HALLWAY

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

It felt rather childish, really.

Victoria stood, facing the wall, in an unknown hallway in the mansion. She vaguely remembers what had happened since she had entered. She remembered speeding past two people in the foyer, before coming onto a ballroom with more people she didn't know. As her panic and worry mounted, she automatically headed for the library, only finding the library much to busy for her liking. At this point, it was a surprise that she hadn't broken down yet.

Two years is quite a long time.

She didn't remember how she had gotten into the hallway, she didn't know exactly where she was... For all intents and purposes, she had gotten herself lost.

This wasn't helping helping her mood at all. It hadn't even been her intention to come. Not until two evenings before when another one of her father's letters showed itself in the mail asking if anything had changed.

At first it had always been enough to just update him on her graduate work, but as more and more letters arrived, it became more and more apparent what he was truly asking after.

This somehow convinced her to slip into a dress, and properly go out for the first time in a long time. The letters, had gotten her into this.

She had spent the last ten minutes studying the wallpaper, attempting to lower her blood pressure to somewhere within the acceptable range, tracing the intricacies and miniature flourishes in her head. How lovely would it be to be wallpaper, how peaceful.

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

Fiddling with the buttons on the only suit jacket he owned, Peter made his way through the mansion. He wasn’t sure why he was at this party. By all rights, he didn’t do parties. Well, not fancy ones, anyways. Block parties were more his style. Even beach parties, if he was with the right person. Tonight, well, Don had prodded him into going.

"If you are going to wear the badge, you have to learn how the system works. I don’t mean the legal system, I mean the politics behind it. So, mix and mingle. You never know when a little face time might do some good..."

He was probably right, seeing as how most of the upmost of the upper crust was hanging around, but so far, Peter hadn’t seen anyone worth talking to. Well, if you didn’t mention the cute waiter he’d seen going down past the library. However, mixing and mingling with the wait staff would be like going to work at the bar.

So that was how he came to be wandering down one of the massive hallways. He was pretty sure he had it all to himself, until he noticed someone up ahead, tracing the wallpaper. Well, he did seem to have a habit of meeting the odd people in any group, so he wasn’t fazed. In fact, it might have been fun to just trace the patterns for a while – who was he to judge? The woman was turned slightly away from him, so Peter decided to call and make himself noticed.

“Hey there,” Peter greeted. “Wild party, huh?”

Wild party? He sounded like a teenager at a kegger...

“Well, as wild as these things get.” He shrugged a bit, offering the woman a smile, hoping he hadn't completely failed at starting a conversation.

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

Despite her absorption into the pattern of the paper, she still heard the footsteps approaching opposite of the direction she came. She turned slightly and hoped that it was just another one of the wait staff passing. She continued tracing in tenuous hope, but when she heard a a hiccup in the gait of the stranger, it had promptly vaporized.

She held on though, listening to the steps grow closer and only absentmindedly running her finger along the wall. She found as the the steps grew louder, her curiosity was eclipsing her doubt and more importantly the stranger probably knew a way back to the main areas of the house. Victoria silently chided herself for getting lost in the first place and steeled herself. Without personal experience, Victoria could only assume that nervous breakdowns did not make sparkling first impressions.

“Hey there. Wild party, huh?”

Victoria turned around, trying her best to not to look like the conversation was physically paining her. This was made significantly easier as just a instance of self-doubt flashed across the stranger's face.

“Well, as wild as these things get.”

Victoria laughed a bit at that last statement.

"Oh, I've been to much worse. I find that people paid twice as much often behave twice as rudely. Put them all in the same ballroom, and yes, a wild party indeed."

Victoria stood stiffly, she was still a bit shaky, and she really hadn't been to any of her father's large parties in a four, five years? She started an introduction as she remembered she should.

"I don't believe we've met. Frankenstein, Miss Victoria Beaufort."

