My eyes popped open, and realized that I was in the comfort (more like discomfort) of my own bed. I gasped.

So it wasn't a dream.

"Oh my God... No... No, No." I audibly voiced my concern. All that downstairs... Everything had happened.

I'd started crying. He'd pulled me into his warm embrace and held me tightly, stopped my tears. And I let myself fall under his spell!

And... did that mean he carried me here, into my room?

I had to record these feelings, to keep my sanity. I looked next to the bed, where my journal sat. I was going to fill that last page.

Only, it wasn't there.

My eyes grew wider, my mind setting into panic. Where was it?! I stood up, looking all around the room, including under the mattress and behind all the crates in my vicinity.

Nothing.

I latched my fingers into my hair and plopped down angrily on the mattress. I felt the tears rise in my eyes, as I shivered in the cold. I couldn't take this right now.

I'd be killed if Maxis found out what happened the previous night.

I had to push Richtofen away, because his touch was so intoxicating that I could easily lose my wits and succumb to his affection. It had now become clear...

I was in love with him.

And it took everything within my being to keep from hugging him back, taking his neck into my arms, and smashing my lips into his in a cry for help. He didn't know just how much that gentle caress, that hug, meant to me, a woman with no self-worth. A woman who has been broken by men her entire life. A woman who didn't even deserve her own father's love.

But then, Edward changed everything. He came, and he seemed to ground me more than even my best friend Tank could. And yet, I could never be with him. All these feelings and more sent me into plethora of sobs.

That's when the door opened, revealing the wide eyes of my master, my journal in his hands.

Richtofen's POV

When I had finished the entry about me, I had fallen asleep with the intention of sneaking into Eliza's room before she woke up, and replacing her journal. I wanted so badly to finish all of the letters, but neither my conscience nor my sleepy mind would allow me.

I woke up that Sunday morning, nearly shivering. I looked at the fireplace groggily, noticing that the fire had gone out. Sitting up, I felt something slide from my chest and plop onto the floor. I looked upon it.

Eliza's journal. Oh No!

I glanced at the clock. 7:30.

Thankfully, I was not required to show up for work today. But Eliza was probably already awake, and searching for her notebook, and that meant that I was, well, for lack of a better term, screwed. I hopped up, walking swiftly past the mirror on the wall. Taking a quick check, my jaw practically dropped.

Oh no. I looked terrible.

My hair had been ruffled out of place, my mustache looked all shaggy, there were bags beneath my eyes, and my clothes were off-put. I gave a frustrated growl. Eliza cannot see me this way!

I made my way to the downstairs bathroom and tidied up appropriately, making sure to comb my hair and adjust my mustache. I smiled at myself, revealing my white enamels.

"Dashing..."I lied. I shook my head, sighing, and exited, preparing myself to walk up the stairs. It was simply me returning what I'd wrongfully taken, nothing more.

But what would I tell her?

"Here you go, Eliza. I stole your most precious possession, invaded your privacy by reading all I could of it, and then scribbled a drawing of you next to the drawing of me because I'm in love with you and I can't deny it."

Aye, that last part... Love?

Before I had any more time to think, my palm was rested gently on the doorknob to the attic. I should knock... right? My heart rate doubled in speed as I softly pattered on the door with my knuckles, whispering against the wood. "Eliza?"

I was rather thankful that there was no answer, because I had no plan. A redness rose to my face again, at just the thought of what was occurring. From within, I heard shuffling.

"Eliza?" I attempted again.

Then there came the sobs. My eyes widened. She was crying... I couldn't take that. I opened the door blindly, her form coming into view, hunkered over on the bed.

She looked up at me abruptly, and I froze where I stood. Her eyes drifted to the book in my hands, as I just stood there wide-eyed.

"Eliza..." I spoke.

This only made her cries become louder, as if seeing me with the book broke her completely.

It was my fault. In trying to console her... I'd hurt her. I sat on the bed next to her.

