Elizabeth had confessed to Laszlo that she wasn't entirely comfortable with seeing her mother again, but he had promised her that everything would be fine. He would see to her and give her enough money for a month. He had gone to his safe in his bedroom wardrobe, pulling out a wad of cash that he kept there for emergencies. Moving back down to the parlour, he found Elizabeth sat at the piano on the bench, her fingers moving over the keys softly and slowly, the gentle noise filling the room. She played no tune in particular, the lights dimmed and the fire burning softly.

She stopped playing when she heard him come into the room, depositing the cash down on the small coffee table and moving to sit next to her. He had shrugged out of his suit jacket and was dressed only in his trousers, waistcoat and shirt. He had pulled at the tie around his neck, loosening it and leaving his top button undone.

"Do you think that she is going to come?" Elizabeth wondered from Laszlo.

"She seemed desperate," Laszlo said to his wife, his arm brushing against hers as she lowered her head to rest on his shoulder. Her hair tickled his neck softly and he moved his head so that he could drop his lips down to kiss her on the top of her head, the motion soft and slow. "Once we have given her that money then she will be gone, Elizabeth."

"I hope so," Elizabeth muttered.

"Do not doubt it," Laszlo said to her. "Everything will be fine, my dear, I promise you."

"Hmm," she hummed contently. She picked her head up and pecked him on the lips for a few moments. Pulling away from him, she tucked a strand of his hair back that had fallen onto his forehead. "Anyway, Charlotte has gone to bed for the evening. Stevie is also out visiting Cyrus at the saloon."

"And so we have a house to ourselves for the evening," Laszlo said.

"And you're actually here to enjoy it," she responded. "It's nice, Laszlo. I've missed you not being home, but I understand that this case takes precedence. I understand completely."

"It will all come to a head soon enough," Laszlo said to her. "Before I left the Institute today I received word that Martha Napp's case is due to be heard in two week's time. I am to give my verdict on the second day of the trial, but I don't know what good it will do. The men who wish to try her…Doctor Markoe, I believe, has their ear. He has been whispering about how Martha Napp must have been the one to kill her child."

"Do you think he knows what actually happened to the child?" Elizabeth enquired from Laszlo, folding one leg over the other as her husband picked up his good hand and placed it on the piano, his fingers elegantly running over the keys and playing a slow and gentle tune.

"I do not know," Laszlo responded. "I would find it strange if he did not. He runs that Hospital and he knows exactly what goes on there. It is like me not knowing everything that happens at the Institute. I make it my business to know everything that does happen."

"As you should," Elizabeth whispered and moved to kiss him on the cheek, his fingers still dancing over the piano keys. "And you do a very good job too."

"I try my best," he whispered down to her, looking her in the eye and giving her his full attention. She let her lips arch upwards at seeing him and lifted her hand to press against his chest softly as he bent down, forehead pressing to hers.

"Now you're just showing off," she scolded him. "Playing the piano without looking."

"I was something of a child prodigy," he said, a teasing tone to his voice. He pressed his lips to hers and she let her fingers run up to his neck, tickling his skin softly as she deepened the kiss and his fingers faltered on the keys, a long note echoing in the room that sounded wrong. He stopped playing then, giving his undivided attention to Elizabeth. His teeth scraped along her bottom lip before he moved his hand to hold onto her waist.

She took her time in pulling her lips away from his, a coy smile sitting on her face. "Clearly, you're not as good at multi-tasking as you like to think," she toyed with him and he moved to brush his lips over hers once more.

"Perhaps it is because I have a minx of a wife?" he wondered back from her. "So is it any wonder I cannot think straight?"

"Perhaps not," she mumbled back to him.

They moved from the bench at the piano towards the couch, sitting down on it together. Laszlo picked up the notes from the coffee table while Elizabeth leant against Laszlo's side, his arm around her shoulders while she read a novel she had picked up from the bookcase. Laszlo folded one leg over the other, papers dangling on his thighs as he flipped through them. His glasses slipped down his nose occasionally and he tilted his head back to push them back up and into place.

Elizabeth had to admit that she wasn't entirely focused on the book that she was reading. She continued to glance to the clock on the mantelpiece, looking at the time as the hours ticked by. It was getting late. She had expected her mother to be with them by now, but there was nothing. Biting down on her bottom lip, she looked to the window and then back to the clock.

Laszlo picked up on her movements, knowing that she was anxious to get the transaction out of the way with. His hand squeezed her shoulder and she peered up to him.

