The Villain

coincidence

Daniel dialled Hannah's number, sitting down at the sofa, Wendy's curious stare on him.

"Hey, Han. How are you?", he said, his other hand nervously fidgeting with the TV-remote he grabbed earlier.

"Tired, but okay. Boss keeps dumping extra-shifts on me, as 'preparation for my new position'... whatever that means. I'm a bit nervous because of it, I've never led my own team until now... What if they hate me? I mean, I'd be pissed too if some mediocre nobody I haven't heard of gets to play lead scientist in my team and –"

"Hannah. You're not 'some mediocre nobody', you're good at your job, otherwise he wouldn't promote you. And I think you're very capable of leading your own team, you're smart and kind and –"

"Now you're just buttering me up.", Hannah giggled, and Daniel smiled at the warm sound of it.

"No, I mean it, I think you'd be a good leader.", Daniel said and leaned back on Tessa's sofa, trying to make her believe in herself the way he did.

"Have you talked to Mercy or are the two of you working together for too long already? She said exactly the same.", Hannah explained, and in the background, Daniel heard the 'ping' of an elevator opening.

Daniel and Mercy, Hannah's twin and his boss at the 'Riverson' – the newspaper he was working for – rarely agreed over something. It happened, just not often.

"We didn't, but we are definitely right with that. You're outnumbered, Han.", Daniel smiled, imagining the exasperated sigh he heard through the phone, the way her eyes rolled at his comment and how her sheepish grin busted the apparent anger as dramatic overreaction.

"Okay, okay, fine. It's going to be just fine, right? I wanted to call you too, but I feel like my reason is going to ruin the mood, so you go first.", Hannah said, and Daniel sat upright again, not sure what to say now.

"Lady's first, darling.", he said, while standing up and moving in the direction of Tessa's bedroom, turning around half-way there.

"Okay, you wanted it that way. I can't come to our date tonight, extra-shift... I'm really sorry, maybe we could postpone it? It's just, I -"

"Yeah, no, that's fine. I understand that, how about Wednesday? Do you have time there?", Daniel said, secretly glad he wasn't the one who had to cancel like he initially planned when calling her.

He couldn't leave Tessa alone like that now, could he? Whatever had happened to her, she shouldn't be alone in this state.

"Wednesday is perfect, same time? Now it's your turn.", Hannah said, and Daniel heard the relief in her voice.

As if he would be mad because of her cancelling their date, he knew work took the biggest part in her life right now – in both their lives.

"I... Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go on."

"I know you're not a doctor, but you’re the smartest person I know... Do you know why someone could be very, very cold when it's, well, not that cold?"

"Hypothermia can have many reasons. Not warm enough or wet clothing, long exposure to coldness, exhaustion, injuries, not being well adapted to a new climate or spending too much time in the water, also – wait a second. Why do you want to know that? Are you okay?", Hannah interrupted her scientific ramble when worry took over her.

"Yes, yes I'm fine, don't worry. I'm over at Tessa's and she just came home and... She's really cold, and exhausted and seems very confused and… I don’t know.", he shrugged, staring out of Tessa’s window, the sunny weather one indicator more to question why Tessa was so cold.