Her hand stuttered with it's own self-doubt; out of habit she had introduced herself formally and she couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious considering the venue and occasion, very likely not formal enough for such conventions. Also, her hand was now frozen in the air between them, force of habit telling her to extend her hand to be kissed. Late enough in the gesture that the suggestion was obvious and still early enough to retract, but she was to frozen with indecision to do much anything.

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

"Oh, I've been to much worse. I find that people who pay twice as much often behave twice as rudely. Put them all in the same ballroom, and yes, a wild party indeed."

Peter thought she was quite clever. It was the truth. Money brought a sense of invincibility, and with invincibility poor behavior followed. He’d been to enough domestic disturbance calls for the rich to know how it went. He would not have been surprised if some drama started to play out that night. After all, when they were all together, it was bound to happen that they would find something to squabble about.

"I don't believe we've met. Frankenstein, Miss Victoria Beaufort."

She sounded shaky, even looking a bit spooked. Her hand hesitated between them, clearly an invitation that he was either to take or deny. Peter made a mental note of her behavior before gently reaching to take her hand, careful not to spook her.

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Victoria,” he greeted. “I am Peter Aramis.”

Having seen too many movies as a kid, he brought her hand up slightly so that when he bent, he could kiss her hand gently. He smiled, his most disarming look, and let his fingers relax so that she could end the contact at any time she wanted.

“Tell me, what brings you to this distant part of the manor?” He asked, truly wondering why someone so striking was hiding from the party. Perhaps she was chasing the same waiter he was...

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Victoria. I am Peter Aramis.”

Her mind began to function again as he slipped his hand under hers. It relaxed, as some semblance of order returned to her head. She looked at him properly, for the first time in the short conversation, and the simplest conclusion she could draw was that she really did need to get out of her head more often. She retracted her hand quickly, but not to hastily. She was rather intrigued.

“Tell me, what brings you to this distant part of the manor?”

"Oh, uh..." She began stuttering. She wasn't entirely sure how to tell the story without sounding completely ridiculous. It's not even her fault, this isn't her mansion, how's she supposed to know her way around? "I, seem to have gotten myself lost. I was meaning to make my way to the library, but it was a bit... Cluttered." Which was the truth, cluttered with people. Way too many people.

"You wouldn't happen to know the way back?"

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

When she finally withdrew her hand, she looked slightly more settled. Peter smiled softly, thinking that was a start. He grew up with horses, and he would never say it out loud, but wooing skittish folk was a lot like working with a skittish foal. All you needed was a gentle voice, slow movements, and a friendly smile seemed to help. Kids instantly latched onto it, too, so it was useful at work. All his college education couldn’t muster up to that one little trick learned when he was a teen.

"Oh, uh... I seem to have gotten myself lost. I was meaning to make my way to the library, but it was a bit...Cluttered.”

He nodded, knowing what she was trying to say. The conversations of the library had been somewhat intimidating to him, as well. Walking in on what others were clearly trying to find a quiet place to talk about was not something he willingly did.

"You wouldn't happen to know the way back?"

Did he know the way back? He hadn’t honestly thought that far ahead. He was certain after he flirted with the waiter, said waiter would take him home, and so he’d have a guide. Now, he was pretty much on his own, but it was obvious he was needed here. He would just have to go and find someone else to flirt with and hope that they took him home.

“I came from the front of the house,” he replied. “So, it would stand to reason that we should head back in that direction until we find the party again. Shall we?”

He offered her his arm, not knowing if she was comfortable walking along with him, but if he was going to be kissing her hand, he might as well follow through on the courtesies.

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

As she spoke, Peter's own relaxed air began to roll off and take hold in Victoria as well. She was surer, she smiled a bit more, she stopped standing so stiffly in her heels. It only took a few false starts before she finally remembered how conversations like this went.

Her seventeenth birthday party, now that was difficult. You'd think the boys at that party were raised by wolves. She had to utilize her mother's lessons on the most lady-like way to dismiss such rude gestures as cat-calls, how to dance both the leading (in case the boy can't dance) and following parts, and and most obviously, how to introduce herself. She handled it all wonderfully, and at the end of the night, her father and mother were most pleased. Victoria's seventeenth birthday party was one of the last good days she had with her mother, and was most certainly proof of her ability to handle herself in even the most adverse social circumstances.

