"You're alive", Erik said after staring at her for a few eternally long moments.

"I think I am", Alina replied, slightly surprised by that bit of news.

Erik lowered his head, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, but he turned her shoulder slightly to take a better look at her neck.

"Does it hurt?"

"No, I don't feel anything."

"It doesn't appear to be serious. We'll see if it's bruised in the morning. And you can talk normally, so-" he looked her in the eyes again. "Why are you not shocked? Or panicking? Or at least a little bit scared?"

"I feel nothing", she repeated. "Really."

He looked her in the eyes a little longer. "This is not the first time a man has attacked you, is it?"

"Well, this was definitely the most severe anyone has ever tried to hurt me. But no, not the first time." she paused. "It's the first time someone has defended me."

"When?"

"Well, as I've told you already, my father is not a gentle man and doesn't take kindly to disobedience. And working in an asylum, things happen. People kick and lunge sometimes. But don't get me wrong. Nobody has ever assaulted me this seriously - I'm good at wiggling out of situations on my own when my throat is open enough that I can speak."

Erik shuddered a little at that sentence, but didn't twitch like before. "And you feel nothing when it happens?"

"Usually. But I cannot guarantee what I'll be like tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Erik asked quietly. "Why tomorrow?"

"Well, usually after the danger has passed."

"I see." he said, his voice cracking at that sentence for some reason. "After the danger has passed."

"I'm- sorry-" he started again, but she laid her finger over his lips gently, shutting him up.

"You are forgiven", she said. "Darling, I could have been killed on my doorstep tonight. You saved me. You wanted to help me. No matter how this plays out, I won't forget how much you cared about helping me."

"I-" he put his hands on his head again, pulling at his hair. "I completely lost myself just now. I swore to myself you'd never see that-"

"Do you remember what happened? What we talked about?" Alina asked with careful curiosity.

"I- well, yes, I do remember." he swallowed. "But I didn't really have much control over what I said. I'm sorry, those were- those were some terrible things, I never wanted you to hear any of that- "

"And yet I'm still here", she replied.

"You're… still here", his voice cracked and he leaned on the wall, buried his face in his hands and slid down to the floor. "And the rot is…"

"The rot?" Alina slowly sat down next to him. "Didn't look particularly rotten to me."

Erik looked like he was going to scream, staring ahead of him with his fingers entangled in his hair. "Trust me. It is. I hear it often enough. I'm sorry you heard that. I- if you want to leave - I should leave, actually, this is your house - "

"Darling, what in the goddamn hell are you talking about?" Alina suddenly turned to him.

"I - if I can't keep it, myself, under control, you'll be in danger as long as you're with me. I can't stand that. If I had any decency left I'd just get up and go now-"

"Stop", she interrupted. "Right now. Right this instant. Listen to me for a whole second before you fall back into that hole."

Erik stopped. As much as he may have thought leaving her was the decent thing to do, his body seemed firmly glued to the spot. Coward.

"I'm not in any more danger from your blind passenger now than I was anytime in the past year and a half. If anything, I think I'm in less danger now. You're reacting this way because I found out, and you want to say the words before I say them to you. Stop it. Stop assuming what I want or what I'm saying. Treat me like an autonomous human being with agency over her own life."

That hit a very, very, very painful nerve, and Erik went completely silent and still as he felt needles of shame scrape all over his skin.

"Darling", she said, "it's really not… it really hasn't been that well-hidden until now. I didn't know what exactly it was, but I could tell it was something. It's not your fault - I don't see how you could have hidden it. Nobody has such complete control over themselves every moment of their life as you would like to have."

"But I have to, otherwise -"

"Otherwise, apparently, nothing. Perhaps before, but certainly not now. Nothing happened."

Erik had no choice but to consider that fact.

"Darling", Alina continued carefully, "is it such a radical notion that perhaps there is no part of you that deserves to be tormented or killed?"

