Elizabeth and Laszlo returned home and ate dinner together that evening before retiring. Elizabeth had agreed to share a room with Mary until Cyrus was healed and able to return to his own room. She had gone to the bedroom to find the maid already there, dressed in a nightgown and sat on the edge of the bed. Elizabeth had told Laszlo that she would come to him when Mary was sleeping, not wanting to cause anymore gossip, but then she got thinking and she realised that Mary would not tell anyone. She already knew that Elizabeth had shared a bed with Laszlo before. She had even told her more intimate details.

Looking to Elizabeth, Mary motioned to the back of her dress, tugging her hands and asking her if she needed help unlacing herself from the gown. Elizabeth nodded her head once. "If you wouldn't mind, Mary?" she asked from her.

Mary moved to her feet and walked towards Elizabeth, helping her unlace the dress.

"Mary, I know that you know about me and Laszlo," Elizabeth said to her, looking into the full-length mirror as her dress became looser on her frame and she held the front of it to stop it from completely slipping down her body. "And I know that you know more than what most people know…I mean…well…you know what I mean," Elizabeth said, realising that she was talking incoherently. "And I know that I can trust you. God knows that you know enough about me and I know enough about you," Elizabeth said to her and turned her head over her shoulder to look over to her.

Mary nodded, shooting her an encouraging smile. She enjoyed this. She enjoyed Elizabeth feeling that she could talk to her. After what Mary had done, she had struggled to form friendships. Most people didn't want to know her, seeing her as someone who was damaged or evil. But she was none of those things, not really. And Elizabeth understood what she had gone through. She understood what had driven her to kill her father. She understood because she had felt the same about her husband.

"And I know that this might not be proper," Elizabeth said to Mary, "but tonight…well…you can have the bed to yourself. You can have my room for your own because I will be with Laszlo."

Mary's brows arched and she continued to shoot her that mischievous look that she had mastered. Elizabeth shook her head and rolled her eyes at the look on the woman's face. She laughed once as her dress finally loosened and she let it fall to the ground, stepping from it.

"Don't look at me like that," Elizabeth urged from her.

Mary shook her head, motioning that she was not looking at her like anything, feigning innocence. 'I'm not looking at you like anything,' Mary motioned.

"Oh, you're looking at me like you know exactly what is going on," Elizabeth said and Mary helped unlace her corset. She let it fall down her body, leaving her in her chemise. She went to pick up her nightgown from the end of her bed and draped it over her arm. "But it is weird, Mary…after what happened with Jacob…I never thought that I'd find anyone. I never thought that Laszlo would be the type of man to want me."

'Why?' Mary shrugged over to her.

"I don't know," Elizabeth said and she went to stand behind the changing divider. She shrugged out of her chemise and left it over the top of the wooden divider as she heard Mary sit down on the bed. "I always thought that he would want someone stronger…someone able to match his wit…his intelligence…I give him none of those things. I hardly understand his work and I know that he has to spend more time than he should looking out for me…the nightmares…the panic attacks…but he does it anyway. He does it and he never complains. He never does anything but love me."

Elizabeth finally finished putting her nightgown onto her body and moved back to see Mary. She walked to the bed and sat down on it, crossing her legs beneath it. Mary was sat against the pillows, legs curled up in front of her, chin resting on her kneecap.

'What is it like?'

"What?" Elizabeth wondered. "Love?" Mary nodded her head.

Elizabeth shrugged and her palms rested on the bed behind her as she stretched back, arms straightened and supporting her weight. "I do not know," Elizabeth said to her. "I mean, I know what I think it is, but I wonder if it is different for everyone. Laszlo seems to think that love is nothing but a chemical reaction in the brain, but I don't think it is. I mean, it might be, but it is something else…it…you get this feeling whenever you see them," Elizabeth said to her. "Whenever I see Laszlo, it is like I cannot stop my stomach from flipping and I can feel this ache in my chest to want to be near him. I wake up and my first thought is of him and before I go to sleep all I think about is him. It is like my whole life is consumed by him…being near him…having him touch me…not just intimately, but even the slightest brush of his hand on mine causes my pulse to race."

