Sunrise on the lake, the silvered gold strands of moonlight replaced by the molten glow of the sun. The autumn chill is eased slightly as the world awakens. A gentleman walks the circumference of the lake, his face shielded from the rays by a crisp fedora. He pauses near the dock, watching as the woman emerges from the back door, once again clothed in the sweatshirt and gloves. She waves to the gentleman and sets off a gentle pace in the opposite direction from him. The sun rises further above the treetops, giving her a golden glow as he watches. He waits on the dock, watching her make her way to the other side of the lake. She loops around the far shore, following the path he had trod prior to her. If he listens closely, he can hear the crunch of pebbles beneath her feet. He can hear the beating of his own heart as she comes within distance of him. She smiles at him as she stops at the dock, flushed from the short run. The smile is reflected in his eyes, still shaded by the brim of his fedora. She jogs back to the house, and he follows, watching the world pass him slowly. He reflects on the previous night. She is a very passionate woman.

*****

Emily smiled as Edward stepped into the kitchen, removing his fedora as he did so. The chill tried to invade the kitchen but was chased as the door was closed. He watched as Emily stretched her fingers over the warming kettle on the stove. He stepped from the kitchen and went to hang his hat and coat by the front door. She was placing two large sticky buns on a baking sheet and sliding them into the pre-warmed oven. She stood and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, meeting the pale eyes that were watching her. Edward moved slowly across the kitchen and removed two mugs from the cabinet above Emily. She steps out of his way and retrieves a tea canister form the small pantry. Carefully, she spoons the loose tea leaves into a white tea pot on the counter.

Breakfast is always a civilized meal for them. Edward had brought the tea from London, long before he arrived here. The warm, rich scent of the baking sticky buns had begun to waft from the oven, enticing Emily. She walked over to the counter's edge where the letter from Special Agent Starling sat, and she lifted it, reading it once again. There were many profiles of Dr. Lecter out there, she could not see why they would contact her to do one. Especially one on a man that was missing. Still, Emily would call the FBI back and avail herself and her services to them. As Edward had said last night, it may prove interesting.

She went to the small office off the front hallway and retrieved her daytime, flipping through it as she walked. She sat in the stool at the counter's edge once again and looked over the days schedule. Appointments taken in Edward's neat and precise script, clear and concise. She was making her plans for the day when she heard the clink of stoneware on wood in the dining room. She looked over her shoulder to see Edward placing silverware on the table, along with the small serving ditch that held the creamer and sugar bowl. She slipped from her stool and took the kettle off the stove, pouring the just boiling water into the teapot. She carried it to the dining room, joining him at the table. The sticky buns sat on plates in gooey elegance.

"Thank you." she smiled, as he poured tea into her mug. The rich scent of the strong tea wafted to her. The steam warmed her face as she lifted the mug, feeling the heat seep into her fingertips. "I need to call the FBI before the day begins. If I don't do it soon, I'll never get it done."

A nod, "Yes, you do have a busy day today. Let me know if Mrs. Grimes has any problems." Mrs. Grimes was an elderly woman from the village. She often set into screaming fits when she didn't like what Dr. Christophersen had to tell her. Edward was the only one who could calm her. The sight of him whispering in her ears almost always gave Emily chills. Something told her that there was more to this man than it seemed. Mother had always told Emily that appearances could be deceiving, and her mother was all too right.

She was a beautiful woman, the pride of the village, but there was not a single loving bone in her body. She was bitter and cruel, and Emily always believed that the monster her mother hid inside herself had caused the woman to kill Emily's father. She had visited her mother once in the hospital of her own will. Every other visit had been for research. Emily felt that being the daughter of a murderer had given her a unique perspective into the monster. Last year, her mother had killed a nurse in the hospital. After that, Emily never visited her again. Sometimes, if she listened very carefully, Emily could hear her mother's screams echoing down the corridor after her. In those moments, the screams drowned out all other noise, and Emily wondered if others could hear the screams too. Now was one such moment, as she crashed back to reality, slamming the door to that memory shut. She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet Edward's, his full of concern.

"Are you okay, Emily?"

A wave of the hand, the memory tucked away to resurrected later in private and analyzed, leached for anything it would give to her. "Fine, just thinking for a moment." she took another deep breath and lifted her knife to cut into the sticky bun. She took a bite and concentrated on the here and now. The taste of warm caramel and pecans wrapped in the yeasty dough settled her nerves. Before she knew it, her plate was clean and Edward was smiling at her.

"That's my girl. Now, what say we get the day started, hmm?" he stood from his place and took her dish to the kitchen. When Emily came to stand behind him, he handed her the portable phone in trade for the teapot she was holding. She took the phone and went to sit on her stool, dialing the number given her in the letter. Three rings before she was connected.

"Hello, Agent Starling?" a slight pause, Edward slowed his dishwashing to listen in on the one sided conversation. "Yes, this is Dr. Emily Christophersen, you contacted me about the profile on Dr. Hannibal Lecter… Yes, I'd be willing to do it, but I am curious why you wanted me." Silence descended on Emily as a darkness clouded her features. "Yes, I see. Okay, I'll be looking for the documents. Thank you, Agent Starling. Yes, I'll keep in touch with you. Thank you. Thank you, goodbye." She punched the off button on the phone and stared off into space. "Nothing good can come of this." she muttered to herself, Edward heard but kept silent. Let her talk at her own pace.

"Edward, can you make an appointment for me at the State Hospital? I need to visit someone there. Soon, please."

"I will do so, Emily." he dried his hands on a towel and glanced at the clock hung on the near wall. "It's almost eight, Mr. Andrews will be here soon."

A weary smile. "Thank you, I'll be in my office. Show him in when he arrives."

"I will, Emily." he watched her intently as she left the kitchen. Curiosity got the best of him as he reached for the address book that sat by her stool. Carefully, he dialed the number for the State Hospital. Who was she visiting there?

*****