But this wasn't one of her father's parties. Her father and brothers weren't standing watch in a corner, and she couldn't glance to her mother for a nod or two of advice. In fact, she didn't have to follow any of those constructs. She didn't have to curtsy, she could get her own drinks, damn, she could drink as much as she liked, she didn't even have to stand up straight.

Though, Victoria would stick with what she was taught, because honestly, slouching people don't give good impressions and she's only been publicly drunk twice.

“I came from the front of the house. So, it would stand to reason that we should head back in that direction until we find the party again."

Reason, that'd be a lovely thing to have your head respond to in these sorts of situations.

"Shall we?”

Victoria blushed ever so slightly as she took his arm and started walking in the direction he had mentioned.

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

Peter was pleased when Victoria finally took his arm. She seemed much more relaxed now, and he was pleased that she seemed to be closer to enjoying herself at this party. After all, it was a social event, and they were supposed to be enjoyable.

“Now, with any luck we will find the party again. If not, it’s better to be lost together,” Peter pointed out.

And with how stuffy the party seemed to be, being lost might just be the better part of the evening. He was in no hurry to rejoin the masses, especially now that he had such a stunning woman on his arm. Had he met her in one of the rooms, enjoying herself, he may have hit on her. But since he hadn’t met her in one of the big rooms, and with how he’d had to ease her into relaxing, he was firmly in his nice-guy frame of mind. He was more interested in her as a person now.

“So, what brings you to the party?” He asked as they began to walk down the hall. “I can’t imagine it was to study the wallpaper.”

He offered her a smile with his jest. He did know people who would have come to the party to do something as wacky as that, but he could tell that wasn’t her motivation. Who knew, perhaps she didn’t want to come at all. He knew he would have rather been somewhere else.

Gerry was right - he needed to socialize more. The last party he’d been to was while he was in university. It had been thrown to celebrate the basketball team’s winning season. As Captain, he’d been the hero. Of course, he’d drank like a hero, too. He honestly didn’t remember much of the party because of it. All he knew was that he had ended up down by the beach and decided he needed to stop drinking before it became a problem. He’d soon discovered parties weren’t fun when you didn’t drink and act like an idiot. Now, he served the booze and watched everyone else look like an idiot. He grinned, thinking that this party could have used a drunk idiot.

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

“Now, with any luck we will find the party again. If not, it’s better to be lost together,”

Victoria smiled back on the comment. As panicked as she was feeling earlier, and her initial resistance, she was a little keen on finding the party. If anything, good time was lost by her little panic attack. There were plenty of people to talk to, the party wouldn't last forever, and despite her initial resistance she was pining for a drink. Though, if the parties in New York are littered with gentlemanly rescuers, she might just have to panic a bit more often.

Which brought her back to Peter. He'd been exceedingly cordial, the least she could do in return was to give him a bit of her time. Feeling in his initial pace that he was a bit less eager to revisit the crowds, she slowed down to match his. Though, she found herself studying the carpet now. She wasn't entirely sure what to say, she hoped he'd offer some other bit of conversation.

“So, what brings you to the party? I can’t imagine it was to study the wallpaper.”

She looked up from her study of the carpet quite relieved. Despite the confidence that she was now feeling, ninety percent of the conversation that came to her mind had to do with Swiss politics and current events. She laughed as the second half of sentence properly processed; no, she hadn't come to study the wallpaper.

"Ah," she started, "A little bird told me that I needed to get out of my apartment. This party, New Years Eve, was just well-placed."

She smiled and furtively searched his face for a reaction, "What brings you here? I'm rather sure you hadn't planned to be rescuing damsels in distress."

Her smile grew a bit wider at the last statement. As much as she avoided becoming a damsel in distress (Victoria Frankenstein could take care of herself very well thank you.) she still recognized that she couldn't always make it through everything herself. A lesson learned over many years.

