Matthew had to be pried off of Francis' body, as he refused to let the corpse of his father go even when the blood had stopped and the warmth had left him permanently. For hours he wandered the streets of the Five Points, covered in blood and so disheveled he could barely recognize himself. He considered not going back to Ivan, letting Alfred live peacefully until he died taken care of and warm, and letting them all believe that he had simply died somewhere. He couldn't damn Ivan to death...but Alfred...Alfred was now all that he had left.

And how would he ever tell him that Papa was dead?

It was some ungodly hour in the morning when Matthew finally figured out what he was going to do, his body aching and trembling as he knocked softly at the officer's front door. It didn't take much for tears to blur his vision as he waited, eyes wild as he twisted to peer at every shadow and sign of movement he saw among the doorframes and alleyways.

He wished Gilbert had just killed him, too.

Ivan woke with a jolt, standing and opening the door, staring at Matthew for a moment before he pulled the blonde close in a one armed hug, the other hand bracing himself against the doorframe as he tucked his face against Matthew's curls. "Bludget, where were you? Your brother kept asking and I couldn't find you..." The man pulled back and stared at Matthew. "You're soaked in blood." He murmured, pulling Matthew in and cupping his face. "Are you hurt?"

"Papa...my Papa's gone, Ivan,"Matthew whimpered, hands shaking as they snapped up to hold onto the wrists near his face. He trembled, eyes dark and wet as his knees threatened to give in before shouting loud enough to wake the entire building. "They took him!" He drew in gulps of air as he sobbed and pressed his face to Ivan's chest, fingers splayed and desperate, trying with all his might not to hold and grapple for the other male but failing.

Ivan knelt on the floor, pulling the blonde close and gently cradling him. "Do you know who?" The man asked. "Any idea as to where he is?" He had never been so closely involved with one of his missions, but now he was holding someone that had become increasingly valuable to him. "Shh, shh, calm down." The older male kissed soft cheeks, pressing their foreheads together. "Matvey, Matthew... Look at me, look at me." The man tilted Matthew's face so that their eyes could meet. "I'll find him, My Bludget."

Matthew shook his head as he drew in deep breaths, his body slowly relaxing into a small pile of trembles. He tilted his head up, face stained with dirt, blood and dried tears as he shook his head in empty confusion.

"Why...? Why do you even care...? You know as well as I do that he ran away...m-maybe taking an opportunity for a better life...or that he's...he's dead," he mumbled, whimpering like a child as he pressed the heel of his hands into his eyes. "What am I going to tell Alfred...?"

"If he had wanted to run away... He would have run away the day that Gilbert took over the Five Points." Ivan whispered with a frown. "I'll find him for you... at the very least, if he is dead, I'll bring him to you for a proper burial." Ivan tilted Matthew's face to press their foreheads together. "Stay with your brother... Tomorrow I'll ask questions." The older male carefully lifted Matthew. "Let's get you cleaned up." He carried the blonde down the stairs to the kitchen, carefully placing him in the chair as he filled a tub with water, then set a pot to boil more, turning to Matthew and kneeling in front of him. "Would you let me help you?"

Matthew's eyes slowly moved up from the floor, his gaze searching Ivan's face before he gave him a tiny, broken smile. "What else do I have...? A choice?" he whispered, his hands extending so that he could brush his fingertips over Ivan's cheeks. "By God,...you must be an angel," he murmured, tears slow and tiny trickling down from the corners of his eyes. Shifting he moved forward until his knees bumped Ivan's chest lightly, his fingers coming up to undo the worn and dirty top that did its best to conceal his body, but never really could hide everything. He sniffled lightly as he removed it, piece by piece, his hands reaching down to undo his boots and to slide off the stockings he wore as socks. He flickered his eyes away as he stood to undo the skirts, bending to lower them with a little groan as a hand shot out to grasp Ivan's shoulder for balance. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry.."

"Shh..." Ivan pressed his forehead to Matthew's, his hand on the blonde's hip, large and warm, holding close and gently brushing his hand over the blonde's waist, standing slowly and holding Matthew upright as he cupped pale cheeks. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

The hot water was added to the bath and Ivan placed Matthew inside carefully, gently beginning to clean his face, shoulders, chest, back and legs, his fingers on the pale skin firm and warm and careful as he cleaned Matthew as well as he could, his touches remaining chaste as he moved and whispered reassuringly in Russian, the words with little meaning but soothing nonetheless.

As he was bathed, Matthew shifted onto his side, his cheek touching the side of the tub as he stared into nothing and allowed Ivan's hands and gentle touches to move as they pleased. He drew in a withering breath which rattled his lungs, his eyes still burning with images of his father's blood and Ivan's smile. "I envy them..."he breathed after a moment of silence that took up the space between Ivan's reassuring whispers. "...I envy them so much I could...I could die."

"Who?" Ivan asked gently, his fingers tenderly stroking the pale cheeks, his hand pushing hair gently away from Matthew's neck, his fingers tracing the pale skin before he tilted his head to peer at blue eyes. "Who do you envy?"

"Whoever gets to love you," he muttered, lips dry and sore from biting and worrying and self loathing. His eyes flickered to meet Ivan's for a second before he tilted his head down, having enough energy left in him to be embarrassed.

