'Ready?'

'No. But I'll do it.'

Alexis was back in her professionally tailored, conservative suit, standing behind the observation glass in the Boston Police Department. She was unrecognizable from the whore of a few hours before.

'Good luck, luv,' Nigel told her, kissing the top of her head.

'Good luck, Alexis.' Bug had come with Nigel (in Bug's car, as he steadfastly refused to ride Nigel's bike), and he pulled her into deep hug before she straightened her back, lifted her chin, and walked out from observation, and into interrogation.

'Miss Whithall, your attorney is here,' an officer said, holding the door open for Alexis.

'Hello, Jessica,' Alexis said quietly, setting her briefcase onto the table. 'I'm your attorney. Do you recognize me from anywhere?'

As Alexis sat down next to her, Jessica raised her head off the table and looked her over. 'Yeah… you look… familiar.'

They locked eyes, and Alexis said quietly, 'Do you remember when you still lived with your parents? When you were young? ... When we were best friends?'

A look of intense recognition crossed Jessica's features. Slowly, she asked, '… Alexis Edwards?'

'Hey, Jessica.'

'What… what are you doing here?'

'I've come to take you home, Jessica.'

'No!' Jessica exclaimed. 'I can't go home! I can't leave without Johnathan.'

Alexis found Jessica's hand on the table, and looked despairingly into her eyes. 'I'm sorry, Jessica. Johnathan's… Johnathan was found. He's dead, Jessica.'

'W-what? No, no, he can't be dead. I've been… I've been working to keep him okay.' She stood, and looked out the window into the fair Boston street. 'Tyler said that he would keep Johnathan alive if I worked for him. Johnathan's… he took a lot of coke, too much. But I promised him I'd work it off for him.'

'I'm so sorry, Jessica,' Alexis cooed, standing and moving closer. 'But… he's been dead for awhile now.'

'No! Stop saying that! He's not dead!'' Jessica turned, ran towards Alexis, and grabbed her by the shoulders. Shaking her, tears started falling down her sunken cheeks, she screeched, 'He's not! He can't be!' Jessica started sobbing, and let her body slump into Alexis's arms. Faintly, Nigel could hear her chanting, 'Johnathan, not Johnathan, not Johnathan…'

Alexis staggered slightly under her friend's weight, but kept herself upright until she could slowly lower her to the ground. 'I'm sorry, Jessica.' Petting her hair, Alexis murmured, 'I'm so, so sorry…' Seeing the tears that were forming in her eyes, Nigel wasn't sure if Alexis was apologizing for Johnathan, or for something else.

After Jessica had quieted down, Alexis looked up at the double mirror. She mouthed, 'Seely,' and went back to rocking her friend.

'What does she want him for?' Bug asked, looking over to Nigel.

'I dunno. But we should get him since she needs him,' he replied, striding over to the door. 'Hey, Matt,' Nigel called to the detective standing outside the door, 'Alexis's asking for you.'

Turning, he replied, 'Thanks, Nigel. She done?'

Nigel shrugged in response, and moved back into observation as Matt entered the interrogation room.

'Miss Edwards?'

'Detective, could I speak to you alone? And could I get a doctor in here? I don't think she's well.' Alexis motioned to the girl in her arms, and Matt nodded, motioning for another officer to come and relieve her. 'Thanks.'

They moved out into the hallway. Nigel and Bug went to join them, but stood to the side, unsure of what kind of business Alexis was going to be discussing.

'What do you think, Miss Edwards?' Matt asked, his arms crossed. 'I have my orders already. I need to question her about her brother, and about the men she's involved with, but other than that she's free to go home.'

'Well,' Alexis started, 'I'd rather not have her in police custody. Where she belongs is in a hospital. She's malnourished, maltreated, and I'm concerned that she may have picked up some sort of STD while she was…' She trailed off, and started again. 'If I can arrange to have a secure hospital room, with security set up, will that please the BPD? I want her well again, and I don't think the best place for her right now is a prison cell.'

'I'm sure that would be fine,' Matt told her. 'We'll keep her here until you can get her a room. We'll get a doctor to come look her over, too, while we wait.'

'Thank you, Detective. You have no idea how much this is appreciated.'

'You're completely welcome. The Boston Police are here for you, Miss Edwards, and so am I.' Matt shot her a winning smile, and then turned to put through her requests.

Alexis then seemed to deflate before their eyes. Her mascara was smudged, and her hair was slightly messy from her encounter. Slowly, her body seemed to become unstable, and she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She sighed, and started to slide down the wall. Realizing she was about to fall, Nigel jumped forward, scooped her small figure into his arms, and carried her over to a bench. Laying her gently down, he called, 'Alexis? Alexis, luv, are you okay?' Her breathing had slowed, and she wasn't responding to his voice. 'Alexis?' he said, louder this time, and slightly panicked.

Bug, who had been leaning over Nigel's shoulder, pushed him out of his way to check her pulse. After a moment, he said, 'Her pulse is a little quick, but she's fine. She's just… not awake.'

'Not awake? Very specific, Bug, thank you. Alexis?' He pushed her hair back and felt her neck and forehead. 'She's quite warm.'

