Nina wasn't sure what to make of Ben's sudden message. She stood there, brow furrowed and lips slightly parted as she processed the words he'd just spoken, trying to figure out why it was that he sounded so desperate, or what he thought she'd done. The abrupt message had been enough to throw Nina off balance.

"What do you mean? What's going on, Ben?" Nina asked, doing her best to remain calm even as her heartbeat quickened at the urgent tone of Ben's voice.

"Listen, I don't have a lot of time," Ben went on, voice quiet and as close to calm as he could manage at the time. There was still a tenseness in his voice that was clear as day to Nina, who'd known Ben for so long. "I need you to be honest with me, please. Did you go to the SEIN building yesterday?"

Nina felt her brow rise, eyes widening at Ben's question. Her mind quickly assessed her options, thinking of whether she should tell Ben the truth. Maybe if he hadn't sounded so desperate, Nina might have lied, might have told Ben she hadn't been in the building since her last checkup weeks ago—something that felt more like an eternity after all that had happened. Instead, she knew she had to be honest with him, knew that all he'd ever wanted was to help and that likely hadn't changed. Nina trusted Ben.

"I did," she said simply, not knowing what else to tell Ben or whether she should elaborate. Nina figured it would be best to let Ben lead the conversation until she knew what was going on. She ignored the unease that had risen up inside of her from the moment Ben had first spoken.

"Damn it," Ben muttered a curse and Nina felt her heart sink as she knew she wouldn't like what Ben had to say. "Nina, what did you do?"

"What's going on?" Nina asked instead of answering. "How did you know I was there yesterday?"

"You were caught on camera." The words were enough to make Nina feel like everything around her had fallen away. The world felt unusually still and silent, with only Ben's voice audible to her ears. "There was a complaint about you, they said you broke in and took some records. Things you weren't supposed to have access to. Listen, I don't know what's going on or what you're up to, but you have to come clean and fast. Turn yourself in. Tell them the truth, whatever that is."

Ben's voice was steady, something Nina knew he was struggling to maintain. She was much in the same situation. Even as she fought to keep her breathing steady, Nina could feel her hands shaking ever so slightly as her mind betrayed her once again.

For just a moment, Nina was back in that pristine hall with the too bright lights and the overwhelming stench of disinfectant hanging around her like a thick fog—stifling. Unseen eyes seemed to follow her every move, making a shiver run up her spine as Nina did her best not to run from the building. Each step she took felt like too great a feat, the sound of them bouncing off the walls, deafening in the near silent white halls that melted off into cream colored walls with the scent of earth and spices.

"Nina." Ben's voice broke Nina out of her thoughts. She was startled, nearly dropping the phone as she came back to herself, but somehow managing to keep a grip on the slim device.

Her hands were shaking violently, the chaotic memories still clinging to the edges of her mind. She did her best to gather her thoughts and calm her racing heart. Ben was still waiting for whatever answers Nina could give him.

"I had to do it," Nina said without thinking. "There were things I needed to know, and there was no other way," she went on as she heard Ben curse.

"What kind of records did you take?" Nina hesitated before deciding it was in her best interest to be honest with Ben. He'd find out the truth soon enough either way.

"Christopher Fearnley's," she said, and could hear a sharp intake of breath from the other end of the line. "I took Fearnley's medical records." The admission was enough to silence Ben, if only for a second.

"What are you looking into? And be honest this time."

Nina took a deep breath, braced herself for what would come next. As much as she trusted Ben, she wasn't sure he trusted her at the moment. Still, there was no way she could hide everything from him. Just as there was no way she could tell him all that she knew. Not yet.

"I can't explain to you right now, and I don't think I have time to, but I don't think Fearnley is guilty. He was framed by someone, and I think it has something to do with SEIN and the treatment he underwent there. That's why I needed his records."

"You can't be serious," Ben muttered, and Nina didn't think it was particularly pointed at her. "They think you're working with him, I don't know why, but they think something's going on. You visited him in prison, lied about it being for work so you could get an interview. You even spoke to his ex wife with the same excuse even though you haven't gone back to work yet. They checked, you haven't been back to work since the accident." There was a reproach there, but more than that, there was hurt. Ben was hurt to know Nina had lied to him.

