Walking into the graveyard, Elizabeth swore she felt a sudden chill in the air. She looked around, almost as though she felt they were being watched. But, no doubt, it was just the graveyard giving her the chills. Laszlo was besides her, her arm entwined into his as his other hand held his cane. He was looking straight ahead as Elizabeth carried the flowers in her other hand, nursing them against her front. She looked over in the familiar direction of the grave where her son was buried. Laszlo noted her glance in that direction and his arm squeezed against hers. Turning her head up to him, she nodded once, promising him silently that she was fine.

He led the way towards Mary's grave. His pace was steady, almost reluctant. He still felt guilt inside of him, despite what everyone had said to him. He knew that it wouldn't go away, but over time it might diminish. He could only hope for that. Yet, he had no idea if that would happen. The mind was a strange thing and he knew that better than most.

"Here we are," Laszlo commented as they moved along the uneven ground towards the back of he graveyard. The dirt was still fresh over the grave, grass only beginning to sprout up and cover it.

Looking to the headstone, Elizabeth saw Mary's name there and she moved towards it. Dropping Laszlo's hand, she laid the flowers down, crouching down for a moment and pressing a hand to the stone.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Mary."

Standing up straight once more, she ran her hands down her skirts and smoothed them out before stepping back towards Laszlo. He held his arm out for her and she wrapped hers around his waist as he took her shoulders. She leant her head against his shoulder and he looked to the headstone. They stood there for a few minutes, neither of them saying anything. They were simply lost in their own thoughts, watching the gravestone silently.

"We should go," Laszlo said after several minutes and Elizabeth nodded against him.

She lifted her head up and turned to look up to him. "Can we make one more stop?"

"Of course," he responded.

He knew exactly where she wanted to go. He took her arm into his once more and they walked away, Elizabeth brushing a tear away with the back of her hand as she remembered Mary and all of the times she had spent with the maid. She had never seen her as her maid. She had never expected Mary to wait on her. She had always been someone Elizabeth felt she could confide in - another female in a house solely occupied by males who understood her.

Laszlo looked at the grave as Elizabeth left his grip once more and knelt down on the ground. He watched her bow her head, almost as though she was praying. She whispered something and he knew that she struggled with her emotions when it came to her unborn son. She had spent weeks in a downward spiral that Laszlo had only seen glimpses of. She never smiled. She rarely conversed. She had locked herself away in that house with her husband and had gone into her shell. And nothing Laszlo did seemed to be able to bring her out of it for a long time. But time healed wounds. Time was able to heal the deepest of them, or so Laszlo had found. But that didn't mean that wounds could not be reopened again.

"Are you feeling uneasy?" Laszlo wondered as Elizabeth moved to her feet and he saw her sway. She shook her head as his hand instantly went to the small of her back and she planted her feet firmly on the ground.

"I just stood too quickly, but I'm fine," she promised him.

"I understand that this has probably been quite exhausting for you," Laszlo said and she shook her head again.

"I'm fine," she echoed once more, her gaze moving over her son's headstone one final time and she nodded. "I'm fine," she said once again and he took that as a sign that they were ready to go. Leaving the graveyard together, Stevie stood by the carriage, chewing down on an apple and waiting for them. Laszlo nodded to the boy and asked him to take them back home.

The journey back was quiet, both of them clearly thinking once again. Once they were back home, Laszlo helped Elizabeth from the carriage, her red coat open around her body and dangling loosely down her frame. She held the skirts to the blue dress she wore up her legs so that she didn't trip before she noticed a familiar figure stood by the steps up the house. Elizabeth's lips turned upwards.

"John," she said.

"Sara said that you were back on your feet," John declared and he removed his hat, holding it in one hand and stepping towards her. "But she also said that you were on strict orders to rest."

"She still is," Laszlo said and Elizabeth rolled her eyes at John and his lips turned upwards in a sly smirk back to her. "I don't think that we should have gone out this morning, but she insisted."

"I am fine," Elizabeth said ad she wondered how many times she had said that to him in the past few days since she had become even more determined to move around and not simply lay in bed. Besides, she was growing increasingly anxious after discovering that they planned to try and catch the killer the following day.

