"Mother!" Ilios shouted rushing from her bedroom and clattering down the hall. "Father! It's Eli! He has her! She's well!" 

The entire household was filled with shouts and yelps as the running of feet echoed like thunder through the modest halls. 

"You little brat!" Ilios screamed through tears as she broke through the front door, "I'm gonna kill you." 

She rushed to the frightened Winnie and pinned her down to the ground in a fierce terrified hug. 

Winnie laughed as her sisters prepared her in kisses. 

"Are those pants Winnie Destler!?" Ilios exclaimed, "Father will have your head." 

"Mama," Winnie whispered, her smile disappearing as she caught sight of her Mother entering the house porch. 

"Winnie?!" Christine whispered as if it were all a dream. 

"Mother," Winnie grinned, rushing up the front steps and hugging her Mother tightly. 

Christine burst into tears before she knew it, her husband was beside her, taking his little girl in his arms and sobbing. 

Winnie looked up teary-eyed at her Father. 

"I know I broke our promise," She whimpered timidly.

He gave a small laugh and held a hand to her cheek, "Was it worth it?" 

She bit her lip and gave a small but eager nod. 

"That's all I wanted to know." Erik whispered pulling her close to him again. 

"Winnie?!" A voice whimpered from behind the happy parents. 

Winnie didn't recognize it, at first, she thought it might be a company, one of the rare friends from town. 

Had her parents called Nadir all the way here? 

As Christine looked behind her she gave a small yelp and covered her mouth, Erik steadied her and held her tightly and proudly in his arms. 

"Wade?" Winnie asked almost in disbelief, her burn covered limping brother stood in the doorframe, clutching onto it for balance, his eyes firmly fixed with her own. 

"I-I- Thought I'd lost you," Wade laughed meekly and nervously. 

Winnie looked at him stupified, her brother, cared? Not only that but to reveal himself like this, in front of the road where anyone could drive by at any second...

Did he even perhaps love her?

"Your twin brother doesn't get a hug?" Wade asked awkwardly, his eyes nervously searching her own for redemption. 

She slowly made her way to him, her own hands trembling terribly. 

"Don't push me away again," She murmured brokenly as she embraced him. "You're not alone Wade. Not if you let me in." 

Wade petted his sister's hair and gave the top of her forehead a small little peck. 

"You found her!" A soft voice called as the gate creaked open. 

Wade immediately broke from his sister and ran inside.

"Chloe," Eli said in surprise, "You came?" 

She bit her lip and played with her purse, "I have to admit Eli, I almost didn't." 

"Clara!" Winnie nearly screamed rushing and taking her friend by the hand, "It's been so long. Is your dress new?! Where did you find it?!" 

Clara raised her eyes to Eli's, a bit of nervous fear but also determination within them. "My friends the Davis made it for me." 

Winnie was taken aback, her eyes widened and she dropped Clara's hand. 

"The Davis?" Winnie repeated. 

Clara gave a soft smile and nodded, "Made it for free though. Miles insisted." 

"Miles?" Eli asked rather too quickly, "Who's Miles?" 

"Forgive me," Clara laughed at her blunder, "I believe he's using the name Henry up here." 

"Henry," Winnie mumbled. As her thoughts came together she gave a happy grin upwards, "You mean Jesse's older brother!" 

Clara nodded, "That I do."

"I see," Eli mumbled. 

"Eli," Clara objected as he gave her a judgmental glance, "They're good people. Tom's a friend of my Father." 

"Your Father?" 

Clara laughed, "My uncle. Really though Eli, Johns a good man. He's done more for me and Belle than I ever could had asked for." 

"Who's John?" Winnie asked earnestly. 

Clara gave her a small but broken smile. There was so much fo her heritage Winnie could never know, never know the joys of spending long lazy Sundays with her family in Monte Carlo, never knowing the joy as her uncle presented her with a necklace at her first ball in society. 

But it was a small price to pay for Winnie being safe, being protected from the cruel tauntings of the world.

Still, how she yearned to take her little cousin home with her.

Erik clearly sensed her distress in the matter and quickly interceded. 

"Come, Winnie," he said with a sigh, "Let's have a chat." 

Winnies face darkened, here it came at last. She shouldn't have expected to get away without something. 

"Eli?" Christine asked, gesturing for the two to come inside. 

Eli shook his head, "Chloe and I are going to speak for a moment. Business matters." 

