One.

I closed my eyes and started the countdown, knowing they needed to escalate before I could intercede.

"You'd have London run by lawless street thugs," Evie snapped during her latest argument with Jacob.

"And you'd have every man suffocated under rules and laws for every aspect of life," Jacob fired back.

Five.

"Chaos only begets more chaos. Father said –"

He rolled his eyes. "Another pearl of wisdom from Father."

"'Know your own limitations.'" She spat back, ignoring his arrogance. "We cannot save the city until we have control of the Shroud."

Eleven.

"Have you had an original thought in your life?"

"Have you ever had a single thought at all?"

Twenty-seven.

"Does it gnaw at you so that I choose my own path rather than blindly follow in Father's footsteps?" He snarled at her.

"The only thing that gnaws at me is your complete lack of concern for the damage you cause."

Thirty-five.

"Well then, I suppose that you should find other ways to fill your time." He sneered. "What is it that you and Henry do again? Collecting flowers?"

"While you waste your time in fighting rings and drinking, Mr. Green and I are attempting to locate the Shroud. Something I'd expect you to understand, but clearly that's beyond your mental abilities."

Forty-three.

"My mental abilities? Such cleverness from the woman who becomes a simpering idiot every time she's in the same room as Greenie."

"Who was it that couldn't maintain his fortitude the moment Gwen was gone?"

Fifty.

"That's enough!" I shouted, causing them to finally turn. I glared at the Frye twins, angry and embarrassed by their cruelty. "What's wrong with y'all? Cutting each other down like that? You two need a serious time out."

Evie arched her eyebrow, reminding me just how alike they were. "A what?"

"She means we should go about our own business," Jacob offered smugly. "A brilliant idea, darling."

"No. That's not what I mean at all." I groaned. "Y'all need to stop acting like a couple of spoiled children and walk away before you say something you'll regret. Then, when you're ready to talk to each other like civilized human beings, you can sit down and discuss what's eating at you. Politely."

"Splendid idea." Evie tossed on her overcoat. "When my dear brother's ready to see reason, we'll converse. Until then, I have nothing to say to him."

"Seeing your reason would probably land me in Lambeth," he shot back.

"As if you don't already belong there." She retorted, heading for the door. "It's unfortunate you caused it to be closed."

"Ah, yes." He followed her to the door, causing her to stop and turn so they could stare each other down. "Blame me for any deviations from your well-laid plans."

"Jacob. Evie. Stop." I quickly stepped between them before their words became blows. "Both of you need to walk away right now before I…" I tried to think of a threat, but what could I really say to frighten two skilled assassins. Finally, I weakly mustered a quick, "Go off."

They stared hard, eyes ripping the other apart more viciously than their blades ever could. The rage they directed at the other tore me apart inside, but not nearly as much as I knew it was cutting them. Standing between them, I knew we were close to a breaking point and if it wasn't resolved soon the damage would be permanent.

Evie finally opened her mouth to speak but quickly snapped it shut before leaving the train. I watched her go, praying she'd come back. Sadly, with the Frye twins, I never knew for sure.

How'd it get this bad? I wondered as I heard Jacob turn and stomp off in the opposite direction. He grumbled something I couldn't make out before flopping down on the sofa with a thud.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" He demanded, his tone harsher than he intended. Softly, he added, "I'm sorry, darling."

I turned to glare at him, but the anger was quickly replaced with sadness when I saw the regret in his eyes as he beckoned me to join him. Slowly, I went to him and allowed myself to be drawn in as he stretched out. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I snuggled into his embrace.

"I'm not angry with you," he said as he placed a tender kiss on my forehead.

"I know." Resting my head against his chest, I listened to his heartbeat. "This has to stop. The fighting. It's not good for either of you."

He nodded but didn't respond for several minutes. Unusually introspective, he stared off into the distance while he toyed with my hair. Finally, he leaned down and kissed my forehead again.

"Sometimes I forget how gentle you are, my love." He lured me into his lap so he could look in my eyes. There was a hint of sadness in those green orbs as his thumb traced my bottom lip. "My gentle Gwen."

