---

Elias bit his lip and rolled onto his back, ignoring the pain in his back and staring at the ceiling, his hands clasped and resting on his stomach.

After a few moments, he opened his mouth, forcing out words. "I never wanted to be your partner. I never wanted to depend on you for anything. I never wanted to fight with you... I never wanted you to rely on me."

The Grimm took a deep breath and exhaled it forcefully through his nose, feeling his face flushing with shame. "I first went into a bloodlust when Taric died. As soon as I saw the light fade from his eyes, I blacked out. When I came to, the Wesen wasin pieces on the floor around me, with Taric's dead body in-"

Elias coughed and sat up, forcing back the tears and preventing his voice from cracking with emotion.

"Listen: I'm not fit to be a paired hunter. I work best alone, and I can't endanger anyone else that way. I'm sure your parents will agree that we're a poor pairing. I'll leave as soon as I can. I won't let you suffer because of my anger."

@Wick

"Did you listen to anything I said? You would have died without me today. Like it or not you are stuck with me. Dad won't let me hunt on my own and I'm not going to be able to keep him hunting since he hurt his back. He is a liability out there and I'm not losing anyone else." She took his hand in hers and she looked at the normally handsome face that was looking at her. He was distorted but she could still see the hurt young man inside.

"Besides, you can't leave. I'm winning!" She grinned at him and gripped his hand more tightly. "When something is going on just tell me ok? I can adjust if I know what to expect." She leaned over a little more than she expected to and she lay on her stomach with her head on his shoulder. She wasn't sure where to put her arms since he was hurt mostly everywhere. She kept her one hand tightly entwined with his and the other she laid next to her on the bed between them.

Luckily for him it was just about the only part of his upper body not completely covered in stings. Since she had been holding his hand his hand was now on the other side of her and the only way to get it back was to slide it underneath her feeling every part of her long the way or just wait til she moved on her own.
@December

@Wick

---

Elias clenched his jaw and attempted to focus on her words, but the oppressive sense of dread and overpowered him. If he was unable to save Alexis, he would never forgive himself. Granted, she had saved him. But they had been against a pod of Spriggans. Up until the previous day, the Grimm wasn't even certain they existed. Many Grimms chalked them up to hearsay and child's stories. Their magic was fabled to be immensely powerful, as the pair had witnessed, and they weren't any kind of specialized Wesen. The unsettling notion occurred to Elias that if it had been a Grove Mother, or some other kind of Elder Spriggan, both hunters would be decomposing under roots instead of cuddling in bed.

Cuddling... Elias frowned, peering at Alexis out of the corner of his eye. She had grown rather physical since the forest, and it was odd. They had really only known each other for about two weeks, but they had clicked. The sense that Taric would have liked her encouraged Elias to trust her, despite his gut feeling. It was a certainly odd combination of emotions, and it had caused him to lose sleep.

"We should at least take a break from hunting," Elias said, running his free hand through his hair. "We should practice together, get to know each other's styles, and come up with battle plans. We can't function effectively as partners unless we fight as one."

Alexis nodded. "Sorry If I'm squishing you. I kind of lost my strength to stay on my side and I kinda fell over on my stomach. If you could help me back it would be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll end up putting your arm to sleep."

Before he could do anything she was pulled backwards and a pillow was tucked behind her under her injured side. It was much more comfortable. "Thank you Mary! That is so much better!" The lady's maid smiled and patted her shoulder as she disappeared again.

Alexis looked at her hand gripping Elias' and sighed. "I see I am back to that again. For a while after Maggie died I started to hold the hand of someone I felt safe with. Usually it was my Dad, sometimes it was Elinora. Maggie and I had done that since we were kids and it helped relieve my fears of losing everyone I hold dear. My parents and now Maggie and-.. almost you...I'm sorry if it is weird or annoying to you. I guess I have issues." She hesitated and pulled her hand back slowly.

"I agree, we are going to have to take a break from hunting. We need to heal and learn how to fight as a team. It will help our survival rate." She smirked.

@December

@Wick

---

Elias didn't comment on the strange entwining of their hands. It was an entirely new concept to him, and it was quite odd. In the west, it wasn't all that commonplace, but Elias was uncertain of its popularity in the east. Any kind of physical contact he had that went beyond a handshake was normally people he felt intimately comfortable with, whether it be his inner circle, or his lover for the night.

Elias gazed up at the ceiling, thinking of what he could possibly say. "It would be best if we didn't engage in combat until your hip has fully healed. If we don't treat it with care, you could lose your ability to fight permanently."