"That remains to be seen," Laszlo said.

"Overprotective, I see," John commented and he finally moved to embrace Elizabeth, bending down and pecking her on the cheek. She returned the embrace and pulled back, John keeping his hand on her shoulder as Stevie took the carriage away from the main road.

"I am simply looking out for her welfare. I see nothing overprotective about that," Laszlo responded and John chuckled at hearing him. He moved his hand from Elizabeth's shoulder and slapped Laszlo on the back.

"You're in love, Laszlo," John reminded him. "You are bound to be overprotective. It is not a bad thing."

"I might disagree on that sometimes," Elizabeth retorted and John continued to chuckle as Laszlo shot her a stare and she simply looked at him with that teasing smile she often gave him and his own face softened. He began moving up the stairs towards the house, taking Elizabeth with him as he placed a hand on her back.

"And what is the purpose of your visit, John?" Laszlo questioned as his friend followed a few steps behind.

"Well, to see how Elizabeth was faring," John said.

"Most kind of you," Elizabeth said and Laszlo pushed the front door open and stood in the entrance hall. He helped Elizabeth out of her coat before he removed his own. John closed the door behind him and left his hat on the sideboard, hands moving down to his hips.

"And I also thought that we should discuss the case," John said.

"Do we have to?" Laszlo wondered. "I thought that the plan was already in place. Miss Howard knows of the ritual of Beecham and how he is to select the location for his next murder…High Bridge Tower…or Brooklyn Bridge…or am I not correct?"

"You are indeed," John responded. "But do you not think that Sara might be better off staying away from this? We don't know how dangerous it might be and Roosevelt has already gathered his men."

Laszlo nodded his head, a knowing look on his face and a chuckle escaping his lips. "So that's what this is about," Laszlo said and John's brow furrowed and arched on his forehead as Laszlo removed his own hat and left it on the bannister at the bottom of the stairs before steering Elizabeth into the parlour room.

"What is what about?" John asked, following him and lacing his fingers behind his back.

"I'm inclined to agree with John," Elizabeth said. "What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking that John is trying to keep Miss Howard away because of his feelings for her," Laszlo responded. "I know why you are doing it," he turned his attention towards John. "And I would question if you have told her how you feel yet or if it still remains a mystery to her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," John shrugged.

"Of course you do," Laszlo said and motioned to the couch and turned his gaze back to Elizabeth. "You need to sit down and rest, Elizabeth."

"You're so bossy," Elizabeth muttered, but she sat down anyway. She had to admit that she did feel particularly uneasy. She looked around for a moment, wondering where Charlotte was, but then she remembered that Cyrus had said that he would take her out for a sundae at a nearby café.

"I thought I was overprotective?" Laszlo responded.

"You can also be bossy," she responded and Laszlo chuckled and sat down on the couch next to her and John noted the way she sank back into the seat and Laszlo remained on the edge, her hand going to his back and running up and down it for a moment before she moved to rest her hands in her lap.

"And I am still at a loss," John responded.

"Do not play coy with us," Laszlo encouraged from John. "I know that you have feelings for Miss Howard and I know why you are here to ask me to work with you to try and keep her away…because you still see her as someone who needs protection, but not just because she is a woman, but because you worry for her. Do you think that I would not understand that?"

John grunted once and Elizabeth smiled at hearing Laszlo speak like that. He had spent the other week warning John that Sara would never love him like he wanted her to. But had he said it because he had just been angry? Did he think that the two of them could potentially have a future together?

"I thought you told me that she would only just see me as her handsome, but incompetent friend?"

"I do not know if those are the exact words I used."

"The point still stands."

"And the point still stands that you care deeply for her," Laszlo retorted. "And I would implore you to tell her that."

"After telling me that it would be futile before?"

"I was angry and after everything that has recently happened…almost losing someone I love…I would not wish to live with regret. Don't regret not telling Miss Howard how you feel, John. Do not live with that."

Elizabeth gave Laszlo's arm a gentle squeeze and he looked back to her, eyes flickering over her features for a moment before he nodded to her and then turned back to John. He remained stood at the end of the room, hands behind his back and his head bowed, looking to his feet and the floor. It was another few moments before he looked up and glanced over to Laszlo.

