Xavier loosened his tie as he headed back to his apartment. Despite Ray answering his questions, she remained as much a mystery as before.

Her past, or lack of one, bothered him, and he wondered why Mari had agreed to take her. He hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said she didn't like kids. Mari had found most children barely stomachable and teenagers were to be avoided at all costs. And yet she'd stepped in as Ray's caregiver, but to what purpose?

'Xavier.'

He turned at his name as the lab technician, Anthony, waved something at him.

'I wanted to get this to you as soon as we finished examining it.' He handed the envelope over. 'I know Marilyn was your partner,' he said in a way of explanation.

Xavier turned the envelope over and noted his name in tiny blue script.

'It was found amongst Marilyn's possessions.'

'Why am I only finding out about this now?'

Anthony shrugged. 'You know it's protocol for all possessions to be examined first.'

'And was anything found?'

'No bugs. No listening devices. Only one burner phone with no numbers in it and no call ever having been made to or from it. She seems like a woman on her own.'

'Except for Ray.'

Anthony looked uncomfortable. 'Must be hard on the girl. I heard she was only young.'

'Mari raised her, so I guarantee you she's stronger than she looks,' Xavier reassured him.

'I'll leave you to it, then.' Anthony tactfully left, realising that Xavier's mind was somewhere else.

Xavier watched him go with relief. Anthony and the other lab technicians already knew the contents of the letter, and yet he craved privacy to read it. He still felt as though Mari would have written it for his eyes only, and that's something he intended to honour.

Once inside, he poured himself a whiskey for the occasion. It was a pricier brand than they'd drunk in the old days, but he thought his ex partner may still appreciate the sentiment.

'Now let's see what game you were playing, Mari,' he said as he lifted the letter from the envelope.

I'm sorry for what has happened and how it ended between us.

I remember the good days, us, Rosa, Charlie, before all the madness happened.

I have thought about them and you many times over the years.

I wished that I had figured out the key to happiness was doing something I was proud of with the people I loved.

But that's hindsight for you, and I can no more change the past than fight against the death I know awaits me.

You once accused me of not being true to myself, and I think you were right.

But now I trust you to do what is right.

Xavier read the letter repeatedly, but the seven simple lines didn't change.

Half of the whiskey bottle was empty, and he pressed his glass against his temple as he thought.

'Come on Mari. What were you hoping to achieve with this letter? You weren't sentimental and some of this doesn't even make sense,' he slurred.

He blew hard, and the letter lifted into the air and passed by the fire. For just a moment, he thought he saw something in the lower corner before the letter landed on the floor.

Staggering towards the fire, whiskey bottle in hand, he sat heavily. With bated breath, he lifted the letter.

His eyes zeroed in on the handwritten 2 in the bottom left-hand corner, only viable when he got closer to the flames. A smile curved along his face.

'Even after all this time, you never fail to amaze me, Mari.'

***

Xavier flagged down two agents as they led Ray in.

'I'll take her from here,' he said.

'Thank you for letting me come,' she muttered as the agents left.

He smirked at her attempt at being sincere.

'It seemed the right thing to do,' he said, thinking about the letter tucked away in his suit pocket. 'Where did you get the dress?'

Ray grimaced and fiddled with the high neckline on the black dress. 'An agent lent it to me, though I had to tape the back. Not allowed safety pins. They said it was a security risk.' She moved her hair so he could see the lines of tape running across her back.

'You could set a new fashion trend.'

She shrugged. 'Not all of us can have a fancy suit.'

They shuffled out of the way as the room filled. Xavier watched an elderly couple manoeuvre their way in. The man held the woman as she cried, and Xavier rolled his eyes.

'Who are they?' Ray asked, following his line of sight.

'Mari's parents.'

'I didn't know she had any.'

Xavier looked down. 'How much did she tell you about her life?'

'Not much,' Ray admitted. 'She told me her mom left when she was just a kid and that her dad was killed by a vampire. It's the reason she joined the Bureau.'

'Her mom ran off with another man. I don't think Mari ever really got over it. Her dad owned a garage, and one night he was working late. He was the sole earner and things were tight, so he was pulling in extra hours. A vamp, out of its mind with hunger, got in and killed him. Mari heard her dad's screams and called the police. She actually saw the agents put the thing down.'

'How old was she?' Ray asked, her eyes fixed on him.

'Eight.'

Ray looked away and focused back on the elderly couple, who were shaking hands with everyone.

