"We both know this isn't real," Eve stated looking Moriarty in the eyes and almost immediately she thought she could see pain in the fictional's gaze.

For the past few weeks herself and the three LITs had been under an enchantment that according to Flynn was Moriarty's doing. The arrangement in itself was almost idyllic with the LITs in fantasy job positions and her as the sheriff, and a lover to the fictional. However, now that she'd come to the realization that it was all a cover for one of Prospero's plans she couldn't allow it to stay in place.

"Eve, this is a haven for you and your team." Moriarty tried, pleading with her.

"Is this really what you want? Here in Cicily, in paradise how can you know that what's going on, especially between us would be repeated in the real world." She knew she had him wrapped around her finger to the point that she could spin any sort of lie about their relationship in particular and he'd gladly follow it, and she kept trying to tell herself that was all she was doing. It was all to free her team, except deep down she knew it wasn't. The look in his eyes as he tried to convince her to take back her words was killing her and she felt it was only fair to comfort him. In an attempt to do so she closed the distance between them placing her hands on his shoulders.

"James, all this might not be real, but that doesn't mean that what happened between us here couldn't work out in the real world."

"Duchess, I think you're still living a fantasy." Moriarty softly said, pausing to stroke her cheek. "I suppose it's wrong to leave a beautiful bird caged though."

Before Eve had time to focus on why her attempts at comforting him had seemed to take the opposite turn Moriarty kissed her softly. This one was different than their earlier kisses and felt more mournful than passionate. Somewhere in the middle of it she sensed that the spell had been broken, but the fictional's mouth lingered a moment longer on hers as if he was trying to memorize her before he broke off and pushed her away almost causing her to fall off the stage of the theater.

"You have to find Mr. Carsen and the others and get to the park NOW!"

The shoving and the harsh tone his voice had taken contrasted so sharply with the tenderness of their last kiss that Eve paused momentarily in shock before turning and racing out of the theater.

Outside, the sky was a vicious looking shade of green peppered by occasional lighting flashes that looked like they belonged to the storm that could have easily been spawned by hell.

Across the street, Flynn stood with the other LITs he'd managed to round up.

"This is not good," Cassandra muttered nervously as Eve crossed the street to meet them.

Ezekiel on the other hand decided to take his usual jokerish tone in an attempt to hide his fear. "Hey Colonel Baird, did Moriarty run over your dog?"

Before Eve could respond, Flynn glared at Ezekiel. "The enchantment is broken and the town appears to be completely turning on us."

Steeling away her emotions about what had happened in the theater, Eve added "we need to get to the park as soon as possible and have Jenkins open up a door to the annex."

The next few minutes were chaos as the group raced to the park where Jenkins opened a door into a porta-potty.

Everybody else except Flynn had already rushed through the door ahead of Eve when something told her to look back. The sky had become even more threatening, but that wasn't what caught her eyes. Moriarty had apparently silently followed them and was standing on the children's playground just staring at them with the expression of a hanged man.

Almost as if by impulse, she turned back to Flynn for a second "there's something I forgot to do."

"Eve, we have to leave!" Flynn growled in response.

Instead of responding, Eve pushed him through the portal to safety.

xxx

Something about the way Eve had spoke told Moriarty that she genuinely believed there was a possibility they could be together in the real world. On the surface, it sounded beautiful to him.

Even in Cicily he'd seen bits and pieces of who she really was and he could imagine going to museums and parks with her along with having lazy days where they simply remained in bed tangled up in each other while it rained outside.

However, the truth was it could never be a reality. Much as his own book had ended with his death at the hands of Sherlock Holmes, the moment he allowed her to escape with the librarians he would be handing himself over to a punishment that Prospero chose and it would likely be long and brutal. It felt like a small price to pay for her safety though. Even though he'd never live to see it, he knew the librarians would stop Prospero and save the world again and she'd be the reason they were able to do so.

Of course she'd figure out eventually what he had done. She was too intelligent to not do so, and it would likely hurt her deeply. However, he hoped that by screaming at her and pushing her away in the theater as if he suddenly hated her, it would be enough to keep her from figuring it out before it was too late to do anything.

Still, he had to see her one last time before he met his own doom. She wasn't supposed to know he was watching her, but something made her turn around. The moment she made eye contact with him before pushing Mr. Carsen through the doorway he knew that she'd figured out exactly what he'd been trying to hide from her.

As if to confirm that she now knew the truth, instead of following Flynn Carsen to safety she raced across the grass towards him.

"It's not safe for you here anymore Eve," he stated, hoping it was enough to get her to turn around and leave.

"The moment I go through that doorway, you're going to be killed by Prospero aren't you?" she asked firmly instead of heeding his warning.

"Well death might not be the right word, but I'm sure it's the last time you'll see me in one piece." Moriarty responded trying to put on a false cheer that contrasted with the situation.

"And what happens if you go with me through the door?"

Although he shouldn't have been surprised by her question it took him by surprise a little. "You know I can't do that. Your Mister Carsen would never accept that."

"A good colonel never leaves her soldiers behind!" Eve retorted fiercely.

"I am not one of your soldiers Duchess. In fact, according to most of your team I'm the enemy." Moriarty responded.

Much to his surprise, instead of responding Eve turned around and seemed for all intents and purposes ready to walk away and through the portal to safety. That was until he felt a harsh tug at his hand and realized that she fully intended to take him with her even if it meant dragging him along against his will. It was exactly the thing he should have expected and if the situation weren't so dire he would have smiled about her persistence.

Instead, he used their weight difference as leverage and dug his heels into the ground in an attempt to remain in place. His safety simply wasn't worth her receiving fallout from her team over helping him.

Eve turned back to him, "look, there are two ways this will happen. You're going to come with me or I'm going to stay right here. Either way, I'm not leaving you behind."

This was enough to cause him to release his grip on the earth. It was bad enough that Prospero would kill him, but as horrible as it sounded outside the library no one would know he'd ever been alive or even bother to miss him. On the other hand, if Prospero saw Eve there with him she'd meet a horrible fate even before he met his. In Cicily she'd revealed that she had a sister, two brothers, living parents and numerous nieces and nephews. Without a doubt she would be missed and for good reason. The world still needed Eve Baird. If she was too stubborn to leave him behind, he had to accept that maybe his soul was worth saving.