"I shall consider your advice," he said to him.

"Do," Laszlo implored him. "But I will not tell Miss Howard to stay away. She is far too strong willed and has a mind of her own to listen to either of us."

"That's what worries me," John admitted in a mumbled.

"But we will do what we can to keep her safe. Now, tell me," Laszlo changed the topic, "tomorrow evening, are you able to join me at the opera?"

"Tomorrow?" Elizabeth and John said at the same time.

"Yes, tomorrow."

"You know what tomorrow is, do you not?" John asked.

"Yes, Don Giovanni is playing at the opera," Laszlo commented and Elizabeth leant forwards, folding her arms on her lap and looking up to Laszlo. John moved his hands to his hips and gave out an exasperated sigh.

"We can't exactly attend the opera when tomorrow is the twenty-forth. We need to be with Sara and the Isaacsons," John replied.

"And we will be, but first we must attend the opera," Laszlo said. "Did you not notice the carriage parked across the street when we were outside? I do not doubt that it is still there now."

"Can't say that I did," John commented.

"Well, let's just say that my work on this case has attracted certain interested parties," Laszlo said. "I am being followed, John, and it is expected that I attend the opera tomorrow evening."

"Wait," Elizabeth said. "Was someone following us earlier?"

"Indeed."

"I thought that someone had been watching," Elizabeth replied. "At the graveyard."

"And there was," Laszlo confirmed for her. "However, they are simply watching me. I cannot exactly run off to a crime scene without arousing suspicion while I am being followed. Therefore, the opera will provide us with the necessary distraction."

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," John mumbled, shaking his head.

"Because you know it makes sense," Laszlo responded. "So, tomorrow, I shall pick you up at around seven, yes?"

"And you're certain on this?"

"As certain as I can be," Laszlo told him.

"Fine," John nodded. "Then I suppose that I shall see you tomorrow."

"You shall. Come, I will walk you out," Laszlo said and he moved to stand up.

Elizabeth embraced John once more before he left with Laszlo, the two men talking as they went. Elizabeth leant back on the seat once more and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts manifest. Laszlo moved back into the parlour once he had walked with John to the door. He stood in the doorway and looked to Elizabeth as she sat there, eyes closed and hair tumbling down her shoulders. She only opened them when he sat back down next to her, the cushions dipping underneath his weight.

"You're tired," Laszlo informed her and she rolled her head to the side to look to him.

"I was thinking," she said back to him. "What if I told you that I wanted to come to the opera with you tomorrow night?"

"Then I would tell you that I would prefer for you to stay here," Laszlo replied, "and that I have no desire to bring you along with us."

Elizabeth scoffed. "I knew you would say that."

"Besides, you are still supposed to be resting," Laszlo responded. "And I do not want you involved in this case after what happened to you. I cannot risk losing you, Elizabeth. I can never risk losing you. Please, do not ask me to take you tomorrow night or to insist on coming."

"And I don't want you to get hurt either," she replied and he nodded. He understood.

"I know," he said. He almost wanted to tell her how he knew that Beecham wasn't going to be in the location where Miss Howard was to be stationed.

He had worked out some time ago that Beecham's ritual had changed. The eyes of the last victim hadn't been taken and the heart in the box they had found had been his mothers, not that of a child. And Laszlo didn't want the police to get their hands on Beecham. He knew what they would do to him and he didn't want that to happen. He wanted him alive. He wanted to know why he had done what he had done. He longed to discover the meaning behind the killings. He couldn't do that if the police got to him. And so he had kept his theory to himself.

"I don't like this," Elizabeth sighed and leant back against Laszlo, her head by his shoulder and neck. He dropped his chin to sit on the top of her head and moved his arm around her waist, fingers splaying on her hip.

"I know, but it will all be over tomorrow night. Of that, I am certain…besides…I have been thinking that tonight might be a good night to tell Charlotte of our thoughts and plans," Laszlo said.

"Are you trying to placate me and not get me to talk about tomorrow night?" she asked from him.

His lips arched. "Am I that transparent?"

