At Bournemouth House:

Abberline *after Manouche and Godalming have gone, while Kat is resting, begins to feel himself restless, once again confined to bed for a while, he props himself up against the pillows and reaches for his cigarette box, smokes a couple of cigarettes, damning Godalming, who although he seemed to be a decent chap, made Kat go to Raven's room instead of being with him … He sighs, smokes a second cigarette when Raven returns to the room*  Raven, do you remember the things I gave you, the boxes from that package?  Would you mind bringing them to me, I can as well do some investigating instead of lying here useless.  How is mother, still resting?

Raven:  Mother’s fine … Manouche talked to her for a little while, then she left, and Mother went back to sleep.  I guess she needed the rest.  I’ll get the boxes for you, Father.  *he runs out of the room, goes to his own room, being very quiet so he doesn’t wake Kat; he gathers the smaller boxes together, carrying them carefully, tiptoes out of the room.  He goes back into the master bedroom, brings the boxes to Abberline, drops them on the bed*  Here they are, Father.  Oh … and this … *he reaches into a pocket, pulls out the item he loved the most from everything he saw, the little braid made from Abberline’s and his mother’s hair, which is identical to the one Manouche gave Abberline from her time in the soul box*  I guess I shouldn’t have kept this, but … I liked it.  *he hands it to Abberline, smiles a small smile*  Can I do anything else for you?  Can I bring you something to eat or drink?

Abberline:  Thanks.  *looks at the braid*  That hair's probably mine and ... hers.  How weird to think about it all.  You can keep it, Raven.  I would like it if you kept it … a memory of a grandmother you never were able to meet.  *feels himself oddly moved, smiles a bit confused at Raven, reaches over to hug him*  I could do with some drink.

Raven *eyes light up*  Thank you, Father.  I'll go get something for you.  *hugs him back shyly, turns, leaves the room*

At From Hell Court:

*Late night deep into the From Hell Court streets where very few people dare wander; where walking down the street is a risk to your very life; where, if you are walking those streets, people know you are of no good and if they see you else-where they will walk in a big circle around you and avoid all eye-contact. A dark figure stands in the alley-way of a tavern covered by darkness as he watches the street and the few people passing by.*

*A young woman, her dress worn and dirty, walks down the street towards the alleyway in a quick pace with her head lowered. If she’d lift her face, you’d see that it looks just as tired and worn as the dress she is wearing.  She is what the Victorian Brits would call an ‘unfortunate’, a prostitute.  The woman knows what the rest of the world thinks of her … knows that other women look down on her and that the men who pay her for her services think she isn’t worth even their money, although they keep coming back.  What she doesn’t know is that in only a few moments she will be put out of her misery.*

*As the woman reaches the alleyway, the dark figure steps out and blocks her way.  Without looking at him, she says in a tired voice*  I’m off now, you’ll find someone else in the tavern.  *She tries to go around him, but he grabs her by the arm and drags her into the alleyway.  She struggles, but his grip is incredibly strong.  The woman finally looks up at the figure, but before she can open her mouth and scream out in horror at the sight of his distorted features, he sinks his sharp fangs into her neck.*

*His thirst quenched, the figure lifts his head and releases his grip on the woman; she falls lifelessly to the ground.  The man dries the blood from his mouth and his face morphs into that of a beautiful man; he leaves the dead woman and disappears down the street.*

At Bournemouth House:

Abberline *picks up the first box and opens it.  He discovers a leather bound journal - he opens it and recognizes his father's firm hand.  He was a meticulous man, so it doesn't surprise him that all is recorded in detail.  How he decided that he needs a son.  How every man needs a son to carry on the heritage, to take over from his father, and how his wife brought him only daughters.  Daughters are unimportant, because they leave the family when they marry, change their names and become a part of their husband's family - this part makes him smile, thinking of the Abberlines and Kat.  How he employed a detective to trace the maid and her child.  He reads the detective's reports on how he found her: she went to her parents, but they refused to take her in, she had shamed her family with an illegitimate child, and they did not know where she went and did not care.  How she and her elder sister settled in a small village ... And how his father one day marched in and simply told them that he came for his son.*

