In which Agatha goes on a beach day with her Sisters. [There's a Disney lyric hidden here, lmk if you find it.]

Agatha jolted awake. That was…different and alarming. In the very least, she had gained an advantage, being able to invade his space and mind like he did hers, and even speak to him. She could see how Dracula felt invincible with such power over his victims. Agatha herself felt slightly intoxicated by such power. The usage of her newfound strengths made her feel almost invincible, and she indulged in them even more at seeing him weak.

She didn't know what got into her even entertaining the situation the way she did, however. She got up from bed abruptly when she heard a knock on the door and tried to calm her breathing before she answered.

"Hi Agatha!" said Florence excitedly.

The Sisters were determined to get Agatha out of this place for a day of simple enjoyment. She looked flushed and a bit frazzled when she opened the door, and this convinced the women that she needed the day out.

"Are you alright?" asked Maria. "You look a bit overwhelmed."

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine," said Agatha.

"Bad dreams?" asked Florence. "About—"

"I don't want to talk about it," said Agatha abruptly. "Has something happened?"

"No, nothing's happened," said Maria. "But we are going to the beach."

"Now?" asked Agatha.

"Yes," said Florence, jumping a bit. She was obviously very excited. "Have you ever been to the beach? Aside from when you washed ashore?"

"No…well, once," she said, remembering that one time the Count had brought her there, when she had felt the sand and sea foam.

"Maria and Florence have never been to the beach, can you imagine?" said Lily. "It's such a nice day outside, and we are fairly close, so we figured-Unless…that's a problem? The sun…?"

In truth Agatha was beginning to develop an aversion to the light, but it didn't exactly harm her. She figured it would be nice to see the ocean in the daytime and test how much the sun really affected her…She had barely gone out these days, except for dinner (or at least a semblance of it) with Stefan.

"I don't think it is much of a problem," Agatha smiled, still seemingly trying to catch her breath. "We'll go."

"Morning Agatha, who is it?" asked Stefan, stepping into the doorway. His hair was still wet from his morning bath. "Oh, good morning." He smiled when he saw the three Sisters.

"Detective, we are going to the beach," said Florence. "And you are invited. You look like you could use a day off." She said, noting the dark circles under his eyes.

"Maybe another time. I have some business to attend to today."

"Would you like me to stay? I could help."

"Agatha," he said smiling. "You've done so much already. Enjoy yourself."

He kissed her on the cheek.

In spite of the fact that they didn't have any appropriate beachwear, the four women took the train to the seashore. It was a perfectly bright day, and the ocean was such a beautiful sight that the Sisters didn't much notice (nor care) that many people were staring at the four women in nun habits.

Braving the sun was not an easy task and Agatha found herself looking down at the sand to avoid the bright sky. She was determined to grow accustomed to it again and not allow Dracula's weaknesses to compel her completely. She sat down at the shore and looked out to sea, digging her fingers into the sand as the sea foam touched her ankles.

She tried to stay under the beach umbrella Florence had acquired for them at first, which provided a comfortable shade.

Agatha wasn't sure if the ocean was more beautiful in the night, under the moonlight, or as it was now, under the sun. But it certainly was a sight to behold. If Dracula could see it now…

"So tell me," said Florence, sitting next to her. Maria and Lily were walking deeper in the water, their habits pulled up slightly. "How is it going with him?"

"There is nothing going on with him, Florence," she said. "I am not that foolish. For God's sake, he's a vampire."

"Oh. I meant with the hospitable detective," Florence said, looking at her with slight amusement. "Since you've continued to spend so much time with him, of course."

"Oh, yes of course. It's perfectly fine, as always."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Yes," she smiled.

"You would never participate in any, well, salacious activities."

Agatha laughed. "Salacious? No, of course not. I'm a nun, remember?" she smirked.

"Except in dreams of course."

"SO Florence," Agatha said abruptly, raising her voice. "How do you like the beach?"

The younger Sister noted Agatha was strangely and intensely avoidant of the subject, when she was usually quite the opposite, even joking about such matters.

"It's lovely," she answered. "We should step inside, with the others."

"Go on. I will join you in a minute," Agatha smiled.

"Actually...I was thinking…"

"A dangerous past time."

"I know," said Florence raising her eyebrows. "May I ask you something personal?"

"You may," said Agatha, who was staring out at the waves.

"Has Count Dracula been…pestering you again?"

"In some ways," she clarified. "He is always reaching out but I am able to fight it more with my elevated strengths. He is always a conflict, Florence. It is a result of being one of his, well…turned.

"Are you sure it's just that?"

"What do you mean?" asked Agatha as she directed her attention again towards her Sister.

"You told us once there was a deeper bond of sorts."

"Yes," she said. "We had each other's blood."

"That night at the convent?"

"Before that. On the ship." said Agatha, scoffing. "Can you believe he reckoned I should thank him for such a thing? He thinks it is how I survived that night of the explosion."

"Is it?"

"I don't know. Possibly."

"It is a miracle either way that you're here," continued Florence. "But I have a theory if you'll bear with me. You don't think there's a possibility he might be you know…"

"What?"

"You know, like..."

"Well get to it, Florence. I'd rather not continue giving this topic more attention than it needs."

"Alright well I think he's got…like…Agatha fever," she said, rushing through her words before breaking out into a short nervous chuckle, which Agatha recognized was something she did when nervous.

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean—you know," Florence said, looking down to the sand as if Agatha would somehow 'get it.' Consequently, she seemed to, and her eyes widened for a moment as she understood what the girl was implying.

"Oh, no no—"

"I mean, Agatha, maybe it's something you can use to your advantage-"

"Let me stop you there, Florence. I know what you saw that night at the convent was a convincing gentleman. He looks that way, doesn't he? Unless he showed up there displaying his manhood and covered in blood."

"Yes, he looked perfectly—wait, is that what happened at the other convent?" asked Florence, her eyes widening. "We didn't get that show…"

"Yes, but not the point-"

"He looked very good, Agatha," she stated plainly.

"Yes, nature is cruel that way," she said. "But you must not think of him like that, Florence. The Count is first and foremost not human. He is incapable of such complex feelings. Think of him as an animal. He is a…carnal creature."

Florence took a breath and gave her a light nod.

"However," stated Agatha curiously. "You might be on to something with the Agatha fever."

"Really?" said Florence, smiling at the hint of approval in her Sister's tone.

"Yes, but it may not be so much Agatha fever as bride fever. Perhaps it is natural he harbors a possessiveness over those he considers his "brides". Just as his brides are affected by him, he might be affected in some way, and it may not be entirely in his control. Explaining why he sought me out so constantly… Or-!" said Agatha excitedly, pointing at her, going from theory to theory in her head.

"Or, he may want to keep them close to harbor his control over them, same as he did with Jonathan. You may have uncovered a weakness, Florence."

"All sound theories."

"Well, enough of this talk for now," said Agatha, now in a happier mood. "I will not spend our day talking about that…monster. You wanted to go into the water. Shall we?"

Agatha stood up and held out her hand to her Sister. Florence took it and they walked into the water after edging up the skirts of their habits to their knees.

The water was much different from how it was that night she had touched it alongside the Count. It was very warm, relieving. Agatha remembered Dracula's obvious elation at touching the sun on her. Yes, he would much prefer the ocean now, touched by sun, bright and inviting. She smiled and caught herself immediately before thinking any further of it.