"The business of loveee." Ilios sneered teasingly poking her brother's side. 

He gave a low growl and Ilios quickly sensed that he was in no mood today for any playfulness of her sort. 

"Sorry," She whispered repentantly rushing inside. 

---------

"Jesse Davis is a criminal," Eli stated bluntly when the others had left. 

"He's a child!" Clara exclaimed, "Eli you of all people should know that children make mistakes." 

"I never made mistakes that cost people their lives!" Eli retorted. 

Clara shook her head and looked down to the ground in breathless exhaustion. 

"Why must we always fight?" She whispered brokenly. 

He stared at her in confusion, where had this timid scared manner come from?

"I don't know," He shrugged crossing his arms, "I suppose we both have diffrent opinions that's all." 

"No," Clara laughed sadly, "No Eli. It's more than that."

He watched in great interest as she groaned and put her hands to her head walking in small irate circles around the lawn. 

"Your a thinking man aren't you?!" She finally asked explosively, "And I am a woman of principle and science am I not?!" 

"Yes." Eli shrugged, not exactly sure where she was going. 

"When two people of common goals," She sighed, her face twisted as she tried to find the correct words, "Of common struggle- when two people have those things alike, they shouldn't bicker as we do!" 

"Well," Eli clicked with a small thoughtful whistle, "Nikola and Edison they both strove to find the same thing but Eddison hated-" 

"Eli!" She moaned clenching her fists, "I'm not talking about historical figures." 

Eli looked her over, her newly pressed blue dress that she had changed into just for dinner, the vein that was popping out on her temple in a red frustrated temperament. There seemed no correlation between anything and her current topic.

He looked about the rest of the lawn in confusion. "Then what are we talking about?" 

Clara bit her lip and shook her head, "This was a bad idea." 

Eli gave a small laugh and frowned, "Chloe you haven't even done anything yet." 

"I should get out then!" She shouted in slight irritation, "Before I do something I'll regret." 

"Like what?" He scoffed, "Really you're being quite odd." 

"Odd," Clara snorted, "I didn't live under an Opera house for all my life. My Father isn't some-some-phantom-"

Eli stiffened and gave her a cold glare. 

"I'm sorry," She whispered, "I just-" 

"What?" He laughed gesturing for her to continue, "For God's sake just spit it out." 

"Was there a snake?!" She spluttered nervously, wringing her hands together as she paced. 

"A what?" He laughed. 

"A snake," she said forlornly, "On the Sein. Was there really a snake?!" 

The giddy amused smile was slapped from his appearance and a look of doubt and nervousness over swept him. 

"I don't know what you're talking about Clara," Eli mumbled turning away. 

-------

"He's turned away now!" Ilios shouted at her Mother as she spied out the front window, "I think they're talking about Paris." 

"Ilios don't eavesdrop," Christine reprimanded, "It's rude." 

"She's following him! She's standing next to him now!" Ilios informed her with a grin. 

"She is?" Christine said, with sudden slight interest. 

"Man is she standing close," Ilios cackled. 

Christine came rushing over, only to peer out the window finding the two meer feet apart. She gave Ilios a quick smack on the back of the head, but against her inner judgment, remained at the window watching with great interest.
-------

"Eli," Clara pleaded, "Please I need to know." 

"Why?" He clipped shooting his eyes to her quickly and then back to the woods, "Why do you need to know?" 

"I just do!" She lamented. 

The two stood in silence until Clara shook it from her head and headed towards the gate, "It's nothing. I'm sorry to have wasted your time." 

Eli watched as she undid the latch, closed the gate behind her and made her way partially down the road. 

He had a good intention to keep on standing there, watching as she trailed off, maybe smoking a cigar while he tried to figure out the strange riddles she had put towards him. 

Ilios couldn't bear it any longer, "You idiot!" she shouted from the window busting it open, "Go after her!" 

"What for?!" Eli shouted back in trivial confusion. 

"She likes you!" 

Eli gave a small snort and shook his head, his sister was always imagining the strangest of things. 

"Eli Destler, you listen to your sister." 

Eli turned around, his eyes squinting against the setting sun. 

"Mother?" 

Christine beamed proudly, her hand on her chest, "Eli. Don't think, just go after her." 

Eli stared in confusion and then looked back tot he road where Clara was slowly disappearing out of sight. 

