Ciara watched at the sight of him cooking in her kitchen. It shouldn’t have felt as normal as it did but the sight itself felt just as normal as going to work. Seeing him stood in her kitchen just felt right and that scared her slightly. Relief instantly overcome her as his face looked up towards her. The way he looked at her made her cheeks flush slightly and the silence was intense rather than awkward. It was almost as though they were ready to jump each other again. The silence allowed them both time to weigh each other up, looking upon the person they had been entwined with hours ago. Ciara could not shift the smile from her lips and she felt like a goofy school girl in that moment. The only way she could describe it was being the geek in school but having the jock pay you some attention. She could almost feel how that girl would have felt, like there must have some ulterior motive as to why she was getting the attention. Almost like it was a bet or he was getting something else out of this but she could not judge him in that way. It was simple really; she needed him last night and she could only hope that his response was evidence that he needed her too.

It was oddly alluring to see him in such a state, standing over her oven cooking what appeared to be breakfast in his freshly showered, half naked state. The smile did not want to leave her face as she continued to look into the eyes of the man who was also taking the sight of her in too before he broke the silence with ‘good morning.’ She decided everything would be fine from this moment onwards. Perhaps they would not talk about the events of the night before, of course that would be very embarrassing for her considering it was her first time. Did people even talk about it afterwards?

She walked towards him slowly and headed to the dining table which she leaned against and continued to watch him cook. It was a nice feeling having someone look after her by cooking her breakfast. He seemed to finish soon after she entered the room and leaned around her to place the plates on the table and she was a little shocked when he asked her how she was feeling and if she was sore. She guessed people did talk about that kind of thing she felt embarrassed the instant he asked. If she was honest she hadn’t really thought about it until now. She could feel a slight ache but being a detective she was not new to the feeling of pain.

She nodded, “I am a little but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I am a detective after all. I’ve been tortured before, I don’t think sex is as painful as that.” Ciara managed a laugh before turning to take a seat, more to avoid showing him the embarrassment on her face rather than showing that she was ready to eat her breakfast that he had so caringly taken the time to prepare but before she sat he continued to speak, almost disregarding anything that was just set and started a new topic of conversation. She was glad about that. With a smile still resting upon her lips she nodded at his request for her to sit tight. He seemed to hesitate from moving away from her for a moment and she found herself girlishly staring into his eyes while her heart began to quicken from the connection that had become so obvious to her. She was glad when his lips pressed against hers and she found herself kissing him back almost instantly. Ciara could not help but feel disappointment when he pulled away but still that smile remained.

Finally Ciara took a seat and waited for her glass of water and eggs. He did not take too long to return and she was grateful for the plate that was placed in front of her.
“I am sorry about that. I am more likely to order a takeaway or throw something in the microwave than cook. I barely have the time! I appreciate this. Thank you.” She took a bite from that point on could not stop eating. It was as though it was the best meal she had ever eaten but then anything would be next to her regular microwave meal. Ciara looked up a couple of times to see Carter doing the same thing and she laughed quietly to herself.

It was then that the package caught her eye, just as she finished her last mouthful of scrambled eggs. “Oh, what is this? I was not expecting a package.” She rose from her seat slowly, picking up the plate to take with her before making her way to the sink before she would turn her attention to the package.

Carter peeled away the kitchen door to grab a couple of eggs from the interior and then managed to find a bowl and a fork in the foreign kitchen. Cracking the eggs expertly into the bowl, he whisked the fork while he waited for the pan to heat up. A loud sizzle could be heard as the eggs came into contact with the pan and he tried his best to scramble up the eggs as they cooked on the hot surface. His mind wandered to last night and how Ciara gave herself up to him so freely. In an instant, his face grew warm as he remembered some of the things they had done last night. It was all very innocent, of course, there was nothing that would shock a pope or anything. Still though, for the first time, he had bedded someone who he did not just want to use to get pleasure from. This was an intelligent woman who willingly gave up her body, and he had coaxed her into it. For some reason, this felt... different. Strange... he had never wanted something so badly in his life, not in the sense of relationships. Ciara was someone special... she could challenge his mind, give him another view on situations when he thought there could only be one. She was someone incredibly valuable and he would hate to have her leave once this is all said and done. Ah... right, she will probably leave in the end. Ciara is by no means obliged to stay within this town once this case is over... and she will probably end up leaving. There's no point in getting all hung up on this one woman, and yet there was something different about her that he just craved more and more of. Was it this feeling of... challenge? He finally found someone who could match him in all aspects that he had been previously praised in before. It was strange, but he liked it... yeah, he definitely liked it.