Mary continued smiling at hearing her, the look on her face soft and her eyes gentle. Elizabeth bit down on her tongue and she shook her head, smiling wildly and letting out a soft laugh. "It sounds ridiculous, I know," she said to Mary. "But it is the truth. It is all the truth. He is the only thing I can think of. You'll know one day."

Mary scoffed and shook her head.

"You can never say never," Elizabeth said to her. "After what we've both been through, Mary, I think that we perhaps deserve a chance at happiness."

Mary could only put her bottom lip over her top one and nod her head. She didn't know if that was true. She knew that there was a difference between her and Elizabeth. Elizabeth had not actively sought to murder her husband. It had been an accident. Or so Mary assumed. Mary, on the other hand, knew what she had been doing. She knew full well what she had wanted to do. Pointing to the wall next door, Mary urged for Elizabeth to go to Laszlo. Nodding, Elizabeth untangled her legs from beneath her, stretching her limbs out after they had gone numb.

"Are you sure you do not mind me going to him?" she asked from her.

Mary shook her head, motioning more forcefully for her to go. Elizabeth agreed and moved a hand to Mary's arm, squeezing it gently before leaving the bed and heading out to the hallway. She walked down it towards Laszlo's room. She turned the doorknob slowly and let herself in, closing the door behind her. Laszlo was sat up in bed, the lamp at his side dimmed as Elizabeth pulled her hair over one shoulder, gathering it tightly into her hand.

"I was beginning to think you might not come," he said to her.

"I was talking with Mary," Elizabeth responded and Laszlo moved some pieces of paper away from the bed, gathering them in his lap. He pulled the quilt back, inviting Elizabeth into bed. She sat on the edge of it, adjusting the nightgown on her shoulders before she moved under the covers, laying down and resting her head on the pillow. Laszlo remained sat up, holding onto his papers, glasses on his eyes.

"Do you really have to go to Washington tomorrow?" she questioned from him, looking up to the ceiling.

"Unfortunately so," Laszlo said to her. "If this man was part of the army then we need to look at the psychiatric records of discharged soldiers and discover if there is anything about them that might sound familiar."

"I know," Elizabeth said, turning onto her side, stuffing a hand underneath her pillow, hair fanning out behind her. "I suppose I am simply being selfish. I would rather have you here to myself."

Laszlo's lips arched at hearing her say that and he removed his glasses, placing them on the bedside table. He placed his papers next to them and shifted so that he was laid down on his side, facing her. Moving his hand upwards, he took hold of her hand by her chest, his fingers moving against hers as he spoke in a soft voice to her.

"I would prefer that too," he promised her. "But I will only be gone two days at most."

"That will feel like two days too long," she responded in a whisper. Laszlo's lips arched upwards at hearing her speak like that. He brushed his thumb along her knuckles and she sighed.

"I never knew that you were such a hopeless romantic," Laszlo said to her. "Tell me, can I expect to have love letters waiting for me on my desk whenever I return to work?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, my letters would be more romantic than yours," she said to him. "Your letters would no doubt contain information on how your love for me is something like the symptoms of some horrible disease. Was it not cholera, you said to me last time?"

"Indeed, it was," Laszlo said to her. "In fact, if you wish, I have a paper on the symptoms of cholera if you so wish to compare it to what you feel for me?"

"I am fine," Elizabeth promised him with a shake of her head. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. She continued to smile, however, and Laszlo knew that she was not insulted or put out by his inability to be as romantic as other men could be. "But I am intrigued. So…tell me…is what you feel for me similar to what people with cholera feel?"

"I would suspect so," Laszlo said to her with a nod.

"Humour me," she urged from him, squeezing his hand firmly and moving to roll onto her back, keeping hold of his hand and tugging on it until it was sat against her stomach. She moved both of her fingers to toy with his, running along them slowly. "Tell me what it is you feel when you see me?"

Laszlo chuckled and shifted closer to her until his front was inches from her side. "So you do want a love letter from me?"

"Well, I don't want you to write it down," she responded. "I just want to know what it is you feel."