She swallowed back the guilt she felt at that. There was no time to regret choices she could no longer change. Now, she knew why Ben was so anxious. The situation was more serious than Nina had first thought. She knew she had to move.

Nina began gathering all of the notes and documents scattered around into a messy stack while still on the phone. Her mind—for the time being—was focused on the task at hand.

"What do they want, to question me about the files I took? About Fearnley?"

"I don't know," Ben said after some hesitation, and Nina could tell that he simply didn't think it best to tell her.

"Are they on their way now?" she asked. Nina knew there was no use in trying to tell Ben everything. There was simply too much to say and the clock was ticking.

"Not yet. I called as soon as I heard, but they'll leave any minute now." He sighed and Nina could just imagine him rubbing the bridge of his nose. "If you really think he's innocent then turn yourself in. Let them question you and tell them what you know. Don't make things any worse than they already are."

Nina could have laughed at that. Just the thought of trying to explain to the cops—to anyone—the connection between her, Alice and Fearnley was enough to make Nina grimace. It was the kind of thing that no one would believe. Not with only half formed theories and the memories of a dead woman in Nina's mind as evidence.

"I can't," Nina said, and even to her own ears it sounded like an apology. "Ben, I can't give up now, and the things I know, I don't think anyone would believe it. Not now. I need to know the truth—all of it—first."

"Then I'll help you. I swear. You know I always will, but you can't do anything to make things worse. Nina, you can't run."

She felt her mouth quirk up into a half smile. Ben knew her too well. He should have known there was no use in asking that of her.

"Why did you call me, Ben?" she asked, voice soft.

"I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to find out what's going on from you, because I trusted you to be honest with me at least. And I trusted you to do the right thing."

"Then you shouldn't have called."

"Nina—"

"Bye, Ben. And thank you." Nina hung up before Ben could say anything else and shut off the device.

She felt a knot of nerves forming in the pit of her stomach, the reality of the situation still not fully sinking in. It was too much to take for a mind as fractured as hers. And so, Nina pushed it all back, focused on nothing but what was in front of her. Focused on the need to leave as soon as possible.

For what felt like hours, but were really only a couple of short minutes, Nina rushed around her apartment gathering everything she needed. All of the notes and records she had on Alice and Fearnley were tucked away inside a bag along with as much cash as Nina could find. All the while, Nina avoided looking at the clock. Already her hands were shaking, her heart pounding as she shot nervous looks towards the door as she kept packing all she thought she'd need.

The small bag she had packed felt like a heavy burden as she hoisted it up onto her shoulder.

Nina refrained from breathing a sigh of relief as she pulled on a coat and finally walked out of the apartment. After all, she wasn't in the clear just yet.

Nina threw one last look back at her home. She looked at the bare walls where photos had once been and didn't feel nearly as sad as she should have at the possibility that she wouldn't see the place for a long while. The truth was that the place hadn't felt like home for a while.

Not when everywhere she looked there were memories she didn't want to recall, triggers that drove her back to that cream colored hall with the scent of spices and earth heavy in the air. It was also where she'd finally felt like her life was coming together, all those years ago when she'd just started her career. It was where a picture of her mother had hung on the wall before the sight of it had been too much for her shattered mind.

The memories she had of the place clashed against each other. Moments Nina would always treasure were tainted by those she wished she could lock away forever. All Nina could do now was move on.

After what felt like too long a moment, Nina hitched her bag up higher onto her shoulder, the weight of it lighter than all that bore down on her mind. A hint of petrichor hung in the air even as sunlight—warm and inviting—streamed in through the windows. The place still felt stifling, and Nina felt what could only be relief as she finally turned away from it all.

The door shut behind her, and Nina didn't look back again.

- - - - - - - - -

Hey everyone! Hope you've all liked this chapter and that those of you who celebrate it had a good Thanksgiving. As always, thank you all for taking the time to read this and please vote and/or comment if you can. Have a great day!