"Only to me," she replied. "But I am not opposed to the idea. And you are certain of this?"

"I would not have suggested it if I had not been certain," Laszlo said and Elizabeth moved so that she could look him in the eye. He kept his arm around her as she turned to the side, her hand going to sit on his thigh.

"I know that you took me in after what happened with Jacob and you did that out of kindness," Elizabeth said and Laszlo chuckled, shaking his head.

"And my own selfish reasons," he said to her. "I wanted you to live here with me."

"Well…I know that now," Elizabeth smiled. "But you still took me in and expected nothing from me in return. You simply did it, but when you took me in, I know you did not expect to take in a child as well. I do not want you to feel that I have taken advantage of you for encouraging me to adopt Charlotte because if she lives here…with me…"

"Then she will want for nothing," Laszlo said. "And I do not want you to feel that you are indebted to me for any reason."

"I just sometimes feel that I take advantage of your kindness," Elizabeth admitted and Laszlo shook his head firmly. Bowing down, his forehead rested against hers and he moved to kiss her on the cheek for a second.

"You do not," he promised her. "Believe me, you do not take advantage of my kindness, Elizabeth…I am happy with you here and I hope that you are happy with how we live?"

"Minus the child murderer, yes," she responded and Laszlo chuckled darkly. He supposed she had a point on that one. "I just want you to be certain that this is what you want as well, that you want me…and I suppose Charlotte as well."

Laszlo nodded. "As I have said, I have grown quite attached to her too. I want her to be happy and I understand that her being with you makes her happy. Therefore, you should inform her of your plans and see if she wants to stay with you."

Elizabeth sighed and nodded. "It is a big thing," she said to Laszlo. "Adopting her…I want to adopt her and I want to take care of her and help her through whatever trauma she has seen, but I don't want to fail her. I know that I can never be her mother, but she will be in my care…and I don't want to fail her."

"You won't," Laszlo said confidently. "You are bound to make mistakes as every parent does…but so long as you love her and always try to do your best by her then she will be a very well-looked after child."

Elizabeth leant in to kiss him chastely, her hand going to his bearded cheek and her thumb running along his cheekbone. He pulled back for a brief moment before giving her one final peck on the lips, unable to stop himself from wanting more of her.

"You're very good at reassuring me," Elizabeth said. "Then again, you've had plenty of experience."

"I simply tell you the truth," Laszlo said. "Besides, whatever happens with Charlotte, I will be by your side."

"And that gives me more comfort than you could possibly know," Elizabeth said and she leaned in to kiss him again.

She moved her hand along his neck, curling around it as his arm tightened around her waist, pressing her body tighter to his before he felt her move against him, one leg draping either side of his thighs as she straddled his lap, a hand going to tangle into his hair. Laszlo groaned at the feeling of her firm grip, pulling his hair against his scalp as he gathered her hair into his hand, his fingers cupping the back of her skull tenderly. He pulled back after a moment and shook his head at her, seeing the flush of her cheeks as she tried to gather her breath.

"You should still be resting," he warned her.

"But I feel fine," she said to him.

"That might be so, but you still need to rest," he responded. "You've been on your feet most of the day."

"Technically I don't need to be on my feet for what I have planned now," she said to him. "Charlotte and Cyrus are still out…Stevie is in the back…"

"I should say no and tell you not to put sinful thoughts into my mind."

"I thought that giving into desire was no sin?" she responded. "Or did I read your work wrong?"

She ran a hand down his chest as his lips arched.

"Besides," she continued, "you said you should say no…that means you clearly don't want to."

Laszlo scoffed. "Of course I don't want to," he said to her and she shrugged.

"Then don't," she said and moved to kiss him once more.

Laszlo heard her moan against him, feeling the vibrations from the noise against his own mouth as he bit down on her bottom lip and she parted her lips, giving him the ability to deepen the kiss before he teased her further, pulling his mouth from hers and kissing along her cheek and to her neck, giving him the chance to hear her moan and pant for breath, beg him for more. Laszlo knew he should stop, but he was struggling to think coherently. He gained his senses after a few moments, kissing her one final time on the space between her neck and shoulder and then looking up to her.