"I'm... sorry. I took this, and I shouldn't have..." My words stopped and her cries grew louder. She scooted away from me visibly, pushing herself to the edge of the mattress. I shook my head in disbelief, a pang of guilt hitting me hard in the stomach.

"Eliza!" I cried, reaching for her shoulder to pull her close, thinking that somehow, it would work out the same as the previous occurrence.

It didn't.

"D-Don't!!!" She yelled, pushing off of the bed and pressing herself into the wall.

There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could do to console her this time, nothing I could do to make amends for the indecencies that I'd committed.

I rose from the mattress, feeling a very empty sensation within my body. I sat the book on the table next to her, taking a last look at her trembling body.

"Nothing hurts me more, than to see you cry." I spoke softly, hoping for a response, something to let me know that I could try to fix this.

But there came nothing but more tears.

With that, I left the room, closing the door, my mind filling with anger at myself. I slammed my palm into my face, clenching my other fist on the banister of the second floor.

I could just jump off the balcony and land on my head, maybe that would make her happy...

I decided that a hot shower might do me some good, so I made my way toward the bathroom.

Eliza's POV

I stayed pressed against the wall, wishing that I'd accepted Edward's embrace.

I hadn't meant to hurt him. I just... What was I supposed to do? It wasn't his fault that I have no self control... It wasn't his fault that we could never be together.

Not that he would ever want to be with me anyway.

I wiped away my tears, trying to get a grip on my feelings and emotions.

Then it hit me, the diary. I made my way to the bed, and took the book into my hands, flipping through its pages. Had he read anything? If he had... Then he knew...

I gasped. What if he knew about the Army? About Tank? About Maxis's relation to me?!

"My god..." I shook my head, whisking through more pages.

Until I stopped on just one.

My favorite one, really.

Although, it looked very different.

Beside the drawing I had once created of my handsome master, was the drawing of a lady. She was many inches shorter than he, had her hair pulled into a thick and long ponytail, and a short dress. Just beneath her left eye, there was a beauty mark.

I raised a hand to my cheek, where I knew that same beauty mark lay.

It was me. He'd drawn... Me. And the way I was looking up at him suggested that both of us were happy.

Happy together.

I ran my fingers along the fibers of the page in disbelief, as another swirl of emotion hit me. Somehow, this made me feel lighter than air, as if I were soaring high above the clouds, yet sadness overwhelmed me too.

Sadness, because now I knew that he'd read... And that he likely felt the same way. I wiped my tears, gripping the journal, closing it, and hugging it tightly to my chest.

I wanted to take it to him, I wanted to ask him why. Why had he put these feelings upon me?! Was this part of some sick game?!

Suddenly, I came into contact with reality once again. A loud knock at the door of the house pulled me toward my own door. Who could come this early?

My stomach began to churn.

Without noticing that I still held my journal, I bolted for the door, opened it, and looked around for life. From down the hallway, I could hear the sound of running water, and steam resonating from the closed bathroom door.

Another knock.

I gulped, gripping my journal and making my way down the stairs softly.

I lay my hand upon the doorknob, unlocking it.

My eyes widened and my chest began to hurt at the sight of him.  "M-Maxis-"

He pushed past me roughly, letting himself in. "Where is your master, Eliza?" He frowned, crossing his arms as he stood in the lobby, looking around for Richtofen.

"I believe he is in the shower." I replied, barely able to get the words from my throat without stuttering in fear. The man standing before me had a short fuse... And an unforgiving fist.

Without me noticing, Maxis had wheeled to face me.

"I see you still have that piece of shit." He grunted, referring to the journal in my hands.

I glanced down at it, my blood running cold. Oh my god. How could I have forgotten to put it down? Calm down, Eliza... everything's fine... As long as he doesn't see what's inside...

"Y-yes sir." I nodded, my legs feeling like jelly at this moment. I had begun to feel nauseous already.

He gave me a sly look, which caused me to gulp.