"It's gone ten," she said to Laszlo. "It's too late, Laszlo…she should have been here by now."

"I know," Laszlo said, also finding it odd that she hadn't arrived.

Elizabeth moved to her feet and walked towards the window. She peeled back the net curtains and looked out onto the street, but she saw nothing. There was no one there. The street was empty and peaceful. The only light came from that which escaped through the curtains in the houses on the street and the lamps to the side. There was nothing and there was no sign of Elizabeth's mother.

"She's…what if something has happened?" Elizabeth asked, still standing by the window and Laszlo moved to his feet, dropping his notes on Martha Napp onto the couch behind him. He saw Elizabeth move a hand to her stomach, holding onto her bump and letting her other hand tuck her hair behind her ears. "Do you think that something could have happened?"

"Perhaps, but I doubt it," Laszlo said, wanting to put her mind at ease. "She is a clever woman and if she doesn't come here tonight then no doubt she might…well…she might have come up with a better option than the one I offered her."

"But what?" Elizabeth wondered, feeling Laszlo's hands go to hold onto her waist, his front pressed gently up against her back. "What could she possibly have that would be better than this? I doubt anyone would want to help her. You saw the state of her Laszlo. You saw how desperate she was. If something has happened to her…like my father…"

"Don't think like that," Laszlo encouraged his wife. He let his hold on her tighten, trying to soothe her. "It won't be what you think, Elizabeth."

"I couldn't even manage a tear, Laszlo…when I heard my father had died…I just felt nothing. I felt emptiness because to me I had lost him year's ago."

"No one would blame you for feeling how you do," Laszlo promised her, his voice a soft whisper and he kissed the side of her neck. "Your parents have done nothing but cause you pain and I understand that, Elizabeth. I understand not being close with your parents…we cannot choose who they are or how we feel about them because of their actions."

"You don't think it makes me a bad person?" she wondered from him.

"Not at all," Laszlo whispered, kissing her once more in the space between her neck and shoulder. He let his chin sit there and felt her lean further back into him, almost craving comfort from him. She always did. She doubted she would ever tire of needing him. "You're a good person, Elizabeth. It is your parents who aren't…and after what they did to you, you have every right to feel how you do."

Elizabeth simply nodded at his words and he sighed. He pecked the side of her temple before moving his hand up and to the curtain in front of the net curtain. Reaching for it, he took hold of it tightly in his fingers and began to pull it across the window.

"Come on," Laszlo encouraged her. "I think it is clear that your mother is not coming and we're not going to spend the rest of the night waiting for her."

Elizabeth agreed and reached for the curtain on the other side of the window, drawing it closed and shutting out the night, wondering just where her mother had gotten to.

…

"My God, you look ready to burst."

Elizabeth almost laughed loudly at hearing Marcus Isaacson, but she refrained. They were currently in a small café around the corner from the Institute, a pot of tea in front of them. Marcus had poured two cups and Elizabeth had dropped two cubes of sugar into her own cup as he added milk and sat back down in his chair.

"Well, I am due in just over a month," Elizabeth said to Marcus and he nodded. "And I feel as though I am ready to burst."

"And your pregnancy?" Marcus wondered. "How is it coming along?"

"Smoothly according to Doctor Jacobs," Elizabeth said to him. "He says that the baby is in the right position and has a healthy heartbeat. But, he does keep most things from me. I've had to get information from someone else who has told me more about what to expect."

"Would this be Libby Hatch?" Marcus enquired from her.

Elizabeth's brow arched and she took hold of the cup from the saucer. "And how would you know about Libby Hatch?" she wondered from him.

Marcus chuckled and sat back in the chair, holding his cup with one hand and letting his fingers drum against the wooden table with the other. The café wasn't the usual kind of place where Marcus would be found, but considering Elizabeth had no desire to step foot in a saloon with rowdy young men, he had compromised and met her during the afternoon on his lunch break.

"I still talk to Sara and she told me that she has been with you the previous two times you have met Libby because you insist on trying to find out what happens at the Lying-In Hospital," Marcus said to her. "But, so far, Libby hasn't told you anything of use."

"Not about Markoe, but she has been particularly great at helping me understand what to expect when I give birth and I have to say that perhaps Doctor Jacobs was right when he said it was best for me not to know."

"Do I want to know?"

