Elizabeth awoke the following morning to the sun streaming in through the curtains. She rolled over onto her side, finding that the bed was empty. She wasn't surprised. Laszlo was usually gone when she woke up. But she did wonder where he had gone to. He had told her that they needed to talk, but she had to admit that she didn't really know what there was to say. She moved from the bed, her nightgown falling down to her feet before she headed to her wardrobe.

Opening it, she reached for a robe and shrugged into it, tying the belt around her waist and padding through the house. She pulled her hair from the collar of the silk, blue material, letting her curls tumble down her back. Wandering through the house, she figured that Laszlo would either be having breakfast or he would already have gone to work.

She walked down the stairs and headed into the dining room, passing Mary by. The woman smiled at Elizabeth and she waved at her gently before heading into the room to find Laszlo sat there, a book open by his side. Elizabeth loitered in the doorway, seeing that Mary had already set her a place at the table, a plate of eggs already waiting for her. Laszlo peered up as he heard Elizabeth enter, seeing her pull at the belt around her robe.

"Good morning," he said to her.

"Morning," she responded and cautiously headed towards the dining table. Laszlo stood up and Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ear as Laszlo pulled out the chair to his right for her. She sat down, turning her head over her shoulder and looking up to him as she sank down.

"Thank you," she said and Laszlo nodded once, tucking the chair under for her.

He returned to his own seat, closing the book that he had been reading. Elizabeth noted the title on the cover.

"Is that for the case?" she wondered from him.

"Indeed," Laszlo said, moving the book to the other side of his plate. He picked up his knife and fork once more, tucking into the eggs on toast that Mary had prepared. Elizabeth reached for the pot of tea in the middle of the table and poured a cup before pouring two lumps of sugar in. She stirred the sugar in, the only noise in the room the sound of Laszlo's chewing and Elizabeth's spoon against the teacup.

"We should talk," Laszlo said and she picked her cup up from the saucer, cradling it in her fingers and leaving the spoon on the plate.

"What do you want to talk about?" Elizabeth enquired from Laszlo.

"The other day," Laszlo said to her. "I was cruel. I apologise for what I said to you."

"Then why did you say it?" Elizabeth wondered from him, taking a sip of her tea and then placing the cup down. She considered picking up her knife and fork to eat, but she felt her appetite had disappeared as she waited for Laszlo to respond to her. He adjusted the tie around his neck, the dark green material matching the waistcoat he wore underneath his suit jacket.

"I was angry with you," Laszlo admitted to her. "I was angry that you had followed me…and I was angry because I was scared, Elizabeth. I was scared about what could happen to you. What if the killer had not fled? What if something had happened to you? I still remember the day that I came to you in hospital…the pain you were in…I don't want to see you hurt again. I never want to see you get hurt."

Elizabeth looked down onto the table, avoiding Laszlo's intense scare on her. She chewed the inside of her cheek and nodded her head. She gathered her thoughts and Laszlo could see that she was concentrating. She looked back up to him and her gaze found his.

"I understand that," she promised him. "But can I not also be scared for you too?"

Laszlo's brow furrowed. Elizabeth continued talking, lacing her fingers together in her lap.

"You ran off after a killer," Elizabeth reminded him. "And I was worried for you. I followed you because I was scared. Can you not understand that?"

Laszlo nodded. "I can," he promised her, his voice gentle and soft. Elizabeth lifted her hand up and went back to playing with her hair nervously. He watched as her fingers tangled into it and she looked up at him through her lashes and he swore that he felt an ache in his chest at her demure look.

"But…the way you spoke to me and the way you accused me of flirting with Marcus…that was cruel, Laszlo."

"And I apologise," he said to her, nodding his head in her direction. Her fingers stilled in her hair and she waited for him to continue. He grunted, clearing his throat before adjusting his tie once more. "I spoke out of turn because of my anger. Who you converse with is none of my business. Besides, Marcus Isaacson did ask me last night if you might be open to him taking you to dinner."

"Me?" Elizabeth did a double take, her eyes widening and her hand falling back to her lap.

"Indeed," Laszlo said, not once looking away from her as he drank in her reaction. He saw her blink a few times before her lips arched upwards and she shook her head. She looked pleased. Did she wish to go to dinner with the young man? What was she thinking? "I should go to work," Laszlo said to her. "Miss Howard is meeting me at the Institute."