"Well," Laszlo cleared his throat, slightly distracted with how her fingers were tickling against his. "I feel that I am attracted to you because I see things in you that I lack in myself. We are attracted to individuals who have qualities that we do not possess in the hope that it will complete us and make us feel-"

"-Laszlo," Elizabeth interrupted him with a soft laugh and he wondered what was so funny. Shaking her head, she let it roll to the side so that she was finally looking at him once more. "That's not exactly what I asked," she said to him. "I was talking to Mary and she asked me what it was like to be in love…how it feels," she said to him. "And I told her what I feel when I see you, but I wanted to know what it was you felt."

"Why not tell me what you feel?"

"Oh no," Elizabeth shook her head firmly. "So you can just copy my responses? You can go first."

Laszlo smiled softly at that, his lips remaining upturned and she continued to stare at him, her fingertips running along to his wrist. He let out a deep breath and nodded firmly. He could do this. He could tell her what it was he felt. He knew that he had it in him.

"I find that my every thought is consumed by you," Laszlo said to her. "Whenever I am at work, I often look up at the door and hope that you will walk in. I confess, I sometimes watch you in the yard with Charlotte…seeing you with her…smiling…I find myself unable to do anything but watch you. You…when you smile…it is almost as though I feel you smile only for me, like I am the only thing that matters and I know that it is love. All I want is to be with you."

She continued smiling at him and Laszlo felt her move towards him. She moved to kiss him, keeping the motion soft and tender. Laszlo moved his hand up to her chin, stroking along her skin slowly, his fingertips reaching her cheek and his thumb running along her cheekbone. He felt her hand wrap against his neck as he pulled back for a moment and then leaned in to kiss her once more for a final time.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" she teased him.

"Are you satisfied now?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Elizabeth continued taunting him. "What if I asked you for a sonnet? Or a love letter a day?"

"Then I fear I would disappoint you. I'm no expert when it comes to poems," he admitted to her.

"Then I suppose I shall simply just settle for you as you are," she whispered to him and moved to kiss him once again. She let her forehead brush his. "Just as you accept me for who I am."

"I would not want you any other way," he whispered and she smiled, her teeth bared as he leant in to kiss her again.

…

Elizabeth was still sleeping when Laszlo awoke the following morning. He dressed as silently as he could and looked down to her, tempted to wake her. But he didn't. She looked so peaceful that he didn't want to wake her. He bent down, the back of his hand moving to brush her hair from her face as he kissed her forehead softly. Moving to his feet, he left the house and travelled to the train station. He met John there and sat down opposite the man once they had boarded.

"You seem distracted," John commented to Laszlo.

He turned his attention over to John then, looking at him and dropping the smile from his face that had been there ever since he turned to look out the window, his mind thinking back to Elizabeth and how she had looked that morning and how she had spent most of the previous evening wrapped up in his grip.

"Do I?" Laszlo questioned. "Or is it simply because I have not asked about the two black eyes that you are sporting?"

"Hmm," John grunted. "What if I told you that I'd met an old friend for a drink?"

"And it resulted in two black eyes?"

"Sometimes, Laszlo, there are words spoken between people that are to be left private," John informed him.

"And what about Julia Pratt?" Laszlo questioned from John.

John almost blanched. "Julia Pratt?" he echoed the name back to Laszlo.

"Your former fiancée," Laszlo said to him. "She lives in Washington, does she not? Will you not take the time to go and see her?"

"Who on earth would I take the time to go and see Julia Pratt?"

"Because you were in love with her," Laszlo replied.

"I rarely think about that time in my life," John said and turned his attention to the window. "I would rather think about the future than look back to the past."

"So you do not think about her or still feel any affection for her?"

"You seem to be very invested in this conversation," John said, folding one leg over the other and looking to Laszlo as he curled his fingers into a ball and placed his fist underneath his chin, his elbow leaning against the window. "And you did seem very distracted earlier…so…distraction…talking about love…is this you trying to tell me something?"

"I do not know what you mean," Laszlo shook his head.

"Oh, Laszlo, I might not be as observant as you, but I still can pick up on things," he said to him. "Is this to do with Elizabeth?"

"What about Elizabeth?" Laszlo asked.

