It's for the best.

Those words echo out and ring in his ears as though he is hearing them for the very first time. It's as if no other words have ever been spoken to him before or ever will be again.

It's for the best.

Alois sits on the edge of his bed and runs the palms of his hands over the smooth fabric of the satin sheets that lay beneath him. Exhaling loudly as he stares lazily towards the door, he knows that Hannah will be in shortly to ready him for the day. It is the same routine, just like any other day and he is more than used to it.

It's been over two months since Lukas' death and things seem to have been settling back down to a relative normality. However normal things may appear to be, everything in his life has changed. Alois rarely gave any thought towards the change, he didn't welcome it nor did he fight against it, he just accepts the constant fluidity and carries on. Still, it is in these quiet moments that he reflects on his current situation, and with that, he falls back, throwing his arms high above his head.

He wants to cry but no tears will form, he wants to laugh but he can't even bring himself to fake a smile. Alois is empty, vacant and lost. He's known this feeling for most of his life but still, he can't help but feel consumed by it.

"What day is it today?" He wonders aloud to himself as he looks up at the ceiling. "I wonder if he'll telephone?"

He replays that day over and over again in his mind until it finishes with those simple words – it's for the best.

Of all the changes that have happened, Claude leaving for Boston hurt him the most. It was sudden but not completely unexpected; after all, he was out of a job. Still, he didn't think Claude would really leave and he definitely didn't think that he would leave him.

Alois rolls over onto his side and rests his head on the crook of his elbow as he lets his mind wander back to Claude and the last time they saw each other. He left on a Thursday afternoon; it was sunny and warm when he came to see him at Beaux Rêve, Alois remembers it like it was yesterday.

Claude stood by the door as he readied to leave. He said that it was for the best, the best, what did that even mean? Alois dropped to his knees and begged to go with him but he was adamant, he had to go alone. However, before he left, he promised that he would write and that they would speak to each other on the telephone as often as they could but Alois knew, despite those promises, all of this pretense wouldn't last long.

Sure enough, it didn't.

The telephone calls were sporadic and the letters started to dwindle down to something almost none existent.

Claude would soon forget about his time in New Orleans and of course, forget about him. He would move on, meet someone new and possibly start a family; it is only a matter of time. He wouldn't spend a moment further thinking about Alois and the young man knew it.

Alois' face fell as he buried his head into the crook of his elbow. He wants nothing but the best for Claude, he wishes him well but his chest can't help but tighten and constrict as he starts to whimper, willing himself to cry but he just can't bring himself to do it.

There is a soft knock on the door and after a moment of silence, the door opens. Hannah peers into the room and sees him lying on the bed. She sighs quietly to herself as she enters, she hates seeing him like this but there isn't anything that she can do. Although, for however saddened she is by the sight of him, she is relatively pleased that it ended up in this way. It did not matter how well meaning Claudes' intentions were originally, she was glad to see him make the right decision for everyone and leave New Orleans.

Standing in front of the bed, Hannah looks down at Alois who rolls his head towards her.

"Good morning." She greets him with a slight smile.

"What's so good about it?" He snorts as he starts to sit up, pushing himself from the mattress.

"How long do you plan on being like this?"

"As long as I want." He huffs as he adjusts the sleeve of his robe on his shoulder. Hannah rolls her eyes as she opens her black book and flips through to todays' date. Her finger scans through the bookings and lands on a familiar name. She grimaces slightly but decides to carry on, nonetheless.

"What are you planning on singing tonight?"

"I don't know, probably something sad."

"Alois." Her tone is slightly disappointed. "Can't you do something a little more up tempo?"

"Not anymore." He sighs.

"What about something in ragtime? That's getting quite popular now." She suggests and he snorts.

"No." He retorts sharply. His eyes roll over to her and he sighs. "Just tell me my schedule."

"You have Aleister tonight." She states, deciding that tact may not work at this moment in time.

"I figured."

"I know you've been seeing quite a lot of him recently."

"Never by choice." He snaps and she nods her head. It really isn't his choice, ever since Aleister personally saw to it that Claude was on that train back to Boston, he has been hovering over Alois like a bee around nectar.

Every evening, Aleister watches him perform and every night, he stays. He refuses to let him out of his sight or out of his control. After Claude was sent packing, Aleister ensured that Hannah carried out a set of conditions for Alois, one of which is that he is to be kept free in the evenings for him alone.

"He always brings you nice gifts." She tries to lighten the mood but it only causes Alois to grunt in disdain.