'They're her adopted parents. Former agents who took her in afterwards,' Xavier explained.

'She never mentioned them.'

He snorted. 'Not surprising. There wasn't much love between them despite the way they're acting. She stopped talking to them long before she left the Bureau.'

Xavier and Ray took seats at the front as a man clad in black walked in. Four robed agents accompanied the coffin behind him.

Xavier watched Ray closely as her eyes tracked the coffin. Her reaction was minimal, the briefest fluttering of her eyelids, and a long drawn out breath before she composed herself. It was in stark contrast to Mari's adoptive mother, whose cries only grew louder as the coffin passed her.

'We're assembled here today to send Marilyn Le Bou onward in her journey. Her family and close friends have elected not to say anything-' the man broke off as Ray stood.

'I would like to say something, if that's okay?'

The man smiled at her gently and beckoned her forward. 'Of course. Of course.'

Xavier glanced at Mari's adoptive parents, who were glaring at Ray as she stood next to the minister.

He watched as she pulled a crumpled bit of paper from her pocket and his heart beat sped as he recognised the neat script on the front before Ray's hand covered it.

'Mari looked after me since I was three,' Ray began, drawing Xavier back to her. 'She was the one I went to when I wanted a bedtime story, or to beg her to make her famous tacos, or just for help on my maths homework. We argued a lot, but I guess that's what families do. I really wouldn't know, because Mari was all I ever knew. I owe her a lot for what she did for me and I can never repay her for the years she gave to me.' Her voice wavered, and she looked down at her rumpled piece of paper.

'Mari loved Shakespeare. And I'd like to read her favourite sonnet.' She looked back at the minister, who encouraged her to continue.

Xavier had been to too many of these ceremonies, but this was the first time he'd seen someone talk so openly about the person they'd lost. He could visibly see the strength it took her to stand in front of the room, and yet she didn't hesitate, didn't stray away from doing Mari justice. And that's exactly what she was doing. She was honouring a woman she had clearly cared about deeply.'How heavy do I journey on the way,

When what I seek, my weary travel's end,

Doth teach that ease and that response to say,

'Thus far the miles are measured from thy friend!'

The beast that bears me, tired with my woe,

Plods dully on, to bear that weight in me,

As if by some instinct the wretch did know

His rider lov'd not speed being made from thee.

The bloody spur cannot provoke him on,

That sometimes anger thrusts into his hide,

Which heavily he answers with a groan,

More sharp to me than spurring his side;

For that same groan doth put this in my mind,

My grief lies inward, and my joy behind.'

Ray folded the envelope and placed it on the coffin.

The minister laid a brief hand on her shoulder. 'Beautiful words,' he commended her before she took a seat.

Ray sat for the rest of the service with her head bowed and her hands rested in her lap. She missed the glances and out right staring from Mari's adoptive parents and the rest of the agents.

It seemed to Xavier that she was the only one who truly mourned Mari's death. Who else in the room could claim to have even spoken to Mari in the last decade? Everyone else was mourning a person who they remembered, but Ray was mourning the woman that raised her. A person who she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

The minister drew the service to an end, and they all stood as the coffin was wheeled away.

Small quiet conversations broke out as people congregated to share their stories of Mari, and yet Xavier didn't join them. He remained seated by Ray.

'Are you okay?' he asked hesitantly.

She swiped angrily at a few stray tears before looking at him. 'I'm fine.'

He nodded silently, not knowing what else to say. Comforting people had never been one of his strong suits.

'So you're the child that was brought in?'

They both stood sharply as Mari's adoptive mother stalked towards them.

'You're the child that she hid away from the world. And why was that? Why did she keep you away from everything she had here?' the woman demanded.

'Katrina, that's enough,' Xavier warned.

'And you? You let her just walk away from her life. From a successful career. You're the reason she never lived up to her potential.'

'That's crap. Mari was a strong-willed person. I don't think anyone could make her do something she didn't want to do,' Ray defended.

Xavier's eyes widened. No one had really tried to defend him before. No one except Mari.

'Obviously not strong enough or she would never have allowed herself to be saddled with the likes of you,' ranted Katrina. Venom dripped off every word, and the room grew eerily quiet.

'It's not my fault that things were broken between you and Mari,' Ray said evenly.

SLAP.

Ray's head reeled back as gasps sounded out. The red mark faded quickly from her cheek as she turned back towards the woman that had assaulted her.