John laughed at hearing him, shaking his head back and forth and refusing to believe that his friend could be so reluctant to talk about his feelings considering the job that he did. He sat back and folded the papers he had been reading in half. He dropped them down onto the seat next to him and crossed one leg over the other, hands laced together on his kneecaps.

"Are you asking me about my feelings because you are interested in love?" he asked Laszlo. "And this is how you go about it instead of telling me what you are feeling?"

"I…well…love is but a chemical emotion, John," Laszlo said.

"No, love is about the heart."

"You sound just like Elizabeth," Laszlo said and John pointed to him.

"So this is about Elizabeth," John confirmed. "What is it? What do you want to know? Have you told her that you love her?"

"We should eat," Laszlo said and moved to his feet, leaving their compartment and heading towards the food cart. John stood up and was close on his heels.

"You're not getting away that easily!" he warned him and Laszlo knew that he was in for a long few days of questioning.

…

Elizabeth had gone to the Institute to work after Laszlo had informed her that their trip to Washington had been extended. They were travelling back through New York and towards Massachusetts. Elizabeth didn't pretend that she wasn't disappointed, but she understood. He had told her about a suspect they had, a John Beecham, who had been in the government psychiatric ward after being discharged. He had been a former soldier who had been born in New Paltz, the same location where John had also discovered a murder had taken place of a family that bore the resemblance of the killer's usual hallmarks.

Laszlo had asked John to send Sara to New Paltz to meet with the law enforcement there to discuss the case while he intended to meet with Adam Dury, the son whose parents had been killed in the massacre in New Paltz. Laszlo had also asked the Isaacson brothers to travel to North Dakota to find out more about Beecham's military history. He had a suspicion that the case was beginning to get pieced together, but he knew that they still needed time.

"Elizabeth."

Turning on her heel, Elizabeth looked to see Helen advancing towards her as she finished folding up dresses for the girls. She stood in the linen cupboard, her hair flyaway and her dress slightly crumpled.

"Yes?" Elizabeth asked.

"It is Charlotte," Helen said to her. "I know that Doctor Kreizler is currently away on business and this is usually information that I would impart with him, but I know that you care deeply for the girl."

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Her aunt…Elizabeth…the reason why she has not been to visit her is because she has left her."

Her brows knitted together. "What do you mean she has left her?" Elizabeth enquired from her, placing the dress down onto the sideboard next to her. Folding her arms over her chest, Elizabeth cocked her hip to the side.

"She has travelled to Europe," Helen said and Elizabeth felt her stomach drop. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Shaking her head, her eyes widened and she was doing all that she could not to feel sick. "Her lodgings were found empty this morning and a note had been left. She didn't pay her last two month's rent and she has no money…well…she has not paid for Charlotte's place here either."

"She…she abandoned her?" Elizabeth double-checked.

"Seems like it," Helen said. "Usually, Doctor Kreizler is charitable when this type of situation happens. Sometimes parents cannot keep up with payments and he gives them leeway, but this specific situation has never happened before. There has never been a situation like this."

"But Laszlo won't make her leave," Elizabeth said. She knew that much.

"Well…perhaps not," Helen said, "but if a precedent is set and word gets out-"

"-Helen," Elizabeth interrupted her, not wanting to think about what would happen to Charlotte. She didn't want to know. "Charlotte will be fine."

Helen pursed her lips, but she nodded. She gave Elizabeth a stern look. "Well, she refuses to go to bed. She is currently sat on the swing outside."

"I will go and talk to her," Elizabeth said and she moved past Helen and headed outside. She saw Charlotte sat there, dressed in a simple grey dress with tights. Elizabeth headed towards her cautiously and she sat down on the swing next to her. The little girl was looking to the floor, tears dropping down her cheek and onto the floor.

"I heard about your aunt, Charlotte," Elizabeth said in a gentle voice, the little girl sniffing loudly. "I'm sorry. I know she was the only family that you had and I…you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve to be abandoned by her."

Charlotte peered shyly over to Elizabeth and the young woman couldn't stop herself from standing up and kneeling in front of Charlotte. She took hold of her by the hands, squeezing her fingertips tightly and looking at her, her own eyes threatening to water with what she was doing. She was trying to placate her, but she knew that wouldn't be possible. How could she?