Elias' cheeks flushed red as his embarrassment and regret about what he had done to her resurfaced. It was a feeling he was unaccustomed to, and he didn't enjoy it.

The Grimm rolled over, exposing his back to Alexis and resting his head on the edge of the pillow, attempted to block the forest out of his memory. The injuries on his back flared slightly as he detached them from the sheets, however he ignored it. The pain was minimal, and he was distracted.

"We should sleep." His tone was clipped and his words short, signifying his discomfort and level of distraction. Without another word, he closed his eyes and attempted to descend back into the black oblivion of sleep.

Alexis opened her eyes and it was the next day. The first thing she noticed was that Elias was not in bed next to her and her father was watching the doctor change her bandages. Yawning she smiled at her father. "Morning Dad. Why are you here? It's not that bad really." The doctor snorted derisively at her comment. "Ok...well it could be worse."

"I'll give you that...you could have died...that would be worse." The doctor grunted.

Marcus stepped forwards and clipped the doctor upside the head. "That's enough Thadeus. She knows." Alexis gave a slight smile at her father's antics.

"Elias was taken back to his room. He is being taken care of. Alexis, I'm worried that you and Elias might not be able to work together."

Panic set into Alexis' voice. "Why? Why would you think that? This was an unusual situation father. We will be fine together."
Her father looked doubtful. "We'll see."

After the doctor and her father left her room she struggled to get to her feet and she took the long way around to Elias' room and slipped inside. Her hair was down around the middle of her back. She was barefoot and wearing a nightgown that went almost to the ankles.

Alexis looked at the bed and Elias was there and he appeared to be sleeping. Grateful that he was okay she sat in the chair near his bed. She was exhausted. Sneaking around in a huge house was a lot of work if you were not in tip top shape. Within moments her eyes were closed.
@December

@Wick

---

When the doctor's assistant came to help Elias return to his room, he gave a disapproving look towards the pair. It was evident he didn't approve of the amount of undress Elias participated in while he laid in Alexis bed, but Elias chuckled softly and said nothing.

The next few hours consisted of tossing and turning, the Grimm unable to sleep because of the sores over his skin. Eventually, he managed to take an assisted bath and return to his bed, finding sleep in the quiet hours of the morning.

---

Elias awoke to the sound of horses whinnying and a servant squabbling at the creature, obviously struggling to have Hundar obey his orders. The man inhaled sharply as he rolled over, discovering Alexis near him. The Grimm frowned at her sleeping form, wondering if she had anything better to be doing than sleeping in what looked like the most uncomfortable position on the planet.

Elias rolled his eyes and climbed out of bed, quickly pulling on his trousers and rummaging through his drawers for a loose shirt that was left open in the middle to avoid irritating the stings.

Over he had finished dressing, he heard a faint knock at the door, answering it to see a maid holding a tray full of food. Elias stood in the doorway and thanked her to her services, insisting he could carry it himself before closing the door in her face.

As he placed it on his nightstand, he sat down and began eating, watching Alexis eyes flutter underneath her closed lids.

Alexis awoke slowly and for a moment she forgot she was injured, and then she moved. Pursing her lips momentarily she moved a little more carefully. Her hair was a mess. She stood up and stretched trying not to pull her side too hard. "I was worried about you. My father was acting weird and I just wanted to make sure that he didn't ship you back to your father while I was asleep. And then I was too tired to walk back so I sat down and passed out."

Alexis was genuinely worried that she would be deemed unfit to fight monsters because they both got hurt. It just backed up Ellinora's concerns that girls shouldn't be fighting creatures of the night. "See, after Maggie died Ellinora decided it was because we were girls and it was too dangerous." She sat back down. "I don't want her to start that again. If she convinced my father of it-" she sighed. "Then I would have to settle down, marry and have babies and I'm not ready for that. I mean, someday sure but not yet."
@December

@Wick

---

Elias nodded quietly and slowly chewed his food, his mind still awakening. After a moment, he swallowed and paused, sstaring blankly at his plate. "I think you've missed the point of being a Grimm."

Elias stood and moved towards the cabinet on the other side of the room, pulling a bottle of whiskey from the lower shelf and uncorking it, taking a long swig before growling at the burning sensation it brought.

"Grimms rise to the occasion, no matter the challenge," Elias said, turning to face his partner. "When no ordinary human could fight them, we rose to fight the Wesen. We became the Reapers of Monsters, slaying what ordinary folk couldn't. When Wesen used disguises to fool us into thinking they were human, we learned how to see through the disguises. When the Wesen used magic, we did the same. When any foe stands opposite us, we learn its ways, and we strike it down."