Hearing a voice, he nearly jumped out of his boxers as he glanced over toward the door. There she was... standing there, clothed in her silk bathrobe, in all her glory as a detective and woman. Carter found himself staring at her with no response, and he immediately snapped out of it.
"O-oh, yeah, good morning!" He greeted with a smile, actually quite enjoying the view he had of her. Ciara's hair was disheveled from their amorous activities on the couch earlier, and there was something extremely attractive about it. To think that he was the one who tainted her and caused her to become like this... it was alluring. Making sure to turn the heat off and plate the eggs, he carried the plates over to the dining table. All the while, his nerves were standing on end at the thought of... what now? They had sex last night... so exactly where does that leave them? They're not quite lovers, but they're not not lovers either. So his lustful need had complicated their relationship in the end... not a huge surprise to be honest. He knew there would be a day like this sooner or later... he just didn't expect it to be so soon. He assumed he would have seduced her slowly and waited patiently until he could no longer take it... but then the hospital thing happened and everything just kind of fell to pieces. There was no hesitation yesterday... he was just completely shattered by thinking he had failed the people who had died. Ciara was there at that moment when he reached out, and she accepted him... and now their relationship was a big mess. She didn't look like she regretted any part of what they did last night, so maybe everything's alright in the end.

Turning to her once he had set the plates down, he smiled and just gave her a once over to check for any bruising.
"How are you feeling?" He slowly placed a hand on her cheek and cupped it gently. He knew that for virgins, the girls often felt sore after their first time... he wasn't sure if this was the case with Ciara.
"Do you feel sore anywhere?" He questioned softly,
"Especially um... down there." He lowered his voice a little bit, he wasn't quite sure why he felt embarrassed about the subject around her. Maybe it was because it had happened so quickly and he wasn't really sure if she had been completely ready for him or if he had just forced her into it.
"A-anyway, I'll get you some water while I get the forks. Sit tight." He smiled and leaned in, but hesitated for a moment. Yeah, she didn't look like she regretted any of what happened last night... it should be okay. Closing the distance between their lips, he kissed her gently before pulling away. A smile emerged on his lips as he stared into her eyes for a moment longer before pecking her on the lips once again and he finally parted. Walking back into the kitchen, he poured a cup of water for Ciara then grabbed two forks before heading back out to the dining room and handing the cup of water and one fork to her.
"Um, I couldn't find the salt and pepper, so it might be a bit bland.Sorry about that." He chuckled as he sat down and started to eat his plate of scrambled eggs.

Ciara could not remember a time where she felt nervous about anything and the fact that she wanted him as much as she did and she was going to let him take her filled her with anxiety. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes to avoid watching his reaction as she exposed her body to him. Many thoughts ran through her head all at once about whether or not the sight of her would satisfy him or make him change his mind and whether her inexperience would be a problem for them but as his breathing grew as she peeled the last bit of her robe away Ciara could only keep her eyes on him. She watched as his hand rose to caress her stomach and then when his eyes locked with hers it was as though there was a jolt in her stomach. Any fears of her not living up to his expectations melted away. That look alone was enough to understand just how much the detective seemed to excite him. Perhaps they would both regret this tomorrow but for now there was no thinking about that. The only thing on both of their minds was allowing their bodies to entwine in this passionate heat that had been building between the two throughout the day.

Of course begin the virgin she was the nerves did not leave to easily even as he lowered his lips to trail kisses below her navel and even as his hand found its way to her exposed thigh. Excitement, pleasure and nerves all blurred each other and she could not longer pinpoint what it was she was feeling so for the first time ever, she closed her eyes and let everything go and allowed her body to react to the new experience.



Although she slept there was the soft curve of a smile as though her dreams were full of pleasant thoughts. It had been a long time since Ciara had dreamt of anything other than the memories of her past. This was perhaps the best rest she had ever gotten and it was not over yet as she lay in the arms of the man who broke every rule she had ever made for herself. The sunlight fell on her skin lighting up the contours of her naked body. If she were awake she might have smiled at the sensation of having someone trial kisses on her shoulder as she began to wake but it would seem that the detective could not be disturbed. Carter moved carefully and did well not to wake her and the fact he picked up the robe to cover her would definitely be something that she would thank him for when she did finally wake. Even as he showered she remained in her slumber; something which she might curse herself for when her eyes flickered open and whatever Carter was now hiding from her would also be another wake-up call from the fantasy they allowed themselves to indulge in only hours ago.

The smell was what finally began to wake her. Food was always something that got Ciara’s attention. For a moment she was confused as to why she could smell food and then the next confusion came with the awareness that she was not in her bed and whatever covered her body now was to cover her exposed skin underneath. Much like it had for Carter earlier, the memory came flooding back but she fought the urge to sit up and allow her eyes to dart open in the panic that she felt. Now she worried about what they might have changed by allowing that to happen the night before. What if he thought it was a huge mistake and he had woke up regretting it all. Then she wondered how he was making food when she knew her cupboards were bare.

