Arms linked together, the pair walked to their favourite spot in the garden near the pond. Elizabeth laid her head on her lover's shoulder, taking a deep breath, savouring the moment.

"Darling-" Thomas began, "I fear this whole ordeal is taking a significant toll on you. And I was just wondering..."

Thomas was cut short by Elizabeth unlinking her arm and falling to the ground, her head in her hands. "I'm so tired Tommy..." she folded her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. "I'm just so fucking tired".

Thomas joined her on the ground, putting his arms around her and pulling her close. He ran his fingers through her hair, brushing a stray strand behind her ear. He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his eye-line. "Speak to me love, please."

Elizabeth could feel a lump forming in her throat, there was something about how this man would look at her, eyes full of love and concern, it got her so choked up. "God I've been an awful girlfriend" she croaked. "These past few days things have happened so quickly. Everything with Egad and Markus...finding out just how deep this whole things goes is just so-" she pauses to breathe, taking Thomas's hand in hers squeezing it tightly, "hard. And you! You've just had to run after me, and I haven't asked you how you're dealing with everything, or how you feel. I feel awful about everything."

Thomas's expression doesn't change, he only wipes away the formations of tears in his love's eyes and kisses her forehead. "Elizabeth, from the moment I saw you arrive on the grounds of this house I knew you were extraordinary. And when we finally got to speak? When I could hear my name on your lips? It was as if I was living again. You breathed a warmth into me that I cannot explain, you saved me from an eternity of solitude." He paused, contemplating his words, "I can't pretend as though I am finding this easy. Every time I hear that bastard's name a rage forms within me. He never deserved to even gaze upon you, let alone take your life. But you must know, that I am here. That I love you. And that there is nothing you could do to change that."

Elizabeth smiled shakily at him, as tears finally dripped down her cheeks. She threw her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck. She felt his hands enclose around her, smoothing her back. She felt his breath on her neck as he shushed her gently. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" She sighed, kissing his neck softly.

The pair lay down together, hands clasped firmly as one. She turned to look at him, brushing a stray curl away from his face. She gazed at his lips longingly. He did the same.

After a what felt like hours, Thomas moved in, kissing her passionately. This felt different than before, different from when she'd first kissed him under the setting sun. This felt natural, like their lips were made to be interlocked. He deepened the kiss, she returned it, placing a hand on his cheek that slowly wandered into his hair. He groaned approvingly as she played with the soft tufts between her fingers, pulling ever so slightly.

Elizabeth felt her face burning, as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the experience. The man she loved, perched over her, kissing her like his existence depended on it. She didn't care who saw, she couldn't care less. All that mattered was the moment. What was happening now. She gasped slightly when Thomas moved a hand down to her waist, cradling the dip of her body and the kiss grew heavier, their lips moving in a beautiful rhythm.

Finally the pair broke apart gasping for air. They locked eyes, exploring the depths of each other's souls. There was silence for a while as the two contemplated what to do next.

Thomas smiled, clearly brewing up something poetic to say about her lips or her eyes, but he was cut short by Elizabeth's finger over his lips.

She sighed deeply, "Thomas...everything is a mess right now. A real fucking mess. But knowing I have you makes it all a little clearer." She swallowed thickly, eyes darting from his eyes to his lips. "Moments like these mean everything to me Tommy. They're like moments of light between the endless torrent of darkness. When I'm with you I feel stronger, and I'm sorry for leaving you in the dark sometimes." She sighed, removing her hand. "I think, I want to head upstairs. And I don't want to deal with the case anymore today. I think the rest of the day should just be me and you, snogging each other's faces off until the sun comes up."

Thomas giggled at his girlfriend's rather blunt way of putting it. "Yes, that would be grand."