"You have to tell me if you need us to stop," Laszlo said, the demand low and deep off of his tongue as he looked her in the eye. "And I mean it, Elizabeth."

"I promise," she said.

"Good," Laszlo said, his grip on her hair increasing as he held it and he heard her gasp, her hand clenching into a fist on his waistcoat. "Then I suggest we go upstairs."

…

Elizabeth finished dressing once more after they had spent an hour in bed together after their activities. They had laid there and talked, Laszlo constantly making certain that Elizabeth was fine. But she felt better than she had in weeks. She had ran her fingers through his hair that had become slightly damp from sweat as he kept his cheek pressed to her chest, his head resting there and his fingers running along her bare stomach, tickling her skin lightly.

"Come here," Elizabeth said once she had finished shrugging into a clean shirt and skirt. She saw Laszlo fiddling with the buttons of his shirt and she moved over to help him, buttoning them up, her hands brushing against his bare skin occasionally and feeling the warmth of it.

"This is the part I hate…" Laszlo admitted to her. "My inability to dress myself sometimes when my arm aches…removing my own boots…"

"I understand why you would hate it," she said to him and he watched her reach the top button, but he moved his hand to her wrist, indicating silently that she didn't need to bother with that. "But you have me here to help you."

"And for that, I am glad," Laszlo said and he leaned down to brush his lips against hers. Before he could deepen the kiss, they heard the front door downstairs slam shut and Elizabeth pulled back, turning her head over her shoulder and looking to the doorway before peering back to Laszlo. He nodded his head. It would be Cyrus and Charlotte.

"Can we tell her now?"

"If you so wish," Laszlo nodded his head.

"I do," Elizabeth said. "Come on."

"Well, I should perhaps put my trousers on first," Laszlo said and Elizabeth laughed, hand patting his shoulder.

"That might be for the best," she agreed with him and he quickly reached down to pull the material up his legs, finishing off dressing as Elizabeth adjusted the stockings on her legs, lifting her foot to the bed and rolling them up her thigh as Laszlo tried not to remember how it had felt to pull them down, his fingers holding her soft flesh before he urged her to wrap her legs around him.

They finished dressing and Laszlo let Elizabeth go ahead, amazed at the sudden outburst of energy she had. She took the stairs down to the entrance hall and Laszlo followed her, hands in the pockets of his trousers before they came to the parlour where Charlotte was stood, Cyrus shrugging out of his coat.

"Did you have a nice day?" Elizabeth wondered.

"We did," Cyrus responded. "I took this one to the park and we then went and had a sundae."

"Really?" Elizabeth asked as Laszlo stood in the doorway, looking between the three of them. She sat down on the couch and took hold of Charlotte by the hands. "And what flavour did you have?"

"Well, she couldn't choose," Cyrus said, knowing that Charlotte wouldn't answer. "And so there was a scoop of chocolate…strawberry and vanilla," he said and Elizabeth's eyes widened in mock surprise as her mouth gaped and she took hold of the girl by her sides, shaking her slightly.

"Three flavours?" she teased her. "How will you manage to eat dinner with three scoops of ice cream in here?" she asked, turning her around and running her hand over her stomach, tickling her as the little girl laughed, her back pressed against Elizabeth's front as she stood in between her legs.

Cyrus chuckled as Elizabeth finished tickling her and kept her arms around her, kissing the top of her head and then brushing her soft blonde curls from her face.

"I made the same point, but ice cream is a treat, isn't it?" Cyrus said. "Anyway, I'm sorry that we were gone for so long, but we ended up going on a longer walk than we had anticipated."

"We don't mind," Elizabeth said and Cyrus noted her messed up hair and how the doctor wasn't wearing his usual waistcoat and tie, instead dressed only his shirt with the top buttons undone. He swore that his hair was also slightly sweaty and his forehead had a gleam to it.

"I can tell," Cyrus dared to say as Laszlo coughed awkwardly. Cyrus chuckled and looked to the doctor. "If that's everything, Doctor Kreizler, I was going to see if Stevie wanted to have dinner with me and my niece this evening."

"Of course," Laszlo nodded his head. "I hope you have a good evening. Send Joanna my best."