Ciara stirred a little and positioned herself so that she could place her arms through the robe that he had clearly used to cover her before tying it around her. A smile appeared on her lips at the gesture and she stood slowly before walking towards the kitchen to be greeted by the sight of her ‘lover’ stood cooking in her kitchen in nothing but boxers. The sight still made her blush as she rested her shoulder against the door frame and smiled slightly.

“Morning,” her voice was a little coarse from the fact that she had not been awake for long and she waiting for a response nervously.

Ciara's breathy sighs of pleasure had been electrifying music to Carter's ears, but he reigned his deep-seated lust in for her sake. He very much wanted to run his hands all over her body, to feel her satiny skin underneath his fingertips. The very image his lewd mind conjured up of him touching her in such an intimate manner excited him. He wanted to feel the softness of her breasts and listen to her moan in pleasure for the very first time. He wanted to do all of that, but he restrained his hands from roaming her body, and he tried to stop himself from eying her body through the small parting of her robe. The sight was very alluring, Ciara pinned underneath him... her cheeks flush with pleasure, her eyes filled with wanting. If it weren't for Carter's iron will, he would have already taken her to a height she had never known before. He wanted to make fireworks go off in her head, to see her body seize up in pleasure as she reached her climax. He did none of that though as he watched Ciara's expression change with her thoughts... that was something he loved about her, she never hid anything from him... it's all on display for him to see. Unconsciously, Carter licked his bottom lip as if he were preparing himself for a delicious meal. If Ciara said no to him, he might not be able to take it, he desperately wanted her to say yes to him... to tell him exactly what she wanted in that moment. Feeling her shift underneath him, Carter's eyes drifted down to her hands and watched as she peeled away the rest of her robe... effectively exposing her slender body to him. His pulse quickened at the sight and he gulped as he took in every single detail... every line... every curve... it was such a stimulating sight. Tentatively, he reached out and caressed her stomach -where he had kissed earlier- and gulped again. His breathing heightened, imitating his pulse as he took in the magnificent beauty splayed out underneath him. Carter let his gaze drift back up and connect with Ciara's for a moment. A deep shudder passed through him as he saw how much she wanted it, to him there was nothing more exciting than seeing a virgin craving for something like this. Breaking their gaze once more, he picked up where he left off and kissed just below her navel. His hands slid down to caress her thighs, and her thighs only. Carter's senses were sent into overdrive as he introduced a world of pleasure to the young detective.

TIME SKIP

By the time Carter started to stir, the sun was already up. Sunlight spilled in from between the blinds and onto his face as he slept blissfully. For once, there were no nightmares plaguing his sleep and it brought to him a sense of relief as he stirred from his sleep... though he kept his eyes shut. Exhaustion still made his eyelids feel like lead, he didn't really sleep much at all last night. He didn't sleep much... because... Immediately, Carter's eyes flew open and he found himself pressed against the back of the couch with an arm around a sleeping Ciara. The night's -really, the early morning- events came rushing back to him and his face grew warm at the memory of their bodies intermingling in pleasure and the way she responded to his touch. He cursed silently in his head, he had promised himself to not treat her like the other girls and in the end he slept with her anyway. Though, Ciara wanted it too... and she definitely seemed like she enjoyed it last night... but then again who wouldn't enjoy it? In the end, Carter decided to leave the subject until the woman in his arms woke up. There's no point in psyching himself out about it, if there's a problem, it will come up when they are both awake... for now, Carter just enjoyed the feeling of Ciara's warm body pressed up against him. Laying there for a while, he placed gentle kisses on her shoulder and gently stroked her arms to warm them up because of the cold draft that entered from the tiny gap underneath the door. A smile appeared on his lips, but it soon faded at the thought of yesterday's events. The hospital. The man behind all of this is cryptic and obviously has a lot of intelligence... who is this psychopath? The truth was, it really could be just about anyone. The man explained that the park was a clue of some sort... was it the body? Perhaps the spine was rearranged in some way to form a secret message... or maybe he's thinking too much. What's the clue? Surely, it can't be the body... the identity of the body? There's too many possibilities... he needs to find more clues, more evidence, until he can come to any conclusions.