"Well, I could be in labour for hours or days depending on the circumstances and-"

"-I think Doctor Jacobs might have been right," Marcus interrupted her and he saw her smile softly, placing her cup to her lips and taking a sip of tea. She lowered it back into the saucer, hearing it clatter softly before she reached for a small cake and tore a bit off, popping it into her mouth. "But you're being careful, aren't you? With Libby Hatch?"

"As careful as I can be," Elizabeth said to him. "Besides, I have Sara warning me to be careful alongside Laszlo handling me like delicate china that might break."

"They're just concerned," Marcus said to her.

"I know," Elizabeth said to him. "But everything is well, I promise you."

"I'm glad to hear it because I can tell you now that the police have no intention of investigating the Lying-In Hospital," Marcus said and took another sip of tea, picking up a whole cake and eating it quickly, chewing on it hastily. "Byrnes is still showing his face and running the show. He's in leagues with Markoe and the two of them aren't exactly Martha Napp's biggest fans. As far as they can see, she was the one who killed her child."

"How can the police force be so corrupt?"

"A question we ask ourselves every day," Marcus promised her. "And I know that the case is in court this week and Laszlo is giving evidence."

"This afternoon," Elizabeth confirmed, taking another sip of tea. "He was gone early this morning. He said that he needed a walk before he went to court."

"He's still testifying in defence of her?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "He doesn't think that she did this and Laszlo usually has a very good instinct about these things."

"He does," Marcus confirmed that much. "But I think it would be for the best if he prepared to lose, Elizabeth. I cannot see him winning this particular battle and I know that is unfair. It is unfair that an innocent woman might lose her life because of corruption, but I do not know what else we can do."

"Nor do I," Elizabeth sadly agreed with him.

"But we will keep trying to win the fight," Marcus said. "As we always do."

"So you've never thought about leaving the police?" Elizabeth wondered, sipping on her drink once again, holding the warm cup in her fingertips and leaving it there.

"Not really," Marcus said. "I know that the majority of the officers there don't like me and my brother for the work that we do, but when we can help and make a difference then it puts their disdain into perspective. I enjoy my work."

"Then that's the main thing," Elizabeth said to him with a nod of her head.

"And you?" Marcus questioned. "Have you any thought about what it is you want to do when the baby is born? I heard that Charlotte is finally yours now and that the adoption has gone through smoothly. I imagine you're going to be busy raising two children now."

"I imagine so," Elizabeth agreed with him on that point. "I told Laszlo that I didn't want to hire a nanny. I want to be the one who is there with our child and Charlotte. But…well…I will still help out at the Institute when I can, as I always have done."

"And Charlotte? How is she taking to being adopted?"

"She's thriving," Elizabeth admitted, placing her cup down and Marcus could see the joy in her face and hear it in her voice. "She's doing so well at school and opening up a lot more, but she hasn't told me what it is she went through to keep her from talking to me. I imagine it might take time before she does…or she might not want to…either way, she says she is happy and content with us and that's the main thing for me."

"As it should be," Marcus said to her.

The two of them lapsed into quiet conversation with each other, talking about everything and nothing as they drank their tea during Marcus's lunch break. It was just gone two in the afternoon and Marcus knew he should return to work, but a new figure appeared next to them.

"You need to come back to the office."

"What are you doing here?" Marcus asked from his brother.

Lucius stood to the side of the table, hat in his hands and eyes downcast on the pair of them.

"The verdict just came in on Martha Napp," Lucius said to them. "Doctor Kreizler was the last to testify before the judge made his verdict. He found her guilty…she's due to be executed next week."

"Christ," Elizabeth whispered, closing her eyes.

She had feared that this would happen. She had almost expected it to happen, but it still didn't make it any easier to hear it. She shook her head back and forth as she thought about Laszlo, knowing that he would have taken it hard. He would be upset.

"Sara has asked us to meet with her to see if there is anything that can be done…to see if we can talk to Roosevelt," Lucius declared.

"Of course," Marcus said, adjusting his red tie and looking to Elizabeth. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," she said to him. "You should go to 808 and meet Sara."

Marcus made a move to stand, reaching for his wallet and paying for the tea and cake, despite Elizabeth's protests. She also stood up and shrugged into her red coat, letting it fall open around her. Marcus moved his hat back to his head and pulled his coat on, following his brother back to the sidewalk.

"Lucius, did you know if Laszlo was going to be with Sara at 808?" she wondered once they were back on the street.

Lucius shook his head. "When Sara called me she simply said that Laszlo was not with them. I don't know where he would be, however."

"I might have an idea," Elizabeth responded. "Both of you be careful, yes? And I'll see you soon."