"That is not who I am-"

"No, not who you are. Just a little part of you. No bigger than a drop in the ocean. But it's here, and - maybe if you stopped fearing and hating it so much, maybe it would stop consuming you so much in these desperate attempts to survive."

"I don't - I can't live with it-"

"You have so far", she pointed out. "You just can't make peace with it - but could you try, just a little bit, for me?"

"Why? Why, why, why? Don't you see you're in danger?"

"Then I have been in danger all this time. But I'm quite good at sensing danger, and yet, I never did. How curious." Alina sighed. "I simply cannot bring myself to hate any of you - and if you can, I'd like you to face the truth. All of this is you. And instead of pushing it down and hating it, maybe you can turn this part of yourself into something less dangerous - but not by killing it. I'm afraid you might have to show some actual cooperation."

"I promised myself you would never see it. I promised I would keep you safe."

"Well, apparently, the ghost wants me safe as well. We had a nice talk, nothing more. I'm fine. I promised to marry you, Erik - I meant all of you, not just the surface, forever. I meant it."

I love her, the ghost whispered somewhere deep inside his mind. She won't be harmed; the rest is up to you.

What do you mean by that, exactly?

An offer of peace. If you want it.

I

I do.

"I love you", he whispered as he turned to her. "All of me loves you so badly I might just stop fighting it just to make you happy."

Alina woke up the next day at the break of dawn, gasping and breathing frantically and sat up with her hands clasped protectively around her neck. Erik, who hadn't slept all night imagining everything terrible that could happen if he closed his eyes for a second, shot up from his seat to sit at her side.

"You're alright", he grasped her shoulders gently, looking into her eyes. "You're safe. He didn't hurt you. He'll never get the chance again."

Alina looked at him with wide-eyed fear, shaking with her whole body. Her breathing slowly went down to normal.

Then she started to cry.

"You're really fine", Erik tried again clumsily. "You're safe. He won't hurt you- can't hurt you- neither will I-"

Alina kept crying, not really paying attention to his words. She moved a little closer to him, and Erik finally understood what was happening; he put his arms around her and stroked her hair as she cried into his shirt.

"That's right", he just said. "It's safe now. The danger has passed."

Jack and Amelija waited until mid-afternoon to return. Alina was up and about by then, still shaken but seemingly returning to normal. Jack knocked politely on the door, then upon some thought, clarified through the wood "It's me, Erik, it's us."

"I know", Erik said, fumbling with the lock and the chair he'd put on the door. When he opened it, Jack and Amelija looked at him with concern, both uneasy but obviously unharmed.

"Alina!" Amelija exclaimed and hurried to hug her sister. "You're alright! Are you hurt? Are you traumatized? I'm sorry I didn't come to see you last night, they said it would be better to wait!"

"It's just a little bruise", Alina showed the part of her neck with several finger-shaped purple spots. "He didn't really have time to do anything."

"Oh, I am going to kill that bastard", Amelija remarked, then calmed down. "Well, if there's anything left of him once they are finished with him", she gestured at the men.

"Glad to see you're fine, Alina", Jack said solemnly. Alina appeared to be getting back to normal much quicker than Erik, who was still in yesterday's clothes looking like he hadn't slept at all. "I think we should take a walk while we figure out our next moves."

Both of them looked away from him and opened their mouths to try changing the subject, but Jack wouldn't be fooled so easily. This was not his first time, either.

"Yes, I know it's tempting to barricade yourselves inside, but you really shouldn't do that. The longer you're cooped up in here, the harder it will be to get out. Come on. Get dressed, Alina, and we'll wait. Erik, I'd like to speak to you outside."

"No", he replied.

"Just outside the front door. Literally. Amelija will stay here with her. Nothing will happen."

"No", he repeated.

"Come on, darling", Alina said gently. "I'll be fine. It's just a few minutes; I'll be quick."

Erik bit his lip in frustration, then nodded and let Jack lead him outside, gently closing the front door behind him. "What is it? Are there any complications?"