He stood up and Elizabeth looked to him as he tucked his chair underneath the table. She saw him grab hold of his cane before she spoke.

"Mary told me that you went to the opera last night."

"Indeed, I did," Laszlo said with a nod of his head. "And we then went to Delmonico's for dinner."

"We?" Elizabeth questioned. "You and Miss Howard?"

"John and the Isaacson twins were there too," Laszlo said and Elizabeth swore she felt relief flow through her veins. So it hadn't just been those two. But the way he had spoken to Sara had been different to how she usually heard him speak. The day before when she had been eavesdropping, Elizabeth had sworn that he had sounded interested in her.

"I…if you wish to come to the Institute then you can," Laszlo said to Elizabeth, checking the pocket watch for the time that he wore. He placed it back away and then looked down to Elizabeth once more. "I do not wish to keep you away. Besides, Charlotte would no doubt like to see you."

"I will come later," Elizabeth said to him.

"Excellent," Laszlo nodded his head. "Then I shall see you later on, yes?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said and she swore there was still some strange atmosphere between them. She remained sat where she was as Laszlo left the room. Watching the back of him, Elizabeth finally slumped back in her seat before lifting her leg up and putting her foot on the edge of her seat, her knee bending. Hooking her arms around her leg, she let her chin sit on her kneecap as she sighed, wondering just what was going on.

…

Elizabeth did go to the Institute, choosing to walk there. She had her long, red coat dangling open around her body and she wore a dark green dress, brass buttons running down the front of it and the skirt flaring out to her feet. She had her hands buried in her pockets and was hardly looking where she was going as she made the usual walk to the Institute.

Coming in the front door, she saw a group of children being ushered across the corridor by Jane, one of the nurses. Jane bid Elizabeth a good morning and Elizabeth waved softly back to her. She was about to head up the stairs towards the boardroom to see if Laszlo was there before she heard a familiar voice.

"I didn't think I'd see you here, Miss Morris."

Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw Marcus walking forwards, his long coat hanging open to reveal a neat three piece suit.

"Mr Isaacson," she greeted him. "How are you this morning?"

"Very well," he said. "Even better for seeing you back here. Doctor Kreizler said that you were not working on this case."

"I am not," Elizabeth said to him. "I just help out here at the Institute when I am required."

"Pity," Marcus said to her.

"Excuse my brother," another voice suddenly spoke and Elizabeth noted another man walking slightly behind Marcus. He wore glasses and was dressed in a similar suit with a bowtie around his neck. He adjusted the glasses on his nose and held his hand out around his brother. He had a shadow of a beard growing on his chin while Marcus was clean-shaven. "I'm Lucius."

"Pleasure to meet you," Elizabeth said, shaking his hand. "Elizabeth Morris."

"And do you work for Doctor Kreizler, Miss Morris?" Lucius wondered as they headed up the stairs towards the boardroom.

"Not quite. I just help him here and…well…I live with him," Elizabeth said. How did she begin to explain what their relationship was?

"I see," Lucius said and he did not pry.

They stood outside of the boardroom and Marcus stood still and looked to his brother. "Can you give me a moment to talk to Miss Morris?" he questioned. Lucius rolled his eyes, but nodded his head, wandering into the boardroom. Elizabeth peered into the room to see Laszlo stood by Sara Howard. He was pointing to something that she was reading in a book and Elizabeth felt her stomach churn at the sight.

He trusted her to help on the case. He was letting her know his thoughts about the case. But he was keeping them from Elizabeth. He was keeping things from her and she didn't know how to feel about that.

"Miss Morris, I don't know if Doctor Kreizler spoke with you," Marcus said, drawing her attention back to him. "However, I would quite like to take you for dinner, if you would so agree to come with me?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she let her hands fall into the pockets of her coat. Looking to Marcus, she tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

His face scrunched up at hearing her. "Excuse me?"

"Why do you want to go to dinner with me?" she asked from him. "I know that you know who I am, Mr Isaacson. You know what I was accused of."

"I do," Marcus said with a nod of his head. "But I know that you were never found guilty of anything and Doctor Kreizler defended you. Besides, he told me that I should never believe everything that I read. Plus, you seem like a nice enough gal and I'd like to get to know you."