"Will do," he promised Laszlo and inclined his head once again. "Have a good evening, Doctor…Elizabeth, Charlotte," he addressed them each in turn.

Elizabeth gave him a soft smile as Charlotte waved goodbye and he went his own way for the evening. Elizabeth sat up straight and looked to Laszlo one final time. He nodded his head, silently indicating that it was fine for her to ask Charlotte what they had discussed.

"Charlotte, we have something that we want to talk to you about," Elizabeth said and the little girl turned in her grips. Elizabeth moved her hands to hold onto hers as Laszlo moved to sit down next to Elizabeth, a hand going to the small of her back. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad," Elizabeth added on when she saw her face falter after a moment. "It's about the future and what you want."

"Yes," Laszlo said and Charlotte looked to him. "And whatever it is you want, we will support you as best we can."

"Of course," Elizabeth nodded firmly. "But Laszlo and I have been talking and I know that Laszlo told you that you could stay here while I was sleeping…and he said that you wanted that…but you are technically an orphan, Charlotte. And I know that might sound scary," she said, squeezing her fingers firmly in her grip. "But we have no intention of sending you to an orphanage."

"None at all," Laszlo said, hoping that Charlotte would feel comforted if he also agreed.

"So…we were discussing that it might be for the best, and only if you want me to…well…if I adopt you," Elizabeth said to her and Charlotte's eyes widened, her face contorting in surprise at what she was hearing from Elizabeth. "I wouldn't replace your own mother and I would understand if it wasn't what you wanted, but it would mean that you would be in my care and I would be able to look after you."

"And you would stay here with us," Laszlo said to her. "And…while you would be under Elizabeth's care…I will also be here and maybe one day, depending on what happens between us," Laszlo said, looking to Elizabeth for emphasis, "I could also adopt you. But, for now, I know it is Elizabeth you are close with and therefore you can stay in her care."

"What do you say?" Elizabeth wondered from her. "Would you want to be adopted by me?"

Charlotte didn't say anything. She only nodded, her eyes wide and wet before she wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's neck. The force knocked Elizabeth slightly, but she just chuckled as she caught her around the waist and Laszlo smiled at the sight, Charlotte burrowing her face against Elizabeth's shoulder.

"I think we have our answer," Laszlo said and Elizabeth rested her cheek on the top of Charlotte's head and turned her gaze onto Laszlo as he offered her a small smile and a nod. He knew that this was the right thing to do. He also began to wonder if this would be their first step towards a different future than he had envisaged for himself, a future that involved him having his own family.

…

Elizabeth sat on the end of the bed the following night, watching Laszlo finish dressing into his tuxedo. She sighed deeply and moved to her feet when she saw him begin to try and tie up his bowtie around his neck. Elizabeth moved towards him, her hands going to his wrists and pushing them back down by his side. She stood on her toes and kissed him once before moving her hands up his arms and reaching for the tie. She did it up for him, adjusting it as Laszlo looked down onto her, his eyes moving over her face that he knew was scrunched up with anxiety.

"Everything will be fine," he promised her.

"I want to believe that," Elizabeth said to him, finishing off his bowtie and moving her hands along his shoulders slowly. "But I'll only believe it when you're back here…and nothing I can say will persuade you to let me come?"

"Not tonight," Laszlo shook his head. "You need rest, not a night running around New York."

"I could stay back?"

"I know how stubborn you can be, my dear," Laszlo said to her. "But this is something that I have no intention of backing down on. You stay here and I will be back before you know it."

"I can always follow you," she warned him.

"Don't even think about it," he responded. "Besides, Cyrus is out with Charlotte and Joanna this evening and Stevie is taking me to the opera, so you have no means of transport, unless you take a cab."

"Good idea."

"I did not mean to put ideas in your head," Laszlo replied. "But, please, Elizabeth, just stay here where you'll be safe. I will be home soon."

"Fine," she relented, "but I will be waiting up and for my own sanity, please try not to be gone too late."

"I will do my best," he said and bent down to kiss her once more. "Now, I really must be going."

"Fine," she pouted.