"No, none at all, yet. Too early for complications. In fact, since you've both been naturalized, this might go over quite smoothly. I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Fine", Erik replied.

Jack looked at him for a minute. "Erik, I'm your friend."

"Not fine", Erik admitted after a short pause.

"I was scared to death all night. Still am", Jack said gently. "Haven't been this scared in years."

"Yes", Erik looked away. "Still am."

"But you did a massively heroic thing. The right thing. And it can't have been easy. And if we're lucky enough to see the best outcome, it will be because of you."

Erik looked at Jack, then away again, then rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "Where is Preston now?"

"Oh, I left him to cool his head in custody, but he'll be out sometime today. However, he was strongly advised to find some place to sleep away from this part of the island. I suspect he'll take me seriously."

"Thank you, Jack. This… is all thanks to you." he sighed.

"Don't worry about it. You're all dear to me. I wouldn't let you get hurt", Jack smiled.

Erik looked at him. "You wouldn't let us?"

"No."

"I can defend myself."

"Oh, I know. It's more out of principle. I just wouldn't be able to stand aside without meddling-" Jack's sentence got interrupted by Erik hugging him so tightly that it knocked the air out of his lungs; only for a split second before he let go again and continued as if it never happened.

"I've been losing my mind", Erik finally admitted, rubbing his temples. "If I look away for a second, I'm worried there will be no-one left to protect her."

"And now you see that it's not true."

"Yes." Erik nodded, then gestured at the door a moment before it opened and the sisters came out.

It was a lovely sunny day, warm and slightly wistful with the fast approaching of autumn. Amelija didn't have much time left in America; as soon as Nikola arrived they'd probably be leaving with the first available ship. Now, more than ever, she hated the thought of leaving Alina here.

"How did the police react when you just barged in with a gun and Preston with a bump on his temple?" Erik asked. "I don't expect that situation to be damning to him."

"Ah, to be honest, they just groaned. As soon as they saw who was with me, and in what state, nothing really surprised them." Jack shrugged.

"Oh, so that's why they looked so annoyed", Amelija pondered.

"You'll have to testify", Jack said. "You, Alina, and Erik too if possible. Amelija saw what happened, but I'm not sure it would be enough without your testimony. When they see the bruise on your neck it will erase any doubts."

"It's really not much of a bruise", Alina shrugged.

"It's evidence, and that's what we need. You don't have to go today, if you're still in shock - but I'd go tomorrow, if I were you. Before your bruise starts to heal, and while all the details are still fresh."

"Alright", Alina said. "I will tell them the truth. I've got nothing to hide. And then what?"

"Well, then you can sue him for compensation - or not. In any case, it will be marked on his record - which, apparently, already contains several events like this one."

"I don't particularly like that option", Alina admitted. "I don't care about Preston's money. It'll only hurt his wife and kids if they're stripped of what little they have. On the other hand, I do want him far away, and this testimony will serve as a good example of what he's capable of. One day, perhaps very soon, we'll have enough evidence to take his children away even if his wife keeps denying everything."

"Is that so?" Erik chimed in. "So Preston was right? He told me you were trying to turn Walter against him."

"That is... not true. I've spoken to Samuel and hinted at the possibility of taking them away from their father, but he was supposed to keep the younger kids out of it - his and Hank's testimony would be enough. However", she raised her hand, "I did go visit Walter, but I never told him to turn against his father, or anything remotely like that. I told him he's a smart boy and he still has multiple options in life, and that I will respect him no matter what he chooses."

"You did what?" Jack fumed.

"How was I supposed to know his father would go into a frenzy over that? Had I known, I might have just told Walter to run away from home and we'd still be in the same situation, except he'd be free."

"You did manipulate him!" Jack groaned. "You didn't say what you wanted him to do, but you did know how he would react if you were acting like that -"

"Like what, Jack? Let's not beat around the bush. I'm the only person in the world who talks to him like she cares about him or what he wants. That's why he listens to me, and that's what his father is angry about, and probably why he pulled him out of school. And he can't change the fact I love Walter more than he does or that Walter loves me, no matter how long he forbids us from speaking. That's why he tried to attack me."