Elizabeth's teeth clamped down on her tongue. She peered back into the boardroom and saw that Laszlo was still conversing with Sara, his lips upturned. Looking back to Marcus, she saw that he had his hands clasped behind his back and was rocking on his heels gently.

"I…I don't know if it is a good idea," Elizabeth said to him and he nodded once, his lips quirking upwards at hearing her and looking into the boardroom.

"It's him, isn't it?" he asked from her and she let her brows knit together on her forehead.

"What?" she wondered.

"Doctor Kreizler," he said. "You have feelings for him, don't you? Ever since we've been here you've been looking into the boardroom at him…and when I mentioned asking you to dinner he didn't seem entirely happy. I understand it. It's fine if you have feelings for him."

"Honestly?" Elizabeth asked from Marcus. "I don't know what I feel and I don't know what he feels."

"Well, if you figure it out and want to come for dinner then my offer still stands."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, moving a hand to rest on his arm as she smiled at him.

It was at that moment when Laszlo turned his gaze over to the door, seeing the sight in front of him. All he saw was Elizabeth holding Marcus's arm and the two of them smiling widely. His face faltered for a moment. Had he asked her to dinner? Had she agreed to go? Laszlo was about to move over to the door, feeling a longing to break the couple apart. But there was a sudden voice shouting his name.

"Doctor Kreizler! Come quick!"

Laszlo headed to the door, moving onto the landing and walking by Elizabeth. He stood at the top of the stairs and looked down, seeing Stevie stood there, Cyrus next to him. The two of them were holding John up, the young man wearing nothing but his shirt. He had no trousers on, only his underwear. Elizabeth peered over the bannister onto the sight.

"What happened?" Laszlo wondered as Cyrus hauled John's unconscious body up the steps, Stevie lagging behind. Marcus took the young boy's space, moving his arm around John and helping Cyrus carry him.

"I found him wandering around like this in an alley down at the Tenderloin," Stevie said.

"What is wrong with him?"

"I do not know," Stevie responded to Laszlo.

"Come, lay him down in here and he can wake up," Laszlo said and he entered the boardroom, directing the two men to rest John on the couch. Elizabeth picked up the blanket at the end of it before draping it over John, trying to cover up some of his modesty at least. Laszlo looked over him, checking his vitals to ensure that he was at least stable.

"Do you suppose it was drink?" Sara questioned, coming to stand next to the doctor while Elizabeth remained stood at the end of the couch, Marcus next to her as Lucius opened up his bag and busied himself with the contents inside of it.

"Time will tell," Laszlo said.

"I will go and fetch him a pitcher of water," Elizabeth said and she swept from the room, Laszlo nodding and letting her leave.

She went down the stairs towards the kitchen, filling up a pitcher with water and grabbing hold of a glass. She moved back to the boardroom and poured a glass, leaving it on the table by John's head as Sara looked down onto him, her gaze showing concern but also annoyance.

Elizabeth left the room without another word, Laszlo watching her go and wondering what she was thinking about. John woke up a few moments later and said that he hardly remembered anything except for the fact he had met someone who was known as Sally who had known the Santorelli boy. He had stormed out, holding the blanket around him tightly after he had felt them accuse him of drinking too much. And then Sara had said that she needed to go to an event with the police department, leaving Laszlo with the Isaacson twins who were looking at a fingerprint that had been left behind by the killer.

They were shining the fingerprint onto a sheet hanging from the bookshelf. They examined the fingerprint, the three of them crowded around the sheet. They needed a second print to find out if it belonged to the same man. They had examined the print, seeing how there were certain abrasions or cuts in the fingerprint. And then Laszlo had considered the Santorelli boy. Had the killer left prints on his clothing? He had sent the brothers to the morgue to check the body, but before they left, Marcus spoke. Lucius began packing his bag away.

"I asked her to dinner," he informed Laszlo.

"I see," Laszlo spoke, standing up tall and moving his hands into his pockets. "Well, I am certain that you will have a lovely time with her."

Marcus chuckled and shook his head. "She didn't entirely agree to go with me," he said to him. "In fact, she was much too preoccupied with watching you in here."