Carefully getting up, he made sure to not awaken Ciara as he got off the couch. Grabbing the discarded robe to the side, he covered her and placed a kiss on her cheek before he set about finding his boxers. When he found them, he pulled them on and hurried down the hall to take a brief shower to wash away the evidence of their carnal activities from last night. Walking out with a towel covering his lower half, Carter glanced over at the couch once before walking over to her kitchen and looking for something to make breakfast with. There wasn't much, eggs, milk, bread, a few random vegetables, and leftovers. Scrambled eggs would have to do. Finding a pan, he set about making breakfast when a package came through the door. It was just barely small enough to fit through the slot, but it looked like a parcel. Curiosity got the best of him and so Carter walked over to the door and bent down to scoop up the package. It was addressed to him, not Ciara. Glancing once in the sleeping detective's direction, he tore away the brown paper and found a white cardboard box. Opening that, he found an envelope along with a picture, a CD, and a note. The picture was turned over so he turned it over and nearly dropped the entire thing. It showed Carter kissing Ciara and the words, I'm always watching, was scrawled across it in red. The rest can wait, Ciara doesn't need such a shocking wake up call. Shoving everything back into the box, he cleared away the packaging paper and placed the box on the counter top as he made breakfast.

Ciara could feel the heat too. It was so obvious and it surprised her to realize how much she had began to want this; to feel his hands on her skin and to have him explore her body. The thought itself made her blush although it would have gone unnoticed underneath her already flushed skin. The passion between the two had tainted her cheeks a light shade of pink and had frosted her eyes with the blur of sex.

How could she want this as much as she did? The Detective who had never felt the need to be close to another person suddenly felt the gravitation pull towards this one man who seemed to be the only exception to the rule she had made for herself. They both seemed to want to same thing and the way they pressed themselves against each other was more than proof of already obvious. His hand moved from her hip slowly caressing her side before moving back down. That action alone sent shivers up her spin and seemed to leave a trail of heat upon her skin as if to remind her where he had touched.

She was not quite sure what was happening now but she was almost sure he was tackling her robe. The idea of him seeing her naked body underneath made her feel nervous. Ciara could not help but feel relieved at the fact he could not get a grip instantly but as his tongue brushed her bottom lip she forgot whatever thoughts had been troubling her mind. Another shock ran through her body in reaction to a new sensation and she braced herself as his tongue began to explore her own. This was a new level of passion; an invitation almost or perhaps a tease into what might come when they finally parted their lips. With a slight delay she allowed herself to do the same although she could feel how nervous she was about messing it up. What if she did not please him in the way he wanted? Perhaps that is why he had decided to lighten the kiss. Was she not pleasing him in the way he wanted?

No that could not have been true. Carter was the kind of man who would be honest and he would not have spent the next few minutes exploring her mouth if this is not what he wanted.

His stare as they parted was something she had never seen before. As she tried to catch her breath her eyes never once parted from his. The hunger was almost overpowering and unavoidable. The groan that escaped from his throat was another thing she was not used to. In a way it sounded as though he was growing frustrated at how much he wanted her but in reality she knew it was one of pleasure and wanting. He broke the gaze first, allowing his eyes to travel down her quivering body. This time she kissed him and she could almost feel the surprise he felt at the way she kissed him. She was gentle and almost reminded him that she was this timid and fragile woman underneath the cold Detective she portrayed in the day.
She shifted in her arms and arched her back as his hand pressed against her to pull her closer, even though they were already as close as they could possibly get. He began to shift her this time so that she was now lying down on the couch with him above her. His position almost had her pinned to the spot and for reasons unknown this excited her. Knowing that this man was entirely in control of what would happen next heightened her emotions to new levels. Now he lips left hers and began to trace her neck once more as his hand trailed towards the knot once more, this time feeling it fall loose but he seemed to respect her dignity for now at least. He shifted the material from around her shoulders, exposing more skin for him to trail kisses along it. He teased and trailed his lips back and forth as his hands made their way to her midsection to remove the material that once covered her. The butterflies in her stomach burst to life with the knowledge that she was now exposed to him and as he moved his lips down her body her breathing quickened. She almost did not notice his free hand teasing her thigh but when she did she found it almost unbearable. He was making her feel things she had never felt before and her whole body shuddered with desire. The material rose up with his hands and he moved and she found herself resisting to moan until she could no more. Sighs of pleasure escaped her lips and as his lips collided with her stomach her eyes drifted shut until he stopped. Her eyes darted open and she lifted her head slightly to look down at Carter who was so obviously struggling to withhold himself. “Is everything ok?” she asked with her voice shaky and in a whisper that could barely be heard. He spoke in a whisper also and his words worked just the same as his kisses. Knowing he wanted her just as much as she wanted him excited her all the same.

He was asking if he could take her, excite her and take her to new depths that she had never been before. He was asking permission to taint the virgin. Her throat went dry and she found it hard to speak but every inch of her body was shouting out to him as if inviting him. Nerves were surfacing and in a way she found herself wishing he never asked but just continued to take her. Now she had to say what she wanted but she could not find herself to do it. Instead she merely lifted her hand to where her robe lay and looked into Carter’s eyes as she nervously removed the robe to expose her body to him, as she hoped that would be more than words in granting him permission to surround her with his passionate conquest.