'She'll be fine,' was Bug's prognosis. 'Just elevate her feet a bit, and I'll go grab her some water. Give her a minute, she'll wake up.'

Nigel moved her body so her legs were slung over the armrest, and he kneeled at her head, holding her hand. 'Is everything okay, sir?' an officer asked when they saw Alexis.

'Yeah, she's okay,' Nigel replied, not taking his eyes off her face. 'Alexis?'

Gently, he felt her hand quiver in his. Her eyes fluttered open, and it took her a moment to focus on his face. 'N… Nigel…'

'I'm right here, luv. Bug's gone to get you a glass of water. How're you feeling?' He moved to take her pulse again, and kept a bit of pressure on her shoulder to make sure she didn't sit up quite yet.

'What… what happened? I was… talking to Detective Seely… and then… I just… couldn't stand…' Her voice was soft, and she looked extremely tired.

Softly, Nigel told her, 'You fainted, luv.'

'F… fainted?'

'Yeah. How're you feeling?'

'Tired… and, everything's spinning.' She closed her eyes again and turned her head to face the ceiling. She groaned, and weakly lifted her hand up to cover her eyes. 'Why'd I faint?' she murmured.

'Dunno,' Nigel replied, looking around for Bug. Seeing him coming, Nigel gently moved her legs off the armrest and said, 'I need you to sit up a bit, luv.'

'I can't. I feel really heavy.' She moved her arm and turned to look at him vaguely.

'I'll hold you up, okay?' Nigel told her, standing. He moved her body gently, and sat beside her so he could hold her upright.

'Hey,' Bug said softly, stepping in front of the two. 'How're you feeling?' In his hand he held a water bottle. He unscrewed the top and held it out for her.

'Queasy,' she replied, holding out her shaking hand to take it.

'Let me,' Bug told her as he sat down beside her and lifted the bottle to her lips.

She took a sip, and told him, 'Thanks,' when he took it away again.

'How're you feeling?' Bug asked, holding the bottle out for her again.

She took another mouthful, and replied, 'Better.' She sighed, and laid her head back.

'Do you want to go see a doctor?' Nigel asked, feeling her forehead again.

'No, no, don't be silly. I'm sure since neither of you are insisting I see a doctor, then I don't particularly need one.' She took the bottle from Bug, and drank the rest down slowly. Grimacing, she said, 'I always hated the taste of water.' Both Nigel and Bug gave her a questioning look, and she laughed, 'What? It tastes like… like nothing. But, something.'

'That's the second oddest quirk I've ever heard of,' Nigel told her, 'the first being this girl who talks like she's writing a novel.'

'So you think I'm odd?'

'They're also the sweetest, most endearing character quirks I've ever heard of,' he continued, smiling and squeezing her shoulder.

'Mmhmm. I think I'm feeling better now,' she said, trying to stand.

Bug jumped up quickly and held her arm to steady her. 'Careful. You don't want to faint again.'

'I'm fine, Mahesh, really. I need to make those arrangements, though. Just a few phone calls. I'll be fine, I promise.' And with that, she strode off and into observation where she could have some privacy.

'What was that?' Nigel asked, standing and watching Alexis go. 'Nerves?'

'Maybe,' Bug said. 'Or, dehydration, hunger. Has she been eating?'

Nigel thought about it, and replied, 'She ate… or, picked at, I guess… a salad at dinner last night. A couple sips of mulled wine… and… a few sips of a milkshake this morning. I don't know if she ate after I left, though.'

'Huh. She's never been one to skip out on a meal before. But I guess it makes sense, if she was nervous she might not be able to eat.'

'Talking about me?' Alexis's voice chirped as she walked over to them. 'I'm fine. I just… haven't been eating… or sleeping… a lot lately. But I think I'll be able to now that I know Jessica's safe. Everything's arranged. She'll be shipped off in a half hour.' She stopped, and linked her arms around Nigel's. He could feel her unsuccessfully trying to support her own weight, and could feel her trembling where she stood.

'How about we get you home?' he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders to hold her up.

'Okay,' she said, looking up at him. 'Maybe I could just lie down… my car's here, but I don't think I could drive in this condition… and I certainly could not ride a motorcycle.'

'Good. Because I wouldn't put you on one. I'll drive your mini, how's that?'

'Okay,' she said again, closing her eyes. 'Mahesh, thank you so much for coming.' She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him.

'Anything for you, Alexis. Now get some rest. And if he –' he glanced pointedly at Nigel '-annoys you in any way shape or form, don't hesitate to call me.'

'I won't,' she laughed weakly.

'Now let's get you into bed,' Nigel told her, steering her towards the door. 'Bug,' he called over his shoulder, 'could you tell Seely that the hospital's coming to pick Jessica up?'

'Of course,' he replied, and he turned to leave. But before he did, he took one last glance at the couple walking slowly down the hallway.

He saw the way Nigel held her, as if she were a china doll. He saw the way Alexis held on to him, as if he were her anchor in this crazy world. And finally, he saw the way they looked at each other, as if there were no one else in the room but them.

And he wondered if he could ever find the same thing.