"He can keep them, I don't want them, and I don't want any of this. I just..." He trails off hanging his head low. Hannah sits down beside him, reaching over, she brings his head down to her shoulder and rests it there.

There is a long silence between the pair and finally Hannah decides to break it.

"What can I do to make this right?" She offers.

"Bring Claude back."

"You know that I can't."

"Then why offer to help?"

"Because I'll try anything to make you feel a bit better."

"There is nothing."

Alois sits up and gets off of the bed. He walks over to the window, pulling back the drapes slightly and letting the light seep in. His eyes scan the outside world; it's been a while since he has been able to leave the confines of Beaux Rêve, another one of Aleisters' conditions, as he is afraid that Alois will run away if given half the chance. It is a notion that tickles the blond whenever he thinks about it, of course he would leave, he would run away and never look back but then again, where would he go? There is nowhere he can run to without being found and if he is found, he will be dragged back, so what would be the point in leaving?

His eyes land on the people passing by in the streets; they are walking, chatting and laughing. Enjoying the simple pleasure of even the most basic freedom. How Alois longs for such liberty. Sighing heavily, he closes the drapes and goes back to the bed, standing right in front of Hannah.

"I know what I want." He states and she looks up at him with a bright smile, perhaps it is something that can be achieved.

"What is it?"

"I'd like to go outside." He requests.

"I can try and arrange that. You can take one of the triplets and-"

"No, I want to go alone." He insists.

She shakes her head, "Aleister will never agree to that."

"Hannah, please. I need to go outside, I want to feel something other than caged for once. I'll come back, I promise." He pleads.

Hannah thinks to herself and nods, exhaling loudly. She will subvert Aleisters' request, but there has to be a stipulation.

"Fine, tomorrow, you can go out on your own for an hour but that's all I'm giving you."

His eyes light up and he rushes over to her, throwing his arms around her, squeezing her tightly."

"Thank you Hannah!"

"One hour or I'll send the triplets out after you." She warns with a grin.

It doesn't matter whether it is an hour or fifteen minutes, Alois is excited over the prospect of being able to just leave the confines of his room. He isn't going to waste any precious time, he knows exactly where he is going to go.

Alois wakes with a bright smile on his face; he knows that it is something so small, so trivial and yet it means the world to him. For one hour, he is going to get the chance to experience a little bit of freedom.

He wastes no time in getting dressed and ready for his adventure outside. Leaving the white picket fence that outlines the front garden of Beaux Rêve and stepping out on the sidewalk, Alois instantly feels liberated as if freed from some prison. He wraps his maroon colored coat around his waist and chest tightly and he makes his way down the cobbled streets of Storyville.

The sun warms his face as he tilts his head up towards the sky to soak it all in. He passes the tourists who come here to gape at all of the extravagance of what's on offer in the various establishments, the familiar faces of patrons as they frequent their favorite locations and those who petition for Storyville's closure – loudly declaring the area a den of sin. Alois smiles to himself as he takes in the atmosphere and enjoys the breeze wafting through his hair as he bounces along down the streets.

Rounding a corner and walking a little ways down the road, he suddenly stops. Looking at the large white building in front of him, he can't help but feel a definite sense of loss and longing as he stares at the Town Hall. He remembers going up the marble steps and down the long halls towards Claudes' office for their daily lunch meetings. He can remember the contours of his face as he looks up from his paper work, smiling at Alois as he enters the room.

Shaking off the overwhelming feeling of sadness that has come over him, Alois starts to slowly amble down the Main Street.

He passes the Café on Main Street, the place where he and Claude talked for the first time whilst sharing a plate of beignet. How he learned then that his golden eyes sparkled like the sun and that he was a man of justice and honor. Where they talked about what it was like being trapped in a life you have no control over and the choices people make, they both were so innocent then.

Alois cringes as he walks past, he never realized how much of this town – the place he grew up in, now reminds him of everything he has lost and everyone who has left him behind. He hoped that this jaunt would let him feel freedom and all the joy that would come with it but instead, Alois only feels hurt. The children laughing in the street make him miss his brother, and all the buildings that he passes remind him of Claude. This town now haunts him like a bad dream he can never wake from, and it is destroying him.

Quickly darting down a small alleyway, Alois stops; he presses his back against the cold brick wall and bends over, trying to catch his breath. His whole body quakes with a slight convulsion, as though he is going to cry but he can't and he knows he can't shed one simple tear, no matter how desperately he wants to.

