Elizabeth hugged Alfred. She didn't really know why, after all he was the man who slaughtered her. He took her heart, she shouldn't forgive him. She shouldn't but she did. Alfred whispered in her ear, he said she could still be his assistant if she wished, he told her how sorry he truly was, but she interrupted him there and then. She told him she forgave him, that it was all in the past, years in the past. It wasn't worth fighting for anymore.
Alfred made his way over to his table and shelves. He kept any doll parts he had up on the shelves, and jars of eyes, ears and other small things that were preserved on the table. He picked up a large, dusty jar. It looked like it hadn't been touched, never mind handled, for years. He held it close to him so as not to drop it, and walked towards Elizabeth. Inside the jar was a heart, Elizabeth could see from Alfred's mournful expression that it was her heart. She looked at him, not knowing what to think until he finally spoke.
'Elizabeth, before I did what I did to you I told you I loved you. I lost control when you refused and said that if you wouldn't give me your heart I will take it from you myself. I shouldn't have, I knew that from the minute I held it in my hand. You had a good heart, a heart of pure gold. Now I cannot return such a heart to you. It's been far too long now for this fragile thing to work properly. It's no longer part of you, and is no longer golden. After your death I bought twin pendants, made of pure gold, and filled them with droplets of your blood. I wore one from the second the drops were enclosed in it, and swore I'd never take it off. The other I saved for you, it was for your doll to wear, but… it was taken.'
Elizabeth smiled. He cared about her, it was merely his temper that got in the way, else she'd still be on her first life, and she'd still have her heart of gold.
Over the next few weeks, Elizabeth didn't see much of Alfred. He spent most days in the lab with Maria, working and 'working'. Elizabeth didn't mind Maria spending time with Alfred, though. She thought it sweet really. Elizabeth enjoyed spending time with Aya again. It helped her forget the events of the past few years. It made her feel like her death never even happened. She spent a few hours a day with Monika too, making it her duty to nurse her back to health. The thing was, Elizabeth didn't need medicine to do this. She was alive again now indeed, but she was still dead. She could do things no living human could. Her mere words were able to take effect on Moinka, and it was only a fortnight or so before she was healthy again, and able to get up and walk around.
Elizabeth spent most of her time, however, with Aya, Alfred and Monika's 11 year old daughter. She would sit on an evening and read to Aya, before putting her to bed and stood in for Monika at the time when she wasn't well. Elizabeth loved being part of their family, though it was a shame Alfred didn't want to be included in it. Elizabeth finished the final page of the book and kissed Aya goodnight, like she always did. She sat up again to find the girl staring at her chest. She looked down to find her dress had slipped down ever so slightly to reveal a tiny patch of the pink scar.
'Lissy…' Aya began.
'Oh, it's nothing Aya. ' Elizabeth said, covering the scar up quickly.
'Did father do that to you?' Aya said, staring up at her with her big blue eyes.
'Yes, but…it was an accident. He slipped and…'
'I know what he does to people, Lissy. I'm afraid he might hurt mom too. And I know Maria helps him. I don't like her Lissy, I really don't. It's just…father loves her.'
Elizabeth tried to blink back her tears and assured Aya she would be alright. She told her how much better Monika was and that she had treated her and made her better. Although deep down Elizabeth wasn't sure what Alfred had in store for Monika, or Aya, and she had a feeling she'd be right in the thick of it, whatever it was.