Ivan paused before he leaned over the edge of the tub, his sleeve getting soaked as he gently grasped the shoulder that Matthew was leaning on, turning the blonde to face him, pressing their mouths together in a gentle kiss. "Perhaps I don't want anyone else to love me." He whispered against the younger male's lips, violet eyes meeting Matthew's. "Maybe I just want My Bludget to love me."

"Don't...don't want that, Ivan...please...I beg you," he whispered, tears filling his eyes once again as he raised wet hands to press to the other male's collar. "I'm no good for you...I could never be...you deserve every happiness for every ounce you've given everyone else...I'm nothing but a dead end,...please...don't say things like that," he pleaded, guilt and self hatred steaming in his chest.

Ivan pressed his mouth to Matthew's to silence the flow of words. "You're not like everyone else here... You have a good heart, Matvey... If you wanted I could take you anywhere in the world... Away from Five Points... Away from New York." The older man pressed their foreheads together. "I would do anything you wanted and all you need do is ask."

"Then why...? Why are you still here?" he asked softly, his body shifting as he gently cupped the officer's cheeks with wet hands. "Why are you still in this hell,Ivan? You could be anywhere...you could do what people here only imagine...why...?"

Ivan stared at Matthew before he whispered. "Because I promised someone, a great man, a long time ago, that I would make sure that this town wasn't completely under Gilbert's tyranny." He whispered, touching the bandages about his own throat. "I haven't forgotten that promise... And until now... I haven't had reason to want to."

"That man is dead now...isn't he?" Matthew asked softly, watching Ivan's hands as he touched the bandages at his neck. "...that man is living in heaven now...and he has left you on Ivan...you can't save everyone..and you can't save New York..."

Ivan gently tilted his head into Matthew's hand, leaning forward to gently kiss the blonde. "That man was a good man, a good friend, and he was the only thing keeping this city from ruin... He didn't leave me this job..." Ivan stared down at the blonde, his eyes on his face. "I took it because I wanted to... And I'll leave when Gilbert is dead... And when you agree to come with me." The older male stroked Matthew's cheeks. "I'll find your Papa, dead or alive, and I'll kill Gilbert... And when that is done..." A large hand stroked Matthew's hair from the blonde's face. "I'll take you and Alfred away from here... I'll find him a hospital, a doctor, have him cared for, and I'll give you a new life... Whatever you want... I'll give it."

"But...but why?" Matthew breathed, his hands extending to brush at Ivan's chest, shaking and

needful of the protection and warmth the man offered and radiated. "...you barely know me. I could be...I could be lying to your face and you offer everything I've...I've ever wanted to me," he whimpered, mumbling under his breath about Alfred and doctors and a real chance.

Ivan pressed his fingers to Matthew's cheeks. "Because there are very few people in this entire city who would run into a burning building to save their family..." The man tilted Matthew's face to peer at blue eyes. "And a liar wouldn't blush every time they look in the victim's eyes." His fingers dusted over pale cheeks tinted with a pretty pink.

Matthew gave him a tiny smile, his hands leaving Ivan's chest in order to cup is cheeks and pull him close, nearly into the water as he kissed him, sweet and unbridled and without thought for a moment. It was wonderful...like taking a breath of clean fresh air, full of no worries, no regrets...just he and Ivan. If this was paradise he wished never to leave it...he wanted nothing more to do with the Points, or Gilbert or gangs. He simply wanted Ivan...and Alfred well..even if it was too much to ask.

Even if it was only a dream.

Ivan woke the next morning with Matthew curled against him, thin fingers clutching at his shirt, the blonde dressed in the same shirt that Ivan had given him the night before. The officer smiled and stroked Matthew's fingers, his thumb rubbing over the gentle knuckles before he kissed the soft temple, straightening and standing slowly, turning to look in his mirror and begin to clean himself for another day's work, this time with more purpose than most days.

Bandages tightened around his neck, sleeves rolled up and hammer in hand, Ivan turned to give one more kiss to Matthew's temple before he straightened fully and left the room, door closing softly behind him.

"Pig!" Ivan sighed and turned, legs braced wide as Gilbert cut an apple with one of his knives, slicing a chunk off and taking a generous bite from it. "Putting up bed and board now?" Yellowed teeth were bared in a grin. "Enjoying the payment?"

Ivan shrugged. "You assume so much. Not all of us have to ask for payment to get some."

Gilbert scowled. "You think you rule Paradise Square? I'm the king here."

Ivan snorted and raised an eyebrow, pulling a pocket watch from his breast pocket, the standard issue piece for the Bowry Boys. "Think you can leave something out in this square and no one would filch it?" The man walked out to the water pump and hung the watch from the handle. "In five hours this piece will still be here. Not a single person in this entire city would want to steal from me." Ivan stepped forward and narrowed his eyes down at the albino. "That's the power of not fear, but of respect," The Russian stepped back and began to walk. "And you can't buy respect."

Gilbert bared his teeth and cursed beneath his breath in German, staring at the time piece as people walked by as if they hadn't seen it at all, even as it glinted in the morning light.

Not a single person in the Five Points would stand against the pig, he was either feared or respected and with that sort of silent power it was only a matter of time before Ivan had a following as Arthur had before him. Gilbert's eyes shifted to the building before him, staring at the window of the second floor where Ivan resided, turning after a moment to head back to his tavern.

It was time to lay a trail of breadcrumbs.