The Grimm slid onto the bed, taking another swig of whiskey. "Elinora is an obstacle," Elias stated. "Instead of trying your rebellious methods, try figuring out what she wants and playing her game. Then you might be able to win."

Alexis watched Elias and sighed. "I know what she wants. I just refuse to give it to her. Maybe I could spend more time with her though, that might help."

Over the next few weeks the hunters healed and Alexis spent more time with Elinora and started training again with Elias this time. She was surprised at how easy it was to get into the routine but also at how sore her side and stomach muscles still were. They were still working out when the stable boy came running into the training room and blurted out, "Miss Alexis! You have company to see you. Mr. Nathan and Miss Amelia Broussard are here to see you. Your mother said hurry to change for tea."

Alexis' smile faded instantly and she nodded. "Thank you Robert."

She looked over at Elias frowning sadly. then sprinted out and across the lawn to the house. Her maid was already for her when she got there. Half an hour later Alexis walked down the stairs to see her guests. When she walked over and into the parlor Nathan jumped up and walked over, taking her hand in his rather unexpectedly. "Oh, hello Nathan. It's good to see you."

Amelia put on her fake smile and asked her "Is your cousin still here? After we heard about your accident we just had to come make certain you were both okay."

"The accident, oh...yes of course and yes he is here. Although he was outside just a little while ago working with his horse. I'm not sure of where he is." Alexis rambled, at least maybe she could save Elias some grief. She was still feeling a little awkward about Nathan grasping her hand. Now she was also wondering what Elinora had told people. Amelia looked a little deflated at her news.

Alexis walked over to the couch and sat down and be darned if Nathan didn't just sit as close to her as he could possibly get without being rude. The maid came in with the tea and poured each of them a cup and left a tray of cookies for them.

"Your mother wouldn't allow us to see you before now." Amelia chimed. When the doctor said he had been here to tend to your injuries we were terribly upset. "See, he was talking to mother about father's gout he mentioned being here so she had to ask what happened and he said you were both attacked by an animal the night after our party. So naturally we felt bad because of the incident."

Alexis knew but had to ask. "What incident?"

Amelia fairly glowed as she was telling her story. "Apparently the night of our party two of our guests were attacked and killed by wolves or bears or something and our hunters went out the next day and couldn't find them. Maybe you wouldn't have been attacked if we had found them."

"Oh Amelia! No it's not your fault and may I ask were the guests alright? Who was it?"

Nathan answered, jealousy clear in his voice "I believe it was the man you were in the garden with and his friend."

Alexis feigned shock and distress. "Oh no! Are they alright?" A look of mock horror set in when Nathan shook his head and replied. "Both men died of their wounds."

Alexis turned slightly greenish and picked up her tea cup to "calm" her nerves.

After tea was over Nathan stood up and offered her his hand to rise. Out of politeness she did and was ready to walk them to the door to leave when Nathan suggested a walk. When Amelia beamed brightly hoping to run into Elias she couldn't say no. They left through the door nearest the kitchen and as they walked Nathan reached over and took her hand again. Unsure of what to do she pointed things out to him, dropping his hand whenever possible until he refused to let it go. She pretended that she didn't notice. Amelia was going on ahead to look for Elias.

Nathan slowed his pace so they were alone as they walked. "Alexis, we've known each other a long time and we have a lot in common. I wanted to ask you if you would mind me calling on you." Alexis stood there for a moment and put on a bright smile.

"That would be fine as long as my father agrees." Nathan beamed as if he had won a prize.

Alexis was not prepared for Nathan to slide his arm around her waist and kiss her and when he did she turned her face so that he got her cheek. Then she stepped back and blushed. "Why Nathan, you startled me." Looking down the path a ways she saw Amelia had found Elias and was talking to him with her arm linked in his. "Oh look! Amelia found Elias." She exclaimed hoping to have some company at that moment. She nearly pulled her irritated beau down the path til they reached the other two.

"Hello Elias!" Alexis said desperately.

@December

@Wick

---

The following days and weeks brought a sense of consistency to Elias' life that he hadn't felt in a long while. Ever since he had lost the only three constants in his life, Taric, hunting, and his brother Julian, his life had been a constant cacophony of darkness and self-loathing. Being able to spend the days with Alexis, someone who didn't bat an eye at his depressive mood swings, fits of bloodlust, and was able to relate with him about his frustration of not being able to hunt was... reassuring.

The pair spent the early hours of the morning tending to the stables and engaging in peaceful activities, the afternoons training viciously, and the evenings by the fireside, snuggled in warm skins and wool blankets while they talked about their lives and played games.

