the one that she wanted.

part 8 - downsides

It's the next morning as you woke up between the two dead bodies from last night. Elizabeth was still peacefully sleeping so you didn't dare to move. You wanted her to sleep enough. Elizabeth's head was resting on your arm. You felt it tingle, which was caused by the weight that was laying on your arm and cutting off the blood flow but still... you wouldn't move.

Moments later Elizabeth started rolling around in bed. She turned over and her face was now facing yours. She slowly started opening her eyes. The smudged mascara underneath them looked pretty. The Countess rubbed her eyes to get a clearer vision. She was now looking at you and gave you a kiss on your cheek before she stood up and headed to the bathroom. Now you were laying between the lifeless bodies alone.

"Aren't you going to join me?" You heard Elizabeth asking from the bathroom.

"Oh, yeah I'm coming." You answered and got up.

As your feet touched the floor, a shiver made its way through your body, caused by the coldness the floor was giving off. You got goose bumps and couldn't wait to take a hot shower with your love, getting rid of the dried blood on you and warming your bodies while washing each other.

As you entered the bathroom, Elizabeth was already standing in the shower. You undressed and jumped in too.

"Hello my dear." She said with this kind of peace in her voice she always had.

"Hello love" you replied and kissed her on the forehead.

While you two let the water the shower head gave off run down your bodies, you started putting shampoo on Elizabeth's hair. The dried blood made it crusty and it took you a while to get it out but you continued softly massaging Elizabeth's head and rinsing the shampoo off until her hair was completely free from any blood and dirt again. She did the same with you.

After she was finished with your hair she started washing your body. Elizabeth put body scrub on it – starting with your shoulders. She moved her hands in big circles and washed your skin gently, making sure she wouldn't miss a spot.

As you started washing her body too, Elizabeth began talking to you.

"The way you touched this woman yesterday..." she began but stopped whilst seeming uncomfortable with talking on. "It somehow didn't sit right with me." She continued.

"What do you mean? Did I do anything wrong?" You wanted to know.

"No, you absolutely didn't." Elizabeth let you know as you continued washing her body. "I just hope that you know that you are all mine and nobody else's. You are my love. You are all I desire. And as long as you decide to stay with me there is never going to be someone else besides me." She continued. "I'm typically not a person to be jealous. I was always the person purposely making my lovers jealous to test their loyalty." The Countess took a moment to breathe. "Everything is just so different with you and I am so afraid that you are going to leave me alone." She opened up.

You stayed silent for a few seconds to make sure that Elizabeth was done talking before you placed your hands on her face and smiled at her. "Hey, I know that love is so beautiful and that it gets you addicted. Nobody really talks about the downsides of real love which are also jealousy and possessiveness. I am only yours and I will stay on your side as long as you will allow me to. Okay?" you comforted her.

Elizabeth started tearing up.

"Hey what's wrong?" You whispered.

"It's just that I never truly loved someone." She said, holding back her tears. "It will take a while for me until I am going to be able to say these three words to you and I am so sorry about that." Elizabeth's voice cracked and she squinted her eyes so that the tears she was holding back were now able to escape her eyes.

She was standing in front of you crying. So vulnerable and opened up. Elizabeth felt weak. Emotionally just like physically. She started feeling her knees giving in. She wasn't able to hold her crying back for any longer and allowed herself breaking down to the floor.

You looked down at her and sat down in front of her as she burst out crying.

She has never been this vulnerable around someone and she let you feel it. You took her in your arms and held her very tight. You wanted her to know that she wasn't alone. Elizabeth screamed and whined. She held on to you and with every breath she made she crawled onto your skin even more.

Elizabeth felt save with you. She knew that you were here and tried to understand her. You two stayed on be floor in the shower for a little longer until you decided to help her sitting up. Elizabeth looked into your eyes with a thankful look on her face as you supported her standing up again and finished washing her. As you were done with it you took her hand and guided her out of the shower where you wrapped a towel around her body and with a second one you started drying her hair.

"I am proud of you for opening up love." You said quietly.

Elizabeth came closer to you and rested her head on your shoulder. She hugged you and wrapped you with her in the towel. You just stood there in silence as a red-haired woman came in and interrupted your little moment.

"Oh, excuse me Mrs." the woman apologized as she spotted you.

"It's okay Mrs. Evers." The Countess spoke.

"I cleaned up your bed Mrs. Johnson." Mrs. Evers said before leaving the bathroom again.

Elizabeth thanked her.

She was still seeming a bit absent, so you led her over to her bed and she sat down. You went to Elizabeth's closet and chose a nightgown made out of silk, because it felt soft in your hands and you wanted her to feel comfortable. You helped her getting dressed and after she laid down in bed, you covered her with the fresh blanket Mrs. Evers just brought into Elizabeth's room.

You laid down next to her and hugged her from behind. You felt her whole body shaking as she whispered: "You are my peace."