"Are you going to be alright?" Marcus enquired.

"I'll be fine," she promised him. "Now go."

He gave her a quick embrace, his hands running up and down her back before he le her go. Lucius tipped his hat in her direction and she offered him a small wave goodbye before the twins took off down the street. She looked down the sidewalk and let out a breath that she felt she had been holding in for a considerable amount of time. She had an idea where Laszlo might be, but she didn't know for certain.

She checked the time, picking up her wrist and looking at the watch that sat there. She still had another two hours before she had to meet Charlotte from school. Moving along the sidewalk, her pace was brusque and she felt her cheeks warm up. She made her way to the park where Laszlo always went when he needed time to think. It was the same spot both of them always went to whenever they needed each other or whenever they needed to think. She walked along the pavement and towards that familiar spot underneath the trees where the bench they always sat on was placed.

It was empty, but Elizabeth decided to wait. She sat down on it and folded her hands into her lap after removing her leather gloves and depositing them in the pocket of her coat. She pulled at her hair, moving it over one shoulder and letting it dangle there. Looking around, she saw couples walk by, parents pushing prams and laughing. None of them had any idea what had just happened to a young woman miles away from them.

Elizabeth sat up straight and continued to look around, waiting for any sign of Laszlo to appear. She was about to give up hope when she saw him approaching. He was dressed in a fine, dark suit with his winter coat over it. His cane was in his hand and swinging by his side. He stopped walking as he saw his wife sat on the bench. She was sat up straight, hands together and hair blowing in the gentle breeze. Laszlo remained stood on the spot for a moment, looking at her and drinking in the sight of her.

She knew.

She knew where he would be.

She knew where he would be and she had come to him.

She had come to him and she had been waiting for him. He continued walking towards her and she stood up. She simply stood there, waiting for him to approach. Once he was in front of her, he saw her lips arch sadly. The smile was solemn, just enough to let him know that she was there for him.

"I heard about what happened."

"And you came here to wait for me," he observed.

"I figured that I would find you here eventually," she said to him. "I didn't know if you would want me here or if you would want to be alone, but I wanted to come and find out."

Laszlo nodded. "I don't know if I will be good company," he said to her.

She shook her head. "You don't need to be good company, Laszlo. I just want to know if you want me here or not…and if you do…well…we can talk about it when you want to talk about it."

"I don't know what there is to say," Laszlo said to her and he went to sit down on the bench, his hand going to hers and softly pulling on it, urging her to sit down next to him. She slipped onto the bench by his side, letting his fingers tangle into hers, their hands resting on her thigh. "I lost my temper, Elizabeth. I lost my temper in the courtroom and the judge reprimanded me, but Doctor Markoe was there and he was not qualified to assess Martha as he did do."

"Markoe is quite clearly able to get away with many things because of his connections," Elizabeth said.

"I assume it is for that reason only," Laszlo agreed with her. "I fear that I could have presented all of my research…every theory…yelled about Martha's innocence until I was blue in the face…but I doubt any of it would have made a difference to the outcome."

Elizabeth felt her stomach flip at hearing that, struggling to comprehend what it was Martha was feeling at that moment in time. Laszlo bowed his head.

"But that still doesn't stop me from feeling that I failed her."

"You didn't," Elizabeth promised him. "And she will know that you didn't fail her. You did everything that you could."

"That still doesn't stop me from feeling like a failure," Laszlo whispered. "But I know that it is not my fault. I'm aware of that. I just wish that the world wasn't so monstrous."

Elizabeth didn't know what else she could say to him on that point. She didn't have any words. Instead, she just squeezed his hand and let him lapse into silence, clearly needing time to be with his thoughts. She remained sat by his side, hand inside of his and thumb running over the back of his knuckles. People passed them by, but neither Laszlo nor Elizabeth cared what they thought. They remained quiet and pensive.

But, Elizabeth knew that she would have to go and pick Charlotte up soon. She checked her watch and saw that she had to make a move. She turned her attention back to Laszlo, seeing how his eyes remained fixed on one spot in front of him. He was staring at nothing in particular.

"Laszlo," she spoke his name and snapped him from his thoughts. "I have to go and meet Charlotte from school. I can leave you here if you need time or if you want to be alone?"

Laszlo shook his head. "I think the last thing I want is to be alone."

"Then come with me," she said and moved to her feet. She held her hand out and Laszlo took hold of it, his fingers curling into hers.