"You're a good girl, Charlotte," Elizabeth said to her. "You're sweet and I know that you've seen a lot and gone through a lot…but I promise you right now," she said firmly, "I won't abandon you."

Looking to her, Charlotte's eyes widened and she continued to cry. And then she launched herself at Elizabeth. Wrapping her arms around her, Elizabeth held onto her tightly, letting her cry against her shoulder as she ran her hand down her hair and considered what she was about to say to her. She knew that it was unprecedented and she didn't know what Laszlo was going to say.

"How about tonight…you come and spend the evening with me?" Elizabeth asked and pulled back, hands going to her shoulders and looking her in the eye. "You don't have to stay here alone. You can come with me and I'll look after you. Would you like that?"

Charlotte nodded and Elizabeth smiled, letting out a deep breath.

"Come on then," she encouraged, moving to her feet and offering Charlotte her hand.

The little girl took hold of her fingers and Elizabeth began walking back into the building, seeing Helen stood by the door. She had watched the entire exchange, arms folded over her chest.

"Helen, Charlotte is coming home with me tonight," Elizabeth said to the woman.

"I…that…that isn't proper," Helen shook her head firmly. "Has Doctor Kreizler approved this?"

"No, but he will understand," Elizabeth said confidently.

"How can you be so certain?" Helen demanded from her. "I must insist that you leave her here. There are protocols to follow-"

"-Not tonight," Elizabeth interrupted.

Helen looked at her with a dark glare then. "Just because you're sharing Doctor Kreizler's bed does not give you authority here, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes widened and her teeth ground together. "How dare you?" she demanded from Helen who did look worried then, knowing that she might have overstepped, particularly if Elizabeth told Laszlo. "I do not pretend to have authority, nor do I want to be in charge of anything, but this girl…she has suffered enough and I care about her. I care very much for her and she needs that right now. So, yes, I am taking her home with me."

Elizabeth began walking by the woman, Charlotte following in tow. She turned her head over her shoulder after a moment and looked back to Helen.

"And never mention our private relationship again. It is none of your business, Helen."

Elizabeth continued walking then. Her and Charlotte were quiet all of the way home, the two of them not entirely certain what was going on. Elizabeth insisted that Charlotte sit with her and Mary and eat dinner. It was strange, but there was only Elizabeth who spoke, making conversation and looking between the other two at the table. It was as Mary brought Charlotte cake, squeezing her shoulder, when the phone began to ring.

"I'll go," Elizabeth said and moved to her feet, heading into the entrance hall where the phone was located. Picking up the receiver, she placed it to her ear.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Elizabeth, it's me."

"Laszlo," she spoke his name. "Are you in Massachusetts?"

"We just arrived," Laszlo said to her. "We are going to spend the night here before we travel to see Adam Drury tomorrow at his farm. I should be home late tomorrow evening, but I will be back. It feels as though we are getting closer to finding out who this man might be."

"That's good, I guess," Elizabeth said to him. "And how are you?"

"Tired," Laszlo admitted. "But determined to see this through to the end."

"Just be careful," she encouraged from him and she could hear him sighing on the other end of the phone. She arched a brow. "What is it?" she asked, sensing her was exasperated.

"Just wondering what we will find tomorrow when we meet Mr Drury," he said to her. "However, all shall become apparently. Anyway, how was your day?"

"Good," Elizabeth said to him. "But there is something that I need to tell you and perhaps it is something we need to discuss further when you return."

"What is it?" Laszlo asked, concern in his voice.

"Charlotte's aunt has abandoned her. That is the reason why she hasn't been visiting her," Elizabeth said, ensuring that her voice was low enough that she could not be overheard by anyone. "She hasn't paid rent in months and she hasn't paid for Charlotte to stay on at the Institute."

"I see," Laszlo said. "This is a particularly novel situation. I can't say it has ever happened. I suppose I have been fortunate enough for it not to have."

"That's not it," Elizabeth said to him.

"What more is there?"

"I…well…I brought Charlotte back to the house," Elizabeth blurted out to him. "She was crying, Laszlo. She was upset and I couldn't just leave her there. She has no one. She thinks that no one loves her and I just couldn't let her stay there and think that."