"Let me see it, hmm? Let's see what you've been writing about."

What? What? No, he didn't say that. I dreamed that. Please.

"Eliza!" He snapped, advancing toward me, in my frozen state.

No. No, he couldn't see what was inside. My body coursed with pain already, my mind spun into turmoil. Should I refuse, or let him see? Either way, I could not hope to make it from this place alive.

"W-What I... Why, s-sir?" I stuttered, trying to make myself look innocent.

His eyebrows drifted down in a scowl. "I'm just curious... you aren't hiding anything, are you my dear?" He spoke with venom dripping into each syllable, and I winced at his nonchalant behavior. He knew exactly what this was... and he knew that whatever was inside would kill me...

"N-no, I have... Nothing to hide."
I fixated my eyes on the ground, preparing for the stinging blow of a rock hard fist.

"Then give it to me!" His arm wrapped around the fabric of my dress sleeve and pulled. "I gave this to you, I demand you let me see what you've drawn, I know you have something to hide, you wretched piece of garbage!" He jerked the book from my grasp, and I shrieked.

"Maxis, please!" I reached out but it was too late. His eyes were fixated upon a certain page, the exact one I'd hoped he wouldn't see.

"Who... Drew... This?" He growled lowly and quietly, and my eyes stung with water.

"I did." I said only partially the truth

He sighed as if he cared. As if he would regret what he was about to do.

His large fingers moved delicately toward the first page of the book, and I could see malicious intent behind his darkened irises.

"M-Maxis, I can expl-"

Rip.
Shred.
Tear.

One by one, pages began to fall onto the floor, with each one a piece of my heart ripped into four.

I gasped in disbelief.

"NO!!!" I screamed, running toward Maxis and pulling his arm as the pages continued to fall in tiny shreds.

"Get off of me!!!" He slung his arm, knocking me to the floor and resuming the destruction of the only thing that kept me sane, the only thing I had left of my life in America.

Rip. Rip. Rip.

"You bitch... I told you not to interfere!!!"

"He doesn't k-know!!!" I lied, screaming in a last ditch effort to stop him.

All I could do was watch my memories be scattered upon the floor. I looked up at him, my vision blurry as tears flowed like a river down my cheeks. He came to the page I'd reminisced over all morning. His fingers moved to the hem of the book, where the page was attached.

No, please... Not that one... Please.

He glared down at me, an evil look in his deep brown eyes. Agonizingly slowly, he began to rip the page, down the middle.

"FATHER, NO!!!" I jumped up, knocking the book from his hands, smacking it upon the floor.

I was too late. The picture I'd worked so hard to complete, the piece of artwork that expressed my feelings, the drawing that Edward had used to let me know that I was not alone. It was gone forever, in a million pieces, like my heart.

Ludvig caught me in his grip, his fingernails digging into the skin of my arm. His eyes were laced with malevolent intent. "I told you not to call me that... EVER."

I was thrown to the ground, as I shrieked in pain.

He raised his fist and gritted his teeth at me. I gasped just in time to feel the stony knuckles of the man bust into my jaw, sending blood onto the floor from my bursted lip.

I raised my hands to try and deflect the next blows, to no avail. His punches broke through. A cry for help escaped my lips as I backed myself against the wall in an attempt to escape.

Maxis's fist came into hard contact with my head, then near my eye.

"I warned you, dammit... I gave you another chance... Let this be a lesson!"

Punch after punch, my vision began to fade. This was nothing new... but it was by far the most painful beating I'd received... that said nothing for all the other things he'd done to me throughout my life.

I cried out, trying everything I could to protect myself. But I found not the strength to fight back.

Richtofen... Please... Help me...

Richtofen's POV

I sighed, stepping out of my hot shower. I looked into the reflective glass on the wall.

What have you done?

I ran my hands through my wet hair before dressing into my homely clothing. I groomed myself as usual.