*He stops reading, not wanting to go further, remembering his visions, the harsh voice of his father, her aunt pleading, and he can almost see and hear them both again - but not his mother.  He shuts the journal and picks up a photograph of a very young girl staring straight into the camera with a solemn expression in her big brown eyes.  He knows that she is his mother, but he doesn't feel anything looking at her.  She is just a girl, she could be anybody.  He shrugs and puts it down on the side table, closes the lid of the box, lights a cigarette and stares at the ceiling.*

*All these papers and documents come too late.  He is what his father made him and there is no way to go back and start anything over.  Then he thinks of Raven and how Kat provided him with a good home, and then he winces as he realizes that if he had known about Raven, he probably would have done the same thing his father did.  And he understands now Kat's decision not to contact him.  It seems that he is not much better than his father, after all.  He would not have been able to take care of his son.  It was better for Raven, not knowing his father.*

*He starts to feel sad again.  What if he fails like his father did?  He has not been much of a father and husband, and now he is about to have a second child.  He tries not to think about it now and wishes he had something to numb his mind, and then the wound starts to ache again, and he knows that both the mind and the body would be numbed for a while with a dose of opium, and he starts to wait impatiently for Kat to wake up and take care of him.*

Kat *Wakens slowly, stretches, rising she crosses the hall, cracks the door.  Sees that Abby's awake, smiles and enters.*  Mornin' luv, 'ow are ye feelin; today?  Anything ye need fore I get to tendin' that wound?

Abberline:  I have been waiting for you a long time, I couldn't get any sleep.  *Reaches out his hand and grabs hers, pulls her closer*  What I need is you, just be with me at least for a while.  *gives her his best dark intense gaze*  Take care of me ...

Kat *Gasps, you just can't fight those eyes*  By all means luv, I'm for takin' care of ye real good.  Then we'll move on te yer other needs.  *Kisses him passionately*  Now ye lay still and relax.  *Lifts cover, slips under, moving slowly down his body to the area in need of attention.*

Abberline *afterwards, holding tight to Kat, kissing her, relaxed and feeling drowsy*  Do you think I could learn to become a good husband and father?  *puts his other hand on her stomach, feeling the child move, he smiles, shuts his eyes, and finally drifts to sleep*

Kat *Seeing that he's fallen fast asleep.  Smiles and whispers softly*  Ye already are luv.  *Thinks*  But I'll never own it when yer wakin'.  I'd be much to bored in one a them lovey dovey, touchy feely kinda relationships.  *Slips from the bed, carefully changing the bandage on his leg so as not to wake him.  Takes a nearby chair and watches him sleep*

Ichy *rings the doorbell of Bournemouth House after having observed Miranda leaving for Grape's *

Raven *Opens the door and seeing Ichy*  I'm sorry sir but Miranda just left to go pick up some things at Grape's.  If you hurry you can catch her.  I know she'd like that a lot.

Ichy *expecting Kat, taken aback by seeing Raven at the door*  Oh, yes, thanks, I will do that.  I just came to ask her out ... How is your mother today?  Could I have a few words with her?   About the house in Sparrow Lane.  *looks at Raven hopefully*

Raven:  I don't think that's a good idea.  She's upstairs taking care of father and she wouldn't like being disturbed.  But I'll tell her you were here and give her a message, if you want.

Ichy *trying to hide his disappointment*  Of course, of course ... Just tell her that I was here, and give her these.  *hands Raven the keys of the Sparrow Lane house*  I will hurry after Miranda.  *adds not very convincingly*  I really look forward to seeing her again and taking her out.

Raven *Takes the keys and smiles*  Miranda likes you a lot, I even heard her talking about the wedding dress she has and how she's dreaming of wearing it soon.  I'll give Mother your message.  You better hurry on and catch up with Miranda.  *Closes the door.*

Ichy *stops petrified.  Wedding dress?  She has a wedding dress already and they have been on a date just a couple of times?  Wearing it soon?  He shakes his head.  She can wear it soon, but there will be someone else standing beside her, poor girl.  He sighs as he starts slowly to walk away, but he avoids they way leading to Grape's, thinking about the time he still has to wait until Kat is ready and the baby is born and he can save her from her unhappy marriage.  And how he can keep Miranda at a safe distant and at the same time pretend to be very much in love with her so that no one will notice anything, especially Abberline, who always is so suspicious.*

At the Security Office:

Portsmith *at the Security Office, reading some reports, looking very worried*  Charlie, come here!

