"I don't believe what you did to those squirrels was part of an act. I think you did it because you love to do it."

Feeling too-exposed, thinking about his aggression, about his fear that he might be doing things just to assuage it, Peter wept into his hands. His cheeks were wet when he took his hands away, his eyes rimmed in red. "I know," he said. "It's what I'm most afraid of. That I really am a monster. I don't want to be a killer but I just can't help it."

"Val, if you don't help me, I don't know what I'll become. But if you're there, my partner in everything, you can keep me from becoming-- like that. Like the bad ones."

His eyes were still wet when he looked up and caught hers. Her head gave a little bob, a nod.

"I will. I'll help you."

Peter watched as the memory faded away to make room for a doorway. "You should be able to understand it," he said. "You're one of the sharpest women I've ever met. There really is absolutely no reason why you should let some guy rule your life, you know."

But now that the door was there, he was going to walk towards it.