Until, as I looked into the mirror, I loud male voice came from the lower level of my home.

And then, a scream.

My eyes widened and I threw my comb onto the ground, bolting for the door. I ran quickly, my heart pounding, to the stairs, where I could see a well-dressed man, his fists splattered with red liquid that dripped to the floor, as his chest rose and fell in pants.

Paper was scattered all over the floor, and a familiar book lay open with just a few pages left inside.

My eyes traveled in sheer horror to the nearly limp body of a female that sat against the wall. Blood dripped from her nose and down her lips, there were red marks coating her body and face.

I shrieked, running down the stairs.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!?" I shouted, causing Maxis to turn around abruptly in surprise. I pushed him in a fit out of the way, giving me the perfect view of what was once my beautiful, innocent, untouched servant. A hand cupped my mouth as Eliza coughed, a trickle of blood from her throat running down the corner of her lips. She took the distraction and scooted away from the taller man, holding her stomach.

My God... Eliza... What has he done... This cannot be happening...

"She needed to be disciplined. Obviously you haven't taught her respect..." He seemed to take no guilt in his actions.

"She's MY servant, Doctor Maxis..." I spoke loudly and angrily, clenching my fists. "I will discipline her as I see fit! It does not concern you!"

He seemed taken aback. "Hmm, yes... I see that now may be a bad time to talk. Farewell then, Edward." He proceeded to open the door to leave, nonchalantly.

No. You are not leaving this place alive, you god-forsaken bastard...

Unable to speak, I lunged for the door, nearly in tears. I opened the door. I was going to kill him for what he'd done.

I felt something touch my hand, and I looked down to see that Eliza had used her strength to reach for me.

"D-don't! He'll kill you..." She spoke.

I watched him hop onto a horse and ride away. I trembled in anger and shook my head in disbelief.

I had to help Eliza.

I slammed the door, locking it for protection, and wheeled around, choking back tears.

Eliza had made her way to the middle of the floor. Her tears had stopped for now, but her eyes were all but empty as she looked upon the scattered papers that littered the hardwood floor.

What was left of her journal v

My heart thudded into my stomach. She loved that book... she had described it as the one thing she had left from the home she missed dearly.

She began to pick up the shreds of paper, examining each one. I slowly made my way over to her, and knelt down, looking at the ripped slices, sighing sadly. She picked up another paper and looked at it. From my viewpoint next to her, I saw part of the drawing I'd just finished for her.

Our hands. That were holding one another. That was a touch I'd added when I drew her wondrous self.

But now, she seemed to be nothing but a shell. A shell of a woman with nothing else left to take but her life. That broke me.

This is when her tears came freely. She dropped all the papers, moving her hands to her face and sobbing.

I knew not what I could offer. She was broken, and in seeing her like this, I had been broken. I needed to take her pain. If I could, I would bear her burdens upon my shoulders, just to see her smile one last time.

Without remembering the incident from earlier, I made my way to her body. I scooped her onto my lap, wrapping my arms around her once more, tucking her head under my chin. She didn't seem to react at first, she only cried into my chest as I began to stroke her hair, doing all I could to help her in some way.

But then she did the unthinkable.

The girl stirred slightly, her arms unlocking themselves from my chest. They moved around my chest, to my back, and gripped tightly.

She was hugging me back.

I couldn't help but blush and close my eyes as the sensation of her touch sent chills down my spine. Eliza buried her face into the crook of my neck and cried, and I think she was simply grateful for someone to help her.

She'd been alone for so long... and I could relate to that.

Not to worry, Eliza... I'll always be here to comfort you. I promise.

We stayed there on the floor for what seemed like hours, and I relished in every single millisecond of her embrace. She drew back, tears still streaming down her face. She sniffled, looking into my eyes. I took in her features, the cut on her lip, the light bruising around her eye, and the dried water and new streams of tears that were still coming.

I stood up, taking her with me.