As the days turned to weeks, Elias' wounds slowly healed, faded into nothing more than slightly discolored blemishes on his skin. The healing salves that Marcus and Elinora's provided Elias helped speed the recovery process immensely, however they could not cure the guilt he felt whenever Alexis winced at the sudden sharp pains in her side.

When the Broussard's came to visit, Elias immediately detected the change in his partner's demeanor. As she departed, Elias cleaned up their training area. The Grimm's had been kind enough to donate an extra storage house to the pair, allowing them to practice in relative privacy when they sparred.

Elias returned the leather-bound wooden weapons they trained with to their mounted places on the walls, unwrapping the tightly bound cloth around his hands as he did so. Elias had learned much about Alexis' fighting style over the weeks; while Elias excelled at ranged combat and heavy weapons, his partner far surpassed him in up close and personal hand-to-hand combat. The hunter couldn't decide who was the superior fighter; each had their individual strengths. It merely depended on the circumstances to determine the victor.

Once Elias had cleaned out the entire room, he walked out, visiting the stables to tend to the horses' needs before deciding to take a walk. Any distance he could make from the house was a good decision, judging by Alexis' expression.

The Hunter wiped a towel across his forehead and tossing it onto a shelf in the stables as he headed out, rolling up his sleeves and allowing the wind to ruffle through his shirt, enjoying the cool weather.

The trees provided peaceful shielding from the sun's rays, rustling their branches in the soft breeze. The sounds of nature brought a sense of peace to Elias as he roamed through the forest, pushing aside any memory of the Spriggan attack that attempted to spoil his happiness.

Elias' happiness was spoiled when he heard a woman's voice call out to him, drawing his attention a little further down the path.

"Pardon me!" A beautiful woman quickly moved towards him, raising a polite hand in greeting. As she approached, she smiled and composed herself, straightening his clothing and extending her hand for him to grasp. "You must be Elias. It's truly a pleasure to meet you. I am Amelia Broussard."

Elias smiled warmly and took her hand, gently bringing it to his lips and placing a soft kiss on the top of her hand. While in the West, this was a highly uncommon greeting, saved only for the most respectful of greetings, Elias was fairly certain it was far more commonplace in the East.

"It would appear you are aware of who I am, but not I you, my dear Miss Broussard." The Hunter straightened and gently released her hand, allowing his eyes to show a flicker of mirth within them as he stared at Amelia.

"My apologies, I have seem to forgone a proper introduction!" Amelia gave a mirthful, flirtatious laugh and stepped closed, never breaking eye contact. "In these parts, most people tend to be aware of my family, and it is not often I come across a man from a place so... exotic."

The woman's flirtatious vibe was clear as she swept her raven hair over her shoulder and fiddled with her loose locks, edging ever closer to the Grimm. "The Broussard family is one well known in the East. Me and my brother, Nathan, whom you must have met the night of the ball, are here to visit regarding you and Alexis' awful accident!"

Elias raised his eyebrows and feigned a smile. "Well, it means a great deal to me, as I'm sure it does to Alexis as well, but I must assure you, we are fine."

"Nonsense, you should be resting after such an ordeal. But, I suppose a quiet walk through the meadow would be good for your health. Come, join me." Amelia gave a light laugh and took his arm, guiding Elias along the path.

The Grimm bit his lip as Amelia gently squeezed his upper arm, obviously enjoying the moment to be so close to him. While she was by all accounts being rather aggressive, Elias didn't mind the attention. He just had to be sure to monitor how close he let her get.

So, tell me, my dear Elias, what brings you to this area of the country?" Amelia batted her eyes and smiled innocently, failing to disguise her prying intent. Before he could come up with a lie to feed to the woman, a voice called out to him.

"Hello Elias!" Both Elias and Amelia looked over their shoulders, seeing Alexis approach with Nathan in tow. The desperate look in her eyes was clear, alerting him to her discontent. Elias smiled broadly and turned with Amelia to face the pair.

"Greetings, Alexis," Elias nodded his head in her partner's direction. "It's a pleasure to encounter you again, Nathan."

The men shook hands, however Elias made sure that his grasp was firmer than Nathan's never breaking eye contact as Nathan's knuckles turned white as he failed to grip Elias' hand more firmly than the Grimm.

As the pair released their hands, Elias turned gestured vaguely towards Amelia. "Amelia tells me that you are here to visit us regarding the attack. It means a great deal to both Alexis and I that you two would take the time to visit us, truly."

Turning his head slightly so that Nathan and Amelia were unable to catch it, Elias winked at Alexis as he gave a mirthful smile, obviously enjoying himself.