"Don't sulk, Elizabeth," he urged from her and kissed her again. He felt her tangle her fingers into the hair at the back of his head, pulling him down to her as her other hand held his bad one and he took hold of her waist. He only backed away from her when he felt her press tightly against his front and he chuckled. Arching a brow and looking at her with a smirk on his face, he shook his head. "And don't try and distract me from going."

"Are you saying that a night at the opera is more enjoyable than spending a night at home with me?"

"Hmmm," he hummed deeply and thoughtfully. "Staying with you is more enjoyable, I am not denying that. However, unfortunately tonight I must put any notion I have of pleasure out of my mind."

"Can't say I didn't try," Elizabeth said and gave him a final peck before he pulled back and reached for his cane.

He checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his waistcoat before he left the bedroom, Elizabeth talking to him as they went down the stairs and to the entrance hall. He moved outside, feeling the cool evening air as Elizabeth went with him, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, crumpling up her green dress as she made the motion.

"Come home," she said to him as he turned to bid her goodbye. "Come home to me."

"That will always be my intention," Laszlo said and he moved his hand to sweep her hair behind her shoulders, his knuckles resting against her neck and he moved to kiss her once again.

She patted his shoulder once he straightened up. "We don't want to give the neighbours anything to gossip about," she said to him.

"Let them talk," he replied and kissed her once more. "I will be home soon."

She nodded and let him move down the stairs. She watched him move to the carriage and climb into it, closing the door behind him. Elizabeth forced a smile onto her face and waved as he went. He held his hand up and she waited until the carriage was out of sight around the corner before she let out a shaky breath. Raising her hand to her face, she saw her fingers were trembling as she brushed her hair behind her ear and headed back inside. She went to close the door, but found that it didn't shut all the way.

Before she had a chance to see what had jammed it, it flew back open and she jumped back, startling at the sight of the man who had forced it back open. Elizabeth held a hand up as he slammed the door closed behind him. He was dressed in a brown suit, the white shirt crumpled and the top buttons undone. He looked unkempt compared to when she had last seen him in the same location weeks ago.

"You need to get out!" Elizabeth snapped at him, backing away as he took steady steps towards her. "I mean it."

"Where is he going?" he demanded from her. "What is he planning?"

"I said get out!" Elizabeth roared, her voice loud and on the verge of hysteria at the sight of him. "Get the hell out of this house!"

"Your yells fall on deaf ears, girlie," he said to her, shaking his head. "Now, unlike last time, this is going to go very differently. So, tell me where he is going and I will leave you alone."

"I'm not telling you anything," Elizabeth shook her head.

"You see, we know that he is going to the opera," Connor said as Elizabeth moved into the parlour and he followed her, pointing at her back. "But he's not staying there, is he? He has another plan, doesn't he?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you're a deranged bastard?" Elizabeth suggested.

That seemed to enrage him and he moved forwards before Elizabeth could run from him. Reaching for her, he grabbed hold of her by the wrist, twisting it behind her back and slamming her up against the wall, winding her in the process. He lowered his mouth to whisper against her ear and she could smell the alcohol on his breath as his front pressed firmly to her back.

"Now, listen to me you little harlot," he hissed. "You might have survived the last time I was here unlike that maid, but if you want to survive the night you'll tell me where the doctor who you whore yourself out to is."

"I'm not telling you anything."

He slammed her against the wall again, hearing her grunt loudly in pain as he moved a hand up to her hair, tugging on it tightly and pulling her head back. She yelled out in pain at the feeling as she tried to claw his hand off of her but failed miserably.

"Would he do anything for you?" Connor asked from her. "Would you die for him?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said with conviction.

"Then we'll see what lengths he will go to for you," Connor snapped. "Doctor Kreizler's little slut."

Elizabeth tried to buck him off of her, but he was stronger. He kept her pinned against the wall as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rag. She wondered what he was doing before he forced the material against her face. She tried not to sniff, but she failed as she felt herself grow weaker and her eyes begin to shut despite her trying to keep them open.

"Let's see just how much Kreizler loves you," Connor hissed into her ear before she passed out.

...

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone reading - I have a plan for season 2 in my mind and intend to carry on if people are interested in me moving to season 2? Again, would love to know your thoughts!