"Aside from the fact it was a dumb thing to do-" Jack tried again.

"For the last time", Alina hissed. "If you put me up to choose between a smart move and what I know is the right thing to do, I will choose the right thing every time. Some things I will not compromise on, and we'll continue to disagree until the day I die."

"You have obligations to people other than yourself!" Jack spat back at her. "To your employers, to me who has protected you since we met, to your family whom you're putting in danger-"

"I have an obligation to my children first and foremost!" Alina raised her voice. "Yes, it was a dumb thing that I did not expect Preston would find out and retaliate! I could have done it better, and protected us better- but maybe you should ask yourself, and your friends in high places, why this was going on for so long in the first place! Why someone you care about had to be put in danger for someone so horrible to be put away, while other people who had nobody to speak for them suffered for years! My obligation is to them as well, and always has been, and we won't bargain with that the way we bargain with everything else!"

"And I'm sure you'll be able to fulfill your sacred duty very well after you die by some random violent drunk's hand!" Jack burst. "I won't have this conversation with you now. Calm down and we'll talk again after you've found your common sense."

The rest of the walk was spent in very loud, stuffing silence, until they reached the crossing that led to Jack's house.

"Take care, all of you", Jack said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'll be going home. No offense, I've had enough of both sisters for now. We'll talk sometime."

Both sisters looked away awkwardly in their respective directions.

"Take care", Erik said after him. He hadn't opened his mouth since the argument, and spent the rest of the way home in silence with his mouth and shoulders stiff. Neither Alina nor Amelija could pinpoint what was wrong, but space seemed to curl around him in a sort of almost-visible dark cloud as he frowned beneath his mask.

Amelija decided she would like another walk alone while they resolved whatever they had to resolve among themselves. She excused herself, and Alina was left alone with silent, brooding Erik watching her as she entered the house and put her hat down.

Erik stared coldly at her, with a look in his eyes she only saw a few times in their year and a half together. She could recall the occasions, but couldn't quite pinpoint what the emotion was.

"What, what is it?" she asked.

He stared at her for another moment. "Your priorities bother me, darling, as much as I try not to let them bother me. In fact, I have been not letting them bother me since we've been together, which will be nine months in three days. It's a long time to be silent."

"My priorities have been the same since we met, which was twenty-one months ago, and since long before that", Alina replied, her own voice getting colder.

"It's true, and it's fair", he drawled in a flat tone. "Technically. And yet, since everything else has changed, it's slightly out of place."

"I see", Alina raised an eyebrow. "So, you have a problem with them now?"

"I do, in fact", he said, only slightly raising his voice. "I do, and I've spent a while now mulling it over, trying to discern if maybe I'm in the wrong. The truth is, I still don't know. But you will recall that I have been willing, all this time, to throw my own priorities into the wind for you. I could have done so many, many reckless, stupid, dangerous, illegal things over the past year and I would not have batted an eye, in fact it would have been far easier and less troublesome for me, and I instead chose to go wherever you led me. I had my own way of life and my own agenda, and I nevertheless jumped wholeheartedly after you off that goddamn ship. I swore to you I wouldn't hurt anyone, wouldn't hurt myself, and I swore to myself I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I was willing to kill Preston on the spot to keep you safe, happy to spend the rest of my life chained in some prison cell in France if they didn't decapitate me on the spot, all for you; to keep you out of harm's way. And I decided not to do it, in the end, also because of you."

"And now, I'm finding still", his voice lowered again to a whisper with burning fire in his eyes, "that your priorities, which are to your children first and foremost, do not include me in the same way mine include you."

Alina knew what that expression was, now. It was a look of betrayal.

"What do you want from me?" she demanded. "To abandon what I - we - stood for so far, for you? Because I'm yours now?"

