There was enough light to illuminate the attic. Raw and unpainted wood posts held up the roof with more support and the creek free wood floor was clean enough. Particles of dust float through the air like some sort of attic bug. Richard started his explanation with much hesitation.

"We were trying to create some sort of vaccine, some medication, to decrease anger in people. It could easily take away road rage, fights, and crimes. But it did the opposite and much worse. Tom and I were head of the experiment and witnessed far more then everyone else. When this vaccine entered the test chimps, they had spasms and seizures. Within 30 seconds, they had changed entirely. The chemicals all went to the brain causing so much anger, they were put at a vicious primal state."

Helena gulped and Richard continued.

"We don't know how or why they reacted in that manner. They were so focused on destroying everyone, they didn't bother to eat or drink or even take care of themselves. I remember this one chimpanzee. We called her Barb. She was always a sweetheart to Tom and me, but cruel to everyone else. We gave her the injection, hoping it would give her tolerance to other people. Instead, she thrashed around, screaming in anger but also in pain. We tried to days to reverse the reaction but when she got out one day, we knew we had to eliminate her before someone found her and was killed.

"Tom threw things at her, trying to knock her out. He believed she was a crucial piece to the development of this experiment. In truth, he just didn't want to kill her. I can't blame him, neither did I. Security came in though, and they shot her. Until she finally died, she had continued to try to get to us. We knew that if one chimp got out, just gone, it could spread the virus to all of England in a couple of days, two weeks top. We had extra security put at all entrances after we received threats from some animal activists."

Richard was trembling hard now and leaned back on the box where he was sitting. It was labeled "Helena's Books" in think and bold black ink.

"Then what happened?" she asked, holding a snoring Zeus in her arms with a hand croqueted blanket wrapped around her shoulders to warm her and the pup. Zeus' legs twitched lightly as he dreamed of chasing weasels and badgers.

"We got a call from the chimp room late in the night claiming that there was a break in. It was cute short. A monkey was released. All we know is - well - London is being attacked," Richard answered and looked out the small circular window at the grey sky. It was threatening to rain, as if someone upstairs was angered at the attempt to play God.

"By monkeys?!" questioned Helena in disbelief and Zeus' silver dappled head snapped up in surprise.

"No, no. The monkey infected anyone it came near. Tom was helping the police understand but - oh hell - I think I heard snarling and shrieking. Tom, in a well-supported opinion, may be just like Barb now. Just one bite, one drop of blood into another body, and they are screwed, Helena. Gone."

She began to shake now, and not from the cold or the feeling of spiders lurking around.

"Hold could you do this? What's going to happen? Answer me, Richard!"

"I don't know." Shameful voice. "We thought it would help England and the good of the world. You remember when you went to the asylum to talk to the patients and when you came back, you were saying how much help they needed. You said some were angry, constantly, and no one could do a thing. We thought it would help."

"It doesn't look like that's going to work!"

"I know, I know. I just - this wasn't supposed to happen."

He ran his hands over his face, this time twisted in guilt, and then through his untidy hair.

"Do we have food? Was there a safe place that you and Tom thought out?"

He shook his head and looked up at her.

"We have enough to last a couple of days. Tom and I, we were just so determined to make this work, that we failed to think anything out. I guess we just believed that it would work. Lemme tell you, ignorance is definitely not bliss. This isn't going as planned at all!"

"Clearly."

There was a silence and Helena sighed. Feeling his owner's distress, Zeus woke up and looked at her with his big and grey eyes before licking her hand. Instinctively she scratched the pup's floppy ears, making him feel comfortable enough to sleep. It worked.

"I just don't know how this could have happened, Helena. Or why, for that matter. Why wasn't security watching the doors?"

"Wasn't there. How would I know?"

Richard could sense the hostility in that short answer, but why, he could only guess. As far as Helena was concerned, Richard had just killed England's people. It London was already getting attacked and Tom had gotten attacked when he was with the police, there was no doubt that the cops were in trouble as well. And that meant that help wasn't going to come for a while. The thought made her want to yell at Richard and Tom. They had created this, all with good intentions, but it had failed. Richard, her Richard, the man who she had lived with for two years and loved, was a murderer. He looked up at her and must have read her mind because he said," I didn't mean for it to go like this. I feel horrible."