As he calms himself down, he draws in a deep breath and rubs his eyes, mostly out of instinct, as he still has yet to cry. Alois thinks about turning around, about going back, but even though it is hard for him, he still has one place to go.

Going back down to Main Street, he walks for a while longer, keeping his head down to avoid looking at the sights and he works hard to ignore all the sounds that surround him. He remains focused on the road and speedily races down it.

Finally, he arrives at his destination, the local library, and his favorite place in all of New Orleans.

He goes in and quickly makes his way down the rows of shelves towards the back and the secret door that leads to the annex, his special place. After looking over his shoulder to make sure he hasn't been seen, he ducks inside once satisfied that the coast is clear and softly shuts the door behind him. Alois leans against the back of the heavy wooden door and sighs, he has made it.

Walking along the dusty cobwebbed hallway and into the cluttered main area, Alois' eyes scan the room slowly and they land on the rickety table in the middle. Going over to it, he presses his palms down flat on the top surface and can't help but smile to himself. He fondly remembers the feel of his back lying down against it as Claudes' arm wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly. Large hands that travelled over his chest, down his body, and kisses that tasted like the sweetest black cherry. He can still feel the tension as it built within him; hear the stern command of purring words in his ear, and his body shivers as he remembers the sense of release.

"Claude." He breathes out as he bends over the table, and closes his eyes as the high of that day comes over him; he takes his time to enjoy this feeling of warmth, and for a brief second, he feels connected to Claude.

A long moment passes and he stands upright, turning towards the bookshelf. He goes over to it, looking around for the rusty stepladder. He finds it tucked away on the side, drags it over to the front of the bookcase, and carefully steps up to the top. Running his fingers over the book spines, he searches for something. Not satisfied with what he comes across; he searches a bit further to the right.

Nodding to himself, he finds what he is looking for and pulls it out, Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau, his favorite book. Taking it, he slowly makes his way back down the stepladder and over to the table. He studies the cover and traces the imprinted letters with his fingers. Opening it, he runs his thumb over the well-worn edges of the pages and flicks through it.

As he flips through it, something falls out and lands on the ground.

He blinks as he looks down at it; it seems to be an envelope. Alois sits the book down and bends over to pick it up. As he stands up, he flips it over and sees that it has his name on it. He turns his back to the table and rests against the edge as he curiously examines the envelope in his hands. After a moment, he draws in a deep breath and decides to open it. He ever so carefully un-tucks the top fold, opens it up, pulls out a folded piece of paper, and begins to read quietly to himself.

Alois,

I knew that you would find this letter some day.

I have never been one to express my feelings as openly you do, always preferring to keep things to myself. However, I just needed you to know, that every moment I spent with you have been nothing more than the best of my life. I have known nothing of happiness or love before you and I am certain I will not after you.

Please know, that even though I am gone, I will always be with you and I truly hope that one day, you'll get the freedom you so rightly deserve.

You will always be my Highness.

Claude

Alois clenches the letter tightly in his hands as his whole body shakes. Little droplets trickle down his face, falling off of his chin and hitting the paper in his hands as he stares at the letter.

"It's for the best." He mutters to himself as he finally allows himself to cry.

Yellow canaries flit about on a nearby tree. They land on the branches and sing proudly into the gentle breeze that wafts around their feathers. Standing by the window, Claude observes them; his face is stoic but gentle as he listens to the warble of these little creatures. He leans against the wooden windowpane listening to the birds sing sweetly and he smiles to himself. The beautiful yellow color and their melody holds so much meaning for him and he feels a wave of sadness crash over him, hitting him hard.

Not a moment goes by where he isn't reminded of Alois.

These last few months have been nothing but empty for Claude. He has more than enough money, so didn't need to seek out another job. He feels so vacant that he is not good company for his old friends and acquaintances, so he actively chooses not to keep to a social calendar. All he can do is think of Alois and how things ended between them. He thought that it would be easier if he just stopped writing him, as the words on the page couldn't replace an actual conversation. However, Alois kept writing to him, pages and pages but Claude could never bring himself to reply.

He bows his head slightly as he sighs, using his index finger; he pushes his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. Should I telephone? I haven't spoken to him in a while, I wonder if he'll want to speak to me? Perhaps not. I wonder, is he with him? These thoughts cloud his mind as he watches the birds. He clenches his fist tightly as he thinks about Alois with Aleister and the thought sickens him. Hands touching Alois' smooth skin, lips tasting what were once his. Claude slams his fist down on the windowpane, causing the glass to rattle under the force and he curses himself for ever agreeing to leave in the first place.