There was silence for a moment.

"Are you mad at me?" Elizabeth asked from him.

"No," he replied. "I understand."

"Why do I sense there is a but?"

"But," he agreed with her, "have you even considered the long term implications? Children who become attached often become…well…dependent on those who care for them. You know that. She already sees you as a parent figure, I believe."

"And you think that is bad?"

"I think it could have complications for the future," Laszlo replied.

"Can we not discuss this when you return?" Elizabeth asked from him. "I don't want to discuss it on the phone when there could be prying ears. Please?"

He sighed again. "Of course," he agreed, knowing that was the most logical thing for them to do. "Anyway, I should try and get some rest. It is getting late and John has already gone to bed."

"Of course," Elizabeth nodded her head. "Goodnight, Laszlo."

"Goodnight, Elizabeth," he responded.

But he didn't hang up on the other end. She could still hear his voice. She arched a brow and her lip curled upwards.

"Something you want to say?" she questioned from him.

He chuckled. "Not particularly," he said. "I just don't want to stop talking to you."

"Likewise," she promised him. "But you need to get some sleep."

"As you say," Laszlo said.

"But before you go…well…just so you know, I love you."

"I think I know that by now."

"Nothing wrong with just re-emphasising it."

"Well, in that case I love you too," he said to her. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight, Laszlo."

Elizabeth put the phone down and looked to it. She chuckled to herself before turning on her heel and going back to find Charlotte and Mary.

…

There had been a moment when Laszlo had been convinced that this was the end. The carriage had been forced from the road and he had wondered if that was how he was to die. The driver of the carriage had been shot, the horses bolting off and the carriage tumbling off the road and down into a nearby woodland area. In that brief moment, he had thought about the pain in his leg as the carriage hit the ground and then he had thought about Elizabeth. There was so much more he wanted to tell her. He did not want their time to be snatched from them.

"Laszlo," John's voice hissed at him and he looked to him, snapping away from his thoughts. "Are you injured?"

"My leg," Laszlo commented and tried to regain his senses. "I think that it is cut, but not broken…perhaps sprained…the glass hasn't hit the bone, but you need to tie it off."

John removed his tie from around his neck and wrapped it around Laszlo's leg as Laszlo's hands shook as he removed his own tie, his breath coming out in short and sharp pants.

"Why do you think we have been followed all the way out here?" John questioned from him.

"Because we know too much," Laszlo said. "John…if I don't get away from here and you do then I need you to tell Elizabeth something…"

"No," John said firmly. "You can deliver that message yourself because I have no intention of dying today."

John climbed out of the overturned carriage, looking around for any sign of the man who had shot at the cart. He helped Laszlo out, hearing him grunt in pain as he put weight onto his leg. John wrapped Laszlo's arms around his shoulders as they stood in the water of the creek in the middle of the woodland. John continued to glance around, preparing himself should anyone come for them.

"We need to hurry," he said to Laszlo. "We should stick to the woods."

"Agreed," Laszlo said.

John carried as much of Laszlo's weight as he possibly could, gritting his own teeth and trying to hurry his friend along, wanting to get as far away from the road as possible. Laszlo continued to groan as they went, doing his best to keep his pace fast. He knew that they had to get out and away. He knew that better than anyone. They kept on walking along a dirt track surrounded by trees and keeping them in the shade. Only when they were far enough away from the carriage did John dare to talk.

"How is the pain?"

"Hard to tell," Laszlo admitted, dangling against John's side. "I think my brain has already habituated to it."

John looked to him, unable to believe that he was rationalising pain. Then again, this was Laszlo.

"What message did you want me to give Elizabeth?" John wondered, intrigue getting the better of him as Laszlo shook his head.

"It was nothing," Laszlo said to him and John realised that he needed a rest from carrying Laszlo. He helped him sit down on a fallen tree and Laszlo gripped hold of his cane tightly, planting it into the ground and looking to John as he stood before him.

"Oh, Laszlo, I have been trying to worm this out of you since I saw you at the hospital that day with her," John responded. "Just tell me."

"I do love her," Laszlo said to John, nodding his head. "I wanted you to tell her that I…I would have given her everything. I would have loved her for all of our time together…and I…I wanted to marry her. I wanted her to be mine, officially, that is."

