The end did not come. At least, not in the way Claire expected it. As the energy crackled and spit around them, like hundreds of angry pit vipers vying for the first bite, it never actually touched them. Claire felt the hair on her arms stand on end and when she looked up, Alek was staring down at her, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Think you could untie me?"

"What's happening?" Claire breathed, pulling at the ropes tying his hands behind his back.

"It's the strangest thing," Alek began thoughtfully. "I had this dream involving a very persistent and troublesome blonde... she gave me a warning I felt it was prudent to heed. Later, you will need to tell me how you managed such a feat."

Claire felt overwhelmed with emotion. Tears sprang to the corners of her eyes and she threw her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I've done nothing to deserve such a warm welcome, but I do intend to remedy that very soon. What do you say we get out of here, hmm?"

"Yes," Claire managed.

"You may want to close your eyes," he said, pulling her against his side, he reached out with his free hand towards the energy that still crackled around them. It bowed inward for a moment and then expanded outwards, exploding into a sparkling shower of harmless lights.

As the sparks settled around them, Alek slowly rose, pulling Claire up with him.

This time it was Sevik's turn to stare in slack jawed surprise.

"How are you still alive? How?" He roared angrily.

"That's not important right now, Sevik," Alek replied. "What you should be worried about is how long you'll have to live when you return to your mistress empty handed."

Sevik's outraged expression shifted to one of panic. He reached into his pocket where he had tucked the nutcracker doll away for safekeeping. He must have found what he was looking for because his face relaxed into an easy smile. He drew the nutcracker out and rolled it from one hand to the other.

"You almost had me going there, Drosselmeyer," Sevik mused. "While it is true my queen will not be pleased to learn of your continued existence, what matters most is that I've brought her what she desires above all else."

Darkness began to creep in towards them, as though the shadows had come alive. Fearing these were shades, Claire pressed closer to Alek.

"I hope you won't take it personally, but I must take my leave," Sevik continued as the shadows grew closer. Alek seemed unbothered by the encroaching darkness and simply shook his head.

"I suppose this is goodbye for now then, Sevik," Alek replied.

"Until we meet again, friend," Sevik offered Alek with a smirk and a sweeping bow. He started to turn, but paused to look back. His gaze locked with Claire's and she quickly turned away, her eyes focusing on a loose thread protruding from Alek's jacket. Despite her best efforts, she could still see Sevik from the corner of her eye.

"Don't think this is the end, my love," he mused, lifting the fingers of his hand to touch the cut on his lip. "I always repay a debt." Alek's hold on her tightened, and, before either of them could respond, Sevik vanished into a swirl of black smoke, the shadows that had been pooling around them vanishing as well.

As the darkness faded, Arabella appeared in the gaping hole Sevik had created in the wall.

"Did it work?" She gasped breathlessly. Her eyes swept the room and when they settled on Alek, alive and well, a smile broke out across her face. "It worked! You did it, Claire!"

A heavy thud behind them drew their attention towards Draz who had finally managed to free himself from the tangled trap Sevik had snared him with. He picked himself up off the floor and kept his gaze locked downward as he dusted off his clothing.

"Arabella? Draz!" Alek shouted, "you brought my sister here? Are you out of your damn mind?"

"Believe me, it's not the stupidest thing I've done today," Draz grumbled.

"Why don't I find that hard to believe?"

Draz lifted his head at last, his expression dark. "Oye, don't pin this all on me you pretentious fop," Draz growled.

"Alek," Claire said quietly, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

"Is that the best you've got, Haval?" Alek countered.

"I don't..." Claire began, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath. Her head was spinning and she felt sick to her stomach. "Can we please..."

"Claire? What's wrong?"

Words failed her as she felt darkness settle over her, heavy and absolute.

Claire dreamed she was back home, back at the farmhouse where she had lived after her mother had passed away. It was a warm, breezy summer afternoon, the sky overhead a deep, clear cerulean streaked by the occasional white, puffy cloud. She could smell the heady scent of spices wafting from the open kitchen window where several apple pies had been set to cool.

The sound of birds chirping and insects humming mingled with soft, rhythmic creaking of the swing upon which she sat. Each pump of her legs carried her higher and faster, closer to that perfect summer sky.