Elizabeth let Laszlo take the lead, keeping quiet as she left him with his thoughts. He fell into step next to her, his hand moving to place hers onto his arm, leaving it to sit in the crook. He walked slowly by her side, his mind going back to the courtroom and what had happened there. He suspected those thoughts and memories would be with him for the considerable future.

…

Laszlo could hardly sleep that night. He knew that he must have been unpleasant to be around that evening, but he didn't know how else to behave. He didn't know how to act, but he had been quiet instead. Cyrus had come to visit them that evening, the saloon being shut for one night. He had sat and exchanged pleasantries with Elizabeth and Charlotte, Laszlo chipping in occasionally.

He knew that Elizabeth must have told Cyrus why he was in such a foul mood on the way out. He had gone to bed soon after Elizabeth had insisted on turning in. She had kissed him on the forehead before moving up the stairs, leaving him alone in the parlour. He had put out the fire and turned out the lights before moving to the bedroom half an hour after Elizabeth had gone up.

Climbing into bed, he laid down and looked at the ceiling after changing into his pyjamas. He let his hands rest on his stomach underneath the quilt, gaze set on the ceiling. He turned the light out on his bedside table before he heard the harsh noises coming from the woman next to him. Sitting up, he turned the light back on before hearing Elizabeth gasp for breath.

"Elizabeth?" he spoke her name.

She didn't respond. She managed to sit up, bending at the waist, hands clawing at her stomach. Laszlo leaned closer to her, seeing a sheen of sweat begin to form on her forehead as she gasped for breath.

"Elizabeth, what is it?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth said to him with a shake of her head. "It's the baby…my stomach…I can feel it cramping…"

"I will call Doctor Jacobs," Laszlo said and climbed from bed.

He had expected Elizabeth to protest, but she didn't. She nodded her head and continued to take deep, laboured breaths. Laszlo looked at her for a moment and gulped, rushing down the stairs to the phone. He turned the lights on as he went, not skipping a beat and running down the steps. He picked the phone up and instantly asked to be connected to Doctor Jacobs at the hospital. He hoped that the Doctor was still working or was working late. Laszlo had insisted on paying for the best care for Elizabeth, not caring of the expense. And Doctor Jacobs was someone who he trusted.

"Laszlo!" Elizabeth shouted his name and he told Doctor Jacobs that he would try and get Elizabeth to the hospital, but he didn't know if he would make it. And when she yelled for him, he insisted that Jacobs send either another doctor or a midwife to his house. He hung up and ran upstairs, finding Elizabeth on her feet and he wondered what she was doing.

And then he looked down and he saw the pool of water around her feet. His mouth hung open as Elizabeth's hands continued to hang onto her stomach. Her own eyes widened as she looked to him and shook her head, hair sticking to her cheeks from sweat.

"It's too early," Elizabeth whispered, shaking her head firmly. "Laszlo…it's too early…"

"It might be," Laszlo agreed with her on that and moved back to her as she groaned loudly in pain once more. He knew that she was having contractions. He knew that she was going into labour and nothing he did was going to stop that. And he began to think that there would be no chance to get her to the hospital. "But this baby is coming, Elizabeth."

"No…" Elizabeth said firmly. "It can't. We need to go to the hospital."

Laszlo shook his head. "There's no time for that," he told her, arm going around her waist as he ushered her back to their bed and urged her to sit down. She perched on the bed and Laszlo helped her to lay back down, her legs spread and withering as she grunted through the pain.

"No…I can't…Laszlo…"

"It's going to be alright," Laszlo promised her, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Doctor Jacobs is coming here. I just need you to try and stay calm."

"I can't," Elizabeth said with a shake of her head, her gaze meeting Laszlo's and he could see the fear. He could see that she was scared. She was terrified. "Laszlo…I can't…"

"Listen to me," Laszlo urged from her, cupping her cheeks in his hands and letting his forehead rest against hers. "I know that you are scared, Elizabeth. I know that you are scared and unprepared for what is about to happen, but I promise you that it will be fine. I promise you that I am going nowhere. You're going to get through this and I'm going to be right here."

He brushed the sweat from her forehead with the back of his hand as she nodded, still whimpering in pain. Laszlo kissed the top of her head, letting his lips stay there forcefully. He moved his hand down her arm and took hold of her hand, letting her squeeze his fingers harshly. He stopped himself from complaining about the pain as she doubled over again and grunted loudly in pain.

"It's going to be fine," Laszlo promised her. "It's all going to be fine."

...

A/N: Would love to know if anyone is still reading and what you think so far!