"Rain lashed against Virgil's hood, the city lights bleeding into a blurry mess. Another job done for him, another ghost added to the collection. The cold seeped through his clothes, a familiar ache mirroring the emptiness inside. Home, a dark and lonely place, beckoned. Just as he fumbled with the keys, a tiny mew shattered the night."

"There, huddled on the welcome mat, a ball of matted fur shivering in the downpour. Big, watery eyes locked onto his, a silent plea. A hiss caught in my throat. Taking in the ragged fur and the gash on its tiny leg, a flicker of something… unexpected… sparked in his chest. With a sigh, Virgil scooped up the trembling creature, the damp fur clinging to his cold fingers." Looks like tonight's solitude just got a little more... complicated.