"Do it now." Ilios said to him with a soft smile, "Or forever wish you had." 

Eli felt his breath quicken, a strange fogginess coming over his head and his mind. 

"Fix your tie!" Christine shouted as he unsteadily dragged himself to the gate. 

Eli gulped and put a hand on his black tie, fixing it best he could with hands that trembled and shook terribly. 

Taking a deep breath, he slammed the gate closed and took off running. 

"Wait!" He called, his deep voice bellowing across the barren landscape, "Chloe. Miss Dechangy! Wait!" 

Clara stopped and turned, trying hard to keep the tears that had formed in her embarrassed eyes from cascading down her cheeks. 

"Yes Eli?" She said bitterly, "What is it?" 

He looked at her in a terror, removing his hat and holding it in his hands.

 "Claraice...you're crying," He noted in a soft nervous voice. 

"Yes Eli," She laughed in defeat, "I am. What do you want." 

"There was no snake," He admitted with a nervous laugh. "I was-I was getting too close, I felt myself in the imminent danger of-"

He stopped short and remained standing, looking at her with wide horrified eyes. 

"Of what?" She stammered impatiently. 

"Of becoming...attached. In a way that I knew would hurt myself and you beyond the means of practicality." 

Clara felt as if her breath had been taken away from her, every action seemed heavy and weighted, long and slow.

She pursed her lips and looked at him eagerly, "And do you- still feel that way?"

He gulped and shook his head. 

"I see," She mumbled, turning away briskly, "Well then Mr. Destler I won't trouble you any longer I-" 

"No!" He laughed nervously, "No, I'm afraid you misunderstand me!" 

She turned back to face his tall persona. 

"I only meant, well- all I mean to say is, that I no longer feel it a...danger." 

She looked at him blankly, trying to grasp his intentions. 

"I feel it a dream," he vacillated, "One t-t-that I dared not wished nor thought possible." 

"And if it was?!" Clara asked hesitantly, "If it was possible so to speak." 

He took a wavering step closer to her, his heart beating heavily within his chest. "I daren't assume-" 

"Eli," She whispered, drawing confidently nearer and taking his trembling hand, "I have seen and chatted with a thousand men, fallen in love with counts and lords, good men, brilliant men. But for some reason, heaven knows why..." 

She paused here and took her soft palm into his calloused fingers and placed it gingerly to her cheek, tears falling into his hand as she closed her eyes. 

"Heaven knows why every dance, every thought, every song," Her eyes fluttered open, "They all lead back to you Eli." 

"This can not be," Eli whispered placing his forehead onto her own, "Such contentment cannot be my own." 

As he did so, he barely noticed as she peeled away the small layer of masking that lay between his face and the makeup he placed to cover up his deformity. 

"Eli," She whispered touching his deformed cheek and tracing his scar gently with her pointer finger. "I'm yours if you'll have me." 

That was more than his broken heart could bear, he wrapped his hand around her waist and let a few unsheltered tears fall to the ground. With one hand cupping her cheek, he drew her near and kissed her tenderly, expecting at any moment to awaken, to hold nothing but the heated empty August air.

She wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him closer and laughing madly as he gazed into her eyes. 

"What fools we've been," she breathed in a daze, "Oh Eli what a blasted fool I've been." 

He gave a grin and shook his head in disbelief. 

"Eli!" She laughed, "Eli say something!" 

"Clara why?" He grinned, "Why me you silly woman?!" 

"I don't know!" She exclaimed covering her mouth with a large smile, giggiling. "I haven't a clue." 

He ran his hands through coarse black hair and laughed heavily. 

Before she knew what was happening he rushed to her and lifted her up spinning her about as she shrieked in joy. 

"Eli put me down!" 

He complied and quickly pulled her to him quickly kissing her again. 

"I have a car," he grinned, "Pack your bags." 

"What?!" Clara exclaimed. 

"I need to ask John for permission to court you," Eli explained with a laugh. "It's a beat-up automobile I'm afraid I don't drive it well but-" 

"Eli," She cried, "I don't know what to say." 

"Then make no sound." He laughed extending his hands open wide in the open sun. "Just-Just stand there and let me look at you." 

She blushed heavily and put her hands as he did, outwards at her sides. 

He stood some moments in silence

"Beautiful," He whispered with a soft smile, "Beautiful." 

Beautiful.