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

"Ah. A little bird told me that I needed to get out of my apartment. This party, New Years Eve, was just well-placed."

Peter had to admit that if there was a reason to get out, tonight was as good of one as any. Before the idea of this party popped up, he had hoped to have a wild night of his own. He was going to bar tend into the New Year, flirt with everyone he thought was available, and then go home with whoever would have him. This was so far from the plan...

“There’s nothing wrong with liking your apartment,” Peter replied warmly. “But, seeing as you are out, it’s not such a bad place to be.”

"What brings you here? I'm rather sure you hadn't planned to be rescuing damsels in distress."

Peter chuckled at that. She was making him out to be some knight in shining armor. The armor was just painted brass.

“Something tells me you weren’t in distress,” Peter said with a shrug. So far, every damsel he met was just acting to be. “As for me...”

He paused, trying to think of how he could word it without coming across as a pompous ass.

“My uncle encouraged me to come. He thought that it might be a good way to spend my time tonight,” he stated simply, thinking that was what it all really came down to. “So it looks like we’re both here for other people.”

He offered her a smile, thinking there was no reason to grumble over something that was done.

“So, what do you do when you’re not haunting your apartment or hiding out in hallways?” He asked, hoping to redirect the conversation.

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

“There’s nothing wrong with liking your apartment, but, seeing as you are out, it’s not such a bad place to be.”

Victoria smiled back at him, hoping to make up for the state that he had found her in. It was only a bit more than improper, and she had much ground to re-cover.

“Something tells me you weren’t in distress, As for me...”

Victoria's face quirked into a disbelieving smile as Peter chuckled, she could feel the incredulity in his laugh. It was a proper service that he had done, certainly one that he need not have done, but... Victoria sighed a bit internally. She chose not to interrupt as he continued.

“My uncle encouraged me to come. He thought that it might be a good way to spend my time tonight. So it looks like we’re both here for other people.”

"Well, I can't say it's not good for me. You saw me just now. I really do need to get out a bit more." Victoria said this with a smile, she needed to be a bit self-demeaning. She'd figure it all out eventually. Baby steps, baby steps would get her there eventually.

“So, what do you do when you’re not haunting your apartment or hiding out in hallways?”

"Well," she started, sighing a bit. She didn't have much to speak for the last two years, and not quite everyone was interested in her research. "I've been working on my graduate degree at NYU for the last two years and takes up quite a bit of my time. Though, I do tend to haunt libraries as well; libraries and proper coffee shops."

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

"Well, I can't say it's not good for me. You saw me just now. I really do need to get out a bit more."

Peter merely nodded, trying not to agree with her in any amount that seemed overzealous or over the top. He didn't want to appear like he thought she was odd. Who was he to judge? Really, for some people getting out of their apartments was the best thing for them, even if they didn’t function very well. It was all about small steps.

When he asked her about what she did for a living, he wasn’t expecting her to be a serious academic. He knew it was a bit bias, but all the academics he’d ever met weren’t nearly as good looking as she was.

"Well, I've been working on my graduate degree at NYU for the last two years and takes up quite a bit of my time. Though, I do tend to haunt libraries as well; libraries and proper coffee shops."

“Really? I graduated from NYU. Undergraduate, that is,” he replied, thinking that they would at least have the school in common. “I remember haunting the library and the coffee shops.”

University had been an interesting experience. His uncle had insisted he go, so he’d went. He’d even had a dorm room in Hayden Hall. He was still friends with his roommate, Damon. Damon was a physiotherapist now, but back then, he’d been putting himself through school as an exotic dancer. Peter had learned a whole new way of dancing from him.

Good times...

“So, tell me – what exactly are you getting your graduate degree in?”

Truth be told, he was curious. He had never had a serious talk with anyone who was working on their grad degree. He knew there was some amazing research coming out of NYU, and it would be interesting to hear about it from one of the researchers directly.