"I love you, Jacob," I said softly before kissing him.

"More than Evie?" He asked as he drew away with a smile.

"No," I teased, straddling him. "Better."

"Prove it," he growled hungrily as he gripped my hips and pressed his manhood against my center. "Now."

I kissed him again before standing up and stripping out of the brown trousers. He eyed me with a dangerous smirked as he wiggled out of his own pants and let them bunch around his ankles. Carefully, I straddled him, my heated desire hovering over his as our eyes locked.

"Mount me," he ordered, never losing eye contact.

I lowered myself slowly onto him, allowing each inch of him to expand me until it felt as though he was part of me. He groaned at the sensation, his hands tangling in my hair as he smiled up at me. As I lifted myself, I felt him pull one hand from my hair before he reached into my shirt and cupped my breast. Giving it a firm squeeze, his smile widened when I whimpered a little and began riding him more quickly.

I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of his hand toying with my breast while we made love. As the tension inside me mounted, I called out his name in a whisper.

"Yes," he hissed through panting breaths. "Call my name, darling. Tell me how much you enjoy me deep inside you."

"Jacob," I managed as I bounced up and down on him, my body beginning to tingle with anticipation. "My Jacob."

Pulling my hair, he raked his teeth along my exposed neck as I began to lose control. My body exploded, and I gasped out his name once more before I went limp in his arms.

He quickly lowered us to the floor and continued driving himself into me with vicious strokes that caused another wave of euphoria to build inside me. With each thrust, he ground himself deeper into me until I was once again on the brink. When I released the second time, I felt his entire body go stiff while he filled me completely.

We laid motionless, the weight of his body pushing me into the floor as we caught our breath. Finally, he rose and pulled on his pants before retrieving a basin and rag. Gingerly, he cleaned away our lovemaking.

"You're so tender," I teased, catching his hand and bringing it to my lips. "Always taking care of me."

"Would you prefer I leave you soaking in my seed?" He teased in return. Once finished, he laid down beside me and drew me close. "I love you, Gwen."

"I love you too, Jacob." I whispered as I played with his chest hair.

We lounged there for some time holding each other. While we still didn't have a bed of our own yet, he'd made sure the car we spent much of our time had been fitted to provide as much privacy as possible. Curtains had been hung over the windows and doors, but we still needed to be careful as there was always a Rook or two around. Still, I was hoping we'd have our own living quarters soon. My back was beginning to hurt from making love on the floor so often.

As I contemplated our living arrangement, I almost missed him getting up again. I rolled over as he stood and adjusted his outfit, missing the feel of his body's warmth already.

"You're leaving too?" I pouted as I looked up at him.

He helped me to my feet with a smile. "It's only for a little while. I have business to attend to."

I eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of business?"

"Omnibus business, darling." He lowered his eyes, careful to avoid saying the name he knew would send me into a rage as he gathered his weapons and top hat.

"With Miss Attaway, I assume?"

"She's just a business associate, darling," he said with a smile as he stroked my cheek. "Once we've –"

"I've already heard this, Jacob." I rolled my eyes as I jerked away from him, annoyed with his current arrangement with the Attaway woman. "You're working with her to bring down Starrick. I know."

"Then you understand why I must meet with her." His condescending tone only stoked an already annoyed mood. "She means nothing to me."

"I've seen the way she looks at you," I snapped, tossing him an icy glare. "She wants you."

He sighed, already annoyed with an argument we'd had before. "My being here with you should be proof enough I have no interest in Miss Attaway."

"Do you really think I'm stupid?" I looked away from him, too angry to meet his gaze. "You're not the first man to fool around with two women."

He shook his head with a dismissive smile. "Don't fret. Now, come kiss me good-bye, darling."

I met his eyes, wanting to hurt him for the imagined slight seeing Attaway caused me. "That woman is a bitch in heat and you not being able to see it is too pathetic to even be comical."