"It's for the best." He mumbles quietly to himself as he turns to leave the window. He slowly moves over to his desk and pulls out the chair from behind it. Sitting down, he leans back, folding his arms across his chest as he thinks to himself. Closing his eyes, he lets his mind go back to that last night in New Orleans.

Screwing up enough courage, Claude knocks on the door to Hannahs' office. She opens it, her face relaxed but she knows exactly why he is there.

"Come in." She sighs, stepping aside to allow him in.

"I've come to-"

"I know why you're here Mr. Faustus." She interrupts him coolly as she walks over to the side. There is a long black lacquered cabinet along the wall. The top has various silver trays holding a collection of ornate crystal bottles. She runs her fingers over the tops of the different bottles and lands on one in particular. Picking it up, she sets it aside and collects a short tumbler glass, sitting it next to it. "You're obviously here for Alois."

Taking the stopper out of the top, she pours the dark brown liquid into the glass. She then reaches over, grabs a water pitcher and tops the glass off with a little splash of water.

"Now that there is nothing tying him to this place, I think it would be best if he left with me."

"What you think is best and what actually is best are two different things." She smiles as she hands him the glass. Claude accepts it, holding it to his nose for a moment, inhaling the peaty scent.

"Single Malt Whisky?"

"The very finest."

"Thank you." Claude takes a sip; it is exquisite as the flavor sits on his tongue. Hannah walks over to a plush burgundy chair and motions for Claude to sit across from her. He goes over and sits; resting his elbows on the arm rests as she smoothes out the skirt of her dress.

"I can't let you take him with you, you understand, don't you?"

"No, I really don't."

"Mr. Faustus, be reasonable, what kind of life do you expect to have with him? Have you even thought about it?" Claude remains quiet as he looks at Hannah. Indigo eyes soften as she realizes that he hasn't thought it all through. "Where would you go? What would you do?"

"I'll think of something."

"You're a respectable man, one with prospects and stature. Would you be willing to throw all of that away for a courtesan?"

"For Alois, I would." His voice is calm but his tone is stern.

"And you think that Aleister would just let you have him?"

"No, I was hoping that you'd help me."

"Why would I do that?" She asks inquisitively.

"Because you love him."

"I do love him but my feelings have nothing to do with this and you know it.

"Then I know you will want to do what's right."

"And what is right?" She wonders.

"Setting him free."

Tossing her long hair over her shoulder, she leans back in the chair and lets out an airy chuckle that causes Claude to shiver slightly. It is beautiful but unnerving all at the same time.

"Don't you see? Alois will never be free. He'll always be tied to Storyville and he'll always belong to Aleister. No matter where you go in America – he'll find you." She concludes and Claudes' face falls.

He knew she was right. Aleister is an incredibly powerful man with connections all over the United States. There won't be anywhere they could go without raising suspicions and being found out. What would he do if they were caught? What would happen to Alois? Would he be brought back or...? Claude swallows hard at that last incomplete thought, he doesn't have to wonder, he already knows.

"I have to leave." Claude states solemnly and Hannah nods.

"For his sake and frankly yours as well."

"Then, it's for the best."

"It's for the best." She agrees.

Taking off his spectacles and tossing them onto the desk, Claude cringes as he tries to shake off that night. At the time he felt that he did the right thing, that it was for the best, but he really doesn't believe it. From the moment he saw the look of utter sadness on Alois' face to when he was packed onto the train, deep down it felt wrong. Something was taken from him, something precious, and Claude is incensed over how helpless he has become.

Before he set foot in New Orleans, he was a powerful man, a man of strength and determination. Aleister took that from him. He weakened him; made him nothing more than a coward. The old Claude was a force to be reckoned with, a callous and malicious demon that was used to getting things done his way and he certainly would have never left without a fight.

Before any of this ever happened, Claude had a job to do and that was to clean up the corruption in New Orleans and eradicate Storyville – to do that would mean having to take down Aleister Chamber. If there is no more Storyville, then there will be no more Aleister and if he is gone, then Alois can be free.

Leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk, Claude rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands. In that split second, he knows exactly what he is going to do. It is decided - he is going back to New Orleans. Although, he knows that it's such a simple thought, in reality, it will be more than difficult to execute. How can he expose someone like Aleister? The risk is high, more than he can imagine, but he has to do something, he can't sit there mourning the man he used to be if he doesn't put up the least bit of a fight.

He isn't going to lose Alois, not like this and not to Aleister. If he is to fail, then it will be on his feet, not on his knees.

He has to go back.