Laszlo's eyes widened at hearing that. She had been watching him? Marcus shrugged and reached for his coat, pulling his arms into it before buttoning it up. He almost wanted to roll his eyes. Were they both clearly as blind as each other or just simply scared to admit how they felt? Marcus clasped Laszlo on the shoulder and left the doctor alone and with his own thoughts.

…

Laszlo didn't know if he could comprehend the events of the past week. Elizabeth was pregnant. She was carrying her husband's child and that meant that she refused to leave him. She was going to go back to him and Laszlo didn't know how he felt when he thought about her. He was sat in his office, perched behind his desk with a book open in front of him. It was late in the evening when she came to him and he had to admit that he was shocked to see her.

Entering the office, she was dressed in a long, blue coat that came down to her ankles. It was undone and she was on crutches. She was hobbling along thanks to her broken leg and her ribs were causing her more pain than she cared to admit. Her arm was also bandaged up and she was trying not to put too much pressure on it, despite the doctor claiming that the bone perhaps was not fractured and only badly bruised.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing here?" he demanded from her.

"I had to see you," she said to him with a shake of her head. "You were gone when I woke up."

"Your husband arrived," Laszlo said to her. "I suspected it might be for the best if I was not there when he came."

"Probably for the best," Elizabeth said. "May I sit down?"

"Of course," Laszlo nodded quickly and moved towards her, walking at her slow pace towards the armchair by the roaring fire. She sunk down into it and Laszlo took the crutches from her, resting them against his desk. He took the armchair across from her and noted that wisps of her hair had fallen from the loose bun it was in at the back of her head.

"I cannot stay long. I do not want him to know that I came to visit you," Elizabeth said to Laszlo. "But after the other day…I just wanted to see you…to, I suppose, say goodbye."

Laszlo gulped at hearing her speak in such a manner. He was doing his best not to let his emotions get the better of him, but he found it difficult when it came to Elizabeth. He saw her brush some strands of hair behind her ear. Her lip wasn't as swollen as when he had last seen her, but the skin around her eye was purple, the bruising coming out.

"You did not need to come here," Laszlo said to her with a shake of his head. "You should be in bed resting."

"I have spent a week in bed. I am tired of it," Elizabeth said to him. He saw her rest a good hand on her stomach and his gaze instinctively fell down to see her caressing her stomach with her fingertips. She didn't even notice she was doing it. "I am going home and I cannot see you after this, Laszlo. It is too dangerous. Our relationship…friendship…whatever this is," she said, gathering her breath. "It is too dangerous for us to continue, especially if he finds out. I cannot let that happen, Laszlo."

"I am not scared of him."

"You should be," Elizabeth responded to him.

"Men like him…men who hurt women…children…" Laszlo said, recalling his own childhood for a brief moment. "They project their insecurities onto those individuals. Your husband is not a man I shall permit myself to be scared of."

"Then you are braver than I am," Elizabeth informed him with a shake of her head, struggling to comprehend what it was she was feeling at that moment in time. It was a mixture of fear and sadness. It was loss and pain. She continued to hold onto her stomach before peering over to Laszlo. "I have to do what is best for this baby now."

"And you think that is staying with him?"

"He…he cannot hurt me if I have this baby," Elizabeth said and he wondered if she truly believed that. But she remained silent for a moment. She closed her eyes and he saw a tear fall down her cheek, staining her pale skin. He glanced over in her direction before standing up and heading over to kneel in front of her, hand moving to hers on her lap, gripping it tightly.

"I want to help," he whispered to her. "Let me help you…please."

"I can't," she said to him with a shake of her head, squeezing his hand firmly before looking him in the eye. She reached her free hand out and ran it down his cheek, bowing her head and a tear fell onto the top of his head as he knew just what it was he had to do for her.

…

"It's getting late."

Elizabeth entered Laszlo's boardroom to find him sat in the armchair, the fire blazing next to him and casting shadows against the wall. Wandering further into the room, Elizabeth sat down in the chair opposite Laszlo and he lowered the book he had been reading, placing it on the table next to the chair and looking to Elizabeth.

"I didn't notice the time," he said to her.

"You never do when you work a case," she said to him and he chuckled lowly. Elizabeth shifted in the chair she was in, one leg crossing over the other and her hands resting on her kneecap. "Do you want to tell me what you're thinking about?"