Charlie *at his desk. sighs and drops the Pirate Ladies New Lingerie and Swimsuit Catalogue with a last longing look, slouches  to Portsmith's door and casts a look at himself in the mirror.  Once again he is wearing his favourite outfit - the tattered white shirt and tight low-cut jeans, he runs his fingers through his hair and smiles at his reflection in the mirror before entering her office*  Yeees, Commander.

Portsmith *looks at her secretary, distracted for a moment*  Err .. Yes, these reports.  There has been going on strange killings lately at From Hell Court.  Someone has been murdering unfortunates, and the bodies are just left on the street with all blood drained.  Why did you not bring these reports immediately to me?

Charlie *shrugs*  I thought it was not so important.  They're just cheap miserable sluts.  Who cares if there's one or two less of them on the streets.

Portsmith:  You know that I don't care for those unfortunates either, but I won't have a killer prowling in my town.  Not even at From Hell Court.  That whole area should be pulled down, but … *she stops; there is no way she would have it pulled down as long as she gets the money from the den owners*  Something has to be done.

Charlie:  What would that be?  Warn them of walking late at night alone?

Portsmith:  Sure, even someone as degraded and ignorant as you should know that it would be impossible.  This is a case for the Inspector, he knows the place in and out.  And I have to recall Godley.

Charlie:  You can't assign the case to the Inspector, he'd only slip into some den.

Portsmith *gives him a stern look*  Are you questioning my orders!  Send him a note and request his immediate presence at the Office!

Charlie: All right, all right ... *leaves Portsmith's office and slumps behind his own desk, picking up his beloved catalogue; he can take care of calling the Inspector after the lunch, or maybe later ... *

At Bournemouth House:

Abberline *Sleeps peacefully for a while, but then he starts to dream, the voices are back, he can hear his father and the female voice with the accent, and he knows now that she is his aunt, and he can see them all, standing by the pond, a man, a woman, and a small boy clutching hard a teddy bear*

Please let him keep the teddy bear so he can at least have something to comfort himself with, something familiar. Don't be so cruel.

No. I don't want to take anything that would remind him of this place. Give me the toy and I'll show what's the only thing it's good for. Tell him to stop crying.

Don't you understand what you are doing to him! Do you really want him to take damage? You will spoil his entire life...

He is too young to remember or understand anything. He is going to grow up to be a British gentleman, and he can as well start now by learning to control his emotions. It won't take long till he forgets his mother and this miserable place, and I don't want you to try to keep in touch with him. And in case you think you can blackmail me or do anything stupid, let me tell you that I have his French birth certificate, and there will be found no evidence in any archives that he was born here. Take a look at this new birth certificate.

You are a bad man. You are an indescribably bad man. I can't allow to you to take him!

Let go of him. I can have the Police called and tell them that you abducted my son, and it took two years for me to find him. Remember the certificate. Come, son. Time to go.

*And then he sees the little boy with the big brown eyes,  perfectly still and quiet, but his face is streaked with tears, and the he feels someone grab the boy hard - grab him, and he tries to struggle against the hold*

Stop it!  Shut up and leave me be!

*And then he wakes up, still feeling someone holding him by his arms, trying to keep him down, and he stops struggling when he sees it's Kat with a concerned face*

Kat:  Ye gave me a fright, luv.  Thrashin' about so and I couldna wake ye up.  *Gently strokes his face*  Be ye sound, luv.  Must of been a 'orrible nightmare, eh?  Steady on, sweet, it be all o'er now.  Ye can rest easy.

Abberline *relaxes as the dream fades away, hugs Kat*  It was just echoes from the past ... *takes her hand*  Promise me that you will stay with me even after Chiana is born, and if something should happen to me, don't let anyone take her from you.

Kat:  Don't go talkin' that way.  Nothin's gonna 'appen te ye and I got no notion of leavin' so just hush all that, it were onliest a bad dream.  Ye hear me, naught else.