Laughter rang out, distant and disjointed. She reached out with one hand, as though to touch the sky, and choked back a cry when she saw thick, black veins popping up against her pale skin, spreading and growing until her entire arm was black. Though she couldn't see them, she could feel it spreading across her chest and shoulders, down her back, threatening to consume her completely.

As the swing made it's sweeping arch upwards, Claire felt it disappear beneath her and without warning she was falling, falling through darkness, through nothingness. A strangled cry escaped her and she felt something grip her shoulders and begin to shake her.

"Claire!"

That voice.

"Claire, wake up!"

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Alek hovering over her, his face a mask of worry and fear. When their eyes met and he realized she was awake, his hands left her shoulders and he gathered her up in his arms, drawing her close.

"You're awake," he breathed and Claire could feel him trembling.

"Of course I'm awake," Claire said, the dream already fading from her thoughts, the fear a distant memory that lingered on the fringes of her mind. "Alek, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You've been asleep for three days, Claire," Alek said, drawing back to look down at her.

"Three days? Alek, that's impossible," she said, frowning.

"It doesn't matter, I'm just so relieved you're awake," he said, pressing his forehead against her own. "When Draz told me what the three of you did... I thought I had lost you forever. How could you be so reckless?"

"How could I not?" Claire asked quietly, her eyes rising to meet his.

"I'm not worth your life, Claire," Alek insisted.

"That's for me to decide," Claire countered to which Alek could only smile. "Where are Draz and Arabella? I bet they're worried too."

"Arabella is in the city running some errands," Alek replied. "Draz is... he's gone."

"What?" Claire exclaimed. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I made him leave," Alek announced defensively. "He could have gotten you killed, Claire. In fact, until five minutes ago I was pretty damn confident he had. He's careless and I don't trust him not to do something else reckless in the future."

"You're alive because of him," Claire said. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does," Alek said in exasperation.

"I always told myself it was none of my business, that whatever you two had going on between you was something you would need to work out on your own," Claire continued, "I never asked, and I'm not going to ask now, but you and Draz were friends once, I don't understand why you keep pushing each other away."

"It's ...complicated," Alek said with a heavy sigh.

"So uncomplicate it," Claire suggested, laying her hand over his and giving it a light squeeze. "The Alek I know can solve any problem."

"This might be too big for even me..." he admitted with a sigh.

They both turned towards the door when it burst open and Arabella came barreling in.

"Come quickly," she said, clearly on the verge of tears. "It's Draz. I think he's dead."

Claire felt her heart drop like a stone.

She kicked at the blankets to free herself, letting out a frustrated yell when they tangled around her feet. Alek came to her aid, scooping her up easily into his arms. Claire was too worried about Draz to protest as they followed Arabella into the hall and down the stairs towards the foyer.

Sure enough, Draz lay flat on his face, sprawled spread eagle across the marble floor in a pool of crimson.

"Alek, put me down," Claire insisted and he didn't argue.

She hurried over and knelt beside him. It wasn't until that moment that Claire realized it wasn't blood, but wine.

Her panic turned to frustrated annoyance when she realized that Draz wasn't dead, though he was going to wish he had died.

He was drunk.

"Idiot," she grumbled.

"Is he alright?" Alek asked, dropping to one knee beside her. Unlike Claire, he was careful to avoid the pooling liquid. The nightgown Claire was wearing was stained beyond repair, soaking up the wine more effectively than any rag.

She'd have to apologize to Arabella the next time she saw her.

"He's fine," she stated. "He's gone and drunk himself into a stupor."

"Damn fool," Alek sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have been so hard on him."

"That's probably true," Claire agreed, "but he's an adult, he's responsible for his own actions."

Alek didn't argue, but Claire could see the guilt written on his face.

"We should probably get him off the floor," Claire suggested. Alek nodded and began to strip off his vest and shirt. "What are you doing?!"

He paused and glanced towards her. "I don't feel bad enough to ruin a perfectly good shirt," Alek said defensively. Then he smirked.

"What's the matter? Afraid you won't be able to resist?"

Claire felt her cheeks growing hot.

"No," she replied, averting her gaze. "Let's just get him up, okay?"

