nothing about the Council, he only took orders from Teabing under the alias of the Teacher. But to speak to Teabing would be a great advantage.

But on the other hand, she feared to continue. She would still have to deal with the monk and would have to deal with religious interference. Right now she was just too caught up in her own pain to start thinking about how to get a crazed, devoted monk to spill all he knew about some fascist religious group.

She looked up at Fache, who was still starring at her hopefully, "I'm sorry Capitaine. But my decision remains" she said, and without another word she got up off the seat, grabbed her bag and left the office. The terrible cloud of guilt hanging over her like an unwanted smell.

-oOo-

It was less then two hours later that Jerome summoned Chloe to his office. She sighed as she recalled her godfather's temper. She was positive Fache had gone straight to Jerome to try and convince her to take back the case, and if this was the reason for her summoning, she would remain strong against his reasoning.

But surprisingly, when she entered his office, she didn't meet with an angry Lietenuant. She was faced with a concerned godfather. Jerome took her hand reassuringly.

"Chloe" he said sadly, "Fache told me about last night. I wish you have called me straight away. You shouldn't have been alone last night" he said.

Chloe gulped down her surprise and let him lead her to the chair in front of his desk.

"I'm fine, really Jerome" she forced a smile as Jerome took his own seat.

"I feel it's all my fault. I convinced you to take this ridiculous case; it's all Fache's foolish loyalties to his Opus Dei. He feels the need to protect them against themselves" he said, taking a sip from a hot cup of coffee on his desk.

Chloe was surprised to hear her godfather share bad words about his friend, but she knew his stance on religion as well. Chloe was sure Fache had tried to enrol Jerome into Opus Dei and obviously he had declined. It was quite clear he felt the same way about religion as she did as he lost his wife of twenty years no more then five years before.

"He said he would take the case on himself if I refused to help him" Chloe stated.

Jerome nodded, "I know. I spoke to him just two minutes before I called for you. That's when he told me about the attack"

Chloe felt guilty. She had owed Jerome a lot for taking care of her. And when she had been attacked, he should had been the first person she called. It was probably because she was still not used to someone caring for her, even though Jerome had been there for so many years. She felt guilty dragging him into her personal problems when he had so many of them him self. Besides, he was only her godfather, he had no blood ties or loyalties to her, but he still remained to take care of her when she needed a kind word here or there. And now she realised that last night, she would have appreciated a welcoming shoulder to cry on through her pain. But she had let Jerome down, just like she did herself.

"I'm sorry Jerome. I should have called you" she said, playing with the seam of her skirt.

Jerome waved away her apology, "Don't be ridiculous, mon petit poisson. I just want to know you're okay, and if you need me, don't hesitate to call. You're the only family I have" he smiled.

Chloe felt warmth spread through her at these words. Family? It was an alien word to Chloe, but what Jerome had just said made perfect sense.

"Thank you" she smiled back, "I thought you would try and talk me back into assisting with the case"

"Of course not. You are a grown woman. I had no right to force you into Fache's direction, for that I apologise. I fear the Capitaine has lost his way a bit. He had grown quite obsessed with this case, as much as he was with the Sauniere case"

Chloe nodded, she could understand obsession. After all, she still hadn't given up trying to find her rapist.

"Well. I will let you get back to work. I want you to come round on Sunday. I'm making a roast. Isabella and Jonas will be joining us. I'll pick you up at six" he smiled.

Chloe returned the gesture, "I'd love to. I'd almost forgotten it was Friday tomorrow"

"It has been a quick week. Now I'll see you later" Jerome said and waved Chloe out of his office.

The guilt at leaving the case to Fache had now dissolved into just a faint twinge. Now she had more time to concentrate on her other duties. Such as looking for more clues of the rapist.

Somehow, having the Opus Dei case off her shoulders, made her feel a little more free. But she still couldn't get out of head those pericing red eyes as they locked with hers. And she could still remember the regret she saw in them as he released her throat.

What's the matter with me? She asked herself, but of course, she got no reply.

-oOo-

pheonix rising06 - Thanks mate. I'm glad you like both sets of chapters, but I really felt the new ones! If you know what I mean.

RaeAngel - Aww mate, hope you're feeling better. Sucks to be sick! Well this one is for you!

A/N : Thanks loyal reviewers. I work for you!