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

Victoria looked to a painting on the wall they were passing to hide her expression. She could tell that his behavior was edging into the toadying sector. He had every right to think her odd for finding her the way she was. Victoria was mostly disappointed in herself, she had plenty of experience, she should have fit in fine. Her father often invited people that she and her brothers didn’t know, the parties were really more for networking than anything.

Though, Alphonse might have been showing off his daughter a bit, her beauty certainly helped in terms of getting the other younger politicians interested. It annoyed Victoria to no end, but she knew her father meant well. It was all the same for her brothers as well, William and Earnest still wrote to her about the different ridiculous lessons that their father had been putting them through recently.

Victoria looked back to him as he began to speak.

“Really? I graduated from NYU. Undergraduate, that is. I remember haunting the library and the coffee shops.”

She smiled, seeing how the smallest things could connect people. She couldn’t really imagine many people in the area hadn’t gone to NYU. She wasn’t especially familiar with the area though. It probably would have been a good investment to walk around and get to know more of the local color when she had first arrived. She knew her way around, but most of the places she was familiar with were the parks and the two universities. She had some friends from Columbia that had invited her out, but by then, her father’s letter hadn’t arrived, and she fittingly hastily declined. She should go up to Columbia again, maybe this week.

“So, tell me – what exactly are you getting your graduate degree in?”

She wasn’t sure about how she felt about him bringing up the topic, she didn’t show it, but she knew that not everyone exactly agreed with her research, even more had terrible misconceptions, and it never really made good dinner conversation.

“My degree is going to say ‘Biochemical Engineering’, but my research has been with stem cells.”

She wanted to redirect the conversation, and paused briefly to do so, but then, manners taking over, she let him respond instead.

[DETECTIVE PETER ARAMIS]

“My degree is going to say ‘Biochemical Engineering’, but my research has been with stem cells.”

Peter frowned, trying to remember where he had heard of stem cells before. He was now positive that this woman was far smarter than he was.

"Stem Cells...that's dealing with cells that are...undefined, so they can be reassigned to fix health problems, right?"

He hoped that was the case because it was what he could remember from what he'd read years ago in some psychology class when they were talking about legal ethics. At the time, the cells could only be taken from fetuses that had to die to privde the stem cells, but he was sure that the science had advanced enough past that.

"I am sure it makes for fascinating work, regardless."

Biochemical engineering, stem cells...it all sounded interesting, even if he was sure it was well above his head. Now, Psychology was more in his field. Why people acted the way they did was his entire job, after all.

"And what do you plan to do with your degree when you're finished?"

[VICTORIA FRANKENSTEIN]

"Stem Cells...that's dealing with cells that are...undefined, so they can be reassigned to fix health problems, right?"

She could see it. It’s not like it wasn’t common, not many people stayed well-read on the latest developments in stem cell technology. He thought she killed babies for a living. She internally sighed and continued smiling. It didn’t matter to her, but it didn’t exactly help to make friends when everyone thought your work depended upon dead babies. She’d try to amend the situation.

"I am sure it makes for fascinating work, regardless."

“It really is, my most recent work has been in trying to stabilize adult stem cells. What many people don’t know is that everyone, even adults have stems cells. These cells are just a bit less compliant than those taken from fetuses. My team has been working on creating environments that would revert them back to the plasticity that fetal cells exhibit.”

She searched his expression hoping that she had saved herself in some manner in his eyes. Though, on the whole, she could see that he wasn’t much of a hard science person. A topic change would be better to keep the conversation moving.

"And what do you plan to do with your degree when you're finished?"

“I’m not entirely sure, I’ve always loved research, and I’ll probably remain as a research partner at the university if I can get my education visa re-designated as a work visa. If not, I’ll head back to the big tech university in Zurich. Closer to home.”

She hadn’t explicitly told Peter yet that she was from Switzerland, but she imagined that he could infer that for himself. She smiled at the last thought, it had been her father’s idea to have her leave home for a while, but he sorely missed her.

“Though, I imagine that my father would like me back in Geneva as soon as possible.”