"Are you reading my thoughts now? Is this another experiment that was supposed to end well?!"

"Of course not, Helena. Just reading your expression."

"Well, stop it!"

"Sorry, lov -"

"Don't call me that, Richard. Not now."

He bit his lower lip. He had screwed up but he didn't need Helena to rub it in. It just made him feel guilty and even a little frustrated.

"Why didn't you stop it? After Barb? You could have prevented it all."

"'Cause this would have helped anger."

"Richard! I am a bloody therapist! I know when you are lying!"

"I did it for us, okay?! If I had made this a success, we could have lived better." His voice cracked and the guilt that Richard had been feeling was now on Helena. "I love you, Helena Jayne Packer, and I wanted to give you everything and more. The vaccine could have made me a well-established scientist and you could have stayed home instead of going to work everyday. I could have paid for you to live in luxury and stability. For heaven's sake, I wanted to marry you and watch you have my children."

His brown eyes were fixed on hers and even though he couldn't say it, she could feel the love, the support, the care.

"If that was a marriage proposal, Richard Thomas, you picked a terrible time."

The small smirk on her face lightened the mood and he cracked a grin.

"And if that was a yes, you picked a long way to say it."

Her musical laugh danced to his ears and he smiled a little more.

"Get over here, you pain in the ass!"

Complying with her orders, he stood up and walked to her before sitting down next to her. She unwrapped the throw from a shoulder and helped him put it around his shoulders, while he took her into an embrace. Zeus made the adjustment, lying on Helena and Richard's lap.

"Its true Helena. I do love you," Richard said and buried his face into her hair, taking in the smell of her lavender shampoo. So sensual, yet so simple.

"I love you too, you fool."

She looked up at him and smiled. He kissed her lips, teasing the sweet lips that he had tasted so many times before. He never took it for granted though.

"Its cold in here," Richard simply stated.

"When this is all over, your wedding present could be a heater for this place."

"How about for the engagement ring instead of the wedding present?"

"No, I want something on my finger to brag with."

"Oh yeah? How about I get it for the wedding gift and the ring and just blow your mind on our honeymoon?"

She smiled.

"Tough deal, but no. You could give me all that and something sparkly for my finger."

"Deal." He chuckled. "Anything else?"

"I've always wanted a pony!" She laughed and he chuckled again.

"I'll remember that."

He kissed her lips again and she kissed him back. The stubble across his jaw felt prickly against the soft palm of her hand as it traveled up into his tangled hair. Embracing her tighter at her action, he grazed the small of her back with his pinky finger and felt the material of her turtleneck. A year ago, he had gotten it for her for Christmas. It was her favourite top and it looked amazing on her. She pulled out slowly and looked up at him.

"Would it be silly to want some sex, even in this situation?" she asked.

"Course not!" he said with a smile and kissed her again, not holding back one bit of passion but not overdoing it either. Feeling her hands snake down his arms and sides sent a rush of excitement through his body and down to his lower half, more specifically, between his legs. Her touch, the elegance of her long fingers, was arousing and made him feel spectacular. But as quickly as the intimacy started, it ended.

"What the hell was that?!" she shouted as she pulled out of the kiss and his arms.

"My penis?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not funny. What was that sound?" she shouted again. He was taken back to where reality was knocking. He was at the world where he had just screwed over his friend, Tom, the great city of London, and his love, Helena.

"Just calm down."

"Why?! So that I don't bring something you've created up here?!"

"No. Zeus looks like he is going to piss his pants. . . well, his tail." Embarrassed at the fact that she had forgotten Zeus was on her lap, she looked down with her lip held between her teeth. "Plus, there was no sound. Its qui -"

A sound downstairs cut him off and Helena had an 'I told you so' look on her face.

"Heard it that time, Richard? Care to explain what it was?"

"I don't know what it was, but I have a feeling that we had less time then a couple of days before it got to us."

The look on his face told her all she needed to know.