"NO, Alina, goddamn it!" Erik finally burst, slamming his fist on the table. All of his careful composure and quiet demeanor was gone now. "I want you to keep yourself safe and not do the first thing that comes to your mind, not put yourself and me in danger over a child who's only one of the many you'll teach, not to sacrifice everything on a whim! I'm expecting what you've been goddamn expecting from me all this time - that you don't endanger yourself and don't self-destruct when you damn well please!"

Alina opened her mouth, but he interrupted again.

"Yes, because you're mine, goddamnit, as I am yours! One would think that would mean something to you! I want you to put me into consideration when you decide to do something that you think is morally right if it may put your life in danger!"

"And if I don't?" Alina whispered coldly.

"What do you think?" Erik shouted. "Have I so far made you do anything? Have I coerced, limited, manipulated, or blackmailed you in any way? Have I threatened you? Scared you? What do you think I will do if you refuse to stop being so self-sufficient and willful, and keep putting me among your lower priorities? I will stay by your side, because I'm asking you and not making you, and because I can't goddamn leave you! And I will be miserable! I will hate every second of it, knowing I'm giving everything for someone who is not willing to do the same!"

Alina looked at her hands.

Time stretched out as they sat in silence.

"You're right to say it", she whispered. "But where does it end?"

"What?" he managed.

"Where does it end? If I start hiding from danger, letting you decide what danger is - how long until I am simply… safer at home?" she was still looking at her hands.

"You think I will use this to… trap you?" he shook his head. "I take that back. I don't think I can actually live with that, if you really think so. It… would be easier if you simply didn't care."

"I do", Alina whispered. A few shy tears rolled down her cheeks. "I love you. I want to marry you."

Erik thought for a second. "I- I had the same thought process some time ago. If you let someone affect you so much, where does it stop? How long until you are lost? I lost quite a bit of sleep over it."

"And?" Alina covered her mouth with her hand.

"I don't know. I decided to believe that you wouldn't ask me to lose myself. I -" he shrugged. "I'm not asking you to stop working, or stop caring. I would never ask that; I'm just asking you not to-" he trailed off and shook his head. "I've talked long enough. It doesn't matter. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I'm sorry, I-" she wiped her cheeks. "It's true, I know it. I just need some time to think about it in peace."

"I understand." Erik nodded, stood up and turned. He didn't stop until he reached the door to his room, when he stopped as his hand hovered above the doorknob. He looked like he wanted to say something, but then he quickly opened the door, disappeared behind it and locked it, before Alina could say anything.

Standing in his room, he could hear Alina talking quietly in Croatian. Amelija- she must have sneaked in through the window, and he was actually so upset he hadn't heard her. He wondered if she enjoyed the show; she might simply tell Alina to leave him as soon as possible after hearing all that. That's a thought for tomorrow. I can't stop her if she decides to do it, anyway.

He tried curling up in his bed, but it wasn't right. First of all, his bed smelled like Alina's goddamn hair, which was normally beautiful but currently unbearable. Secondly, he felt like curling up somewhere more unreachable, somewhere tinier and even darker than his already pitch-black room. There was no way he would get out of the house now; he wasn't in the mood for leaving, and was secretly still terrified something horrible might happen while he was gone.

Erik lowered himself on the floor and squeezed into the space under his bed. It wasn't that bad; only a little bit dusty. It reminded him of Antoinette's closet. There was just enough room for him to lay on his back with his arms at his sighed quietly, closing his eyes.

Hello, mother, he tried to recall Antoinette's face. I'd like you to know I'm growing.

How are you growing, Erik? He was thankful he could still remember her voice.

Well, I no longer put people I love in impossible situations, for example, and my hallucinations seem to be… dying out. I am alive and I am here, I am real.

Oh?

Yes, and I'd like to think I haven't done anything worth getting killed for today, even though I felt it in me - I felt the horrible panic of the ground being pulled out from under me, and I managed to hold on. In fact, for better or worse, I did exactly what I wanted to do, aside from a few… problems with my presentation. He opened his eyes.

