Bianca sits in an old chair downstairs watching as the night turns to
day. She knows that a sunrise should be beautiful, but to her it is
just the passing of time. There isn’t much to do during a day for
someone such as she. After talking with Anna, she couldn’t bring
herself to go back up to her room. She knows the only thing waiting
her there are memories of a time past, of a love lingering, and of
pain calling. The crow sits perched on the back of her chair. It
has been strangely quiet. There wasn’t even any scolding for her
talking to Anna. It just sits there watching the day come with her.
A ghost lingering in a haunted house is what will be remembered of
her if she were known to be here.

"Lingering…Yes, I am simply lingering." She speaks out loud, "A year
of lingering in wait for my pain to end."

"A year of lingering for justice." The bird echoes.

"I can’t sit here all day." She looks again out the window knowing
that it must be near noon now, "Let’s go scouting. I might as well
be prepared for my last jaunt into death."

"As you wish," the bird stretches it wings.

"No, none of this is as I wished it, but it will have to do." She
stands and walks out the door.

Outside it is a cloudy, dark gray day. She feels the light rainy
snow trying to fall. It should burn her skin with its cold as it
hits her, but there will be none of that. She walks to the back
alley of the houses. There is no real need to draw attention to
herself. All it would cause is trouble in the long run and she has
enough of that. She strides purposefully through the alleys and over
snow covered ledges. There are a few people out and about, but only
those that really have to be. It is the perfect kind of day for
staying in with someone you love. Bianca follows the bird’s lead to
the bar that Reed will be in tonight. She sees that it is a bar of
two entrances. She checks the back alley that the back door leads
into. It is long and dark. It will be even darker tonight. This
will play to her advantage since she doesn’t plan to let him leave
out the front door.