"This killer…whoever he is…the police are covering up other murders that he has committed. I do not think that they can be trusted. I told Roosevelt as much last night," Laszlo said to her. "Then again, I suspect you already knew that."

"Why is that?" she asked from him.

"Because I know that you were eavesdropping yesterday," Laszlo said to her and he saw her look away, cheeks flushing red at having been called out. She knew that he would have heard her sneeze, but she had hoped he wouldn't bring it up. Laszlo chuckled once more, fingers lacing together against his stomach. "You do not hide well, Elizabeth."

"In all fairness, I was only given away because I sneezed," she said to him and looked over to him, her own lips pulling upwards at the sight of him smiling back to her. He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear before he spoke.

"I only want to keep you away from this case because I care," he told her.

She nodded. "I know," she said to him, "but you know that I am here to help if you need me. I can talk about the case with you."

Laszlo only nodded once before he spoke, changing the topic completely.

"You told Marcus that you did not want to have dinner with him," he stated.

"So I did," she responded.

"Why?"

"Because I do not particularly wish to have dinner with him," Elizabeth responded. "He seems pleasant enough, but it would be unfair for me to go to dinner with him."

Laszlo watched her, seeing the light flicker over her face. He could feel his mouth dry out before he asked her the question that he wanted to ask her so desperately.

"Why?"

It was such a simple word, but it came with loaded connotations. Where did she even begin? How did she even begin to tell him why she didn't want to go for dinner with Marcus? There was a simple answer, but she didn't know if she was ready to tell Laszlo that just yet.

"Because if he had any notions of it developing into something more than friendship then I would disappoint him," she admitted to him. "I do not wish to give him false hope or even pretend that I could fake feelings…and courting him…I do not want to court him."

Elizabeth waited for Laszlo to say something back to her. She wanted him to ask her why she didn't want to court him. Why could she not allow her feelings to develop? Did he know? Did he have any inclination himself? She hoped that he did. She hoped that there was something else.

"I am glad," Laszlo finally said to her. "I am glad that you do not want to go to dinner with him."

And then it was Elizabeth's turn to ask him the question.

"Why?"

He was silent then, trying to find the right words to speak. Did he tell her the truth? Did he tell her that he wanted nothing more than to be the one she courted? He wanted to be the one she stepped out with, not Marcus. He wanted to be the one with her, caring for her, holding her arm.

"Because I-"

"-Doctor Kreizler!"

Elizabeth almost wanted to yell at the interruption. Standing up, she looked to the door as Sara burst in, looking the complete opposite to Elizabeth. Sara Howard was always perfectly made up. Not a wisp of hair was out of place. Her outfit was also stylish and professional. Plus, she was the first woman to work for the police department. Elizabeth confessed that she was slightly jealous of her. But that jealousy stemmed from the way she had been with Laszlo the other day. Did Sara have any feelings for Laszlo?

"I apologise, I did not mean to interrupt," she said.

"Nonsense, you were not interrupting anything of importance at all," Laszlo said to Sara and Elizabeth swore she felt a stabbing pain in her chest. Looking to Laszlo as he kept his gaze on Sara, Elizabeth wondered how she could be so foolish. Why would he even look twice at her when intelligent, educated women like Sara were in his life?

"I should go back to Charlotte," Elizabeth said in a mutter and Laszlo watched as she looked him directly in the eye. "Considering I am nothing of importance."

Laszlo cursed himself for using such words before. He had not been thinking. But he did not want Sara knowing what they had been discussing. He did not open himself up to people. He did not show concern for others in public. Then again, Elizabeth had always been the exception to his rules.

"Elizabeth, I did not mean-"

"-Good afternoon, Miss Howard," Elizabeth interrupted him, inclining her head as she passed by the woman.

"Miss Morris," Sara responded, knowing that she had interrupted something between the pair of them. But it was not her place to get involved. Laszlo's gaze remained set on the back of Elizabeth as she walked away, hair bouncing around her shoulders and dress flowing behind her.

Sara began to tell Laszlo about the missing body of the Santorelli boy as Elizabeth left, finding herself once again annoyed with Laszlo and his comments.

...

A/N: Would love to know what you think/if you're interested in me continuing this on!