That's great, honey.

Yes, I think it is. I'm not a killer, or tormentor of women, or a monster. I am nothing but myself, and I'm about to see if that will be enough.

The space under the bed was too narrow for him to curl up on his side. He kept laying there on his back, staring at the dark underside of his bed.

I feel… heartbroken. But I'm still real. This is the cleanest pain I've felt in my life. I'd be happy about it if I wasn't so goddamn sad.

"Good evening to you too", Amelija said sitting on Alina's bed, looking at her book and not her sister, as Alina stormed into her room and slammed the door. "You're having even more trouble, I see?"

"I-" Alina stopped, wondered if she should ask her how the hell she got there and when, then sighed and threw herself on the bed next to Amelija. "I am, yes, from all sides it seems."

"I'm sorry, Alina", Amelija said. "About these men having all these opinions for you to hear. Not that I think they're wrong; they definitely do have a point, but I will not judge you if you want to spite them on principle."

Alina sighed, giving up her internal battle. "How did you get here? And when?"

"Oh, not long ago, a few minutes perhaps. Things were already quite lively when I arrived. And, anyway, through your window."

Alina sat on the bed next to her, pouting visibly. Amelija closed her book and patted Alina comfortingly on the shoulder.

"You were right. We should have been spinsters with cats."

"I never said that", Alina laughed. "You made that up."

"It can still happen, technically", Amelija remarked, lightly punching Alina's shoulder in mock excitement. "We can still just vanish without a trace and become, I don't know, pirates! Or bandits in the Wild West! Maybe controversial artists? How's your aim these days?"

Alina kept it in for a few seconds, then let out a quiet laugh. "I can't live without that goddamn bastard."

"Argh." Amelija growled. "Alright. Fine. At least they're both interesting. And neither of them are... you know."

"True."

"What is all this marriage business? I don't recall you inviting me to any engagement ceremonies, or telling me anything, or bragging with any rings", Amelija demanded. "You just both started talking like you're getting married all of a sudden without any context."

"Well, I don't know when it will actually be. Whenever we decide to do it. It will probably be as impulsive as everything else we've done so far. As for the rings, we'll just buy them on the way, I suppose?"

"Oh, my God. Oh God. Context made it worse. Mom is definitely going to have a stroke", Amelija pulled at her scalp. "How did he even propose to you? When?"

"Recently, although, not quite officially."

"For what it's worth, he does love you. I do believe him, that he'd rather be miserable than force you to do anything- I quite liked the part where he yelled about how he can't leave you, very operatic", Amelija shook her head, laughing very quietly as if Erik could hear her, understand Croatian, and get offended. "Anyway, he's acting a lot more… normal than I expected? I thought something broke in him last night when Preston attacked you, but apparently it grew back remarkably fast, and somewhat different."

"Yes, he's a lot less fragmented than he was", Alina replied, focused on her own train of thought. "I- hate to say it, but yes, if I can ask him to think about me before he acts, he can ask the same of me."

"I know you hate that you can't go into an all-out war over some kid you met a year ago, but for what it's worth, you'll help many more kids this way, if you learn to play your cards wisely."

"That's not how I work", Alina shook her head. "I give everything and have nothing to lose. That's why these abusive maniacs like Preston used to steer clear of me- they knew I had nothing to lose and would make their lives hell. Would I have even met Erik if I wasn't ready to risk everything for what is right? It worked with getting rid of dad, too, and many other times. Now, it's useless. Things have changed."

"So? You'll have to find different methods that don't include document forgery and manipulation. You'll have to adapt. Don't whine. Everyone does."

"And you're authority on personal growth, all of a sudden?" Alina frowned at her.

"Precisely. So, what's the lawful, don't-get-yourself-killed way to get Preston far from his family and those he could hurt?"

"Law, obviously." Alina sighed. "I could try and sue him myself, for assault. I could report abuse of his family to the police and raise enough hell that they have no choice but to listen."