"M-Mr. Richtofen! Wh-What are you doing?" She scrambled slightly, but I held onto her body tightly as I carried her toward the kitchen.

I sat her on the table, bringing forth the medical supplied that I had reserved in this house. "I'm healing you." I replied softly, pushing back the anger I felt for the man who was responsible for this.

"N-No, Edward, I can do this myself-" She tried to step off of the table, but I trapped her, locking my hands around her wrists, tracing circles nervously.

"Nein. I'm taking care of you this time, Eliza..." I insisted, leaving her no room for argument. I stared into her watery blue eyes, begging her, just this once, to let me make her pain go away.

She looked back at me, windows of emotion shining brightly. She nodded slowly, sniffling and scooting back onto the table.

I dampened a cloth with some water. My hands trembled slightly as they moved near her face. She flinched as I touched my fingers gently to her cheeks. She kept her eyes trained on her lap, crying silently. I took her reddened face into my hands, using my thumbs to wipe away her tears before cleaning her skin of dried blood. 

I couldn't find it in my heart to ask what had truly happened.

"Thank you, Edward..." She spoke softly.

I looked down at her lips, bruised and trembling even as I nursed her.

As if by my request, her lips began to turn upwards into a trembling smile.

I couldn't believe my eyes, even in such a state, Eliza, this woman that sat before me, was the most beautiful thing I'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. I smiled back at her, though it was hard, but a warmer feeling washed over me. Even though her face had taken a beating, her skin was still smooth, and I felt honored to be in such close proximity to the woman I had come to adore.

I loved her. There was no denying it as I tended to her wounds with the utmost care, each second becoming more comfortable.

"Do not thank me... this is my job."

She blinked, unintentionally fluttering her eyelashes, which caused me to blush.

"I'm... thanking you anyway."

No... I don't mean that it's my job because I'm a doctor... I mean that it's my job because I love you... and I am making it my job to protect you, from this day on.

I smiled, not putting up a fight. I was nearly done with her wounds, but I didn't want to depart from her. I never wanted to leave her side. In fact... If I hadn't left her side today... This may not have happened.

"Do you have a mirror?" She asked when I'd stopped tending to her.

"A mirror? Why?" I grabbed the small mirror that hung upon the mantle and handed it to her.

She took a deep breath and held it up to her face, viewing her visage in the reflection. "Because I...." She started to say something, but stopped when her expression fell to the floor, and her hand rose to her lips, where she touched the cut upon them.

She broke down again, then and there.

"This was the only part of me he hadn't destroyed..." She sniffled. "And now... I look like a monster."

My eyes widened. "That's not true." I said firmly.

"Look at me... I'm nothing but a bloody, bruised case anymore. I look like... A z-zombie..." Eliza's eyes became more swollen, and she cried as quietly as possible.

My heart's pace increased. "No...There's nothing in this world that could take away your beauty..." I avoided eye contact and scratched my neck, face red.

And then I remembered something.

I reached into my back pocket, feeling the thin silver chain of the necklace I had bought. If I didn't do this now while I had the courage, I may never.

I pulled the chain out, earning a confused look from Eliza.

"Eliza, I... want you to know something..." I said, fiddling with the latch on the necklace as she stared at my hands. I opened the chain and brought my hands around her neck, clasping the lock behind. I looked into her eyes, pouring my soul into my words.

"Edward... Don't-" she tried to stop me, but I couldn't hold these feelings back any longer.

"No matter what happens... No matter what you've done, or, why you're here... Whatever plagues you... I will always do my best to protect you." A heat formed on my cheeks, as I took her hands in mine.

"E-Edward..." Eliza's voice cracked, signaling the beginning of more tears. Her face became heated. "W-why... Are you telling me this?"

I looked deeply into her eyes, raising my hands to her cheeks and holding her securely.

"Because..."

My face drifted steadily closer to hers, and I glanced down at her lips.

"Because... I love you."

And with that, I finally closed that gap between us, covering her lips with mine.