Carter was lost in his lust and passion for Ciara as they kissed, their heated bodies pressing against each other as if they were two flames trying to consume one another. Her lips were so soft and warm... so inviting that he could not help but want more and more of them. He could feel her form writhing underneath his fingertips as they traced over her hip, feeling her through the thin silk which separated his body from her's. It was getting hot... hotter than he had ever felt as if their passion was scorching his skin. Every panting breath he took drew in cool air, but it was vanquished by the heat of their bodies, moving closer... getting closer... trying to feel each others' body with their own. The hand which laid on her hip lazily moved up, feeling her side before sliding back down to her hip. Everything about her was so alluring, and he wanted... no... he needed to see more of her. He wanted to gaze at her beautiful body being bathed in the faint moonlight which poured from the windows, and he wanted to see her without that silk robe to cover her up. His fingers couldn't find a firm grasp on the smooth material as if slithered out of his grasp every time he tried to pin it between his fingers. Ciara's lips parted against his, and Carter allowed his tongue to slide forward to lick over her bottom lip. He was experienced with kisses and the like, and the very thought of tainting this woman, who had never experienced a kiss nor the sensual touch of a man, excited him beyond anything else. Taking one panting breath, his tongue shot forward and coiled itself around her's. This was the first time he had so boldly kissed her like this, and he could feel the moist heat of her mouth along with the slippery flesh of her tongue. Carter wanted her to give herself up to their lust and passion, he wanted her to give her body to him. Everything, he wanted her lips, her breasts, he wanted everything. Feeling a searing hand against his chest, he hesitated slightly as he lightened the kiss, but would not pull away. He spent the next several moments exploring the depths of her mouth, committing her taste into his memory before he would move on to explore more delicious parts of her body.

As they parted for air, Carter continued to stare at Ciara with an increasing hunger growing in him. There was a carnal hunger within him as he watched the detective in his arms gasping for air, eyes glossed over with lust and passion. The sight was so seductive, he couldn't help letting out a soft groan of wanting as he watched her chest heave up and down. His eyes trailed down the rest of her body, falling where her robe overlapped and covered the rest of her body down to her thighs. His hands itched to disrobe her immediately, he wanted to feel her smooth skin underneath his fingers and tease her body and pleasure her until she was screaming his name. A shudder passed through him at the image his mind conjured up, and he watched as her chest slowed down ever so slightly. Then he felt her lips upon his own once more, and he was surprised by how much more gentle she seemed. It only fanned his burning lust even more to know that Ciara could become like this with him. Kissing back, he tried to be gentle, but could not help letting his lust shine through the contact with their lips. Feeling her body shifting, he automatically knew what she wanted and pressed his hand against the small of her back to press her closer. The silk was cold on top, but warmed by Ciara's skin underneath, and it did nothing to dampen the flames which grew bigger and bigger, threatening to become a wild fire. Gently lowering her so that she lay on the couch, instead of sitting on it, he finally freed his hand which was pressing against the couch the entire time. Swinging his legs onto the couch, he knelt over her, with one leg between her knees and the other was pressed against the back of the couch. The vulnerable position that Ciara was in alarmed his predatory instincts, and he pulled his hands so that they rested on either side of her torso, pressing into the cushions, effectively pinning her to the couch. Finally his lips left her's to make a detour along her skin again. At the same time, one of his hands trailed to her hip and felt around her midsection for the knot on the sash which held her robe together. When he finally found it, he fumbled around with it until it came loose and he managed to untie the knot and the robe slackened. Kissing and now nibbling along her neck, his hands slid up her body and pulled her robe away from her shoulders, but it still covered the rest of her body. Kissing down, he reached her collarbone and kissed and nibbled along it, then circled his way back to her neck. He felt that her body was to be cared and loved for slowly, and only when every single part of her body had been touched by him, could he finally pleasure her. One hand slid from her shoulder to the overlapping of the thin material which hung loosely from just below her shoulders. His fingers traced a path down the middle, parting the material so that it revealed just a sliver of skin from her torso and stomach. At the sight of this, his breathing heightened and he found himself taking all of her body in. Lowering himself, he started at the dip between her collarbones and then started downward, trailing kisses along the path that his fingers had traced. Down... kissing the valley between her breasts and further down, along the line of her lean stomach. At the same time, his other hand busied itself with slowly moving up along her thighs, feeling the smooth skin of her leg underneath his hand. The heat was getting unbearable, he wanted to rip the robe off of her, but he resisted and continued to touch and kiss her body. His hand slid up slowly, feeling the silky material snagging at his wrist and began to get dragged upward as his hand ascended. His hands and lips drew closer to their destination, but just as he kissed her lower stomach, he found it within himself to pull away. For a moment, the spell she had over him broke, and he found himself kneeling over her, panting with lust.
"Ciara... I can't... I don't think I can hold myself back from you any longer..." He whispered, his hands itching to return to her body, but he reigned them back.
"... Can I?" He panted, he was asking permission to envelop her in his lust and take her to heights unknown by the chaste detective.