Catching his wink, her smile became softer and more reassured. She kept her hands gesturing things or playing with her pocket as she tried to keep Nathan from grasping her hand again. Nathan wrapped his arm around Alexis' waist and pulled her closer to him. "I've just managed to get Alexis to allow me to become her beau." Nathan announced for Elias'. Nathan was jealous of Elias. He got to spend more time with Alexis and he knew they weren't blood related. He had a bit of a sneer about his announcement. Alexis was obviously in distress about it and she wriggled away as best as she could considering they were in a public setting.

She laughed but it sounded more like she wanted to cry. "Nathan I did say it was up to my father."

He purposefully pulled her back to him and tried to kiss her but Alexis wasn't going to be pushed into kissing him, especially in front of Elias, and her instincts took over and she balled up her fist and punched him in the face. Nathan instantly let go of her and shrieked in anger and he raised his hand to Alexis. She was in a bouncy frilly dress with high heels on and she was supposed to be a delicate flower. She had to make up her mind fast, either let him hit her and be the victim that she should socially be or kick the crap out of him and let the world know she was not a normal girl which would cause her family trouble.

Alexis chose the route that would give her the upper hand later and when he brought his fist down in a swing to hit her Alexis reared backwards to lessen the blow.

@December

Collaboration

Alexis' sudden strike against Nathan instantly spurred Elias into action. The Grimm stepped forward quickly, pulling his arm away from Amelia's grasp and catching the man's flying fist in an iron grasp.

The momentum of the punch still carried through, gently landing on the side of Alexis' face, however it was far too soft to do any real damage. The men came eye to eye, Elias' nose mere inches from Nathan's as he firmly held the younger man's hand, preventing him from taking any more action.

"That's enough," Elias voice was low and possessed a growling quality to it, immediately establishing his dominance. Before Nathan could protest, Elias whirled around and glared Alexis down. "Mind your place, cousin."

Elias was secretly thrilled that Alexis has struck the man, as he did love to see all kinds of drama, however he had to maintain an image. Alexis couldn't be allowed to act out like that in public, and Elias needed to establish the unquestionable fact that he was not to be tested.

Slowly releasing his grip from Nathan's wrist, Elias turned to face the man, anger burning in his eyes at the fact that he had attempted to strike Alexis. "My apologies, Sir Broussard, I know not what has overcome her."

Alexis looked downwards acting like the pious young maiden that she should be. Alexis was really trying not to smile. She pulled her hand back from Elias and she curtsied to Nathan and Amelia. "I am so sorry. I have no excuse for my actions. Please forgive me!" She turned and ran to the house. Once inside she went straight to her father and told him what happened. Once she was certain that her father would not allow her to date Nathan Broussard she went to her room to change.

As Alexis sprinted off, Elias let out a low huff and turned to the Broussards. "I apologize for her rash actions. Alexis has never been on of the most well restrained individuals."

Nathan's face was beginning to swell and redden, revealing just how hard Alexis had struck him. He opened his mouth to no doubt unleash some form of hatred towards Elias' cousin, however Amelia interjected first.

"That is no excuse," Her tone was even and cold, portraying an evident dislike for Alexis. "She should be beaten for her trespasses."

"Do not apologie for her actions," Nathan's glowered, gently rubbing his face. "She has sinned, not you. However, you will not prevent me from disciplining her again."

Elias' jaw tensed visibly at the man's insolence. The tendons in his arm stood out as his fists tightened, however his voice carried a clear tone of control and restraint. "I advise you not make the same mistake as Alexis and forget your authority."

The hunter locked eyes with Nathan before giving a cold smile that never reached his eyes. "But that is of no concern. Come, let's tend to your bruise." Without another word, Elias took Amelia's arm once more and led the pair back to the house.

Alexis snuck back out of the house and ran to the barn. She had seen Elias take them into the house by the back door. The thought of one more moment of Nathan Broussard's company was nauseating to her. She couldn't stand the man he had become. She went to see Merle and before a moment or two had passed she was riding out and away from the house in the opposite direction that the Broussards would go when they left.

She knew she was going to probably get punished by Ellinora and she knew she had been pinning her hopes on a match for Alexis with Nathan Broussard. She just couldn't figure out a way to tell her that it was not going to happen. She waited by the pond where she and Elias often sparred when not inside. She figured he might look for her after they left, if he wasn't mad at her.

The conversation was the Broussards was strained, however Elias soon got Nathan to speak of his "great exploits", feigning interest in the man's stories. After almost an hour of listening to nothing but over-inflated ego, Elias was more than ready to lead the guests to the door.

