'Listen to me carefully, Henry. You're going to do everything I tell you to do.' Adam's voice chilled Henry to the bone, even over the telephone.

'Why would I ever do that?' the doctor replied angrily.

Adam's reply made his heart sink, 'Because, it'll be on Abraham's head if you don't.'

It'd been a long day, with evidence being misplaced and suspects being killed off, Jo was just about at the end of her tether. She was finishing up a report regarding their most recently deceased suspect, a Miss Lauren Taylor. The bodies were piling up. Typical that Henry had called in sick. Jo mused on how unusual that was for him.

In all the time they'd worked together, not once had he called in sick to work. Judging by Lucas' reaction earlier in the day, it wasn't a common happening even before Jo knew him. Still, she supposed he was only human, he was bound to fall ill occasionally. She felt a presence beside her and she glanced up to see Hanson.

"Hey," she greeted, "you still here?"

Hanson shrugged and sighed, "Yeah. I had to finish up some stuff. I'm heading home now though, just came to grab my jacket."

Jo smiled, and turned her attention back to her report, penning a few more words before her desk phone startled her by ringing. She eyed it critically for a second and then picked it up, "Hello?" she was answered with nothing but silence, "Hello..?" She waited a moment, listened closely. She heard what she presumed to be the wind, but nothing else.

"Anyone there?" she asked, setting her pen down. Still no answer. She clicked her fingers at Hanson, who, as he pulled on his jacket, noticed her and raised a confused eyebrow in her direction. She spoke into the phone again, "This is Detective Mart-,"

"Jo..."

Jo shifted in her seat, "Henry? Hey. Is everything okay? Are you feeling better?"

It took him a moment to respond, "Better?"

"You're sick..." Jo reminded him, coming to the conclusion that he in fact, was not sick at all.

"Oh," he sighed, "of course..."

Jo's eyebrows furrowed, "You sure you're okay?"

"Jo, I..." he paused, took a deep breath and exhaled.

"What's going on?" Jo shared a look with Hanson before picking up her pen, holding her phone with her chin and reaching for a pad of paper at the back of her desk.

"I need you to listen to me, very carefully." he told her, "Do you understand?"

Hanson moved to her desk, two paces from his own, "Jo?"

"I'm listening, Henry." Jo continued, ignoring Hanson, "Is this about the case? I left a message on the store phone for you."

"I haven't been to the store..." he admitted.

Jo felt panic bubbling in her gut, "What? Why? Henry where are you?"

"Jo, listen to me... I don't have much time to explain." he paused and Jo heard the faint sound of a car passing by, "I don't..." another pause, "This is... a...courtesy call."

They both remained silent for a long moment. Jo swallowed finally, "You wanna elaborate?"

He didn't answer, and Jo scribbled down three words on her pad and handed it to Hanson. He took it, eyes scanning the words quickly.

Trace the call.

Hanson didn't seem to need much persuasion, turning on his heel and hurrying to gather the correct talent needed for the task.

Jo pressed Henry, calling his name down the phone.

He cleared his throat, "Jo this phone call is my note."

She held a hand over the receiver and shouted, "I need that trace, now!"

"It's coming Detective!" was the shouted reply.

Jo removed her hand and spoke to Henry again, her voice calm, "Note?" she shook her head, as if he could see, "What note?"

"Do I really have to say it, Detective?"

Jo nodded, "Yeah. For me; yeah, you do." she paused, "What note?"

He took a second to answer her, and when he did she wished he hadn't, "My suicide note."

"Henry whatever you're thinking or feeling right now-,"

"Don't patronise me Jo." Henry cut her off swiftly.

Jo chewed on her bottom lip and glanced up to see Hanson with another member of the team hurrying to her desk and setting up the trace, "Sorry..?"

"...I'm out of time."

"Henry please," she breathed, turning away from Hanson and the tech, "tell me where you are. I'll come and pick you up, take you home."

"Jo, I'm not going home."

Jo knew it, he wasn't going to stop. For whatever reason, he was ready to see his task through to the end, "What happens when you're gone?"

"The world spins madly on."

"No, it doesn't... it won't." She wanted to smack him, strike him down with a fist and swear blindly at him. Instead she pulled words from deep in her throat, "I lo-,"

"Please don't say you love me."

She bristled, "Why?"

"Because then this becomes a lot more difficult."

"Good." she replied, "It should be."

"It already is, Jo, but I have no other option." he replied, "Promise me you'll take care of yourself?"

"No." she said, "I won't. You know I won't." There was silence on the line and she felt sick.

"Jo? Can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

AN; I removed the last part of this as I am now continuing this into another chapter or two.