"Would it work?"

"Well, since Walter fixed his grades and is no longer a delinquent but a promising young man, and the police already have the report from last night, if the school supports my claims then yes, it will be impossible to ignore. Frankly, in my opinion, stupid and ill-behaved children also deserve to live safely as well as promising ones, but I'll take any advantage I can get to help him."

"I hope you get along better with your superiors here than you did in London", Amelija remarked.

"Ah, I do. I do. I learned as much. Jack will also support me, and his money is tied into it."

"I don't doubt it, but I will still advise you to apologise to him first."

"Argh", Alina kicked off her shoes and cocooned herself into her blanket. "I'll apologize to everyone tomorrow, alright? Let me sulk for at least a few hours. Good night."

Amelija woke up uncharacteristically early in the morning, shook Alina lightly as she groaned in her sleep.

"Princess", she said. "I'm going out. You and your lover have until I come back to act normal, or so help me God. I will move in with Jack out of wedlock so I don't have to see you both pouting at each other. Goodbye."

Erik saw her enter the kitchen, and quickly averted his eyes- he could never quite look at her after they'd been fighting. It was too intense a way to find out what she thought of him. He nodded and put a pot of coffee on the stove.

"Good morning", Alina said softly. She wasn't looking at him, either. He didn't know if he was relieved or ready to panic because of it.

Erik nodded one more time, forcing himself to mumble something resembling good morning.

"Can you make some for me as well?" Alina asked.

Erik poured some more water into the coffee pot.

"Should I make fish and potatoes for dinner tonight?" Alina asked, looking at a flower vase directly opposite of where Erik was.

"Whatever you'd like."

"Would you like it?"

"I'll be thankful either way." The water boiled; Erik took two little porcelain cups Alina liked especially and poured coffee into them, then sugar, then passed one of them to her, still not looking at her.

"Hmm", she mused. "We'll see."

After some thinking, Erik sat down at the table with her. He wondered if she'd look nervous when he sat close to her, after the scene last night. She didn't, at least not that he could tell.

"I'd like to clarify something I said to Jack last night", Alina started. She was used to resolving things directly, after all, and this was all becoming unbearable. "When I said my first obligation was to my children- that's still true, in a way. I don't see you as an obligation, I never have. I would not have wanted you, if I saw you as another obligation in my life. I wanted you because I love you, and I was always free to choose you."

"Flattering, but-"

"Let me finish. We can make this work- I can make this work, to be precise, I will do what you ask of me. I will take care of myself, and of you, and I will learn where to draw the line between my work and my entire life. But I will not do it because I'm changing that duty for another one. I will do it because I love you, because I am free to love you, and I want to make you happy."

"I see", Erik said carefully. He was thankful that he sat next to her and not across, so he didn't have to look directly at her. Was it enough, then? Was it? Is this it, did it work? Is it enough? Is there a catch-

"I love working with children so much", Alina continued. "It's my life's calling, and my life's duty, and I know you understand that. I love that feeling - that you've changed somebody's life for the better, that you're doing the right thing, that you matter to them. But I love you in a completely different way. I love you because you're mine, and because you see me, as I am, not just a teacher - but if I started to list all the ways and reasons I love you, it might take forever. You're the most important person in my life."

Erik finally looked at her. "Please tell me if I make you miserable."

"No, no, that would never happen-"

"Please tell me if it happens."

"Alright, I will. I will tell you if it happens. You don't have to worry about it." Alina smiled a little. She set down her coffee cup. Erik still hadn't touched his.

He looked at her intently for another second or two.

Then he reached out and pulled her into an embrace so forceful and tight that it knocked the air out of her lungs; Alina laughed in response and threw herself into his lap, throwing her arms around him.

"I would've died every time I had to leave this house, knowing someone might come and hurt you when I'm not here", he mumbled into her shoulder.

"I'll try to prevent that from happening. I'm not keen on dying, either", Alina gently remarked.