'You should learn not to speak about-' but the woman cut off as Ray's fist connected with her face.

Xavier's lips twitched as he held Ray back and watched as Mark's adoptive father picked his wife off the floor, his face the picture of shock.

'She broke my nose,' the woman complained, blood dripping down her face.

'Don't assault someone if you can't handle the consequences,' spat Ray. She tried to shrug out of Xavier's grasp before a wave of dizziness overtook her.

'Woah, kid. Are you okay?' Xavier's grip on her tightened as he felt her body tilt sideways.

'Is she okay?' screeched the woman. 'That little monster just broke my nose and you're asking if she's okay?'

'Get over it, Katrina. She's right, don't go picking fights when you can't handle it,' growled Xavier as he towed a staggering Ray towards the door. 'Come on, let's get you out of here.'

They took a few turns before he lowered her gently to the floor.

'Put you head between your knees,' he advised.

She followed his advice and slipped out Mari's flask, putting the cold metal against her clammy skin.

'Guess Mari was right, her drink was an energy boost. Maybe I'm vitamin D deficient or something?' Ray joked meekly.

'There's no more?' he asked sharply.

'Nada. And I could really do with a pick me up right about now.'

'Don't let Katrina get to you. The woman's had a stick up her arse since she could talk.' He sat crossed leg against the opposite wall and watched a little colour come back into Ray's cheeks.

'How did someone like that raise someone like Mari?' She rested her head back against the wall and breathed deeply, keeping her eyes shut.

'One of life's many mysteries. Just be grateful that she didn't end up like Katrina.'

'Oh, I'm fucking grateful. We would have murdered each other before now if she'd been like that.' She breathed in and out a few times before opening her eyes.

'Feeling better?' he asked.

'Yeah. I don't know where that came from.'

Xavier was saved from responding as Dylan marched towards them.

'What is she doing out of her cell?' she demanded.

Xavier watched Ray shut down. Her face smoothed out, and all the life in her eyes disappeared as she regarded Dylan.

'It was Mari's service today. I arranged for her to attend,' Xavier answered, getting to his feet and offering Ray a hand.

She took it gingerly and let go quickly once she stood, choosing instead to lean against the wall.

'I thought we were questioning her this morning?'

Ray's head snapped to him, but he ignored her. 'Given the circumstances, I think it should be postponed. She was just assaulted by Katrina Garnis.'

'Assaulted? By Katrina Garnis?' Dylan repeated.

'Whilst I get her back to her cell, how about you smooth that over?' He fluttered his eyelashes at her.

'Fine,' she grumbled, 'but you owe me. And the girl stays in the cell going forward.' She didn't wait for him to agree before walking away.

'She's bossy,' Ray noted.

'But she's an excellent agent.'

Ray just rolled her eyes and followed him back to her cell. He surprised her when he stepped inside and went to her bed and looked around.

'Don't turn around. Approach the bed slowly, as though I've asked you a question,' he said.

She scowled, but did as he asked. She peered at the area he was pointing until their heads were practically touching.

'Did Mari give you a letter?'

'Yes,' she whispered, following his example.

'Good. Keep it on you at all times. I'll come back later.'

'Why? I don't understand.'

'Mari left me a letter and I think I need yours to figure out what she's trying to tell me. I think Mari didn't trust someone at the Bureau. She knew they would search her belongings, and she came up with the only way to explain things.'

'She left us clues,' Ray said with realisation. ' And you think the letters are the key?'

'They're something. I'm just not sure what,' he said honestly. 'But considering she wrote one letter for me and another for you; I think it'll take both of us to figure it out.'

He flapped the mattress back in place as the sound of boots echoed towards them.

'Everything okay?' Davidson asked, his hand already on his holstered weapon. 'I was watching on the cameras.'

Ray stiffened at his side as she realised the need for all the secrecy. It shouldn't have surprised her that there were cameras in the cell, but it hadn't occurred to her to worry about them.

'Just checking for any contraband,' Xavier lied easily.

Davidson nodded, but didn't walk away.

Xavier made his way to the door before spinning back around. 'I hope that today has shown you we're not the bad guys. We're here to protect. I'll come back later in case you feel like talking.'

Ray subtly nodded her head, showing she understood before her cell door was firmly closed.

'It seems you're getting through to her,' Davidson commented as he accompanied Xavier.

'It certainly looks that way.' Because that was the excuse he needed in order to make his plan work.