"You want to marry her?" he checked with him.

"It is all I can think about," Laszlo said. "But she has only been a widow for over a year. I cannot rush these things. I refuse to rush them."

"Do you think that she would say yes?"

"I hope she would," Laszlo said.

"Has she also told you how she feels?"

Laszlo chuckled. "She is more open with her feelings than I am with mine."

John laughed at that, nodding his head. "That is not surprising," he commented. "And I know you are protective over her and you know her history more than anyone…and I can only speculate on what happened that night her husband died…but you deserve to be happy with her."

Laszlo nodded his head once. "She never killed her child, John," Laszlo said, knowing that he could trust John.

"I never once thought she would," John said to him. "When I found her that day at the bottom of the stairs, I had my suspicions on what had happened. And then when you rushed to her bedside, those suspicions grew."

"Your suspicions are more than likely correct," Laszlo assured him. "And her husband…it…what happened was an accident and I blame myself for it. I blame myself because she was protecting me. She protected me from him and I should have been the one who protected her. That was all I ever wanted to do."

"I understand," John promised him. "And you will get back to her and you can tell her all of this…you could even ask her to marry you."

"I could," Laszlo replied. "Come along. We should keep moving."

John nodded. "Up you get," he urged his friend and helped him to his feet once more, preparing to head back to the train station and return back to the safety of New York.

…

Elizabeth hummed softly as she tucked Charlotte into her bed. The sleeping arrangements had become quite complicated, but Elizabeth hadn't had the heart to send Charlotte back to the Institute the following day. And so she had told her that she could stay with her another night. She was sleeping in her room with Mary while Elizabeth had helped herself to Laszlo's bed. She had to admit, it felt too big and empty without him there, but she knew that he was due to be back later that night and she intended to stay awake and wait for him.

"You get some sleep," Elizabeth urged from Charlotte, tugging the quilt up to her neck. "And I'll see you in the morning. Mary will be coming to bed in a little while too."

Charlotte nodded and turned onto her side as Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ear. She turned the light off and moved to close the door, giving Charlotte a soft wave before she went. Moving to the hallway, she heard the front door open and excitement coursed through her. Laszlo had to be home. She came to the top of the stairs and smiled widely, bounding down the steps and calling out loud.

"You're home earlier than…" she trailed off when she saw that it wasn't Laszlo in the entrance hall. She bit down on her bottom lip and looked between the two men. Her brow furrowed and she took a moment to regain her composure, hands going to her skirts. Mary was by her side in another moment as the two men removed their hats.

"Good evening, ladies," the man in the brown suit spoke. "Pardon us for letting ourselves in."

"Who are you?" Elizabeth enquired, something not feeling particularly right to her.

Looking to the man, she swore she recognised him from somewhere.

"We are looking for Doctor Kreizler," he said to her.

"Captain Connor, is it?" Elizabeth asked, recalling his image from the newspaper. And then she remembered what Laszlo had told her about him. He wasn't to be trusted. He was part of police corruption. The man behind him was eerily silent, looking around the hallway.

"Laszlo is not here," Elizabeth said, her voice firm and she could feel Mary's arm brush against hers. "He is working late tonight."

"Really?" Connor asked from her.

"Really," she echoed back.

"Well, you wouldn't mind if we just have a look around, would you?"

Before she could answer, the man behind Connor had taken off in the direction of the kitchen and Connor was moving into the foyer. Elizabeth followed Connor as Mary took hold of her arm. Looking to her, Mary shook her head and motioned to the staircase. Charlotte. Charlotte was upstairs. Elizabeth nodded, knowing that they had to keep the little girl safe.

"Doctor Kreizler!" Connor shouted.

"I told you, he is not here," Elizabeth said, heading into the parlour room and folding her arms over her chest.

"Then where is he? Because he wasn't at the Institute so clearly he isn't working late."

"He is on other business that is none of your concern," Elizabeth said firmly and Connor moved towards her, looking down at her as Mary remained by her side, glowering at the man.

"Where is he?" Connor repeated. "Huh? Did he send you down here to get rid of me? Is that it?"

