The light of the sun—for once not drowned out by ominous grey clouds—painted the world in overly bright colors that made Nina's eyes blur as a dull ache started up in her head. Nina simply pushed the pain away. She'd been doing that a lot as of late.

Still, she didn't pause to think about that. Nina didn't stop to think about anything but the task at hand, her steps never faltering for even a second as she made her way down the street. Her hand clutched the phone in her pocket and her eyes focused ahead as she walked past neatly trimmed lawns with scattered leaves painting them in golds and reds. She tried not to look at them, lest she be reminded of woods in the fall and a seemingly never ending hall.

The street was quiet, most people at work and school, and the only person she ran into as she walked from her car to the address on her phone was the mail carrier. Nina tried to act like the world wasn't crumbling around her as she pulled on a small smile and greeted the woman sorting out mail to be delivered. It was a simple action that took more effort than Nina cared to admit.

When she finally stood before the address she'd been looking for, Nina couldn't help but feel both relieved to be at her destination and anxious about what she would find there. She hardly wanted to consider what she would know by the time she walked back out of the white door of the modest—and completely unassuming—little home.

Nina walked up the short path to the front door, took a breath and let it out in one long exhale. Once she'd calmed herself, she knocked on the door, and waited. It was only a minute later that the door opened, and Nina found herself staring at a middle aged man with a tired look in his brown eyes. He was neatly dressed, though that didn't surprise NIna. who knew he'd been waiting for her. She still appreciated the effort.

"Good morning, Mr. Sadeghi. I'm Nina Sheppard, we spoke over the phone." Nina wondered if he would ask for her credentials. She was prepared to show them, of course. She just hoped he wouldn't call her workplace only to find out she was on leave.

"Yes, I've been waiting for you. Come in, please," the man said, stepping aside to let Nina in.

She stepped inside and immediately felt the warmth of the home wrap around her—a comforting sensation she needed more than she would have thought.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," she said as she removed her coat, mostly out of politeness than because she truly cared.

"No, it's fine. I've been taking some time off from work to deal with . . . things." He led her away from the entrance and into a small but comfortable living room. The scent of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air, enticing and calming to Nina. "Please, have a seat."

Nina sat on a couch that felt far more comfortable than her own. She supposed it was probably because of the long hours she spent on it pouring over information on Alice and Fearnley.

"Would you like a drink? Tea, coffee?"

"Coffee would be great, thank you," Nina said, hoping the drink would help her feel more at ease.

Sadeghi left the room and Nina was left to sit and take in the room she was in. The place made her think of Fearnley's apartment, though it wasn't so much because of the similarities as it was because of the differences between the two. The room she was sitting in felt arm, lived in, memories of the people who lived there woven into every inch of it. From the corner of her eye, she could see what were undoubtedly pictures hanging from the wall—pictures she didn't have the courage to look at directly. Once again, Nina found herself thinking of the bare walls in her home for a moment before she was back in the hall, steps echoing and the glint of silver just ahead.

"Here you go."

Nina nearly jumped at the sound of Mr. Sadeghi's voice, too caught up in her thoughts to have heard him return. She blinked away the distant look that had been in her eyes and watched as a tray with two cups of coffee was set before her on the coffee table.

"Thank you," she said, taking her cup and not bothering to add anything to it before taking a small sip. Nina could feel the hot drink running down her throat, warming her from the inside. When she set down the cup, she found she felt a little more like herself.

Across from her, Sadeghi took a seat in a worn looking armchair. His movements were slow, like the simple action expended too much effort. He let out the slightest of sighs and didn't bother with the coffee in front of him.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about Chris," he said, looking wary of what would come next. There was still a determined look in his eyes, one Nina saw as a hint of what the man was truly like, shining through the worn exterior.

"Yes. Would you mind if I record the conversation? It's to ensure accuracy and context," she clarified, pulling out her phone. Sadeghi hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Nina set her phone to record and placed it on the coffee table. "As I understand it, you worked with Christopher Fearnley for some time."

"I did," was the man's simple response. He paused, looked down at the cup of coffee he'd left untouched and then focused his gaze back onto Nina. "I don't really know what I can tell you about it. The cops, the reporters, they asked about him when this all started. They asked most of the people who knew him."

Nina was aware of that. That was, after all, how she'd come across Sadeghi's name. Back when the whole mess had just started—when piercing green eyes had yet to burn themselves into Nina's mind—Nina had read an article about Fearnley and his supposed crime. Sadeghi had been interviewed briefly, had sounded like he knew Fearnley well enough.

Maybe it was a desperate move on Nina's part. Maybe she was wrong and the two men had barely spoken to each other. Either way, she figured it wouldn't hurt to ask a couple of questions. Even if the only reason she'd thought to do so was to get out of her own apartment.

"Did you speak to him often?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, we worked together so we talked all the time. He didn't mention anything odd, if that's what you're thinking. I had no idea of what he was going to do." Sadeghi looked truly distressed by the idea. Nina, of course, believed him. There was nothing for Fearnley to say about a crime he most likely didn't commit.

"I'm sure you wouldn't know anything about that," Nina tried to reassure the man. "I just wanted to ask you a bit about his daily habits. How he was at work, the people he knew, that kind of thing. We're doing a profile on him, trying to get a different perspective. Nothing you need to worry over." Nina thought her cover sounded likely enough. It certainly sounded like something she would be tasked with covering.