Marcus thanked them for their visit, apologized for Alexis' actions, and assured them she would be disciplined most harshly for her obscene behavior. Once the house was clear of any unwanted guests, Elias informed Marcus he would locate Alexis.

After ensuring that Merle was indeed gone from the stables, Elias set out on foot, positive she would be at the water's edge. As expected, Alexis had taken refuge by the cool pond, relaxing with her feet in the water.

Elias approached silently, moving towards Merle before gently whispering a command word in the horse's ear, commanding it to return to the stables. Once she had departed. Elias sat silently behind Alexis, contemplating whether or not to teach his cousin a valuable lesson. It didn't take much deliberation to reach a decision.

Elias pulled a small, blunted kunai from his sleeve and whistled, hurling it with incredible accuracy at her back. It was time for Alexis to learn to adapt.

Alexis had heard footsteps and when Merle had moved away she knew for certain who it was. Besides her only he and her father knew how to speak to Merle. She felt the movement rather than heard it. She dropped to the ground and rolled away from it as it would have thumped her in the back.

In the next moment she was on her feet and she hurled herself at him knocking them both to the ground. "Are they gone?" Alexis was barely holding it together at this point.

Rather than answering her, Elias unleashed a growl, lifting her off the ground with one arm and slamming her back down beside him. Normally, he would've taken this opportunity to pin her, but instead he rolled away, coming to his feet and pulling a second kunai from his belt.

"Get up." His tone was cold and hostile; Elias was unaware of any other way to teach other than chilled brutality.

Alexis focussed on him realizing that they were gone or he wouldn't have come here. Her mind went to Ellinora next but her eyes stayed on Elias. When the next kunai was thrown she was able to dodge it easily and she kicked him in the ribs knocking him backwards.

Instead of charging her, per his usual style, Elias moved with her kick, grasping her ankle and yanking her along with him. Turning her momentum against her, Elias hurled Alexis through the air, knocking her onto her back. "Get. Up."

Alexis was dragged off balance and then tossed through the air. Looking up at him she rolled away from him and stood up. "Elias, I -" She ducked as something came at her. It was small and she didn't see what it was but Elias was almost on top of her too so she back kicked him and the other was only a distraction she determined as she glanced back.

"I wanted to talk to you."

Elias nimbly rolled away from her kick, standing once more. "This isn't the time to talk. It's time to learn."

Without another word, Elias darted forward, sliding under Alexis' strike and sweeping her leg out from beneath her, planting a quick jab towards her ribs.

Alexis adapted but had to protect her side and she turned inwards to do so as she fell to her stomach and rolled away from him. "Thank you for helping me with Nathan. My aunt wants me to marry him but I don't want to."

Elias simply huffed and grounded himself, bending low to the ground. "Your actions were rash, your restraint lacking."

Without another word, he lunged, holding nothing back. Fist after fist flew at Alexis, forcing her on the defensive as he pushed her back to the water. His hits became much harder, dealing actual damage each time Alexis failed to divert them.

Alexis pushed the pain back and finally she dove into the water and swam away from him. She waited a moment and when he appeared to be calmer she came back to him. Alexis was soaked to the skin of course and she swam back to him and she started to fall over in the water when she went to stand up. She reached out for him and she grabbed his arm trying to regain her balance. "Elias I-" At that point her eyes locked on his and she leaned into him and kissed him.

Elias' plan to throw her back into the water was put on hold by her actions. He had planned to teach her a lesson about adapting she wouldn't soon forget, however he needed to practice it himself in the new, unexpected scenario.

After a moment, their lips stopped touching when Elias didn't kiss her back. Instead, he stood there, stoic, his eyes scanning her's for any hint of her intentions. When none were readily apparent, he furrowed his brow.

Normally, he would have jumped at the opportunity to make out with a woman as beautiful as her, but this was different. Elias gently pushed her soaking hair out of her face and stared deeply into her eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Elias spoke. "Was that because you love me, or because you don't want to love someone else?"

Alexis quietly asked him, "You mean you don't know how much you mean to me? Of course I love you."
@December

@Wick

---

The stone-like look in Elias' eyes stood unwavering before Alexis' confession. He simply stared at her, brow furrowed, moving his gaze from one eye, to the other, and back. After a long, tense moment, he let out a long exhalation through his nose and turned away, bending over to pick up one of the fallen kunai. Once he had rightened his posture, he turned back to Alexis, his eyes slightly softer.

"I lost my entire world." The man swallowed and clenched his jaw. Another span of silence followed before he spoke again. "I'm not ready to give myself to someone else. Not yet."

