Stations in life, Father Timothy thought about how everyone fit so tidily into those stations as he quietly moved through the hospital hallways. His collar and serene aura identified his station easily, and gave him access to places and respect that others were not allowed. Hence he could move through these hallways unaccosted. His journey had been slow, having been stopped a few times by those needing solace, an ear to listen, a blessing, or some token of hope in a place that offered as much sorrow as joy. He'd never wavered in his smile and patience, no one would have guessed the sandalwood box he carried with him did not contain his reading glasses, although it was about the same size. No one even dared to think that a man of the cloth had come to this place of salvation with the intent of taking life.

He had failed earlier, now he needed to put right what he had started. He made the sign of the cross, kissing the older woman and telling her to have faith and be strong and her niece would pull through. Nodding at the bless yous and thanks yous, he continued his journey. He paused outside the door he had been seeking, offering a silent pray for strength. He entered, pausing as he'd not expected the young woman to be awake.

Nora heard a noise and turned toward the darkened doorway, blinking and trying to see who was there. "Nikki?" She rasped, hoping it would be the one person she had been thinking about since swimming up from the pain and drug haze she had been in for the last few days. The monitors connected to her beeped a little faster as she struggled to become more alert, even as it was still hard to breath, a great pressure pushing on her chest, a furnace seeming to be blasting her with heat, but she twisted regardless, wanting to see who had come.

"No dear, it is not Nikki. I am Father Timothy. I saw that your religion is listed as Catholic and I came to offer what I could. Would you like to confess perhaps?" He set the case down on the table by Nora as he moved to the side of the bed, looking over the blonde, noting all of the tubes and wires as well as the frail state. He eyed the monitors and noted the erratic readings, he frowned and focused back on the blonde. If the nurses grew concerned, he might not have much time.

Confused, Nora tried to take in a breath, "Confession? What? Next you'll be telling me you are here for last rites." Nora tried to joke, her heart beating a little faster as the priest did not laugh at the joke rather he grew more serious. She coughed a bit more, her throat tight.

"IS that what you wish from me my child?"

"What? No!" Nora struggled a little in the bed, the man going in and out of focus as pain flared through her body. "IS there anyone else around, maybe a brunette, tall, brown eyes..." Nora was getting scared, she vaguely remembered assorted family members having swum in and out of focus, yet it seemed the only time she saw NIkki had been in her dreams. Her mind also trying to latch onto the deja vu feeling she was having. She squinted and tried to better see the priest.

"You seem very concerned about this person, is that your Nikki?" He asked, trying to calm the woman a little. He wished to hear her confess before he completed his task. He turned and opened the case, a syringe nestled in the case. He began looking over the assorted tubes, identifying where it would be best to inject what he had brought.

"I miss her..." Nora whispered and brought her hand up, wiping the sweat from her forehead away, her bangs wet, sticking to her brow. She began breathing through her mouth, finding it hard to get enough air just breathing through her nose.

"IS she family my child? Does she know of your transgressions? Or is she the one leading you to sin and tainting your soul?"

"What? My sins... you know this is why I stopped going..." Nora let slip the comment, finding it hard to think and focus anymore.

"No wonder you are a lost sheep, when you stray and lose your way, the devil can slip in, plant ideas that will steal your soul and lead you further into transgression. Let me clear your mind and soul Detective, confess."

Nora looked back, squinting, "How did you know I am a detective?" She paused and coughed again, not realizing the hand she had covered her mouth with was now covered in blood. "I've seen you before." It was a statement. She continued to struggle with where she had seen him.

"I know much about you Nora, that is why I am giving you a chance to confess, to redeem yourself. Even the most tainted can be reborn. Don't you want to have absolution when you go to meet the Lord?"

"Absolution? There is nothing I have done that would need that or that I need to confess. I think it is time you confessed, what are you doing to the Franklins?"

"Nothing? You are living a morally righteous life, free of sins? Following all the Lord has asked that we do? Refraining from that which has been deeming unclean and ungodly?"

Nora's face crumpled a bit, the blonde swallowing hard as the priest's words sounded like something she had heard her father going on about during one of their family dinners. How the world was descending into darkness and corruption because of people who sank into immoral ways, participated in unnatural and immoral activities.

"I love her, I don't care what you or some damn church thinks." Nora spit out, facing away from the man. "Leave me alone."

Startled, Father Timothy's hand stilled, the priest having been about to inject the toxin into Nora's IV line. His face darkened, "Leviticus 18:22..."

"I know that one Father, I know them all, trust me. Wanna hit me with Leviticus 20:13 - there's a doozy. Going to put me to death?" Nora was rambling, her mind starting to lose focus as the pain and heat were growing, she could feel sweat trickling down her forehead, the detective wiping angrily at it, a myriad of emotion released, shame, guilt, anger, frustration... "I've had them shoved down my throat since I was knee high. So just save your breath, your rites and your time. I would bet you believe in 1 Corinthians 14:34 and I should just shut up now. Yeah I know that one too, surprised someone all amoral like me would read the Bible?"