Alek said nothing and finished removing his shirt. He handed them to Ms. Avery who had come to see what all the fuss was about. She shook her head and sighed.

"This is going to take a mop and some water..." she set the clothing over the banister and disappeared once more into the depths of the house.

Alek bent down and guided Draz's arm around his shoulder. Draz grunted, still partially aware of what was happening. Somehow between the two of them they managed to get Draz back on his feet. One look at this face and Claire realized why Arabella had believed him to be dead.

His lip was busted and bloody, a deep purple bruise was blossoming across his cheek, and his right eye was swollen shut.

Alek let out a low, long whistle. "Wow, Draz, I can imagine what the other guy looks like..."

Draz tried to smirk but the expression was something more akin to a grimace and looked horrifying. His head lolled to one side and for a brief moment his gaze settled on Claire. She offered him a reassuring smile.

"Sorry, Sonja," he grumbled. "I just can't handle my liquor..."

Sonja? The girl from the picture? Claire cast a puzzled glanced towards Alek who looked away.

"Let's get you somewhere more comfortable so you can sleep it off," he said, guiding Draz into the sitting room located just off the foyer, to the right of the stairs. Claire followed, watching as Alek dumped Draz onto the nearest couch.

"Why did he call me Sonja?" Claire asked as she tucked a pillow underneath Draz's head in an effort to make him more comfortable.

"Because that's your name, silly..." Draz crooned, his words slurring slightly.

Alek glanced towards Claire but offered no explanation. She was about to inquire further when Arabella came rushing into the sitting room, Ms. Avery was not far behind though she seemed to be in no hurry.

"Oh, Draz, you poor thing!" Arabella gasped dramatically. "Look at your face! Does it hurt? I'm going to make you feel better, don't you worry. Ms. Avery, could you fetch some hot water and some towels?"

"Of course, Miss Arabella, I only have a floor to mop..." Ms. Avery replied with a heavy sigh. Despite agreeing to the request, it was clear Ms. Avery was quite annoyed by the turn of events. She offered a frown towards Alek as she passed him, but offered Claire a brief smile.

"Good to see you up and about, my dear," she said, patting her lightly on the shoulder. "If you give me that nightgown there, I'll see about getting those stains out best I can. I'm going to be up the rest of the night as it is."

"Oh, well, thank you Ms. Avery," Claire replied. "I will."

Ms. Avery nodded, offered one last disgruntled glower towards Alek, and then left.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," Alek said, motioning towards the door. Claire nodded, glancing back towards Draz's now unconscious form. Arabella was kneeling beside him stroking his bruised face with her fingertips.

"Ara will take good care of him, Claire," Alek offered quietly. "I promise, he's in good hands. We will come back and see him in a couple of hours when he's had time to sleep this off."

Claire nodded and allowed Alek to guide her back into the foyer where three servants were working quickly to clean up the mess Draz had made. Alek took his shirt and waistcoat from He pulled the shirt over his head before shrugging into the waistcoat which he left unbutton.

"I'm sure you are ready for a bath and some clean clothes," Alek declared as he and Claire climbed the stairs back towards the second floor. While what he said was true, Claire was not going to allow it to distract her.

"I want to know why Draz called me Sonja, who is she?" Claire asked.

Alek sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

For a moment, Clare feared he was going to deflect her question yet again, the very thought making her feel both sad and angry.

Then he turned and offered her a sad smile.

"Listen, Claire," he began quietly. "I know you have questions, and you deserve answers, but you have to look after yourself as well. I don't want you getting sick again."

"But Alek-"

"I promise I will answer all your questions, but first you need to get cleaned up and get something in your stomach," Alek declared in a tone that suggested it was not up for debate.

Claire wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. The scent of alcohol was overpowering and the mention of food caused her stomach to twist uncomfortably.

With great reluctance she finally nodded.

"Alright," she said, "but when I'm finished, we're going to sit down and have a long talk."

"Agreed," Alek said. "I will wait for you in my study."

Claire nodded and Alek smiled. He leaned forward and place a soft kiss on the top of her head and then her lips. She watched in silence as he retreated towards the end of the hall and then disappeared through the door that lead up to the room in the attic.