There were memories that remained unclear in her head about her childhood with her Father. He was never at home and her Mother was a busy woman too. She could never really remember the face of those who took care of her when she was not there but even so there were other things that still remained unanswered. Yes, when her Father was murdered and her Mother mutilated her persona was taken over by the anger of loss and even then she forgot all of the neglect that she experienced as a child. At that moment she was just a girl who had her parents taken away from her. Truth be told she had strangers taken away from her and until now, reading his signature placed at the bottom that report, she had not realised how much she did not know. How could she have been working on her parents’ deaths and never looked into what they actually did when they were alive? Surely that would have been part of her case? Deep down she knew it was more to do with not wanting to get to know the strangers they had become. Her Father’s face was a mere blur but when she did think of him the only face she could see was that of a dead corpse rotting on the streets of London as those who pretended to love him mourned. It’s a sad thing when the only memory a daughter had of her Father was one of his death rather than his life. It was the same for her Mother. She was always off doing some elusive business that she was never allowed to know about and when she looked into her job it was classified top secret. Her memory of her was of her mutilated and mauled body. Perhaps there was more to this then met the eye. Perhaps both of her parents had something to do with Carter’s report. It would not surprise her if there had been some deeper connection that she had missed purely because information had been classified by the Government. She wanted so much to return her attention to the file for something they read over. Her Mother always told her she was a scientist and that her work was important but she was never allowed to know what it was she did. All she knew now was that her work got her murdered, or at least that is what she thought when she had looked into her case. Now it became more apparent that is might be part of some bigger picture that some unbalanced psychopath wanted her to see. Maybe her Mother was Governmental scientist used to study this Criminal Gene that the report identified. She would not recognise her signature if she were to look over the papers again but perhaps she would recognise her name at least. Unless identity was protected a lot more because of the nature of her work. Was this the real reason her parents had died?

Carter did not hesitate to pull his hands away from hers when she mentioned her Father? Had that information been too much for him to handle? To know that her own Father played a hand in the lie that had become his life? She simply nodded at his question. Perhaps he knew her Father better than she did or perhaps had glimpses of his face from when he was a child and it saddened her that the only thing she could recall was his lifeless form. Ciara was slightly comforted and relieved when he reclaimed her hands and watched as he tried to remember something. His grip tightened as though frightened to remember anything, or with the effort of doing so.

“My Father what?” Perhaps her voice would help him remember what he wanted to say about her Father but he let go of her hands and watched the memory slip away from his eyes. Ciara could see the frustration in his eyes and she found herself wishing that there was something she could do to help him but there was nothing. Not even her own childhood memories would help her. Now she thought about it she could not remember anything before the age of ten. How strange that was now she really thought about it. She figured she supressed the memories while working on her parents’ murders but now she tried to recall them they were empty. Was that the missing connection that neither of them could recall their childhood? Had they known each other as children and she too had her mind compromised?

"It is every bit your business as it is mine, Ciara. This psychopath is showing these things to us for a reason, and it's meant for both of us. Why else would he have lured you here? There's something that connects us, and it's perhaps deeper and stronger than anything we know. It's not just our feelings, he knows something that we do not. I think he wants us to understand who we are before we begin on the clues he left us at the hospital." His hands had taken hers once more and she listened to every single word as though they were the most important things he would say but as he leaned in towards her and claimed he wanted to understand her as his lips pressed against her own with the same kind of desperation she had felt from him earlier. The butterflies that had settled in her stomach burst back into life causing her entire body to tingle with desire and need. His hands travelled up to her hip and pulled her in closer to him so that the heat from his body engulfed her. In that moment as his hand touched her form through the silk she could not fight the desire to have his hands on her skin exploring the depths of each part of body, the scars that bore the memories of her past. His lips left hers momentarily to trail intense need along her jaw and neck and she allowed her head to tilt back to allow his better access to where he travelled and a sigh escaped her lips as she felt the ripple of passion burst through her body and his lips crashed on hers again, allowing her lips to part so he could taste her. She wanted to taste him. Her hand pressed against his chest, not to have something between them but to feel his body on top of her. Her mind was lost now, nothing else matter but them and as she deepened the kiss she had no idea how long they remained entwined in each other.

