Dean
Dean watched Anna as she sat stiffly in the pediatric ward of the hospital. He came up behind her. As usual she seemed to already know he was there.
"I don't know if I can do this one Dean." She admitted quietly, her voice cracked and hoarse. Dean rested a hand on her shoulder as they watched Asher get checked in. His mouth twisted, a sick feeling roiling in his gut. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that he had accidentally caused a shtriga to escape when he was a kid. Instead he pulled on the same mantra he'd been reminding himself of since this case started.
"Yes you can. You'll do it because if you don't, these kids will die." Anna shook her head shakily. He couldn't quite understand the expression on her face. Her voice shook and wavered, but she spoke so quietly he almost missed it.
"Dean... A few years ago... There was this little girl..." She started, when a nurse interrupted.
"Dr. Hydeker said he can answer your questions now." Dean internally cursed the timing of the nurse when Anna's mouth snapped shut. A blank expression fell across her face, like a curtain dropping as they followed the nurse out of the waiting room.