His jaw clenched and I knew I'd crossed the line. For all his pomp and swagger, Jacob valued the opinions of people he felt closest to, which I knew I was. By indirectly calling him stupid, I'd hurt him deeply.

"I'll be back before dawn." He put on his top hat and overcoat. "Good evening, Gwen."

"Jacob, wait." Before I could finish, he slammed the door behind him. "I'm sorry."

Of course, my words were too late. Staring at the empty space he'd left all I could wonder was how we'd come to this.

The first few weeks after my return to Victorian England from the Twenty-First Century were a blur of happiness. From the moment he proposed, we began planning our future together; discussing where we'd eventually live, how many children we'd like, even when and where we'd finally have our wedding. We were ready to begin our happily ever after once London was free and the Wheel destroyed.

Looking back, I realize I'd allowed myself to be blissfully ignorant to the tension between him and Evie after the closure of Lambeth Asylum. I pretended that everything was fine and overlooked their squabbles as they became more intense, too focused on completing the missions so Jacob and I could finally be together completely. It wasn't until the near death of Clara O'Dea that I began to sense the level of aggression between the Frye Twins and started paying attention to the obvious rift forming between them.

Shortly after Clara's illness, I started trying to figure out what had changed in the weeks I'd been gone. I noticed they would avoid interacting for days, focusing on what each felt was the correct course of action.

Of course, there were the moments when their paths would intersect, and they'd clash. Jacob would goad Evie by doing something she considered reckless and she would feel the need to rush out and fix his errors. She'd confront him and Jacob, being just as stubborn and willful, would fight back. Simple arguments would escalate into all-out brawls before they'd separate only to begin the cycle all over again. To someone not so directly involved, it might seem comical how predictable they were: the ignoring, the bickering, the explosion, then the ignoring again.

Talk of going their own ways began shortly before Jacob took up with Pearl Attaway, but at the time it seemed nothing more than posturing. It wasn't until Evie and Henry broke into the Kenway mansion that I realized how serious Jacob was.

"Why should I bother helping her when she has ol' Greenie?" He grumbled in private.

"Because she's your sister," I offered, trying to remind him of his obligations not only to the Creed but to his family. "Because it's the right thing to do."

He shot me his rogue smile and countered, "But far less enjoyable."

"Your fun is going to get someone hurt." I rolled my eyes, something I found myself doing a lot of whenever I tried to talk over serious matters with him. "Just think before you do something. Please."

He shook his head, dismissing my concerns. "Stop worrying, darling. Everything will turn out."

I turned away from him. "I hate it when you're a stubborn ass."

"And I thought you loved my tenacity." He spun me around and held me against his chest as he grinned. "Now, no more talk of business. I have other matters that need tending. Now."

I pouted but didn't pull away. His touch had a way of keeping me close. Still, I forced the issue. "We never talk about anything serious. There's more to a relationship than just sex, you know."

"Hmm." He chuckled as he nuzzled my neck. "I love when you're vulgar."

"Jacob." I protested, feeling the last of my determination fading with the touch of his lips.

"Later, love. I promise."

Later always stayed just out of reach, though. The idea of being more than superficial was something Jacob avoided like the plague. Instead of facing anything that may cause him the least bit discomfort, he simply focused on the moment and ignored everything else.

Then there was Pearl Attaway. She had become a thorn in my side since his first meeting with her. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was ruthlessly intelligent, driven and extremely independent. Adding to all of this was the fact that she was stunningly beautiful. Jacob, rightly so, was slightly taken by her and wanted to help her destroy Crawford Starrick. Together, I knew they were unstoppable.

Just like he and I used to be.

I couldn't stand the idea of Jacob – my Jacob – being intrigued by a woman who, in my mind at least, seemed to be my better. I worried that perhaps, like so many things in his life, I was soon to become just another passing fancy. He said he loved me and I felt he meant it, but was I really what he wanted for a lifetime?

My own insecurities compounded with the constant uncertainties of the future made all our lives a powder keg and I knew at any moment the fuse could be lit.

Sitting there alone of the train, I wondered again, How'd it get this bad?