Many sailors eyed Grace, but Erik's half-masked glare and silent fury kept them from doing anything other than eyeing. What he could not protect her from, were her inner demons. She didn't even realize he was challenging every man who dared glance at her in a lecherous way. He, on the other hand, knew she was lost in something that was traipsing around her head, given the way her arms wrapped around her torso, like she was holding herself together. His eyes lingered on her arms... his little Celi had done the same thing when she'd first come to stay with him. How young she had been... how much of the world she was familiar with. The pain, the fear. She'd been too familiar with it. He had been young too, barely anything more than a teenager, but he had recognized the same signs in her that years later, he now spotted in Grace. But Grace was a lady, a wealthy, pretty, strong American who fought men as if she were a man and loudly made her opinions known, risked his wrath... what demons could she possibly be fighting when she had everything?

   Grace turned to see him watching her with suspicion in his gold eyes. She rocked back on her heels. "I'm so nervous!" She peeked at Erik. "I said that aloud didn't I?" A blush brought color to her previously pale cheeks.

   "Yes," Erik chuckled.

    "Did you just laugh as if you found something funny? Since when does my grumpy employer find anything funny enough to laugh at? Granted that it wasn't something I clumsily did? Oh - great, they're disembarking."

    Their conversation quickly ended, and Grace paled again. Biting her lip, she scanned the crowds on deck. Baggage was being unloaded, along with a few passengers.

   Erik was at a loss. Should he pat her shoulder and say that her family will be thrilled to see her? He wasn't usually the one giving comfort.

    As the first group of passengers disembarked, Erik drew his hood closer to his face. He did not need to alarm Grace's family, or make them wonder about him, or question the kind of company she kept, if they were all as peculiar as her - he sensed they were extremely important to Grace, and that she wanted nothing more than to please them; he would not cause questions or discomfort.

    A loud bark echoed from the legs of the passengers walking down the plank set up for departure.

   To his surprise, Grace's somber face split into a smile. She excitedly grasped Erik's arm in a death grip. "Now you can meet Leo! Oh, my baby is such a darling! LEOPOLD!" She shrieked. Anyone who met Grace while she was in one of her somber moods would not think  her capable of shrieking. Erik found out just how loud she could be first hand. Now his arm and his ears hurt.

   "Ow."

   Grace only smiled wider.

  But who was this Leopold - she'd called him her baby, but he couldn't be her child, she was certainly too young.

    Erik received his answer as people began to trip on something that was quickly clearing a path down to the docks.

   A large dog came into view, a tall, gray wolfhound. Teeth bared, racing, it came barreling towards Grace, as if to attack. The curious thing about the dog was it's gait, and Erik noticed it limped as it ran for a reason: it was missing its right front leg.

   But nothing changed the menacing way it was racing towards Grace. At the last moment Erik moved to pull Grace behind him, but as he reached out she sank down to the ground and held out her arms to hug the oncoming beast. Erik, thinking her utterly daft, unsheathed the knife he kept in his sleeve - but the dog was now on top of Grace, licking her face and wagging its tail happily. It stumbled, tangled on her skirt and fell on her, still licking.

   Grace was happy to see Leopold, happy to have him lick her again with his warm, slobbery tongue, happy to anticipate each morning once again, when she woke up and took him for a run.

   After their initial reunion, she stood up again and commenced introductions between man and dog, speaking to both as if they were the same.

  "Erik, meet Leopold, Leo, meet Erik."

   Erik stared at her, wondering if she had finally snapped.

    "Don't give me that look. Come pet my dog. Leo, down." Leo laid down, obediently. Grace promptly sat down in a very unladylike way next to him. "Come on." She patted the ground next to her and looked up at Erik.

   Erik did not want to sit on the ground. He'd dirty his clothes. It was childish. But Grace was now glaring and tugging on his pants. Rather than have his knickers on display he crouched next to her.

    Instead of reaching out a hand to Leo's thick, grey fur, Erik pulled Grace's dress over her legs, covering most of the skin of her shins that had been showing when she sat down. "Please, when you are with me try to show some decorum."

   She ignored him and proceeded to rub Leo's belly.

   Erik changed the subject, gesturing towards Leo's nonexistent limb. "Is he still able to fully function as other dogs do? If I am not intruding, may I ask how it happened?" He softened his voice, hoping to soften the hardness of a question that surely would come off as insensitive. He couldn't fathom why she would want something that wasn't whole.