His tone was soft and gentle, however there was an unmistakable reserve behind it. With that, Elias turned and retrieved the final kunai, slipping it into a pouch in his pants before turning to look back at Alexis. "As long as his grave remains fresh, so will the pain."

The only sound in the meadow was the rustling of leaves in the wind and the soft lapping of the pond's waves. Silence between the pair stretched on for what seemed like a century before Elias turned and left, heading back into the woods without another word.

Alexis stood there in the water staring after Elias. She felt confused and a little hurt and she wondered if he was ever going to be able to love her. Walking out of the water she walked back home slowly. The sun dried her off before she got back home. There was a sadness about her that was obvious to the staff and her family.

Once back in the house her father's voice called to her and she was given a talking to about hitting her suitors by Elinora who appeared to be at her wit's end. "Can I go to my room now?" She asked finally and having run out of energy to yell at her Elinora nodded. As she left the room she heard Elinora speaking to Marcus.

"Maybe it's time? She needs to settle down and get married and that means no more fighting."

Gritting her teeth Alexis ran to her room and changed. It was dark outside now. In all black the only thing visible was her face. The hood even cloaked her completely from the back. Armed with all of her weapons she rode Merle into the forest. She was going hunting and right now things were too weird with Elias.

It wasn't long before she found something. It was a wesen. She could smell it in the air. There was something else too but she couldn't tell what it was. She sat down in the middle of a clearing and closed her eyes and waited.

She heard the wesen as it tried to sneak up on her, she smiled and waited another second when she could hear it's breathing getting close enough she reared up with her blade and slashed at it knocking it backwards and onto it's back. It blocked with it's arm and howled at the sword's blow. Alexis kicked it in the stomach and flipped backwards as it lunged into her kick. They went round and round for at least a good ten minutes before she slammed her blade of silver into his heart. His scream was loud and it felt satisfying to her. She was elated. The kill was the first since her injury and she barely noticed her side's soreness at all.

As she walked through the woods she half expected to run into another one. Her disappointment grew as she fell into thought about Elias and his old partner. He spoke about him as if they were lovers almost. She understood the extreme closeness she had had that with Maggie too but they were gone and it was a different type of love that she had for Elias. She sighed. She had to give him time.

It was dark in most of the house and about midnight when she got home. She refused to let Elinora marry her off so she made a plan. The thought made her chuckle. If she wanted to marry her off it was going to be harder than she expected. Alexis would make sure of that.

@December

@Wick

---

Elias didn't bother going back to the mansion. He needed time to himself.

The man set off through the woods, steering away from the wilds where the Sweden lurked and directed himself into the hilly countryside the peasants populated. His many years as a hunter has given him an impeccable sense of direction, allowing him to wander for hours on end and still be able to find his way back home.

The Grimm walked through fields of grain and other crops, allowing his feet to wander down trodden dirt paths and forgotten trails through the trees, eventually bringing his lost path back home.

Elias quietly snuck into the house through the back door and stole up the stairwell, returning to his room as the sun disappeared behind the trees.

The following hours consisted of fevered consciousness and uncomfortable twisting in bed, attempting to fall asleep. Every time blissful release approached, the thought of Taric's death, Alexis' love, or his own guilt would bring him back into the land of wakefulness.

The moon was well past its midpoint whenever Elias wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and left his room, stealing away to the stables where he quietly slid into Hundar's stall and curled up next to the beast's warm body, gently snuggling into his side until the comfort of an old friend allowed Elias to slip into darkness. As he fell asleep, the stable door slid open as Alexis quietly led Merle inside, undetected by Elias.

Alexis had entered the barn and taken care of Merle, talking softly as she did. Then she went across to Hundar to pet him and gave him an apple. She happened to look down and see Elias camped out in the stall with him sleeping.
Next she watched him for a moment and grabbed one of the blankets and put over him. The temperature was dropping at night lately and she wanted him to be warm enough. She was careful not to waken him as she spoke quietly to Hundar.

"Your father and I have decided that you will go to the city to your Aunt Jean's care and you should be introduced to the Ton as one of them." Elinora said at breakfast the next morning.

Alexis was midway to choking to death and was quickly hit on the back by the butler nearest to her to alleviate the problem. Quickly she glared at Elinora and turned to her father.

"That is not who I am! I don't want to be one of those frilly girls who are snobby and too full of themselves to notice anything in the real world! I'm not going!"

Her father looked like he was trapped and he sighed. "I told you El, she is gonna fight you on it."

"Yes, You are going and you will be taking your cousin with you. He is to go as your chaperone." Elinora declared. "You are only going for the season. When you get back we will see where everything stands. You might have a different outlook on things by then."