She gasped for air, but needed to say this, she had held it in for so long. "I know what I want, how I feel and that she gives me more than some convoluted, incorrectly interpreted and over used handful of words could ever give me or mean." Nora broke off, her heart racing, beating hard in her chest, a coughing fit washing over her, her pillow dotted with blood, a red trickle coming from her nose as well. "Some day it'll be my father, not you standing there when I say that, but for now, you'll do. So just go preach to your little mind-washed sheep. I want to save my energy for Nikki." She stopped talking, groaning as she curled up in a ball, the monitors going from calm to chaotic.

He could hear a code 1 blaring over the loudspeaker. He dropped the unused, full syringe on the table as he backed up, watching the blonde begin to shake and seize, his mind still reeling from her rejection and the conviction in her words. He grabbed his case, forgetting the syringe was still on the table as he fled from the room. He stood in the hallway, watching as the nurses and then doctors converged; pushed to the side as a nurse came down the corridor with a shock cart, the others furiously working to pull Detective Delaney back from where she was sinking.

Perhaps he had done what was needed with the first dose. He wiped at his face, his brow laden with sweat. He knew now time was short, very short. He would finish now, no more testing, no more prayers. It was time to take the final step. The trumpet was ready to be blown, the bowl spilled. He glanced back, unable to shake the vividly etched vision of the defiant blonde, her words ringing in his ears. Telling himself this was a test, a demon and devil sent to test him, he ran out of the hospital, needing to get to the sanctuary of his church.

-------------------------------

Nikki surged forward when the doctor finally emerged from Nora's room, not even noticing the hand Rachel laid on her shoulder. "Doctor. How is Detective Delaney?"

"We've managed to stabilize her."

"Did she say anything about what may have happened?"

"One of the nurses said that when she first arrived in the room she was asking for a Nikki and saying something about a priest."

Nikki dropped her head and stepped back at the thought of Nora calling for her and she not being there, not brave enough to step into the room.

"A priest?" Agent Vargas asked as she recalled her earlier conversation with the blonde detective.

"We generally have various religious persons in the hospital offering support so she may have been confused. Or as I have said before, hallucinations could happen with ricin poisoning."

"Unless your personnel are in the habit of leaving deadly syringes in patients' rooms, I wouldn't be quick to assume a hallucination," Dan accused.

Rachel looked to Nikki, waiting for the detective to fill in her lieutenant. When the other woman didn't speak Rachel stepped forward. "Nora said something about a priest being at the port the night of the bombing," she told Dan. "She also said something about a picture that she saw at the Franklins." She looked again to Nikki hoping for some corroboration before she continued. "I got the feeling she felt it was the same man."

"We have the syringe, if we are lucky we will get some prints off of it."

"Why don't we go see if we can't put a rush on those prints," Nikki finally said as she turned from the group and once again fled the hospital.

Once outside Rachel approached as Nikki was pacing next to the car. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Nikki insisted. "I just want to find this guy before he makes a return trip," she said as she nodded toward the hospital.

"We all do. I'm just surprised you didn't want to go in and check on your partner." When Nikki looked at her with tears in her eyes it was like a lightbulb finally going off. "Oh. It's Nora."

Nikki merely nodded as she leaned against the car.

"God and I thought I was so good at my job," Rachel tried to tease until she realized Nikki wasn't up for their light banter. "But then why haven't you been here at the hospital? And why did you bolt just now?"

"Because no one knows."

"No one? I assumed your boss wouldn't. But no one?"

"Her brother knows but that was an accident, she refuses to tell the rest of her family. And I can't be in there with them and keep her secret."

"Plus a part of you feels like you shouldn't have to."

"I guess. I know it's selfish, but..." Nikki stopped herself from saying too much. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laying all this on you. We have a job to do."

"No, it's okay. Really it is. I can understand where she's coming from." Rachel tried to help calm the other woman by leaning next to her against the car. "Don't ask don't tell."

"What?"

"I was in the military. Remember? If there is one thing I know, it's living a lie."

Nikki shook her head. "That's different."

"Maybe," Rachel agreed. "Look, when I entered the bureau I still had that mentality and I lost a very dear relationship because of it." Rachel straightened as she took on a determined stance. "The fingerprints are being processed, you going to the station and yelling at people won't get us a name any faster so why don't we go get a coffee. I'm a very good listener and maybe I can help you understand a little too. Plus now that I know your girlfriend carries a gun I won't make another pass at you."

"I feel like a traitor, but I was flattered you did," Nikki admitted.

This brought a smile to the agent's lips, "Good, it was meant to be flattering. You are a very smart, charming, sexy, and all around magnetic person." She paused, taking in the detective's weary manner. She knew, positions reversed, she would not want to rest, needing to fill the emptiness somehow. "So, how about we mix business and pleasure. We grab that coffee, and those papers Nora had and try to see what the Franklin's wouldn't tell us earlier."

She could see this was the right thing to say as relief flooded Nikki's face, the officer perking up. "That would be perfect." She glanced a few moments at the hospital, grim determination settling deep in her soul. "I'll find him Nora," she whispered. "I promise."