Sadeghi seemed to calm a bit at that information, the grip he'd had on the couch's arm rest loosening the slightest bit and the look in his eyes losing a bit of it's edge. He let out a breath and gave a small nod, one Nina almost missed.

"Right, well, I suppose I would know a bit about that. I, um, I'm not sure how much detail I can go into."

"Anything you can tell me is fine," Nina said. "What would you say he was like? Was he a good man, friendly? Did he keep to himself?"

"He kept to himself for the most part, but he was nice enough once you got to know him. Chris was a private person, didn't talk much about his private life but he did tell me about his divorce. That was about all most people knew as far as his home life went." Nina nodded, noting how Sadeghi seemed more at ease as he spoke.

"What about after the accident and surgery? Did he seem different to you?"

Sadeghi paused to think about it while Nina waited patiently. She sipped from her cup of coffee, savoring the earthy taste of the brew while she waited for an answer.

"I guess he was quieter. But, it seemed like he had a lot more to think about so no one really blamed him for it. He still worked hard, did what he had to. Other than that, there wasn't much change."

That fit into what Fearnley's neighbor had said. There had been a change in Fearnley, small but still there. Nina supposed that was true enough for her as well.

"Did he ever talk about the accident or his recovery?"

"No, I don't think it was something he wanted to talk about. We didn't ask. Most people didn't know him well enough to anyway."

"Did he mention any headaches, trouble sleeping, other strange side effects?"

"He'd get migraines sometimes, yes. I asked him about it once and he said it was a side effect, that the doctors told him they'd go away in time. Never mentioned any trouble sleeping, but now that I think about it he did look tired when he returned to work. I just thought it was the strain of everything that happened. Could have been from insomnia."

Or dreams that aren't dreams after all, Nina thought. She shoved the thought away, not wanting to be bogged down by her own problems.

"Did he mention any new acquaintances? Maybe someone named Katie?"

Sadeghi looked confused by the question. He still thought about it before giving his answer, something Nina appreciated.

"No, at least, I don't remember him saying anything about meeting anyone." Nina nodded, not surprised by the answer in the least.

"What about his work? Did you notice any change in the way he worked or was he the same?"

"I'd say it was the same. He was very focused. Maybe working kept his mind off things." Nina had no doubt that it did.

"On the night of the incident, did you notice anything off about him? Any changes in his attitude or schedule?" Nina already suspected what the answer would be. She still couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit of anxiety as she waited for the man to speak.

"No, he left at the usual time. He was always careful to leave early enough to catch the bus. That night was the same."

"He didn't drive to work?" Sadeghi shook his head.

"His car broke down last year and he didn't bother getting a new one. A couple of people offered to drive him home after he returned to work, but he always said he didn't want to be a bother." Nina saved that information for later, an idea already occurring to her.

"I think that's enough for today, Mr. Sadeghi. Thank you for speaking to me," Nina said, picking her phone up from the table at the same time that she set down her nearly empty cup of coffee. She heard the man sitting across from her release a relieved sigh.

"I'm sorry I couldn't go into much detail," he said, standing from his seat as Nina did the same.

"No, there's no need to apologize. You were a great help." Nina walked with him to the door, taking her coat and pulling it on while Sadeghi stood there, seemingly lost in thought. Nina found herself wondering what kind of thoughts the faux interview might have brought up for the man.

Maybe he thinks he didn't know anything about Fearnley after all, she thought.

Whatever the case might have been, he didn't say anything else about Fearnley, and Nina soon found herself standing outside. The day was still much too bright for her, but she felt more at ease. Perhaps it was because of a renewed sense of purpose that came from knowing what to do next.

"Again, thank you for your time, Mr. Sadeghi." She stood before him as he held the door opened, looking just as tired as when she'd first arrived at his doorstep.

"It's no problem, Ms. Sheppard. Thank you for listening to me. I think I needed to talk to someone—anyone—about what happened." His grip on the door tightened, his lips forming a tense line. "I don't think I knew Christopher all that well, but he wasn't a bad man. At least, I didn't think he was. It's been confusing, everything that's happened."

Nina nodded, knowing full well how difficult it could be to reconcile something like what Fearnley was accused of, with any preconceived ideas of that person. Sadeghi would always think about what Fearnley had done, what hints there could have been. What he might have been able to do to stop Fearnley, if only he'd paid more attention. She almost wished she could tell him what she knew.

Instead, she bid him goodbye and walked away.

The door closed shut behind her, a soft sound that almost echoed in Nina's ears. She was back out in a too bright world she no longer felt she belonged in. Nina stuck her hands into her coat's pockets and walked down the walkway of Sadeghi's house and into the sidewalk. The streets were as desolate as when she'd first arrived, and Nina found herself feeling grateful for the bit of solitude.

As she walked away from the house, her gaze focused away from the fall colors around her, her mind mulling over what her next step would be.

- - - - - - - - - 

Hey everyone! As always, thank you all for reading this and I hope you've liked it. I may take a break for a week because I've been sick and don't know if I'll have time to look over the next chapter, but we'll see. Anyway, please don't forget to comment and/or vote if you can and have a great weekend!