Author's Note: Enjoying the story so far? Well, if so, you are in for a treat! :D That's right, chapter four! Don't forget to review, follow, and most importantly, favorite! Thanks so much for your support! It is much appreciated! Enjoy! :)

P.S. I am aware that I haven't introduced Robert Lutece yet, but he will appear in the next chapter!

Chapter Four: Tea and Cookies

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica de Sacre Coeur, and the Notre Dame Cathedral were all just a single step away from where I stood between my world and the city of Paris. The tear, wide open, beckoned me to step through it. Aunt Rose was as still as a statue, her face a frozen mask of shock and awe. She stood in front of me and the tear for what felt like several minutes, in silence. No words, no movement, nothing. Not a single thing. I could tell she was more petrified than proud of my achievement, as I didn't expect her to forgive me for what I had done. But I wasn't going to just stand there and watch her stare any longer. I broke the silence and said, "I opened a tear to Paris. You said I could make them and not just find them."

Only silence followed, again.

"Aunt Rose, what's wrong?" I finally asked, now worried for her sanity.

Her eyes switched from the tear to me and from me to the tear, for several seconds, "Elizabeth... How... H-how could you...?"

I frowned, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt run through me in droves, "...I-I'm sorry, Aunt Rose... I-I..." Warm tears began to swim in my eyes, threatening to escape, "B-but... Aunt R-Rose..." My voice kept cracking, my stuttering making me sound less coherent. I quickly covered my shame with my hands, a lone tear running down my flushed cheek.

"No... No, dear. Come here now, shhhh... Don't feel sorry, dear. Shhhh, that's right. I'm here." Aunt Rose took me into her arms, embracing me with as much comfort and assurance as possible. I found it strange. I expected her to scold me, punish me and lock me away in my room for days on end, as she had been for the last seven years. I was just eight years old.

"Aunt Rose?" I asked.

"Yes, dear?" She pulled away from me for a brief moment and looked back at the tear that was still opened wide.

"I want to go to Paris," I whispered quietly, giggling and smiling. She returned the smile, taking me by the hand and leading me toward the open tear.

"Can you keep that open, Elizabeth?"

"Yes." I nodded slightly, reaching my hand out and making sure I still had control over it.

"Good girl." She quietly examined the tear, studying it from all angles and positions. She then took out a small notepad from behind her jacket and jotted down a few things that I couldn't point out from where I was standing.

A quick knock at the door then startled us both. I started to panic a little.

Aunt Rose gave me the "shhhh" signal with a finger to her lips, and called after the knock, "Yes, may I ask who it is?"

"May we speak in private, Miss Lutece?" It seemed like she had recognized who it was judging by her changed expression.

"Yes, right away. Stay here, dear. I will be back shortly," and then she whispered, "Keep that open." I nodded.

I kept the tear open as she hastily sauntered toward the door, opening it slightly and then slipping through it. I was left alone now.

A few minutes passed and she returned, "Elizabeth?" she then asked.

"Yes, Aunt Rose?"

"May you join me for some tea and cookies in the library?"

My eyes grew in excitement, a wide grin spreading across my lips, "Oh, yes!"

She extended a hand toward me. I quickly, but reluctantly, closed the tear, leaving Paris behind for a while. I then took her hand, letting her lead me to the library.

She laid out a picnic blanket across the floor and placed atop it a bamboo basket full of handpicked fruit, two porcelain tea cups, a kettle of hot and freshly-brewed tea, and a china plate of multicolored frosted cookies. I reached out for the first cookie that stood out from the pile. A sugar cookie with red and yellow frosting in the design of a daisy. Aunt Rose took one that had a coin design with white and grey frosting. It was heads.

I bit into it, savoring the sweet and soft texture of the cookie with each bite, slowly and lazily. She filled a cup with tea and passed it to me. She then filled her own cup and dipped the cookie into the hot liquid.

After the first cookie, I went for my second and grabbed one that had a bird design this time with pink and blue frosting. After five minutes of cookie-eating and tea-drinking, Aunt Rose broke the silence, "Did I ever tell you about my secret project?"

I shook my head, too occupied with my loud chewing and crunching.

"Well," she grinned, "can you keep a secret, Elizabeth?"

I swallowed hard, nearly choking on a piece of cookie, "I promise. Cross my heart, Aunt Rose."

"Good girl." She said, taking a quick sip of her tea.

"What's the secret, Aunt Rose?" I leaned over to snatch another cookie from the plate, but my hand was caught in Aunt Rose's grip.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to my lab."

"You mean your playground?"

"No, my lab. It's a different room. A bigger room. You will see, dear."

I grinned widely at the thought. She then let go of my hand, allowing me to treat myself to one more cookie. This one was an oddly familiar one, one with black and silver frosting. It had a cage design.

"Oh, darling, you made a mess out of your self! Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" Aunt Rose exclaimed, gesturing toward the crumbs that speckled my dress and face. She picked up the empty plate, tea cups, kettle, and the untouched fruit basket, but managed to sneak a pear behind her coat. I went to my room and readied myself for bed. As per usual, she read me another chapter from The Principles of Quantum Mechanics and a short passage from Barriers to Trans-Dimensional Travel that further explained the creation and opening of tears. As sleep slowly crept in, I felt a lingering smile on my lips. She stopped reading as soon as I closed my eyes. She then planted a soft kiss atop my forehead, whispering sweetly into my ear, "Goodnight, dear Elizabeth."

Author's Note: This concludes chapter four of "The Girl in the Tower"! I hope you all enjoyed reading this one! And I just wanted to note that I'm really fond of where Elizabeth and Rosalind's mother/daughter-like relationship is going. One of my readers pointed out Rosalind's motherly side, and I totally agree! :D Anyway, I hope you're all looking forward to the next chapter! Please review, follow, and favorite! Until next time, seeya! :)