Eva wakes up slowly and is confused at just where she is. She takes a look around and realizes that she is at the Estate once more. Movement at her side brings her to look and finds herself looking at Tristan.

There is a look of relief on his face, "You're awake."

Eva not feeling all that great and less than pleased at being back at the estate is rather grumpy when she replies, "No, I'm sleeping and you are dreaming that I'm awake."

Tristan now in a better mood since she woke up snaps back, "If you are the one sleeping then how is it I am the one dreaming?"

Eva stops and smirks, "You are right. I'm dreaming, or perhaps it's a nightmare?"

This makes Tristan loose his good mood. "Is that what you think now that you see me?"

Eva ignores his question and asks one of her own, "Why am I back here?"

Tristan turns sad as he tells her what they know and guess. "You were coming back from the abuse center and for some reason bypassed the guards to the alley where there was a deal going down. The guards turned a group of men away that were running and we believe that they were chasing you. But the deal had gone south and one of the other cartel had missed his target and instead hit you.

"Tom and Lassiter recognized you and brought you to the estate and had the doctor fix you up. Rather, Tom brought you back and Lassiter went and rounded up the men responsible for chasing you. They are waiting down below and the cops are waiting in the living room to talk to you when you wake up."

As he recounts the tale Eva remembers the events of the prior evening. She raises her eye brow at the cops waiting for her to wake up. "We have to report your shooting. If you are still willing to go with me to the gala you might need to use it as an excuse."

"Oh, I'm still planning on it. It might be the only chance I have to mingle with your snobby friends."

Tristan feels both relief and anxiety with her words. "You don't want to go out with me after that?"

Eva shrugs and winces at the pain. "Damn, that hurts more than the damn knife wounds."

Tristan shakes his head. "More than likely, it's just you've forgotten just how much the knife wounds hurt you. That and you were used to the pain far more than you are now."

"Perhaps, I'm glad those bastards are in the cells but what story do you want me to give the cops?"

Tristan shrugs this time, "Stick with the truth as much as you can. Do your best to leave Tom and Lassiter out of it, if you can."

"I don't know any Lassiter, but I do remember seeing Cain there." Eva's voice has gone hard with that.

"Eva, Lassiter is Cain. If I had known that sooner I would have told  you, I promise you that."

"If you had known that sooner, just when did you find out the truth?" Eva demands even as she struggles to sit up.

Tristan helps her sit up then places pillows behind her back to prop her up. "On the plane down to South America. I showed him the photo of your face and he almost went ballistic. Eva, please listen to his reasoning for what he did before you shut him out entirely." Tristan all but begs her.

Eva sneers a bit, "I'll listen to his reasoning, but I already know it's shit."

Personally, Tristan thinks so too, but needs Eva to at least try to forgive Lassiter. Especially if he is going to be one of his Lieutenants and if Eva will be his girlfriend. That looks less and less likely by the minute though.

"If you are ready for the cops? I'll let them know that you are ready for them. The sooner you are done with this the sooner you can rest some more. Besides, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Yeah, fine, whatever. Bring them on, I'm ready for them." Eva says disinterestedly.

"They are two of mine, so you don't have to worry about them hounding you."

"Well, that's a relief, I guess." But Eva's voice doesn't reflect the words.

Tristan sighs and goes to the door and talks to the guard standing there before coming back and sitting by his place at Eva's side. "I'll leave if you prefer it."

"No, I missed you. Didn't miss the crazy, but I missed you."

"After the cops go, I want to see the bruises that bastard left on your breast." Tristan says as he sees the bruise on her face. It hadn't faded all that noticeably and it was several days ago when Jannsen slapped her. He's afraid what he'll see when she shows him the other.

"Sure thing, Tris. Just be prepared, it's not as pretty as the hand shape on my face." Eva hadn't even thought of the bruise when she went in yesterday to the center. Perhaps that was why the kids never questioned her about certain things. But then again, kids understand things they have no right knowing. Especially if they are subjected to abuse like she was growing up.

"Hey, would you look into finding someone for me and doing a background check on them?"

"No, problem, but Lassiter was pretty sure that you could do things like that on your own. If it has anything to do with why you were at the center, you should probably not tell me any names."

Eva sits back and looks at Tristan and thinks about his words. "You're right. It would be better if I do the search on my own." 

"I'll get you a laptop after the cops leave."

"Good. Although, if they take too long I'll be too tired to do much of anything."

There is a knock on the door that keeps Tristan from replying. "Just keep it as close as you can to the truth."

Eva nods rather than replying verbally since Tristan had opened her door by then. In walk the two detectives that helped her put away the abusive foster family members.

"Well, Eva, what have you got yourself embroiled in this time?" The elder of the two detectives says, amusement in every word spoken.

"Wrong place, at the wrong time I'm afraid detective." That was nothing but the truth and it makes the two detectives snicker before they take the seats Tristan offers them. Once Tristan sits down they begin their questioning.