Eventually she pulled away from his lips to catch her breath. As her breathing remained heavy her eyes looked for his although they were glossed over with passion. Her teeth bit at her bottom lip as though to keep her from losing control of herself but she could not stay away from him for long; just long enough to catch a breath. Ciara instigated the next kiss, leaning in and pressing her lips against his gently. For now she needed him to know how delicate she was and how easily he could break her if he tried. Her lips moved with his slowly but was not void of the deep passion they had shared before. Her heart seemed to jump with every movement and she moved around so that she could press herself up against him. She wanted to feel his warmth and his body pressed up against her and as she continued to kiss him her hands travelled down his back to feel the perfect muscle that rested underneath her hand and when it got to the bottom she retreated it in soft movements that allowed her to feel every contour of his body.

Hearing the soft scrape of stiff paper against the cool glass of the coffee table, Carter let out a soft groan as he tightened his grasp on his head and hair. Who was he? Why must Ciara be sorry? Why couldn't she have just walked away without saying anything? It hurt much worse knowing that Ciara needed to find some reason... some excuse to distance herself from him. Was his past not enough? A despicable scientific subject... he was part of a scientific experiment that had ceased before he was even born. The experiment had been a curious jab at human nature, and because the people of the world do not fear God as much anymore, they decided to take one last stab at it. What did they find? A boy who drowned his twin sister in a tub, and the horrendous cries of a mother who has lost nearly everything in one year. First her husband, then her daughter, and all that's left is her son. Carter remembered the woman crying out, "Devil's child" immediately following the drowning of his sister. The way she cradled that lifeless body as he entered the room with his shirt soaked down to the skin. He remembered the images and visions he would get during his blackouts and it all made sense now. The reason he kept losing hours of his life was because of the drugs they gave him as a child. It disrupted his memories, and this... disease must have incorporated it into part of the symptoms of his genetic code. It was a scary thought to think that these visions had happened, and that he had possibly hurt many people during his time spent in his unrelenting episodes of rage. The feeling of his fingers closing in on flesh was so vivid that it created a migraine and disorientated him when he did surface from his blackouts. What did any of that mean? If he really did hurt people, then why hadn't the government come swooping in and killing him yet? Is it possible that they hadn't known where he was up until his little run-in with the press? That's not possible, they had all the files on him, including his transfer so... why? Maybe he hadn't hurt anyone, and it was all just an illusion of the past... still though... it was a terrifying illusion that made him want to curl up into a ball and just stay like that for the rest of eternity.

Feeling hands upon his own, tugging and coaxing his hands away, he resisted. No, he couldn't let himself give in to her so easily, he was so afraid to see her face. What expression did she have? Was she horrified by what he was? Had she not spoken, Carter would have remained in that position with his hands grasping his head until the sun came up.
"Your father?" He echoed quietly, allowing his arms to slack slightly and allowed her to take his hands in her own. His eyes fell to their joined hands for a moment before trailing up to Ciara's eyes with great difficulty.
"Nathaniel Banks... really is your father?" He spoke softly, his eyes showing nothing as he stared at her. Now that he knew what he was, he started to get brief glimpses into locked memories. The man had graying hair and blue eyes from his memories, even though Ciara's father would have been quite young at the time. He would have been around 37 the first time the two met. He was brought in by his mother who needed answers to her son's behaviours. Nathaniel Banks had been looking into the case, and that's when everyone involved discovered Carter's... birth defect. Scientists came swooping in, taking the young boy from his mother's hands and subjecting him to tests that confirmed their deepest suspicions. He had the Criminal Gene, and he had already succumbed to the sweet lullaby of its violence. At the time, he was only four, and he had already acted upon his violent impulses. Ciara's father had been forced to sign a form to ensure his silence on the matter. This information was not to be leaked out to the public, it was to be kept in until they could find a cure for nature's mistakes. They were too stubborn to realize there was no cure for a man born with illness, they could suppress his symptoms, but they could not cure him.
"No... it wasn't just that." Carter stared at the blank wall behind Ciara, feeling as if he were on the cusp of discovering something shocking.
"There's more... your father... he..." He frowned, feeling the memory so close, he could smell the freshly brewed coffee in a house somewhere, and he could hear laughter. Carter let out a frustrated groan as he mentally reached forward, trying to touch the memory. The more he struggled, the more frustration came up, and the more heat he forced into the water that was his temper. His grip tightened as he tried harder and harder, but the memory teased him, just lurking out of his reach.Realizing he was still holding Ciara's hand, he let go and in that instant the memory receded back into the darkest corners of his mind. It was gone.

