Annalise

There was a pause as the phone continued to buzz in the silence of the room, as they both stared down at it like it had personally offended them. Annalise and Eugene looked at each other quizzically, before looking back down at the phone.

Finally Eugene bit the bullet, and brought the phone up to his ear to answer. Annalise studied his expressions like a hawk. She couldn't hear what was being said on the other side of the phone but, god did she want to. Call her rude, but she wanted to hear.

If this was the same Victoria she thought it was. The same one that had delivered the bloody written letters. Well, then she needed to know what was being said. Eugene stood up abruptly, and began to pace around the room. His face was screwed up in anger, and his fist tightened against the phone.

"Victoria," He hissed through his teeth, "You're going to regret getting involved in any of this," Annalise watched as Eugene walked around the room, the phone pressed tightly against his ear. She waved her hand at him, trying to catch his attention. She gestured her hand a little more violently as he continued to walk past her.

Eventually his attention was snapped back to her, he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion. Annalise made a vague sign, pointing at the phone madly and mouthing the words 'put it on loud speaker'.

Eugene tilted his head, and scrunched his brows as if that could make him understand better. Annalise gestured again, and mouthed 'L-O-U-D S-P-E-A-K-ER'. His eyes widened in realisation, and he nodded. Bringing the phone down from his ear, he tapped at it and brought it to loudspeaker.

There was a brief moment of static, before Victoria's voice rang out.

"Eugenie, have you really put me on loudspeaker. Don't you trust me, darling?" Victoria drawled, her voice dripping with deadly sarcasm. Annalise raised her eyebrows at her tone. "Is it little ghost? She's there isn't she," It wasn't a question but a demand and finally Annalise found her voice.

"Victoria." Annalise deadpanned glowering at the phone, as if it were Victoria herself.

"Ahhh, Annalise. I knew you'd speak to me. Eugenie didn't want me to. How dull," Victoria droned on. "I spoke to a friend today! It was very....enlightening. But I think you know him, Anna. In fact, i think you two were quite close,"

Annalise made a face, what was she on about? She wouldn't know anyone who associated themselves with a person like Victoria Taylor, at least not when she was alive. Not when life was normal.

"Does Noah Jones ring a bell? He was such a sweetheart, honestly. So concerned for his dear, departed friend. I wonder what he would think of you now Annalise,"

Annalise clenched the sofa next to her, and tried desperately to rein in any of her feelings. She knew Victoria was only trying to get a rise from her. But Noah? The same Noah, she and Mia would share sweets with at midnight as they gossiped about whatever was on their minds. What on god's green earth was he doing talking to someone like Victoria.

She wished she could talk to him, shake his shoulders and shout at him. But Victoria had a point, Noah thought she was dead. Dead and gone. What would her friends think of her now, decidedly not dead and not human.

The light fixtures began to quietly rattle.

She could hear Eugene shouting at Victoria, but she couldn't take it in. It was just static in her ears. Annalise closed her eyes and let herself feel for a moment, she had lost so much in such a small amount of time. She let it come over her like a wave, and then she let it pass.

Opening her eyes, she gulped and met Eugene's gaze. They were soft in concern, and she used the warmth that was brought up by them to speak to Victoria again.

"Victoria." She called out, "Why are you talking to Noah Jones," Her voice was hard as stone, and just as sharp. There was the slight noise of static again, and then Victoria spoke.

"Oh no, don't get it twisted now darling. He spoke to me first. He wanted to know who killed you? Isn't that sweet, that he doesn't know who you really are. What you are," Victoria's voice rose as she spoke, and Annalise could almost imagine the twisted smile growing on her face.

"At least I'm not you, Victoria. Look at yourself, what you're doing right now. How can you be happy with the person you are," Annalise bit out. There was another pause, and then a laugh so fake it made Annalise cringe inside.

"Kitty has claws. I like that," Victoria said, a grin in her voice. She made to say something but Eugene stopped her in her tracks.

"What, Victoria. Do you want." Eugene growled. Victoria hummed happily.

"I just wanted to talk. I wanted to remind you both that we haven't forgotten. We're watching you. Did you think we would forget. That we wouldn't know what you two have been up to? You're looking in the wrong place. You won't find her body there," She said.

Anger seemed to overtake Eugene, as his pale cheeks flushed red and eyebrows scrunched. "Think about what you're doing here Victoria. You're nothing but a messenger for Vitus. He'll throw you under the bus the minute he's done using you. You're just under the thumb of another man," He spat viciously.

No words were spoken, until the high pitched 'beeeep'. The tale-tale sign Victoria had hung up on them. Eugene collapsed on the sofa beside Annalise, and rubbed a hand through his hair in frustration. He shifted to face Annalise, the gentle face of concern had returned.

"I'm sorry," He said, his fingers tapping his legs, "That you have to get involved in all of this. It shouldn't be happening, it shouldn't-i don't know why-" he stopped the tapping, and held his head in his hands. Tugging at his hair in a way that must have been painful, even to a vampire.

Tenderly, Annalise tugged his hands away from his head and cradled them within her own. "It's okay, it's not your fault. I would have been involved anyway, even if we never met. Vitus had me murdered or cursed-i don't know. But he had it done for a reason," she mumbled, looking down at their conjoined hands.

Shakily, Eugene nodded. He seemed to relax, the redness of his cheeks fading a bit and the worry fading from his eyes. Annalise bit her lip, she just wanted to confirm one thing.

"They have my body don't they?"