"He's not here," Elizabeth responded. "So I think you should leave before he does get back."

Connor chuckled darkly. He moved his hand out and grabbed hold of Elizabeth by the arm, holding it tightly in his grip as she grunted at the pain and Mary tried to push him off of her, but he didn't move as he continued talking.

"Is he upstairs, huh?" he questioned. "I know all about you…what they call you…I'm sure as his whore you've spent many evenings up there with your legs open for him, haven't you?"

"Get the hell off of me," Elizabeth snarled, breaking free from his grip with Mary's help. Connor walked past the two women, moving to the staircase.

"Fine, I'll go look for myself," he said to them.

Elizabeth watched Mary for a moment and shook her head. He couldn't go up there. Charlotte. "Find Cyrus and Stevie," Elizabeth whispered to Mary. "I'll go for Charlotte."

Giving her hand a squeeze, Elizabeth took off up the stairs after Connor while Mary moved towards the kitchen. Elizabeth rushed up the steps, hiking the skirt of her dress up her thighs and catching up with Connor as he came to the corridor.

"Kreizler!" he shouted his name.

"I told you that he isn't here," Elizabeth snapped, seeing the door to her room. It was still shut. "Just…please…go and leave us alone."

"Then tell me where he is," Connor demanded from Elizabeth, grabbing hold of her chin forcefully, pushing her up against the wall.

But Elizabeth moved quickly, lifting her knee up and making contact with his groin. He grunted in pain as the door to Elizabeth's room opened and Charlotte stood there. She turned to look to the little girl and motioned for her to go back into the bedroom.

"Charlotte, sweetheart, please…go back…"

"So you're going to be like that, are you?" Connor demanded and he grabbed hold of Elizabeth by the hair, hauling her back against him, his chest hitting her solid form. "And who is this? Your little bastard child? You want her to get hurt? Huh?"

"You're going nowhere near her," Elizabeth snapped, nudging him in the stomach with her elbow with as much force as she had. But he slammed her body against the wall, pushing her front up there and slamming her head against it. Elizabeth yelled in pain, her head feeling woozy and the room suddenly spinning. Charlotte was still stood in the doorway, completely frozen.

"Then tell me where that lover of yours is hiding, you filthy harlot!"

"Go fuck yourself," Elizabeth snarled and he went to slam her head up against the wall once more. Before he had a chance to do anything else, Mary had reappeared. Holding a knife in her hand, she lunged at Connor, the blade hitting his shoulder. He groaned in pain, tossing Elizabeth to the side. She fell to the ground and turned onto her back, pushing herself to her feet as Connor reached for Mary.

"No!" Elizabeth snapped as he saw her grab her wrist before she could lunge at him again. He slammed her wrist against the wall and Mary dropped the knife. He pushed her to the ground and reached down for the knife seconds before Elizabeth could get there. Picking it up, he held it in his hands and looked between the two women. Mary picked herself up from the ground, her hair falling around her shoulders and out of the bun it had been in.

"Now, you two are going to play nice and tell me where the Doctor is or I swear…" he waved the knife in his hand. Moving over towards Elizabeth, she backed away and panted for breath. "Now, where is he or that little girl-"

He had no time to finish. Mary was behind him once again, hitting at him as he turned around and faced her. He dropped the knife after Mary had hit him in the shoulder where she had stabbed him.

"Mary!" Elizabeth snapped at her loudly as she hit at Connor, trying to get him away from Mary. But he was already slamming her against the bannister, the wood breaking underneath the force of the motion. "Let her go!" Elizabeth demanded, picking the knife up and ramming it into his shoulder. He screamed in pain at the same time he delivered the final blow to Mary, the wood snapping completely. He let go of her as he reached for his arm.

"Mary!" Elizabeth shrieked, seeing the young woman lose her balance on the edge of the floor. Reaching out for her hand, Elizabeth grabbed hold of her fingertips, but she had lost her balance. Elizabeth shrieked loudly as Mary's weight pulled her over the bannister with her. Mary's yells echoed in Elizabeth's ears as the two women hurtled to the ground together.

…

A/N: Thanks for much to everyone reading. Would love to know what you think!