   Grace's hand stilled in Leo's fur.

   "You saw him run just now. He was fine. He might, at times, be a bit slower than other dogs, yes, but that just means I can keep up with him without making him slow down for me. If he was as fast, or had four legs, he'd stick by my side anyway, but then he'd be holding back simply for his love for me. I'm not slowing him down now, and we both know it. And he's a good dog, I love him dearly. He's very loyal."

    Grace interrupted herself, wondering if she should answer his next question, lie, ignore it, or tell a lie and part of the truth. She was aware it would only lead to questions she never wanted to answer for him. But he deserved something.

    "He was born with all four. He received this being loyal to me. We were... in an accident and he was protecting me."

  Erik remained silent. He wanted to pry, but something told him she was not ready to answer all of the questions floating around in his head. He ran light fingers along Leo's side.

   "Gracy Baby!" Their moment was disturbed by a man calling out rakishly.

   Grace perked up. "It can't be. Erik, if that is who I think it is, you two will be great friends."

   "Gracy!"

   "Rodger!" Grace shouted.

   Erik rose to his feet to see a young fellow coming towards them. He saw Grace's parents not very far behind.

    He didn't think he'd want to be friends with a man who called a woman "baby," or came up with such ridiculous pet names for her. Why did Grace put up with it? He never would have guessed it was in her personality.

   Her face lit up and he looked back at the young man. He was handsome, charismatic, and friendly, this Erik could tell even from being so far away.

   But he grew disturbed, seeing her parents and this fellow. Perhaps he shouldn't have come. He was not normal, as they were. He was hardly human, as they were. He was much more of a monster. That happy couple, whose smiling faces genuinely grinned... he had nearly killed their daughter. That young man approaching quickly... he was normal. He was a fellow that Grace or Christina could marry.

     Grace saw Rodger and started running towards him.

   "Rodger!" She practically screamed, making quite the spectacle.

   "Americans!" She heard a woman scoff as she passed her.

   She flung herself into Rodger's arms, tightly embracing him.

  "Gracy, my you've become French again. I haven't a clue how, kid, but you seem mature and happy. Lose the maturity and stay happy," he said, looking her up and down. "Shall we?" He held out a hand.

   "We shall." The two, to the amusement of George and Nora, began doing a fox trot around the other passengers, who glared with distaste. Grace quickly hugged Nora and George before leading them back to Erik.

    "I'm so happy to see you! And I've brought a friend with me, he was kind enough to accompany me here - Erik?" She turned around and a major portion of the joy that had been on her face left. He was not where she'd left him. He was not anywhere in sight.

   "Erik?" She called again.

   She had no idea he was still watching and listening to the little group. He had promised to accompany her, to keep her safe. He could still fulfill that promise without being seen.

   She broke out of Rodger's arms. "Erik!" She called, put off now that he was gone.

   "Is that the intriguing man who was standing with you in that charming black cloak a few moments ago?" Rodger asked, draping an arm around her shoulders.

    Erik immediately did not like him.

   "Yes. But... I don't know where he went."

   "What is this all about?" George asked, brown eyes twinkling merrily at the prospect of teasing Grace. "Have you found yourself a beau my dear?"

   "Heavens no. Grace wants to be an old maid, you know that, George," Rodger laughed.

   Grace smiled. "That man I was with has a woman who has captured his attention, and no it is not me. We are friends, and he offered to accompany me today. He... is in some ways... a man who I work with at the theatre."

   "Ah. Well he seemed tall and dark, so it's  a shame he's taken."

   Grace elbowed Rodger in the ribs.

    "Grace, the man I saw next to you had his hood drawn, was this the fellow you are speaking of or is it another?"

  "No that's  him, but -"

   "I'd like to meet him," Nora said.

   "Oh hey," Rodger took Grace's hands in his and leaned closer. Erik grew suspicious as his eyes darted around the crowd before landing back on Grace's. Why did the man have to look around before speaking?

  Rodger pulled Grace closer still. "How is...?" He trailed off, looking meaningfully at her.

  Grace's face hardened and she removed her hands from his grasp. "Everything is fine."

  That's it, Erik officially hated him.