"... There's more to our connection than just that... I know there is. It's just... I can't remember... I can't remember anything." He sighed, reaching over and taking her hands in his. Carter looked up into her eyes for a moment, and felt his tense body relax under that gaze.
"It is every bit your business as it is mine, Ciara. This psychopath is showing these things to us for a reason, and it's meant for both of us. Why else would he have lured you here? There's something that connects us, and it's perhaps deeper and stronger than anything we know. It's not just our feelings, he knows something that we do not. I think he wants us to understand who we are before we begin on the clues he left us at the hospital." He started to lean in, wanting to feel her lips again.
"I want you to help me understand everything about you..." He whispered softly as he finally pressed his lips firmly against her's into a desperate kiss; a kiss that showed his desire... his need to understand his own past and her's. Leaning in more, he added more passion and let her hands go. One arm wrapped around her hips, and the other pressed into the couch. He was terrified of himself, but he knew that as long as he was with Ciara, he had nothing to fear. All he had to do was give himself in to her warmth, her body, her love, and that would pin his rage into the darkest depths of his heart where it could not see the light of day. This reassured him, and allowed him to give himself freely to his desires for her as he kissed her some more and parted in favour of gently trailing kisses across her jaw and neck once more. He wanted to understand every part of her, not just her past, but her body as well and he found himself exploring her neck and even edging down to her shoulder with his lips. Slowly, he kissed toward her other shoulder and gave an equal amount of attention to the others side of her neck before returning to claim her lips again.

The young detective’s heart began to ache as she watched the man her feelings were growing for question his entire existence. It must have been hard to hear some of the things those people had to say and to know that she held within her hand the answers to many questions posed by the faceless murdered they were both up against. She did not even protest his actions as his fist collided with the door perhaps causing damage they would both see the following day. Ciara looked at him with her steel eyes full of sorrow for not being able to answer the questions he wished to understand and the sadness she felt as he continued to refer to himself as property.

She wished she knew what to say to him, to tell him everything was going to be alright and that they would figure things out together but the truth was that none of that would help him and she knew that. Her longing to kiss his pain away became apparent but even as the file rested within her hands she knew that the best thing she could for him now was to read the words that she would find inside upon his request. Ciara spoke one last time before opening the file.

“No matter what this file says you will always be the Carter...this Carter that I know. This Carter that I have these feelings for.” Her attention went straight to the folder that came between them. She felt nervous before opening it, perhaps from the worry of what she might discover but even then she could not think what could be so bad that would cause him to move down in her estimations. He had a brilliant mind and he was intelligent; they were the qualities she was attracted to. Not the fact that he seemed to have a mysterious past that he did not know about and if anything terrible were to come from this folder then she would find a way to deal with it. As her eyes flooded over the signed reports and the photos her teeth bit at her bottom lip with concentration and intrigue, occasionally her eyes flicked up to meet Carter’s which seemed to be filled with so much worry as to what might come out of this. He moved closer to her, feeling his body near her and the heat that emanated from it only added to the nerves she felt about reading the folder about him. His shoulder pressed against hers and caused her to look up into his eyes once more before watching his gaze flicker down to the folder she held in her hand. She made a conscious effort to move it over so that he could see the words that she could but at the same time as doing this she over overwhelmed with the need to protect him from whatever they said. Ciara recognised the seal easily and as she observed the confusion upon his face she could tell that it was something he did not so easily recognise or at least relate to a memory. It was almost heartbreaking to watch this man she had grown so close to have his life potentially ripped apart by something as insignificant as a piece of paper; for it was the signatures it bore that gave the paper its importance.

Ciara moved her attention back to the report where the unfamiliar gene code was printed with an extra Y. Her eyebrows knotted as she tried to figure out what that meant. It would not be something as simple as a typing error and that was confirmed by the words printed at the bottom of the page and the red circle so carefully drawn around the extra Y. She read the words printed underneath:

Carter Nottingham. Age 4. Shows symptoms of aggression; may be dangerous. Cause, extra Y chromosome; refer to 1969 research on birth defect Criminal Gene. Is to be put down if necessary.

PUT DOWN? The anger began to surface in her from reading the words that could have decided his fate long ago and seeing her Father’s signature printed underneath only made her feel worse. Her apology almost fell out as she saw the anger fall upon his face. He blurted out all these reasons why she might be sorry but none of them were up to the mark. Her head just shook and she placed the folder down on the table in front of them and closed it. Ciara turned to face him and took his hands in hers.

“No. Carter that is not why I am sorry. I’m sorry because my Father’s signature was on the bottom of that sheet. I’m sorry because I think this is the information this psycho wanted us to find out. He said we were connected and this was it. My Father was involved in this case from the beginning and I think he meant for us to find this. We have feelings for each other, that is undeniable, whether you now feel differently because of my Father’s actions well that is up to you but perhaps this is part of his plan; to push this magnetic connection upon us and then pull it away by trying to force information about the other that might change the way we feel.”

She looked into his eyes as she subconsciously massaged his hand with her thumb purely out of nervousness for what she saying.

“I am willing to help you anyway I can. I just hate that you have had to find out this way. Your past is not my business.”