"I highly doubt that!" Alexis said and then she glanced at Elias in hopes that he wouldn't put up a fight about going with her to the city for three months. Her Aunt Jean was her real blood related aunt. She had only been a young girl when her older brother and his wife had died leaving Alexis to the Grimm's. She had grown to love her aunt over the years. She was only about 12 years older than she was.

Elinora looked at Elias. "You have no objection to accompanying your cousin to the city for a few months do you? All of your expenses will be paid for of course. You will leave in the morning and there will be fittings for you both as soon as you get into the city. You will both need new clothing for all of the balls and other events and parties you will attend."
@December

@Wick

---

Elias' fists clenched under the table, his knuckles turning white. The prospect of traveling to a distant place again, only to be met with balls and frivolity and pointless socializing... It made his blood boil.

Elias quietly cleared his throat and placed his fork on the table beside his place, swallowing hard before managing to force out the words, "Does that not defeat my entire purpose for being here?"

When Elinora and Marcus met his gaze with blank eyes, he clasped his hands firmly and leaned forward. "I was sent here to assist with the issue of Wesen overrunning the countryside. People are being terrorized in their fields and in their homes. I'm here to stop that, and sending me off to go participate in pompous vanity would entirely nullify my presence, would it not?"

The entire idea revolted Elias to the point of nausea. He could not stand filling his life with pointless events of "high society" while ignoring his responsibility as a Grimm. Elias shot an apologetic look towards Alexis before speaking.

"I'm sure you must understand, Uncle," Elias pleaded. "As Grimms we are obligated to defend the humans from the terrors of Wesenkind, and to mediate relations between humans and those of the Wesen that wish to live in peace. I cannot fulfill such duties if I am restrained by balls and other sorts of parties."

Alexis gave Elinora a look of pure disdain and refused to look at her. "Father I don't want to go and be turned out like some little empty headed girl that can't think for herself to hopefully "land" a husband! I don't need a husband and I don't want one!"

Marcus gave them both a sigh of irritation and looked to Elias and then his daughter. "I have already spoken to Elias' father as well as another Grimm family in the city. There are a few events that can only be explained by wesen activity and he could work on looking into that. Your father also thought that the interactions with others in the city would be good for you to heal. It is done. You are both going!"

Alexis stood, excused herself from the table and stormed out of the house and ran to the stables. Tears streamed down her face as she brushed her horse. "Merle, I don't want to go. I don't need a husband and even if I did I couldn't choose one of them. I don't love them, but -" she sniffled a little.

"He doesn't ... It's going to be okay Merle. We'll leave tonight and we'll go somewhere where I don't have to get married and do whatever a man tells me to do. I don't want to give up hunting and I'm not going to!"

After grooming him Alexis went on to groom the other horses.

@December

@Wick

---

Elias silently watched Alexis allow her emotions to overflow once more as she left the room before he turned to Marcus, his eyes narrowing. "Uncle, I understand your desire for me to accompany her, but it is a waste that I will not permit."

Marcus tilted his head to the side, obviously surprised that Elias would openly defy him. Before he could open his mouth, Elias cut in. "Wesen activity in the North is wonderful, however I am not needed. I am needed here. Something strange is happening in these parts, and you need me. Leave the Wesen of the North to the basic Grimms. I'm sure our relatives in the North can handle it just as fine. But I will not allow my talents to be wasted. I am not merely a Grimm; I'm an elite. Not one hunter has surpassed the feats me and my partner Taric accomplished; we are capable of slaying the most fearsome of Wesen that most can hardly cope with the fact of the existence of such creatures."

Marcus clenched his fists and refused to back down. "You are going with Alexis, and there are no strange Wes-!"

"Wake up, Marcus!" Elias snapped, pounding his fists on the table as he stood up, kicking back his chair. "Up until I arrived, you didn't even believe in Spriggans! Then me and Alexis found an entire pod of them, with what looks like more than one Grovemother! Alexis and I slayed two Vetalas! You know those aren't your garden variety Wesen! I encountered what I'm fairly certain are Manticore tracks during my time travelling here, and who knows what else!"

Elinora and Marcus stood in unison, both of their voices booming across the hall, demanding Elias attention. Their words intermingled into an unintelligible mess, however the tone and raw volume of their shouts shocked him into a temporary silence, his jaw and fists clenched tight.

The staredown seemed to last for centuries, however it was broken at last by Marcus' soft whisper.

"You're going. That's final."

Elias growled deep in his throat, grabbing the knife and hurling it across the table, stabbing it into the direct center of the wooden structure before whirling on his heel, exiting the building quickly as he headed out to go train.